Summer 2013 marks a new annual tradition at Mars Hill Church where we welcome guest preachers for a special sermon series. This gives me and the lead pastors a small break to focus on gearing up for the fall. But don’t worry—we aren’t wasting a single Sunday.
God has blessed Mars Hill with some incredible friendships over the years. Many highly qualified, experienced, and wise pastors love our church and what Jesus is doing through us. This summer, I’ve invited a few of these friends to preach a series we’re calling Best Sermon Ever.
Every one of these men has the title “Dr.” in front of their names, and every one has decades of ministry experience. So rather than assigning them a topic, I’ve asked each of our guests to preach their most helpful, insightful, and important material to benefit the people of Mars Hill Church.
It should be a really fun change of pace for a few weeks, when we welcome the following speakers:
Dr. Paul Tripp
I’m very excited to welcome Dr. Paul Tripp and his mustache to the Mars Hill pulpit. Dr. Tripp is a professor, church planter, author, parent, and counselor extraordinaire.
Dr. Paul has been a huge help to us in thinking through how we do counseling and community at Mars Hill. He helped a lot in the formation of our Redemption Groups ministry, and he has taught a number of classes and conferences at Mars Hill in the past.
Pastor Paul joins us from Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife of 40-plus years and their four grown children. His book, Age of Opportunity, has been a helpful resource for Grace and me as more of our own kids enter the teen years.
Dr. Bruce Ware
Dr. Ware is another friend of Mars Hill who has helped us on a number of occasions. His books and teaching have been hugely influential in shaping our church’s theology.
I’ve learned a ton from Dr. Ware and have had the honor of teaching with him at other events in the past. I can tell you from personal experience that all of his theology really shows in his love, godliness, and humility.
Dr. Ware joins us from Kentucky, where he is Professor of Christian Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has ties to the Pacific Northwest as a graduate of the University of Washington, and some of his extended family members even attend Mars Hill.
Dr. Wayne Grudem
Other than the Bible, the most influential book in the history of Mars Hill Church is Systematic Theology by Dr. Wayne Grudem. Much of what I believe is informed, shaped, and articulated in that book.
Dr. Grudem holds multiple degrees from schools like Harvard, Cambridge, and Westminster Seminary. He’s an author, an academic, a professor, and a scholar, but he also has great love for his family and the church.
I’ve had the real pleasure of becoming friends with Wayne and his dear wife, Margaret, over the years. He’s a godly man whom I love and appreciate very much, and I’m very honored that he would come teach at Mars Hill.
Dr. Larry Osborne
In the book of Proverbs, you read about a loving father figure who shares pithy, profound statements of wisdom. Pastor Larry Osborne is a lot like that.
For well over a decade, Dr. Larry has counseled Mars Hill Church. He helped us get started in multi-site, and his fingerprints are throughout our organizational systems.
Pastor Larry planted North Coast Church over three decades ago, and he continues to serve faithfully as the senior and teaching pastor. He mentors many pastors in his spare time, including me and the other Mars Hill executive elders as a member of our Board of Advisors and Accountability.
Dr. Eric Mason
I’ve known Eric “the Bishop” Mason for a long time now. He’s a dear friend of mine, and his wife, Yvette, is close with Grace.
Pastor Eric planted Epiphany Fellowship in urban Philadelphia in a very complicated, economically depressed neighborhood, and he’s done a great job growing a beautiful church there. Mars Hill has had the great honor of supporting that church plant.
Dr. Mason also serves on the board of the Acts 29 church planting network and recently published the book, Manhood Restored.
The common thread
I picked these men because I love our church with all my heart and I want you to get the very best Bible teaching we can possibly bring you. They’re all world-class communicators, leaders, speakers, Christian authors, theologians, Bible teachers, and pastors—all friends of mine and friends of our church.
I hope you’re as excited as I am for the Best Sermon Ever summer series, an amazing opportunity to hear from some of the best Christian thinkers of our time.
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