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Joe Widner

Executive Pastor

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About Joe

I was born in California, moved to Missouri in 3rd grade and three years later, my family relocated to Texas to be closer to relatives. Like many families living in the Bible Belt, we quickly walked the aisle, professed Christ as Savior and were baptized into my grandparents’ local Baptist church. I gained a lot of knowledge about Christianity in my childhood, but I didn’t personally know Jesus until after my junior year of high school. 

Around that time, my dad, who had been serving the Lord through a local ministry, turned from God and left our family in financial and spiritual turmoil. As a teen struggling with personal acceptance, money and a failed family, I challenged God to prove Himself by fixing it. He easily turned my ultimatum into His glory by granting the only gift that could answer my prayers: peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7). In an instant, on a day I’ll never forget, He won over my heart and transformed my life. 

After being best friends in high school and going to separate colleges, God brought my wife and I back together to journey through life and experience His grace and mercies, including the blessing of three amazing children. I am so humbled and grateful; God is so good!

Previously a lay elder, I joined as Operations Pastor with Citizens Church in September 2019 to serve our new church in the areas of operations and administration.   

My Hope for Citizens Church

My hope for Citizens Church is that we experience a closeness and community like that of the early church in Acts. I pray that we yearn for Him in unity and achieve connection through the pouring out of His love. 

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We hold to the central beliefs of the Christian faith, as communicated throughout Scripture and summed up in the ancient creeds of the Church.