Pastor Update
June 6, 2021
Dear Mars Hill Community,
We, the Elder Board, hope and pray this update finds you well during this season. We are grateful for your prayers and support during this time of transition for Mars Hill Bible Church [MHBC]. As you will recall, we implemented an Interim Leadership plan by appointing the Executive Leadership Team [ELT] consisting of Ashlee Eiland, Associate Pastor; Troy Hatfield, Associate Pastor; and Kenton Sanders, Director of Operations to share the responsibilities of the Lead Pastor following the departure of AJ Sherrill in August 2020.
We have a deep sense of gratitude for the leadership of Ashlee, Troy, and Ken during this interim period for so many reasons: how they beautifully demonstrated relationship among each other, their roles in teaching, worship leading, facilitating and leading online services, re-opening the Shed for in-person services, managing building construction and renovation, and leading and mentoring the staff as they served our community. In order to lend support, ensure clear communication, and encouragement, the Elder Chair joined them in their weekly meetings. The effectiveness of this shared leadership approach was also assessed throughout the interim period including a 360-degree evaluation process completed in November 2020 with feedback from elders, staff and community members. The feedback was positive, which allowed us to move in the direction of a more permanent collaborative leadership structure. In December 2020, the Elders decided to enlist an outside company to help determine just what our Mars Hill Community and staff would like to see, not only in the permanent leadership structure, but also their hopes and dreams for Mars Hill in the future.
After reviewing several options, we hired Legacy Consulting & Research Group. Thank you MHBC community for your engagement in the focus groups and by responding to the survey. Based on the results we received from Legacy, we learned that the staff and community were interested in some variation of a collaborative leadership approach rather than a single Lead/Teaching Pastor. The results also confirmed that we have to improve communication with our staff and community. We learned that there is much more work to be done in building trust among our church family. We, as an Elder Board, are committed to praying, to transparency, to building relationships, to clear and timely communication as we work to fulfill our calling to leadership at Mars Hill.
Regarding a leadership structure, we sincerely and respectfully discussed and wrestled with several leadership options with diverse opinions among us. As we prayed and listened to the Spirit and each other, a Shared Leadership Approach emerged as the best leadership framework for MHBC with unanimous consensus. And, like it says in Romans 15:6 “…so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
This is our decision:
To implement a Collaborative Leadership Approach described as Shared Leadership with Ashlee Eiland and Troy Hatfield as Co-Lead Pastors. Ashlee will concentrate her leadership on Mars Hill Grand Rapids, and Troy will concentrate his leadership on Mars Hill Grandville with both contributing to the mission and vision of Mars Hill Bible Church. Ken will continue his essential role as Director of Operations.Decision being announced during the 10am Gathering on Sunday, June 6Shared Leadership between Ashlee and Troy is not about maintenance, but rather about possibilities. This partnership between Ashlee and Troy has revealed a passion and a renewed vision for our future. The true character of each has shone through in the past 10 months. They are authentic, genuine and humble persons who faithfully follow Jesus all the time in everything they do and say. They have modeled this for us. We believe God is calling us to fully embrace Spiritual Formation on all levels throughout our church and we believe that God has called Ashlee and Troy to lead Mars Hill Bible Church for this purpose in this time.
Watch Announcement Here
Mars Hill Bible Church has a history of choosing leaders who teach and preach the ways of Jesus. It is our story within the Biblical narrative and this choice is no exception. In our decision, we are building on a firm foundation of abundance that God has provided. With the implementation of a Leadership Approach with 2 co-pastors who have been given authority and power to lead, the Elders are dedicated to providing resources and any support needed to meet the demands of teaching and leading in two locations.
Shared, humble leadership is the basic model in the New Testament with regards to the character of pastors. Paul’s instruction in his letter to the Philippians emphasizes mutual participation, humility, and partnership for both Gospel proclamation and church structure. In a Collaborative Shared Leadership Approach, pastors must develop consensus through community; through the relationships they’ve developed as they meet together, share their lives, and pray for each other and the church. Finally, Scripture turns repeatedly to the quality of our relationships—particularly with our fellow Christians—as the foremost evidence of genuine love for God [John 13:35]. As such, we feel a great sense of peace with the decision to move forward with a Shared Leadership Approach and are excited to share this news with you.
In all of this, we can say with confidence that God is in charge and we are listening earnestly to follow His call and anticipating what He will do next in and through Mars Hill Bible Church.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions at elders@marshill.org, and join us in installing our Co-Lead Pastors on Sunday, June 13 in Grandville and Grand Rapids.
Grace + Peace,
The Elder Board
January 29, 2021
On Sunday, the Elders will receive a summary and analysis of the focus groups and the survey from Legacy. This is one of the last pieces to the puzzle; they will add these results into the discernment process regarding future leadership and direction of our church. Please continue to pray for the Elders to listen well and to be open to the working of the Holy Spirit. Pray for patience and courage and for the Holy Spirit to bring us together for His purpose.
January 15, 2021
The focus group process is winding down and we are grateful for everyone's participation. The Elders anticipate receiving a report from Legacy at the end of this month. They continue to meet and work through the discernment process regarding transitioning from this Interim Leadership Plan to a more permanent one. In the meantime, the Elders are walking alongside the ELT [Executive Leadership Team]. If you have any questions, please email pastorupdate@marshill.org.
November 19, 2020
Dear Mars Hill Community,
We continue to be impressed with the spirit of our church and the way we have actively pursued unity in Christ amidst polarizing and divisive times. COVID-19 has changed and continues to change our world and has presented new and different issues that might impact long term decisions for us, specifically in our search for a new Lead Pastor.
Since learning of our Lead Pastor’s plans to leave Mars Hill on July 7, we have implemented an Interim Leadership Plan by temporarily filling the Lead Pastor role with the Executive Leadership Team [ELT] which consists of Associate Pastor, Troy, Associate Pastor, Ashlee, and Director of Operations, Ken. As we continue our search, we realize we must prioritize understanding our church's needs not just at this time, but also in the years to come and we are clear on a few things:
- We all need time to lament
- We need stability
- We need healing
- We need to listen to the Lord
- We need to hear from YOU
Our Next Steps:
Virtual Focus Groups:
- Your voice has always mattered to us and we want to hear from you so we are seeking to implement virtual focus groups. We are working out the details to execute this next step and we’ll communicate further instructions when ready.
90-Day Evaluation of the Interim Leadership Plan:
- A detailed assessment involving input from the staff, sub teams, the ELT, and Elders will be completed by the middle of November. We intend to carefully evaluate, analyze, and summarize the results.
It would be great if we could deliver concrete news, but for now it seems that we continue in a transitional process. This virus has tested all of our patience, but we know God remains steadfast and we trust in His understanding.
As always, we welcome your thoughts and questions. Please email them to pastorupdate@marshill.org and pray for us as we continue to discern God’s will for our church.
Grace and peace,
the Elders
September 19, 2020
Interim Leadership Plan
As you know, our former Lead Pastor, AJ Sherrill, has taken a call to serve at Saint Peter’s Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Since then, the Elder Board has been working diligently to design a Leadership Plan for the interim. Over the past few weeks, we have met with our ministry leaders and the entire staff to discern the best way forward. We have been praying, researching, discussing, and value the input many of you have sent us. We considered the needs of our church and the strengths of the staff, and we are ready to share the Interim Plan of Leadership with you which is effective immediately.
Picture a pyramid with Jesus at the top, the Elder Board under Him, then our Executive Leadership Team [ELT], which consists of Ashlee Eiland, now named Associate Pastor; Troy Hatfield, Associate Pastor; and Ken Sanders, the Director of Operations. These three individuals will share the responsibilities of Lead Pastor.
Executive Leadership Team [ELT]
They will be monitored by the Elder Board and continuously measured against the vision of Mars Hill, board policies and our strategic plan. Under the ELT is the Ministry Leadership Team [MLT] comprised of the ELT and Kyle Lake, Anthem Pastor and Family Life Director; Christine Mutch, Community Mobilization Pastor; and Tim Nelson, Formation Pastor. Our aim is to continue to have a collaborative leadership approach.
Ministry Leadership Team [MLT]
Among the Elder Board we have built complete consensus on this Interim Plan and now invite all of you to move into this next chapter with us.
We are happy to include answers to some commonly asked questions.
- So, who is in charge?
- Of course, Jesus is the head of the church and each individual and Board is responsible to seek His will in all matters. Practically speaking, the Executive Leadership Team is in charge of staff and will, in collaboration, set the tone and expectations for the ministries and pastors. The Elder Board is responsible for the financial, legal, and spiritual affairs of Mars Hill and will oversee the ELT.
- How will we know if this shared leadership plan is working?
- The Elder Board and ELT are currently working to identify specific tools to measure success. Effectiveness will be intentionally assessed and evaluated in 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days.
- How long will the Interim Plan last?
- Over the next few months, leadership will engage in a discernment process about a long-term plan. We will be praying earnestly for the leading of the Holy Spirit and ask that you join us in this.
- How can I give feedback or ask questions about progress and decisions being made?
- We encourage you to email us at pastorupdate@marshill.org and an Elder will respond.
Thank you for continued prayers and support.
Grace + peace,
the Elder Board
Thank you!
Pastor Update: August 12, 2020
Parting is such sweet sorrow but we are very excited for what God has planned for the Sherrill family as they begin their next ministry adventure in South Carolina.
Due to COVID-19, we were unable to gather in person to bless AJ and say goodbye the way we would have liked. AJ was and will remain part of our Mars Hill story and for so many in our community, he was part of our spiritual journey and growth.
If you would like to say goodbye, thank you, see you later, or share a special memory, please do so below. We will make sure AJ gets them! We also might share some of your messages in a montage during a Sunday Gathering so we can close one chapter to begin another together.
Please submit your written message or video by August 28. If you need assistance, please email tech@marshill.org. If you prefer to mail a card, please send it to AJ's new church: Saint Peter's, 1307 Porchers Bluff RoadMount Pleasant, SC 29466.
Pastor Update: August 5, 2020
Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement as we manage the transition between sending the Sherrills off and focusing on a path forward.
As you may know, AJ offered to stay on staff at Mars Hill until August 31st. Things have moved quickly for him as he has sold his house and will be moving to Charleston this week. Although he was still willing to work remotely, we decided he could begin his transition after August 4th because it's our desire to bless him with this time to rest and prepare for the new chapter in his life.
Moving AJ’s resignation date up also allows the Ministry Lead Team and the Elders to develop and implement an Interim Plan as soon as possible. We are very close to finalizing a plan and will share that with you soon.
Finally, we know getting the chance to say goodbye to AJ and his family is so important. We are working on a few ways for us to virtually say goodbye and bless AJ as a community and we will have more details in the coming days.
Thank you for your patience and grace as we continue forward with this transition. If you have any questions or comments, we encourage you to email those to pastorupdate@marshill.org.
the Elder Team
Dear Mars Hill Community,
We pray God’s peace and joy abounds in you. We are grateful to be the church, grounded in the Gospel story, and bearing light as a Jesus people for the sake of the world. To that end, we, the Elder Team, have an update for you:
Our Lead Pastor, AJ Sherrill, informed the Elder Team on July 7, of his intent to step down on August 31, 2020. As difficult as this transition is for our community, after monthsof prayer and discerning God’s plan for their lives, AJ and his wife Elaina feel the need tomove to Charleston, South Carolina so they can be in closer proximity to care for their aging moms, especially in the middle of a global pandemic.
We are extremely grateful to AJ for his leadership and the way that he has impacted our community. His vision to see our church grow in greater connection, depth, and maturity in the way of Jesus was emphasized in liturgy and practice, prayer, and implementation of new house churches.
AJ has been instrumental in helping us as a community move towards growth and stability by orchestrating the sale of a portion of our building to Grandville Public Schoolsso we can dream about new and exciting ways to carry out our mission to care for the most marginalized. He unified our community’s vision to pursue a second expression called Mars Hill Grand Rapids and elevate women in pastoral and leadership roles. He also led the creation process and implementation of the Formation School. AJ restructured our Ministry Lead Team who the Elders feel completely confident can guide our community and staff through this transition.
AJ led us with grace and integrity. We bless AJ, Elaina, and their daughter Eloise in this time of transition and pray that God may continue to use them in their new community.
We are in complete unity and are confident about the work God has done and will continue to do in the life of our church. We know he has a plan. In Philippians 1, Paul writes, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” We are thankful for you and we are praying for you. God has been faithful for the last 20 years and we know he will remain faithful, and continue the good work he started in each of us and in our church.
We covet your prayers and ask you to intercede over these three things:
- That God would bless AJ and his family and the new community he will be serving in South Carolina.
- That God would lead and guide our Elder Team and Staff as we make this transition and search for a new Lead Pastor.
- That our community would commit to being rooted in Christ, trusting in him for our future as we continue being a Jesus people for the sake of the world.
We will continue to provide updates at marshill.org/pastorupdate. Please stay tuned for opportunities to provide input and feedback over the next few weeks/months. We encourage you to email us at pastorupdate@marshill.org with any questions.
Grace + Peace,
the Elder Team