The Ranch Church Podcast

When Jesus Knocks: A Wake-Up Call to Laodicea with Dr. Richard Danson

Episode Overview
This week, Dr. Richard Danson walks us through Revelation 3:14–22, the message to the church in Laodicea. It’s a passage that cuts straight to the heart, exposing the danger of spiritual complacency while offering one of the most tender invitations in all of Scripture: Jesus standing at the door and knocking.

Dr. Danson unpacks what it means to be lukewarm, why self-deception is so spiritually destructive, and how Jesus offers real renewal through repentance, renewed devotion, and anchored intimacy with him. The teaching moves line by line through the text, making the historical context clear and the application unmistakably practical.

Key Themes
• Why lukewarm faith is so distasteful to Jesus
• How wealth and comfort blind us to our real condition
• What Scripture means by buying “gold refined by fire”
• How the Word and the Spirit open our eyes to truth
• The path back to zeal, repentance, and intimacy with Christ
• The staggering promise that Jesus invites us to dine with him and reign with him

Why This Matters
Laodicea believed everything was fine. Jesus said otherwise. Dr. Danson shows how this same gap exists in us, and how Christ lovingly confronts it so we can become people whose hearts beat in rhythm with his.

Next Steps
If you sense Jesus knocking, take time today to open that door through prayer, confession, and fresh commitment. For help, community, or prayer, join us this weekend at Ranch Church.

Visit Us
Service times, directions, and more: ranchchurch.com

Open Doors and Patient Endurance: The Church of Philadelphia with Rick Soto

In this message from Revelation 3:7–13, Pastor Rick Soto walks us through Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia, a small but faithful community that Jesus loves and commends.

We explore what it means for Jesus to hold the “key of David,” to open doors no one can shut, and to describe Himself as both meek and lowly, and holy and true. Along the way, Pastor Rick shows how God has always been sovereign over “open doors” in history – from Rome to modern China – and why our own digital age may be one of the greatest windows for the gospel.

This teaching calls us to three things: keep God’s word, embrace patient endurance, and hold fast so no one steals our crown. The service concludes with baptisms and a powerful time of prayer for those struggling with resilience and perseverance.

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Key Takeaways for Ranch Church

• Jesus loves small, faithful churches and sets real, unshakable open doors before them.

• Our digital, AI-filled world makes embodied, relational church life more precious, not less.

• Everything good – including following Jesus – requires patient endurance.

• We must guard our hearts, hold fast our crowns, and protect one another from being robbed spiritually.

• God marks His people with His name; our deepest identity is not our failure, but His ownership and love.

Rick Soto - Seven Churches: Sardis — How Jesus Wakes Up His Bride

Pastor Rick Soto walks through Revelation 3:1–6 (Sardis) and how Jesus “wakes up His bride.” We explore obedience, the unseen realm, victorious promise, and the “laws of sacred fire”—moving from reputation to reality in Christ.

Mike Waliser - One Church, One Heart: John 17 and the Birth of the Church

Pastor Mike Waliser walks us through Acts 2, Matthew 22, and John 17 to answer one big question: What does Jesus want for His church? From the call to repent and be baptized, to the unity Jesus prayed for, to the joy of belonging in a local body, this message invites us to live as the Bride of Christ—robed in His righteousness and on mission together.

Rick Soto - Seven Churches Thyatira: When Tolerance Turns Toxic