That’s right, it’s official. Women can pray. No, really. This might come as a surprise to some, but it’s true.

Actually, anyone who’s been around Mars Hill Church longer than five minutes and has read more than someone else’s critical blog knows that women at MHC are well loved and function in ministry as our congregation lives for Jesus as a city within our city. We’re gifted with several incredible teachers at our Wedgwood Campus alone. This isn’t REALLY a post about the role of women in the church, but we hope we got your attention.

Since late 2007, the men of the Wedgwood Campus (and friends from other campuses and even some who don’t go to our church) have gathered Thursday mornings for prayer at 6.30am. For me, this was truly miraculous occurrence… not just because 15-25 men show up with surprising regularity, but because even I can’t usually get out of bed until 8am. If I do, I usually look like an extra in a George Romero film (which is a zombie reference, to clarify for our cinematically challenged readers). By God’s grace, this has even been an inspiration, energizing and galvanizing factor for Mars Hill pastors.

Our women leaders are setting up an equally important time for our ladies starting Tuesday March 4 at… you guessed it, 6.30am. Why so early? Amy Knorr, our Women’s Ministry coordinator at the Wedge, had this to say (I can’t replicate the remains of her Texas accent, so just fill it in): “this is the best time for ladies of all life-stages to gather together and pray. Students can come before they head to high school or college classes. Those who work outside the home can attend before heading to work, and those who work full time at home with their kids can ask their husbands to wake up the kids that morning so they can join us for prayer and get back in time if their husband has to head to work.”

Amy’s hope is that Women’s Morning Prayer will gather together women of all ages and life stages will help cultivate relationships and ultimately model passages in Titus chapter 2, where mature women pour into the lives of those growing in life and faith. All ladies are welcome starting Tuesday March 4th at 6.30am.

Prux…Croxy…MHY…youth group…student ministries…Billy Bapticostal and his rhythmic gymnastical liturgical dance troop…

Call it whatever you want, but there’s something going on for Junior and Senior High school students at MHC’s Wedgwood campus on Saturday, February 23 from 5-7pm. We’ll be sharing a meal, hanging out, worshipping in song to the sounds of our very own Proxy band, “Venium”, with deacon Andrew Pack (keynote speaker at the Proxy winter retreat) bringing the Word.

Whether you’re planning on being a Wedgwood regular, or you just want to check out the newest addition to the MHY lineup, come on out and help us kick it off.

We’ll be going weekly with our Proxy/Crux combo starting Wednesday, March 5th and then on through May. It should prove to be marginally experimental (FDA approval pending), so if you’re one of those kids who likes to sign up for random clinical trials because there’s twenty bucks in it for you—this is your gig. Trust me.

“The liability waiver…? Don’t worry about it. It’s just standard procedure. Remember—what don’t kill ya will just make you stronger.”

It was that perilous time between Christmas and New Years Eve… a time for returning presents, holiday parties, trying to get in all the last minute things you swore you’d get done in 2007, and then changing the date on most of them to 2008. Sunday the 30th I was slated to preach, and since end-of-year sermons can often be about resolutions, rebuke, fire and brimstone, I thought “Let’s do something lighter for New Years”. My Christmas sermon had been pretty heavy, so I was feeling upbeat.

God had other plans, which is fine.

Colossians 3 is a RICH text about setting our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Too often we seek contentment from this world, comfort from our environment, escapism from our entertainment, distraction from our doldrums, and diversion from our duties. Colossians 3 deals with mortification, which sounds like a Christian death metal band, but actually has a much deeper resonance for our lives. This God-inspired scripture tells us what must be put aside – put to death – and what we get to take on as image-bearers of our Creator. It gives us a nauseating taste of death, then feeds us true contentment in Christ.

It leaves you feeling beat, but ends upbeat, for all who believe.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

Put to Death, Put to Life
preached by Pastor James Harleman

Listen right here by clicking the play button above.

You can also listen to the audio in another browser by clicking on the link below, or right click and “save as” to download the mp3. For those options, click here.

Some people will drop $99 to see Piper in the flesh at Mars Hill’s Ballard Campus in Seattle, along with other speakers at the two-day, ALL-day conference February 25 and 26. All our other campuses, however (Wedgwood included) will host the evening sessions, broadcast live both days at 7pm for the low, low price of NOTHING!

Free means FREE, people. You can drop money for the all-day at Ballard… OR enjoy both evenings of Piper for free at Wedgwood. It will be a great time for church members, as well as friends they want to bring along, and ANYBODY who wants to hear Dr. Piper speak. Everyone from our region is welcome as well. If it’s your first time visiting the Wedgwood Campus (or any other) we’re happy to host.

What’s the premise of “Text and Context”? Well, understanding the “text” of Scripture and the “context” in which we live are essential in preaching the gospel today. We believe this is true whether you are a preaching pastor, a Christian, or in any other walk of life. I hope to see you there!

Joining Dr. John Piper at the all-day will be Matt Chandler from The Village Church in Dallas as well as Jim Gilmore, author and business consultant with expertise on studying the culture and trends of today. For the main conference in Ballard, click here for more info and registration…

by Pastor James Harleman

Ever find that present or stocking stuffer after the holidays are over and the decorations have all come down? Maybe you shouldn’t have left it in the coat closet behind the umbrellas. Sometimes it’s awkward to give that person their belated gift… (particularly if it was their ONLY gift) but other times it can be a fun surprise in a season when it’s unexpected.

Our audio editors got overloaded with content, but have finally caught up, enabling us to bring out our belated Christmas Eve service for a listen. Clocking in at just over ten minutes, it may be one of the shortest sermons in Mars Hill history. It also wound up being totally different than what I planned to preach.

Christmas Eve services can often be fluffy, filled with the nativity narrative and perhaps a story about a puppy. In a year that saw Christmas-themed movies like the throat-slitting Sweeney Todd and Aliens and Predators butchering teenagers on Christmas day, the themes of blood and pain swirled around us; as I prayed about the text, content and commentary God was calling me to, I got thoroughly convicted to deal with the darker aspects of Jesus’ birth and the resonance that spans all of human history.

I recommend reading Luke chapter two before listening to the sermon. Since it’s only ten minutes, you’ve got extra time to read your Bible. That’s never a bad thing.

Blood and Pain
Preached on Christmas Eve by Pastor James Harleman

Listen right here by clicking the play button above.

You can also listen to the audio in another browser by clicking on the link below, or right click and “save as” to download the mp3. For those options, click here.

What is it about The Office? Why do we laugh, some of us uncomfortably? Why do some people hate it, because it reminds them of their own workplace… but they can’t stop watching? Or… are you one of the few who has never experienced this quirky Americanization of the British hit. On Friday February 8, 7pm at the Wedgwood Campus, Mars Hill Church will take a dip in The Office pool, exploring both the American and British visions of office life. Believe it or not, these sitcoms contain deep biblical truths.

What? Biblical truth wrapped around this quirky show created by Ricky Gervais? Much like the movie Office Space, the British and American versions of “The Office” present an unvarnished view of cubicle life and a dead end job. What does this have to with our spirituality? Join us for a night of laughter as we watch two of the most loved episodes of the American show and a peek at the most hilarious episode of the British original. Each episode will be followed by some brief examination of narrative themes and discussion will follow.

Think there’s nothing to explore? Come on, even Michael Scott believes he represents the everyman: “I am Michael, and I am part English, Irish, German, and Scottish, sort of a virtual United Nations.” The possibilities are endless. See you there.

Look out Seattle, Mars Hill Youth @ the Wedge started strong, taking hold of their campus in less than 36 hours, and they are coming to claim their city!

The first event started on Saturday, Jan 26th, beginning the revolution. Parents and students arrived for a lasagna dinner, a chance for people to fellowship, and get to know each other better. After dinner, everyone gathered around and Deacon Eric Stark welcomed them and then the new Proxy band, Venium – which means the Forgiven in Latin – led worship. This new band brings some new faces to the music scene at Proxy, and as a whole they are passionate about their music and excited to help lead others in worshiping God: Mae, The Vox, is on the keys and singing lead vocals; Kristian, Rock Star of Super Hero Proportions, plays lead guitar; Joanna, Le Bass Player Extraordinaire, plays, what else, the bass; and last but not least, Connor, The Curator of Rhythm, on the drums. These four teenagers came together with a desire to use the talents God gave them to help lead others in worshipping their Savior. The verse they chose to represent their reason for worship is 1st Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” It is their passion, as Venium, the Forgiven, to live in a way that reflects what that verse means in their daily lives.

After worship, Pastor James came up to talk about identity in Christ and the future of MHY @ the Wedge this spring. For March-May the point of MHY @ the Wedge will be to learn about a disciple’s life in Christ and how you practically live that out. During the spring, the months will look like this: The first week will be devoted to studying the Bible for what it means to be a disciple of Christ; the second week will be the worshipful response to God for the grace that He gave; the third week will be the living out that discipleship by serving and loving fellow Christians; and the fourth week will be living out that discipleship by serving the community around us who doesn’t know Christ.

One thing Pastor James made clear was that MHY @ the Wedge will NOT be your traditional youth group. It will be a questioning of everything that has come before, from Maranatha Praise youth groups to Proxy Ballard or Shoreline, to see what worked and how it can be used that @ the Wedge and see what didn’t work so well and see how it can be improved. MHY @ the Wedge is going to involve parents, getting them and their students working together to be discipled and to disciple others. It is also going to expect the input of students and expect change.

One thing that has already set MHY @ the Wedge apart from any other Mars Hill Proxy or Crux is the fact that they have their own room. Saturday night, everyone went to look at the room and Deacon Eric said that it was up to the students to make this room their own. Little did he know that the next afternoon, between services when the band met for practice, a couple of the students would take him up on his offer, clean and straighten the room, even putting Christmas lights around the little alcove.The students have taken everything by storm: their room, they’ve taken their campus, and next is the entire city, so watch out, northeast Seattle!

Today is Friday and as a stay at home mom, it is like any other day for me—I wake up, take care of my son, clean my house, do some laundry and mostly stay indoors during these winter months. In the normalcy of everyday life, I sometimes forget what is going on outside of my house and how life in Seattle goes on with some people struggling to provide enough food for their families. Today was a little different for me, though, as I went over to North Helpline Emergency Services and Foodbank (NHL) to talk to Kay Hardie, the foodbank manager, about our February GiveLove food drive. I got out of my house and mind a bit, and I have been thinking a lot about what it means to love our city of Seattle.

As I walked into NHL, I was greeted with smiles from four volunteers who were busy organizing food donations and packaging big boxes of diapers into smaller quantities to hand out during their 9:30 am until 2 pm Saturday food bank open hours. During the course of these 5 hours, NHL provides about three days worth of food to between 350 and 400 families per week! These numbers amazed me since NHL generally serves only the northeast corner of our city—those who primarily live within the zip codes of 98115, 98125, 98133, 98155, and 98177—although they won’t turn away anyone who is hungry. Further, these numbers don’t count the families who come throughout the week to replenish their cupboards. These numbers add up quickly as in 2007 alone, NHL served 48,497 people, 4,609 of which were first time visits.

While NHL does provide some health-related services as well as emergency services including eviction prevention, utility shut-off prevention, and transportation assistance, NHL primarily gives out food and personal care items to the families that they serve. And that is where we come in. On February 3 and February 10 during both the morning and evening services, we will be collecting your donations of non-perishable food and personal care items to give to NHL. Items that they particularly need include deodorant, diapers especially sized 4 and 5, as well as food that has flip-top cans (no can opener needed) and low/no sugar foods. Other ideas include: canned tuna, peanut butter, beef stew, canned nuts, meal-in-a-can/box, canned beans, dry beans, rice, pasta, cereal, crackers, oatmeal, spices, canned fruit, canned veggies, soups, tomato products, mac and cheese, boxed juices, cookies, pudding, toothpaste, toothbrushes, facial tissue, soap, shampoo, conditioner, feminine hygiene products, shaving cream, baby food, and baby wipes. They will even take your hotel soaps and shampoos from places that you travel!

After visiting NHL, I was so excited to hear what they were doing in our community. For over 17 years, NHL has been serving families with the support of local churches, grocery stores, and the government. With the combined effort of all these organizations, let alone individual volunteers, NHL is loving our city through their service. I am excited to jump in along side them through the GiveLove campaign and I hope you will too. Pastor James has cast the vision for us to serve our local organizations and here is a great way to start. So, don’t forget your donations on February 3 and 10!

“There is a spring option that many people have found appealing, and they’ve decided to wait” Deacon Andrew Pack noted. “Many signed up, but when told about the full plan for offering the class in 2008, they decided the best option for their family or schedule was to wait until spring.” (Following Easter, the church’s primary doctrine and vision will be preached over 12 weeks at Sunday services, allowing Sunday attendees the option of plugging into a Community Group and going through the membership process without a midweek class on Mars Hill theology and mission).

This may mean that the Wedgwood class could wind up being Community Group sized, making Q&A even more dynamic and the class more interactive as a result. No complaints there. However, if no one shows up on week one… the class might be cancelled. Almost every single registrant who initially signed up for the class has since decided to defer until spring. Several have voiced that they plan to attend, but have not officially registered. Tomorrow night will tell the tale.

Midweek will still be busy. “The Mount” – a series studying Jesus’ famous sermon – will still commence, alongside Children’s Midweek. Pastor James is not concerned, as he is working on a document with his fellow campus pastors on how to tweak the member process and what membership means in a multi-campus setting so that it can be both more efficient and provide better equipping and care. This transition will likely coincide with the spring series as the church rolls into summer.

“It’s not that interest has waned in being a church member”, he notes. “As a new campus, people are getting plugged in and creating authentic community, getting into groups, ministries, meeting people. There’s a LOT everyone can do without being an ‘official’ member. If people take winter to go through our sermon series of top questions about Mars Hill, invest in building relationships, and become members in the spring/summer, it only means that they’re truly investing in our mission and community for the long haul. Membership isn’t about having a title or special access or crossing a finish line… it’s a level of commitment that lets church leaders know who’s in this for the long haul and who we should focus on investing in.”

“Members are the ones who get what Mars Hill is about and will invest in others, sharing the work Jesus has for us. We encourage people to be diligent and pursue it, but we don’t want anyone to rush. When it comes to examining one’s self – and Mars Hill – in regard to biblical theology, application, and mission, we want people to look thoroughly, not hurriedly.”

Wednesday night will let Pastors James and Jon know how they’ll be spending the next two months of Wednesdays. For those with questions regarding our mid-week programming e-mail wedgwood@marshillchurch.org.

As of Saturday morning, the campus still looked like a construction zone: electricians were stringing wires through the auditorium, no chairs were in place, the kitchen was covered in fine drywall dust, couches were stacked on top of each other…but God knew what He was doing and many volunteers put their hands to the proverbial plow to make the campus sparkle for it’s first service. People cleaned windows, tirelessly scrubbed the kitchen, even going so far as to get on their hands and knees (in worship) to clean the carpet of small stains.

God met us in a big way as He brought a total of 356 people over 2 services to hear Jesus preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll via our brand new satelite system. While we had a few technical difficulties getting the feed started at the 10:30am and Pastor Mark seemed like he was in a badly dubbed foreign film at the 5pm (the audio got slightly offset from the video) the congregation took it all in stride. Pastor James filled some time by making sure everyone understood the concept of “Soft Launch”: It’s the time you have to fix the bugs before your official launch! He also shared from the Book of James while Rob Maxfield and other volunteers worked feverishly behind the scenes to get the feed working. They succeeded and Wedgwood was off and running.

Pastor Tim Smith came by to musically support our new band leader, Katie Payne, and with Candice Clem on violin, they led us in a moving worship set. It was truly inspiring to sing songs to God, knowing that the space had been built for that purpose back in 1952. I can’t wait to meet the folks who will meet Jesus in the Wedgwood area, those who will be baptized here, those who become part of the family of God here. It’s a truly exciting time for Mars Hill as we expand into the communities of Seattle via this campus format. Thanks to all the members and volunteers who helped our first Sunday go off so wonderfully!

If you are interested in putting your hands to work for the gospel, we are having our first official BFD Club (that’s Breakfast for Dinner) tonight at 6pm. Stop by for some food, a bible study through Christ’s sermons and some honest hard work cleaning the campus for the upcoming Sunday service!