Mars Hill Church | Federal Way

Men And Marriage | Real Marriage #3 Sermon Notes

Mars Hill Church — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:18:55 +0000

From the January 29 sermon “Men and Marriage,” preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll:

Marriage is a covenant, not a contract. Every covenant—including the new covenant of salvation—has a head, who is ultimately responsible for the covenant. The husband is the covenant head of a marriage; he is responsible for his marriage, his wife, and his kids. Similarly, Christ took that which was not his fault—our sin—and he made it his responsibility on the cross. He is our covenant head.

Click HERE for the entire sermon Highlights for Real Marriage #3 “Men and Marriage.”

Friend With Benefits | Real Marriage #2 Sermon Notes

Mars Hill Church — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:04:47 +0000

From the January 22 sermon “Friend with Benefits,” preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll:

God the Trinity is a friend and has friends, and he made us in his image and likeness for friendship with him and one another. Marriage is about friendship. Your spouse is to be your “lover and friend” (Song 5:16); in other words, your friend with benefits. Marital friendship is to be: Fruitful, Reciprocal, Intimate, Enjoyable, Needed, Devoted, Sanctifying. How’s your friendship with Jesus? With your spouse?

Click HERE for the entire sermon Highlights for Real Marriage #2 “Friend with Benefits.”

New Marriage, Same Spouse | Real Marriage #1 Sermon Notes

Mars Hill Church — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:30:06 +0000

From the January 15 sermon “New Marriage, Same Spouse,” preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll:

Pastor Mark Driscoll kicks off the Real Marriage campaign by sharing his and Grace’s marriage testimony, in which God has given them a new marriage with the same spouse. You don’t need a new spouse; you need to be a new spouse. You can have a new marriage with the same spouse; you can defeat Satan in your life and marriage by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11). Jesus died for sin so you can put your sin to death. Because of the blood of the Lamb, there’s a testimony. A biography is about me; a testimony is about Jesus. A biography is about what we do; a testimony is about what Jesus does. In a biography, we’re the hero; in a testimony, Jesus is the hero. What’s your testimony right now?

Click HERE for the complete Sermon Highlights!

Winter Baptisms on February 12, 2012

Mars Hill Church — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:38:08 +0000

Mars Hill recognizes believer’s baptism as a scriptural means of testimony for the church (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; Acts 18:8). Baptism is a public declaration of the internal reality of the believer’s salvation in Christ.

We will be holding baptisms at Mars Hill Federal Way during services on Sunday, February 12, 2012. If you are a believer, but have never made this public statement of your faith in Christ, then please prayerfully consider being baptized.

A Thank You Note From Sequoyah Middle School

Mars Hill Church — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:15:22 +0000

During the recent Christmas season, Mars Hill Federal Way partnered with Sequoyah Middle School in providing gifts for several families in need. The leaders of the church would like to thank all of you who donated gifts to this important cause. We recently received a thank you note from the school and wanted to share it with all of you:

Dear Mars Hill Members,

On behalf of the families at Sequoyah Middle School, I want to sincerely thank you for providing gifts and holiday cheer to those in need.

Your willingness to give of your time, resources, and love during Christmas time is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Vince Blauser – Principal

Thanks again Mars Hill Federal Way for shining the light of Jesus throughout our community!

We’re Being Taken for a Ride

Mars Hill Church — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:43 +0000

by Pastor Bill Clem

I’ve taken a taxi several times in my life, and without exception, when I get inside the cab, the driver asks where I want to go. It’s kind of a cool experience, to have someone actually ask me what my wish is, and then tell me that he’s going to accomplish it. I’ve flown on a lot of commercial flights, and I’ve never had the pilot ask me where I want to go. It’s always set before I get there, and I have to actually check my ticket to make sure I’m on the right plane.

There are a lot of people who make the mistake of thinking that becoming a Christian is like taking a taxi ride, and that Jesus is going to ask where they want to go and then will take them there, rather than realizing it’s more of a commercial flight that includes thousands of people globally and generations of people historically who are all on a mission that is greater than ourselves.

We’re Invited to Join Jesus

In John 15:16, Jesus said “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

We’ve actually been invited to join Jesus on his mission. And Jesus’ vision for us being on that mission is that it’s a fruitful one. That fruit includes being a faithful witness of Jesus, displaying his transforming work in our lives, but it also includes a fruitful partnering, partnering in mission with him to those who would worship him. This is the mission of God: to rescue those who would worship Jesus.

The interesting thing is that everyone has been created as an image bearer of this God with a mission. This means that we reflect who God is and what God does. For example, God is loving, and we image him by loving others. God is forgiving, and we image him by forgiving others.

It would be literally impossible to image God accurately without being on his mission, because it’s how we reflect him.

And when Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, seven so I am sending you” (John 20:21), we learn that God is a sent and sending God. Most of us would prefer to reflect him by being either sent or sending. For some, it’s easy to declare the person of Jesus to others and display his transforming work in their own lives. Others would prefer to be sending, sacrificially providing for the needs of others through starting churches or ministering to people in other countries.

But God’s picture of mission is bigger than either of these, and yet, it requires both of them. In Genesis 12, God shows us his heart for the world by saying that through Abraham, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. That promise finds its fulfillment in the person of Jesus, who is the hope of all nations and will be recognized above all other names (Philippians 2:9). We, as God’s people, are a sent and sending people, knowing that on any given day, we live as sent and encourage others as we send.

So the next time you’re tempted to start your little prayer with, “God, I need you to take me to _____,” I encourage you to pray a bigger prayer of, “God, how can I image you on mission today? Wherever you take me, I’m yours.”

God’s Work, Our Witness
4 new churches, 3 states, for 2 reasons, on 1 day. By God’s grace, we have the opportunity to do the biggest, craziest, most epic, and ridiculous thing we’ve ever attempted as a church. Join us.

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Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together

Pastor Samuel Choi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:51:20 +0000

by Pastor Samuel Choi

When was the last time you heard a frank teaching, discussion, or talk on sex, friendship, and life together for married couples? TV programs, radio talk shows, or marriage seminars might come to your mind. I want to introduce you to a book that speaks clearly the biblical truth about sex, friendship, and life together – Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, & Life Together, by Mark and Grace Driscoll.

Here’s the list of topics covered in the book that really challenged me, as well as my wife Carol, in our intimacy, friendship, and partnership of life:

Part 1: Marriage

Chapter 1: New Marriage, Same Spouse – Who is the center of your marriage?

Chapter 2: Friend with Benefits – Are you best friends with your spouse?

Chapter 3: Men and Marriage – Are you a boy who can shave, or a man who lays down his life for his wife?

Chapter 4: The Respectful Wife - Do you respect your husband with you head, heart, and hands?

Chapter 5: Taking Out the Trash - Do you practice repentance and forgiveness in your marriage?

Part 2: Sex

Chapter 6: Sex: Gross, God, or Gift – Is sex god, gross, or a gift?

Chapter 7: Disgrace and Grace – How do you deal with guilt and shame from sexual sins you committed and were committed against you?

Chapter 8: The Porn Path – Is pornography use a struggle for you or your spouse?

Chapter 9: Selfish Lovers & Servant Lovers – What kind of a lover are you?

Chapter 10: Can We______? – What does the Bible say about sex?

Part 3: The Last Day

Chapter 11: Reverse Engineering Your Life & Marriage – How do you want to be remembered by your spouse?

In addition, pastor Mark Driscoll has written a helpful article on the Fox News website. Click HERE to read the article.

My question is – What does it look like for you to talk humbly and honestly about sex, friendship, and life together with your spouse as a follower of Jesus?

In March, Carol and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. This book helped us to see, by God’s grace, how we can enjoy new marriage through our identity in Jesus. We’ve learned how to grow in maturity as man and woman and in intimacy as husband and wife, as well as how to enjoy friendship more than ever.

In the final analysis, it’s really all about how Jesus has shown us to be husband and wife, a relationship that’s modeled by Christ and His church. It’s about how each Christian responds to God’s Word, the Bible, and its authority over our identity, intimacy, and legacy.

Whether you are single or married, how you approach sex, friendship, and life will reflect your relationship with Jesus. I pray that you will be a beautiful and bold witness of God’s grace and glory as you respond to God’s calling in your identity as His child, in maturity as a man or woman, in holiness in your marriage, and in obedience to bring Him all the glory.

Samuel Choi is the Lead Pastor at Mars Hill Federal Way.

Meet the Interns – Andre Tsitsey

Mars Hill Church — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:15:39 +0000

Recently, the Mars Hill Federal Way blog has been featuring interviews with our interns. The interns are serving through a fourteen month commitment in five different ministry positions. An internship is more than just a year of training – it’s an invitation to grow in your knowledge of God, increase your dependence on the Holy Spirit, and further the mission of Jesus.

Visit our blog page HERE if you missed any of the previous intern profiles

We are happy to announce that we have added a new member to the intern team! Today we are featuring Andre Tsitsey, Operations Intern.

Mars Hill: How did you meet Jesus?

Andre Tsitsey: I was about nine years old when I heard that I was a sinner and needed Jesus’ forgiveness. I repented, but lived a life of partial repentance, which made life worse. During my last year of high school I saw that I had only one way to change. I left everything behind and moved to a Christian college where I had a good community of Christians who discipled me and helped me spend time in studying God’s Word. He changed my life.

MH: What led you to apply for an internship at Mars Hill Church?

AT: Before I started the internship I was involved in a Slavic Church. I served there, but always saw my need for solid training. God called me to this internship. After much prayer and thought, I decided to pursue it.

MH: What gifting or talent has God blessed you with?

AT: He has blessed me with a gift of practical serving. Also, I’m still discovering what other gifts he has given me.

MH: What is your long term goal for ministry?

AT: My goal is to first get good training, and then serve the church in some of the areas where deacons serve. Whether here at Mars Hill or somewhere else, I will serve wherever God will call me.

MH: Who has influenced you in your theological studies (teachers, theologians, peers, etc)?

AT: My dad was the first person who taught me, by example, that the highest authority for the truth is the Bible. Also, God blessed me with many people from whom I could learn. One of those is a friend of mine, Dmitry Kvasnyuk, from whom I could learn a lot. He also introduced me to the good teachers whom you can find on theresurgence.com and thegospelcoalition.org. Also, rappers from the “1-1-6 clique”.

MH: Who has mentored / discipled you through your Christian walk?

AT: I’ve had several men who have impacted my life. My oldest brother had the biggest impact. Also, Dmitry Kvasnyuk has led me for about the last two years.

MH: What advice would you give to others who desire to be interns at Mars Hill?

AT: Pray, think thoroughly, and think how you can leave a good legacy.

Click HERE for information about how you can become an intern at Mars Hill Federal Way!

Stay tuned as we continue to add more interns to the family!

You Need the Power of God | God’s Work, Our Witness #4 Sermon Notes

Mars Hill Church — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:04:22 +0000

From the January 1 sermon, “Receive Power” preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll:

People are trapped in 1) sin, 2) religion, or 3) spirituality. Sinners assume they can’t change, religious people assume they can change themselves, and spiritual people want to change but open themselves to any spiritual force or power to do so, including the demonic. You do need to change and you do need another power to change you, but it must be the power of the Holy Spirit—which is what empowered Jesus’ life. Repent of your sin, religion, or spirituality; receive the Holy Spirit; become a new person; and live a new life.

Click HERE for the complete sermon highlights for God’s Work, Our Witness #4, “Receive Power.”

Getting to the Heart of Parenting with Author Paul Tripp

Mars Hill Church — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:04 +0000

Mars Hill Bellevue will be hosting a parenting conference featuring Paul Tripp on January 13th and 14th. Please see the description below:

Parenting is more than using your power to get children to behave in certain ways. Parenting is all about the exposure and change of the child’s heart. When the heart of a child changes the behavioral change that is needed will last. Learn how to be an instrument of heart changing grace in the little moments of life that God will give you with your children. Paul Tripp will begin with giving you a picture for God’s design for the family. Because if you don’t understand the family; you will never understand parenting. Then, Paul will help you to understand the life transforming and agenda setting things that the Bible says about the heart. Then, he will apply the principles about the family and the heart to the three primary stages of parenting. In each stage Paul will give you the key issue of focus and practical steps for achieving what is important, at that particular stage of the child’s’ growth and spiritual development. Paul will also help you to identify those places where you are in the way of what God is calling you to do rather than being part of it by helping you to locate your own heart issues. This is a great conference for parents raising children from age toddler through teen. The cost is $10 per person.

CLICK HERE for more information and to register now!