To seek out the lost
and make life-long followers of Jesus.
> Who We Are
Because we come from various Christian faith traditions and diverse backgrounds, we as a community of believers focus on and gather around the essentials of Holy Scripture. In these essentials we find unity, in the non-essentials we express liberty, and in all things as a community, we express love.
> The Essentials
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is God’s holy and inspired word. It is our guidebook for life as we seek to follow His plan for this world and His creation. We believe that the Bible tells the story of God in and through the people of Israel. We also believe that His story has found its fulfillment in and through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
God
We believe that God exists in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet is one in nature and never in conflict. He is infinite and beyond our understanding. He is Creator, redeemer, eternal, ever present and all powerful. His character is beyond understanding. In and through Him, we and his creation are made whole. Everything He does is for our good.
Jesus
We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was virgin born, He led a sinless life, was crucified, buried and resurrected from the dead, as the Gospel declares. We believe that He, completing the story of the people of Israel as Messiah, is now vindicated and seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf as our redeemer, Lord, and King.
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is our helper, given to every believer who asks so that we have guidance, comfort, conviction of our sin, and adoption as children of God. He is our inheritance as the children of God so that we live an empowered, fruit-bearing life. He, operating in and through us, allows us to be the people of God ministering in a hurting and broken world.
Salvation
Being created as Image bearers, we are to live in community as the people of God. This is established in and through the work of Jesus of Nazareth, in whom the fullness of Israel is seen and the saving power of God was manifest.
Church
The church is the community of the people of God. It is the body of Jesus over which He is head and is His representative in the world. The church is not a building or a temple, but a people, filled with the Spirit of God and fulfilling the continuing mission of its king, Jesus.
The Church seeks to create community which glorifies God, lifts up the name of Jesus, makes disciples and makes the name of Jesus known among the nations. In the announcing of the fulfillment of God’s redemption of creation in and through Jesus, the church gathers around and celebrates this in and through Holy Communion and Baptism. Thus, identifying with the redeeming work of Jesus in His death and resurrection, which declares our freedom from sin.
As a church we seek to be continually on task of being missional for Jesus. There is always a new way to do church and engage the culture. Therefore, we as a church seek to be flexible and obedient to the call of Jesus as we seek to share His story in our community.
Our Future
The Holy Scriptures declare that at the end of all things Jesus will reign as King and Lord not only in Heaven but here on Earth. God has fixed that day when all humankind will be judged for things done while in this life. Those found to be in Jesus will be saved to life everlasting as partakers of the Kingdom to come in the New Heavens and New Earth. Those who have not, will be eternally separated from God.
Michael Oldham
Michael Oldham
Lead Pastor
Pastor Michael Oldham grew up in Foxboro Massachusetts and moved to Vermont in 1985. He received his education at Global university -Berean School of the Bible and has been credentialed with the Assemblies of God since 1992. His continuing education is through Northpoint Bible College in Haverhill MA.
He returns to Church of the Rock, his home church, as Lead Pastor. Pastor Mike married his high school sweetheart Lisa, September 12, 1987. They have four wonderful children who are successes in their own right, and have blessed their parents with three grandsons and two granddaughters.