Identity

We are a family of missionaries worshiping Jesus, serving the poor, pursuing the renewal of the broken places in Atlanta, reconciling people to Jesus and fighting for racial and social reconciliation among all Atlantans.

We want our mission  to be more than just words on a page; we want to know if and how we are accomplishing it. Living out our identity is the way we do that. In defining who we are by the power of God's Spirit and being accountable to actions that point us toward fulfilling this dream, we work in playing our part in God's grand story of renovating His world.

Family

We are a family that finds grace in Jesus, knowing we are all broken, all sinful, and all in need of the Savior…no perfect people allowed. Our family is very diverse: racially, culturally, and socially. No one was ever meant to live in isolation, and the church was not an afterthought by God; it is at the center of God’s eternal purpose to create a people for Himself, this is the unfolding plan of redemption and where history is headed. When we are reconciled to God, by faith through grace, we immediately become a part of the people for whom Jesus died. The eternal community then is central to the identity of the follower of Jesus, not an addition to it. The primary expression of this for Renovation is our City Groups and Fight Clubs. (Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:10-16)

Missionaries

God is the ultimate missionary. He sent Jesus to reconcile all things back to Him, all of creation, including us, and we have been reconciled in order to be reconcilers. The scriptures are clear that we are ambassadors of peace to a rebellious world, controlled and compelled by the love of Jesus to tell our city of the city to come. This is God’s glorious mission in and to His world. Those who do not follow Jesus are not “marks” or targets, they are people made in God's image that we seek to see through the eyes of Jesus. Our primary expression of this as a family is "Renovation scattered," our City Groups. (Genesis 3:14-15; John 20:21; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Worshipers

Worship is not only something we do when singing songs on Sunday morning, we are always worshiping because God made us worshipers by nature. A life of worship is transcendent of place, transformed by the Gospel, and informed by God’s truth. We do everything because of our love for Jesus. So, a life of worship means that every thought, action and deed should glorify Him. This is who we are striving to be as we are being made into the image of the glory of Christ. (Romans 12: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

Servants

Jesus came into the world full of grace and truth, proclaiming that He came not to be served, but to serve. We, as servants like Him, seek to be fully present and full of grace and truth. This means that we are sent to be good neighbors and lovingly show mercy from a position of humility to the poor and oppressed, to each other, and to our city; seeking justice for those who cannot seek it for themselves. (Matthew 9:13; Amos 5:24)

Renewers

Dr. Tim Keller says, “Inner-city children, through no fault of their own, may grow up with vastly inferior schooling and with an overall environment extremely detrimental to learning. Conservatives may argue that this is the parents' fault or the "culture's" fault while liberals see it as a failure of government and/or the fruit of systemic racism. But no one argues that it is the children's fault!”

Regardless of whose fault it is, the issue remains, as so many issues remain in our city, broken by sin. This means that we, as God's family, create and cultivate in ways that help—and even enable—the city of Atlanta to look more like the city to come. This happens as we see renewal take place in the people, places, cultures and structures of Atlanta. Renewal of our city in the here-and-now points us towards the ultimate renewal of all things and God's new city, for which we wait with great expectation. (Jeremiah 29:4-7; Revelation 21:1-5)

This means that we, as the body of Christ, create and cultivate goods that help—and even enable—the city of Atlanta to look more like the city to come, in every way possible. Renewal in and of all facets of social structure is an outgrowth of the implications of the Gospel, as the Gospel has a deep, vital, and healthy impact on business, the arts, government, media, and academia of any society. Renewal of our city in the here-and-now points us towards the ultimate renewal of all things for which we wait with great expectation.This means that we, as God's family, create and cultivate goods that help—and even enable—the city of Atlanta to look more like the city to come, in every way possible. Renewal in and of all facets of social structure is an outgrowth of the implications of the Gospel, as the Gospel has a deep, vital, and healthy impact on business, the arts, government, media, and academia of any society. Renewal of our city in the here-and-now points us towards the ultimate renewal of all things for which we wait with great expectatio
Reconcilers

Reconciliation of people to Jesus and to each other must be passionately fought for and intentionally shaped by the gospel, how we engage in worship, build in relationships, and grow as a family. We are sent by Jesus with His message of reconciliation between people and their creator, between families and races, between cultures and classes in what is largely a segregated and divided city. For this reason we are deeply committed to being intentionally multi- & trans-cultural. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Galatians 3:23-28; Ephesians 2:1-16)