The Peak Church – An Inclusive Methodist Church in Apex, NC

Have you ever taken issue with something in the Bible? Particularly those stories or books that portray God as angry, violent, even irrational? Then this is the episode for you! In today's episode, Kyle finishes the conversation we needed to have on 1 Samuel 15 where God looks like a war criminal.  He offers practical tips on how to read and interpret the Bible in context so that we can maintain our integrity and our devotion to Jesus. Kyle also offers one more practical "remedy" for each of the lies that may have snuck into our spiritual lives. Finally, we wrestle with what kind of "cost" is expected of followers of Jesus? What does it mean when Jesus says that if we want to find our lives, we must lose them? Is Jesus being a total buzzkill or is there something to explore there?

Topics: Prayer, Wisdom, Hurry, Reliance on God, Slow Down

It turns out that King David has no impulse control either. What does this mean for how we ought to think about the heroes in the Bible? We also talk about whether or not it is ok to ask God for signs. Some think yes. Some think no. Kyle breaks down which steps we ought to take when seeking direction and guidance from God. Finally, we make a rather abrupt turn to wrestle with the violence found in this story. The backdrop of Saul's misstep is a war between two people groups. How should Christians feel about war and violence? Is there ever a time when it is justified? These questions feel especially fitting right now.

Kyle Meier | 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 | Influencers (Lent 2026)

Topics: Sex, Self-Control, God's Plan

That's right. We are going there! In this episode, Kyle unpacks his sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4 where Paul warns us against "sexual immorality." To begin, Kyle explores what the Bible actually says about "lust" and how so many Christians have a harmful understanding of the topic due to shame/purity culture. He also provides a list of book and podcast recommendations (see below), especially for Christians who are trying to better understand sex and how to recover intimacy with their partner. Finally, Kyle opens up about his views on premarital sex. He shares one story about how a moment in premarital counseling caused him to rethink his stance and seek God's guidance for how we should approach this conversation. Enjoy!

Kyle Meier | John 21:17-23 | Influencers (Lent 2026)

Topics: Jealousy, Worrying, Contentment

In this episode, Kyle unpacks his sermon on John 21. We expose what kind of Jedi mind tricks Jesus uses on Peter to free him from shame and fear. We talk about how Lent sometimes gets a bad rap and why you should consider giving it a second try. And finally, Kyle opens up on how hard it is to hear and discern the voice of God in his daily life.

Guest Preacher Hope Ledbetter-Bock | Matthew 16:13-23 | Influencers (Lent 2026)

Topics: Following Jesus, Response, Reflection

Every week, it takes roughly 10 hours for Pastor Kyle to write a sermon. Loads of research, tons of Bible study...in fact, most of what I find does NOT make it into the sermon. So, for the season of Lent, we are going to host a weekly podcast sharing 3 things that didn't make it into the sermon: something you might find INTERESTING, something you might want to TRY, and something that I am still WRESTLING with. If you are looking for a place to continue the conversation we started on Sunday morning, give this podcast a try!

Kyle Meier | Exodus 16:1-3 | Your Story

Topics: Lent, Letting Go, SelfReflection