A N N U A L R E P O R T

T H E M I S S I O N

We exist to reach the unchurched and awaken the spirituallyrestless to love God and love people.

H E L L O

If you had told me when I was a 15 year-old kid sitting in Algebra II that I would grow up to love numbers, I would have said you were off your rocker. And yet, here I am, reading through the numbers of this book with tear-filled eyes. Ephesians 3:20 promises us that Jesus is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine, and in Rock City’s fourth year, we’ve experienced just that! He’s doing more than we could have ever imagined! What you’ll see in the pages of this book is the faithfulness of God at work during our fourth year as a church. You’ll see His faithfulness in the numbers and in the stories those numbers represent. What is happening at Rock City is not normal and we don’t take any of it for granted. Not even for a second!

Jesus is changing our city! One number - one name - at a time. And the exciting thing is ... this is only the beginning. I am so honored and thankful to be your pastor, serving alongside of you, and loving this city with you, with the same love Jesus has for every single one of us. 4 years ... and the best is yet to come!

Chad Fisher \ Lead Pastor

1,672

988

575

283

Y E A R 4

876 DECISIONS8 7 6 P E O P L E M A D E A P E R S O N A L D E C I S I O N T O F O L L O W J E S U S I N Y E A R 4

APR

At Rock City, we talk a lot about “getting on your mark.” To us, it is a beautiful description of what happens when we choose to put our faith and trust in Jesus. It’s like putting your feet to the starting line ... the moment you decide to receive Jesus as your Savior and trust and follow Him with your life.

A V E R A G E M O N T H L Y A T T E N D A N C E

Y E A R 3

1,448

1,070

537

203

MAY

1,469

1,033

558

190

JUN

1,475

981

674

224

JUL

1,592

1,063

590

204

AUG

1,813

1,141

721

318

SEP

Y E A R 2

Y E A R 1

876 DECISIONS8 7 6 P E O P L E M A D E A P E R S O N A L D E C I S I O N T O F O L L O W J E S U S I N Y E A R 4

A V E R A G E M O N T H L Y A T T E N D A N C E

1,813 1,654

1,185

647

348

OCT

1,908

1,557

763

376

NOV

1,751

1,670

770

393

DEC

2,073

1,422

920

399

JAN

1,928

1,628

1037

457

FEB

2,200+

1,409

1045

415

MAR

2,544+ D E C I S I O N S S I N C E L A U N C H

This Christmas more than 2,600 people attended one of our Christmas Eve Worship Experiences and 46 people made a decision for Christ.

C H R I S T M A S 2 0 1 4

When God led me to Rock City I was in a season of unknown. I didn’t know what my future held or where my career would take me. I was so discouraged and I remember praying for God to lead me to a church where I could serve Him … where I could find my purpose.

I met one of the pastors of Rock City while volunteering for a ministry that serves in Haiti. In that first conversation, I heard myself asking: “Does Rock City need any help with anything?” Just a few days later I was volunteering at the Lennox Campus. I volunteered for that first worship experience and never looked back. I was home.

God has moved in my life in so many ways since that day. God is using me to influence others. I see God’s plan for my life unfolding around me. I have vision. I desire to be in full-time ministry and hope that I can be a pastor someday. I have mentors who speak into my life daily and most importantly ...

I have a family.

I H A V E A F A M I L Y

I H A V E A F A M I L YM A R T Y M C C R A R Y

3 0 7

At that moment heaven was opened ... and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.

Matthew 3:16

B A P T I S M S I N Y E A R 4

6 7 0 B A P T I S M S S I N C E L A U N C H

Rock City Church is recognized as one of the Top 20 Fastest-Growing Churches in America for the

second consecutive year by Outreach Magazine.

T O P 2 0 F A S T E S T G R O W I N G C H U R C H E S

I N A M E R I C A

2 0 1 3 2 0 1 4

#17 #18

Y E A R 4 A T A G L A N C E

At Rock City Kids, we want to help every child learn how to love God and love people on his or her level, as we serve them in a way that

radiates Christ’s passion and love for all of us.

R O C K C I T Y K I D S

A V E R A G E W E E K L Y A T T E N D A N C E

F I R S T - T I M E F A M I L I E S

R O C K C I T Y K I D S V O L U N T E E R S

1 6 1

3 6 1

2 6 2

F I R S T - T I M E K I D S

5 7 1

Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.

P R O V E R B S 2 2 : 6

B R A D B O W E R S

I was raised in a Christian family. We went to church every Sunday but I had never really connected with God. As I entered my teens, negative peer pressure got the best of me. I made mistakes I regret. It sounds cliché but I was completely and totally lost.

About a year ago, one of my very best friends invited me to a Rock City Youth Night. That first week I was pretty quiet and was just kind of going through the motions. Something was different about the youth leaders and students there though. I could tell they really loved God and that He was real in their lives. After the first night, I decided that I was done with the activities that were dragging me away from my

family and God. A few weeks later I started attending Rock City on Sunday mornings and I loved it! I’d never felt the presence of God like I did there.

Since I’ve started attending Rock City and Rock City Youth, I’ve re-dedicated my life to Jesus. I can’t imagine what terrible place I’d be in if it weren’t for God leading me here.

God is so good.

G O D I S S O G O O D

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow

weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I S A I A H 4 0 : 3 1

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100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

E V E R Y N U M B E R H A S A N A M E

208

378

531

927

230

385

654

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232

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EVERY NAME HAS A STORY, AND EVERY STORY MATTERS TO GOD.

In 2014, we began meeting monthly in the Short North, gathering hundreds in the heart of our city for nights

of worship and prayer. What began as a simple idea has turned into a miraculous and mighty move of God.

T E A M N I G H T I N T H E S H O R T N O R T H

“That feeling ... every time I give a kid a high-five before Rock City Kids, or witness a mother’s smile as her little girl is fitted for new shoes at a Rock City Christmas Give ... that feeling is irreplaceable.”

V O L U N T E E R S P O T L I G H TS T E W S M I T H / R O C K C I T Y K I D S C H E C K - I N V O L U N T E E R

V O L U N T E E R S P O T L I G H T

In June 2011, Rock City Church sent our first team on a global missions trip to Choluteca, Honduras. Our team’s mission was to help build homes for familes living in extreme poverty and suffering the effects of HIV/AIDS, as well as to share the life-giving message of Jesus through evangelism and outreach. 165 Hondurans gave their life to Christ on that first trip and our first home was built for a family in depserate need. In 2014, we built a fifth home and continue to send teams as we support our partner churches throughout Central America.

On March 3, 2013, a small group of leaders from Rock City Church stood on the foundation of what would be a Children’s Development Center in San Salvador, El Salvador. Though, at the time, only gravel and a few cement blocks, a vision was cast to bring hope and healing to a community in desperate need. Through the generosity of the people of Rock City Church, $50,000 was given to fund the completion of both the Development Center and a Medical Clinic. On November 18, 2013, Pastor Victor and his team formally dedicated the center as a permanent gift of hope to the Guayabo community. Today, the Children’s Development Center serves more than 175 children a week. Offering medical care, daily nutrition, academic support and spiritual guidance to children in greatest need, the development center offers a holistic approach to healing a child in extreme poverty and oppression. Through a portion of One for One, Rock City is able to provide a full-time doctor and medical assistant as well as medication to support the needs of a community of more than 5,000 families. On March 2, 2014, 106 children were individually sponsored by the generous people of Rock City Church. Through continued financial support, each of these children will now have permanent access to the full offerings of the development center as well as continued free medical and dental care.

Our efforts in Central America are just a small part of our Beyond Our Walls impact, but for us, will always represent the beginnings of what we believe will be a much larger global impact.

B E Y O N D O U R W A L L S

B E Y O N D O U R W A L L S

H O N D U R A S 2 0 1 4

For every person who walks through our doors, we give $1 to meet a local or global need. In year 4 we gave:

O N E F O R O N E

$91,691

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P A R T N E R S

C O M P A S S I O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L

G R E A T C O M M I S S I O N L A T I N A M E R I C A

A S S O C I A T I O N O F R E L A T E D C H U R C H E S

A L P H A M I N I S T R I E S

N E W H O P E M O L D O V A

D A R E 2 S H A R E M I N I S T R I E S

L O C A L P A R T N E R S

T H E H O M E L E S S F A M I L I E S F O U N D A T I O N

W E I N L A N D P A R K E L E M E N T A R Y

T H E G A R D E N C H U R C H

B E T T E R W A Y M I N I S T R I E S

E A K I N E L E M E N T A R Y

W E S T H I G H S C H O O L

T H E S A L V A T I O N A R M Y

O H I O W O M E N ’ S R E F U G E

A T H L E T E S I N A C T I O N - O S U

Y O U N G L I F E - O S U

I N T E R N A T I O N A L F R I E N D S H I P S

M O U N D S T R E E T E L E M E N T A R Y

M I D - O H I O F O O D B A N K

As our church has grown, so has our ability to make an impact in our city and around the world. Below are some of the organzations we were blessed to partner with and serve during our 4th year.

G O A N D D O

Through our Year-End Christmas Give, Rock City Church was able to provide 50 motorcycles to pastors in India planting churches where no Christian church currently exists. For many of these pastors, this is their only mode of transportation. Through our partnership with Alpha Ministries, we are able to bring hope and provide support and encouragement to pastors and families on the front lines in hostile environments. Home to more than half the world’s unreached people groups, North India is experiencing a tremendous move of God and we are thankful to be partnered with the church on the front lines, advancing the Gospel no matter the cost.

In this photo: Pastor Chad is teaching and enouraging pastors on the front lines through Alpha Ministry’s IMPACT Conference, which trained more than 4,700 church planters and Christian leaders in 2014.

I N D I A

1,200Pair of shoes given during the Christmas Give (Columbus & San Salvador)

B E Y O N D O U R W A L L S

1,000Loaded backpacks and supplies given to children in need

334Winter coats provided to local families in need

350Loads of laundry washed during Laundry Love

$879 ,263Amount given Beyond Our Walls for local and global outreach and ministry projects

$52 ,750Amount given to planting brand new life-giving churches

4 6 0ARC churches

planted to-date

$ 1 7 MAmount given to

missions by ARC

churches

2 0 , 8 5 6Total launch day

attendance in 2014

9 0Churches planted

by ARC in 2014

2 4 0Average launch day

attendance

9 7 9Launch day decisions

for Christ

50Motorcycles given to pastors planting churches in India

10 ,000Bibles distributed in Turkey through New Hope Eurasia

19,604

107

Volunteer hours servedBeyond Our Walls

People on mission trips

B O W S H O W C A S E

About two years ago our family began volunteering on Rock City’s Homeless Ministry Team. It seemed simple enough. We thought we’d be walking together, supplying food and clothing to those who needed it. Little did we know God’s plan was to use serving the “outcast” to transform our lives! He quickly filled our hearts with love for the homeless in our city.

As our team has grown, so has our impact. Each week we share God’s Word. Their community has become our community. We hurt with them. We pray with them. We celebrate in their successes of sobriety, small and big steps forward and even birthdays. We are one family.

Rock City’s weekly Homeless Ministry is equipping our son Isaac, not only to serve here in our city, but also abroad. This past year he travelled twice with Rock City to serve in Honduras!

As parents, it is such a privilege to train our children in the right ways to serve others and it is a blessing to have a church that provides opportunities for us to grow and serve together as a family.

We will never be the same.

W E W I L L N E V E R B E T H E S A M E

W E W I L L N E V E R B E T H E S A M E

T H E P A R R E T T F A M I L Y

In Year 4 we launched our second multi-site campus in response to the growth we were experiencing in the heart of our city.

On Easter Sunday, 2014, the doors of the Rock City Fawcett Center Campus opened on the campus of The Ohio State University. Nearly 500 people joined us for that very first worship experience, and in just a few short months, nearly 100 people have made a decision for Christ.

We will forever be grateful for those who said “yes, I will go,” and we will forever be grateful to God for giving us the opportunity to reach more, give more and serve more than ever before.

F A W C E T T C A M P U S

11,596,545 - Population of Ohio1.9 Million - Population of greater Columbus81.6% of Ohio doesn’t attend church83.3% of our city is unchurched

G E T T I N G T H E W O R D O U T

W E B S I T E V I E W S

238,733+

F A C E B O O K F A N S

3,130+

B L O G V I E W S

12,320+

S E R M O N V I E W S O N L I N E

13,516+

T W I T T E R F O L L O W E R S

2,700+

V I M E O V I D E O V I E W S

47,106+

H O M E S R E C E I V I N G A N I N V I T A T I O N I N T H E M A I L

402,340

T I M & L I S A B E T H E L

Just over a year ago our family walked through the doors of the Rock City Regal Campus, not quite sure what God had in store for us. We were immediately overwhelmed by the love and acceptance we were shown.

One of the things we have learned to love most about Rock City is the incredible focus put on reaching the unchurched and spiritually restless in our community. The opportunities to serve are endless.

Last fall we joined a LifeGroup and now we have the honor and privilege of leading our own LifeGroup. Connecting to a LifeGroup was a turning point in our spiritual growth.

Rock City is a place where you can run after God’s purpose for your life and serve the needs of others. We are so excited to be a part of what God is doing in this city through our church!

The best is yet to come!

L I F E G R O U P W A S A T U R N I N G P O I N T

33%

O P E R A T I O N A L B U D G E T

M I N I S T R Y O P E R A T I O N S

O P E R A T I O N A L B U D G E T

Ministry Operations Includes: Future Fund + Savings, Administration, Financial Services, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, Church Life (Hospitality, T & E, Print Materials), People Development (Materials, Resources, LifeGroups), Creative Arts (Audio/Video Equipment & Resources, Copyrights, Graphic Design, Staging, Tech Equipment & Services)

$459,070.92 18%

S T A F F I N G

Staffing Includes: PT & FT Salaries + Benefits for Pastoral Staff and Office Administration.

$878,495.43

F A C I L I T I E S

Facilities Includes: Worship Space Rental (AMC, Regal, Fawcett Center), Office Space (TOL), Other Facilities (Trailer Storage, etc.), Facility Upkeep, Utilities

$428,251.03 16%

B E Y O N D O U R W A L L S

Beyond Our Walls Includes: Local and Global Missions, Local Outreach, Global Outreach, Local Marketing, Church Plant Funding (ARC), Campus Launch, Missionary Support, and Benevolence (Rock City Love Fund)

$879,263.52 33%

$2,645,080.90 66% I N C R E A S E F R O M Y E A R 3 T O Y E A R 4

Rock City Church operates with an Open Book Policy of financial integrity and works with an outside CPA, The Church Law Group, and the Financial Advisory Team to ensure all funds are being used for maximum efficiency and with the utmost integrity. A Board of Directors, comprised of pastors of respected congregations, including CedarCreek Church in Perrysburg, meets annually to discuss and approve the projected annual budget. The Financial Advisory Team is tasked with bringing financial accountability and leadership in an advisory role to the pastoral staff and with establishing and approving the Lead Pastor’s salary.

G I V I N G B Y M O N T H

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000

$350,000

$400,000

$450,000

$500,000$2

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$133

,633

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$185

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I N C L U D E S C H R I S T M A S G I V E

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@rockcityonline

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