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 Palm Sunday homily, “Autobiography: Owning the Ending,” Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the theme of spiritual maturity and the transition from being a “rescued child” to becoming a “father” or “mother” in the faith. He begins by discussing the common human tendency to claim things we like while distancing ourselves from things we don’t, often using the refrain “it’s not my fault.” Using the Parable of the Prodigal Son as a backdrop, he argues that the ultimate goal of the Christian life is not just to be the younger son who is rescued or the older son who is restored, but to grow into the heart of the Father.

Fr. Mike identifies the primary marker of adulthood—across all cultures—as the willingness to take responsibility. This begins with personal responsibility: refusing to blame others for one’s struggles or wounds and treating oneself as someone worth taking care of. He warns against the “Peter Pan” temptation of passivity, where one waits for others to fix their problems. True maturity, he suggests, is found in the declaration: “It’s not my fault, but it is my responsibility.”

The homily then shifts to the responsibility we owe to others, specifically those closest to us. Fr. Mike emphasizes that kindness to strangers is often just “image management,” whereas the real test of character is how we treat our spouse and children at home. He cautions that taking responsibility for others is not the same as trying to control them; rather, it requires rejecting control and embracing trust, much like the Father in the parable who does not force his children’s hearts.

Concluding with the Passion of Christ, Fr. Mike reflects on the ultimate act of responsibility. While the sin of the world was not God’s “fault,” Jesus looked at our need and chose to make it His responsibility. He encourages the faithful to follow the example of St. Paul by bearing one another’s burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. The homily ends with a call to write a “great autobiography” by ending one’s story with a heart that sees the needs of others and responds with sacrificial love.

Listen to the full version here.

Buckhead Church

Andy Stanley and John Dickson explore the tension between the historical claims of Christianity and the modern cultural perception of the faith. They begin by discussing the “doubter’s” perspective, with Stanley emphasizing that the foundation of the Christian faith is not a collection of infallible doctrines but a historical event: the resurrection of Jesus. Dickson, a historian, supports this by explaining how the early church’s explosive growth was rooted in eyewitness testimony and a radical commitment to a new way of living that puzzled and eventually transformed the Roman Empire.

The dialogue shifts to the “image problem” of the modern church, noting that while the early Christians were known for their sacrificial love and care for the marginalized, contemporary Christianity is often viewed through the lens of political power and cultural grievances. Dickson points out that the “musical score” of the gospel is beautiful, but the “performance” by its followers is often out of tune. They argue that for the church to regain its influence, it must return to the “Apostolic model” of being a blessing to those who do not necessarily share its beliefs, rather than seeking to dominate them.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the concept of “losing well” in a post-Christian society. Stanley suggests that the church is often at its most potent when it lacks institutional power, as this requires believers to rely on the strength of their character and the clarity of their message. They discuss how the early believers navigated a hostile secular environment not by demanding their rights, but by out-loving and out-serving their neighbors. This “underside” approach to influence is presented as the most authentic way to represent the teachings of Jesus in a skeptical age.

The conversation concludes with a call for intellectual honesty and a focus on the person of Jesus rather than the complexities of organized religion. Stanley and Dickson encourage listeners—both skeptics and believers—to investigate the historical reliability of the New Testament accounts with an open mind. They suggest that if the core claims about Jesus are true, it changes the trajectory of a person’s life regardless of their feelings about the institutional church. The goal, they agree, is to move beyond “cultural Christianity” toward a robust, historically grounded faith that manifests in practical, sacrificial service to the world.

Listen to the full version here.

Cathedral of Christ The King

In his Palm Sunday homily at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Monsignor Frank McNamee reflects on the profound shift from the “Hosannas” of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to the cries of “Crucify him” just moments later. He suggests that this contradiction is not merely an ancient story but a reflection of the human heart today. He notes that we often live in a shallow faith, welcoming Jesus when we expect a political savior or a worldly victory to fix our immediate problems, yet turning away when he offers a cross instead of a throne.

Monsignor McNamee explains that the Passion reveals the various ways we participate in this story through our own choices. He points to Judas as a symbol of trading God for something lesser, Peter as a symbol of denying Him out of fear, and Pilate as a symbol of lacking the courage to act on what is right. He emphasizes that every time we choose sin or turn away, we are not just making mistakes but actively stepping into the same narrative as the crowd that eventually rejected Jesus.

The homily underscores that Jesus was not a victim but a willing participant who chose every lash and thorn for the sake of humanity’s redemption. Monsignor McNamee argues that the crowd wanted power and dominance, but Jesus provided sacrificial love and humility because the true enemy was not an earthly empire like Rome, but sin itself. This eternal victory is what we actually need, even if it is not what we initially seek in our worldly desires.

Concluding with a call to action for Holy Week, Monsignor McNamee challenges the congregation to move from simple presence to active participation and surrender. He asks whether we will stay in the garden when it is uncomfortable and stand at the cross when it costs us something, or if we will disappear when things get difficult. He encourages the faithful to let the blessed palms in their homes serve as a visible reminder of Christ’s invitation to follow Him toward the eternal promise of heaven.

Listen to the full version here.

Passion City Church

In his sermon “My Testimony is His Blood,” Brad Jones uses the story of Rahab from the book of Joshua to illustrate the power of God’s grace and the nature of true faith. He begins by contrasting human accomplishments with God’s accomplishments, arguing that while the world focuses on what we have achieved, the Christian life is a testimony of what God has done through Jesus Christ. Referencing the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11, Jones highlights that Rahab—a prostitute and an unlikely candidate for honor—is listed alongside biblical giants like Abraham and Moses, proving that no one is too far gone for God’s grace.

Jones explains that Rahab’s faith began with a realization that her own gods could not save her and that the God of Israel was the one true God. Facing imminent judgment on the city of Jericho, she did not rely on her own ability but cried out for mercy, begging the Israelite spies to spare her and her family. This act of pleading for mercy serves as a clear picture of the gospel: acknowledging our inability to save ourselves and turning to God’s authority for salvation.

The “scarlet cord” Rahab tied in her window is identified by Jones as a powerful symbol of the blood of Christ. Just as the blood on the doorposts during the Passover caused the angel of death to skip over those houses, the red rope signaled the Israelite army to spare Rahab’s household. Jones emphasizes that taking Jesus at His word—believing in His finished work on the cross—is the modern equivalent of tying that scarlet cord. He urges the congregation to trust in the “red letters” of scripture, particularly Jesus’ promise that “it is finished.”

Ultimately, Jones describes Rahab as a “picture of God’s grace” who lived among the Israelites with a story to tell about how she was saved from the rubble. He challenges believers to see their own lives as testimonies that distinguish them from the “empty way of life” found in worldly pursuits. By living a life redeemed by the “precious blood of the lamb,” Christians become a visible sign to the world that there is hope and deliverance through faith in God rather than in personal accomplishments.

Listen to the full version here.

Trinity Anglican Church

In his sermon “Living in the Tension,” Kris McDaniel explores the inherent contradictions of the Christian life, particularly the space between the “already” and the “not yet” of God’s kingdom. He begins by addressing the common human desire to resolve discomfort quickly, noting that we often mistake the absence of tension for the presence of peace. However, McDaniel argues that spiritual maturity is found in the ability to hold space for both joy and sorrow, certainty and doubt, without forcing a premature resolution that ignores reality.

Drawing from the life of David in the Psalms, McDaniel illustrates how a person after God’s own heart can simultaneously experience deep despair and profound trust. He explains that faith is not a state of being “unshakable” in the sense of being unaffected by the world, but rather a commitment to remain present with God in the midst of shaking. By examining David’s honest cries for help, McDaniel encourages the congregation to bring their authentic, unpolished selves to prayer rather than waiting until their problems are solved to seek God’s face.

McDaniel also discusses the communal aspect of this tension, pointing out that the church is often at its best when it serves as a “container” for the messy experiences of its members. He warns against a “triumphalist” theology that only celebrates victories, as it can inadvertently alienate those who are currently walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Instead, he advocates for a community that practices lament alongside celebration, recognizing that the cross and the resurrection are two parts of the same story that define the believer’s daily experience.

Concluding with a call to “stay in the room,” McDaniel challenges listeners to resist the urge to check out emotionally or spiritually when life feels unresolved. He suggests that the most transformative work of the Holy Spirit often happens in the waiting rooms of our lives—the places where we have no control and no easy answers. By embracing the tension rather than fleeing from it, he concludes that we find a deeper, more resilient hope that is anchored not in our circumstances, but in the enduring character of a God who meets us in the middle of our struggle.

Listen to the full version here.

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