About

Our Story

When we tell the “story of Redemption,” we try to be mindful of the play on words.

There is, after all, a story of Redemption that sounds like any other “about us” tab on any other organizational website. We’re a small, close-knit group of people in the southwest suburbs of Chicago that initially formed out of a larger church in the west suburbs. We started gathering in 2013-2014 and quickly discovered a remarkable gift: honest, caring friendship enjoyed over shared meals and communal prayer. We are a congregation that cares deeply about historic Christian teaching, and our love of Scripture and thoughtful Bible studies also animates us to generous community.

Which brings us to the larger story of Redemption that makes us who we are. Our church would not be our church apart from the gracious, strong, saving work of the Triune God. The love of the Father, the grace of the Son, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit—these are the “plot points” in the largest, truest, best-est story of Redemption ever told.

Our Faith

Redemption is a Christian church, with Reformed doctrine, and Presbyterian leadership. Click through the three headings below to learn what these mean for our faith and practice.

Christian

All who believe in Christ belong to one and the same faith, united in the Holy Spirit as a people for God (Ephesians 4:3-6). We share in this one faith and celebrate our communion with believers across the globe. The main “plot-points” of this Christian faith about God and His work for us is summarized well in the Apostles’ Creed:

 WE BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

 WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

 WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

 *Universal across all nations and all eras

Reformed

Within this Christian unity, believers have always reached diverse understandings of the gospel’s deeper points. As a Reformed church, we believe Scripture emphasizes our relationship with God, the centrality of the Bible, the brokenness of the world, and our salvation by God’s grace through faith in Him. Three lines from our doctrinal statement summarize these points:

•  Our ultimate purpose is to glorify and enjoy God forever (1 Cor. 10:31; Rev. 7:15-17)

• The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to teach us how we glorify and enjoy God (2 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 2:20)

• Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the gospel (Acts 4:12; Eph. 2:8)

Scripture tells the story of our loss and restoration of joy in Christ. We were created with the greatest purpose of all: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. By sinning against God, we lose this joy and live without His glory. But Christ offers Himself to us in the gospel by His death and resurrection, restoring us from sin and misery to rest and joy. Ultimately, God gives us new life by giving us Himself.

To explore more deeply this Reformed expression of Christian faith, click below.

Presbyterian

Redemption is a Presbyterian church. “Presbyterian” refers to the structure of our church government and leadership. This might seem like an odd feature to highlight – what does it matter how the church is structured?

 But many important questions ultimately depend on this topic. Who has power in the church? How do we resolve conflict? What happens if leadership misuses their position? Are pastors held accountable by anyone, or do they have ultimate say-so?

 In short, we believe Scripture describes a structure of church government that highlights the authority of Jesus, promotes each church’s flourishing, and protects against misused power. In our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), each congregation elects their own elders to teach Jesus’ Word and model His conduct. Then, those pastors and elders are held accountable by one another at regional and national levels, to ensure that they consistently teach and model Christ both truthfully and ethically.

Our Mission

Our mission is to be welcoming community, united in Christ, and called to serve.

A Welcoming Community

We are committed to deep, honest, and caring relationships in Christ. Jesus never intends for us to walk this life alone, but to belong to a rich community of His followers. Christ’s first step in His earthly ministry was to call disciples who gathered around Him. Today, we continue that pattern, welcoming broken people from all paths of life to find their rest and joy in Him. Whether you hope to silently observe for a while, or immediately join a Community Group, or anything in-between, Redemption Church is delighted to welcome you.

United in Christ

We are a broken people being transformed through the life and resurrection of Jesus. On its own, a loving community is not enough to heal our wounds and sin. We require a Savior. In healing us, Jesus unites us with the God from whom we’ve turned, and the neighbors against whom we’re divided. Our world is fractured along endless lines: nationally, financially, racially, politically, culturally…and so much more. At the root of it all, we’re fractured from God by our sin. At Redemption, we strive to live in light of the fact that Jesus called all nations to Himself; that He spoke to men and women; that He called the rich and the poor. Whoever you are, Christ offers you true peace and belonging in this fractured world.

Called to Serve

We are living as Christ’s disciples by bringing hope, joy, and truth to our communities. Jesus teaches that sincere faith works itself out as love for our neighbors. We desire to see our neighborhoods, places of work, and families renewed in the light of Christ. We pursue this goal by sharing the good news, promoting the common good, and serving the communities in which God has placed us.

Our Leadership

Elders

Bob Payne

Diaconal Team

Staff