Erik Henrikson serves as the Campus Administrator for Mars Hill Church | West Seattle Campus. He and his wife, Rachel, have attended Mars Hill since 2006, and have a 19 month old toddler, Janey who is the source of much joy.

Role at Mars Hill
Campus Administrator MHC | West Seattle Campus. This means I have the honor of overseeing our faithful leaders of the Welcome team. What’s The Welcome team? This team includes cheerful greeters, ushers, security brutes, communion stewards, hospitality, info. team, and the bookstore you experience each Sunday.

Wife’s name
Rachel. ( a.k.a. “sweets” )

When did you become a Christian
I came to know Christ first, through my mother. I was born in Minnesota to my parents Steve & Dianne in 1975 and they labored to raise me in an excellent way.

My father shortly after my birth questioned Christianity and consequently remained largely silent on God during my childhood but has recently softened to God. I dearly love and respect him. My loving mother accepted Christ as a girl and enjoyed walking my brother and I through the bible. I remember countless hours of discussion about God, the bible, and many other topics which included many of my mother’s patient, honest explanations about Jesus and our need for a redeemer. It was her influence while I a child that I first considered Christ.

When I reached high school I began to question. I investigated more deeply the claims of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism because I was convinced there was a God but the burning question was–Who is God?

Through time and study, I grew convinced God was moral and He was good. After all, when you and I call something wrong, we appeal to an assumption that others will agree with us. How do we know what good and evil is? If we appeal to what is right and expect others to have a similar sense for what is good, it points to a good, moral law giver. I became convinced that morality is not based on what I think or a society thinks but on what God thinks. He alone determines what is absolutely good and evil because our vision is corrupted.

The question follows, Who is this moral law-giver? It became clear to me I had a problem with evil. I chose lesser gods and idols like self, performance, sex, materialism, comfort, and man-pleasing as a source of identity and satisfaction. These make terrible gods. My life came into a crisis during my sophomore year in college, a very dark time in my life where I experienced deception, betrayal, and abuse from a supposed friend. The consequences of my own sin and the hurt caused by the sins of others against me were overwhelming. A wise man once said, free people free people and hurt people hurt people. I was hurting.

Where do I turn for help? How do I become free of this deep pain I felt? I tried my lesser gods of self, performance and others. These only left me hurting more and unsatisfied.

When I went to Jesus, later that year, I confessed my evil ways and asked for redemption. I mistakenly thought I must clean myself up before going to Jesus but realized this was impossible. If I had the power to change myself, why do I need a redeemer? Jesus, the great moral law-giver was faithful to extend grace, hope, and mercy to His undeserving son.

He continues to love this undeserving soul much to my amazement.

First set foot in MH
My very first experience with MH was back in college at the University of Washington during my years there from 1993-1997. I attended a few services now and then. However, Rachel and I became committed after being involved with Doxa and being called to MH in the summer of 2006.

Became a Deacon
December 2006.

How did you end up in West Seattle
I first came to work in West Seattle in 1997. God called me to youth for six years at a nearby Christian church. Soon afterwards, Rachel and I were released from this call, and went to Ecuador for a time. Upon returning to the states with a rekindled love for construction we searched for a home church. We accepted a call to Doxa church in 2003 and soon became involved with youth again. When God saw fit to bring MH to West Seattle we accepted the call to MH. We have lived our entire married life of nearly 6yrs in West Seattle and my wife has grown up in West Seattle, so we have been planted here for awhile.

Scripture
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9

Quotation
“A new father quickly learns that his child invariably comes to the bathroom at precisely the times when he’s in there, as if he needed company. The only way for this father to be certain of bathroom privacy is to shave at the gas station.”
-Bill Cosby

Last book read.and what are you working on now
Last: Leaders Who last, MH Pastor Dave Kraft
Now: On the Incarnation, St. Athanasius

Last movie watched
Fearless

Music
Jazz, funk ,gospel, accappella

Favorite Seattle-area eatery
Luna Park café.