When Jesus searched for images to describe the community life of his church, he used imagery of resplendence. To be resplendent is to “shine brilliantly.” This is what Jesus meant when he said we are to be a “city on a hill” with “uncovered lamps.” Here’s what it looks like at Red Tree:
Counter-cultural unity composed of people from every class, color, ethnicity, religious background, cultural upbringing and political affiliation (not comfortable homogeny)
Compassionate and kind (not centered on self)
Curious (not calloused toward God or people)
Creative (not content to hide God’s gifts)
Community of shepherds (not consumers) engaging in Costly Discipleship (not cheap individualism but committed to the process of discipling others and being discipled ourselves)
The coming blog posts will explain in further detail what this means.
First, Red Tree seeks to reflect Counter-cultural unity composed of people from every class, color, ethnicity, religious background, cultural upbringing and political affiliation (not comfortable homogeny)
The early church, in concrete ways, reflected the powerful reality that the gospel is for every nation, class, ethnicity, tribe and tongue. The good news of Jesus Christ is not a “western” thing. It is not an “upper-middle class thing.”
It is good news for the rich and poor; for those who are black, brown, and white; for those in the northern and southern hemisphere and for those in the northern, southern, eastern and western United States; for the young and old; for the highly educated and non-educated; for the political right and political left. It is for everyone on every spectrum and everyone in between.
Red Tree longs to reflect this reality to the extreme in our resplendent, multi-ethnic, multi-tribe, multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-class community. There is no dividing line for those who have been rescued by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Presently, it looks like one of the dividing lines that has erupted within the church, to her destruction, is the dividing line of national and global politics. So, it begs the question, is Red Tree Church political?
I'll answer this question. Yes, Red Tree is extremely political. However, not as a social structure serving as an arm of the Republican or Democratic party; rather, as an outpost for an otherworldly kingdom whose king is none other than Jesus Christ.
We strive to be both conservative and liberal: Conservative because we believe there are eternal and unchangeable truths and values to be cherished and protected, and liberal because we believe human beings should thrive, flourish, enjoy certain freedoms and live life to the full. This conservatism and liberalism can only be found perfectly together in the gospel, in the good news of who Jesus Christ is, what he accomplished at the cross, and what he promises to do for us and our world when he returns to rule and establish his eternal kingdom.
Our chief aim at Red Tree is to play our part to see his kingdom, and all its truth, life, love and liberty, come to earth as it is in Heaven. To accomplish this, our political activism is actually our utter dependence on God’s grace and power to bring about inward transformation, not external imposition. As God saves and transforms us, from our different family trees, political tribes and socio-economic classes, from our most vulnerable children, to local shopkeepers to those in highest office, the ways of his kingdom will spread powerfully throughout our city, society and world, showing forth the beauty of King Jesus.
This passion arises not out of a desire for popularity or to be "woke." It's a passion born out of our desire to bear witness to the greatness of our God who, in Christ, unites all things in heaven and earth. We simply want all people to be in awe of God, who destroys everything that divides us from him and from each other.