We asked women at the 11 am service at the Ballard campus what they thought of the men: Natalie, Bri , Molly , Melissa , and Trinity .

Natalie, 21
Single, Bothell

What have you noticed that’s particular about Mars Hill men?

I’ve never hung out with a group of guys who had the intention of just getting to know you. It’s so refreshing. I can be myself. Some of the guys, when you go to a party, all their focus is on is drinking. They don’t even talk to you or care unless you’re gonna end up with them later. … You’re objectified by other guys, and then you come to church and you’re actually a person, you’re a friend, or you’re someone interesting. It’s not just to date and have some fling. It’s great and so refreshing.

Talk about Christian guys as friends.

This group of guys, I’ve never– they’re just so caring. … Last night, I went to a bonfire with a bunch of guys and this child kept coming up to our bonfire. And the guys were giving him a little stick to do the marshmallows and they’re just taking care of him. They care about you. They can have heart-to-heart conversations, and they’ll talk about God, and it’s so great even to learn from a guy’s point of view. … It means so much more than any other [dating] relationship I’ve ever known. It’s amazing. I’m excited to meet a guy, but, you know, I’m just taking my time.  It’s changed everything about how I look at guys. My standards are so much higher now. …  I love coming to church, and I look forward to it. It’s great, and it’s not focused on boys. Church is for God.

Bri, 23
Single, Greenlake

What do you like about MH men?

I appreciate that there’s a striving to be humble that should be, or is generally, the heart of Mars Hill men. … I appreciate the way they’re held accountable, from the top down. It’s apparent, it’s good.

What’s something you’ve seen that’s struck you as really humble?

You can kind of tell in conversation, in my community group particularly, the willingness to share your struggles in life and be open in life. … Actually, I dated a non-Christian guy and then a very committed Mars Hill guy, so the contrast was stark. With the MH guy, it was such an intentional way when it came to dating of being very committed and very serious about leading the relationship, keeping God in the center of it. Good things.

Molly, 40
Married, Fremont

What do you like about the men here?

They usually put the ladies first. … hold the door and even help out with in the kids ministry. … They just know what to do, they pay for the date, they know they need to ask you out again and take the initiative, not date for five years. … Before [in my previous relationships], it was like “We’re friends, we’re friends, we’re friends,” and I was just left as the friend, not the girlfriend or the wife, just the gal pal.

So what does your husband value you for now?

I’m his best friend and wife and he treasures me for that.

What does it mean to have your daughter in this community?

Oh, it’s exciting. We talk about how she’ll meet and marry, or maybe she already even knows, her potential spouse someday. Maybe she’ll marry someone from this church and that would be awesome, because the guys know what to do here.

“There’s a lot of trust there, I just know that he guards my heart. He makes sure I don’t get hurt in situations and no one else has ever looked out for me like that.”

Melissa, 21
Dating/courting, Bothell

What do you think of MH men?

Well I’m dating one, so I like them a lot! … I think [Pastor Mark] prepares them for courting and not dating. He teaches them how to be the man in a relationship and how to respect a woman, and I’ve never experienced that before this. I think most Mars Hill guys are like that.

What are the things he leads you in the relationship?

Everything … when we held hands, when we kissed, I feel like he led in all that. Making sure we don’t spend all our time together, but spending time with our friends and family, too. He just makes sure that we’re doing the right things and following the right path. We put it in God’s hands, but at the same time, he’s the one who’s controlling when he asks me to marry him and all that. And, if we ever do mess up in something, we’ll both go back to God, and he’ll be like, “OK, I’m the man. This is my fault. I should have done this and next time we’ll do this.” He just takes responsibility, and then he fixes it. … It’s never a back-and-forth blame game with him, it’s always like, “I’m the man, I need to lead in this relationship.” And then he fixes it. You tell him one time, and it’s done.

What’s something your boyfriend does that another boyfriend didn’t do?

The whole courting thing, where it all leads to marriage, not bed. Taking time to want to spend time with my family, my friends. He wants me to meet his family. It’s more like community is involved, it’s not just dating. Everyone is involved in our relationship. I’ve never gone to church before with a boyfriend, and we go to church together and to community group. It’s just awesome, a lot different. … He respects me in everything: my body, my time. … There’s a lot of trust there, I just know that he guards my heart. He makes sure I don’t get hurt in situations and no one else has ever looked out for me like that.

Trinity, 6
Single, Shoreline

What do you like about coming to church?

To learn about God.

What about the boys who are in your Sunday School class? Are they nice, or do they tease you?

Well, when I say, “Can I play with you?” they let me play with them.

Do they share things with you sometimes?

When we’re playing with the ball, each time when we play, people have to catch the ball, and I catch the ball a lot more than the boys.

These ladies were interviewed at the Sunday services at the Ballard campus by MH staff editor Holly K. and photographed by blog team volunteer Karen W.

Stay tuned for a second installment of what the women at Mars Hill think about the men, all as part of our look at biblical manhood here on the blog.