Built for Durango

Bob Bonnar & DJ Jergensen
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Built for Durango is the podcast of Durango Vineyard Church, created for people who believe faith should shape a city—not stay contained within church walls. Rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, this podcast calls believers to live as true disciples: men and women who follow Jesus closely and make a tangible impact where they live. Each episode challenges listeners to engage their faith in real, practical ways—serving neighbors, developing leaders, building community, and advancing the Kingdom of God in everyday life. Through biblical teaching, local stories, and direct conversations, Built for Durango focuses on what it means to make disciples who make a difference. Our vision is clear: to see Durango become the “city on a hill” Jesus spoke of—a community marked by visible faith, authentic love, and sacrificial service. This podcast is an invitation to step in, take responsibility, and help build something that lasts. If you’re ready to live out your faith with purpose and see your city transformed, Built for Durango is for you. "You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14 NLT

  1. 11h ago

    Believe: Waking Up to What God Is Doing

    What if God is already at work all around us — and we're simply not awake enough to see it? In this sermon from Durango Vineyard Church, Pastor DJ continues through Acts 16 and the remarkable story of Paul and Silas in Philippi. After freeing an enslaved woman from a spirit that had been exploited for profit, they're beaten and thrown into prison. Yet instead of allowing their circumstances to determine their faith, they spend the night praying and singing. Then the earth shakes, the prison doors open and their chains fall away.  But the greatest miracle may not be the earthquake. When the jailer assumes everything is lost, Paul stops him from taking his own life. The jailer looks more closely at what's happening, asks what he must do to be saved, hears about Jesus and chooses to believe. Within hours, belief moves from something he's invited to do into something that begins defining who he is — and his despair is replaced by joy.  DJ uses the story to ask whether we're truly awake to what God is doing. Our circumstances, desire for control, pursuit of money and even our assumptions about how life is supposed to work can keep us from recognizing God's activity. Like someone sleeping through the sunrise, we can miss something extraordinary simply because we aren't paying attention. Faith invites us to turn on the lights. It means choosing to believe even before we can see everything clearly, living that faith openly enough for others to see, and trusting God to do what we cannot: illuminate the darkness and awaken people to His presence. We can't flip that switch for someone else. But we can live as people of light and ask God to help all of us see what He's already doing.

  2. 6d ago

    September 23 Sermon — When God Closes the Door

    What do we do when we're pursuing something good, something that seems completely consistent with God's will — and the door still closes? In this sermon from Durango Vineyard Church, Pastor Brian continues through Acts 16 as Paul and his companions set out to do exactly what Jesus had called them to do: preach the gospel and build the church. Yet twice, Scripture says the Holy Spirit prevents them from going where they intended to go. Only after those closed doors does Paul receive a vision calling them toward Macedonia instead.  Brian explores the uncomfortable reality that following Jesus will sometimes challenge our logic and rationale. What looks like failure from our limited perspective may actually be God's redirection. Drawing from his family's years-long struggle with infertility and Isaiah's reminder that God's ways are higher than ours, Brian suggests that God isn't irrational when His plans don't make sense to us. He simply sees from a perspective we don't possess.  So how should we respond when the door won't open? Brian offers four questions for discerning God's direction: Is it the right thing? Is it the right time? Is it with the right people? Is it being pursued in the right way? Sometimes God's "no" may actually be protection, preparation or simply "not yet."  And Acts 16 provides a remarkable example of what might be waiting on the other side of that redirection. Paul eventually reaches Philippi, where he meets Lydia, whose heart is opened to the gospel and whose home becomes part of the foundation of the church there. The roadblock wasn't necessarily the end of the mission. It may have been the way God led Paul toward the mission He had prepared.

  3. Sep 17

    Wide Doors, Narrow Hallways

    What does Christian freedom actually look like? Is it the freedom to do whatever we want — or the freedom to willingly give something up for the sake of someone else? Continuing through Acts 15, DJ explores the surprising instructions the early church gave Gentile believers. The door to salvation was thrown wide open: nothing they could do would earn them a place with God because Jesus had already done everything necessary to bring them close. But once they walked through that wide door, they discovered a narrower hallway — learning to live alongside people whose backgrounds, convictions and struggles were very different from their own.  Drawing from Paul’s teaching in Romans and 1 Corinthians, DJ challenges a common understanding of spiritual maturity. Strength isn't demonstrated by exercising every freedom we possess. Sometimes real strength is demonstrated by what we're willing to carry — or willingly surrender — so that someone else can thrive. Christian freedom ultimately becomes an opportunity to love. That vision has profound implications for life together: alcohol, politics, personal convictions, theological certainty and countless other issues can either divide a community or become opportunities to practice sacrificial love. Durango Vineyard wants the front door to remain wide enough for anyone to encounter Jesus, while creating the “narrow hallways” of relationships, small groups and community where we learn to surrender our rights, wrestle honestly with our differences and help one another become more like Christ. Nothing is required to get in. But once we're in, we're invited to spend our freedom on somebody else.

  4. Sep 17

    Episode 29 — Nothing to Prove: When the Work Really Begins

    What changes when we realize we have nothing to prove to God — and stop trying so hard to prove ourselves to everyone else? In this episode of Built for Durango, Bob and DJ continue the conversation from DJ’s sermon on “wide doors and narrow hallways,” but Bob draws an unexpected connection between the message of Acts and Durango Vineyard’s long journey into its new church building. DJ acknowledges that while he never felt he had to prove the project to God, he often felt enormous pressure to prove himself as a leader — to demonstrate to the church that the vision was sound, the risk was worthwhile and the project would succeed.  That experience brings Paul’s teaching into the present. Our standing with God isn’t determined by our accomplishments, religious performance or ability to get everything right. And when we stop using those things to establish our identity, we become free to use them for something better: loving and serving other people. That includes the new building itself. Bob and DJ reflect on the danger of allowing a tremendous accomplishment to become an idol, identity or finish line. The building matters because of what can happen through it — welcoming people, serving Durango, strengthening relationships and creating opportunities to demonstrate the love of Jesus.  After years of dreaming, planning, sacrifice and construction, Durango Vineyard finally has a home of its own. But this isn't the finish line. Now the work really begins — and the work is remarkably simple: love God, love our neighbors, and use whatever He has given us to love others well.

  5. Sep 12

    Episode 28 — Grace First: Making Room for the Journey

    How do we hold strong convictions without turning them into barriers that keep other people from Jesus? In this companion episode of Built for Durango, Bob and DJ dig deeper into the “sacred cows” we accumulate through faith, experience, culture and simply getting older. Some of those convictions may be valuable and hard-won. The problem begins when we expect someone at a completely different place in their journey to live by standards we ourselves took years to develop. Returning to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, Bob and DJ explore the remarkable balance modeled by the early church. Peter warns against placing burdens on new believers that even longtime followers have failed to carry. James makes it clear that God's invitation is open to everyone exactly where they are. Yet the council doesn't abandon truth or suggest that following Jesus never asks anything of us. Instead, the conversation returns to one of the essential tensions of the Christian life: grace and truth. Grace says there is no barrier Christ hasn't already crossed to bring us to God. Truth says that once we encounter that grace, Jesus loves us enough to invite us toward something more. The challenge for mature Christians is knowing the difference between God's invitation and our own sacred cows — and having enough humility to remember that all of us are still in process.

  6. Sep 10

    September 9 Sermon — Sacred Cows: Are We Making Jesus Harder to Find?

    What if some of the things we value most — even good things — are making it harder for someone else to find Jesus? In this sermon from Durango Vineyard Church, DJ continues through Acts 15 and one of the defining debates of the early church. As Gentiles begin following Jesus, some Jewish believers insist they must first adopt the customs and requirements that had shaped generations of faithful Jews. Their intentions may have been sincere, but Peter recognizes the problem: they are placing a burden on others that they themselves have never been able to carry. DJ calls these deeply held preferences and expectations our “sacred cows.” They may come from our upbringing, politics, morality, church traditions or simply the lessons that have served us well. The danger comes when we confuse those things with the gospel and unintentionally communicate that someone must first become like us before they can come to Jesus. Acts 15 offers a radically different starting point: grace. There is no cultural, political, moral or personal prerequisite that someone must satisfy before approaching Christ. Transformation matters, but it comes after encountering the love and grace of Jesus — not as the admission price for receiving it. DJ challenges us to examine both sides of that truth: What barriers do we believe stand between us and Jesus that He has already removed? And what barriers might we be placing in front of others? The invitation of the gospel is beautifully simple: we don't clean ourselves up to get to Jesus. We come to Jesus, and He begins transforming us.

  7. Sep 4

    September 2 Sermon — Approval or Influence: Who Are You Living to Please?

    What if the success God gives us was never meant to tell us who we are — but to give us something we can use to serve others? In this sermon from Durango Vineyard Church, DJ marks the church’s first service in its new building by continuing straight through Acts 14, where Paul and Barnabas experience the dizzying extremes of ministry. After God heals a man who had never walked, a crowd wants to worship them as gods. Moments later, that same crowd turns against Paul, stones him and leaves him for dead. That dramatic reversal exposes something all of us wrestle with: people pleasing. DJ explores the important difference between seeking approval and exercising influence. Approval is something we try to receive from others to establish our worth. Influence is something we give away for the benefit of others because our identity is already secure in God. Drawing from the long and difficult journey that brought Durango Vineyard into its new home, DJ shares how God used the process to reshape his own heart. The building may be worth celebrating, but it cannot become the church’s identity or measure of success. Instead, it is another tool God has entrusted to ordinary people to serve Durango and advance His Kingdom. The challenge applies far beyond a church building: Can we serve, create, lead and love without needing applause in return? Can we remain faithful when the crowd celebrates us — and when the same crowd turns against us? When our approval comes from God, our influence can be freely spent on others.

  8. Aug 30

    Episode 27 — The Cost of Confrontation

    What happens when you confront something for the right reasons — and it still costs you? In this companion episode of Built for Durango, Bob and DJ dig deeper into DJ’s sermon on Acts 13 and the biblical purpose of confrontation. Using the analogy of a coach correcting a player in the middle of a game, they explore a different way to think about confrontation: not as attacking someone, winning an argument or proving ourselves right, but as helping people — and ourselves — realign with something better. That raises a harder question: what happens when speaking truth comes with a price? From Paul confronting Elymas to Dietrich Bonhoeffer standing against the Nazi regime, Scripture and Christian history make it clear that doing the right thing doesn't guarantee approval, popularity or even success. Sometimes following Jesus means accepting rejection precisely because our allegiance is to His Kingdom rather than ourselves. Bob and DJ wrestle with how to confront redemptively, how to discern whether the battle we're fighting is actually God's battle, and why anyone called to confrontation needs to remain especially close to Jesus. Because life with Christ may be better — but better doesn't always mean easier.

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About

Built for Durango is the podcast of Durango Vineyard Church, created for people who believe faith should shape a city—not stay contained within church walls. Rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, this podcast calls believers to live as true disciples: men and women who follow Jesus closely and make a tangible impact where they live. Each episode challenges listeners to engage their faith in real, practical ways—serving neighbors, developing leaders, building community, and advancing the Kingdom of God in everyday life. Through biblical teaching, local stories, and direct conversations, Built for Durango focuses on what it means to make disciples who make a difference. Our vision is clear: to see Durango become the “city on a hill” Jesus spoke of—a community marked by visible faith, authentic love, and sacrificial service. This podcast is an invitation to step in, take responsibility, and help build something that lasts. If you’re ready to live out your faith with purpose and see your city transformed, Built for Durango is for you. "You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14 NLT

Information

  • Creator
    Bob Bonnar & DJ Jergensen
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Built for Durango
  • Show Website
    Built for Durango