Peoples Church | Fresno, CA

What do you do when your spiritual hunger starts to fade?In Episode 4 of Let's Talk!, Billy sits down with Dawson and Olivia to continue the conversation from Matthew 5:6:“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”Together, they explore what Jesus means by righteousness, how spiritual hunger differs from simple unhappiness, and why genuine hunger for God should move us toward action.They also talk honestly about the things that slowly shape our desires, including screen time, work, comfort, social media, busyness, and the people we surround ourselves with.Olivia shares about seasons where grief, parenting, and life circumstances can make spiritual hunger feel distant, while Dawson challenges us not to let a lack of desire become an excuse for disobedience.Sometimes discipline has to carry us until desire catches back up.The episode closes with a practical challenge: ask God where He wants you to stop looking away, where He wants you to step in, and what He may be trying to reignite in your heart.Scripture: Matthew 5:6Series: Blessed?

What are you hungry for?Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." But this kind of hunger goes deeper than simply wanting to be a better person. It's a longing for more of God, for our lives to be made right, and for a broken world to look more like His Kingdom.In this message from our Blessed? series, Pastor Dawson Oquist explores what it means to live in the tension between the world as it is and the world as God intends it to be.We were made for eternity and perfect communion with God. Until His Kingdom comes in full, there will be an ache within us when we encounter sin, injustice, suffering, and brokenness. Jesus doesn't tell us to numb that hunger. He calls those who feel it blessed and invites us to let it move us closer to Him and into action.In this message, you'll discover:- What Jesus means by "hunger and thirst for righteousness"- Why righteousness includes both right relationship with God and a longing for things to be made right- What it means to live between the Kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of this world- How the world's values can slowly become our own if we're not paying attention- Why chasing comfort can sometimes lead us into apathy- How looking honestly at brokenness can soften our hearts and lead to real change- Why seeking God with our whole heart changes what we value- How to be the hands and feet of Jesus right where God has planted us

What does Jesus really mean when He says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”?In Episode 3 of Let's Talk!, Dawson sits down with Pastor Dale and Young Adults Pastor Derrick Alvarez to continue the conversation from Matthew 5:5.Together, they explore why meekness isn't weakness, what it means to be seen by God when the world considers you unimportant, and how failure can deepen our dependence on Jesus.Derrick shares how dyslexia, failure, and seasons of feeling “not good enough” have shaped his faith and ministry, while Pastor Dale talks about separating identity from success, leadership, and the praise of others.They also discuss ambition, calling, pride, comparison, and why your platform or profession doesn't determine the importance of what God has called you to do.Whether you're leading a church, running a business, raising a family, teaching, serving coffee, or working with your hands, your calling can become worship when it is surrendered to Jesus.Scripture: Matthew 5:5Series: Blessed?

What does Jesus mean when He says, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth"?Meekness is often mistaken for weakness, but Jesus presents it as something far stronger. In week three of our Blessed? series, Pastor Brad Liebe unpacks the Beatitude of meekness and shows how biblical gentleness is not passivity, personality, or lack of strength. It is strength under control, shaped by the Holy Spirit and surrendered to the will of God.Following Jesus means becoming less driven by our own reactions, preferences, and need for control, and more willing to trust that God's ways are better than ours.The question is not whether we have strength. The question is whether we will surrender that strength to God.In this message, you'll discover:What Jesus means by "meek" and why gentleness is central to the Christian lifeWhy meekness is not the same as weaknessHow gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not simply a personality traitWhy becoming more like Jesus requires less of us and more of HimWhat "strength under control" looks like in everyday lifeWhy meekness requires faith that God's plan is better than our ownHow surrendering control allows God to do what only He can doWhat Jesus means when He promises that the meek will "inherit the earth"

What does Jesus mean when He says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”?Billy sits down with Pastor Dale and Olivia to discuss grief, loss, disappointment, and where we look for comfort when life gets heavy. They explore God's presence in painful seasons, the importance of biblical community, and how to support someone who is grieving without needing to have all the right words.Pastor Dale shares how the presence of friends brought comfort after losing his parents, while Olivia opens up about walking through miscarriage and how God has used that experience to help her connect with others.If you're experiencing grief, mourning, or disappointment, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to walk through it alone. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply show up.Scripture: Matthew 5:4Series: Blessed?People's Church | Fresno, California

What does Jesus mean when He says, “Blessed are those who mourn”?Pain, loss, sorrow, and heartbreak are part of the human experience. Yet in the second Beatitude, Jesus makes a surprising promise: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”In week two of our Blessed? series, Pastor Dale Oquist continues through the Beatitudes and explores a Kingdom that doesn't ask us to hide our pain or pretend everything is fine. Jesus meets us in our mourning and invites us to bring our sorrow honestly before God.The blessing isn't found in the pain itself. The blessing is found in the God who meets us in our mourning.In this message, you'll discover:Why mourning is not a weakness or a virtue we need to pursueThe danger of suppressing sorrow and pretending we're "fine"Why grief and tears can be gifts from GodHow biblical mourning extends beyond our own pain to the brokenness around usWhat suffering reveals about the heart of GodWhy grief invites God's presenceThe difference between suppressing our sorrow and surrendering it to GodHow God's comfort gives us both present strength and future hope

Words have more power than we often realize.In the first episode of Let's Talk, Pastors Billy, Dale, and Dawson continue the conversation from James 3 and explore how the words we speak, and the words we receive, can shape the direction of our lives.Pastor Dale shares how unexpected conversations helped confirm God's call to Fresno, Dawson reflects on a simple conversation that changed the direction of his college experience, and the conversation turns to gossip, negative reports, daily decisions, and the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our words.The takeaway is simple: small things are big things.Our words can bring life, shape culture, and influence people in ways we may never fully see.Scripture: James 3:1-12Series: Small Things Make a Big Difference

What does it really mean to be blessed?As we begin our new series, Blessed?, Pastor Dale Oquist walks through the opening of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and explores one of His most surprising statements:"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."The Beatitudes turn our understanding of blessing upside down. Jesus isn't giving commands or describing virtues to achieve. He's extending an invitation and making a promise to those who feel broken, overlooked, weary, and in need of hope.The Kingdom of God isn't reserved for those who have it all together. It's for those who know they don't.In this message, you'll discover:- Why the Beatitudes are an invitation, not a list of commands- What Jesus meant by "poor in spirit"- How God's Kingdom is radically different from the values of our culture- Why brokenness becomes the doorway into God's Kingdom- How hope is found in God's promises, even during life's hardest seasons- Why your past doesn't have to determine your future- How Jesus welcomes the overlooked, hurting, and weary into His Kingdom

Can your words change the direction of your life?Continuing through James 3, Pastor Dale Oquist explores the disproportionate power of the tongue. Our words can build faith, bring healing, and point people toward God, but they can also spread doubt, damage relationships, and redirect the lives of others.God takes our words more seriously than we often do. What we speak and what we choose to receive can become either a tool of heaven or a tool of hell.This message explores:How words determine the direction of a lifeWhy negative reports can produce fear and doubtThe destructive power of gossip and careless speechWhy we should not receive gossip as truthHow our words reveal the condition of our heartsThe importance of pausing, pondering, praying, and protectingHow to use our words to bring life instead of death

What do your words reveal about your heart?Continuing our series, Small Things Make a Big Difference, Pastor Dale Oquist walks through James 3 and the incredible power of the tongue. Though it is small, our words can shape relationships, destroy trust, stir conflict, bring healing, and point people toward Jesus.Scripture teaches that genuine faith is demonstrated not only by what we believe, but also by what we say and what we choose not to say. Our words are never random. They reveal what has been cultivated within our hearts.The tongue has the power of life and death. The question is, how are we using it?This message explores:Why spiritual maturity is revealed through our wordsHow the tongue can build up or destroyWhy our speech reveals the condition of our heartThe responsibility we carry for the words we speakHow careless words create lasting consequencesWhy listening is essential in meaningful conversationsThe importance of pausing before reactingHow to think before speaking and avoid unnecessary regret

What if the miracle you're waiting for is on the other side of one more step of obedience?Continuing our series, Small Things Make a Big Difference, Pastor Dale Oquist returns to the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. After traveling over 100 miles in search of healing, Naaman discovers that God was after something even greater than a cure. Through humble obedience, God reveals Himself.This message reminds us that partial obedience is still disobedience, and that God often uses our greatest struggles to draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. The breakthrough you long for may begin with simply taking the next faithful step.This message explores:Why God wanted more than just to heal NaamanThe danger of partial obedienceWhy faith requires perseveranceHow God often works through the small thingsWhat it means to be faithful in the presentWhy your greatest struggle may lead to your greatest encounter with GodHow obedience prepares us for the miracles God wants to do

What makes a great father?This Father's Day, Pastor Brad Liebe continues our series, Small Things Make a Big Difference, by exploring how the character of our Heavenly Father shapes the way we love, lead, protect, and forgive.Whether you had an incredible father, a difficult relationship with your father, or grew up without one, God's example shows us what healthy fatherhood looks like. Through His presence, protection, and forgiveness, we discover the heart of a Father who never leaves us and never stops loving us.Often, the greatest impact fathers make isn't through big moments, but through the small things done faithfully over time.This message explores:Why presence is one of the greatest gifts a father can giveHow God models faithful fatherhoodThe balance of strength and compassionFinding security in God's protectionThe power of forgiveness and graceHealing from father wounds through the love of GodHow small acts of faithfulness create lasting impact

This message reminds us that no act of obedience is insignificant in the Kingdom of God. God is not limited by your circumstances, your past, your weaknesses, or your obscurity. He is looking for hearts willing to trust Him and say yes.This message explores:• Why God often begins great works through small beginnings• The faith of Samson's mother and her simple response to God• The difference between seeking explanations and seeking revelation• How obedience impacts future generations• Why no one is insignificant in the Kingdom of God• The power of daily faithfulness and small steps of obedience• How God works on our behalf before we even ask