Redeemer East Side Update

It has been such a joy for me to study more this year about the history of and spiritual awakenings. I hope it has been as edifying to you, reading about these stories where God kindled a move of his Spirit, often through the faithful obedience of everyday Christians. If you want to read more, two very accessible books would be great to add to your summer reading list. They are A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir by Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge, and The Unexpected Christian Century by Scott Sundquist.

As you learn more about how God has worked in the past, my prayer is that God would make the gospel more powerful in your own life, and through your renewed joy, you would want to be a part of the kind of movements you read about. I love the way historian Alan Kreider characterizes the rise of early Christianity. He refers to it as the “patient ferment” of the Spirit of God. He writes:

The early Christians had a perspective that they called “patience.” They believed that God was in charge of events; they knew they were not. … Christian leaders didn’t think or write about how to systematize the spread of Christianity; they were not concerned to cover the world evenly with evangelistic efforts. Instead the Christians concentrated on developing practices that contributed to habits that characterized both individual Christians and Christian communities. They believed that when the habits were healthy, the churches would grow. Their theology was unhurried—a theology of patience. It is characteristic of their approach that the carriers and embodiers of the growth were marginal, humble, and often anonymous, women as well as men, individuals as well as communities … [it could be called] ’the missionary success of the lowly.'”

This summer we are going to continue to explore the idea of “patient ferment” but through current stories. You’ll be hearing from members of the East Side Leadership Team, who will share real life stories of people within our community who took a small but intentional step of faith to live out the mission of the kingdom. I hope you’ll be encouraged and realize that there is a movement fermenting patiently in New York City today, where everyday Christians like you are seeking to love Jesus and their neighbor in new and patient ways.

Warmly,

Rev. Abraham Cho
East Side Senior Pastor

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Download the report at redeemer.com/annualreport. Also available to view on the Redeemer app (redeemer.com/app).

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