We're about to revamp!

As anyone can see, we've kinda let this blog site languish for a while. Oh well. The more we've thought about it, the more we think that it makes sense to just build a Redeemer Facebook site for all the kinds of things we'd like to share with each other (some of which are serious, but lots are just fun and normal kinds of things).


So check back soon and learn how you can access our new Facebook page. We hope to be up and running in June.

In the meantime, you're gonna have to communicate face to face.

Actually, not a bad idea.

~Pastor Fred

Best video ever -

The following is the most moving portrayal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I have seen in a long time. Take a look (I recommend viewing it full screen.)

I know that question #5 really hits home for me. As Christians, we all believe that God unconditionally loves us, has forgiven us and continues to forgive us. That all He wants to do is have a relationship with us and hold us close. Yet, most of us have gone through times when we forget this and we hide from God, thinking, maybe subconsciously, that "I'm too embarrassed/ashamed to take this God" or maybe even "surely His patience has run out with me". However, we all know that we can take anything before God and that His patience never runs out. That's what amazes me about God. Regardless of long I've been a Christian, His grace and mercy are still hard for me to comprehend (and will always be)! Remembering that, however, seems to big my biggest challenge. I wish my first reaction was to run to God not away from Him...

The Struggle with Doubt

Last Sunday Spencer Burke came to Redeemer and spoke at all three worship gatherings about the struggle with doubt. He showed an interesting video clip called "The Fight that Never Ends," we read from the story of Job, and then he shared a couple of personal stories. Here were the five key questions that we discussed in our small group discussion time during worship...
1. How do you most often deal with your fears? Do you tend more often to be timid when you’re fearful or to show bravado and take risks?
2. In what ways do you try to (or think you can) control God?
3. Do you ever find yourself fighting with God? How would you compare your experience of that with the guy in the video fighting the huge, ancient tree?
4. What do you think of God’s answer to Job out of the storm (whirlwind)? How would you react if God responded that way when you were in the middle of complaining against him?
5. Do you (really) believe that God wants to embrace you even when you’re stinky and goopy? How do you feel when you think about yourself in the position of a helpless child held against God’s chest?

Yes. It seems like whatever position I'm in, that's the most difficult. When I've hurt someone, it seems nearly impossible to be able to go to them and ask for them to give me something I don't deserve-- their understanding and their forgiveness. When I've been hurt or betrayed, it seems incredibly difficult to gather myself together enough to confront the blooming idiot who hurt me. Why would I want to go in for that again? The question lingers...

Do you find it harder to give or receive forgiveness?

This is one of the questions that seemed to be lingering under the surface in our conversations about the "unfinished business" of forgiveness that most of us have on our hands. Where are you on this one? And why do you think that is?