Summitpa Sermon Audio

Preaching through Matthew 11:28-30, Pastor Gilbert teaches us how we can find the deepest form of rest. Rest for our souls comes from doing God's work and daily presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice for His purposes. Doing God's work involves surrendering yourself to the yoke of Jesus Christ and learning from Him. If we try to arrive at spiritual rest without Jesus we will come up empty and be left feeling dissatisfied. The pathway to this much-sought-after peaceful condition has already been laid out by God, we just need to see it, understand it, and practice the faith necessary to walk it.

In the most challenging message of this series, Pastor Mel brings a short sermon on Christ as the suffering servant. It's human nature to want to be powerful and even if we don't seek prestige most of us still want the freedom which comes from being in control. Teaching through selected scriptures, Mel explains how the Christian life is about downward mobility rather than upward mobility. We are called to a narrow path marked out by Jesus as one characterized by powerlessness, humility, and suffering. Only once we deny ourselves and accept this truth do we find real freedom in submission to God.

In the third message of our series "It's a Wonderful Life", Mel discusses the human desire to be seen. Using selected scriptures including the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4, he teaches why it's better to honor God than seek glory for yourself. Mel explains what it means to be a servant of Christ and reminds us that we are a slave to our source. Towards the end of the message, he shows a video of a little boy who demonstrates what it looks like to take your role seriously - even if your role isn't glorified by others. The conclusion of the sermon is that it's better to be loved by God, be a child of God, and be seen by God than to be famous here on earth.

In the second part of our series called It's a Wonderful Life, Pastor Mel looks at the worldly perspective on wanting to be rich. Generally, the desire for material wealth stems from either wanting to live a life of leisure or not wanting to worry about money. Mel makes the case that what we're really after is freedom and we try to acquire freedom through wealth. It's very common for people to worry about who is going to take care of them, and Pastor Mel explains why we become slaves to those who provide for us. He finishes the message by showing how true freedom comes when we understand that God is our provider.

In a special edition of Leadership Night, Mel teaches principles he has learned from time spent working on his Jeep. Working through a list of ten points, he explains how these principles apply to leadership in business and in your personal life. The ideas include being careful to invest in critical infrastructure before spending on flashier, more attractive purchases: "lockers before light bars", as the Jeep community puts it. He also talks about ways to keep your employees happy at the middle of the pay-scale, how to learn from leaders without merely imitating them, and the danger of starting too many projects at one time. Q&A follows.

In the opening message of our series It's a Wonderful Life, Pastor Mel investigates the meaning of biblical love. He talks about the problems associated with the culture's fantastical infatuation with being "in love." He explores the self-sacrificial love of called agape, and then he explains why it's a bad idea to follow your heart when it comes to loving others well. Preaching through 1 John 4, Mel shows us that love is not about chasing a feeling, but choosing a discipline.

Pastor Christina tells a personal story explaining the negative consequences of envy. Preaching through James chapter 3, she teaches us what we should do if we discover that jealousy is a problem in our own lives. Christina makes it clear jealousy is not an attractive vice, and that it is the product of earthly, unspiritual, and demonic tendencies. She contrasts these attributes with godly wisdom which is pure, peace-loving, gentle, and willing to yield to others.

In the third and final message of our series on Habakkuk, Pastor Mel walks us through the prophet's song detailing the wrath of God. Habakkuk's song inspires fear, awe, and confidence in the glorious power of God. Mel explains the Hebrew term "selah" to indicate a moment of pause and praise. So we get to see the moments when the prophet reflected on the movement of God which adds another dimension of interest to the text. The message includes a powerful testimony from Kathy Eshbaugh, she tells us how her trust in God helped her through unthinkable grief. Mel closes with encouragement for us to take worship seriously because it is our weapon of war.

The second message in our series on Habakkuk brings us exposition of chapter 2. Pastor Mel teaches that it is through faith that a righteous person has life. He draws a distinction between righteousness and pride, citing that righteousness results in firmness, steadiness, fidelity, and steadfastness. Habakkuk cried out to God wondering how long before He will help. The prophet also faces frustration when it looks like the wicked are getting away with their deeds longer than they should. This chapter also presents prophetic warnings against those who build with ill-gotten money as well as those who practice idolatry.

Pastor Mel begins our series on the book of Habakkuk, who was one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. This oft-neglected book teaches us invaluable wisdom concerning how we should receive God's correction. Habakkuk's prayer presented in the first chapter comes in the form of a complaint. Mel explains to us why it's okay to complain to God when facing difficulties in life. Complaining to God instead of to our neighbors helps preserve us against sins like gossip. In this message Mel teaches why it's better to be corrected by a friend than an enemy - although even correction by an enemy can be a mercy of God. This message concludes with hopeful words from Jesus Christ in Matthew 11, encouraging us to bring everything to God so He can give us rest.

Mel gives strategies for how to lead your team well through an internal crisis. It's important that you gather as much information as possible during the discovery phase. Once you know what's happening, proper communication throughout your team is critical. Bad behaviors like gossip and dishonesty should be struck down as soon as you notice them. One of the most challenging aspects of navigating an internal crisis is terminating someone, and Mel explains the best way to do it. Q&A follows.

Our guest speaker and keynote from She Is Transformed, Andi Andrew, preaches a message about preparation. Teaching through the parable of the ten virgins, Andi explains why we should be prepared for anything. She argues that the unwise walk in presumption while the wise walk in anticipation. Andi also teaches that we should not live on borrowed oil, meaning we should look to Jesus as our source rather than deriving a second-hand source from other people who look to Jesus. The message finishes with a warning to stay alert and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as your life and our world continue to change.

Pastor Mel finishes our series on 2nd Peter with exposition of chapter 3. This chapter takes a look at end-times prophecy and discusses how we should act as Christians who are expecting the return of Jesus. There will be scoffers who mock the truth of Christ's return and there will be hypocrites who claim themselves to be the saviors of mankind. A proper Christian should understand that God exists outside of time and that one day is as a thousand years to the Lord. Any perceived delay in Christ's return is not a consequence of unfulfilled promises, rather it's a display of God's grace and His desire that all people should come to the knowledge of truth.

The second week of our series on 2nd Peter brings a message explaining the dangers of being driven by your feelings and desires. Mel goes to the Greek to explain the subtleties of illegitimate desire and sensuality. He also discusses the meaning of greed and cautions us against false teachers who love to make personal gains by teaching bad doctrine. Mel explains how false teachers are like unthinking animals, and how they can lure you in with charisma and a clever use of words. The message closes with an antidote to the poison offered by false teachers. This remedy includes living a life of confession and repentance as well as living a life governed by truth and not by your own feelings.

What makes a good leader? What are the character traits of a good leader? What are some skills we can learn to develop our leadership? Mel teaches about these topics and more in this episode of Leadership Night. Mel and the audience discuss the importance of self-awareness, the necessity of asking for feedback, and the value of delegation. They also explore the importance of leaders taking on new responsibilities in order to avoid stagnation and promote growth. Q&A follows.

In the first message of our series on 2 Peter, Pastor Mel teaches about qualities you should develop as followers of Jesus. These qualities are: moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love for everyone. Mel's exposition of 2 Peter 1 explains how lacking these qualities makes you ineffective, unfruitful, shortsighted, and blind. The message concludes that standing firm in the truth and working hard are indispensable features of a life characterized by these qualities.

In the fifth and final part of our series on the five solas of the Reformation, Pastor Mel teaches about the doctrine of Soli Dec Gloria (which means glory to God alone). Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. The essence of Soli Deo Gloria is that everything is done for God's glory alone to the exclusion of man's self-glorification and pride. Mel explains how we can bring God glory by living honorably, praising God with our mouths, being obedient to God, producing much fruit in our lives, living generously, avoiding sexual sin, and living a glory focused life.

In part four of our series on the five solas of the Reformation, Pastor Mel teaches about the doctrine of Sola Scriptura (which means scripture alone). Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. Mel sets up the message by arguing that if the Bible is true, then any claim in conflict with what it says is false. He takes us on a tour of the holy books of various world religions and explains why the Bible is distinct from them. He then makes an apologetic defense of scripture by answering common complaints about it. He finishes the message by explaining the real-world benefits of daily reading the word of God.

n the third installment of our series on the five solas of the Reformation, Pastor Mel teaches about Solus Christus, which means Christ alone. The thesis for this series is: Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. Mel explains who Jesus is in various world religions like Buddhism and Islam, and then he points out why the distinctions between these religions and Christianity matter. Mel presents the gospel through exposition of Romans 10, as he teaches how confession in Christ as Lord and faith in him as Savior is necessary for salvation.

Pastor Todd teaches about the second of the five solas of the Reformation: sola fide. Sola fide means "faith alone" and Todd explains how we are saved entirely by grace through faith in Jesus. He also makes the case that while we are saved by faith alone, that faith itself is never alone but always expresses itself in demonstration. Using selected scriptures, Todd shows three ways faith should demonstrate itself in the lives of believers: through transformations in our cognition, our confession, and our conduct.