Whether you call them homilies, sermons, or talks, there’s a lot you can learn from the spiritual leaders in our community. While in a perfect world, you’d have time to listen to everyone, that simply isn’t possible for most with limited time to spare. To help, we’ve surfaced and summarized the teachings from the audio sermons of some of the most influential priests and pastors from around town and in the Christian sphere.
You can skip to a specific section by clicking the links below.
Jump to:
- Fr. Mike Schmitz
- Buckhead Church
- Cathedral of Christ the King
- Passion City Church
- Trinity Anglican Church
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Fr. Mike Schmitz
Fr. Mike Schmitz opens the homily acknowledging the feeling of being behind at the end of the semester, then transitions this feeling to the spiritual aspect of new beginnings. New Catholic converts are mentioned as an example of a new beginning. He emphasizes that whenever we feel like it is game over, it is actually an opportunity to say “Now I begin” through repentance.
The core message of the homily is about how to begin again. Fr. Mike explains that the first step to begin again is repentance. Repentance here means to change your mind. He cautions against making agreements with lies, sins, and untruths about God. The speaker uses the example of confession to illustrate how confession can break the agreements we have made with lies, sins, and untruths about God. A story about a woman named Margaret is used as an example of how God’s mercy can break these agreements. The homily concludes by emphasizing that confession does not merely forgive sins but breaks the agreements with lies, sins, and untruths about God and allows us to say “Now I begin”.
Listen to the full version here.
Buckhead Church
What Our World Needs Now
The sermon focuses on finding joy and how it stems from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Matt Noblitt opens the sermon by asking the congregation about experiences of overwhelming joy and shares examples like getting married or watching your favorite sports team win.
Matt Noblitt then uses a story about a Disney cruise with his family to illustrate his point. He talks about having a meltdown when his daughters did not want to meet the Disney princesses. This segues into his main point: true joy comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Matt Noblitt talks about a Bible passage from John 15:5 where Jesus refers to himself as the vine and we are the branches. He explains that to bear fruit, we need to stay connected to Jesus. He emphasizes the importance of making time for God each day, even if it’s just a few minutes.
The sermon also covers the gospel message, explaining that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that faith in him leads to salvation. Matt Noblitt concludes the sermon with an altar call, inviting those who want to put their faith in Jesus to pray with him. He clarifies that prayer is a way to solidify the work of the Holy Spirit and not the sole means of salvation. The sermon ends with Matt Noblitt praying for the congregation.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
Monsignor Gregory starts his homily by thanking Monsignor Frank for inviting him to speak about Mustard Seed Communities. He talks about how the Mustard Seed Communities provide homes and care for abandoned children with disabilities, pregnant teens, and children with HIV/AIDS. Monsignor Gregory then shares a story about a young woman who was abused and abandoned. Mustard Seed Communities took her in and helped her. Monsignor Gregory emphasizes the importance of love and living to love. He says that we should not just love to live but live to love. He talks about how God is present in others and we should help those in need. Monsignor Gregory concludes his homily by asking for prayers and donations for Mustard Seed Communities. He says that even $1 can make a big difference. He also says that prayers are important and much needed.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
All Consuming Fire
Louie Giglio, discusses the imagery in the Book of Revelation chapter 1. John describes seeing Jesus in the midst of the seven churches, which symbolizes that Jesus is always with his church. Even though the church may have shortcomings, Jesus is still present.
Giglio emphasizes that Jesus is the reigning Christ. He is the head of the church, and he is with the church now and forever. The church is connected to Jesus in glory and on Earth.
Giglio also describes the imagery of Jesus that John describes in the Book of Revelation. Jesus’ hair is white as snow, his eyes are like blazing fire, his feet are like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice is like the sound of rushing waters. The sermon ends with a call to the audience to be ready, confident, and faithful.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
The sermon centers around the idea that faith in Jesus offers forgiveness and acceptance, even for those who have made mistakes. Christian uses the story of Peter, a disciple who denied Jesus, to illustrate this point. She emphasizes that despite Peter’s shortcomings, Jesus still accepted him. This highlights the importance of faith, not just intellectual understanding, but a personal connection with Jesus.
Adrienne Christian also delves into the role of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life that glorifies God and share our faith with others. The sermon concludes with a prayer beseeching God for the strength and courage to love and serve him.
Listen to the full version here.
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