Church on The Rock Homer

I have a very distinct memory related to my life as a young blonde Alaskan of German-Norwegian descent amidst a literal sea of dark-skinned, black-haired Filipinos. Growing up overseas in the city of Manila forced a superficial but sharp contrast of appearances that triggered an existential question in my young brain: “Why am I like me and not like them?” Why was I born to Randy and Marla Weisser?...

I recently found a corner of a rock at the edge of my property. This had happened before and I’d dug up a decent sized rock to use in landscaping around the house. This particular rock proved to be quite difficult to move. As I dug deeper, the rock revealed itself to be more of a boulder in size. What I thought would be a quick project turned into an all day affair that tested my stubbornness. (Hi...

I am so thankful for our church.  So many of you have encouraged me.  So many of you have built up my faith.  So many of you have pointed me toward Christ through your own faithful pursuit of Him.  It is such an awe-inspiring thing to be in true community with each other and to experience a fellowship that is built on the foundation of God’s love for us.  As my own understanding of His goodness gr...

I spent a while in the woods recently.  The woods has been a wonderful place for me to sit and think, especially when the moose are quietly napping and minding their own business.  The woods where we hunt is far beyond the reach of cellular service which, as it turns out, is also beneficial toward the goal of reflecting on my life and relationships.   While sitting in my Muddy: The Boss XL tree st...

One of our kids got their blood drawn this week at a Dr’s appointment. I anticipated my wife returning with a story of rebellion. After the check up her words were “killed it." I am thankful that I didn’t have to attend the doctor’s visit. Over the years I have increasingly grown uncomfortable at the thought of blood, other people's blood isn't as bothersome as my own, but just imaging open heart...

Church on the Rockers,   What do Peter, Rocky, Elle, Rudy, Jamal, Forrest, and Samwise all have in common? They are the underdogs of the story. (Bonus points if you can name the movie they’re in) They are the unlikely characters who come out on top at the end of the story line. The below average men and women of the story who are seen as unintelligent, unskilled, and unable to do great things.  Th...

When we are full of Holy Spirit, love, faith and power there is no room for fear, because the perfect love of God casts out fear. When we know our assignment from God, and know who are, we become unstoppable…even in the face of flying stones. In Acts 6-7, Stephen and six other apostles are chosen, blessed and sent to meet the needs of a church that is growing daily. Stephen, doing the common work...

Most men can relate to the following scenario. You’re working on a project, maybe doing some home repair and you come to a part of the project that requires a particular tool. Maybe the tool has more power, reach, or a specific niche purpose. When we come to this point, we make one of two decisions. Either we take the cheap route and use what is available to us, often resulting in more labor and s...

I fell and hit my head last night. I took my two younger kids out to the homestead to do some evening dolly fishing. We parked the truck, grabbed a couple rods and a bottle of mosquito dope, and hiked up the trail to our favorite fishing spot. As I was walking along the trail, three fishing rods in my hand, I tripped on a root and fell forward. My forehead made contact with another root jutting ou...

Let me paint the picture for you! It’s 97º and you’re sitting on a wrap around screened porch in a white rocking chair. The warm breeze rustles in the leaves of a 100 year old oak, squarely in the middle of the horseshoe driveway. Grandma’s crystal pitcher is full of iced lemonade with large lemon circles. You can hear the ice clinking the crystal glass as she pours the golden nectar. There are pr...

Jesus, the one for whom and by whom I was created, has good intentions for me and intends for me to secure a grand reward that will be enjoyed for all of eternity. The greatest threat to my ability to lay hold of the reward that he has reserved for me is my own flesh. But Jesus, in His wisdom, decided not to rest my opportunities on the foundation of my abilities. He decided to intervene with a po...

“But, how?”  That is the question that I have been asked several times since teaching this past Sunday.  And it is a question I have asked many times myself.  I urge you some caution as you ask this.  Many ask this as a rhetorical thought experiment without any real intent to find the answer and to live the answer.  Last Sunday I talked about the wide and narrow path and those of whom the Lord wil...

In this message, we examine what I consider to be one of the most troubling passages in all of scripture. I say this fully understanding that ungodly fear has no place in the Christian life. I say this fully understanding that Christ does not intend for me to feel unstable and uncertain of His love for me. With that said, here are the troubling words; “And I will declare to them, I never knew you....

Some PEOPLE! Some people’s KIDS! We say these phrases jokingly, but often behind the joking is a sentiment of criticism. Every man and woman has a sense of right and wrong, which becomes their moral compass. It is not quite clear to me why, but that compass becomes the standard to which we hold all others. We judge without thinking and it comes so naturally. We pettily discuss hair, speech, clothi...

God wants to set your heart free of everything that is contrary to love. This week we move into the end of Matthew 6 and examine the ways that fear wrecks our lives and drives us away from God. Here is my confession: I have, for many years, been largely unaware of the way that fear rules in my own heart and drives my behavior. Honestly, I didn’t see it. If you were to meet me and engage in casual...

As we continue in our Sermon on the Mount series and will examine the comparison between pride and love. Pride takes on a different shape in light of faith and trust in Christ and this weekend we look at what Jesus says about our efforts to be seen and acknowledged by men vs God.  Pastor Matthew McCarter

I still remember the day when I realized I did not want to be married anymore. My relationship with Jenny had been so gratifying and satisfying up until that point. But a couple of years into marriage and our selfish tendencies were degrading our capacity for meaningful intimacy. We could no longer mask our issues. What had been a fun friendship was being overshadowed by failure. There is a line I...

“God is working even when we don’t see it!!” This week I posted that message on our Facebook page. God has been reminding me of His power and wisdom and control over the happenings in our lives. Remembering that powerful message can really help us in times of struggle and persecution. In baseball my father always taught me to keep my eye on the ball. That same wisdom applies to our lives. Keeping...

“I pity the fool!” Can you see it? The mohawk! The gold chains! The black van with the red accent! Mr. T’s line was a mainstay during the A Team series. I had not realized until this week that Mr. T’s statement is an oxymoron. Mr. T did not pity anyone, in fact, he did exactly the opposite of pitying his enemies, he delivered justice with brute wrath and we all cheered him on. Mr. T, while rough a...

Some of the most painful losses I have experienced in this life have been losses mostly suffered in silence. Not every loss, but many of them. This grief is one you are probably familiar with, mourning over the life that could have been. Hopes unrealized. Faded friendships. Love lost. Dreams forfeited. Surprise hardships. As a follower of Jesus, some of these losses seemed at the hand of God and s...

Finish the sentence, I’ll have the good life when… I truly believe that one of Satan’s greatest deceptions is to fool us into comparing our lives to some future reality that may not ever come. We practice this deception by entertaining the thought that when this season passes, life will be good. When I don’t have to change diapers anymore, life will be good. When I have enough money, life will be...

While there are many hero's of the faith, few stand as tall as the one I call my mama. This Sunday I have the honor and privilege of inviting my own mother onto the stage at Church on the Rock. As far as mothering goes, she has mothered with the best of ‘em! For those who don’t know, I am the third of thirteen kids and my children are eight of the 52 kids my mom calls grandkids. (I think its 5...

Someone recently said to me “I just always thought there were the good people and the bad people and I was one of the bad people.”  Are you still struggling under the burden of failure or the burden of proving their own goodness? Are you still struggling to see the goodness of God as displayed by the cross? Then this message is for you.  Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

Is it too soon to talk about Christmas? My son has asked several times in the last week if we can put the tree up again. I don’t think he’s mentioned it to my wife or it would be up again already. How often is it during a holiday season that you forget to intentionally connect with the purpose of the holiday? Thanksgiving is about tryptophan and naps, not people. Memorial day is about a fun day to...

Have you ever painfully watched as someone in charge got it all wrong?  Ever had a supervisor care intensely about all the wrong things while neglecting what was important?  Ever watched someone in power exercise that power in wasteful ways and miss the opportunity to bring about meaningful change?  Ever had someone with the power to make a decision on your behalf, delay the decision in a way that...