ascend

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up their soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. They shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of their salvation.

Psalm 24: 3-5

The word ascend means to climb and it symbolizes our journey with God. God’s hill is his dwelling place and we believe that through Christ’s redeeming sacrifice on the Cross, we can go into God’s presence and live out his purpose for our lives. We believe the Bible makes clear that Christians should live holy lives with the guidance and companionship of the Holy Spirit. To ascend is to constantly move and live upward, “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our ascension is our spiritual growth and our personal walk with God. It is how we live our lives “setting our minds on things above, not earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). We do this by developing spiritual disciplines in our lives like prayer, Bible reading, committing to small groups and community as well as prioritizing time for church.

Shine

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14, 16

If ascending is more personal, shining is public! We believe our purpose is to radiate Jesus to our city and our world. Jesus says of His church that we are the light of the world and called to “let our good deeds shine for all to see” (Matthew 5:16). We do this by serving our community creatively, building relationships with others, and telling them about our hope in Christ.