Title: The Upside Down Spiritual Life
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Overview: In this sermon from Matthew 6:1-18, Pastor Nate Holdridge walks through Jesus' warning against performative religion — the danger of doing the right things for the wrong audience. Jesus gives three illustrations of this temptation: giving to the poor with a trumpet blast, praying on street corners for maximum visibility, and fasting with a disfigured face designed to advertise spiritual discipline. In each case, Jesus contrasts the hypocrite who has already been "paid in full" with human applause against the disciple who practices righteousness in secret before a Father who sees, knows, and rewards. Pastor Nate shows how the Fatherhood of God — mentioned ten times in this passage — is the controlling center that transforms our motivations, turning us from an audience of peers to an audience of One. This teaching includes practical guidance on biblical fasting, an honest look at why the contemporary church has been slow to teach on fasting, and a call for every believer to embrace the secret life of faith that Jesus assumes of all His followers.

Link to Sermon Notes

Link to Discussion Questions

Title: Upside Down Interior Life
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Overview: In this week's sermon from Calvary Monterey's ongoing series through the Gospel of Matthew, Nate Holdridge walks through the final three of Jesus' six antitheses in Matthew 5:33–48 — the passage on oaths, retaliation, and enemy love. Under the title "The Upside Down Life With Others," Nate shows how Jesus was not abolishing the Old Testament but driving his listeners past the letter of the law to its deepest intention: a community of people so anchored in God that their trustworthiness needs no oath to confirm it, their security needs no retaliation to protect it, and their love needs no worthy recipient to motivate it. The sermon unpacks what it means to be radically trustworthy, radically surprising, and radically loving — and lands on the stunning closing command of Matthew 5, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," not as a burden but as an invitation to fix our eyes on the One who fulfilled every word of it on our behalf.

Link to Sermon Notes

Link to Discussion Questions

Title: Upside Down Strength
Speaker: Si Leuenberger
Scripture: Matthew 5:33-48

Title: Upside Down Interior Life
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Overview: In this teaching from the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Nate Holdridge explores Matthew 5:21-32, where Jesus begins to reveal the radical, internal transformation He desires for His people. By addressing the root issues of anger, lust, and marital unfaithfulness, Nate shows how Jesus moves beyond external religious checklists to claim authority over our interior lives. We see that the Kingdom of Heaven isn't just about avoiding murder or adultery; it’s about a radical devotion to reconciliation, a commitment to sexual purity, and a high esteem for the marriage covenant. Join us as we learn how Jesus’ "upside down" ethics provide a protective shield for the vulnerable and lead us toward a life of true flourishing grounded in the Gospel.

Link to Sermon Notes

Title: The Upside Down Bible
Speaker: Nate Holdridge
Overview: In this sermon from Matthew 5:17–20, Pastor Nate Holdridge examines one of Jesus' most striking claims: that He came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. Walking through each verse, we’ll consider how Jesus is the destination of the entire biblical story—the One every sacrifice, prophecy, and promise was pointing toward. We’ll think about why the Old Testament still carries divine weight for believers today, how Jesus defines true greatness as living and teaching by Scripture, and why the impossible standard of righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees is actually an invitation to receive what only Christ can produce in us. This message is part of the ongoing series through Matthew called "The Promised King and His Good Kingdom," currently in part two: "The Upside Down Kingdom Arrives."

Link to Sermon Notes

Title: How God Forms Us
Speaker: Pastor Nate Holdridge
Overview: Men, we all know the challenges we’re up against—pressure from the world, temptations that tug at our hearts, and trials that test our faith. But we weren’t meant to walk this road alone. God, in His grace, not only walks with us but surrounds us with brothers who are on the same journey. Together, we’re being shaped—FORMED—into the likeness of Christ. This year, at our men’s conference, we’re diving into what that formation really looks like. Through worship, teaching, and times of fellowship, we’ll be encouraged and challenged to become the men God has called us to be—for our families, our churches, and our communities. Make plans to join us. You’re not alone, and your story isn’t finished. Final session of our Men's Conference with Pastor Nate teaching on how God forms us.

Title: Men Who Disciple
Speaker: Pastor Si Leuenberger
Overview: Men, we all know the challenges we’re up against—pressure from the world, temptations that tug at our hearts, and trials that test our faith. But we weren’t meant to walk this road alone. God, in His grace, not only walks with us but surrounds us with brothers who are on the same journey. Together, we’re being shaped—FORMED—into the likeness of Christ. This year, at our men’s conference, we’re diving into what that formation really looks like. Through worship, teaching, and times of fellowship, we’ll be encouraged and challenged to become the men God has called us to be—for our families, our churches, and our communities. Make plans to join us. You’re not alone, and your story isn’t finished. Session 5 at our Men's Conference with Pastor Si Leuenberger on being Men who disciple.

Title: Men God Changes
Speaker: Pastor Manny Collazo
Overview: Men, we all know the challenges we’re up against—pressure from the world, temptations that tug at our hearts, and trials that test our faith. But we weren’t meant to walk this road alone. God, in His grace, not only walks with us but surrounds us with brothers who are on the same journey. Together, we’re being shaped—FORMED—into the likeness of Christ. This year, at our men’s conference, we’re diving into what that formation really looks like. Through worship, teaching, and times of fellowship, we’ll be encouraged and challenged to become the men God has called us to be—for our families, our churches, and our communities. Make plans to join us. You’re not alone, and your story isn’t finished. Session 4 at our Men's Conference with Pastor Manny on how God changes men.

Title: Being Men of Integrity in a Compromising World
Speaker: Pastor Shawn Stroud
Overview: Men, we all know the challenges we’re up against—pressure from the world, temptations that tug at our hearts, and trials that test our faith. But we weren’t meant to walk this road alone. God, in His grace, not only walks with us but surrounds us with brothers who are on the same journey. Together, we’re being shaped—FORMED—into the likeness of Christ. This year, at our men’s conference, we’re diving into what that formation really looks like. Through worship, teaching, and times of fellowship, we’ll be encouraged and challenged to become the men God has called us to be—for our families, our churches, and our communities. Make plans to join us. You’re not alone, and your story isn’t finished. Session 3 of our Men's Conference with Pastor Shawn Stroud from Shoreline Church on being a man of Integrity.

Title: A Towel or a Title?
Speaker: Pastor Todd Anderson
Overview: Men, we all know the challenges we’re up against—pressure from the world, temptations that tug at our hearts, and trials that test our faith. But we weren’t meant to walk this road alone. God, in His grace, not only walks with us but surrounds us with brothers who are on the same journey. Together, we’re being shaped—FORMED—into the likeness of Christ. This year, at our men’s conference, we’re diving into what that formation really looks like. Through worship, teaching, and times of fellowship, we’ll be encouraged and challenged to become the men God has called us to be—for our families, our churches, and our communities. Make plans to join us. You’re not alone, and your story isn’t finished. Session 2 of our 2026 Men's Conference with Pastor Todd Anderson from Compass Church speaking on how men can be the servants God has called us to be.