If you have taken a walk down Central Avenue in the neighborhood of Buffalo Exchange or the tiny police sub station or Taco Bell, you may have wandered by a giant marquee that says “Mars Hill.” You may have wondered what in God’s name is going on in there. Well, it turns out, everything that goes on in there is in God’s name.

Mars Hill is part of the Apostle 29 network and the seed church out of Washington started by Pastor Mark Driscoll.
According to its website, Mars Hill is a single church with many campuses guided by the same mission and philosophy.
The building used to be the Lobo theater and seats about 500-600 people. If you check out its Sunday night 7 p.m. service, you may run into about 500 UNM college students joining in fellowship together. Here is the kicker: They are focused on working specifically with college students.

As a Christian denomination church, it has created a mission to work specifically with the needs of Christian college students. Using community groups, retreats and various educational programs engaging bible study and speakers on theology from around the world, its membership is growing fast. And the guy preaching doesn’t wear a suit.

He is in jeans and a T-shirt and looks like he may have just gotten off a tour bus.

This Christian ministry has members canvassing UNM campus during special days when booths are allowed, and the mission is to create a community that promotes abstinence before marriage, biblical knowledge and allows like-minded people to spend quality time with. Mars Hill Church offers students several services. Most UNM students attending are far from home and have found a friendly family full of support at Mars Hill while they focus on their academics.