Mars Hill Church | Downtown Seattle » Leadership

Breaking the Urban Transient Code

Pastor Tim Gaydos — Fri, 22 May 2009 05:56:14 +0000

Pastor Tim is leading the charge in breaking the urban transient code in our city. This August, Pastor Tim and his wife will be having their first baby, and they have been called to raise their child and plant their family in the city. He believes that it is important for us to invest in our city instead of using it to build our foundations before leaving. Some have been called to leave the city eventually, but God has given us the grace and called us to abound in good works in all things and times. We need to be investing in and serving the place that we live no matter how long we will be there for. Christ loved and served so many when he was just on His way somewhere. A series of vlogs on this subject by Pastor Tim is forthcoming.

Watch Tim’s latest vlog on The Resurgence

Breaking the Urban Transient Code from The Resurgence on Vimeo

Simplicity

Pastor Dave Kraft — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:37:57 +0000

The word keeps popping up! It comes up in conversations I’ve been having, I see it addressed in movies and in books. It’s something people desire but have given up hope of ever experiencing. Maybe it’s wishful thinking–as old fashioned and antiquated as Leave it to Beaver or The Brady Bunch. But I long for it–long to live a simple, uncomplicated and focused life. A life that is not moving too fast, trying to do too much. A life that is not allowing the Tyranny of the Urgent to take over and run me ragged physically and emotionally.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about living simply–keeping my life and ministry simple. Recently, the concept of simplicity has quietly and forcefully surfaced in my Bible reading. Here are a few examples from “The Message” by Eugene Peterson.

“If you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself” Luke 14:11

“I did not try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple.” I Corinthians 2:1,2

“Don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple!” I Corinthians 7:20

“Be quietly about our business of living simply in humble contemplation.” I Timothy 2:2

“A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.” I Timothy 6:6

“So proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.” II Timothy 4:2

When I think of simply being myself, of operating simply in life and ministry, I am not thinking of being semi-retired, or of joining Henry David Thoreau on Walden. My mind runs more toward focusing on a few things in ministry and life and practicing the advice of Steven Covey, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” It has to do with priorities and concentration.

Leaders I work with and others I mentor struggle to consistently keep things simple—to clearly know what they are about, what they are called and gifted to do. They seem to bounce from one thing to the next filling their schedules with lots of activities, being more reactive than proactive. Author Fred Smith says that busyness is the new spirituality. Many leaders are not content with who they are, where they are and what they are doing.

They long to be someone else, be somewhere else and do something else. Whatever happened to simple contentment? Life seems to hurl a lot at us. Go there, do this, buy that, help with this, commit to that. I find it so easy to be distracted from the simplicity of who I am and what I’m about. I’m often tempted to cave in to the expectations and demands of others–especially those whose opinions matter deeply to me. At times it’s difficult to hear the voice of God in the midst oall the noise of life.

Here are a few things I’m doing to simplify my life and ministry:

Turning down opportunities that might be a good use of who I am but not the best use of who I am. Just last week I said no to two people who offered me a great chance to do something.
Never saying yes to anything over the phone, but buying time to think and pray about it
Practicing the theology of enough. I have no list of things that fall into the category of: I would be happy if______.
Asking God to deliver me from an unhealthy appetite for acclaim, approval, position, power and honor that would push me to do more and more for the wrong reasons.
Praying to be released from the restless, gnawing greed for more money and more stuff.
Daily reminding myself of who I am and who I am not and being content to be me.
Carving out sufficient time alone with God for humble contemplation –to give Him opportunity to quiet my anxious heart and keep me focused on my “few themes.”

It’s not easy living “simply” in a culture that demands more, rewards competition and admires power and position. But, by God’s grace, I’m going to live in biblical simplicity. How are YOU doing? Do you need to do some spring-cleaning in your life and service? How about a retreat to think through some things and be reminded of who you are and the “few themes” He wants you to be about?

Mars Hill Church Downtown lives for Jesus as a city within the city of Seattle: knowing culture, loving people, and seeing lives transformed to live for Jesus. For more information, visit us HERE. For information on community groups and other ministries go HERE. For general questions, you may email us at downtown@marshillchurch.org.

Everybody is a Ten at Something

Pastor Dave Kraft — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:57:55 +0000

Somerset Maugham made the comment that the story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short. My experience tells me this is true. Too many people in too many churches (the DT campus is no exception) are watching the action from a distance due to fear, lack of confidence that Jesus can use them, and lack of prioritized thinking about Kingdom matters and the needs of others.

I recently read Exodus 31:3, “And I have filled Bezalel with the spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship.” Here is a man that most people never heard of. He was probably an average dude that God gifted to make a solid contribution.

There is no such thing as a non-gifted believer in Jesus’ body. Everybody is a ten at something. Many Christians never find out what that is or are too lazy and selfish to go on the hunt asking Jesus to lead them and friends to speak into their lives.

Jesus, I thank you that you have given me and all my brothers and sisters at the DT campus gifts with which to make a significant difference in the body and in the city. I thank you that everybody who calls Mars Hill Downtown their church home is a ten at something. Help me to continue to do excellent work at what you have gifted me to do and help others do the same.
Allow me the joy of helping others:

Be filled with your spirit and empowered by You in the work you have called them to do
Be able to identify their ability and capacity
Help them gain knowledge (being a life-long learner) and skill in what they are gifted at so they can become excellent in their work for You