The following testimony was submitted, appropriately, to testimony [at] marshillchurch [dot] org. Send us your story of Christ’s change in your life.

I’ve have been trekking with Mars Hill for quite some time now. I’ve gone through about five sermon series and through it, I’ve found myself talking more and more about Jesus when before I didn’t really talk about Jesus. His Name consumes much of my vocabulary.

But not only that, I have found that through the power and the direction of the Holy Spirit via Mark as that vessel, God used Mars Hill’s sermon ministry as well as The Resurgence to bring me to the full understanding of the mission of the Gospel in my life.

“Through the ministry of Pastor Mark, I have taken a road that is hard, laborious, and strenuous, but also for the best.”

But unfortunately, I am one of those guys who Pastor Mark would call those “over-achieving little ”http://blog.marshill.com/2010/08/21/the-world-is-filled-with-boys-who-can-shave/“>boys who can shave.” When described as such, semantics and circumstances aside, the be-all, end-all of my circumstance was that I was that little boy depending on mommy to do everything for me. And it was where I existed for about eight years between my freshman year of college back in 2001-2002 and now. I have no undergrad degree and no substantial job to speak of, which doesn’t make me a viable candidate for marriage.  I know this and can’t repent enough about it (another by product of listening to Pastor Mark, repentance is a moment-by-moment heart attitude).

I would argue though, that by the grace of God and the swift verbal kick in the rear from Pastor Mark, I am in the midst of my boyishness, but progressively working my tail off in school to be able to get a job so that I can support a wife and a family.

“This idea that my life be best used for the Glory and Fame of Jesus is more of a reality that I MUST toil for because I get to.”

Through the ministry of Pastor Mark, I have taken a road that is hard, laborious, and strenuous, but also for the best. Because for me, to make up for lost time and to do thing well, I am now working a more-than-average school load to get my undergrad degree and also currently thinking of pursuing a Master’s right away. I am also heavily involved in my local church body (not that I wasn’t), but the mission I’m on, thanks to the proverbial Scripture-based wedgie by big brother Mark, I’ve been spurred on and desire to burn as much effort, sweat, tears, and blood so that I would be able to in the end get what is right in the eyes of God via the Scriptures, so that I can marry a girl, lover her, honor her, cherish her, and ultimately raise the next generation to love and run hard after Jesus and let that legacy carry on.

From this point of view, I can’t thank God enough for using Pastor Mark to be that proverbial whip to get me on a track that will allow for my life to be best use for the Glory and Fame of Jesus. This was just a philosophical concept for me that I found myself latching onto emotionally, but practically failed at. Thanks to Pastor Mark and the ministry of Mars Hill, the practicality of this idea is more of a reality that I MUST toil for because I get to.

Thank you again for all that you do.

Graciously yours,

Eugene Shin