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

Letting Go of Fitting In

Katie Distefano Culpepper | Matthew 21:1-11 | Influencers (Lent 2026)
Topics: Palm Sunday, Approval, Being

Letting Go of Lies

Kyle Meier | 1 Samuel 15:13-24 | Influencers (Lent 2026)
Topics: Honesty, Truth, Provider

Did God Really Say That?

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?

Letting Go of Impulsivity

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

Hypocrisy, Signs, and the Christian Stance on War

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.

Letting Go of Lust

Kyle Meier | 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 | Influencers (Lent 2026)
Topics: Sex, Self-Control, God's Plan

Let's Talk about Sex

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!Books: "Sheet Music" by Kevin Leman, "The Great Sex Rescue" by Sheila Wray Gregoire, and "Come as You are" by Emily NagoskiPodcasts: "The Gottman Relationship Podcast" and "Where Should We Begin with Esther Perel" (

Letting Go of Comparison

Kyle Meier | John 21:17-23 | Influencers (Lent 2026)
Topics: Jealousy, Worrying, Contentment

Comparison Killer

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.

Letting Go of Control

Guest Preacher Hope Ledbetter-Bock | Matthew 16:13-23 | Influencers (Lent 2026)
Topics: Following Jesus, Response, Reflection