Redemption Groups are one of the integral ministries at Mars Hill. About twice a year, the campuses hold eight- to ten-week sessions of intense small groups that allow people to dig deep into seldom-discussed areas of life, but which are also just one part of the bigger picture of the redemptive community. Right now, we're three weeks into this year's first session, and participants across the campuses have been writing through the process as the groups walk through the book of Exodus. Over the next few weeks, we'll post pieces from those stories so you can get a picture of how the gospel works in and through redemptive community. This week, we'll go to Albuquerque for a look into one man's story: An excerpt from Week 1:

The more each of us shared, and the more we spoke into each other’s lives, we saw that this is not simply choosing to bow down to some thing that we love. It is choosing to deny that we are a people chosen by the Perfect Ruler. As a population, we revolt in the shadows against the code by which we are to live. We fear losing something in the identity that God has set out for us, so we attempt to live in our own fallen construct instead, forfeiting the peace from Him, and the glory that is to Him … and the more I dissect the subject in my head, the more apparent it is that, this too, is simply idolatry. As someone who has struggled with their identity, (and every type of behavioral and spiritual tributary that naturally is going to sprout off of that,) for the majority of my life, I must say that I could not be more excited to witness firsthand the redeeming work of Christ in all of our lives. I must also say that I am spiritually sweating bullets.

Week 2:

My drive home started in prayer, and exploded into nothing shy of revelation.  Jesus approached and revealed to me what my view of Him has been for years and who He really is. Incredible, but what is more incredible is that it did not stop there. It has now been three days of consistently of having a casual conversation with a friend that came to life with me saying something that stuck with me from this week, and it being exactly what they have been waiting for. This is not due to me being wise or well-versed. It is certainly the Holy Spirit and the undeniable faithfulness of God. Everyday I have found myself going back over one thing: Is it better to be freed from our suffering, or to be known by God? We know the answer should be, "to be known by God." What we don’t realize is that in His perfect love, He will not leave us to wonder who or where He is: El Roi, God Who Sees. There is nothing greater than to be known by Him.

"… And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew."

Week 3:

Needless to say, the floodgates swung open. Our leader asked me if I was surprised to hear from God, and I realized I was. Why don’t I hear Jesus speak? Because listening with my ears and hearing in my Spirit are very different things. Because I know about Him, but I’ve never had the faith to listen to my Dad for fear that He wouldn’t answer anymore. I have a Father, and I believed that if I lost the strength to to fight down the road, that as an "abomination" He would turn away as well. Now I see that my fight is in His strength, defeated and redeemed already.  He is not going to leave me by the wayside if I choose the wrong life, because by His grace, I won’t. I may try to, as I have before, but He has already chosen me.

Follow the rest of this man's journey in the series on the Albuquerque blog, and stay tuned for more stories those participating at other campuses. If you'd like to participate in a future Redemption Group session, contact your local campus. (Note: some future session dates may yet have to be determined.) Also, many Acts 29 churches have a Redemption Ministry or similar.