Podcast Episode 207: Success Isn't Measured by Church Size Published Feb 3, 2026 In episode 207 of Rock Cast, Jon, Emily, and Nick dive into a blend of technical updates and visionary strategy. From the v17.7 bug fix and new features in v19 to updates on Short Links and AI agents, there’s a lot to unpack. They also offer fresh insight into the Essentials model and talk about what the most successful churches on Rock have in common. Nick kicks things off with a preview of what’s coming in v19, including performance improvements to Group Scheduler, helpful new Person Merge features like email notifications, and more. Jon then turns the conversation toward a recurring theme in the Community: technology complexity. He shares that historically, cost has been the biggest barrier for churches adopting enterprise‑level software. Now that Rockʼs donation‑based model removes that barrier, perceived complexity is what hinders churches from adopting Rock. He shares three main sources of complexity and why Sparkʼs transition towards the Essentials model can help resolve this issue. Essentials is not about the size of a church, but rather the willingness of the church to put diligence or grit into it. Jon Edmiston Emily also shares details about the upcoming Ambassador program, a new initiative to train Community members to help cast vision for Essentials churches and guide new adopters with clarity and care. Rock Partners We are thankful for our Rock Sponsors and their support of the Rock Community. Visit their websites through the link above to learn how they can help your ministry and confirm that those you work with are as invested in the success of Rock as you are! Quick Links 20% of the Renaissance Hotel filled up in just one month! Don't wait to register for RX26 and book your stay now for the most affordable pricing! Visit rockrms.com to browse our new website. Learn more about the changes to Short Links and best practices.