Articles - Redeemer City Church

A beloved verse on mugs and graduation cards takes on new depth when read where it began: in the rubble of exile. Pastor Spencer opens Jeremiah 29:11 inside its original setting—letters to a people settling into Babylon—and we discover that “plans to prosper” was never a shortcut to success but a pledge of restoration, shalom, and a future secured by God’s covenant love.

Headlines heat up fast when immigration and policing collide, but clarity is possible without losing compassion. We take a grounded look at borders, law enforcement, and Christian submission, showing how Scripture frames authority, accountability, and civic duty in a way that resists both apathy and outrage. Instead of trading hot takes, we map a path that values order, protects the vulnerable, and insists on justice through evidence, witnesses, and due process.

We trace the meaning of deacon from general service to a defined office and build a biblical case for women serving as deacons while keeping elder authority distinct. We lay out five reasons from 1 Timothy 3, Acts 6, and Phoebe’s example and add clear guardrails for healthy church polity.• difference between serving and the office of deacon• Acts 6 as a unifying model for care• distinct lanes for elders and deacons• problems with deacon boards as governors• textual case for women deacons in 1 Timothy 3• role of transitional phrases and qualifications• Phoebe’s commendation and trusted service• when deaconesses fit a church structure• guardrails to protect elder teaching authority• posture of conviction with humility

Are we baptizing too soon or waiting too long? This article tackles the tension head-on by centering the conversation on two simple, searching questions: What is the gospel, and why do you want to be baptized? From there, we map out a practical path for parents and pastors who want to honor the gravity of baptism without adding man-made hurdles or chasing dramatic conversion stories.If this was helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find thoughtful, gospel-centered conversations like this.

What if a simple, weekly meal could reshape the life of a whole church? We explore why our congregation practices the Lord’s Supper every week and make a grounded case that blends biblical patterns, early church tradition, and pastoral experience. Rather than asking why we should do it weekly, we flip the question and ask why we would step away from a rhythm the first Christians embraced and their successors carried for centuries.We walk through four core reasons. First, the New Testament’s witness and early writings show the table at the center of gathered worship, not a rare add-on. Second, the logistics are lighter than many assume; with shared service and clear systems, preparing the elements is a matter of minutes, not hours. Third, routine need not be hollow. Like prayer before bed or a daily kiss before work, repetition can deepen love, secure memory, and form a people who live by grace rather than novelty. Fourth, Christ meets us at his table. Without collapsing into confusion about how, we affirm a real spiritual presence that nourishes faith as surely as the preached word does.Along the way, we consider how the Supper reorients the church’s gaze in three directions: back to the cross so we never forget, forward to the kingdom so present troubles don’t swallow hope, and outward to those who watch and ask why we eat and drink. The table becomes a visible proclamation that invites questions from children and guests and opens doors for gentle witness. If you’ve felt distant from God or unsure how to root your community more deeply in the gospel, this conversation offers a simple, historic, and profoundly pastoral path: set the table, come hungry, and keep remembering until he returns.