A Baptist church in downtown Rockford, Michigan
Rockford Baptist Church sits at 221 Courtland Street in the heart of Rockford, Michigan, and on any given Sunday morning its hallways fill with grandparents, kids darting toward the LOOP, teens heading to the JAR, and adults making a coffee stop before the service. The church's tagline - "We are passionate about faith, family, friendship, and finding our calling" - is matched by a steady rhythm of ministries for every age and a clear mission: to teach God's Word and model Christ in Worship, Walk, and Witness.
Worship, Walk, Witness
That three-word motto shapes everything at Rockford Baptist. The church describes itself as a Worshiping Church that gathers to praise and thank God, a Teaching Church grounded in the regular study of Scripture, a Serving Church that offers ways to use God-given gifts, a Training Church that prepares believers for ministry, a Fellowshipping Church built on friendship, shared burdens, shared stories of what God is doing, and prayer, and an Evangelizing Church that takes the gospel to the community, state, nation, and world. The teaching rests on a clear statement of belief: faith in God the Creator, in Jesus Christ who died and rose again and now sits at the Father's right hand, in the Holy Spirit who convicts and empowers, in the Bible as the authoritative written Word, in the Church as God's instrument for building His Kingdom, and in God's love for all people.
Sunday morning at RBC
The weekly flow begins at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School for everyone from nursery through adults. Children age 2 through 5th grade gather for their own classes, teens (grades 6 through 12) meet in the JAR, and adults have four Adult Bible Fellowship options - a young adult class on the Book of Joshua with Lou Ginac in the upstairs of the church office, a general adult class on The Story by Randee Frazee in the Media Center with Al Cornelius, a men's class on 1 John in the Hyde Out with Dale Heminger, and a women's class on Women in the Bible in the Carlson Family Center with Jessie Rowland. During summer months the adult classes combine in the Carlson Family Center for guest speakers.
From 10:30 to 11:00 a.m., the Carlson Family Center hosts a coffee fellowship - a chance to grab a cup, meet someone new, and settle in. The worship service begins at 11:00 a.m. and runs about an hour. A praise team leads with a blend of contemporary songs and traditional hymns, accompanied by piano, guitars, drums, and keyboard, before the pastor brings a message rooted in Scripture. A recent sermon in a series on Ecclesiastes ("The Search for Meaning") is a good example of the kind of expository, life-applied preaching the church emphasizes. Children in kindergarten through 5th grade are dismissed partway through the service for Children's Church, which includes music, teaching, crafts, and activities; kids are welcome to stay with their families instead.
Visitors will find a warm handshake at the front door and a greeter team ready to help with directions or parking. Dress runs the gamut from jeans and relaxed clothing to the occasional suit and tie. Newcomers are invited to fill out a visitor card at the Welcome Center - on paper or online - and the church will follow up with a small thank-you gift.
Kids and teens: the LOOP and the JAR
Children's ministry at Rockford Baptist is known as the LOOP, a partnership between the church and the home. The goal is to impact the children of the community and beyond with the love of Christ while helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus and His Word. Nursery care is offered for infants through preschool during both the Sunday School hour (9:30 to 10:30 a.m.) and the worship service (11:00 a.m. to noon). Children age 2 through 5th grade have Sunday School designed to encourage faith that grows all week, and Children's Church during the 11:00 service for ages 4 through 5th grade features solid biblical teaching, music, and crafts.
Teens (grades 6 through 12) meet on Sunday mornings in the JAR for Bible study, then return to join the congregation for worship. Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. are reserved for Youth Group - also in the JAR - with dinner provided. The ministry aims to develop lasting one-on-one relationships with students and help them grow in their own walk with Christ through large-group lessons, small-group discussion, Bible studies, retreats, and day events.
Adults: Bible studies, Life Groups, and 60 North
Beyond Sunday School, adults have several weekly touchpoints. Women's Bible Study meets on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Carlson Family Center; recent studies have included Be Dynamic (Acts 1-12) by Warren Wiersbe, facilitated by Liz Adams and Denise Danigelis, with study books available. Men's BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) gathers on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., also in the Carlson Family Center; the current study is Romans: From Guilt to Grace. Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. find Pastor Justin Rowland leading a Prayer and Bible Study in the Media Center. On the first and third Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m., the Bible Recap gathers in the Carlson Family Center for discussion and reflection as participants work through The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble.
Life Groups are the church's small-group strategy - smaller circles that meet throughout the week to build real relationships, grow spiritually together, and serve the community side by side. Anyone interested in joining a group is invited to talk with Pastor Justin. Adults 60 and over also have their own ministry, 60 North, with events and gatherings geared to that season of life.
Friendship Ministry for adults with special needs
Rockford Baptist takes seriously the call to minister to adults with special needs. The Friendship Ministry exists because, in the church's own words, "everyone is created in God's image and can relate to God, and salvation is a gift available to all." A Friendship Sunday School class meets during the 9:30 a.m. Sunday School hour, and the Friendship Club gathers on Wednesday evenings in the Carlson Family Center for fellowship, teaching, and activities.
Music, technology, and a livestream that travels
The Praise and Worship Team leads congregational singing during services, blending contemporary praise songs with traditional hymns. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcomed into the technical ministries - sound, video, graphics, and live-stream programming - with training provided for anyone age 15 and up who is dependable and willing to learn. The 11:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube and shared afterward on the church's Facebook page, so members who are traveling or homebound can stay connected.
The Pavement Project: serving the homeless community
Among the church's service ministries, the Pavement Project stands out as a focused outreach to the homeless community in nearby Grand Rapids. Volunteers collect and distribute basic-needs items, share food, and offer prayer and fellowship year-round. An Amazon "store" linked from the church's site makes donating supplies easy, and donations of any kind or money are always welcome in person.
Supporting neighbors and the wider world
Rockford Baptist supports a handful of local ministries both financially and with hands-on help. Assure Women's Center in Cedar Springs affirms the sanctity of human life and Biblical sexuality. Homes Giving Hope in Rockford provides independent living with support for adults with unique abilities. North Kent Connect in Rockford, a Christian organization, supplies basic needs and promotes economic independence across northern Kent County. Pine Ridge Bible Camp, also in Rockford, runs Christian summer overnight and day camps on Pine Lake.
The church's global reach runs through missionaries it supports in Orlando (CRU and the JESUS Film Project), the Netherlands (Tyndale Theological Seminary), Brazil, Lowell, Michigan (Athletes in Action), Grand Rapids (Live Global Sports Ministry), Colorado Springs, and Austria - spanning church planting, discipleship, theological education, leadership training, English-language teaching, and sports ministry.
Leadership
Pastor Justin Rowland has served at Rockford Baptist since 2008, first as Student Ministries Pastor and, since January 1, 2015, as Senior Pastor. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute (B.A. in Bible Theology) and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (M.A.), Justin and his wife Jessi have four children. He previously taught at a Christian high school and brings more than fifteen years of youth ministry experience to his current role, with a particular passion for helping people become disciples of Christ.
Pastor David Johnston joined the team in June 2024 as Youth Ministries Pastor. With a B.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State University and an M.Div. from The Expositors Seminary, David has been involved in youth ministry since 2017. He and his wife Breanna have a daughter, Brielle, and David focuses on family-driven discipleship and equipping young people with the truth of God's Word.
Year-round calendar of connection
Recurring rhythms at RBC include the weekly Bible studies for men and women, the monthly Bible Recap gathering, Sunday morning coffee fellowship, and Life Groups. Larger events bring the church family together through the year - Pizza and Game Days after Sunday service, Trunk or Treat in the parking lot, a men's retreat at Lake Ann Camp, a women's Christmas party with cookie exchange, a Candlelight Service in December, an Annual Business Meeting, a Birch Run/Frankenmuth shopping day, Praise and Pie in November, and various summer picnics, pool parties, and Vacation Bible School weeks.