Summit Podcasts: BACK40, Sermon Audio, and Leadership Night

In 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.

In session 2 of The Back40 Leadership Conference, Pastor Rob McClure presents a message on the value of staying close to the Shepherd. As a pastor, your job more than anything else is to follow close to Jesus. Ministry is full of important responsibilities and if you’re not careful these responsibilities can cause you to neglect your proximity to Christ. Trusting that Jesus knows where He’s going can bring you peace when you don’t know where you’re going. Rob unpacks these ideas and more in this session of the conference.

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss how a person can harbor ambition without becoming arrogant. How do you pursue being the best at something while maintaining godly humility? They also talk about the role of mercy in effective leadership. How does a good leader discern when to punish, when to restore, and when to show grace? The conversation finishes with strategies for young leaders who are trying to gain respect among veteran leaders. How should a young leader carry him or herself? What traits do veterans admire in young leaders?

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.

Todd, Gilbert, and Michael discuss whether there are differences in spiritual health based on a person's financial well-being. They also talk about the value of being present in the moment. Where should you draw the line between working ahead, developing yourself for the future, and being focused on your immediate surroundings? Is being the best at something even desirable once you realize how much you'll have to sacrifice? The conversation finishes with an exploration of the distinction between judging others and reproving others. How should this influence church policy?

In a special edition of Leadership Night, Pastor Todd walks us through what means to elevate the limitations of our leadership. He explains how intentionally including others in your workflow can expand the limits of your productivity. If you work for a boss or a manager, you should try to work with them rather than work for them. If you are a boss or manager, you should be quick to take on the dirty jobs yourself in an effort to relieve the pressure on your employees. Todd also explains how choosing meaningful milestones can help ensure you remain consistent in your productive routines.

In the opening message of our series on the five solas of the Reformation, Pastor Mel explains the meaning of Sola Gratia (by grace alone). He teaches the difference between justice, mercy, and grace as well as why all three are important elements of God's character. Contrasting Christianity with other world religions helps define biblical grace as an unmerited gift from God. Mel cautions against the casual view of sin associated with antinomianism which is a reaction to cheap grace. He finishes the message by discussing how our good works should be a natural result of what Jesus has done, not our effort to earn what Jesus has done.

In the third issue of our Milestones series, Pastor Mel explains the keys to "homothunadon" or unity in the Holy Spirit. Through the early Church in the book of Acts, Mel shows how the disciples achieved unity by devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to sharing in meals, and to prayer. He explains how the outcomes of unity are awe of God, signs and wonders, radical generosity, and salvations. The message closes with an exhortation to leave secondary issues behind and be willing sacrifice yourself for the greater unity.

In a special service commemorating Summit Church's 75th anniversary, Pastor Mel interviews John Blaniar, Jonathan Mack, and Don Hezlep - each of whom have been a part of Summit for a long time. This discussion takes you on a tour of Summit's history and gives you a better understanding of how the church became what it is today. They talk about the big faith it took to change locations and construct the facility Summit calls home. Each of the men agree that what God has done with Summit has stretched beyond anything they imagined. Summit's story is not over, and Mel finishes the evening with encouragement to move forward into what God has planned for the church next.

This episode presents session 1 from The Back40 Leadership Conference. In this session, Mel Masengale explains how pastors and leaders can deal with difficult people inside the Church. He highlights some of the strategies Moses used when leading subversive people during the exodus from Egypt. How do you stave off discouragement in the midst of unfair criticism? How do you lead people who ally with each other in their efforts to undermine your authority? What’s the best way to stabilize a dysfunctional situation and prevent it from damaging the health of your church?