common questions
why Jesus?
What does a guy who lived 2,000 years ago have to do with me? I mean who really cares about Jesus. This is a good question, particularly if you aren’t that interested in history. It's hard to imagine how one human who lived 2,000 years ago, and half a world away, could have anything to do with me. Many people I talk to wish that God would actually do something spectacular to show himself to us. Let's imagine that God really did decide to visit our planet in a specific time and place. Let's say God came to provide a way out of this mess our world is in. If that were true, then the things that God said would be rather important. What He said might even make sense 2,000 years down the road. That's who Jesus claimed to be – God. He lived a pretty unique life, in wisdom and miracles, ending in a death that didn’t keep him down. Jesus is the one religious figure who didn’t claim to talk to an angel for his information, but claimed to be God. Jesus is the one religious figure where you can visit his grave and he’s not there, proving he was more than human. Jesus is the one religious figure who was actually against religion. Jesus is the one religious figure who did not teach about earning God’s favor by what you do. That's why the things he said might even be the most important things ever said on earth. Like to find out more about Jesus? Sneak into our services and observe people connecting with their God.
What does a guy who lived 2,000 years ago have to do with me? I mean who really cares about Jesus. This is a good question, particularly if you aren’t that interested in history. It's hard to imagine how one human who lived 2,000 years ago, and half a world away, could have anything to do with me. Many people I talk to wish that God would actually do something spectacular to show himself to us. Let's imagine that God really did decide to visit our planet in a specific time and place. Let's say God came to provide a way out of this mess our world is in. If that were true, then the things that God said would be rather important. What He said might even make sense 2,000 years down the road. That's who Jesus claimed to be – God. He lived a pretty unique life, in wisdom and miracles, ending in a death that didn’t keep him down. Jesus is the one religious figure who didn’t claim to talk to an angel for his information, but claimed to be God. Jesus is the one religious figure where you can visit his grave and he’s not there, proving he was more than human. Jesus is the one religious figure who was actually against religion. Jesus is the one religious figure who did not teach about earning God’s favor by what you do. That's why the things he said might even be the most important things ever said on earth. Like to find out more about Jesus? Sneak into our services and observe people connecting with their God.
was Jesus even a real person?
Several people have told me they don't think Jesus was a real person; a bunch of people made him up. Ha! Just because someone lived a long time ago doesn't make him less real. Here is what some nonChristian writers of the time said. A first century Roman historian (Cornelius Tacitus) wrote in 112 A.D. "Christus, the founder of the name was put to death by Pontius Pilate." (Annals, XV.44) A Jewish historian (Flavius Josephus) wrote in 66 A.D. "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure." (Antiquities, xviii.33.) Even his enemies wrote about him, such as Lucian who alluded to Jesus as "the man who was crucified in Palestine because he introduced this new cult into the world." (The Passing Peregruis) Jesus' death was so well known that some were speculating about the details of Jesus' death and the eclipse of the sun. Julius Africanus was such a person when he responded to Thallus' writing (52AD). "Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away this darkness as an eclipse of the sun unreasonably, as it seems to me (unreasonably of course, because a solar eclipse could not take place at the time of the full moon, and it was at the season of the Paschal full moon that Christ died)." Even people who were more concerned about solar eclipses mentioned the eclipse that happened when Jesus Christ died. There is more stuff written about Jesus found other than in the Bible, but you get the picture. Jesus really lived. He's not just made up in the Bible. Real Christians really believe this God thing is real; a real person named Jesus of Nazareth lived, died and rose from the dead. This is the real thing.
Several people have told me they don't think Jesus was a real person; a bunch of people made him up. Ha! Just because someone lived a long time ago doesn't make him less real. Here is what some nonChristian writers of the time said. A first century Roman historian (Cornelius Tacitus) wrote in 112 A.D. "Christus, the founder of the name was put to death by Pontius Pilate." (Annals, XV.44) A Jewish historian (Flavius Josephus) wrote in 66 A.D. "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure." (Antiquities, xviii.33.) Even his enemies wrote about him, such as Lucian who alluded to Jesus as "the man who was crucified in Palestine because he introduced this new cult into the world." (The Passing Peregruis) Jesus' death was so well known that some were speculating about the details of Jesus' death and the eclipse of the sun. Julius Africanus was such a person when he responded to Thallus' writing (52AD). "Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away this darkness as an eclipse of the sun unreasonably, as it seems to me (unreasonably of course, because a solar eclipse could not take place at the time of the full moon, and it was at the season of the Paschal full moon that Christ died)." Even people who were more concerned about solar eclipses mentioned the eclipse that happened when Jesus Christ died. There is more stuff written about Jesus found other than in the Bible, but you get the picture. Jesus really lived. He's not just made up in the Bible. Real Christians really believe this God thing is real; a real person named Jesus of Nazareth lived, died and rose from the dead. This is the real thing.
isn’t your church just for young people?
You may have heard about Church on the Rock. Our church did grow out of six church’s youth groups. We have always intentionally had a young feel to our services. We want any 15-25 year old to walk in and feel at home. We target this age group because we believe that it is during these times that the most critical decisions are made in life. We also believe that young families are forming the foundation of our country and are at a significant time to be influenced for good. Even though we target the next generation and young families, you will be pleasantly surprised when you come to visit that we are a church where all ages have found a home: children’s programs are one of the best, help for young mothers, and marriages. Church on the Rock will always have a young feel, but the young at heart of any age have found a home.
You may have heard about Church on the Rock. Our church did grow out of six church’s youth groups. We have always intentionally had a young feel to our services. We want any 15-25 year old to walk in and feel at home. We target this age group because we believe that it is during these times that the most critical decisions are made in life. We also believe that young families are forming the foundation of our country and are at a significant time to be influenced for good. Even though we target the next generation and young families, you will be pleasantly surprised when you come to visit that we are a church where all ages have found a home: children’s programs are one of the best, help for young mothers, and marriages. Church on the Rock will always have a young feel, but the young at heart of any age have found a home.
