SPT Changes & Our Search for a Senior Director of Discipleship

Redeemer Church Family,

It seems like spring is upon us as we welcome the beauty of spring to our city. Hardly a day passes without more joyful news of our church family gathering in new ways to celebrate and declare the gospel of God as we grow in knowing and following Jesus Christ. 

Today, we’re writing a brief note to let you know about some exciting changes within our pastoral leadership. 

We’re thrilled to announce that our Senior Pastor Team has grown to include Matt Francisco and Dwight Castle. As our church has grown, we have recognized the need to respond to increasingly large and complex issues within our church family and surrounding community. These men have served Redeemer faithfully for many years, and we look forward to seeing how their strengths and giftings will serve Redeemer in an increased role in the years to come.

As part of that, we’re happy to announce that Matt will fill a newly created Associate Lead Pastor role. Dwight will continue to shape Redeemer’s vision for global and local missions, benevolence, and service as our Missions Pastor. As they move into senior leadership, some of their former responsibilities will shift to other members of our team. 

We fervently pray that these changes will support the flourishing of our church family and advance our unity and fruitfulness in the Lord's work for Redeemer.

Lastly, as a result of the changes we discussed, we ask you to join us in prayer as we begin our search for a pastor and Senior Director of Discipleship. More information can be found on our website, and we would be deeply thankful if you could help us share the news! 

For His Glory,

The Senior Pastor Team

31 Days of Prayer for Citywide Transformation

Dear Redeemer Family,

If you have mourned the increasing polarization and division of these past few years…

If you have wondered why the church, rather than displaying the wondrous, transformative, unifying glory of the gospel of grace, has too often sadly been more divisive than the surrounding culture…

Or if you have longed for the Lord to heal and transform, to unify His body and glorify His great name in our family unity here in Birmingham and beyond…

We invite you to join us in prayerful partnership with churches throughout this beloved city.

A few years ago, several pastors and leaders across denominational and relational lines began meeting regularly to discuss oneness in Christ and its implications in Birmingham. Led initially by our partner Tracy Hipps at Christian Service Mission, these men have spearheaded efforts for church leaders throughout the city to dream and pray together for “One New Birmingham,” a Birmingham where churches are united together for the glory of God and the good of our city.

Alongside our brothers and sisters throughout the city, we want to ask you to join us for a season of unified prayer and fasting.

Here’s the ask: during the month of January, we would love for you to spend five minutes each day in God’s Word and prayer over the specific prayer points outlined below, asking God to transform our hearts and our city, as we go before Him together on our knees.

In Christ,

The Pastors of Redeemer

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10 Days of Preparation and Prayer: Remove the Spiritual Blindness

Day 1: Read Genesis 3
Take particular note that the enemy has a voice to bring deception into our life. Ask God to show you any lies or deception that has been brought into your life. 

Day 2: Read John 8 (emphasis on verse 44)
We are given insight to the father of lies and how the enemy can only work with any resource that we give him. Ask God to empower you to cut ties with anything in your soulish nature that is holding you back from experiencing freedom. 

Day 3: Read 1 John 2:3
Love is God’s great power over the enemy. Ask the Lord to fill you with His love so that you can break any sin strategy in your life and destroy the devil’s work. 

Day 4: Read Luke 4
Jesus lived submitted to God. Notice how Jesus resisted the voice of the enemies lies and deception. Ask the Lord to fill you with His spirit in the midst of any spiritual wilderness so you can resist the enemy plans and receive fresh strength to stand. 

Day 5: Read I Samuel 30
Trust totally in the Lord to connect you with people who can help you pursue and overtake the enemy in your life. Break free of discouragement by developing a strategy of pursuit and full recovery of loss. 

Day 6: Read Ezra 8
Prayer helps you see the enemies activities and location. Stop and allow the Lord to show you the enemy that is laying in wait on the road ahead of you. 

Day 7: Read Nehemiah 2
God has a restoration plan for One New Birmingham. Let God develop the plan to rebuild that which is broken down in your life and our city. Prayer for divine partnerships to rebuild. 

Day 8: Read Matthew 12
We celebrate the finished work of the cross. Thank the Lord of the cross and declare that the passion of Jesus arises in you. 

Day 9: Read Ezekiel 28
The enemy has limited power. Allow God to reveal to you the supernatural qualities that the enemy possess to cause darkness in our city. 

Day 10: Read Isaiah 14
Continue to allow God to reveal to you Satan’s hidden characteristics to lie and deceive men. 

10 Days of Worship

Day 11: Read Psalm 23
Take 5 minutes to thank and give praise to God that He is Jehovah Rohi and will lead you and our city into restoration!

Day 12: Read Hosea 10:11
Unshakeable praise plows through the hardest ground in our city. When the grounds are hard, when the circumstances are adverse, when the violence rages, God’s favor is on the one who will lead off with praise. Take 5 minutes to praise God and declare hard, fallow ground will see breakthrough. Declare the plow of praise will cut through the hardness of hearts and make way for the good seed of the Word to be planted. 

Day 13: Read Psalm 30:5
Unshakeable praise must continue because “weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Our collective praise is sending Judah first in the war of our city and inheritance. Judah goes first to plow the way into One New Birmingham. 

Day 14: Read James 5
We are instructed to submit ourselves to God, draw near to Him, and then we gain power to resist the devil. As we worship as One New Birmingham and submit ourselves to God, we will see men and women grow in power to defeat spiritual strongholds. 

Day 15: Read Ephesians 1
As God for wisdom, strategy, and revelation to fill your inner man and that your eyes of understanding are enlightened. Allow time to worship as you acknowledge the greatness of God. 

Day 16: Sing a New Song
The new song is mentioned seven times in the Old Testament (six references in Psalms, one in Isaiah 42:10). It is referred to once in the New Testament (Rev. 5:9). The New Covenant called for a New Song— a new worship response to the finished work of Christ in His death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. 

Day 17: Enter the Throne Room with a Song of Enthronement
We are to coronate our king through worship! Psalm 110:1-2 is such a song where the Lord God calls for His son to be seated at His right hand until all His enemies are made His footstool. Let us, through the spirit of worship, ascend into the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6; Revelation 4:1). 

Day 18: Song of Harvest
Psalm 126 sings of the harvest coming in after a time of tearful sowing. As One New Birmingham, we need to worshipfully sing the harvest of souls in and evangelistically bring them in as sheaves carried by a harvester! (Acts 15:6; Amos 9:12; Rev. 7:9). 

Day 19: Read Revelation 5:8-9
Sing songs of intercession and declaration within our heart. Harps and bowls in Heaven speak of worship and intercession. Our united citywide intercession is like incense ascending over Birmingham into Heaven. When the bowls are full, they are tipped and released by the angel into into the earth realm in the form of voices, thunderings, lightenings, and earthquakes (Rev. 8:3-5). We will gain the words to speak over our city and churches. 

Day 20: Read Exodus 15
Sing a song of Victory and Freedom over One New Birmingham. The Exodus Journey proves God’s faithfulness to redeem and deliver his people. Songs of deliverance are the results of the victory of God and His people over their enemies. The law of booty was that the spoil should be divided equally between the army who won it and God’s covenant people. A portion of the spoil was reserved for the oppressed, the aged, widows, and orphans.

11 Days of Conquering Strongholds: One New Birmingham

Day 21: Read Genesis 14 & 15
God revealed Himself to Abraham as the ‘Possessor of Heaven and Earth’. This revelation was in the context of war and victory. Abraham gave to Melchizedek. Meditate on the covenant God made with Abraham and ask God to reaffirm your covenant with Him and our city. 

Day 22: Read Deuteronomy 20 & Deuteronomy 32:30
One can put 1,000 to flight, but two can put 10,000 to flight. As we are united in prayer and fasting, we are exercising the valuable principle of multiplication in battle. Ask the Lord to give you strength for the battle. 

Day 23: Read Deuteronomy 8 (emphasis on verses 18-20)
Increase is a harvest principle. Increase rises through faith and follows deeds that are linked to faith. Declare One New Birmingham is full of new power (vigor, strength, force) and new wealth (material substance, spoils of war) to accomplish God’s plan. 

Day 24: Read Psalm 115:14-16 & 2 Chronicles 20
Ask God for increase. Seek God through prayer to increase your mind. Ask Him to open your heart to any word that will bring you success and cause you to be able to rake in the spoils of war that the enemy has held in possession. 

Day 25: Read Psalm 84:4
During your time of intercession, declare deliverance from the hand of the the wicked who has tied up any of your wealth. 

Day 26: Read Luke 10:5, 8, & 9
Jesus evangelistic method called us to do several things but one is to be a House of Peace. Blessing opens the door to unbiased fellowship. Speak peace over the houses of Birmingham. 

Day 27: Read 1 Timothy 2:1, 3-4
Pray for everyone, everywhere in the city. As a united and mobilized Church, let’s pray for everybody in the city, to ensure all people have an opportunity to know him. 

Day 28: Read 2 Corinthians 4:4 & Acts 26:17-18
We are One United Church in the city of Birmingham. God has sent us to take control over the spiritual climate to change the atmosphere through prayer and proclamation. Declare that the word of God is not bound but being boldly proclaimed all over the city, setting men free. 

Day 29: Read Luke 19:37-38
Declare in prayer that multitudes are flocking to encounter Jesus from all over our city. 

Day 30: Read Luke 10:17
Jesus taught to His disciples that even demons are subjected to His name. We are One United Church enforcing the kingdom of God and His rule in the city. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” 

Day 31: Read Revelation 12:10-12
We win no matter what it looks like. Be reminded that when we fast and pray, God’s great power is made available to defeat the enemy. Testify to others what God has done for you and your city. 

Romans Reading & Study Guide - Part 4

The fourth part of our Romans Reading & Study Guide is available now!

A few of our team members put together a reading and study plan with some helpful tools designed to equip you to glean more from your study of God’s Word. It is our earnest hope that the Lord uses this study to deepen your understanding of God’s Word and your heart’s affections for Christ in the months ahead.

Access Romans - Part 4

Romans Study Guide Access

What is Lent?

Pastor Eugene Peterson once spoke of our need for an "uncluttered time and space to distance ourselves from the frenzy of our own activities so we can see what God has been and is doing."

The church season of Lent is an invitation to such uncluttered time. 

Lent is an opportunity to put space between ourselves and the frenzy of our busyness. It is a call to be humble and quiet before the LORD and see what our busyness so often keeps us from recognizing. Namely, that we are a people in desperate need of rescue and that everything we've ever needed -- to be or to have -- is met in Jesus.  

The beautiful tension of Lent is that, while we soberly consider our great debt of sin, we also behold the even greater love of God.

The season of Lent is a forty-day journey marked by joyful humility and the spiritual practices of reflection and repentance. 

The observance of Lent has traditionally incorporated spiritual disciplines like fasting and prayerful meditation on God's Word. Lent is a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter – when God rescued and redeemed His children through the suffering and resurrection victory of Jesus. 

Lent is an invitation to consider our extraordinary need and rejoice in the more extraordinary grace of Jesus.

The season begins on Ash Wednesday, marking the call to reflection and repentance. As a representation of our mortality and need, ashes are applied to one's forehead in the shape of a cross. As the ashes are applied, the pastor speaks the words of Jesus in Mark 1:15, "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." The ashes are not magical, but they can be meaningful. They are a vivid reminder that we came from the dust of the earth and that all will indeed return to dust until the Resurrection (Gen 3:19, Rom 6:5). 

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. We hope you will be able to join us in our sanctuary at 5:00 or 6:30 PM for a time of singing, scripture reading, prayer, and communion.

We will also gather as a church family to observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. For more information on times and locations, check out our Lent website.

Additionally, throughout Lent, our Sound & Season podcast will include new voices while leading us through the Gospel of John. New episodes will be available daily on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Links to the podcast and written versions of our Lenten devotional can be found on our our Lent website.

Romans Reading & Study Guide - Part 3

The third part of our Romans Reading & Study Guide is available now!

A few of our team members put together a reading and study plan with some helpful tools designed to equip you to glean more from your study of God’s Word. It is our earnest hope that the Lord uses this study to deepen your understanding of God’s Word and your heart’s affections for Christ in the months ahead.

You can download Part 3 here.

Welcome Krystal Brummitt

Hello Redeemer Church Family!

First off, let me say how excited I am to be part of this church family as the Women's Discipleship & Care Director. I have been in Birmingham since 2015 (with a 14-month stint in Texas) and have many friends who are members of Redeemer. This is a church I have been grateful for from a distance for many years.

I did not grow up in church or hearing the gospel. I was invited to church for the first time by a friend in middle school. While still an unbeliever, I went on a mission trip to New York, where I heard someone teach from Ephesians 2. In that moment, I saw a clear picture that I was dead in my sin, and nothing could reconcile me to God apart from Christ. I had been striving to earn the love of God by being "good" and doing all the right things. I repented of my sin and my efforts to earn God's favor and placed my faith and trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sin.

The church has been my truest sense of family from that moment forward. While in college, I began learning how to study the Bible and dove into theology. I realized that I, too, can think deeply about the things of God - that was not only reserved for pastors and ministry leaders. The Lord cultivated in me a love for His Word and His Church during those years.

All of that has led me to where I am today. I'm grateful for this opportunity to come alongside women as they walk with the Lord, and I'm thankful to be part of this church family. I hope that I'll have the opportunity to meet you and hear your stories in the coming months.

I'm also so excited to have joined this church family before the upcoming Women's Retreat on February 4th and 5th. I would love to meet you there and join you in hearing Courtney Doctor discuss the glorious hope that God offers us amid the chaos and despair we often feel. You can register for the retreat here.

Lastly, I'm only one of three women that have joined Redeemer's staff over the last few months. I hope you extend the same warm welcome to Sophie Fast and Kari Callahan as you have to me!

Blessings,

Krystal Brummitt
Women's Discipleship & Care Director

Service Changes in the New Year

Redeemer Church Family,

It is hard to believe 2022 is almost upon us. It is even harder to believe that we were still meeting at a parking deck only a few months ago. 

It's truly incredible to look back at all the changes we've made to our gathered worship over the past 22 months. In March of 2020, we began streaming from an empty sanctuary, then to a parking deck, then a combination of the deck and the sanctuary, and finally to four services this fall. Our church family has weathered immense disruption, and the Lord has been faithful to hold us close to Himself and hold us together. For that, we are so grateful.

If you were at church on Sunday, you might have heard the announcement that we will be shifting once again with the start of the New Year. We hope that these changes will be more sustainable for our staff, ministries, and volunteers. 

Beginning January 2nd...

• We will offer three Sunday services at 8, 9:30, and 11:15 AM, and all services will have Children’s Ministry elements. Parents, be on the lookout for an email with more details from Regan, our Children’s Ministry Director.

• All services will be mask-optional. Our leadership has been watching the statistics within our local community and is encouraged by the relatively low levels of community transmission. While we hope this change is permanent, we will continue monitoring available data and adjust protocols if necessary.

• Our livestream will transition to a live-only broadcast and will not be available after the conclusion of the service. If you miss the livestream, you can still catch up with our sermon podcast.

As for the remainder of 2021... 

• Our Nine Lessons & Carols services are this Sunday, December 19th. For out-of-town members and those unable to reserve a ticket, we will have a livestream of the 4 PM service on our Advent website.

• On December 26th, we will gather at the Redeemer building for a single worship service at 9:30 AM.

In closing, the Senior Pastor Team wants to thank you for your grace and patience over the last two years. We often remark to each other that our church family is nomadic, and if you have been with us for more than a few years, you probably understand. None of us took "Pastoring in a Global Pandemic" in seminary. Your kindness, prayers, and willingness to adapt have made the ministries of Redeemer press on, and your resilience in trusting Jesus helped us to do the same. Thank you, brothers and sisters. 

We love you and thank God you are a part of the family at Redeemer.

Blessings,

The Senior Pastor Team

Joel Brooks
Lead Pastor

Josh Hausen
Executive Pastor

Jeff Heine
Shepherding Pastor

Romans Reading & Study Guide - Part 2

This coming Sunday, we will restart our series on the book of Romans! The second part of our Romans Reading & Study Guide is available now!

If you weren’t following along this spring, a few of our team members put together a reading and study plan with some helpful tools designed to equip you to glean more from your study of God’s Word. It is our earnest hope that the Lord uses this study to deepen your understanding of God’s Word and your heart’s affections for Christ in the months ahead.

You can download Part 2 here.

Afternoon Service Announcement & COVID -19 Precautions Update

Redeemer Church Family,

It has been an absolute joy to see our church family gathered solely in our sanctuary for the last five weeks. After months of worshiping at home, distanced at a parking deck, or separated between two locations, three services of collective praise in our sanctuary have been incredibly moving. We have said it before, but it bears repeating -- praise God for His providence and care over our church this last year!

4 PM Worship Service Returning August 15th
As we look forward to the return of more family members and college students this fall, we are preparing to bring back an afternoon service. Starting August 15th, we will be adding a 4:00 PM service in addition to our 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 services. Our incredible Children's Ministry team will also be offering childcare and children's classes at all four services each Sunday (so please sign up to volunteer!).

Many of our long-time members have special memories of the days when an afternoon service was our only service option. As we work diligently to free up more space in our morning services, we hope you will consider joining us in the afternoon.

COVID-19 Precautions Update
Additionally, we wanted you to know that the elders of Redeemer have continued to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in our community, especially in light of the new Delta variant. Because of this, when our 4:00 PM service returns on August 15th, it will begin as a mask-required worship service for both adults and kids (Pre-K and up).

As always, if you feel more comfortable wearing a mask at any of our other services, please do so. Our 9:30 AM service will continue to be live-streamed if you are experiencing COVID symptoms or are currently uncomfortable joining us in our sanctuary.

If you are interested in scheduling a vaccine or want more information on vaccination, Christ Health Center, one of our local partners in Woodlawn, accepts appointments online.

We have also recognized that local school systems are implementing various mask strategies as they enter the new school year. Parents, please be on the lookout for a message from Regan, our Children's Director, for information on steps the Children's Ministry will be taking to ensure a safe learning environment for our children.

As always, we will continue to weigh local hospitalization, vaccination, and transmission data against our congregation's spiritual, emotional, and mental health needs. We will also listen to the advice of Redeemer's medical community, as well as state and local officials, as we chart a path that is right for our church family.

Lastly, we urge you to continue showing Christlike love towards our brothers and sisters, keeping in mind the many and varied ways people are hurting right now. If you are struggling, we urge you to reach out so that we can help. We are actively searching for ways to care for and accommodate members of our church family who need help.

Blessings,

The Senior Pastor Team

Joel Brooks
Lead Pastor

Josh Hausen
Executive Pastor

Jeff Heine
Shepherding Pastor

Celebrating Our Return

Redeemer Church Family,

This past Sunday, we announced our plan to return entirely to our Avondale sanctuary, with our final parking deck service on June 27th. Starting July 4th, our 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 AM services will all be held in our sanctuary.

If you've forgotten, we started gathering at the parking deck on June 7th of last year. The Lord graciously provided that opportunity after we stopped in-person gatherings at the start of the pandemic. In the end, our church family will have gathered at the parking deck 55 times. Neither storms, freezing temperatures, nor summer heat prevented us from worshiping our Risen Savior as a church family. Praise God for His providence and care over our church this last year.

This isn't to say that we are back to normal. The damage from the last year is real and affects our church family in a variety of ways. We still have members who cannot return to in-person gatherings. Many are struggling with the trauma and stress of this past year's pandemic, isolation, and unrest. We must continue to show Christlike love towards our brothers and sisters, sacrificially caring for them. If you are struggling, we urge you to reach out so that we can help. We are actively searching for ways to accommodate those in our church family that need help.

Lastly, for those that can, we encourage you to examine what you will do with your newfound freedom. God has been teaching each of us lessons about what we need and what we value.

Now that we have experienced a year of loss, how will you turn to the Lord for healing?

Now that we understand the need for relationship and community, how will you re-invest in the unity and flourishing of our church family?

Now that we are free to move as we please, how will you declare the gospel to others?

Remember, our church family commits to one another and makes life together a core component of our lives - for our good, for the good of others, and for the glory of God. Let's keep praying for one another and looking for ways to stir one another up to love and good works for the glory of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Blessings,

The Senior Pastor Team

Joel Brooks
Lead Pastor

Josh Hausen
Executive Pastor

Jeff Heine
Shepherding Pastor