Momentum | November & December 2015 by Redeemer Bible Church

Issue 28 // November & December, 2015

The Shocking Implications of the Incarnation By Bethany Jenkins

Pray me Full It Is Good to Give Thanks Thanksgiving In Family Life

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In this Issue

5 LETTER FROM THE ELDERS Pastor Doug encourages us to obey the word, which tells us to rejoice in all circumstances so that we may find true joy in Christ.

PRAY ME FULL “Each Christian needs to recognize his appointed duty to make consistent supplication for the Spirit’s blessing on behalf of himself, the preacher, and others who will come under the sound of the proclaimed word.”

13 THANKSGIVING ROOTS A look at what Thanksgiving meant to General George Washington in 1777 can give us perspective on what we have to be thankful for today in 2015.

16 THANKSGIVING IN FAMILY LIFE “Gratitude to God acknowledges our trust in him, demonstrates humility, and changes our perspective on our circumstances giving them an eternal focus.” Here are some practical suggestions for teaching and modeling gratitude in the home.

6 THE SHOCKING IMPLICATIONS OF THE INCARNATION Our infinite and holy God voluntarily became finite to live with unholy sinners like us. That’s outrageous! And there are implications for us today.

“I was thankful to our God. I was thankful for how he makes me speechless in awe. I was thankful for the reality that my family wasn’t alone. We did not have to take this step of faith and move across the country alone. God showed up and showed us, through the servant hearts of our friends, we were going to be okay. Even in Minnesota.”

GRACE GROWING AT THE CITY DUMP Find out how God is using The Gospel Coalition International Outreach to equip his church in Guatemala.

23 HOW I MET JESUS John & Paula Sweet share their story of how Jesus rescued them and brought them to himself.

15 SPEECHLESS IN AWE

24 18 IT IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS “Genuine thankfulness is essential to personal joy. To be thankful one must be conscious of and appreciative of benefits received. The person who understands grace has every reason to be a thankful person.”

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

27 RBC FINANCIAL UPDATE

Communications Department CONTENT DIRECTION Sara Briggs Lorie Schnell Bill Walsh

DESIGN & LAYOUT Sara Briggs CONTENT MANAGER Lorie Schnell

EDITING Anne Lynn Brittney Westin Gabe Zepeda

COVER ART "The Nativity" - John Singleton Copley, circa 1776

SPREAD GOD’S LOVE THROUGH

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD! Parents, children, grandparents, singles, college students, retirees, youth, young marrieds – Children’s Discipleship is inviting everyone to participate in spreading God's love to children around the world with us through Operation Christmas Child! Pick up a brochure from the Welcome Center that explains how to prepare a shoebox. OCC red and green ready-to-be-filled cardboard shoeboxes will be here on Sunday, November 1st, for your convenience, but you are welcome to fill any shoebox-size carton. Drop off your prepared shoebox near the lower level doors of the church by SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15. Some ideas for how you can participate: • • • •

Pack a shoebox or two as a ministry project for your Community Group. Go shopping as a family and pack a box together with your children or grandchildren. Invite your friends and neighbors over for a packing party night. Serve dessert! Pray for the children that will receive the boxes.

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

Letter From the Elders

Dear Redeemer Family, Welcome to the November/December edition of our Momentum magazine. As we head into the busy holiday season, we want to keep you up to date on what is happening at Redeemer. We hope you find this month’s issue helpful and informative. Some years ago, my wife Ann would use a small cardboard mask mounted on an ice cream stick. The picture on the mask was one of a smiling face, and she would use it from time to time to bring a little lightheartedness to what might otherwise be a time of sadness. Putting on a face of joy masking reality. During this past year I have found myself doing that very same thing on occasion (i.e. putting on a happy face in spite of the way I was feeling). About 20 years ago I can very clearly remember a cultural slogan that became popular, “Don’t worry, be happy,” as if our happiness or joy could be evoked as an act of the will, or by turning a switch or by pressing a button. Yet we find in the scriptures a mandate to have joy in our lives consistently. In Philippians 4:4, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” The note on this verse in my Reformation Study Bible states, “the command to rejoice can always be obeyed even in the midst of conflict, adversity and deprivation because joy rests not in favorable circumstances, but in the Lord. Paul uses repetition to emphasize this truth.” I forget what I am in Christ and that he is in me, and when I do, true joy escapes me. We all know Romans 8:28 and recite it for comfort in times of distress. But the degree to which we believe this promise is the degree to which we can experience genuine joy while enmeshed in circumstances that would otherwise evoke nothing but sorrow and despair. We read in John 15 how Jesus portrays his relationship with his redeemed people as a vine and branches. He makes it clear as he is the vine and as we are the branches, we receive our strength, hope and capacity to live life in a fallen world from him. He ends this discourse by disclosing in verse 11 that “these things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” This is not the natural joy of human life, which can be very fleeting, but a supernatural joy that has a supernatural source. It’s the work of Christ within us!

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

When the going gets difficult it seems as though I have a great propensity to forget these things and focus on the dilemma at hand rather than the cross and the gospel. When I arise each morning my prayer needs to be, “Lord, help me this day and the next to remember that Jesus lives and because of him my joy may be full.” No more masquerade. I want to be able to say as in the words of Habakkuk, “I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Pastor Doug

The Shocking Implications of the Incarnation By Bethany Jenkins 6

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f we do not understand the weight of the miracle of Christ's incarnation, it is because we do not understand the weight of the holiness of God. The incarnation is shocking. It is outrageous to think that an infinite and holy God would voluntarily become finite to live with unholy sinners. In fact, the incarnation is so appalling that it separates Christianity from Islam and Judaism. The Jerusalem Talmud says, “If man claims to be God, he is a liar” (Ta'anit 2:1), while the Qur'an says, “Allah begets not and was not begotten” (Sura al-Ikhlas 112). Jews and Muslims understand how ludicrous it is to think that a holy God would humiliate himself by becoming human. The holiness of God is fearful. But if we want to know God and ourselves, we must begin by seeing how much God loves his holiness and cherishes his purity. If we do not start here, the gospel will become cheap to us. As A. W. Tozer wrote, “Unless the weight of the burden is felt, the gospel can mean

nothing to man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and no burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (The Knowledge of the Holy). Under the old covenant, people responded to the holiness of God with awe and reverence. When Moses met the Lord, he “hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:6). Then, years later, when he begged to see God's glory, God said, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). When the ark of the Lord was being brought back to Israel, some men looked inside of it and, as a result, the Lord struck down 50,000 men. The people despaired, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?” (1 Samuel 6:20). When David was bringing the ark to Jerusalem, one man merely touched it, and God struck him down immediately. “And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and he said, 'How can the ark of the LORD come to me?'” (2 Samuel 6:9). The nearer Ezekiel approached the throne of the Lord, the less sure his words became: “Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face” (Ezekiel 1:28). Not only did people tremble at his holiness, the Lord himself frequently spoke about it. Through Isaiah, he said, “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? . . . All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness” (Isaiah 40:13, 17). When Job finished calling his character into question, the Lord answered from the whirlwind, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? . . . Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:2, 4). Jesus embodies the holiness of God because he is God and has been with God from the beginning. This means that, when God acted under the old covenant, Jesus—as part of the godhead—was right there with him. This is why the incarnation is a shocking miracle. In Christ, God has effected self-disclosure. Our holy God, who told Moses, “for man shall not see me and live,” became incarnate. People saw him and lived. Our holy God, who struck down a man for touching the ark and another 50,000 for looking inside of it, became incarnate. People spit upon him and lived. Our holy God, whose throne was so magnificent that Ezekiel failed to find words to describe it, became incarnate. He was born as a baby in a manger, not a throne. Our holy God, who demanded blood sacrifices to atone for sin, became incarnate. He allowed himself NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

to be butchered on a cross. Our holy God, who asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” became incarnate. He was born in an insignificant little town and worked as a mere carpenter in Nazareth. INCARNATION TODAY What does the incarnation mean for us today? First, the incarnation means that we live in the world, but not of it. As Jesus prayed for his disciples, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:15-16). In other words, we pursue holy lives of obedience and sacrifice even as we engage in our cities, neighborhoods, and families. Second, the incarnation means that we seek opportunities to deny ourselves. Self-denial is not a popular topic in our culture, but it is the starting point for Christian growth in the mind of Christ. When Jesus became incarnate, he voluntarily denied himself the privileges of being God in order to be mocked and killed. He did this because he longed to redeem us and knew that, in order to accomplish our salvation, the demands of his holiness had to be met. We could not meet them, so he met them for us. We, in turn, are to have the same mind, “do[ing] nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count[ing] others more significant than [our]selves” (Philippians 3:3). We deny ourselves to love others. Third, the incarnation means that we do not love money. God is the richest being in the universe. Everything is made by him, through him and for him. Yet as he looked upon the world and decided into what family he would come, he chose the poorest of the poor. When Mary and Joseph went to the temple after the birth of Jesus, Luke recalled, “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord . . . and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons'” (Luke 2:22-24). Under the law, the regular sacrifice was a lamb, but there was a provision for poor mothers: “If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons” (Leviticus 12:8). This is what Mary brought. Jesus, who had all the riches of the world at his disposal, chose to be incarnate into a family that could not even afford a regular sacrifice. Let us not love riches. Fourth, the incarnation means that we should not overvalue physical beauty. Our culture loves external appearances, but the incarnate Christ chose to come as someone who had no physical beauty or majesty. He is the most glorious

person who has ever lived, but we did not recognize his glory. Thousands saw him with their eyes, but they saw nothing with their hearts. We, in turn, must look for beauty in our world with the eyes of our heart. What will we see when we look at the world this way? We will see that, today, the Lord lives in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoner. As Jesus taught, when we care for such people, we do this unto him. Finally, the incarnation means that God is for us. Paul was not merely referring to the crucifixion when he wrote, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32). He was also referring to the incarnation, when Jesus left the side of the Father to become man and accomplish our salvation. The incarnation means that God is for us. Jesus left the godhead and all the privileges thereof to die. He lived a humiliating and selfdenying life to bring us to God, where there are pleasures forevermore. He veiled his awful and fearful holiness so that we could touch him, see him, know him and love him. No longer does he say, “No man can see my face and live.” Today, he says, “See my face and be satisfied” (Psalm 17:15). When we live in light of the incarnation of Christ, our lives will be shocking to others. Although we are sons and daughters of the King, we will humiliate ourselves by serving others. All things may be permissible, but we will deny ourselves certain things or activities so that we can grow in our love for God and others. We will earn money, but we will strategize how to give it away for the sake of the kingdom. Living in a physical world, we will spend more effort on cultivating our inner beauty than our outer beauty. We will trust in the promises of God more than our circumstances because we know he is for us. When we live this way, people will think we are ludicrous. They will find our choices shocking. Yet we will point to the miracle of the incarnation of Christ. Our lives will testify to the great news of Advent: Christ has come, God is with us.

“When we live in the light of the incarnation of Christ, our lives will be shocking to others."

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Bethany L. Jenkins is the Director of The Gospel Coalition’s Every Square Inch, the Director of Vocational & Career Development at The King’s College, and the Founder of The Park Forum. She previously worked on Wall Street and on Capitol Hill. She received her JD from Columbia Law School and attends Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, where she is a current CFW Fellow and a former Gotham Fellow through the Center for Faith & Work. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.thegospelcoalition.org

Womens Ministry

h Tuesday

December 8 th 6:30 - 8:30 pm Fellowship Hall

Celebrate the birth of our savior with all the nations as we experience Christmas around the world with our missionaries.

SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY, DEC 5TH

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By Arturo G. Azurdia

Pray Me Full I

n 1854, the New Park Street Church extended an invitation to a young many to become their pastor. Their terms were simple and clear: he would come and preach for a six-month probationary period, at the end of which an evaluation would take place and consideration given to a permanent invitation. The young man, only nineteen years old, countered with a three-month probationary period because, as he said, “The congregation might not want me, and I do not wish to be a hindrance.” That young man was Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The congregation was about 200 on his arrival, but within ten months they were forced to move out of their facility to accommodate the burgeoning crowds. During the entirety

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

of his pastorate, thirty-eight years, over 14,000 people were added to the church, and it has been estimated that he preached to more than ten million people. When, on one occasion, he was asked, “Mr. Spurgeon, what is your secret?” he replied without hesitation, “My people pray for me.” Elsewhere he elaborates: The sinew of the minister’s strength under God is the supplication of his church. We can do anything and everything if we have a praying people around us. But when our dear friends and fellow helpers cease to pray, the Holy Ghost hastens to depart, and “Ichabod” is written on the place of assembly. What can we do without your prayers? They link us

with the omnipotence of God. Like the lightening rod, they pierce the clouds and bring down the mighty and mysterious power from on high . . . The Lord give me a dozen importunate pleaders and lovers of souls, and by his grace we will shake all London from end-to-end.[1] UNRELENTING PRAYER Though an avid proponent of God’s sovereignty, the Apostle Paul expressed his simultaneous conviction that prayer was indispensible. His emphasis on intercession for his ministry is noteworthy: Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you (2 Thess. 3:1 NASB)

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak (Col. 4:2-4). In both of these passages, Paul employs imperative verbs. His requests for prayer are not delicate suggestions or wishful thinking – they are fully authoritative, apostolic commands intended to be carried out continuously. And for what purpose are the people of God mandated to pray? “That the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified” and “that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak for the mystery of Christ.” God’s

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“Each Christian needs to recognize his appointed duty to make consistent supplication for the Spirit’s blessing on behalf of himself, the preacher, and others who will come under the sound of the proclaimed word." eternal purpose creates no hesitation where his request for prayer is concerned. A similar request appears near the conclusion of the epistle to the Ephesians. Paul likens authentic Christianity to a violent battle. Christians wage war, not only against the sinful inclinations of their own flesh and the rebellious world system, but against the “spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). After identifying a Christian’s resources and “battle armor,” Paul turns to the subject of prayer as the principle source of strength in which the warfare is to be successfully fought. The source of strength for the battle is external to the Christian. It is to be found in God through the means He has appointed. Hence, Paul petitions his readers: “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf” (Eph. 6:18-19). THE SPIRIT OF THE CHURCH The congregation has been given certain responsibilities for the preaching of the Word of God. Each Christian needs to recognize his appointed duty to make consistent supplication for the Spirit’s blessing on behalf of himself, the preacher, and others who will come under the sound of the proclaimed word. During the Great Awakening, it was the practice of a Welsh pastor to teach the following prayer to new converts: “Unless I have the power of heaven in the Word of Life, I shall die.” This congregational responsibility also has implications for Christian families. Parents should consistently pray with their children for this blessing to attend the preaching of the Word. On several occasions my own children have asked, “Daddy, why do you always pray for the Holy Spirit to help you when you preach?” To which I have replied, “Because we want

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God’s Word to be accompanied by power. This is how God changes people.” Most importantly, this intercessory responsibility has direct bearing on Christians as an assembled people. Aware of their absolute dependence on divine enablement, congregations need regularly to make petition for the transforming effects of the Spirit through the preaching of the Word. This can occur during the worship service, in Bible studies, in discipleship groups, and in Christian education classes. Moreover, local congregations need to give serious consideration to prayer meetings that are altogether devoted to this concern. Marcel is particularly pointed here: When, then, will the believers en masse understand that they are primarily responsible for the preaching which they hear, yes, more than their preachers? If every pastor knew and felt that the congregation was praying and that each member had prayed, that the congregation was supporting him, interceding for him . . . what preacher would not feel himself a new man? And whose preaching would not be transformed. Once again, preaching the word is a function and activity of the Church, not the function and specialty of a man.[2] Dutch pastors often recite a familiar saying to their congregations. Though it defies exact translation into English, it can be summarized as follows: “If you pray me full, I’ll preach you full.”[3] Does your congregation “pray your pastor full”? This is your mandate. This is your holy responsibility. [1] Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (repr. Ed., Pasadena: Pilgrim Publications, 1980), vol. 23, p. 445. [2] Pierre Ch. Marcel, The Relevance of Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1963), pp. 101-102. [3] This quotation was given by Dr. Joel Beeke in a class at Westminster Seminary entitled “Experimental Preaching.” Adapted from Spirit Empowered Preaching, copyright © 1998, 2007 by Arturo G. Azurdia III, published by Christian Focus Publications, www.ChristianFocus.com. Used by permission.

Thanksgiving Roots By Andy Briggs

hat does Thanksgiving mean to you? Is it just another holiday?

Another day to get together with friends and family and eat food until you can’t eat another bite? To the pilgrims in 1621 it meant much more. They were celebrating living through a treacherous winter, their first in the New World, one that saw many lose their lives. They were also celebrating God granting them

“Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy not only to continue to us the innumerable bounties of his common providence, but also smile upon us in the prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defense and establishment of our unalienable rights and liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the support of our troops and to crown our arms with most signal success: It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these United States, to set apart Thursday, the 18th day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise; that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor; and that together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor, and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance; that it may please him graciously to afford his blessings on the governments of these states respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole; to inspire our commanders both by land and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all blessings, independence and peace; that it may please him to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people and the labor of the husbandman, that our land may yield its increase; to take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under his nurturing hand, and to prosper the means of religion for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. And it is further recommended, that servile labor, and such recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment, be omitted on so solemn an occasion.”

the grace of a bountiful harvest that fall. Finally, at this first Thanksgiving, life in the New World was feasible.

So what does Thanksgiving mean to you? It is my hope and prayer that

Thanksgiving meant much more to

Thanksgiving can become for me more than just another day to get together with

General George Washington as well.

friends and family and eat until I am in pain! I hope that it becomes for me what it

We get a look at what it meant to

was for those that started the Thanksgiving Day tradition – a day that I truly revel

him and what he wanted it to mean

in the Grace, Mercy and Wonders of my Savior, Jesus! And solemnly ponder the

to all Americans in his Thanksgiving

alternative if he hadn’t lived the life I could not live, and died the death that was

Proclamation of 1777.

reserved for me! // RBC

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THANKS A NIGHT OF

WEDNESDAY, NOV 25 // 7 PM FELLOWSHIP HALL

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF WORSHIP AND THANKSGIVING! INSTEAD OF OUR NORMAL PRAYER GATHERING, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE PUBLIC THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HIS BLESSINGS AND WORK IN YOUR LIFE.

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Speechless in Awe

he house felt strange, but… in an amazing way, joyful. Weeks earlier I walked through the small home on the edge of Eden Prairie and thought, “Well, I guess this is where I am bringing the family.” Outside the windows, more snow than I had seen in years covered the yard and streets. “Minnesota” was such a curious thing to me; the sound of it created anxious thoughts and questions that desperately sought an answer from the Lord: How will the boys do? Will Amie be happy here? Is this the right move? God, is this what you want us to do? The home felt different now. It was different. There was joy. What made it strange was that around the small kitchen island my family and I stood praying…with strangers, but not strangers. They were familiar. They were family. They were the Huertas, the Leonards, the Hedstroms, and the

Zepedas, members of the Redeemer Community Group that essentially adopted our family. We stood praying in a home that at one time was empty, but now full. At one time, it felt like a cold, surreal, question mark. But on the evening of January 25, 2015, it felt like a home. It was a wreck of course, boxes everywhere, furniture that really did not go in the room was in the room. We would figure it out. Although we had just traveled 890 miles with our lives in a 26-foot Penske truck and Chrysler mini-van, we felt welcomed by family—our small group family. More so, we felt thankful. There were many reasons to be thankful. We made it for one. The trip from Tennessee to Minnesota was uneventful for the most part. When we arrived at the place my family would call home, our friends from Redeemer were there, and helped us move in. At that moment, as we stood praying together, as tears made their way from my cheeks to the floor, I was thankful to our God. I was thankful for how he makes me speechless in awe. I was thankful for the reality that my family wasn’t alone. We did not have to take this step of faith and move across the country alone. God showed up and showed us, through the servant hearts of our friends, we were going to be okay. Even in Minnesota.

By Dale Stinson

Since January, the Lord has continued to bless our lives through our friends at Redeemer. Because of this, my family and I have been given the opportunity to thank our God. It reminds me of the apostle Paul, and his expressions of thanksgiving to fellow believers. Ephesians 1:15-16 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Stinsons understand this. We too give thanks to our God for all he has done for us through his people, our friends, our family…our community at Redeemer. // RBC

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Thanksgiving in Family Life By Pam Deckert

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hank you. Two simple words that communicate so much. We live in an entitlement society. If we don’t receive what we think we deserve, we get upset. Yet even when we do receive what we think we are entitled to, we are still not grateful because we believe we deserved it anyway. Truthfully, the only thing we do deserve is God’s wrath. It seems to me that the opposite of gratitude is not ingratitude but rather self-absorption and self-dependence. And I’ve come to believe that a spirit of gratitude is one of the primary results of spiritual maturity. The simple act of thanking someone is an admission that we are dependent on that person for something we either did not or could not provide for ourselves. Paul says in Ephesians 5:20 to be “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.” I Chronicles 29:11-14 reminds us that God owns everything and provides us with everything, even our very next breath. He gave us his greatest gift of all– his son Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 9:15) and through him, forgiveness for sins, Jesus’ righteousness and the gift of eternal life. We are completely dependent on him. I Thessalonians 5:18 goes this far, “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Notice Paul uses the word “in” and not “for.” This can be a hard verse to swallow. How can our family give thanks “in” my husband Greg’s younger sister’s ominous battle with stage IV cancer? How? Because gratitude to God acknowledges our trust in him, demonstrates humility, and changes

our perspective on our circumstances giving them an eternal focus. Furthermore, his intentions are always good and loving. Learning to have a grateful spirit begins in the home, with the people we live life with every day, the people who see us often times at our worst. According to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 we need to be proactive in teaching truth to our children, but we also need to live it out before them as we grow in grace and truth. A grateful spirit is certainly not something we are born with! Case in point: It was Christmas 1992 and Greg’s extended family was gathered to open gifts. Their tradition is to open presents one by one and focus on the one person opening up that gift. Since our son Steven was the youngest at the time, at age two, he went first. He opened the gift, and upon realizing it was a flannel shirt and not a toy, threw it to the floor in disgust and spouted, “Yucky!” Here are some practical suggestions for teaching and modeling gratitude in the home, not that having grateful kids is our ultimate goal. Rather, our goal and our desire for them is to know Jesus and as we know him more, we are motivated to be thankful. • Encourage them to say or sign “thank you” whenever they receive help, a gift or a favor. • Help younger children write a thank you to others when they receive a gift. If they aren’t old enough to write, take a picture of them with the item, have them color a picture, or write “Thank You!” on a chalkboard

or driveway and take a picture of them with it. Teach older children how to write thoughtful, from-theheart thank you notes. • Display verses of scripture that command us to give thanks and talk about what that means. • Read stories of the Pilgrims, missionaries and other believers who lived with little but were still content and thankful. • Every day when you pray with them, thank God for giving us life, breath, and EVERYTHING ELSE, especially Jesus! • Make a display that says, “In this home we give thanks for” and write down or talk about your answers. • Express your thanks often to them, your spouse, to people who serve you in the community. And when we fail to give thanks or when we speak or act in a way that feeds our self-absorption, let’s run back to the cross, and point our children to the cross, where we are reminded that Jesus absorbed God’s wrath for us, for our self-absorption and unthankful hearts. Though we owe everything to him, our debt has been paid in full. We never have to earn his grace or forgiveness. How amazing is that? This Thanksgiving as our homes are filled with the delicious aroma of turkey, may the God-glorifying aroma of gratitude fill our homes as well. // RBC

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It Is Good to Give Thanks By Betty Cooper

enuine thankfulness is essential to personal joy. To be thankful one must be conscious of and appreciative of benefits received. The person who understands grace has every reason to be a thankful person. How blind we are if our heart does not daily overflow with gratitude to God for the abundant riches of his grace. The true state of affairs is that God is eternally holy and glorious, and we were born

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

as rebellious sinners, deserving God’s wrath. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph.2:4-6) We live in a world that offers enticing comforts and pleasures. Yet God designed us to find him as our greatest treasure. He is the one who has freely given us all things to enjoy. He himself, coming to us in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, offers us everything we need pertaining to abundant life and godliness.

God has given us many means of grace by which we can fill our thankfulness tank. Here are a few truths for which I am thankful: • He has given us his word, which is filled with truths and precious promises. It is in his holy scripture where God reveals himself so that we may know him deeply and more accurately (2 Peter 1:4, 2 Tim 3:1517). • Through Scriptures we learn that he has given us the Holy Spirit to comfort, convict, teach, empower and guide us (John 14:16,26, 15:26, 1 Cor 2:10, Acts 1:8, Rom 8:26). • He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into his family and given us a community of believers to help us grow in holiness (1 Jn 3:1-3, Eph 1:5, Rom 8:16, Eph 2:19). • He gives us access to the almighty throne of grace where we can find help and grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:15-16). In other words, he invites us to pray and to bring all of our cares and concerns to him because he cares for us (1 Pet 5:7). • There is never a moment when I am not in his presence (Isa 41:10, Heb 13:5). What is on your “Thankful List”? I hope it includes gospel truths that you see. Remember to list people for whom you are thankful. Don’t avoid listing people that frustrate you enough to cause you to cling to God for help and wisdom. Include in that list things that bless you whether it is good food or your dishwasher. Ask yourself, “Am I a thankful person? Do I regularly thank people and thank God?” We praise and thank you God, from whom all blessings flow. // RBC

Come Into His Presence With Thanksgiving A Thanksgiving Prayer by Betty Cooper

Thank you that You reveal Yourself to us so that we can know You, the true and living Creator God. You called us out of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of Your beloved Son. The reason to fear death is removed. Thank you, Jesus. You have given us precious promises that cover the whole array of troubles we face. Thank you, Father. Through Your divine power, You have granted us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Yourself. You called us by Your own glory and excellence. Thank you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You comfort us in our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by You, our God. We thank and praise You for such a gift. You declare Your love for me over and over in the written Word. You demonstrated Your love for me while I was a rebellious sinner by going to the cross and paying the penalty for my sins. Thank you, Jesus. Daily You provide for my physical needs of food, clothing and shelter. Thank you, God. You have placed me in a community of people who embrace the gospel, love You and love one another. It is a community of people who walk by faith, and hope in future grace. Thank you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You give me teachers, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and other people so that my sin is shown to me so that I can confess my sin and turn to You for mercy and cleansing of my unrighteousness. Thank you. You teach me to trust You, the unchanging, wise, loving and all-powerful One instead of trusting in idols that always disappoint. I’m grateful. You are showing me Your greatness and my great neediness to drive out my pride and self-reliance. Thank you, Jesus, for showing me that apart from You, I can do nothing. You have promised to give me wisdom when I ask You for it. Oh, the confidence that gives. Thank you, Father. You invite me to pray about all my cares and concerns because You care for me. You listen. Thank you for this privilege. You teach me how to rejoice in You, even when sorrowing or suffering. You have good purposes even for pain. I thank you that right now counts for eternity. Even as I pray, I must repent of past failures to be thankful or grateful to You. Thank you for the hope You are showing me, and the importance of consciously choosing to be thankful in everything. It is Your will. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you Lord, for repairing my soul. Thank you Lord, for being my Savior and Shepherd and joy of living. With deep gratitude, I thank you. You have begun a good work in me and You will bring it to completion. Thank You, Father, Lord Jesus and Holy Spirit.

Grace Growing

at the City Dump By Caitlyn Barbee

or this edition, I simply want to share with you a wonderful story from one of our TGC International Outreach ministry partners

their families who make their living and home nearby. Dump workers are the dalits of Guatemalan society, the most unwanted—murderers, criminals, the

wife, Damaris, moved to Guatemala City in June 2012 to minister to the least reached. They started A Mission Challenge, which seeks to faithfully

about how God is using people and truth to equip his church in Guatemala. - Bill Walsh, Global Partners Director

mentally unstable. Crime is rampant in this neighborhood.

instruct Guatemalan pastors, leaders, and church members in sound doctrine. Craft first planted the home church, Cristo Mi Redentor (Christ My Redeemer), 45 minutes from the dump. However, as he witnessed the immense physical and emotional needs of those living among the waste, he knew an on-site church plant was vital. Nuevo Amanecer (New Sunrise) now sits 100 meters from the dump entrance, ready to minister to the 500 families in the area. When Craft first preached at the church in February he told the

A steady succession of semi-trucks deposits 500 tons of waste each day into the 40-acre Guatemala City garbage dump. Workers scavenge through each truck’s contents for items to use or sell. This dump, one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere, takes in one-third of the country’s garbage. The medical waste disposed here poses devastating health risks to the 8,000 workers and 20

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

CHURCH AT THE DUMP The city dump seems like an unlikely place to plant a church. But to one couple, it sounded like a perfect location. Dana Craft began short-term mission trips to Guatemala in 2007 but had no long-term plans for ministry there. Amid a series of debilitating health issues, he surrendered his career goals for the foreign mission field. Despite his chronic health condition, Craft and his

congregants there weren’t enough donors to change their lives financially; the only thing that could change their situation is the saving power of Jesus Christ. In its short existence, Nuevo Amanecer has witnessed many changed lives. At a March 2015 youth event, more than 150 came to hear the good news and embrace Christ. CONFUSED CHRISTIANITY Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, has a long history of short-term mission groups preaching the true gospel message but not staying long enough to carry out discipleship. Thus, many Guatemalan believers have no roots and are easy targets for false doctrine. Guatemala feigns a Christian identity. With nearly 25,000 evangelical churches, according to Operation World, there is a church on nearly every corner, each filled with congregants eager to hear the pastor’s message. However, Craft warns against believing the 96 percent Christian adherence statistic, since many who identify as Christians have little to no understanding of the true gospel. He says seven out of ten churchgoers are illiterate and depend entirely on the teaching of the pastor for their understanding of Scripture. Sadly, many of these pastors are also illiterate; they merely repeat teaching they’ve heard from others, which leads to false or skewed interpretations of Scripture. “On a good day they preach a prosperity message,” Craft observes. “And on a bad day it’s the truth mixed with Maximón (an ancient Mayan idol).” In many churches a crucifix hangs next to Maximón, revealing an underlying tendency prevalent among Guatemalan churches toward mixing Christianity with cult practices.

Craft also notices that many evangelical churches, in an effort to counter idol worship, have forgotten the grace that embodies the gospel. Instead, they focus on legalistic practices. A reformation is needed for the Guatemalan church. RESOURCE-STARVED COUNTRY Because of a widespread lack of discipleship materials in the country, resources have been vital to the disciple-making process at A Mission Challenge. Through a Packing Hope project sponsored by The Gospel Coalition International Outreach (TGCIO), Dana received Spanish translations of two books: The Gospel-Centered Life by Bob Thune and Will Walker, and The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. Many of the recipients, both pastors and leaders, had never owned a new book. “You don’t see books in people’s homes here,” Craft said. “They just don’t exist.” The content of those resources has been well received. “The books show the grace of God through the correct lenses.” Isaac, an orthodontic surgeon and pastor, approached Craft confused about sanctification after reading a portion of The Gospel-Centered Life. A believer for 10 years, he’d never been taught this crucial doctrine. After

“Dump workers are the dalits of Guatemalan society, the most unwanted— murderers, criminals, the mentally unstable.” Craft explained it further, Isaac’s face “instantly reflected a blend of emotion, conviction, and the healing sense of God’s love.” Craft added that Isaac is now eager to share what he’s learned with those in his congregation. TRAINING CENTER Craft envisions opening an academy in early 2016 to provide free formal theological training to pastors and leaders in the Americas. His growing personal collection of 700 books, half of them in Spanish, will serve as a rudimentary library to begin training these pastors. In time, he hopes to receive all of the Spanish titles available through TGCIO. And some of those might end up in the hands of those at the garbage dump. Caitlyn Barbee is a recent college graduate. She lives in Arlington, Texas, where she works with international students on a college campus. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.the gospelcoalition.org

RBC CHILDREN’S CHOIR “FROM THE VOICES OF CHILDREN...THE WORSHIP OF GOD” PARENTS, WE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR INTEREST IN ASSEMBLING A CHOIR FOR CHILDREN AGES K-4TH GRADE. OUR GOAL IS TO PREPARE TWO SONGS FOR ADVENT SUNDAY & CHRISTMAS EVE AS WELL AS TWO SONGS FOR PALM SUNDAY & EASTER TO BE SUNG DURING THE GATHERED WORSHIP SERVICES. REHEARSALS WILL BE FROM 10:20-10:55AM ON SUNDAY MORNINGS FROM NOVEMBER 15 THROUGH DECEMBER 20. REHEARSAL FREQUENCY AFTER THE NEW YEAR WILL BE DETERMINED AT A LATER DATE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT BETTY DODGE AT CHILDREN@REDEEMERBIBLECHURCH.COM NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH.

redemption youth

Bake

yum!

sale g Fundraiser

Sunday, Nov 22nd

immediately following both services

fellowship hall contact sam Jay at 612-386-6865 or email youth@redeemerbiblechurch.com if you’d like to donate baked goods.

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

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

John and Paula Sweet

JOHN SWEET I grew up at Redeemer Bible Church. Of course, it wasn’t called Redeemer back then. Back then, our church was named Maranatha Bible Church, and it began meeting in the basement of Jim and Betty Cooper’s Eden Prairie home in 1968. Maranatha’s small body of believers valued God’s word greatly and were taught Bible doctrines by a fiery young pastor named George Meisinger. Pastor Meisinger taught adult Sunday school on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. Having to come to church three nights a week and sit through that much Sunday school was, for a young boy like me, boring with a capital B! But my mom and dad were on fire for a gospel they were just beginning to understand. They wanted us kids to feel the same joy they were experiencing. So, they carted us kids all the way from Burnsville to Minnetonka three nights a week. Slowly but surely, through the patient teaching of my own parents and various Sunday school teachers from within the congregation (some of whom are still here today), I began to understand my own sin had alienated me from a holy God. I needed a savior to protect me from receiving the judgment I deserved. By 9th grade, I had decided I truly believed in Jesus’ saving love for me, and I decided to show my love for him by being baptized—in a pool at a health club where we were spending

New Year’s Eve together as a church body. Since 9th grade, my spiritual life has experienced many ups and downs, but my Lord has never left me or forsaken me. During a period from 1998 through 2004, my love for Jesus increased through the trial of making a move from my parents’ church to a church my family and I could really own for ourselves. Even though our search eventually led us back to Redeemer, those six years confirmed in my heart Jesus’ love for me as he led me beside quiet waters and restored my soul. Today, I have no greater love and satisfaction than serving our Lord at Redeemer.

PAULA SWEET I grew up in a very moral and loving home but not a very religious home. We attended the local Methodist church but we were pretty much just there for Christmas and Easter. In eighth grade, I went through the confirmation process. It was mainly learning information about the Methodist church and its history. It was excruciatingly boring, I never received the gospel during the process and instead of being more interested in religion, I became less interested. Something changed, though, in 9th grade. I went to Camp Castaway with Young Life and for the first time heard the gospel and accepted Christ. Now I’m really one to doubt myself, I don’t

have the best memory and sometimes I will get past facts wrong (I would be a terrible witness in the court room!). But I never have doubted the moment of my conversion, and it’s someone else’s possible false conversion that makes mine so clear to me. At the end of camp, we were sent out to have quiet time and think about what we had learned and decide if we wanted to accept Christ. I took this very seriously and for those of you who know me, I’m not that serious of a person. I contemplated and decided that, yes, I did believe and emotionally accepted Christ. Afterwards I was very excited and really felt this was a huge deal in my life. I walked up to my friend Laurie and excitedly asked her if she too had accepted Christ. She looked at me rather matter of fact and said, “I thought that was our assignment.” At that moment I realized that I had understood something so much more than she had. I walked away knowing my conversion was genuine. My Christian road from there has had many bumps and ups and downs but I can look back and see the thread of the Lord even in the dark times. He has had ahold of me from that moment in 9th grade at Camp Castaway and has never let me go. // RBC

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Highlights from the Gospel Life Blog By Ben Carter

Making New Steel

4200 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s the temperature needed to convert raw ore into molten iron. I was reminded of this on a sailing trip I took last summer with my oldest son, Matthew, and my dad as we cruised past the steel mills on the Detroit River nearby where I grew up. What’s always intrigued me about the steel making process is how the slag is removed. First, the ore has to be heated to high temperatures as it’s fed into the top of a tall blast furnace. This drives the chemical reactions needed to reduce the ore into iron and drive out the impurities. At the bottom of the furnace, a pool of molten metal is formed -- the pure iron rises to the top and the impure byproducts settle to the bottom. This portion is called the “slag.” There is a tap at the bottom of the furnace that allows the molten slag to be drained off. When going by the steel mills at night you can see the glow of the red-hot slag as it’s loaded into a special truck “hot pot” which carts it away from the furnace and then dumps it out down the side of hill (talk about dangerous jobs). You can feel the burst of heat from the dumped slag from a half mile away. Lately, I’ve been dealing with some severe neck pain, which has kept me up at night. I was frustrated and found myself asking God: “Why are 24

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

you letting this happen? Why me?” The pain is bringing many areas of sin to the forefront; I’m finding that I’m quick to lose my patience, lash out in anger and then quickly rationalize my behavior because of the pain. But yesterday, when I looked through pictures from the sailing trip last summer and came across a shot of the steel mill, I was immediately convicted by the Lord. I was asking the wrong question. Beneath my question of “why” was a more significant “what.” What is God going to use this pain to show me? What is He going to reveal to me about His character? What is he going to refine in my character? What sin and idols is He showing me that I need to repent of? In the book of Isaiah, check out what God says to Israel in the context of how their afflictions at the hands of their enemies were refining them as a people for his glory: Isaiah 48:10, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” Without intense heat, the raw ore can’t be transformed into metal. Without fire, the impurities won’t separate out. If the impurities aren’t removed, the metal will be weak and brittle, unable to be formed into useful parts and support the load it’s designed to bear. And the iron has no ability to purify itself – that requires an overwhelming outside force. The same is true with us as believers. We need to embrace Christ as he uses the inevitable hardships and afflictions in our lives as part of his redeeming work to transform us for his glory. Remember, when it comes

to our ultimate refining, our Savior has already done the heavy lifting. Hebrews 5:7-9, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” We can persevere through the heat of life’s trials because Jesus has ultimately endured and conquered the ultimate furnace in our place at the cross. And just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego discovered they weren’t alone when thrown into King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace (there was a fourth man with the appearance like “a son of the gods”, see Daniel 3:24-25), we too will discover that Jesus is right there in the flames with us, refining us into his image. He is making new steel. // RBC

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

God's Faithfulness, Rich and Rock-Solid! By Joyce Heinrich

“B

ut this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 She came to us abused, abandoned and angry. She had just turned three years old, and we would be her ninth foster care placement. Alone in the world at three? Brothers and sisters, such things ought not to be! My husband and I dropped to our knees and called out to the God who abandons neither widow nor orphan. “Help us, Lord! Help us to be able to help her!” We prayed for wisdom, for guidance, and for all God’s Sovereign power to compensate for our helplessness to parent, to heal such a wounded little soul.

As a result of those prayers, a most compelling conviction gripped us – God made it clear that we must be there for her, constantly. She had been abandoned by her mother and had lived in a state of transiency her entire life. We needed to become pillars of constancy and resource for every hour of her day. So when the caseworker wanted to send a car to take her to therapy sessions and back, I said, "No thanks – I will take her." And when it became apparent that she needed socialization and enrichment, I enrolled her in a Christian preschool, but first took a job there as a teacher in her room so I would never be where she could not see or interact with me. God called us to utter, committed faithfulness to her so that he could live out his commitment of faithfulness to the orphan through us. Is it only to the widow and the orphan that God extends his rich, rock-solid faithfulness? Absolutely not! The scriptures sing from cover to cover the praises of his faithfulness to all his children – his faithfulness that “springs up from the earth and reaches to the heavens!” (Psalm 85:11) Think of the wonderful verses that are dear to your hearts already regarding his faithfulness:

Matthew 1:23, “…they shall call his name Immanuel,” (which means, God with us).  Hebrews 13:5c, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Psalm 89:33, “but I will not remove from him [you] my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.” Oh, store these powerful verses in your mind and their reality in your soul! Rely on their truth, and rest in their promises! He never fails! These verses are far from being the only assurances we have that he will come to us in trouble and be there for us in every situation we face. We know that we can be confident of his help and deliverance because Jesus is GOD! He is Truth, and he cannot and does not lie! Call on him, cast your every care on him, trust him, and you will see how powerfully and creatively he relieves and delivers you through his faithful mercies and love for you! The fruit of God’s perfect faithfulness in my daughter’s life glows in her person, for today she is a radiant Christian, a loving wife and a joy-filled mother of a nineteen-month-old son. She is using her life story as a guide and teacher of young women in her church – helping them to trust our trustworthy God! Great is the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ! // RBC NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

redemption youth

save the date january 15-17, 2016 Trout Lake Camp ACTIVITIES: TUBING, ZIP LINE, INDOOR CLIMBING WALL, BOULDER WALL, BROOM BALL, SKATEBOARD PARK, SODA FOUNTAIN, BLACKLIGHT DODGEBALL, AND MORE!!

MOMENTUM // NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015

Affinity Groups DORCAS DAMES

s a m t s i r h C Eve r , e m e de e R t a

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). If you enjoy sewing, we would love to have you join us in making baby quilts that will be donated. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a fanatic quilter, just plan on having lots of fun!

QUILTING GROUP DATE: Friday, Nov. 20 & Dec. 18 TIME: 9am - 3pm LOCATION: Ministries Building WHAT TO BRING: Your lunch and sewing machine. For more information, contact Jean Bradford at retrojean@q.com.

Financial Update By the Numbers BUDGET FOR FISCAL YR 2015 $896,00

GIVING $950,000

OPERATING EXPENSES $925,00

FISCAL YEAR TOTALS // THRU SEPTEMBER 1M 900 K

Thursday,

800 K 700 K

DECEMBER 24TH

600 K

SERVICE BEGINS AT

400 K

4:30 PM

(

GIVING

500 K

EXPENSES BUDGET

300 K 200 K 100 K 0

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

November

December WEDNESDAY // 2nd

SUNDAY // 1st

WEDNESDAY // 18th

9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship 5:30p | The Lord's Table & State of Church

9:30a | Women's Bible Study 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer 7:30p | Women's Bible Study

FRIDAY // 20th

SATURDAY // 5th

WEDNESDAY // 4th 9:30a | Women's Bible Study 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer 7:30p | Women's Bible Study

SUNDAY // 8th 9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship

WEDNESDAY // 11th 9:30a | Women's Bible Study 6:30p | One Big Party @ Wooddale Church 7-8p | Gathered Prayer 7:30p | Women's Bible Study

SUNDAY // 15th

WEDNESDAY // 16th 9:30a | Women's Bible Study 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer 7:30p | Women's Bible Study

FRIDAY // 18th

9a-3p | Dorcas Dames

TBA | Men's Breakfast

9a-3p | Dorcas Dames

SUNDAY // 22nd

SUNDAY // 6th

SATURDAY // 19th

6:30p | Women's Christmas Party

THURSDAY // 24th

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

WEDNESDAY // 25th 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | A Night of Thanks

THURSDAY // 26th Thanksgiving Day

SUNDAY // 29th 9a | Gathered Worship 11a | Gathered Worship

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

WEDNESDAY // 9th

9:30a | Women's Bible Study 6:45p | Redemption Youth 7-8p | Gathered Prayer 7:30p | Women's Bible Study

SUNDAY // 13th

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

4:30p | Christmas Eve Service

FRIDAY // 25th Christmas Day

SUNDAY // 27th

9a | Gathered Worship 11a | Gathered Worship

FRIDAY // JAN 1st New Year's Day

*Includes the Lord's Table

Wednesday NOVEMBER 25th

Sunday DECEMBER 6th

A Night of Thanks

Membership Class

7:00 - 8:00 PM | FELLOWSHIP HALL

10:30 AM | MINISTRIES BUILDING, RM 102

Join us for an evening of worship and thanksgiving! Instead of our normal prayer gathering, you will have the opportunity to give public thanks to the Lord for His blessings and work in your life.

If you're considering membership or are interested in learning more about Redeemer, plan to attend our next membership class. Childcare will be provided. Please email office@redeemerbiblechurch.com by Wednesday, December 2.