Stories from around Mars Hill, 10/28/13

I’ve heard some awesome stories of Jesus moving among the people of Mars Hill Church recently. Here are a few of my favorites.

Two years ago a young woman at Mars Hill Olympia became pregnant out of wedlock. She gave birth ten months ago and has been raising the little girl with her parents. During this time, the young woman has had incredible growth in her relationship with Jesus and with her parents. Recently, a young man in the church asked her to marry him. She dedicated her daughter a few weeks ago to the Lord in front of her new church family. It’s so cool to see God’s transformational grace at work in the lives of our people.
A couple from Mars Hill Everett was recently saved through a Community Group and baptized. A few months ago, they approached the elders of the church for prayer because of their struggles with infertility. The elders prayed for them, asking the Lord to heal them and give them a child. Pastor Ryan Williams recently heard they are currently ten weeks pregnant and are expecting their first child in May 2014.
A woman from Mars Hill Ballard has been a Christian for about a month and a half. She’s been attending the Membership Class this quarter, and has brought along her mother and her friend. Recently she told Pastor Scott Harris, “I’m so excited to be a Christian. I had no idea this is what being a Christian was all about.”
A longtime Community Group leader at Mars Hill Portland has been faithfully talking about Jesus to a barista who works near the church. The barista was reluctant to visit the church but came when they started the evening service. Recently, she became a Christian and took communion for the first time. Pastor Tim Smith was able to reassure her that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient for everything she has messed up in her life.
Recently, Pastor Mark’s sermon on the sixth commandment, Do Not Murder, fell on the anniversary of a Mars Hill Albuquerque woman’s abortion. As the music played after the sermon, her husband went to get their four children from childcare. The woman was left alone in the front row and knelt down on her hands and knees to worship Jesus. As she worshipped, her four children found her and began hugging her while she wept. Twenty minutes later she was ministering to another woman who had an abortion.