Momentum | August 2013

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Issue 8 // August 2013

Your Child’s Development: Godward Orientation Taken from Dr. Tedd Tripp’s book: Shepherding a Child’s Heart


August We’re glad you’re here!

We are a church with a mission. Our mission is to proclaim, embody, and enjoy the gospel of Jesus Christ so that unbelievers are convinced 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 our heart, 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 the vision and direction of Redeemer. That’s where Momentum comes in. On the first Sunday of every month, everyone will receive a copy and be able to stay connected to the pulse of Redeemer. Inside each monthly issue, you will find a meditation from Pastor Glenn, an update on the church’s vision goals, and learn more about a different ministry. You’ll also read about where you can help serve and get involved, as well as be updated on things like church finances, new members, and church activities and programs throughout the month. Redeemer is a church on the move, and it’s the gospel that is moving it forward. The gospel is our passion, our motivation, our moving force. It’s our momentum.

The gospel is the good news of what God has done for us through His son, Jesus. When God created the world, he created us in his image to rule the earth under his authority. Instead, through Adam who represented us, we preferred to be the rulers ourselves and rebelled against God by breaking his command Because of that, God brought about consequences, namely death and hell, for people who are rebels, which is all of us. But because God is loving, he didn’t choose to forget his creation, of which we are a part. Instead, he decided to remake it. He chose to remake everything through Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God who became man. Jesus was the one who lived the life we ought to have lived, and died the death we deserved to die, so that, if we put our faith and trust in him, turning from our sins and our rebellion, he remakes us new. He remakes our vision for the world and enables us to fulfill our calling in the world. Through Jesus, God is restoring everything.


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Your Child’s Development: Godward Orientation

Parenting is not just providing good input. It is not just creating a constructive home atmosphere and positive interaction between a child and his parent. There is another dimension. The child is interacting with the living God. He is either worshipping and serving and growing in understanding of the implications of who God is or he is seeking to make sense of life without a relationship with God. - Paul David Tripp

Credits Design/Direction: Chuck Forsberg Content Manager: Lorie Schnell Writer: Brittney Westin Copy Editor: Anne Lynn

Real world questions 4 | How do we interpret

Gospel & My Calendar 6 | How often do you find

the real world questions the Lord does in fact put in front of us?

yourself wrapped up in your calendar events? Get some Gospel insight in this article.

Q & A // Children 8 | Get in touch with the

Meet the Staff 14 | There are some new

Children’s ministry in this Q & A with Nancy Axelson.

faces in the babies & tots ministry staff; find out who they are in this article.

Blog Highlights 15 | Check out the

Kids and Mercy 16 | Redeemer Kids are

Community Life blog online and read about some events you may have missed.

incorporating a study on mercy into our SS classes; find out more here.

Think on this 18 | “If truth be not

Missions Update 20 | Theological famine: It’s

diffused, error will be.” – Daniel Webster

a novel way to think about a long-standing problem for the Global Church.

Get involved 21 | Redeemer needs

Financial update 22 | How is our church

your help! There are many volunteer positions available.

doing financially? Get a year to date snapshot here.


Meditate

Real World Questions

Meditation taken from the gospel life blog on RedeemerBibleChurch.com By: Pastor Warren

R

ecently a young, Christian single man came to me to ask my opinion about a young woman he believed the Lord was directing him to pursue. She checked all of the

boxes he desired in a woman, with one exception: she was of a completely different faith. He asked me, “Why would the Lord put her in front of me?” While on one level, that was a question he was really deliberating, it was clear that on another level it was rhetorical. He wanted to pursue this woman because he believed he could be happy with her, even in spite of the great distance between their faiths. How do we interpret the real world questions the Lord does in fact put in front of us? Our earthly desires often go against the grain of what the Lord has for us. Do we buy the car we believe the Lord has in store for us because it meets our family’s needs

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better, or sacrifice another year with the old beater so that we

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

can give more to the local church? Do we enroll our children in that geographically distant Christian school we believe the Lord has given us the resources for, or keep our children in the local public school so that we can establish closer relationships with our neighbors in hopes we can share the gospel with them? Jesus said, “If any man comes after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow me.” He modeled this for us, and often, a closer and more intimate walk with our Lord and Savior, and a greater dependence on Him, requires a prayerful denial of our wants and desires. //RBC


Curriculum overview night September 4th & 11th 6:15 - 6:55 pm

P

Unit 3 / Session 2 • “The Stolen Blessing”

arents are invited to preview our new curriculum, The Gospel Project. It is similar to our previous curriculum in that it is a 3 year chronological study through the whole Bible, but with a definite clear presentation of the gospel in each lesson, focusing on the “meta-narrative” of creation-fallredemption. To launch The Gospel Project we will need prayer for all aspects of lining up new details for teaching this curriculum, from having the right equipment, teacher training, to decorating the classrooms for new unit themes each 3-6 weeks.


Meditate

the Gospel and my Calendar

Meditation taken from the gospel life blog on RedeemerBibleChurch.com

I

By: Pastor boomer look

at

iPhone

anxious. It would only make

calendar several times

sense then that if I were

a day. Recently, I’ve

ultimately in control of my

noticed that as I look at

calendar, I would only fill it

each one, I tend to mentally

with events that I would look

categorize every activity in

forward to. Thankfully, my

one of three ways: something

Heavenly Father has a much

I’m

better plan for me, for every

looking

my

forward

to,

something I’m NOT looking forward to, or something that

minute of every day. I

think

to

myself

how

I’m cool with either way. I’ve

awesome it would be to

seen more and more how my

get to the point where I

spiritual and emotional state

actually

seems to be driven by how

every event or circumstance

many events I put into each

in my life. But how do I get

category. After all, if I’m not

there?

looking forward to the events

in Romans 8:32 has been a

of my day or week, I’m likely

huge encouragement to me

to be depressed, angry or

- “He who did not spare his

look

Paul’s

forward

to

exhortation

own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” On my own I would have gone to hell for eternity, to

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

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live in a constant state where things are much worse than the things I don’t look forward to here on earth. Instead, I was given the greatest gift I could ever receive in Jesus. If God was willing to give him up for me, then I can have complete

confidence

that

everything happening today through eternity is also an act of God’s love! //RBC


THE

EST. 2013

Classes start soon,

Register Today! Registration Closes august 15th.


q & a with

Redeemer Kids Ministry director: Nancy axelson interviewed by: Brittney Westin

What excites you about serving the children at Redeemer through the Children’s Ministry?

Nancy Axelson

where kids are getting the gospel? You have to make a connection with God, and the first ingredient in doing that is having teachers who love Jesus.

Serving in Children’s Ministry is exciting

That love will resonate with the kids. You can see that kind

because it’s where kids get to find out about

of love at Redeemer which is part of why I love our church.

Jesus at a young age. How exciting is that! I

You can just walk into Redeemer and tell that people are in

was saved later in life but I heard about Jesus

love with Jesus; it’s just tangible. And it’s the same way with

in Sunday School all while growing up, yet I

Sunday School. We get teachers who don’t just like being with

never heard the gospel. I was never able to

kids or who are just doing their duty, we get teachers who love

really know and understand that Jesus is a

the Lord above all else. The Redeemer philosophy is that we

person you can have a relationship with. To

need to get adults understanding the gospel and then they can

me, the bible was just a collection of stories.

train their kids. I think that’s what’s happening. The second

So that’s what excites me about being in

ingredient necessary is to have a good curriculum.

Children’s Ministry: reaching kids at a young age. To spend all this time in Sunday School

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

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Can you describe the curriculum we use?

and never get to the heart of the gospel is sad

We have been using MacArthur curriculum which was

to me. It’s sad that I spent all those years and

designed as a three year cycle, and this is our third time going

never really heard the truth, so that’s really

through it. But there is a new curriculum we’re going to start

what motivates me to be in Children’s Ministry.

once summer is over called Gospel Project. This new curriculum

I want children to remember the good news

is also a three year plan, so in the fall we’ll start at the beginning

because it’s a matter of life and death for

again with creation.

them.

curriculum in that it’s got media, videos, and lots of good stuff,

Gospel Project is just a more updated

whereas the MacArthur curriculum we’ve been using doesn’t So how do we work against that

have that. The Gospel Project really focuses on the fact that

happening to our kids? How does

Jesus was there in the beginning and he is here with us now. It

Sunday School go beyond learning

focuses on this one big, long story of renewing us from creation

Bible stories to becoming a place

to the fall to redemption: one big meta-narrative. Jesus is in


every story. And it will hit kids at different

we’ve done before at Redeemer, but it doesn’t fulfill its

levels where they’ll be able to hear the lesson,

purpose of evangelism and our purpose as being a church of

see the lesson, and do it kinesthetically.

gospel pacesetters. Instead of being so busy at church, we want Redeemer people to go out into their communities. We

A large part of the vision of

want them to reach out into their neighborhoods and build

Children’s Ministry is to connect

relationships and try to bring others to know Christ—to be

with Redeemer’s parents. How do

the fruit of the gospel for the good of the world. We think

you encourage parent involvement

Backyard Bible Camps fit that vision. People just need to touch

to help our kids love Jesus more?

it and taste it and then, along with more time to set the stage, I

Looking long term, I’d like to have more

think people will respond differently.

of a family oriented learning environment where parents can go with kids and learn

Are there any thoughts on having midweek

Bible lessons together because I think kids

programming available?

learn when they see their parents living out

There are some really fun Wednesday night programs and

the gospel. Redeemer teaches parents how

curriculum out there. I’ve talked to other ministry directors to

to actually be doing this, but I think there’s

see what they do and I think it would be great to do something

more we can do to help parents parent their

with families on Wednesday nights. We don’t have the space

kids. I know we do that within our own lives,

or the right facilities needed for AWANA, but I’d love to do

but I think we need to do a lot more teaching

something in addition to Sunday School that’s a different

with this in mind and I would like to develop

format, but where we can still teach our kids while doing some

that more.

My whole first year as director

fun games and things. My particular goal in this is to have some

we’ve been involved with the move from the

kind of family programming on Wednesday nights. I’m trying to

Minnetonka Arts Center and then into our

puzzle through the format of everything. There could be a lot

new building, so I’ve just been trying to keep

of various activities going on Wednesday nights but staggered

everything going with all the changes we’ve

so people could go to a variety of things. The Children’s Choir

had. But I’m hoping we can get more family

has been a really nice addition to Wednesday nights and it was

oriented for the future. One thing that we’re

something we can do relatively easily and without a lot of extra

going to do this year is have an open house

work. God’s doing stuff here, he’s taken away certain programs

since we’re starting the new curriculum. We’re

for now, but I think this gives us time and space to figure out

having the kick-off on Sunday, September 8th

future programming and launch something new.

and it will be a time where parents can come and meet the teachers, talk to them, and hear

How have you seen God at work recently through

about what the curriculum is going to be

our Children’s Ministry?

like. We’ll have twenty minute segments so if

I think God is really doing something big in Children’s Ministry!

parents have a bunch of kids they can go from

We’ve had some changes to things recently but maybe those

one classroom to the next without missing

things were not meant to happen so that other things can.

anything. It’ll be something a bit more like you

One new change we have happening is in the nursery. We’re

find at school.

going to get curriculum called Children Desiring God in the Infant and Waddler rooms, and we’ve hired Sherri Ley as the

Outside of Sunday School, are there

Nursery Director. That’s really cool and exciting! The nursery

any plans for expanding Children’s

is expanding as you’ve seen, so things are changing up there

Ministry, maybe through VBS or

which will change and affect the way we do Sunday School as

Backyard Bible Camps?

well. But for now, I think we should stay focused on doing the basics really well, because we are growing so fast and we can’t expand in every area and do it all well. But it’s a sign of God’s

past but the elders have decided not to have it

grace that we’re growing! And I’m seeing that parents want

this year since VBS doesn’t achieve what our

more help with parenting. Overwhelmingly, we need something

chief aim is, that being outreach. Since our

more to help and encourage parents. We just moved in and are

whole purpose is to bring in the neighborhood

experiencing new growth and change, so we just need to have a

kids and really reach out to all our neighbors,

little bit more time. But we’ll get there; we’ll get our stride. And

the elders thought about doing something

I see God working through opening and closing doors. We’re

called Backyard Bible Camps instead. We did

getting choir going and we’ve got a new curriculum. These are

our best to promote it for this summer, but

all evidences of His grace. God is in charge and it’s in His timing

we didn’t end up having any host families.

and I’m trusting in Him through the changes.

I

think people didn’t respond to Backyard Bible Camps because they didn’t know what they were. VBS is a well-known thing, something

//RBC

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Yes, there’s a lot of long-term planning that we’re thinking through! We’ve done VBS in the


Feature Article

Your Child’s Development: Godward Orientation Taken from Dr. Tedd Tripp’s book: Shepherding a Child’s Heart

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

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A

s a college student, I received my first exposure to sailing. my

amazement

to

I recall

learn

that

the direction of the craft is not

Creator. This is the sense in which I use the term “Godward orientation.”

determined by the direction of the breeze, but by the trim of the sail. In a sense, Godward orientation is like the set of the sail in a child’s life. Whatever the shaping influences of life, it is the child’s Godward orientation that determines his response to those shaping influences. Proverbs 9:7-10 contrasts the mocker’s and the wise man’s responses to rebuke and instruction: “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will

Choosing Between Two Ways

love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be

The upper left segment of the chart shows

wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will

a person who is a worshipper of the one true

add to his learning. The fear of the LORD is

God. The arrow pointing toward God indicates

the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge

the person’s heart’s orientation: He wants

of the Holy One is understanding.” Verse 10

to know and serve God better.

helps us see what finally determines whether

pointing from God indicates God’s initiating

a child responds as a mocker or a wise man.

and sustaining activity to this child of His. The

It is the fear of the Lord that makes one wise

lower right division shows a person involved in

and it is that wisdom that determines how he

idolatry. He bows before things that are not

responds to the correction.

God and that cannot satisfy.

Godward Orientation

conscious of his religious commitment, but he

The arrow

To be sure, the young child may not be The figure below represents the child as a covenantal being.

is never neutral. Made in the image of God, he

I use that expression

is designed with a worship orientation. Even

to remind us that all human beings have a

as a young child, he is either worshipping and

Godward orientation. Everyone is essentially

serving God, or idols.

religious.

Either

David reminds us of this in Psalm 58:3: “Even

they worship Jehovah or idols. They are never

Children are worshippers.

from birth the wicked go astray; from the

neutral. Your children filter the experiences of

womb they are wayward and speak lies.” The

life through a religious grid.

words of Psalm 51:5 are even more familiar:

Romans 1:18-19 says: “The wrath of God is

“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the

being revealed from heaven against all the

time my mother conceived me.” These verses

godlessness and wickedness of men who

are very instructive. Even a child in the womb

suppress the truth by their wickedness, since

and coming from the womb is wayward and

what may be known about God is plain to

sinful. We often are taught that man becomes

them, because God has made it plain to them.”

a sinner when he sins. The Bible teaches that

All people have God’s clear revelation of truth,

man sins because he is a sinner. Your children

but wicked people suppress that truth. They

are never morally neutral, not even from the

refuse to acknowledge and submit to the

womb. One of the justifications for spanking

say that although they know God they do not

children is that “Folly is bound up in the heart

glorify Him but become futile in their thinking

of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it

and eventually worship idols.

far from him” (Proverbs 22:15). The point of

In the language of Romans 1, your children

the proverb is that something is wrong in the

either respond to God by faith or they

heart of the child that requires correction. The

suppress the truth in unrighteousness. If they

remedy is not solely changing the structure of

respond to God by faith, they find fulfillment in

the home; it is addressing the heart.

knowing and serving God. If they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, they will ultimately worship and serve the creation rather than the

The Heart is Not Neutral Since there is no such thing as a place of

11 MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

things God has made plain. Paul goes on to


Feature Article

childhood neutrality, either your children worship God or idols.

These idols are not

small statuary. They are the subtle idols of the heart.

The Bible describes such idols using

producing the best, most biblically consistent

terminology such as fear of man, evil desires,

shaping influences in the hope that the child

lusts, and pride. The idols include conformity

will respond to things and turn out okay.

I

to the world, being earthly minded, and

am not only setting forth some ideas about

setting the affections on things below.

biblical structures for life, but also approaches

What we have in view are any manner

to shepherding the child by reaching his heart.

of motives, desires, wants, goals, hopes,

Remember Proverbs 4:23.

Life flows out

and expectations that rule the heart of

of the heart. Parenting cannot be concerned

a child. Remember, these things do not

only with positive shaping influences; it must

have to be articulated to be present.

shepherd the heart. Life gushes forth from the

As your children interact with their childhood experience, they interact from a Godward orientation.

Either

heart. I am interested in helping parents engage in hand-to-hand combat on the world’s smallest

they respond to life as children of faith

battlefield, the child’s heart.

who know, love, and serve Jehovah, or

engage your children as creatures made in the

they respond as children of foolishness,

image of God. They can find fulfillment and

of unbelief, who neither know Him nor

happiness only as they know and serve the

serve Him. The point is this: They do

living God.

You need to

respond. They are not neutral. They

The task you undertake in childrearing is

are not simply the sum total of what

always concerned with both issues depicted

you and I put into them; they interact

in these charts. You want to provide the best

with life either out of a true covenant of

possible shaping influences for your children.

faith or out of an idolatrous covenant

You want the structure of your home to furnish

of unbelief.

the stability and security that you need. You want the quality of relationships in your home

Whom Will the Child Worship? It is imperative to be clear on this

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

for failing sinners that the character of God

issue. Parenting is not just providing

demonstrates.

good input.

It is not just creating a

meted out to be appropriate and to reflect a

constructive home atmosphere and

holy God’s view of sin. You want the values of

positive interaction between a child and

your home to be scripturally informed. You

his parent. There is another dimension.

want to control the flow of events so that it

The child is interacting with the living

is never chaotic, but rather a well-structured

God.

home.

He is either worshipping and

serving and growing in understanding

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to reflect the grace of God and the mercy You want the punishments

You want to provide a healthy,

constructive atmosphere for your child.

of the implications of who God is or he

When all is said and done, those things,

is seeking to make sense of life without

important as they are, will never be the total

a relationship with God.

story. Your child is not just a product of those

If he is living as a fool who says in

shaping influences. He interacts with all these

his heart there is no God, he doesn’t

things. He interacts according to the nature of

cease to be a worshipper—he simply worships

the covenantal choices he is making. Either he

what is not God. Part of the parent’s task is

responds to the goodness and mercy of God

to shepherd him as a creature who worships,

in faith or he responds in unbelief. Either he

pointing him to the One who alone is worthy

grows to love and trust the living God, or he

of his worship. The question is not “will he

turns more fully to various forms of idolatry

worship?” It is always “whom will he worship?”

and self-reliance.

The story is not just the

nature of the shaping influences of his life, but Implications for Childrearing This issue separates what you read here

how he has responded to God in the context of those shaping influences.

from most other books on childrearing. Most

Since it is the Godward orientation of your

childrearing books are written to help you do

child’s heart that determines his response to

the best possible job of providing constructive

life, you may never conclude that his problems

shaping influences for your child. All the tips and creative ideas are addressed toward


responded out of a living relationship with God. He loved God and found his orientation not in the shaping influences of his life but in are simply a lack of maturity. Selfishness is

the unfailing love and covenant mercies of

not outgrown. Rebellion against authority is

God.

not outgrown. These things are not outgrown

What about the servant girl to Naaman’s

because they are not reflective of immaturity

wife?

but of the idolatry of your child’s heart.

home in Israel and made her a house girl

Young Albert was a deceitful child.

Enemy soldiers ripped her from her

He

to an Aramean soldier. She was part of the

sneaked around behind his father’s back.

plunder of war. The shaping influences in her

He lied even when it was not advantageous.

life were far from ideal, yet she was faithful to

Often he would steal money from his parents.

Jehovah. When her master needed healing,

His father insisted on interpreting his behavior

this young girl knew God’s power, and what

as immaturity. Albert was immature, but that

is more, she knew where the prophet was in

was not the reason he was untrustworthy.

Israel.

The reason he could not be trusted was that

prophet or have deep faith in the power of

he was a sinner. Al was trying to make sense

God. He responded to the emergency with

out of life without God.

In the idolatry of

fear and unbelief (see 2 Kings 5:6-7). Why did

his rebellion against God’s authority and his

this girl respond differently? Clearly, there is

determination to be his own authority, he

more to the person than shaping influences.

had become untrustworthy. Albert’s dad was

Here is a girl who was given and retained faith

unable to help his son until he began to see

in Jehovah in spite of difficult circumstances in

that Al’s behavior reflected a heart that had

which she was reared.

The King of Israel did not know the

defected from God. Summary The Importance of Godward

This is the point. There are two issues that

Orientation Biblical

feed into the persons your children become:

incidents

show

that

shaping

1) the shaping influences of life, and 2)

influences are not the whole story. Think of

their Godward orientation.

Joseph.

parenting must be addressed to both of these

His childhood experience was far

from ideal.

His mother died while he was

issues.

Therefore, your

You must be concerned about how

Application Questions for Chapter 3 1. Do you tend to be a determinist in the way you look at child-rearing? Are you able to see that your children are active responders to the shaping influences in their lives? How do you see them responding? 2. What do you think is the Godward orientation of your children? Are their lives and responses organized around God as a Father, Shepherd, Lord, Sovereign, King? Or do you see them living for some sort of pleasure, approval, acceptance, or some other false god? 3. How can you design winsome and attractive ways of challenging the idolatry you may see within your child? 4. How can you make your focus in correction the deeper issues of Godward orientation?

young. He was his father’s favorite. His dreams

you structure the shaping influences of life

inflamed his brothers’ hatred. He was further

under your control (many things are not, e.g.

alienated from them by his father’s gift of a

death, and so forth). Secondly, you must be

coat that set him apart as their authority. His

actively shepherding the Godward orientation

brothers betrayed him. He was thrown into a

of your children. In all of this you must pray

5. Are you and your spouse spending time in prayer for God to reveal himself to your children? Ultimately, God initiates any work in

pit. Opportunistic slave traders bought him to

that God will work in and around your efforts

your children’s hearts.

profit from his resale value. He was double-

and the responses of your children to make

crossed in Potiphar’s house despite his honor

them people who know and honor God.

and integrity.

He was imprisoned.

Even

How can you help your child see how he is

there he was forsaken by those whom he had

investing himself in things that cannot satisfy?

helped. Here was a man you would expect to be bitter, cynical, resentful and angry. If man is only the sum total of influences that shape

“From Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Dr. Tedd Tripp. Redeemer Bible Church has been granted permission for this one-time use by Shepherd Press. Please do not copy further.”

him that would have been the result. Instead, what do we find? When his brothers threw themselves on the ground, begging for mercy, the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:19-21). How do we explain Joseph? In the midst of difficult shaping influences, he entrusted himself to God. God made him a man who

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

Joseph said to them, “‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in

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Meet the Staff

some New faces in the Babies & Tots Ministry Staff

By: Nancy Axelson

S

Pictured from left to right: Nancy Axelson, Katie Hollermann, Shari Ley, Judy Dixon-McGuire

hari Ley is our new Babies & Tots Director. She has been a member of Redeemer for over a year, but has attended for over 2 years. She brings a fresh vision and experience leading Children Desiring God curriculum for

the Nursery-aged kids. She will implement the curriculum, provide training and guidance to the volunteers and maintain high safety standards for all children in our Redeemer Babies and Tots area. “I am honored to be working as part of such a great team. I am so excited about our new Babies & Tots Sunday School curriculum, “A Sure Foundation”; to know that we are able to share God’s big truths even to the littlest hearts! Prayer is the building block upon which this curriculum is built; our sure foundation being Jesus Christ. It is my hope and prayer that the nursery at Redeemer will

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show glimpses of His glory and the fragrance of Christ will spread to even to the

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

youngest babies here in the body of Christ at Redeemer.” – Shari Ley Katie Hollermann has joined the Babies and Tots team as the Assistant Coordinator, assisting Judy Dixon-McGuire as the Coordinator. They will split the duties of being there every service time to assist visitors and members with checking in their children, and making sure all volunteers have what they need and will help maintain safety standards. Katie is happy to work with Judy, and is excited to begin implementing the new automatic check-in system for all children ages 0-6th grade (coming early 2014). //RBC


Community life Blog

Fostering the Love

of Music in our Children By: Danielle Lakes

R

edeemer’s Children’s Choir “Music Makers” might sound merely like a time where RBC kids get together and sing a few songs, but what’s being sown in the minds of these

kids during that time is far deeper than what meets the eye from the church bulletin. The goal of Music Makers is to provide as many children as possible with musicianship skills, training them in how to learn music and love the process of learning it. Since June, Wendy Pace has led the choir on different Wednesday nights throughout the summer. There will be three meetings in July, with a break in August. After Labor Day, the hope is to have meetings every week. Practices are usually forty minutes long in each of the two groups – Little Music Makers (ages 5-8 from 7pm-7:40pm), and Big Music Makers (ages 9-12 from 7:45-8:30pm). Some of what is learned during practices includes vocal skills, movement, and accompaniment through instruments. Wendy uses a mix of hymns, spirituals, and contemporary worship songs to expose the kids to different styles, tonalities, and meters to provide them with a wider music vocabulary and range of understanding. The overall focus is on the benefit of music as it has been given to us by the Lord. The kids are learning (and Wendy herself has been reminded) that the choir isn’t about the students or the teacher, or even about doing things perfectly; it’s about guiding the kids in deeper ways of worshipping God, and learning how to make and use music to the best of their abilities. Scripture is filled with passages about singing praises to the

15

Lord and making music for His name’s sake. Through Music the language of making music. If there are any of you at RBC who are musically trained, this is a ministry that would greatly welcome your help! And if you’re a parent looking to increase your child’s musical understanding, please come and join the next choir practice! Check the church calendar for upcoming practice dates.

//RBC

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

Makers, the hope is to help train up our next generation in


Kids & Mercy Redeemer Kids

Showing Mercy to the R World

By: Glory Lueck

edeemer

Kids

are

incorporating

a

study on mercy into our Sunday school classes! This on-going, hands-on study

will include why and how God has chosen to show mercy to his creation, what this means for God’s church, and how we as Christians are called to and can (through the Holy Spirit) live lives rich in mercy to others, bringing glory to our Lord. Beginning August 11th, we will have a Mercy Minute during Sunday school classes led by Glory Lueck. Our first project will be in the form of an offering to be taken each week in September for

Karise

spreading

Pagano’s the

gospel

missionary in

Sicily.

project Karise’s

church has been given the Generations of Grace curriculum, but the cost to translate this material into Italian is around $6,000, a staggering amount for a small Italian church! We are asking for your prayers and support as we who have been made so rich in his mercy and grace seek to be used by Him for the enrichment of others. Talk to your kids about 16

how they get to hear the Sunday school lesson

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

each week, and help them understand at their level how sweet it is to understand the words they hear in Sunday school. Our leaders at RBC encourage us to give no matter how little it is because we can all be a part of growing God’s kingdom, including our prayer offerings. Again, we will collect an offering in all Sunday school classes during August and September, and will give updates and prayer requests through this time.

//RBC


Buy-a-Book for Redeemer Children Now that we’ve settled into our new building, our classroom book supply needs updating! To help with this task, you can buy a book in honor of a birthday, a milestone, or any other fun event. Your child will enjoy seeing that they helped to put that book on the shelf in their Sunday School room! We have developed a “wish list” and are teaming with Barnes & Noble to help you with this. Contact Nancy Axelson at nancy@ redeemerbiblechurch.com to contribute. Also, watch RBC.com for more details coming soon.


Think on this

Books

as Powerful Tools for Theological Famine Relief By: Bill Walsh

A

t a recent conference for pastors here

to

the

Internet

is

increasing, the Global South has generally not

largest conference bookstores that

yet tasted this bounty. The church there often

I’ve ever seen. My friends and I commented on

suffers from a famine of Biblical resources.

the embarrassment of riches that we enjoy in

Many people groups have no Scriptures in

the West. If I desire a certain title, I can have

their language. Others have no Christian

a print copy sent to me in a matter of days.

literature to equip pastors and elders to lead

Or I can order the digital version for my iPad

their congregations. And where books are

in minutes, if not seconds. So much of my

lacking, believers are subject to false teaching,

Christian growth over the years has depended

undermined doctrine, and weak living.

to me in specific seasons of my life—with huge results. The importance of the written word is

This disparity of resources gets to the core mission of TGC International Outreach. When thinking of missions, we typically envision

the

classic

missionary,

crossing

difficult to comprehend. In terms of church

cultures for the sake of the Gospel. That is

history, its impact would be hard to overstate.

still a vital part of God’s plan, especially as

God has used the canon of the Holy Scriptures,

we consider the more recent missiological

the writings of the early church fathers, and

emphasis on ‘from everywhere, to everywhere.’

the pamphlets of the Reformation as vital

But many are not aware of the powerful role

means of building His church. By His design,

that literature plays in spreading Gospel truth

the written word continues to be one of the

to the nations.

most effective vehicles for passing truth to the MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

access

in the states, I witnessed one of the

on books. God has used certain ones to speak

18

Although

next generation.

Here are a few noteworthy quotes that speak to the significance of the written word

For hundreds of years, Christians in the West

for the life of believers and for the cause of

have been privileged to have abundant access

missions. These are the reasons why text in

to good literature. This wealth of reading goes

printed and digital form is at the core of our

back to the Gutenberg press, which changed

work in Theological Famine Relief for the

the entire known world in a year. In modern

Global Church.

times, access to the written word has greatly

The Essentiality of Books: “Paul is inspired,

increased with the advent of computers and

yet he wants books; he has been preaching

Internet.

nearly thirty years, yet he wants books; he


has a wider experience than most people, yet

has often lain dormant yet retained its life and

he wants books; he has been caught up into

bloomed years later.” – Samuel Zwemer

heaven and heard things which it is unlawful

The Transcendence of Books: “Those of

to utter, yet he wants books; he has written

us who have been true readers all our life

the major part of the New Testament, yet he

seldom fully realize the enormous extension

wants books.” – C.H. Spurgeon on 2 Timothy

of our being, which we owe to authors…

4:13

In reading great literature I become a

The Continuity of Books: “There are two

thousand men and yet remain myself.

things in the entire history of missions that

Like the night sky in the Greek poem,

have been absolutely central. One, obviously,

I see with myriad eyes, but it is still I

is the Bible itself. The other is the printed

who see. Here, as in worship, in love, in

page. There is absolutely nothing else in

moral action, and in knowing, I transcend

terms of mission methodology that outranks

myself; and am never more myself than

the importance of the printed page. Meetings

when I do. – C.S. Lewis

come and go and personalities appear and

The Sanctifying Power of Books: You

are gone. But, the printed page continues to

will be in the company of the greatest

speak. – Ralph Winter

minds and hearts for the rest of your life,

The Versatility of Books: “...printed books

and you will become their peers if you

are more portable than pulpits, more numerous

read for understanding and for life. –John

than priests, and the messages they contain

Piper The Influence of Books: If religious

Eisenstein (The Printing Revolution in Early

books are not widely circulated among

Modern Europe, p. 169)

the masses in this country, I do not know

The Penetration of Books: “The printed page

what is going to become of us as a nation. If

is a missionary that can go anywhere and do

truth be not diffused, error will be; if God and

so at minimum cost. It enters closed lands and

His Word are not known and received, the

reaches all strata of society. It does not grow

devil and his works will gain the ascendancy;

weary. It needs no furlough. It lives longer than

if the evangelical volume does not reach every

any missionary. It never gets ill. It penetrates

hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious

through the mind to the heart and conscience.

literature will. – Daniel Webster

It has and is producing results everywhere. It

//RBC

19

– Daniel Webster

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

are more easily internalized.” – Elizabeth L.

“If truth be not diffused, error will be.”


Missions Update

Theological Famine

of pastors in the Global South will be better equipped to shepherd their congregations. Even better, we now have the privilege of having TGC-IO’s Executive Director and his wife, Bill and Cindi Walsh, as part of our

By: John Sweet

T

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

20

Redeemer

family.

Bill

previously

worked

for Desiring God Ministries for 13 years. Starting in 2006, he and a small team built a global network of partners for the cause heological famine: It’s a novel way to

of Theological Famine Relief for the Global

think about a long-standing problem

Church

for the Global Church.

(http://thegospelcoalition.org/io/

In the US,

theological-famine). This initiative joined TGC

theological training is readily available. But of

in 2012. Bill and Cindi live in Minneapolis and

the estimated 2.2 million evangelical churches

have two adult children, Beau and Regan.

worldwide today, 85% are being led by pastors

Contact Bill at Bill.Walsh@TheGospelCoalition.

with little or no training.

org.

This theological

famine places the Global Church at a severe

I have recently had the pleasure of traveling

disadvantage in combating false teaching and

with Bill to Ecuador and ministering to the

effectively growing new believers into mature

Quichua people in Tambo. It is truly exciting

Christians.

to see first-hand the great benefit that can be

Think about how you have been helped by

provided through good theological materials

the theological books you have read. Effective

translated into native languages. The pastors

teachers such as D.A. Carson, R.C. Sproul, John

to whom we ministered were moved to tears

Piper, and others can put the truth of God’s

when presented with Spanish versions of

word into concepts we can understand and use

Now That’s a Good Question by R.C. Sproul

in our everyday lives to love and follow Jesus

and God’s Big Picture by Vaughn Roberts.

more closely. For those who speak a language

God is certainly on the move through TGC-IO

other than English, however, the experience of

and I can’t wait to see how Jesus will use our

understanding great truths from these great

partnership to further His work in the cause of

teachers is a rare experience indeed.

Global Missions! //RBC

As of May, 2013, the Redeemer International Outreach team is absolutely THRILLED to announce a partnership with The Gospel Coalition - International Outreach (TGC-IO), to provide theological famine relief to pastors and

congregations

worldwide.

Through

partnerships with translators, publishers, and missions networks, TGC-IO is providing access to excellent biblical resources in both digital and physical formats. Through the resources TGC-IO provides, it is our hope that thousands


Volunteer

Do Something Media Job title

Sermon Transcript Copy Editors Description: Update sermon transcripts, copy to web site, and finalize formatting. Responsibilities: 1. Must be detail-oriented. 2. Must be familiar with Microsoft Word. 3. HTML knowledge helpful, but not necessary. Hours per week: +/- 3. Job title

Copy Writers & Editors Description: Write or edit copy for Redeemer’s website, printed materials, flyers and Momentum Responsibilities: 1. Source and write copy for various printed and digital needs. 2. Generate headlines and short paragraphs for flyers. 3. Write or edit blog posts for the church website. Hours per week: Varies

Worship Job title

Song Team Members

Video camera operator Description: Records each sermon during the Worship Service by operation of the church’s video camera. Responsibilities: 1. Must be reliable and able to arrive in a timely fashion. 2. Recording sermons during one or both Worship Services. 3. Finding a replacement if necessary. Hours per week: +/- 1

Children

children and their families. 5. Attend relevant trainings 2 or more times per year Hours per week: +/- class and prep time about 1 hour.

Job title

Christmas Drama Coordinator DESCRIPTION: Select Christmas drama program for presentation to church. Responsibilities: 1. Select play. 2. Coordinate a team. 3. Pray for your team. Hours per week: +/- varies, November and December

Job title

Sunday School Lead Teacher Description: Prepare the lesson from The Gospel Project curriculum, stay in touch with shepherds on your team and pray for the kids in class. Responsibilities: 1. Prepare lesson from the provided curriculum, and decide how to teach the lesson using ideas given or Holy Spirit inspired ideas that work with the lesson. 2. Connect with Shepherds to encourage their participation prior to class either by email or phone. 3. Follow guidelines set out in the Sunday School Manual. 4. Pray for the children and their families. 5. Attend relevant trainings 2x year. Hours per week: +/- 3 hours.

Job title

Media Specialist Description: Help teachers by setting up video part of curriculum each Sunday. Responsibilities: 1. Run Sunday School video curriculum for classrooms during each service. 2. Assist in the operating of all other technology in the classroom. Hours per week: +/- 1 hour/week.

Want to help? contact Kirsten!

21

Job title

Sunday School Shepherd Description: Assist lead teacher as needed. Responsibilities: 1. Be prepared to help lead teacher with lesson material. 2. Assist in class control. 3. Assist with crafts and lead small groups. 4. Pray for the

kirsten watson Ministry Development Team Leader

P | 952.935.2425 E | kirsten @redeemerbiblechurch.com

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

Description: Musician or vocalist. Responsibilities: Lead worship in singing or playing your instrument with the song team at least one Sunday (2 services) a month. Hours per week: 1 Hour Wednesday night rehearsal (8:30-9:30 pm) and 8:00am Sunday morning run through before playing at 9 am and 11 am services, +/- 5 hours/ week (not counting personal practice time)Note: Contact Emily Boyer if interested in this postition by email or phone at: info@redeemerbiblechurch. com, 952.935.2425.

Job title


Financial Update

by the numbers

June: Year to date

bar graph

General giving fund Mortgage forecast

Operating Expenses | $ 697,323

giving

Expenses

Mortgage | $ 80,254 Giving | $ 761,717 Forecast | $ 654,028

Pie Chart

MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013

22

Expanding our gospel vision

Extra Commitments | $ 41,427

13.8 %

Awaiting Commitments | $ 301,335 Commitments Received | $ 1,877,665 86.2 %


sun

5

MON

August 4 morning worship | 9 & 11 AM redemption | Youth SS 9 AM newcomers lunch 1:00 - 2:30 PM | Home fellowship dinner | 5:00 PM communion service | 6:00 PM

6

FRI

10

sAT

event calendar THU

9

17

8

16

24

7

23

31

redemption - Youth Camp ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

7 PM

30

wednesday worship

WED

Dates to remember TUE Summer playdates 10 AM - 12 PM Host: Julia Wolfe juliawolfe@email.com Park: Lake Ann Park (the playground by the ball fields), 1456 W 78th St, Chanhassen

13

15

12

14

11

22

wednesday worship

21

morning worship | 9 & 11 AM

wednesday worship

Women’s Night: Concert in the Park 6 PM - 9 PM | Lake Harriet Band Shell

School of Gospel Formation // registration deadline

7 PM

29

7 PM

20

27

7 PM

wednesday worship

28

no redemption

26

19

redemption - Youth Camp //////////////////////////////////

18 morning worship | 9 & 11 AM (Including the Lord’s redemption | Youth SS 9 AM

25 morning Worship | 9 & 11 AM redemption | Youth SS 9 AM


The Details Sunday August 4th

Tuesday August 6th

Thursday August 22th

Newcomer’s lunch

Summer Play Date

1 PM – 2:30 PM | Glenns’

Vary // Join us for fun,

Women’s night: Concert in the Park

Home // If you would

casual times of getting to

6 PM - 9 PM | Lake Harriet

like to attend the next

know each other better and

Band Shell // Ladies~This is

Newcomer’s Lunch,

hanging out with friends

going to be a casual night

please RSVP with Laurie

while our kids get some

of fellowship. Feel free to

Summers at lsummers@

energy out and make new

bring a picnic dinner to

redeemerbiblechurch.com or

friends too. Play dates are

enjoy before the concert

952.935.2425.

hosted by different RBC

and arrive at 6pm. Any items

Moms each week.

you want to bring to share

10 AM - 12 PM | Locations

are welcomed. The melodies of the “breezy summertime jazz & blues band” will begin at 7:30pm. Seating may be sparse so please bring a blanket or chair. Contact A:: 16205 highway 7 | Minnetonka, Minnesota 55345 P:: 952.935.2425 E:: info@redeemerbiblechurch.com :: redeemerbiblechurch.com

KatieTrebesch with questions (text or call). Katie’s phone: 612-462-4596.


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