Red Rocks Church Austin — Attraction in Austin

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending the 10 AM church service with my daughter Skylar at the Austin location, where they were celebrating a remarkable milestone - their 20th year. My daughter has been on a journey to find a church that resonates with her, a place where she can truly call home. Having grown up attending Second Baptist with Ed Young in Houston, she's been searching for a community that shares her values and passion for God's word. What struck me about this church was its warm and welcoming atmosphere - a place where you can come as you are, without fear of judgment. The history of the church, marked by struggles and perseverance, was truly inspiring. From humble beginnings to a thriving community that's bursting at the seams, this church is a testament to the power of GOD, faith and determination. As I looked around, I was heartened to see a sea of young faces, eager to learn and grow in their walk with God. My daughter, who's 25, felt right at home, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and hope for the future of this church. The service itself was a truly unforgettable experience. Despite a power outage that happened at the middle of the service that plunged the entire block into darkness, the congregation refused to let it dampen their spirits. Instead, they rallied together, singing acoustic hymns and sharing words of encouragement, all by the light of their cell phones. It was a moment of raw, unbridled faith, and I felt humbled to be a part of it. As a parent, it's was incredible to see my daughter connect with this community on her first visit, and I have no doubt that she'll continue to grow and flourish here. Although I'm not a member of this church, I'm committed to supporting its mission and vision, and I'm excited to see the impact it will have on the community. This church is a shining beacon of hope in Austin and I feel grateful to have experienced its warmth and hospitality. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms and free HOT COFFEE:), and I look forward to visiting again soon. May God continue to bless and guide this incredible community who loves the Lord!...

“Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭

Doug, the head pastor preaches that 10% of your income is what you should give to him to administer. This is the Old Testament tithe of a tenth of your income.

”Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,“ ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Doug, the head pastor has no Deacons or Elders at the Austin Red Rocks church of 3000+, just paid staff. There is no one to give checks and balances to his authority. Red rocks came to Austin from Colorado 5 years ago as of 2024, manny have volunteered but been denied these positions. When questioned Doug did not know what deacons and elders where, he is seemingly unaware of 1st Timothy in the New Testament.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.” ‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭11‬-‭12‬

““What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

My first impression was positive that this church had so many new Christian’s coming to faith, and that God must be working here look at the movement. Now I believe God is working here despite the leadership. We must be vigilant against false teachers. Consider finding a church with a pastor who knows his flock as Christ does his, not an...

I had some high hopes for this church and I guess that’s where I made the mistake, by expecting this church to be any different than the others. Don’t get me wrong, they had some good messages in there. But heavily involved preaching tithing. Heavily. I went 4 weeks during their Kingdom Building series and at the end, I got the feeling that the Bible was being misinterpreted or mis lead by the way the church preached about tithing and sacrifice.

I mean, we live in a society with a multi billion dollar religious culture that is used to discriminate, segregate, and divide all of God’s people and here is yet another example to a church “needing” money.

Instead of telling people to give that dollar to the homeless man on the corner, or to buy that family some groceries; they tell you to give to their church or another church or yet another religious organization. Keep in mind, all these places are tax exempt and have millions, if not billions of dollars from in this case, Red Rocks CO HQ, so I was really put off on that aspect.

This organization is set up more for couples and young families. They’re not too interested in the others, as far as I could see.

But the search continues…

Are we, as God’s people, unable to do good things without giving to a local church? Or do we have to give it to a church SPECIFICALLY for it to...