Citizen Church Podcast

Have you ever prayed for something so long that you finally just... stopped asking? Not because you stopped believing God could — but because you weren't sure anymore that He would. If that's where you're at, this message is for you. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells the story of a widow with no power, no status, and no advocate — who refuses to stop showing up before an unjust judge. It's not a story a...

You love being forgiven. But forgiving someone who actually hurt you? That's a different story. Maybe you walked into today carrying a name. A memory. A betrayal that was real, intentional, and never apologized for. And somewhere along the way you picked up the idea that forgiving means forgetting — or that you have to feel it before you can do it. No wonder it feels impossible. In this message, P...

Every father wonders if he's giving his kids what they really need. Every son or daughter — at some point — wonders the same thing about themselves: Who am I? Am I loved? Where am I going? Why am I here? This Father's Day, Pastor Dustin and his son Aiden — our Middle School Pastor — team up to answer those questions through Scripture, sharing the four gifts every father gives: Identity, Security,...

Most people secretly wonder if they've gone too far to come back — too far into sin, too far from God, too far from who they were meant to be. The Parable of the Prodigal Son isn't just a story about a rebellious son who wasted everything. It's a story about a Father who runs. In this message, Pastor Layla walks through Luke 15 and shows us that there are actually two sons who are lost — one who r...

Have you ever watched someone else get blessed and felt a quiet sting instead of joy? You're not alone — and Jesus knew that tension well. In Week 2 of Stories: Parables of Jesus, Pastor walks through one of the most uncomfortable parables Jesus ever told — the Workers in the Vineyard. A landowner pays everyone the same wage, regardless of how long they worked. And the people who worked the longes...

You've heard the stories before. But have you actually seen yourself in them? Jesus didn't just tell stories to inform — He told them to reveal. As Warren Wiersbe put it, a parable starts as a familiar picture, but as you sit with it, it becomes a mirror. And most people don't like what they see. In Stories: The Parables of Jesus, we're walking through the parables and asking the question Jesus wa...

No matter where you are in your faith journey, you are one step from unstuck. In this message, we look at four spiritual starting points that show up throughout Scripture — and what it looks like to take the next step from each one. Some of us want Jesus nearby but not in control. Some of us believe, but are wrestling with doubt at the same time. Some of us are still asking questions, circling the...

Life is full of choices — and every choice you make is making you. On this Graduate Sunday, Pastor Dustin uses the dramatic story of Paul's shipwreck in Acts 27 to unpack what it really means to make wise decisions. Whether you're stepping into a new season or navigating the storms already around you, this message is for everyone. Three questions every skilled decision-maker must ask: WHERE are yo...

Motherhood is more than a role, it’s a calling. In this powerful Mother’s Day message, Pastor Mandy shares what it truly means to be a godly mom in today’s world. Through biblical wisdom and heartfelt encouragement, we’re reminded that moms are shaping hearts, building environments of faith, speaking life over their families, and leading with strength, discernment, and prayer. From the faith of Lo...

Have you ever felt blocked, redirected, or knocked down — and wondered if God had forgotten your purpose? In this message, we dive into what it truly takes to finish the race God has set before you. Through the life of the Apostle Paul, we discover that the path to your destiny is rarely a straight line — but it is always intentional. THREE THINGS FINISHING YOUR RACE WILL INVOLVE: 1. DIVINE DETOUR...

Week 3 of our series Same Power takes us into one of the most powerful transformation stories in Scripture—the encounter of Saul with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In Acts 9, we meet a man driven by anger, control, and opposition to the very movement God was building. Yet in a moment, everything changes. This message reminds us that no matter where you are, what you’ve done, or how far you feel f...

What does it look like to truly live in the power of the Holy Spirit? In this message, we explore Ephesians 1:19–20 and the incredible truth that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us as believers. Looking through the Book of Acts, we discover four clear marks of a Spirit-empowered life and how they still apply to us today. First, a Spirit-empowered life is transformed fr...

What if the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you today? In Week 1 of our new series Same Power, Pastor Dustin teaches on the reality of the Holy Spirit—not as an abstract force, but as the personal presence of God living within every believer. This message unpacks what it means to not just believe in Jesus, but to be empowered by His Spirit to live the life you were creat...

He is risen. And because He is risen, everything changes. This Resurrection Sunday message from Pastor Dustin walks us through the most pivotal moment in human history—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus—and reveals why it still matters for us today. From the cross to the empty tomb, and all the way to the road to Emmaus, we are reminded that what seemed like the end was actually the begi...

In this powerful message, Pastor Galen walks us through the final week of Jesus’ life, beginning with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As crowds shouted “Hosanna” and welcomed Him as King, many didn’t fully understand who He truly was—or what He came to do. This message reveals how Palm Sunday is not a random moment, but the fulfillment of a story that began all the way back in Exodus. From the...

What happens when Jesus doesn’t just show up… but takes over? In Week 6 of our Jesus Is King series, Pastor Dustin walks us through the powerful story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and challenges a question many of us avoid: Is Jesus present in your life… or is He actually in charge? When Jesus arrives, ownership changes. Not just in theory—but in how we live, give, and prioritize. This message dives in...

Today we walked through the story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46–52; a man who couldn’t see physically, but spiritually saw something the crowd missed. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And his faith literally stopped Jesus in His tracks. We were reminded that faith sees Jesus for who He really is, faith refuses to stay silent, and faith m...

In Week 4 of our Jesus Is King series, Pastor Dustin takes us to the powerful moment of the Transfiguration in Matthew 17. On the mountain, the disciples see the glory of Jesus revealed—but they quickly learn that mountaintop moments with God are meant for revelation, not residence. While those experiences inspire our faith, they were never meant to be the place we stay. Most of life is lived in t...

Week 3 of our Jesus Is King series continues with a powerful message from Pastor Mandy rooted in Mark 1 and 2. In Mark 1:45, we see that although Jesus could no longer openly enter towns, people still came to Him from everywhere. The crowds were drawn to Him—but this week’s message challenges us to ask: what do we really need? In Mark 2:3–5, four men carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus, refusi...

In Week Two of our Jesus Is King series, Pastor Dustin unpacks a powerful message titled “The Truth About Temptation.” We begin where we left off last week — at the baptism of Jesus. In Matthew 3:17, the Father declares, “This is My beloved Son…” Before Jesus performed miracles or preached to crowds, His identity was affirmed. But immediately after that moment of public declaration, Matthew 4:1 te...

Welcome to our new sermon series, Jesus is King. In today’s message, Pastor Dustin takes us to Matthew 3 and the baptism of Jesus, where we see the foundation of Christ’s identity and mission. Before Jesus ever performed a miracle, preached a sermon, or began His public ministry, the Father declared over Him: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus was affirmed before He ever ac...

This week at Citizen Church, Pastor Dustin reminded us that the heart of God has always been global. From the beginning, God’s plan has been to bless all nations, and Jesus calls His Church to take the gospel beyond ourselves and into every city, every nation, and every heart. Scripture makes it clear: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). Global missions matter becaus...

In this Rally Sunday message, Eric Morris walks through Luke 18:15–30 and confronts one of our deepest struggles: our addiction to certainty. Through the contrast between children, a rich ruler, and Peter, we see that the Kingdom is not procured through control, performance, or self-made confidence—but received with childlike trust. This teaching exposes how easily responsibility turns into contro...

What does faithfulness look like when obedience is costly and the finish line feels far away? In this Rally Sunday message, Noah Herrin teaches from the story of Noah and challenges us with a simple but confronting truth: starting things is easy—finishing things is biblical. Through Genesis 6 and Galatians 6, we are reminded that God’s definition of success is not comparison, position, or recognit...

In our final week of There Is More, Pastor Dustin challenges a growing belief in our culture: that personal faith can replace the local church. While personal worship matters deeply, Scripture makes it clear that following Jesus was never meant to be lived in isolation. Jesus didn’t just call individuals—He is building His Church. From the earliest days in Acts, believers were formed through share...