Among churches, there are a lot of different opinions about how to handle media attention—and attention in general. Some shun the spotlight and others seek it out.

At Mars Hill, we are deliberate in our effort to give Jesus all the glory and all the credit for his grace and astonishing work in and through our church. When the media take notice, we consider it a good thing; as we are faithful, people must learn and investigate Jesus in order to learn and investigate Mars Hill Church. The more people hearing about Jesus, the better.

We also want the people of our church to know that Mars Hill exists outside of a single campus, community group, or Sunday service. Our work is not less than these things, but it is much more. God is using the resources, the teaching, and the vision of Mars Hill Church to affect thousands of individual lives, hundreds of churches, and dozens of countries around the globe.

Therefore, to share Jesus’ work with our family and the world, we’re launching the Mars Hill Press Room, a feature of this blog and (coming soon) our main website. Here on The Mission & Vision, our communications staff will use the “Mars Hill Press Room” author name to post links to articles, news clips, and other media coverage—as well as announcements and updates regarding Mars Hill-generated content and ministry developments in general.

As we clear out the archives, some of our initial Mars Hill Press Room posts may be from weeks and months past. We don’t want any good stuff to go to waste now that there’s a place to put it. USA Today’s article from Easter this year is a perfect example:

Is sin dead? No, not by a long shot. Yet as Easter approaches, some pastors and theologians worry: How can Christians celebrate Jesus’ atonement for their sins and the promise of eternal life in his resurrection if they don’t recognize themselves as sinners?
…
Mark Driscoll says a little talk of hellfire, so out of fashion these days, would do the world good.

Driscoll founded Mars Hill Church in Seattle, a non-denominational megachurch with 7,000 in Sunday attendance, chiefly singles in their 20s.

He defines sin as “anything contrary to God’s will. People assume the way they are is normal, not that something has gone terribly wrong, and this world is abnormal.”

Although his primary audience is newbie Christians, Driscoll is sharply clear: “Without an idea of sin, Easter is meaningless.”

Read the article. More to come.