NBC Rock City

03/11/2026

This past Sabbath in his Back to the Basics series, Caleb Oliva tackled one of the oldest and most common claims in human history: “There is no God.”

Psalm 14:1 reminds us that this idea is not new, people have wrestled with the question of Yahweh’s existence for thousands of years.

Today there are over 4,000 religions and faith groups around the world. With so many different beliefs and perspectives, it’s a fair question to ask: How can we be confident that the God we serve is the true God?

Part of the conversation looked at the world around us. The laws that govern our universe point to something greater than chance. The First Law of Thermodynamics tells us that matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed. The Second Law shows that entropy—disorder—increases over time. When we step back and consider creation, it invites us to wrestle with the deeper question: Where did everything come from in the first place?

But the heart of the message wasn’t just about science or philosophy, it was about the gospel.
Scripture teaches that we were spiritually dead in our sins, but Yahweh made a way for us to live. Ephesians 2:1–10 reminds us that salvation is not something we earn. In fact, that’s one of the clearest differences between the message of Scripture and every other religion. Many systems of belief teach salvation through works, fear, or endless striving. The message of the gospel is radically different. We are saved by the love of Yahweh and the sacrifice of Yahshua. Good works are not the cause of our salvation, they are the result of it.

Because we have been saved, we are called to live differently. As 1 Peter 1:15–16 says, we are called to be holy as He is holy.

Another powerful reminder from the message is that our faith is not placed in lifeless objects or carved images. Throughout the Old Testament, Yahweh spoke directly to His people. And in John 1:14 we see the ultimate expression of that; Yah Himself coming near, the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

We do not serve a distant or silent god. We serve the only living, breathing, personal God.
And while faith will always require trust, it is not blind belief. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. Our faith is rooted in the character of a God who has revealed Himself again and again.
In a world filled with countless voices and beliefs, the call of this message was simple: return to the basics. Know what you believe. Know why you believe it. And place your faith in the living God, Yahweh, who has already made a way for you.

03/04/2026

By Wednesday, the race feels different than it did on Saturday.

The motivation has settled. The inspiration isn’t as loud. The to-do list is still long. The prayers are still being prayed. The struggle you thought would break by now… hasn’t.

And this is where endurance is born.

Not in the exciting start.
Not at the visible finish line.
But in the quiet, unnoticed middle.

This is the stretch where you decide to keep showing up.
To keep forgiving.
To keep believing.
To keep choosing obedience when it would be easier to coast.

Maybe this week has exposed a weight you didn’t realize you were carrying. Maybe you’re feeling the drag of something that isn’t necessarily sin, it's just heavy. Ask Yah if it’s time to lay it down. You weren’t meant to run exhausted by things He never asked you to hold.

And if you’ve stumbled? Get up. Runners who finish well aren’t the ones who never trip; they’re the ones who get back on their feet.

Fix your eyes again.
Not on how far you have left.
Not on who seems ahead of you.
But on the One who already finished His race faithfully.

The middle miles matter.
Keep running.

03/01/2026

This Sabbath, Pastor Mark D. Vlad brought us a message where he explained that life isn’t a stroll. It’s not a sprint either. Scripture calls it a race.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that this race has been marked out for us by Yah. We aren’t called to run it perfectly, we are called to run it with endurance. And endurance doesn’t just show up one day. It’s formed in us through trials, through discipline, and through hope. It’s learned in the miles you didn’t think you could finish.

We’re also told to lay aside every weight and the sin that entangles. Not all weights are sin, some things are just heavy. They may not be breaking God’s law, but they are breaking your stride. And sin? Sin tangles you up and trips you. We aren’t called to manage it. We’re called to lay it aside.

We don’t run alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, men and women who endured, who finished, who proved that “it can be done.” Their stories aren’t meant to impress us but to inspire us.

Most importantly, we fix our eyes on Yahshua.

He is the starting line and the finish line.
He authored our faith, and He will finish it.
He ran His race with purpose and joy, all the way to the cross, the grave, and the resurrection.

You don’t win by finishing first.
You win by finishing well.
Keep running. 💛

02/25/2026

Last Sabbath’s message was a powerful shared word brought by Caleb Oliva and Naomi Johnson-Schaar, centered on one theme: Salt and Light.

Caleb opened the message in Matthew 5:13 — “You are the salt of the earth.” He challenged us to think about what salt actually does. Salt purifies. Salt preserves. Salt seasons. It changes the environment of whatever it touches.

He asked a simple but convicting question: Are people’s lives different just because they’ve been around us?

Using Colossians 4:6, he reminded us that even our words should be seasoned with grace. Our conversations, our reactions, our presence — they should carry the distinct flavor of heaven.

From there, Caleb transitioned to light in Matthew 5:14–16. The purpose of light is not to blend in — it’s to push back darkness. Light doesn’t negotiate with darkness; it overcomes it simply by shining. In John 8:12, Yahshua declares Himself the Light of the world. The question became: Are we allowing people to remain in darkness, or are we intentionally bringing them toward the Light?

He closed his portion with a declaration over this year — that we would become more contagious than ever before, spreading the salt and light of Yahshua everywhere we go.

Naomi then continued the message by shifting the focus from assignment to identity.

She emphasized: You ARE salt.
Not striving to be. Not hoping to be. You ARE.

Salt creates an atmosphere of purification and preservation. But she also warned that salt loses effectiveness when exposed to moisture — and worldly influence can become that moisture if we aren’t careful.

Then she moved into identity as light through in Ephesians 5:8–10: we weren’t just in darkness — we were darkness. And now we aren’t just in the light — we are light.

That truth changes how we live.

Who we ARE determines how we behave. Through Philippians 2:14–16 and 1 Peter 2:11–12, she reminded us that our conduct matters. Our witness matters. We are called to shine clearly, to live set apart, to be a visible beacon for the lost and the prodigal.

This wasn’t just a message about what we should do.
It was a reminder of who we already are.

Now the call is simple:
Walk every day in who you ARE.
Be salt.
Be light.
🧂✨

01/31/2026

This Sabbath we’re gathering for service at 2:00 PM, and the message is all about Contagious Faith; the kind of faith that’s lived out, shared naturally, and quietly changes the people around us.

Come ready to worship, be encouraged, and be reminded that faith was never meant to be kept to ourselves.

And don’t rush out afterward!
We’ll be staying for fellowship after service, because some of the best conversations happen when we linger, laugh, pray, and do life together.

Bring a friend. Bring your questions. Bring your faith.
We can’t wait to see you.

New Beginnings Church
7419 East Brick School Rd
Rock City, IL 61070

01/24/2026

Due to the extreme cold, Sabbath Service is canceled for this Saturday to keep everyone safe.

We will instead offer Bible Study at 2:00 PM, with the option to join remotely or attend in person at the Vlad's for those who are able and comfortable traveling.

Our potluck has been postponed until February 14.

Please stay warm, stay safe, and reach out if you need the Bible study connection details. We look forward to gathering together again soon.

Blessings,
New Beginnings Church

01/16/2026

01/15/2026

Why do hard things happen when we’re trying to follow Yahweh?

Many of us have quietly asked questions like:
“Is this really Yahweh’s will?”
“Why would Yahweh allow this?”
“Am I just supposed to accept it?”

In this message “The Blame Game,” Andrew Lodge talks about how we view hardship, prayer, and spiritual battles—and how Yahshua showed us that not everything should be accepted, but some things are meant to be confronted with faith.
This teaching isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about seeing Yahweh differently; and realizing He’s not against you in your struggle.

🎥 Watch the full message or join us this Sabbath as we continue learning how to trust Yahweh, lean into prayer, and walk with hope even when life is hard.
👉https://youtu.be/ajnhkDDpSwM?si=gg4030ccIGWotZv8

You’re not alone. And Yahweh is fighting for you.

01/10/2026

You’re Invited

Join us for Sabbath Service today at 2:00 PM

Come worship, grow, and be encouraged in a welcoming community.

New Beginnings Church
7419 East Brick School Road
Rock City, IL 61070

01/06/2026

Faith was never meant to stay in a building.

In this message, Caleb Oliva talking about contagious faith — the kind of faith that spreads, that reaches the hurting, that touches the people everyone else avoids.
Yahshua didn’t distance Himself from broken people. He moved toward them. He touched the l***r. He sat with the sinner. He healed, restored, and sent people back changed.

“If we don’t carry our faith outside these walls, it can never be contagious.”

We believe the world doesn’t need more lukewarm believers; it needs people who are on fire, unashamed of what Yahweh has done in their lives, and willing to take that faith into their everyday spaces.

🎥 Watch the full message here:
👉https://youtu.be/zEkbWs8SSbQ?si=wf_kai2TpJXMHXxt

Or join us this Saturday at 2pm as we continue gathering, worshiping, and walking this out together — not just inside the building, but beyond it.

📍New Beginnings Church
7149 East Brick School Road
Rock City, IL 61070

Let’s be the kind of faith that spreads. 🔥

Caleb Oliva brings us a message on having a contagious faith as we enter into the new year. Join us for Sabbath Service every Saturday at 2pm!

01/06/2026

You don’t need all the answers to share what God did for you!