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 this homily, Father Mike Schmitz talks about the importance of rest, referencing the Gospel reading about Jesus telling the apostles to come away to a deserted place by themselves and rest for a while.

Father Mike compares our lives to the Olympic athletes who train incredibly hard to achieve excellence. However, even these athletes know that rest is essential for their success. Similarly, we too need to incorporate rest into our lives.

The Bible tells us that we are made for rest, but our experience of leisure is often distorted. We rest, and take a break either by collapsing from exhaustion or by engaging in activities that don’t allow for true rest, like compulsive eating or screen time.

Father Mike explains that true rest is not merely inactivity. It is an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and reconnect with God. This can involve spending time in nature, spending time with loved ones, or simply enjoying activities that bring us joy.

Listen to the full version here.

Buckhead Church

Games We Play

The sermon is about trusting God and taking the next step. Matt Noblitt talks about how we often delay taking the next step because we are afraid or unsure of what the future holds. But he encourages us to trust God and to take that step anyway. He says that God has great things in store for us, and he wants us to become the people he designed us to be.

The sermon begins with a fun clip showing a middle school plunger rowing competition. Matt Noblitt then shares about a high school camp where many students came to know Jesus for the first time. He expresses his gratitude to the church community for investing in the next generation. The core message of the sermon is about overcoming the tendency to delay and to take the next step in following Jesus. He acknowledges that we often come up with excuses or reasons to wait, but encourages us to trust God and move forward.

The speaker concludes the message with a call to action. He encourages listeners to reflect on where they might be delayed in their lives and to take a step of faith. He also prays for the courage to take that step and for the wisdom to know what the right step is.

Listen to the full version here.

Cathedral of Christ The King

In the Gospel reading, Jesus instructs his disciples to come away by themselves to a deserted place and rest a while, because the people were coming and going in great numbers and they had no opportunity even to eat.

Fr. Juan Carlos gives a homily about the importance of rest, especially for those who are caregivers. He says that rest is important for our physical and mental health, and it allows us to be more creative and productive. He also says that rest is a way of showing gratitude to God for the gift of life.

Listen to the full version here.

Passion City Church

​​Ben Stuart talks about a time in his early 20s when there was a great deal of uncertainty about the future due to Y2K. People were worried that computers would fail causing great confusion. This made them think about what they would do in a crisis. He and his friends debated whether they would close themselves off from others or help those in need.

Ben then references a story from early Church history. During the plagues in AD 165 and 251, Christianity grew as Christians helped those who were sick. He says that in times of crisis, we are called to love one another earnestly.

Ben then cites 1 Peter 4:8 which says “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly.” He emphasizes that this love should be a “stretching out” love, like someone who dives for the finish line to win a race.

Listen to the full version here.

Trinity Anglican Church

The world is a challenging place, and violence can erupt easily. Kris McDaniel believes that Christians should step up and help others during these difficult times.

The sermon is based on readings from Jeremiah, Psalms, Ephesians, and the story of feeding the five thousand from the Gospel of John. Kris McDaniel uses the story to illustrate that God can multiply our little contributions and use them for a greater purpose. The disciples thought they lacked sufficient food to feed the multitude, but Jesus miraculously multiplied the five loaves and two fish to feed everyone. This story teaches us that when we trust in God and offer what we have, He can use it to do amazing things.

The sermon concludes with a call to prayer. Kris McDaniel encourages the congregation to reflect on areas in their lives where they feel inadequate and to ask God for the strength to assist those in need.

Listen to the full version here.

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