Mars Hill Church Pastor Mark Driscoll resigned Tuesday after a short leave of absence in August, prompted by accusations he had abused the power granted to him by the position and shunned former members who questioned his decisions.

The Acts 29 Network, an evangelical collective of more than 500 churches worldwide, announced in early August its removal of Mars Hill Church and controversial Pastor Mark Driscoll from its membership. Driscoll’s removal from the network he helped start 15 years ago, along with all Mars Hill churches from Acts 29, came just less than a week after a mid-size gathering of protesters converged outside the Bellevue church location on Aug. 3.

Driscoll requested a leave of absence in late August, but on Tuesday provided the chairman of the church board of advisors and accountability with his letter of resignation, which opens: “By God’s grace I have pastored Mars Hill Church for 18 years. Today, also by God’s grace, and with the full support of my wife Grace, I resign my position as a pastor and elder of Mars Hill. I do so with profound sadness, but also with complete peace.”

Driscoll’s letter goes on to admit he has had his faults while leading the church, but also denounced the process by which the church investigated charges against him.

“I readily acknowledge I am an imperfect messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” writes Driscoll. “There are many things I have confessed and repented of, privately and publicly, as you are well aware. Specifically, I have confessed to past pride, anger and a domineering spirit.”

Driscoll has offered to assist the church during his transition from leadership, and among his reasons for leaving states the past several months were harmful to his family.