Summit Podcasts: BACK40, Sermon Audio, and Leadership Night

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss the dangers which lurk between where you are as a church now and where you could be as a church in the future. How does a church grow into its next phase responsibly and intentionally? What are the pitfalls of unplanned growth? The conversation finishes with a discussion of how young leaders can learn to be content where they are instead of continuously yearning for a bigger platform.

In the third installment of our Much Fruit series, 5 of our pastors each bring a sermon no longer than 5 minutes in length. You'll learn about peace, kindness, goodness, and more in this exciting, fast-paced delivery of messages.

In the second installment of our series Much Fruit, Pastor Mel focuses on love. Love is the first and most fundamental fruit of the Spirit. Through 1 Corinthians 13 and 1 John 4, Mel details the biblical definition of love and how it is different from cultural understandings. He explains how obedience to Jesus reveals our affection for Jesus. The message finishes with encouragement for Christians to be the ones who put on display the full expression of God's love.

This message begins a new series called Much Fruit. Through exposition of Galatians 5, Pastor Mel explains what spiritual fruit is, where it comes from, and why it is required. He talks about the difference between good fruit and much fruit, and explains how God is the one who cultivates spiritual fruit in our lives. This cultivation process is not easy and is analogous to turning soil and pruning, but the outcome is worth the sacrifice.

In the fifth installment of Rubicon, Pastor Mel teaches about the importance of healthy relationships. Using selected scriptures, he explains the benefits of healthy relationships and details the commitment necessary to make them happen. He also discusses three major facets of the self which inhibit our commitment to healthy relationships: our pleasure, our lack, and our pain.

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss how a person might remain humble after being set free by the forgiveness of Christ. How do you remember your own sin without falling back into it? Where is the ground between being enslaved to sin and being self-righteous? The conversation turns to the topic of anonymous giving. When is the right time to publicize your generosity? What is the proper amount of secrecy one should uphold while practicing benevolence? This episode finishes with a discussion of spiritual disciplines and why they are important to maintaining effective pastoral ministry.

Mel teaches strategies for good customer service and explains why these principles scale between a wide variety of organizations. Citing industry leaders in hospitality, Mel explains why treating your staff and customers properly fosters strong internal relationships and boosts productivity.

Pastor Stef continues the Rubicon series by teaching what it means to be committed to freedom in Christ. Freedom from shame, pain, and even illness are possible with God. To walk by faith means fixing your focus on Jesus. Looking unto Jesus means life, light, guidance, encouragement, and joy.

In a special baptism service, Pastor Mel brings a sermonette on Christian maturity. Through Romans 6 and Ephesians 4, Mel outlines the differences between immature and mature people. He explains how maturity leads to unity in the faith which is not a lack of conflict but an abundance of love.

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss what it means to be a spiritual father and how this relates to the sonship of Christ. They talk about how God the Father is the archetype of good fatherhood, and how this fatherhood is demonstrated by Christ toward His disciples. The conversation shifts to discuss an idea called the tyranny of outcomes. They talk about what the tyranny outcomes means, what causes it, and how to avoid it.