Elevator rides, Check-out lines, & Facebook

Elevator rides, Check-out lines, & Facebook

“So what’s your church all about?” At Rock Bridge, we hope you have been asked this question before. If so, what did you say? Maybe you’re a Rock Bridge pro, and you knocked it out of the park! Or maybe you’re new to our church, and you didn’t quite know what to say. That’s OK! That’s why we wanted to give you some handlebars, not to memorize necessarily, but internalize to help you talk to people about Rock Bridge and ultimately Jesus!

So we asked ourselves that question. If we were chatting with someone in an elevator, or while standing in line at the grocery store, or even on Facebook, what would we tell them about Rock Bridge? Here’s what we came up with.

Our vision since 2002 has been to connect people from all walks of life to a life with Jesus by helping them become His passionate followers. We have a holy discontent for anyone to be disconnected from Jesus, His Kingdom, and His Kingdom community--the local church. Therefore, we see ourselves as ‘bridge-builders’, seeking to close gaps and barriers that hide Jesus from people: gaps created by legalism and condemnation, confusing traditions, grace-less teaching, unfriendly environments, mediocre ministry, and one-hour-a-week Christianity.

We see ourselves as ‘Kingdom-seekers’: people passionately committed to inviting people to church with us, offering tangible hope to those in hopeless situations, and demonstrating the Kingdom of Jesus in our communities and the world. We envision thousands of people in northwest Georgia experiencing life in Christ, growing in love for God and others, while living in His Kingdom and living sent to those outside of it!

Exodus Reflection

I used to be a high school history teacher.  I enjoyed reading and narrating the independence of many countries including the French Revolution, the American Independence. Exodus tells us of a fantastic account of the independence of Israel.

The story of Moses vs. Pharoah is so fantastic that most scholars take it as fiction or mythology. At the same time, many archeologists keep finding evidence that everything written about in the the second book of the Bible was history, not fiction.

However you see it - as a parable or as history - please focus on the message: God can win your battles. This war of independence is so unique because the Hebrew people did not pick up one single weapon to fight their emperor. God orchestrated every attack, every plague.

This is a constant theme in the Old Testament. Hundreds of years after Moses, other Bible authors narrate different battles where His people did not have to fight. Just sit and watch. Of course, there are many other battles where His people actually wielded weapons and God gave them the victory just as He constantly did with David, since his first battle with the giant.

The slaves in the book of Exodus wanted freedom. Moses as their leader could have drawn up a plan. But God surprised them with the most incredible plan of attack: bloody rivers, frogs, darkness, etc.

If you are facing an impossible situation, you need to find a way to tune your mind and soul to the fact that God is on your side and beg Him to surprise you with an amazing, divine intervention that trumps any human expectations.

- Enrique Govea -

Reflections on Exodus

Exodus 3:1-10

Reflection:

• Moses in the wilderness
• Moses sees a burning bush “Angel of the Lord”
• Moses curiously walks to the burning bush
• Moses meets God
• God reveals His Holiness and reminds Moses of his past

Followers of Jesus have had or will have some type of “burning bush” experience. One of mine came in a hospital room with two broken legs, another came as I walked into a classroom, and still others have come when I strategically made time to meet with God.  Some “burning bush” incidents happen when God desires to get our attention.  While other “burning bush” encounters happen when we as follower of Jesus schedule time to meet with God through His Holy Spirit.

Challenge:

Seek God!

No matter if we are in a symbolic or literal wilderness; curiously seeking something spiritual, or have had past “burning bush” experiences with God;  - God, YAHWEH, “I AM” desires to reveal Himself to you.  God is a personal God!

Suggested Prayer:

(Schedule a place and time) God please meet with meet today.  Jesus I will follow You. Holy Spirit surprise me today. “Lord, my every desire is known to You; my sighing is not hidden from You” (Psalm 38:9). “My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).


By: Sam Smith, Chatsworth Campus Pastor