In the third message of our series called Feasts, Pastor Mel explains the timeless biblical principles represented by the Hebrew feast of firstfruits. In scripture the Jewish feasts are instituted to celebrate God's provision, remember significant events, and foreshadow things to come. The feast of firstfruits represents the biblical principle of "firsts" which points to the reality of God's own preeminence. God is first whether we believe He is or not. Putting God first in our lives will facilitate a proper affection for everything else which is important to us. Like Abel in Genesis chapter 4, we must give our first and our best to God because we are our best selves when we put God first.
Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss the value of large Christian conferences. What can a conference provide which normal church services or discipleship cannot? What happens to a person whose Christianity is limited to attending conferences? Next they discuss what your prayers should be like in the midst of terminal illness. How can we stand behind the nobility of asking God to use our deaths to glorify Himself when we really don't want to die? The conversation finishes with a possible misapprehension about God's calling you somewhere. If God wants to move you on to new or different things, won't he just do it? Shouldn't we be focused on being faithful and obedient right where we are?
In part two of our series called Feasts, Pastor Mel explains the feast of unleavened bread. Jewish feasts were instituted to celebrate God's provision, remember significant events, and foreshadow things to come. Preaching through Exodus chapter 12, Mel shows how the feast of unleavened bread represented the Hebrews' separation from the sin of Egypt. Today we understand the doctrine of unleavened bread as a call to holiness. Paul elaborates on this call in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 when he says, "Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old 'yeast' by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth."
Mel, Michael, and Joel discuss the role of stoicism in the Christian faith. Should Christians aspire to live a life of stable equilibrium as opposed to manic highs and despairing lows? What's the difference between stoicism and self-control? Next they talk about infertility. If children are conceived by the sovereign will of God, does that mean infertility is God's will? How should you counsel couples who are struggling with infertility? How should Christians view artificial methods like IVF or surrogacy? The conversation finishes on the topic of exchanging your soul for worldly gain. Why would anyone do this? What does it feel like to lose your soul?
Michael opens the second chapter of Genesis with a closer look at the creation of Adam and Eve. This passage represents the opening of what is called the Yahwist account of creation. These verses mark the first place in scripture where God is titled Jehovah-Elohim, a compound name emphasizing His character as "all-powerful creator of perfection." Expect to learn why the breath of God is central to the value for human life. This passage presents a view of the paradisal Garden of Eden and reveals humanity's very first covenant with God. Is the fear of losing what we love really enough deterrant to restrain us from sin?
In week one of our series called Feasts, Pastor Collin preaches about the most notable of all Judaic feasts: the feast of Passover. Collin explains how the Sabbath helped posture the people's spirits for participating in the Passover celebration. Christians should observe a Sabbath today because intentional rest helps prevent us from becoming distracted from the most important spiritual matters. The Passover commemorated the night when God's Spirit took all of the firstborn of Egypt, passing over the houses whose doorframes were marked by the blood of the lamb. As Christians, we celebrate Jesus Christ as our Passover Lamb, and because of His blood we are saved from our sins.
Guest speaker Pastor Eran Holt shares an important message about identity. He carefully deconstructs the culture's ingredients for a false identity: feelings, attraction, achievement, and approval. Eran explains why this kind of identity is incoherent, resulting in instability and idolatry. Instead we should build our lives on biblical truth, love, serving others, belonging, and God-ordained purpose. Building a proper identity is necessary if we expect to withstand the trials of life.
Michael finishes his study of Genesis chapter 1 by examining the fifth and sixth days of creation. In these passages we'll see God generate some of His most sophisticated creations. On the fifth day He creates all aquatic life and all birds. On the sixth day He creates the higher order land animals as well as those creatures which creep along the ground. Why is it important that God created all things according to their kinds? What does that tell us about competing meta narratives like evolution? On the second part of the sixth day God creates the crown-jewel of all His work: human beings. Expect to learn about the notable difference in His creative process for humans from all else He created. The chapter finishes with God evaluating all He had made and declaring it to be very good. What are the implications of this declaration for the redemptive gospel of Jesus Christ?
Mel, Michael, and Joel talk about spiritual strongholds being wrong patterns of thinking. Idolatry begins when you submit yourself to these patterns and begin to make oaths based on them. What are some common causes of strongholds in a person's life? How do you resist developing strongholds in your own life? Next they discuss the incongruity between why people say they disbelieve in God versus why they actually disbelieve in God. Are some people simply embarrassed to admit their need for Christ? Scripture suggests the primary reason a person rejects God is his or her sin - not some rational argument. The conversation finishes with an evaluation of how much you can control in your life. What are the limits of your control?
Pastor Mel brings leadership lessons from Bob Iger’s book titled The Ride of a Lifetime. Bob Iger is the CEO of Disney. You’ll sometimes hear his name brought up in the political landscape because of how important he is to media. His book presents a wealth of leadership principles and Mel highlights just a few of them in this podcast.
Expect to learn why any good organization is dependent on acquiring good talent. You’ll discover the differences between raising talent up from within as opposed to hiring from the open market. Mel explains why it’s important for leaders to own the mistakes of their teams. In this episode you’ll hear about how to criticize projects without hurting the creative person. We discuss whether healthy leaders can afford to focus less on self-care. It’s sometimes challenging to explain to young people why character is more important than performance — but in this episode Mel gives some strategies for how to do it. Q&A Follows.
You can purchase Bob Iger's book here: https://a.co/d/23nl6yZ
In the fourth and final message of our Welcome Home series, Pastor Mel walks us through three of Summit's core values: radical generosity, healthy relationships, and freedom. God is radically generous and we want the world to see that in how we live and give. When we put God first in our lives, everything else falls into order. We’re committed to loving others sacrificially and resolving conflict biblically. We believe in experiencing the abundant and victorious life that only Christ can give. Mel explains how each of these core values depends on Christ's greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Anything we exalt above biblical truth becomes idolatry which corrupts us and prevents us from embodying these values each day.
Mel, Michael, and Joel begin the conversation with how to know when it's time to start delegating. As your organization grows, what are the downsides of keeping your hands on everything? What metric does Mel use to determine the degree of control he imposes on a project? Next they talk about the importance of God as the Creator of all things and how understanding God as your own Creator shapes your relationship with Him. What are the implications of God being the Creator of everything? This discussion finishes on the topic of baptism. What is baptism? Should we baptize infants? What would happen if the Church began taking the sacrament of baptism as seriously as they take the sacrament of marriage?
In the third message of our series called Welcome Home, Pastor Mel addresses the realities of spiritual war. Humanity has existed in the midst of spiritual conflict since the original sin. This conflict has expressed itself in different ways throughout history, with its most recent expression coming in the form of cultural warfare in the West. Mel explains why we are called to fight the good fight. We make war on Hell and we make war on the flesh. We make ourselves hard to kill by praying everyday, reading scripture everyday, getting in community, and serving the kingdom of God. In the final analysis we must have faith enough to remember who God is and that He fights for us.
Mel, Michael, Joel and Collin attempt to answer two of the most common questions which follow any tragedy: why would God let this happen and how should we move forward? The Austrian neurologist and psychologist Viktor Frankl, who himself was a prisoner in Auschwitz, thought that finding meaning within tragedy helped one cope with pain. Is all loss as senseless as it feels, or can we find God inside the suffering if we look closely enough? The conversation turns to kingdom-focused prayers. What is a kingdom-focused prayer? Should these prayers take priority over asking God for things we want and need?
In the second part of our series called Welcome Home, Pastor Kim preaches about knowing Jesus and reaching the lost. She explains how there's a difference between cognitive knowledge of God and a personal relationship with Him. We are designed to participate with God at every level of human experience: mind, body and spirit. A life centered in Christ naturally becomes a sent life to reach the lost. The abundance of our intimacy with God spills over into a desire to be Christlike to others. Kim reminds us that reaching the lost is the heart of Jesus. We can't claim to love God if we don't love those whom God loves. As Christians we are called to be salt to preserve that which is good and light to guide the world.
Mel, Joel, and Michael spend the first half of this episode discussing the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Why do such heinous crimes seldom lead to actual change? What are we getting wrong in the way we react to such headlines? What is the proper response which would minimize future occurrences? Next they talk about the common misconception that, "money is the root of all evil." What is the correct biblical doctrine concerning the love of money? Is it possible for a person to be both wealthy and Christlike? Could chronic poverty be a reliable indicator for underlying character flaws?
NOTE: This episode was recorded before the assassination of Charlie Kirk. That tragic day, as well as the inestimable consequences of it, are not considered in this conversation.
In the first message of our series called Welcome Home, Pastor Mel explains what it means for every life to be made different in Christ. At Summit Church our vision is to see Every Life Made Different. Preaching through the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, Mel reminds us the gospel is for everyone. Jesus Christ came to save the lost and that includes people who we sometimes mistake as being irredeemable. Everyone is lost without Christ. To be made different means to be made into a new creation. Jesus will confront our affections in order to transform our affections. Since we have been set free from our transgressions, the Church is under obligation to preach the gospel in all places.
Mel, Michael, Collin, and Joel discuss best practices for being Christlike while resisting idolization from those around you. We want to encourage a culture of honor, but what's the different between honor and idolatry? Next they talk strategies for how you might honor your enemies or those you dislike. Is it possible to honor someone from afar? Isn't honoring your enemy kind of like lying? They also talk about the wisdom of preparation and decide whether lack of preparation is a sin of omission. The conversation finishes with an exploration of why sins confessed are different than sins discovered.
The Marvel Comic Universe, as you may know, is worth tremendous amounts of money today. But it wasn’t always like this. In 1996 Marvel filed for bankruptcy under the leadership of Ron Perelman. From that point Marvel changed hands and with vision, passion, and a bit of serendipity, it was brought from the brink of failure to the heights of success. Pastor Mel explains the leadership principles which helped serve this famous comeback story. Expect to learn why reciprocity in leadership is always better than self-interest. Mel discusses why bold vision is a requirement for any organization. You’ll also learn why you shouldn’t pass over talented people simply because they're inexperienced. Q&A follows.
God speaks and trillions of galaxies, each containing hundreds of billions of stars, explode into formation. Scripture says God calls each star by name. When measured against the incomprehensible grandeur of the cosmos, what is humanity worth? This study observes God create the firmament and populate it with heavenly bodies. Working through the second, third, and fourth days of creation we'll see God part the oceans and spread the earth with vegetation, trees, and fruit bearing seeds of their kind. We'll explore spiritual lessons including why God's provision is better than man's innovation; what makes something valuable in God's sight; and why the light of the stars reveals God's purpose for us to shine the light of Christ in the world.
