Rhow Brooklyn

Hey Family, Throughout the Bible, God speaks frequently about the poor. He does not want those suffering from poverty to be ignored, despised, or forgotten. In this week's message, Begging for Change, Pastor Pedro Rodriguez will look at the ways God directs us to deal with this vulnerable population. There are things that all of us can do. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10 a.m

Hey Family, Anxiety is something that can grab hold of every one of us. Whether we’re concerned about what school we’re going to get into, the state of our marriage, our bodies and what the doctors tell us, anxiety is something that becomes not only part of our lives as human beings, but can be magnified because we live in New York. This week we’re going to pause and look at anxiety from the perspective of the gospel. We will ask God how he would lead us even through difficult, scary moments, out of anxiety and into His arms. I look forward to seeing all of you Sunday at 10 a.m. I think this message can affect us for a long time to come, especially as we continue to grow in Christ. SPECIAL NOTE: Due to road construction, the church building will be closed Monday, June 24. There will be no meetings and no community breakfast. We are sorry for the inconvenience! --Edwin For your calendar: Thursday, June 27, 6 p.m.--PRAYER SERVICE. All are invited!

Hey Family, Many of us have known what it is to take a bad idea too far. For some of us it’s an alcohol addiction, for others it’s going after sex . . . something that we knew wasn’t right, but we did it anyway and then it had its way with our lives, hurting the people around us, leaving us in a place where we were broken and troubled. How does Jesus deal with people who have turned their back on his teaching to such a degree that they are consumed by the very thing they thought would liberate them? Does he confront us by saying “I told you so!” or, “Ha, now you’re trapped in your sin.” Or does he do something that’s so beyond our wildest imagination that it gives us cause to celebrate and worship? Come this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we continue our series JESUS WITH and talk about how Jesus deals with us when we‘ve gone too far. --Edwin

Hey Family, There are moments in life when the reality of our guilt is so oppressive that all we feel is shame. We feel so deeply guilty about what we’ve done that when we see people looking at us, all we can think of is that they know how broken and sinful we are. As a result, we might take on an hard-hearted attitude—that we don’t care what people think, or we don’t even care what God thinks. Or . . . we can run to Christ, and find out that guilt doesn’t create our identity. We can be forgiven and find our identity in something other than the acts we do. This is an important message for all of us—because once in a while we will all be in a position where we act in a way that is beneath our own standards, let alone God’s standards. Come this week to learn how God deals with the guilty, and how to get relief from our shame. I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 a.m. --Edwin

We finished our series called When God Shows Up, which I hope illustrated how God makes himself known in the midst of all our circumstances. This Sunday we begin a followup series called JESUS WITH..., in which we'll investigate how Jesus confronts people from different backgrounds in different ways. And that's good news for us, because it gives us the assurance that no matter where we've come from or what position we are in today, Jesus meets us where we are and works on us in the way that will affect us the most strongly. Whether we're one of the powerful, one of the political, or one of the powerless, He is pursuing each one of us with great love and intensity.

Hey Family, Did you know that 1 in 5 New Yorkers struggles with mental illness each year? Not only that, many don't have hope or help in those struggles. Mental illness--including depression and other conditions--isn't just a modern problem. This Sunday we'll learn about a particular person in the Bible who suffered from mental illness, and whose life was completely changed by meeting Jesus. Our good friend Pastor Zac Martin will be our guest speaker. Come hear about how we as a church can provide help for troubled souls. I very much look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 10 a.m.

What is the appropriate response when God shows up in powerful ways? We've been in a series called WHEN GOD SHOWS UP. In the last two weeks we've talked about what God does in times when we experience crisis or doubts. But this week we're going to speak about what *our* response should be. This is so important, because when we have an encounter with God--in scripture, in community, in prayer--He doesn't show up just to do carnival tricks. God's showing up demands a response.

Hey Family, Last week we started a brand-new series called WHEN GOD SHOWS UP. As we continue this Sunday, what I hope you will come to understand is that when we’ve exhausted all of our favors, used up all of our resources, taken all of our time and are at the end of our rope . . . that is the time that God will show up. Last week we talked about how He shows up in the midst of our doubts. This week, it’s how He shows up in moments of great crisis. We’ll be going to the Old Testament and noticing moments where God supernaturally shows up to move in the lives of his people. This is the story of the Christian—that God came down from heaven to earth to act on our behalf. And he didn’t wait until Jesus was born. God has been acting on our behalf for all of history. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 10—AND BRING YOUR MOTHER! In fact, invite any mother you know! We will be celebrating Mother’s Day with a roast beef banquet and photo session

Listen in on our Easter Sunday service

Hey Family, In Bible times, a man became known as a prophet if what he proclaimed came to pass. The prophets who spoke for God told the people the truth they needed to hear, even if it hurt. In this Sunday's message, we'll learn about Jesus as Prophet. Our guest pastor will be David Louw, who has been very popular in his previous visits to RHOW. Please join us as we welcome him to continue our series, JESUS UNCOVERED. We will also celebrate Communion together as a church family. I look forward to seeing you at 10 a.m. this Sunday.

I'm so grateful for all the good feedback I've gotten on our current series, JESUS UNCOVERED. It's inspiring to know that people are seeing Jesus in a bigger and more beautiful light, and I've heard how some of you are learning to rejoice at his work in your life. We still have a lot to discuss... the fact is, a series like this could go on for infinity! Whenever we study about who Jesus is, it's going to affect how we relate to our loved ones, handle our finances, deal with our work lives and much more. Don't miss the next message coming up this Sunday. I hope to see you there at 10 a.m.! --Edwin

Many times when our lives feel out of control, or pain seems to overwhelm us, or stress just won't let up, one of the biggest helps we can get is perspective. Having perspective helps us not to collapse under our feelings, but instead see what is real. And nothing gives us a better perspective on our lives than how we see Jesus. If we believe Jesus doesn't care, or is too busy, or doesn't have the power to help us, then we're on our own, and our stress, pain, and despair are justified. But Jesus is much more than that. So far in our series called JESUS UNCOVERED, we've looked at him as king and as servant. This week we look at him as God. This perspective will help us survive even the most difficult times of life. Perhaps you have a friend who's going through a struggle. This Sunday would be a great chance to introduce him or her to Christ. I look forward to seeing you at 10 am.

Hey Family, Last week we started a new series for the Lenten season called Jesus Uncovered. The purpose of the series is for us to grow in understanding of who Jesus is and how he reigns and rules in our lives. We hope that Jesus is on the throne of your heart. This week we learn about Jesus as servant. Jesus lowered himself to washing people's feet, lowered himself to become a servant of those he came to save, lowered himself even to dying a very public death on the cross between two thieves. Understanding Jesus as servant is infinitely important, because that helps us see that he is not only king but servant. And that will have a powerful impact on our lives. Please join us at 10 a.m. this Sunday and bring a friend! --Edwin

Hey Family, Have you ever had a relationship with someone for a long time and then found out some new detail about him or her that really opened your eyes? That’s the way I feel about Jesus. The more I get to know him, the more I fall in love with him, and the more that relationship changes my life. In our new series leading up to Easter, JESUS UNCOVERED, we’re going to take a new and different look at Jesus. You will be surprised and marvel at what we discover about his life. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday at 10 a.m.! Please bring a friend or two. --Edwin

Hey Family, In our series, Real Marriage, we have learned that marriage is work. When two sinners say "I do," reality sets in. The origin of marriage is God, so it is Him we look to in order to have a real marriage. Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. when Pastor Gus closes out the series with a talk on intimacy in marriage. This could be a great time to invite some friends who may be struggling in their own married life. --Edwin

Hey Family, We've been in a series on marriage for the last few weeks and I hope that everyone has been blessed by what we've been learning. This Sunday Pastor Pedro will bring a message called "Taking out the trash." When we have arguments within our friendships, work environments, or even marriages, we can be pushed to the edge of real combativeness. All too often we behave with hard-heartedness and only care about having our own way. This only creates greater chasms and bitterness. This week we're going to learn how to address the sins of our past and also of our present--and learn how to bring them to Jesus. When we repent of our behavior and receive his forgiveness, we are set on a path of change for the future. As always, please invite a friend or loved one. I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 a.m. --Edwin

Hey Family, We've been in a series called Real Marriage, in which we've been discussing not only what a marriage is but what each member's role is within the context of that marriage. Last week we talked about the men and how there are many social and cultural lessons that we've accepted as true but which prevent men from being what God has called them to be in their marriage, their parenting, and in society. Now we turn our sights on the women. We start looking at very similar misconceptions, like "Women should be barefoot and pregnant." Lies like these have degraded women and have hurt men as well. Come as we speak to the women and find out what the wife's role in marriage is according to the scriptures. Invite a friend to be there! See you at at 10 a.m. this Sunday. --Edwin

Marriage is a covenant, not a contract. Every covenant—including the new covenant of salvation—has a head, who is ultimately responsible for the covenant. The husband is the covenant head of a marriage; he is responsible for his marriage, his wife, and his kids. Similarly, Christ took that which was not his fault—our sin—and he made it his responsibility on the cross. He is our covenant head. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 10 a.m. as our series on marriage continues. --Edwin

Hey Family, We're in a series called "Real Marriage" that contains a message for everyone, whether you're married or not. We hope you grew from hearing last Sunday's message. This week Pastor Gus will speak on "Friends with Benefits." Abraham was considered a friend of God. Friendship matters to God and was established by God. Marriage is a type of friendship--come and learn what scripture has to say about "friends with benefits." --Edwin

Hey Family, If you're reading this, chances are you have been married, are married, or want to be married. Marriage affects over 90% of Americans. Since it's such a common experience, and since a lot of our joy and our sorrow will flow from our marriages, it's a good idea to know what God has to say on the subject. Come and join us in this new series, Real Marriage, and let's learn together about what it takes to have a joy-filled marriage that lasts and can sustain during the difficult times. If you're not married, this series is for you, because chances are you're going to get married, and it will give you some resources to pull from. If you *were* married, this series is for you, because you might get married again, and you want to avoid the mistakes you may have made the first time. In other words, this series is for EVERYONE! I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 a.m.