What We Hold To Be True

WHAT WE HOLD TO BE TRUE

We believe that the following values should characterize the life of a person who is in “the game” and in the corporate ministry at Redeemer Missionary church

1. TRUE WORSHIP- We believe loving God means that all Christians should define themselves as passionate worshippers of their Creator.

Therefore we value the opportunity to worship God freely and expressively both in corporate acts of worship and through our individual lives, as living sacrifices. Our aim is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Loving God means obeying Him. We aim to be people who are obedient to God’s word (1John 2:5). “…and who take time to study it, meditate upon it, in order to hide it in our heart (Ps 119:11). “Therefore, we are those who purpose holy lives and who have a reverent fear of God” (Ps. 147:11).

2. AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY- We believe that church life should be lived with relational integrity, compassionate understanding, faithful commitment and according to biblical principals. (Acts2:41-47; Hebrews 10:24-25)

Therefore, we value that relationships are vital and an integral part of the foundation of church life. We value being an inclusive family, who are on faith journey together. We share life through small groups as well as corporate meetings. Central to the life of these smaller communities is practice of the “one another’s” found in the New Testament.

3. GIFT-BASED LIFE STYLE- We believe that God has given the gifts of the Holy Spirit to equip his church today, both in corporate gatherings an in believers’ daily lives. In Christ’s body, we anticipate that every part functions practically and in unity (I Cor. 12, Rom 12)

Therefore our value is for everyone, through the gifting of the Holy Spirit and the equipping of spiritual leaders, to identify their gifts and callings. Grace is a place where people should understand their spiritual S.H.A.P.E. and use their God-given abilities to serve him in this local body and in their community

4. CHRIST LIKE FOLLOWERS- We believe that people should get into the game by finding Jesus, growing in their faith, serving Him in their sphere of influence, and reproducing spiritual life in others(Colossians 1:28; I Peter 3:18, I John 2:6, Jude 20-21)

Therefore, we value the following character qualities as necessary distinctives in the lives of Gods people: they should be open to change, humble, They should have an unfolding and expanding sense of what it means to grow into the image of Christ and should reflect Christ’s love for all people.

5. BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP- We believe that God has provided leadership for His church through spiritually gifted people to prepare God’s people for works of service (Eph. 4: 12-13).

Therefore we value those individuals who God has raised up and encourage men and women to develop their gifts and fill biblical roles of leadership. We recognize the importance of spiritual leaders raising up spiritual leaders and seek to entrust leadership to those individual who are spiritually maturing and active as disciple makers.

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6. EXPANDING THE KINGDOM- We believe that God’s church would grow both in terms of numbers and influence (Acts4:4; 5:14; 6:7).

Therefore we value that God’s people should have a strong awareness of the Kingdom of God. We have an expectation for new converts to be added to God’s kingdom and therefore to this local church. We also anticipate that God’s people will take every opportunity to influence the world as salt and light, taking seriously Christ’s commission to make disciples and create spiritual movement (Matthew 28;18-20).

7. EXPORTING MINISTRY- We believe that Redeemer should be externally ministering to the global church and to the world. (Acts 8:4)

We value that God’s people have an outward focus. We value sharing talents, members and resources both within the church and the world, as God’s ambassadors. The end result will be the sending out of missional, loving people, the birthing and multiplying of new ministries and the ongoing positive cultural impact of our society.

8. PRAYER BASED LIFESTYLE- We believe that prayer and strategic intercession stirs the heart of the Father to move (Acts 4:23-37).

Therefore, we value making prayer a high priority in our everyday lives as well in the context of ministry. We see prayer ministry having a great impact in bringing people to Christ, spiritual growth, restoration and healing in relationships, and in enacting change on our culture.

9. DEMONSTRATING JESUS- We believe that God is calling His Church back to the streets to minister hands-on compassion to those in need. (Acts 3: 1-10)

We value taking our time and using our resources to go into our communities, across our nation, and around the world to demonstrate the love of Jesus in compassionate and caring acts of kindness.

10. RELEVANT TO CULTURE- We believe that God desires the church to interact with the community and the culture it lives in, allowing people to see a relevant Jesus that can impact their life now. (Acts 14-17)

Therefore we value change, contemporary methodology and cultural understanding. As God has called us to minister to emerging generations, we want to seek understanding and be able to communicate effectively to both felt needs and real needs. A part of this means restoring the creative arts back into the life for the church and utilize artists and artistic creativity to help people learn about God and express their love for Him and others in personal and corporate gatherings.

11. SPRITUAL DEPENDNECE- We believe that ministry is impossible without the active presence of the Holy Spirit, so we invite Him to affect and infect all that we do (Mark 1:9-11; Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:8)

Therefore, we value the filling and leading of God’s Holy Spirit in our day-to-day living, ministry preparation, church operation and programming, and in all facets of spiritual growth. We want to make sure that we allow the Holy spirit to show up in all that we do, and we believe His power to lead is essential to experiencing God-sized impact.

2008 Year End Pastor’s Report

PASTOR’S YEAR END REPORT

2008

It has been my pleasure to be your pastor for 2008. I have been able to serve with you and for you in many different ways. We have seen some old traditions continue and some new traditions begin, such as our trip to Frankenmuth, our Christmas open house and children’s program’s. The youth have continued on with such things as 3DYC, a mission trip to New York City, plus a number of other projects, fund raisers, etc.

We have kept our sports going from softball to ping pong and volleyball. We have had men’s meeting on Monday nights and along with those meetings we have gone to car shows to skeet shooting, had a Wild Game dinner, and backyard cook out.

The women’s quilt group has made over 20 quilts for various people inside and outside of the church. The women have enjoyed chick flick nights, Easter egg classes and Share Croppers nights, with a trip to Shipshewana thrown in.

This year we had a summer intern, Nat Fitzgerald. We tried a basketball camp—it wasn’t very successful but at the same time we are trying new things to see what works and will continue to reach out into our neighborhood.

We had a very successful road rally, and Mystery dinner. We had a hayride through the neighborhood. We had a very successful Trunk or Treat night for Halloween. We had one wedding and one baby dedication. We had Rabbi Loren Jacobs with us who took us through the Passover Seder and showed us the picture of Christ all the way through the Passover meal.

We began a once a month coffee house, which people really seem to enjoy. I continued on with my District duties as District Youth director and thank the church for them allowing me to keep that responsibility. For the church it is a win- win situation. The things I do for the district directly effect the youth of the church. Plus as district youth director it allows me to take in functions of the district that the church could not always afford. Functions for the district included working with Teen Team and a mission trip to Spain and a mission trip to New York City. I am also working with Sonlife ministries in helping with area cluster groups and assisting in coming alongside churches in the development of a discipling ministry.

As we finish up 2008 we thank God that all our obligations were met. However not without some sacrifices, and we continue to struggle along; the economy isn’t any better for 2009. But our challenge to one another is to look at how God will supply our needs.

As I close this report I believe it is necessary to always keep our purpose in front of us to make sure we are headed in the right direction. Our purpose at Redeemer Missionary church is to help people be disciples who make disciples by LOVING God and LEARNING about Him and His will for our lives, LIVING purposefully and passionately, and LEADING others to do likewise.

I thank you all for your prayers and your support. Truly I believe the best is yet to come.

Respectfully submitted,

Tim Patch