Sunrise Church Podcast

What if the resurrection of Jesus isn’t just something to believe, but something that could change your life? On Easter Sunday, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks through the eyewitness accounts of the empty tomb and reveals why the resurrection isn’t just a moment in history—it’s the foundation of everything. Whether you’re unsure, convinced, or somewhere in between, this message will challenge you t...

What if the parts of your life that feel the most chaotic are actually the most intentional? As we conclude our Life of Joseph series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia explores the final chapters of Genesis to show how God was weaving together every moment of Joseph’s life—from betrayal to blessing—into something beautiful. Through Jacob’s final words, Joseph’s response to fear, and one of the most powerf...

Life of Joseph // Part Eight: Hidden Dangers of the 'Good Life'  Have you ever looked at your life and wondered… “How did I get here spiritually?” In this message from Genesis 47, Pastor John Hill unpacks how both the comfortable seasons and the overwhelming seasons of life shape our trust in God—and why neither should define our faith. Through the story of Joseph and the journey of Israel, we dis...

Joseph’s Big Reveal: Part 7 || Pastor Steve Garcia Have you ever had good news you couldn’t wait to share? After years of betrayal, separation, and testing, Joseph finally reveals his identity to the brothers who sold him into slavery. What follows is one of the most emotional and powerful moments in all of Genesis. In this message by Lead Pastor Steve Garcia from our Life of Joseph series, we see...

Have you ever felt stuck in a conflict that just won’t move forward? In Part 6 of our Life of Joseph series, we step into one of the most powerful turning points in the story. Joseph’s brothers return to Egypt, and what unfolds reveals something remarkable—hearts that are beginning to change. Through tension, testing, and an unexpected act of sacrifice, we see how God moves people from bitterness...

What do you do when the people who hurt you most walk back into your life? In Week Five of our Life of Joseph series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia takes us to Genesis 42 and an incredibly awkward family reunion. After 20+ years, Joseph finally comes face-to-face with the brothers who betrayed him. But instead of revenge, Joseph chooses the harder but more Christ-like path. This message shows us that r...

Have you ever been manipulated, deceived, used, or set up? It’s easy to become a victim of circumstances—but it’s dangerous to build your identity around victimhood. In Week Four of our Life of Joseph series, Pastor David Gaunt walks through Genesis 41 and shows how Joseph refused to let injustice define him. After 13 years of betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and prison, Joseph stood before Ph...

Life of Joseph – Joseph in Jail Have you ever felt like you did everything right… and still ended up in the wrong place? In Week Three of our Life of Joseph series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks us through Genesis 39–40 and shows us what faithfulness looks like when life feels unfair. Joseph is falsely accused, forgotten, and left sitting in prison—but God was not absent. He was developing someth...

Why do some people walk away from temptation while others lean into it—and what makes the difference? In Week Two of our Life of Joseph series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks us through the contrasting stories of Judah and Joseph in Genesis 38–39. Faced with powerful temptation, these two brothers respond in radically different ways—and their choices lead to very different outcomes. This message c...

Message Title: Death to the Dreamer - Part One Description: What do you do when God’s promises collide with painful circumstances? In the opening message of our new series Life of Joseph, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks through Genesis 37 and introduces us to a young man whose dreams from God seemed to die before they ever came true.  Betrayal, jealousy, injustice, and suffering mark the beginning...

Better than Spiritual Gifts: Made For This – Part 4 As we conclude our Made For This series, we’re reminded that spiritual gifts—while important—are not the most important thing. In this final message, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks us through 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 to show how God designed spiritual gifts to serve a greater purpose: building a unified, obedient, love-filled church that...

Made For This – Deeper Encounters, Not Shallow Experiences What if spiritual gifts were never meant to elevate individuals—but to transform lives and build the church? In Part Three of Made For This, Pastor John Hill walks through 1 Corinthians 12 to help us understand the purpose, power, and proper use of spiritual gifts.  Paul confronts a church that desired spiritual experiences without spiritu...

Made For This – Getting in the Game Have you ever felt like you were on the team—but stuck on the bench?  In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul reminds us that every follower of Jesus has been gifted by the Holy Spirit for a purpose. In this message, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks what spiritual gifts are, why they matter, and how God designed every believer to actively build up the church—not sit on t...

 MADE FOR THIS: Discovering Your Spiritual Gift | Part 1 What if God has already placed something powerful in your life—and you’ve never opened it? As we begin a brand-new series, Made For This, we explore the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit and why so many believers leave them unused.  In this kickoff message, Pastor Steve Garcia walks through 1 Corinthians 12 to help us understand what...

What if following Jesus was meant to be more than belief—but a clear calling with a next step? As we step into a new year, many people are asking the same question: What is God’s plan for my life? In this year-end vision message, Pastor John Hill challenges our church to move from passive admiration of Jesus to intentional, life-shaping discipleship. This message unpacks how Jesus consistently cal...

What happens when good intentions fade and old habits return? In the final week of From the Ground Up, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks through Nehemiah 13, where promises are broken, compromise creeps in, and God’s people drift once again.  This closing message reminds us that while Nehemiah could rebuild walls, only Jesus can rebuild hearts.  Through Nehemiah’s reforms, we learn how to get back on...

What do you do after the rebuilding is finished — but you still feel spiritually empty? In week seven of From the Ground Up, Pastor David Gaunt takes us through Nehemiah 7–9, where God shows that restoring walls was never the end goal — restoring hearts was.  Through genealogies, worship, repentance, and revival, we see that God is the Promise Keeper who rebuilds more than structures… He rebuilds...

How do you stay focused on God’s calling when distractions, lies, and pressure try to pull you off course? In week six of From the Ground Up, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia walks us through Nehemiah 6, where the wall is nearly complete — and the enemy intensifies the attacks.  Through Nehemiah’s discernment, courage, and devotion to God, we learn how to see clearly and act wisely in a world filled with...

From the Ground Up | Nehemiah Pt. 5 | Carlo Mendoza | Sunrise Church CA What do you do when the biggest threat to your progress isn’t coming from the outside — but from within? In week five of From the Ground Up, Pastor Carlo Mendoza takes us into Nehemiah 5, where internal conflict nearly derails the rebuilding project.  In this powerful message, we discover that finishing well requires courage t...

What do you do when the work gets heavy, the opposition rises, and you feel like quitting? In week four of From the Ground Up, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia takes us into Nehemiah 3–4, where the people of God rebuild the walls of Jerusalem while facing exhaustion, discouragement, and growing attacks.  Through their story, we learn that God strengthens us when we engage, emboldens us when we remember wh...

What do you do when something feels too broken to fix? In week three of From the Ground Up, Pastor Steve Garcia walks through Nehemiah 2:10–20, where Nehemiah inspects the ruins of Jerusalem and begins rallying the people to rebuild. Through his example, we learn that before something can be rebuilt, it must first be inspected; before progress can be made, others must be included; and before chang...

A Burden for the People || From the Ground Up: Part 2 || Pastor Steve Garcia What if the opportunity you’ve been praying for suddenly appeared — would you be ready to step into it? In week two of From the Ground Up, Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks Nehemiah 2 and shows how prayer turns into action. After months of waiting, Nehemiah stands before the most powerful man in the world and boldly asks for th...

What do you do when what was once strong now lies in ruins? In week one of From the Ground Up, Pastor Steve Garcia opens the book of Nehemiah and shows how rebuilding begins — not with blueprints or bricks, but with brokenness and prayer.  Before Nehemiah ever lifted a stone, he lifted his voice to God. His compassion for a hurting people and his burden for a broken city reveal a powerful truth: t...

What if the very thing meant to silence your faith became the spark that spread it? In the final week of Citizens of Heaven, Pastor Steve Garcia closes out the series with a sobering message on Persecution.  Through the life of the Apostle Paul, we see that every attempt to stamp out the gospel only caused it to burn brighter. God’s people may be pressed, but never crushed — and His Kingdom keeps...

What happens when God’s people settle instead of scatter? In Week 3 of Citizens of Heaven, Pastor Steve Garcia explores how the story of the Tower of Babel and the miracle of Pentecost reveal God’s unstoppable heart for the nations. From Genesis to Acts, we see that when humanity rebels and tries to make a name for itself, God’s mercy still moves the mission forward. If you’ve ever been tempted to...