Churches in Des Moines

Active churches in Des Moines

9001 Fleur Drive, Des Moines
lifenow.org
14 sermons · 5 days ago
1639 Garfield Ave., Des Moines
philadelphia.adventistchurch.org
12 sermons
4114 Allison Ave, Des Moines
westpres.org
3 sermons
1701 25th Street West, Des Moines
simple.church
5 sermons
5990 NE 14th St, Des Moines
capitolcitychurch.com
3 sermons

Types of churches in Des Moines

Contemporary Des Moines Churches

Many congregations across downtown, Ingersoll Avenue, and the South Side offer modern worship music, practical teaching, and a casual, family-friendly vibe. They often meet in renovated spaces or flexible auditoriums and draw young professionals from the East Village and families from nearby neighborhoods.

Des Moines Churches for Students

Churches near Drake University and Grand View University focus on college-friendly service times, small groups, and rides from campus. You’ll find student outreach concentrated around the Drake neighborhood’s Dogtown corridor and along East 14th Street, with free meals, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities that fit semester rhythms.

Historic Liturgical Churches

In neighborhoods like Sherman Hill, River Bend, and Beaverdale, long-established congregations worship in brick and stone sanctuaries with stained glass, pipe organs, and choirs. These churches emphasize traditional liturgy and multi-generational stability, often hosting seasonal concerts and community service rooted in their historic campuses.

Multicultural and Spanish-Language Churches

Reflecting Des Moines’ growing diversity, many congregations on the East Side, along MLK Jr Parkway, and the South Side offer services in Spanish and other languages such as Karen or Swahili. They often provide ESL classes, immigration support, and vibrant cultural celebrations that connect immigrant families with long-time residents.

Sermon clips from Des Moines churches

55s
#StepOfFaith
“``The truth is some of us are praying for results today while resisting the movement that faith requires. We want the promise without the step. We want provision without obedience. We want change without movement. But sometimes, the miracle is waiting on the other side of your obedience. What's the last thing that God commanded you to do? And have you done it yet? The Lord's bringing us back to that. You may not know the whole plan, but guess what? You can take the next step. You can take the next step. You may not understand everything God's doing, but you can obey the last thing he told you. You may not feel ready, but faith isn't confidence in your readiness. Faith is confidence in God's faithfulness to keep his covenant with you. So again, the question isn't simply, what do you believe? The question is, what is your belief moving you to do?”
58s
#GradualSpiritualBirth
“The man who had a conversation at night that it didn't look like anything happened, but the seed of God's word had taken place. I wonder if we don't have a revelation of what born again really looks like. I'm thankful for the moments where it's an instant and a moment and everything changes. But for some of us, it goes from hidden conception to gradual pregnancy to birth that is undeniable. don't know where you are in the journey, but here's what I know. You must be born again. This is not a gospel of try harder. This is a gospel of start over.”
44s
“He hesitated when Jesus walked on the water over to the boat as the storm is crashing down and he says, get out. Trust me. Walk on walk with me. And it wasn't the word doubt. The same Greek word that we use for doubt is translated in that story as hesitated. Peter hesitated. He was scared and he began to sink. It's alright. God didn't say, go ahead and drown you fool. You don't trust me. He pulled him up. He kept going and became the foundation of the church.”
45s
“And and I want to explain something to you that's important to remember. It's important for me and it's important for you. You are not the center of the universe and you're not the star of the show. We are all supporting actors in God's story and Jesus is the center, and your waiting might be because God is blessing somebody else. And you don't see it, and you may not like it, but he may be working all things together in your life and someone else's life. And he's not gonna show you if or why until it's time.”
52s
“Jesus does not ask for us to sacrifice without modeling it himself. He didn't wear a graduation cap cap, but he did wear something else, something much more important. He wore a crown, a crown of thorns, while showing us the most beautiful sacrifice that you or I could ever imagine. He endured rejection. He suffered on the cross. He gave his life. He gave all of himself for our sake that we may have a way to be in right, right relationship with God the father. How can we say no when he asks for our obedience? Jesus' sacrifice happened once, but its purpose and its payment applies every single day.”
50s
#PowerOfConfession
“By confession. Understand, God's word in your mouth is a mighty force. The words you speak are containers of either fear that beats you down or faith that lifts you up. And your covenant with God through Christ, it comes by confession, by confession of your sins, by confession of Jesus Christ as Lord. So our confession of faith is a powerful thing. Amen? That's why the bible says life and death are in the power of the tongue. Now how many know we shouldn't be praying the problem? Amen? Jesus didn't pray the problem. He prayed the words of his father. We pray the scriptures. We pray the truth of God. We pray the promises of the Lord. We don't pray the problem. Amen? Amen. But”
32s
#ExpectantFaith
“Spectating worshipers aren't gonna get the job done. God is looking for people who move in expectant faith. That's why the word says, whatever we bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatever we loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. God has given us an authority today in his name. That's why Jesus says miracle signs and wonders will follow the gospel message because God moves in response to people acting in expectant faith.”
30s
#NoLazyFaith
“I think we need to realize that when we do this, when we say things like, well, God's in control. What that sounds like to an unbeliever and what that sounds like probably to God himself is like we're assigning him the blame. If we just flippantly say, oh, God's in control, but we aren't functioning in covenant, we're operating in a lazy faith that both does nothing and receives nothing.”
66s
#GodMakesUpTheDifference
“Now wonder this morning, what is your not enough? What's that area of your life where you need God to make up for your insufficiency? Can I tell you that we all have those? We all have our not enoughs. We all have our insufficiencies. is that for you today? What is that where Jesus wants to make up the difference? Can I simply encourage you that God isn't looking for somebody with enough? God isn't looking for somebody with enough today. He's looking for somebody who acknowledges I have enough. What I have is not enough. And it's the recognition of that and inviting Jesus into the situation. No matter who you are, no matter what you're up against today, Jesus understands the only way to grow your garden is to first grow your faith. So before you can be fruitful, before you multiply, you have to surrender your not enough to the God of more than enough.”
44s
#SeeTheOrchard
“You see, I think the problem is we get so caught up looking at the fruit, looking at what the guy next to us has, looking at what people around us have, that we start thinking that the seed in our hand is worthless. But here's the thing about that. The fruit is as big as it's ever gonna get. This isn't gonna get any bigger. In fact, if I don't eat it, it's just gonna rot and I'm gonna have to throw it away. the truth is, who knows the potential that could be in here? Who knows the potential of the seed? You see where you see only a seed, God sees an orchard. God sees an orchard.”

Why Des Moines churches are unique

As Iowa’s capital, Des Moines blends an intimate downtown around the East Village and Drake with family-friendly suburbs like West Des Moines and Ankeny, giving worshipers both urban and neighborhood options. Churches in Des Moines mirror this landscape with flexible service times, contemporary and traditional styles, and weeknight gatherings that fit commuter life small group culture strong kids programs for young families. The city’s influx of new graduates and career starters also shapes ministries for early-career believers young adults and professionals.
Des Moines churches serve a notably diverse population, including long-time Midwestern families alongside growing Hispanic, African, and Asian communities and recent refugees. This diversity shows up in language options, music styles, and practical help like ESL, food assistance, and immigration guidance multilingual or bilingual services cross-cultural worship gatherings refugee and immigrant support ministries. The result is a welcoming, globally aware expression of faith rooted in local needs.
Set along the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers and anchored by institutions like Drake University and Grand View, the city fosters civic-minded, volunteer-driven congregations. Churches in Des Moines often coordinate seasonal service projects and collaborate across neighborhoods from Beaverdale to the South Side, extending their reach through shared networks and satellite sites community service and local outreach college student ministries multi-site campuses across the metro.

Recent sermons from Des Moines churches

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