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.

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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 uses the theme of “welcome home” to emphasize the positive nature of new beginnings and second chances. He highlights that starting over offers both relief and a challenge, providing an opportunity to choose who you want to be. The homily suggests that the university believes in each student’s potential to achieve great things.

Fr. Schmitz then introduces the concept of discipline, referencing the Letter to the Hebrews to assert that potential without discipline is a tragedy. He clarifies that discipline is not the ultimate goal of the Christian life, but rather the necessary path to finding joy, life, and freedom. He illustrates this point with examples of professional athletes and a personal story about a high school runner, whose disciplined lifestyles were key to their success.

Referring to the day’s Gospel, the homily discusses Jesus’s call to “strive,” interpreting it as a sign of Jesus’s belief in our potential. Fr. Schmitz connects the idea of discipline to freedom, drawing on the philosophy of former Navy Seal Jocko Willink and an example of a surfer family. In this example, the father’s early discipline led to freedom, while his children’s lack of discipline resulted in a lack of freedom in adulthood.

The homily concludes with an encouragement to begin or begin again, posing the question “who do you want to be?”. Fr. Schmitz suggests an exercise inspired by Warren Buffett: identifying admirable qualities in others and striving to practice them. He defines a disciple as someone who is willing to change their schedule to get closer to Jesus and warns against the “chains of habit” that are light at first but become too heavy to break.

Listen to the full version here.

Buckhead Church

​​The sermon, titled “Too Good to Miss,” by Pastor Andy Stanley, focuses on the importance of family, acknowledging that these relationships can be both a source of great joy and great pain. He presents two perspectives: the “ideal,” where a family follows a traditional path, and the “real,” which encompasses less than ideal situations that may be a result of various circumstances.

Pastor Stanley challenges the notion of a “perfect” family by providing biblical examples of dysfunctional families, including Adam and Eve, Abraham, and King David. He contrasts this with Jesus, who elevated the dignity of women and children and held men to a higher standard while embracing the reality of people’s lived experiences. The message is that Jesus invites people to follow him regardless of their current situation, and there is always a next step to take.

The sermon also offers two key pieces of advice from the Apostle Paul for navigating family relationships: “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” and “be at peace with everyone.” Pastor Stanley explains that “mutual submission” means choosing to do what is best for others, even if it is not best for oneself. He defines “being at peace” as doing everything in one’s power to remove obstacles to peace, even if full reconciliation is not possible. The goal is to have no regrets and a clear conscience.

Pastor Stanley concludes with practical advice for people in different family situations. For those in “somewhat ideal” situations, he advises them not to miss the present moment, neglect their marriage, or compare their family to others. For those in less-than-ideal situations, he urges them not to miss their chance at reconciliation and not to let grief prevent them from serving and loving those who are next in their lives. He emphasizes that the way of Jesus is always the way forward, regardless of where you are starting from.

Listen to the full version here.

Cathedral of Christ The King

The homily by Monsignor Frank McNamee focuses on the message of striving to enter the “narrow gate” and what it means to be a true disciple. He uses a humorous anecdote about a man named Patty and a priest to illustrate that discipleship is more than just superficial association or actions.

He explains that entering the narrow gate requires shedding burdens like pride, greed, and resentment. The Monsignor warns against the assumption that simply being baptized or attending Mass is enough for salvation, emphasizing that a genuine relationship with Jesus involves personal transformation and bearing the fruit of faith. He urges against spiritual procrastination, noting that the invitation to act is in the present.

The homily then discusses Jesus’s statement that people from all directions will be in the kingdom of God, while some who assumed they belonged will be cast out. This highlights that God sees the heart and that faith is not a birthright or limited to a select group. Humility and sincerity are presented as more important than external appearances or status.

Finally, the Monsignor concludes by reiterating that the Gospel calls for active striving, not passive religious affiliation. He calls on the congregation to renew their desire to know and follow Christ daily, living with urgency and joy, and trusting in grace to walk the narrow way to eternal life.

Listen to the full version here.

Passion City Church

The sermon by Grant Partrick focuses on the concept of a Sabbath break, which he defines as a time to “stop, rest, and remember.” He explains that the Hebrew meaning of “Sabbath” is “to cease” and that it’s more than a day off; it’s a “time up” or a day dedicated to God. Partrick emphasizes that this rest is a gift from God, as humans tend to be naturally restless and consider busyness a “badge of honor.”

He supports his points with quotes from Dallas Willard, who stated that “Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life.” Partrick argues that our identity is not based on performance but on our “position in Christ,” and that the Sabbath is an opportunity to “inhale the grace and mercy of God and exhale the pressures and burdens of this world.”

Drawing on Exodus 16, Partrick discusses the Israelites’ instructions to gather manna for six days and rest on the seventh. He connects the Israelites’ temptation to gather on the Sabbath to modern life, suggesting that our inability to rest often reveals a lack of trust in God. He also cites Exodus 34, which commands rest even during busy seasons like plowing and harvest, reinforcing that resting does not threaten success.

The sermon concludes that a lack of rest does not lead to an abundant life but instead creates a burden of overcommitted schedules. Partrick quotes Augustine, stating that our hearts are restless until they find rest in God, and ends with Jesus’s invitation to “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He provides two guiding questions for listeners’ Sabbath breaks: “Is it restful?” and “Is it worshipful?”

Listen to the full version here.

Trinity Anglican Church

The sermon, led by guest speaker Kris McDaniel, is based on a Bible passage that tells the story of Jesus interacting with both children and a rich young man. Kris’s main point is that while we can’t remember everything from a sermon, he hopes each person takes away one specific thing to carry with them throughout the week.

The first part of the passage describes how Jesus’s disciples tried to turn away parents bringing their children to him, thinking he was too important to be bothered. Jesus became indignant and told them to let the children come, explaining that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like little children. Kris explains that Jesus was referring to a child’s vulnerability and willingness to express needs, unlike adults who often hide their vulnerabilities.

The second part of the passage introduces a rich young ruler who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Kris contrasts this man with the children, noting that he is the “opposite of these kids in every way.” The man is full of energy and passion. Jesus, after looking at the man with love, tells him he lacks “one thing”: to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him.

Kris clarifies that this story isn’t a universal command against wealth but a specific challenge to this man who relied on his wealth for security. Jesus was inviting him to trust in God rather than his possessions. Kris concludes that we all have a “one thing” that acts as an insulator, preventing us from fully trusting and relying on God.

Listen to the full version here.

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