Summit Life with J.D. Greear

Joseph tends to be a background character in the Christmas story. We focus more on Mary, the shepherds, and wise men. But as we continue our series called Upside Down Christmas, Pastor J.D. is unpacking Joseph’s side of the story. Through this ordinary carpenter, we see a clear picture of what it really means to follow Jesus.

The nativity scene is often painted as a picturesque moment: a beautiful newborn baby with his parents, surrounded by smiling shepherds, gentle sheep, and shining angels. But Pastor J.D. reminds us of the story behind that moment and all that Jesus’ birth really meant for Mary and Joseph. It’s part of our series called Upside Down Christmas.

When most of us are reading the Bible, we tend to skim past the genealogies. They don’t seem very relevant, and, if we’re honest honest, they can be rather boring. But God had a very intentional reason for including these lists in the Bible, and they’re actually really important! That’s our subject as Pastor J.D. continues our series called Upside Down Christmas.

When we tell someone the Christmas story, most of us start with the angel appearing to Mary and announcing that she would have a son. But that’s not where the book of Matthew starts. It begins with a genealogy. So why does it matter who Jesus’ ancestors were? Pastor J.D. answers that question as he begins our series called, Upside Down Christmas.

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 continues 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.

In our series called Everyday Theology, we’ve been focusing on the book of Titus. But Pastor J.D. concludes this study by turning to another book: the New Testament epistle of Philemon. This short letter contains a little-read story of a runaway slave and the power of the gospel.

Pastor J.D. often says that the gospel isn’t just a philosophy we believe; it’s the power for the Christian life. And as we continue our series called Everyday Theology, we’re looking at a picture of the gospel at work in the lives of two first-century believers who couldn’t be more different. It’s a fascinating account that shows that the gospel is for everyone.

For those who have been attending church for a while, phrases like “resurrection,” “salvation,” and “born again” can become kind of worn out, and we can lose sight of how incredible they really are. As he continues our series called Everyday Theology, Pastor J.D. calls us to take a fresh look at the glory of the gospel