Why and How We Pass the Peace
One of the elements of our corporate worship service at Christ the Redeemer that was less familiar to me when I arrived was the ‘Passing of the Peace’. And if you are new to the liturgy here at CtR, it may seem odd to you, especially if you are a little bit introverted. Why do we do it? And what are we supposed to do during that time? ...
What Characteristics Should a Pastor Possess?
What characteristics should a pastor possess? The three most important descriptors of a pastor appear to be preacher, teacher, and shepherd. However, the Bible provides even more pastoral characteristics and qualities....
Does God Change His Mind When We Pray?
Does God change His mind when we pray? This is a great question that requires us to reconcile the seeming contradiction between Bible verses that declare God is immutable, sovereign, and does whatever he wills with those verses that refer to God regretting and relenting....
Break Glass in Case of Emergency
Earlier this year while stuck at home from an extended sickness, I had the opportunity to reflect upon prayer and its benefits. Even as a pastor, prayer sometimes gets relegated to the status of break glass in case of emergencies. ...
White as Snow
Living in the Midwest has taught me a great deal about living through actual winters. Growing up in the South, if there was a chance of snow at all, the best thing to do was to stay at home and keep away from the roads at all costs....
Give Glory to God for Judgment
During this holiday season, many are reflecting on Christ. It is good to be thankful for his birth, ministry, and sacrificial work on the cross. But let me ask you something. When is the last time you thanked God for his judgment?...
Always Flexible
Do you remember Gumby, the 1950s green stretchy toy? Pastor Aaron explains how we can strive to keep our ministry opportunities 'Semper Gumby' in order to meet others where they're at and honor the Lord. ...
Faith Like a Child
Jesus told his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 18] What did Jesus mean by this? What is it about children that we should emulate? ...
Pass it on
It is easy to get caught up in tools and tactics when it comes to evangelism. Some of these are quite good and helpful. However, we may often find that the deepest conversations and the ones that have the greatest impact are those in which we simply share with others what God has done in our lives, and then point them to the life changing words of scripture....
The right tool for the job
Are you using a wrench when you need a hammer? We can find ourselves stubbornly enduring bad situations and decisions when we turn from solid Biblical counsel to trust in our own abilities, instead of Christ's finished work. ...
Slow down, dear Christian
Do we often find ourselves rushing ahead, forging our own paths, and attempting to ‘run the race’ in our own strength? Psalm 46 is a vivid reminder to place our trust in God alone, and as the first - not last - resort, to avoid this world’s pits and snares that can impede the race He has set before us....
Genesis: Gospel foundations
A new sermon series at CtR has started in 2021. Pastor Aaron explains why studying Genesis helps us discover who we are and why we are here. In doing so, we learn about our creator, who after he created all things, including mankind, looked down upon it and called it “very good.” ...
What do you expect for the new year?
Do you have expectations for this new year? Are you praying that 2021 brings far less complications and difficulties than 2020? The Book of Ecclesiastes has some important reminders for us about where we place our priorities....
A season of thankfulness
The Thanksgiving holiday is almost here. For many, 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year. Yet God's word encourages us to be a people who give thanks in all seasons. ...
What exactly is Reformed theology?
This October marks the 503rd anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. What does it mean to be Reformed? Pastor Aaron writes, "I am convinced that Reformed theology is simply Biblical theology", and he outlines and defines its major tenets....
Sickness and the people of God
Sickness, quarantines, and missing church bring a loss of fellowship. How should God’s people respond? Pastor Aaron shares his honest reflections after a recent illness sidelined him and his family. ...
All Hail the Power!
How did Jesus manifest his power on Earth? Focusing on Josh Currey's recent teaching about Jesus' identity and power, Pastor Aaron considers more evidence, and what it all ultimately means for us. ...
CTR Family: Do these 6 things.
A lot has happened within our church family this summer, and we have much to be thankful for! Psalm 100 gives us 6 ways we should respond to God's amazing provision and rich blessings....
What is your favorite seminary book?
Pastor Aaron shares his favorite books from his time in seminary, and talks about his faith background....
Welcome to Christ the Redeemer
Welcome to the website for Christ the Redeemer Church. I pray that you find our site helpful and encouraging. I thought it would be appropriate for my first post to tell you a little bit about what we believe and who we are. ...