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

This homily by Fr. Mike Schmitz centers on the Latin phrase “Memento Mori,” which means “remember your death.” He introduces the concept through a personal anecdote about a painting of St. Francis of Assisi with a skull, emphasizing that acknowledging our mortality isn’t about despair. Instead, it’s about understanding that everything we value, worry about, or even resent, is fleeting. This realization, he argues, should fundamentally shape the way we live our lives.

The homily explores two contrasting reactions to “Memento Mori.” One perspective, “vanity of vanities,” suggests that since all is temporary, nothing truly matters, leading to a hedonistic approach. However, Fr. Mike explains the Christian and Catholic view as the opposite: because everything will end, everything matters profoundly. This leads to a crucial question: “Since it’s all going to end, what will you value the most?” He stresses that a proper appreciation of life necessitates remembering both our eventual death and God.

Furthermore, the homily extends “Memento Mori” beyond future physical death to include a past spiritual death for Christians: the death experienced through baptism. Drawing from St. Paul’s message to the Colossians, “remember you have died,” he explains that baptism signifies a surrender of our self-ownership, as our lives are no longer our own. This leads to an ongoing process of “putting to death” our earthly inclinations, particularly those related to sex, material possessions, and speech, which often assert a sense of individual ownership.

To practically “put to death” these earthly desires, Fr. Mike offers specific advice. Regarding sex, he advises patience with oneself but ruthlessness with one’s environment, removing temptations, and practicing self-control through fasting. To combat greed, he recommends cultivating a habit of scheduled, sacrificial giving. For speech, he urges an end to lying, whether to gain an undeserved advantage or to evade accountability. The homily concludes by connecting these actions to a challenging prayer by St. Ignatius of Loyola, which embodies the complete surrender of one’s being to God, seeking only His love and grace, thus encapsulating the dual remembrance of the death to come and the death already experienced in Christ.

Listen to the full version here.

Buckhead Church

The speaker highlights that while the church is large, community groups make it feel personal by fostering relationships and providing a space for spiritual growth. These groups are seen as essential for building new friendships, having meaningful conversations, and growing spiritually, as relational connection is key to spiritual development. The church is actively forming new groups and encourages both new members and those who have been disengaged to join, emphasizing that leading a group is also a valuable way to serve and grow in faith.

The sermon then transitions to a message from Senior Pastor Andy Stanley, who reinforces the importance of relationships in making a large church feel like “your church.” He explains that people often drift from church and faith when they lack relational connections, as nobody is expecting them or serving with them. Stanley stresses that Jesus established an “assembly” (eklesia) for collective action, where followers work together to represent His kingdom and accomplish what individuals cannot. He argues that simply believing in doctrines without participating in the body is not truly following Jesus, as the King’s agenda involves regional gatherings doing His work.

Stanley presents three compelling reasons to participate in a small group. Firstly, groups offer a unique and safe environment to discuss and apply Jesus’s teachings to daily life, as it’s impossible for sermons alone to address every individual’s specific context. He emphasizes the importance of “doing” and “practicing” Jesus’s teachings, not just “believing,” and how groups help contextualize these teachings for different life seasons. Secondly, groups provide a relational context for accountability, belonging, and care (the ABCs of group life). This includes having people who can call you out when you drift, missing you when you’re absent, and providing a community of care during life’s inevitable crises.

Finally, Stanley asserts that groups are a “good time,” filled with meals, laughter, and celebration, illustrating this with a humorous anecdote about his children pranking their small group. He concludes by reiterating that personal growth and navigating life’s challenges are far more likely when surrounded by a community of like-minded people with shared values. The sermon encourages attendees to relaunch their groups if they took a summer break or to sign up for new groups, emphasizing that “life is better connected” and “circles are better than rows.”

Listen to the full version here.

Cathedral of Christ The King

In his homily, Deacon Sam Fraundorf draws a parallel between a book’s advice to “Stop making bad decisions” and the day’s scripture readings, all of which address poor choices. He notes the unusual alignment of the first reading, responsorial psalm, and gospel on this theme, with even Paul’s letter to the Colossians supporting the message.

The homily begins by examining the Gospel’s caution against storing up riches, focusing on the Greek word “pleonexia,” meaning “greed” or “super abundance.” This is illustrated by the parable of the rich man, whose overflowing grain bins highlight a misguided focus on material wealth over life’s true priorities.

Deacon Fraundorf then turns to Ecclesiastes’ “vanity of vanities,” clarifying that the Hebrew “hebel” signifies “just a breath,” emphasizing life’s fleeting nature. He quotes C.S. Lewis, who suggests that from heaven’s perspective, our lives will seem like “one night in a bad hotel,” reinforcing the need to shift focus from earthly to heavenly concerns, as urged by Jesus, Solomon, and Paul.

The solution, according to the homily, lies in Psalm 90: “If you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your heart.” Deacon Fraundorf stresses the importance of aligning our daily actions with God’s will. He references St. John Henry Newman’s motto, “Heart speaking to heart,” as a guide, suggesting that through prayer and communion, we can gain the courage to make small, positive changes that develop into habits and gifts, ultimately leading us to become what Jesus desires.

Listen to the full version here.

Passion City Church

In his sermon “There’s Nothing Better Than Jesus,” Louie Giglio emphasizes Jesus as the ultimate “above and beyond.” He illustrates this through the story of the ten lepers, highlighting that only the Samaritan returned to thank Jesus, recognizing His identity beyond just His ability to heal. Giglio encourages listeners to emulate this gratitude, focusing on Jesus Himself rather than merely His blessings.

The sermon also asserts that God is actively working in the world, citing evidence such as increased Bible sales, especially among young men. Giglio shares historical examples of massive evangelistic gatherings, like stadium crusades with tens of thousands of young people, to demonstrate a widespread and ongoing spiritual awakening that the church is part of.

Giglio then discusses the church’s “Above and Beyond” giving season, with a $10 million goal to fund various initiatives. These include completing the new Trilith building, reducing costs for young adults attending Passion 2026, supporting Passion City Atlanta’s operations, and contributing to global partners and church planting. He reinforces faith in God’s provision by sharing a personal anecdote of past financial needs being met.

Ultimately, the sermon stresses that “Above and Beyond” transcends financial contributions, representing a deeper desire for Jesus. It challenges the consumeristic tendencies within the American church, where individuals often seek personal gain rather than full commitment to God. Giglio urges the congregation to prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness, asserting that a genuine relationship with Jesus transforms lives and that “there’s nothing better than Jesus.”

Listen to the full version here.

Trinity Anglican Church

This sermon begins with a prayer and a reading from Ecclesiastes 1:12-21, which explores the futility of worldly pursuits and the limitations of human wisdom and pleasure. Following a musical interlude focused on God’s holiness, Kris McDaniel introduces new church planting residents, Chris and Caroline, underscoring the church’s dedication to establishing new ministries and expressing optimism for future growth and community engagement.

The core of the sermon centers on Colossians 3, where St. Paul instructs believers to “put to death” various earthly desires, including fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, as well as destructive emotions like anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language. Kris McDaniel emphasizes that these are not merely individual transgressions but often arise from distorted desires for intimacy and justice. He encourages the congregation to “make friends with their sin,” not by condoning it, but by acknowledging its presence to better receive God’s grace.

The sermon then transitions to the concept of “putting on” new virtues, likened to new garments. These include compassion, kindness, humility, meekness (gentleness), and patience. Kris McDaniel elaborates on each virtue: compassion as deep sensitivity to others’ suffering, kindness as Jesus’s disposition towards people, humility as aligning with God and releasing the need to be right, and gentleness as an authentic expression of inner spiritual growth. Patience is defined as the ability to endure and remain steadfast amidst confusion.

Finally, the sermon highlights relationships as the primary arena for cultivating these virtues, urging believers to “bear with one another” and “forgive one another.” Kris McDaniel notes that forgiveness is often facilitated when the offending party seeks it, fostering reciprocity within the Christian community. The sermon concludes by emphasizing love as the paramount virtue, leading to collective peace and harmonious relationships, and prompts the congregation to reflect on where God is calling them to embody these virtues and where repentance is needed in their relationships.

Listen to the full version here.

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