WS Update: The Gift of Worship
Some years ago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art ran an ad campaign in which they asked celebrities to share what the Met has meant to them. Comedian Seth Meyers said this: “I often think there is nothing more artistic than a well-written joke. Then I go to the Met and I remember I’m an idiot.”…
WS Update: Community
Just below, you’ll see all kinds of different events and gatherings happening for our church family. From learning about and experiencing art, gathering for a social, grieving communally, learning to share your faith, to enjoying a picnic in the park, all these offerings are ways for us to build friendships and deepen community as we…
WS Update: Gratitude and Stewardship
In 1 Corinthians 4, the apostle Paul reminds Christians that everything they have is a gift of God’s grace. When you receive a gift, one thing to do is say “thank you.” The more someone is aware of the wonder of Jesus’ grace and love, the more that person lives from a posture of gratitude.…
WS Update: Sharing Our Faith in This Cultural Moment
In her book, Stay Salt, Rebecca Pippert points out that the message of the gospel–Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection–is “quite simply the best news ever!” She then asks, If this is so, why do so many Christians struggle to share the glorious news of the gospel? How can we believe that there is no greater…
WS Update: Strong in the Lord
In his short and wonderfully helpful book, Safe and Sound, David Powlison wrote, Scripture treats spiritual warfare as a normal, everyday part of the Christian life, and so we should as well. It’s not about spooky special effects. It’s about how we think, feel, live, desire… Spiritual battles are real, and God’s people are not…
WS Update: RWS Congregational Meeting
This coming Sunday, May 4, we have a congregational meeting for Redeemer West Side. The meeting will begin at 12:45 pm and last about half an hour. There’s more info just below, but let me mention: if you’re a member of Redeemer West Side, please prioritize joining this meeting. Not only will you hear about…
WS Update: Trusting God When Life is Hard
Going through hardship and suffering impacts your faith. Sometimes suffering draws people closer to God. Sometimes, suffering—especially chronic suffering, disappointment after disappointment—makes God feel really far away. One of the urgent questions in spiritual life must be: How can you continue trusting God when life is hard? We’re starting a new sermon series this Sunday:…
WS Update: Good Friday and Easter
In her book about Jesus’ death on the cross, Fleming Rutledge wrote: Christianity is unique. The world’s religions have certain traits in common, but until the gospel of Jesus Christ burst upon the Mediterranean world, no one in the history of human imagination had conceived of such a thing as the worship of a crucified…
WS Update: Easter and Sacrificial Giving
At the heart of the gospel is a generous and self-giving God who gave everything that was dear to him – even his own life – to heal us from our broken condition and restore us to wholeness. As one biblical translation put it: “The Word [Jesus] became flesh and blood, and moved into the…
WS Update: Vulnerability and Being Seen
Vulnerability is a central part of a meaningful relationship. Despite the risks, opening ourselves up to others is how we can experience the transformative power of grace and truth as we build authentic connections within a Christian community. Our upcoming conference speaker, Curt Thompson, writes, “vulnerability is not something we choose to be; it is…