How would you finish that sentence?  Jesus came… "to seek and save the lost."  Jesus came… "to serve and give his life as a ransom for many."  Jesus came… "eating and drinking."  Eating and drinking?!  What?!  

As you scan the Gospel records of Jesus' life and ministry we find a few statements of what Jesus came to do in his life and ministry.  But in the midst of Luke we also find a statement of how Jesus most predominately carried out his ministry. 

No, Jesus didn't build a big stage, throw and awesome concert and toss the gospel in at the end.  He didn't build programs or events or big buildings… Jesus primary means of ministry was hanging out, having meals with sinners, all the while living and declaring the good news to them.  

In Tim Chester's book A Meal With Jesus, Tim makes the powerful statement that, "Jesus didn't run projects, establish ministries, create programs, or put on events.  He ate meals."  Now let me be careful and say that programs and projects aren't bad or wrong, we just believe that we can do ministry in a more simple, straightforward way.

So tonight I want to invite you out to kick off our first college-aged Catalyst Group as we begin some new rhythms of Gospel, Community, and Mission together at Ascend!  Come out at 7pm tonight for dinner as we chat and pray towards doing life on mission together as a community.  See you there!

We're real excited this summer about what God has in store for Ascend and the mission He has given us. 

Simply put our mission is to make disciples who live in community and are on mission to reach their neighbors together.  Three simple things.  Disciples, community, mission.  

Our Thursday PM gatherings this summer are aimed at connecting all three, building disciples, being in community, and being on mission.  How does this look?  Well first by your presence at Ascend on Thursday night you will build community.  Show up, hang out, meet people, invest in them.  

Second, by the Word of God taught you will be equipped better as a disciple.  Our summer series is one I am really excited about as Matt Chandler leads us through the book of Philippians.  Be ready to engage with each other and the Word as you hear it taught, and discuss its practical outworking for your lives!  Check out the trailer below for the Philippians study.  

Finally, the mission.  That's about you loving your neighbor as God loves you and sharing with them the Good News!  Do it!  God doesn't call one missionary to the church, he calls all who are His to be missionaries.  

So connect with Ascend, show up on Thursday nights at 7pm and be ready to see discipleship, community and mission happen!

Recently you might have read or heard about a new book by a very popular pastor and leader in evangelical circles about hell and the afterlife. Rob Bell who pastors Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan (not associated in any way with Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington) released a book this last week entitled Love Wins. In the book he puts the traditional, orthodox doctrine of eternal conscious torment in hell for unbelievers up to debate. Bell's conclusions and methodology to reach those conclusions are not consistent with the teaching of Scriptures and are sloppy at best. To be blunt, Rob Bell has crossed over the line of orthodoxy and into the realm of heresy, and I say that with much sorrow.  I also say that to caution and warn you about Bell and where he stands. Over the past few years several of you have asked about my position on Bell and his popular videos and books. I do not believe Bell to be teaching the truth and in fact is dangerous and deliberate in the heresy he promotes. You won't find Ascend showing his videos or promoting any of his books or teaching.  If anything this danger should press on us to study the Scripture and be able to articulate and defend very clearly what the Bible does actually say.  

To help equip you and allow you engage in the discussion and teaching of the Scriptures I have linked two articles from The Resurgence website as well as a link to the best review of Love Wins to be posted to date.  Please take the time to read over and think through these issues.  If you have any questions or would like more information please contact me.  I love you and want to see you continuing to walk in the truth!  

For the glory of Jesus,

Pastor Jeremy

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To Hell with Hell? 

God is Still Holy and What You Learned in Sunday School is Still True a review of Love Wins by Kevin DeYoung

Where do idols come from? Wouldn't it make a ton of sense if Christians everywhere found the idol factories and destroyed them? We could all pile in our vans and buses, drive to the idol-factory center and blow them up. The world would be free of idols, and peace would reign everywhere.  Right?

The truth is the idol factory that designs, produces, assembles and distributes idols happens to be our very heart within us. We have a problem. 

Happily however, the gospel is the remedy to our idol-factory hearts. Tonight at Ascend we are going to continue The Gospel in Life series and see how the gospel is the power of God to take down our idols and replace them with a new affection. See you tonight!