Written by Tami Hagglund

About a month ago I decided I’d love to write an entry on why I became a member of Mars Hill- I am deeply convicted that it’s vital to the spiritual health of our church family, so I can’t think of a better topic to write about for this blog than why I chose to become a member and how Jesus has worked since! My life has been so changed, so blessed, and I literally praise Jesus on a daily basis for the work He’s doing in my family through the ministry of Mars Hill Church. We love serving here, and never for a moment have I regretted our decision to get involved and commit to membership, nor do I want to be at any other church.

Are you sufficiently convinced that I love being a member? Good. Because here’s where it gets weird- I agreed nearly a month ago to write the entry. It’s so far back I can’t even find it in my e-mail. And, being that I have been consigned to my home for awhile due to a back injury, I’ve had nothing but time to get ‘er done. I love to write, have a fantastic ergonomic keyboard, and a blazing fast internet connection. Everything has been pretty much lined up as the perfect circumstances for a person to testify to others about how becoming a MHC-Ballard member has been a fabulous experience.

Yet… I haven’t eked out a single word. Many a time I have sat down to write and… nothing. Being forced for fake really isn’t my style, so I have tried playing around with ideas, but then I’d realize they absolutely sucked, and eventually I’d walk away hoping tomorrow would be different. It never was, and as days stretched into weeks I have felt rather perturbed with myself for not having anything encouraging to say about something that has been one of the best times of my life, and that has completely redefined my relationship with Jesus and how I relate to everything through Him. How could I, famous (infamous?) for talking far too much have not. A. Single. Word. about something so meaningful and beautiful and downright awesome in my life?

Then, when inspiration seemed dead and I pondered how to tactfully pen the “Dear Jane” letter to the lovely editor of this blog, I had an amazing conversation with a beloved friend a few nights ago. We actually call each other ‘hermano’ and ‘hermana’, the Spanish words for brother and sister (we’re not Latino, just awesome) because we’ve been extremely close for coming on ten years. We were in youth group together in high school and went to the same university and church in our college era. He’s since moved to the East coast and, essentially, decided that God doesn’t exist. After months of skirting around the subject, we had a ‘no holds barred’ session of laying things on the line. As words like “when Jesus chooses to reveal Himself, He does, and if He chooses to reach down and bring you face to face with Him then He will. Until then (God willing that you are elect), believing the Bible will be ignorance and you’ll believe yourself smarter than that” tumbled from me, I realized that being under the teaching of such a solid church had completely changed me.

The old me would have apologized for the Truth; the reformed me was sharing the truth in a blunt and loving way with a person who does not know Jesus. Despite an emotional experience that seemed like Christianity, he never met the real Jesus, decided it’s all a fraud to make us feel better about being losers, and here I am busting out the big guns of election and the fact that he’s the foolish one! I found myself praying constantly for the wisdom and insight of the Holy Spirit, filled with belief that He would grant me all that I asked (James 1:5-8), and let the words hit the screen.

By the end of the conversation my defensive friend had softened, quit hiding behind smokescreen arguments of esoteric knowledge vs. logic/reason, and admitted that he’s just looking for the truth, and that if Jesus is the truth then bring it on. He agreed to listen to some of Mark Driscoll’s sermons, and I walked away grateful that I finally know exactly where he stands. I’m better equipped to pray for and share Jesus with him.

Just yesterday another friend from my past, this time a girl I taught when she was a youth and I was in college, contacted me via the sweet ministry tool that is Facebook, and I had the opportunity to gain insight into her life. She, too, is struggling in her faith and leery of returning to the church I met her in, because it’s extremely legalistic and has no room for anyone that doesn’t fit a specific, zombied-down mold of a person with no personality. She, too, is going to start listening to Mark’s sermons and said that I was an answer to her prayers for a friend who would accept her as she is and allow her to just be real. Praise Jesus for choosing to work in her life (and mine!) to bring her closer to Himself where she can rest in Him and stand on the solid ground of truth and not the defecation wasteland that is religious legalism.

In praying for these people so dear to my heart, I have realized that I am immensely blessed to be at Mars Hill, under solid teaching and Jesus-seeking leadership. There is a peace beyond words that comes from being connected to such a solid ministry- though I don’t take it for granted! My husband and I pray for Mars Hill daily. I could write about various ways our lives have been blessed by serving (actually, I already have! You can read about it here) or gush about how incredible our community group experience has been (I’ll save that for a later entry- this is long enough!), but if I’m being raw and real then the way Jesus is working in me, right now, through the ministry of Mars Hill is to pour me out into others. I’m humbled, but so blessed and honored because the desire for people to know, love, and live out a life of surrender for Jesus is quickly becoming a primary passion in me.

My husband and I primarily became members so that we could serve in the ministry that was quickly changing our lives into ones lived solely for Jesus- now He’s using us to spread the ministry of Mars Hill into the lives of people outside of Seattle, be it 300 or 3,000 miles away. I don’t care about things like the color of the carpet or whether the Sunday services are at times that fit my preferred schedule- I just long to see my beloved ‘hermano’ in heaven. If I do, it will be directly linked to how Jesus used Mars Hill in my life after making the commitment to get involved at the Ballard campus and become a member.

Honestly, if you’ve been going to Mars Hill consistently, but haven’t joined, why not? What are you waiting for? Jesus is working here. The Holy Spirit is changing lives. Stop sucking up resources and start stewarding all that Jesus has blessed you with by connecting to and serving this body of Christ where He has placed you. Seriously- become a member. Pray for a clear conscience from Jesus, but if this is your church home become a member. Don’t leave room for Jesus to move on from you and use someone else to do the work He prepared specifically for you (Ephesians 2:10) and forfeit your own growth and maturity in the process. Get connected to a community group, start serving, and join this church we’re all blessed to be a part of. In 6 months you could be the person writing for this blog about how joining Mars Hill has changed your life for Jesus!