This Sunday at 4:30 pm we will experience and participate in a Seder meal led by Cyril Gordon. This meal gives us a greater understanding of the Last Supper, Communion, and prepares our hearts for Easter. Plan on joining us and inviting others! Go to “full article” to sign-up for food.

I think about the future. What will I preach on next? Where will we travel? What do we need to do to the house? What will my grandson be like? We all think about the future. The Apostle Paul is at a point in his life and ministry where he is thinking about the future in Romans 15. This week we get to not only look inside his thoughts and desires, but we get to observe what actually happened. We see Paul’s ministry desires and how they match up with our desires 2,000 years later. We see how Paul prayed about his future and how his prayers lead us to how we can pray about our future.

As we approach the end of the book of Romans we are filled to the brim with theological truths. Truths that inspire us. Truths that amaze us. Truths that ground us. Truths that draw us closer to Jesus. At the end of Romans we are reminded that these truths lead us to mission. The mission of making Jesus known and living out God’s truths in the local church. Romans 15 is a great reminder that Christians are a people on mission. As we gather this Sunday we have the privilege of reminding ourselves of this mission.

To be welcomed into something feels good. To be welcomed into something where everyone knows you feels like family. To be welcomed into something where everything about you, the good and bad, are known and accepted is grace. It is clear from Romans 14-15 that Jesus has welcomed all people who trust in Him. He welcomes us in our sin. He welcomes us when we have been enemies to Him. He welcomes us when we have flat out rejected Him in the past. Jesus is a welcoming God. And Jesus calls us to welcome others in the same way.

I am blessed and thankful that The Rock is sending me on a sabbatical rest. I look forward to rest and restoration that I pray will energize me for future ministry. Part of that sabbatical process is to prepare. I am preparing my heart for the rest ahead. The church also needs to prepare. This Sunday I have invited Tim Morey to share wisdom gained in his personal experience, as well as how their church prepared for his past sabbaticals.

The Rock’s church service this weekend is on SATURDAY at 4:30 pm.

The NFL celebrates Super Bowl Sunday this week. So we will celebrate with a Super Saturday worship service! Come and worship on Saturday at 4:30 pm. See you then!

The concept of freedom is glorious! It is utter joy that we are free from sin in Jesus. Being free from sin makes us free from guilt, shame, and condemnation. We are free to live a life in peace with God. Freedom is to be cherished and we owe God an eternity of thanks for our freedom. Freedom is also a biblical way to bless others - primarily when we give up freedom. Jesus gave up His freedoms as God to come to rescue us. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that Jesus “emptied himself”, took the “form of a servant”, and was “found in human form.” He gave up the freedom of Diety to come as a human to live and die for us. And we are called to give up freedoms we have in Jesus to bless others.

Understanding the historical time one lives in is helpful. When one understands the time, they are able to navigate the world around them. They know how the past has shaped the present moment. And the know how the present moment is shaping the future. People get rich understanding the time. As Christians, when we understand the time it is helpful to know how to live in this world. Romans 13:11-14 helps us understand the time. And understanding the time makes us spiritually rich. Rich in the truths of Jesus!

There is a tension between love and God’s commands. Some say we should suspend God’s commands in order to make people feel loved. Others say God’s commands are primary and love comes later. I’ve personally been called a jerk for believing God’s commands over the world’s idea of love. It is complicated and affects all of us in daily life. In this week’s Roman’s passage we are given instruction about love and law. It is not only informative about God, but gives us practical instruction about how to live life.

This Sunday is New Year’s Eve! We are going to have a New Year’s Eve service at our normal 4:30 pm meeting time at the school. Come and end 2023 and start 2024 with a service of song, prayer, and devotional!

This Sunday is New Year’s Eve! We are going to have a New Year’s Eve service at our normal 4:30 pm meeting time at the school. Come and end 2023 and start 2024 with a service of song, prayer, and devotional!

This Sunday we will celebrate Christmas together with song and sermon! It is the 3rd Sunday of Advent (and the last Sunday before Christmas Eve). Come this Sunday to worship together our incarnate Lord Jesus!

It is true. My sermon this week is about politics. But I want to be clear, this is not some sort of American Nationalist agenda! I have not gone off the deep end and turned into a political pastor! There is only one way to get me to preach about politics - if the Bible passage for the week is about politics. And Romans 13:1-7 is all about how Christians are to respond to “governing authorities.”

This weekend starts off the Christmas Season in a big way at The Rock:

Women’s Cookie Exchange - Fri., Dec. 1, Mack House

Rock Christmas Party - Sat., Dec. 2, 5:00 pm, Wiley’s House

1st Sunday of Advent Communion Service - Sun., Dec. 3

Many of us are planning our travel, meals, and family gatherings for Thanksgiving. Our thoughts and efforts can be consumed by the details of the holidays. My prayer is that we would also be consumed in our thoughts about what we are thankful for this year. This Sunday we will take a look in the Bible to see how God desires us to be thankful. In some ways we are given reminders of how to be thankful. But there are other ways in the Bible that might be new. Let’s gather together and explore them!

This Sunday is The Rock’s Annual Thanksgiving Service. We will sing songs of thanksgiving then hear a brief sermon & testimony. After the service, we will join together for a Thanksgiving Meal! Please invite family, friends, and neighbors to give thanks with us. Please CLICK HERE to contribute to the meal. (You may have to go to full post to click)

It’s the time of year to mark your calendars for exciting upcoming dates at The Rock:

Nov. 5 - Communion Dinner after church

Nov. 12 - Rock Thanksgiving Service

Dec. 2 - Rock Christmas Party (5:00 pm at Wiley’s)

Dec. 3 - Communion Dinner after church

Dec. 16 - Family Promise Christmas Party

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Sunday at Harbor Church (Joint Service - Curt Preaches)

Get these dates on your calendar NOW!

In our Romans sermon series we have been in a mini-series on Christian love. This kind of love is love that Jesus has modeled for us in His life & death. Christian love is not easy. This week in Romans 12:11-12, Paul gives encouragement on how to love when loving is difficult. Difficult because we become lazy in our faith. And difficult when life is simply hard due to tribulation. I find these verse to be helpful because they give instruction in real life, which is often difficult and confusing.

In the past 2 weeks we have been horrified from the reports and images from the Gaza Strip and Israel. I would like to take the sermon time in church this Sunday to preach; “A Christian Response to the Israel/Hamas War.” I hope to give us tools on how to biblically think about this issue. Please come with humble hearts prepared to listen, consider, and act. If there are any people in your life that are confused, troubled, and/or in despair about this point in history please invite them to hear what God’s Word says about Israel.

In the past 2 weeks we have been horrified from the reports and images from the Gaza Strip and Israel. I would like to take the sermon time in church this Sunday to preach; “A Christian Response to the Israel/Hamas War.” I hope to give us tools on how to biblically think about this issue. Please come with humble hearts prepared to listen, consider, and act. If there are any people in your life that are confused, troubled, and/or in despair about this point in history please invite them to hear what God’s Word says about Israel.