Mars Hill pastor Mark Bergin is preparing to start a new church, The Painted Door, in Chicago this fall. Read parts one and two of this three-part interview series.

How does it feel to be embarking on a church plant? Nervous? Excited?

MB: God’s tricky. I think he draws guys into church-planting the same way he does into marriage. In marriage, he brings along a beautiful girl, and we can’t help but put a ring on her finger. By the time we figure out it’s going to be a lot of work, we’re committed. In ministry, he lures us with another woman, the bride of Christ. We’re filled with so much vision and passion for a glorious church that we wind up quitting our job, uprooting our family, and committing our life to this nutty thing called church-planting. I’m still just engaged with the wedding not slated until we hit the ground in Chicago. So right now, it’s all daffodils and love ballads as we plan the nuptials. We’re practically giddy with anticipation, blissfully ignorant of the gut-wrenching challenges ahead. Of course, just as in marriage, all the work will be worth it. My wife keeps on getting hotter to me. And I’m trusting Jesus to make our little Chicago expression of his bride more and more beautiful everyday.

Any words of encouragement or advice for other guys at Mars Hill who think they may be called to plant a new church?

MB: No. 1: Plant and lead a community group. Community group ministry is church-planting in seed form, and the lessons learned there are invaluable—shepherding, dealing with wolves, missiology, community dynamics, etc. No. 2: Preach whenever and wherever you can. I’ve been preaching at Seattle’s homeless missions for the past seven years and have learned so much about scriptural exegesis and proclamation from having to do it.

Please pray for the Bergin family, The Painted Door, and Chicago. Visit thepainteddoor.org for more details, and come to the info meeting this Monday.