Rise Newsletter 2

RISE UPDATE What does 5% to 15% actually look like?

Instead of 1 in every 20 people (5%) who live out the gospel daily, it becomes 1 in every 6 people (15%).

We believe increasing the number of Christians living out the gospel will have a significant positive effect on the patterns of life in New York City.

1 in every 6 people who, like Danny, recognize: “Leading by example, I strive to conduct my business with honor, motivated by being the best I can for God’s glory, rather than striving to maximize the size of my bonus at year-end.” Or who, like Susan, see: “God was calling me to actively engage the city with the gospel through my relationships ... With the couple across the hall, I am dedicated to

2 ISSUE

December 2016

reorienting my life and calendar to prioritize them.”

You are already 1 of the people living out the gospel. God has you in New York for a purpose. It is no accident where He has placed you — in your neighborhood, your job, your relationships. God has put you where you can love people and serve this city in ways no other person in New York can do.

A RISE STORY

BY DANNY

…THE MOMENT I MADE MY PLEDGE

>>Inside cover

>>Page 1

NEW CHURCHES NEW LEADERS NEW BUILDINGS >>Page 2

PRAYER REQUESTS >>Page 5

A RISE STORY moved to Manhattan over 11 years ago to pursue a “ Icareer in finance. I was extremely ambitious and drawn

Because of this, I take seriously the call to be a steward and an agent of renewal at work. As a decision maker,

to the city by its culture, people and energy. While I

with some level of influence, I am challenged to

had grown up in a Christian home my faith had never

proactively change the culture of my group. Leading

intersected with any area of my life beyond Sunday

by example, I strive to conduct my business with honor,

services. Working in private equity, I had always felt a

motivated by being the best investor I can for God’s

natural sense of ‘calling’ — yet, while I enjoyed what I

glory, rather than striving to maximize the size of my

did, I struggled to reconcile its relevance to the gospel

bonus at year-end. Rather than asking myself how

and how it fit into God’s bigger picture, especially amid

my colleagues are adding value and looking at their

the brokenness of my industry.

shortcomings, I have begun to ask myself how can I love and serve them in order for them to flourish. I will

The workplace culture in finance is something that

undoubtedly struggle with this, but the Rise campaign

many people struggle with. Money and greed are

is one in which I am not alone. God is at work and doing

among the common themes that underpin our drive

great things throughout the city, and I am grateful to

to succeed and it is incredibly easy to objectify people

play a part in His story.

for our selfish gains. However, Redeemer’s vision has helped open my eyes to the work that God is actively

—Danny, A REDEEMER CONGREGANT

doing within all industries, sectors and facets of our life. The Rise campaign excites me as it gives me a very tangible sense of purpose for being in Manhattan, and a particular sense of calling to my industry. Think of the sweeping cultural impact that our city would see from gospel led change in all of our workplaces!

WE NEED: you to rise

“ I DISTINCTLY

REMEMBER THE MOMENT I MADE MY PLEDGE. During service, David Bisgrove, West Side Congregation Lead Pastor, encouraged us to choose a number listed on the pledge card that was challenging yet realistic.

The most I had ever donated, at one time to anyone, was $250, so I was proud of the number I chose.

I BEGAN TO PRAY AND PRAY AND PRAY SOME MORE.

I began to pray and pray and pray some more. I prayed for abundance and guidance, for the Lord to light my path toward a way to fulfill my pledge.

I’ve wanted to sell my home for some time, but the sale prices never made financial sense. Then I looked again; the prices were higher, so I listed my home for an amount I never thought I’d get. After three days I received my first offer: full price, all cash. Maybe I listed it too low? I stalled and waited for the bigger offers to come in. They didn’t. I was so caught up in the process I didn’t realize God had already answered my prayer for an amount to make me financially whole.

I accepted the offer.

I then remembered other past prayers, unrelated to the sale: pay off school loans, get out of debt, and … fulfill my Rise pledge. With the sale, all of these were answered.

David then asked us to look and consider the amount

This Thanksgiving, I not only fulfilled my pledge but

listed right above our original pledge amount! There

doubled it. Doubling the ‘impossible amount.’

was no way that was possible. No way! The numbers started running through my head — mortgage, student

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and humbled with the

loans, Metrocard, electric! However, I believed in the

blessings I’ve received. I too often forget to have true

mission of Rise so I took a leap of faith and pledged

faith in Christ. ‘And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All

the impossible amount.

things are possible for one who believes”’ (Mark 9:23).

RISE INITIATIVES DEPEND ON OUR PLEDGES BEING FULFILLED A critical step to making this Rise vision a reality is to fulfill all pledges by turning them into financial contributions. About 43% of our Rise givers have not started fulfilling their pledges. If you have not yet begun, you can easily start fulfilling your gift by setting up a recurring gift at redeemer.com/giving.

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New Leaders

rising in every sector I N TR O D U C I N G

PUBLIC DISCIPLESHIP To fulfill the Rise vision, we need to invest in developing and growing followers of Jesus. While many of us desire to grow in our faith, the ever-growing demands on our time, as well as an over-abundance of resources and opportunities make it difficult to know how to get started or to sustain growth.

Public Discipleship is a new, Redeemer-wide initiative that aims to simplify and clarify opportunities for growth in every stage of the Christian life. Some of the main goals of Public Discipleship will be to provide guidance and support for people to know and apply the Bible better, practice key spiritual disciplines, and draw others toward Christ.

Before its official launch, there will be opportunities to participate in classes, retreats, focus groups and advisory councils. We want to ensure that Redeemerites are deeply involved in shaping Public

Get to know Jennifer Chan Hau

Discipleship. In the new year we will also be inviting

Jennifer arrived in New York in 2006 as her husband Duncan

congregants to take an important survey about spiritual

began medical training. Her first role at Redeemer was

growth. Your honest input is integral in helping guide

in 2007 with Rev. John Lin in Congregational Life. Most

the development of Public Discipleship.

recently, Jennifer spent more than four years at UNICEF USA overseeing a national human trafficking awareness raising

Thanks to the funds raised through the Rise Campaign,

campaign, and mobilizing supporters across the country to

Jennifer Chan Hau was hired as Discipleship Project

take action for the survival and protection of children. She’s

Manager. Working with the cross-departmental Public

also worked for an NGO in East Africa and taught English in

Discipleship team, she will oversee the development,

Shanghai. She and her husband lead a community group on the

integration and launch of this major initiative.

Upper West Side. Jennifer holds a B.S. from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Education from Harvard University.

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New Leaders

New Buildings

rising in every sector

rising for all to share

Ravi Zacharias Evangelism Training

Property Search Update “Through our W83 Ministry Center, we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to buy and develop a building, which enables us to have greater foresight in the future.

We’ve hired Wells Hill Partners to advise us on the purchase and development of property on the Upper East Side, and we are forming a lay committee of experts to advise us. We are excited to see what God has planned for a potential new home for Redeemer on the Upper East Side.”

— Brian Stanton, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, REDEEMER

L to R: Tim Keller, Michael Ramsden, Ravi Zacharias, Sam Allberry (RZIM)

As a part of our strategy to train new leaders for ministry in New York, Tim Keller and Ravi Zacharias co-hosted a two-day training on evangelism and apologetics for 85 New York pastors, church leaders, and seminary students. The training was designed specifically to help pastors address some of the hardest apologetic questions of our day, from economic inequality to homosexuality and gender identity. We heard from many pastors afterwards that this training was very beneficial, much needed and how grateful they were to attend this training.

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New Churches

rising in more neighborhoods

By the end of 2016, Redeemer City to City (CTC) will have helped plant 10 churches from Alphabet City in Manhattan to Riverdale in the Bronx. Additionally, church planters in our pipeline are training to start 20 new churches in the coming year!

New Church launching in 2017

New Redeemer Site starting in 2017

Epiphany Lutheran

Redeemer Lincoln Square, the first

Church will launch this

West Side daughter site, is steadily

spring in Stuyvesant

preparing to launch on Easter Sunday,

Town (Alphabet City),

April 16, 2017. On October 20th over

led by Pastor Erick

100 people gathered together for a

Sorenson. He has been

Prayer Night to thank God for what He

through extensive

has done, is doing, and will do. Those

training with Redeemer

in attendance were asked to think

City to City.

of five people who they would pray regularly for who may be unchurched,

Reaching New York with the gospel can only be done

seeking, skeptic, or disconnected, and even consider

in close partnership with gospel-teaching churches and

inviting them to worship with us after we launch.

people of many denominations. Because of this, on October 9,2016, the Redeemer Downtown congregation

The staff is focused on presenting vision and

invited Erick to share his vision for the church plant at

empowering volunteers. The vision emphasizes the

their worship service. Redeemer Downtown also prayed

value of questions and the people who ask them.

for him and challenged their own members to consider

As for volunteers, a number of people have stepped

being sent out as a part of the new church plant.

up to serve on launch teams including: events, communications, hospitality, prayer and compassion, and Sunday operations teams. Redeemer Lincoln Square is excited to encourage the creativity, ideas and unique abilities of these volunteers.

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PRAYER REQUESTS THIS VISION DEPENDS ON YOUR TREMENDOUS, PERSISTENT PRAYER.

PUBLIC DISCIPLESHIP We need new leaders rising in every sector. Pray for the development of this new initiative and that it will provide ample opportunities for growth in every stage of the Christian life.

EAST SIDE BUILDING Please keep the property search in prayer, as it is challenging to find a building site that meets our specific needs on the UES. LAUNCH OF REDEEMER LINCOLN SQUARE Pray for the all the logistics as we work to best utilize

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city…

PRAY TO THE LORD FOR IT because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

Jeremiah 29:5–7

the buildings we rent and ensure proper classroom space for our children’s ministry and other programs.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT Pray that Rise pledgers will begin fulfilling their financial gifts and that every household is able to fulfill.

43% of pledgers have not begun to fulfill their pledge.

We hope to see a dramatic increase in the number of households who are fulfilling their pledge by the end of the year.

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FINANCIAL UPDATE

CAMPAIGN GIVING As of December 10, 2016

$80.0M

TOTAL GOAL

$62.0M

TOTAL PLEDGED*

$16.3M

TOTAL RECEIVED*

WE ASK YOU TO CONTINUALLY PRAY FOR THE WORK STILL AHEAD AS WE STILL HAVE TO RAISE $18M PLEDGES AND GIFTS TO REACH OUR GOAL OF $80M! YOUR GIFTS, ALONG WITH THE GENEROSITY OF SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE OF NYC, IS MAKING THE RISE VISION POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU! *$29.5M has been pledged by donors outside the local Redeemer community. To date we have received $10.4M from those donors and $5.9M from our local community.

For more information, please visit rise.redeemer.com or email rise@redeemer.com Redeemer Presbyterian Church • 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Floor • New York, NY 10036