Surprised at Mars Hill

We are having a great time in Seattle. My family ventured out to Mars Hill Church this past Sunday, after reading about it and its influence in the city. I have heard of it as an emerging church and wanted to check it out to experience a service. As we drove into the city to attend the church, we were enjoying the beautiful sunny day (clear skies not so regular a thing here) and the neat neighborhood and community(Ballard) surrounding the church. I began to get a feel for the great location for an emerging church as we drove past too many java houses to count and lots of pub, cool urban hang outs, even an "erotic bakery." As we drove into the parking area of the church, the first thing I noticed was the amount of cars but also that those exiting them to go into the church were mostly carrying Bibles (not a bad thing at all, but not what I expected to see in this neighborhood). As we entered, I noted the hip architecture of the remade warehouse and the fung shuei of the colors and flow of the building. The interior of the worship center was very pleasant and what I expected. As we entered, there was great music and the worship was well led. Our experience took a turn as the speaker (not Driscoll, but a guest) announced that he would be preaching about the fear of God. I thought this was an interesting topic for a church known to reach out to postmoderns, but I kept listening. What I hoped was just a hook to get us engaged in a look at God and focus on grace, it turned out to be a fresh twist on "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God." I couldn't imagine what the man in front of me, who was wearing a kilt and lots of metal, was thinking when the speaker said such things as, "This is the God we're messing with," and referring to how Jesus will slay non-believers with his sword. I don't know that much about Mars Hill, but I left with the feeling that it is a church dressed in relevant garb for postmoderns, doing the right things about the feel and look, but still extremely modern in its approach to ministry and philosophy. Other comments that stuck out:

• A couple of references to Jesus coming with a sword in hand for the unbeliever
• comments on the perfection, inerrancy of Scripture; how verse by verse is best way for the pastors of Mars Hill to teach people
• More comments on how God is a jealous God and that His anger burns against those who don't believe in Christ
• The use of Proverbs and other passages to say that if we will just fear God, then we won't lack anything, that "if you lack something, it is probably because you don't fear God." It sounded a lot like prosperity gospel for a minute, but the Reformed tone of everything else the preacher presented left me to believe it wasn't.

The church is in a great location and obviously has a lot of members(3083 in attendance on June 19, as reported in their church newsletter), but I wonder how many of them are postmoderns becoming followers of Jesus vs. modern Christians coming from another church. Anyone know?