Recently, we were approached by a church in Cleveland, Tennessee about the possibility of their congregation becoming a campus of Rock Bridge. The Cleveland Church made this request after much prayer, visits to our weekend services, and conversations within their leadership team. We are humbled and honored by their request and thank God that people see His work among us. At an Elder retreat last Saturday, our elders agreed that we should begin an “assessment” period to determine whether this “Cleveland possibility” would be a wise, faith-based, Kingdom-seeking opportunity for RBCC in this season. The analogy of the early stages of dating comes to mind. This is where we are. I would like to invite you to pray into this. To help shape your praying and how we are considering this, I offer the following thoughts: 1) Our values should always guide and inform what we say yes and no to. As a church, we cannot and are not called to do everything. Our 5 values help us remember why we exist and how we pursue the glory of God in our context. So we are asking the following questions: 2) Short-term rushing can lead to long-term bondage. The story of Abraham “making” Ishmael with his handmaid versus waiting for Isaac comes to mind (see Genesis 16). We want to wait for and pursue what God has promised and not rush to make something happen. What does this wait look like? 3) We recognize God steers moving ships. God guided the first church to mission opportunities when they resolved to wait for Him in worship, prayer, and fasting (Acts 1 and Acts 13). God guided Paul into Macedonia after keeping him out of Asia (Acts 16:6-10). In each case, the commitment of the believers was the same—to obey God, pursue the Great Commission relentlessly, and depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance and power. We understand from Scripture that the greatest thing we can do is to be the type of church that God can guide … the kind of people that God can take deeper and farther into Himself and His mission in the world … the kind of people that God can interrupt, surprise, and redirect … the kind of people who fear doing anything apart from God. May our prayer be that of Moses: If Your presence does not go,” Moses responded to Him, “don’t make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor with You unless you go with us? I and Your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth. {Exodus 33:15-16, CSB}
About Matt Evans
Matt Evans is the Founding and Lead Pastor of Rock Bridge Community Church in Dalton, Georgia. Matt and his wife, Beth, grew up in the Dalton area and saw the need for a church that would reach the lost, broken, de-churched, and spiritually wounded.
Pastor Matt and Family of God,
My Children Chad And JILL Coffman and 3 children live in Cleveland and have been attending Rockbridge in Dalton for several years and would be excited!!! You are a Awesome Teacher of the word!!! ????????For the Direction
I will pray the Rock Bridge elders and staff through all the facts researched, make a wise decision. I don’t know enough to help make a wise choice. A healthy fear of God, prayer, fasting, plus facts will equal a wise choice to glorify God.
I will be praying asking for Gods direction for Rock Bridge, and for the Elders to get clarity of Gods will in this decision.
I believe that you all are proceeding with the appropriate consideration for waiting on the Lord through prayer, connection, counsel, assessment, and more prayer as you reckon with the Word and the Holy Spirit. We shall pray for God’s guidance and His voice. Paul Lowery
I would like to see a doctrinal statement, what the church stands for, what it preaches. Not just feel-good, fluffy stuff, please
Hey Byron! If you haven’t already, please see our Doctrinal Belief Statement at https://rockbridge.cc/about/beliefs.