Our History
What began with a few dozen people in a Crestwood living room has grown into a church family of more than 2,000 members — and by God’s grace, the heart of Redeemer has never changed.
“From the beginning, the Lord was knitting together a family on mission.”
Joel Brooks, Lead Pastor
Our Story
From a living room to Avondale.
Easter Sunday
Redeemer held its first service in Joel and Lauren Brooks’ living room in Crestwood. With a few dozen in attendance, the tiny space was full of joy and excitement as a new church family was formed.
That summer
The young church had already outgrown the living room and moved a few blocks away into Girls Inc.
Woodlawn
Sunday gatherings shifted to neighboring Woodlawn, at Cornerstone Elementary.
Avondale
Not quite six years old and with fewer than 200 members, Redeemer moved into our sanctuary in Avondale. For those first gatherings, we roped off the balcony and the back of the sanctuary so people would sit closer together.
Still growing
Over the last decade, the Lord has done far more than we could have asked or imagined. Even as thousands of new members have joined us, the qualities our earliest members loved remain the same.
Only by God’s Grace
A church family, still growing.
Covenant Members
Home Groups across Birmingham
college students on Tuesday nights
children each Sunday
Covenant Members, 2015–2026
251
2015
’18
2021
’24
2,004
2026
“The Lord is bringing them, not because we’re so smart, not because we’re so nice, not because we have the best preaching, but because the Lord is bringing them here.” — Laura & Andy Sink, Covenant Members
What Hasn’t Changed
The heart of Redeemer.
From our earliest days, three convictions have shaped everything we do — and they feed and strengthen one another in a beautiful cycle.
Hospitality opens the door.
Deep Hospitality
From our earliest days, we’ve wanted to invite people into something more than a Sunday service — into our family and our home. Even as our hallways have grown crowded, our instinct has been to open the door wider.
Fellowship builds the table.
Joyful Fellowship
The Christian life isn’t meant to be lived in isolation. Whether gathering in homes across Birmingham, grilling sausages at Best Würst Fest, celebrating baptisms, or bearing one another’s burdens, we define community by our shared fellowship in Christ.
Evangelism shares the gospel across it.
Faithful Evangelism
Every week, we gather under the authority of God’s Word, believing the clearest way to reach our city is to proclaim Christ plainly and faithfully — and as the Word takes root, it sends us out to the ends of the earth.
Our Next Chapter
A new home for generations to come.
After more than a decade in Avondale, we’re about to embark on the next chapter of our life together as a church family as we build a new home on the former Trinity Medical Center site — a place where Redeemer can keep growing in deep hospitality, joyful fellowship, and faithful evangelism.
“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” — Psalm 102:18