ROCK Cast

Jon and Emily are joined by a new voice on the show, Nicole Shibata, who handles marketing, fundraising, and conference planning for Rock. In this conversation, the team covers the most consequential three months in AI since ChatGPT launched. They talk about what shipped in the industry, why the rapid pace matters, and what church leaders need to do about it now.Emily then unpacks Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality to understand how service is different than hospitality. This is where ministries have a unique opportunity to lead because Rock empowers churches with the tools they need to intentionally care for people. The real question is whether those tools are being used to create moments that are unexpected, meaningful, and unforgettable.Visit the show notes to find all the resources talked about in this episode. Don't forget to join the new Rock Cast Rocket Chat Channel to see what other churches are saying about this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Complexity is a well-intentioned trap that all churches fall into. In this episode, the team unpacks what they call the Complexity Trap, the moment when tools meant to support ministry start creating friction instead. Jon describes the first two steps of Elon Musk’s 5-Step Algorithm to help simplify your requirements and they apply it to real ministry functions like baptism forms and children's check in.Listen to the complete episode to hear their discussion and visit the show notes to find the resources they mentioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tune into this episode to learn what quality the most successful Rock churches have in common. Hint: it isn't church size! Jon, Emily, and Nick offer fresh insight into the Essentials model and discuss a new program they're building to train Community members to help cast vision for Essentials churches. This is an empowering episode for churches of all sizes and one you'll want to share with your team.Find resources mentioned in this episode from the complete show notes at podcast-episode-207! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final 2025 episode of Rock Cast, Jon, Emily, and Nick talk about product grooming and the Community's responsibility in it. As the team continues to prune and refine the software, you can look forward to more change towards meaningful innovation.They also dive into Jon's articles on X covering the role of AI in digital ministry and an honest look into the evolution of the giving landscape. You can find links to his articles in the show notes and share them with your pastor! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon, Emily, and Nick discuss Rock's unique funding model and the special advantage of giving at the updated rate. Tune in to hear them share where your giving goes and how it's affecting our new testing and release strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn seven mindsets for building smarter, simpler solutions with Rock and discover how systems thinking can change the course of your digital ministry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we dive into the latest updates with the release of v17.5 Alpha as well as a view on extensibility. With RX25 just two weeks away, we cover everything you need to know—including how to get the mobile app and where to follow for exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Plus, we break down the upcoming donation increase for January 2026 and highlight what’s coming in the October Check-In and Lava classes. Don’t miss it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode lays out the case for using volunteers on church digital teams, challenging the idea that paid staff should handle everything. The team unpacks why volunteers matter—from stewardship to discipleship—and offers practical tips for recruiting, training, and retaining them. Learn which roles work best, how to overcome common objections, and how to create a culture of trust and shared ownership. You’ll leave inspired to define one new volunteer role and start building your team with the people God’s already placed in your church. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest Rock release is here – what does it mean for your instance? How can you customize Rock responsibly while leveraging SQL Server best practices? Explore insights from our RX25 discussion and discover key community announcements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Choosing the right services and products is critical in ministry. What questions should you ask? Plus, explore feedback from over 80 churches and various vendors in the 2025 Integrated Services Survey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jon, Emily, and Nick dive into the latest Rock updates, including v16 enhancements, v17 in beta and an exciting look at Chat coming soon. Plus, RX25 has been redesigned for all church leaders and submissions for Gold Circle Awards are coming very soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Data analytics is a growing focus in the Rock community! Nearly a year ago, we welcomed Alex Edmiston to the Spark team as our first Spark Analyst. Since then, he’s been exploring Rock community data and building a Topical Hub for churches to share insights. Tune in as we discuss what’s unfolding and what’s next! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.