Ever wonder what life could be like if…? If I step out and trust a little more? If I mess up? If I get things in order? If I feel like I can’t do it? If I feel like I can?

In The Coffeehouse Gospel, Matthew Paul Turner writes, “The fingerprints of God are etched into the lives of those who follow Him. Those fingerprints are very different in each of us. Some of us met Jesus while we were still in diapers. Our childhoods are filled to the brim with Bible camp, Sunday school, and church choir experiences. Others met Christ in the midst of feeling desperate and alone. Still others found the hope of Christ through tragedy and despair. I’ve even met people who have simply said, ‘Jesus dying on the cross for my sins made sense,’ and decided to follow Him. All of our stories are different and creative and written by God Himself.”

Knowing and loving God, following Him, and sharing our experience of Him with others is at the core of what it means to be a “Christian,” a follower of Jesus Christ. This is your “Christian walk,” your faith journey.

Rolling Hills Community Church is committed to walking with you as you engage God and mature in your faith-journey. The Trail Guide will be an essential resource for you as you head out along the path. It will help you pinpoint where you are on your journey and provide answers for how you can take the next step of faith.

During your lifelong faith-journey, parts of your trail will be in excellent condition: passable, scenic, and confidence-building. At these places you might feel like you are at the top of a mountain looking down and wondering how it could get any better than this—you feel great, the scene is breathtaking, and you know you have really experienced something incredible!

Other parts of the trail may require you to prepare a little harder, to use a little more of your gear, or to simply stop and wait for a time before continuing. . There may be times when you are moving forward, yet you feel distant and alone. There may be times when you are moving forward, yet you feel drained and lifeless.

No matter what mountain tops we experience or pitfalls we face, our God is constant. The journey may not always be dynamic or exciting or even feel that great, but our God is one who is faithful to pursue us, always desiring a closer relationship with each one of us.

Journeying with God is a lifelong process, regardless of where you pick up along the trail. The journey definitely has its ups and downs. But, you are not alone. The journey is one to be taken with others. Not only will people trek with you, but you also have the incredible privilege to guide others as they embark on the trail.

The journey begins wherever you are. We believe in a God who is interested in the innermost parts of who we are. So don’t worry about being under-prepared before getting started. God will outfit you for this journey and give you everything you need to successfully navigate your way. So let’s hit the trail…the journey is one worth starting now!

Rolling Hills Community Church is committed to helping you find answers about God and God’s purposes for your life! RHCC provides a number of opportunities for you to develop along your faith-journey. Though every faith-journey is unique, we believe there are four markers along the trail that will help you as you follow Jesus Christ: Preparation, Pursuit, Purpose, and Practice. As you move along the trail, these markers will help you gauge where you are in your relationship with

God and identify specific opportunities for involvement in the church.

Every journey has a beginning. For many believers, the beginning of the faith-journey is marked by rapid growth, a lot of excitement, and the sense

that a new world is opening beforetheir eyes.

You arrive at Marker 1 once you have accepted Jesus Christ and are ready to step out on your own faith-journey. It’s important that you tell people in your life about your decision and find a church that you can call home. If that church is Rolling Hills, you’ll want to attend the Partnership Information Class. During this class, you will learn what Rolling Hills is all about and how you can become part of the church. Anyone who has 1) accepted Christ as Savior; 2) been baptized as a believer; 3) attended a Partnership Class; and 4) covenanted with RHCC is invited to become a partner. If you have accepted Christ but not participated in believer’s baptism, we invite you to do that at Rolling Hills. There is a baptism class offered monthly to help you prepare. Simply attend the class and speak with one of our pastors about scheduling your baptism.

Rolling Hills believes the following are important areas to navigate in the Preparation stage of spiritual development:• IN: Join a small group. These are the life-blood of our church. Small groups are where you grow through Bible study, and grow through shared fellowship experiences with others. It’s where you can know others and be known.• OUT: Develop intentional relationships with people who do not know God as well as mature believers who can encourage you toward spiritual growth. Opportunities are available for you to have a personal mentor, to be invested in as a couple by our marriage mentors, or to be shaped as a mom or dad by our parenting coaches.• HERE: “Worship One/Serve One” on Sunday mornings. At Rolling Hills, we grow through serving. Attend either the 9:30 or 11am worship celebration and find a place to serve during the opposite hour. • THERE: Try local ministry—giving back to the community. Saturday Serve is a bi-monthly ministry opportunity that you can become involved in and exercise your faith through serving.

Spiritual growth happens over time. Just like any journey, sometimes you need to stop the way to get our bearings, to refuel, and to rest. On this

part of the trail, you will begin relying more and more on their personal preparation and discipline. This leg is sometimes a little slower and takes some time to get through. This is also the point in the journey where many stop and are satisfied with where they have come. Do not stop now! The

rest of the trail is the best part!

Marker 2 is about pursuing a more intimate relationship with God through spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study. Rolling Hills offers a Disciplines class that will help you understand spiritual disciplines, their practice, and their importance in our everyday lives. Marker 2 will fill in some gaps for people who have known God for a while. For those who are newer to the journey, Marker 2 will be a vital foundation for a life of following Jesus.

You will still be involved in areas you encountered around Marker 1. Marker 2 brings some new opportunities. Rolling Hills believes the following are important areas to navigate in the Pursuit stage of spiritual development:

• IN: Become part of men’s or women’s ministry by attending events and retreats where you connect with others. We also offer seasonal personal spiritual growth retreats for you to spend time alone and with others in your pursuit of Christ.

• OUT: Have spiritual conversations with those you have befriended. Begin cultivating those relationships so that you can invite them to church and to know Jesus.

• HERE: Continue to be involved in your ministry team. Take on more leadership and responsibility as part of your growth plan.

• THERE: Go on a national mission trip. Every spring and fall, Rolling Hills offers an opportunity to experience missions in another part of our country. We also develop and deploy relief teams during regional natural disasters.

FAMILY MINISTRY SIDEBAR: Marker 1As a parent, you realize that you are not only taking responsibility for your own faith-journey but also for the spiritual growth and development of your child. Marker 1 opportunities for parents and children include:

• Family Dedication: a special ceremony where you dedicate your child to God and your home to raising your son or daughter in a way that helps them know and honor Him.

• Baptism and Belief Class: these classes are for children or students who have accepted Christ as Savior or who have started asking questions about faith and salvation. These classes solidify their decision to trust Jesus and prepares them for baptism.

FAMILY MINISTRY SIDEBAR: Marker 2As your children grow, there are special moments to celebrate when they can accept more responsibilityfor their growth and development.

• Kindergarten Graduation – a celebration of blessing for kids who complete their 1st year of formal education. Parents provide a blessing for their children as they begin to navigate childhood. Rolling Hills provides an early reader devotional so that children can begin to develop the discipline of prayer and Bible study on their own.

• Coming of Age – an opportunity for parents to challenge their adolescent or preteen to grow and serve. Parents can choose the age to celebrate their child coming of age and accepting more responsibility for their faith, their choices, and their growth.

• Manhood/Womanhood Marker – an opportunity for parents to celebrate the man or woman their teen is becoming; issuing to them the call to finalize their growth into an adult that knows, loves, and honors God well with their present and also their future.

In = Church ConnectionsOut = Community ConnectionsHere = Church InvolvementThere = Community Involvement

FAMILY MINISTRY SIDEBAR: Marker 3As you discover your purpose and begin serving out of your giftedness, you can also continue to help your children grow and serve in the following ways:

• Student Ministry local service projects and summer missions for middle and high school students

• FORT: Activate on Wednesday nights in the Spring where elementary kids discover their gifts and learn about national and international missionaries.

• High School Graduation – a commissioning ceremony for graduates to mark the completion of school and the commencement of their life following Christ to the next part of their journey.

If you were out hiking and saw a somewhat difficult trail ahead, what might motivate you to start walking? Why not just sit still and wait for someone else in your group to finish and let you know how it went?

God has a unique purpose for your life. This part of the journey will almost certainly deepen your faith as you seek to know God’s purposes for your life, how He has gifted you, and how He’s calling you to use those gifts for His glory. It will require sweat and effort, from a spiritual vantage point, to tackle the

challenges of the trail and to serve God with everything you have. The trail is yours to hike.

At Marker 3, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a Discovery class designed to help you understand your spiritual gifts, your personal style, and your ministry passions. Once you understand these better, you will gain confidence in knowing God’s purpose for you and how He wants you to serve.

Rolling Hills believes the following are important areas to navigate in the Purpose stage of spiritual development:

• IN: Host or co-lead (alongside an experienced leader) a Small Group or weekly Bible study.• OUT: Openly share your faith in Jesus with those you have come to know.• HERE: Increase your level of involvement in your ministry team. Accept a leadership or coordinator

responsibility for other team members. Seek out the opportunity to develop or pilot a new ministry team that God impresses on your heart to start.

• THERE: Answer the call to international missions. Join Rolling Hills on one or many annual opportunities to serve others cross-culturally through our non-profit missions agency, JMI (Justice and Mercy International).

Believe it or not, Marker 4 is not the end of the trail, but rather the start of something new—for you and for someone else. The journey is better shared with someone else, and once we hike to Marker

4, it is time to re-enter with a friend. The trail is not your little secret! Use what you have learned, from start to finish, to guide someone else along their way!

Marker 4 is a great place to evaluate where you have been, to celebrate what God has done, and to invite someone else to join you on the trail. At Marker 4 you are encouraged to set a meeting with a pastor to reflect on what God has done in your life and discuss the ministry vision God has given you. This time will also encourage you as you lead someone else along the trail. For those who desire to guide others, we will periodically offer a Mentor class as well, to help equip you a bit more. We will also offer a Missions & Service class, too, to help you understand what it means to live a lifestyle of service beyond the experience of a trip or special event, but everyday.

Rolling Hills believes the following are important areas to navigate in the Practice stage of spiritual development:

• IN: Lead a small group, weekly Bible study, or other gathering • OUT: Mentor another believer as they walk in their faith-journey. • HERE: Lead a ministry team.• THERE: Continue your investment in international missions.

How can you use this guide? First, you need to assess where you are in your journey right now. If you were to physically set out along the trail, where would you need to stop and camp out for a time? This is most likely where you “begin” the journey and where Rolling Hills can step in and journey with you. There is no right or wrong place to start. The key is stepping out and moving forward.

The Trail Guide is not an exact map, but rather, a reference guide. No two people have the exact same faith-journey. This guide is designed to help you know where you are, to give you some clues about what to look for, and to prompt you into a deeper pursuit of God.

As you progress along the trail, you will begin to notice that God is doing things through you, not just in you. This is called “spiritual fruit,” and it is direct evidence of God accomplishing His purposes in His world through His child – you! The Holy Spirit plays a key role in moving you along the path, effecting the change in your life. Pay close attention to the Spirit as your ultimate Guide!

Quote taken from The Coffeehouse Gospel: Sharing Your Faith in Everyday Conversation by Matthew Paul Turner, Relevant Books: Lake Mary, FL, 2004.

Rolling Hills Community Church existsto bring glory to God, and that isaccomplished well among Christ-

followers who are maturing in their faithand impacting others for Him. If you have any questions about what this means for

your life, please contact the church at615-861-3663.

C O M M U N I T Y C H U R C HROLLING HILLS