History Mars Hill Church

mars hill church, ballard campus, c. 2012

in 2003, mars hill church moved renovated hardware store in ballard neighborhood of seattle. in 2006, in effort reduce overcrowding @ services, mars hill opened first satellite campus in shoreline. change marked transition multi-site church, using video sermons , other multimedia improvements church s web site connect campuses. later in 2006 mars hill acquired 2 new properties in west seattle , wedgwood, became west seattle , lake city campuses.

since then, new mars hill locations added using multi-campus meta-church structure, connecting driscoll s sermons via high-definition video remote campuses during weekly worship services. format allowed each location retain local leadership , ministries while under leadership of main campus. fourth , fifth mars hill location opened in 2007, , in 2008 sixth location added in downtown seattle. seventh campus, in olympia, washington, opened in fall 2008 , eighth campus, first outside of washington state, opened in albuquerque, new mexico in fall 2009. church launched 4 new churches on january 15 in portland (oregon), rainier valley (seattle), sammammish (near seattle), , orange county (california), same day first sermon in real marriage sermon series, based on mark , grace driscoll s book, real marriage.

on october 16, black-clad demonstrators gathered in front of mars hill church in southeast portland protest church s stance on homosexuality. approximately 20 protesters, of whom wore kerchiefs cover faces, shouted profanities @ adults , children, , briefly blocked entrance of church. mars hill church portland lead pastor tim smith expressed disagreement conduct of protesters, expressed defense of right free speech.

in 2008 church launched online community-building network, called city, improve communication on levels in church. city purchased christian publishing brand, zondervan, before christmas 2008.