The Rock Church

In the Midst

In the midst of day-to-day life, it’s so easy to get caught up in our complaining and disputing world. At least for me, anyway. I’m as guilty as anyone. On the side, I prowl the headlines in an effort to get the scoop. As a pastor, I feel as though I ought to know (at least a little) of what’s going on. Then perhaps I won’t be caught off guard.

But, I can too easily enter the wormholes of bad information. And it influences my soul. Of course, this has probably never happened to any of you. However, on occasion, I’ve looked up from my phone, gasping for clarity. Then I ask myself, “Why am I even reading this?”

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Times of Refreshing

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” — Acts 3:19-20 (NIV)

In Acts 3, Peter performed a miracle—he healed a man who couldn’t walk. The crowd was amazed. However, Peter didn’t bask in the attention. Instead, he used that moment to speak hard truth with bold love.

He told the people to repent and turn to God. Their sins would be wiped away. Times of refreshing would come from the Lord. That hard truth wasn’t just for the people in that crowd. He meant it for all of us. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 60. Maybe you’ve followed Jesus for decades. Perhaps you just recently surrendered to Him. Peter’s message still applies to you today.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Electronics Fast

“For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 2:20-21

In April, my sons and I watched part of the Masters golf tournament. While watching, I realized something strange was happening; no one had a cell phone. The tournament had banned them from the event. The TV commentators even mentioned that people were really present in the moment.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Life-Changing Prayer

Ephesians 3:14a (NIV84) “For this reason I kneel before the Father…”

Last Thursday, my wife (Mary) and I put our 20+ year-old furniture on the driveway with “FREE” signs attached. We then held hands and prayed, “Lord, have someone take these before the day is over.” Four hours later, a neighbor a few doors down claimed the well-worn couches for her daughter. Soon after, Mary and I held hands (again) and thanked the God who answers prayers!

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Saved to Be Loved Forever

“[God] raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:6-7 

This verse is undeniably fantastic! I’d encourage you to meditate on it specifically this week. Just think about this glorious future you have in Christ in Heaven. 

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Caleb Yetton

Rescued By Grace Alone

We all love that feeling of accomplishment. Knowing we’ve put in some hard work and can see the good results. It’s true whether it’s a big win or just a job well done. Feeling good about our achievements (and even a little pat on our own back) is totally fine in many parts of life. But, when it comes to our salvation, the Bible makes it crystal clear. There’s absolutely nothing we contribute that gives us any room for our boasting. 

The Latin phrase “Sola Gratia” (Grace Alone) often captures this core truth. It means our salvation is entirely a gift of God’s amazing grace. It’s certainly not a reward for anything we’ve done.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Breaking Walls

Admittedly, the news cycle loves walls—border walls, paywalls, and also social-media echo chambers. Two thousand years ago, Paul wrote about one of history’s most infamous walls: a five-foot stone balustrade in Herod’s temple. It warned Gentiles, “Enter and die.” In Ephesians (2:14-18), he stunned his readers with the headline: “Christ has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility.” In fact, the claim still shatters our walls today.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Tony D'Amico

Mighty Ways

Ever since I became a follower of Christ, I’ve prayed that God would use me and others in mighty ways. There’s nothing wrong with this prayer. It’s a prayer that applies faith to a “Here am I, send me!” boldness. That is certainly not bad at all. However, I’ve prayed this prayer for over two decades. And a quick Google search of my name proves that God hasn’t used me in any of the “mighty ways” this broken world would recognize. I’m actually thankful for that.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

D.A.W.G.

I acquired a habit in my earlier days as a Christ follower. I made time in my busy schedule for what we lovingly called a D.A.W.G. (Day Alone With God). We can all agree that life can sometimes be overwhelming. Not only do we want to do it all, but we also want our families to do even more than we ever did. Our phones throw data at us like ants marching toward spilled pie and ice cream on a hot summer sidewalk.

As I look back on my early days as a young Christian, I see a wife, three kids, and working overtime as an electrician. In hindsight, I was just learning to zealously serve the Lord. Along with trying to figure out the concept of a balanced life. Much like a skateboarder learning complicated tricks, it was a roadrashy time in my walk with the Lord. I specifically remember one of the many conferences my wife Jeanne and I used to frequent. The speaker introduced me to the idea of a Day Alone With God.  

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Times of Refreshing

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” — Acts 3:19-20 (NIV)

Peter had just performed a miracle—healing a man who couldn’t walk. The crowd was obviously amazed. But Peter didn’t take the credit. Instead, he pointed people to Jesus. Additionally, he told them to repent and turn to God.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church