Reaching For Real Life with Sean Azzaro

Sean Azzaro

Candid conversations about how faith impacts real life, beyond the church life, beyond the faith talk and into real authentic faith.

  1. 4d ago

    Dr. Les Hollon - Love As Holiness

    Love as Holiness: Dr. Les Holland on Reconciliation, Pastoral Leadership, and COVID-Era Ministry Pastor Sean Azzaro talks with Dr. Les Hollan, longtime pastor of Trinity Baptist Church and author of Love as Holiness: Dare to Live It, joined by his wife, Vicky. Holland reflects on following Buckner Fanning, building “love bridges” after a difficult church transition, and his emphasis on reconciliation, listening, and early-morning meditation. He explains the book’s origin in his PhD work and frames love as the way of experiencing God’s holiness, offering leadership lessons such as loving God first, casting clear vision while building consensus, and being willing to say “I don’t know.” Holland discusses leading through COVID, boundaries after retirement, and Vicky highlights the story-driven nature of the book. 00:00 Show Kickoff Banter 01:03 Introducing Dr Les Hollan 01:50 Call to Trinity Baptist 03:33 Leading After a Predecessor 04:34 Reconciliation Artist Story 06:31 Love as Holiness Book 07:32 Pastoral Pressure and Practices 11:36 Leadership Lessons for Pastors 13:53 Revelation And Humility 15:12 Leading Through COVID 16:27 Crisis Ministry Breakthrough 17:40 Advice To Younger Self 19:46 Retirement And Community 22:46 Boundaries With Successor 24:08 Vicky On The Book 25:10 Wrap Up And Next Series

    27 min

  2. May 27

    Youth Camp & VBS: Making Church a Non-Negotiable Priority

    Sean Azzaro speaks to the value of Vacation Bible School and River City Community Church’s summer camps (2nd–12th grade), emphasizing discipleship through concentrated relationships, worship, and community. Sean urges parents to organize family life around the things of God, not treating church as negotiable or replaced by sports, activities, or Christian school, and to help kids sustain “camp high” by connecting to youth group. He shares scholarship opportunities via youth pastor Clay Burkholder (cburkholder@reallife.org) and announces camp June 8–12 at Camp Buckner and VBS July 13–17, with details at reallife.org. 00:00 Welcome and YaYa Week 00:43 Outnumbered Parenting 01:14 Why Camp Memories Matter 01:57 Daily Devotions and Activities 04:29 Church Camps and VBS Options 05:34 Why Youth Camp Works 06:34 Choosing Faith First 09:30 Parents Lead the Way 16:27 Camp High to Lifelong Habits 18:56 Scholarships Dates and Wrap Up

    21 min

  3. May 19

    True Revival vs. Patriotism: Keeping Jesus at the Center

    On Reaching for Real Life, Sean and Baron discuss grandparenting plans before turning to recent faith-centered patriotic events in Washington, DC around the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration, including prayers led by Speaker Mike Johnson. Sean expresses caution about labeling such gatherings “revival,” emphasizing that true revival is “just Jesus,” marked by repentance, transformed lives, and changed communities, and warning against conflating Christian faith with Americanism or political bandwagons. 00:00 Granddaughter Intro 00:33 Pops Camp Plans 01:26 Last Week's Feedback 02:21 Faith Events In May 04:22 Revival Or Patriotism 06:52 What Revival Looks Like 08:29 Politics And Christian Witness 12:35 Discernment and Follow-Up 14:14 Gen Z Returns To Church 15:30 Young Men Push Back 17:33 Science And Secularism 19:48 Jubilee And 250 Years 20:28 Kingdom Of God First 21:51 Revival Under Persecution 24:31 Pastors Focus On Discipleship 26:11 Church Invite And Wrap Up

    27 min

  4. May 12

    Faith and Legacy: From Parent To Grandparent

    Sean Azzaro and Baron Wiley recap River City Community Church’s Mother’s Day service honoring moms, and the golf tournament fundraiser for Real Life Community Outreach. The conversation turns to the importance of fathers and grandfathers investing in boys, Sean’s memories of his grandfathers, and the intentional “YaYa Pops Camp” week of activities, devotions, and scripture memorization for all six grandkids. Sean cites Deuteronomy 4:9 on teaching future generations, emphasizing grandparents as storytellers and prayer warriors who respect parents’ authority while modeling a God-honoring family legacy. 00:00 Show Kickoff Banter 00:42 Mother's Day Reflections 01:27 Honoring Mom Stories 02:44 Golf Tourney Recap 03:32 Moses Steals The Show 05:32 Why Boys Need Men 07:19 Knowing The Grandparents 08:22 Lessons From Grandpa Pope 09:22 Generational Role Shifts 11:09 Great Grandparents Memories 11:46 Grandparent Joy 12:15 Yaya Pops Camp 13:26 Camp Traditions 15:51 Legacy and Stories 19:55 Grandparent Boundaries 22:53 Blessing with Resources 24:27 Better Grandparents 26:04 Church Invitation 26:33 Podcast Farewell

    27 min

  5. May 5

    Boldness Vs "Use Words If Necessary"

    Sean Azzaro and Barron Wiley discuss how Christians can engage entertainment like Star Wars and Harry Potter with discernment, using it as an opportunity to help kids think biblically and critically rather than avoiding everything outright. They explore what it means to “share your faith, use words if necessary,” emphasizing that lifestyle matters but the New Testament also calls believers to speak about Jesus. The conversation compares different approaches to evangelism—from street-corner preaching to relational, everyday conversations—and highlights witnessing as simply telling what you’ve seen God do. Sean shares examples of praying for others, his son Ryan leading someone to Christ through casual invitations, and the need for churches and believers to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8) and not fear or shame. 00:00 Welcome and Banter 00:45 Star Wars and The Force 03:25 Harry Potter Discernment 06:54 Talk Faith Naturally 08:37 Street Preaching Debate 11:23 Everyday Evangelism Stories 13:19 Great Commission As You Go 19:27 Church Culture Shift 22:26 Spirit Empowered Witness 24:08 Mothers Day and Church Info 25:09 Closing Thanks

    25 min

  6. Apr 29

    Going All In For Jesus

    After the nod to moms for the coming Mother’s Day, and the dark tone of modern political rhetoric and the urging of prayer, the conversation turns to a growing spiritual hunger, noting public figures speaking about needing Jesus, and focuses on what it means to go “all in” as a disciple—an apprentice who follows Jesus in obedience, not merely through church attendance or good works. Sean shares how he left a promising polo career after a difficult internal struggle and found peace by obeying God. Say yes to Jesus and take steps of faith. 00:00 Welcome and Banter 00:40 Mother's Day Plans 02:46 NFL Draft Talk 03:48 Assassination Plot and Rhetoric 06:48 Spiritual Hunger and Revival 08:08 Going All In as a Disciple 10:45 Following Jesus in Obedience 14:23 Lukewarm Faith Warning 16:44 Sean's Polo Testimony 20:17 Church Updates and Service Times 21:02 Say Yes and Closing Prayer

    23 min

  7. Apr 21

    A Win For Christian Counselors From The Supreme Court

    Living the Dream, Free Speech & Counseling: Sean and Baron discuss River City Community Church’s sermon series “Living the Dream” on Joseph, redefining it as being on God’s path toward His vision despite hardship. The conversation shifts to a Supreme Court decision (8–1) sending a challenge to Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy” back to lower courts, framing it as a First Amendment free-speech win for licensed talk therapy and biblical convictions. Sean contrasts clinical counseling with the church’s “biblical guidance,” explains Christian identity as rooted in God’s creation, and offers advice for discussing sexuality with compassion, emphasizing sin’s destructiveness and the gospel of Jesus as hope. 00:00 Show Intro Banter 00:31 Living the Dream Series 01:31 Church Times and Events 01:57 Spurs Talk and Wemby 03:38 Trump at Press Dinner 04:59 SCOTUS Conversion Therapy Case 06:26 Free Speech vs Responsibility 10:53 Biblical Guidance vs Counseling 11:36 Discipleship Beats Addiction 12:32 Identity Rooted in Christ 12:57 Spiritual Battle Over Authority 15:13 Truth in Love Conversations 16:35 Supreme Court Therapy Ruling 18:10 Counseling College Culture 21:06 Sin, Freedom, and the Cross 22:24 Late Night Banter and Rest 24:07 Church Invite and Wrap Up

    25 min

  8. Apr 14

    Leadership And Who You're Following

    Sean reacts to a messianic-style image of President Trump posted on Truth Social and later removed, calling it a complicating factor for Christian voters who supported him against the Democratic platform. The conversation turns to leadership: why good leadership is scarce, how leaders are both born and made, and why character is forged in private, using David, Joseph, and Moses as examples. Recommended reading: J. Oswald Sanders’ “Spiritual Leadership” 00:00 Show Intro Banter 01:34 River City Updates 03:22 Music Gatekeepers Shift 04:08 Trump Messianic Image 06:09 Voting Tension 09:25 Leadership In Short Supply 10:50 Born And Made Leaders 12:06 Leaders Get Followers 12:34 David Goes First 13:56 Joseph Built in Secret 15:54 Moses Prepared in Midian 17:34 Start Leading Now 19:06 Servant Leadership Defined 20:43 Politics and Character Drift 23:16 Guardrails Against Compromise 24:26 Who You Follow Matters 25:48 Church Vision and Invitation

    26 min
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4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Candid conversations about how faith impacts real life, beyond the church life, beyond the faith talk and into real authentic faith.

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Azzaro
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    327
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 River City Community Church

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