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
In his homily for the Epiphany of the Lord, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the profound difference between “proximity” and “intimacy.” He begins with a personal anecdote about growing up near an amusement park that he rarely visited because it was “too close to home,” illustrating how we often become indifferent to the things and people closest to us. He applies this to our relationship with God, noting that while Christmas celebrates God coming near to us, we often confuse living near a church or having access to the Eucharist with actually having a deep, intimate relationship with Christ.
Drawing from the Gospel, Fr. Mike contrasts the Magi with King Herod to highlight the dangers of indifference. The Magi traveled great distances at personal cost to worship the newborn King, while Herod lived only six miles from Bethlehem and “couldn’t be bothered” to make the short journey. Fr. Mike warns that proximity to God never remains neutral; if we are not moved to intimacy, our indifference eventually turns into hostility. He explains that as God gets closer to our lives, His presence eventually demands something from us—our comfort, our will, or our lifestyle—which forces us to either melt in love or harden our hearts like Herod.
To bridge the gap between proximity and intimacy, Fr. Mike encourages the faithful to respond with true worship, which involves offering God both our “worst” and our “best.” Citing St. Augustine, he notes that the only thing we truly own is our sin; therefore, we must offer our sins to God to be forgiven. Simultaneously, we must offer our best—our “yes,” our heart, and our obedience—because the best way to love God is through keeping His commandments. By making this offering, we allow the proximity of God to move beyond mere physical presence into a transformative spiritual union.
Finally, Fr. Mike emphasizes that an encounter with the living God must result in change. Just as the Magi returned to their country by “another way,” those who encounter Christ at Mass should not expect to leave the same as they arrived. He challenges the audience to make one physical change in their environment—on their phones, in their homes, or in their habits—that reflects this new direction. The goal of the Epiphany is not just to recognize that God is near, but to ensure that His closeness leads us to a life of intimacy and intentional change.
Listen to the full version here.
Buckhead Church
In the first part of his “Who Needs Church” series, Andy Stanley begins by clarifying that “church” refers to the ekklesia—the global assembly of Jesus followers committed to His new covenant ethic of love. He emphasizes that this movement, predicted by Jesus to overcome even death, miraculously survived and transformed Western civilization. Stanley argues that whether one identifies as a believer or not, they benefit daily from the church’s historical influence on values like human dignity and rights, which were not self-evident in ancient cultures.
On a personal level, Stanley confesses that the church “saved his life” in a preventive way. He shares how his parents’ insistence on church involvement provided him with a youth director who believed in him and a community that shaped his character. He lists five specific benefits he gained: an informed conscience, a sense of purpose beyond himself, lifelong friendships, a habit of generosity, and a broader window to the world. He reflects that without these principles, he would be a completely different and lesser version of himself.
Stanley further explains that the church serves a unique societal role by inspiring people to live beyond the mere “letter of the law.” While governments can only dictate how low a person can go before being penalized, the church teaches individuals to strive for the highest standard: loving others as Christ loved us. He describes the church as God’s catalyst for personal and global change, acting as a model for what culture could and should be when it functions correctly.
Addressing those with negative church experiences, Stanley acknowledges the validity of their pain and validates their decision to stay away from toxic environments. However, he invites them to reconsider church not as a set of rules, but as an authentic gathering of people trying to follow the King. He concludes by encouraging everyone to move beyond taking the church for granted and to recognize that both the individual and the world desperately need the influence of a healthy, Jesus-centered assembly.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
In his homily for the Epiphany of the Lord, Deacon Chris Andronaco reflects on the central theme of “manifestation”—the revealing of Christ to the world. He notes that the Epiphany celebrates Jesus being made visible not just to a select few or insiders, but to all nations. Drawing from the command in Isaiah to “Arise, shine; for your light has come,” he emphasizes that the light of Christ is not meant to shine instead of us, but rather to shine through us as we navigate a wounded and divided world.
Deacon Chris highlights that the first people to recognize the newborn King were not the expected religious scholars or insiders of Israel, but foreigners and outsiders. Referring to the writings of Fr. Henri Nouwen, he points out that God is often found at the margins—in vulnerability, humility, and places we might otherwise avoid, like Bethlehem. He uses the Magi’s journey to illustrate that when we rely on human authority and power instead of God’s guidance, we risk becoming confused and looking for Christ in the wrong places.
The homily further explores the idea that God’s grace cannot be owned, restricted, or controlled. Deacon Chris reminds the congregation that because Christ is revealed to all nations, every human life possesses inherent dignity. This theological truth carries a social responsibility: if the light of Christ shines for everyone, then the poor, the migrant, the elderly, and the forgotten cannot be left in the shadows. He calls on the Church—the people themselves—to act as a reflection of this light through acts of solidarity and mercy.
Finally, the Deacon focuses on the transformative power of an encounter with Christ. He notes that the Magi returned home “by another way,” signaling that one cannot truly meet the Prince of Peace and remain the same. This “other way” represents a shift from a desire for control to a life of trust and surrender. He concludes with a call to action for the New Year, challenging the faithful to let their encounter with God change their route, leading them toward a path of presence and love rather than indifference or fear.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
In his sermon titled “Love and Life Change,” Ben Stuart examines the encounter between Jesus, a Pharisee named Simon, and a sinful woman in Luke 7. He begins by contrasting the cold, discourteous reception Jesus receives from Simon—who invites Jesus only as a curiosity—with the extravagant, tearful devotion of the woman who “rains” tears on Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. Stuart uses this image to illustrate that while the religious elite often maintain a distance of “proximity” without respect, those who truly recognize their brokenness are moved to radical acts of worship.
Stuart emphasizes that the woman’s intense love is a result of her forgiveness, not the cause of it. Through the parable of the two debtors, he explains that the one who is forgiven much, loves much. He clarifies that we do not change our lives to earn God’s acceptance; rather, it is the profound realization of being accepted and forgiven by God’s radical grace that naturally produces a change in our perspective, priorities, and practices. Just like a rescued animal slowly learns to trust its new master, believers are transformed from the inside out as they experience the character of God.
Addressing the “polite” or “good” person who might feel they don’t have a dramatic past to be forgiven for, Stuart warns against the danger of minimizing sin. He argues that Simon’s judgmental and indifferent heart was just as “nauseous” as the woman’s scandalous past. The goal is not to sin more to experience more grace, but to get a clearer glimpse of the Savior’s holiness and the true weight of our own pride and indifference. When we see our sin at its full height and God’s mercy at its full depth, we are compelled to offer Him the “best” of our lives.
Finally, Stuart centers the message on the identity of Jesus as both the “money lender” and the “payment.” By forgiving the woman’s sins, Jesus makes a staggering claim to be the God who was offended by those sins, yet he is also the one who pays the debt with his own blood on the cross. Stuart concludes with a call to action for the New Year: instead of focusing on a “punch list” of self-improvement, he invites listeners to bow at the feet of the Savior. He encourages them to let God’s love precede and produce a life of extravagant worship and genuine transformation.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
In his sermon for the Epiphany of the Lord, Kris McDaniel explores the profound theme of seeking and recognizing the presence of God in unexpected places. He begins by reflecting on the journey of the Magi, noting that these “outsiders” were the ones sensitive enough to follow a celestial sign toward the newborn King. McDaniel suggests that, like the Magi, we are often called to look beyond our familiar religious or cultural boundaries to find where God is truly moving, emphasizing that the Epiphany is fundamentally about the manifestation of Christ to the entire world, not just a select few.
McDaniel contrasts the inquisitive, humble spirit of the Magi with the fearful and defensive reaction of King Herod. He explains that Herod’s reaction represents a heart that is closed off by a desire for control and power, whereas the Magi represent a heart open to wonder and displacement. The sermon challenges the congregation to examine their own lives: are we like Herod, threatened by the “new thing” God might be doing because it disrupts our status quo, or are we willing to travel “another way” once we have encountered the light of Christ?
The sermon delves into the significance of the gifts offered by the Magi—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—interpreting them as symbols of Christ’s identity and mission. McDaniel posits that these gifts represent a recognition of Jesus as King, Priest, and the Suffering Savior. He encourages listeners to consider what “gifts” they are bringing to the Lord in this season, suggesting that true worship involves offering our resources, our prayers, and even our brokenness to the one who entered humanity to redeem it.
Finally, McDaniel concludes with a call to live as “Epiphany people” who carry the light of Christ into the dark corners of society. He emphasizes that the journey doesn’t end at the manger; rather, the encounter with Jesus should fundamentally change our trajectory and perspective. By choosing to return by a different route—both literally and metaphorically—believers can demonstrate that they have been transformed by the grace of God, becoming signs of hope and reconciliation in a weary world.
Listen to the full version here.
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