High Rock Church - Bloomington Campus
Non-Denominational · Contemporary worship · Bloomington, IN
- Location
- Bloomington, Indiana 47401
- Denomination
- Non-Denominational
- Worship style
- Contemporary
- Size
- Medium (200 - 800)
- Ministries & emphasis
- Contemporary, Expository Preaching, Kids Ministry, Youth Ministry, Small Groups
- Google rating
- ★ 4.3 (45 reviews)
- Kids ministry
- Yes
Official websiteWatch the latest sermonStatement of faith / beliefs
What visitors say
If you’re looking to hear the simple, but profound Gospel of Jesus Christ, this church embodies that to the fullest. No flashy lights or smoke machines. No endless schedule of events that lead to burnout. Just a solid, Bible based church with heartfelt worship, fantastic teaching, and a beautiful community of believers and skeptics alike who reflect the diversity of Bloomington. High Rock encourages personal growth through a love for the Scriptures, deep friendship and relational healing, and a lifestyle marked by devotion, endurance, generosity, humility, and joy. It’s definitely worth checking out. 🤍 I've attended many churches over the years living in various cities. High Rock Church has been the place where I feel most at home with a community of believers. The biggest thing you will notice that is different at High Rock Church compared to other churches, is the friendly feel. You cannot attend on a Sunday morning without making a friend. The people in this church are the friendliest. If you're interested in learning more about Jesus from friendly educated people, then you might try out this church. The church mostly focuses on helping people follow Jesus, training disciples and outreaching to Indiana University students. High Rock's vision is to be a diverse and intergenerational church and it is becoming more so. But currently it is comprised of mostly young adults and families with young children, with some of the elders a little older. There are also a lot of international students and people of all races, but it could use some more elderly wisdom and diversity of age. My wife also loves this church and feels that although she has considered herself a Christian and attended churches her whole life, she has grown tremendously in what it means to experience God and follow Him in the last ~3 years that we have attended High Rock. I’ve been happily attending High Rock with my family for a few years and love it. I went here for 11 years. I stayed in Bloomington to be a part of this church after college, and with a sorrowful heart, I would strongly recommend you do not attend this church. I am not bitter, but I just put 2 stars to hopefully get more eyes on this, and I do believe it is an actual church still. The issues are deeply rooted; they are very ambitious to be a large network of churches, and they believe that what a church leader thinks is likely from God or at least better for you than your own thinking. When this ambition to grow and the truly horrible leadership philosophy mix, it's a concoction worse than either issue on their own. They do all they can to make you "feel" welcomed, only to test you and test you into becoming a carbon copy of your leader. You start asking them what you should do for so many scenarios in your life. For example, what to do with disciplining your kids? I mostly agree with their view, but it'd be expected, for example, that you do the same as your leader does, which, if you follow that up the chain, you're just doing whatever the leader's leader's leader does, aka the leader of the network. You're not making your own decisions on your life. But it gets worse. Instead of enjoying the people God brings, it's an all out assault to get more new people and keep them forever. As I found out. After 11 years, I wanted a break for a few months. Just to rest at a different church for a few months. I had led a small group, which is a big undertaking at High Rock, for 7 years, through two close together kids, a new marriage, and job uncertainty. Around year 8 or 9 I got out of that, but never again felt rested. I had previously felt "led" to leave pretty strongly once before, but the lead pastor said not to trust my leading from God through his telling multiple stories where people's leading from God had gone terribly wrong (specifically stories of network church planters, which was weird). He then said he felt led for us not to leave. When asked what that meant, he said that he didn't like it. Reread those last 2 sentences... 1. tell Christians in your congregation not to trust their own leading 2. tell them what your leading is 3. brainwashed, truly. Later, when we tried to leave again, I had given the pastor the benefit of the doubt prior, there were some stressful things at that time for him, some families were leaving the church, whom likely contributed a lot of finances, so the second time I went I was open. However, the same thing happened but worse. This wasn't me angry; I literally said we'd like to take a few months break, and I said it gently. Then I didn't get a word in as he tore into me for about 20 straight minutes. I then went back to one thing he had said in what I would fairly call a tirade; he had said that "it is not biblical to leave a church unless you are moving" (which the first time we had felt led to leave we were considering moving closer to family, so by this logic, the first time he would have been fine with us leaving, but he wasn't). I asked him where it said that in the Bible, to "not leave a church unless you are moving." He physically picked up a bible he had and said, as he quickly flipped through the whole thing, that it was "in the whole Bible." Oddly, he later twice denied ever saying this, but I remember him saying it and don't believe his, what I would now call gaslighting, because I remember him quickly flipping through the whole Bible as he said it. To my dear friends at High Rock, I love you, and I wish you the best, but I would suggest changing churches, even if it's just for a bit to get a better perspective about life. A church does not deserve your undying loyalty. You'll know what I mean when you are out for a year or so. You'll become a new person. It's amazing. For a long time, I was a part of this system as much as any leaders above me, and I'm sorry to those of you in my small group. I'm sorry I was so arrogant and to push my own agenda for your life on you, truly. I'm sorry to those I asked not to leave the church. I'm sorry. I am very grateful for the wonderful church family at High Rock and the great love of the people for those who have yet to know Jesus in Bloomington! The worship team is wonderful in leading the church in lifting Him high and keeping the focus on the Lord! The small groups also allow you to be open to remind us that none of us are perfect, to connect outside of Sunday service, and receive prayer from others. They help guide you in walking out faith in Jesus and are always open to visitors no matter how little they may know about the Bible or God. There is a wonderful kids program, which hosts a Kids Summer Adventure each June where little ones can come together to learn more about God and worship Him! There is accountability in the children's program with two adults in the room at all times, and training provided for those who serve:)
Is High Rock Church - Bloomington Campus right for me?
High Rock Church - Bloomington Campus may be a good fit if you're looking for contemporary worship, a Non-Denominational church, a church with a kids ministry in Bloomington. Every church feels different in person — plan to visit a Sunday service, and check the church's website for current service times.
Take the free 2-minute Soul Signature quiz and get churches ranked by worship style, teaching, and family needs.