The Ranch Church Podcast

What the Spirit Produces in Us with Rick Soto

In this family-service message, Pastor Rick continues from Hebrews 1 and moves into Galatians 5 to show that God’s word doesn’t just inform us, it transforms us. The same Jesus who upholds the universe by the word of His power now speaks through His Spirit to set us free from the slavery of sin and self-destruction. Using a simple comparison between old combustion engines and new electric cars, and a creative walk-through of the fruit of the Spirit using American Sign Language, Rick unpacks how love, joy, peace, and the rest of the Spirit’s fruit are not self-improvement goals but divine life planted in us. The message ends with a call to be baptized afresh in the Holy Spirit and to “keep in step with the Spirit,” so that our lives bear real, lasting fruit in Christ.

 

 

Long Ago and Right Now: Hearing God in Hebrews 1 with Rick Soto

In this message on Hebrews 1:1–3, Pastor Rick Soto walks through the startling announcement at the heart of the book of Hebrews: God has spoken finally and fully through His Son. We look at how declarations shape the Christian life, how Jesus fulfills every Old Testament covenant, and why He alone brings true purification and power. Along the way, we hear stories of creative wedding announcements and the Mayflower Compact that help frame what it means when God Himself announces something life-changing.

Key Points
• Hebrews opens with an announcement: God has spoken through His Son, not just prophets.
• Announcements and declarations matter. Romans 10 shows how faith is expressed with the heart and the mouth.
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament system. The old covenant points to Him; the new covenant is found in Him.
• Two Passover neighbors illustrate that deliverance rests on God’s promise, not the amount of our faith.
• Jesus is Creator, Sustainer, and Heir of all things. Because He is heir, believers become co-heirs with Him.
• Arguments for God’s existence (cosmological, design, ontological) point to a world created and held together by Christ.
• Jesus has made purification for sins and now sits at the right hand of God, signaling a finished, complete work.

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.