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 opens by reflecting on defeat, arguing that while nobody likes losing, the absolute worst way to lose is by forfeiting. Unlike being outmatched or outplayed by an opponent, forfeiting occurs through our own choices—a violation of rules, a bad trade, a premature concession, or simply quitting. Connecting this to the Gospel message where Jesus asks what profit there is in gaining the whole world only to forfeit one’s soul, Fr. Mike emphasizes that no one ever gets “beaten” out of their soul. Instead, we forfeit our spiritual identity through small daily compromises, prioritizing temporary gains over eternal truths.
Addressing students at the start of a new academic year, he cautions that it is entirely possible to accomplish every external goal—whether in college, career, or retirement—while simultaneously becoming someone you never wanted to be. Drawing from a parable of a small gem whose value varied depending on who appraised it, Fr. Mike reminds listeners to be careful about whom they allow to define their worth. Jesus demonstrated our ultimate value on the Cross, showing that grace flows from His sacrifice to win our souls. Just like the Old Testament figure Esau, who traded his sacred birthright for a simple bowl of soup, we forfeit our worth whenever we trade away our integrity, character, or relationship with God for temporary comfort, popularity, or success.
Fr. Mike further explains that transformation requires embracing two crosses: the Cross of Christ and the daily personal cross entrusted to each of us. He warns against the modern misconception that struggle or failure implies something is wrong or that we do not belong. Using analogies from physical weight training, a butterfly breaking out of its chrysalis, and a chick hatching from an egg, he demonstrates that struggle is essential for growth; attempting to remove the friction actually stunts development. Carrying our daily cross builds the spiritual muscle required to withstand larger trials in the future.
Ultimately, the homily underscores that life is defined not merely by what we do, but by how we do it. Comparing Lance Armstrong—who achieved victory through cheating and ultimately lost everything—to endurance runners whose primary goal was to like the person they became when things got hard, Fr. Mike challenges his audience to approach life’s difficulties intentionally. Over the coming year, trials and heavy crosses are inevitable. By refusing to forfeit through compromise or despair, and instead carrying our cross with grace, we allow God to shape us into the people we were truly meant to become.
Listen to the full version here.
Buckhead Church
In the final installment of the “Everyday Courage” series, Andy Stanley addresses how misdiagnosing fear keeps people trapped in their struggles. He uses a personal anecdote about a severely ruptured back disc—which he initially misdiagnosed and mistreated until it nearly paralyzed him—to illustrate how ignoring or mislabeling the root cause of a problem leads to worsening consequences. In the same way, people often label their hesitation to confront difficult situations as mere “worry” or “complexity,” when the underlying culprit is actually fear.
Stanley breaks down the primary focus of the sermon: a three-part expression of fear that most people hesitate to face. This includes the fear of admitting we need help, the fear of asking for help, and the fear of submitting to the help required. He explains that fear acts as a ruthless master and a liar, convincing individuals that their situations are entirely unique or that asking for help will ruin their reputation. In reality, the people closest to them usually already know something is wrong, and taking the step to pull back the curtain is viewed by others not as weakness, but as an act of profound courage.
Addressing the spiritual mechanics of overcoming these struggles, Stanley emphasizes that God created a world of cause and effect where individuals cannot simply pray away their habits or dependencies overnight. Drawing on New Testament writings from Peter, James, and Paul, he points out that biblical grace is made perfect in weakness and that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Real transformation requires moving past private prayers to horizontal, community-based vulnerability—coming clean to others so that God can work through those around us to bring healing.
The sermon concludes with a practical illustration of modern-day courage through the story of a church member named Bruna. After moving to the U.S. and feeling isolated, she took a single courageous step to ask for help, which led her to the church’s “Renew” ministry. Her healing journey not only restored her life but led her to translate the ministry’s curriculum into Portuguese, ultimately equipping dozens of churches across Brazil. Stanley leaves the congregation with a challenge: to recognize that a single act of courage—admitting weakness, asking for help, and accepting support—can serve as the catalyst for an extraordinary story.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
Bishop Konzen opens by examining the dramatic shift in Saint Peter’s relationship with Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Just four verses after Jesus praises Peter as the “rock” upon which the Church will be built, Peter receives a sharp rebuke when Jesus tells him, “Get behind me, Satan.” Bishop Konzen notes how human and natural it was for Peter to try to dissuade Jesus from going to Jerusalem to suffer and die. It is an instinct common to all of us to avoid pain, loss, or the death of someone we love. However, Jesus remains unwavering in His commitment to His Father’s will, modeling a determination that He expects every disciple to follow.
Reflecting on the readings for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bishop Konzen identifies “sacrifice” as the core fulcrum around which the Christian life revolves. Drawing from Saint Paul’s exhortation to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, he points out that we often try to replace this demanding concept with something far less challenging. Even active Christians gradually trade their initial enthusiasm for a comfortable routine. When we pray the Mass or receive the sacraments, we are called not merely to offer what is on the altar, but to offer ourselves—renewing a daily pledge of love that binds us directly to the Cross of Christ rather than walking back our promises.
The homily cautions against conforming to the values of the present age, which present pleasure as the ultimate goal and portray suffering as something foolish or unnecessary. Using practical examples—such as an individual refusing to engage in online gossip despite facing social exclusion, an employee standing up against workplace wrongdoing at the cost of job security, or an athlete enduring rigorous conditioning—Bishop Konzen illustrates that meaningful growth and virtue require sacrifice. He points to Saint Thomas More, who chose fidelity to his conscience and faith over avoiding execution, prioritizing the eternal life of his soul over temporary worldly comfort.
Ultimately, Bishop Konzen highlights that while we are called to make many sacrifices, the one thing a Christian must never sacrifice is integrity. Saint Peter himself demonstrates this journey of ongoing conversion: though he stumbled, fell asleep at Gethsemane, and denied Christ out of fear, he ultimately “got behind” Jesus and followed Him all the way through the Resurrection. Quoting Saint Teresa of Kolkata, Bishop Konzen reminds the congregation that “we are not asked to be successful, but only faithful.” Our ultimate success is found in our faith, and our faith is made real through the sacrifices we willingly offer for the love of God.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
In his sermon “Out of the Ashes to Dream Again,” delivered at Passion City Church, Pastor Louie Giglio opens by reflecting on Psalm 126 and his journey to Israel. Drawing from the historical setting of the “Songs of Ascent”—the fifteen psalms recited by ancient Jewish pilgrims as they climbed the steps to the Temple Mount—Giglio connects the biblical return from Babylonian captivity to the personal journeys of modern believers. He highlights that despite seven decades in exile, God brought His people out of captivity to restore their joy and vision, illustrating that no matter how buried or forgotten a person’s life feels, God remains able to restore purpose out of the ashes.
Building on this foundation, Giglio emphasizes that placing divine dreams inside human hearts is fundamental to the nature of the Holy Spirit. Referencing Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 and the prophecy of Joel, he explains that God desires to pour out His Spirit so that young men see visions and old men dream dreams. While the enemy’s consistent strategy is to steal, squash, or derail those spiritual aspirations, Giglio warns against becoming shortsighted or settling in front of a metaphorical wall of defeat. He reminds the congregation that God is never stymied by stolen dreams, nor is He interested in helping us pursue self-centered ambitions; rather, He invites us to align with His divine destiny for our lives.
To illustrate how God restores buried purpose, Giglio shares pictures and experiences from a newly excavated ancient pilgrimage road buried layers deep under Jerusalem. Using the imagery of dry riverbeds in the Negev desert that suddenly flash with rushing water during rainstorms, he demonstrates how divine restoration often occurs suddenly and in God’s perfect timing. He presents a geological core sample given to him by an archaeologist as a physical object lesson: even when a life seems covered by layers of heartbreak, failure, or loss, a deep look reveals that God is still present at the foundation, actively writing the story.
Ultimately, Giglio challenges listeners to respond by taking an intentional step onto the “pilgrim’s road,” pointing out that receiving a renewed dream requires active faith—whether that means to go, give, wait, or fight. He concludes by emphasizing that the final purpose of a restored life goes beyond personal healing; it serves as a testimony for God’s glory. When God lifts believers out of the ashes and fills their mouths with laughter and joy, the surrounding world witnesses His power, transforming what was once a site of defeat into a beacon of praise and hope.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
Kris McDaniel examines Jesus’s message in Matthew 16:21–28, where Jesus first predicts his own suffering and death. McDaniel acknowledges that while suffering is not a topic most people actively seek out, it is an unavoidable reality of the human condition. He explains that up to this point in the Gospel, the disciples had seen Jesus heal, teach, and gain immense popularity, leading them to assume that following him meant an easy, upward path of success. However, Jesus intentionally reorients their thinking by showing that true discipleship involves submission, obligation, and going down a path that naturally involves hardship.
McDaniel emphasizes that living as a follower of Jesus requires embracing the foreign concepts of submission and obligation. In a culture that values individual autonomy and transactional relationships, biblical submission means lowering oneself and being extremely vulnerable to God’s lead. Just as Jesus endured both major trauma and a “million little deaths” of daily self-denial, Christians are called to belong to institutions bigger than themselves—such as marriage, family, and the church—even when doing so opens them up to personal disappointment and pain.
Addressing Peter’s intense reaction when he rebukes Jesus for predicting his crucifixion, McDaniel highlights how terrifying the prospect of suffering is to human nature. Peter’s outburst was driven by fear, confusion, and unmet expectations, as he realized that following a suffering Messiah might cost him as well. McDaniel notes that Jesus rebukes the spirit of fear and re-establishes his leadership by commanding, “Get behind me”, gently demonstrating that human anxiety should not dictate the direction of our faith or our lives.
Finally, the sermon concludes with a call to practice trust in the midst of fear and uncertainty. McDaniel notes that courage does not mean an absence of fear, but rather taking small, incremental steps toward surrender. He challenges the congregation to consider how they live their lives, reminding them that how they respond to difficulty matters deeply to God. Rather than retreating into self-preservation, believers are invited to name their fears, acknowledge their unmet expectations, and remain grounded in Christ.
Listen to the full version here.
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