Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Stucker
Hi Andrew, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My wife and I both grew up in Orlando and have always considered the city our home. After living in various other cities for several years, we decided to return and start Redemption Orlando. We both grew up in what people would typically consider traditional churches, and we wanted to create a community where people who were disillusioned with church and burnt out with religion would feel comfortable and be able to reimagine what it means to be a person of faith. We started weekly gatherings in October 2022 with only a handful of people, and now a little over 2 years later we have about 4o individuals who call RDO home.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting something new from the ground up is never easy. When we first started meeting, we met in a rented gymnasium which we would set up and tear down each week. We look back and jokingly refer to our second gathering as “the week which must not be named” because 10 minutes into our service the fire alarm in the building went off and we had to move to the parking lot for the rest of the evening.
Another challenge is unfortunately Orlando is a bit of minefield when it comes to church communities. Someone does not have to google long before they read about a scandal or hear about a church that has harmed, rather than helped, the community. We recognize this and understand the need for us to earn the community’s trust. This can make growth slower, but it also allows us to serve our community and neighbors with no strings attached. We will serve and love people well even if they never step through our doors or attend a service.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a non-denominational Christian church located in the SODO district of Orlando. Our desire is to reach all people with all of Jesus for all of life. This means we have a commitment to inclusivity and embracing individuals from diverse backgrounds and at various stages in their spiritual journey. We want to be a community that offers a compelling vision of what it means to follow Jesus.
In terms of what sets us apart, unlike traditional church models, we meet on Saturday evening at 5 PM. We feel that this provides an alternative for those seeking a time other than Sunday mornings, but it also allows our community have a much more relaxed atmosphere.
More than just our service time though, what sets us apart is how we try to practice our faith. As a community we say we are committed to loving others without fear, building wells not fences, and practicing the way of Jesus.
Love Without Fear- We believe a church community should be the safest place for everyone and any topic. This means we love everyone who walks through our doors. If people are skeptical of church, spiritually disillusioned, think the church has no place for them, or are healing from past church hurt or religious trauma, our goal is to meet and serve people where they are. No one needs to walk into our community believing certain things, living a certain lifestyle, or even ready to embrace everything we teach. We just strive to love people without fear.
Build Wells Not Fences- We know that when people think of church, they can tend to think of a group of people who police boundaries. “Don’t do that, don’t go there, don’t think like this.” But Jesus wasn’t interested in policing boundaries. Jesus invited people to the well. Jesus drew people toward himself, and at RDO we want to build wells of welcome where people are free to experience the way of Jesus as they are. We believe by sitting at the well people can rethink and reconnect with faith and rediscover the beauty of Jesus.
Practice the Way of Jesus- We don’t want to attach man-made rules to the way of Jesus and we don’t need to give people a list of things to do for Jesus. Rather, we want to provide people with practices to help people be with Jesus. We believe that when people spend time with Jesus they will become like Jesus, and as they become more like Jesus they will do the things Jesus did. We are all in process. We believe Jesus is good with that, so we’re good with that. We simply invite people to follow Jesus with us and discover what the good life truly is.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people already have a concept of “church,” whether it’s a positive or negative view. At RDO, we don’t fit the typical stereotypes:
-we’re smaller, but not old-school, traditional
-we’re new, but not a fog machine concert-worship experience
We also host Q&A nights where we answer questions people have about faith or Christianity. It’s ok to have questions or doubts. It’s also ok to question what I say even as the pastor!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.redemptionorlando.org
- Instagram: @redemptionorl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedemptionORL
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RedemptionOrl
