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 reflects on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord as the beginning of ordinary time—a season intended for spiritual growth. He explains that just as Jesus’ baptism marked the start of His public ministry, our own baptism serves as the beginning of our new life in Christ. However, Fr. Mike identifies two common “traps” that believers often fall into which hinder them from truly living out this relationship with God: the trap of acting as God’s counselor and the trap of performance.
The first trap involves approaching prayer not as a child of God, but as His advisor. Fr. Mike notes that while we are encouraged to bring our needs and desires to God, we often cross the line by telling God exactly how He should solve our problems. He uses John the Baptist as an example: John initially tried to “advise” Jesus by suggesting he shouldn’t be the one baptizing Him. Fr. Mike challenges listeners to “put down the clipboard” and transition from being a counselor who expects God to meet specific demands to being a son or daughter who trusts in His will.
The second trap is the pressure to perform, even in the presence of God. Fr. Mike shares a story of a high-achieving high school student who felt she had to be perfect in every aspect of her life—academics, sports, and music. She found relief only in Eucharistic Adoration, recognizing it as the one place where she didn’t have to be perfect. Fr. Mike emphasizes that because baptism makes us adopted children of God, we are already claimed and chosen; therefore, the last thing we need to do in prayer is put on a show or hide our failures.
In conclusion, Fr. Mike invites the faithful to enter the new liturgical season by setting aside these two obstacles. He encourages a shift in perspective: instead of approaching God with a list of instructions or a mask of perfection, believers should bring their honest cares and concerns to Him. By affirming, “I’m not Your counselor, I’m Your kid,” and “I don’t have to perform,” one can find true peace and intimacy in the presence of the Father.
Listen to the full version here.
Buckhead Church
Joel Thomas addresses a growing cultural trend toward individual spirituality and away from institutional religion. He notes that many people are asking “Who needs church?” because they view it through the lens of buildings, leaders, or events rather than a community of people. Thomas argues that while people are increasingly curating their own spiritual experiences, they are often missing out on the unique power of the gathering, or “ecclesia,” which was originally intended to be a source of tangible hope and help.
Using the story from Mark 2 of the four men who lowered their paralyzed friend through a roof to reach Jesus, Thomas illustrates the true purpose of the church. He emphasizes that these men were willing to “put their hands to their love,” providing the physical and emotional support the paralyzed man could not provide for himself. Thomas challenges the audience to consider if they have “four friends” who would stop at nothing to get them the help they need, highlighting that the church should be the primary place where people find such deep, supportive community.
A significant portion of the sermon focuses on the barriers of shame and safety. Thomas points out that Jesus first addressed the man’s internal state by saying “your sins are forgiven,” which provided a sense of safety and acceptance. He explains the neuroscience of shame, noting that it disregulates the nervous system and makes it difficult for a person to reason or reflect. Therefore, the church must be the safest place on earth—a place where people feel safe enough to be honest about their messes so that their minds and lives can truly be transformed.
Finally, Thomas highlights the practical ways the church provides care for real-life struggles, such as divorce, addiction, financial trouble, and emotional trauma. He admits that churches often fail to effectively communicate these resources, sharing a story about a friend who didn’t know about “Oasis,” the church’s divorce care program. He concludes by inviting everyone to stop trying to fix themselves in isolation and instead take a step toward the community, reminding the congregation that the church is not for perfect people, but for anyone looking for help.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
In his homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Archbishop Gregory John Hartmayer reflects on the transition from the “hidden life” of Jesus in Nazareth to the beginning of His public mission. He explains that while Jesus spent his early years learning human skills and helping his family, his baptism in the Jordan River marks a definitive shift as he embarks on his messianic service. The Archbishop emphasizes that even though Jesus was sinless, he stood in line with sinners to show his total identification with humanity and to sanctify the waters for our own initiation into the Church.
A central theme of the homily is the profound nature of human freedom and God’s desire for us to choose love over sin. Hartmayer clarifies that sin is a distortion of our nature, not an essential part of it, as God breathed his own spirit into us at creation. He underscores that God gave us free will not so we would be “puppets” or choose sin, but so that we might freely choose to love Him. When we fail, he reminds the congregation that Christ’s arms are always open in the sacrament of Reconciliation to forgive and restore us to the community.
Addressing the concept of the “unforgivable sin” against the Holy Spirit, the Archbishop offers a pastoral clarification: the only sin that cannot be forgiven is the refusal to believe that God can forgive us. He encourages anyone feeling isolated or burdened by their past to reject the lie that they are beyond God’s mercy. By sincerely asking for forgiveness, he assures the faithful that they can always receive the reconciliation they seek, as God chooses to associate with us exactly as we are.
Finally, Archbishop Hartmayer invites everyone to reflect on the ongoing significance of their own baptismal day, calling it a life-changing event that marks the start of a lifelong journey as a disciple. He urges the faithful to remember their identity as “beloved” children of God and to allow the Holy Spirit to continuously guide them. The homily concludes with a call for the community to emerge from the waters of grace as vessels reflecting God’s saving love to a world in need.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
In his sermon “Reset: Created By God and For God,” Louie Giglio uses the analogy of a malfunctioning phone that requires a factory reset to address the spiritual state of believers entering the new year. He suggests that rather than making superficial resolutions or modifications, many people need a reset to original factory settings. Drawing from the story of the woman at the well in John 4, Giglio notes that Jesus didn’t give her relationship advice despite her complicated past; instead, He addressed her deeper spiritual thirst and revealed His true identity to her. This encounter transformed her from an isolated woman avoiding others to a bold witness who brought her entire town to meet the Messiah.
The core factory setting Giglio identifies is found in Colossians 1:16: that every person is created by God and for God. He emphasizes that our worth is intrinsic and comes from the signature of the Almighty on our lives, much like a signature on a piece of fine art. This truth answers the fundamental human questions of value and purpose: we matter because God thought of us and knit us together in the womb, and we are on earth to know Him and make Him known. Giglio argues that the enemy’s plan is to distract us by letting success, failure, or other people define our worth instead of this original setting.
Giglio challenges the congregation to move beyond superficial changes and instead pursue true repentance, which he defines as a freeing return to God. He points out a sobering trend where even active churchgoers are attending less frequently, and he calls for a higher standard. He urges believers to be men and women after God’s own heart who prioritize their spiritual relationship above all else. He illustrates this by listing the many hobbies and status symbols people often focus on, such as sports, careers, or material possessions, noting that while these are fine, they are not our primary purpose.
To live out this reset, Giglio invites everyone to become revival men and women who are defined by being Bible consumers, prayer walkers, and spiritual leaders. He shares his personal commitment to memorizing Scripture as a way to deeply consume God’s Word rather than just settling for sound bites or podcasts. Ultimately, the sermon is a call to return to the simplicity of our creation: to let nothing stand in the way of a relationship with the Creator and to live a life that is a holy offering to Him.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
In his sermon based on Matthew 3, Nate Smith explores the baptism of Jesus as a pivotal moment of identification and divine affirmation. He highlights that John the Baptist, whose mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah, initially hesitated to baptize Jesus, recognizing his own need for spiritual cleansing. However, Jesus insists on the baptism to fulfill all righteousness, signaling his total identification with humanity and setting a precedent for all believers. Smith explains that baptism is not merely a symbolic dipping but an immersion that signifies inner transformation and new birth, marking a transition from death to life.
Smith draws attention to the presence of the Holy Spirit, which descends on Jesus in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father declaring Jesus as his beloved Son. This trinitarian moment serves as Jesus’ anointing, setting him apart for his public mission before he has performed a single miracle or preached a sermon. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus’ entire ministry flows from this place of absolute acceptance and affirmation, rather than from a need to achieve or prove his worth. This serves as a powerful reminder that our identity as children of God is rooted in grace, not in our own efforts or achievements.
A central theme of the message is the contrast between the “cycle of works” and the “cycle of grace.” Smith observes that many people live under a burden of achievement, believing they must do or be “enough” to earn acceptance, which inevitably leads to burnout or despair. In contrast, the cycle of grace begins with divine acceptance—the foundational truth that we are loved and approved by God exactly as we are. By resting in this belovedness, believers are empowered to live fruitful lives that are a response to God’s love rather than a desperate attempt to secure it.
Finally, the sermon invites the congregation to cultivate a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s work in their daily lives. Smith suggests that the world often desensitizes us to God’s presence, making it necessary to engage in practices like the “examine” or establishing a “rule of life” to stay aware of the divine. He concludes by encouraging the faithful to remember their own baptism and identity as beloved children, urging them to move forward in the strength and courage that the Spirit provides. The service wraps up with a call to communion, reinforcing the message of reconciliation and the enduring promise of God’s presence.
Listen to the full version here.
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