Redemption Hill Church

The foundation for Christian anthropology is rooted in the very first chapter of the biblical text and storyline. Every person, male and female, is made in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, has a divinely ascribed dignity. This sermon will explore the beauty of this foundation as well as the ongoing implications. If the church believes that all people carry equal dignity, then it is critical that the church work to uphold and restore dignity for all people.

Pastor Doug Logan joined us to open God's Word for us to Revelation 7:9-12. The portrait of Jesus’ throne in Revelation 7 is that people from every tribe, tongue, and nation are gathered together to worship Him. This beautiful portrait is often a point of reference when discussing diversity in the church. The passage is focused less on diversity, though, and more on the glory of Christ. In this first sermon, Pastor Doug set the tone for the series, showing the barrier-shattering reality that comes from an ultimate identity found in the glory of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Doug is is the Director of Diversity and Co-Director of Church in Hard Places with Acts 29. He formerly served as Senior Pastor of Epiphany Camden, a church founded under his leadership in 2012. In 2016, he authored his first book, On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Missional Engagement. Doug and his wife, Angel, have been married since 1996 and have three adult sons and three grandchildren.

Pastor Josh Soto of Remnant Church in Richmond, VA was with us this week. God is majestic and worthy of our praise. The Psalms call us to praise Him and to remember the myriad reasons that God is worthy of that praise. Psalm 103 is packed with vivid imagery that calls us to praise God.

This week will explore the heart of lament through Psalm 13, and the confidence we can have in approaching God openly with our hearts. Lament is different than self-pity or depression. It is inviting people into our own brokenness. A lament grieves that the world is unbalanced. It grieves the gap between reality and God’s promise. It believes in a God who is there, who can act in time and space. It doesn’t drift into cynicism or unbelief, but engages God passionately with what’s wrong.

Eddie Cole, District Superintendent of the EDA, kicked off our first week of this series by introducing the Psalms through Psalm 1. We are called to pray expectantly for wisdom throughout Scripture. We will see that the ultimate expression of God’s wisdom has come to us through the cross of Jesus Christ, which is the only hope for our lives and our redemption.

Understanding God's design for work and how to invest in our work for His glory can still leave us open to exhaustion and overwork. Finding sustainable patterns and rhythms of rest is an essential part of life. We will take time to explore the biblical concept of sabbath rest and see how it applies to us today.

The regular weekly grind can make the most rewarding jobs feel like they are empty and pointless at times. Last week we saw that we can join God's work in forming, filling, and cultivating this world. This week we will bring that down to a very practical level and see how our work connects to God's work in His world, whatever the career field.

There is a terrible misconception that work is only a result of the curse. This makes people feel as if any work other than full-time vocational ministry is fruitless and a lesser option. The Biblical reality is that God designed us for work from the very beginning, modeling it for us Himself. Understanding God’s design for work is fundamental in understanding our purpose in cultivation and service and gives an inherent dignity to every calling. Genesis 1-2 are hugely helpful for us, and will be our focal point this Sunday.

This has been a timely series for us as a church, and I have had a lot of fun preaching through the Beginnings of the early church, seeing the foundation of what we are and what we should pursue as a church. This Sunday we will focus in on Acts 6:7, which shows us what we should pursue in order to be a part of the advance of God's Word.

This is a huge narrative section that shows us the ministry, life, and death of Stephen. Death is a shadow that hangs over every one of us. In a world that seems every-increasingly bent toward self-realization and expression, it is a shocking text to see someone self-sacrificially committed to the transcendent kingdom and cause of another. This text shows us how Jesus reorients our lives, and how Christians see and experience death.