How Redeemer is trying to advance the kingdom

When you tell someone about Redeemer Church London, one of the first questions you might be asked is about what denomination or group we belong to.

Well, here’s your answer - we are part of the ‘Advance’ network, which is a growing partnership of about 150 churches based across five continents.

Advance is a relatively new movement which was set up about a decade ago when the charismatic Newfrontiers network was split into different sections.

Among the group’s overarching goals are to see churches established worldwide which support communities, train leaders and grow in a healthy way.

Advance officially defines itself as ‘movement of churches joining together to advance the Gospel of Jesus through planting and strengthening churches’.

While it sits within the broader tradition of Protestant Reformed churches, many parts of services are similar to those in Baptist churches – such as baptising adults.

Redeemer is also involved in the Advance UK Church Planting Course (ACPC) which helps with training, resourcing and sending people to set up new churches.

In addition, we join with other churches at the annual Advance UK & Europe Conference - most recently held at London’s Westminster Chapel last November.

And Redeemer also sends a delegation to the Advance Global Gathering – with the 2026 event held in Cape Town in March. It’s all part of our work in building churches together.

For more information about the work of Advance, you can visit their website here.

You gotta have faith, faith, faith

We often enjoy hearing poetry during our services at Redeemer Church London, and this latest offering from STEVE PAGE was read last Sunday.

One of his prompts came from Romans 1:17 (‘the righteous shall live by faith’), where the gospel reveals that a righteousness from God is obtained by faith.

His second can be found in Joshua 3:13-17, where the path to the promised land was through the River Jordan – showing that sometimes, you have to get your feet wet!

You can enjoy Steve’s poem in full here:

FAITH

My faith is the certainty that gives me clarity to see

that there’s a path just beneath the current uncertainty.

My faith is a step, a one step at a time

not much of a leap, but me taking God's hand with mine.

My faith is a day-by-day hand-holding,

a minute-by-minute, front-foot treading of my boot in his footmarks

left for me as a blessing.

My faith is a choosing that needs repeated repeating,

a daily seating at his feet

It's no fleeting feeling,

it’s a morning-and-evening,

sometimes weeping

with both-knees kneeing.

Our faith is a decision

and decisions were made to be made,

so pray,

take him at his word and take the next step,

but don’t be surprised if you get both feet wet.

Because that is where you’ll find Jesus -

at the point where you're most at risk of getting out of your depth.

Our faith is the certainty

that gives us clarity to trust

that whatever our paths,

our God has gone before us.

'Red Folk': A poem about our children's workers

At Redeemer Church London, we have a series of children’s groups on Sunday mornings for those aged from three months up to 11 years.

The four different sessions - split by age brackets – help teach youngsters about Bible stories while their parents get to hear the sermon in the main service.

The groups are run by a team of dedicated volunteers each week - and you can find them wearing red T-shirts.

Church member STEVE PAGE wrote this poem all about them. We hope you enjoy it!

RED FOLK

The Red-Folk are well known to some, but less well known to others.

You see, the Red-Folk do their reddy-ness in the background with the smallest folk.

This means that bigger folk will only notice them if they have small folk friends.

The Red-Folk are quite distinct; I don’t mean their tomato redness, I mean their ability to fold themselves small.

Now, you may know that small folk are very used to legs and knees and big feet and are they are very, very good at winding their way through a forest of trousers and skirts to get to where they need to go.

But this can be tiring, and sometimes small folk misjudge the sway of a leg or a knee and bounce off them, falling back onto their bottoms.

This can sometimes be funny, but it is often painful and can spark small folk tears.

So, when small folk find that the Red-Folk just love to fold their legs and knees away and come down to small folk level, you can imagine the sheer joy the small folk feel.

Some Red-Folk don’t last long because their legs and knees begin to ache and the small folk noise becomes too loud and the Red-Folk miss ‘Big Conversation.’

But there are some Red-Folk who are excellent at folding their legs and knees away and who love nothing better than small conversations with small folk.

You see they have discovered that this is where small and precious truths are first planted to later become stronger big truths and they have seen that this is also where small folk plant big love in the Red-Folk’s big hearts.

So, if you are looking for the Red-Folk, you need to look down to where the small important conversations are taking place with the small important folk.

If you want to find out more about our children's groups on Sunday mornings, please contact our family worker Abi at: abi@redeemerlondon.org.

Thoughts for the Week of Prayer and Fasting

We’re currently midway through our Week of Prayer and Fasting at Redeemer Church London, which began on Sunday and runs until this Friday.

There are meetings every evening at The Hub so we can pray for and with one another, while you can also get involved with virtual prayer meetings from home.

For a bit of inspiration from the past, take a look at these eight great quotes about prayer and fasting - which our pastor Pete Cornford mentioned in Sunday’s sermon.

• "If you want to humble a man, ask him about his prayer life" - Alexander Whyte

• "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tyre?" - Corrie Ten Boom

• "Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means for getting something for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself" - Oswald Chambers

• "Fasting without prayer is hunger strike. Prayer without fasting lacks depth. But when both are combined, they create an altar of fire that the devil cannot resist." - Apostle E.H. Guti

• "God does nothing but in answer to prayer" - John Wesley

• "I have a very busy day today; must spend not two but three hours in prayer" - Martin Luther

• "Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food." - Dallas Willard

• "We can accomplish a lot with prayer and fasting" - Lailah Gifty Akita

Click here to read the full list of meetings for the Week of Prayer and Fasting this week, and how you can join us!

Christmas poetry at Redeemer

“The Wonders of His Love” - Redeemer Church London carol service

Sunday December 14, 2025 at 4.30pm and 6.30pm

University of West London

There’s less than a week to go now until this year’s annual carol service at Redeemer Church London on Sunday.

Church member STEVE PAGE has been spreading joy with his poetry for years – and we often hear his latest offerings at our Christmas services.

Here, you can enjoy three he put together this time last year. We hope to see you this Sunday!

CHILDREN UNDERSTAND

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise the aroma,

the touch of love,

the echo of hearts

that rise to adore.

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise the savour,

the weight of feast,

the press of voices

that sing with laughter.

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise Christmas

within the heat,

the fire and glory

of Christ's forgiveness.

Children understand Christmas.

Look to them.

SAVIOUR

This month I call you Saviour.

Mostly, instinctively

I call to you as Lord-God and Father.

Typically these are the names

I call to mind at early dawn.

But this month you are Saviour

as I become more acutely drawn

to my need to call on your saving grace

on your sacrificial willingness

to cast off the trappings

wrapped up with heavenly glory

to embrace the blood and the mess

that comes with small town nativity.

This month I address

my Hosannas to you,

my divine infant Saviour.

GIFTING

When does a gift given become a gift received?

If a gift is not accepted, is it a gift indeed?

If a gift is left unopened is the gifting actually achieved?

(Is a gift not a gift if it is rejected?

Does it lose its giftedness when refused or neglected?)

Does the gift itself retain some kinetic gifted energy?

Or does it need the active catalyst of reception

to truly be the gift that its giver intends it to be?

This Christmas be sure to accept your full responsibility

to receive with a fully open heart as well as open hands

this gift I give to you from me.

(I've left the receipt in the bag.)

My testimony - Stephan Amaranath

Redeemer Church London member STEPHAN AMARANATH shares his testimony, revealing how being assaulted nearly a decade ago left him questioning God - before the Lord provided him with the answer he needed.

Back in 2016, I was assaulted one Sunday evening, and found myself questioning why God had allowed it to happen. Following the incident, I started to question God: Where was he? Why would he let this happen to me? I thought he loved me? I felt very alone and needed answers. Why hadn't God rescued me?

I was born in 1991 in London into a Christian family where my mother in fact came from a Hindu background. My parents had given their lives to Christ and were born again Christians before I was born. I have four sisters, two of whom live in Canada - we were a very close family unit and I felt loved and safe growing up. Growing up in a Christian household, I attended church regularly from a very young age and very much enjoyed Sunday school.

Unfortunately, God did not figure much in my life during my undergraduate degree. Being away from home for the first time and being exposed to a new world I was unprotected from, my faith and God were not priorities. However, I started attending Redeemer Church London after graduating from the University of Sussex and moving back home in 2012.

The sense of community and being made to feel welcomed from the get go, is what I loved most about Redeemer. Being at there has helped me in my walk with God as I’ve had the opportunity to surround myself with people on fire for God and have had the opportunity for accountability with the men from the church.

I then went on to complete my masters at the University of Kent in 2019, which helped me land my current role working for the NHS.

I currently work with adults with learning disabilities. My past experience has been working with those with special educational needs and disabilities and I very much love my career to date.

Up until the time of the assault in 2016, I had experienced some setbacks and bad experiences such as being bullied, being mugged once before and being in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami (these are stories for another time). Despite these experiences, I did feel I was in control of my life and lived a fairly safe life, thanks to my family and upbringing.

But that assault in 2016 was different! I was shaken deep inside and was doubting the goodness of God as I never had before! To my surprise, God gave me an answer.

I got sent a short yet nourishing verse, “I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). Suddenly, I realised why I couldn’t feel or see God’s comfort or care that day. He is always there, whether or not I sense him. When I call out to him, he'll never fail me.

God doesn't take away hard times, but we can certainly find strength and hope knowing that he will always be with us and will help us through. If we have gone through life trusting in our own judgement, we may find it harder to submit to God and his plan for us. If we refuse to see God’s hand and direction in our lives, we may never know just how good he can be to us.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8) We will face many hard times. Some of these are inevitable and beyond our control, but these can be endured with God’s help.

Some of our anguish and affliction is self-imposed and can be avoided, yet God still offers peace as we gather the courage to make the necessary changes in our lives. God’s forgiveness and affectionate approval can give us peace as we face hard times, even when the hurting we face is our very own fault.

He has the authority to guide us down the path of life; he has already conquered all the barriers that stand in the way!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Eternal Life Starts Now

We only need to look out of our windows to see that this world is a wonderful place. As I am writing this, I can hear the sounds of laughter as children make snowmen on a Sunday afternoon in January and I am reminded that God has placed us in a world, in which beauty and joy abound. However, at other times we become painfully aware of how turbulent life on this side of heaven can be. This past year has undoubtedly acted as a reminder for many of us that financial difficulties, loss, loneliness, and many other kinds of hardships, can come quickly and without warning. In such situations we can find comfort in Bible passages, such as in Revelation. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:3-4

The vivid and hopeful picture of heaven Revelation paints can make it easy to look forward to the time when we will be taken home by our loving Father. He will be our God and dwell with us. He will wipe every tear away. There will be only rejoicing. The difficulties of life on earth, and resulting feelings of insecurity and hopelessness, can tempt us to look forward to heaven, at the expense of knowing our eternal life has already begun. The truth is that we are not insecure and hopeless, even now. 

The death of loved ones, financial hardships, persecution, and emotional weakness are nothing new to humankind. Jesus’ disciples themselves experienced such times of trouble. The same John who went on to write the Gospel of John, as well as other books in the New Testament, witnessed his brother, James, be martyred for Christ (Acts 12:2). Paul describes how he was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked and more (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). And even Jesus wept over the death of His friend (John 11:35), showing that even our Lord and Saviour is a compassionate God, well acquainted with sorrow and grief. 

A Godly Response

In all of these stories, we see a response of rejoicing and hoping in the most dire situations. This joy and hope is a result of nothing less than the faith and trust in a relationship with Jesus Christ, our God, which does not start when we get to the wonderful heaven that is described in Revelation, but which begins right now when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This relationship should transform our response to difficult situations life can bring our way.  It has been my mistake in the past to say in difficult times, “If only I were in heaven, where I can live eternally and happily with Jesus”. Of course, heaven will take away weeping from life, but when we begin our eternal life with Jesus, it should change our entire outlook on life right then and now. 

The Bible tells us we can praise God always, finding hope, joy, and strength in Him in the darkest of times. In the Old Testament, Nehemiah beautifully states that the joy of the Lord is the strength of God’s people. This should set a pattern for us, to respond by finding strength and joy in God when we are tempted to despair. 

We can praise God in difficult times, because the Bible is clear to tell us that such situations and experiences will grow and mature us. Suffering allows us to learn endurance, develop our character, and grow in hope, as we see God working and helping us through (Romans 3:3-5). James gives an encouraging description of the outcomes of suffering for believers if we stand firm in God’s grace and truth. 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

The trials we face in life may hurt us deeply, but they are also producing in us characteristics of a mature Christian. And while Paul assures us that the troubles we face on earth are nothing in comparison to the eternal glory awaiting us in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:27), we can already rejoice in hope now and cling to God in times of trouble, knowing that He is working all things for good (Romans 8:28). We must only trust and obey God, echoing Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 26, that His will be done. But how do we do this when everything around us seems overwhelmingly negative? 

Look to the Son

John states that God has given us eternal life, that this life in His Son, and that we get eternal life when we believe in the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:11-13). It is the relationship with Jesus that should lead us in hope, strength, love, and faith as we go through life, with its ups and downs. We are not alone even now; God has already dwelled with us in human form and, after giving us Jesus, has already given us His Holy Spirit, pouring His love out over us to be with us forever. Whereas in the Old Testament, God dwelled with His people in the tabernacle, He now dwells with us in our bodies. And this is not something that can be taken away from us. Where humans may have left and hurt us, God will never leave nor forsake us. We have complete security in His love and this relationship with Him. The Gospel of John records what Jesus Himself said regarding this. 

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:28-30

Jobs may have been snatched from us throughout the past year. People may have passed away, or we may have simply not been able to see them when we would have liked to. But really this only shows what has always been true: that the things of this world are fleeting, and that the only thing which truly satisfies and lasts is our relationship with Jesus. 

The Bible is abundantly clear that there is hope for all of us at the end of our walks with Jesus, if we endure and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. Peter reminds us that while life may be hard in the meantime, Jesus will establish us and restore all things when He comes again (1 Peter 5:10). More than that, James tells us that if we love God and remain steadfast in faith during trials and tests, we will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). There is so much to look forward to!

But we are not there yet and my hope is to encourage you to look to Jesus today and the beauty of a relationship with Him even now, which will transform your outlook on these trials and tests in this world. Psalm 34:18 says that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. He is here for you and close to you, readily available for an intimate and life-giving relationship beginning today. When we humble ourselves before Him and cast our anxieties on Him, He is ready to lift us up and care for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). When we feel weary and burdened, He is ready to give us rest, with his beautifully gentle and humble heart (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus may have placed you in this world, but He did not leave you alone or hopeless. He is the Light of the World and Prince of Peace. All you need to do is commit your sorrows into His hands, and allow Him to be at work in you. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

Esther-Maria is one of our Redeemer students, a core member of our kids ministry, and is passionate about the word of God. In 2021, she’ll be sharing her thoughts on how scripture should change the way we live our lives! Check back here every month for more.

#RedeemerRecommends - Get uncomfortable....

A few weeks ago at our leadership training evening, Pete recommended a book to all of us, and I decided to order it there and then!

I’m so glad I did, although as I’ve been reading it, there have been moments where I wished I didn’t…

Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community is a book which has made me laugh and cringe in equal measure as it reveals truths about what it feels like to be part of a diverse, bible believing church in 2021.

In a season where I don’t have the opportunity to be part of a physical church gathering every Sunday, the book has hammered home just how much I miss it, while also stirring me to think about what I might do differently once we are able to meet together again.

Keeping Cool

Brett McCracken - the author of the book, and a pastor at an Advance church in California - sums up his main challenge for us in the first chapter.

"When the Christian church is comfortable and cultural, she tends to be weak. When she is uncomfortable and countercultural, she tends to be strong.”

This is a constant challenge for us as a Church and as individual Christians in London, the draw towards being accepted and seen as ‘cool’ is real, and strong! But McCracken reminds us here that we are called instead to holiness, particularly when it comes to cultural touchstones such as sexual ethics and diversity.

Uncomfortable Mission

This is where the benefit of this book really hits home for me, McCracken has not simply written a book to encourage us to be better friends with one another - although reading it will certainly make you appreciate the benefit of church community to an even greater extent! 

Instead, he also emphasises that when we as a church look different from the culture around us, that is when we put ourselves in the greatest position to impact those living in that very culture, and reveal the truth of the gospel to them!

In the final chapter, entitled Countercultural Comfort, he writes:

Regardless of its routine, the reality of the church is revolutionary. However unpopular we are, our purpose is profound. As salt and light, we are the hope of the world.

There are many other essential challenges that are brought to light in the book, from our unhealthy obsession with brokenness, to our discomfort with submitting to the authority of Christ, scripture and church leadership. If you ever feel uncomfortable in church, I would recommend that you read it! You will be reassured to learn that you are most certainly not alone, but also reminded that this uncomfortable feeling likely won’t, and arguably shouldn’t ever change.

But that’s not the whole story…

We are, mysteriously, part of a cosmic plan God has eternally known. And we have an eternal inheritance. The discomfort and disdain we endure in this life as a peculiar people will be a blip in the timeline of our infinite history. We will at last be the perfect church we presently long for; the unblemished bride at an unimaginable wedding feast.

Online Church Continues!

We may have recently begun meeting in person again at Redeemer, but that doesn’t mean our online content has slowed down! Below are details of all the great online content you can still find at youtube.com/RedeemerChurchLondon

Monday Testimony!

Every Monday you can hear from a member of the Redeemer family about how their relationship with God has changed their life! Whether it be through a specific part of scripture, a one off experience, or a gradual transformation. Take the opportunity to be challenged and inspired by what God is doing in the hearts and minds of the people here at Redeemer!

Worship Wednesdays

On a Wednesday we worship! (Well, every day we worship…) but on a Wednesday specifically we release a video created by the Redeemer worship team, which you can use to lift your eyes, your hands, and your voice in worship! Sing, dance and clap along with the team as we seek to give glory to God, and put him at the centre of our lives again as we reach the centre of our working week.

Faith Locked Down

On a Friday we are going to be sharing previews of Redeemer’s new book - Faith Locked Down! A collection of psalms, prayers and poems written by some of our gifted creatives at Redeemer, these videos aim to stir your faith, and remind you that God is at work even in the midst of a difficult year! If you like the videos, why not pick up a copy of the book!

Sunday Services

Although we are meeting physically at the University of West London every Sunday, we recognise that for various reasons, some of you are unable to join us in person. We would love you to continue to join us online, and we’ll be streaming the service live each week. There will still be the opportunity to worship alongside the rest of the church, hear great teaching, and even text in contributions to be shared with those in the room as well as those watching online.

As well as regular new videos, there is already a collection of playlists and videos ready for you to watch right now! So what are you waiting for?! Click the link below to get involved, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Redeemer reads Ephesians 4

Welcome! Here at Redeemer we believe that the Bible is the word of God, that it’s alive, and that its words can and should shape every aspect of our lives as Christians. But we also know it’s not easy to get into the habit of reading it every day! So we are following the CBR Bible Reading plan - which can be found below - to help us read the bible together.

We are currently reading the book of Ephesians, and every week day we will be releasing a video on our social media & YouTube accounts, with a member of our Redeemer family explaining what they feel God is saying to them through the passage! 

Today we hear from Toby as he shares with us from Ephesians 4

If you have time, and a desire to know more, you’ll find ideas for further study of todays passage below.

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Further Study

In this episode of the Word of the week podcast, entitled Gift Wrapped Grace, K. Edward Copeland, of New Zion Baptist Church, Illinois, preaches on Ephesians 4:7–16.

“Most people think a church calls a pastor to do the work. The Bible says God calls a pastor to equip the people to do the work.” — K. Edward Copeland

Curse or Blessing?

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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I am self isolating. I like to believe that I don’t look (or act) anywhere near my age! But the fact is that I am 71 and I am suddenly in the ‘vulnerable’ group.  Even worse, I have a cough.  To be honest, I have had coughing bouts on and off for years now, but at this time a persistent cough is the worst thing you can have!

Being a sociable person, I am used to meeting people all the time, attending church meetings, praying for people at home etc.  Now I suddenly cannot do that anymore.  So I have two options –  I can stay at home and sulk and complain. Or I can decide to ignore the Government’s strong advice and go about my business as usual, possibly get infected and take up precious hospital beds which are needed by others.

As a Christian I need to ask myself – what would Jesus do?  

Well, first of all, Jesus loved people.

He cared for the marginalised, the poor, the widow and the sick!  He considered their wellbeing.  The bible tells us that true religion is caring for the widows and orphans (James 1:27). So am I caring for these if I put myself and them at risk?  The answer must be ‘no!’ 

So neither of the options above seem like a good option, well fortunately I believe that there is a third way, which I believe is the most pleasing to Jesus.

The Bible says that every day is a gift from God!  Let’s treat it as such, wherever we are – at work or at home.  It doesn’t matter, whatever we do, we do it as to the Lord, knowing that from Him we shall receive a rich reward for our labour. 

There are actually many advantages to being at home, thanks to modern technology.  There is the opportunity to have prayer and chats face to face on Whatsapp, Skype, Zoom or whatever!  Continue to regularly ‘meet’ with your groups.  Today I had an incredible time on Whatsapp with a bible study group member – we read the Bible together, worshipped and prayed together!  The presence of the Lord was right there!  We both felt really uplifted and are already looking forward to next week, when I hope to get the Skype up and running for the other three members of the group so that we can all join in and be blessed.

God is not bound by walls, or distance!  If we invite the Holy Spirit to come into our situation, He will move! No matter where or how!

And now I am also looking forward to finally reading through all those books that have been sitting on my shelves for years! looking through and sorting out my photos and my files, chatting to extended family on the phone, and ringing all those friends I haven’t got round to speaking to for years, bringing them a word of hope and encouragement. Writing that short story I have been hoping to do for years, painting my old dining room chairs, possibly even sewing some new covers for my cushions… 

And, of course… spending more time with the Lord Jesus, without having to rush off somewhere, and reading the Bible more slowly!

It’s certainly not going to be boring. Those of us in isolation can be excited about the opportunity God is giving us to be more available to Him than ever before!

I’m looking forward to it!  What about you? 

Covid-19 - An Opportunity for Generosity

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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In the last 24 hours many of us will have made decisions to work from home, to cancel social events, and to refrain from travelling to visit friends and family in other parts of the country. These actions are in response to government advice which seeks to ‘flatten the curve’ of the coronavirus outbreak, limiting its effects on the health of the general public. But the physical health of members of our church family is not the only thing we need to be concerned about.

The crisis will also have a significant effect on many people’s finances, and as Christians it is important that we step up and support those who are impacted by the virus in this way too. As any church should, we choose to look to the very first church in the book of Acts, for guidance as what to do in these situations. This is my challenge to you today, does your generosity towards others in your community look like the church in Acts? They had everything in common as a church (Acts 2:42-47), they sold land to give to the poor (Acts 4:32-5:10), they distributed food amongst their community (Acts 6:1-7). Your actions may look different to this, but I think you would agree that in times like this it is crucial that we stand up and follow the example of the early church.

It is so crucial to not only change our social behaviour to keep the vulnerable amongst us safe, but to also change our economic behaviour too. This is an opportunity to be known as a church for our love, which will in turn draw others to us and give us an opportunity to preach the gospel, just as it did for the church in Acts.

So, how can you be generous today?

I’ll leave you with a verse which though written to a church over 1000 years ago, speaks directly to us today.

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

2 Corinthians 8:2

This blog was inspired by a similar one on thegospelcoaltion.org which you can read HERE

CAP Money Course

This Sunday we start our next CAP Money Course at Redeemer, run by James and Alicia Dougherty. The course runs over three weeks on Sunday afternoons after church, in the Savoy Suite at the University of West London. It’s not just for those at Redeemer, all are welcome, and the course is completely free! It runs between 1pm and 4pm, with lunch included. Still wondering if it’s for you? Let me tell you more about it…

What is the CAP Money Course?

The CAP Money Course is a free course that will teach you budgeting skills and a simple, cash-based system that works. In just a few weeks, you will get to grips with your finances so you can budget, save and prevent debt. The CAP Money Course was devised by the award winning charity, Christians Against Poverty, in 2008. More than 1,100 churches run the course for their communities, with over 10,000 people benefiting from it each year.

Is the CAP Money Course for me?

Whether you feel pretty organised or whether it’s like a lucky dip every time you try to withdraw cash from your account, the CAP Money Course will help you take complete control of your finances. There are extra resources for those on low incomes, self-employed people, couples, families and those preparing for retirement – whoever you are, the CAP Money Course will be relevant to you.

On your local CAP Money Course, you will be supported by our trained coaches to take practical steps towards getting in control of your finances.

You can sign up for the CAP Money Course using the button below! I guarantee you it’s worth it!

What. A. Weekend.

Wow.

What a weekend.

Without doubt the most important weekend of the year when it comes to the church calendar. This weekend we celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, events which despite occurring over 2000 years ago, still shape each and every moment of the life of a christian. Without this weekend, if he never died as a sacrifice for our sins and then rose, conquering death and winning an everlasting victory, followers of Jesus Christ would quite simply have no foundation for their faith in him. But we believe that he did do that, we believe that he still lives today, and is seated on a heavenly throne, at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us, which makes the Easter weekend one worth celebrating!

The weekend started with a day we now call Good Friday, but a day which seemed altogether less ‘good’ all those years ago. Jesus Christ of Nazareth hung on a cross and died, seemingly defeated. While we know now that this was in fact the beginning of his victory, a moment when all of our sin and shame was paid for, it is important as christians that we remember the cost of our salvation, that Jesus suffered in our place, that he felt our pain. This was the first time we have met together on Good Friday at Redeemer and it was an amazing service, meeting together for an hour, we sung songs which reminded us of the power of Jesus’ blood, we heard monologues read which reinforced the message that Jesus suffered for us, and we took communion together to mark the sacrifice that was made. I personally was incredibly moved by the whole service, and it was stirring to hear so many voices lifted up in praise to their king, even on such a sombre occasion.

Then, on Easter Sunday, it was time for a celebration! We had the opportunity to sing songs together which allowed us to rejoice in the victory won as Jesus walked out of his tomb! We were led by a fantastic choir, heard truth proclaimed, and were able to celebrate with three individuals who took the opportunity this Easter Sunday to be baptised and to begin their own journey of walking with Jesus, out of the darkness, and into his Glorious Day!

But what does this weekend mean for us as christians? Is it just a once a year celebration, after which we go back to our routines….? No! We believe that this truth, this celebration of Jesus’ victory is something to be celebrated all year round! So we’ll be celebrating next Sunday too, and the Sunday after that, and not just on Sundays! Every day of the rest of our lives is now lived in the knowledge that we walk in the everlasting victory that was won on the first Easter! This truth we believe is not just for ourselves, but is true for all people, of all ages, all across the world. If you’re reading this and you aren’t currently celebrating this truth, why not come and find out more by visiting us on a Sunday morning at Ealing Town Hall, or join us on Thursday the 9th of May as we launch our next Alpha course with an evening of live music and poetry at Artisan Coffee. As you reflect on another Easter weekend, whatever that means for you, don’t miss a chance to come and join in the celebration which continues all year round!

He is risen.

He is risen indeed!

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!

Mark 16:6

#RedeemerRecommends - Mere Fidelity Podcast

The results are in. People love podcasts. 

Ofcom stats show podcasts are booming in the UK with the number of weekly podcast listeners doubling in five years (from 7% of adults in 2013 to 11%, or 5.9m last year). 

I’m a paid-up member of the podcast gang. The UK (and London in particular) provide some of the best  continent in the podcast space. We have great stuff from the world of football (try The Totally Football Show), comedy (No Such Thing As A Fish is worth a listen) and film (Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review is pretty essential) to name a few. 

What about podcasts from churches? I’ve found there are times that tuning in can be profound, and other times when it doesn’t quite work. A stirring stories can still raise my faith from the other side of the world. At the same time, some sermons are carefully contextualised to cities I don’t live in, and congregations and cultures which mean the applications or topics don’t quite ring true. 

If you’ve got an interest in picking up a new podcast, why not try Mere Fidelity - https://mereorthodoxy.com/category/mere-fidelity/

The focus of each episode is a hot topic about theology, the church and the culture, and the four contributors unpack what they’ve thought, studied, experienced and seen with care (and without a big fanfare or controversy). 

Why does it stand out? 

Well partly the episodes are equipping and formative without being a Sunday sermon recording. Why does that help? Listening to a sermon on a tube can feel difficult to fully engage with and, when the call to respond involves communion or going to speak to someone/get prayer, it can feel false to just move on to the next episode. 

Shallow listening and a flimsy attitude to responding to the bible can be dangerous habits which we don’t want to bring with us on Sundays. 

A theology-centred discussion between four well-read and well-rounded guys can spark inspiration, give a hunger for deeper study and draw you in to a whole topic you’ve never considered, without any feeling of ‘this is the wrong time and place’. 

The other reason it works well is that the topics they pick are timely and, frankly, fascinating! Some relatively recent episodes covered ‘millennials and burnout’, ‘the weirdness of Matthew 27’, ‘ethics and technology’ and one simply called ‘Hillsong’. 

It’s always good to hear London mentioned too. For that we can thank one of the four contributors, Andrew Wilson, who is the teaching pastor at Kings Church Catford, part of the Newfrontiers network here in London. 

See what you think. Happy listening! 

Get thinking. #RedeemerRecommends

In the first of our #RedeemerRecommends blog posts, Rich Smith introduces to a blog he has been inspired by recently. Look out for more recommendations over the coming months as others from Redeemer let you in on what they’ve been reading. Over to Rich…

Get thinking.

At the end of November we have close friend of the church Matt Hosier returning to speak at our Sunday meeting. Matt and his wife Grace first visited Redeemer a year ago to preach about eldership, and to stand with and pray for our church as we started a new chapter of our story. 

Matt is a gifted preacher. Just as he served us so well last November, we’re anticipating he’ll bring a combination of theological clarity and heartfelt encouragement this November! 

Those who were at the Advance conference earlier in October will know he’s a wise, measured and phenomenally well read theological thinker, and it’s with that in mind that I wanted to point you in the direction of an excellent website to which he often contributes, Think Theology.

“Think” describes itself as a “collaboration of thinkers and writers who are passionate about the Church, and who enjoy spending time wrestling with deep theological questions and helping others to engage with them.” Matt, Jennie Pollock (another speaker from the recent Advance conference in fact), and Andrew Wilson produce the majority of the content for the site and you’ll find roughly a post per day on a broad range of topics.

Looking back at posts over the last two weeks you’ll see posts covering social media, wisdom in engaging politically, sexual identity, reading well, TV show theology, book reviews and Psalms. 

Whether you’re starting to explore theology for the first time or looking to expand your regular reading, posts from Matt and others at Think are worth your time. I find they’re perfect for the commute, and regularly engage the mind, the emotions and stir the spirit. Enjoy.

https://thinktheology.co.uk/

Bring peace and hope to your finances with the CAP Money Course

You may have recently been inspired by the BBC documentary ‘The Debt Saviours’, a programme which highlighted the inspiring story of Christians Against Poverty, a charity on a mission ‘to release thousands of families from poverty through award winning debt counselling and community groups’.

Redeemer Church is about to start hosting a CAP Money Course at Ealing Town Hall on Sunday afternoons which consists of three sessions, it is aimed at absolutely anyone, whatever your financial situation. They are designed to help you take control of your finances and learn skills which have a lasting impact on your budget.

In case you’re not yet convinced, here’s 3 reasons you should give CAP a try.

1) It’s free!

The CAP money course is free to attend and comes with free access to online budgeting tools which can be used for as long as you like after the course is over. Those running the course will also be able to get you in touch with other free services that CAP provides if necessary, services such as debt help, job clubs and life skills classes.

2) It helps you build a budget!

Many of us would love to be better at budgeting but we simply don’t know where to start in terms of establishing a system or a budget. The CAP course will provide you with a template around which to build a budget personal to you, which allows you to focus on your day to day financial needs while also preparing for future costs and saving towards long term financial goals.

3) It works!

There are countless stories of how the CAP course has transformed people’s lives, from simply changing the way the looked at money, to setting people free from seemingly insurmountable debt. You can hear just one of the many stories by following the link below.

https://youtu.be/DJkhcmBJ1xU

So what are you waiting for? The CAP Money Course run by Redeemer Church, London starts THIS SUNDAY on the 28th of October, and you can sign up by visiting the CAP website (capmoney.org) or contacting James & Alicia who are running the course on 02080 995692.