When you are “starter” congregation there are many things you don’t have.  It’s so easy to get a bad case of the “if onlies” -  if only we had a smoking hot praise band.  If only we had a zillion different ministries each making a connection with people out there.  If only we had a rafter-rattling pipe organ. If only we had a preacher of national renown with big-time name recognition and a reputation for saying really engaging things in really engaging ways.  If only we had a big broadcast media footprint.  That list of “if onlies” can get so big, that it can blind us to the real power that is at work.  Consider the words of a man whose entire ministry was about starter church:  the apostle Paul.  Here’s what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:  1 “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.”  There it is – God’s reminder that even though there’s a lot we don’t have as a little “start-up” church, we have the one essential power to make faith grow in human hearts:  the good news that Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners.  Jesus Christ came into the world and through his death atoned for every sin of every sinner!  There is not a man, woman, or child on our planet to whom we cannot say with perfect confidence:  “Jesus took your sins away, together with all their guilt and punishment!  God loves you and considers you righteous in his sight because of what Jesus did for you!  You are forgiven!  Heaven is for you!”  What an awesome cure for those “if onlies”! How great is it that God reminds us that while we may have a lot of those things someday that are on our wish list today, what we have now is plenty powerful to get God’s saving work done in human hearts!  And that power will always be enough to get God’s good work done in human hearts!  The main thing, it seems me, is to keep that main thing the main thing in every thing we say and do at Ascension! 

And God is adding to our number.  Two years ago we only about 4 children of grade school age in our church.  A week ago we had a dozen who came to the chancel steps for our Children’s Message.  Every week (let me say that again) every week we have new faces in worship who weren’t there the week before.  Our Bible Information Class for new members is growing, too.  Isn’t it awesome that God is continually adding to our number not only people whom we are privileged to serve with the Gospel, but whom he has gifted and motivated to serve the cause of the gospel with us?   And God is doing that without having to rely on mere human words and human wisdom.  He is doing it even without a smoking hot praise band, or a big mega-church arena, or a big polished and professional broadcast footprint.  He is doing it with his living, active, and enduring Word - the wisdom that goes beyond all human understanding.  Welcome to Ascension Lutheran Church!  Welcome to the little big time in the unfolding story of God’s work in the world!

Life in a mission congregation is not a leisurely float down the lazy river at the water park.  It’s more like a roller coaster:  ups and downs and twists and turns as we make our way through the course the Lord of the Church has marked out for us.  Let me illustrate that by just one example ~

Over a year ago our previous pianist relocated to Alaska where her husband is involved in overseeing U.S.C.G. search and rescue in the state. Her leaving was a tough hit for our little mission to absorb. But when one considers the lives Capt. Deer is involved in saving, it would not do for us to feel too badly about our empty piano bench.  There are kids who are going to have their dads back, husbands who will still have their wives, generations to come will have a chance to be born, and another congregation is enjoying the skill and service of Amy - all because the Lord moved this family to another place. But what would we do about music for our worship services here at Ascension? 

After that family left I struggled a bit with MIDI via the mic input line on the piano triggered by powerpoint slides.  I’m no “techie” by any stretch.  But then one of our teens here at Ascension figured out how to run worship music via MIDI on that piano and then stepped up to volunteer to run it. Problem solved!  Sort of, because nothing beats a good trained musician leading and accompanying the singing in worship. 

And suddenly, there was Hannah!  Young and talented, she has served us faithfully twice a month for the last year or so, and we have really appreciated her service and her skill. But this past Sunday she informed me that she will only be able to play one more time before she leaves to study in Europe for a year. Another loss!  But when one consider that Hannah is still in the process of getting her education, it would be a bit self-centered of us if we begrudged her that opportunity just so she could continue playing for our services twice a month.  We wish her well, but what about our empty piano bench?

God was already on top of this. A few months ago the Lord knew he was going to open up this opportunity for Hannah to study in Europe for a while and quietly gifted us with a new family who are a delight to have in our church and whose father/husband is a very good organist/pianist.  Jon not only has a gift for music, he has become a gift from God to our growing mission.  Problem solved!  Again!

And so it goes in Jesus’ church.  True to his promise, he leads provides for his church – and has promised to do so until the end of time. Life in a mission congregation never ceases to amaze me! It is just awesome to watch God moving people around, filling key roles in unexpected ways, and all the while teaching us to trust him. It all makes for some moments that are white-knuckle and some moments that are arms in the air grinning - kind of like you get on a really fun roller coaster.  Life in a little but growing mission congregation isn’t for everybody, and that’s OK.  The Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round, and the tilt-a-whirl are quite fun, too.  But their course is quite predictable.  For those who enjoy ups and downs and quick changes of direction and slow and fast – well, you have a standing invitation to come to Ascension, strap in with us, and enjoy the ride!