Ascend KC | Non-Denominational Church near Kansas City (2024)

Upon justification, a believer becomes part of the body of Christ, which is the church. There is one church universal, composed of all those throughout the world who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scriptures command believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances (baptism and communion), fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to make disciples of all believers (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-46; Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 2:16; 5:23).

Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church – under the watchful care of a plurality of elders. The church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16).

The church exists to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38; Matthew 28:19-20).

The commission is fulfilled as disciples of Jesus Christ are made and grow in their relationship with Him and likeness to Him. God is glorified as we manifest His presence as we do His work (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Timothy 2:2).

In seeking to act upon the church’s purpose, we recognize the extraordinary value in multiplying the reach of His ministry by planting local churches and by associating with existing, like-minded local churches. God is glorified when Ascend Church and other like-minded churches associate with one another in order to foster relationships that edify, protect, encourage, support and admonish.

We teach that baptism and communion are the two ordinances required in the church. We believe that Christian baptism by immersion in water is a public identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Although baptism is not required for salvation, it is commanded of all believers and is for believers only (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 18:18). Scripture shows that a person was baptized after personally receiving forgiveness of sin by grace through faith in and repentance through Jesus Christ. The waters of baptism are a symbol of our death, burial, and resurrection to newness of life that happens when we become a new creation in Christ (Romans 6:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 2:12).

Communion is the commemoration by believers of Christ’s death and a reminder – through the bread and the juice – of the Savior’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is to be a time of confession of our sin and should be preceded by careful self-examination (Acts 4:13; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29).

The Lord changes lives and accomplishes His purposes directly through reading, understanding, and applying the Scriptures as well as meditating on the truths of the Scriptures through prayer. The Lord also uses those who minister His Word as they encourage, exhort, admonish, edify, implore, reprove, rebuke, and console others toward godliness. God needs no new or unique insight into the human condition in order to change lives, regardless of whether that insight is gained through psychology or some other tool of human origin. Problems that are approached by integrating the Scriptures with psychological theories tend to deceive individuals into diminishing the God of the Scriptures and into believing that He has not provided and cannot provide sufficient truth, insight, and wisdom that will change their lives (Colossians 2:8-10).

When psychology and other social sciences step beyond observing human behavior and seek to explain the causes of human behavior, they enter spiritual territory. Only the God of the Scriptures can explain causes and offer solutions that lead to godliness and a fruitful, joyful life. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He changes us as we discipline ourselves through obedience to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Peter 1:5-11).

Each Christian’s passion should be to become more like Christ and fulfill the Great Commandment to love the Lord with their entire heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; cf. Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:30; Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

The Christian who learns and applies the Word becomes mature and, in turn, can help others mature (2 Timothy 2:2).

We teach God created the universe in six 24-hour days and that, before He created the universe, nothing except God existed (Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 31:17; Psalm 33:6-9; Acts 17:24; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 11:3).

God chose to create the universe and all that is in it to reveal His glory, divine nature, eternal power, infinite wisdom and supreme authority (Psalm 19:1-2; Isaiah 43:7; Jeremiah 10:12; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11).

We deny the theory of evolution, which states that nonliving substances gave rise to the first living material, which then reproduced and diversified to produce all living creatures. We teach that all people are descendants of Adam and Eve, whom God created personally and individually and as complete human beings (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9). The fall of Adam and Eve infected all people with sin and death, but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the opportunity to receive God’s gift of eternal life (Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

God rules over His creation, cares about it, and is involved in the lives of individual people (Job 12:10; Acts 17:25; Acts 25:28; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:13).

God sovereignly executes His will independent of the influence or will of man (Job 42:2; Psalm 115:3). Such sovereignty was beautifully manifested in the Old Testament with the electing of the nation of Israel as a people chosen for Himself for His glory and purposes (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). God also displays such sovereignty by electing people from all nations for salvation (Ephesians 1:4-6). Finally, God’s sovereignty continues to be demonstrated through all events of human history (Ephesians 1:11). All such sovereignty works in perfect harmony with the responsibility of man ensuring that man is completely culpable for his or her own actions and will one day be called to give an account (Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6).

Satan and his demonic servants viciously oppose the work God performs in and through His people (Genesis 3:1-7; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8). God, who by His nature is infinitely more powerful than Satan, in due time will have complete and total victory over Satan (1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:1-10).

Although it is appropriate to pray in Jesus’ name for protection against demonic activity, the Scriptures do not instruct the Christian to “bind Satan in Jesus’ name.” Rather, the Scriptures instruct the Christian to combat Satan by:

1. Humbly drawing near to God, knowing that He will give grace, mercy and strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-9; Hebrews 4:15-16; James 4:8; 1 Peter 5:6-10)
2. Resisting his temptations (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9)
3. Rightly applying the truth of the Scriptures (Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:44; Ephesians 4:24-27)
4. Forgiving offenses (2 Corinthians 2:10-11)
5. Putting on the armor of God’s truth, righteousness, readiness to share the Gospel, faith, salvation and prayer (Ephesians 6:11-20)

6. Demonstrating faithfulness to the Lord by enduring trials (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 3:9-10).

We teach that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18) Rejection of one’s biologically-born sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We teach that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18-25) We teach that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4) We teach that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We teach that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, hom*osexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestial*ty, incest, and use of p*rnography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

We teach that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

We teach that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) Such terms must be defined by the instruction of Scripture and the example of Christ. Otherwise hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Ascend Church of Kansas City.

The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God by loving Him with the entire heart, soul, mind and might (Deuteronomy 6:5; Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 22:37). All believing men, women, and children are to glorify God and thus fulfill the purpose of their existence. Worship glorifies God through adoration (Psalm 95:6); praise (Psalm 99:5); prayer (Daniel 6:10-11); thanksgiving (Nehemiah 12:46); and a complete yielding to Him (Romans 12:1). Worship declares His worth, pays Him homage, and celebrates Him in a life of devotion. We seek to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 5:7; John 4:23-24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12).

Several tenets guide our worship. We seek to:

1. Lift high the name of Jesus Christ (John 4:22-26; John12:32; John 14:6). Lead God’s people to lift their hearts and voices to Him, giving Him praise and thanks in music and lyric (Nehemiah 12:45-46; Psalm 66:1-4; Psalm 95:1-2);
2. Prepare hearts to hear the Lord speak through the proclamation of Scripture (Psalm 95:6-9; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42);
3. Emphasize fresh and contemporary expressions while retaining traditional elements that recognize the richness of our heritage in the faith (Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalm 33:3; Isaiah 46:8-9; Matthew 13:32; Ephesians 5:19; Revelation 5:9);
4. Pursue excellence in worship, knowing that God is worthy of our best (Deuteronomy 17:1; Psalm 33:3; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; Hebrews 11:4).