Podcast Episode Summary
Podcast: Transformation Church
Episode: "Have You Heard About The Cheat Code? // Triggered (Part 4) // Michael Todd"
Date: October 5, 2025
Host/Speaker: Lead Pastor Michael Todd
Episode Theme & Overview
This episode, part of the "Triggered" series, centers around the idea that following Christ is the "cheat code" to life. Pastor Michael Todd explores how Christians often fail to live differently from the rest of the world, crashing out when triggered, and connects this pattern to a lack of maturity and true Christ-centered living. He uses the analogy of video game cheat codes to illustrate how the Bible and a relationship with Jesus offer believers strategies ("cheat codes") to navigate life’s challenges, mature spiritually, and share hope with others.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Crashing Out: The Problem of Immaturity
-
[01:00 – 05:30]
- Pastor Todd observes that many believers are quick to "crash out," or lose their composure, over minor inconveniences or deep-seated issues.
- He challenges listeners to consider if their lives, as measured by daily actions (not just public markers of spirituality), actually reflect Christ’s character.
- Memorable moment: He humorously describes churchgoers who worship on Sundays but quickly revert to old behaviors when tested during the week.
"If Christ was judging our daily actions... just a silent movie of how you actually lived. Would anybody know that you belong to Christ?"
— Michael Todd ([04:35])
2. Maturity Means Packing Away Childish Things
-
[05:30 – 10:30]
- Using Paul's teaching, Todd stresses that growing up spiritually involves actively putting away immature habits and responses ("petty playmates," "trigger toys").
- Spiritual growth is a proactive choice, not something that happens automatically.
"Have you packed up your trigger toys? Have you packed up your petty playmates? …You are going to have to say, I no longer roll my eyes at people when I don't like what they saying."
— Michael Todd ([06:10])
3. The Cheat Code Analogy: From Video Games to Spiritual Life
-
[10:30 – 17:50]
- Pastor Todd brings up his childhood experience with the Nintendo 64 and cheat codes to explain his main idea: The Bible is like a book full of "cheat codes" for life.
- Cheat codes made the difficult or repetitive parts of the game easier and more enjoyable, just as God’s Word can do for life’s challenges.
- He warns against "gatekeeping" this good news by not sharing it with others.
"What if I told you that you've been looking at this Christ thing all wrong? What if the game of life actually comes with a book full of cheat codes?"
— Michael Todd ([16:32])
4. The Bible: Not Boring, but a Playbook
-
[17:50 – 26:20]
- Todd re-frames the Bible, not as a boring book but as a practical manual full of strategies for relationships, self-control, happiness, and more.
- He critiques modern Christians who rely solely on technology (Bible apps, online sermons) and challenges listeners to internalize God's Word.
"If the device goes dead, so does your faith. Hear what I just said? If your faith is built on the device and the device goes dead, ...where is your faith outside of your device?"
— Michael Todd ([18:53])
5. Central Point: Christ is the Cheat Code, Period
-
[26:20 – 33:15]
- Jesus is the ultimate "cheat code" for eternity and everyday living.
- Spiritual transformation starts not by self-improvement but by anchoring everything in Christ.
"If you don't get nothing else right, get Jesus right."
— Michael Todd ([27:30])- He emphasizes the power of grace and the temptation to confuse preferences with lack of provision in God’s care.
- Memorable: Todd directly speaks to anyone who’s lived "lukewarm" or put money/status before God, urging immediate surrender to Christ.
6. Jesus Cheated Death and Religion
-
[33:15 – 39:20]
- Todd describes how Jesus "cheated" the systems—He overcame death and bypassed religious legalism.
- Genuine faith in Christ, not religious activity or knowledge, is what saves.
"He cheated death… He’s the only one that looked death straight in the face and said, you will not have victory."
— Michael Todd ([35:44])- He exposes the church’s tendency to complicate salvation or make it exclusive, tying it to pride and spiritual comparison.
7. Rejecting Religion, Embracing Grace
-
[39:20 – 50:00]
- Reject perfectionism and religious posturing; embrace the scandalous, unfair goodness of God’s grace.
- Todd challenges listeners to reflect on whether they are "gatekeeping" the gospel out of pride or comparison.
"If there's any piece of you that's gatekeeping the gospel, you're raggedy... If you are not telling people about the thing that transformed you...you're religious."
— Michael Todd ([49:28])
8. On Spiritual Hypocrisy and Transformation
-
[50:00 – 57:00]
- The Christian life requires that "something dies" (old habits, mindsets) for something new in Christ to live.
- Grace is not for adding Christ to our lives, but for living a brand new life.
"You're not a Christian if nothing dies."
— Michael Todd ([53:40])
9. Bible Application: Actually Using the Cheat Codes
-
[57:00 – 61:00]
- The Bible gives real, actionable wisdom for life—like loving one's spouse selflessly.
- Todd humorously describes applying scriptural "cheat codes" in his marriage:
"If I ever want to end an argument with my wife, I got the cheat code...my job as the man is to go die."
— Michael Todd ([59:15])
10. Share the Cheat Code—Don’t Gatekeep
-
[61:00 – End]
- Todd urges the congregation to freely share the message of Christ ("the cheat code"), starting with their families and children.
- He transparently shares his own flaws and journey, emphasizing change only happens through Jesus.
"If you won't share the good news with anybody, please share it with your children. I tell my daughters often, your daddy used to be terrible...It was only Jesus."
— Michael Todd ([63:11])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the simplicity of the gospel:
"The cheat code is not what we do. The cheat code is who we know. It's Jesus." ([39:05]) -
Challenging spiritual pride:
"We will crucify the people we're supposed to be saving. Today I'm asking the church to reject religion and embrace grace." ([44:16]) -
Addressing hypocrisy:
"You ever met somebody who claims to do something, but at the time of doing it, there is no evidence that they ever did it?" ([03:45]) -
Cheat code applied to marriage:
"How I love my wife? Up, up, down, down, left, left...Like Christ loved the church. What did Christ do for the church?... He died." ([59:20])
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00–05:30 | The disconnect between declared faith and actual behavior | | 10:30–17:50 | Video game analogy: discovering the “cheat code” | | 18:53 | Warning against technology-dependent faith | | 26:20–33:15 | Christ as the essential “cheat code” | | 35:44 | Jesus cheating death and religion | | 39:20–44:16 | Exposing religious gatekeeping vs. grace | | 53:40 | Faith means something in us must “die” | | 59:15 | Practical application: “cheat code” for marriage | | 63:11 | Sharing transformation with children and others | | 65:00–End | Invitation to receive Christ; prayer of salvation |
Final Message & Call to Action
Pastor Todd closes the episode with an invitation to receive Christ—the ultimate “cheat code”—by praying and surrendering one’s life, and he encourages new believers to reach out for support. He challenges the entire church to embody the grace they’ve received by sharing the good news everywhere, especially with their families, refusing to "gatekeep" the greatest secret to life.
Tone & Language:
Pastor Todd’s delivery is transparent, humorous, and urgent, using modern analogies and practical language to make deep spiritual truths accessible and relatable.
Summary prepared for those who did not listen: This episode is not just a sermon—it’s a passionate call to rethink your relationship with Christ, mature in faith, and share the hope you’ve found with others, all through the lens of understanding Jesus as the "cheat code" to life.