The Kinship ministry is a community of singles within Mars Hill Church in Bellevue, knowing culture, loving people and seeing lives transformed to live for Jesus.

So, let’s just go ahead and get that first thought out of everyone’s mind right off the bat. Yeah, we know what you’re thinking; “Mars Hill Church is all about marriage, and this is just another way to try to get us married off”. Well, sure, we’re pretty into marriage, but we’re REALLY into Jesus, and community, and fellowship, and reaching non-believers; and these are important whether you’re married or single. Why then a singles group? Because the truth is, we need this kind of group, not for the purpose of finding a mate (although I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t find this to be a welcome side effect), but to genuinely connect each other for fellowship and to realign the way some men and women interact with each other in a redeemed way. Married couples have their own unique set of issues, and generally seek out other married couples with whom to create friendships, to share their problems, and gain insight. Singles should do the same, both from members of their own gender in men’s or women’s groups, and in a sanctified setting with members of the opposite sex.

One of the difficulties of having a large campus, particularly one that has multiple services, is that it is far too easy for the individual to get lost in the crowd. As hard as we try, we can’t reach everyone personally, and unless one is an extreme extrovert, making connections at a large church is difficult. While community groups fulfill some of this purpose, it can still be intimidating for someone, especially someone new, to simply go up to the front door of some stranger’s house and knock. What we are hoping to create here is the means by which singles at Mars Hill Bellevue can create genuine relationships, long-term friendships, bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood within our church. If we take the example of David and Jonathon, Jesus and John, Paul and Timothy; we see men who had a deep bond of friendship with one another. Our hope is that the same could be accomplished here at our church. Without these bonds, without friends to hold us accountable and pray with us and just do life with us, we are vulnerable to spiritual attack, to loneliness, to disconnectedness.

Being single is a unique time in someone’s life. Rather than being the opposite of being married, which is how it’s often treated, singleness can be a time in one’s life that God has ordained for growing and maturing in Christ by having the focus solely on Him (1st Cor.7:32-35). It is also the one time in life where men and women have extra time on their hands, before the responsibilities of spouse and children and all of that. So, with that, we hope that the Kinship ministry is one where you can feel at home, one where bonds are created and friendships formed, one where we can have some fun, let down our guard, and get to know each other on a deeper level than nodding “what’s up” on a Sunday at church

We are very excited about what God can do through this type of ministry. Our hope is that as we grow as a church, both in number and in maturity, the Kinship ministry would also grow with the church. Our goal is not to be a separate group, but to very much follow the mission and direction of Mars Hill, to be a reflection of the church body, to continue to see people meet Jesus and have their lives transformed.

There will be more announcements about the Kinship ministry forthcoming, so stay tuned!  if you are on The City, join the Kinship group to stay informed. There will also be a special announcement on Sunday, 11/9, so make sure you join us that week!

Blessings,
Seth MacGillivray