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
Father Mike Schmitz discusses the importance of spiritual self-sufficiency, urging individuals to “hunt and kill” for themselves spiritually rather than relying solely on external guidance. He shares his personal struggle with prayer, noting that traditional Catholic education often teaches rote prayers instead of fostering a genuine connection with God. He recounts his high school experience where prayer felt arduous, contrasting with the effortless prayer he imagined saints experienced. This led him to believe he was failing, as he expected prayer to be a comforting and easy experience.
A significant turning point for Father Mike was discovering the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s section on “the battle of prayer.” This passage revealed that “prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part” and “it always presupposes effort.” This understanding liberated him from the misconception that prayer should always be easy, helping him to embrace the inherent struggle. The Catechism further clarified that prayer is a battle against internal distractions and the “wiles of the tempter,” who actively tries to hinder our union with God.
Father Mike also addresses the common frustration of feeling unheard in prayer, particularly with petitions. He highlights the inconsistency in how people approach prayers of thanksgiving versus petitions, noting that while gratitude is freely offered, petitions often come with an expectation of immediate results. He challenges listeners to examine their perception of God, asking if He is viewed merely as a means to an end or as the loving Father of Jesus Christ. He reassures that God is a good Father who listens to prayers and desires us to ask, even if the answer is sometimes “no” or “wait.”
Finally, Father Mike provides four practical steps for engaging in prayer, especially when it feels like a struggle: 1) Listen to God, perhaps through scripture or related spiritual content. 2) Reflect on what God has communicated. 3) Acknowledge and bring one’s true inner state to prayer. 4) Engage in direct conversation with God. He concludes by asserting that consistent practice of these steps will empower individuals to become spiritually self-reliant, enabling God to sanctify them regardless of life’s challenges.
Listen to the full version here.
Buckhead Church
​​​This sermon series, “My Story My Song,” explores the profound connection between the songs we sing and our personal narratives, highlighting how music can evoke memories and emotions. Specifically, the sermon emphasizes the unique power of worship songs to convey deep theological truths and shape our understanding of God’s character and presence in our lives.
Three worship leaders—Carara, Glorious (Glow), and Lauren—share their individual testimonies, illustrating how particular songs resonated with their life experiences. Lauren speaks about “Deliverer,” a song born from a difficult period post-divorce, which underscored God’s unwavering faithfulness amidst brokenness and anxiety. Carara reflects on “So Will I,” a song that marked her spiritual transformation and surrender to God after moving to Georgia, emphasizing the importance of seeking God’s lordship. Glow shares how “Firm Foundation” became deeply significant during his father’s cancer diagnosis, demonstrating how faith in Christ provides strength and hope in challenging times.
The speakers also share their current insights into God’s character. Glow highlights that God prioritizes a “postured heart over a prepared table,” stressing intimacy with God over mere service. Carara emphasizes the importance of knowing God through His unchanging Word to transform one’s perspective on life and service. Lauren discusses God’s teaching on the nature of the church as a place where believers can be honest and vulnerable, allowing God’s power to be perfected in weakness, thereby bringing Him greater glory.
The sermon concludes by encouraging the congregation to integrate the transformative power of worship songs into their daily lives. The speaker challenges listeners to apply the truths found in songs like “So Will I,” “Firm Foundation,” and “Deliverer” to their interactions and challenges, reinforcing the message that God is always a deliverer, making a way even in the most difficult circumstances. The message ends with an invitation for those seeking God’s intervention in their lives to signify their trust in Him.
Listen to the full version here.
Cathedral of Christ The King
Father Jared Kleinwaechter emphasizes God’s nature as a benevolent Father who provides for His children’s true needs, rather than their immediate wants. He draws a parallel between earthly parents who make decisions for their children’s long-term well-being and God’s divine providence. Just as a father might teach his son about the difference between wants and needs when buying shoes, God often answers prayers in unexpected ways that are ultimately for our good, even if they seem like a “no” at first. This is because God, being outside of time, has a complete picture and is concerned with our eternal existence, not just our present earthly comfort.
The homily suggests that when our prayers aren’t answered as we expect, we should examine our own intentions and trust in God’s wisdom. Instead of throwing “spiritual temper tantrums,” we are encouraged to cultivate faith and patience, trusting that God is purifying our intentions and extending our horizons beyond temporary earthly desires to heavenly things that endure forever. Everything on earth is temporary, but what is in heaven lasts eternally, and God knows what we truly need for this unending life.
Jesus’ teaching of the “Our Father” is presented as the perfect prayer because every petition within it is inherently good for us. It’s always beneficial to hallow God’s name, desire His kingdom to come, and for His will to be done. Asking for daily needs to be met, forgiveness of sins, and the ability to extend mercy to others are all petitions that align us more closely with God’s nature and foster our spiritual growth.
Ultimately, the homily stresses that while material blessings are not inherently bad, they are not always what we need. Spiritual gifts, however, are always necessary because they directly foster our relationship with God, who is the source of all life. God’s promise is that those who seek heavenly, spiritual things will receive them, as the door of heaven is opened to those who knock.
Listen to the full version here.
Passion City Church
Ron Blue, a pioneer in biblical financial wisdom, shared his personal journey and insights on money and generosity at Passion City Church. He recounted his early life and struggles before finding faith, and despite achieving financial success as a millionaire by age 35, he and his wife Judy made the life-changing decision to enter full-time ministry, taking a significant pay cut. This decision was rooted in their commitment to God’s calling and a desire to prioritize eternal values over material wealth.
A pivotal moment for Ron occurred in Africa, where a pastor revealed that materialism, not lack of money, was the greatest barrier to the spread of the Gospel. This experience reinforced Ron’s belief that true financial wisdom lies in understanding that God owns everything, thus eliminating fear of loss and promoting generosity. Ron and Judy exemplified this principle by twice giving away the proceeds from selling their companies, finding immense joy and freedom in releasing their grip on wealth.
Ron emphasized that financial contentment is a learned choice, not dependent on accumulation. He shared five biblical principles for managing money: live within your income, avoid debt, build financial margin, set long-term goals, and give generously. These principles, he asserted, are timeless and applicable to individuals, families, businesses, and even governments.
Ron also highlighted the joy of “cash giving” to those unseen, sharing a personal anecdote about tipping a Chick-fil-A employee who then generously gave the money to a classmate in need. This practice, he explained, allows for a tangible experience of God’s blessing and the joy of giving. Ron encouraged everyone to explore resources at ronblueinstitute.com to start their own journey toward biblical financial wisdom and astonishing generosity, regardless of their current financial situation.
Listen to the full version here.
Trinity Anglican Church
This sermon begins with Pastor Kris McDaniel expressing his joy at returning after a month’s absence and reflecting on the “foolishness” of preaching, emphasizing that he is not a guru but a fellow traveler on a shared faith journey, all in need of grace and redemption. He stresses the vital role of the Holy Spirit for their gathering’s significance. Drawing from Colossians 2, he urges believers to be deeply rooted and built up in Christ, like a tree with both visible and invisible parts, especially amidst a volatile world. This rootedness, he suggests, is connected to abounding in thanksgiving, implying that intentional gratitude, even for simple things, contributes to spiritual stability.
The second point focuses on resisting captivity from philosophies and empty deceit, drawing a parallel to ancient Gnosticism, which sought to escape physical reality for a purely spiritual experience. Pastor Kris argues that this Gnosticism, constantly repackaged, tempts people to live in their minds and evade present reality through various distractions like news feeds, phones, addictions, or even work. He specifically identifies tribalism as a “demonic strategy” that divides Christians and people by encouraging the demonization of “the other” and hindering self-reflection on one’s own brokenness. He advocates for courageously moving toward one another and acknowledging shared humanity and brokenness to combat this division.
Next, the sermon discusses the significance of circumcision and baptism as rites of initiation and belonging to God’s family, contrasting them with “inferior stories” from sports teams, political parties, or socioeconomic backgrounds that compete for our meaning and purpose. He explains that early Christians viewed baptism as an extension of circumcision, marking individuals for belonging to God’s family and symbolizing a deep, intimate mark on the heart. This initiation into God’s family provides ultimate purpose, stability, and security, helping believers resist the captivity of other narratives.
Finally, Pastor Kris elaborates on God’s work of making us “alive together” with Christ through the forgiveness of sins and the destruction of shame. He uses the analogy of a scene from “The Mission,” where a character’s burden of sin is cut away, leaving him free and unburdened. The sermon concludes by emphasizing that Jesus dismantles shame, stripping it of its power, just as Roman conquerors would humiliate vanquished enemies. He shares a personal anecdote about a dragon tattoo, symbolizing his fear of being “too much,” and how God has been disarming this fear. He encourages the congregation to allow Jesus to work deeply to recover their true selves as “image-bearing children of God,” fostering humility and healing.
Listen to the full version here.
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