Citadel Square Sermons

Pastor AJ Rankin preaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6.
Motives get questioned. Methods get scrutinized. At some point, every Christian has to answer: am I doing this for praise, or for God? Paul and his companions faced that test in Thessalonica, and they let their character answer instead of their results. This week in 1 Thessalonians 2, we see what it looks like to lead as entrusted stewards: the message must be true, the motives must be pure, the methods must be above reproach, and ultimately, the aim must be to please God alone.

Pastor Steve Lindenmeyer preaches from 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10.
This week, we kick off our new series in 1 Thessalonians. Paul overflows with thanksgiving as he reflects on a young church's faith, love, and hope — a community so transformed that their lives became an example worth imitating. What made them that way? And what would it take for us to become that kind of church?

Pastor Steve Lindenmeyer preaches from Psalm 130.
We close our study in the Psalms this week with Psalm 130 — a cry from the depths, not because of circumstances, but because of sin. Yet even there, God's forgiveness and steadfast love meet the Psalmist and turn despair into hope. A hope so real, it becomes a word of encouragement for us all.

Pastor Ben Miller preaches from Psalm 88.
Psalm 88 is one of the deepest valleys in the scriptures and addresses one of the greatest tensions in our relationship with God. From our perspective, our relationship with God seems to often fluctuate between peaks and valleys, and maybe the occasional ‘somewhere in between.’ The hope of the gospel promises that, despite our ‘valleys’, God is with us, for us, and promises to sustain us. But what about when it doesn’t feel that way? How do I view my relationship with a God who doesn’t seem to be present in the valley? Join us on Sunday to learn more.

Pastor Steve Lindenmeyer preaches from Psalm 121.
This week, we're diving into Psalm 121 — a song sung by pilgrims on the move, written for people in need of help. We'll discover how the Psalmist steadied his own faith and the faith of everyone traveling with him, simply by rehearsing the truth of God's character. Doubt, despair, and despondency don't get the last word. 

Pastor Jonathan Suggs preaches from Psalm 23.
This is possibly the most famous passage in the Bible. It has comforted untold many at funerals, on deathbeds, and in the darkest of nights. Countless have memorized it, and for good reason too, because few passages highlight the loving care of God as well as David’s twenty-third Psalm. And yet, when something is this familiar, we can easily take it for granted. But there is nothing that should be assumed in Psalm 23 because if we let it speak for itself, it presses us with the most important of questions: “Who is my shepherd?”

Pastor AJ Rankin preaches from Psalm 63.
This week we're kicking off a new five-week summer series on the Psalms. We start with Psalm 63, David's journal entry from the wilderness, written while he was hunted, exhausted, and far from safe. Yet he never asks God directly for rescue. Instead, he shows us what it looks like from the inside to seek God, and what happens to a soul that does.

Pastor Jonathan Suggs preaches from 2 Peter 3:14-18.
Stability is kind of like trust: it’s hard to build and easy to lose. But can you actually keep it? In our culture, Christianity is just one approach among many, deconstruction is celebrated, and doubt hits everyone. So, then what do we do? As Peter ends his letter, this is the pastoral concern at the top of his mind: What must we do to remain sure, steadfast, and strong to the end?

Pastor Jonathan Suggs preaches from 2 Peter 3:8-13.
Waiting can be agonizing. In these seasons, we feel agitated, disappointed, and maybe even frustrated with God. When the waiting seems endless, we can easily become distracted or settle for something less than what we originally hoped. Yet, in this passage, Peter talks about the Christian life not in terms of immediate flourishing and satisfaction, but as a long exercise in learning to wait for the day Christ returns. How does this “day of the Lord” teach us to wait today?

Pastor Steve Lindenmeyer preaches from 2 Peter 3: 1-7.
Mockers are nothing new. In a world that scoffs at the promises of God, Peter calls the church to do one thing: remember. Remember the words of the prophets. Remember the commands of the apostles. Remember that Christ is coming back. This week, we continue in 2 Peter 3, where Peter arms believers with the one thing that silences every doubt — the unshakeable Word of God.