Sunrise Church Podcast

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...

If you could rewrite your family story, what would you change? In Week 2 of Citizens of Heaven, Executive Pastor Moises Bejarano takes us through the surprising genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1—filled with brokenness, scandal, outsiders, and redemption. From Tamar’s shame to Rahab’s redemption, Ruth’s faith, and David’s failure, we see that Jesus didn’t comefrom a perfect family—He came FOR imperfe...

Who belongs in God’s Kingdom? In the kickoff of our brand-new series Citizens of Heaven, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks the story of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10—a mind-blowing moment when God revealed that His plan wasn’t just for one nation, but for all nations. This isn’t just Peter’s story—it’s ours too. Who is your Cornelius? Who might God be preparing in your life to hear about Jesus? Wh...

Asking for a Friend Who—or what—is the Holy Spirit? For many, the Father and the Son feel understandable, but the Spirit remains mysterious. Is He just a force? A ghostly presence? Or something more? In the finale of our Asking for a Friend series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia explores one of the most misunderstood topics in Christianity: the Holy Spirit. From creation to Pentecost to His ongoing work...

Asking for a Friend In Part 3 of Asking for a Friend, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia dives into one of the most mysterious—and often misunderstood—topics in the Bible: the spiritual world. From angels and demons to spiritual warfare and unseen battles, Scripture pulls back the curtain to reveal a reality that is both sobering and hope-filled. Whether you’ve had questions about guardian angels, demonic o...

Asking for a Friend Are miracles real—or just rare coincidences we exaggerate?  In Part 2 of Asking for a Friend, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia tackles one of the most fascinating questions people ask about faith: What do I believe about miracles? From Jesus raising the dead to modern-day claims of healing, this message explores what separates the improbable from the truly impossible—and why it matters...

Asking for a Friend Is sin really that big of a deal? What even is sin? And how does it affect my life today? In Part 1 of our new series Asking for a Friend, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia tackles one of the most pressing questions Christians (and skeptics) wrestle with: What do I believe about sin? From the Garden of Eden to the cross of Jesus, this message unpacks where sin came from, how it impacts...

Last Words How do you keep your faith strong when life feels confusing, distracting, or overwhelming? In the closing message of our Last Words series, Pastor David Gaunt unpacks the final MARCS of a disciple: Scriptural. Disciples of Jesus aren’t just hearers of the Word—they are shaped by it, transformed by it, and anchored in it. This message is a call to stay in the Word—to read it, meditate on...

Last Words In Part 4 of our Last Words series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks the fourth MARC of a disciple: Communal—the call to grow together with Christ at the center. True biblical community isn’t just friendships or shared hobbies; it’s relationships that stretch us, sharpen us, and prepare us for eternity. Biblical community is more than Sunday attendance—it’s about living life together, r...

Above All - You were never meant to be a spiritual dead end. In Part 3 of our Last Words series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks the third MARC of a disciple: Reproducible—the call to invest in others the same way Jesus invested in His disciples. This is more than just knowing about Jesus; it’s about showing Him, growing others in Him, and empowering them to go live for Him. If you’ve received fr...

Above All  Who’s helping you follow Jesus? In Part 2 of our Last Words series, Lead Pastor Steve Garcia unpacks the second MARC of a disciple: Accountable—because staying on mission is impossible if you’re trying to do it alone. Through Jesus’ example with His disciples, we see that biblical accountability isn’t about guilt trips or control—it’s about helping each other stay focused on what matter...

Above All What if the most important words Jesus ever said… weren’t just meant to be remembered—but lived? In this bold kickoff to our new series Last Words, Pastor John Hill unpacks Jesus’ final instructions before returning to the Father—challenging every believer to stop watching the skies and start walking into the mission. This message reveals the first of five essential MARCS of a faithful d...

Above All Colossians 4 | Pastor Steve Garcia | Above All  What does it really mean to follow Jesus at home? In this powerful conclusion to the Above All series, Pastor Steve Garcia gets personal—showing how the message of Colossians moves beyond church walls and into our closest relationships. Whether you’re married, raising kids, living alone, or leading a team, this message breaks down how Chris...