Churches in Downtown Des Moines

Active churches in Downtown Des Moines

218 6th Ave, Suite 200
thegatewaychurch.com
6 sermons · 1 day ago
1800 Grand Ave, Des Moines
dsmcc.org
1 sermon
1001 Pleasant Street, Des Moines
dmfirstchurch.org
1 sermon
600 6th Ave., Des Moines
stjohnsdsm.org
1 sermon
607 High St, Des Moines
saintambrosecathedral.org
1 sermon
814 School Street, Des Moines
corinthianbc.org
1 sermon

Types of churches in Downtown Des Moines

Non-denominational

Modern music, practical teaching, and a relaxed, come-as-you-are atmosphere — popular with young adults and families who want a welcoming community without strong denominational ties.

Mainline & historic

Traditional worship with beautiful sanctuaries, choral music, and liturgical services — congregations that connect faith with history and a long-standing community presence.

Students & young adults

With the University of Colorado nearby, many churches emphasize student ministry — Bible studies, worship nights, and service opportunities built for people in their college and early-career years.

Family-friendly

Strong kids’ programs, youth groups, and safe, supportive environments — with Sunday school, childcare, and age-specific ministries throughout the city.

Sermon clips from Downtown Des Moines churches

60s
#StrengthInWeakness
“But you certainly have a friend in Peter, and in me, and anyone else who's following Christ. And as Dominic has reminded us last week and before that, Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times before the crucifixion. He was effectively a deserter, a traitor. Imagine the guilt he experienced only to be shocked by the resurrection and then chosen as the torchbearer for the early church publicly at Pentecost. And I think this is a key point for this morning. That's exactly the way God wanted it. are same with the apostle Paul who persecuted Christians before converting. God chose what is weak in the world to reveal that what we think of the strength is an illusion. It's a construct. It's fool's gold.”
51s
“one reason why you and I shout right now, that's why I didn't mind when I heard my sister screaming today, is because we got another chance because somebody died in our place. When God moves you from a season of disobedience to a season of another chance, that's a good time right there to praise him. You ain't got the I don't need nobody else. When he covered you and you knew you were guilty, that's a good time to praise him. You you're alive right now when you should've been dead. You need to you you should've started acting up right there. When he kept you, when you act like you didn't wanna be kept, you should've acted up right there. Every now and then, when you wake up in the morning, I don't care if you even you've got your clothes on yet.”
51s
“If recall if you recall in the gospel a few weeks ago, Jesus invited Peter to walk across the water to him and Peter realized that on his own he couldn't do it. It was only because of the presence of the Lord. That had changed Peter. He now knew Jesus in a whole new way, not like the other disciples but he knew from his own experience that Jesus was there to save him. When we wonder about the strength of our faith, we need not be terribly anxious. Peter and the other disciples failed Jesus so many times over and over again in the scriptures. And you know what? Jesus always took them back. He might have been disappointed at times but he never gave up on them.”
57s
“Because we are not up to this task on our own, and it won't be by flesh and blood. Only with God's power will it be possible to lead these people, these disciples, where we need to go. To call us back when we wander off, to push us when we get stuck, and carry us when we can't. But still, Jesus is naming us as an important part of his story. Still, Jesus is calling us to be who we are meant to be as a part of this church and a part of this kingdom even yet now when we are not ready yet.”
51s
“When you think about it, Christianity is based on a very simple and yet profound truth. God wants relationship with us. So God came to Abraham and Sarah, and God came to David and Solomon, and God came to Deborah and Esther and Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah among so many others. And then once and for all, came in Jesus so that we might know that God wants real relationships with real people. Let me say that again. God wants real relationships with real people like you and me.”
48s
“It says manage his own household well. But the Greek word is pro istomy. Okay? You don't manage in Greek from the back with no stake in the game. Hey, guys. I laid down the rules. Now you go take care of it. Right? Can you imagine, like, in your own home, you you decided there's some standards that are slipping and you wanna deal with it. And the first thing you do is write a big thing, stick it on the fridge, and then make everybody else do all the work. That's not leadership. Pro istomy is to stand before. That's what the Greek word is if you're very literal about the etymology. It means lead, it means manage, but the implication is from the front. Lead by example.”
42s
#JesusIsAlive
“He wasn't only a person. Luke tells that he even fell asleep in a boat in the middle of a life threatening storm. Right? He went down into sleep in particular, the sleep we call death, and God raised him. Jesus came to heal what is broken in this world, to mend, he's a mender. To make right, to restore, to offer rest. And what Peter is saying to this crowd and to us, think, by extension is this, Jesus is alive.”
31s
#DeathCouldNotHoldHim
“In the original language here, the picture in verse 24 was as though death itself was in labor. It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him, is the picture. the word for birth pangs. The image here is of the tomb as a womb, and death could not contain him. Right? That's the image, the word that's used.”
55s
#GodWithinUs
“But here in Acts two, something changes all of a sudden. Right? The divine fire that had previously rested on God's temple space, where does it rest on in Pentecost? It rests on them, on people, mere humans, on the disciples. And just like in the past with the temples and the tent of meeting, just like all the other places where God dwelled previously, here's a new place where heaven and earth intersect. It's not a mountain. It's not a sacred building. God's temple is found in living, breathing humans. Or another way to say this, Bethlehem was God with us. Calvary was God for us, but Pentecost is God within us.”
62s
#BeTheChurch
“And the reason I mention this is, if you've ever heard the cliche, don't go to church, be the church. Right? Like, the church isn't a building, it's a people, it's a cliche, but it is true. And after Pentecost, the temple wasn't just a place where people went to, it was the very people themselves where the Holy Spirit could be found. Because before this, if you wanted to experience God, you needed to climb a mountain, cross a river. Right? You needed to offer the right sacrifices. You needed to follow the right religious rituals and enter into this sacred space. And maybe, for a select few, you could experience God's presence. Right? But here, when the Holy Spirit arrives, we become temples. Not gods, of course, please don't hear me saying that. Not divine, but filled with the spirit of the living God as vessels.”

Why Downtown Des Moines churches are unique

Tradition meets innovation: The spiritual landscape in Downtown Des Moines reflects both heritage and progress, with long-established mainline churches standing alongside newer congregations that emphasize casual gatherings and contemporary worship.
A culture all its own: Many churches mirror the city’s culture of inclusivity and connection to the outdoors, offering spaces where people of all backgrounds can experience faith and community in an authentic, welcoming environment.

Recent sermons from Downtown Des Moines churches