Planting Roots
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3
Go to any mall in America and you will see a gaggle of kids standing outside it wearing Dead Kennedys and Ramones t-shirts. Do these kids know much about 1970s and 80s punk rock? Not usually – they don’t know their roots; they just know that to be rebellious is to wear a Dead Kennedys t-shirt. We don’t want to be a community of poseurs walking around wearing our Jesus-junk equivalent of cultural rebellion. And, yes, we are talking about open rebellion…
The world, the Bible tells us, was created all “very good” – but then Adam and Eve decided that very good wasn’t good enough for them, listened to the serpent, betrayed one another and allowed sin to enter the world. The status quo since then has been self-interest, deceit, materialism, injustice, lust and death. We rebel against that status quo – and we want to do so openly. But to do so, we must know our roots and sink deeply into them.
As Christian believers we are committed to sinking our roots in the Word and Worship of God. It is in Word and Sacrament that we find life, it is in the prayers and singing that we dialog with the creator of all things. Hence, we are a church that is first and foremost committed to the “regular” and sacramental means of Grace. Places where Jesus has promised to meet his people – in his book, in one another, in baptism and at his table.
We are committed to worship which drives us to our knees, preaching which drives us to action, and to the Sacraments which drive us deeper into relationship with Jesus and one another.
Growing in Community
When the Gospel is believed and its people come together under the Scriptures, a community of grace is created. As a community of grace, we are not united by political ideas, social status, race solidarity or lifestyle choices, but solely by our relationship to Jesus Christ. St. Paul said this about us, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:26-28). Because we are a community based on grace, we are given the space to learn to be the diverse collection of gifted idiosyncratic sinners that we are.
In the New Testament, there are several aspects of Christian growth and holiness that require us to be in regular fellowship with one another. At Ascension we make a commitment to God and each other that we are striving to live the beautiful life he is calling us to in Scripture of “one anothering”.
Jesus’ radical grace frees us to grow together instead of attempting to live autonomous, lonely lives. By growing together, we are strengthened and protected from many of the storms which come from outside.
Sowing Seeds
Jesus was a realist, but he was also a redeemer. He was clear about the enduring brokenness of people and institutions in this world, but he still healed the sick, forgave the repentant and challenged the unjust. He knew all about the inescapable entropy of this age, but he also knew that the Gospel renews people and he called us to believe that his work makes a real difference in the world.
What does renewal look like? Of course, it never looks perfect, but if renewal begins personally in the rebirth and spiritual growth of individuals, it has the potential for a broader impact. As believers and congregations live out the implications of the Gospel, they can become agents of renewal for entire parts of a city through service to the poor and oppressed. Changed people, with changed hearts and values can help renew the cultural and vocational context of their work, art and relationships. In fact, the New Testament, as well as history teaches us that renewed people can change home and cities and entire continents for generations at a time.
Since the Gospel offers redemption from oppression and injustice as much as from sin and guilt, we want to be a church that “spends itself” on behalf of the hungry, oppressed, fatherless and disenfranchised.