Redemption Hill Church

A great church with a heart for the city of Washington DC and the gospel. The gracious hospitality drew us in and has kept us here for years. Truly grateful for this community.

Today I attended this church for the very first time, I wanted to go to church before my volo/fray game down on the national mall. I was dressed in professional attire, a young professional woman of color. I was never greeted by a single person at the church, I came in during the time I guess everyone was greeting their neighbors sitting near them and I walked into the church and walked across the back of the church three times looking for a seat, no one person said hello, not one person spoke to me. I quickly realized this was basically a whites only church. If the vibe wasn't enough to show that, nor the fact it was all white and only 4 persons of color one being asian guy, then I surely found out when the paster spoke and mentioned white church attenders as the target audience because they “give more tithes”. The paster went on and on about leaving a church in california because it became too black and white families stopped coming and the few left threatened to not come if the black kids from the neighborhood continued to come. So I guess the pastor came to DC and started a all white congregation. Im sure he feels he is getting the numbers in donations now. As a black women ive seen my mom and many other black church goers give they whole check, give more than than anyone, consistently. To sit in church and hear this pastor say the white families are more valuable made me feel like we had gone back in time and I was in a whites only church in the 1960’s. He spoke about Rodney King, riots, gentrification, and the growth of blacks in his former church which made the whites uncomfortable. So if you are white this church is for you, if you asian, you might have a chance. But if your tan aint spray painted, and you happen to be a person of color…listen this church is NOT for you. Todays sermon was about not valuing one person over the other spoke about the haves and have nots. Now I am far from a have not, im a college educated, 3 degrees, culturally diverse, mom and dad, government job, well put together individual but still when I walked in this church mixed raced person or not all they seen was my color. Again if you white great church for you, but if you seek diversity keep looking its not here.

I cannot speak to the quality of services here, I can only speak to the lack of regard for the church's literal neighbors. This church's neighbors experience hours a week of drum noise that frequently exceed the decibel limit, run later than the church claims, and are disruptive to those trying to work, study, or enjoy their homes. Unfortunately, rather than treat our concerns with any seriousness, we receive condescending and dishonest responses.

My wife and I have been attending RHC for over 5 years and are so grateful for the family we've found here. As a church, we gather together every Sunday to hear the gospel preached and worship God through music and fellowship. We also get together in each others' homes throughout the week in smaller groups ("Community Groups"), which allows for deeper connections and conversations than typically come in larger groups. I can attest that the pastors and staff members love and care well for the church body, and they also love this city. If you are at all interested in checking out a church in DC, please come!

RHC is an incredible church - dynamic worship, real and honest small groups, insightful Bible teaching, and vulnerable and honest leadership. These guys love Jesus and they love DC. I've only visited the church gathering when I'm in DC, but I've had numerous friends attending as their home church and I can attest to their growth in the knowledge of the Bible and their joy in their faith. If you are in DC and are looking for a church dynamically rooted in the community and focused on their hope in Christ - check it out!