We serve a loving and gracious God, who loves us so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins and rise from the grave, conquering Satan, sin, and death (John 3:16). Though we were headed down a path of death and destruction, those who have faith in Jesus are now redeemed and made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5). In response to this amazing grace and work of redemption, we are sent on mission to glorify God by sharing the hope we have in Jesus with those who don’t yet know him.

In the past year, this has been evident in a variety of ways at the Ballard campus. More and more people have become unsatisfied with simply going to church, and are now striving to grow in their understanding of what it means to be the church—a redeemed community on mission for Jesus. Worship has been more passionate, giving has been more faithful and generous, and repentance has been more consistent. Fewer people are consuming and treating the church like a hotel; instead, more people are contributing and seeing it as their home.

Specifically, we’ve seen nearly 350 people get baptized—100 in the last two months—including several kids, whose parents baptized them after being baptized themselves. Some of these people were baptized immediately after becoming Christians. Others finally wanted to publically profess their faith in Jesus. Many of these folks have had amazing stories of redemption, including one guy who met with Pastor Jamie and heard the gospel through a Muslim translator and trusted the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As is often the case at Mars Hill, we’ve seen over 100 people get married this past year. One couple, who started attending Mars Hill earlier this year, was living together when they first started attending. The gal became a Christian, which initially upset the guy because he thought she would love God more than him. However, soon after that, God saved him, too. They attended a Considering Marriage Seminar together and became convicted about living together, so they separated. They attended the premarital class and counseling sessions and grew tremendously. During their last counseling session, the guy told Pastor Phil that his hope and prayer for her during their marriage was that she would always love God more than him—the one thing he had once feared.

We’ve also witnessed many people, through the power of the Holy Spirit, turn from sin, repent, and be redeemed. Dozens of people have met with a pastor, deacon, or volunteer after a service to confess sin and pray for forgiveness. In some cases, God has convicted people not to have an abortion, not to commit suicide, or not to get a divorce. People have also been miraculously healed of cancer and other diseases. Others have experienced healing from years of physical, emotional, and mental abuse, including rape and molestation.

God’s redemptive work is also happening in community. In the past year, over 150 people have participated in a Redemption Group, in which they’ve learned to apply the gospel to the sins they’ve committed or the ones committed against them. One woman who was in counseling about her severe past abuse had been recommended by her counseling pastor to attend a Redemption Group. Intimidated by the prospect of sharing her story in a group, she quietly avoided the opportunity to sign-up for a group. The following quarter, the pastor encouraged her again, and though still nervous, she decided to take the risk. God met her there in the Redemption Group and she experienced life transformation, made new friendships with understanding women, and even hopes to lead a Redemption Group herself one day.

The vision of planting 100 campuses and 1,000 churches in the next 10 years to see thousands become disciples of Jesus increases the need for more leaders in all areas of ministry. We’ve been blessed to raise up two new pastors—Pastor Joel Brown and Pastor Matt Jensen—at the Ballard campus this year, as well as hundreds of deacons, Community Group and Redemption Group leaders and apprentices. There are currently almost 1300 members at the Ballard campus—350 just from this past year with 375 more in the process. The members of Mars Hill are the core of the church and the goal is to raise up hundreds of more leaders.

The 130 plus Community Groups in the Ballard area have started to own the mission of reaching their neighborhoods. Many groups—like one in Greenlake that cleaned up a park, planted some trees and shrubs, and painted a mural—have used MicroMissions funds to serve their neighborhood. Others have participated in the work that’s already being done in their communities by joining neighborhood councils and associations.

Evidences of God’s grace can also be seen outside of the Ballard area. The increase in generosity at our campus contributed to the launch of the U-District service at the University of Washington’s Kane Hall, which now has close to 400 people who attend. We also sent people to help launch the Federal Way campus, which has already added an additional service. And we continue to have an ongoing relationship with four church plants in Acts 29 Network in the U.S. and Canada and the folks at Vision Nationals in India.

One of the questions we must continue to ask ourselves is if the Ballard campus were to disappear, would anyone miss it? Would anyone care? Have we as a campus created a legacy of loving people the way God loves us—humbly, sacrificially, and faithfully?

The truth is there are literally thousands of people in our area alone who don’t know Jesus. Thankfully, God chooses to use people like us to make himself known and to demonstrate his love and grace. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we’re called to continue worshiping Jesus, giving generously of our time, treasure, and talent, and living on mission to glorify God and love our neighbors, so that more people will know Jesus.

To learn more about the Generous Campaign, visit the Mars Hill Church blog.

Find Pastor Bubba on Facebook and Twitter.

As I anticipate the arrival of our first child in April, I am overwhelmed by countless messages on how I should prepare for motherhood. As I fight to set the world’s view and advice aside, I am instead seeking guidance and wisdom from God’s own Word and through the godly women who have experienced the transition to motherhood first hand. In this and my next few posts, I will be sharing stories from three Mars Hill Ballard women, each in a different stage of motherhood. The fourth post in my motherhood series will be my own reflection of the things I’ve learned and how God is preparing me to be a first time mother.

Recently, I had the honor of meeting with Shelly Jennings, wife of Pastor Bubba Jennings and mother of two boys, Jones (3 years) and Jackson (6 months). When Shelly married Bubba 8 years ago, she thought she already had it all figured out since she had been a Christian for so long and had a great example from her parents’ 40 year Christian marriage. Recalling their first year of marriage though, Shelly admits that she lacked humility and was self-righteous in her thinking that she didn’t see her need for sanctification.

“I remember realizing that I actually had a problem submitting. Then I had a Holy Spirit moment and heard God say, “Do you understand what it means to be under submission?”

Shelly learned that oneness and submission can’t be separated. “It’s easy to submit when you are one; but when you have your own agenda, there is separation.” And as Shelly became more open to God changing and humbling her, she found that submission also became easier.

Shelly recognizes that marriage was her first big moment of realizing how selfish she was. But it was motherhood that became the second and ever bigger moment of seeing her selfishness in such great magnitude.

“Realizing that your time is not your own and it’s so easy to get all consumed with the kids and completely neglect your first two priorities, Jesus and your husband. It’s really easy to get totally self-focused as you’re figuring out this whole mothering thing, especially at the beginning when it’s hard and it’s stressful.”

Shelly says that learning to balance her time with Jesus, her husband and her kids is a daily challenge. “It’s not something I’ve figured out. I have days where I am having a hard time and then finally stop and think, maybe it’s because I didn’t consider reading my Bible, or I didn’t consider praying for our day or even going to God with my discipline problems. It’s got to be a daily practice.”

Shelly also tries to see everything as an act of worship. Worship to her can be praising God for the opportunity to be home with her kids to teach them who Jesus is, while she picks up toys for the twentieth time that day!

“I like to start the day by thinking about what my priorities are. Not just what are the things that need to get done today, because there will always be something to catch up on. Life needs to be a journey of worship, not a task.”

Tera became a Christian at Mars Hill|Ballard 5 years ago and is currently a deacon in the Redemption Group ministry where she and her husband, Deacon Greg Allen, serve as group leaders. She is passionate about walking with women through trials and encouraging them to worship Jesus in suffering. She and Greg have been married since February and are expecting their first baby in April.

Over the next month, each neighborhood collection of community groups will be gathering together locally to rejoice in what Jesus is doing in our city. If you’re already in community, don’t miss this chance to join with other groups in your area for food and celebration. If you haven’t yet connected in community, take the opportunity to meet others living on mission for Jesus – find a group that meets near you!

Upcoming multi-group gatherings:

GREENLAKE / PHINNEY / WALLINGFORD / FREMONT
Monday, November 9th 6:30pm
Emmanuel Bible Church, 503 North 50th St

GREENWOOD / CROWN HILL / NORTHGATE / HALLER LAKE
Friday, November 13th 7pm
Crown Hill Center, 9250 14th Ave NW

BALLARD
Monday, November 23rd 6:30pm
Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 NW 57th St

MAGNOLIA
Tuesday, November 24th 7pm
Magnolia Community Center, 2550 34th Ave W

QUEEN ANNE
Saturday, December 12th 5pm
Queen Anne Community Center, 1901 1st Ave W

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

My heart naturally resists depending on God when I’m weak. The noise in my heart, amplified by tough self-sufficiency, can drown out the Holy Spirit’s reminder: “my power is made perfect in your weakness.”

…yet weakness is a gift.
There are the times when his voice breaks through the noise and exposes my heart. It is a struggle to swallow my pride and obey, but it is in that turn of repentance—right in the midst of the mess—that I begin to hope again.

The truth is that I am weak every second, not just when I feel overwhelmed. Jesus wants me to see that when I am overwhelmed, he is giving me a gracious gift: the ability to see more clearly my constant need for him. So rather than denying weakness, I can boast in it because it draws me closer to Jesus in worship.

For example, the other day I was scurrying around the house getting stuff done, feeling very behind on my seemingly urgent tasks. Our third child invited me to play dolls. Pause. Graciously say no, or accept this opportunity to connect with my daughter? In the moment, my heart was faint, overwhelmed with my work. I thought, “I can’t play right now!” Yet, the Holy Spirit changed my thoughts to dependence and flexibility in my weakness. We had a great time playing. When I went back to work, my heart was more tender than it had been previously.

Feeling overwhelmed is a signal to check my heart’s dependence on God. Am I softened to the Holy Spirit? Digging in to depend on God? Do I find my soul’s refreshment in God’s sufficiency? In these times, I’m learning to cling to my Savior, who accomplished perfect work on the cross and continues to save me from my sin. God meets me at the point of my prideful self-sufficiency and lovingly brings me to my knees in worshipful dependence.

Worship through work is not just working hard for God’s glory; it is also in the attitude of humility, realizing how weak and unable we are. We can all grow in dependence on Christ and boast in our weakness. We must humble ourselves before the face of God and thank him for the gift of weakness.

Trisha is the wife of Pastor Mike Wilkerson and mother of four children (2 to 8 years). Mars Hill has been her church home for the past 10 years, where she serves as a deacon at the Ballard Campus in the Redemption Group ministry and as a volunteer counselor. In addition to her bi-weekly posts here, you can read more about what Jesus is teaching her at www.workandworship.com.

Every Monday afternoon, the Ballard campus staff and I get together for a brown bag lunch and a great discussion on what Jesus is doing in our church and in our lives. We share evidences of God’s grace that we saw the previous Sunday. We talk about the scripture that was preached and how it impacted us personally and in ministry. And we tell stories of how God used His word to transform lives.

This week, the main topic of conversation was the difference between Christians consuming the gospel of Jesus versus being consumed by Jesus. The difference is staggering.

In the book How People Change, authors Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp talk about how a Christian can know the gospel of Jesus and still not know it. They call this the gospel gap. It is the gap between knowing the truth and living the truth. Often this gospel gap happens between the head and heart. You can know the truth in your mind and yet still have a disconnect in your heart.

So what are these subtle differences? Here are a few we talked about…

Intellectualism. A person can know a lot about God intellectually without actually knowing Him or having a relationship with Him through Jesus. In this case, I am merely a consumer of the knowledge of God; I am not transformed (or consumed) by the truth. In this case, a person might be a Christian, but they are not experiencing the fullness of the Christian life.

Seeking grace without repentance. In His wisdom, God gives people godly grief, which leads to repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin and toward Jesus. Godly grief moves a person toward having a personal relationship with Jesus and experiencing heart transformation. Worldly grief, which is not godly grief, seeks to end guilt with shallow apologies in hopes of finding a shortcut grace with no true heart change. This is a way to consume grace without being consumed by the Giver of grace, who is Jesus.

Self-centeredness. How can the gospel benefit me? This worldview starts with who I am instead of who Jesus is. It is first and foremost about how the gospel can benefit me, versus how it brings glory to God. How can I consume this gospel without it taking me out of my comfort zone and calling me to die to myself?

The list goes on and on – we Christians are masters at trying to fit God into our lives on our own terms rather than seeing ourselves in light of the person and work of Christ Jesus. So, bottom line…are you consumed by Jesus through his transforming work on the cross & his magnificent resurrection from death? Or are you merely a consumer of his story?

It’s my prayer that each of us would be constantly consumed and renewed by Christ Jesus himself, with more concern for his glory than that of our own. In order for this to happen we need to stop focusing so much on ourselves and start focusing more on treasuring Jesus and being grateful for the great gift that He is.

By way of introduction, let me answer 3 simple questions:

Who was I? I was a CA born, MT raised second oldest child in a large family. I was a sexually abused 4-year-old whose body and soul were stirred at far too young an age. I was confused about my identity — am I really a dirty little girl, or am I truly a precious daughter of my Heavenly Father whom I love so much? How can I possibly be both? I was a college-educated, promiscuous young woman who desperately wanted to believe that I could be loved.

The question “Who was I?” received it’s complete and final answer in the crucifixion of Jesus. I was a hurting sinner who nailed Jesus to the cross.

Who am I? I am a happily-married woman, pleased to be experiencing great redemption and uninhibited passion in my marriage to Pastor Phil. I am a mom to 3 great kids whom I have the privilege (and duty) of discipling and nurturing. I am a teacher to my home-schooled kids and alongside Phil, to the engaged couples at Ballard. I am a passionate woman who is opinionated and arrogant at times. I am a sinner, having used my outspoken ways to promote worship of me. I am made righteous, choosing to believe that redemption does not necessarily mean silence and invisibility. Instead, I am using my gifts for His glory alone and not mine. I am a fighter — I believe God put spunk in me to do battle with Satan over the lies he whispers to us women.

The question, “Who am I?” is best answered in Christ’s justification of me — His death makes me free and clean TODAY. I am secure in my standing before a perfect and Holy God — despite my ongoing sin — because of the blood of Christ.

Who am I becoming? I am becoming a woman who risks sharing the deepest pains of my past and the ugly reality of my current sin because I have learned to boast in Christ. I am becoming a woman who is utterly dependent on God in every moment. I am becoming a woman who desires to inspire other women to a life of worship and joy. Because of His promises to complete the work He began in me and the ongoing sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, I am becoming more and more like Christ.

You are invited along on the journey…

Jen is the wife of Pastor Phil Smidt and the mother of three children, ages 8, 11 and 12. She and her husband have been at Mars Hill for 13 years and together they teach the pre-marriage class at the Ballard campus.