Sermons – Resurrection Life Church Rockford

Every mighty forest fire began with a spark from a small campfire or a single bolt of lightning, spreading and growing from that single point to become a self-perpetuating force. In this same way, after a few years of the early church growing solely in the city of Jerusalem, persecution scattered the early believers into […]

As we try to follow the will of God for our lives, it is no accident that we often feel under fire from all sides. Satan is our enemy and he truly works to discourage us from reaching our spiritual destiny. Instead of giving up or giving in to despair, we need to remember that […]

On the day of Pentecost, three thousand people came to believe in Christ. Then what? The small group of original disciples suddenly were leading a new movement, without any experience and without any blueprint. Should everyone just go back home and continue their lives, or should they stick together? If they did, what were they […]

For many years, the Jewish people had been celebrating the traditions of Passover, but this time, something was different. During this Passover season, a man named Jesus was being tried, convicted, and put to death. While no one taking part in any of these events was aware of their full significance, we can now see […]

We might all agree quite quickly that having a deep faith in God is a desirable goal for every Christian. What might be harder to agree on, though, is how we get there. In this message, Pastor Dan challenges us to really consider how it is that we can gain a deep faith. It’s not […]

In this message, Pastor Doug picks up on the theme that Shannon O’Dell began (see Move Toward God); the idea that God often waits to work in our lives until He sees that we are willing to move toward Him and the purposes He has for us. As we look to make our move, we […]

Guest speaker Shannon O’Dell, Pastor of Brand New Church, reminds us that when we move closer to God, He moves closer to us (see James 4:8). In fact, God often waits for us to “move” – to show we are committed and faithful – before He does something we are asking Him for in our […]

In Revelation (17:14), John says “They [earthly kings] will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Whether it be for that time or in our present lives, Pastor Doug encourages […]

The beginning of the year is often a time of reflection about the past year and taking a measurement of where we are as we look ahead to where we might like to be at the end of this new year. As we set new goals, we often consider things like our weight, our finances, […]

In this message, Pastor Chad gives us a clear understanding of why we worship God both in church and wherever we might be. In doing so, we humble and submit ourselves to His will, we invite His presence into our lives, and we unleash the power that worship has to be a spiritual weapon in […]

Join Pastor Doug and the entire Worship Team for a dynamic look at the story of Christ’s birth. There is special music from the children as well, along with a straightforward message of what God did for all of us when He became Emmanuel, or “God with us.”

The story of Christmas gives us the picture of Jesus as a baby, born to live and die among us – “Emmanuel.” In addition to this familiar image, many of us also see Him as our “Savior,” who died for our sin and has given us the gift of eternal life. We sometimes don’t think […]

As we read the familiar account of the Christmas story, we sometimes don’t even think much about the details, such as the significance of Christ being born in Bethlehem, or that he was wrapped in swaddling cloth, and so on. However, every detail of the story has a significance that goes beyond the simple event […]

How long does our faith in God last? In one sense, it is eternal. In the earthly realm, it only lasts past our death if we deliberately pass it on to the next generation. In this challenging message, Pastor Dan discusses the “circle of faith” that we are so blessed to be part of by […]

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read about the widow who came to the Prophet Elisha, asking him for help as she was in debt and her creditors were coming to take her two sons into slavery to pay that debt. Elisha asked her what she had in her house, and all she had was a […]

In the series conclusion, Pastor Doug encourages us to embrace the process of change that we must go through in order to follow Christ and become more like Him. Like so many examples from the Bible, our spiritual journey will likely be filled with challenges and setbacks, but if we endure and hang on to […]

Pastor Dan Seaborn has co-authored a book called The Necessary Nine, which discusses the nine things that all successful marriages must have. In this message, he focuses on bringing just three of these necessities to life: establish cherishing attitudes; develop genuine friendship; and build spiritual fusion. Pastor Dan paints a picture of what each of […]

In Part 4 of the series, Pastor Doug teaches about how the kingdom of God is portrayed as an invisible house, built on the cornerstone of Christ (see Ephesians 2:19-21). As “living stones” in this house (see 1 Peter 2:5-6), we each play a part the dwelling place of God on earth, and in His […]

Another fundamental aspect of the invisible kingdom is that it is not a democracy;it is a kingdom. In that light, the Word of God is the reliable truth (law), versus any sort of a compromise position reached through group debate. Yet, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we are all considered royalty, and are being […]

The power of the invisible (spiritual) kingdom can and should inspire us to act with boldness in this (visible) world. Paul talks about the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us to heaven who now are cheering us on in this realm and how that should spur us on (see Hebrews 12:1). The […]

In the series opener, Pastor Doug establishes the idea that the invisible kingdom is actually more real than the tangible world that we experience on a daily basis. The visible kingdom of this universe actually came from invisible origins, and it will end, while the invisible kingdom will go on forever. In light of this, […]

If you have ever doubted that God is awesome and has all power – including that of life and death – in His loving hands, you need to see these stories of redemption and healing that have taken place in the lives of ordinary people who are no different than you and me. God is […]

In much the same way as the pillar of fire and cloud (God’s presence) moved in the desert to lead the Children of Israel to a new place (see Exodus 13:21), the Holy Spirit has moved in dramatic ways in the history of the modern church (beginning with Pentecost: see Acts, Chapter 2). Each time, […]

Guest speaker Jason Noble (Pastor of the family depicted in the movie Breakthrough), shares a message of hope that no matter what your circumstances, you have every reason to believe that a breakthrough will come. When the disciples encountered a severe storm in the sea of Galilee and feared they would all drown (see Luke […]

Guest speaker Ross Scheer, (the Pastor of City Church in Big Rapids), challenges us regarding unforgiveness in our lives, which can prevent us from fulfilling the call of God (see 1 John 4:20). Getting to a place of forgiveness involves 3 deliberate steps; it won’t happen with time or by accident. We first much to […]

In Exodus 3, we read about how Moses encountered a bush that was on fire but did not burn up. While he had once been a prince, he was a fugitive who, at the time of this incident, had been tending sheep in the wilderness for 40 years. At this point in his life, Moses […]

Most of us have heard many times the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey the week of His crucifixion (see Mark 11:1-10), but there is more symbolism and meaning in the story than we might have gathered. In this message, Pastor Doug discusses the idea – among other things – that there […]

Jonathan Bergsma shares the spiritual journey that he and his wife have been on, which all started with a 21-day fast back in 2012. He didn’t know then where things would go when they decided to try to hear the still, small voice of God and follow where it led them to go. Ultimately, their […]

In this service, Pastor Doug introduces us to the inspiring story of Sue, who – like many of us – has gone through many things in life. Yet, she has always felt the presence of God and in hindsight can clearly see the hand of God in everything that has happened. Each of us can […]

In order to do all that God has called us to do, we need to be willing and open to new approaches and attitudes. In this message, Pastor Doug encourages us to seek a new level of commitment to God’s plan for us individually and as a church. This will involve becoming God-centered rather than […]

In Phillipians 4:12-13, the Apostle Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Paul wrote these words while […]

As we go through life, we often wonder why things don’t always work out the way we envision, even when we believe in our hearts that something is good or possible. In this message, Pastor Duane Vanderklok teaches us that the same spirit of faith that David had on the battlefield with Goliath, or that […]

In this reassuring message, guest Pastor Bobby Bogard reminds us that as we come to church or in other ways try to get closer to God, it’s certainly ok to have problems, issues, or sins that we are struggling with. In fact, we are all conflicted at times, and God shows up when this happens […]

In this very personal message, Brother Abraham – of Christ for India – shares how he began in ministry to the people of India, as well as some of the highlights and challenges along the way. It took time for him to see any success, and the early days were particularly difficult as he quit […]

The main and immediate effect of Adam and Eve’s fall was separation from a daily relationship with God, as Adam and Eve chose to live by their own senses, independent of God and His rule and plan. To reverse that effect in our life and make a daily relationship with God possible and even feasible, […]

Pastor Doug shares the news that Rockfordres (aka City Church, Rockford), will be going by a new name from here forward: City Church – Rockford. And, as we open a new campus in Greenville this September, our new name will be much easier to apply to this (or any other new campus we might open), […]

In this message, Pastor Dan talks about the challenges we face when we consider that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives that we should be ready and willing to carry out. The message we receive from the world around us is that we should be thinking of “me first” rather than […]

In Hebrews 12:1-3, The Apostle Paul encourages us to run the race that is set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, who set the example for what it means to fulfill the mission that God created you to do. In this challenging message, Pastor Chad discusses the idea that comparing ourselves to others or […]

Join the God party as we hear the stories of God working in people’s lives, right here at Rockford Res. Their common theme is that when we surrender our will to God’s will, that’s when everything changes, for the better, forever. You don’t want to miss these stories of God’s love and grace!

Ever wonder what motivates Pastor Doug, and how he got to be here, now, leading Rockford Res? It might be easy to imagine that things just fell into place or there was a simple, straight line for him follow; however, the road to today truly was filled with some surprising twists and turns, and challenges […]

In this Easter Sunday message, Pastor Doug discusses how Jesus completed all of the foreshadowing found in the 7 Jewish Feasts, as He became the living sacrifice for all of our sins. As we accept His sacrifice and do our best to follow Him, our challenge is to live differently, showing others the truth of […]

In this message, Pastor Doug describes the work of the cross, which stands at the center of human history and serves as the perfect plan of redemption, both legally and spiritually. No other faith or creed contains this promise of God paying the price for our sins and paving the way for us to spend […]

In this message Pastor Dan Seaborn powerfully recounts the story of the leper who approached Jesus and asked Him to heal him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean” (see Matthew 8:2). Jesus immediately reached out and touched the man, showing fearless compassion for someone who was outcast from society and […]

When David had been on the run from King Saul for a period of years, he decided to hide out in a neighboring country to take the heat off of his situation (see I Samuel, Chapters 27-30). Thus began a whole series of new problems for him and his entourage, as David’s compromise brought about […]

In this special celebration service, Pastor Doug introduces the story of Amanda, who was recently baptized and whose story is just one of the many of those who have very recently experienced personal miracles. God is at work in the lives of hundreds of people here in this community of believers as we obey His […]

As we search for what to do and how to do it, the Bible can often provide guidance; however, there is not a Bible verse written for every specific situation. Instead, Pastor Doug encourages us that we need to plug in to the leading of the Holy Spirit, who will guide us every day in […]

As Christians, we often think of heaven as being our destiny – and it is; however, in this message, guest speaker Joe Champion discusses the 5 discoveries we have to make in order to arrive at the earthly destiny (purpose) God has created for us. Like Joshua, who led the Children of Israel against the […]

In part 2 of this message, Pastor Doug examines the nature and role of The Holy Spirit, and the significance of what it means to have Him living within us. On a broad scale, The Holy Spirit is the restraining power at work in the world that keeps evil from overrunning everything. In our hearts, […]

In Romans 8:14, it says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Instead of the old system of rules and laws that used to govern humankind, the Day of Pentecost brought about a whole new method of following God: being led by His Spirit inside […]

When Jesus suggested that Simon Peter take his boat into the deep and cast his nets out, Simon Peter – though he had every reason to say no – simply said “Because You say so…I will” (see Luke 5:6). Out of that act of obedience, which defied common sense, Simon witnessed an astounding miracle, catching […]