The Message of Malachi - A New Preaching series at Redeemer

Elie Wiesel was a Romanian-born American writer, political activist, and Holocaust survivor, he said: “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” 

One of the dangers in our modern fast paced world is that our brains are bombarded with vast amounts of information and data. We receive news about issues from around the world: natural disasters and football results, murder and videos of performing cats. We struggle to differentiate between the vital and the humorous.

I personally can become a great spectator, one who watches and expresses an opinion; I have never missed a penalty from the comfort of my armchair. Yet as quickly as the information comes it is replaced by more and more, faster and faster. I may have been moved the first time I heard and saw the bad news but I get de-sensitised with every viewing.

I have often felt challenged by the quote attributed to Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  I believe this is why many around the world have applauded the actions of Greta Thunberg, the 17 year old Swedish school girl who misses school on “Fridays for future’ and as she travels the world to lecture leaders due to her concern for the environment.

Malachi was a man, approx 2,500 years ago, who also brought a message - “you are half-hearted and making a mess of life!” His listeners were not actively doing wrong but they were also not passionately doing what was right. The disappointments of life had worn them down to become spectators in a game they should have been playing.

The best thing about Malachi’s message, which he believed was from God, is that before the hearers were expected to change their behaviour, God said, “I Love You.” Redeemer church is going to spend the next 6 weeks looking at the message of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.

Join us at the University of West London, where we aim to throw off indifference and live a life that counts for God!

We've Moved! - Purpose & Promises

We’ve Moved!

This Sunday saw us worshipping together at the University of West London for the first time! What a great time it was, the venue may have changed, but our God hasn’t! He loves to meet with us wherever we are!

There are obviously practical reasons why we have moved from the Town Hall, but we also firmly believe as a church that God is leading us into a new season which will be full of excitement, and that we can expect him to move powerfully amongst us and in our community as a result of our new Sunday venue! 

As part of his preach on Sunday, Rich talked about the potential impact we can have as a church on our local community, and below are just some of the ways in which we are praying God will use us as we meet at the university.

• We are believing that being in such an influential space for the student population in Ealing will allow us to see the gospel made known amongst students and young adults in the local area more than we have before!

• Our new refreshments and welcome area is a fantastic space for conversation and fellowship, both for Redeemer family members and for guests. We are praying that God uses this extra space to continue to welcome more people into our family, and create genuine friendships in which we build one another up and encourage each other to walk in the plans God has for us!

• With refreshments and welcome happening in a separate location, there is greater opportunity to respond and receive prayer after the services. We are praying that God speaks to people through our preaching and during the worship times and that we are able to follow up by continuing to pray with individuals after the meeting. We are expecting God to use this extra time and space to transform hearts and lives!

• We now have more seats in the room on a Sunday morning than we ever have before! We are praying that God continues to bring new people to us at Redeemer that we might be able to bless and share the love of Jesus with! We believe that God will fill the empty seats with new Redeemer family members!

These are just a few of the ways that we are praying God will move in and through us in this next season at Redeemer. We have received prophetic words recently about stepping up, graduating, and experiencing new things in God and there is a sense of excitement stirring amongst us! If you haven’t already, why not join us in the next few weeks as we take the next steps on this journey as a church!

We're Moving! - Pause & Praise

Redeemer Church is moving! From the 2nd of June we will be meeting in Weston Hall, at the University of West London! We will be releasing more information about the practicalities of the move over the next two weeks, so that you have all the information you need about the move before it happens. As part of the move we’ll be publishing 3 blogs, the first of which is this one!

In this first blog Pete Cornford looks back at our time in Ealing Town Hall over the last 5 years, and encourages us to pause and praise God for what he has done in and through us as a church!

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London is a fast paced and vibrant place to live. What a privilege it is to dwell in this city!

I am so aware in my own life that I love the new and the next: pressing on for what today holds and getting excited about the future. I would like to consider myself an ‘enthusiastic optimist’, with a mindset that says ‘we can do it!’

However sometimes it is good to pause. 

To stop. 

To reflect. 

To look back and be grateful, recognising all that God has accomplished.

Redeemer Church, London was launched on Sunday mornings, at Ealing Town Hall in January 2013. 

The iconic, central location has served us so well. From the small downstairs basement we have expanded into the main Hall as you enter the building. There has been space for the children's work to expand from 1 child to regularly getting over 50 children in attendance. People have decided to follow Jesus, many have got baptised, couples have got married and families have celebrated the arrival of babies. Visiting speakers have inspired and taught us, people have been healed and there have been powerful encounters with the living God. We have dreamed, cried and laughed together as community….. 

And I am very grateful!

If you have been part of the journey - THANK YOU.

Why don’t you pause now - reflect and be grateful for all you have!