Summit Podcasts: BACK40, Sermon Audio, and Leadership Night

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, ra...

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...

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...

In the second installment of our Milestones series, Pastor Mel teaches about the gifts of the Spirit. Through exposition of both 1 Corinthians 12 and Acts 2 - 4, Mel explains how the gifts of the Spirit are deeply practical. He talks about the difference between a public gift and a private grace, and he shows what happened to the early church in Acts after the day of Pentecost. Mel notes that God...

In the opening message of our Milestones series, Pastor Mel teaches about Pentecost and the baptism of the Holy Spirit through Acts 1 & 2. He explains how God accelerates His glory through Christian unity. He also talks about how the Holy Spirit isn't weird, and how the gifts of the Spirit are given to encourage the Church and draw unbelievers.

Through verse-by-verse exposition of Psalm 23, Pastor Rob teaches how the Bible illustrates humanity as sheep and Christ as the Good Shepherd. He reminds us how sheep are defenseless without the shepherd. Our only job as Christians is to stay close to the Shepherd. The message finishes with an explanation of the Hebrew variants for the name of God which detail important elements of His character.

Mel explains the importance of adding value to your organization. Whether as an employee or a manager, there are likely undiscovered or underutilized ways you might contribute to the success of your company. From saving money by being creative in your operational efficiency to being excellent at the specific role you were hired to do, Mel outlines several time-tested strategies to make yourself mo...

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss whether or not God ordains our suffering in order to advance His kingdom. Why would God do this? They also talk about the value of hard work and why a strong work-ethic is a biblical value. The conversation finishes with an evaluation of whether it's appropriate to be a carefree Christian.

Pastor Kim finishes our series called Much Fruit with a discussion of the fruit of self-control. Kim explains how the road to self-control runs through remembering who we belong to. Self-control is cultivated by nailing the passions and desires of our sinful nature to the cross of Christ. Features of self-control include reminding ourselves that everything's not about us and doing our best to...

Mel, Todd, and Michael discuss the reasons for maintaining an eternal perspective in ministry, and the benefits of being careful to do so. They talk about seeking first the kingdom of God and what that looks like for a pastor. The conversation finishes with a discussion of material goods like cars, clothes, etc. and how to own these things without allowing them to negatively influence your ministr...

Week 5 of our Much Fruit series brings a message on biblical gentleness. Pastor Mel explains the difference between meekness and weakness, and how gentleness is actually restrained power. Jesus is gentle and yet He is also the most powerful. Mel uses the story of the woman caught in adultery to showcase the gentleness of Jesus and he encourages the Church to exercise gentleness as a feature part o...

Through Romans 8, Pastor Jim Hennesy teaches about understanding your purpose in the Christian life. He encourages us to be bold and to step out in faith to answer God's call. Jim explains how God worked His purpose through biblical characters like Moses, Abraham, and others. Even when things seem difficult, we can be certain God chose us to be the ones to advance His kingdom on earth at this...

The fourth week of Much Fruit brings a sermon on faithfulness. Pastor Mel explains what faithfulness is according to scripture. God is not looking for people of great faith, He's looking for common people to trust His great faithfulness. Mel explains how gifts are given while fruit is cultivated. He also reveals how the faithfulness God invites us into is a reflection of God's own faithful...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

Pastor Mel continues the Rubicon series by interviewing special guest Chad Williams. Chad is a former Navy SEAL whose harrowing story of life on the SEAL teams includes both tragedy and challenge. Chad recounts the road he walked which led to his relationship with Jesus and how this relationship changed everything.

Pastor Mel begins a new series called Rubicon. The theme of the series is making a decision for Christ in such a way that you are all in and there is no turning back. This first installment details the things which Jesus Himself was totally committed to: people, the cross, the resurrection, and you. What are you totally committed to?