What is God doing in

Cedar Springs?

Our Misson

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will Rise Up to show you compassion.”

- Isaiah 30:18

We believe God is rising up to show His compassion in our community and throughout the world and we are rising up to join him. At Rise Up Church, we are committed to following His lead with grace, love, and a heart for others.

Our Story

In May 2019, a group of seven men and women attended a church-planting conference called “Launch”. There, Isaiah 30:18 and the name Rise Up Church arose. That name and passage seemed to gift us a gift from God for Cedar Springs ministry. Every Sunday worship launched on January 12, 2020, in Cedar Springs Middle School with a crowd of 128 attendees and was followed by 60-70 attendees on succeeding Sundays. This was interrupted nine Sundays later by the Covid pandemic. By God’s grace, the church navigated the Covid season with remarkable strength and unity and wad able to return to every Sunday worship at the school in November 2021.

Meet Pastor Ben McKnight

Hey there, and thanks for taking a look at Rise Up Church! My name is Ben McKnight, and I have the joy of serving as Pastor here. Beyond my role at Rise Up, I’m husband to Kayla and dad to two energetic and growing boys, Leo and Sam. I was born and raised in West Michigan and graduated from Cornerstone University. Kayla and I got married in 2010 and spent a couple of years in Florida while she completed her undergraduate studies at Southeastern University. In 2012, we moved back to Michigan so I could begin my Master of Divinity at Calvin Theological Seminary. After graduating and being ordained, I accepted a call to serve as Lead Pastor in Grant, MI, where I ministered until the spring of 2021. During that time, Kayla earned her Master of Social Work from Western Michigan University and has been working as a home-based clinician for youth and adolescents in Newaygo County since 2020. Today, we live in Sand Lake, MI, and are grateful to be part of the greater Cedar Springs community. I’m excited about what God is doing through Rise Up Church and would love to connect with you sometime soon!


What we believe:

Rise Up Church is a Christian community rooted in the belief in God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. We believe the Bible is God’s Word; through it, we hear Jesus' invitation to experience life in Him. We also believe He sends us out into our homes, our neighborhoods, and our world to live and love in His name.

We proudly share these core beliefs with the global community of Jesus' followers.

What Makes Rise Up Church Unique:

What makes Rise Up Church special is our deep commitment to building a community of love in Jesus’s name, right here in Cedar Springs, Michigan. We are here to walk with our neighbors, to serve alongside them, and to uplift our town together.

We’re not just here to preach. We’re here to listen. We want to know:

  • Who are you?

  • What do you want to say?

  • What are you are your neighbors struggling with?

  • What needs healing or restoring in this community?

In other words, What is Jesus preparing too do in you, in us, and in this town right now?

Helpful links:

The Apostle's Creed. A short, historically early summary of what Christians believe: https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/apostles-creed

The Heidelberg Catechism. A longer, warm-hearted summary of Christianity from the period of the Protestant Reformation: https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/confessions/heidelberg-catechism

Rise Up Church is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America. You can learn more here: https://www.crcna.org/