Of the 60+ elders who serve Mars Hill Church, over half are volunteer elders. These men have jobs outside the church, but still give many hours a week serving in some capacity. Our church would not run without these faithful men. We currently also have 57 elder candidates working through the eldership process. Here at Mars Hill, we are always working to raise up and develop leaders. Our church is growing fast, and while 57 elder candidates may sound like a lot, there is always a need for more men to step up and help further the cause of the gospel.
With so many volunteer elders at Mars Hill, it’s time we introduce you to a few of them to give you a glimpse into what it looks like to be a pastor and have another day job. So please meet Pastor Matt Rogers, Pastor Jim Tomisser, and Pastor Bill Simmonds.
Pastor Matt Rogers
Mars Hill Bellevue
How did God call you to volunteer eldership?
I saw the faithful example of my grandfather who spent the last 57 years of his life in one church, many of those as a volunteer elder. Flying away from his funeral several years ago, I started praying about what my life as a servant of Jesus Christ should look like. That prayer grew into a deep passion to follow that example serving in one church the rest of my life.
How do you balance a regular job with your duties as a pastor?
Everything but family, work, and church came off my schedule once I became an elder. There are a wealth of helpful management books and blogs, but honestly some part of how this works cannot be explained without the help of the Holy Spirit.
What has been the highlight of serving as an elder?
The greatest joy in serving as an elder is having a front row seat to Jesus work in the church. Last Easter our Bellevue church baptized nearly 100 people in a single day. It was a huge blessing to baptize many of them myself and hear story after story of how people met Jesus.
How would you encourage other men who feel called to volunteer eldership?
Being an elder is the greatest opportunity in the church to see more of Jesus. Whether it is praying up front with people after a service, baptizing new Christians, or preparing to teach, being a pastor in the church gives opportunities to see Jesus that are unique. Ultimately the reason you should pursue eldership is because of the great love you have for Jesus and the desire to see more of him. All your other motivations for eldership will ebb and flow but the joy in seeing the work of Christ up close will never get old.
Pastor Jim Tomisser
Mars Hill Shoreline
How did God call you to volunteer eldership?
I had known since the time of being a young man that God had placed a call and passion in me for eldership. It is a passion he gave me that has never waned. I responded to that call and became a children’s pastor at age 25 and continued to do that for 13 years. Before coming to Mars Hill, I had a five-year break from full time ministry to run the company my wife, Stacey, and I currently own. We started coming to Mars Hill in the summer of 2008.
During that year, God radically changed me and my family. Repentance of sin happened and God allowed me to go through and then begin to lead in Redemption Groups here at Mars Hill Shoreline. Over the course of a couple of years while doing that, the desire to shepherd people (which God was allowing me to do through RG) continued to grow in my heart.
In 2010, during a dinner with Pastor Steve and Hilary Tompkins, Steve asked me when I was going to place my name in the hat for eldership. I was taken aback by this question, mainly because I thought—and said out loud to Steve and Hilary—that there was no way Mars Hill would want or need a guy like me. Mars Hill elders were way more educated, knowledgeable about scripture, and to be frank, better men that I would ever be. Steve laughed at my response when I said that, and asked me to pray about it. So I did.
Over the next two weeks I prayed constantly. Each day that I prayed, God grew that passion to shepherd the people of Mars Hill and I couldn’t get away from the fact that God was calling me to walk through the process to become an elder. I met with Steve after two weeks and told him that I felt I needed to at least walk through the process of being a candidate and that not doing that, I felt, would be disobedience to God. This is how God called me to eldership at Mars Hill.
How do you balance a regular job with your duties as a pastor?
Great question! God has allowed me to run a company as its president for the past nine years. With that comes a lot of responsibility that takes time, emotional effort, and diligence. However, it comes with a certain amount of freedom with my schedule and time. As a volunteer elder at Mars Hill, there’s a lot to do, people to care for, and preparation for ministry events. Some weeks I get to serve Mars Hill and it takes 30+ hours to get done, other weeks it takes 10 hours. I am very grateful to God for this flexibility.
The real balance point is knowing when I need to say “I can’t do that” to the church to make sure I honor God in the work that he’s called me to do in my company. If I had my choice, I’d serve the church 24/7. (Theoretically speaking. I know I need to honor God with a Sabbath.) However, that’s not where God has me today. I pray about this constantly and talk to my wife, Stacey, as a godly resource to keep this in balance. However, some weeks I fail miserably at keeping this balance and I do far too much at times. This is a work that still is in process, I am learning to do things in his strength and not my own.
What has been the highlight of serving as an elder?
There have been so many highlights over the almost three years that I have served as an elder at Mars Hill. I love serving alongside the other elders at Shoreline. Having the opportunity to steward the gifts of God in the lives of the people here with them is a total gift of God to me. Pastor Steve Tompkins and Pastor Joe Day are two close friends that God has blessed me with. Walking through the growth of unity and friendship with them has certainly been a highlight of my time as an elder.
Serving as the Biblical Living Elder at Shoreline has been a great challenge that comes with a ton of joy as I serve. Watching people get changed by turning to Jesus is amazing. I get a front row seat to see the Holy Spirit call people to himself, call people to repent, heal from sickness, and restore families. It’s a life full of highlights as an elder at Mars Hill. I love what God is doing in our church with his people. I get to participate in that and that’s a miracle in my opinion!
How would you encourage other men who feel called to volunteer eldership?
First of all, my desire for you is to obey the calling that the Holy Spirit is pressing on your heart. The call to eldership starts with desires placed in your heart by the Holy Spirit. Secondly, you need to seek out godly men around you and ask them if they would affirm that sense of calling that you are experiencing. Desire should be followed by affirmation. Lastly, if God is truly calling you to serve as an elder, then he will open an opportunity for this.
There’s three parts to this: desire, affirmation, and opportunity. If the desire is there, then obedience is walking through the second and third parts. Eldership might not come quickly, as it certainly should not. It’s a long process here at Mars Hill. If God is calling you to it, then it will certainly bring joy throughout the long walk as you persevere. Know that the current elders of Mars Hill are praying for you as you walk it out and will stand side by side with you as you do.
Pastor Bill Simmonds
Mars Hill West Seattle
How did God call you to volunteer eldership?
In early 2003, we left our church home in West Seattle after 28 years. The circumstances that lead to that decision were complicated, but the net result was my personal disillusion with church in general, and the role it should play in the lives of individuals. Though I had served as deacon or elder for most of those years, I resolved that I was through with church and any form of spiritual leadership.
Going it alone was uncomfortable for me, but unacceptable for my wife, Julia, who set out to find a new church. She asked my oldest son, who was in the process of planting a church in Portland, for recommendations. He suggested she attend either Doxa Church in West Seattle (ironically, the current site of Mars Hill West Seattle), or Mars Hill in Ballard.
Mars Hill appealed to her, and she encouraged me to come and see what was happening there. Since our disagreement on church was disrupting the domestic tranquility, I began to attend to keep the peace. Over time, the consistent and passionate preaching and its impact in the lives of men began to change my heart. I began to attend regularly, and sometimes by myself if Julia was out of town.
In one Sunday afternoon service, Pastor Mark was citing statistics regarding the failure of men to father their children well. There were probably 300 dudes in the room, and if 40% of them had grown up without a dad, there were 120 young men that might need some help. My qualifications were simple: I was very close to my three kids and my father had been an amazing example and role model for me. My calling came in that moment. If God wanted me to help, even if it was just one man, I was willing to do so.
Over the next few years, and under the direction of a handful of pastors, we got involved in the marriage ministry at Ballard. Taking our first pre-marriage class after 33 years of marriage, we began to mentor and counsel young couples. As the church went multi-site, we were candidates to lead a marriage ministry at the new West Seattle location.
I was still opposed to eldership, so when asked if I was called to pursue it, the honest answer was no. If God was calling, it seemed he would have made the calling clearer. To their credit, the elders emphasized that a definitive calling was a prerequisite, even to the extent that I would need to articulate that calling before entering the process.
It was clear to me that my life experience, including marriage, family, and career had forced me to reconcile my previous experience with the truth of the gospel. Though still in process at the time, I believed my insights would be valuable to those starting out. In all of our marriage classes we have found that couples really want to know if there is hope: Is it possible to be married for a lifetime and have the marriage that God desires for us? If so, what does that look like? How do we handle the conflicts that seem to tear marriages apart, especially when their own parents couldn’t keep it together?
What has been the highlight of serving as an elder?
Since formal ordination in 2008, we’ve had the privilege playing a role in the lives of many men and women, witnesses to transforming power of the gospel in their lives. We too have been changed, forced to confront our own sins as we’ve lead others. To be a pastor has been to sit in the front row for the greatest show on earth.
How would you encourage other men who feel called to volunteer eldership?
For those considering volunteering, there is much to consider. What are your gifts? How much time you can give? How will you balance work, family, and ministry? Is your wife on board? Do others affirm your calling? If it seems right, move ahead, remaining in prayer that God’s will be done.
I mention it for the benefit of those considering eldership. “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” It doesn’t say the desire is noble, but the task of church oversight is noble. There is a danger of pursuing leadership for the wrong reasons, so self-examination is indicated. Pursuit of position for the wrong reasons is one of two mistakes men make. The other is ignoring the desire to lead for the right reasons.
So it isn’t necessarily theological training, a desire to preach or govern that constitutes calling. It’s a love for God’s church and his people, along with the desire to be a part of his work. If God has gifted you, it is to influence others for his purpose. If the title of pastor or elder will allow you to leverage that influence, maybe that is your calling.
About Aspire
At Mars Hill we are incredibly grateful to our volunteer elders. And as ever, there is always a need for more men to serve in that capacity. To that end, we have a program at the local churches called Aspire, which is for men interested in eldership.
Aspire comes before the actual elder candidate process and was created for men interested in eldership, but who may not be ready to start the process yet. We want to be able to know the potential future elders and help lead and grow them. We also include many elders and elder candidates in this as well.
The idea is that the men currently in the elder process or in Aspire bring other men who are interested until there is a chain of men pouring into one another spiritually so that there is a long line of future leaders for Mars Hill. These men will be the ones who repent first, give first, serve first, and lead others to follow and humbly seek to be more like our big brother, Jesus. It’s all about Jesus and his legacy.
If you are considering eldership at your local Mars Hill Church, connect with the leaders there and sign up for Aspire.
