#RedeemerRecommends - OnePlace London
Today #RedeemerRecommends an opportunity for young people in Ealing!
Normally as part of the Redeemer Recommends series, we will suggest a book for you to read, another blog for you to visit, or music for you to listen to. Today is a little different…
Today we are recommending an activity! Specifically a course aimed at those in and around Ealing who are interested in a career in the film industry. One Place London is an organisation led by Kofi Baffoe, a member of the Redeemer family, and starting THIS SATURDAY they will be offering a FREE course, specifically aimed at young people from Black & Asian Ethnic Minority backgrounds.
Kofi explains:
“The British Film Industry report into racism within the film industry highlighted ‘People of colour make up three per cent of the UK film workforce, despite being 17 per cent of the UK’s and 40 per cent of London’s population (where most of that workforce is based)”
“BAME young people today also face a lack of confidence because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They face a lack of opportunities to build back their lives. Trainings in Acting for Film and skills training in creative work such as camera operating, boom operating and sound mixing on set are proven to work. However, it costs £4500 to learn one of the areas in a 6-month part-time course at Met Film School today. Young people cannot afford this amount of money.”
This is why One Place London exists, to give young people an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have. Gearing them with the necessary skills, attributes, discipline such as time-keeping, following instructions and positive networking skills, to help them develop and pursue their life goals.
You can find out more about the organisation at oneplace.london, and you can sign up to the course by emailing oneplacelondon@gmail.com. It will run across the next 24 weeks, beginning this Saturday, 8am at Ealing Studios.
I will leave you with a personal testimony from someone who has completed the course in the past.
The Acting Workshop I attended was very useful and overall a terrific experience. There were several aspects to the workshop, for example learning camera techniques and tricks in order to create different atmospheres/environment in relation to scenes. I was also able to act out a scene created by Kofi and with his help, I was able to get into character and manipulate my body for better camera positioning for effect. I got insight into his credentials knowing that he has worked with Award Winning Artists and himself being able to record scores for his movie and shoot it as well.
#RedeemerRecommends - Get uncomfortable....
#RedeemerRecommends a book which will help you to embrace Christian community, especially if it makes you feel 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.
#RedeemerRecommends - Evangelism in the Arts
In this week’s #RedeemerRecommends we highlight a topic which is close to the hearts of many in our Redeemer Family.
Right now, the arts are going through the toughest time in living memory, and we know that within our Redeemer family, there are performers, teachers, choreographers and many more individuals who are involved in the arts. We also are a church full of people who love and appreciate the arts and the impact they have on the borough of Ealing, the city of London, and the rest of the world!
We also believe that the incredible artistic gifting within our church is not just a coincidence, and that God can and will use it to impact those around us in Ealing. In fact we don’t just believe it in principle but we have also seen it in practice with the release of a book - Faith Locked Down, which was published this summer and includes some examples of the incredible creativity that is present within the Redeemer family!
That leads us to today’s #RedeemerRecommends. Last year, at the Gospel Coalition conference in the US, one of the breakout sessions focused on Evangelism in the Arts. Todd Goranson, founder of Trifonia Winds and the Junction Saxophone Quartet, and Steve Rooks, chair of dance and resident choreographer at Vasser College, New York, led the discussion, which focused on how we can affect our communities with the gospel through the arts. They also talk about how artistic excellence leads to effective engagement, and highlight influential organisations such as the Christian Performing Arts Fellowship and Creative Arts Europe.
It is a fascinating and inspiring listen, and will bless both artists and lovers of art alike, as we realise the power that the arts hold when it comes to evangelism and local or global mission.
The recording of the session, which includes a Q&A section at the end, is available below.
#RedeemerRecommends - Newday 2019!
This week’s Redeemer Recommends highlights a fantastic opportunity for young people to experience the power of the gospel alongside thousands of others this summer!
Newday. You may have heard the name mentioned a few times at Redeemer recently, but what is Newday? Well, to summarise, Newday is a week long festival aimed at young people between the age of 11 and 19, which aims to bring people together from across the UK and Europe to learn about and worship God! It has been running every year since 2004 and this year it starts on the 29th of July and finishes on the 3rd of August, with everyone returning home on the 4th. We at Redeemer know that it’s an amazing opportunity for young people to take the next step in their relationship with Jesus, and that’s why we would love you to join us!
So what does a standard day look like at Newday? Well you’ll wake up, grab a shower (not optional, you’ll be spending a lot of time around other people….) and some breakfast. Then there is a morning worship meeting which is aimed at specific age groups, followed by short talks on a range of topics relevant to what’s going on in your life! After lunch together in the afternoon there’s time to chill, hang out at one of the cafes, join in with one of the sports competitions, listen to some live music, there’s even inflatables….Whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s something for everyone! Then, dinner is served! After dinner is the main event, a worship meeting with everyone on site in attendance, over 7000 people worshipping God together and hearing great biblical teaching! After the evening meeting there’s some more time to chill and enjoy the concourse, where all the action is, or if you would prefer a chilled evening there’s hot chocolate available in the Redeemer marquee! Then it’s time to turn in for a good night’s sleep before we do it all over again the next day!
You might be thinking, this sounds loads of fun, but I’m not a young person, how can I get involved? Well there is still opportunity for you to do so, we are still looking for a few people to help us serve the event as Zone Hosts! Hannah Kinning is running the team, made up of people from Redeemer, who together will be hosting the Purple Zone this year, looking after all the churches camping on that zone and making sure their young people have a fun and safe experience at Newday 2019! There is also an opportunity to come and help with our Redeemer catering, helping to cook the meals for our young people, youth leaders and zone hosts. If you’re interested in either of these serving opportunities then look out for Hannah or Toby on a Sunday morning, or email toby@redeemerlondon.org
So, what are you waiting for? You can get signed up by clicking the button below, or if you need any more information about the event or how we look after the Redeemer youth while we’re there, then email toby@redeemerlondon.org or check out the Newday website at newdaygeneration.org
#RedeemerRecommends - Mere Fidelity Podcast
This week #RedeemerRecommends a new podcast to check out on your morning commute!
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!
#RedeemerRecommends - Persisting in Prayer
As our Transforming Prayer series comes to an end, #RedeemerRecommends some books to encourage you to continue pressing into a life of powerful prayer!
Last Sunday we reached the end of our preaching series on Transforming Prayer, and this week sees us finishing our prayer journals in our meetups! Never fear! We will have 3 more weeks of meeting and praying together in groups, followed by a church wide Week of Prayer from the 7th to the 13th of April.
But after that, it is our hope that the whole of the Redeemer community doesn’t simply stop praying, but is instead inspired by this season of Transforming Prayer, and the effect it has had on our lives! So inspired in fact that we continue to pursue transformation in our own situations and the situations of those around us through the power of prayer! As Christians our desire is that our relationship with God is constantly growing closer and more intimate, and one of the best ways to ensure this is by pressing into prayer throughout our lives.
So this week’s #RedeemerRecommends is hoping to supply you with a few books which you might find helpful as you continue to develop in your prayer life and your relationship with God.
Book #1 - Too Busy Not To Pray (Bill Hybels)
This is a book which encourages individuals at any stage of their walk with God to press into prayer. Hybels sets out practical ways to ensure we slow down and prioritise times of prayer. The book helps to expand our view of just what God can do in our lives and in the lives of those around us when we do so.
Book #2 - Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (C.S. Lewis)
This book, a collection of letters to a close friend of Lewis’ named Malcolm, speaks of many different aspects of prayer and how they affect our lives. Reading it takes us on a journey to understanding just how crucially important prayer is and how it increases the depth of our relationship with God.
Book #3 - The Power of a Praying Woman (Stormie Omartian)
Focusing on personal prayer, this is a great book for women of all ages looking to establish a discipline of prayer and hoping to see breakthrough in their own lives through persistence in prayer. Encouraging readers to ‘cover every area of life with prayer’, each chapter ends with a prayer to follow or to use as a model for your own personal prayer time.
Book #4 - God on Mute (Pete Greig)
A book specifically aimed at those who are struggling with seemingly ‘unanswered’ prayer, Pete Greig, the founder of the 24/7 global prayer movement, writes of his personal struggle. It’s an incredibly eye opening and honest account of his journey as his wife Samie fought a battle with a brain tumour. The book focuses on the questions which come up in situations when our prayers seem to be met with total silence, and aims to cultivate a sense of hope and faith in God’s love, a love which goes beyond our understanding.
#RedeemerRecommends - Vintage Worship
#RedeemerRecommends a new worship album borne out of a time of dependence on God’s goodness….
This week on #RedeemerRecommends we are focusing on a new worship album, released this month by Vintage Worship, the worship team from Vintage Church in Los Angeles.
The album was recorded in August 2018, as the church came together for two nights of worship, in the wake of two devastating events locally which had profound effects on the church community; The California wildfires, and the Thousand Oaks shooting.
The songs on the latest album ‘Heaven All Around Us’ reflect on God’s kindness and his grace, while encouraging us to hold onto his love and declare truth about him over ourselves as a form of restoration, even in times of tragedy and heartbreak.
#RedeemerRecommends on Valentine's - salt.london
#RedeemerRecommends a blog from another London based Advance church, with a focus on real love this Valentine’s Day…
If you’ve walked past a shop front or been on social media at all today, you will be aware that it is Valentine’s Day! A day which I’m sure brings about mixed feelings for many of you reading this.
There are many Christian blogs out there focusing on the subject of love, but this week’s #RedeemerRecommends has picked out one in particular which we think is worth a read!
salt.london is a blog which is run by a few friends from another Advance church in Waterloo, led by Andrew Haslam. It describes itself as a blog which seeks to “engage with thoughtful Londoners on matters of faith, philosophy, and life.”
The blog focuses on a range of topics, but you can find some links to their specific Valentine’s themed posts below. We hope you will find them thought provoking and encouraging, whether you’re single or married!
#RedeemerRecommends - 24/7 Prayer
This week’s #RedeemerRecommends invites us to learn more about an inspirational, global prayer organisation which started in just one room in the south of England….
As we continue to look forward to Transforming Prayer, which kicks off this Sunday, this week’s #RedeemerRecommends focuses on the blog of a prayer organisation which is seeing transformation in prayer lives and transformed communities as a result of prayer all across the world.
The 24-7 prayer movement began in 1999 with a single prayer room on the south coast of England, and their prayer room model has since expanded across the globe. 24-7 International now reaches over half the countries on earth. Their story is told in the books Red Moon Rising & Dirty Glory.
To discover more about the movement you can also visit the website by following the link below, where you will also find helpful blogs on prayer, along with inspiring testimonies of the transformational power of prayer!
Let’s be inspired by what God is doing in the global church and believe that he can do incredible things in and through US as we enter into this season of Transforming Prayer! I hope to see you on Sunday as we begin this new, exciting, life changing journey of prayer as a church. Everyone is welcome to join us!
#RedeemerRecommends Upside Down Advent!
Put your advent into reverse with this #RedeemerRecommends…
Turn Advent UPSIDE DOWN.
In the run up to Christmas I was struck by an idea floating on the Web.
A REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR.
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/family/547633/reverse-advent-calendar
Instead (or as well as) opening an advent calendar door each morning for a piece of chocolate to munch with your cereal flakes of choice, create a collection for someone struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.
Each day in the run up to Christmas, put aside a staple food item or something a little more festive. And before Christmas hand it to a local food bank or a charity supporting the homeless to be passed on to someone who may not be anticipating a happy Christmas time.
Go to https://www.trusselltrust.org/what-we-do/ for more ideas of the best items to include and to find your local foodbank.
If you're in Ealing go to https://ealing.foodbank.org.uk
You can even hand it in at your local supermarket - Tesco's in Ealing is collecting.
#RedeemerRecommends @ Christmas
The latest #RedeemerRecommends points us in the direction of a case for an early Christmas…
As we well and truly get into the Christmas spirit here at Redeemer, I have been thinking about how modern culture seems to be encouraging us to begin celebrating Christmas earlier and earlier each year.
For this next instalment of #RedeemerRecommends I would love to point you in the direction of an interesting blog by Courtney Ellis. It is a post encouraging us to avoid maligning those that would put Christmas music on in mid-October and embrace the fact that the birth of Jesus is something to be celebrated all year round!
Check out the blog here:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2018/november/christmas-advent-case-for-early-holiday.html
Get thinking. #RedeemerRecommends
In the first of our #RedeemerRecommends series, Rich Smith introduces us to a blog he has found thought provoking and inspiring recently, and excites us about a guest preacher visiting Redeemer at the end of November!
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.