Alright, ladies: it’s our turn.

The men just received over a month’s worth of content hammering them on identity, worship, community, and mission. At Mars Hill especially, it can be easy as a woman to sit in the service and laugh nervously while Pastor Mark rails against the guys, who are squirming in their seats, to get their pants on. Really, we’re just hoping he doesn’t ask us whose bed we rolled out of the other night. The truth is, while the tone is harsher with the guys, the same high standards are applied to us women.

Why are you at Mars Hill? We know we're supposed to say "Jesus." But is that really why you come?

But now the tables are turned on us. We’re going to take the next few weeks here on the blog to focus on what it means to be a woman in Christ, a daughter of God, and how to live that out in our day-to-day lives. Let me start with an icebreaker: Why are you at Mars Hill? Whether you’re a member, attendee, or blog lurker, what draws you? We know the obvious, without-a-moment’s-hesitation thing we’re supposed to say is "Jesus." But is that really why you come? Ask yourself. Do you go to Mars Hill because your friends go (and you’d rather not feel like a loner on Sunday)? Because you want to find an older woman who might mentor you? Because a cute guy may even hold a door open as you enter? Because sitting in the dark, cool sanctuary is probably better than sitting around flipping through photos on Facebook? Those are all fine reasons, as long as they are not your primary motivation for coming to church. If your heart is not singularly focused on loving and knowing Jesus, you are replacing God with your god. Your pursuit of Christ has to come before your reputation, appearance, wisdom, relationship or marriage. All of it, in theory and in practice.

We are given the gift of biblical femininity, not to glorify ourselves, but to glorify Jesus.

As daughters of God, we have a unique calling to live our lives as female disciples in a way that men do not have: We are given the gift of biblical femininity, not to glorify ourselves, but to glorify Jesus. The amazing truth is that when we pursue Jesus by dying to ourselves, he shows us how much he pursues us. He loves his girls. We are life-givers, we are helpers, we are communicators – he designed us to be all these things. We are beautiful when we lay aside our designs for our life and cling to his. Strive for maturity as female disciples of Christ. Hate your sin and repent where needed. Boldly live as redeemed women, making more disciples out of women who are attracted to Jesus’ work in each of us. And keep reading. Jen Smidt is a deacon at the Ballard campus and writes regularly for that campus' blog. photo by amank