Podcast Summary: "Time to Grow Up" | Ephesians 4:11-16

Podcast: 2819 Church
Host: Eric Hayes (Guest: Philip Anthony Mitchell, worship: Jarrett)
Date: September 29, 2025
Passage: Ephesians 4:11-16

Episode Overview

In this powerful sermon, Elder Eric Hayes exhorts the 2819 Church community—both in-person and online—to embrace genuine spiritual maturity, drawing from Ephesians 4:11-16 and related passages. The keynote is an urgent call for believers to "grow up" into the full stature of Christ, moving beyond convenience-based or immature faith to embrace the transforming and sometimes painful process of being conformed to Christ's image. The episode is rich with direct challenges, pastoral insights, and pointed biblical exposition, emphasizing both individual and corporate growth, practical discipleship, and the necessity of unity in the Body of Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Honoring the Community & Model of Ministry (00:01–05:59)

• Eric Hayes begins by welcoming everyone—online disciples, in-person visitors, and even those exploring faith.
• Special honor is given to Brittany Timmons and the Serve M25 outreach, in which 1,000 Christians served Atlanta outside a Sunday context.
  • “It was not on a Sunday morning...you had to inconvenience yourself...and take some time out.” (02:21, Hayes)
• Reiterates the core values of 2819: Prayer, presence, and proclamation.
• Acknowledges the challenging, “weighty call” of steadfast gospel leadership and honors Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell.

2. Parallels: Marriage, Motivation, and Spiritual Depth (06:00–10:44)

• Premarital Ministry Parallel: Hayes shares his approach to premarital counseling—urging couples to honestly probe their motivations for marriage, not just their emotional attachment.
  • “Remove the word marriage... Because everybody has reasons why they want to get married.” (07:17, Hayes)
  • “Last thing you need to do is get married to somebody with a hidden reason... it’s going to get crazy in your household.” (08:20, Hayes)
• Draws analogy to Christian life: Many believers are clear on what they want from God, but few stop to ask what God wants from them.
  • “Too many of us have never stopped and slowed down to ponder and meditate on what God wants out of us.” (09:46, Mitchell)

3. The Call to Maturity (11:03–14:46)

• Scripture Focus: Ephesians 4:11-16. Emphasizes that apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers are given “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”
  • "Who is to do the work of ministry?" Hayes challenges cultural Christianity’s mistaken idea that only pastors minister.
    • “The preacher does the work of ministry, don’t we?...so that they would share the gospel. When you have the same gospel in your mouth and in your Bible.” (12:10–12:43, Hayes)
  • “What is God calling us to? Maturity.” (13:18, Hayes)
• Maturity defined as attaining “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”—not just attendance or outward action.

4. Dangers of Immaturity (15:10–18:23)

• Immaturity leaves believers “tossed to and fro” by every new doctrine, trend, or hardship.
  • “Every TikTok video...because we are not mature and leaning into Christ.” (15:53–16:28, Mitchell)
• The tragedy: Ministry that is not aiming at Christ-centered maturity fails to protect against confusion and spiritual instability.

5. Corporate & Individual Responsibility (18:49–19:50)

• Maturity is both personal and collective—how we live impacts the health of the whole church.
  • “When each part is working properly, it makes the body grow... When we’re walking in what we've been assigned... we grow up together.” (18:49–19:11, Mitchell)
  • The suffering of the Body is linked to the disobedience or immaturity of its members.

6. God’s Deep Purpose: Conformity to Christ (20:18–26:26)

• Explores Romans 8:28–30, moving beyond favorite soundbites (“all things work together for good”) to the core purpose: being “conformed to the image of his Son.”
  • “God, what is your will for my life? To be conformed.” (23:12, Hayes)
  • “Fashioned, shaped, molded... only believers are being conformed to the image of Christ Jesus.” (23:29–24:06, Mitchell)
• Honest reflection: Conformity is often painful—idols and dreams are stripped away, the process is stretching and can involve tears.
  • “Sometimes you're just being conformed. Sometimes you're just being stretched.” (25:31, Mitchell)

7. Unity and the Broad Vision of the Church (26:50–28:24)

• Hayes urges unity in the Body, not division or competition among churches.
  • “We got way too many church buildings...if like five of y’all churches came together...that alone can start revival.” (27:27–28:24, Mitchell)
• Challenges both “miracles-focused” and “character-focused” camps to embrace the fullness of Christ.

8. Acceptance, Justification, and the Process of Sanctification (29:47–33:43)

• Explains theological concepts: Being predestined, called, justified = “just as if you never sinned.”
• Sanctification is a process, sometimes slow, always the Spirit’s work—not a race or competition.
  • “Time with the Lord doesn’t mean intimacy with the Lord.” (31:45, Mitchell)
  • “Maturity in God is not something you can force... It is something we are called to facilitate.” (32:41, Hayes)
  • Provides a practical approach: Continually “lay ourselves out and say, God have your way.”

9. Genuine Worship: Sacrifice of Self (43:25–47:52)

• Examines Romans 12:1–2: Our “spiritual worship” is presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice.
  • Not merely singing—“when it talks about worship in the Bible, it’s never connected to music...this is your worship.” (44:18, Hayes)
  • “It is reasonable to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.” (45:39, Mitchell)
• Challenges transactional faith: “Stop promising God you’ll be his child if he gives you x. You’re already my son.” (35:41–36:16, Hayes)

10. Final Charge: Guard Your Heart & Sustain the Journey (49:30–end)

• Exhortation to vigilance: “Above all else, guard your heart.” (50:09, Mitchell)
• Living sacrifice is a continual posture: “I just want you. My flesh likes it, my spirit hates it. Oh God, clean me up.” (50:26–50:53, Hayes)
• Maturity is a marathon—there will be backslides and recoveries; keep returning to the altar.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you love Jesus and you’re marrying an unbeliever, you are setting yourself up for unnecessary pain and possibly torment. And I love you, so I tell you...” — Eric Hayes (06:48)
• “Too many of us have never stopped...to ponder and meditate on what God wants out of us.” — Philip Anthony Mitchell (09:46)
• “Maturity in God is not something that you can force, however beloved. It is something that we are called to facilitate.” — Eric Hayes (32:41)
• “It is reasonable to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to him.” — Philip Anthony Mitchell (45:39)
• “Time with the Lord doesn't mean intimacy with the Lord.” — Philip Anthony Mitchell (31:45)
• “Above all else...guard your heart. Guard it for anything that does not sound like this, guard against it.” — Philip Anthony Mitchell (50:09)
• On worship and sacrifice: “When it talks about worship in the Bible, it’s never connected to music. Now, if you feel where I'm wrong, like, email me. I really want to know. But this is your worship. This is what is required of us.” — Eric Hayes (44:18)
• On unity: “You probably’d be a lot better if like five of y’all churches came together...Let’s come together as the body. That alone can start revival.” — Philip Anthony Mitchell (27:27)

Timestamps for Key Sections

• Serve M25 & Opening Honors: 00:01–05:59
• Marriage/Salvation Analogy: 06:00–10:44
• Call to Maturity (Ephesians 4): 11:03–14:46
• Immaturity & Winds of Doctrine: 15:10–18:23
• Corporate/Personal Maturity: 18:49–19:50
• Conformity to Christ (Romans 8): 20:18–26:26
• Unity & Church Vision: 26:50–28:24
• Justification/Sanctification: 29:47–33:43
• Living Sacrifice as Worship (Romans 12): 43:25–47:52
• Guarding Your Heart & Final Charge: 49:30–End

Conclusion

Elder Eric Hayes’ “Time to Grow Up” is both a direct challenge and a pastoral encouragement to live lives rooted in real, maturing faith. He dismantles surface-level or transactional Christianity, invites believers to the hard but holy work of transformation, and insists that true worship and abundant life lie in surrender and conformity to Christ. The sermon ends in communal prayer and worship—a poignant call to ongoing, ever-deepening devotion.

Listen if you want:

• A practical, uncompromising dive into what real spiritual maturity entails
• Encouragement to stick with the long road of sanctification
• A biblical, Spirit-led recalibration for individuals and churches alike