Jesus calls qualified men to lead his church as elders, whom we also call pastors. Qualifications for eldership are found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and include leading their families well, a record of serving Jesus well both in the church and in everyday life, a thorough knowledge of the Bible and a mature Christian walk, and a good reputation both in and out of the church.
The primary duties of elders include praying and studying Scripture, leading the vision of the church, caring for the people of the church, teaching, living lives that are exemplary, protecting the people of the church from false doctrine and teachers, and developing other leaders.
For more on eldership, see Vintage Church and “FAQ: Women & Ministry” and listen to “1 Timothy 3:1–7.”
As a large church that meets in multiple locations and states, Mars Hill is governed by a body of executive elders who are first among equals on the eldership team. The executive elder team oversees the vision, preaching, and teaching of the church, as well as the operations and the ministries of the church.
Learn more about our Governance structure: Governance F.A.Q.
Jesus calls qualified men and women to lead his church as deacons, a word that is literally translated as “servants.” The office of deacon is first mentioned in Acts 6. As the burden of ministry grew for the early church, elders, in addition to prayer, study, leading, and teaching, were also taking on large workloads to serve the needy in the church and handle the administrative functions of the church. As a solution, the elders appointed deacons to assist the elders in these responsibilities.
At Mars Hill there are hundreds of deacons who assist the elders in the day-to-day functions of church administration and activity. Qualifications for deacons are found in 1 Timothy 3 and include integrity, generosity, soberness, a clear understanding of the Bible, a well-ordered home, and a good reputation both in the church and outside the church.
For more on deacons, listen to “1 Timothy 3:8–16.”
As a large church, Mars Hill relies on members to support our ministry and to carry out much of the work required to help accomplish our mission to have as many people meet Jesus as possible. It’s a high calling that takes hard work—but it’s also the most rewarding work.
The leadership of Mars Hill Church strives to love and care for its members well. In turn, we rely on our members to accomplish our collective work as the church. As an organization, we operate with minimal staff, budget, and programming because we trust the Holy Spirit to move through the transformed hearts of our members, mobilizing the collective body of Christ in humble ways to love the city, love our family, and glorify God on his terms.
If you’re desiring to make a deeper commitment to Mars Hill, we encourage you to become a member. Follow the steps listed here to get the process started.
Mars Hill members are required to be professing Christians who believe and have faith in Jesus as God and Savior.
Each Mars Hill church offers a Membership Class to help you understand fully who we are as a church, what we believe, and how we operate. It’s also a great chance to meet others and get to know your leaders. We believe it’s important to know these things so that you can make an informed decision about membership.
Contact your local church to find out when they’ll be holding the next Membership Class.
Mars Hill members share in their commitment to the church by agreeing to our membership covenant and joyfully living in community, serving the church, and giving faithfully.
As the final step in membership, you’ll meet with your Community Group leader for a final membership interview. This is an opportunity to confirm your commitment and ask any questions before being installed as a member.
