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
4
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
8
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
9 MOMENTUM // AUGUST 2013
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
10
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
13
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
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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
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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
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– 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.