Hannah • Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013
Worship
Sunday Location Change, starting this Sunday 5/26
Beginning this Sunday, our weekly 4:30 pm Sunday gathering will be held at the Arlington Temple in Rosslyn while Calvary Gospel undergoes renovations. Their address is 1835 N. Nash Street, Arlington, VA 22209. For more information visit the information page on the City.
Word
Sermon Series: 1 John
Eric Simmons will continue teaching from 1 John this week, preaching on 1 John 3:16-18. You can find a summary and the audio for the previous sermon on 1 John 3:11-15 in our post sermon discussion thread.
Learning Group: God is a Warrior, starting 5/22
David Fisher is leading a new group focusing on the Bible’s depiction of God as a divine warrior, and how a deepened understanding of this truth can bring peace and equip you to answer challenging questions about warfare and religion. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Gospel Integration, 5/14-6/18
Eric is leading a learning group on Gospel integration, using the book Total Church. This group explores how we are seeking to practically follow Jesus and live life together at Redeemer. It meets at Northside Social on Tuesday mornings, 7:15-8:15am. To learn more, visit the information page on the City. Email Eric at eric@redeemerarlington.com if you would like to participate.
Mission
Trellis – Intro to Christianity Course, starting 6/7
Jacques Villareal and Richard Yamada are hosting a six-week course for those interested in learning more about the basic truths of Christianity, over dinner and dessert. For more information, visit the information page on the City.
Community
Community Blog Posts
Jordan has been writing a series of blog posts on community and mission. Check out the latest post here.
Deed
Gleaning of Fresh Produce for AFAC, 6/8
On Saturday morning June 8, The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) plans to help glean and package produce for the homeless and others in need. Jonathan Lamb is putting together a group to help at the event. If you would like to participate, you can find more information on the event page on the City.
Faith and Work Seminar, 6/8
On Saturday, June 8, Keith Welton, a pastor at Covenant Life Church, will come to teach a seminar on the topic of Biblical rest, entitled Taking a Break: Finding Rest for the Weary Soul. To learn more and RSVP, visit the event page on the City.
Filed under News
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Jordan Kauflin • Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013
Two weeks ago, I wrote how integrating community and mission in community groups requires a commitment to one another.
It also requires a commitment to planting new community groups.
Our goal at Redeemer has never been to grow a meeting numerically. It’s pretty easy to draw a crowd if you find the right mix of music, marketing, and personnel. But it takes the power of the gospel to build a community of believers that are living their “ordinary lives with gospel intentionality”. This is the growth we want to see as a church. Where people integrate the gospel into all of their lives. Where they grow as disciples of Jesus on Sundays as well as day to day.
As a church, one of the questions we’ve had to work through is how we can get non-Christians and new Christians to observe the difference Jesus makes. How can we show that we don’t just gather on a Sunday but we believe the gospel truly transforms all of life? How can we help people see that a Christian’s life is one of repentance and growth? How can we multiply our Christian presence in Arlington and DC?
Our Sunday gathering is certainly a context for this. But we think one of the best ways to do this is by multiplying opportunities for people to both see and participate in this type of community.
In other words, we see planting new community groups as a main way that we are trying to reach the city with the gospel. In these groups, new people are able to observe authentic (notice I didn’t say perfect!) Christian community. And they get to see it done by people that live in their neighborhoods and go to the same gyms, restaurants, and parks. People who they see every day.
Our hope is that we will reach the neighborhoods of Arlington and DC as we create more and more community groups where people are living out the gospel.
There are over 60 neighborhoods in Arlington and over 70 in DC. Imagine the effect if each of those had a group of Christians committed to eating, learning to love another and grow in gospel integration?
Next week, I’ll talk about one of the biggest challenges to this vision.
Filed under Missional Living
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Hannah • Wednesday, May 15th, 2013
| Word
Sermon Series: 1 John
Eric Simmons will continue teaching from 1 John this week, preaching on 1 John 3:11-15. You can find a summary and the audio for the previous sermon on 1 John 3:11-15 in our post sermon discussion thread.
Learning Group: God is a Warrior, starting 5/22
David Fisher is leading a new group focusing on the Bible’s depiction of God as a divine warrior, and how a deepened understanding of this truth can bring peace and equip you to answer challenging questions about warfare and religion. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Gospel Integration, 5/14-6/18
Eric is leading a learning group on Gospel integration, using the book Total Church. This group explores how we are seeking to practically follow Jesus and live life together at Redeemer. It meets at Northside Social on Tuesday mornings, 7:15-8:15am. To learn more, visit the information page on the City. Email Eric at eric@redeemerarlington.com if you would like to participate.
Community
Church Picnic, this Saturday 5/18
We are celebrating Redeemer’s third anniversary as a church this Saturday, May 18, from 12-3pm. We will be having an all-church picnic at Barcroft Park. More details and RSVP here. It will be a great time!
Prayer for Young Children, this Sunday 5/19
This Sunday, as part of our Missional Prayer, we would like to pray for all of the children born within the past year. We also want to encourage and pray for you parents, as you give your lives to sharing the gospel with your children and raising them to love Jesus. If you would like to be a part of the group we pray for, please RSVP here by May 16.
Deed
Gleaning of Fresh Produce for AFAC, 6/8
On Saturday morning June 8, The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) plans to help glean and package produce for the homeless and others in need. Jonathan Lamb is putting together a group to help at the event. If you would like to participate, you can find more information on the event page on the City. |
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Jordan Kauflin • Thursday, May 9th, 2013
When we started Redeemer three years ago, one of the phrases that we used to try and capture the goal we have for the church is reaching through building and building through reaching. We wanted to reach the city of Arlington/DC with the gospel by building a church that loves the gospel. In other words, our desire to see people saved is not separate from our desire to build a strong community where fellowship and care occur. Actually, these things are vitally linked. We are trying to integrate community and mission.
This idea shapes and informs all of what we do at Redeemer, including community groups. In many churches, community groups function as the place where real ‘care’ takes place. Due to this, they can often be the most exclusive and intimate ministry in the church, small groups of people who meet consistently in a closed environment. While this can be a good and effective way to do small groups, at Redeemer, we think that small groups are actually one of the best places for new people to observe and experience authentic community. We want them to function both as a place for relationships to deepen and growth to occur, as well as a place to invite guests and non-Christians to see what living together in a gospel community looks like.
In order for this to happen, we need to have a commitment to one another and a commitment to planting new groups.
Ever been in an uncommitted relationship? It’s the kind of relationship where you are basically friends until something better comes along or some difficulty presents itself. You are never really sure where you stand, what to expect, or how to relate to the other person. Living an authentic Christian life in the context of a local church involves commitment to one another. It is fueled by a conviction that God has called you to participate in his family, both to grow as a disciple and to help others grow as well. As we commit to eat together, learn to love one another, and grow in gospel integration in community groups, we present a compelling example of the difference the gospel makes. Our relationships will ebb and flow and change through time, but a Christian’s relationships should be marked by commitment. This commitment takes action. It takes work. It takes prioritizing these relationships.
Here are a few questions to consider:
• Does your participation in a community group affect the way you schedule your time?
• Are get-togethers and opportunities to hang out with your group the last thing to go into your schedule?
• Are you working to live ordinary life with them?
• Are you consciously seeking to love the people in your group?
• Are you aware of how others in your group are struggling, or what their burdens are?
• Is there a disposition to be with these people, even if situations might not enable it?
While certainly not the only context for relationships in the church (a topic for another post), community groups are a unique place to truly experience and display the reality of the gospel. In these groups, there are probably people that are not like you, who will probably sin against you, who are in different seasons of life. What better place to learn to love one another? What better situation to display authentic Christian relationships?
Let’s remember, we are committing to each other because Jesus has changed us. He is the one doing this work in our hearts and he is committed to building this community, having purchased it with his own blood.
Next week we will look at a commitment to planting new groups.
Filed under Missional Living
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Hannah • Wednesday, May 8th, 2013
Word
Sermon Series: 1 John
Eric Simmons will continue teaching from 1 John this week, preaching on 1 John 3:11-15. You can find a summary and the audio for the previous sermon on 1 John 3:2-10 in our post sermon discussion thread.
Learning Group: Preteen Girls, started 5/4
Veronica Rogers and Ali Deckard have started a learning group for young ladies at Redeemer. It is geared for ages 8-12, but all young ladies are welcome! To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Biblical Finances, starting early May
Mike Icardi is leading a new group on finances, discussing the biblical background and view of money, along with the practical implications and applications to life. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: God is a Warrior, starting 5/22
David Fisher is leading a new group focusing on the Bible’s depiction of God as a divine warrior, and how a deepened understanding of this truth can bring peace and equip you to answer challenging questions about warfare and religion. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Gospel Integration, 5/14-6/18
Eric will be leading a learning group on Gospel integration, using the book Total Church. This group will explore how we are seeking to practically follow Jesus and live life together at Redeemer. It will meet at Northside Social on Tuesday mornings, 7:15-8:15am. If you would like to be a part of the group, email Eric at eric@redeemerarlington.com.
Acts 29 Conference, this Friday and Saturday 5/10-5/11
“If we hope to be faithful to Jesus, we must first understand what a disciple of Jesus is.” Eric will be one of the speakers at the regional Acts 29 conference, on the theme of discipleship. Registration is free and all are encouraged to attend. To learn more and register, visit this link.
Community
Church Picnic, 5/18
We are celebrating Redeemer’s third anniversary as a church on Saturday, May 18, from 12-3pm. We will be having an all-church picnic at Barcroft Park. More details and RSVP here. It will be a great time!
Prayer for Young Children, 5/19
On May 19th, as part of our Missional Prayer, we would like to pray for all of the children born within the past year. We also want to encourage and pray for you parents, as you give your lives to sharing the gospel with your children and raising them to love Jesus. If you would like to be a part of the group we pray for, please RSVP here by May 16.
Filed under News
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davidclam • Friday, May 3rd, 2013
One of the most common questions asked by many of us in the workplace, particularly in the earlier stages of our career, is: “What am I called to do?” And given the range of industries and job functions that exist today, it is not uncommon to regularly ask whether we should stay where we are or whether we should move onto something different.
How then do we find out what we’re called to do? Certainly, the first step is to pray and ask God for wisdom because He gives generously and will answer our prayers (James 1:5). What next? Calling can be difficult to evaluate because it can be viewed as something subjective. How do we do we know if we’re really called to something or if it’s just our preference? Are those mutually exclusive?
Fortunately, while the topic of calling can be very complex and nuanced, God’s Word simplifies it for us. If you were to do a survey of our calling in the New Testament, you would find that our calling is pretty clear. Here are a few examples of what God has called us to:
- “…called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:6)
- “…called to be saints.” (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2)
- “…called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9)
- “…called to the one hope.” (Ephesians 4:4)
- “…called us to a holy calling.” (2 Timothy 1:9)
- “…called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
- “…called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3)
To what does God call us? Our calling is to follow Jesus as His disciple — to know Him, to imitate Him as saints, to have fellowship with Him, to hope in Him, to see His glory. (If you would like to go deeper into this topic, Os Guiness has written a great book on this called, “The Call”.)
Therefore, as we face career choices, God gives us guidance by telling us that whatever we do, we should seek to follow Jesus as our primary call. Have you ever used that as your ultimate criteria for evaluating a job? Or, if you are currently unhappy at work, how might reflecting on your primary call to Jesus affect your outlook?
Practically, then, how might following Jesus affect what type of job to take?
As mentioned above, answering that question first requires much prayer. Second, God’s Word is sufficient — meaning that it provides all the instruction we need to live a life that pleases God in every aspect, including our careers — and we should thus look intently into the Bible for direction. God has also given us members of His church to provide counsel according to His Word and to hel pus evaluate questions like how would a potential job impact your ability to follow Jesus in your family, church, and community.
If you’re interested in learning more about what God’s Word has to say about following Jesus and making career choices, come to our seminar this Saturday, May 4 from 10 AM to 12 PM (yes, this post is part shameless promotion)!
Bill Fullilove, a pastor at McLean Presbyterian Church and a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary will be joining us and giving a talk entitled “Christian Calling and Career Choices”. Bill brings a unique perspective as pastor, theologian, and former businessman, and has counselled many people at their beginning of their careers on this topic. You can learn more at the event page on the City.
Filed under Faith at Work
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Hannah • Wednesday, May 1st, 2013
Word
Sermon Series: 1 John
Chris Hemmelman will continue teaching from 1 John this week, preaching on 1 John 3:2-10. You can find a summary and the audio for the previous sermon on 1 John 2:28-3:3 in our post sermon discussion thread.
Learning Group: Preteen Girls, starting 5/4
Veronica Rogers and Ali Deckard are starting a learning group for young ladies at Redeemer. It is geared for ages 8-12, but all young ladies are welcome! To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Biblical Finances, starting early May
Mike Icardi is leading a new group on finances, discussing the biblical background and view of money, along with the practical implications and applications to life. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: God is a Warrior, starting 5/22
David Fisher is leading a new group focusing on the Bible’s depiction of God as a divine warrior, and how a deepened understanding of this truth can bring peace and equip you to answer challenging questions about warfare and religion. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Gospel Integration, 5/14-6/18
Eric will be leading a learning group on Gospel integration, using the book Total Church. This group will explore how we are seeking to practically follow Jesus and live life together at Redeemer. It will meet at Northside Social on Tuesday mornings, 7:15-8:15am. If you would like to be a part of the group, email Eric at eric@redeemerarlington.com.
Community
Church Dinner, 5/5
Our next church dinner will be held after our church gathering this Sunday, May 5. If you’re new to Redeemer we’d love to have you join us and meet others in our church. We are serving tacos!
Church Picnic, 5/18
We are celebrating Redeemer’s 3rd Anniversary as a church on Saturday, May 18, from 12-3pm. We will be having an all-church picnic at Barcroft Park. More details and RSVP here. It will be a great time!
Prayer for Young Children, 5/19
On May 19th, as part of our Missional Prayer, we would like to pray for all of the children born within the past year. We also want to encourage and pray for you parents, as you give your lives to sharing the gospel with your children and raising them to love Jesus. If you would like to be a part of the group we pray for, please RSVP here by May 16.
Deed
Work Seminar: Christian Calling and Career Choices, Saturday 5/4
What career should I choose? What does God want me to be? Many of us have wrestled with or continue to ask questions concerning our vocational calling. Join us as we explore this topic through a biblical framework presented by Bill Fullilove, Asssitant Pastor at McLean Presbyterian Church and a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary. To learn more and sign up, please visit the seminar event page on the City.
Commonwealth Collective Conference, 5/10-5/11
Eric will be one of the speakers at the regional Acts 29 conference, on the theme of discipleship. All are encouraged to attend. To learn more and register, go here.
Filed under News
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Chris Hemmelman • Thursday, April 25th, 2013
I wanted to share a brief story I read several weeks ago that has deeply impacted me:
“In the 1700s, two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, ‘No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he’s ship wrecked we’ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave, but he’s never going to talk to any of us about God, I’m through with all that nonsense.’ Three thousand slaves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.
Two young Moravians heard about it and sold themselves to the British planter. As the ship left its pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Herrenhut to see these two lads off, never to return again, for this wasn’t a four year term, they sold themselves into lifetime slavery. As a member of the slave community they would witness as Christians to the love of God.
The families were there weeping, for they knew they would never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. As the boat drifted out the young boys saw the widening gap, and one lad with his arm linked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them, they were these, ‘MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN RECEIVE THE REWARD OFHIS SUFFERING!’”
It’s that last line that particularly gets me. Yes, the fact that these two men were so moved with compassion for these slaves that they would be willing to sell themselves into slavery to reach them with the gospel is powerful. But it was more than that for them.
They were willing to sell themselves into a lifetime of slavery because they were so convinced that Christ is worthy of the worship of every tribe, tongue, and nation. Those young men believed that nothing in this life could compare to seeing Jesus Christ – the sinless one who became sin, the guiltless one who became guilty, the eternal Son of God who was cut off from his Father so that we may never be cut off, the great Savior who died in the place of sinners but is now resurrected and reigning – receive the reward of his suffering.
And in the salvation of these slaves, in the salvation of you and I, in the salvation of all peoples, Christ is receiving his reward – a people, a church, a bride, a chorus of nations who will one day surround his throne and sing “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
What will compel us like nothing else to share the gospel, whether it is on a foreign mission field or with our neighbor next door? What will motivate us like nothing else to give our lives away so that Christ is exalted above all things? It is so simple yet so profound – that Christ may receive the reward of his suffering because he is worthy!
Filed under Missional Living
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Redeemer Arlington • Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
Word
Sermon Series: 1 John
Eric Simmons will continue teaching from 1 John this week, preaching on 1 John 2:28-3:3. You can find a summary and the audio for the previous sermon on 1 John 2:18-27 in our post sermon discussion thread.
Learning Group: Preteen Girls, starting 5/4
Veronica Rogers and Ali Deckard are starting a learning group for young ladies at Redeemer ages 8-12, but all young ladies are welcome. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Learning Group: Biblical Finances, starting early May
Mike Icardi is leading a new group on finances, discussing the biblical background and view of money, along with the practical implications and applications to life. To learn more, visit the information page on the City.
Community
New Tyson’s Community Group, 4/24
The Falls Church community group is planting a new group in Tyson’s Corner, led by Jim and Jamie Riordan. If you live in Tysons, Falls Church, McLean or Fairfax, please consider visiting them! Their first group will be on Wednesday, April 24. If you’re interested in joining or want more info, you can reach Jim at jkriordan@gmail.com.
Church Dinner, 5/5
Our next church dinner will be held after our church gathering on May 5. If you’re new to Redeemer we’d love to have you join us and meet others in our church. More details to follow.
Church Picnic, 5/18
We are celebrating Redeemer’s 3rd Anniversary as a church on Saturday, May 18, from 12-3pm. We will be having an all-church picnic at Barcroft Park. More details to follow, but mark your calendars. It will be a great time!
Deed
Work Seminar: Christian Calling and Career Choices, Saturday 5/4
What career should I choose? What does God want me to be? Many of us have wrestled with or continue to ask questions concerning our vocational calling. Join us as we explore this topic through a biblical framework presented by Bill Fullilove, Asssitant Pastor at McLean Presbyterian Church and a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary. To learn more and sign-up, please visit the seminar event page on the City.
Filed under News
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Chris Hemmelman • Thursday, April 18th, 2013
One of the things I love about the book of 1 John is how it connects “doing” with “knowing.” John emphasizes to his audience that we know Christ and experience him more deeply when we do what he has called us to do. Our spiritual growth and our relationship with Christ grow not just through studying Scripture and prayer, but also through living out the life of a disciple: walking in purity and righteous, serving and loving people deeply, bearing others’ burdens, and sharing the gospel with those who don’t know Christ.
The thing about being a disciple, when you really take it seriously, you see that you can’t do it without Jesus, and when you give your life to love and serve others and share the gospel, the tension and difficulty and uncertainty of it causes you to run to Jesus and seek his presence. And this is a good thing! Because it is here that we begin to know him deeply and see that he truly is a great Savior.
So, if you want to really grow in your faith, grow in your prayer life, grow in your study of Scripture, if you want to know Christ more deeply, my encouragement to you is to be bold and start sharing your faith.
I love this quote from Jeremy Walker’s book, The Brokenhearted Evangelist:
“How do we keep our prayers fiery? By engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Satan’s hosts, for those who are yet under his dominion. Why do we keep our spiritual weapons sharp? So that we can fight. How do we learn how to use those weapons? When we engage with lost men. Where are our graces brought to their highest pitch and exercised to their greatest degree? It is often when we are locked in mortal combat for the salvation of a soul. Where are our minds fired with holy truth so that we begin to understand, to press, and to be in earnest? When are our hearts most ablaze with love for Jesus Christ? When, in short, are we most alive as Christians? With the possible exception of the gatherings of the saints for worshiping God, it is when we are involved in the life business of the redeemed men and women of Jesus Christ, engaging with transgressors and seeking their salvation for the glory of God in Jesus Christ. There is little that so elevates us—that so engages the totality of our redeemed humanity—as the holy cut and thrust of evangelism. Nothing so casts us upon the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Nothing so reminds us of our need and sends us in desperation to God for increased measures of His Spirit as the reality of wrestling for souls.”
May we be a community that shares Christ passionately because we know Christ deeply.
Filed under Missional Living
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