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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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table of

CONTENTS
40

PG.

PG.

16 RRC Staff

46

40

Lost & Found

A n e p i c ta l e by E r i c Pa r ks

a l o o k at t he fac e s a n d
c o n n e ct i o n s t hat m a ke
u p t he sta f f o f r e d r o c ks
c hu r c h

PG.

18 Before I Die

PG.

28 Meet Your Worship Leaders

PG.

32 RRC Hero: Chris

PG.

34 Sports

44

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Sto r i e s o f l i f e c ha n g e
f r o m t he b i g g e st s e r i e s
o f 20 1 2

Yo u l l n e v e r s e e t he m t he
s a m e way aga i n
A n a rt i c l e by Ja ke E s py

Ma ki n g yo u s m i l e o n e c u p
o f c o f f e e at a t i m e

W he r e s p o rts a n d
s e rv i n g g o ha n d i n ha n da
A n a rt i c l e by
Ca s e y Ban ko r d

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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58

61

PG.

40 Denver Sharefest

PG.

44 RRC Hero: Teresa

PG.

46 Series Review

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49 All Is Not Lost

PG.

56 Baptism

PG.

58 RRC Hero: Adam

68

56

49

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1 w e e k, 21 D e n v e r P u b l i c
S c ho o l s , ov e r 1 ,0 0 0 vo lu nteers,
5,60 0 ho u r s o f s e rv i c e
A n a rt i c l e by B r i a n Z i b e ll

Wa r m ly w e l c o m i n g a n y and
a l l w ho e n t e r

a l o o k b ac k at t he s e r i e s
t hat b r o u g ht us t hr o u g h
t hi s pa st y e a r

A sto ry o f r e d e m p t i o n : f r o m
d ru g a d d i ct to pa sto r .
A n a rt i c l e a b o u t S haw n
Jo hn s o n by Cas e y Ban ko r d

n ot e s o f l i f e c ha n g e

Tat to o s a n d g u i ta r s a n d
m a ki n g a d i f f e r e n c e i n t he
n e xt g e n e r at i o n

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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70

72

77

PG.

70 Make Something Happen

PG.

72 Chad vs. Shawn

74

A n e s s ay o n a n a b u n da n t l ife
by Jo hn O rt b e r g

PG.

61 Missions

PG.

66 Stats & FAQs

PG.

74 RRC Hero: Malena

PG.

68 RRC Hero: Charlotte

PG.

77 Monsters, Aliens, and Multi-Site Churches

W h at h a ppen ed at R ed R o c ks
C h u rc h a n d a rou n d th e wo r l d
w h en on e m a n f elt th e i m pact
of a n ea rth qua k e
An a rti c le by C h a d B rue g m a n

a look at red roc k s c hu r c h by


th e n u m b ers

C reati v i ty + s erv i c e +
j oy + en ergy

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T he n e v e r - e n d i n g
pa sto r a l f e u d

O l d s o u l + Yo u n g he a rt

T he v i s i o n b e hi n d R e d R o cks
m u lt i - s i t e e x pa n s i o n
A n a rt i c l e by S c ot t B ru eg man

2013

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CONTRIBUTORS

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A publication by Red Rocks Church


18301 W Colfax Ave Golden CO 80401
redrockschurch.com

Debut Edition: March 2013


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Executive Editor
eric parks
Editor-in-Chief
J e s s i e D av i s
Creative Director
Scott Bruegman
Photography Director
Carson Bankord
Lead Designer
M o r g a n T r aw
Designer
D e bb i e C l a p p e r
Copy Editors
Margaret Vincent
Casey Bankord

_________________________________________
Printed by: Publication Printers, Denver CO
Print Run: 10,000
Cover Photo by: Carson Bankord
Lost & Found Illustrations by: Nathan Bottcher
Contributing Writers: Casey Bankord, Chad Bruegman, Scott
Bruegman, Cori Cook, Jessie Davis, Eric Parks, Jake Espy,
Margaret Vincent, Brian Zibell
Featured Writer: John Ortberg
_________________________________________
Special Thanks to: Collette Bankord, Amie Bottcher, Jacob &
Lauren Cordova, Shadi Emmons, Shawn Johnson, Jan Kuchler,
Stacey Kyler, Adam Rowe, Chris Sharber, Amy Taylor and the
RRC Creative Team.
Underwritting Inquiries contact:
magazine@redrockschurch.com

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A letter to t h e crowd

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a letter to the

CROWD
Everyone loves a good story. Everyone has the relative who at family gatherings is the
storyteller of the group. For hours, we could sit and hear them recount tales of family history
or hilarious mishaps. Get a group together around a table, and inevitably stories will emerge.
At family gatherings growing up, my dad and his brothers would sit around the table after
dinner and replay the antics of their childhood late into the night. They all grew up on a farm
in Kansas, so stories often included livestock, fishing, dynamite, and learning to drive before
they could reach the pedals. They were all street racers with a touch of rebellion, so their
stories followed suit. For hours, I would sit and listen to their colorful stories.
As a kid, I could not get enough of my uncles tales. I felt like I was there. I was a part.
And, I understood. Good stories are important in that way. We can relate to them. We can
understand. We see a bit of ourselves. Good stories have the ability to captivate us.
It should come as no surprise, then, that the original Storyteller is our creator himself. In
scripture, God is called the Author of every story ever written. The only difference is that
his stories are written out in peoples lives, not just about them. To think that each story is
actually penned out by our creator gives them that much more weight.
Jesus was a storyteller too. In fact, he chose to communicate through stories more than any
other medium. Whenever there was a crowd, Jesus would open his mouth and tell a tale. He
knew what we know now that stories can engage a crowd. Move a crowd. Motivate a crowd.
Wherever there is a crowd stories must be told.
In the last eight years at Red Rocks Church, there have been so many incredible stories.
Stories of life change. Stories of mess-ups and redemption. Marriages healed, financial
situations restored, missionaries sent, and families renewed. Stories about people finding a
new way to do life a better way. Stories of faith, fulfillment, giving, receiving, transformation,
second chances, and renewal.
The goal of this magazine is to highlight the stories that God is writing. We decided a few
months ago that it would be a shame to not capture the amazing things that he is doing, to
not showcase them. Consequently, we set out to create our first-ever magazine: CROWD.
We subtitled it: About. Every. One. Because the stories inside capture the magnitude of
everyone, with attention to the detail of each one. Its about everyone, and its about every
single one.
We welcome you to the inaugural edition of our magazine. Welcome to the stories that have
shaped Red Rocks Church. Welcome, one and all: to the CROWD.
Jessie Davis

Ed i to r - in - ch i e f

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When I was growing up, my family had a few traditions that were part of who we were, and
those traditions were sacred. It was clear that violating one was as bad as burning the flag.
But the holy grail of family traditionswhose defilement could mean eternal damnation,
or at least damnation from ever eating at the adult table againthis unmissable tradition
was coming home for Christmas, back to the Texas ranch. If you missed this one, you were
in trouble.
In many ways, my family was an odd assortment of hundreds of aunts, uncles, and second
cousins I didnt really know. But, in other ways, it was pretty much a perfect stereotype:
thick accents, cowboy boots, bolo ties, and broad cowboy hats. A defiant Texas swagger
exuded from almost every person. Even if you didnt live in Texas anymore, it was there.

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Christmas was census time for all us Texans. Everyone


traveled back to the homestead to be counted. Over a twoweek period in late December and early January, my great
grandmothers ranch became home for me, my parents, my
sister, and what seemed like two thousand cousins.
This was a very large gathering of human beings, and while
the ranch was quite a spread, not everyone could sleep there.
Heck, not everyone could even stand there. So while days were
spent at the homestead, we were on our own at night. My family
always stayed at my Uncle Lloyds house.
Uncle Lloyd, Aunt Cindy, and cousins Heather and Brandon
moved into a new housing development the year I turned eleven.
Their development was built during the Texas housing boom of
the 1980s, where every home looked exactly like the next one.
Rows and rows of brand-new houses stretched for miles in
every direction, all virtually identical. Of course, people tried
to distinguish their little pieces of heaven with flowers and
landscaping or the occasional wooden mailbox, but for the most
part the neighborhoods were monotonously uniform.
This particular December morning I sprang out of bed, eager
to see what secrets the new neighborhood had in store for my
cousin and me. Knowing we would be heading to the ranch
that afternoon, we pounded down our breakfasts and asked
our parents if we could take an unsupervised trip to the newly
constructed playground several blocks away. Asking turned to
begging as we desperately pled our case to all parental units.
With some trepidation, my mom conceded, allowing me this
small journey of manhood as long as I promised to stay with
Brandon at all times. I agreed, and we were off.

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Brandon challenged me to a race to the park, a challenge I was


predestined to accept.
Sure, Ill race you. Do you have a bike for me? I asked.
Yep, right there. He gestured toward a bike leaning against the
side of the house.
Seriously ... Im not riding that!
What ... are you afraid? Brandon asked sharply.
I was afraid, but not of racing Brandon. I was afraid of being
seen on that particular bike. My cousin had graciously allowed
me to use his sisters bike. Thats right, my cousin punkd me
by challenging me to a race with a girls bike as the only available
vehicle. An ordinary girls bike would have been bad enough with
its dipping crossbar and flowery Barbie sticker on the side. But
this bike was tricked-out, feminine style. It had a glittery pink
banana seat, white wicker handlebar basket filled with every
doll my cousin Heather owned, and a tall pink flag attached to
the rear.

Now, I am no expert on the male psyche, but I do know this: men


know how to turn anything into a gameanything! From an
early age, men want to play and WIN!

I stood and inspected the bike, and considered not racing him
What? Are you chicken? Brandon yelled at me, looking over
his shoulder.
Oh, that is itgame on. Get ready to get your butt kicked by me
and Barbie!

So with this predisposition to competition in mind, my cousin

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Brandon took off. I reached down, grabbed the bike by the back of
the seat, and began running alongside it. But I didnt notice the
direction of the long pink flag attached to the rear. Therefore, I
inadvertently got this flag entangled in the front spokes. As I ran
forward, I could feel that something on this bike wasnt right,
and by about the tenth step it became abundantly clear what the
problem was. The flag worked itself free and sprung backward
toward my head. I jerked to avoid a laceration to the face, but
my quick motion caused me to briefly let go of the handlebars.
Before I could regain my grip, the front wheel swerved hard and

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L ost & F ound

sharp to the left. That wheel was now at a ninety-degree angle to


the rest of the bike, which came to a screeching halt, but I didnt.
Nor did I let go of the seat. In one huge crash, I pulled the back
end up and over, right on top of me. Lying on the pavement, a
girls bike on top of myself, Brandon laughing (and winning!), I
tried not to cry.

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creeping halt. As I lowered my foot and straddled the Barbie


banana seat, I looked around, but I didnt see Brandon. I didnt
see the park either. All I saw was a road that forked in three
different directions with identical houses everywhere I looked. I
really wasnt sure what to do. You see, in the frenzied excitement
of competition, I had forgotten the small detail of directions to
the park. In retrospect, I realize how stupid this omission was
not just because I was lost; but how could I expect to beat my
cousin to a park whose location I didnt know?
Retrospect often feels just like that for me. You know, Wow ... I
was a complete idiot! I often look back on decisions that seemed
perfectly logical and defensible at the time, but, in retrospect;
I see my sinful ways. The problem is that most of these look
backs include remembering that someone, probably one of my
parents; had told me not to. Or maybe would have told me so if
I had only asked. I dont consider myself a bad person; I am just
like everyone else, and my hindsight is 20/20.

I jumped up from the cement, straightened the bike, straddled


the banana seat, and with all the might of a wronged elevenyear-old, began to pedal. I pedaled my brains out!
By the time I got up to speed, Brandon had pedaled far out of
sight. I knew he had turned left at the street ahead, so I raced
for the cross street. I knew I had a very small window of time
to get my next glance of him. As I sailed into the first turn, I
saw Brandon one hundred yards ahead. But, within ten pedal
strokes, he turned.
Faster, Eric, faster! Catch him. Show him how we roll! Barbie
and all. I was determined to catch him. In my head, I was playing
the Rocky theme song, imagining that with every two pedal
turns I made, Brandon was making one. I was convinced I was
far superior to my cousin in every way. Especially because I
knew almost every line in the Rocky movies, and that went a
long way in eleven-year-old currency. Pedal, pedal, pedal. I am
almost there. When I make this turn, I will have made up half
the ground I need to cover. I turned. I looked up. He turned.
Eric, youre losing him. How could you lose him? Come on,
Eric! I coaxed myself. You cant let this happen. I reached
down deep into my soul. With all the energy of a young boy, I
pushed my will to win into my legs and lungs, and went for it.
There was no time to think, to wonder, or to hopeonly to pedal.
I could feel my pace quicken as my heart raced to keep up with
my legs. I swung hard to the right and then leaned into the next
left turn. I looked up to see how much ground I had made up, but
Brandon was gone. I quickly stiffened my back and straightened
to see if hed actually lost me. My legs slowed as I swiveled
my head back and forth in a vain attempt to find my cousins
silhouette. No dice. He was gonelong gone.
I coasted to the end of the intersection, braked, and came to a

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The race was lost. I had been beaten fair and square, sort
of. Since I had no clue where my cousin or the park were, I
turned around and headed home. I cruised up a few blocks
and began to backtrack to my cousins house. My mind surfed
through ideas, past girlfriends, homework assignments, and
playground kickball games. In just a few short blocks, the
intensity that had surged through my veins faded, and my selfdisgust was replaced by distraction and wonder. I jumped from
one unconnected question to another: Why do birds get to fly?
Why do they fly south? I wonder if they like worms? I wonder if
worms like fishing?
I pulled into my uncles driveway, laid my pathetic (yet quite
comfortable) bike on the ground, and glided toward the front
door. I pressed my hand against the wooden door and twisted
the handle. As the door cracked open, I squeezed through like I
was trying to keep the last thirty minutes outside. I meandered
past the couch, turned sharply left, and strolled toward the
refrigerator.

I grabbed an apple, slammed the door, and circled back toward


the living room. Mom, hey, where is everybody? I yelled into
the hallway, Can you take me to the park? I pelted past the

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corner of the couch into the hallway and thought to myself, I


wonder who moved the couch? Mom, can you take me to the
park? Brandon left me! I passed the bathroom and headed
toward the guest room.
I wonder who listens to country music?
Mom, where are you? I swung by the empty guest room and
turned back toward the noise of running water echoing out of
the hall bathroom.
I wonder why someone is in the shower?

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Hello, whos there? a deep voice bellowed from behind the hall
bathroom door.
Oh no ... this is not my cousins house. Holy cow! THIS IS NOT
MY COUSINS HOUSE. OH MY ... THIS ... IS ... NOT ... MY
... COUSINS HOUSE! And then my thoughts turned into
random nonsense. I felt as if everything that was in my mind
was like the computer screen in The Matrix. My thoughts were
running at the speed of sound, but I could make almost no sense
of them. Hello? the man repeated as he craned his neck around
the cheap plastic shower curtain.
Have you ever seen someone panic because they have lost
something or forgot an important project, birthday, or
anniversary? Some call this the deer in the headlights look.

Mom, MOM!
And just then, like an urgent fax
coming across the Presidents desk
announcing the facts behind the
Cuban missile crisis, bullet points
began posting to my mind:

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I couldnt scream, cry, blink, or breathe. Every functioning


component that required energy shut down and redirected all
useable resources to getting the heck out of this house before I
became one of those kids on a milk carton.
I flew out the door, straddled my Barbie bike, and, with every
ounce of energy and emotion I had left, tore a swath from this
poor mans front porch to the next block. As I scrambled from
disaster, I was screaming bloody murder.
Within moments of blurting out some awful noises, tears
welled up and flooded my eyes. I began to cry like I had never
cried before. Water poured down my face like a rushing river. I
felt despair like I had never experienced before, and the more
I cried, the harder my body pushed out emotions. I seemed to
convulse with each breath, sucking air back into my soul, trying
to regain each breath with the same intensity my body had
expelled it. Soon, it was too much to take, and when I was sure I
had pedaled to safety, I stopped my bike, got off it, and dropped
the frame into the dirt. And then, I just stood there. I looked
around. I was lostcompletely, utterly lost.
I had no idea where I had come from or where I was going. I had
been frantically wandering for only a short time, but my cousins
house seemed like a distant memory. I had no Plan B and no
back-up system. I had nothing but a girls bike and a broken
spirit. I was a mess of a man. Little as I was, I was wrecked.
In his book Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Dr. Richard Lovelace
said there are two preconditions for change. One is the
acknowledgment of the depth of our sinour lostness. I can
tell you that being lost isnt half as bad as realizing that you
are. You look around at your world and realize that absolutely
everything you thought you knew, every thought you are having,
and every relationship you have known seems different. Yet, in
the same breath, you realize they havent changedyou have.

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This is being lost.


I grabbed my bike, clutched the pink plastic grips on the
handlebars, and began to walk beside it. I wasnt sure where I
was walking, but anywhere seemed better than just standing
there. I thought, well, Eric, you have really done it now: eleven
years old and homeless. I imagined that some news magazine
would soon be reporting on the case of the homeless child who,
in an attempt to show how cool he was, lost everything, and all
he had to show for it was a stupid pink banana-seat bicycle.
I imagined my mom and dad being devastated when they
discovered I was gone forever. I figured they might look for a
while, but soon they would move on. I reasoned to myself: this is
why parents have more than one child, just in case one gets lost
in Dallas. Theyll need someone to change the channel.
I remember thinking about my beautiful mother. I would
never see her again. I wanted her to feel my release. As I slowly
shuffled past the mailboxes, driveways, and newly planted trees,
I thanked God for what He had given me, and I thanked God
for what He had given my parents. And for the first time in my
young life, I was truly grateful for my sister.
You knew this was going to happen, I said under my breath as
I raised my eyes toward the clouds.
I dont know how long I walked. It seemed like days, but just as I
was about to turn the corner from one street to another, I heard
something that sounded like screeching brakes. I stopped and
whipped my head back to see the brake lights of a passing car.
Then I heard the clunking sound of a moving car being jerked
into reverse. Gravel flew around the car and ricocheted off the
underbelly of the blue family sedan. The car sped up rapidly,
then slammed on the brakes in the middle of the intersection.

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I could not make out a face, but I didnt need to. I knew who it
was. I recognized the frantic shifting of a panicked mom, My
mom, looking for ME.
I did not wait for her to drive up the suburban block and rescue
me. I dropped the bicycle and, with every last bit of energy I
could muster, began running toward my mom. My mom got a
glimpse of her baby, threw the car into park, and jumped out the
door to meet me in the street. It was like a movie: the wayward
son coming to his senses and being ushered back home to the
loving embrace of his wonderful mother. As I reached my mom,
I grabbed her waist and started crying.

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I think we should grab it, my mother said gently.


I wont ride it. I am never riding a bike againever.
If it werent for the bike, I reasoned, I never would have been
lost. But my mom knew better. She grabbed the bicycle and, with
one arm around me and the other on the handlebars, walked us
both back to the car. We lifted the bike together and set it in the
trunk. As my mom closed the hatch, I lowered my head, stuck
my hands in my pockets, and turned toward the passenger side
of the car.

13

I thought of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy awakens from her


long trauma-induced dream, a dream that takes her on a journey
both wonderful and terrifying, and opens her eyes to the reality
of what matters most. For me, it was as if I now saw in color
what was previously only black and white.

Eric, my mom said.

Mom, Im so sorry, I blurted out. I didnt mean to. I didnt


know. I thought I knew the way; I thought I understood. I didnt.
Its not Brandons fault; its mine. I did it. It was all me. I love you.
I love you so much.

I rested my hands on the side of the car and said, Im just so glad
you found me. I didnt think you would notice I was gone, and
when I realized how long I had been away from Uncle Lloyds, I
thought you would be mad ...

My mother didnt say much; she just lovingly embraced me until


it seemed right to walk hand in hand and reclaim the evil thing
that had gotten me into this mess in the first place. Mom, lets
just leave it. Please, lets leave it.

Im not mad at you, and I would never have stopped looking


for youever. Do you understand? You are my special boy, and
there is nothing that you can do, no place you can go, that I wont
be there looking. I love you.

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Yes? I mumbled.
Are you okay?

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She paused, and then she softly said, You know, I have been
looking for you for almost an hour.
As Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest of the story As soon
as my cousin turned the final corner that separated the two of
us, he realized that a race is no fun if there is only one person in
it. So in an effort to ridicule me, he doubled back to his house.
And when I wasnt there, he went in to tell my mom and dad.
I was unaware of my predicament for 13 minutes. I was aware I
was lost for 16 minutes. I was terrified for 9 minutes. Remorseful
for 7. And resolved to my future for 11. I had been lost for a total
of 56 minutes, and my mother had been searching for me for
56 minutes the entire time. Before I was even aware of how
lost I was, she was looking. When I was scared, tired, terrified,
hopelessly resigned, she was looking.
I jumped into the car, and we began the slow ride home, a drive
of salvation that took me past the street I was so scared on, the
house that symbolized my predicament, the park that was once

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the goal of my adventure, and then back home. I came full circle
in this short car ride, and I was home. I was saved. I was found.
Remember that Dr. Lovelace said there are two preconditions
for change, one of which I mentioned earlier: understanding the
depth of our lostness. The other precondition is realizing the
greatness, the holiness, and the glory of our gracious God. It has
been my experience in life that nothing can show the greatness
of our wonderful God more than to reflect upon the beauty and
brilliance of His grace in our savior, Jesus Christ.
Your heavenly Father will not stop, He will not waver. He is
enduring, His patience is perfect, His love is pureand He is
interested in you!
A wonderful God.
A lost humanity.
A beautiful Savior.
A search that started for youeven before you knew how much
you needed Him. Before you knew you were lost.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you cant take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation
is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are Gods masterpiece.

- Ephesians 2:8-10a, NLT

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L ife g rou p s

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check
out
this

ministry

dont go to church

be part of it
find where you belong
Make Disciples for Life
We believe that life change happens best
when people are connected to group life.
In group life, we pursue our relationship
with God and with others in an authentic
way. These small groups consist of 12-15
people which we call Life Groups
at Red Rocks Church.
For more information on
how to join a life group visit:

redrockschurch.com/groups

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Get to know the


interesting facts &
connections that
make up the staff of
red rocks church

staff
jared

n eer h of
Fac i l i t i e s

Jared , Eric, JB, Jordan


& Morgan are pastors kids
Jared is the tallest person on staff

Jordan

M cCa s l in
group life

Jordan, Eric, JB, Jared &


Morgan are all pastors kids
Jordan, Shawn, & Jessie all
played college soccer
Jordans married to a missionary
kid & Erik was a missionary
kid
Jordan met Erik through
craigslist

Erik

by er s
yo u t h M i n i s t ry

Erik just proposed to Amie


Erik & Tyler are both from
Indiana
Erik met Jordan through
craigslist
Erik was a missionary kid
& Jordans married to a
missionary kid

Krystal
S hutt e

RRC STAFF

_____________

= 2 c a m p u s e s 3 8 Fa c e s 1 c h u r c h =

Red rocks church


CARSON

Casey

Travis

C r e at i v e l e a d

c a m p u s pasto r

iConnect

B A NKORD

BANKORD
Casey, Carson, Josh & Bekah are from Illinois
Casey & Carson are brothers
Casey & Eric wrote a book together
Casey & Amie have the same birthday

Casey, Carson, Josh & Bekah are


from Illinois
Carson & Casey are brothers
Carson was in Erics Youth Group
Carson, Jessie & Morgan all went to
The Art Institute
Carson & Shelly both have had
cars stolen

Morgan

Josh

The Shack

Youth Ministry

Bekah, Josh, Casey &


Carson are all from Illinois

t r aw

Graphic Designer

Craig

Carson, Jess & Morgan all went to The


Art Institute
Scott & Morgan both attended yearbook
camp when they were in high school

Jessie
dav is

FUEL M i n i s t r y L e a d e r

Jess, Shawn & Jordan all played


college soccer
Jess, Mark, Kelsey & Scott R. all
went to CCU
Craig & Jessie have both attended Red
Rocks from the first week it started.

Lead Prod/Tech

Craig, Shawn & Brian


all had mullets
Craig & Mark both love
hard music
Volunteered at Willow
Creek Community Church
in Chicago at the same
time as Brian Zibell
Craig & Jessie have both
attended Red Rocks from
the first week it started.

Shes the ONLY girl in the Sports


Department (and has to put up
with Scott R. & Travis C. )

Kelsey

p owe ll

B ot tche r

Campus Pastor

JB & Scott shared the


same dorm room
10 years apart
JB, Eric, Jordan, Jared
& Morgan are pastors kids
JB & Kelsey worked
together at Waterstone

Scott

Mark

Sports Ministry

Production/Sound

russomanno
Scott, Mark, Jessie, & Kelsey
all went to CCU
Scotts wife was a Broncos
cheerleader.

wr ay

Mark used to drive a school bus


Mark, Jessie, Kelsey & Scott all
went to CCU

crowd

Josh, Casey, Carson & Bekah are all from


Illinois
Josh was a white water rafting instructor &
Travis H. was a hang gliding instructor
Josh just got married

brian

zi be ll
group Life

Brian, Shawn & Craig all had mullets


Brian met his wife through Eric & Chrissy
Brian, Shawn, Scott, & Chad are among
the 5 founders of Red Rocks Church

shawn

john s on

Sports Intern

Krystals a HUGE cheesehead.


(She LOVES the Packers, and
wants to marry Aaron Rodgers)

ki ngry

v i nc e nt

jb

Kelsey and Amie are sisters-in-law


Kelsey, Mark, Jessie & Scott all went
to CCU
JB & Kelsey worked together at
Waterstone Community Church
Kelsey just had a baby

Travis was a
hang gliding instructor
& Josh was a white
water rafting instructor

bekah

kr i stan

Group Life/Trainer

hall

2013

L e a d Pasto r

Shawn, Brian, Scott, & Chad are among


the 5 founders of Red Rocks Church
Shawn & Eric Parks were roommates
Shawn & Chris are brothers-in-law
Shawn, Jordan & Jessie all played
college soccer
Shawn, Craig & Brian all had mullets
Shawn, Chad, Scott, Chrissy, Eric &

Chris all have 3 kids

Scott

Bruegman
M u lt i - S i t e Pa s to r

Scott & Chad are brothers


Scott & JB shared the same dorm room
10 years apart
Scott & Morgan both attended yearbook
camp when they were in high school

_____________

RRC STAFF

Alicia

Amie

kids rock launch

a d m i n a s s i s ta n t

ha r m s
Alicia & Jake both have fathers in
law enforcement
Alicia worked full time the entire
time she attended College of the Ozarks

jake
espy

Worship Leader

bottc he r
Amie & Adam both worked for Disney
Amie & Morgan went to rival
Christian colleges in So-Cal
Amie & Kelsey are sisters-in-law
Erik just proposed to Amie
Amie & Casey have the same
birthday
Amie was Sarahs brother's Sunday
School Teacher

Jake & Travis C. are both gingers


Jake & Alicia both have fathers in law
enforcement

Travis
ca r e y

L e ag u e C o o r d i n ato r

Travis C. & Jake are both gingers


Travis C. & Chad are both 49er fans

_____________

years ago we began with five staff


members; all unpaid, all working second
jobs to make Red Rocks Church a reality.

sarah

br ame r
kids rock

90s babies: Sarah, Tess & Whittnay


Sarah is the shortest person on staff
Amie was Sarahs brothers Sunday
School Teacher

Curriculum

par r

andrew

jerrica

T e ac h i n g Pasto r

yo u t h m i n i s t ry

worship

matr one

matr one

Andrew & Jerrica are married


Adam is the biggest college foot-
ball fan & Andrew is the
biggest college football athlete
Andrew, Jerrica & Brinnae were
all in Chads Youth Group

Jerrica & Andrew are



married
Jerrica & Brinnae are
high school best friends
Andrew, Jerrica &
Brinnae were all in Chads
YouthGroup

chris

brinnae

Care ministry

worship

Michelle & Adam share


a LOVE for sugary drinks
Shelley & Michelle were both
teachers before working at
Red Rocks

Shelly

Lajimodiere
kids rock

Shelly & Carson both have


had cars stolen
Shelly & Michelle were
both teachers before working
at Red Rocks

r oggow

j ind r a

pa r k s

- Ratio -

video/interactive media

Adam & Amie both worked for Disney


Adam is the biggest college football fan and Andrew is the biggest
College football athlete
Adam & Michelle both share a LOVE for sugary drinks
Adam & Tyler both have southern accents

eric

attendee
michelle

chad

Chad & Scott are brothers


Chad & Travis C. are both 49er fans
Andrew, Jerrica & Brinnae were all
in Chads Youth Group
Chad, Shawn, Scott, Chrissy, Eric
& Chris all have 3 kids
Chad was homecoming king in
High School

staff to

adam
r owe

b rue g m a n

1:167

90s

mad scientist

Eric & Chrissy are married


Eric, JB, Jordan, Jared & Morgan
are all pastors kids
Eric was Carson's Youth pastor
Eric, Chrissy, Chad, Shawn, Scott &
Chris all have 3 kids
Casey & Eric wrote a book together
Brian met his wife through Eric
& Chrissy.

chrissy
pa r k s

Human Resources

Chrissy & Eric are married


Chrissy, Eric, Scott, Chris, Chad,
& Shawn all have 3 kids
Chrissy & John both love 80s music
Brian met his wife through Chrissy
and Eric

Chris & Shawn are brothers-


in-law
Chris, Shawn, Scott, Chrissy
& Eric all have 3 kids
Chris played college baseball
all 4 years while also touring on
a human video team in college

Brinnae, Andrew & Jerrica were all in Chads Youth Group


Brinnae & Jerrica are high school best friends
Saw Phantom of the Opera eleven times in theaters

whittnay

tyler

host team liason

worship

r obe rts

john

trowbridge

Tyler & Whittnay are married


90s babies: Whittnay ,Tess & Sarah

90s

fac i l i t i e s

tess

John is Tess father


John & Chrissy both love
80s music

tr owbr i d ge
Little Rock

48%

of the staff was


born in the 80s

crowd

90s babies: Tess, Sarah & Whittnay


Tess is Johns daughter

2013

roberts
Tyler & Whittnay
are married
Tyler & Erik are
from Indiana
Tyler loves the Titans,
and no one else does
Adam & Tyler both have
southern accents

17

_____________

BEFOrE I DIE

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_____________

2013

_____________

BEFOrE I DIE

_____________

19

BY Casey Ba nkor d

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2013

_____________

before I D ie

_____________

The fear of death follows from


the fear of life. A man who lives fully
is prepared to die at any time.

BEFORE I DIE / / S e p t 1 2

a look back at the biggest series of the year

Mark Twain

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before I D ie

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21

Those of us who have found Jesus and committed our lives to Him have been given a new
chance, a new hope, and a fresh opportunity to make our marks. Yet, no one knows how
long our lives will last. We hope they will be long and healthy, full of friends, memories, and
quality accomplishments, but often wonder if well accomplish all that we intend. As we get
older, we learn that every day is precious, every conversation is important, and every goal has
a time limit. Therefore, we may or may not have a chance to do all that we want to do unless
we consciously and intentionally choose specific things to accomplish.
What will you do before you die that will make an important impact on the world?
We asked this question together in the Before I Die series in the fall of 2012. Thousands of us
expressed our goals, hopes, and dreams by writing them on several large chalkboards outside
the church. The messages on the chalkboards were remarkable. People to reach, problems to
solve, mountains to climb, sicknesses to heal, relationships to mend, poor communities to be
fed, injustices to be righted, and races to be run.
As a church, we prioritized the things in our lives that are most important, most precious,
and most glorifying to our God, and then committed to taking action. Stories poured in from
people who stopped waiting to do what was right, and just started doing it. We collected
stories throughout the series. Here are just a few.

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_____________

BEFORE I DIE

_____________

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THOUSANDS


OF RESP ONSE S WE GOT TO THESE THREE WORDS...

before I Die...

I would love to have a child

I would like to see God use me to show


Christ in the lives of more people than
I can imagine

I want God to shine through me

Complete an Ironman triathlon


I want to ride an elephant
I want to be on Wheel of Fortune
I want to ride in a giant hamster ball
I want to hit a low flying bird with my
car
I want to live in Paris and go from
China to Russia on the Trans-Siberian
Railway
I would like to see my son-in-law saved
I would love to be present when
someone accepts Christ
I would love to live in Africa for a
season of life
Get married, have awesome sex,
and raise a family

13% of

responses are
related to family

Ill have fulfilled my service to His


glory

I want to live a good life


I want to travel in a RV
I want to make the woman of my
dreams the happieset child of God in
the world

9% want to be a better

reflection of Christ
I want to take a catamaran ride in
Bahamas
while Sting, my favorite singer, sings
to me
I just wanna be a dad my son will
always remember in a wonderful way
I would love to serve as a missionary
I want to be a great husband and
father, just like my father was and
always will be
I want to find my purpose in life
and make a difference
I want to be the best me I can be - the
best wife, mom, sister, friend, and so
much more
I want to do something that everyone
thinks is completely crazy because I
know its the right thing
Experience God under the Northern
Lights
Travel the world and photograph
what I experience
Get a double eagle (golf )

I want to go to Africa

I want to fall in love with Jesus

I want to be a really good mom

I want to publish a book

Make sure God is in my life

I will go where God wants me

Tell my family I love them


Live life to the fullest

I want to write and publish a childrens


book

My slate will be clean

Run with the bulls in Spain

To do what God has called me to do ,


which is to share my story in a public
way

I want to go to Israel

Make a POSITIVE impact on my community


Id like to find the love of my life

Restore my family through divorce


I want to win my niece Cathy to Christ
I want to do a missions trip
Our son and daughter on fire for
Christ, including their fiancs

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2013

I am loving and serving Father, Son,


and Holy Spirit every moment until He
calls me home
See my brother return to Christ
Go on an international service / mission trip
Go to Israel
Live life without distractions and have
unbreakable focus on what is most
important
Positively impact someones life in a
big, sustainable way
I want to see all three of my children
serving God - for salvation
Want so desperately to be more
financially able to live and provide out
of poverty
I want to effectively contribute towards spreading the awareness of rare
diseases
I want to milk a cow
I want to drive a car 200+ miles / hour
Play the worlds greatest golf courses
I would love to bring more people
closer to Christ.
I want to go to Africa and start a clinic
and raise money to get medicine to
help the kids

6%

have to
do with

Love

Finding it. giving


it. being able to
receive it

_____________

Adopt a child
I want to go on a backpacking trip in
Europe with my older brother
Use my artistic talent for the glory of
God, to help share His awesomeness
Dive Great Barrier Reef
Run a missions ministry in central
Africa
I want to visit and experience New
Zealand
Shave my head - everyone should know
what it feels like to be vulnerable and
socially abnormal

BEFORE I DIE

_____________

Tell my family, pets, and friends I love


them
Write one last entry in my diary
Kiss a Chad
I would like to change someones life
I would like to complete my mission
here and become the man God made
me to be
Raise my son well
Go where God wants me to go
I want to have children and a family
Die to my self, my pride

I want to ride a bull

Stop stressing over trivial things

Run with the bulls in Spain

Let go of past and love now

I want to pay for someones education


who is not related to me

Find my purpose, act on it in a way


which is pleasing to God

10% want to do

My soul to be free

extreme
or daring stunts
I want to skydive
I want to join the prayer team at
Red Rocks Church to bless bless bless
Witness a revival in Africa/mission
trip
Win HGTVs next Design Star
and have my own design show
Rescue people from sexual slavery and
trafficking and teach them that theres
hope in Jesus
Through the Holy Spirit in me and the
gift of mercy He has provided in me,
100 people will be added to the Book of
Life before I die.
I want to walk through the Holy Lands
To live out of the country
and share Him with others
Climb a 14er
See les Miserables in London
Be part of a team that starts churches
in closed countries (ex: Saudi Arabia,
N Korea, Afghanistan)
I want to represent Christ on Glee
I want to serve in Africa or Asia
Run my horse
Ask for forgiveness

To forgive my wife for her betrayal and


to bring her to Christ
Live a lifetime, year, day or hour
without sin
See others happy; let go of judgement
Believe that my mom will be healed because He came to heal our brokenness

27% want to TRAVEL


I want to go to the Olympics
To let go of things I want
Live my life fully for the Lord
Be with a man who loves God more
than me
To learn love and faithfulness
Have faith
I want to become a firefighter paramedic
Reach the orphans and let them experience love
I want to be in a place where I KNOW
God has put me
I want to do something thatll change
the world; also help children who are
being abused I want to go on a mission
trip
I want to figure out what Gods plan for
my life is
I want to help save as many people as I
can from drug and alcohol addiction

Praise Him who died for us

I want to hang out and minister with


the pygmies in the jungle in Papua
New Guinea

Have confidence through Christ - love


myself for what he made me

Dive into a pool of red Jello (preferably


cherry flavored)

Lose myself

I want to produce an award winning


and soul winning feature film

Have the knowledge that God loves me


as I was made in his creation
Go beyond today and succeed in the
Lord

Either join the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, or join the To Write Love on
Her Arm organization

To see my boys love You and each


other through You

I want to see a new orphanage completed on behalf of MAFi church in


Guinea-Bissau

Get baptised

I want to be a missionary

Find Grace

Raise Godly children

To live worry free


Meet my soul mate

Travel to Africa; work with orphans


Enjoy Gods world - have fun

Be more appreciative of what God has


given me - I take a lot for granted

Learn to surrender daily and hear


Gods voice

To be a God-fearing man

Crowd surf

Learn to pray with all my soul

Slide down a bowling lane

OF people
want
to be
restored or redeemed

Build an igloo

5%

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2013

Stay in every major hotel on the strip


in Las Vegas
Solve a Rubiks Cube
Smash an expensive guitar
I am childless but want badly to leave
fruit for the kindgom

23

_____________

before I D ie

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2013

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before I D ie

_____________

[F rom t h e b efore I Die s e r i e s]

The Gift of a
Second Chance
An Interview With Christina & Samm

B Y J e s s i e D av i s

The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration,


but its donation.
Corrie ten Boom
It was the new year of 2011. Christina had just graduated college, and the world was
brimming with possibilities. Like most young adults, there was a hope and push to make
something of her life, to have a career, and to affect her world in meaningful ways. She
had spent the fall praying about her future, but unlike most of her peers, her leading from
God felt less about a job or career move. I had visited Colorado, and out of nowhere I felt a
longing to move here. I knew I needed to be here, even though I didnt know why.
Beautiful and focused, Christina has a sense of purpose unusual for people her age. The
oldest of nine, Christina is the type whose choices are clear, concise, and firm. When she
felt a pull from God to move to Colorado, no one was able to change her mind. I decided
I was going for it. I didnt want to miss that opportunity, she smiles. On January 15, 2011,
Christina packed up, said goodbye to family, friends, and a community of security in Texas,
and shipped herself out to Colorado.
For a year, Christina worked nanny jobs, established new connections, and found a new
church. The reason for the move was still unclear, but like all decisions Christina made,
she never wavered. I trusted that I would see the big picture eventually. I took that trust day
by day. Her faith kept her in Colorado through a year of growth and change. It was this type
of faith that would prepare her for what was ahead.
Meanwhile, a complete stranger a suburb away was on her own journey. Samm, a young
mom, was attempting to communicate with the pastor at her church. She was calling him in
hopes that he would agree to oversee her funeral. Despite medical efforts, her kidneys were
failing. This single mom was in the process of planning her own funeral.

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25

_____________

B efore I die

_____________

No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection]
than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.
John 15:13
Amplified Version

Several years prior, when Samm was in college, she had battled an infection that was
undertreated. The result was damaged and eventually failing kidneys. When she became
pregnant after college, the doctors became even more concerned. Carrying her son Brode to
term would mean Samms kidneys, and ultimately her life, would be at risk. I knew he was
going to be ok. I cant describe it, but I knew it. I knew the day he was going to be born, that he
was going to have red hair, and that he was going to be awesome, she explains. Brode was born
safely, but a few years later, her kidneys took a turn for the worse, and Samm began to need
weekly dialysis. As her condition deteriorated, Samm felt as though she was out of options.
In May 2012, she contacted Red Rocks Church to begin talking through her funeral
arrangements. It was at this point that Samm was encouraged by Chad, her pastor and
friend, to continue to have hope. He kept telling me to have hope. To not give up hope. He
encouraged her to continue to have faith, however small, and to trust for some type of new
beginning. Hope is a powerful thing, she says simply. That spring, Samm took up a new
hope, barely knowing that God was already orchestrating a beautiful match.
It was that summer that Christina and Samm first crossed paths. Both attending Red Rocks,
Christina learned of Samms health situation via social media updates on a Facebook page
called A Kidney for Samm. Christina read through Samms story and reached out to her.
They exchanged a few tweets on a Saturday, and on Sunday, at one of the evening services,
they met each other at church. As could only be written by the hand of God, two girls had
met, and their lives would be forever connected from that point on.
After that first Sunday, Samm and Christina stayed connectedwriting occasionally, texting,
talking at church, meeting for lunch, and getting to know each other. During that time,
Christina recognized God at work again. I knew that God had a big, big plan, Christina says.
A few months later, Christina made a life-altering decision. She was going to be tested to see
if she could be an organ match for Samm.
In the Before I Die series, Chad gave a message that talked about Samm and her condition.
The weekend of September 16, 2012, thousands of people heard Samms story, and were
affected by her apparent reality. That Sunday, Chad implored them to pray for a miracle.
Four days later, Christina was at the hospital, getting tested. Like all other decisions,
Christina felt assured and completely confident. Even with Samms doubts and fears for her
newfound friend, Christina would not waver in her choice.
I came to a realization over the last year of living and trusting God that my life was finite,
and precious. I could have gotten that call, Hey, your kidneys are failing. That could have
been me. It was so obvious that God had his hand on the scenario the entire time. Without
him, I wouldnt have come to Red Rocks and I wouldnt have met Samm. She pauses and
then says with complete honesty, In the back of my mind, I always knew that I would be
a match.
On September 24, 2012, Christina got a call. Youre a match, the nurse said over the phone.

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B efore I die

_____________

When would you like to schedule surgery? While the actual chances of Christina being a
match were extremely slim, it was a reality nonetheless. She was the very first person to get
tested. And she was a complete match. It was an absolute miracle.
Christina called Samm and gave her the shocking and wonderful news. Samm sat silently
on the phone. There was a hesitation. Samm and Christina had become friends, and Samm
felt the burden of putting her in harms way. I told her not to do it, Samm says, smiling at
Christina. I care about Christina. I said, We can find someone else. It is such a sacrifice.
Christina persisted, Lets do it. Christina put in a request for a date.
I decided even before I got tested that I was going to donate to her, Christina says, smiling.
It was a no-brainer. If there was something I could do to help her, I was going to do it. God
gave me two kidneys, she says happily, I can live with one.
The scheduling and pre-operation procedures went seamlessly. Within weeks, they were
both telling friends and family members about the news. One was preparing to lay down her
life, and another was getting a second chance.
On November 19, both girls were prepared for surgery in different rooms at a hospital in
downtown Denver. Christina prayed a small prayer as the doctors helped her onto the table,
I just prayed, GodI trust you. All for your glory.
Hours later, Christina awoke. Her surgery was a success and Samms was underway. The
next day, Samm woke up to a body with lower levels of toxins than had been present in
months. The transplant went perfectly with both girls healing, and a rising awareness of the
amazing event that had just taken place.
Two months after the surgery, the two girls are sitting together in my office. Samm is back at
work. Christina is working again as well, and they both are enjoying life and friends. Samm
chats happily about how she doesnt miss dialysis. She doesnt miss the anxious feeling of
possibly missing out on her sons life. She says shes healthier, her eyes are clearer and her
heart is at peace. Its crazy! I can think about having a life now. Maybe someday I can get
married. Maybe I can have another baby. Its all a possibility now.
Christina smiles, laughs, and looks perfectly healthy. Even though she has to drink more
water than normal to help her body acclimate to a missing kidney, you would never know
she was missing one. She is as self-confident and joyful as she was when she moved here two
years ago.
When I ask if she would do it again, Christina says, Absolutely, without skipping a beat,
without a doubt. I would do it again.
In what is truly one of the most gorgeous pictures of new beginnings and second chances,
these two ladies inspire and bring fresh meaning to the word sacrificewhat the Bible calls
the greatest love. The reality of Christinas giving heart is evident in Samms new hope. A
brand new life, with a new, vibrant start.
Sometimes people wonder if God is listening to them, or if God is there. I hope they hear
this story and never wonder again, Samm says boldly. She sits forward and smiles, Second
chances are always there. Our God is a God who always redeems. Theres always, always
hope.

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27

_____________

KIDS ROCK

_____________

check
out
this

m i n i stry

3 environments // 1 purpose
Little Rock: PRE - K

A warm, safe and loving environment for your pre-schooler as they


learn the three basic truths: God made me, God loves me, Jesus
wants to be my friend forever.

Kids Rock: K - 3

An exciting and loving place where kids learn: to make wise


choices, trust God no matter what, and treat others the way you
want to be treated.

the Shack: 4,5,6

A place made just for pre-teens to build community and study the
Bible. with a focus on things, friendship, faith and wisdom.

a t b o t h t h e g o l d e n & l i t t l e t o n c a mp u s e s
For more information visit:
redrocks church/connect/children

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MEET YOUR WORSHIP LEADERS

_____________

Meet your

Worship Leaders
by jake Espy

There was a time when writing an article like this would have been second nature to me.
As an undergraduate journalism major at Colorado State University, I turned out op-ed
articles at breakneck speed for the local college paper, which was a wonderful opportunity
to influence dozens of people. Nowadays, however, I am admittedly out of practice. So, when
the opportunity was offered to me to write an article for CROWD, I jumped at the chance to
make a triumphant return to the limelight.
I imagined composing such a deep, profound expos on the worship department that many
would likely tear this article out of the magazine, frame it, and hang it next to that picture of
Great Aunt Mildred. It would be a keepsake to hand down to your kids to remind them of a
time when journalistic excellence still reigned supreme.

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MEET YOUR WORSHIP LEADERS

_____________

But as I sat down to pen this masterpiece, I began to feel a bit torn. Torn between writing the
aforementioned serious piece of hard-hitting journalism, and taking a sophomoric route to
share the oddball nuances Ive discovered while getting to know the members of our worship
team.
Ultimately, despite my best intentions, I chose the latterthe oddball nuances approach.
Therefore, the remaining words will be some of my favorite things about our worship
leaderstheir idiosyncrasies, if you will. It wont be glamorous, it wont win a Pulitzer, and it
probably wont be grammatically correct; but here it goes.
Tyler is from Indiana, which for some inexplicable reason left him with a Southern accent.
Its not quite a drawl, but its definitely smoother than youd expect from a Hoosier. If you
spend enough time around him, you will eventually hear the accent slide around noticeably.
Most of the time, it falls somewhere near a Matthew McConaughey from How to Lose a Guy
in 10 Days. But when he gets excited, it starts to resemble something from Duck Dynasty or
Swamp People very Southern, if you catch my drift. If you happen to catch him during a
Tennessee Titans football game, you might hear the change in his accent happen within the
same sentence. It baffles the mind. Tyler maintains that he has no accent whatsoever. Denial
isnt just a river in Egypt.
Jerrica, on the other hand, hails from Missouri. Her major claim to fame is that she and Brad
Pitt went to the same high school Kickapoo which is, by the way, a terrible name for a high
school. But, what do you expect from a state with a name like Missouri? Missouri so closely
resembles the word misery that Kickapoo is actually a step up in a lot of ways. I digress.
Jerrica is, bar none, the most fashionable member of the worship team. At any given time,
you can find her partially obscured behind a cloud of hairspray she just applied for the third
time that morning, or surfing the designer boot websites Im sure my wife introduced her to.
Jerrica misplaces her keys about three times a week, loses her phone once a day, and she
somehow seems to forget her wallet almost every time the worship team goes out to eat
(a convenient fact that always seems to surface right as we approach the cash register).

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MEET YOUR WORSHIP LEADERS

_____________

Additionally, Jerrica claims she can eat 50 Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets in one sitting. This
statement has yet to be substantiated, but it is highly disputed amongst the Red Rocks staff.
Brinnae is the new kid on the block, just joining staff in December of 2012. In my mind,
there are basically two important things you need to know about her at this juncture. First,
she is much more hip than I am; unquestionably. Her coolness can be summed up in three
statements.

1. She has an arm sleeve (thats an arm full of tattoos for the layman).

2. She drives a Volvo.

3. I dont know if you read the first part, but her name is Brinnae. You HAVE to be
cool in order to pull that off. I couldnt pull off a name like Brinnae if I had to. I
can barely pull off Jake. Heck, I could barely pull off Ned.

Secondly, from the first moment I met her, I became very much aware that she could easily
beat me up. A fact that is evidenced by the aforementioned arm sleeve, and that she was
the screamer in a heavy metal band before she moved to Colorado. (Side note: the band
was called This is Love. I dont know about you, but when I think of love, I think of a girl
screaming uncontrollably at the top of her lungs and heavy rock music. Who doesnt?)
My name is Jake. Because Ive picked on everyone else so far, its only fair to throw myself
under the bus with them. My favorite albums growing up were Boyz II Men, N*Sync (notice
the properly placed asterisk following the N), and the soundtrack from Space Jam. I wore
sweatpants exclusively until about 9th grade, which I usually paired with a graphic t-shirt
of a wolf howling at the moon or a Starter jacket. I created the rap alias, Orange Smoothie
for myself in 6th grade due to my hair color. Some people on staff still call me some variation
of that nickname. I have seen every episode of Boy Meets World and I have never lost a race
in Mario Kart 64. Last, the other worship leaders would probably say that Im somewhat
argumentative. Naturally, I disagree.
I wish I could close this article with some sort of inspirational quote, or a spiritual insight
Ive garnered from this worship team along the way. I wish I had something to say that would
secure this article a spot in your family heirloom scrapbook. But lets be honest, I just got
done telling you I was an N*Sync fanatic who wore Starter jackets. From that, there is no
recovering. Instead, lets just end like this: I consider myself extremely lucky to be part of
such an amazing group of worship leaders, Christians, musicians, and friends. If you happen
to get to know Brinnae, Jerrica, or Tyler as well as I have, Im sure youd be just as impressed
by their strength of character as I have been. Im excited for the future of Red Rocks Church,
and the part we get to play as worship leaders. Mostly, I want to thank Red Rocks Church,
for believing in us, trusting us, and worshiping with us week after week. It is truly a privilege
that none of us take lightly.
Oh, lets please keep the N*Sync thing just between us. My wife still doesnt know about it. If
she did, shed never let me live it down.

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hero
Chris gave me a hug and
sat down in the chair across
the table. Calm, confident
and kind, its easy to see
why Chris has a panache
for sales. I thanked him for
meeting mid-day, as his
work schedule was probably
full. Oh no, Chris brushed
it off. I allotted time for
this, he smiled, and we
began.

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Heroes

_____________

By Jessie Davis
If one thing could be said about Chris, it is that hes intentional. He does all things with
purpose and gusto, and I assumed our interview would be no different. It was at Belmar,
Chris remembered, thinking back on when he had first started serving on the caf team,
when it was little.
It was 2007, and the church was just over 500 people. The church was three years old then,
and like a toddler of the same age, it was having a growth spurt. Red Rocks met in an event
center in the middle of Belmar, and every weekend, the caf team brewed huge amounts of
coffee to field the demand. I went back into the kitchen, and there were extension cords
everywhere, and probably 15 percolators. I just jumped in and started helping.
Years before this, Chris was a restaurant owner in Dallas. Having extensive knowledge
about the food and hospitality business, Chris skillset was managerial, structural, and
forward-thinking. At other points in his life he was a kitchen manager with a passion for
food, which is also how he and his wife Tyra connected and eventually married. Chris also
worked in sales for a hotel chain. Chris brought all of these gifts in his service on the caf
team. Over the years he pushed for better coffees, nicer presentations, better food for the
volunteers on Sundays, and more structure. Its an exercise in my joy and passion for the
hospitality business, Chris nods, thinking about the last 5 years, Its my way of getting on
my knees.
In 2008, Red Rocks moved again, back to Heritage Square. Once again, it went through
another growth spurt. Chris, alongside Amber Phifer, Missy Bleich, Sam Baier, and other
leaders, diligently managed volunteers, brewing, supplies, foods, and other weekend
goodies. Every weekend they served hundreds of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and gallons of
coffee to attenders. We put a smile on peoples faces. When it was announced in 2012
that Red Rocks would have an additional campus in Littleton, Chris again saw the need
for structure amidst growth. He took on the task of ordering for multiple campuses, setting
up a delivery schedule, and training a host of volunteers. All of this work, over all that time,
he did unpaid.
Whats more impressive, though, was Chris diligence in service during his own personal
trials. Like many Americans in 2009, Chris and his family were faced with downsized
income and a financial stress all their own. Chris and his wife worked multiple jobs, moved
homes, and pushed to stay grounded with their kids while the economys bottom fell out.
The entire time, Chris kept volunteering each Sunday. It was brutally hard, but I was in
a season where I needed to give. It was a place that gave me relief because it felt like I was
doing something. Which boils down Chris and his heart. Kindness and giving, it would
seem, were not just evident in the great times; but in the trying times as well. I guess
thats the answerthat those are the trials that God puts us through but we can decide to
say, 'God, youre by my side; just as you were during the best of times.
Today, between the two campuses, Chris wrangles over 80 volunteers who serve morning
and evening shifts. With the help of Teresa Knight and Vicky Reschly, the volunteers work
to bring cups of warmth to the weekend guests. The coffee orders have reached hundreds
of pounds at a time; the cream fills multiple refrigerators at both locations. Each weekend,
the flow is seamless and happy. On top of that, Chris and Tyra have often catered events
for the church. Cooking for large crowds with poise and ease and with the attention of a
chef, Chris has catered events for hundreds of people. As for the caliber of food: excellent.
I dont want to just do hot dogs, Chris laughs, particularly when we do things to thank
the volunteers. I want them to go, Wow, this is really nice! His thankfulness for the army
of volunteers is apparent: Without them, weekends would not be possible.
And while the events and weekends are busy and hectic, Chris remains all smiles.
Whatever type of chaos food and drink coordination for thousands of attendees may
cause, Chris remains focused on the prize: making people welcome; making people smile.
My faith got deeper because of this church, Chris says thankfully and sincerely. When I
comment about how inspiring I find his service and heart for volunteering, Chris smiles
and counters, The more I serve God, the closer I become with Him.

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_____________

SPORTS

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SPORTS

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Gamechanging
by Casey Bankord

Build community, get people active, and reach out to people in need, Scott Russomanno,
Executive Director of Red Rocks Sports, responded when asked why the sports ministry
at Red Rocks Church exists. Its our hope that people show up to play a sport with their
friends, but in the end, discover that Christians can be normal and fun, and that there are
needs in our city waiting to be met.
Red Rocks Sports is one of the largest sports organizations in the Denver area with 14
leagues and almost 1,500 participants. In addition to high quality sports activities such as
football, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, golf, and more, Red Rocks Sports organizes outreach
events around the community where teams from various leagues gather together to serve
at homeless shelters, mentor at foster homes, or play games with special needs kidsjust
to name a few.
While sports are fun and a great way to stay active, that is not why the ministry exists. Just
like Red Rocks Church, the sports ministry exists to produce life change. And, by Gods
grace, there are amazing stories everywhere you look.

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_____________

SPORTS

_____________

14

We want to see
peoples lives
impacted and
changed forever.

Leagues

30

outreach
events

1,473 participants

5 Active
groups

804 Members

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SPORTS

_____________

Jeff
When Jeff was 19, he turned away from God. He stopped praying, stopped attending church, and started living life for himself.
He began making decisions that placed an immense burden of
guilt on his shoulders and because of those decisions (and some
difficult personal circumstances); he became jaded toward
life, church, and God.
A few years later, Jeff showed up to a Red Rocks football league game because a friend invited him. Scott
eventually got to know Jeff and introduced him to
more people in the league. For three years, hed
show up every week for games, but refuse to go to
church. Gradually, he saw the true joy, laughter,
and love that other people in the league had for
each other, and for God. It started to have an
impact on him, and he began to feel drawn
to the light that was clearly beaming from
their lives.
Jeff committed his life to Christ and
was baptized in the summer of 2012.
What started as just showing up for
pick-up football games turned into a
life radically changed for God. Jeff
is now one of the main leaders in
the football league, reaching out
to people who are stuck like
he once was.

Brianna
Red Rocks Sports partners with the Global Down
Syndrome foundation to host an exercise program as an outreach for kids and young adults
with Down syndrome in the Denver area. Brianna, a 28 year old with Down syndrome, heard
about the program and decided to show up. At
the time, she was unable to climb steps due to her
weight. Volunteers from the church filled the exercise studio to encourage, assist, and challenge
these kids and young adults toward a healthy, active lifestyle. The energy, fun, and love were electric.
Brianna loved the class, and met a volunteer named Pat McDonnell.
Pat got to know Brianna after the class, saw the physical struggle she was going through, and offered to pay
for a personal trainer to work with Brianna to regain a healthy weight. A year and a half later, Brianna has
lost 73 pounds and can easily scale a staircase. Not only that, but she has discovered an extended family
through the volunteers who have helped her along the way.

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SPORTS

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Kate
Kate heard about the dodgeball league through church one weekend at
Red Rocks, so she decided to join. The league was fun, she met tons of
great people, and she managed to survive the season without getting
injured. The last week of the dodgeball season, Kates team helped
build benches and host a barbeque for Mount
Saint Vincent foster home in Denver.
As Kate met the staff and kids at
the foster home, she felt an
unexplainable tug toward
their mission and the kids at
the home.
Kate now volunteers at
Mount Saint Vincent every
week as part of their mentoring program for kids. She also
recruits friends to come help at
the home on a regular basis. When
she signed up for dodgeball, she did
not expect to discover a calling, but thats
exactly what happened.

The Vision
The stories of life change coming from Red Rocks
Sports go on and on. Because playing a sport is so
accessible and disarming, it has been an unparalleled
access point for new people to be exposed to the hope
and grace of Jesus. We want to see peoples lives
impacted and changed forever, Scott says, We
think that as people in our leagues are exposed to
other Christ followers who are trying their best to
live for God, and also exposed to opportunities to
serve those who are suffering and have need in
our community, their perspective will change
forever. That is our hope. It has changed mine,
for sure.

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SPORTS

_____________

check
out
this

ministry

v o l l e y B ALL

s o cc e r

over 14 co-ed leagues.


Visit our website to learn
f o o t B ALL

more about our leagues,

s o f t B ALL

sporting events,
and outreach
opportunities.

39

DODGE B ALL
s o f t B ALL

"The sports ministry offers a competitive


enviroment that promotes a culture of
positive sportsmanship"

To participate in our upcoming


Rock n Run 5K, please visit:

redrockssports.com

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DENVER SHAREFEST

_____________

RENOVATING THE ATTITUDES


(AND SCHOOLS) OF DENVER
DEN VER SHA R EFEST

by Brian Zibell

$172,000 contributed to Denver Public Schools

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DENVER SHAREFEST

_____________

1,450 Volunteers

5,600 work hours


We are going to stop talking about love and
start showing it by our actions. So Red Rocks,
we are going to be revitalizing twenty-one
Denver Public Schools together, and we are
calling it Denver Sharefest!
I walked off the stage and my heart started
racing because I had just asked 4,000 people
to give up an entire week to volunteer at our
public schools. Who is going to want to do that?
Lets be honest. People want to go on vacation,
go to the beach, mow their lawns, drive up into
the mountains, or hang out with friends in
their free time. In most cases, if people do sign
up for a service project, they do it for a cheesy
t-shirt. This was going to be the mother of
all service projects, a daunting task with the
added pressure of earning the confidence of the
administration at the Denver Public Schools.
As my co-worker Dave and I walked to the
first volunteer meeting, we felt like we were
experimental space monkeys about to be
launched on a mission destined for selfdestruction. But then, something amazing
happened. People started trickling in and
filling the room. Executives, college students,
teachers, stay-at-home moms, landscapers,
painters, concrete workers, entrepreneurs,
dentists, and non-profit leaders came ready to
make a difference. One hour later, we had a full
team of leaders ready to lead the way.
Our game plan, you ask? We didnt have one.
We were making it up as we went along. We had
run a small prototype event with one Denver
Public School earlier that year, and it was a big
success. So we felt as though we knew what to
expect. The reality, however, was we had no idea
what God had in store for our team.
Our core team of 10 leaders mostly consisting
of ambitious college students met tirelessly
over the next 6 weeks. They planned the project,

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recruited and trained leaders, and organized


volunteers into the 1,450 volunteer positions.
The team created a project plan that included
painting entire schools, mulching, landscaping,
pulling weeds, concrete work, replacing fences,
planting donated trees, sodding, repainting
and rebuilding playgrounds, and repairing
retaining walls.
Donations began pouring in from Home
Depot, Arvada Flooring, Xcel Energy, Heartland
Community Church, Risen Savior Lutheran
Church, Save Our Youth, Sherwin-Williams,
Teach for America, The Leadership and
Learning Center, Young Life, and local landscape
companies. Local news and national radio picked
up the story. To our amazement, Afternoons with
Scott & Kelli from KLOVE came to broadcast
from Denver Sharefest, bringing a whole crew of
Christian recording artists. Chris August, Mark
Schultz, The Afters, Citizen Way, Rhett Walker,
and Moriah Peters came and performed onsite.
Even more astounding was that these artists and
personalities came to serve at the schools and
put love into action.
On July 14, Denver Sharefest kicked off at
Montbello High School. Early that morning,
our leaders rolled up to the school in trucks
packed with tables, signs, staging, speakers,
t-shirts, and lots of work gloves. We looked
like a team of soldiers preparing for battle.
And battle we would against chipping paint,
overgrown weeds, the general decay of aging
infrastructure. All to fight for the children of
Denver, Colorado.
Hundreds of volunteers unpacked the sign-in
tables, filled out name badges, found their colorcoded t-shirts, and identified their assigned
teams. The opening day was sunny and warm,
and we gathered around the outdoor stage
and rallied our team to the mission of Denver

2013

To identify,
develop, and
lead projects
that empower
volunteers and
donors to use
their God-given
gifts, abilities, and
resources to make
an impact for the
common good.

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_____________

DENVER SHAREFEST

_____________

Over 1,000 Volunteers served at DPS

$112,000 in volunteer labor

He rehabilitated
our hearts,
refocused our
perspectives,
and put us in the
right place at the
right time to reach
out to a hurting
community.

will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I


did not run or labor in vain.
It was a perfect verse for the moment. We
had an opportunity to put love into action and
shine like stars in this warped and crooked
generation. Maybe the light could be greater
than the devastating darkness we were facing.
Encouraged by that verse, Sharefest leaders
rallied and worked alongside the Denver
Public Schools and The Red Cross to create a
donation site. KLOVE broadcasted nationally
and asked for donations to be collected to
provide essentials and necessities to the people
displaced. Sharefest workers volunteered to
help the families displaced due to the tragic
event. They sought to help any way they could or
serve any way possible. Red Rocks Church had
an opportunity to shine for God in the midst of
overwhelming darkness, and we did.
A few days later, we celebrated the
extraordinary and tireless work of volunteers,
thanked the teachers who give their lives to the
kids in our city, and worshipped our mighty God.
In hindsight, the battlefield that week was not
just in the schools. It was a battle for our hearts.
A battle to not allow the darkness to win; shining
a brighter light for God who is always stronger
than anything the world can throw at us.
We started the week with a plan to revitalize
the schools, and we accomplished that. But
Gods plan was bigger. He rehabilitated our
hearts, refocused our perspectives, and put us
in the right place at the right time to reach out to
a hurting community.
We were so blessed by each and every
person who made Denver Sharefest possible.
It mattered. May God continue to give us
opportunities to put love into action and bring
help and hope to people in need.

Sharefest: to identify, develop, and lead projects


that empower volunteers and donors to use
their God-given gifts, abilities, and resources
to make an impact for the common good. It
would be impossible to accomplish this mission
without people coming together with the sole
purpose of putting love into action. 1 John 3:18
says, Let us not love with words or speech, but
with actions and in truth. We were there to
serve the Denver Public Schools, to thank the
teachers, and to let the students know that there
is a community that cares for them and a God
who changes lives.
During Denver Sharefest, we saw transformation happen in Denver, and it wasnt just in
the way the schools looked. Volunteers worked
a combined 5,600 hours and gave $172,000. As
over 1,000 volunteers flooded into the city to
revitalize twenty-one schools over 7 days, we
noticed that the biggest change was in the lives
of the volunteers. Many of them showed up with
their arms crossed, but ended the day with new
friends, full hearts, asking us to make them
leaders the next day. God was clearly at work.
At midnight on July 20, a man entered an
Aurora movie theater and shot 70 people, killing
12 and wounding 58. It was Day 6 of Denver
Sharefest and just miles away from our main
project site. Our thriving team was devastated.
That morning, the team met and wondered why
God allowed this to happen. How would we
react to that? How would we address this with
the hundreds of people coming that day to serve?
During that conversation, one of the leaders
shared Philippians 2:14, Do everything without
grumbling or arguing, so that you may become
blameless and pure, children of God without
fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then
you will shine among them like stars in the sky
as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I

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DENVER SHAREFEST

_____________

Seven 6- hour workdays

43

75 Inner City students served alongside our team

200 Pizzas, 108 feet of Subway Sandwiches

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You give of yourself


without any expectation
or compensation and
you walk away with more
than you ever imagined. I
know its just coffee, but its
important.

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Heroes

_____________

hero

By Jessie Davis

Its easy to see immediately from Teresa that she is a tender soul. Soft, kind and giving, she
was overly grateful and humble as she settled in for our interview. Where this generous
heart came from, I wanted to know. And so we started with the beginning.
It was 2007 when Teresa began attending Red Rocks Church. She quietly came in the
doors and sat by herself near the back of the church, keeping to herself. Her trainer had
told her about the church, and one Sunday she made the trek up to the amusement park
to see what it was about. A scarf was wrapped carefully around her head; she was in the
middle of chemotherapy.
Scott was giving the message that night, and he walked over and shook my hand and
introduced himself. He just looked at me and said, Were really glad youre here.
She eventually helped with coffee a bit in that small room at Heritage Square, and in late
2007 after chemo, she was found cancer-free. In 2009, she got back into serving again
when there was a call for volunteers and she felt compelled to sign up. Somewhere within
those first couple of years, Teresa found God. In June of 2010 she was baptized, and
found fulfillment in being more involved at church. Her service and generosity became a
hallmark of her walk with God. In 2011 she went to Haiti with a team from Compassion
International to meet a partner church in Port-au-Prince. It was on that trip that she
decided to sponsor not one, but four Compassion students from Haiti. But sending money
isnt the end of her service. She does hands-on things, too. Teresa takes the caf table
cloths home every week to wash and dry, bringing them back folded nicely for the team.
And every Sunday, Teresa helps bring a smile to thousands of people, facilitating the
service of coffee at the church.
Teresas heart and her reasons for doing what she does every week are simple: Our guests
really love our coffee, she laughs. we serve others in a way that makes them happy. We set
out special things for the volunteer crews, and during events we do food. Were all in this
together. It makes them feel comfortable. And wanted. And welcome.
Teresa, alongside Chris Kilcullen and other leaders, make serving for the caf team fun
and happy. Sending out the schedule every week she tries to emphasize the volunteers'
importance. We really try and lift everybody up. We tell them every week that we
appreciate them. Its a choice that theyve made; they dont have to do it. We want to care
about them and get to know them. Its like a house the caf is the heart of the home.
Truly, its easy to see that the caf is the heart of the home. Teresas heart, along with
others leadership, has created an environment that is comfortable and warm, complete
with coffee and tea. While the caf team continues to grow, scheduling dozens of people
each weekend at both campuses, the vibe and warmth of the ministry remains the same.
This weekend, like every weekend before, Teresa will be sure to create an environment
that makes the newcomer feel exactly as she felt upon her first visit. With a cup of coffee
she says, Were really glad youre here.

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SERIES REVIEW

_____________

a look back
> A t a series of series fro m red ro c k s in 2 0 1 2 <

Uprising: Jan 1 Feb 12

Matthew 11:12
The Kingdom of God has never happened accidentally.
It has never advanced passively. It has advanced forcefully,
passionately, and intentionally. God has a specific plan for
every one of us. And hes asking, What are you waiting for?

Love Drug: Feb 19 Mar 25

We often say our church is a youth group for adults.


What do youth groups talk about a lot? Relationships.
The best thing you can do to ensure youll be ready to
meet that perfect person is to work on your relationship with God. Getting closer to God will you allow
you to succeed at both dating and marriage.

Speakeasy: Apr 1

Invest and invite. This was our pre-Easter service challenge. But Gods charge wasnt just invite someone to a Red
Rocks Church service in 2012. It was Go into all the world
and preach the Good News to everyone. Back in the day, the
only way you could find out about a speakeasy was by word of
mouth. And thats a great way to tell our world about Jesus, too.

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SERIES REVIEW

_____________

Going Big: Apr 8 Easter

The Secret Service has a term going big that


describes when an agent spreads out his arms, makes
himself big, and allows his body to cover the body of
the one hes protecting. Jesus went to a cross, spread
out his arms, and said, Let my body cover yours. Ill
take the bullet. Ill sacrifice my body to protect you.
Thats how much I love you.

the Most Interesting Man: Apr 15 May 27

John 21:25
If all that could be written about him was put to paper, it
would fill more pages than are possible to read. He has said
and done more interesting things than all the books in the
world could hold. This man is Jesus of Nazareth, and we
spend several weeks learning about specific aspects of his
character and life.

Battle for Belief: Feb 19 Mar 25

I Peter 3:15
Nothing says, Welcome to church like guns and
grenades. Its a battle: our faith in God vs. our doubts
about God. And the great thing is that we can talk
about our doubts in church! Why should you believe
in God? Why should you trust in the Bible? Lets talk
about our doubts.

47

rushmore: Jul 8 29

If the Bible had a Mt. Rushmore, who would be on it? Who


had faith? Who had courage? Who acted boldly on Gods
behalf and saw miracles happen? Learn from the greats
of the faith, even if they are unlikely heroes.

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY: Aug 5 Sep 2

On any given Sunday, God could save your marriage,


give you grace to forgive someone, deliver you from
addiction, heal your body, and/or call you to the next
chapter of your story. What is your role on any given
Sunday?

baptism: Aug 19

It is NOT a normal Sunday. See exactly what Red Rocks


Church is all about. See real, imperfect, and messed-up people
who are being continually changed by the power of God. This
is a party!

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SERIES REVIEW

_____________

before i die: Sep 9 23

Its time for some introspection. Some dreaming.


Some self-evaluation. Some questions. So that when
we get to the end of our lives, we dont do so with a
bunch of regrets.

seven 14: Sep 30 Oct 28

II Chronicles 7:14
An entire series about when we need a little bit of help.
Or a lot of help like from the power of the creator, God.
What happens in a persons life when that person decides
to get serious about the power of prayer.

Headlines: Nov 4 Dec 9

Some headlines just force us to read their accompanying stories. Two Men Defeat Entire Army, Yesterday
Never Ended, Empty Grave Shatters Disbelief, and
more. What can we learn from the stories that we
thought were just stories??

Given: Dec 16

Only at Red Rocks Church do we talk about what we can


learn from Buddy the Elf. If Buddy is too far of a reach for
you, how about this question: who does the best job at displaying and presenting the Kingdom of God to the world?
(Answer: children.) What can we learn from children?

Vacancy: Dec 23 - Christmas Eve

Although Bethlehem was covered in No Vacancy


signs, God is all about the Vacancy ones. Hes saying,
Welcome. Theres room.

Grace fueled ethics: Dec 30

Romans 8:1-2
Our self-proclaimed New Years Scrooge preached a
New Years message. Statistically, 88% of the several hundred millions of people who make resolutions will fail after
2-3 weeks. Talk about feeling the overwhelming condemnation of failure! But there is no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus.

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ALL IS NOT LOST

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[All is not Lost]


T he story of Shawn Johnson : grac e and redem ption
By Casey Bankord
Life is not predictable. It doesnt follow a formula. Circumstances happen to us whether we
like them or not. Some we are born into; some we choose. At times, when struggle abounds,
it is easy to believe that all is uncertain. Nothing is in control. No one is watching. And no
one cares. Our lives are left helplessly captive to the ups and downs of life, and there is nothing we can do about any of it.
But then, there is God. The constant and faithful One. The One who holds the world together when all seems lost. The predictable-in-the-uncertain God. The God who gives us
second chances, who redeems a life undone, making it into something extraordinary.
After two weeks of repeated panic attacks, Shawn, 24, sat at his mothers kitchen table. Pills
piled in front of him, plastic water bottle beside; he was ready to end it all. This is more
than I can handle, Shawn thought to himself, I think Im done. He had spent the afternoon pacing around the backyard, thinking about the choices he had made. Cocaine. Girls.
Alcohol. Abuse. Empty relationships. Pointless life. Who would really care if I was gone?
he asked himself.

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ALL IS NOT LOST

Pushing the pills around the table, he considered his options. Having witnessed
a friend attempting to commit suicide
months earlier, he knew exactly what the
pills would do to his body within 45 minutes. In that moment, he felt a prompting to
stop a peaceful presence he couldnt explain, and he decided to make a phone call.
A phone call that would ultimately change
his life.

The Early Years


Shawn grew up in rural Wichita, Kansas.
His mom was seventeen when she found
out she was pregnant with him. When she
told the father, he left town, never to return again. His mom married
her drug dealer a couple years
after Shawn was born, and
obviously consistent positive
influence was lacking. While
Shawns parents did what they
could, there was little stability,
a distant sense of home, and
hardly any trace of God.
When Shawn was four years
old, his mom was invited to a
church service where she gave
her life to God and changed
dramatically. She began attending the church, taking
Shawn with her on Sunday
mornings, and became deeply
involved. First, she did graphic
design and folded bulletins as a volunteer.
Then, she started doing the day-to-day
bookkeeping and leading the womens ministry as a full-time volunteer. Finally, she
joined the church staff. She loved it, felt fulfilled, and Shawn was happy for her.

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A few years later, life at home got rough and


Shawns mom and dad divorced. Because of
her divorce, the church took an extreme position and publicly shamed Shawns mom,
cutting her off relationally, and firing her
from her roles. Divorce, it seemed, was the
cardinal sin.
The church was everything to her. So the
impact was devastating, Shawn remembered, As a kid, I saw my parents divorce
and thought, This is probably a good thing
that they are getting a divorce. It was pretty
rough at home. Then, I saw the church turn
its back on her and treat her like an outcast.
I couldnt believe it. At that point, I remember saying, If this is what God and Gods
people are like, then I am never going back
to church. I determined in my heart that I
would never have a relationship with God.

High School and College


Shawn was an athlete in high school, so he
channeled all of his energy toward success
on the field. With soccer as his main sport,
he made a name for himself in the college
circuit and started getting recruiting letters
from Division I schools. However, during his
senior year, Shawn tore his ACL, jeopardizing his scholarship possibilities. One school
in Colorado took a chance and gave Shawn
a scholarship anyway. He played there for a
year, and then decided to transfer to a junior
college to set himself up to transfer to a top
Division I school after his sophomore year.
The day after he signed up for classes at a junior college in Kansas, he suffered an injury
to the ACL in his other knee. His athletic career was over.

2013

I determined
in my heart that I
would never have
a relationship
with God.

_____________

ALL IS NOT LOST

I thought I was going to play international


soccer in Germany, Shawn explained,
and get paid well doing it. So I really didnt
have plans to get a normal job. When I blew
out my knee, I knew I was done. I was going
to have to come up with something to do. I
had no clue what I wanted to do. From that
point, when I knew college athletics were
over, I started down a path of drinking and
partying that continued throughout the rest
of college.

All I wanted to
do was get drunk,
party, and do
stupid things

Shawn transferred to Kansas University


after his sophomore year of college, still unclear about what he wanted to do. He attended class when he had to and did his homework, but focused primarily on keeping up
his party lifestyle by joining a fraternity. At
that point in my life, I just didnt care about
anything. All I wanted to do was get drunk,
party, and do stupid things, Shawn recalled.
There, in that fraternity, he met a kid named
Eric Parks. Both Eric and Shawns roommates were kicked out of school during
their first semester, so they became de facto
roommates. Eventually, they became close
friends.
The following year, Eric went home for
Christmas break, someone invited him
to church, and he gave his life to Christ,
Shawn remembered. So when he came
back, he didnt act the same. We had gotten used to all the guys going out to the
bars, drinking, etc., but after that Christmas
break, Eric didnt want to go out any more.
I remember being really confused. It didnt
make sense to any of us.
After that school year was over, Eric
dropped out of college to intern at a church
in Illinois to learn how to be a pastor. Shawn,
still confused by what had happened to Eric,

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remembers going out on a


fire escape, pack of cigarettes in hand, and listening
to Eric try to explain what
had happened to him. I look
back and realize that Eric
was trying to tell me that he
gave his life to God, Shawn
explained, But Erics explanation was so fragmented
that it didnt make sense to me at all. I had
no idea what he was talking about. All I
knew was that it had something to do with a
church, and I was like, That sucks. He was
trying to tell me his story, but I really didnt
get it.

Hollywood
Eric moved to Illinois to work at a church.
Shawn finished school. During Shawns senior year at KU, a fraternity brother told him
there was an acting class that was an easy A
and lots of girls. He was in.
I took the class and actually enjoyed it. As
the semester unfolded, I realized that some
people do this for a living. They get paid
millions to do this. That sounded way better than a 40-hour workweek. So, instead of
getting a regular job, I decided that I would
go get famous. I packed up my Chevy Blazer
and drove to Hollywood. No plan. No real

2013

51

He was trying to
tell me his story,
but I really didnt
get it.

_____________

ALL IS NOT LOST

money. Just hit the road.


Eventually, Shawn started getting jobs behind and in front of the camera, and meeting
a network of famous people in Hollywood.
As he met more people and got more
jobs, he started adopting the lifestyle
they all seemed to gave.
I felt like I was sheltered in Kansas.
So I wanted to live it up and try life in
the fast lane. I started experimenting
with drugs and it wasnt on accident.
I always felt like I was in control, but
eventually that changed. I am not
sure when or where it shifted, but
eventually I developed a dependency on them. I remember thinking, I
better be sure I have enough drugs
for the weekend or I need to make
sure I get my drugs before work so
I can function. Before I knew it, I
was doing a lot of cocaine. I was living in Hollywood, partying, working
on movie sets, meeting girls, and I
remember thinking that my life was
incredible at first. But, eventually,
it started feeling pretty empty and
meaningless.
One night when Shawn was bartending, a
guy walked into the bar who seemed to have
it all. Good looking, famous, rich, and accomplished in the Hollywood sense. He had it together. Shawn remembered looking at him,
and longing to be like him one day. However,
that night, the guy started drinking, doing
drugs, and eventually losing control. What
had looked like a put-together, cool guy who
had it all; now looked like a helpless drunkard, awkwardly hitting on girls.
I remember thinking, Is that where Im
headed? It was the first time I had seen the

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shadow side of the Hollywood lifestyle. I


went home that night didnt sleep much
and I remember getting up the next morning
and standing out on the balcony smoking a
cigarette. New, crazy thoughts were coming
to mind that I had never thought before like,
What does life mean? and If I died tomorrow, would anybody really care?
A week before, Shawn had stayed over at
a friends house when another one of his
friends tried to commit suicide. Waking
up in the middle of the night to the sound
of Will yelling for him, Shawn got up and
went in the next room to find a stack of suicide notes. The one on top said, Shawn and
Will, dont feel bad. You never would have
known. Their friend had locked himself in
the bathroom, taken a lot of pills, and was
convulsing on the floor. Shawn and Will
called 911 and the paramedics came to try
to save him. As Shawn was in the hospital
room looking at his friend hooked up to all
the machines, he started thinking, If I died,
my friends would grieve for an afternoon
and then go out and party that night. My life
is meaningless, fake, and insignificant.
In the weeks following the incident, Shawn
got his first real acting job as the lead in an
independent film. However, he also started
having severe panic attacks. Wrestling with
questions after his friends suicide attempt,
he felt as if he couldnt let his mind rest. In
some cases, he would have to pull over on
the side of the road because he felt like he
couldnt breathe. He needed a break, so he
called his mom, went back to Kansas, and
tried to settle himself down.

The Moment
One afternoon, after nervously pacing

2013

If I died, my friends
would grieve for an
afternoon and then
go out and party that
night. My life is meaningless, fake,
and insignificant.

_____________

ALL IS NOT LOST

around his mothers backyard, he decided


that he was done. He was ready to kill himself. Having seen the method his friend used
a few weeks ago, he knew exactly what he
needed to do. Sitting at the kitchen table,
pills piled in front of him, water bottle beside; he felt a prompting to stop.
I started thinking about heaven and hell. I
wasnt sure if they were real or not. I knew
Id be dead in about 45 minutes, so Id be in
one of them soon. I started to freak out. I
knew my mom was at work and wasnt available to talk. The only other Christian I knew
was Eric. He would call me every once in a
while to tell me he was praying for me, or
something like that, so I knew he would take
my call. I called him, and asked him about
heaven and hell. He stopped me and offered
to fly me to Illinois so we could talk in person. Im not sure why I did, but I agreed and
got on a flight that night. Eric picked Shawn
up at OHare airport in Chicago, and they
talked all the way home.
Shawn remembered, We had some obviously awkward conversations because we
hadnt seen each other in years, and I had
just told him I was about to kill myself. I
started asking him a bunch of questions. He
didnt really have answers, but he told me
his story and took me to church.
It was a suit and tie type of place, and Shawn
showed up in ripped jeans, combat boots,
black leather jacket, and cocaine in his
pocket. Clearly, he felt out of place. The pastor walked on stage to deliver his message as
he always did, but then stopped and said, I
had prepared something to share this morning, but Im feeling a strong prompting not
to give the message. There is someone in the
room tonight who needs God, and needs to
change their life, or it is going to kill them.

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I knew it was me, Shawn said, I didnt


know why, but I knew it was me. I was so
desperate; I decided to make a change. This
was the type of church where you would go
forward and kneel at the steps in front of
the church to have people pray for you. So
I did. When I got there, I remember crying
hard and kneeling there with Eric saying,
Im sorry, God. Im so sorry. And I was. I felt
ashamed of the life I had been living, and I
felt an immense amount of grace that morning.

Back in Hollywood
Shawn stayed in Illinois for a couple more
weeks, and then returned to Hollywood to
finish the acting role he had received before
leaving. When he returned to L.A., he was
faced with the similar situation that Eric
experienced years before at college. Shawns
friends invited him out to party, but Shawn
declined. It was a strange and awkward
time. Shawn would go to small coffee shops,
smoke a pack of cigarettes and try to read
his Bible, attempting to cement in his newfound faith.
One night, a friend of
Shawns invited him to
shoot some pool and
promised that they didnt
have to drink. Shawn
agreed. One thing led
to another, and Shawn
eventually found himself
snorting cocaine in the
bathroom. Shawn recalled, I did more drugs
that night than I had ever
done in my life. I did so
much that I almost overdosed. I remember

2013

There is someone
in the room tonight
who needs God, and
needs to change
their life or it is
going to kill them.

53

_____________

ALL IS NOT LOST

going home that night, puking in my bathroom, and looking in the mirror thinking,
I knew I couldnt do this. I tried to do the
God thing. See, I never can change. I am a
lost cause. I dont have what
it takes.
Shawn woke up the next
morning to a call from the
pastors wife in Illinois.
She had called to check in
on Shawn and see if he was
doing okay. Shawn told her
about the drugs and alcohol from the night before.
He remembers her saying, Shawn, sometimes,
in order to flee evil,
you must run away
from it as far as you
can. If you want a
second chance, you
have to get away from
the people you are
around. Move back to
Illinois and start your
life over.
No car, no money, no plans, and with
three cardboard boxes, Shawn moved to
Rockford, Illinois to live on Erics porch.
He cleaned up his life, joined a small
group, and started seeing amazing
changes in his life. Over time, Shawn
started co-leading the small group with
Eric and was invited to intern at the
same church where Eric worked, so he
could learn how to become a pastor. The
rest is history.

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Amazing Grace
Shawn Johnson received a second chance.
Even though his circumstances and decisions had seemingly boxed him into a life of
addiction, hopelessness, destruction, and
loneliness, God had a different plan for him.
He rescued Shawn.
Eight years later, God connected Shawn
with a group of guys who felt a similar calling to reach the city of Denver with the message of the God of second chances. From the
young kid who said hed never go back to a
church to a humbled, broken young adult
plagued by his addictions, to a pastor at a
growing church in Colorado, God was there
all along. Present. Available. And always
ready to offer a new chance.
When we are at our wits end, all is not lost.
All is not out of control. We are not left
alone. God is here. He is with us. He wants
to change us, recycle us, and put us on a path
of redemption.

Sometimes in order
to flee evil, you must run from
it as far as you can.

2013

_____________

ALL IS NOT LOST

_____________

When we are at our wits end, all is not lost.


All is not out of control. We are not left alone.
God is here.

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55

_____________

BAPTISM

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2013

_____________

BAPTISM

_____________

57

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2013

Adam
She loves it! Adams
beard is a force to be
reckoned with, so
naturally I asked
what his girlfriend
thought. He laughed,
and nodded, but it
would seem that
she was happy
with it. Or had at
least made peace
with the idea of it.

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2013

_____________

Heroes

_____________

hero

By Jessie Davis

Adam Cedillo

Adam settles in, a jovial and happy soul. In a room full of people he is stranger to no one,
and freely jokes with all types. Hilarious and outgoing, Adam made time for this interview
in between church services where he was playing the electric guitar. Just like his guitar
transitions, Adam easily moves from goofy and light-hearted to earnestly transparent.
The first week he invited me I was like, I dont know. Adam had been invited to Red
Rocks Church by a friend named Ben Trombley in early 2005. He was hesitant, Im not a
conservative guy. He laughs. In addition to his beard, Adam has multiple piercings, a full
sleeve of ink, and other tattoos representing everything from his love of motorcycles, to
Darth Vader, to his relationship with God. Despite his reservations, Adam went that first
Sunday. It was small then. There would be about 20 people, and then the band would get
down off the stage and there would be 25.
To his surprise, Adam liked the church. I started getting involved, and I started playing
guitar again. He attributes his love of music as the way he first connected at Red Rocks:
For me, music was a way to get back into church. Adam started playing on weekends, and
warming up to the community at Red Rocks. God was moving in my life in a way I didnt
expect. There were people that were missing in my life that I needed.
As years went on, Adam got involved in the youth group. His high school experience
was hard, and he attributed his experience as a teen to his desire to help with the
students: When I was in high school I didnt have anything to do with church, Adam
remembered. The few times that Adam and his family did attend church, he felt like an
outcast. The mixed-race, long-haired family had what he calls a bad experience. After
graduation from high school, Adam knew he needed to make a change in life, and decided
to venture into a church one more time. He found a connection as a leader at a youth group
in Arvada, and immediately felt right at home helping with the teens.
For me, theres something about the next generation thats so important. I didnt have that
guidance when I was in high school. And giving back to the youth I want them to know
theyre not alone. When you are interacting, and giving to another person, its incredible.
On top of serving the youth at Red Rocks, Adam also spends a great deal of time playing
electric guitar on weekends. The commitment for the worship team is a 12-hour day on
Sundays, from practice at 7AM to the final song at 7PM. But Adam never complains. I just
love to play. Its wonderful to have that outlet. His love of music and passion for worship
are evident with each chord that rings out on Sundays.
Throughout the week, Adam can be found with the students at Red Rocks. He helps lead
small groups at the Wednesday night meetings, and helps with the worship at Youth as
well. Adams intention is to make sure the kids know they are valued and loved. And, with
his fun and amazingly magnetic personality, he does just that. Even if its just one student
I impact, that would be worth it for me. Whether they are going through a great time or
experiencing a hard time, I want them to understand that they have a God who is still there
for them.

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2013

59

_____________

R ed roc k s uni v ersit y

_____________

check
out
this

m i n i stry

L IFE IS A JOUR NEY

LET U S JOI N YOU

MARRIAGE

PARENTING

FINANCIAL

ELECTIVES

REGISTER ONLINE AT REDROCKSCHURCH.COM/RRU

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2013

_____________

MISSIONS

_____________

HAITI
BY Chad Brueg m an

Hey Dad, come on! Lets go play air


hockey! my son Jude yelled, with
the kind of excitement a 4-year-old
boy has when hes celebrating his
birthday at Chuck E. Cheeses.
Hold on son, Ill be there in a
minute, I said.
Normally, I would have headed
over to the air hockey table without
hesitation to enjoy a memorable
moment with my oldest child on
his birthday. But this moment was
different. I found myself staring at
a television, in Chuck E. Cheeses,
completely shocked by the images
I was seeing on the news. Haiti
had just been hit with a massive
earthquake.
This wasnt a typical, run-of-themill, California tremor. It was an

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61

_____________

MISSIONS

_____________

earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale. It wasnt an earthquake where people ducked for a minute and then
it was all over, or where a few buildings have some glass shattered and a local grocery store has some food knocked
off the shelves. It was 40 utterly destructive seconds where the earth shook, the ground split, buildings fell, and a
country was devastated. The Haitian government estimates that roughly 316,000 people lost their lives on that day
and approximately 1,000,000 people became homeless.
After almost four decades on this earth, Ive learned that life is ripe with irony. On this day, January 12, 2010, the
irony for my family was thick. Here we were, having the time of our lives running around a pizza parlor surrounded
by family, friends, endless game selections, and a whole lot of laughter. Watching the sheer joy of a healthy, energetic
boy living life to its fullest. The way every child deserves to live, right?
And then, in an instant, the world changed. I was smacked upside the head with the sobering realization that only a
thousand miles away, tens of thousands of children just lost their parents, brothers, or sisters. Perhaps they lost their
own lives. If they had survived, their homes, their schools, and their communities were demolished. Destroyed. Gone.
If the old adage is true, The rich keep getting richer, then you can flip that statement around and say, The poor
keep getting poorer. Haiti, for a long time now, has had the unfortunate distinction of being the poorest country in
our Western Hemisphere. On January 12, 2010, the earthquake made the poorest nation significantly poorer.
I went home from Judes party that night and continued to watch coverage about the earthquake. I tried, with little

> RRC has 511 total Compassion International sponsorships


> In one Sunday, Red Rocks Church raised more than $15,000 to
build a cafeteria for Sans Fil Assemblies of God in Haiti.

> That same cafeteria now feeds over 250 children a day.

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_____________

MISSIONS

_____________

Gods response was simple, yet brilliant in


timeless truth. It was a one-sentence answer:
"Love your neighbor as yourself."

success, to process a tragedy of that magnitude.


I asked God the questions we all do when things
like this happen. Why God? Why Haiti? Why
those kids and not mine?
I dont know if your experience with God is like
mine. Every time I embark on the mission to
figure out Gods sovereign mode of operation, I
find myself not only coming up short for answers,
but I also find God redirecting the questions. In
loving fashion, he always seems to get my mind
away from all the why questions and he turns
my heart and mind to the what questions. What
am I going to do about this? What can I do to help?
What do I possess that I can use or give away to be
a blessing to this country that finds itself on the
brink of total ruin?
I find it interesting that I could spend my whole life
trying to figure out why God allows certain things
to happen and still never have those questions fully
answered before I die. But when I start asking God
the what questions, I usually have a response
from him in minutes. That night, as I was praying
and processing the tragedy with God, I had answers
to the what questions within minutes.

63

Gods response was simple, yet brilliant in


timeless truth. It was a one-sentence answer:
Love your neighbor as yourself. In other words,
do for them what you hope one of them would do
for you if you were in their shoes. I immediately
knew I could help financially. Whether I gave 10
bucks to the Red Cross, 100 bucks to Convoy of
Hope, or maybe even more to another disaster
relief organization, that was a no-brainer.
But then I had to look not just at my checkbook,
but also at my bank account of influence. I
instantly thought about Red Rocks Church.
God had given me an influential voice in a
congregation of 3,000 people (at the time). I knew
I had to go to our directional leadership team and
cast the vision for doing our part as a church to
rebuild Haiti. It came as no surprise to me that
the directional leadership team was instantly
on board. Shawn, our boss and Lead Pastor, gave
me the green light to do whatever I thought was
the best way to use our churchs influence and
resources to offer an eternal and practical helping
hand to earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Problem: I had no idea how to best coordinate

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2013

_____________

We can be a church
that spends an
endless amount
of time swimming
(or should I say,
drowning) in the
pool of the "why," or
we can be a church
that is compelled
by the "what."

MISSIONS

_____________

church resources and influence. Problem Solver: God. When you get involved in Gods business
(make no mistake, reaching out to a third world nation in complete despair is unequivocally Gods
business!), God, as I once heard a great preacher say, gets involved in your business! That is
exactly what He did.
Enter Jason Graves. We refer to Jason and his wife, Adrienne, as Red Rocks Original Gangstas
(our slang term for the few of you who were at our church from the very beginning). Jason had just
taken a job with an amazing and God-ordained not-for-profit organization called Compassion
International. He was heading up a new child survival department that they were developing. To
make a long story short, Jason and I started talking about the opportunities that were available
for Red Rocks to help in Haiti. Compassion has a program where an individual can provide basic
things such as food, water, and education for a Haitian child for around $38 a month (or a half tank
of American gasoline). The more I talked with Jason about the potential partnership, the quicker
it became a simple decision. We had 3,000 people at Red Rocks, most of whom had the ability to
easily sponsor a child for $38 a month.
Fast forward several months later and Jason, Carson Bankord (Red Rocks amazing videographer),
and I were on a plane to Haiti. We planned to meet some of the earthquake-torn families and kids we
were going to help. And we did. The trip was what I expected it to be sobering, overwhelming, and
full of the presence of God. We shot hours and hours of video footage, heard endless stories from the
Haitians, and were captured by a country I previously knew nothing about.
At the end of our time in Haiti, we boarded the plane with full hearts, five jars of spicy peanut
butter (a Haitian specialty you can bank on being in heaven), and an anxious excitement to present
the vision to the church.
A few weeks later, I had the privilege of standing before the congregation and asking many of
them to sponsor a child. Honestly, I had the number 300 in my mind that day. Thats how many
kids I was hoping and praying we could sponsor. At the end of our third (and last) service, we didnt
meet our goal. We blew it out of the water. Almost 600 kids got sponsors that day!

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_____________

MISSIONS

_____________

Now, Im no mathematician (shut up, Shawn!), but 600 sponsorships at $38 per month equals $22,800 given each
month. Multiply that by 12 months in a year, and thats $273,600 given in a year. That Sunday, I did what you just did.
I got out a calculator and made sure those numbers were accurate. We committed to giving beautiful kids in Haiti a
quarter of a million dollars for the year in just one Sunday!
It didnt end there. Since our last Compassion Sunday, we have sponsored a child survival program in Haiti that helps
single mothers get the basic things they need to mother their children well. We have taken on a church partnership
through Compassions C2C (church to church) program where we provide Pastor G and his rapidly-growing
church with a filtration pump system for all the kids within the church to have an endless supply of clean water. We
are financing a project for them to build a brand new cafeteria to feed the 400 kids who go to the Compassion school
every day. Additionally, we have sent a team to Haiti to visit their sponsored kids and do practical ministry with our
partner church. I wish I could tell you all that we have in the works for 2013 because its about to go to another level!
However, youll need to wait until our next Compassion Sunday.
As I reflect upon all God has done in and through this church since we stepped up to help our Haitian neighbors,
I have a distinct takeaway. We can be a church that spends an endless amount of time swimming (or should I say,
drowning) in the pool of the why, or we can be a church that is compelled by the what, What do you want from us,
God? What can we do to help make heaven more crowded and Earth more whole?
If these types of questions are our driving force, the possibilities are endless! Not just in Denver, but around
the world.

> Through Compassion International sponsorships, Red Rocks


Church members have sent over $273,600 to children in Haiti
and in other countries around the world.
> We raised $78,020.63 for Michael McNamee and his
ministry with Convoy of Hope

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65

_____________

STATS & FACTS

_____________

> > R ed R o c k s rando m < <

Stats
FActS
and

2,274
new believers
NINETY

SIX

have viewed rrc


sermons online

1,431
people joined

31,733 Views
OF AT THE SQUARE ON YOUTUBE

countries

in 2012

THIS PAST
YEAR WE
LAUNCHED NEW SATTELITE CAMPUS

98

LIFE GROUPS
LAUNCHED IN

208 TotalLife Groups 2012

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2013

lifegroups
in2012

36

the Number of
videos made by
red Rocks in
the past year

_____________

STATS & FACTS

14

) TEN

30

SPORTS

OUTREACH
EVENTS

LEAGUES 1,473 SPORTS PARTICIPANTS

RED ROCKS CHURCH SERVED

_____________

1,700 people

attended the littleton

campus launch

IN 2 0 1 2

8,795

people attended
Christmas @
Red Rocks Church
over 2 days and

Services
it to ok

511
14X

CITIES
REPRESENTED
@RRC

t hre e
1,450 hrs
desig ne rs

to des ig n th is
m agaz ine

it takes
CHAD HAS LOCKED
HIS KEYS IN HIS CAR

175

152,000
cups of coffee

362

host volunteers &

People were
baptized in 2012

IN TWO THOUSAND TWELVE

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197 Kids Rock


volunteers to run
every Sunday

67

Charlotte was energetic


as she entered my office,
set down her coat and bag
and happily chatted about
her day. She laughed as I hit
the record button. Im nervous!
This is so awesome! In the years
I have known Charlotte, she has
brought this type of energy and
vitality to every project she
was a part of. Nerves aside,
Charlotte was boisterous
and sincere in her
answers.

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_____________

Heroes

_____________

hero

By Jessie Davis

Charlotte began attending Red Rocks Church in September of 2007. A friend and coworker at Wahoos Fish Taco suggested she try the church, a recommendation she
appreciated the moment she walked in. The message was so for me. It was hard hitting.
She immediately started volunteering with the caf team. I wanted to meet people, she
says. So she jumped in, helping and volunteering in any way she could.
Over the next 5 years, Charlotte helped, served, and aided in nearly every part of the
functioning of the church. She brewed coffee, greeted at the front door, and helped in Kids
Rock. In 2010 she went to FUEL, the young adults ministry, and became heavily involved
there.
Creative at heart, Charlotte first found a knack for photography her sophomore year of
high school. I took photography and graphic design, and then my senior year I was in a
photography competition called Skills USA, she beams. Which I won. My senior year, I
met a husband and wife photography team. I went to work for them and was their assistant
for five years they taught me everything I know. In 2010, Charlotte formed her own
business called Red Photography. She was 21 years old.
As she became more involved at the church, she poured her creativity into her
volunteering. At FUEL, she did graphic design and signage, helped create series ideas,
learned Final Cut Pro for video editing and helped come up with stage design concepts.
She also began volunteering with the weekend production team for Sunday services in
Golden, first as a camera operator, and later as a video director.
All of this she did with a joy and energy that was contagious.
When I ask why she gives so much, and where her endless energy and joy come from,
she answers simply: Its fun. She laughs and thinks a bit, I like to be behind the scenes
on things, and to know that Im helping to make the big picture. I like thinking out of
the box. Thinking big. Trying different things. I like expressing myself visually. I think
the visual side of things is so important. It takes it to the next level. Creating emotion.
Capturing their heart. Creating feeling. Having them see something they havent seen
before.
Charlotte spends a large amount of her free time creating such elements for the church
she has come to call home. I will work a full day, but then I get to come home and create
and have fun at night. Its not like work!
Being a part of this church is the best thing thats ever happened to me. she says
sincerely. For the average person, Charlottes schedule of work, creativity, and service
would seem daunting. But Charlotte views it very differently, Its rewarding, to be a part.
Not only that, but she attributes her close-knit friendships to her involvement at Red
Rocks, the most rewarding friendships Ive ever experienced have come out of this time.
Her optimism, life, and zeal shone through to the very end of the interview. When asked
what she hopes people will receive from her service, she smiles: This church has changed
my life. I hope that me giving back will affect people the same way.

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FUEL

_____________

check
out
this

m i n i stry

BECAUSE SOME OF THE

BIGGEST
DECISIONS
IN YOUR LIFE

A R E M A D E I N YO U R

TWENTIES
...DONT DO IT ALONE.

OUR MI SSI ON:


BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION
OF WHOLE-HEARTED DISCIPLES
ENGAGE THE CITY OF DENVER
LOVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING

visit us at :
redrockschurch.co m/fuel

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J o h n ortber g

_____________

I have come that they might have life, and have it with abundance.
This is one of Jesus most famous sayings. But, when he says hes come to give abundant life, what exactly is he
promising?
Life turns out to be one of those words that everybody knows, but is surprisingly tricky to define. (You might
give it a try yourself!) Here is the best definition I can come up with: life is the inner power to make something
happen.
Put a rock on the ground and it just lies there. Put a seed in the ground, and something happens. It takes in
nourishment from the ground and begins to grow. It receives from and gives back to the world. Something
happens because the seed has life in it. Otherwise, that would not happen. To be alive is to change the world.
Animals can perceive the world and move about; therefore, they can make more happen than seeds can make
happen. When it comes to human beings, it becomes astonishing. We can accomplish amazing things when
we set our minds to it. This drive to make something happen is present and precious in every person. It is why
little kids love activity boxes, Legos, or kitchen sets. They want to push buttons, turn dials, spin wheels, and
open lids. They want to draw and invent and create. They want to make something happen.
God placed this in us. It is part of being made in His image. He created Adam and Eve and gave them a creation
mandate: Here is your activity box. Have dominion. Sow a seed. Tame an animal. Plant a garden. Make something happen. It is the glory of a living thing to make something happen. It is the glory of a human being to
make great things happen -- for God, with God. When circumstances or failures beat this quality down inside
of us, we feel dead and lifeless. This explains why passivity can be so de-humanizing.
Jesus came to give you power far beyond your own ability to make wonderful things happen in the world. This
power begins to come to fruition when our thoughts and desires become rooted in him, just as a seed becomes
rooted in the ground. Then, out of the abundance of confidence and joy in this inner life flow creativity and
strength to make good things happen around us.

So today, be a make something happen kind of person. Invite Jesus to do this with you. When youre in a
meeting and an idea comes to you; say it. When youre with someone who is discouraged; encourage him or
her. Write a note, say a prayer, tell someone thanks, call a friend, notice beauty, challenge your mind, solve a
problem, give a gift to someone who needs it, take someone to lunch, build a business, plant a church, volunteer, sow a seed, or plant a garden.
Be abundantly alive.
Make something happen.

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C h ad v s . s h awn

_____________

TANNING BED GOGGLE LINES

I WEAR A HARLEY HELMET TO HIDE


MY GREY HAIR

GO AS WHITE AS YOU CAN GO

I ARE
FROM KANSAS

WATCH-A-HOLIC

I ACTUALLY THINK IM PART


OF THE L.A. LAKERS

11 SURGERIES

ROBUST BOOT AND SHOE COLLECTION

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C h ad v s . s h awn

_____________

GOD, FAMILY, 9ERS

FAKE GLASSES TO MAKE ME


LOOK AND FEEL
SMARTER

IM A BELIEBER

LIVE TO EAT

DRINK TO LIVE

GOT THIS TATTOO JUST FOR A


SERMON ILLUSTRATION

I SPEND 90% OF MY LIFE IN


AIR JORDAN SHORTS

I REALLY DO SHAVE MY LEGS

RUNNING SHOE AFICIONADO

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hero
If you met Malena
today, you would
immediately pick up
on the fact that she
is not your average
high school senior.
She is obviously and
refreshingly different.
She exudes selfconfidence and yet is
approachable
and sweet.

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Heroes

_____________

Malena

By Cori Cook

The thing I notice first is her amazing personal style. It most certainly isnt trendy in
a high school sort of way. It is actually completely unique and often includes Decadeinspired accessories selected from the local thrift store. She is most certainly an old soul;
appreciating things often missed by her generation, like vintage records, great music,
old photos, sewing you get the point. What is subtle at first, but quite beautiful when it
comes into focus is the very real, authentic way that Jesus is using Malenas life to impact
his kingdom.
Malena grew up in Spokane, Washington. The summer before her sophomore year, her
family moved to Golden. She spent the remainder of her summer dreading being the new
girl at Golden High School. She hated the idea of moving and admits, I was lonely and
scared. She spent the first few weeks of school eating lunch in the library. She and her
family had attended a church in Spokane, so when they arrived in Golden, she, her mother,
and her stepfather began the process of finding a church. When she recalls her first
experience at Red Rocks, she mentions, I remember it being different. Chad was speaking
and he was funny. And there was a rock band. And a lot of people my age. We could tell
right off the bat that this church was going to be a place we wanted to be a part of.
She wasnt as sure about Youth Group. Youth Group was still a weird idea for me, laughs
Malena. Although everyone at Youth was really happy and friendly, she was getting weary
of always being the new girl. Still, her parents made her go, and it paid off one evening after
Kristine Powell, one of the female youth leaders, took her out and they were able to get to
know one another over smoothies. It was nice, because she had been 'new' before, so she
could identify with me and there was finally someone who I could talk to about it.
Things started to change for Malena, as she began to adjust to her new school and home.
She got involved at Red Rocks Youth and joined a sophomore girls life group. She had
always believed in God, but it was at Youth where her faith began to grow. One night during
worship, she raised her hand to accept Christ and be saved. She says, I knew I already
believed in God. But I thought, "This is what I am going to do. I am going to be a Christian
now. I am going to stand up for my faith. When people ask me what I am, Im going to say,
'I am a Christian.
Like a small seed that grows into a beautifully large plant, Malenas faith grew. She didnt
even realize the ways she was changing in the moment. God was such a natural part of her
life that she began talking about him more at school, talking about church, and inviting
friends to come. And they did. One friend, Elijah, visited, and the message seemed to really
speak to her. So Malena kept inviting her. She was becoming bolder and less afraid and
knew that Elijah needed God. Soon, Elijah too gave her life to the Lord. And Elijah invited
her sister. And Elijahs sister invited her friends and their boyfriends. And it continues on.
Even Elijahs parents are giving church a try. It was contagious. It was cool because the
people I saw at church were also the people I went to school with. Those two groups kind
of merged. It was like, if youre friends with Malena and Elijah, you have to at least try
church with us, says Malena.
Malena also began volunteering her time at Red Rocks Youth. After attending a workshop
for weekend service production volunteers, she approached her youth pastor, JB Powell,
and asked if she could help with sound and slides at Youth. The following week, she was
sitting in the back in the sound booth. Later, when an opportunity came up to play guitar
in the youth band, Malena jumped at the chance. Although she had always suffered from
severe stage fright, she felt like Youth Group was the perfect opportunity to get some
experience on stage and get over her fear. Malena serves in other ways too on the student
leadership team, on annual youth mission trips to Mexico, and by opening her home and
baking treats each week for her girls life group. When asked why she serves, she answers
simply, It is more fun for me.
Ive had the opportunity to know Malena the past three years, and if you know her for any
time, you will hear her life plans: graduate, get a degree in music, and start a rock band.
I am fairly confident she will do this. And like her favorite rock star, Grace Potter, I think
Malena will make beautiful music. I am confident of this because of the way I have seen
God use her life to orchestrate a beautiful symphony of his own.

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RED ROCKS YOUTH

_____________

check
out
this

m i n i stry

1 Youth Group // 2 Locations

At the Golden & Littleton Campuses


Red Rocks Youth is a vibrant group of students that meets weekly to
grow closer in their relationships with God as well as other students
in the area. RRY aims to reach students through relevant videos,
games, life-groups, teaching and worship. Our goal is to reach
students who dont know Christ, as well as develop students into
passionate followers of Christ. We meet for youth services and life
groups in addition to quarterly retreats, camps and other activities.
If you are a teenager, come be a part of this fast growing and exciting
environment!
For more information or questions about RRY,
contact Andrew Matrone: andrew@redrockschurch.com

facebook.com/redrocksyouth

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M U LT I - S I T E

_____________

Monsters, Aliens,
And Multi-Site Churches
I wa s a s k e p t i c t o o .

by Scott Bruegman

77

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We are compelled
to expand and
make heaven
more crowded.

M U LT I - S I T E

_____________

When it comes to churches that use video technology for teaching at multiple locations,
it can feel a little bit like a Big Foot sighting. Weve all heard the stories and maybe even
seen a picture, but remain skeptical that its real. I have yet to meet anyone who was more
oppositional to a church with video teaching than I was. I was also skeptical of the first
wave of cell phones, iTunes and social media. The multi-site church model may never
become as ubiquitous as Facebook, but I have been proven wrong about its usefulness and
effectiveness. I have seen it with my own eyes and its real.
It stands to reason that a multi-site church with video teaching shouldnt work. How could
we expect people to attend, enjoy and benefit from a church where the teaching is projected
on screens and amplified over a PA system? Furthermore, how could we expect people to
put up with a church where they couldnt actually have a conversation with the pastor every
week? This whole approach to church expansion seems kind of pretentious and arrogant,
right? As a leader, my mind went even further with this frustrating new concept of church.
This model will actually halt the potential of young, developing pastoral leaders, I said. The
reasons for not expanding into a satellite model church were abundant and clear.
In August of 2012, the Leadership Network released a report stating that over 5,000
churches are now multi-site churches (churches that meet in more than one location
for worship). Red Rocks Church is now part of this statistic. Im sure that the reasons for
starting a multi-site model are numerous. Its innovative, its efficient, its trendy and the
list goes on. The leadership of Red Rocks Church decided to embrace a multi-site model
because we just plain had to. We are compelled to expand and make heaven more crowded.
We were out of room and needed to create more space for people to discover God, grow in
their faith and knowledge of God, and then be empowered and equipped to do Gods work. As

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M U LT I - S I T E

_____________

long as people continue to invite others, and as long as God continues to show up and change
lives, we will continue to create space.
There were and still are a lot of notable changes that the church had to go through while
becoming a multi-site church. First, we had to place an emphasis on organization. This
meant that we had to create a centralized structure to support the ministries at each
location. This allowed for the churches to work independently while maintaining a vital
connection to one another. Second, we had to enhance our focus on technology. The
potential for problems and margin for error increased substantially the day we decided to
connect our two locations via video. Finally we had to place a strong emphasis on the Red
Rocks Church culture. How in the world were we going to be able to replicate the experience
of Red Rocks Church? Is there another theme park around? It was at this point that we
were once again reminded that Church is not a building or even a location. The venue would
change, but the culture, the teaching, the worship, the ministry to children, and the emphasis
on reaching the lost and lifting up the name of Jesus would not! Finding an abandoned, rundown dinner theater for our second location didnt hurt either.

We were once
again reminded
that Church is not
a building or even
a location.

On Easter Sunday of 2012, Red Rocks Church officially became a multi-site church with
the launching of the Littleton Campus. Not only did this create room to grow at the Golden
location, but it created opportunities to involve more leaders, volunteers and ultimately to
reach out to more people.
As of this writing, there are over 6,000 people attending Red Rocks Church each week. Over
1,600 of that number attend the Littleton Campus. Needless to say, growing to this size at the
Golden site alone would have been impossible, or at least unhealthy. Expanding the church

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_____________

Each campus
is specifically
designed to have
a gifted pastoral
leadership team
to meet the needs
of that local
church body.

M U LT I - S I T E

_____________

to multiple locations has proven to be a health benefit. In addition to making heaven more
crowded, there is a high value placed on making sure everyone is needed and known at the
church. Expanding in this way lends itself to reaching this goal. There are more staff pastors,
more volunteers, more life group leaders and a greater chance to meet the felt needs of each
church community.
In a recent survey taken at the Littleton Campus, we found the results to be a confirmation
of the decision to expand to a new location. When asked if a person or family considered the
Littleton Campus their home church, 93% said yes. When asked why they chose to make it
their home, 75% said it was because of convenience.
For those who may still be a bit skeptical of the multi-site experience being legitimate, just
take time to talk to some of the regulars at the church. The teaching experience is the same. I
mean, they watch the screens at the Littleton Campus the same way the screens are viewed
in Golden. The worship experience is of the same caliber and style, the family ministries
departments feel and work the same. And, the people who attend the Littleton Campus
converse with their pastoral staff just as much if not more. This is just one more reason
that spreading out to smaller venues around the metro area is a benefit to the church. Each
campus is specifically designed to have a gifted pastoral leadership team to meet the needs of
that local church body.
What is the long term expansion plan of Red Rocks Church? Creating more space in more
locations for more people to put their hope and faith in Jesus Christ. Thats it! So to all who
are skeptical of a thriving multi-site model of church, just remember what your response
was when you first heard about a church meeting in an old, quirky, run-down amusement
park. In this coming year, we invite you to join us as we move forward with our vision, and
find campus number three. If its anything like our foundations, the new site will be quirky
and fun, and will convert even the strongest of skeptics.

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