Think for a moment how many times, just today, you have made a statement like this. I wish, if only, what if. It’s hard to escape. Life constantly inundates us with circumstances that seem like they could be better. I find myself guilty of this type of thinking all the time, but what’s wrong with it? The problem is that it stems from a lack of faith and trust in God: that he is sovereign, that he is good, that he loves us, and that he is working out everything for the good of those who love him. It breeds discontent, envy, and anxiety, and furthermore, it’s sin. This sin seems inescapable, even permissible at times, so how do we move beyond this faithless thinking into a place of worship, joy, and contentment?

… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:8-9)

Come join us at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elem, WA for the Lake City Women’s Retreat January 15th and 16th as we wrestle with what it means to be content with the roles and circumstances the Lord has given us. How do we take every thought captive for Christ and focus on whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable? What is the difference between contentment with your lot here on Earth versus longing for a life with Jesus without sin, sorrow, suffering, pain, or brokenness?

The retreat will consist of four workshop style teaching sessions. Part of our mission on the women’s leadership team is to keep our fingers on the pulse of the women at the Lake City Campus. In our observations we’ve seen a recurring desire not only for fellowship, but to be truly known by and connected to the body. Thus, we have endeavored to design the retreat to meet this need. Each teaching session will have plenty of time built in to process and share what the Lord is working in you with a small, intimate group. We’ll respond creatively with art and musical worship. We’ve also built in lots of time for fun (wine and cheese tasting, board games, crafts, hot-tubbing) and personal meditation and solitude.

The cost of the retreat is $100 per person for one night and three meals. One of our top priorities in designing the retreat was to keep the price as low as possible. Even so, we know some people’s circumstances don’t allow for extra spending. We are very grateful to have money to offer scholarships. If you need assistance in order to go to the retreat, please email lakecitywomen@marshillchurch.org briefly describing your situation and how much, if anything, you would be able to pay. We strived to design a retreat that will bless the body and we truly want as many ladies as possible to be able to attend. Please, please, feel no shame in asking for financial aid.

We also want to accommodate any moms that need to bring a nursing baby and anybody with special dietary concerns. Please be sure to mark this on your registration form. Again, email lakecitywomen@marshillchurch.org with questions.

Important Dates to remember:

• The retreat is Friday, January 15th through Saturday, January 16th.
• Registration closes on Tuesday, December 15th. We anticipate filling all our spots, so don’t delay. Go to http://lakecity.marshillchurch.org/retreat to register.
• The deadline to request scholarships is Tuesday, December 1st, so that we can get back to everybody before the December 15th registration deadline.

Lastly, the retreat is open to ladies beyond the Lake City Campus, so if you are a woman and would like to attend, please don’t hesitate to register, regardless of your affiliation to Mars Hill Church Lake City.

More information is available on The City in the Women of Lake City Group, or go to http://lakecity.marshillchurch.org/retreat for a full schedule and to register.

Women’s Training Day Recap:

The fall quarter’s Ladies Training Day was a wonderful time of encouragement, exhortation, and meaningful fellowship. About 60 ladies gathered to study God’s call to effective stewardship of time and treasure. Katie Krombein and Emilee McFarlane shared excellent teaching from the Scriptures and presented several practical ways to begin the process of reclaiming the time and money entrusted to us so that we can glorify God and serve His people. Whether you need a simple refresher or a complete overhaul, this training is for you. Prepare to refocus and be inspired! If you’re interested in finding out more about upcoming ladies events, including the retreat in January, please email lakecitywomen@marshillchurch.org

Right click HERE to download or stream the sermon above.

On the surface, this isn’t the synopsis you’d expect for a phaser-fast sci-fi action movie like Star Trek, but it’s truly the underlying narrative warp of this film’s story engine. Engage this film with us Friday night in North Seattle as we look at more points than Vulcan ears and see if J.J. Abram’s latest installment of the Trek Universe torpedoes or takes flight.

In contrast to young men wrestling with reaching manhood, last month for Film and Theology we looked at an aging man finding redemption in Gran Torino. You can access the recap and audio exploration of this film below.

“Death is bittersweet. Bitter in pain… but sweet in salvation.”

I passed on Gran Torino when it hit the theaters last year, making some assumptions about the pace, content, and preachiness of the film. Thankfully, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in a film that does an incredible job dealing with all the great divides – color, class, culture, and even age – with a story that never feels like an afterschool special.

“You seem to know a lot about death… don’t seem to know a lot about living.”

The film deals with an unrepentant man who is a judge of everyone and everything, including himself. The film doesn’t transform the character of Walt Kowalski into culture’s view of an enlightened individual, but he does come to understand grace, not just cognitively but efficaciously. There is also an interesting metacommentary in the film; while the character of Walt Kowalski lived by the gun, Clint Eastwood has made a living off of the gun from spaghetti westerns to Dirty Harry. While his love letter to the western saw his classic character riding off with gun in hand, Unforgiven, Gran Torino shows what happens when a man lays down his gun and picks up the cross.

Listen to the message here by clicking the image above, or download it by right-clicking HERE. Choose from other options by visiting the Mars Hill Media Library.

Cinema is a modern day pulpit; people flock to their local multiplex and find themselves moved by a worldview expressed in narrative, influenced by directors and screenwriters and who affect how we feel, think, and act. Monthly film viewings at the Lake City Campus are followed by an expository exploration of narrative themes and spiritual parallels.

Listen to the weekly preview by clicking the image above, or our YouTube page HERE.

For more information click:
Men’s Training Day
Film & Theology: Star Trek

Do you remember your favorite cartoon, movie, or comic book as a kid? Mine was He-Man (You know the feminists have to hate that name…). However, I never understood his softer alter-ego, Prince…Adam? I think that was it. At any rate, little 5-yr. old John Rogers could not understand why He-Man chose to walk around most of the day in pink tights and a red shirt when he could instead walk around hulking out swinging a big sword at anyone that looked at him the wrong way (or messed with gal-pal Princess Whoever-She-Was). It just seemed…wrong. Pink tights over muscles? Really?

So anyways, I definitely tried to act out He-Man’s (not Prince Adams’) heroics on the playground as a kid. Although I quickly found out I couldn’t lift anything or anyone I wanted to, I still had my hero whose identity I was acting out. If you’re honest, you did too. Lone Ranger, G.I. Joe, Transformers, maybe Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, or Steve Largent…there was an identity you acted out through your imagination. Don’t pretend like you didn’t.

That’s at the core of discipleship–looking to someone and following their path, even if you don’t realize that is what’s going on. Being a “student” of another–consciously or sub-consciously. That’s what we’re looking at for Men’s Training: being disciples of Jesus, and being disciplers for Jesus.

To do this, we’ll take a look at:

• Who Were Jesus’ Disciples: Did Jesus REALLY say that?
• How Those Disciples (in turn) Discipled: The Indicative & Imperative Structure of the New Testament Letters
• Living Out Life As Disciple/Discipler: Know the Indicative, Do the Imperative, Proclaim the Implication

Lake City Campus Men’s Training Day
Saturday, November 21 – 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

What is mission and how do we do it? Come join us on November 21st from 9AM-12PM as Deacon John Rogers and others teach the men and show us through scripture how to love and serve our God and our city.

Everyone is welcome to show up a bit early as well and enjoy breakfast together at 8:30AM. Bring your appetite and sit down for some food and fellowship prior to the teaching.

For more information email lakecity@marshillchurch.org

Listen to the weekly preview by clicking the image above, or our YouTube page HERE.

For more information click:
Men’s Training Day
Film & Theology: Star Trek

Take a moment to think of the memberships you’re part of. You might be a member of a public radio station or a gym, an industry association or a group related to a particular hobby. For me, I belong to a Christian writing association, was actively involved with the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce through my work until recently, and am a member at Mars Hill Church.

Have you ever thought about what membership means? It varies, depending on the organization or association, but what they all have in common is a network of people united by a common interest or cause.

At Mars Hill, the commonality is Jesus, and that’s where I’ll draw the line in comparing church membership to other associations—they’re obviously a lot different. But if you belong to other groups and aren’t yet a member of a church, I’d encourage you to think about why those organizations are of value to you, and how joining a church could also be beneficial.

I’ve been a member of Mars Hill since fall 2005, but before I started attending this church, I don’t think I ever thought seriously about church membership. That changed as I started visiting Mars Hill more frequently and spent time with the man who’s now my husband, who saw value in membership and went through the process.

As church members, we’re part of a church that is part of the Church. No matter our role, we’re playing a vital one for God. We’re part of a family, of a network of people who are committed to our Lord and Savior and are on mission for Him. We’re privileged to have responsibilities at the church, and we know that if we have a need, the church is going to do its best to help us out.

If you’re not a member yet and are wondering if or why you should become one, I’d encourage you to attend the Doctrine Class this Sunday, November 8, from 2-4 pm. You’ll learn more about what Mars Hill believes and what it means to be a member here. You’ll also have a chance to talk with pastors and ask questions. It’s the second session of a three-part class, but if you missed the first class last month, come anyway; you can catch up at some point by viewing the first four sermons in the Doctrine series online. Also mark your calendar for Part 3, which will be held on December 13. I hope you can make it!

Listen by clicking the image above, or visit the Mars Hill Church Lake City YouTube page HERE.

Listen to the weekly preview by clicking the image above, or our YouTube page HERE.

For more information on our upcoming Member Class, click here.

For more information on our upcoming Men’s Training Day, click here.

Dude. This topic can be really frustrating when leading people to pray. “Therapy by Prayer Request” occurs in mild forms when people start bonding over a prayer request. Typically, the requester puts forward a request that another person “just resonates with.” The typical response runs something like, “Omigod. I went through that also!” And then the two have what I think is called “a moment.” This form of therapy can be good- building relationships, sharing life, opening up doors for deeper “convos” or “heart-to-hearts” that can lead to confession and repentance. In my limited understanding of the female species this seems to be a really powerful thing. Guys do this too, referring to this as a…well…I can’t think of a term. But we do it too. Honestly. But it usually involves “fixing” another person. Despite the positives in milder forms, in more advanced cases this can be damaging. You know this is occurring when there’s…hmm…30 minutes of prayer request followed by 10 minutes of prayer. Most time is spent therapeutically discussing the prayer request instead of praying. The telltale symptoms for diagnosing this is a lengthy conversation that usually begins with:

• “I remember when we went through that…,”
• “Aaaah! I am SO proud of you! Did you do…,”
• “How did he say it…,”
• “What you need to do is…,”
• “Dude, you need to read…,”
• “Bro, just listen to that one sermon about…”

Now again, these and more importantly the empathy behind them- are not necessarily negative. But when this begins a conversation with man that trumps a conversation with God, I’d argue that there’s an issue. Who are we indirectly teaching people to go to for comfort, fulfillment, and fixing: God, or man? Sure, prayer requests identify deep important things. They can help you “read” a person, whether seeing their idolatries, fears, lack of trust, or greatest joys. These are good things to catalogue and remember, especially at community group prayer times. But do they need to be discussed right away? Are we scared that if we don’t discuss it right then and there,  we can’t make a follow up call/e-mail/text/hang out? If not, was it that important to begin with? Are you scared that if you don’t speak pearls of wisdom in that moment, it won’t be “fixed?” If we are scared, what does that say about who we believe is really in control? Finally, I perceive that the pushback to this will be, “But John, if I know what’s going on better, I can pray for someone better.” Fair, and I appreciate your heart. Buuuut…does God really need you to explain another person’s situation to Him? Doesn’t He already know? To the point where the actual time spent in communication with Him is significantly cut? So, I’d call us back to hitting our knees first, giving God the first crack. Then, by all means go discuss the issues behind the request, the life experience/book/sermon you can impart…unless of course, it’s time to go and getting to bed is more important…

These were wise words by the ancient philosopher, and filtered through a biblical worldview Christians are called to use their days resting and recreating with intentionality as they work their jobs as image-bearers of God. There is rest in God, and joy in God, but no express “me time”. God will indeed give and grant us rest and peace and relaxation as He see fit within the context of Jesus-centered lives. We are not religious people giving a portion of our time to church and community to warrant our weekends and goofing off; we are God’s people designed to bring him glory in our playtime and hobbies that truly lets us live in the manner we were created for, which ultimately brings true happiness.

Turning to rest or entertainment as your comfort (or escape), apart from relationship with Christ, is idolatrous. Entertainment is not evil. Webster’s definition defines two postures toward entertainment: one is “diversion” and the other is “engagement”. Christians should engage life with discernment, and this means both the people they talk to as well as the media they consume. To allow things like hobbies to serve as diversion seems at odds with what we profess about joy and hope and satisfaction in this life though Jesus Christ. A Christian is called to find opportunities to reflect God in rest and recreation.

Colossians 3
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Cor. 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Assess existing hobbies and areas of life focus:
• Does it glorify God?
• Does it reveal God the Father, Son or Spirit?
• Does it build up (edify) others?
• Does it lead to cross-talk?
• Does it lead to thanking Jesus and speaking his name?
• Is it the “best use of time”?

Last question – ARE YOU HONEST, or do these help you rationalize?

Ephesians 5:15
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time…

God calls us to live counter-cultural lives wherein we are not “working for the weekend”, or putting in “time with God” apart from “time in culture”. In John 17, Jesus calls his disciples to be IN but not OF the world. At Mars Hill, we encourage our members to be in local festivals, art, culture, theater, places of assembly, thirdplaces, hot spots, etc. and be students of the culture – film, sports, poetry, and more, familiar in the same way the apostle Paul was in Athens when he preached in Acts 17. We do not create a Christian ghetto, but interact with our community and the many who populate it that don’t belong to Jesus. Bearing all this in mind, we should assess our areas of cultural engagement and determine how God is calling us to glorify him, build others up, and point everyone toward the Savior we serve.