Church on The Rock Homer

Eight kids in and I still have never succeeded convincing a young child of mine of their future love of naps.  A good nap seems to be the bane of childhood existence.  Even once they resolve that it is definitely happening and there will be no negotiation, they want to express their displeasure in some form.  Then I tell each one the truth; some day you are going to love a good nap.  Also, without a good nap now, you are a very different kind of child.  The nap is good for you NOW and you’ll appreciate that later on.  You don’t have to believe me, it’s still true. This is how I often feel explaining the beauty of life in Christ to the immature believer; you depend on it now in ways you do not comprehend, and you’ll grow to appreciate it in ways you cannot imagine.  This Sunday we wrap up our study in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.  Paul gives a brief run down of the implications of Christ’s life in us.  It is so simple and so stunning.  Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

I have heard on many occasions that at some point I will miss the phase of childrearing that I am currently lamenting. I can say that I have not missed changing diapers, nor do I anticipate missing it. In a couple days my oldest hits double digits. It’s hard to believe and I do have the sense that how I interact with my older kids is changing. They no longer need me to assist them in the ways I did when they were little. They know how to clothe, feed, and bath themselves…mostly. I am not chasing them around the house wondering if they will eat something they aren’t supposed to. I’m not holding their hands as they awkwardly take their next step forward in attempting to walk. I am however teaching them to navigate life in new ways…relationally connecting with friends in appropriate and healthy ways, building skills, gaining an education, but most importantly to me growing in their understanding of God. Many of us learn about God and how to follow Him in similar ways. We learn the rules, what He likes and doesn’t. What we should and shouldn’t do, but as we mature in Christ we begin to understand that there is something deeper to walking with God. Our existence isn’t about getting the next step we take correct, but about taking that step with God, actively communing with Him and experiencing all He is. Life lived with God is not the same as learning about God. This weekend we take a look at Paul’s encouragement to the Colossians to walk with God and to experience His fullness! It’s my prayer, our prayer that we would all experience more of Him! Pastor Matt McCarter

This week our family took a little trip down the Diamond Creek trail. When I arrived home from work, the car was loaded and ready to go. Once on the beach, we gathered up some wood to start a fire. Jenny handed me a lighter, a bottle of lighter fluid and a bunch of old newspapers to make my job easier. She then spread out some blankets to make our seating more comfortable. Once the fire was crackling, Jenny brought out several different kinds of hotdogs and brats for roasting along with our metal campfire hotdog skewers. There was a bag of buns and condiments to go along. Once my bacon and white cheddar bratwurst was sizzling, Jenny handed me a paper plate, a napkin, a Coke Zero that was on ice, and offered me several options for chips to go with my gourmet entrée. She even brought Chicharron. Because the brat was so good, I decided to try one of the cheddar jalapeno dogs as well. After cleaning my plate, my wife handed me a chilled slice of watermelon and warned me that it wasn’t the best tasting. It was delicious. After our meal, she brought out a can of cherry pie filling, a can of apple pie filling, a loaf of white bread, a stick of butter, and a couple of pie irons for the fire. We each buttered our iron, laid in the bread, loaded up the pie filling and then grilled it over the coals. Just before eating my perfectly golden cherry pie pocket, Jenny pulled out a can of whipped cream! After dinner, the kids swam for a bit then toweled off with the stack of towels from the house. It was a lovely evening. And here is my dumb confession: for many, many years, I complained almost every time we would do an outing like this. Why? My lack of foresight. “Why are we hauling SO MUCH STUFF down to the beach?!?” I’m wired differently than Jenny. To avoid the hassle of carrying anything extra for our ten-minute walk, I’d prefer to show up woefully unprepared for our three hours on the beach. I know. It’s silly. This Sunday we look at I Corinthians 15. Paul discussion on the resurrection follows the same theme: difficult now, infinitely worth it later. Take a read before Sunday, Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

The concept of love changes over the course of life. At an early age, love is represented by various entities. Disney portrays one sense where love leads us to a place of “happily ever after.” Our parents' marriages, whether for good or bad, teach us the ins and outs of what a loving relationship is or is not supposed to be. As we age, our experiences in the world teach us about love through our communities, close relationships outside the home, and media. We learn about love from so many sources because love is such an essential part of what it means to be human. It is core to our identity. We need to be loved. Everyone wants it, but so few know how to truly deliver it. As I have gotten older, the concept of love has taken one major shift from pleasure seeking and receiving affirmation to making a choice to give up myself for the betterment of someone else. I do not always get it right, but I can look back and say I now understand love more in light of what Christ has done for me on the cross than I did before. This weekend, we look to Paul’s flaunting of Christ’s better way, the way of love, in 1 Corinthians 13. Take some time and read the passage, and let's have a little fun this weekend as we explore the concept of love in light of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Matt McCarter

It is our routine every Tuesday to gather as a leadership team and eat pizza with chicken salad, celebrate what God is doing, and talk about what is ahead. Although this is primarily a staff meeting, our elders and board members are always welcome to attend. A while back, my uncle Kerry, one of our elders, dropped in to attend our little powwow. He also had the mannerisms of a robot. Because of the extreme pain in his neck, he was having to turn at the torso in order to change the direction of his gaze. I’ve had the same kind of experience with my neck and it makes everything more difficult. After sitting for a few minutes on one our staff lounge club chairs, Jordan Tutt quietly brought him a swivel chair from behind one of our desks. It was the sweetest thing ever. With the slight push his his toes, he could now see the whole room without wincing. Honestly, at the time, it made me think of our passage for this week. On Sunday, we dive into 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. Take a moment and read through it ahead of time. Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser