Momentum | March & April 2015 by Redeemer Bible Church

Issue 24 // March & April, 2015

The Death of Death in the Death of Christ Means Victory Over Death for Those Who Believe By Thabiti Anyabwile

20 Ways to be Refreshing in the Local Church Pastoral Search Team Moving Toward the Future

Good Friday, April 3rd | 7 pm Easter Sunday, April 5th | 9 & 11 am Childcare provided for 0-5 year olds.

Men's Breakfast Saturday, April 25th | 8am RSVP: goo.gl/W6JK57

In this Issue 5

LETTER FROM THE ELDERS

MOVING TOWARD THE FUTURE

Pastor John reminds us that God was faithful in raising his Son from the grave on Easter, so we can be sure that he will bring spring to us this year along with the right teaching pastor.

What kind of man are we looking for to be the next preaching pastor at RBC? What will this process look like? Who is involved in making the decision to call our next pastor?

10 20 WAYS TO BE REFRESHING... “Do others consider me refreshing?” “What would it be like if even one in ten of us were striving to be refreshment to others in the local church?” Here are twenty practical ways to get you started.

THEY GAVE IT THEIR BEST SHOT... “It was hopeless then, it is hopeless today, and it will always be hopeless. Try as they may, people can’t keep Jesus down.”

21 I THANK GOD Jai shares an update on their ministry in India caring for children. With thankfulness for our support, he shares some ways we can be praying for them.

23 HOW I METJESUS

Paul & Carol Burr share their story of how Jesus rescued them and brought them to himself.

24 GOSPEL LIFE Check out two great posts from our Gospel Life blog; may they be encouraging as you live out the gospel in your daily life.

20 6 THE DEATH OF DEATH... Jesus died. What can it mean to say the Son of God died? And how should the Christian respond to that news?

GLOBAL PARTNERS

PASTORAL SEARCH TEAM

This winter, we re-launched a fresh initiative with a new team and a new name: Global Partners. Here are our core convictions as we seek to renew Redeemer’s efforts to fulfill our calling as a church to reach the nations.

Meet the RBC members who are on the Pastoral Search Team. Each brings a unique and valuable contribution to the team.

26 BY THE NUMBERS “As we give thanks to the Lord for his faithfulness in providing for RBC, it occurred to me that God is calling us to share the load of giving to RBC.”

Art Department CONTENT DIRECTION Chuck Forsberg Lorie Schnell Bill Walsh

DESIGN & LAYOUT Chuck Forsberg CONTENT MANAGER Lorie Schnell

WRITER/EDITOR Anne Lynn

COVER PHOTO "Christ falling on the way to Calvery" - Raphael

Letter From the Elders

Hello, and welcome to the March/April issue of Momentum! Every

year in February, I hit the wall. Christmas is distant memory, the days are still short, and there seems to be no indication that a change in season is coming. It’s during those days that I have to remind myself: change is coming! The Lord is faithful. In early January, we gain less than a minute of daylight per day. But by March, we’re gaining over three minutes per day. That’s one and a half hours more daylight each month! Likewise with temperature. We only gain two degrees during January, but by March we’re gaining 15 degrees each month and Spring is on its way! These early stages of our search for a new preaching pastor can be similar to the dark days of February. Even though the pastoral search process commenced some time ago, It may seem like not much has happened or is happening. Laying the foundation for an effective pastoral search is hard, detailed, time-consuming work. That’s why we, your RBC Elders, have been so grateful to have such a gifted and experienced group of members whom we could tap to help us as our Pastoral Search Team. And help us they have! As you will read in this issue, once the Search Team was provided with the basic criteria for a preaching pastor candidate—the non-negotiables, so to speak—they have gone to work both defining and executing the search process. This team is well-experienced at recruiting and well-connected in the Reformed Evangelical community—connections and experiences that will be absolutely invaluable in finding the right candidate to help carry Redeemer into its next phase. What’s more, being able to delegate the search process to a trustworthy team has allowed us elders to focus on the most important aspect of our job—caring for you, the RBC members.

pastor DOUG SWEET pastor WARREN WATSON pastor PAUL BURR pastor MARK SUCHTA pastor BOOMER PEEL pastor JOHN SWEET

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On Easter Sunday, April 5th, we will again celebrate the ultimate faithfulness of our Lord in raising His Son from the grave and defeating sin and death once and for all. Yes, our Lord is faithful. He will again bring a change of seasons. He will bring the right teaching pastor. I’m looking forward to witnessing God's faithfulness with you in these coming months. Praise Him! Pastor John Sweet

Affinity Groups THE DORCAS DAMES

YOUNG ADULTS

The Dorcas Dames are named after a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) who was a well-known and wellloved seamstress in the Bible. Read Acts 9:36-42 for her story. We will be meeting on Friday, March 20 at the RBC Ministries Bldg., from 9 am to 3 pm. If you enjoy sewing, please join us to make baby quilts that will be donated. Bring your own lunch and your sewing machine. Everything else is provided. You can dig thru our fabric stash to make your own creation in whatever colors you choose! It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a fanatic quilter, just plan on having lots of fun! We meet on the 3rd Friday of every month. Hope to see you there!

Are you in your 20s or 30s looking for a way to connect at RBC? Look no further! RBC Young Adults would like to invite you to join our gatherings! Our next social event is happening on Friday, March 13th, at 6:30 p.m. We will be meeting at the home of Don & Kiki Gloude for a night of food, fun & fellowship. Singles, couples, and families with children are welcome to attend! Please bring $2/person to help cover the cost of food. For more information, contact Susie Nelson at susiegnelson@gmail.com.

New Members

Doreen Aspenson

Jeff & Kim Crouch

Welcome to the Redeemer Family

Jeff & Ashley Bull

Michael & Jessica Jordan MARCH & APRIL 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

The Death of Death Christ Means Victo Those Who

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in the Death of ory Over Death for Believe By Thabiti Anyabwile

ll the gospel writers tell us that Jesus died on the cross. Jesus died. The fact is so commonplace it seems strange to even mention it. Almost hollow. Almost as if we’ve said nothing new or meaningful. But “new” and “meaningful” are two very different things. We’re sometimes too accustomed to thinking that meaning comes from newness. Old truths are still true, and therefore still very meaningful. Because a thing is familiar, because we’ve heard it before, does not mean we can pass it by without reflecting on its meaning. Jesus died. What can it mean to say the Son of God died? And how should the Christian respond to that news? The death of Jesus Christ means the death of death itself. The death of death in the death of Jesus Christ also means victory over death for those who trust in Christ as their God and Savior. WHAT EXACTLY IS ‘DEATH’? Six things. First, death is a curse. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat

from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:15-17) Second, death is a wage. “For the wages of sin is death….” (Rom. 6:23) Third, the Bible calls death an enemy. “Death has climbed through the windows and has entered our fortress; it has cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.” (Jer. 9:21) Death is an enemy that stalks us and threatens us. This is why we hate it so. We deserve death because of our sin, but we hate it. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:26) Fourth, death is agony. “In hell, where he saw he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’.” (Luke 16:23-24)

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“But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:24) Fifth, we can speak of both a physical death and a spiritual death. “As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air…. We were dead in transgressions…” (Eph. 2:1-2, 5) Sixth, death occurs twice for unbelievers. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev. 20:11-15) “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8) We understand why people fear death and why that fear holds them in chains. Who wants God’s cursing judgment? Who looks forward to God repaying them for their sins? Who welcomes defeat at the hands of a ruthless enemy? Who longs to experience unending agony? Who likes to think of a second, spiritual, unending death? My friend, this is what awaits all those who die apart from faith in Jesus Christ. God has prepared a place of wrath and death and conscious torment for those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord. So we fear death. We instinctively kick against it and try to push it back. No one apart from the seriously ill or those without their proper senses welcomes death. Death is an unwelcome visitor.

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IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS? Yes there is! When Jesus died and rose again, He destroyed death. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Tim. 1:8-10) “But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.” (Acts 2:24) “When the perishable has been clothed with imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’.” (1 Cor. 15:54) “Death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:14) When Jesus died and rose again, He also destroyed the one who had the power of death. “Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the Devil….” (Heb. 2:14) When Jesus died and rose again, He freed those who believe from the fear of death and the mastery of sin. 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Heb. 2:14-15) And: 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God." (Rom. 6:5-10) Since Jesus died and rose again, death cannot separate us from the love of God. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:38, 39) Jesus died. Death is destroyed. Satan, the one who holds the power of death, is destroyed. Death and sin no longer have mastery. Death cannot separate us from the love of God. This is why the gospel, when it is properly understood, floods a man with such delight and boldness in the face of death. This is why Paul almost sings: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The death of death in the death of Christ means victory for those who believe in Him. Jesus has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Eternal life and immortality come to all those who believe that Jesus died and rose again to save sinners. This is the most basic promise of the gospel. We hear this promise over and over again throughout the New Testament. It’s an old truth with fresh meaning. Christian, listen to these promises and stand in them. My friend if you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, listen to these promises and received them by faith today. Believers never taste death: • John 5:24—“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” • John 8:51—“I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” • John 11:25—“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die’.”

Believers are justified and reconciled through Jesus’ death: • Romans 4:25—“He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised to life for our justification.” • Romans 5:10—“…we were reconciled to [the Father] through the death of His Son….” • Romans 6:3-5—“don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection." The curse is removed through Jesus’ death: • Galatians 3:13—“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’.” Believers are freed from the second death: • Revelation 2:11—“He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” • Revelation 20:6—“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Christian, the death of Jesus means your victory over death. Stand firm in this victory. Let nothing move you or scare you. When you think of yourself or your loved ones and death comes to mind, sing with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Rejoice for your last enemy has been defeated. Through faith in the resurrected Lord, you will live forever in His love. My friend, if you are not yet a Christian believe on Jesus. Believe his word which promises victory over death and eternal life. Believe He was crucified. Believe He died in your place to suffer your agony and curse. Believe He rose again three days later victorious over death and Satan. Believe that He is coming again to bring His people into heaven with Him. Believe He loves you and the Father loves you and nothing shall separate you from their love. Believe on Jesus and you will be saved from sin and death, Satan and suffering, to live a new life of righteousness and hope through faith in the Son of God. Repent from sin and believe, and you will be saved. Death is dead. Believers have won. Believe on Jesus. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.thegospelcoalition.org

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e B o t s y a W 20 g n i h s Refre poulos By Jason Helo

here are few epitaphs I would rather have engraved on my tombstone than Paul’s words of commendation to Philemon, “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you” (Philemon 1:7). Oh, how I love Philemon and want consistently to be like him! It has been my pleasure to serve in the local church with some individuals that are truly “refreshing” to the saints. When you meet them, you know it! They are like an oasis in the midst of a desert. I walk away feeling encouraged, joyful, and spiritually stimulated. Unfortunately, they are an endangered species and much harder to find than should be the case. I routinely examine myself by asking, “Do others consider me refreshing?” I wish that I could more routinely answer, “Yes.” I challenge you to ask yourself this question and answer it honestly. I wonder what it would be like if even one in ten of us were striving to be refreshment to others in the local church? If that was part of our ministry aim, what kind of significant impact could that have upon our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? How do you refresh the hearts of the saints? It is only possible by one who knows the love and grace of Christ in such a way that it overflows to those around them. It is consistently present and abundantly evident in their lives. When I ask those who I find to be such refreshment to my own soul, they usually testify that this gift, which they manifest, is something that they have deliberately sought to develop and nurture. Here are twenty practical ways that you can seek to nurture this refreshing gift in the midst of your own local church.

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• Greet people on Sunday mornings with a smile. It is ok to let your face say that you are “happy” to be at church. Go out of your way to say, “Hi,” ask questions about the lives of others, and listen attentively. • Visit the widows and shut-ins of your church. Take an afternoon and visit three or four. Sit, talk, listen, and be willing to look at their photo albums—all of them (1 Timothy 5:3)! • Have a mouth that is overflowing with grace (Ephesians 4:29) and is slow to wander down any other road. • Show up each Sunday morning with a mental list of three or four people that you are going to find and minister to (Philippians 2:4). Many of us walk into church with an attitude of, “I wonder who will minister to me today.” Nothing can be as drastically encouraging to a local church’s membership than a people united in the understanding that they are there to serve and love one another. • Be a Monday morning encourager instead of a Monday morning critic by sending your pastor an email detailing what you appreciated about his Sunday sermon. • Don’t rush out of church on Sunday mornings. Be one of the last to leave because you are taking the time to talk with everyone you can (this will be hard for the introvert—but some of the most engaging and refreshing people I have served with are introverts. They wear themselves out on Sunday morning). The football games and lunch will be there fifteen or thirty minutes later.

in the h c r u h C l a c o L • Often remind others of the benefits of salvation and the graces that flow from union with Christ. Let it season your conversations. • Routinely have a crock-pot meal or roast cooking on Sundays and spontaneously invite a visiting family or family-in-need for supper following the service. • Seek out those visiting the church, get to know them, and introduce them to others. Find connections and be a networker to the glory of God. • Aim to remember peoples’ names and greet them by name each Sunday (I wish I were better at this, because it means so much to people). The Cheers’ theme song had a point, we all feel loved when our name is known (Isaiah 49:16). • Refuse to speak ill of others in the congregation (Ephesians 4:31). • Get to know the children of the congregation and seek to talk to five different children each Sunday morning (Matthew 19:14). • Know the Word and season your conversations with it. This isn’t to impress others, but rather to encourage them in the faith. The Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). • Write and mail anonymous encouragement notes to members of the congregation. Why are we so hesitant to pass out encouragement? We can never encourage others too much (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

• Always speak the truth with others (Ephesians 4:25). “Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no.” (James 5:12). • Ask the pastor if there is anything you can do to help him during the week and be willing to do it. • Refuse to listen to gossip or be a purveyor of it (2 Corinthians 12:20). • Willingly bear the burdens of others in the congregation (Galatians 6:2). This means praying for them, serving them, giving financially to help those in need, loving when love is not returned, and being quick to forgive. • Write thank you notes to volunteers in the church. • Rejoice in the Lord and lead others to do the same by your example (Philippians 4:4). Don’t be an agitator, complainer or “negative-Nelly.” This doesn’t mean we are seeking to be Pollyannaish, but rather simply rejoicing in the many benefits we have because we are united with the living God by the blood of the Son. Don’t you love spiritually refreshing people? When we find them, we tend not to let them go—and for good reason. If we value this trait so much in others, is it not worth nurturing and encouraging in ourselves? It takes a little effort, a little selfdenial, and a little grace, but all those around you will say it was well worth it. Dare to be a Philemon! Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.thegospelcoalition.org

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l a r o t s a P r u o Y t e e M en By Connie Cull

MARK SUMMERS Mark and his family have been Redeemer members since 1998. He and Laurie have five adult children. Mark has had a longstanding commitment to our Mercy Ministry, serving as a deacon at RBC since 2000. Recently, his area of special emphasis has been Mercy to the City. Mark will function as our Search Team Lead. He’s encouraged as he considers the future of Redeemer, since as he notes, “We’ve been given the gift of an opportunity to re-commit ourselves to basic pastoral ministry and Biblical leadership.”

HALE JAY Hale’s family includes his wife, Sam, son Josh (18), and daughter Maggie (15). The Jays have been RBC members since 2006. Hale is looking forward to the pastor search explaining, “I know that the Lord has prepared a godly man for us, one that is so excited about all that’s been provided for him in the gospel that the rest of his life is overflowing towards others with that same grace— through Christ.” Involved in Mercy Ministry at Redeemer since 2007, Hale was ordained as a deacon in 2013.

MARC HEINRICH DAVID WESSNER David and his wife, Patti, have been part of the Redeemer family for about six years. They have three grown children and three grandchildren. David is passionate about prayer covering this search process. “We can’t have too much prayer!” he reminds us. He’s also excited about the opportunity to be part of finding the man that God is preparing now to lead RBC in the years ahead. “God is faithful and He will do it! We pray that He will work through our efforts to introduce the opportunity, get to know the candidates, thoroughly vet their experience and references, and present them to the elders.” David has previous experience on the RBC Executive Pastor Search Team. 12

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You’ll recognize Marc from his role as Director of Worship at RBC. He and his wife, Becky, and their children Holly (20) and Connor (14), attended here from 2003-2005 and returned in the summer of 2013. Despite the challenges that recent months have brought, Marc finds the search process encouraging: “If God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up, how will he not, along with that great gift, give RBC exactly what we need in the way of a pastor?!” Marc’s 15 plus years of ministry experience has connected him to a broad network of churches, organizations, pastors and friends that, Lord willing, can provide us with able candidates. We further hope this kind of networking will allow for a strong thread of accountability as to the nature and ministry of the man we are seeking.

m a e T h Searc CONNIE CULLEN

BRITTNEY WESTIN

Connie was saved at age 10 after reading about God’s plan of salvation in a Gideon Bible. “I love Jesus because He loved me first,” she says. Connie and her husband Scott and daughters Kristin (10) and Kaira (8) have been members at RBC since 2005. Connie and Scott also have five adult children and one grandson. “RBC is among God’s very greatest blessings to my family and me. We came here seeking strong preaching. We certainly found it, but we also found shepherding and community that we didn’t realize we needed. I am praying that we can continue to build on our history of gospel community as we call a new preaching pastor to serve the RBC family. I am often reminded of what a wise pastor told me entering this search: ‘There is no ministry without relationship.’” Connie has previously served on the team to search for a Family Pastor at RBC, developing a process for and gaining experience in candidate evaluation through that role.

The Westin family has grown since coming to RBC in 2009! Brittney and her husband Dan are parents to Tate (8), Silas (6), Colby (3) and Brin (8 months). The growth has been more than just numerical, though. Brittney explains, “This is the first church body that has truly served as a family to me, and God has used Redeemer more than any other church I’ve ever attended to draw me closer to Him. Because of the impact RBC has had on my life, I feel very passionate about this opportunity to serve God in a way that directly affects the church I love so much. I’m excited to watch God’s process as He takes us from weeping to laughing and mourning to dancing.”

KATIE CAMPBELL Katie’s desire is to see the entire RBC family—very young to elderly—led to the green pastures of the gospel. She and her husband Kevin have been at RBC for nine years. They have five children who span the Redeemer Children’s Ministries in age. Katie says, “As the Lord leads and provides, I hope RBC will bring glory to God’s name through our preaching from the pulpit, our teaching in each ministry, our care for one another and our love for the lost.” She was part of a much smaller pastoral search team at a previous church and has been a participant in many ministries at Redeemer over the years. MARCH & APRIL 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Moving Toward the Future >>> How does a Pastoral Search Unfold at RBC? By Connie Cullen

t the State of the Church address in November, our elders identified the team that they have commissioned to search for the next preaching pastor at RBC. What’s been going on since then? And what will happen

next? Ultimately, the elders of RBC will issue a call to a candidate to join them as one of the overseers of our body. They have identified a set of ‘nonnegotiable’ characteristics that must be present in the chosen candidate. The right man will be: • Reformed (in agreement with Redeemer’s Confession and Constitution) • Experienced in pastoral ministry; mature • A seminary graduate • Able to demonstrate effective expository preaching • A collaborative, servant leader • Qualified to serve as an elder in the local church Within these parameters, finding the right man to serve at RBC requires our search team, who will do the legwork of looking for a preaching pastor, to answer many additional questions. We’ve been working behind the scenes, fleshing out a job description, clarifying what we’re seeking in a candidate, and developing our strategy for identifying and evaluating potential pastors. Rather than posting a ministry ‘Help Wanted’ ad, we are networking with like-minded churches and seminaries to connect us with men who may have the gifting, skills and 14

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passions to make them an effective servant in our church. We expect to begin evaluating potential candidates with screening interviews and resumes in early March. These men will also receive important information about RBC for their consideration, including our history, creeds and confessions, constitution, mission and values, and explanations of our mercy and missions philosophies. When we have identified a strong candidate, the search team will have a series of conversations (virtual, written, and in person) with him. We will evaluate his preaching, teaching and writing. We’ll explore details of his doctrinal views and philosophy of ministry. We’ll speak to people that know him well: his family, his friends and his shepherds. We’ll spend time with his wife and children. We’ll observe him as he relates to his family, our team and the RBC congregation. We’ll seek to get him in front of as many of our people as possible, in both formal and informal settings. We’ll solicit feedback from the congregation, both structured and casual. We’ll pray with him. Our elders will meet and pray with him, too, and may make use of formal assessment and evaluation tools. When our team reaches a consensus for a call, we’ll bring that to our elders for their consideration. If they choose to issue a call, the elders will extend that call, along with an offer for salary and benefits. If the call is accepted, our elders will work with the incoming preaching pastor on the details of transition from his current service and his acclimation to RBC. On behalf of our team, I’d invite and entreat you to pray with us and for us as we move ahead toward the future of RBC! // RBC

They Gave It Their Best Shot – In Vain By John Piper

hen Jesus was dead and buried, with a big stone rolled against the tomb, the Pharisees came to Pilate and asked for permission to seal the stone and guard the tomb. Pilate said, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can” (Matthew 27:65). So they did. They gave it their best shot—in vain. It was hopeless then, it is hopeless today, and it will always be hopeless. Try as they may, people can’t keep Jesus down. They can’t keep him buried. They may use physical force or academic scorn or media blackout or political harassment or religious caricature. For a season they will think the tomb is finally sealed. But it never works. He breaks out. It’s not hard to figure out: He can break out because he wasn’t forced in. He lets himself be libeled and harassed and black-balled and scorned and shoved around and killed. I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10:17-18) No one can keep him down because no one ever knocked him down. He lay down when he was ready.

but he knows not how” (Mark 4:26-27). The world thinks Jesus is done for—out of the way. They think his word is buried for good in the dust of irrelevant antiquity. But Jesus is at work in the dark places: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). He let himself be buried—“no one takes my life from me”—and he will come out in power when and where he pleases—“I have power to take it again.” And his hands will be full of fruit made in the dark. “God loosed him from the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). Jesus has his priesthood today “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). For twenty centuries the world has given it their best shot—in vain. They can’t bury him. They can’t hold him in. They can’t silence him or limit him. Jesus is alive and utterly free to go and come wherever he pleases. “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). All things were made through him and for him and he is absolutely supreme over all other powers (Colossians 1:16-17). Trust him and go with him, no matter what. You cannot lose in the end. Used with permission from Desiring God. www.desiringgod.org

If China was closed for forty years to the Western missionaries, it’s not because Jesus slipped and fell into the tomb. He stepped in. And when it was sealed over, he saved 50 million Chinese from inside—without Western missionaries. And when it was time, he pushed the stone away so we could see what he had done. When it looks like he is buried for good, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark. “The kingdom of God is like a man who scattered seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, MARCH & APRIL 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

How to Read the Bible Class

March 29th – May 24th Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.

Sundays: 11:00 AM RM 102, Ministries Building From the basics of reading sentences, paragraphs and discourses to evaluating how a text applies rightly to the context, and most importantly understanding what we are reading light of the over-arching truth of redemption in Jesus Christ; this class aims to equip believers with hands-on tools and skills to make sense of God’s Word.

Community Group Foundations Weeknight Seminar

March 28th // Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.

Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Paul Burr's Home A vital movement of Community Groups begins with new leaders who have a good foundation of the gospel. Using our thirteen values and mission, this seminar is designed to lay this foundation of the gospel and demonstrate how CG leaders can develop gospel values and mission in their groups. Designed for new and potential group leaders.

The School of Gospel Formation

It’s Back!

By David Morse

e are so excited to be reintroducing the School of Gospel Formation this spring. After an extended break, Redeemer's adult education is back and will be offering three different classes. Dustin Thompson will teach "How to Read the Bible," a course focused on helping you get the most of your time in the Word of God. How should you

approach the Bible when you sit down to read it and how should you approach each book? This question and more will be answered in this class. It will be taught on Sunday mornings over an 8-12 week period beginning in April. We will also be offering a “Mercy Ministry Seminar” to help you get more acquainted with the philosophy and practice of mercy in the life of the local church and the life of one who believes the Gospel. Mark Summers will lead this

seminar spanning a Friday evening and Saturday morning, April 17th and 18th. Finally, Paul Burr will teach two Community Group leader seminars. The first is entitled, “Community Group Foundations,” held on Saturday March 28 in the evening. This mini-seminar will explore at the philosophy of Community Groups at RBC and how they are built around community and the gospel that changes everything. The second is more of a continuing education for CG Leaders entitled, “Asking Good Questions,” held on Friday May 1st. More information including how to register for these classes is coming soon. Space will be limited so stay tuned. // RBC

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The Ministry of Mercy Weekend Seminar

April 17th – 18th // Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.

Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Sat: 9:00 AM -12:00 PM Fellowship Hall, Main Building Every individual Christian and every local church is called to be engaged in the ministry of mercy, the essential gospel work of meeting people’s needs through deeds, with special emphasis on the poor, the orphan, the widow and the refugee. This course establishes the principles and practices for a gospel-centered approach to social justice.

Asking Good Questions Weeknight Seminar

May 1st // Christian education that engages your mind, challenges your heart, and transforms the way you live.

Fri: 7:00 – 9:00 PM Paul Burr's Home Asking good questions is at the heart of healthy Community Group discussion and life change. This seminar is designed to teach existing group leaders how to ask good questions for observation, interpretation, and application of Biblical passages. We want to help CG leaders facilitate deeper discussions.

Art Department REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM/COMMUNITY

Membership Directory Online By Lorie Schnell

e have been working hard on the Membership Directory and are pleased to announce that our online directory is now available for your use via our website. Please visit our Community page at www.redeemerbiblechurch. com/community. From there you will have to “Sign Up” using your email address. It is possible that you may have signed up before, in which case you will have to follow the directions for forgetting your password. The online directory is hosted by our Church Community Builder (CCB) website and includes contact

information for all RBC members and regular attenders. Aside from looking up someone’s address or phone number, there are many other aspects of CCB that we’d like you to explore and take advantage of like the church calendar, your family’s giving statement, and editing your own profile to name a few. These options are available to members only. Regular attenders have limited access and can only view their own profile. If you have questions about logging in or using CCB, please contact Carol Burr at carolburr1081@gmail. com. The printed version of our Membership Directory is still in production, but is expected to come out later this spring, so

be on the lookout for an announcement soon! A HUGE thank you to all of you who rearranged your Sunday morning schedules and weathered the wind and cold to get your photos taken this fall. Participation was over 80%! Our volunteer photographers did a fantastic job. What a blessing to have such talent in our own congregation! We hope that this will be another great tool in building community at RBC and our plan is to update this once a year to include any new members. But, no worries, we won’t take everyone’s photos again for another couple of years. // RBC

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Missions Ministry

Global Partners By Bill Walsh

edeemer Bible Church has a long history of engagement in the global mission, going all the way back to its beginnings in the 1960’s. It is easy to see that the founders of this church had a heart for reaching other cultures with the gospel. In recent years, these efforts have ebbed and flowed with the normal ups and downs of daily life in a local church. This winter, we re-launched a fresh initiative with a new team and a new name: Global Partners. Our desire is to act upon Redeemer Core Value #12: Global Christianity: The gospel is good news for all the peoples of the world. The gospel motivates us to plant churches around the world among every tribe, nation, kingdom, and language beginning where we are and extending outward to all the unreached peoples of the earth (Matt 28:18-20). Therefore, we aim to be involved in the planting of churches with the same gospel-centered core values into every city and people group within the Twin Cities, the United States and the world. There will be much more to share in the coming months, and you may want 20

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to know how we landed on the name, Global Partners. For now, I simply want to share with you the core convictions that our team developed together last month. These are what will drive everything we do, as we seek to renew Redeemer’s efforts to fulfill our calling as a church to reach the nations. 1. We believe that God is calling His people to join Him in a passion for seeing his name proclaimed amongst every tribe, tongue and nation of the earth. 2. We believe that the gospel itself is the true source of motivation and power in giving ourselves for the cause of global missions. 3. We believe that God is uniting his children, and calling us to welcome and embrace people from every ethnicity and culture, striving to show no partiality, by the grace of God. 4. We believe that in this day, God is forging ministry from everywhere to everywhere, calling us to humble partnership, both in serving and being served, teaching and learning from others. 5. We believe that God cares about all needs, including spiritual, physical, social and psychological, with an

emphasis on seeing souls regenerated to eternal life. 6. We believe that every child of God is included in the Lord’s Great Commission to go or send into all the world and proclaim the Gospel in word and deed. 7. We believe that in our own strength we are powerless to bring about God’s kingdom and thus are to be prayerfully dependent on the power and love of a God who is eager to answer and empower. 8. We believe that God is calling us to step out of our comfort zones and trust him to do more than we can ask or think. 9. We believe that God is a relational God who knows us intimately and thus calls us, not to an ambiguous cause, but to minister as individuals and to individuals. 10. We believe that missions is ultimately about the global worship of the triune God, which will expand from now to the return of Christ, and will continue through his eternal rule and reign in the New Heavens and the New Earth. // RBC

Missionaries : Jai & Lotta Pandey

I Thank God By Jai Pandey

thank God for allowing me to come in contact with RBC (then called Woodland Hills Bible Church) around 1987. During those days in India, we were involved in helping new rural fellowship groups in need of spiritual leaders, and we were encouraging local church-based leadership training through Bible study seminars and by providing Bible study books. WHBC/RBC helped us in the translation and production of urgently needed literature by their faithful support and prayers. This helped us in encouraging and strengthening new believers and fellowship groups, which are now functioning in different parts of north India and Nepal (without our support or control). Let us pray that they may stay faithful to him and his Word as opposition to the gospel has increased. There is the constant need of God-centered spiritual-minded leaders faithful to his Word. Around the year 1996, Doug Sweet and his wife started helping us by supporting two to three parents of poor & needy kids with their schooling, including food, clothing and their medical needs. Thus, over the last fifteen years we have been able to help at least 70 children! At least 12 of them are now adults working in north India and Nepal. Two girls work as helper staff in two village schools. Three boys

are doing other work. One girl is working with our project and has completed her bachelor’s degree. One girl has gotten married to a Christian worker. Some other children have returned to their extended family (single parent) as their financial situation improved or they got a better job. Four boys turned out to be school dropouts, but they too were literate when they left the primary school (in spite of all our efforts to make them stay with the school). At present we support 36 children. Most of the children go to a simple boarding school after being helped for a few moths or a few years (as the individual need may be) at our children’s center. At least two girls work at the center to provide food, lodging and other necessary care for those kids who are being helped there before being sent to a local boarding school. One or two girls regularly help the children learn reading and writing before they are sent to the boarding school. Most of the children at the boarding school go to their extended families during their vacations – usually four times a year. Those who do not have a satisfactory family situation are given shelter at our center. At a time, we can accommodate only 15 (max) children (plus staff) at the center. And when we have beds available, we take new (needy) children into the project. Over the years we have spent lots of time in counseling the kids to adjust

with their single parent families through our part time helpers and counselors. Please accept our sincere thanks for your faithful help, support and prayers for this project. We need that now more than ever before as we try to help the needy. HOW YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR US: 1) Please pray for the spiritual development of the children and the staff connected with this project. 2) Need of God’s wisdom in guiding and counseling the boys and girls belonging to this project – especially the teenagers. 3) We value your prayers for the financial needs of the “Sweet Children Project” as we have constant requests to help needy children – mostly from very poor/ single-parent broken families. Overhead expenses related with the inquiry, selection and followup of each case have increased with the cost of living. 4) Please pray for wisdom in witnessing his grace as the opposition to the gospel has intensified. 5) Thanks be to God for his faithfulness expressed through you all. Glory to his name, who rules over all things! // RBC

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Night ( worship AD Friday, March 20th | 6:45 - 9:45 pm Coffee & Donuts Provided

JOIN A GROUP TODAY! CONNECT WITH PAUL BURR OR EMAIL TO GET PLUGGED IN. communitygroups@redeemerbiblechurch.com

How I Met Jesus More encouraging blog posts can be found at: RedeemerBibleChurch.com/resources/blog

Paul & Carol Burr PAUL BURR I was born into a very religious family, attending church each week. I attended religious school all my years. I knew much about God, but I didn’t know God. I was a very “good” kid growing up, even voted “goody-goody” in my 8th grade class. As I grew older, I became less interested in God. I continued to be self-centered, living as I pleased, but keeping up a “good” façade. I met Carol, who had a similar upbringing in the church, and we found life without God pleasurable. After a while, my lifestyle began to catch up with me. My media viewing habits coupled with my impatience, quick-temper, and anger, was taking a toll on my professional life and my marriage. I still would not admit that I was a bad person in need of God’s help. But I had heard that the Bible was helpful to real life, so I started to read it. I could understand the stories about Jesus, but the reality of my separation from God and His displeasure with me, still eluded me. Finally, Carol and I sensed this disconnect and vacuum and sought a “good” church. When we walked through the doors of Ward Church, we sensed something different. I soon realized, under the teaching of Dr. Hess, that I was indeed lost in my sin, and had fallen far short of the glory of God. I needed His mercy and forgiveness for the things I had done. I came to the realization that Jesus Christ, the God-man, was sent from God to earth, lived a sinless life

and died on a cross for the forgiveness of my sins. His resurrection proved that He was God and that He conquered death. I no longer had to be a slave to my destructive behaviors. It seemed too easy to just entrust my life to Jesus after being taught all these years that I had to work to get to heaven. But I learned that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I accepted this free gift from God in October 1985 – I was forever right with God. I may not know the exact date of conversion, but I can vividly remember the night I threw out my Playboy magazine collection. It was so freeing to be changed by the power of God. The gospel started changing me then and continues to this day, it really does change everything. CAROL BURR During my early life and through the first years of my marriage, I was very self-centered in my thinking. I was raised in a religious family and attended church regularly because of my parents, but it did not mean anything to me. When Paul and I married, we moved to the Los Angeles area because of Paul's job and thought this was a good time to break from the church scene. I soon fell into the LA lifestyle: free and easy. My language was badly influenced by this way of living (you probably can't imagine me dropping F-bombs). My goals were about what made me feel good, feeding on my selfcenteredness. After 2 years of California

life, we decided that we did not want to raise a family in this culture. So back in Michigan again, Paul began searching for a church to start attending. I wasn't quite on board with this, but waited to see what would happen. He soon became disillusioned with the religious church and we were right back where we started. Then one day, through a variety of people in our lives, we started attending an Evangelical Presbyterian church. What I found there was so comforting and loving. Through the preaching I came to know Jesus personally. There were certainly no fireworks, just consistent teaching on how to love Jesus. The Lord was working in my life and I saw the need for a Savior, repented and trusted in him. The next year our first son, Alex, was born with Down Syndrome. The Lord was faithful to give himself to me, at that time, to help me to think more of others than myself. My focus was now off me and on Alex and helping him. What a learning curve! The Lord has been continually working on my idols of self-centeredness (my kingdom) and my language. I have come a long way but still fall back on my idols. Daily I need to run to the cross and repent. My favorite verse is Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. // RBC MARCH & APRIL 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

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

Our Father Loved Us Enough to Say Goodbye By John Sweet

his morning I put my daughter on a plane back to school— bound for spring semester and many new adventures. I am so excited and happy for her! But at the same time, I’m also really sad. I love her so much, and we’ve had such a great time being together over the holidays. I will miss her terribly. Of course, I didn’t want her to feel anything but excited about her departure. So I kept my game face on. She never knew. God the Father also said goodbye to a child—his son, Jesus. And this sadness I’m feeling with my daughter’s departure got me to thinking: Am I adequately appreciating the sacrifice the Father and the Son made for me when Jesus came into the world as my redeemer? Sadly, the answer is no.

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Most of the time, when I think about the Father sending his son off to planet earth, it’s in very abstract terms. I don’t think of Jesus leaving his father and the sadness both would have felt in their hearts. Our emotions are indeed something that differentiates us as a human beings created in God’s image. But as a created being and not the Creator, my emotions are only a dim reflection of the infinite capacity our Creator has to feel. The pain I feel as a sinful father being separated from a sinful daughter pales in comparison to what the Father felt in sending away a son with whom he was perfectly united. While I look forward to seeing my daughter in a few months, as a spirit unbound by space and time the Father could experience the raw emotion of an infinitely long separation from his son stretching out before him.

While I am sending my daughter off to fun and exciting adventures, the Father was sending his son off to humiliation, torture, and death. Think about someone you love and the sadness you felt in saying goodbye to that person. Your Heavenly Father felt the same pain, and much more, in order to reconcile you and me to himself. That’s how much he loves us—not because we’re lovable, but just because we’re his. What a God we have! // RBC

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

I Am Free to Bear Fruit By Kim Suchta

ne of the biggest blessings I’ve had in my life is coming from a family that has a sense of humor. We love to laugh, and joke, and truly enjoy each other. One of my favorite memories growing up had to do with this big apple tree in our back yard. It was a huge tree that some years would produce so much fruit the branches would hang to the ground. And much to my mother's dismay, my brothers and I would take baseball bats and practice our hitting with the fallen apples. There were some years, though, when the tree hardly produced any apples at all. One year when the tree was packed full of apples, my dad told my mom that when the last apple fell off of the tree, he would take her out to a nice restaurant for dinner. So as it got colder, and the leaves started to turn, and the apples started to fall, we kept telling my dad it was almost time for him to take

my mom out! He just smiled. We watched that tree for weeks. The weeks turned to months and soon the snow was starting to fall, and the cold winds began to blow. Yet up high on the very top of the tree was this one apple that would not budge. My mom would watch from her kitchen window as that apple hung there well into the month of January, until finally my dad admitted he had wired the apple to the tree as a joke! Whenever I think of that apple tree I can't help but think of my Christian life. During some seasons the Lord seems so busy in my heart and I am beaming with joy; I am so eager to obey him. But in other seasons, I often look at the tree of my heart and I see that one, little apple, dangling there in the cold. It’s in those seasons that I must remember that even when I’m calling out to him for help in the midst of my sin struggle, it is fruit! It's small and fragile fruit, but it's there. And it is often in those seasons that he is humbling

me. Outwardly, it looks like there isn't much there, but he is busy preparing me for the next season to come, when the branches will be so heavy with fruit that they are hanging on the ground. How do I know this? Because he has promised me that, as a Christian, I will bear fruit. He told me that he died to purify me. He told me that I am as dead to my sin as Christ was on the cross. And now that I have the Holy Spirit living in me, I have all I need to persevere. He said that he who began a good work in me, will complete it. So now I am free to rest in his grace. I am free to obey. I am free to bear fruit. // RBC

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By the Numbers

Sharing the Load M By Pastor Paul Burr

y wife and I love

would have been much easier if I had a

statistics do not hold for RBC. 80%

to rearrange the

couple more people to share the load.

of the giving is carried by 48% of the

furniture in our

As we give thanks to the Lord for

people.

house. One time I

his faithfulness in providing for RBC, it

The one prayer that I lift up to the Lord

decided to surprise Carol by rearranging

occurred to me that God is calling us

about giving is that we would be less

our bedroom, including her massive

to share the load of giving to RBC. Too

dependent on year-end giving. In other

triple dresser with huge hutch mirror. I

often churches faced the 80/20 rule:

words, that we could meet our monthly

managed to move the dresser while in

80% of giving comes from 20% of the

needs with what comes in each month

a sitting position using my back, but it

people. We are so blessed that these

and then be able to use year-end giving for special ministry projects or to pay down debt.

FISCAL YEAR TOTALS // THRU FEBRUARY

How could this be accomplished? If every member family increased giving

400 K

BUDGET $ 385,675

350 K 300 K BUDGET

EXPENSES

150 K 100 K 50 K 0 26

MOMENTUM // MARCH & APRIL 2015

monthly needs.

OPERATING EXPENSES $ 387,397

250 K 200 K

by $24 per week, we could meet our

GIVING

GIVING $ 379,075

$ 8,322

As financial

always,

questions

you

have

any

kind, feel free to contact me at paulburr@redeemerbiblechurch.com. // RBC

Red5

...and nobody gets hurt.

redemption youth

Wednesday, April 29th // 7 pm Food, Fun, Games, Worship... Fellowship Hall // redeemer bible church // Minnetonka, MN contact // youth@redeemerbiblechurch.com

EVERY WEDNESDAY 6:45 - 8:00 pm Bring your kids!

WEDNESDAY // 3rd 6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth

SUNDAY // 8th

April WEDNESDAY // 17th

FRIDAY // 3rd

FRI & SAT // 17 - 18th

6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth

7p | Good Friday Service

7p & 9a | SGF Seminar: Mercy at RBC

FRIDAY // 20th 6:45p | Night of Worship

SUNDAY // 22nd

6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth

FRIDAY // 13th

9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship

WEDNESDAY // 8th

WEDNESDAY // 24th

FRIDAY // 10 - 11th

WEDNESDAY // 10th

SUNDAY // 5th

7p | SGF Seminar: Community Group Foundations

SUNDAY // 29th

6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth

Women's Retreat

SUNDAY // 12th 9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship

WEDNESDAY // 15th 6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:30p | One Big Party @ Grace Church, Eden Prairie

SUNDAY // 19th 9a | Gathered Worship *LT 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship *LT

WEDNESDAY // 22nd 6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth

SATURDAY // 25th 8a | Men's Breakfast

SUNDAY // 26th 9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship

WEDNESDAY // 29th 7p | Youth RED 5

6:45p | Vintage Prayer 6:45p | Redemption Youth Friday & Sunday APRIL 3rd & 5th

Saturday APRIL 25th

Easter Services

Men’s Breakfast

FRIDAY, 7 PM | SUNDAY, 9 & 11 AM

8 AM | FELLOWSHIP HALL

Invite your friends and join us as we give praise to our Risen Savior! We will celebrate the Lord’s Table on Good Friday and rejoice with songs of adoration over the empty tomb on Sunday as we remember the love God has shown us through the death and resurrection of his son.

Men, are you searching for an easy way to connect with other men at RBC? Look no further! All men are invited to join us for a relaxing time of fellowship and good food at our spring Men’s Breakfast. Please RSVP online at: goo.gl/ W6JK57 if you plan to attend.

* Includes The Lord's Table