Momentum | September & October 2015 by Redeemer Bible Church

Issue 27 // September & October, 2015

Are You Leeching the Local Church? By Ryan Shelton

Finding the Church Through Community RBC Ministry Updates What Do We Value?

In this Issue WHAT DO WE VALUE? 8

4 LETTER FROM THE ELDERS Pastor Boomer encourages us to be involved in Community Groups and serving in the church as we look forward to a new fall season at Redeemer.

FINDING THE CHURCH THROUGH COMMUNITY “There once was a man on a quest to find the true church. He didn’t really know how to go about it, so he went to a city center, to the biggest gothic-style cathedral he could find.”

“The elders recently spent time re-evaluating our core values as a congregation. We asked the question: What binds us together as a church under God’s sovereign and loving direction? What is he calling us to be and to believe?”

MISSIONS UPDATE “Chinese Churches are realizing more and more the power of camp to speak into a young teenager’s life and affect radical change.”

27 HOW I METJESUS Doug Sweet shares his story of how Jesus rescued him and brought him to himself.

10 REVIEW: I AM A CHURCH MEMBER Joey Cochran gives a short review of the book, “I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference,” a helpful tool in discovering how you can become a functional church member.

MINISTRY UPDATES As we head toward fall, there are a lot of exciting new things happening within the different ministries at Redeemer. Read up on what's ahead!

ARE YOU LEECHING THE LOCAL CHURCH? Being a part of the local church means more than just showing up every Sunday. Consider how God might have you give of your gifts so that he can bless others through you.

28 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.

31 NEW MEMBERS Redeemer welcomes the newest members to our church family!

Communitcations Department CONTENT DIRECTION Sara Briggs Lorie Schnell Bill Walsh

DESIGN & LAYOUT Sara Briggs Chuck Forsberg

CONTENT MANAGER Lorie Schnell

EDITING Anne Lynn Brittney Westin

Letter From the Elders

Dear Redeemer Family, Another glorious Minnesota summer is coming to an end. For most of us, we approach the fall season with mixed emotions. I look forward to a change of pace. My family has had such a busy summer with weddings, trips, and kids’ activities. That’s not to say that our busyness will go away, but the rhythms certainly change as the school year begins in late August. The same goes for Redeemer Bible Church as well. Much of our ministry activity is centered around the school year, which means it’s a great time to get involved. If you’re new to Redeemer, welcome! We’re really excited to get to know you better. Without a doubt, joining a community group is one of the best ways for that to happen. In our Community Groups we seek to apply the gospel that we are preaching and singing about on Sunday mornings. Community Groups also provide a wonderful opportunity for us to minister to one another. Ephesians 4:15-16 -- Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. It’s easy for us to view the church in the same way we look at a school. Schools mainly consist of teachers and students. The teachers do the teaching and their job is to grow and develop their students. The students do the learning. They gain knowledge as they listen to and apply their teachers’ lessons. This is not how the church ought to look. While the Lord does call some to be teachers, most of us will not be. Instead, each of us has been uniquely equipped with gifts that God uses to make the body grow. This only happens though “when each part is working properly.”

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

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

With that said, the theme of our September/October issue of Momentum is “Ministry Year Kick-off”. There are so many great things going on at Redeemer, and so many opportunities for all of us to be plugged in and serving. Please prayerfully consider, not if, but where God would have you serve. Feel free to get in touch with any of the ministry leaders or elders should you have any questions. Also, the welcome center contains a lot of helpful information as well. Pastor Boomer

Vintage Prayer is now...

Wednesdays

Starting september 16TH

fellowship hall 7 - 8 PM Have

you considered how incredible it is that a

Holy God

who spoke the

earth and all its beauty into existence and upholds galaxies that no eye has seen desires a relationship with you?

He listens to your specific prayers and

is interested in the details of your life. Starting Wednesday, September 16th,

come for a short time of worship, sharing and prayer with fellow brothers and sisters in

Christ. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and to

be encouraged at the midpoint of your weekly grind as together we cast our

Lord. Please pray about coming to pray with us! Nursery care will be provided. Children ages K-6th grade will be learning how to pray using the Children's Desiring God curriculum, "Lord, Teach Us to Pray." cares upon the

Are you Leeching the Local Church? By Ryan Shelton

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

hen I was a teen, I bought into the very fashionable assumption that the local church would only cramp my style and put a barrier to “authentic spirituality.” I stopped attending for a while until I got wind of a hip, cool church across town that was full of attractive, young, relevant people. The music was great, the preaching was edgy, and the atmosphere was exciting. For months, I drove all the way across town, nearly an hour each way, to attend services at the church that “got it.” It was a booming place, with six fully packed services each weekend. And if I arrived late, I was turned away because the fire department was keeping a close eye on the safety capacity. It all ended for me one week, when the pastor said something that disturbed me. I remember it something like this: For those of you who come here every week thinking attendance makes you good with God, you’re wrong. Some of you are driving from the other side of the metroplex, and are not really connected to the church at all. If you’re just coming here, not involved in a small group, not serving with nursery, parking, or ushering — if you’re just here to hear the band or listen to me talk — go somewhere else. You’re a leech. And quite frankly, we could use your seat. MORE THAN SHOWING UP I continue to grow in my love for the local church. One of the ways God has grown my love for the church is by teaching me that worship is more than showing up. How amazing is God’s design in creating the church! God could immediately and directly pour his grace into us, giving us all the nourishment we need for this Christian life. But in his wisdom, he chooses to operate through people, not just private devotions. And specially so when local church is gathered in worship. Think about it, the last time you sensed God’s powerful intervention in your life in a corporate worship gathering, consider how many people God used to deliver that grace to you. • It may have been a preacher who spent days studying a passage to explain it clearly to you. • It may have been a musician who spent hours practicing songs to make them stirring and musically satisfying.

“If you're just here to hear the band or listen to me talk - go somewhere else. You're a leech. And quite frankly, we could use your seat.” • It may have been a songwriter who poured over biblical truths to articulate them with beautiful poetry. • It may have been a parking-lot attendant sweating through his shirt so that your minivan, and so many others, could navigate the congested parking lot between services. • It may have been a kitchen worker who cut up pastries so that your stomach isn’t making noise even though you forgot breakfast. • Or it may have been the faithful saint sitting beside you raising their hands and encouraging you that some truths are worth getting excited about. In a thousand ways, the last time God poured grace over you in a weekend service, consider how many people were involved in his decisive work. RECEIVE FROM GOD, GIVE TO OTHERS I marvel that God meets me in profound ways through un-extraordinary people who do more than just show up for Sunday worship. And it fills me with great joy to think that through my participation, someone else might go home saying “God really met with us today.” I’m glad I received that harsh word so many years ago, but maybe you don’t need to be called a leech to see the gathering of the church is about more than just showing up. Gather this weekend expecting to receive from God in a hundred different ways, through dozens of different people. And consider how God might have you give of your gifts so that he can bless others through you. Receive from him, and remember the words of Jesus as you orient on others: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Ryan Shelton is a graduate of the Worship Pastor Concentration M.Div. at Bethlehem College & Seminary. He lives in the Chicagoland North Shore where he serves as the worship director of Winnetka Bible Church. Used with permission from Desiring God. www.desiringgod.org

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

By Paul Burr

Finding the Church Through Commmunity

WHERE CAN I FIND THE CHURCH? There once was a man on a quest to find the true church. He didn’t really know how to go about it, so he went to a city center, to the biggest gothic-style cathedral he could find. Once inside, he saw a vicar just at the end of morning prayers. Approaching him, the seeker asked the vicar, “Where can I find the true church?” The vicar, a gracious and quiet man, lifted his eyes to scan the magnificent architecture of the cathedral and spoke with quiet reverence, “This is it. Have you ever seen such beauty reflecting the glory of God?” The seeker was moved by the edifice but was unsure of the vicar’s answer. 8

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

Leaving the cathedral, the seeker went down the street to another church building, big, but not as impressive as the first. A woman in a long robe met him and introduced herself as the pastor. As he had done with the vicar, the seeker inquired of the pastor, “Where can I find the true church?” With a knowing look, she led the man downstairs to a room full of shelves lined with canned goods and boxed food. “Here is the church,” she said. “Serving the needs of the poor, orphans, and widows is true religion according to the book of James.” The man wasn’t sure who James was or what book he had written, but he seemed to be getting closer to an answer.

Next, he ventured to another building, huge in size compared to the others but rather plain looking. Thinking there must have been at least 5,000 people there, the man walked the halls, getting lost twice. Eventually, the seeker came across a friendly looking middle aged man wearing a lanyard which read “Greeter” in bold black letters. “Can you tell me where I can find the true church?” the seeker asked him. The greeter led the man inside a vast auditorium with loud and energetic music, full of people singing and praising. Happily, the greeter swept his arm out wide and exclaimed, “Here is the church!” The people in the auditorium certainly knew about the Lord, so the man stayed and took notes on the sermon. Maybe this is the true church, he thought. Feeling close to finding his answer, the man sought one final destination. It was a nice building, not as ornate as the cathedral and fewer people than the bigger church, but unassuming and comfortable. The sign out front read “Redeemer Bible Church.” Walking through the doors, the seeker was greeted with a smile from a woman at the Welcome Center who introduced herself as Ashley. The man wasted no time. “Where can I find the true church? Is it in there?” he asked, pointing to the sanctuary. “This is a gathering of part of the true church,” Ashley told him, “but if you want to see the true church in action, come and see me after the service.” After the service was over, the man found Ashley again, feeling certain he was close to finding an answer to his question. Excited and a little nervous, he went with her as she took him to view what she called a Community Group. Wanting to show the seeker the integral parts of community without disturbing the group, Ashley and the man stayed on the outside and observed. It was a small group comprised of many different people—a few young families, some senior adults and couples, a few college aged individuals and some middle aged men and women. They all looked to be engaged in discussion with each other, and there was a comfort that was palpable. “Community Groups are where most ‘church’ should be happening,” Ashley explained. “The building is not the church. The people are the heart of the church. Life happens in corporate services to some degree, but it’s definitely happening in these small groups.” With the man’s obvious attention, Ashley continued, “Community Groups can be a platform for life-on-life accountability. Most of the tougher issues of life should be handled within the group, or with accountability partners. Most people will not share their struggles in large corporate settings, nor should they.”

This sounded interesting to the seeker but also a little new and different. “What about the church programs I’m used to?” he asked. “More ministry happens at the small group level organically. More programs in the church is not the answer for caring for the majority of the people,” Ashley patiently answered. “Okay,” the man responded, beginning to understand, “I get this, but it seems like you need to find many leaders to pull off Community Groups.” “Community Groups should be the primary place where future leaders are identified, trained, and launched. In a church of our size, the officers are the main leadership pool, making their leadership of Community Groups necessary. Our church is always in need of more small groups. All capable leaders are needed,” she explained. “How do leaders stay connected with their people?” questioned the seeker. Sensing the man’s openness, Ashley sought to explain, “One way is that they are involved in Community Groups, sharing in the lives of the congregation, being supported and supporting, preaching the gospel to each other, graciously holding others accountable and being held accountable by others. Leaders are sheep themselves, as well as undershepherds under Christ. The people need to know them and feel that they can approach them.” The seeker began to feel an excitement rise within him as Ashley spoke. He thought of the vicar and his beautiful building, the pastor and her important food shelf ministry, and the greeter and his thriving worship service, yet these things didn’t really make the true church. He had been searching and all along, it was here, lived out among the people of the church. Seeing the man truly come to understand, Ashley turned to him and said with a smile, “To answer your question, the true church is here—this is approaching the idea of the true church. Community Groups model the great commission of Matthew 28 and provide a platform for care, leadership development, and discipleship.” Thanking her for taking the time to show him what he needed to see, the man shook Ashley’s hand and left the church. Walking out into the brilliant afternoon sun, he reflected. “It’s not a building,” he thought. “It’s not a building, or a program, or a service. It’s people doing life together— that is the true church.” With a light heart, he put his hands in his pockets and whistled on his way home. // RBC

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Book Review:

I Am A Church Member By: Joey Cochran

THOM S. RAINER I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference. Nashville: B&H, 2013. 96 pp. $12.99.

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

he present statistics are compelling. The church is shrinking, not growing. Point the finger in any direction: secular culture, godless politics, hypocritical members, uncaring pastors. In the end, though, each church member must take responsibility.

It involves a customer service mentality. It’s not “I serve” but “I get served.” All too often, unfortunately, we import this notion of membership over to the church.

I am a church member. I bet you are, too. But are we the kind of members who will turn the tide of these dismal statistics? I’ve been dissatisfied with a church. I bet you have, too. Dissatisfaction is as old as Eden. It starts with making my desires and my preferences primary. This attitude, of course, presents itself in many ways. We think and say things like: “I just don’t connect to the message.” “The music is too ______.” “No one says ‘Hi!’ to me.” “Our small group feels contrived.” “There are so many hypocrites.”

A functional church member is characterized by love, generosity, and service. In order become—and remain— such a member, Rainer exhorts, “Give abundantly and serve without hesitation”(Pg. 14). Indeed, functional church members are characterized by attitudes of unity, service, and prayer.

Do these examples sound judgmental? I hope not. I’m simply admitting what I’ve said. Put simply, each of us either thinks biblically about church membership or we don’t. We either serve or we are self-serving. We’re either functional members or dysfunctional complainers.

To correct this membership misconception, then, we need an attitude overhaul, since attitude alters our identity.

UNIFIED ATTITUDE Even more, church members are unified; they detest gossip and cultivate forgiveness. Rainer exhorts the reader to nip gossip in the bud and to gently rebuke those who are a source of it. Concerning forgiveness, he writes, “Unity in the church will not happen if members have unforgiving hearts” (Pg. 28). In churches full of imperfect sinners, forgiveness is often required, and it begins with and is upheld by Christ himself.

I Am a Church Member prods us by asking, “Which kind of member am I?” Through this book we undergo a robust church membership assessment in which Thom Rainer, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, invites us to carefully and prayerfully take six pledges. During this assessment, Scripture shapes Rainer’s wisdom, all the while fixing the reader’s gaze on Christ, the head of the church. And with each pledge, he pushes us toward self-examination, discerning the difference between dissatisfied and functional membership in the church.

SERVING ATTITUDE We all have the propensity to make church about our preferences and desires, and self-serving attitudes are often the product of an inward-focused church. You want this book for the research Rainer shares about such churches; indeed, it will help you diagnose if you’re in one. Don’t run, however, if you are; become a change agent and put yourself last, not first. Rainer commends this kind of patience: “True joy means giving up our rights and preferences and serving everyone else” (Pg. 36).ameliorating his misery by a smile, pun, or joke. He is the jester in the courts of creation.[1]

NEW ATTITUDE In a word, the difference between the two is attitude. Dissatisfaction occurs when skewed expectations and misaligned understandings supplant the church’s purpose. Rainer’s country club membership image was helpful here. Country club membership includes perks and privileges.

PRAYING ATTITUDE Church members also pray for their leaders’ ministry, family, protection, and health. Our enemy is intent on ensnaring church leaders. Unfortunately, he often succeeds.

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

“We should not be surprised, then, when we hear of a pastor’s moral failure,” Rainer writes. “We are grieved and heartbroken, but not surprised” (Pg. 49). Intercession for church leaders therefore is important, as it insulates them against some kinds of temptation. GOD’S STAKE IN HIS CHURCH Thankfully, despite our failed past attempts at being a functional church member, God has a heightened interest in overhauling and altering our dismal attitudes for his glory and the church’s good. When he turns dissatisfied members into functional, unified, serving, and praying ones, the difference is striking. And one by one, the church gets transformed. But all of this change is purposeless if it cannot be sustained. Functional members must reproduce functional members who continually treasure God’s church. Rainer posits a few ways this reproduction may be easier to achieve. First, functional members must lead their families well. This involves praying together, worshiping together, and fostering love for the congregation. Second, functional members understand their membership as a gift. “It’s not a legalistic obligation. It’s not country club perks. It’s not a license for entitlement,” Rainer writes. “It’s a gift. A gift from God. A gift that we should treasure with great joy and anticipation” (Pg. 71). This entails full engagement in the life of the church. Third, functional members uphold the importance of local churches. By appealing particularly to the Spirit’s work in Acts, Rainer soundly resolves this dispute—vague commitment to the universal church is insufficient. As he concludes, “The Bible is clear that we are to be connected to a specific church in a specific context” (Pg. 72). TAKE UP AND PLEDGE With brief books there’s always the temptation to read too quickly, ultimately leaving the reader with an ineffectual experience. Don’t let this happen with this book! Linger over these six chapters. Each one ends with a pledge and discussion questions, and I encourage readers to find a group or a friend with whom to use these as prompts for further reflection. In fact, churches would especially profit from using this resource in small group and discipling contexts. 12

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

“Simply put, each of us either thinks biblically about church membership or we don't. We either serve or we are self-serving.” Perhaps you’ve picked up on it by now, but I used to be a dissatisfied church member. Though I’m glad it’s behind me, the transition certainly wasn’t easy. Nevertheless, I probably would have made it much sooner had this book been around circa 2000. Thankfully, it’s available now. Don’t miss out; benefit from Thom Rainer’s I Am a Church Member. Joey Cochran is a graduate of Dallas Seminary and a church planting intern at Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, Illinois, under the supervision of pastor Joe Thorn. Used with permission from The Gospel Coalition. www.tgc.org

What do we Value? By Paul Burr & Bill Walsh

f there was a fire in your home, with your family already to safety . . . what possessions would you grab on your way out the door? Family photos? A priceless heirloom? Your computer? What do you value most? When it comes to what we dearly prize, possessions might be a relatively easy decision. What about the principles that govern and guide your life? What values are the most important to you and your family? What would you list as most true, most critical, and most descriptive of your core beliefs? Those would be hard to identify, no doubt. Determining the core values of a church would be even more challenging because, like any group of human beings, people differ in many ways. How do you find values that are common to a diverse collection of individuals? The Bible calls for churches to be unified. Unified in love for each other; unified in sound doctrine; unified in their vision for ministry together. This year is a season of transition for Redeemer Bible Church. Because of this, the elders recently spent time re-evaluating our core values as a congregation. We spent time praying and thinking about how God is leading us as a people. We asked the question: What binds us together as a church under Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sovereign and loving

direction? What is he calling us to be and to believe? The elders took the previous set of values, and reassessed each one, discussing how we could shape, shorten, and sharpen them. The goal was to refine a set of beliefs that best represent who we discern God has called Redeemer to be. Our prayer is that the Lord will confirm these in our hearts as a people, and use them to grow and guide us in the coming years, as we seek to fulfill his calling on this church. We commend them to you for meditation. Pray that God will work these into our hearts and lives. The Gospel: The gospel changes absolutely everything. It is the good news that the reign of God and his kingdom is at hand by the person, work and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the solution to all of the effects of sin in our hearts and in the world (Gal. 2:14). The Word of God: The gospel opens our eyes to the truth. The Holy Spirit uses the gospel through preaching, teaching, and discipleship, to open blind eyes to the truth of Jesus Christ. It instructs, corrects and sanctifies our lives, making us more and more like Christ (2 Cor. 4:5-6). God-centered Worship: The gospel makes us worshippers of the true and living God. The Father seeks to transform us into a people who exalt God through Jesus Christ alone. We are committed to God-centered public

worship as a congregation, as well as in our families, and in our private lives (John 4:23). Commitment to the Local Church: The gospel is aimed at creating local Christian communities. This leads to the planting and flourishing of local churches. We are committed to teaching and living as a body, serving each other, and serving within our community and cultural context (1 Thess. 1:8). Relational Engagement: Through the gospel we become the people of God, a new community in which worldly distinctions no longer separate us from one another. We are committed to welcoming outsiders and pursuing lifeon-life discipleship together (Gal. 3:28). Spiritual Renewal: The gospel brings ongoing spiritual transformation. The gospel is not just for the beginning of the Christian life. Our ongoing fruitfulness ultimately springs from the soil of the gospel itself. We will help each other understand this reality by doing ministry and community with the gospel at the center (2 Cor. 3:18). Leadership Development: The gospel calls people into local church service and leadership. The church has been granted gifts for its edification, as well as leaders, deacons, and elders in the body to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. We will always be pursuing qualified men and women to serve in these roles (Eph. 4:7-16). Bless the City: The gospel changes our attitude toward where we live.

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Get more information

ministry fair C

God loves the whole Twin Cities metro, including the suburbs. Together we will celebrate God’s common grace toward our city. We will challenge its idolatries and seek the common good for all who live here (Jer. 29:4–7). Personal Evangelism: The gospel in our hearts overflows into extending the Good News to others. We will live not for ourselves alone, but also for the good of our friends, neighbors and colleagues, cultivating relationships with non-Christians and inviting them to receive the grace of Jesus Christ (Col. 4:2-6). Concern for Mercy: The gospel fosters social good. The coming of the kingdom of God means that we get to taste some of the fruit of Jesus’ reversal of all the effects of the fall. We will vigorously pursue God’s justice for everyone through a vital ministry of mercy (Micah 6:8). Cultural Restoration: The gospel produces widespread renewal. Our Creator calls us to engage and shape the culture by redeeming our vocations, the arts, politics, and other social structures around us. He challenges us to be culture-makers alongside him with excellence, integrity and Christian distinctiveness (1 Thess. 4:10-12). A Heart for the Nations: The gospel is good news for all the peoples of the world. It calls us as a congregation to be senders and goers, extending the kingdom to every tribe, tongue, and nation. We will make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all that he has commanded (Matt. 28:18-20). // RBC

Sunday,

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

different ministries we have at Redeemer and how you can help serve!

OCTOBER 1 1 th

Fellowship Hall

Brothers and Sisters of Reedemer, My family and I recently returned from vacation in Alaska. I was blown away with the geography, the vastness of the mountainous landscapes. My photos did a poor job of capturing the splendor of God’s creation there. Our experience was enhanced by hiking among these mountains. I get the same feeling when I try and look into the vastness of salvation through Jesus Christ. Just when I think I’ve captured it, God changes my perspective and I realize how spectacular it is. Being involved in ministry is a great way to enhance our view of the greatness of salvation. As we get involved in people’s lives, we see the gospel from new perspectives and new heights. On Sunday October 11th, we are hosting a Ministry Fair. Each ministry of Redeemer will be there to explain their vision, purposes, and opportunities to serve. We trust that as we all have a chance to participate that the Lord will open up new vistas of service in your own lives. Pastor Paul

about the

Redemption Youth Update

By Gabe Zepeda

s a youth ministry, we just came back from summer camp. It was such an awesome time! This year’s theme was called “Alive” on how the gospel makes us new. God was so gracious to us. The Holy Spirit came powerfully and really did breathe fresh life into us after a painful year of trials, confusion and spiritual deadness. It was exactly what we needed. I am so humbled to hear good reports from parents, leaders and students about many gospel opportunities, new and renewed relationships, unity, joy in the gospel, and a genuine desire to follow Jesus in everyday life. Jesus is alive! And since we are alive in him, we have every reason to hope and believe that God is going to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we can ever ask or think in the lives of parents and students for this upcoming new school year. Here are few things to look for this year: The Gospel in Community Over the past three years, we have covered what the gospel is and how the gospel can be applied for real life. This year, we want to experience the gospel in community. We want to do this by highlighting the importance of the local church, and how God calls us to serve the local church. Far too often in evangelicalism, there has been an unhealthy dichotomy between youth ministry and the local church as if they were two separate entities. Instead, there must be a warm unified relationship between the church and 18

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

youth ministry. Youth ministry needs the church, and the church needs youth ministry. So, we will kick off the year with a new 6-week Sunday School series called “We Are the Church” that will help students see what the church is and why being a part of it matters for their spiritual growth. On top of this, we will continue fostering community through fellowship and discipleship relationships through socials, weekly meetings, and through one-on-one relationships. The Gospel to the World Because the gospel isn’t meant for just the church, we want to share it with the world. So, not only do we want to highlight the importance of service to the local church, but also how God is calling us to serve the gospel to the world. So, this year, we want reach and equip students in their calling as disciple-makers by helping them have gospel-conversations with their unbelieving friends. So, we will kick-off Wednesday nights this year with a series called “Objections to Christianity” on honestly confronting the doubts and questions skeptics and even believers have about our faith. Then, as a follow-up to this series, we will have a series called “Proofs for Christianity” on why our faith is reasonable in a skeptical culture. Second, we want to inspire students in their calling as disciple-makers to have a heart for evangelism and international outreach. So, later this year, we will begin a DVD series in Sunday School called “Dispatches

from the Front” that documents real missionaries who go to the hard and unreached places of the world with the gospel. This series is beautifully done and very convicting. The other way we want to inspire students in their calling to serve the gospel to the world is by going on a short-term mission trip in partnership with Global Partners (RBC’s Missions Ministry) for the summer of 2016. More details to come later! Winter Camp Last year, we went up to Trout Lake Camp for a winter retreat. We had such a blast that we are planning to go again. This year’s theme for Winter Camp is “Behold Your God,” and is about the attributes of God. We have reserved a spot during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, January 15, 16 and 17. So, mark your calendars! We thank you so much for your support, prayers, and love for the students of Redeemer. Would you consider praying for our parents, their children, the youth team and the youth ministry this upcoming school year? We know God has amazing things in store for us. He loves to surprise us— even startle us with his power and grace. But, we also know that none of what we do matters and no ministry is truly successful unless it’s bathed in prayer. So, for Christ’s sake and his kingdom, please lift us up in prayer. Thank you so much! // RBC Photo by Jocelyn Pagano

Children's Discipleship Update

For the Joy of the Next Generation By Betty Dodge

“

e will not hide them from our children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and His might and the wonders He has done. . . that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God.” - Psalm 78:4 (ESV) If you have had the joy of teaching a child about the LORD’s glorious deeds, about his might and the wonders he has done, you know that it is not simply an academic exercise. Sunday School teachers regularly testify that they were brought to stronger faith in God, deeper love for Christ, and life-changing transformation by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word as they prepared and taught Sunday School lessons for children. Why does this happen? It is a promise from the Lord that it would happen. “Jesus said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives 20

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

me receives him who sent me.’” (Luke 9:48) When we are receptive to children and teach them God’s Word, we honor Christ and share in his love for them. Amazingly, this process results in our receiving more of Jesus and more of the Father who sent him. At Redeemer, it is our belief that children can grasp the deep truths of the Bible and we desire to be faithful to teach them. The Bible is not a book of moral lessons; it is God’s story! – and it is exciting to teach children about him–his glorious attributes, his creation, his holiness and love, and his redemption through Jesus Christ. How great is our God! How great is his salvation! It is also our desire to partner with parents at Redeemer to reinforce the Bible truths and principles being taught by you at home. We want to strengthen parents in your leadership role and help children to embrace God’s plan for parents to be their primary shepherds. It is also clear in God’s Word that everyone in the church (whether you are a parent or not, married or single) has a role in teaching and sharing the

gospel with the coming generations (Psalm 78, Titus 2 and more). Spiritual parents have been indispensible in my walk with Christ. Waves of gratitude to God for them well up in my heart every time I think of them. Do you remember an older Christian who poured into your life and helped you learn more of Christ? What a wealth of blessing we have received from those who came before us. Will you turn now and do the same to those coming behind you? It is our sincere hope that each one, from young adults to young marrieds to emptynesters to grandparents, will all feel drawn to raise up a generation who will hope in the God of our salvation. The 2015-2016 Children’s Discipleship year will soon be underway with Nursery and Sunday School (we are using Children Desiring God curriculum), youth ministry and special family events. Some of you may be sensing God’s call to serve him in this essential disciple-making ministry. It would be our joy to talk with you. Please email children@ redeemerbiblechurch.com or call the church office. There are also children’s ministry worker applications available at the welcome desk for you to begin the process of serving in the RBC children’s discipleship programming. // RBC

Meet Our New Director of Children's Discipleship: Betty Dodge

g g g

Betty Dodge is wife to Rick, mother of two married sons (and daughters-in-law), and grandmother of six. She finds great joy in ministering to families in the church, and especially loves teaching the Bible to children, youth, and women, seeing God work in their hearts through His Word. Previously, Betty was the Coordinator for Family Life at Bethlehem Baptist Church for eight years from 2005 to 2013 and a member of the Women's Leadership Team from 2003 to 2013. In July of 2013, she was asked to consider a position at Children Desiring God as their Vision-Spreading Specialist. She accepted the position and has served for the past two years coordinating the CDG regional conferences in the United States and Canada. She is a new member at Redeemer and is excited to be serving the families here as Director of Children's Discipleship. Betty treasures the time she and Rick get to spend with their children and grandchildren. Betty's hobbies include sewing, quilting, and giving lots of attention to a lovable German Shepherd named Sunny.

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Men's Ministry Update

By Kevin Campbell

f you have spent more than a few minutes talking to me (Kevin Campbell, co-director of Men’s Ministry), you have no doubt discovered that I don’t know very many things. You could say that I know the most important things, that is, I know that I am a sinner in desperate need of a savior, and I know that because of his grace (and only because of his grace) I have a savior in the Lord Jesus Christ. Aside from that, the list of things I know is relatively short. I have compiled that list, in no particular order, for your reading pleasure: 1. I know that the Men’s Retreat is scheduled for October 23rd and 24th; I know that it is always fun and encouraging, and I know you will put it on your calendar if you are a man. 2. I know that as men we don’t really think we need fellowship and so we want to skip Men’s Ministry (and other) events to mow the lawn or polish our pinewood derby trophies, but I also know that we all realize afterward how much we needed and enjoyed that fellowship. 3. I know how to get 30 lives in 1988’s hottest Nintendo game Contra (but who doesn’t?). 4. I don’t know the current phone numbers of childhood friends, but I do

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

To the Men of RBC know what their phone numbers were when we were kids, which will come in handy if my time machine ever runs out of gas in the year 1992. 5. I know that the Men’s Ministry plan for the year is to continue to offer quarterly-ish events including breakfasts, game nights, and an overnight retreat (see #1). 6. I know the proper usage of there, their, and they’re. 7. I know the full names and birthdays of most of my children. 8. I know that if you are interested in organizing a movie night or something in addition to the “official” events listed above, we are happy to help get the word out, and if you’re lucky, Casey Campbell (co-director of Men’s Ministry), might even attend. 9. I know how to play the first three measures of Moonlight Sonata on the piano. 10. I know the Spanish word for “mosquito.” Well, unfortunately for everyone who depends on me for their livelihood, that’s about it. But this isn’t about me, it’s about you. So plan to attend the Men’s Retreat in October (23-24) and keep an eye out for the dates of the other events, if for no other reason than to have the opportunity to teach me something new! // RBC

Women's Ministry Update

To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain By Rebecca Peel grown your faith? What areas of life are we still in an infant stage as it pertains

e are so excited to be kicking off the school year with a new women's book study. Starting September 16th, we will be working through Matt Chandler's study on Philippians, “To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain.” In the introduction, Chandler states that “the Bible calls us to pursue maturity in Christ.” And it seems fitting after a year of change, healing and growth in our church that we focus on our own personal growth and maturity in Christ. The Lord wants us to grow from being infants to being more mature in Christ. How is your prayer life? How is the Lord challenging you? How has He

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

to our walk with Christ? Just some questions to be thinking of as we begin our study. We had such a wonderful experience at the women’s retreat in April at the culmination of our year studying Galatians. I pray that the momentum and fellowship we experienced there with each other will continue to grow and mature as our relationships with Christ, our sisters and our families blossom. We hope you can join us. Please sign up at the Women's Ministry table in the Fellowship Hall. Be on the lookout for a calendar of events. In addition to our study this fall, we will be having three brunches, our annual Christmas party, a spring study and our annual women's retreat! We are still in the early stages of planning these events and studies so if you should have any suggestions please feel free to email me at women@ redeemerbiblechurch.com. Thank you and please be in prayer for your fellow sisters at Redeemer. “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” -Col. 1:28 // RBC

R Brunch Women's Fall

Saturday

october 10th 9: 30 to 11 :00Am Fellowship Hall

at the Women's Ministry table

Missions Update From the Paganos in Asia

The Power of Camp

ave you ever had anyone come in the door of your office and tell you that he is the Northeast Director for a church network with about 2,000,000 people in it? Recently I had this happen. Granted, in a country with 2 Billion people, 2 million is simply a drop in the bucket. For this small town guy, 2 million is a lot. After spending about 10 minutes getting to know my new friend, I inquired of him why in the world he was visiting me. I’m not a church planter per se. I’m not a “Theological Training” guy. What in the world does this guy want

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

with me and my tiny little company? “We want to do camps better. We have heard about your camps. We do some church camps but they aren’t very good and the children don’t want to attend. We want to do them better. Can you help?” That’s what he told me. You can probably guess what my answer was.

Chinese Churches are realizing more and more the power of camp to speak into a young teenager’s life and affect radical change. They are seeing great results from these camps and because of it, they want to know how to do them better. Luckily, I know a few things about camp and I am connected with some organizations that make what I know look like a drop in the bucket. We are planning a Camp Training for the Northeast District of his church network, and if it goes well we may have access to all five districts of their massive church network. Praise God! Who would have known that doing camps in China would have such major potential! Please pray for us as we are looking for more young couples or young families to join us over here to help do camps in China. Please pray as we seek to do more consulting and working with churches to help them further their youth ministries. Praise God for a really successful, although challenging, camp season this year. // RBC

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

Pastor Doug Sweet I

was raised in a Godfearing home with high moral and ethical standards. We regularly attended our local Lutheran church where I was confirmed and became active in our youth group. During college, I became active in an organization called University of Life that met each week at Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church. There I had hoped to find answers to spiritual questions I had. I wanted to know about my relationship to God and my status before Him but was given no satisfying answers. And so, the group became, instead, simply a place for me to socialize with others my age. Although I didn’t find answers to my questions, I did greatly benefit from this group since it was there that I met my future wife, Ann. During our early years of marriage we thought we were doing all the right things – raising a family, being responsible citizens, going to church, teaching Sunday School. When our third child was born, Ann shared a hospital room with another woman

and they became close friends. As it turns out (not by luck or chance, but by God’s plan) this new friend was a Christian woman who began to share the gospel with Ann. Ann thought she had always been a Christian because she thought of herself as a good person who was pleasing to God. As she became convicted of her need for Jesus and his saving grace, she was anxious to share it with me. I was very skeptical at first, but the more I heard and understood who Jesus really was and his purpose in coming to live with mankind, the more I became convicted that Jesus truly is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). I began to understand how Jesus came to display the glory of God here among us and accomplish the finished work of atonement for my sin on the cross. What a journey it has been, and what a blessing it is to know Jesus! “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). // RBC

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Highlights from the Gospel Life Blog

By Bill Walsh

Scala Sancta

Photo by Bill Walsh

MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

everal years ago, Cindi and I had the privilege of spending a few days in Rome, during a 30th anniversary trip. There are, of course, an incredible number of things to see there, probably more than any other city in Europe. And we saw a lot. But, one of the sites I was determined to go to is called, Scala Sancta. Scala Sancta (or holy stairs) is a set of white marble steps located in a building near the Catholic Lateran Basilica. According to Catholic tradition, they were the steps leading up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem on which Jesus stepped on his way to trial. Medieval legends claim that the Holy Stairs were brought from Jerusalem to Rome about 326 AD. At the top of the stairs is a totally enclosed room, called Sancta Sanctorum or The Holy of Holies. It is a room containing many Catholic relics, which only certain high level priests can enter. The stairs must only be ascended on the knees. Over the centuries various indulgences for the forgiveness of certain sins have been promised to those who do this in an attitude of devout confession and prayer. As I stood at the top of the stairs and peered down on the people climbing the stairs on their knees, saying their rosary and other prayers, I experienced a combination of deep sadness, anger, and gratitude. • I felt deeply sad for the people climbing slowly up, thinking they were somehow earning favor with God. • I felt angry for how Satan blinds the eyes of man from knowing the true freedom of the Gospel.

I felt a deep sense of gratitude to God for drawing me to himself by sheer grace, and accepting me totally on the basis of Christ’s work alone. Here is a quote from C.H. Spurgeon after a visit he made to Scala Sancta. The motive which leads men to crawl upon their knees up these famous stairs is the worldwide principle of self-salvation. Do is the popular gospel of unregenerate human nature: It is all done is the glad tidings of the grace of God. You, dear reader, are perhaps trying to be better in act, better in feeling, better in resolution, and this with the view of commending yourself to the favor of God. What is this but your Pilate's Stairs? You will find that all your efforts are labor in vain, for by the works of the law no man will ever be justified before God. The gospel does not promise eternal life to good works, or prayers, or tears, or horrible feelings; its one great utterance is, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." May the Holy Spirit with divine power force upon every self-righteous mind the conviction of its own ruin, and of the hopelessness of its own efforts, and so may the soul become willing to accept eternal life as the gift of God by Jesus Christ. That day was a vivid reminder for me to be watchful of my own soul and its sinful tendency to migrate towards stair-climbing unbelief. We all need daily reminders that we can add nothing to the work of our Redeemer. •

// RBC

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

For All the Lonely, Picked On, and

Misunderstood People By Kim Suchta

s my boys got home from school one afternoon, my middle son came to me to tell me about a kid in the neighborhood who was teasing him on the bus. I could tell he was really discouraged. He has always struggled to fit in. Making friends has always been harder for him than the rest of my kids. I didn't realize it at the time, but my oldest son overheard our conversation. He decided to take it upon himself to find this kid (who was now riding his bike around our neighborhood) and to

talk to him about how he treated his little brother. After he did, he came home and told me that he told this kid to please quit teasing his brother, and that for the sake of peace, he hoped he wouldn't do it again. Right away I asked myself, “Are these the same two brothers that I find arguing and driving each other crazy?” My heart just filled up with joy because I was able to see that beneath all the outward stuff, they really did love each other. So much so, that my oldest son

had an instinct within himself to defend his weaker and younger brother. Isn't that how our brother, Jesus, is with us? Tim Keller says, “God binds up his heart so closely with suffering people that he interprets any move against them as a move against him.” Is that you today? Are you the kid on the bus that keeps getting picked on? Have you been treated unjustly? Do you feel alone? Do you feel misunderstood? Are you in need of a Defender? Well, if you are His child, you can be sure that your big Brother is there. He's watching out for you. He is for you. He has your back today. He's not letting you out of his sight. He is ready to defend you in all of your imperfection. He is the same Brother that died for you, after all. And who lived the perfect life for you. If God is for you, who can be against you? Rest in that today. Rejoice in that even now. // RBC

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

Financial Update

Financial Transitions By Pastor Paul Burr

can remember the challenges of our family budget when we made career transitions. There were the interruptions of income for sure, but the biggest adjustment was the new housing costs, move-in costs, and expenses of getting the family settled into a new area. As Redeemer looks to bring a new Preaching Pastor on board, we too are going through these adjustments. While the exact timing and candidate is not finalized, we know that the time will come. This affects our budget process and we appreciate your prayers as we try to be nimble and flexible. Our fiscal year ends on September 30th and we will have a new budget/ spending plan in place at that time. Thank you for your faithful giving during this past year and we look forward to how our Lord will bless RBC is the coming days. // RBC

By the Numbers BUDGET $ 825,675

FISCAL YEAR TOTALS // THRU AUGUST 900 K 800 K 700 K 600 K

GIVING

500 K 400 K 300 K 200 K

0 MOMENTUM // SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015

$ 49,929

OPERATING EXPENSES $ 830,138

100 K

GIVING $ 880,067

EXPENSES BUDGET

New Members

Welcome to the Family!

Affinity Groups DORCAS DAMES 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, Sept 18 & Oct 16 TIME: 9am - 3pm LOCATION: Ministries Building WHAT TO BRING: Your lunch and sewing machine. For more information, contact Jean Bradford at retrojean@q.com.

Samuel and Rachel Chihak

HILLTOPPERS HillToppers is a great way for Redeemer’s “older” crowd to get connected and have fun (emphasis on fun!). If you are over the proverbial “hill” (50s, 60s, 70s & up), please join us for our next event!

POTLUCK BREAKFAST DATE: Saturday, October 31 TIME: 9-11:30am LOCATION: Ministries Building. For more information or to RSVP, contact Joyce Heinrich at 952-893-1800, 952-451-5148 or joycemheinrich@gmail.com.

Mike Flom

Mike and Heather Meyer SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2015 \\ MOMENTUM

September

October

SUNDAY // 13th

WEDNESDAY // 23rd

THURSDAY // 1st

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

SUNDAY // 4th

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

SUNDAY // 27th 9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship

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

SUNDAY // 20th 9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 10:30a | Membership Class 11a | Gathered Worship

6p | Newcomer's Dinner

SATURDAY // 17th

9a-Noon Church Clean Up Day

9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 11a | Gathered Worship 6p | The Lord's Table

SUNDAY // 18th

WEDNESDAY // 7th

WEDNESDAY // 21st

SATURDAY // 10th

FRIDAY // 23rd

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

9:30a | Women's Fall Brunch

Men's Retreat

SUNDAY // 11th

Men's Retreat

9a | Gathered Worship 9a | Redemption Youth SS 10:30a | Ministry Fair 11a | Gathered Worship

WEDNESDAY // 14th

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

FRIDAY // 16th

9a-3p | Dorcas Dames

SATURDAY // 24th SUNDAY // 25th

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

WEDNESDAY // 28th

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

SATURDAY // 31st * Includes The Lord's Table

Sunday

SEPTEMBER 13TH

9a | HillTopper's Breakfast

Saturday OCTOBER 17th

Fall BBQ & Bonfire

Fall Clean-Up Day

6:00 PM | EAST SIDE LAWN OF CHURCH

9:00 AM - NOON | CHURCH AND MINISTRY BUILDING GROUNDS

Bring a blanket or lawn chair along with an apple or pumpkin dessert and join us for our fall BBQ & Bonfire. The church will be providing pulled pork, baked beans, chips, buns and other fixings. Please RSVP to office@redeemerbiblechurch. com by Wednesday, September 9th.

Many hands make light work! Join us for our annual fall clean up day. Please bring rakes and leaf blowers if you have them. We will have free coffee and maple bacon donuts to kick off the morning. Every person in attendance will also be entered into a drawing for a free bumper pool table.