SummitPA Sermon Audio

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.

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.