This is the eighth in a series of posts by the Mars Hill campus pastors looking at how God is moved across Mars Hill Church during 2009. Pastor Tim Gaydos is the campus pastor from the Downtown Seattle campus. Downtown Seattle has long been known as the hardest soil to plant churches in the Pacific Northwest. Even established churches have been sprinting away from the city’s center for a generation.  Because of this, we were prepared for it to take time to see our seed grow. The city is the cultural epicenter of the region and Jesus was calling us to plant this campus and take some territory for the kingdom (Acts 1:8).  When Jesus said that he was going to build His church in Matthew 16:18, he wasn’t messing around. We launched the Mars Hill Downtown Seattle campus in March of 2008. At the time, we had no idea that in little more than a year, our Sunday gathering would double to 800 people and make Mars Hill the largest church in downtown in 30 years. As we look back on our first full year, Paul’s words to the Corinthians come to mind, "for it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:15)."

The Grace Extension

It’s been like drinking from a fire-hose of grace this year as we’ve seen God move in the hearts of the people of Seattle through:

• Conversion and spiritual growth

Much of that growth is conversion growth as we’ve seen many people become Christians this year, including atheists, drug dealers, wife-beaters, Buddhists, religious people, Wiccans, and some who were planning their own death.  Praise God!  We also had the privilege of baptizing 57 of those folks this year.

There were more than 20 weddings, which is especially beautiful, as our building was once a place where relationships were broken and where women were objectified. To see Jesus be glorified and lifted up through a man and women coming together in this place is amazing.

Through the Redemption Groups and Marriage Ministry we have seen lives and marriages restored and healed.  For the first time, many that have been abused or who have abused were able to let Jesus take those sins away, wash them, and be renewed.

• Missional community (Acts 2:44-46)

Downtown Seattle can be a difficult place to establish authentic community as the density, diversity, and size can create an isolated, lonely effect.

By God’s grace, we have seen the number of community groups that have been established in Belltown, Capitol Hill, Central District, Renton, south Lake Union, and Queen Anne grow from 15 to 35.  Twenty of these communities are currently working on Micro-Missions projects to love, serve, and build relationships in their neighborhoods.  We’ve also expanded our campus onto college campuses.  Missional communities are being established at the Art Institute of Seattle, Cornish College of the Arts, and Seattle University.

• Mercy Ministry (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

We have launched our Mercy Ministry in earnest, as David Katz has accepted the role of Mercy Lead. This ministry reaches out to the marginalized, disenfranchised, and to those who simply have less than we do in our neighborhood. God is doing a huge work and bringing many to Jesus through this ministry, including a man who one year ago had picked up the Christmas Coat Lunch and sold it for crack!

• Leadership (1 Timothy 3:1)

As we have grown drastically in size, we have seen many people be raised up and become leaders. We have added two pastors, Will Little and Zack Hubert, as well as dozens of deacons and community group leaders. We also have approximately 15 campus volunteers who serve during the week who truly make the church function.

We believe that Jesus is just scratching the surface with what he intends to do in Seattle. He is continually shepherding worshippers, the people who will find their worth in God, worship Him, and in turn, love and serve the people of the city. This is what He has called us to, so that grace will continually be extended to more and more people, which will increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.