Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Letters of encouragement from the people of Mars Hill Church while being separated during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Last weekend was the Mars Hill Youth Retreat, and we really made a push to cover our teens in prayer. While an in-depth recap to share on the blog is currently in the works by one of our youth, I wanted to let you guys in on some of the responses we received from the retreat.

We all want authentic community because that means we know each other well enough to notice when there is a need. It means we’re paying attention to each other.

As our schedules begin to wind down for Christmas, let’s take a moment to look back on all the ways we came together as a church family in recent weeks. There is just so much going on in the life of our church! Whether donating items, gathering for fun and fellowship, or serving locally and also thousands of miles away, the Lord used Mars Hill Church in a variety of exciting ways.

A group of five of us, from both Mars Hill campuses, recently traveled to Masatepe, Nicaragua, to work on some projects with a ministry that Mars Hill supports. One Collective is a community transformation ministry working to provide better resources for a stable community, while also seeking to live and proclaim the gospel of Christ among the local people.

Since 1998, Jim and Mary Mather have led the Friends of Internationals ministry at the University of South Alabama and served as surrogate family for students who are worlds away from the comforts of home.

Hamburgers. Hot Dogs. Ten Trillion Cookies. Inflatables. Bubbles. Cornhole. Cake Walk. Conversations. NINJA WARRIOR.

It was a fun time. Thanks to everyone who came out!

October always seems action-packed for families, and it certainly seemed that way for our church family this month! Even though it’s a busy time of year, we strive to provide opportunities for the church body to grow through AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY, FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP, and BIBLICAL TEACHING. Here’s a recap of some of the events that help our church family engage in those three things.

In an email interview, David shares about his family, his hobbies, and his faith. It’s our hope that by getting to know David, we will be reminded of the call we have as a church body to work with kids in our flock.

In case you haven’t noticed, I (and most of the other teachers) will end their teaching by speaking a blessing over the people. The most common blessing comes from Numbers 6:

“Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Num. 6:23b–26 ESV).

Have you ever felt really young inside? Like, in one moment, your internal experience is closer to that of a much younger self. This could be in response to a regrettable incident with your spouse, an instance of immaturity and course joking, or a scenario where you have felt immense shame or overwhelming anger. Many of us, especially men, wrestle with these feelings and are driven to put on a mask and avoid authenticity and transparency in an effort to uphold cultural expectations of what men are supposed to be. However, this does not give us the opportunity to become curious, explore these uninitiated parts of ourselves and to begin a process of masculine initiation.

On the one hand, what Scripture tells us about God’s sovereignty is comforting. As a believer I rest in passages like Romans 8:28 that promise that all of life’s circumstances providentially work together for my good because all things that occur, occur because they were within God’s Will. But on the other hand, in my flesh, I’m troubled by that same thought.

2018 has been quite the year, in a good way. So much has happened since I began officially as the general manager of Mars Hill Café back in January. As I type this evening, memories flood my head of all that has occurred so far—memories for which I am grateful.

Have you ever walked out of a Sunday gathering longing for something more? What you are longing for though is difficult to explain.

Maybe you, like many others I have talked to, have devoured the biblical teaching at Mars Hill for a while, but still don't feel connected. Maybe you long to meet new people and get involved with the ministries of the church. Perhaps you don't know where to start.

What does it look like for ordinary Christian people to live out their faith in day to day life? It can be challenging to know just what serving God looks like outside of Sunday.