IT ALL STARTED WITH A GROUP OF YOUNG FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO LOVED JESUS AND LOVED HIS PRESENCE. ALL OF US WERE COLORADO NATIVES WITH A HUNGER TO SEE HIS PRESENCE INVADE AND CHANGE OUR REGION THROUGH PASSIONATE PRAYER, WORSHIP, AND COMMUNITY. AS WE GAINED MINISTRY AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN OUR CHURCHES AND LEADING A COLLEGE MINISTRY TOGETHER, WE ALSO BEGAN TO MEET IN HOUSES FOR AUTHENTIC TIMES OF WORSHIP WITH NO SPECIFIC AGENDA. GOD FORMED A BOND IN OUR TEAM THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW UNTIL WE HAD A FULL WORSHIP TEAM AND A GROUP OF FRIENDS COMMITTED TO DOING LIFE AND WORSHIPING TOGETHER. 

WE RELEASED OUR FIRST WORSHIP ALBUM IN NOVEMBER OF 2016 UNDER THE NAME ASCENT PROJECT. WE WERE STILL UNCERTAIN OF EXACTLY WHAT THE LORD WAS CREATING BUT WE KNEW IT WAS A GRASSROOTS, LOCAL MOVEMENT THAT WAS MORE THAN JUST A BAND OR SONGS. WE HAD A VISION TO BRING A CULTURE AND A MOVEMENT OF PASSIONATE WORSHIP ALONG WITH A VALUE AND DEPENDANCE ON THE PRESENCE OF GOD TO NORTHERN COLORADO. WE WANTED TO SEE LIVES CHANGED AND CREATE A MOVEMENT THAT ANY PERSON COULD BE A PART OF WHO WANTED TO IMPACT THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

AS WE CONTINUED TO MEET TOGETHER FOR THESE HOUSE WORSHIP NIGHTS, WE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPENING, SO WE INVITED MORE PEOPLE… IN OCTOBER, 2017 WE WERE GIVEN ACCESS TO AN UPPER ROOM IN WALNUT CREEK ANTIQUES IN DOWNTOWN FORT COLLINS, AND THAT’S WHEN OUR MOVEMENT BEGAN TO REALLY TAKE SHAPE. EVERY WEEK WE WOULD PULL JUST ENOUGH EQUIPMENT UP A HUNDRED YEAR OLD WOOD AND ROPE ELEVATOR TO THE 2ND FLOOR AND WE BEGAN TO WORSHIP AND SEEK HIS FACE. GOD BROUGHT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER TO WORSHIP PASSIONATELY AND HE BEGAN TO IGNITE IN OUR HEARTS A LONGING TO REACH THE PEOPLE AROUND US WITH THE GOSPEL. OUR BAND BEGAN TO WRITE AND RELEASE SINGLES THAT HAVE BECOME THE SOUND OF OUR MOVEMENT AND HAVE ALSO REACHED PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. OUR TEAM BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE WITH POWERFUL PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS OF GIFTS AND PASSIONS - LEADERS, SPEAKERS, CREATIVES, AND RADICAL LOVERS OF JESUS AND HIS PEOPLE.

IN APRIL OF 2018 WE WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENT OUT EACH WEEK A CONCERT VENUE AND CAFE RIGHT BY OLD TOWN SQUARE IN FORT COLLINS CALLED THE DOWNTOWN ARTERY. WE HAVE BEEN MEETING THERE EVER SINCE AND IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS BROUGHT THROUGH OUR DOORS AND THE LIVES HE HAS CHANGED. 

WE NEVER SET OUT TO PLANT A CHURCH, AND WE HONESTLY EVEN TRIED TO STEER AWAY FROM IT AT TIMES, BUT WHEN WE PRAYED WITH OPEN HANDS THAT GOD WOULD TAKE THIS WHEREVER HE WANTED, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WERE BUILDING A COMMUNITY AND FAMILY THAT LOOKED A LOT LIKE THE EARLY CHURCH. WE’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE PEOPLE THAT DON’T CHASE AFTER WHAT THE WORLD CALLS SUCCESS OR EVEN WHAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY CALLS SUCCESS. WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY PLACE WE WANT TO BE IS FOLLOWING HIS PRESENCE WHEREVER HE IS CALLING US. WE MAY NOT BE THE MOST TRADITIONAL CHURCH EVER, BUT WE BELIEVE THE LORD HAS UNIQUELY POSITIONED US TO REACH PEOPLE IN FORT COLLINS WITH THE LIFE-CHANGING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST.