what's new in Seattle?

Mars Hill Church in Seattle is a multi-site, mega-church with probably a half-dozen campuses. This past Sunday, they celebrated the grand opening of their first campus in the downtown Seattle area - in a renovated night club.

Weeks of preparation and nearly $370,000 in renovations went into the complete transformation of the former night club – located in an area that had long been notorious for drugs and gang violence. Go-go dancer cages were converted to coat hangers and what had been a condom dispenser is a now a diaper-changing station.

Residents and churchgoers alike welcomed the new location and were amazed how a previously notorious night club could be transformed into a house of worship.

"It's amazing how God can change things," said Sarah Rosenberger, who attended the opening service with her infant son, according to the Post-Intelligencer.

(You can read the whole Christian Post article here.)

I love the symbolism of what Mars Hill did here, evident in Rosenberger's comment, and I'm sure it was intentional. Mars Hill took what no one else wanted, a shell that had been hallowed by sin, and redeemed it for the glory of the kingdom of Christ.

Your church building is your first impression. What does it say about you? What does it say about God?