While Ive been a Christian from a very early age I didnt hear about Mars Hill until my senior year of college. At the time I was struggling with deep depression and anxiety and frequently thought of suicide as a viable option to stop the pain. That same year my sister was in her freshman year at SPU attending the Ballard campus when she recommended to me that I check out this Mark Driscoll guy that according to her was, “pretty awesome.” With her convincing I started podcasting and it completely changed my life. I wasnt sleeping well (if at all) during those days and many times in the early morning hours I would give up on getting rest and go run around the track in our campus rec center while listening to Mark preach about Jesus. It wasnt that I didnt have good community in Atlanta, I was involved in a fantastic and loving church there, but something specific about the way that Mark preached about Jesus gave me something to hold on to in my time of crisis. The Jesus Mark talked about was loving and compassionate, but also big and powerful and just. The kind of understanding of Jesus you need when you feel weak and exhausted and done. It was the Holy Spirit working in me and through Mark’s preaching that likely saved me in that time of my life. The funny thing was that I never intended on actually attending Mars Hill. I was content to remain in Atlanta after school and continue podcasting Mars Hill. But God had a different plan and a couple years later I was moving to Seattle for work. I cannot tell you how comforting it was to know that I would have a church family in Mars Hill that loved Jesus and preached the truth. I started out at the Ballard campus and got involved in community groups and serving in various ministries around the church and ever since then Ive loved this church and its people fully and happily. Over the past five years that Ive been in Seattle Ive been so blessed in the way that God has worked through Mark and Mars Hill to grow me in wisdom and understanding and Ive watched in wonder at the rich blessings that have been poured out through the church on the people of this city. Ive seen children and elderly people baptized, Ive watched young man (including myself) transform from boys to men and seen people in deep need be supported and carried by their community. And the people and leaders that I have worked with (some of whom have moved on) never ceased to amaze me with their steadfast commitment to and love for the Lord. Mark is not Mars Hill, but his preaching is clearly blessed and God has used him to make a huge impact in my life and the lives of those around me as well. The changes that Ive seen in him over the years that Ive been here are so encouraging and have inspired me to grow in love and compassion as well. Mark is not a great man but Jesus is, and Jesus has worked through Mark in my life and in the lives of many, many others for the glory of God. Of course Mars Hill is not a perfect place. Ive moved around a fair amount for school and work and had the opportunity to see a lot of churches and I can say without hesitation that none of them are perfect. They all have “fatal flaws.” Of course Mark is a fallen man who has undoubtedly deeply hurt many people. Of course Ive been hurt at Mars Hill by people in leadership, not Mark specifically, but leaders who acted in ways that some might consider “disqualifying.” And of course Ive deeply hurt many people in the years that Ive been in participating, serving and leading in CG and volunteer teams. And when these circumstances (some of which I had no idea) come to light Ive actively sought repentance and reconciliation. And I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t even done that well at times! I trust that God will judge justly and graciously and rejoice in the fact that we have a Savior who died for all and that I do not have to fear. And I am so, so thankful for leadership that preaches this truth and a church body that helps live it out. I love Mars Hill, I thank God for its leaders (imperfect as they are) and its people (imperfect as they are too) and I pray that all those who profess Christ (you guessed it… as imperfect as we are) would be able as much as possible to set aside our own desires and plans and live at peace with one another that God would be worshiped and glorified here in Seattle and ultimately to the ends of the Earth.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 19:11:10 +0000
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