Christian Retailing

Mark Driscoll's church group launches music label Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Friday, 15 June 2012 12:00 AM America/New_York

The church group founded by Mark Driscoll, author and preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, has launched a new music label. Mars Hill Music features a variety of musicians and worship leaders who serve 14 Mars Hill churches in New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and California.

The label music's is "a natural expression and outgrowth of what God is doing in our cities through our musicians," said Jonathan Dunn, label manager for Mars Hill Music. "Our records are a means to capture and share what is happening at our churches. That makes them unique and different—the same way our cities and communities are unique and different.

"The first thing people often think of when they hear Mars Hill Music is that we're a group of punk rock Calvinists who hate the modern worship movement," Dunn added. "Our music is not an expression against anything, but instead an outgrowth of our theology, who we are and the communities our churches are in. We love Jesus and are expressing that love in our own way."

Driscoll, whose other books include the best-selling Real Marriage (Thomas Nelson) and Vintage Church (Crossway), noted that Mars Hill is "happy to trust" its leadership as artists. "Their doctrine is solid, their character is godly and they are involved in the community; artists who are creating music that is a reflection of who we are and what we believe as a church community," he said.

Mars Hill Music's latest EP Already/Not Yet from the band Citizens reached No. 3 in the Christian category on iTunes when it debuted, and it reached No. 1 on BandCamp.com.

Other Mars Hill Music artists include King's Kaleidoscope, Ghost Ship, Kenosis and the Sing Team. Click here for more information.