With all of the questions floating around about the status of Mars Hill’s Eastside campus, I thought I would take this opportunity to clear up any confusion you may have.

The Eastside campus is a unique endeavor because of the sheer number of Eastsiders already attending church at the Ballard campus, which pulls in approximately one thousand people from the Eastside region each week.  Needless to say, a lack of people is not our problem.  We already have plenty of people to start our church body.  You have heard it said that a building doesn’t make a church campus.  Well, a thousand people warming the seats in a building doesn’t make a church campus either.  A thousand church-goers need programs, support, security, and structure.  Therefore, we have started the Eastside campus off slowly in a core group building phase.  Before we open the floodgates, we need those of you who feel called to invest your time, treasures and talents into building this campus from the ground up.  We need leaders, systems, ministry teams, and servant volunteers in order to build a strong foundation for what will be an awesome Mars Hill campus!

I can tell you from my experience planting a church in Eastern Europe, planting The Vine Church, and now Mars Hill Eastside that there is no greater joy on earth than to join a movement of God’s workmanship from the ground level.  If some of you don’t know who I am or where I came from, here is a little bit of context for you.  I was installed as an Elder at Mars Hill in the summer of 2005 to be sent out to plant a church through the Acts 29 Network.  In the Fall of 2005 we successfully launched The Vine Church in Redmond and began our mission to extend the ministry of Mars Hill with the power of the gospel to the Eastside.  Less than two years later, with the available technology to extend the ministry of Mars Hill via a multi-campus model, it was a natural transition for The Vine to merge back with Mars Hill and for me to be reinstated as a Mars Hill Elder and the Eastside Campus Pastor.  Having been a Mars Hill member for some years before planting The Vine, I am happy to come back to Mars Hill and play a role in expanding the reach of the gospel in our area.  I sincerely hope and pray that God pricks your heart to join us with your time, treasures, and talents as we begin to humbly and meagerly build the Eastside campus into what will one day be a deep anchor in the Eastside for God’s glory in the transformation of an entire region. 

For future information, subscribe to this blog.  For specific questions, please email eastside@marshillchurch.org.