In this message from the Gospel of Luke, Pastor J.D. walks through the story of a man who missed out on an enormous (actually, an eternal) opportunity—all because he was too afraid to take a risk. Thinking only of what he would lose in following Jesus, he never considered what he would gain. It was the biggest mistake of his life. And if we’re not careful, it will the biggest regret of ours, too.
A lot of people become interested in church because they realize that something is missing from their life. They expect that being a Christian will give them a new sense of purpose, a better family, or comfort during a hard time. But Pastor J.D. is challenging us to rethink why we follow God. It’s the conclusion of our series called All-In.
Tragically, there are a lot of pastors out there who have used the Bible to manipulate their listeners into giving, promising financial blessing from God as a result. But that’s a far cry from the true heart behind biblical generosity! Pastor J.D. sets the record straight by describing what the Bible actually says about giving to God’s mission. It’s from our series titled, All-In.
Even more than politics, money is usually considered an impolite topic to bring up at parties. But as we continue our series called All-In, Pastor J.D. is diving into this sensitive subject. He’s describing the biblical principles for handling wealth, and you might be surprised by a few of them!
Whenever a pastor starts talking about money, people usually start squirming in their seats. It’s an extremely touchy subject, and it’s also an area where a lot of people have felt manipulated or taken advantage of in the past. But Jesus talked more about money than almost any other subject, so it’s not a topic we can avoid. Pastor J.D. dives into this tricky topic, describing what the Bible really says about our finances. It’s part of our series called All-In.
There’s a cliché phrase we often use when someone gets saved. We say that they “gave their life to Jesus.” But what does that really mean? How will our day-to-day lives look different if we’re really surrendered to God? That’s our subject as Pastor J.D. continues our series called All-In. Pastor J.D. originally preached this sermon to his home church, The Summit in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, but the principles apply to believers everywhere.
Everyone wants to experience God’s blessing, but how do we really grab ahold of that? What does it take to get the abundant life it talks about in Scripture? Pastor J.D. describes the biblical answer to that question as he continues our series called, All-In.
In our series called All-In, Pastor J.D. is walking through the stories of five Old Testament characters who each give us a picture of what it means to be fully committed to God’s mission. This series was originally preached to Pastor J.D.’s home congregation, The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, but the principles apply to every believer and every local church.
If you ever flip through one of those picture book Bibles for kids, one of the first stories you’ll noticed is Noah and the Ark, usually accompanied by a cute illustration of little animals walking two-by-two into the ark. But this account isn’t just a nice story about God saving some animals from a flood; it’s a powerful foreshadowing of the gospel. That’s our subject as we begin our study called All-In.
Did you know that Esther is one of only two books in the Bible named for a woman? It’s been a pretty controversial book. But not because it is named for a woman, but because God’s name is not mentioned— not even one time—in the whole book! Thankfully, however, God has kept it in the Bible for us—because it really has something important to teach us. Today Pastor J.D. will wrap up a quick trip through Esther and we’ll hear the timeless challenge that it is always the right call to risk it all for...
Pastor J.D. opens up Esther, a book that surprisingly lacks the name of God, yet is mysteriously full of God at work. We’re going to see that God has sovereignly arranged our circumstances, just like Esther’s, to be strategically involved in his mission. Grab your Bible, and take some notes as we dive in.
Psalm 91 seems to say that if you trust God, nothing bad will happen to you, and your life will go smoothly. And, well, maybe then if things aren’t going well, you must not be trusting God. That’s troubling, right? It almost sounds like karma. Pastor J.D. uses Romans 8:28 to show us how the promises of Psalm 91 are still true. Today, we’re concluding our series called, Help.
There are some passages in the Bible I’m just not sure what to do with. Well, maybe more than “some”. The Psalms of help and protection especially fall in that category of Scripture I’m not sure if I’m really using correctly. It seems like we gravitate toward them, but I have a hard time applying them to my life.
I’ve started to rely more and more on the different GPS apps on my phone—not because I don’t know my way around, but because they get real-time traffic information and can correct my course. It’s more of a guide than just a map. Today, Pastor J.D. lovingly shows us that what we need is a relationship with a constant guide who, at every point, can provide the next piece. Let’s join in as he concludes his message from Psalm 25.
No matter how strong our faith is, we all have moments when we come to the end of ourselves. The problem is, if we’re honest, we aren’t sure if God can meet us in that place. But Pastor J.D. explains that if we offer our desperation to God in prayer, we will find him eager to listen, eager to forgive, eager to heal, eager to step in and help.
Sometimes it’s easy to think about missions and evangelism as a task for “elite Christians” who God calls to be pastors or missionaries. But as we continue our series, “Be the Movement,” Pastor J.D. shows us that God wants to use all of us to live on mission for him—yes, God wants to use YOU!
In this message on Acts 7–8, Pastor J.D. teaches on The Summit Church’s fourth core value: “We send every member.” Because Jesus sent his Spirit to us, the question is no longer if we are called to join in his mission. It’s only a matter of where and how. Living “sent” isn’t a special calling for our church planters and missionaries. It’s a calling for you.
In this message on Matthew 28, Pastor J.D. teaches on a third core value: “We make disciples, not just converts.” Most churches celebrate how many people attend services or “make decisions” or get baptized. But our central commission, as a church, is much simpler—and much harder: We are called to make disciples.
Believers aren’t meant to be stagnant ponds who are always receiving and never pouring into other people. Instead, we’re meant to be rivers where gospel water flows through us to others. In this message from our series, “Be the Movement,” Pastor J.D. talks about how Jesus wants us to take the good news of the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation—truly pursuing ALL people in our communities with the love of Jesus.
In this message on 1 Corinthians 9, Pastor J.D. explains one of the core four values of The Summit Church, “We do whatever it takes to reach all people.” Believers aren’t meant to be stagnant ponds—receiving, receiving, receiving. We’re meant to be rivers where gospel water flows through us to others. So we get comfortable being uncomfortable, knowing that Jesus wants people from every tribe, every tongue, and every background to be welcomed into his family.
In this message on 1 Corinthians 15, Pastor J.D. begins a deep dive into the mission and values of The Summit Church with Value #1, “We prioritize the gospel above all.” The gospel alone transforms us, empowers us, unites us, propels us. This is why the Apostle Paul puts the gospel in a special class all by itself—because a church without the gospel at the center is a church without power.
We all want to make our lives count. We want to use our gifts and abilities to change things for the better. And as Christians, we’ve each been given a spiritual gift that we’re supposed to use to advance God’s Kingdom! But how do we figure out what that gift is? And how is a spiritual gift any different than a natural talent? That’s our topic as Pastor J.D. continues our study of the Holy Spirit titled, Rushing Wind.
What’s the difference between attending a Christian movie and being part of a church? They both involve a bunch of people listening to someone talk about Jesus. But that’s not all church is supposed to be! As he continues our series called, Rushing Wind, Pastor J.D. reminds us that we’re called to be so much more than just an audience at church. We’ve all been given spiritual gifts, and we’re supposed to use them!
Take a minute right now to think back to your childhood. What was the best present you were ever given? Maybe it was a new bike one Christmas, or a puppy! Or maybe you were one of the lucky kids who got a car for their sixteenth birthday. As we continue our series called, Rushing Wind, Pastor J.D. reminds us that, as believers, we’ve all been given an even better gift: a spiritual gift. But what does that mean exactly? What does that look like?
When you sit down to pray, what do you talk about? Maybe you run through a list of people in your life who need healing, or you reflect on everything you’re grateful for. Those are all great things to pray about and should definitely be part of your normal routine. But Pastor J.D. is reminding us of the most important prayer request, one that might have slipped your mind! It’s part of our series called, Rushing Wind, and we’re in Luke 11:11.
How do we become more like Jesus? Is it by reading our Bibles more, getting an accountability partner, or volunteering at church? Those are definitely good steps, but they only deal with surface-level issues. As he continues our series called, Rushing Wind, Pastor J.D. explains how the Holy Spirit works to transform our hearts and our desires, to change us from the inside out.
In our series on the Holy Spirit called, Rushing Wind , we’ve learned who the Holy Spirit is and why we need him in our lives. In this message, Pastor J.D. gets really practical, explaining how you can experience the Holy Spirit in your own life. We’re learning how to tap into the Spirit’s power so we can do God’s work in the world.
As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, Rushing Wind, we’re studying the third person of the Trinity and learning how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Pastor J.D. explains what the “filling of the Spirit” is, when it happens, and how it happens. We’re in Ephesians 5:18-21.
Some Christians think you can receive the Holy Spirit months or even years after you’ve been saved. They believe that when he comes, there will be a clear, outward sign, like speaking in tongues or prophesying. Others think you’re sealed with the Spirit when you’re first saved, and that’s your only experience with him! They believe in the Spirit in theory, but don’t think he really change anything in their lives. Pastor J.D. reveals that neither of those views tells the whole story! It’s part of...
When we give our lives to Jesus, the Bible says we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit. But what does that mean? Is the Spirit just a stamp we get in our spiritual passport to make sure we’ll get into heaven? As he continues our series called, Rushing Wind, Pastor J.D. explains that we aren’t just sealed with the Spirit. We’re also filled with the Spirit!
