First Baptist Church of Rockledge, a Southern Baptist church, was a delightful congregation to…read morevisit. I was greeted by some of the most gracious and agreeable men and women in Brevard County, and they eagerly welcomed me to their service.
Rodney Walker, the Pastor, was the first person I met as I arrived. He is a warm, gentle, and agreeable man who genuinely loves and respects anyone he encounters. We chatted for close to 20 minutes before the service, and he demonstrated keen interest in who I am, and what I'm about. I found it pleasant to be both seen and heard! After chatting with me, he approached every member in the congregation and casually chatted with them about their lives. Talk about authentic, humble leadership!
I attended on Veterans Day, and was blessed to see how patriotic and appreciative they were of those who served and helped protect their freedom of religion.
A true gauge of sincere Christianity is not in what the say, but in what they do. They have spent months assembling more than 400 shoeboxes (for Samaritans Purse) with gifts for both boys and girls in underdeveloped countries. In addition, I saw several other donation boxes for the food pantry and Pineapple Gardens, an assisted living facility in Rockledge.
I attended a Sunday school class, which was a modest prospect. The class had 6 men, including me. The women's class was more robust with probably closer to 15 attendees. It was a casual class with everyone contributing. They also had coffee and donuts!
Around 50-60 people attended the service. The congregation was modestly mixed with a scattering of black families. The preponderance of the congregation was older, with a handful of parishioners younger than 30. There were two families with children. They did not provide a nursery. I could not identify a youth ministry. The church was financially heathy, as evidenced by their outreach ministries.
Pastor Rodney preached a mature, articulate message that challenged new growth, and acknowledged previous struggles. His sermon was rich with encouragement to serve others as a demonstration of Christ's love for humanity. It was not a harsh, stern lesson on the evils of sin, but more of a lighthouse pointing to sanctification. His was a well balanced message that was both compelling and interesting. In fact, he is a compelling speaker in general, and pleasant to hear, and often made a laugh.
First Baptist of Rockledge is a traditional church that still sings from hymnals (something I haven't done in years), and was not distracted by chasing the most current worship fads. The service greatly reminded me of the church I grew up in back in the 70's and 80's. They even had a Candy Lady, who provided quality treats!
If you're looking for a solid church that isn't namby pamby, but rich with balance, yet not chasing after the latest and greatest in modern worship, then I think you will appreciate this congregation.
