Momentum | January & February 2017 by Redeemer Bible Church

Momentum i A Publication of Redeemer Bible Church

12 Promises for Perseverance in Bible Reading Setting Our Minds on Things Above The Power of An Ordinary Prayer Life

Spiritual Disciplines

Issue 35 // January & February, 2017

Welcome

We’re glad you’re here! We are a church with a mission. Our mission is to enjoy, embody, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ so that unbelievers are persuaded of the gospel, believers are built up in the gospel, and culture is transformed by the gospel – to the glory of God. Because the gospel is at the heart of RBC, we want all that we say and do as a church to honor and reflect Christ. Part of that includes making sure you are able to consistently and clearly know our vision and direction. That’s where Momentum comes in. On the first Sunday of every other month, everyone will receive a copy and be able to stay connected to the pulse of Redeemer. Inside each issue, you will find a letter from the elders, encouraging articles from our members, as well as updates on things like church finances, new members, and upcoming church activities and programs. The gospel is what keeps Redeemer moving forward. It’s our passion, our motivation, our moving force. It’s our momentum.

In this Issue 20 GLOBAL PARTNERS HIGHLIGHT 5 LETTER FROM THE ELDERS “Welcome to Redeemer!” from John Sweet, on behalf of the elders and deacons.

The ministry of TGC-IO seeks to combat a false gospel through the training of truth.

10 GOD'S WORD STANDS FOREVER

THE POWER OF AN ORDINARY PRAYER LIFE

Consider hiding God’s word in your heart along with your Redeemer family through memorizing the Fighter Verses this year.

When your prayers don’t elicit a mountain-top experience, it doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t working through them.

22 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GOSPEL LIFE BLOG

11 SETTING OUR MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE

24 BOOK REVIEW

16 WOMEN’S MINISTRY MIDYEAR UPDATE Read about how the Lord has blessed the women of Redeemer this fall and what He has planned for the new year.

6 12 PROMISES FOR PERSEVERANCE IN BIBLE READING “Make this next year a quest to find joy in God by hearing from God.”

LIFE GROUPS Members of Redeemer share their personal stories of how the Lord has used Life Groups to bind them to Himself and to others.

18 IRELAND SHORT-TERM MISSION

Check out a thorough review of David Mathis’ book, Habits of Grace.

26 HOW I MET JESUS Bill & Paula Poppe share their stories of how Jesus rescued them and brought them to Himself.

27 AFFINITY GROUPS

Communications Department CONTENT DIRECTION Lorie Schnell Bill Walsh

DESIGN & LAYOUT Sara Briggs

CONTENT MANAGER Lorie Schnell

EDITING Lorie Schnell Brittney Westin

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

Letter From the Elders

Dear Redeemer Family, A very warm Happy New Year to you all, Redeemer! Welcome to 2017! Time is a strange thing. In some ways, it moves faster than we can imagine. In other ways, it seems to stand still. When I look through our family’s old Christmas pictures, I am amazed at how those toddlers are now suddenly out of the house pursuing college and careers. Yet, as I have waited over these last two years for the Lord to lift His hand of discipline to heal RBC sufficiently and to move us into His next chapter, it has indeed tested my hope and faith in my loving God. Our God isn’t bound by time. He created it, along with everything else in the universe. That means as He is revealing His sovereign plan for each of us—and for our church—drawing us closer to Himself, He is not bound by our timetable or any schedule we expect. The Apostle Peter reminds us "that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). This indeed puts our faith to the test and without a firm foundation our hope fails. In my logical mind, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I know the only true foundation for hope is my Savior who "upholds the universe by the word of his power." In my heart, however, I’m prone to wander and seek my security elsewhere. That begs the question: In my Christian walk, how do I maximize the time I spend where true joy and true rest are found—with my hope fixed squarely on Jesus? Psalm 1 provides one facet of the answer. It says, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. The Psalmist reminds us that an essential component of Christian life is meditation on God’s word, and that the result is a vital, fruitful life of “delight,"

GREG DECKERT OSCAR HUERTA JOHN SWEET BILL WALSH WARREN WATSON DAVID WESSNER DAN WESTIN GABE ZEPEDA

regardless of season. As 2017 dawns, it’s appropriate for us to remember that during this coming year, regardless of worldly prosperity or hardship, our God desires for us to experience the delight we will find in Him and Him alone. No other earthly thing will satisfy. And a primary means for us to receive that satisfaction is through daily meditation on His word. I urge you to visit http:// www.redeemerbiblechurch.com/privateworship and check out a number of useful tools to help you better experience and delight in the law of the Lord. Happy New Year! Happy meditating! May the Lord grant us all a joyous, fruitfilled 2017! John, on behalf of the elders and deacons

12 Promises for Perseverance in Bible Reading

By David Zuleger

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

s Christians, we know that without taking in God’s word, our faith will become anemic, shallow, and weak. And yet, so often, we neglect the precious gift of God’s word in our daily lives. This is a simple list meant to help motivate souls-proneto-wander see that giving ourselves to God’s word this year will be worth it — one reason for every month you might be tempted to give up. 1. THE BIBLE ENABLES US TO KNOW AND LOVE JESUS MORE. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me [Jesus].” (John 5:39) The Bible is not ultimate. Jesus, the Word of God incarnate, is ultimate. But the Bible is the place where we know for certain that we can see and savor Christ each day. The Old Testament writings promise him and point toward him. The Gospels show us his ministry here on earth leading to his death and resurrection. The letters show us the work he continues to do by his Spirit through his church, which is his body. There is nothing and no one more valuable for you to know and love in 2017 than Jesus, and there is nowhere you’re more likely to encounter him than in this Book. 2. THE BIBLE GIVES US HOPE IN GOD NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES. Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4) The Bible is the foundation under our feet that gives us the encouragement we need to remain hopeful in Christ through times of depression and suffering. We have a God who wrote a Book so that we might be people with hope. We should take advantage of that precious gift.

“There is nothing and no one more valuable for you to know and love in 2017 than Jesus, and there is nowhere you’re more likely to encounter him than in this Book.” 3. THE BIBLE LEADS US TO SUPREME HAPPINESS IN GOD. Blessed [this means happy!] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1–2) God has revealed himself in his word. In the Bible, discover the path of life that leads us to “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). The happiness the Bible offers us is as unchanging and durable as the God who wrote it and who is himself our greatest Treasure. 4. THE BIBLE ARMS US TO KILL OUR SIN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17) The word of God is the sword in the hands of the Spirit of God. The sword goes to work to hack up sin in our life that keeps us from God. The sword pierces through bone and marrow to reveal our hearts. With sin removed and cleansed, we can see Christ more fully and find greater holiness and happiness. 5. IN THE BIBLE, WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE MOUTH OF THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.

As we see Jesus in his word, we will also see that we don’t measure up. We will see sin and areas for growth. Jesus is the standard for change and the means of change. As we see him, the Spirit goes to work to change us more and more into his image, and to set us free from the silly little desires and idols we’ve been settling for. 8. THE BIBLE EQUIPS US FOR GOOD WORKS THAT BRING GLORY TO OUR GOD. All Scripture is breathed out by God . . . that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

All Scripture is breathed out by God. (2 Timothy 3:16) May we never be bored reading the Bible. May we never forget that the almighty God of the universe is speaking directly to us in those moments. There are probably people you are dying to meet in person. You would never miss the opportunity if it was given to you. You would clear your schedule of anything to be with them. Shouldn’t the God of the universe make that list? We meet him again and again in his word when we read our Bibles. 6. THE BIBLE IS A FREE COURSE ON LIFE TAUGHT BY GOD HIMSELF. All Scripture is . . . profitable for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16) If God is speaking, and his word is profitable for teaching, then we get to go to class every day under the professorship of God himself. And it’s free. Indeed, God has given us his Spirit to teach us his secret and hidden wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7, 10).

The Bible stirs us up and equips us to do good works that beautifully adorn the gospel. And as we do these good works, others see them and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12). We want our lives to count for his glory, and God gives us the guide for that great cause in his word. 9. THE BIBLE PRODUCES HEALTHY AND HAPPY FAMILIES AND RELATIONSHIPS. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right . . . Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1, 4) We cannot know how and why we ought to obey our parents, at least in a way that honors God, if we do not know the word of God. And we cannot know how to raise our children to know, and love, and obey the Lord if we do not know the word of the Lord. Families and church families will be much healthier and happier places, for all of the reasons already mentioned above, if we are people saturated with the Bible.

7. THE BIBLE ENLIGHTENS US TO AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO GROW SO THAT WE CAN BE CHANGED AND TRAINED INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.

10. THE BIBLE KEEPS US FROM BEING CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD.

We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

The world bombards us with sinful and foolish temptations. The world screams for conformity to its systems and ways. We desperately need to be people who fix our eyes on Jesus, and meditate on all his words, so that we are not conformed to the world, but transformed to be more like him. If you want to be average and irrelevant, ignore the word and fall in with the world. If you want to make an eternal difference for the world, be transformed by God’s word. 11. THE BIBLE TEACHES US TO PRAY. If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9) Without the Bible, our prayers too easily drift into our own fleshly, sin-driven complaints, desires, and pityparties. With the Bible, we can see reality, see our sin, even see the sins of others against us, and approach the throne of grace for help, with deep and lasting truths ringing in our ears. 12. THE BIBLE SPURS US TOWARD GENUINE AND HEALTHY FELLOWSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24) The Bible helps us in our families and churches to make God’s glory the goal, sin the enemy, and perseverance in our faith the priority. It gives us the courage and wisdom to humbly and lovingly admit our own wrongs to others and to confront sin in one another. Make this next year a quest to find joy in God by hearing from God. He’s worth all the effort.

DAVE ZULEGER graduated from Bethlehem Seminary in Minneapolis and serves as the Pastor for Preaching at Sojourners Church in Albert Lea, MN. He’s married to Kelly, and they have three children, Iris, Stone, and Apollos.

RBC

PRIVATE WORSHIP RESOURCES GO TO: www.redeemerbiblechurch/privateworship

Used with permission from Desiring God. www.desiringgod.org

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

God’s Word Stands Forever “

he grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 God’s word is eternal, steadfast, sure. His promises are like a mountain that cannot be moved. Nothing can, or ever will, change what God has said. Every word that goes forth from his mouth will accomplish the purposes for which he has sent it. Is it any wonder the psalmist says in Psalm 119, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day – Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors; Your statutes have been my songs; Your promise is well tried and your servant loves it.” If you have faithfully stored up God’s Word in your heart by memorizing the weekly Fighter Verses this year, you may understand the motivation of the psalmist – the more you memorize, the more your love for God and his unchangeable Word grows, the deeper your knowledge and trust in him, and the more you overflow in worshipful praise to him! Treasuring God’s Word in our hearts also yields the eternal benefit of victory in the good fight of faith as we daily walk with the Lord. Fighter Verses is a collection of Bible passages to memorize that will 10

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

By Betty Dodge equip the believer for this victory. As the steadfast Word of God goes into our minds and down into our hearts, the Holy Spirit confirms to us that we are children of God and that his promises are ‘yes and amen’ for us in Christ Jesus. Such profound strength is gained from being nourished in God’s Word! We are given the power to stand in the strength of His might and remain steadfast under the pressures of temptation and evil assaults. OUR VISION At Redeemer, a vision we have is that we would love the Bible and know it is God-breathed, his very word to us, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. We desire that we would be obedient to it, become fully equipped by it, able to glorify God in the face of the enemies of our soul (Satan, the flesh, and the world), competent and ready for every good work, standing firm until that day we see Jesus our Savior and Lord face to face (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This victory is our vision and goal as we memorize, meditate on, and treasure God’s Word. January 1, 2017, will launch Set 2 of Fighter Verses for Redeemer. Over the next 52 weeks, we will be

memorizing Scripture passages that equip us with covenant promises in Romans and Philippians, promises of God’s steadfast love and protective power in Psalms 103 and 91, the promise of salvation for all who believe in Jesus from John 3:16 and 3:36 . . . and many more promises that will help us in the good fight of faith! RESOURCES TO HELP There are many resources at the Fighter Verses website that can help you memorize (www.fighterverses. com). If you have a smart phone, we encourage you to download the Fighter Verses app – which was developed by our own John Huss! The app has some amazing features to help you memorize the Fighter Verses each week. Redeemer also has a supply of Fighter Verses card packs for all five sets, and bookmarks that will be made available to the congregation in January. Let’s pray continually for one another to stand firm, to take up the whole armor of God, to wield the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God” and together fight the good fight of faith in 2017. // RBC

Setting Our Minds on Things Above By Betty Cooper

y scripture memory work would be pointless if it did not draw my heart to worship and adore the One who is the source of all human life. As I memorize Scripture, it enables me to ponder the magnificent truths of the gospel and be amazed at the incredible love and grace of God to me, a sinner. I choose what I will memorize carefully. It must speak to my heart about my triune God. It must reveal to me His perfections and His will for His creatures. I look for promises that I can rely upon in the good times and the difficult trials of life. As I memorize, I have to go over the verse[s] repeatedly along with the address in order to get it fixed in my memory. As I review again and again the chosen verse or passage, I begin to ponder its meaning and ask questions of the text. Realizing this is not an exercise I do alone, but one in which I am interacting with the Spirit of God who inspired the scriptures, it becomes prayer. As I delight in the

truths I am understanding more deeply, my heart responds in praise and thanksgiving. Sometimes it is necessary to respond by confessing my failure to believe a truth or to obey a command. But I can always rejoice, because Jesus was my substitute and paid the penalty for my sins, so that now, there is no condemnation to me because I am in Christ Jesus. The Old Testament speaks often of meditating on the Word of God, which will result in godly success and prosperity (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2,3). Though the New Testament doesn’t use the term “meditation,” the concept is there in many places. In memorizing Colossians three, I am commanded to “set my mind on things above and not on things that are on the earth.” Life on earth has so many demands and distractions that without memorizing scripture my mind would be prisoner to disappointment, fear, and counterfeit hope. In Philippians 4:8 I am exhorted to let my mind dwell on things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent and worthy of praise. On this earth, I will never be free of the temptation to be anxious because I have no control over

the future. That is why I love the sovereignty of God so much. Jesus Christ, my Savior, is revealed in Scripture to be both the creator and sustainer of all things. Nothing is outside of His sovereign rule. He has promised never to leave me and has told us in the Bible that the Father and Spirit also are with me. “My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psa.73:26). How could such truths not cause me to worship Him? Psalm 103 is one of my favorites that I have memorized. David encouraged himself (and me) to bless the Lord and not forget His benefits. Then he lists some benefits and goes on to speak of the Lord’s great graciousness and loyal love for His children. I often remind myself that He has removed my transgressions from me as far as the east is from the west and that He is compassionate toward me with a Father’s love. Further, His lovingkindness toward me is as high as the heavens are above the earth. My response to those truths must be daily thankful trust and adoration. // RBC

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

Life Groups p CHRISTIAN YAMAKAWA When I came to know the Lord, I thought my sin struggles would go away or that my life would be easier. Soon enough I came to find out that is not entirely the case, and I realized that I needed accountability and encouragement in my walk with Christ. I have been blessed to be part of a loving and supportive Community Group here at Redeemer, but one of the fellowship dynamics that God has used in my life to grow and spiritually challenge me was what we now call a Life Group. For 14 12

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

Members of Redeemer share their personal stories of how the Lord has used Life Groups to bind them to Himself and to others.

years, a brother and I would meet about 3 times a month at a coffee shop before going into work. We had different types of meeting formats, but they all had the common pattern of sharing what God was doing in our lives, sharing our struggles, challenging and encouraging one another in the Word, and praying for one another. One good example of how God used this Life Group was to help me see that my anxiety was a sin and the root of it was not trusting God in my life. I was blind to this and I was thankful that God used this setting to help me see my sin and repent of it. The Life Group felt like a safe environment in which to be confronted, yet not crushed, and to

be reminded of the gospel of grace again and again. Life Group meetings have been a great blessing in my life and I was excited to hear that Redeemer will be doing them too. Very recently, I started to meet with Warren Watson and Nathan Wentz for Life Group. I am very thankful to have both of these men in my life. We meet at a coffee shop on Sunday mornings twice a month before service starts. We take turns and have life-onlife conversations, talking at length about how are we doing in our daily lives including our struggles, giving encouragement, and praying for one another. Besides these meetings, I love the fact that each of us feels

comfortable contacting each other for prayer, encouragement, or even to spend time together over a meal, bike ride, or at holidays or birthday celebrations. This is all part of what it means to live in community. I could say that Warren and I have been “un-officially” in a Life Group as we have known each other over many years and have shared our lives and struggles and found encouragement in the Lord together. I have come to know and love his family and they have welcomed me as an adopted son. Nathan has become like a younger brother and I appreciate him very much. We connect about once a week to check how the other person is doing and offer a word of encouragement or prayer. Life Group meetings are not a replacement for any other kind of fellowship gatherings, but they are another tool of God’s grace that He can use to build us up in Christ.

PAUL GUSTAFSON PAUL GUSTAFSON A couple of my close high school friends were instrumental in helping me come to know the Lord during my senior year of high school. For the rest of that year, I met consistently with those friends to study the Bible, pray, and worship. I went out of state for college, but the deep bonds we developed during that senior year helped us to stay close throughout our college years. When I moved back to Minnesota in 2006, we were able to resume regularly meeting together to study God’s word and fellowship, and we have been doing so ever since. We generally meet for

2-3 hours every other week at one of our homes, and we spend a little time catching up before going through a Bible study for about an hour, and then sharing prayer requests/life updates and closing with a time of prayer. We’re currently going through a study on Hebrews, but over the last ten years we have also done several other books of the Bible (Ecclesiastes, Ephesians, James) as well as go through a couple of Christian books and sermon series together. We take turns facilitating the discussions. In addition to these bi-weekly meetings, we have also consistently met together socially, playing on softball and basketball teams together, sharing meals together, getting to know each other’s families, and so on. Our familiarity and comfort with each other helps us to ask each other good questions and apply God’s word to our lives in personal ways. It has been very meaningful for me to be able to get in the word with brothers who know me so well and have known me for so long. As I reflect on the impact this “Life Group” has had on me, I’m most struck by how having these consistent gospel-centered relationships in my life is a means the Lord has used to guard my faith and keep me believing in Him. One way that God uses my Life Group to accomplish this is that participating in the group forces me to regularly read the Bible, share prayer requests, and pray out loud, even in drier seasons of my spiritual life when I otherwise might not want to do any of those things. Generally, these activities help me to remember the goodness of God and move towards getting back on track in my daily walk with him. A second

way that God uses my Life Group to guard and keep me is the evidence I see of his work in the lives of my brothers. The closer I get with these other men, and the deeper I can see into their lives, I’m able to see more clearly how the gospel is working in them and shaping their lives, transforming them to be more and more like Christ, which in turn is an encouragement to my own faith. I have also known friends who once proclaimed Christ and have since fallen away from their faith. Amongst other reasons, I think this could be in part because they failed to engage with a local body of believers after college. This has served as a reminder for me of the importance of having other believers speak into our lives, remind us of the goodness of God, and point us back to Him if we begin to drift. I am grateful to God for my Life Group. I love these men and enjoy spending time with them, but more significantly, I am grateful that over the years the Lord has consistently used our fellowship as a means of grace to me to guard me and to keep me. Being in close fellowship with other believers has helped me to stay close in my relationship with Him.

NANCY AXELSON NANCY AXELSON Discipleship or Life Group: no matter what you call it, the Lord has ordained our gathering to transform us, tether us, and realign us to His will. Kathy, Jen, and I started to meet almost 5 years ago when we worshiped over at Minnetonka High School. The discipleship group was JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

similar to the current Life Groups being organized presently, although it wasn't promoted as a church-wide suggestion. Women or men were placed in groups of two or three and were to go through The Gospel Transformation study, a 36-week lesson plan that took us well over 2 years to complete. On occasion, we waivered as to whether or not we should finish the study; yet, because of wanting to complete the challenge of seeing such an immense workbook through to the end, as well as the work the Lord was doing in our hearts, we persevered. Whether we should stop meeting was never a question, however, as we were thoroughly invested in each other's lives. When we began meeting, I wasn’t yet a member. My family was drawn to Redeemer by the joy of hearing the gospel preached every week. Another precious draw to this local church body was the Wednesday night prayer meeting, which afforded a sweet time to get to know other women by praying together. This discipleship opportunity seemed to fill a longing I couldn't then describe. I hardly knew Jen or Kathy, but we quickly opened up to each other as the curriculum, and the Lord’s timing in our lives, created a safe place to discuss God’s truths and how His sanctification plan was playing out for each of us. We met weekly through the summer, but backed way off during the school year, as Jen was involved in other leadership obligations. We have always maintained margin for each other’s schedules, meeting as often or as little as our constantly changing lives allowed. It was set up for Kathy

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

to be our discipler. The Lord fitted her with amazing sayings that Jen and I still use to pull each other back on track, some of which you ladies who've been around her awhile may already know. My favorites, when we’re overwhelmed with the ugliness of sin, are: “This isn't the garden,” and “Just do the next thing.” And with regard to parenting, “Come along beside them and face the cross together.” Jen and Kathy have their own stories of how they have been blessed through this relationship with God at the center. Jen remembers a big “AH HA” when we learned about legalism and licentiousness, and how it was two parts of the same coin, not a large continuum. This taught us both something deeper about how our sin nature tends to manifest itself – how she and I are on opposite sides of that same coin of pride. I will wallow in self-pity, berating myself, while she can be full of self-justification. Through the study together and time alone with the Holy Spirit answering questions in the workbook, God has worked in us a deeper love for one another — one so strong that through the difficult season of the last two years, it tethered us uniquely to Jesus through each other. Because Kathy wholly belongs to the Lord, she keeps herself under God. He guides her to occasionally pause with us considering all that the Lord has done, giving Him all the glory. We may not feel that different day-to-day, but pausing helps us keep a vertical perspective – eyes on Jesus – as the world and our sin try to draw us constantly to look out, and not up, and to miss Jesus’ transformational work, like

moving mountains, bringing about the metamorphosis only He can accomplish. After finishing The Gospel Transformation, we did a book study on worry and fear but didn't finish it because we felt compelled to simply be in the Bible. Currently, we are in Matthew and, looking ahead, we are feeling drawn to spend more time in prayer, which Kathy also taught us we could do with our eyes open! She said you’d better be praying with your eyes open when you drive!! God continues knitting our hearts together, and we are trusting that He will show us when it is time to move on. Kathy keeps checking with us, thinking we might want to be done with her (as if we could outgrow her), but God surprises even her with our adamant, “No!” He has moved me to desire to meet with other women, and I’m trying to balance the time it takes with all the other serving the Lord has placed on my heart. So for now we continue to seek the Lord together. // RBC

DIGITAL EDITION ISSUU.COM/ REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH

The Power of An Ordinary Prayer Life

By Eric Pfeffer

got married just about 5 months ago. My wife Bethany and I are just beginning to experience many of the wonderful perks that accompany married life: sharing meals together, buying a house, daily in-person conversations (95% of our dating relationship was long distance!), a partner to do ministry alongside, etc. I would imagine most of these perks are common experiences for newly married couples. But I wouldn’t be surprised if there is one specific blessing of marriage that often gets undervalued, or at least under practiced. That blessing is having a lifetime friend to pray with on a daily basis. Before getting married, we knew that starting a good habit of prayer would be essential. Not just for maintaining a deep love for Christ, but also because, unless good habits are formed early, it would be difficult to start them later on. So that is what we did. Since we started dating we got into the habit of saying the Lord’s Prayer together nightly, and since our wedding day we have started and ended each day with prayer. Before we get out of bed and before we go to sleep, we always pray. Occasionally, the Holy Spirit fills us in an extraordinary way and our time

gets extended or one of us starts weeping at the thought of God. But more often than not, it’s the sameold routine of prayer. There are times when it’s easy to get discouraged at our prayer lives because it seems like nothing happens when we pray. At that point it’s valuable for believers, such as ourselves, to remember one important thing: God doesn’t always work in ways that we recognize. For instance, when Peter was imprisoned in Acts 12, it says the church was earnestly praying to God for him. That much is pretty reasonable; when someone you care for is getting unjustly treated, it’s not unusual to pray that God would deliver them from such treatment. What is unusual is that when God actually answered their prayer, by supernaturally delivering Peter from prison, even sending him to their house (while they were likely still praying for him) they cannot even believe the servant girl who tells

them plainly that Peter is at the door. In fact, the church meeting at the house thought she was crazy (“out of her mind” vs. 15). The reason why this is so strange is because the church’s prayer was getting answered before their very eyes and yet they still didn’t realize (or couldn’t believe) that God was answering their prayer. Might it be, fellow believers, that God is working through your routine prayer life but you are simply unable to see the results? Who knows why it’s hard to see answers to your prayers. Perhaps it’s because God is working very gradually, or maybe he is working supernaturally but you lack the faith to discern his handiwork. Either way, let’s be encouraged that God works through even an ordinary prayer life. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). // RBC

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

Women's Ministry Midyear Update

edeemer Women!

Grace and Peace to you! We thank God for you and pray Philippians 1:27 for you and us, that we would live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ, standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. As we look forward to what the Lord has for us this new year, we want to praise God for what he has done!

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

More than 35 RBC women participated in an inductive Bible study of the book of Ephesians this past fall! Following a week of prayerful reading and guided examination of the text, participants shared their observations, insights, and understandings with class members on Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening. This thoughtful study highlighted the riches of our spiritual blessings in Christ and the unity of all believers to the praise of His glory. Having been brought near by the blood of Christ and joined together as one body, the women discovered the power of God to unite and bring peace in His church and to enable believers to walk worthy of the calling to which we have been called. This very practical and timely study helped to develop Bible study skills as well as grow participants in the knowledge and love of the Savior. We praise the Lord

for the perseverance in study of the women, their growth in grace, and their love for one another. This new year, women will have the opportunity to know God as Covenant-Keeper through our next Precept inductive study: Covenant (Knowing God’s Covenant), beginning January 17 – April 25, Tuesdays, 9:30 AM or 6:45 PM. Two different homework levels will be available to help meet needs of busy women. In February, we will gather at Redeemer for a daytime Saturday retreat. Please, mark your calendar for February 11th! Together we will learn from each other through miniworkshops on a variety of topics presented by RBC women. With love for you all, The Women’s Ministry Team Jen Carter, Debbie Hansen, Wendy Pace & Patti Wessner

Precept Schedule

Jan. 17 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 14 Feb. 21 Feb. 28 Mar. 7 Mar. 14 Mar. 21 Mar. 28 Apr. 4 Apr. 11 Apr. 18 Apr. 25

Lesson 1A Lesson 1B Lesson 2 Lesson 3 NO CLASS

Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8

Save the Date!!

Saturday February 11 th

NO CLASS

Lesson 9 Lesson 10 Lesson 11 Wrap Up

, Womens Day Retreat 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

IRELAND Short-Term Mission

Photo by Bill Walsh 18

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

HISTORY In the spring of 1748, John Newton, shipmate on the slave-trading schooner—the Greyhound—was returning from Africa. After a very difficult tour, the ship and crew drew near to England but in the final week of the journey, had to endure a merciless, pounding Atlantic storm that shook their vessel to the core. The danger of sinking was almost certain, not to mention running out of food and water. As the crippled ship drifted towards land, John Newton the selfprofessed atheist, found himself desperately praying for the first time in his life, promising to give his life to God, if only he would be saved from a watery death. Miraculously, the ship and crew were spared and the Greyhound slowly limped into a bay in the northern part of Ireland. That day, John came under the conviction of his sin, and he was resoundingly regenerated. When the ship finally landed, during those first days ashore he walked all the way into town. He attended church for the first time as a brand new believer in Christ. Incredibly, several hundred years later, that historical connection to Newton has opened a door to ministry. The Republic of Ireland has prospered economically in recent decades along with a strong resurgence of awareness in Irish culture and language. But in regard to faith, it is a very different story. The Irish people are statistically 85% Roman Catholic, but many in name

One patient couple has served in this town where Newton landed for 21 years with Operation Mobilization. The hard ground of religion has made progress very difficult. But when the connection to Newton was discovered, a creative idea was born. Over time, they relayed the “Amazing Grace” story to the town leaders and God progressively gave them favor. The idea…why not use John Newton’s story and his world famous hymn to attract visitors to their beautiful county? That made the way for many unique opportunities within the community including a historic commemorative garden, a drop-in center for youth, art shows, and most of all a music festival. This week-long, city-wide event tells the historic story in a number of creative ways, but features a series of concerts highlighting Newton’s lyrics, writings, and hymns. In a place with

no evangelical church, and almost no openness to the gospel, light is breaking through. OUR MISSION During the first two weeks of this coming April, our team will arrive to support the logistics of this annual festival, as well as perform gospelcentered music to a growing audience from the town and surrounding region. Our goal will be to strengthen the hand of those engaged in ministry, build relationships, and serve in the community in culturally sensitive ways, be a gracious witness to the truth, and play music to the glory of God.

only. Post-modernism, materialism, and clergy scandals have driven many away from practicing their religion. It is a land quite barren of the good news of the true gospel.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

TGC-IO

African Pastors Saying “No” to Prosperity Theology

Editor’s Note from Bill Walsh: If you have been wondering about the mission of TGC International Outreach and the work that I do day-to-day, this wonderful article illustrates it well. It will give you a great sense of what we mean by Theological Famine Relief.

here is no shortage of churches in Kenya, nor of preachers, prophets, or evangelists. Large churches offer multiple services that attract thousands who flock to hear flamboyant preaching. A typical sermon might include divine revelations and promises of wealth and healing. Notably lacking is scriptural integrity. Dan Huffstutler is the director of East Africa Baptist School of Theology (EABST) in the capital city of Nairobi. He says Bible-based churches led by doctrinally sound pastors are not common: “They are like diamonds scattered around Kenya.” A 2006 Pew report found that 70 percent of Kenyans who identify as Christian follow extreme charismatic or Pentecostal teachings. Over the last decade, Huffstutler has observed an increase in adherents with “very little understanding of Christian doctrine or the church’s gospel mission.” He attributes this to wide access to prosperity preachers.

By Laura Miller Photo by Bill Walsh

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

“Church planting is a business here,” he said, “and men with zero training and biblical knowledge enter the field in the hope of acquiring income from unfortunately gullible people looking for a blessing or to have their problems fixed.”

Global Partners Highlight RESHAPING THE MINISTRY To combat such false teaching, EABST focuses on equipping pastors for ministry. Many students come with little more preparation than the ability to mimic the methods of preachers they’ve seen on TV or the Internet. “TBN [Trinity Broadcasting Network] massively impacted East Africa by modeling word of faith, prosperity, and extreme Pentecostal beliefs and practices as ‘the way to do church,’” he said. EABST partners with Ken Mbugua, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Nairobi, to host the annual Proclaim Conference for church leaders from Kenya and surrounding countries. The conference, which offers preaching workshops and networking opportunities, benefits from Packing Hope resources courtesy of TGC International Outreach (TGC IO). Books distributed at the conference include the ESV Global Study Bible, Mark Dever’s (ed.) Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology, David Helm’s Expositional Preaching, Richard Ramesh’s Preparing Expository Sermons, and John Piper’s Supremacy of God in Preaching. Though written in English, these books work well in much of Africa, particularly in countries like Kenya where English is a primary language. A more recent TGC IO-supplied resource for the conference, Prosperity? Seeking the True Gospel, is authored by Mbugua and two fellow African pastors, Michael Otieno Maura and Conrad Mbewe, along with Wayne Grudem and John Piper. This book was created as a tool to help church leaders combat prosperity theology.

“TGC IO materials give missionaries and church leaders a platform for creating teaching opportunities,” Huffstutler said. Pastors and church planters learn to prepare biblically sound sermons and to apply scriptural standards to corporate worship and church government. EMBRACING BIBLICAL TRUTH Ronald Kogo is a church planter in the slums of Kabiria, in western Nairobi. He once followed the teachings of a Pentecostal church though he knew nothing about the Bible—until a friend showed him how to study Scripture. Kogo embraced biblical doctrine and became an advocate for solid theological resources. He continues his studies at EABST. Kogo later began translating into Swahili classics by J. C. Ryle, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and John Piper. Today, equipped with Packing Hope materials, he teaches weekly Bible studies for pastors from several different churches in Nairobi. He begins with the ESV’s introductions to each book, then moves to crosschecking of references. “Now they know what [themes] to look for, instead of finding things that will simply affirm their own ideas,” he said. While the Proclaim conferences provide Kogo’s group with training, he mentors pastors one on one with the TGC IO books. Some of them have restructured their worship services according to the Scriptures, and others take greater care with the Lord’s Supper and baptism. All are now more diligent in sermon preparation, he said. Those who serve on staff of prosperity-teaching churches are planning to break away

and plant Bible-based churches throughout Nairobi’s slums. One man in Kogo’s study group had been a leader in the cult-like African Divinity Church, where his high position granted him god-like status. “He became a member of a Reformed Baptist church, with no desire to become a pastor again,” Kogo said. “He is reading and studying the Word—humble and willing to learn.” GOSPEL TRANSMITTERS Although many educated Kenyans know English, not all read it well enough to grasp the complexities of biblical syntax. And while there are translations of Western theologians in Swahili, Kogo envisions a publishing ministry that reaches more Kenyan pastors with good books in their native language. “We are very thankful [TGC IO] provides sound theological materials,” Kogo says, “and we pray the Lord will raise up more writers like Ken Mbugua—Africans who understand both their culture and the context of false teaching in the churches.” In Kenya, especially around Nairobi’s slums, equipped church leaders are transmitting the gospel with clarity. And they’re shining like diamonds. LAURA

MILLER

returned

freelance editing and writing after homeschooling and raising four children to adulthood. She blogs at

There You Go Thinking Again and lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her family. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.thegospelcoalition.org

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

Highlights from the Gospel Life Blog

Hunger

uring certain seasons of the year we think of and hunger for specific foods. God made us with different kinds of hunger and He reminds us of that in Scripture. In more than one place He says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Have you found that spiritual hunger is different from physical hunger in that when you don’t take in spiritual food, you desire it less and less and when you do “eat” spiritual food, you desire it more and more? Although the comparison between physical and spiritual food eventually breaks down, sometimes it helps to think about both. At special times

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

By Betty Cooper we will take the time and expense to prepare a complicated recipe while at other times we simply snack or eat fast food. What is your habit with your intake of spiritual nourishment? Is it microwave or slow cooking? Is it once a week, or several times a day, or somewhere in between? A good meal of a favorite physical food is enhanced by enjoying it with people we love. So, the benefit of God’s Truth is increased when we discuss and share it together. Of course, it won’t happen unless we have spent time in private with the Spirit mixing together in our understanding the contents of God’s Word. Edith Schaeffer said when people come to us in need of “bread”

it is not good to just give them flour, yeast and water. We must have taken the time and effort to make bread to give them. Preparing “bread” to share with others means we have interacted with God and His Word so that we see God’s love and power clearly. That clear vision changes our thoughts and heart so that we can wisely help and encourage others to glorify God by believing His promises in the midst of life’s trials and blessings. // RBC

Highlights from the Gospel Life Blog More encouraging blog posts can be found at: RedeemerBibleChurch.com/resources/blog

God’s Authoritative Word By Marty Pagano

o far in our study we have learned that the Word of God is both sufficient and complete. The third characteristic of the Bible is that it is authoritative. God has the final say. So many times we are asked what we think about a situation or action and we give our opinion. The truth is: What does it matter, if my answer is not based on Holy Scriptures? Some would say that God doesn't speak to every issue specifically. That is true in some cases, but we are given principles that will guide us. This study does not allow us time or space to elaborate. Mark Twain said, "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand." I am not promoting him as a believer, but his statement is telling.

In a practical sense, what does this mean to a believer? I have often heard, "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it for me." However, the middle phrase is not necessary. Whether we believe it or not, God’s Word is authoritative and final. Furthermore, in an age when truth is hard to come by there is great comfort and confidence in obeying God. We can be sure that if we obey God we have done the right thing no matter who disagrees or what earthly consequences may follow. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked

and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV To argue that the Bible is authoritative is one thing, to obey it is the real evidence we are sure of it. Are you struggling and about to make a major decision? Seek His will. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 ESV In our next study we will look at the fourth attribute of God’s Word. The Bible is necessary. // RBC

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

everal rows of books in my library are dedicated to spiritual disciplines. The literature in the field has blossomed since the late 1970s when Richard Foster published his still-influential Celebration of Discipline. Since that time, books such as Kent Hughes’s Disciplines of a Godly Man and Don Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life have become staples of small group studies and classroom texts. Lauren Winner’s Mudhouse Sabbath, Patrick Morely’s A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines, and Siang-Yan Tan and Douglas Gregg’s Disciplines of the Holy Spirit have offered readers more niched takes on Christian practices, while Adele Calhoun’s Spiritual Disciplines Handbook is the most inclusive of the genre. So why yet another book on the spiritual disciplines or, as David Mathis prefers, “habits of grace”? What can Mathis hope to say that hasn’t already been said?

Book Review: The Spiritual Disciplines Are for Enjoying Jesus By Joe Harrod

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

PASTORAL MOTIVATION Mathis, editorial director for Desiring God and pastor of Cities Church in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, reveals his pastoral heart in Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines. His goal is simple: to help Christians “simplify their approach to their various personal habits of grace.” In so doing he groups the spiritual practices in an original and helpful way: “hearing God’s voice (his Word), having his ear (prayer), and belonging to his body (fellowship)” (15). Mathis suggests this organizational structure is one of his approach’s—and therefore the book’s—distinguishing marks. And I agree. He draws on Reformed conceptions of the various means of grace (à la John Calvin, J. I. Packer, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and John Frame) and is transparent about his sources, noting his dependence on the writings of John Piper, Don Whitney, and Tim Keller (15, 17). His footnotes confirm the influence these men have had but also show an occasional nod to non-evangelical writers. One source that crops up occasionally are blog articles from Desiring God, such as lists of biblical passages to memorize (72) or defenses of church membership (150). For those who’ve read Piper’s Desiring God or When

Book Review

I Don’t Desire God, Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines, or Keller’s Prayer, Mathis’s book will sound familiar—though, as he says, it’s more than a summary of other works (17). His chapters on core personal disciplines related to the Word and prayer rely heavily on these authors. Yet this isn’t the case with his section on fellowship, which treats often-neglected interpersonal practices—such as the Lord’s Supper, baptism, and rebuke—in a thoughtful and original way. The final sections of Habits of Grace cover three other disciplines (missions, time, and money) that don’t fit neatly into the book’s threefold schema. I’m glad Mathis included these topics; I just wish he’d developed them more fully. ROPES OF CHRISTIAN LIVING Following time-tested emphases, Mathis starts his discussion with spiritual practices related to Scripture: reading, meditating, memorizing, and learning. As an example of his pastoral approach, he recognizes that, for some Christians, expecting an annual Bible reading plan could become a “yoke.” In such a case he encourages readers to consider multi-year strategies. To be sure, there are many other variations on daily Bible reading (or hearing) that could be mentioned, but Mathis’s willingness to avoid blanket prescriptions is wise and helpful. In part 2, Mathis explores the topic of prayer, also discussing the practices of fasting, journaling, and solitude. The biblical call that Christians be devoted to prayer (e.g., Rom. 12:12; Col. 4:2; Eph. 6:18) is “not the stuff of impersonal achievement and raw discipline, but intimate relationship” (96). Such intimacy finds true expression in private—in prayers that test our authenticity and allow us to be “real” about our weaknesses (100–01). In prayer, believers follow Jesus’s own patterns of seeking sustained, intimate fellowship with the Father. As elsewhere, Mathis gives readers several lists filled with brief, practical tips for praying alone, praying with others (103–05, 110–16), and journaling (132–35). He includes a discussion on the practices of silence and solitude (137–42)—including advice for occasional, even

daily “respites” or “retreats”—but curiously absent is any discussion of weekly Lord’s Day rest, which would seem appropriate here. Part 3 emphasizes the place of interpersonal disciplines like fellowship, worship, preaching, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and rebuke. Mathis prizes corporate worship— “corporate worship is the single most important means of grace and our greatest weapon in the fight for joy”—since it integrates all the other practices, or at least it should (156–57). Yet, following Piper, Mathis notes the tension in seeing worship as a means rather than an end, concluding that the best way to experience the strengthening power of worship is to understand its value “and then let the calculations vanish as you lose yourself in the Blessed” (159). Mathis’s last practice—rebuke—often seems like anything but the “great act of love” he describes it as (185). Drawing deeply from Proverbs, he shows that the wise person accepts correction from peers as well as from the Lord. Still, giving and receiving rebuke are often difficult to do skillfully and cheerfully. American culture, with its protest-and-sue reflexes, offers Christians few helpful examples of how to receive corrective feedback or how to give it. Mathis, however, gives us a distinctively Christian mindset to guide rebuke (189–94). I’m thankful David Mathis has taken the time to write Habits of Grace. I wish this book had been available in the mid-1990s when a faithful Campus Crusade staffer named Frank was teaching me the ropes of living Christianly. I think this kind of setting is where Habits of Grace will especially excel. JOE HARROD serves as associate vice president for institutional effectiveness and assistant professor of biblial spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.thegospelcoalition.org

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

How I Met Jesus

Bill and Paula Poppe BILL POPPE I grew up in a home where we went to church every Sunday, but there was little spiritual life in our home. God was very real to me. I wanted to know and be pleasing to Him. My church and Sunday School did a fairly good job of teaching me the facts of Christianity, but I felt I had to be "good" to gain heaven. I didn't know how to know God. I tried several times to read the Bible but could never stick with it for more than a few days. On the outside I was a "good" person and most thought of me as such, but I knew inside that I did a good job of hiding the "bad" things I did and thought. Tenth grade was the turning point in my life. My Sunday School teacher made two very shocking statements: he knew he was going to heaven and there was nothing that could ever change that fact. I wondered, “How can you know that, and if that’s true then how can I make that real in my life?” I began to read my Bible again and this time it stuck. Over the next two and half years I read the Bible on my own. God became more real, more personal, and I began to experience an assurance of my own salvation. I became calmer, more joyful, and began to get along with people better. At the University of Minnesota I got involved in Campus Crusade for Christ, which set my

MOMENTUM // JANUARY & FEBRUARY

faith on a firm foundation. After graduation I knew it was time to find a Bible-believing and teaching church. My friends and some Cru staff led me to what is now RBC. One of my favorite verses is Romans 1: 3-4. "Concerning His Son, Who was born of a descendent of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead according to the power of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord." I stake my life and eternity on the truth of the resurrection of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. PAULA POPPE I grew up in a non-churched home. My mother talked about God some, but not much about Jesus. I had some familiarity with basic Bible stories from looking at the pictures in the big Bible and from movies. In this void, I pretty much made up my own religion. I felt close to God the Father, prayed a lot to Him, and toyed with the idea of “converting” to Judaism, since I didn’t like the idea of having to go through a mediator (Jesus) to get to God. I wasn’t very serious about much of anything besides getting good grades and being “good” otherwise. It wasn’t until my senior year of college that the Lord confronted me through a Christian roommate with the idea that all my righteousness

was as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). I wasn’t ready for her style of Christianity, but God faithfully continued calling me that summer through a coworker, a recent convert on fire for the Lord. I was working nights and had a lot of time for contemplation and prayer. One night, I felt that God revealed to me the truth of 2 Thess. 1:8-9, that hell was eternal separation from God. I didn’t want THAT! I hadn’t been afraid of hell before, not believing the fire and brimstone stuff; but at that point I submitted my will to God, knowing that had something to do with Jesus. I resolved to start attending church when I got to Minnesota for grad school. I did “church-shop” that year, but the Lord mostly used my neighbor in the dorm to teach me the basics of the faith. She got me reading the Word and into group Bible studies. It was easy for me to accept the truths I was learning, having yielded to the Lord’s will that summer. I know I was a full-fledged Christian by Good Friday when I experienced great joy knowing that Christ had died for ME and that the veil in the temple was split when His death gave TRUE access to God. // RBC

Affinity Groups DORCAS DAMES The Dorcas Dames are named after a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) who was a well-known and well-loved seamstress in the Bible (read Acts 9:36-42 for her story). If you enjoy sewing, we would love to have you join us in making baby quilts that will be donated. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a fanatic quilter, just plan on having lots of fun!

QUILTING GROUP DATES: Fridays, January 20 & February 17 TIME: 9am - 3pm LOCATION: Ministries Building WHAT TO BRING: Your lunch and sewing machine. For more information, contact Jean Bradford at retrojean@q.com.

ALL NIGHT of

TIME: TBD

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20TH O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; Incline your ear to my cry! PSALM 88

Childrens

DISCIPLESHIP mid-year

REFRESH THURS, JAN 26 7-9 PM

Fellowship Hall Hot apple cider and popcorn, coffee & cookies will be served. All Children’s Discipleship volunteers and their spouses (Nursery & PreK- 6th Grade volunteers) are invited to join in an evening of worship in music, testimony, thanksgiving, and encouragement. This special event will mark the mid-year of ministry to parents and their children. We hope you can join us – our prayer is that God will meet us, strengthen us and restore our souls. Please respond to the Evite sent to you on January 6th. If you have questions, please contact Betty Dodge by text or email.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2017 \\ MOMENTUM

January

February

SUNDAY // 8th

SUNDAY // 22nd

WEDNESDAY // 1st

FRIDAY // 17th

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

6:45p | Redemption Youth

9a-3p | Dorcas Dames

5p | Family Gathering

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship*LT

WEDNESDAY // 11th

TUESDAY // 24th

6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer

SUNDAY // 15th 9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

12p | Luncheon 1p | Q & A with Wredbergs

9:30a | Women's B Study 6:45p | Women's B Study

WEDNESDAY // 25th 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer

THURSDAY // 26th

TUESDAY // 17th

7p | Children's Discipleship Mid-Year Refresh

9:30a | Women's B Study 6:45p | Women's B Study

SUNDAY // 29th

WEDNESDAY // 18th 6:45p | Redemption Youth

FRIDAY // 20th 9a-3p | Dorcas Dames

TBD | All Night of Prayer

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

TUESDAY // 31st 9:30a | Women's B Study 6:45p | Women's B Study

*LT

7-8p | Gathered Prayer

SUNDAY // 19th

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship*LT

TUESDAY // 7th

TUESDAY // 21th

9:30a | Women's B Study 6:45p | Women's B Study

WEDNESDAY // 8th

WEDNESDAY // 22nd

SUNDAY // 5th

6:45p | Redemption Youth

7-8p | Gathered Prayer

6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer

SATURDAY // 11th

SUNDAY // 26th

9:30a | Women's Retreat

SUNDAY // 12th 9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

6p | Family Gathering

WEDNESDAY // 15st 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer

(includes the Lord's Table)

Momentum

9a | Sunday School K-12th 10:30a | Gathered Worship

TUESDAY // 28th 9:30a | Women's B Study 6:45p | Women's B Study

WEDNESDAY // MAR 1st 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer

16205 HIGHWAY 7 | MINNETONKA, MN 55345 P: 952.935.2425 E: INFO@REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM W: WWW.REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM