The Rock Church

You Are Not Forgotten

“But this is what the LORD says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky.” — Jeremiah 33:25–26 (NLT, excerpt)

I recently visited a church in Phoenix, Arizona, with my son. Time to tour colleges and explore some options for his future education. We then decided to attend a local church on Sunday morning.

A few things stood out to me during our visit that were incredibly meaningful.

First, even though we didn’t know a single person in the building, we somehow felt at home.

The same familiar language of praise and adoration filled the worship center. We also heard the same expressions of love and dependence upon Jesus that we experience every weekend at The Rock Church. The church celebrated baptisms, just as we celebrated changed lives through baptism back home that same weekend. The pastor preached about Joshua. He reminded the congregation of God’s promises and our absolute dependence upon Him.

Different city, church, and people.

Same Jesus, Spirit, and family.

And as I stood there worshiping, something beautiful struck me.

Though I knew no one, in a very real sense, I knew everyone. God’s children surrounded me as I stood among them. I was not a stranger, but part of the family. Surely God has not forgotten me, but He loves me. At the same time, I was not distant, but connected through a common faith in the living Christ.

Church, do you realize not only WHO you belong to in Jesus, but also WHO you belong WITH?

Church With A Capital C

I’m talking about our local church family, of course. But also the Church with a capital C. The family of God that extends far beyond the walls of our own building, our city, our country, and even our generation.

Have you ever experienced this?

Maybe you stood in line at a grocery store and struck up a conversation with someone. Only to discover that you both know Jesus. And suddenly, there’s a familiarity there. A connection that goes beyond a casual conversation.

Possibly, you’ve experienced it on a mission trip. Worshiping with believers halfway around the world (who don’t even speak your language). Or perhaps, in an Uber, an airport, or some unexpected place, you’ve met someone and thought, I know that Spirit. I know that love. I know the Jesus they belong to, because He’s the same Jesus I belong to.

Isn’t that amazing?

And yet, isn’t it also true that sometimes we feel terribly alone? The daily demands of life sometimes overwhelm us. Indeed, we carry burdens, face disappointments, and struggle with uncertainty. Sometimes. we quietly wonder, “Does anybody really know what I’m going through? Am I the only one? Has God forgotten about me?”

Church, listen to the promise of Jeremiah 33.

He Speaks

God is speaking to His people about His faithfulness. He reminds them that His covenant is as certain as the laws that govern day and night. In other words, as surely as the sun rises and sets, God will remain faithful to His promises.

He has not forgotten His people.

And He has not forgotten YOU.

One of the beautiful reminders of this truth comes through the small, but all-too-real miracle of belonging to the family of God.

Think about it. How is this possible? Take people who have never met. They come from entirely different backgrounds, live hundreds (or even thousands) of miles apart. But they can stand together in worship and experience such a profound sense of kinship and love.

Is it simply tradition? Shared religious customs? Familiar songs and language?

Oh, Church, I think our spirits know it’s something much deeper than that.

It’s the Living Lord. Living in, among, and through his people. Christ reminds us that He is at work. That He knows us, loves us, and never leaves us alone. He is always building us together into something far greater than ourselves.

What An Incredible Gift

So, the next time you feel isolated, forgotten, or overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, remember this: you belong to Jesus. And because you belong to Jesus, you belong to a family that stretches across the entire world.

The Spirit of the Living God unites our family. Not geography, personality, preference, or tradition. On the contrary, the Spirit of the Living God unites us.

And if the Lord is faithful to uphold the very laws that govern the heavens and the earth, you can trust Him to remain faithful to you.

God knows you. He loves you. God never forgets you. And, Church, you are never alone.

May we never take for granted the miracle of belonging to Christ. And through Him, to one another.

Belonging with you, 

Steele

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Itchy Ears

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” — 2 Timothy 4:3–4

We live in a remarkable age! With my phone, I can listen to or watch podcasts, videos, reels, and music from around the world. Individual results may vary, but studies find people spend:

• 33 minutes per day on Facebook
• 34 minutes per day on Instagram
• 49 minutes per day on YouTube
• 54 minutes per day on TikTok
• 148 minutes per day on Spotify

The point is obvious: we are consuming an incredible amount of content day to day. And in many respects, it’s incredible! I can listen to people discussing culture, sports, and politics. Also, I can listen to science, the history of the Bible, theology, etc. In fact, I can mow the lawn and learn the Bible. Not only that, but I can always enjoy hours of music.

However, I recently read the passage above. And it surely lands differently in light of the hours we spend consuming digital content each day. The phrase “to suit their own passions” reminds me of our algorithm-driven, carefully curated feeds. Myths stand in contrast to the truth of God’s Word.

Pondering

Some questions to ponder as we make decisions about the content we consume daily:

• There is freedom in Christ. But am I constantly replacing the Word, preaching, and worship with something else? In other words, does my content dull my affection for God’s truth?
• Is this perhaps satisfying some sinful desire in me?
• Will this content fill me with the Fruit of the Spirit? Or am I angry, fearful, or anxious after I consume it?
• Does the content I consume reduce my appetite for meaty things like the Word or worship? Think about cotton candy versus a well-balanced meal. Do I find it harder to digest the parts of the Bible our culture doesn’t like?
• Will my content merely make me feel good, or does it specifically feed my soul?
• Am I painting myself into an echo chamber?
• And finally, does the amount of digital content I consume leave room for the other things the Lord has called me to do?

Questions I am pondering…

Josh

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Set Your Mind on Heaven

In 1952, Florence Chadwick attempted something almost unimaginable: swimming the 22.8 miles from Catalina Island to the California mainland.

Florence definitely knew a thing or two about long swims. She had already become the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. But that day, off the California coast, the water was freezing. Also, people in the support boats had to drive sharks away, and a thick fog settled over the ocean.

For nearly 16 hours, Florence swam.

Finally, exhausted and discouraged, she told the people in the boat beside her that she couldn’t go any farther. Her mother encouraged her to keep going. The shore was certainly close.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Rocktoberfest 2026

Who wants to spend Halloween “just trick-or-treating” when you can have WAY more fun at Rocktoberfest! You’re not going to want to miss this action-packed evening! Join us and bring the whole family to this FREE fall festival.

Walk through our trick-or-treat “street” located on our north lawn, where your kids can “trick or treat” for candy and prizes along the way. We’ll have games, activities, bouncy castles, food trucks and more! The atmosphere will be festive and fun and costumes are encouraged for all.

Posted in Events, News by The Rock Church

Does Following Jesus Make You Stand Out?

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…” — Acts 1:8 (NLT)

Being a witness isn’t always easy or comfortable. At times, standing out for Jesus might mean looking like the weirdo or the outcast. It can also feel like cultural suicide or even career suicide.

But you know what? We should look different from the world around us. In fact, we should stand out. Jesus certainly did. His followers did, too.

Sadly, I think this is one of the more dangerous things that has crept into Western Christianity at large. This desire to look just like the world. To not rock the boat or let others label us as extreme or different.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Caleb Yetton

Being Renewed

“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” — Colossians 3:10

There is something incredibly encouraging hidden in that little phrase, “being renewed.” God’s Word reassures you that God, not you, makes you new. Paul doesn’t say, “You just need to do better.” or “Try harder to become a better version of yourself.” The wonderful thing about this verse is that for all who belong to Christ, God is already doing something in you.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Hands and Feet: Our Final Day in Honduras

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. — 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

Our mission trip concluded the way it was meant to—with open doors, warm welcomes, and the unmistakable presence of God at work.

As we gathered in Honduran homes for breakfast on our last morning, I reflected on Mark 6:7, where Jesus sent His disciples out to share the Gospel. They went from place to place, trusting God to provide and receiving the hospitality of those who welcomed them into their homes. In many ways, we experienced that same kind of welcome throughout our time in Honduras, but especially on our final day.

We spent our last hours providing medical care and sharing the Gospel with members of the community. Then we ended where we were meant to be—at the orphanage, standing alongside the faithful servants who dedicate their lives to caring for the children there.

The children welcomed us with unbounded joy, and in serving them, we were reminded of what it truly means to be the hands and feet of Christ. In those moments with the children and the devoted staff who love them, we saw a beautiful expression of faith in action.

As we prepare to leave Honduras, we carry with us the certainty that God’s Kingdom is at work here. We saw it in homes, medical clinics, Gospel conversations, faithful servants, and in the hope and joy of these children.

Our Honduras Mission Trip may be ending, but God’s work here is not. We leave grateful that He allowed us, even for a short time, to be a small part of what He is doing.

Posted in Missions by The Rock Church

Meeting God in the Midst of Suffering

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. — Ephesians 2:10

This trip has been both exhilarating and mentally exhausting—in the very best possible way! Each day has felt like a week. It’s as though we’re living in a strange and wonderful time warp.

When we landed in Comayagua, I discovered that my daughter, Beverly, had developed cellulitis from a bug bite she got in Utah. It was discouraging to face a medical issue before we even left the airport, but thankfully, antibiotics quickly took care of it, and we were able to move forward with the mission.

Posted in Missions by The Rock Church

The Real World

Your kingdom come,your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. — Matthew 6:10

Sometimes we think our busy lives, full of suffering and distraction, are the real world. But the reality is that Jesus is advancing His Kingdom, and He’s using the love of His Church to do it.

Every opportunity we have to love “the least of these” is made possible by many people working together to serve others and share the love of Jesus.

Posted in Missions by The Rock Church

A Story of Forgiveness at Jericho House

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. — Psalm 147:3

One of the girls at Jericho House shared her story with our Honduras Mission Team, and it was one I won’t soon forget.

After losing her father to alcoholism, Carlita’s life became incredibly difficult. Her mother refused to work and sent Carlita and her siblings out to beg on the streets. That’s when Albia stepped in and brought them into Jericho House. Carlita was only six years old when she arrived. Seeing her now at sixteen and hearing her share what God has done in her life is incredible.

Posted in Missions by The Rock Church