We are happy to announce that we are on track for a Good Friday public launch for March 29, 2013! This will also be day number 30 of our 30 Days of Kindness project. Good Friday will be huge day for The Redemption Movement because it will mark the beginning of a weekly Friday night ministry for our Oneonta community. Up until this point, we have been active with an Acts of Kindness ministry, and discipled a small group of people with a home Bible study, but we have always lacked an entry point to our church where people from the public can plan a visit around. Starting March 29, you will be able to visit The Redemption Movement any Friday night in our remodeled storefront at 148 River St., Oneonta, N.Y.
A Friday evening is an unconventional time to launch a church service, but as a new church, we have the freedom to be unconventional in order to better connect with our culture. To help you know what to expect on a Friday visit to The Redemption Movement, we are going to answer a few frequently asked questions.
Isn't church supposed to be on a Sunday? Why is the RM launching on a Friday?
Church can be any day. The early church actually met every day, and even met in each other's homes. Sunday is an important day in the tradition of the church, but it is not the only day church is allowed to meet. We would also like to point at that Sunday morning services are a part of our long term plan; we hoping that a Friday ministry will build a solid group of people who can lead quality Sunday morning church services in the future.As a new church, we have a strong focus on inviting new people to church. People who are attending a church on Sunday morning, already belong to a community of believers; and as a new church, we do not want to break up existing faith communities by "stealing" people away from other local churches. We have also noticed that it is difficult to invite people who are not in the habit of attending church, to come to a Sunday morning church service. We have also noticed that most people in our culture have Friday evenings off, and they are open to trying new activities while "going out," especially in a small town.
What will Friday evenings at The Redemption Movement look like?
Our Friday evening ministry is an exciting attempt to try a new format of ministry designed to maximize all five ministries that we see the early church doing (unconventionally) in Acts 2:42-47. These five ministries include Worship, Prayer, Fellowship, Discipleship, and Evangelism.Our Friday night ministry can be described as a coffee shop/living room/church service hybrid. We are trying to make church a full and rich experience where you come and connect with people and God, instead of simply watching a performance.
Click Here to Watch a Short Video About What Kind of Church We Are
What time does it start?
Tentatively, we are looking at starting at 6pm. Unlike a traditional church service, there will not be a start time and a stop time, instead there will be an open and close time, and we will close late into the night. This approach will give you the freedom to come and go at your convenience, stay for 30 minutes or even stay for 5 hours if you like. You can now plan on attending church around your previously made Friday commitments, and never again be late to church!Do I have to participate?
You will not be forced to sing or pray or do anything that you are uncomfortable with. You can even hang out in the lobby and eat snacks and play games all night, the choice is up to you. On the other hand, there is also room to participate in everything, to be prayed for and pray for others, to participate in group discussions, and worship for an extended period of time.We want people's experiences to be authentic, and although we do no pressure people to participate, we do encourage it. This is because the Friday night model is an attempt to break away from the church service model where you attend, sit and consume preaching and music and then go home without being challenged. Friday nights at The Redemption Movement will provide people lots of opportunities to participate and even ask tough questions to help people grow in their faith.
Do I need to dress up?
Come as you are. The staff will be wearing jeans and you can wear what you want to. We want to make it possible to visit us after work on Friday, without having to go home get "all prettied up."Will I be preached at?
Instead of a preacher talking at you for 45 minutes, there will be 3 sessions where a Pastor will teach for 15-20 minutes each. After each teaching session, there will be a time set aside for group discussion, prayer, worship, or anything else that may be appropriate based on the theme of the night. Between these sessions we will take breaks to encourage fellowship and build relationships. Get to know everybody over a cup of coffee, snacks, or even make a friend while playing a board game.As a Bible based church, the topic will always be teachings from the Bible, applied practically to your life. The teaching style of the Pastor will be casual, similar to a college lecture, and will often incorporate illustrations with both props and media.
What kind of music will there be?
There will be a variety of music. Before each teaching session, we will play a few songs with the words on a screen for you to follow along with. Many of the songs will be modern, but we are also very open to trying out different styles and different genres of music. In fact, some nights we will try out different art-forms to worship with besides music. Looking at creation, we know God enjoys variety.Will you be asking me for money?
We will not pass a collection plate with an Usher watching over you. But we will have a giving box where you can drop off a donation. We may talk about money from time-to-time during the lessons, but it is not our intention to manipulate people into giving.What about Communion (Lord's supper/Eucharist)?
We will be offering communion most Friday nights. Typically, it will be sometime during the second half of the night. Anybody who considers themselves a follower of Christ is free to take Communion with us. Instructions will be provided during the Lord's Supper, and we will be serving grape juice with bread.What about children?
We will have educational activities provided for kids. If a child is mature enough to participate, then we encourage them to learn and worship alongside their parents.Good Friday 2013 is a very appropriate day for The Redemption Movement to begin public ministry, this is because we are a Gospel-centered church, and everything we do is because of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ sacrificing himself on the cross. This will be the topic of our grand opening, as well as the topic every time we meet.
