Summit Life with J.D. Greear

In our series called, The Whole Story, we’ve been traveling from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how every page is pointing to Jesus and revealing the gospel. In this message, we’re looking at the life of the Apostle Paul and the example he set for how the gospel transforms our priorities and our definition of success.

In our series called, The Whole Story, we’ve been traveling from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how every page is pointing to Jesus and revealing the gospel. In this message, we’re looking at the life of the Apostle Paul and the example he set for how the gospel transforms our priorities and our definition of success.

Everyone wants to feel like they’ve succeeded at life. But, what does “success” even mean? Our world often points to fame, wealth, or accolades from peers. But as believers, we should have a different metric. In this message, Pastor J.D. describes the biblical standard for a successful life and explains how we can make our days count. It’s a challenging message from our series called, The Whole Story.

In this message, Pastor J.D. tackles a subject that can be a bit sensitive, but is vital to advancing the gospel. We’re talking about biblical generosity—in every area of life! Pastor J.D. is challenging us to surrender everything to God as he continues his series called, The Whole Story. We’re in Second Corinthians 9:7.

Tragically, it’s not uncommon to hear speakers and pastors who promise God’s blessing in order to manipulate their audience into giving them money. They claim that if you give a certain amount, God will bring you physical healing or financial success. But is that really what the Bible means when it talks about blessing? What should be the heart behind true, biblical generosity? That’s our subject as we continue the series called, The Whole Story.

When asked about their hopes for the future, 96% of teens in a recent survey said they want to make a difference in the world. Clearly, we all crave a greater purpose and for our lives to leave an impact. But, how do we make that happen? How do we find our calling? Pastor J.D. addresses those questions as he continues our survey of the Bible called, The Whole Story.

Have you ever come to a crucial moment where you realized that, one way or another, the decision you were about to make was gonna change your life forever? Maybe it was your wedding day or when you took the plunge and launched a new business. Well, as we continue our series called, The Whole Story, we’re looking at a crucial moment that changed—not just the course of a single life—but the course of human history. And how you respond to this moment will change your eternity!

In our series called, The Whole Story, we’ve been going from Genesis to Revelation to see the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. In this message, we’ve come to the climax of the story, the moment on which everything else hangs. It’s a hope-filled message about the crucifixion.

As Christians, we all know that prayer is important. And yet, sometimes it feels like just another thing to check off on our to-do list. In this message, Pastor J.D. is reminding us of the ultimate purpose of prayer and why it matters. And when we catch sight of this vision, it’ll give us a fresh excitement for prayer like never before! This message is part of our series called, The Whole Story.

Have you ever noticed that people tend to be a lot more honest about their opinions when voicing them through an anonymous email or online profile? It’s easy to be bold when no one can hold us responsible for what we said. But Pastor J.D. is challenging us to take a bold, public stance for our faith. He’s calling us to step out of our comfort zone and make our private faith known to the world as he continues our series called, The Whole Story.

According to tradition, there are two topics you should avoid in social conversations: politics and religion. It’s much easier and more comfortable to keep our faith a private, personal thing. But Pastor J.D. is challenging us to get outside our comfort zone and make our faith known. It’s part of our series called The Whole Story.

Even with all the comfort and luxury of modern life, happiness is still hard to come by. And all the self-care and positivity in the world can never truly satisfy our souls. So, what are we missing? In this message, Pastor J.D. explains how Jesus himself tackled that question in the Sermon on the Mount. It’s part of the series called The Whole Story.

We all crave happiness, and yet, it often seems elusive. We pin our hopes on something in the future, like marriage, kids, career success, or retirement, and we think if we can just get to that goal, we’ll be happy. But nothing ever seems to satisfy! So what’s the solution? How do we escape the rat race and find true, lasting joy? Pastor J.D. answers that question as he continues his series called The Whole Story.

When artists try to depict Jesus, they often paint him wearing a clean, white robe and holding a lamb in a quiet, green pasture. It’s a peaceful and comforting representation, reminding us that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. There’s nothing wrong with those images, in and of themselves, but they don’t capture the full picture of Jesus. In this message, Pastor J.D. draws our attention to another aspect of Jesus’ character. And it might surprise you! It’s part of our series called The Whole Story.

Sometimes, a little scare can be fun, like when you’re watching a suspenseful movie or riding a roller coaster. But aside from that, we don’t typically think of fear as a positive thing. However, when it comes to our relationship with God, fear is actually a good, healthy, and even essential emotion. That’s our subject as we continue our series called The Whole Story.

Have you ever prayed for a miracle? At one point or another, almost everyone will end up on their knees begging for the impossible, even those who don’t consider themselves religious. Sometimes, you might get the answer you were hoping for! But other times, it seems like God doesn’t respond. Why is that? Pastor J.D. tackles this challenging topic as he continues our series called, The Whole Story.

As we continue our series called, The Whole Story, Pastor J.D. walks us through the story of two people who came to Jesus looking for physical healing. But as we’ll see, these stories are about so much more than just getting your prayers answered. We’re talking about faith, prayer, and God’s sovereign plan.

Whether we’re aware of it or not, we all face temptations on a daily basis. Sometimes, we’re even tempted to be prideful about overcoming temptation! So, how do we find the power to overcome and keep resisting the constant enticement? That’s the subject as Pastor J.D. continues this series called, The Whole Story.

When you hear the word, “sin,” what do you picture? For some of us, it’s something along the lines of a wild party or an adulterous affair. Impatience probably isn’t first thing that comes to mind. But as Pastor J.D. continues a series called, The Whole Story, he explains that a lack of patience is at the root of a lot of sins.

Baptism is one of those subjects that tends to stir up some lively debate among believers. Some people say you should be baptized as a baby; others say you should wait for adulthood. Some like to sprinkle, while others like to dunk. But what does the Bible say on the issue, and why does it even matter? Pastor J.D. addresses those questions as he continues a series called, The Whole Story.

When you were a kid, did you ever get a really big homework assignment, but instead of chipping away at it over the semester, you put it off until the night before it was due? Thankfully, with a homework assignment, the worst that can happen is a bad grade. But in this message, Pastor J.D. talks about something you might be putting off that has much higher stakes. It’s part of our series called, The Whole Story.

If there’s one part of Scripture most of us skip over, it’s the genealogies. It’s hard to see how a list of “who-begat-who” is relevant to our own lives. But in this message, Pastor J.D. explains that those lists are actually critical to understanding God’s plan. We’re looking at the genealogy of Jesus and learning how God has been working through all of history to reveal the plan of salvation. It’s part of our series called, “The Whole Story.”

Recently, there’s been a growing interest in studying family histories. In fact, multiple companies have popped up that will trace your family line through a DNA sample. For some people, the results may be exciting, learning about historical figures or even royalty in their line. For others, the findings may be a little less glamorous. In this message, we’re taking a look at Jesus’ family history and what it reveals about God’s overarching plan for human history. It’s part of our series called, “The Whole Story”

If you asked an atheist why they don’t believe in God, they’ll often say that it’s due to a lack of evidence. But is that really the case? Is our faith just based on wishful thinking, or are there logical reasons to believe the Bible? As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, he argues there is solid evidence of God’s existence. He’s taking us through the prophecies of Isaiah—a book that can only be explained by divine inspiration.

There’s something special about receiving a thoughtful note, especially when it’s coming from someone you love. Maybe that’s why so many romantic movies center on a love letter! Well, as Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, he’s looking at the greatest love letter ever written: the book of Isaiah.

In this message, Pastor J.D. unpacks a lesser-known account from the Old Testament that gives us a powerful picture of God’s purpose in our suffering. It’s the story of a young girl’s faith, a proud man’s brush with death, and God’s amazing mercy. It’s part of our overview of the Bible called, The Whole Story.

Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, things go wrong because of a reckless or unwise decision, but much of the time, it’s due to forces outside our control. And when everything is headed downhill, we might start to wonder if God has abandoned us or if he even exists. As we continue our series called, The Whole Story, Pastor J.D. addresses those doubts, helping us see God’s greater purpose in our pain.

As we continue our series called, The Whole Story, we’re looking at a tragic moment in the history of Israel. The people had turned from following God and had given themselves over to worshiping idols. Pastor J.D. cautions us that, though it might not look the same in our day, idolatry is still alive and well. He’s teaching from Ezekiel 10:4 to 11:23.

When life is going well, it’s easy to say that we trust God’s plan. But what about when everything seems to be falling apart? Does having faith mean we skip along and pretend everything is fine? Pastor J.D. addresses those questions as he continues our series called, The Whole Story. We’re looking at Psalm 37.

What kind of memories do you have of your dad? Maybe he was a good father or, maybe your relationship has been strained. Pastor J.D. explains that no matter what our relationships with our earthly dads look like, we all have some sort of childhood wounds. In a series titled, Foretold, we’re learning how our heavenly father heals all wounds.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all wrestle with doubts from time to time. So when those questions start creeping up in our minds and we just can’t make sense of God’s plan, how should we respond? Pastor J.D. turns to Psalm 73 to answer that question as he continues our series called, The Whole Story.

The Bible describes King David as “a man after God’s own heart.” He was the one who fought Goliath and wrote many of our favorite psalms. And yet, even this great hero of the faith fell into the trap of sexual sin. In this message, Pastor J.D. is drawing some cautionary truths from David’s mistakes and is pointing us to our only true hope. It’s part of our series called, The Whole Story.

In Christian circles, King David is often treated as a model of courage and faithfulness. And in many ways, he was that! But he was also a broken sinner. In this message, we’re looking at the darkest moment in David’s life and learning from his mistakes. It’s part of our overview of the Bible called, The Whole Story.

Are you up against a giant today? Maybe you’re facing a scary diagnosis or a financial crisis. Perhaps it’s a rebellious child, or someone you love has walked out of your life. When your problems seem so big, it’s hard not to feel like God has abandoned you. But in this message, Pastor J.D. reminds us that our God is fighting for us, even when we can’t see it. We’re looking at the story of David and Goliath as we continue our overview of the Bible called, The Whole Story.

Everyone likes an underdog story: the protagonist who’s up against impossible odds, yet somehow manages to pull through. It’s no wonder Hollywood is always doing a take on this theme. So when most of us picture David and Goliath, we think of it as another inspiring story about overcoming obstacles. But Pastor J.D. suggests we might actually be missing the main point! It’s part of our series called, The Whole Story.

As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, we’re looking at a short Old Testament book that paints a beautiful picture of God’s redeeming love. Through the romance of Boaz and Ruth, we see a picture of Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer. And we’re learning that God can restore any situation for our good and his glory!

Have you ever come to a point in your life where it seemed like everything had fallen apart? Maybe it was a cancer diagnosis or the death of a loved one. Maybe your business went under, or you lost your home in a natural disaster. In this message, Pastor J.D. walks us through the story of a woman who lost everything: her home, her family, and her financial security. And through her story, we’re finding hope to carry us through even in the darkest seasons! It’s part of our series called, The Whole Story.

How do you judge success in life? Is it tied to your bank account or the respect of your peers? We all have different things we look to for validation, but Pastor J.D. is reminding us that God has a different way of measuring success. We’re looking at the book of Joshua and learning how to find success in surrender. It’s part of our series called, The Whole Story.

In military terms, surrender is a bad thing. It means you’ve failed or given up. But in spiritual terms, surrender is the best decision you’ll ever make! As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, he’s describing what it means to submit yourself completely to God’s will and direction. We’re looking at the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho and learning how to give up control to God’s leading.

At the center of any religion, you’ll find a list of rules and expectations. But the gospel is different, because it’s not about anything we’ve done! That’s our subject as Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story. We’re looking at the final sermon Moses delivered to the Israelites before his death. And, we’re discovering that even in the Old Testament, Moses was already pointing to Jesus and the gospel of grace.

If you grew up in church, you probably heard a lot of talk about the “heroes of the faith.” You maybe have even had storybooks or movies featuring these larger-than-life figures like Joseph, Moses, or David. But when you read through their stories as an adult, you’ll start to notice these heroes were far from perfect. Instead of being role models, they were signposts pointing to a much greater hero! In this message, Pastor J.D. dives into the story of Moses to help us see what God was really trying to teach through this account. It’s part of our series called, “The Whole Story.”

As believers, we know we’re saved by God’s grace alone, not by any works that we do. But why does the Bible give us so many rules and regulations? Pastor J.D. answers that question as he describes the purpose of these Old Testament instructions. We’ll be learning more about the Ten Commandments as we continue our series called, The Whole Story.

Many people think of the Bible as just a book of rules and regulations. And, the Old Testament tends to be especially intimidating, because it appears to be full of impossible standards we can never live up to. As we continue our series called, The Whole Story, Pastor J.D. explains the true purpose behind all of God’s standards. It’s an important reminder about our desperate need of God’s grace.

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is the holiest of all the biblical feasts. And traditionally, the activities of this solemn day centered around two goats. One was sacrificed, while the other was sent into the wilderness as a scapegoat, symbolically carrying away the sins of the people. As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, he explains how this ancient practice points to Jesus!

As we continue our series called, The Whole Story, Pastor J.D. dives into a part of the Bible you don’t usually hear a lot about: the book of Leviticus. We’re learning how the traditional celebration of Yom Kippur serves as a sign—pointing us to Jesus!

The story of Joseph and his many-colored coat is one of the more popular accounts in the Old Testament. But it’s more than just an interesting story. From being sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown into prison, and then rising to power and being reunited with his family, Joseph’s life is a beautiful picture of God’s sovereign plan. And that’s our subject as Pastor J.D. continues our series titled, The Whole Story.

It’s easy to say you trust God. But when things go wrong, and your child gets a scary diagnosis or your business goes under, it’s hard to see how that fits into God’s plan. Pastor J.D. is tackling those doubts as he continues our overview of the Bible called, The Whole Story. We’re getting an important reminder of God’s sovereign control in every situation.

Our culture tells us that the key to happiness is finding your soul mate. But then, when marriage gets hard, we start looking for something else to fill us up, like a career, children, or a hobby. But it never really satisfies! Pastor J.D. is pointing us to the only source of lasting joy as he continues our series called, The Whole Story.

The movies often make it seem like romance is the answer to all of our problems. Guy kisses girl, and they live happily ever after. But we all know that real life doesn’t work that way! No matter how happy your relationship might be, it’s not a guarantee of a happy life. As Pastor J.D. continues our series called, The Whole Story, he’s explaining the key to true, lasting joy, regardless of your relationship status.

When you picture “the good life,” what comes to mind? Financial security? A happy marriage? A successful career? None of those things are wrong on their own. But Pastor J.D. explains that they will never truly bring you satisfaction. We’re discovering the only source of security and significance as we continue our series called, The Whole Story.