A Home Where All Are Welcome
Rock Church rises on Rosecrans Street in the Point Loma neighborhood of San Diego, the main campus of a non-denominational congregation that has grown from a single gathering in 2000 to a network of five San Diego-area campuses, a presence in Oahu, Hawaii, and a global online community that worships together every Sunday morning. The church describes itself as a "Do Something Church" - a community that has decided not just to talk about following Jesus but to put hands and feet to it - and currently draws more than 18,000 people to its weekend services. The church's motto, displayed across the top of its main page, reads "Sharing God's Love with Our Broken World." Pastor Miles McPherson, a former NFL defensive back whose own life was rerouted by a moment of desperate prayer, has led the church since the day it opened. Pastor Miles describes Rock Church as a bag of Skittles - a massive, diverse family of people from every background, story, and starting point across Southern California, with no prototype for who belongs.
One Church, Many Locations
Rock Church describes itself as "one church in many locations." The flagship Point Loma campus sits at 2277 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA 92106, and serves as both the main office and the home of many of the church's ministries. Around it, the church has planted four additional San Diego campuses: San Marcos, El Cajon (located at 808 Jackman Street), Chula Vista, and City Heights. A sixth campus sits across the Pacific in Oahu, Hawaii. Every campus runs the same Sunday services, and the online experience includes dedicated options for the Deaf and for Spanish speakers. Beyond the weekly livestream, the church maintains a "Church Anywhere" online community - groups that foster discipleship and community around the world. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM (except on certain holidays), and the main phone line is 619.226.7625 (ROCK).
Sundays at the Rock
Every Sunday morning, the campuses fill twice - at 9AM and again at 11AM Pacific - with contemporary worship, a teaching from Pastor Miles, and programming for children and students from birth through high school. Services are also livestreamed online at those same times through the church's YouTube channel, Facebook page, and sdrock.online.
The music is on the contemporary side: congregants clap, raise their hands, sing at the top of their lungs, or worship in stillness, however they feel comfortable expressing worship to Jesus. The messages are described as accessible, deeply rooted in Scripture, and full of practical application - meant to be lived out, not merely listened to.
The dress code is simple: come as you are. The church describes itself as a diverse community where some attendees show up very dressed up and others very dressed down, and "whatever you choose to wear, you'll fit right in."
Children's programming, called Rock Kids, is offered for every age from six months through high school. Parents register their children through the Rock Kids registration page, and the church also offers child dedications for parents who want to publicly declare their intention to raise their children to know, grow in, and show God. The LIFE Class, a foundational class that introduces newcomers to the church's mission, values, and unique gifts, is hosted on the second Sunday of every month at every campus. Baptisms take place on the third Sunday of every month and are open to anyone who has made a decision to follow Jesus.
The Man Behind the Pulpit: Pastor Miles McPherson
Miles McPherson was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised on Long Island, one of five children raised by a nurse and a police officer. He was a football star in high school and was recruited to the University of New Haven in 1978, where his play earned him a spot on the all-American team. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and later traded to the San Diego Chargers, playing four years in the NFL.
His arrival in the league was the realization of a dream that he began to jeopardize by letting himself fall into a crushing cocaine habit. After bingeing for an entire weekend, he felt the oppression of the drug over his life, called out to God, and was delivered from the addiction on that day. He never used again.
In time he became a youth pastor at a local San Diego church, earned his Master of Divinity from Azusa Pacific University in 1991, and in 2000 launched Rock Church - then a single congregation meeting at San Diego State University. Today the church has more than 18,000 weekly attenders across five campuses, and its services can be experienced around the world through radio, TV, online streaming, and more.
McPherson is the author of eight books, including "The Third Option," which takes on the issue of racial reconciliation and argues that God's way - honoring His image in all of us - is the best hope for healing. He also writes a free daily devotional. His personal motto is simple: "For every way that someone can be lost, we want to provide a practical way for them to be found in the very place that they have ended up."
A Do Something Mission, A Firm Foundation
The mission statement at Rock Church is short enough to remember: Know God. Grow in Community. Make a Difference. Everything the church does is built around those three movements.
"Rather than just talking about God, we want to actually know him," the church explains. "Rather than simply reading about Christian community in the Bible, we want to actually grow together in community. Instead of sitting on the gifts and talents we have been given or bottling up the hope that Jesus has offered us, we want to actually do something to make a difference."
Eight core values give the mission its shape:
- Jesus is our Message.
- Love is our Motivation.
- Prayer is our Priority.
- Worship is our Posture.
- People are our Focus.
- Discipleship is our Calling.
- Do Something is our Response.
- Generosity is our Privilege.
The full Statement of Faith is published as a downloadable document on the church's site and outlines beliefs about God, the Bible, salvation, the church, baptism, communion, and the return of Christ. A recent teaching series, "A Firm Foundation," walks through the church's values in depth.
The Discipleship Pathway
Rock Church has built a clear pathway that newcomers can follow as they grow from first-time visitors to multiplying disciple-makers. The pathway begins with a decision to follow Jesus - what the church calls "Know God" - and continues through baptism, joining a small group, attending LIFE Class, serving on a team, and eventually leading a group of your own. The church tracks its annual impact through this pathway, reporting 738 decisions for Christ, 1,023 baptisms, 5,178 new group members, 1,384 people serving on teams, and 916 people attending LIFE Class in a recent year.
Groups are at the heart of the discipleship pathway. They meet throughout the week in homes, on campuses, and online to pray, grow, and study the Bible together. "People are our Focus, and at Rock Church we know we were designed to grow together in community," the church explains. Groups exist to grow closer to Jesus with a close-knit community of believers, pursuing the calling of discipleship. The hope is that every member of Rock Church is in a discipleship relationship that reproduces the life of Christ in themselves and those around them.
Becoming a group leader is a structured process that begins with a Serve form, continues through Group Leader Training, and includes ongoing access to leader resources, curriculum suggestions, and Right Now Media. The annual Kingdom Leader Kickoff gathers ministry and group leaders for a one-day retreat designed to enrich, equip, and empower them as disciples who make disciples.
Rock Academy: Learning Through a Biblical Lens
The Rock Academy is the church's Preschool through 12th-grade school, located on the Point Loma campus. The academy describes itself as building leaders who impact the world, educating the whole student - mind, body, and soul - through a Biblical worldview. Children receive individual attention, care, and support within a diverse, tight-knit community, and the strong academics, engaging teaching style, and loving environment are designed to help each child grow into who they are uniquely called to be. The Rock Academy is one of the church's largest non-Sunday commitments, with families from across San Diego enrolling their children.
The Whole Family: Kids, Students, and Young Adults
Children's ministry - called Rock Kids - offers hope to all volunteers, children, and parents by presenting the truths of God's Word through age-appropriate resources. Programming runs every Sunday morning for ages six months through fifth grade, with separate environments for nursery, preschool, and elementary-aged children. Beyond Sunday mornings, Rock Kids runs Camp Rock each summer, a Daddy-Daughter Date Night called "Toolbelts and Tiaras," a Make Waves family event, and KidsGroups during the week. A Child Sponsorship program and a Rock Kids Care outreach extend the children's ministry into the wider community.
Rock Student Ministries exists to "save, equip, and send out" middle school and high school students by helping them encounter God, grow within community, and discover how they use their unique gifts and talents to impact their church, their schools, and the world. Both the middle school and high school ministries hold weekly gatherings on their respective campuses, host parent connect nights, and send students to summer programs like "The Summer Is Ours." The Future SD youth outreach drew 724 young people in a recent year, with 500 responding to a call on their lives.
The Young Adult Ministry serves those between 18 and 29 who are looking for purpose, community, and discipleship. The group is described as a diverse community pursuing the life God designed for them, with room for everyone whether single, married, working, or in college. Weekly Hangouts, monthly United services, and Rally Local gatherings are all on the calendar, alongside Rally Nights, which draw more than 7,600 young adults a year with an average weekly attendance of more than 1,000 and 904 decisions for Christ. A recovery ministry called Walk In Freedom from Porn offers support for those seeking freedom from sexual brokenness.
Women of the Rock
Women's ministry at Rock Church is built to serve women of every age and every season of life. Programming includes daily and weekly Bible studies, mentoring, retreats, large one-day conferences, and discipleship cohorts. The flagship Bible study traditions include SHINE Morning Bible Study (offered at campuses across San Diego on weekday mornings) and Sisters in Christ Evening Bible Study at Point Loma. The Feast, a one-day women's conference, gathers women around tables for worship, teaching, and conversation; The Gathering offers women's discipleship; and the Journey program is a nine-month intensive run in partnership with Kingdom Women International designed to draw women deeper into intimacy with God.
For moms, the church runs a Mom's Ministry, a Single Moms Ministry, a Spanish Single Mom's Ministry, and a resource called Moms in the Making. Healing Hearts, a domestic violence recovery ministry, and The Most Excellent Way, a faith-based addiction recovery program for women, both meet under the women's ministry umbrella. The Hand of God Crafting Ministry provides an artisanal devotion opportunity for women who want to combine creativity with prayer. A mentorship program called Be A Mentor pairs older and younger women for one-on-one discipleship.
Spanish-speaking women are specifically served through Sanando Corazones, a weekly Friday morning Bible study held in Spanish at the City Heights campus, and through other Spanish-language Bible studies and outreach events throughout the year. A separate online service for Spanish speakers is available each Sunday.
Men of the Rock
The Men's Ministry focuses on cultivating and reproducing impactful men of God who understand their Kingdom identity, calling, and purpose. The signature gathering is M.O.T.R. (Men of the Rock) on Tuesday nights at campuses across the network, with annual retreats called the M.A.S.T.E.R.S. Retreat and an Ignite Men's Conference that draws men from across the region. A daily devotional is sent out to encourage and strengthen men throughout the week.
Specialized groups include F.M.O., for men overcoming sexual sin and addiction; M.E.W., for men overcoming drug and alcohol dependency; Ironmen Disciples' Path Ministry; and Men's Military Ministry. Men's Groups meet in homes and on campuses throughout the week for Bible study and accountability. The Men's Pastor, Ronnie Holderby, leads the ministry team and shares his own testimony of transformation with the men of the church.
Marriage, Money, and the Whole Person
The Marriage Ministry exists to ensure that premarital couples, married couples, and families are equipped with a strong Biblical foundation so they may strengthen their relationships with Christ and each other. The ministry's anchor event is its annual Marriage Getaway, now in its twenty-fifth year and held at the La Quinta Resort and Club; recent past getaways have drawn more than 350 couples, with 42 couples choosing to be baptized in response.
Other marriage ministry offerings include Marriage Mentors, premarital classes for seriously dating and engaged couples, Marriage Enrichment classes, married couples groups, Right (a class for singles), and DivorceCare, a support ministry for those walking through separation. Marriage counseling referrals are offered at no fee, and the ministry also runs a Wedding Officiant Request service for couples who want a Rock Church pastor to officiate their wedding.
Rock Financial Life (RFL) is the church's ministry for money and possessions, teaching a biblical approach to finances that sets people free from financial stress and bondage. The flagship course, "Manage Money God's Way," is offered on campus, online, and for groups, with recorded class sessions available. RFL also offers financial coaching, estate planning resources, webinars, a recommended reading list, and an RFL Financial Planner. Testimonies from members whose hearts have moved from greed toward generosity are regularly featured.
Outreach and the Do Something Heart
Outreach at Rock Church is one of its most defining features. The church runs a number of ongoing community-facing ministries that aim to address food insecurity, family crisis, and the specific needs of military families.
Provisions Ministry is the church's flagship food distribution program, distributing more than 414,000 pounds of food in a recent year and impacting more than 11,800 households. Food distributions happen monthly at the Point Loma campus (in Lot P at the Point Loma Vons parking lots) and at the El Cajon campus, with volunteers and recipients served at each event.
Toys for Joy is an annual Christmas distribution that, along with the Military Heroes Event, distributed more than 47,000 pounds of food and impacted more than 7,500 people. Diaper distributions run alongside the food distributions throughout the year.
The Chaplaincy Outreach is one of the church's more distinctive ministries. Eighty-four Rock Chaplains serve across San Diego, logging more than 4,200 chaplaincy hours in a recent year. They provide pastoral presence in workplaces, on the streets, and in moments of crisis.
Other outreach includes Encounter Ministry experiences for healing and breakthrough, the Wheels Ministry for the disability community, Hiking Trails Ministry, Gospel Line Dance, Motorcycle Ministry, the Community Events ministry, and the Prayer Ministry, which sends prayer warriors to intercede for the church and the city. The Rock Business Ministry also gathers entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals for community and spiritual formation.
Going Beyond: World Missions and the Just One Movement
Rock Church has built two complementary missions efforts: an international missions program and a local evangelism training called Just One. World Missions focuses on sending teams and resources to nations around the world, with a recent year showing 15 nations impacted and 6,134 people ministered to.
Just One is a six-session evangelism training built to make sharing the gospel feel accessible to anyone regardless of age, background, or personality. The training covers five core skills: telling your testimony, sharing the gospel in nine words, the Salvation ABCs (Admit, Believe, Confess), handling tough questions in "Fire Drill" conversations, and gospel partner accountability. Just 1 San Diego is the church's annual Gospel activation conference, where participants learn how to share their faith in a simple, spirit-led, story-based way. In a recent year the Just One effort saw 773 people respond to the gospel and 7,403 people attend an event.
Together, the missions efforts and the Just One training form the church's outward-facing identity. As Pastor Miles puts it: "We're not asking you to do something by yourself. We're asking you to join God in something he is passionate about."
Pastoral Care, Counseling, and Benevolence
The Pastoral Care department at Rock Church exists to make sure that no one in the church or community walks through hard moments alone. Through its Pastoral Support Team, Counseling Support Services, Community Chaplains, and Disaster Response Team, the church provides prayer, support for weddings and funerals, visitation, hospital visits, and practical and biblical guidance.
Rock Counseling Support and Marriage Coaching are no-fee ministries that provide encouragement, insight, and Biblical guidance to members during times of personal crisis and family difficulties. Both are available for individuals, married couples, and youth.
Benevolence assistance is available for regular attenders who meet the church's benevolence guidelines, with requests directed through campus pastors. The church also runs Grief Support groups, DivorceCare, Healing Hearts for domestic violence recovery, and a Prayer Team that intercedes on behalf of those who submit prayer requests.
Baptism and the Next Step of Faith
Baptism at Rock Church is described as "an outward display of inward commitment" - a public statement that a person has chosen to embrace faith in Jesus Christ and to follow Him on the road of discipleship. Baptisms are held on the third Sunday of every month, and those interested are encouraged to invite family, friends, and community to share the moment with them.
The church makes clear that baptism is not an act of salvation but a proclamation of one's faith in Jesus. Children who are not yet old enough to articulate their faith are encouraged to participate in child dedication, in which parents publicly declare their intention to raise their children to know, grow in, and show God.
Generosity: Heart for the House
Generosity is described as the church's privilege and a key component of discipleship. Through the Heart for the House initiative, the church encourages members to walk in discipleship, develop hearts of generosity, and step out in faith as they invest in the divine potential of God's house.
Giving is offered online through the Overflow platform, with a legacy option for managing recurring gifts. Other ways to give include stock, crypto, donor-advised funds, and IRAs (contact the giving team at giving@sdrock.com), as well as vehicle, boat, and car donations through Careasy. A free will-writing service is offered through a partnership with FreeWill.com for members who want to leave a legacy gift.
The church publishes a full budget breakdown online for financial transparency and offers Rock Financial Life classes to equip members to live generously and free from financial stress. Giving testimonies are regularly published to encourage continued generosity across the congregation.