Just The Beginning

Good Morning Everyone:

This is the first of many blogs from River Rock Church here in Hamilton ON. As you can imagine from our name we are something new. We believe God is doing a new thing in the world. He is doing something very different then we ever imagined just a few years ago. As the world changes we have discovered the need to do church in a new and exciting way. A way that will meet the new world in all of its dynamics. We all realize, that we first meet God where we are in life. So we begin our journey here at River Rock.

As the world changes so do we. There is a line that goes something like this, "Nothing changes but change itself." We do not change for change sake but with a vision of what is better. At the same time we realize that not all change is better. As we mix together God and change we end up with an exciting, vibrant, energy filled church that is not boring. We have been bored too long.

As we make our circle smaller we move down from the world to our community. Over and over again in the last number of years I have been asked to do something within the community that I live. There is a desperate need for a place where people can connect with their spiritual side of life. Statistic tell us, over 70% of the people around us, are looking for a spiritual connection. The problem has been, they have yet to find a place where they feel at home or where they fit. This does not mean that the churches and congregation we have experienced in the past have not been all bad. Most have been doing one of two things. First they have done what they knew or are doing what they have always done. Secondly, due to the first they have resisted change. This is more in line with a fear of the unknown. After all, most people fear change.

My bible tells me, "God is the same yesterday, today and forever." You see, here at River Rock we are changing only the method. The message of salvation in Jesus Christ will never change. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me."
So, this is where we come in. We have looked at the world, observed our community and now we recognize our place here in Hamilton.

We want to introduce you to a God who does not change. At present we call ourselves, River Rock Church. We believe we are a new work in a new way. We have not finished the process of discovering what we are going to be as a church, but be reassured, we are not boring. John C. Maxwell tells us the second most boring place in North America is the funeral home and it is second to the church. How sad for us that we have the most exciting, life changing message of all time and made it boring.

Our vision here at River Rock Church, is to be a lighthouse in the community that is also a place where we can join together and walk through this life hand in hand, as we impact our community and the world for Christ.