As Mars Hill Church continues to grow as one church meeting in many locations, its Bellevue church is becoming more and more of a central support. It’s also bursting at the seams. The explosive growth in Bellevue has led to the need for a Saturday service, and with it, a few good volunteers.
The Saturday evening service launched last weekend with a total of 172 people in attendance. As with any service, amid the hullabaloo of people going to and fro inside the church, finding a seat, finding a friend, getting coffee, checking children into Mars Hill Kids, visiting the Connect desk, looking for earplugs—the usual—there existed a volunteer army of support staff. At the head of these volunteers on Saturday nights, there’s Andrey Ruzhin.
“I joined Mars Hill Church because Jesus’ presence was evident to me here,” he said. “I see it in the gospel-filled teaching of the church. I see it in the pastors, the deacons, the volunteers, and the members. The work of the Spirit is evident in repentance and the number of people that are meeting Jesus.”
For Andrey personally, he has experienced Jesus in a whole new way at Mars Hill.
“Before, Jesus was black and white to me. He was the Perfect God Man that had expectations that I could never live up to no matter how hard I tried. Today, I see Jesus in HD color and 3D, full of grace, truth, and love.”
“Because of Jesus and for Jesus” Andrey began serving at the church, taking the lead on organizing the many volunteers it takes to successfully pull off just one service.
“It is never between me and people and those I serve,” said Andrey, “but it is between me and him for his people. When I serve the church, many times it feels like it’s not me but his love and strength overflowing in me.”
As a service lead, Andrey is responsible for helping to organize what he calls “amazing people that want to serve the church by greeting you at the door, serving coffee and communion, security and parking, ushering you to a seat, and connecting with you during or after the service. Lastly, [there’s] the prep and cleanup team—it seems like nobody notices them, but Jesus does. These people are driven with passion to serve the church because they believe the one who gave himself for each and every one of them, the church.”
The decision to add a fifth service to a church that’s bursting at the seams allows not only for more growth, but for a whole new population at church.
“When I lived in downtown Bellevue a year ago,” said Andrey, “I would meet people and invite them to church, but to my surprise many of them had to work on Sunday. Having a service on Saturday will give us the opportunity to reach a different dynamic of people for Jesus: the young professionals, the students that need to work on weekends, and primarily people who live in the city.”
Andrey fully expects the culture of Saturday night services to be significantly different from Sundays because of newcomers and people who wouldn’t attend a Sunday service. He also pointed out that there’s a lot more going on downtown on Saturday nights.
“We’ll see curious people drop in to ask questions and possibly attend,” he said.
Andrey’s enthusiasm for serving the church is contagious. He said, “If you’re not serving within your local church you are missing out! It took me a long time to become a member, get connected, and to start serving.”
Andrey hopes people will be encouraged to serve the church primarily for who Jesus is, what he has done for his people, and what he is calling them to do.
“All the other benefits are gifts given by him when we follow him in obedience.”
Bellevue’s Saturday service meets weekly at 5 p.m. and childcare is provided.
Here are some pictures from one of the recent services (yes, it was the night before the Super Bowl!):
