Our elders, deacons and staff want to serve Redeemer well. To help us determine how we can serve our church family well, we have put together very short survey that we would love for you to take. 

How can we help you grow?

First of all, this survey is anonymous. So please answer the questions honestly so the data is accurate. We are looking for answers that reflect the general pattern of your life. We recognize that this past week or month may not reflect what is “normal”. With that said, answer in a way that reflects what is most “normal” for you. Our hope is to get accurate responses so that we can be more helpful in resourcing our church, with the ultimate goal of us looking more like Jesus.

No matter what your answers to the survey are, rest in Jesus' accomplished work on your behalf.

Secondly, rest in Jesus. Through faith in Jesus, your identity and worth is in Jesus, not in how you respond to this survey.

The survey will take you no more then three minutes of your time. So please click the follow Spiritual Survey Link and get started. 

This week's post by Theresa Adams

Our boys are six and almost nine. That means we are departing from the little boys stage and entering into the big boy stage. Our kids are the ones now finding out ways to climb on top of the play structures at parks. They are the ones occasionally rolling their eyes and learning what boundaries they can push. They are the ones asking for house keys and cell phones (No. Just no.) As we learn to navigate this new season of parenthood it is tricky to not look too much ahead to where we hope our kids to be and wish them out of where they are. It is a balance to not get down on them so hard that we don't remember where they were. It's easier to point out what they still have to work on then it is to praise them for what they've done. It takes being intentional to not compare them against another kids progress. To remember that they will all learn math, eventually. They'll all be able to run a certain amount of laps at one point. How and when they get there just varies.

That's kind of how we are with spiritual growth, isn't it? Although no calendar or time piece can measure our growth we are constantly focused on where we should be or where we think God wants us to be that it overshadows where we are coming from. We get down on ourselves for not being at a certain point yet that we can forget where we've been. We continue to get down on ourselves for not  spending more time reading our Bible, for not knowing as much as we should, for being too short with a friend, for not being as quick to forgive. We can spend so much time on the "woulda" and "coulda" and even "shouldas" that we completely forget what once was. We lose sight of where we've been. Instead of thinking, gosh, it's a miracle I'm even here. Getting to live this life. Spending time doing these things. We just focus on what we aren't doing. How we aren't living.

In her book, For The Love, Jen Hatmaker says: "You are doing a better job than you think. Self-criticism sometimes improves best practices, but it can also lie to you and probably has. You may need to ignore your mind and watch yourself for awhile." She goes on to say, "Condemnation is a trick of the enemy, not the language of the heavens. Shame is not God's tool, so if we are slaves to it, we're way off the beaten path. And it is harsh out there, debilitating actually. If you inner monologue is critical, endlessly degrading, it's time to move back to grace."

Grace. "The love and mercy given to us by God, because God desires us to have it not because of anything we have done to earn it." What if, instead of thinking about how far we still have to go, shaming ourselves for not being there yet, we take a minute to think about how far we've come? What if instead of beating ourselves up we soak in the grace that's so freely available to us.  As Rob said recently " Change isn't just possible it a guarantee."  I don't know about you, but that is some good news.The good news is that God isn't looming over us with a measuring stick. Tapping his watch, saying "tisk-tisk" that we aren't "there" yet. Rather I'm starting to believe He's actually waiting over us cheering us on. Seeing growth in us that we don't see in ourselves. Elbowing the angels "did you see that? That ones mine."

I recently had a friend ask me some questions about my past. She had heard bits and pieces over the years. But she wanted more. In talking to her and sharing with her it made me realize just how far away I am from where I once was. Isn't that amazing? Not in a look-at-me-and-what-I-have-done sort of way, but in a wow God sure has been graceful with me sort of way. Does this mean we look back with regret? Does this mean we look back and glorify some sordid past? No. We don't even need to dwell there. But, what we can do is glance back and see the progress of what we've, with the Holy Spirit, have made and look forward to what's to come.

I am a miracle. And so are you. Perhaps your past isn't nearly as checkered as mine. Still it's just as amazing you are here. Whatever your "here" looks like if you are keeping your eyes on Jesus most likely it looks a lot different than your "there."  Last time someone wronged you were you a bit quicker to forgive? Did you hand out grace instead of disfavor? That's remarkable. Are you becoming quicker to repent? More sensitive to sin? Amazing. Do you have a growing interest in God? Are you wanting to learn more about Him than you did a year ago? 5 years ago?  Are you finding it easier to love others? Were you able to stuff your selfishness aside and give of yourself to someone when you didn't feel like that? That's a miracle right there. All of the steps no matter how minute or mighty are worth celebrating.

What if we were better at celebrating? What if we were just as quick to share our triumphs as we were our failings? I think we can all agree life is hard. All the more reason to lean in to others when we see growth. When we recognize something in someone that wasn't once there. When we can say "I'm not who I was." Let's not just get together when we need prayer or when we are struggling or when life is seeming too much. Let's not discount the steps we take no matter if mammoth or mini. A step is a step. One step closer to the person God is shaping you to be.

In our family we have started to celebrate when our kids are courageous. When they try new things or when they don't give up on a difficult situation. We look ahead for those opportunities with expectancy and anticipation. Why should it be any different with us and our walks with God? If we know Him and believe in Him then we ought to look forward with expectancy to the works He will do in us.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 
Philippians 1:6

This week's post is by Ashley Bowie.

In a small upstairs dining room, in a rented space filled with quick glances and a tangible uncertainty the son of God sat breaking bread and praying. Low candles threw shadows around the room and on the faces of the men with Him. Some were afraid, or worried, most were confused. All sat listening intently through the sounds of eating and drinking and light conversation. With one ear to his brother and one ear to the Lord each of them waited. Something was happening, something was about to change. As they waited patiently they looked carefully at one another, Do you know what this is all about? Have you heard what he plans to do? All of them were looking for answers, all of them could feel the tension. All of them but Peter. Peter sat tall and easy. He sought a lively conversation but could not find it among his brothers. He leaned into his meal instead and focused on flavor. He did not notice when Jesus stood and filled a basin with water. He did not see the Son of the Almighty God wrap a servant’s towel around His waist and carry the water to his own feet. He did not notice until his feet were in the hands of Jesus and it became appallingly clear what He intended to do.

“Lord do you wash MY feet?” This was a job for the lowly, a disobedient servant, a young or very new servant. Certainly not a job for the great teacher, and not at all a thing for God himself to do. He could not allow it, Peter would do anything to serve the Lord and had said so, planned to say so again. I will die for you Lord. He rehearsed in his mind again. No this would not do. Maybe he would stand so Jesus could not wash his feet, or call on his fellow disciples to say something sensible.

“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Jesus said patiently, with an eternity of longing in His voice. Peter softened, his bravado deflated. Above all, he must be with the Lord forever. Of all the things he had ever wanted, of all the paths in life he had tried, following Jesus had been the only right. If He says I am not clean then I will let Him wash me, he reasoned. If cleanliness is what he wants, then I want to be totally clean.

“Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Don’t count me out Lord! Clean all of me so I can be with you.

“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean.”

~

I’ve been talking about the subject of this blog for several weeks now. My friends know that when I get excited about something they can expect to hear about it day and night ad infinitum. It was something of an epiphany that hit me as I was reading through the book of John one morning. Like a flame lit in my heart spreading warmth through me. I’m a little bit more afraid of this little candle than I thought, because as it happens, it’s not just a candle, it’s the consuming fire of a real and consistent face to face relationship with Jesus.

When we think of submission, I would guess that most of us think about doing as we are told by whomever happens to be in authority. We think of bosses or parents, and making good choices when it comes to our spiritual lives. We think of abstaining from sin and doing the good right things that the Lord gives us to do. These are good thoughts about submission, right even, but in the context of John 13 we have this miraculous moment when we are commanded to submit to being served by the Lord.

Sit right there, child you have been walking in the world. You have been living and striving and walking to and fro trying to be a good servant and a faithful child and you have collected the dust and filth of the world on your feet. Let me pour this pure water over your feet and wipe them with this towel white as snow.

I have sinned recently. At the time of this writing I am unwilling to tally up all the ways I have been selfish or careless, cold hearted or have let my words get away from me. I’m sure you understand; you are every bit as human as I am. When I am made aware of my sins, the filth of the world on my feet, I have a tendency to wallow for a few days. Then I try to clean up myself. As though I sit with a gavel in my human hearts court room and lay out a sentence. Do three kind things, say words of encouragement to people who annoy you, read nothing but scripture for a week. I have a friend who says that she “grounds” herself. She feels like she cannot go out with friends or do anything fun.

James chapter 4 says that when we do these things we become judges of the law. As if to say that the plan Jesus laid out for confession and repentance is not enough and we need to add our own items to the list in order to feel clean again.

Repentance will never stop being a part of our lives on this side of eternity. There is always going to be something to be sorry for. No matter how hard you try, you will continue to walk through the world and collect the mess on your feet. True, soul deep repentance puts you face to face with Jesus. As He kneels before you, the one He laid down His life for, the one He paid His own blood for, He looks into your eyes and says “You are already clean, just let me take care of these feet. Thank you for coming to me today because I know that you needed to sit here and confess all the mess you have gotten into, and look there, it is finished.”

This story happens within the framework of the last supper. Jesus’s final communion with His disciples included a teaching on confession and repentance. It should be often and intentional that we come to have our feet washed. And when He has washed their feet He gives us this command; John 13:14-15 “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

I think most of us repent in solitude because we don’t want others to know just how bad we are. I really hate to imagine what people would think of me if they knew how selfish I can be sometimes, or how angry I can get if things don’t meet my expectations. But here we have the example of Jesus; we are not to come to one another with superiority or with any of our own judgments on the law. We are to come with a servant’s towel and humble knees. It is messy to live in the world my friend, and I don’t want you to be slowed down by thorns or a collection of dirt. So let me help you, let me pray with you and we can walk on together.

Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your GOD reigns!”