http://nickbogardus.com/post/53737355207/after-four-years-on-staff-at-mars-hill-church-my
After four years on staff at Mars Hill Church my family and I are being sent out to plant another church.
Mars Hill, my family and I love you very much. For our two years in Seattle and over the past two and a half years in Orange County, we’ve been able to see God do amazing work in your lives as well as our own - on Sundays, in our living room, in counseling, in Redemption Groups or Pre-Marital. Thank you for being patient, loving, thoughtful, encouraging, and prayerful with us.
Why The Transition?
Kim and I started gathering the core group for MHOC two years ago with only one other couple from Seattle, the Sandersons. It is incredible the amount of fruit we’ve been able to see since. We’ve baptized over 100 people, cultivated a church where 70% are in CG, seen giving grow significantly, have raised up a solid group of young leaders, and have grown from 1 to 25 CGs. I celebrate all of those evidences of God’s grace! I’m also so thankful for the two years we served in Seattle and the fruit I got to witness and participate in while in my roles up there.
Reaching OC: Multiple Voices, Multiple Methods
Pastor Mark and his preaching, and the ministry have Mars Hill Church have changed my and my family’s life. For that we will forever be grateful. As I prayed and hoped, it has born similar fruit for many people here in Orange County. MHOC is at a place to continue to be a herald of the Gospel in OC for a long time to come. I believe that to see what we pray and long for to happen in Orange County will take multiple voices and multiple methods.
Right Men in the Right Roles
Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful but that the workers are few. In addition to the desire to preach the Gospel in OC, the change in the Lead Pastor role is another factor in my decision. While I believe the change in the role fits some of my skill set, I don’t think it suits my strengths. If the workers are few, it seems to make sense that we should be in the right roles to be most effective for the harvest. [emphasis added]
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What’s Next
We will be praying and working towards planting a church in Orange County in January 2014. We are planning to be aligned with, God-willing, Acts 29 and possibly another network in January of 2014.
Recently, a friend of mine who has been pastoring in the county for a long time said that what OC needs is a church that boldly preaches a robust Gospel and that has a thriving, authentic community built around that message. That is what, by God’s grace, we’ve built at MHOC and that is exactly what I’m passionate about doing again! I’m also really excited to be able to emphasize and incorporate other important aspects of the faith and ministry in this new work.
Because while Bogardus was already part of a church that was supposed to be boldly and robustly preaching the Gospel and has a thriving, authentic community built around that message what's a missional church planting project that doesn't reinvent the wheel?
Now the wording Bogardus used, about how the job was not quite a fit for his gift sets, seems to echo the words of Kyle Firstenberg a year earlier.
Around forty five days ago, I had a frank conversation with Pastor Nick and told him that I no longer felt that I was the best man for the job of Executive Pastor at Mars Hill Church and that with our current budget deficit, the Orange County location could no longer afford to keep me on staff. As a result, I was given thirty days to hand off my responsibilities and be laid off. It was my intention to find employment locally and continue to serve as a non-staff elder at OC, but Jesus had other plans.
Firstenberg's departure seemed to coincide roughly with the Mars Hill Orange County eviction last year, if very roughly, which was around the same time Chris Pledger left the post of being Mars Hill Church's legal officer.
What the change in the Lead Pastor role is or was goes without explanation.
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