Ask the Pastor with J.D. Greear

In this episode, Pastor J.D. is addressing whether or not a church should be disfellowshipped from the SBC if they have a woman serving in the role of pastor. Show Notes: The SBC is convictionally complementarian — I would say unwaveringly so. So, if you are saying your church does not believe in gender roles, or our lead pastoral team is women, then yes, you are clearly not in line with our statement of faith. But there’s another principle at work: the principle of cooperation vs confessionalism. From Adam Greenway’s article: “Many Southern Baptists would be surprised to learn that a local church is not required to affirm explicitly the BF&M statement to be deemed a cooperating church. Article III of the SBC Constitution, which defines what it means to be a cooperating church, simply states that the church must have “a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith.” The linchpin of cooperation in the SBC may well be three words: ‘closely identifies with.’” One of the challenges is how quickly our use of terms and words shifts. So, does a church which has a woman with “pastor” in her title need to be disfellowshipped? Is it a disfellowship-able error?  The BF&M states that baptism is a prerequisite for the Lord’s supper — yet many Baptist churches would serve communion to a Presbyterian if they happened to show up at church that day. Technically, that’s a violation of the BF&M. Should a church like that be disfellowshipped? Honestly, it depends — if a church has an otherwise complementarian structure but they seem to misuse labels and titles, no, I don’t believe they should. If they clearly do not hold a complementarian point of view, that would be a different matter. Disfellowshipping a church is a grievous thing. I don’t think the BF&M ever intended to get into these types of issues. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this episode, taken from one of Pastor J.D.’s recent sermons, we answer the question: what is love? Show Notes: What is love? According to 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient and kind…. Patience means you expect others not to be perfect. And you’re ok with that. One of the things the Holy Spirit has recently been dealing with me about is how little patience I have for others’ dysfunction and how much patience I expect God, and others, to have for my own. I’ll think about someone else’s weakness or dysfunction and just despise them for it. But I’ve got way more problems in God’s eyes than they do in mine–what if God accepted me like I am accepting them? Love is patient; Love is kind. Kind here really means “considerate.” It means that love considers others’ needs instinctively; it’s not just happy when it’s ok; it’s concerned about you being ok, too. Naturally we consider ourselves; love considers others, also.  …love does not envy or boast To not even means that you rejoice in someone else’s blessings even when you aren’t experiencing that blessing and want to. What happens when that person gets the house that you wanted? Or that promotion? Or that boyfriend? When their ministry or business grows and yours doesn’t?  Parents, what’s your attitude when someone else’s kids are doing well and yours aren’t? It’s fine to be sad about yours, but are you envious of them? Do you despise their blessing–secretly wishing their kids would struggle, too? Love is not like that. Love rejoices in others’ blessings even when you aren’t experiencing them.  How about when someone gets honor or recognition while you are being overlooked? Love delights in the happiness of others even when you are unhappy.  … it is not arrogant Arrogant means always thinking of itself preeminently. Always focused on its rights and entitlements. Believing you deserve blessings and irritated that you are not delivering them. …or rude Some scholars translate “rude” as “dishonoring,” and I think that is more of what Paul had in mind. Love doesn’t dishonor a person by treating them like a commodity for the fulfillment of your needs. Evaluating someone by how well they fit into your scheme of what you need in life: emotionally, sexually, or whatever, like cogs in the machine of your happiness.  Paul puts these two together–arrogant and rude–because he is saying that a person of love doesn’t approach life as if life is all about them and it is everybody else’s purpose in life to provide happiness for them!  …it does not insist on its own way (When you live with self-focus, you see other people as coming into your life to fulfill your needs, so you want to make sure they play their part. And if not, you get angry. Love takes this attitude toward others in your life, too. How many times have you been upset at a friend for not understanding what you needed in the moment and giving that to you? …it is not irritable Irritable means “easily triggered.” Because self-centeredness sees the world primarily through the lens of what it needs and wants, it’s quick to get angry when you don’t fulfill its desires. But love doesn’t think through that filter, so it is more patient when you frustrate or disappoint them.   …or resentful That means you “keep no record of wrongs.” In fact, the NIV literally says that, “Love keeps no records of wrongs.” When someone hurts or disappoints you, do you drag up all the previous ways they’ve let you down? Some people, when they get angered, get hysterical; others get historical. “You did this and that connects to that previous time where you did this and then there was that time in 2009 that you said this, and your mom told me that when you were in high school you did this…” I know spouses who actually keep journals of the ways their spouses have disappointed them. Yeah, that’s setting up for a good marriage. Some of us don’t do that because we keep it all up here. Do you see how out of step you are with 1 Cor 13? Love keeps no record of wrongs. Past wrongs are like spent ammunition; bullets that can’t be fired again.  …it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love never delights when someone else struggles, and it cares enough to speak up when a friend is doing something that will hurt them.  Love bears all things… When you love someone, you patiently endure the wounds of their selfishness and immaturity.  Love bears all things. It’s used to feeling under-appreciated. C.S. Lewis asked, “How do you know if your friendship is selfish? (He answered) If you get upset when the gratitude does not come and you give up.” He went on to say, “If you do good things for your friends in the hopes they will see what you do and appreciate it, you’ll be disappointed.” Love bears all things. …(love) believes all things, hopes all things. Let me put these two together: Love never gives up hope for this person; never stops believing in who this person could be; who God created them to be. “Love believes all things, hopes all things” means that love never stops recognizing the incredible creation God made this person to be, or giving up hope of what God can do in their lives. We serve a Savior who prayed for forgiveness of the ones nailing him to a cross and then raised from the dead. There is nothing he can’t fix, redeem, or heal. There is still hope for this person. And love believes those things for them. The last quality of love, vs. 7 …(love) endures all things. Again, it never gives up. It can’t. It’s bound its heart to yours and can’t be happy until you’ve been completed. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this episode, Pastor J.D. answers a question about whether or not we should still have denominations. Show Notes: One of the criticisms of Martin Luther was that there would be as many kinds of churches as there are protestants. But while I would love for the church to be totally united, I think you’ve got to seek truth over seeking unity at times. Did Jesus give authority to the apostles? Sure. But I don’t see anywhere in Scripture where he intended for that same authority to be passed down from one leader to another. Instead, we think that authority was then encoded in the New Testament which outlines for us the rules about heaven and hell and what the church is. The Word of God is always the authority in the church. We’ve got to hold the tension between truth and pursuing unity. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In the second of two parts on the topic, Pastor J.D. addresses whether or not a Christian can be a socialist. Show Notes: Two ways socialism fails as a worldview biblically: Human depravity: all humans in power grow depraved.  The US has typically understood that it is better to keep power distributed via checks and balances. Government by its nature has incredible power, and when they are put in charge of everyone’s livelihoods, massive corruption is almost always the result. Best to keep the economy free and let the market keep people fair.  If you assume everybody is depraved, the question is how powerful you want any one group depraved people to hold. I’d rather them hold a knife than a gun. So I prefer the way a free market keep’s people’s depravity in check to a group of government bureaucrats with much more expansive power. Second thing: Human dignity: God gave humans the ability to prosper. Government needs to get out of the way. When humans are given freedom and obstacles are removed, they prosper.  Governments don’t help people by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.  So, bottom line: Government can help us play fair, but it can’t replace human initiative and should itself be held in check because government leaders are still human, and subject to the same vices they are trying to prevent in others.  What does the Bible say? We always need to be careful, because terms like capitalism and socialism are terms developed long after the Bible, but there are certain principles that apply: The Bible encourages human initiative—it certainly commends private property ownership, and it warns us against unchecked depravity. Economically: Time and time again, socialism has destroyed countries that embrace its ideology.  A lot of modern socialists cite countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway as examples of socialism’s “success.”  But those countries don’t really have socialist systems – at least not fully. They’re more like welfare states, with some state-run entities (like health care), but those state-run entities are supported by an underlying market economy.  We live in a fallen world… it will never be perfect. Socialism is a utopic vision. The free market is built on the understanding that until Jesus comes back all human structures, including economics, will be depraved, and the best way to keep depravity in check is to keep power distributed across people than concentrated in the hands of a few. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In the first of two parts on the topic, Pastor J.D. addresses whether or not a Christian can be a socialist. Show Notes: This is a great question, and while we don’t usually get into partisan politics on this podcast or in my preaching, this is a little different. If we’re honest, socialism is a worldview that’s also becoming increasingly prevalent in our culture, both explicitly and implicitly.  A 2020 poll showed that 40% of Americans had a favorable view of socialism, up from 36% in 2019. I saw a survey that said 47% of millenials and 49% of Generation Z viewed socialism as favorable.  So, what is socialism? The World Socialist Party (WSP) of the United States says: “The establishment of a system of society based on the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the interest of society as a whole.”  The government becomes the sole authority and controller of the means of production. So, in reality, it’s under control of an oligarchy, not individuals. What is the difference between communism and socialism? Interestingly, the WSP/U.S. says that these terms are synonymous. But, technically socialism usually refers to an economic system in which the state controls most businesses and factories (the “means of production”) while communism usually refers to a system where the state controls not just those things but also owns most of the property. We should at least recognize that socialism definitely arises out of an underlying ideology. Specifically, Marxism, put forth originally, of course, by Karl Marx. Marx was not a good man: He was a misogynistic, racist tyrant. His own son called him a devil. He hated Christianity, which he labeled as a source of oppression. Religion, he wrote, is the “opium of the people,” and for communism to prosper, the church needed to be replaced by the state in the hearts and minds of the people.  Marx’s successors – Stalin, Castro, Pol Pot, etc.–have all shared that same view. Dr. David Jeremiah has a great little book on this called Socialism: What It Is. What It Means for You. Dr. Jeremiah writes that… Marxism is totalitarian One of the key ideas of Marxism is a total, undying devotion to the state. There is no individual ownership of property, there is no free thinking, there is no free speech–in fact, totalitarianism essentially removes the meaning of truth, and the state attempts to define truth as whatever the state says truth is.  Marxism seeks the destruction of the nuclear family. Marxism is divisive It splits people into two categories: the oppressed and the oppressors, pitting them against each other. Marxism is deadly Socialist countries have a staggering death toll resulting from political carnage and state-ordered deaths to political opponents: Latin America: 150,000 Eastern Europe: 1 million deaths Vietnam: 1 million deaths Africa: 1.7 million deaths Cambodia: 2 million deaths N. Korea: 2 million deaths USSR: 20 million deaths China: 65 million deaths Next week, we’ll talk about two ways socialism fails as a worldview from a biblical perspective. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In a special episode of the Ask Me Anything Podcast, Pastor J.D. has recorded a message addressing the recently published report from the Sexual Abuse Task Force of the SBC. Show Notes: One of the questions I’ve gotten a lot since the publication of the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force Report on May 22 has been, what does it mean to be a part of a group of churches that has this deep sin in its past? Are you going to stay in that convention? First, I want to affirm that this is not the time to justify staying in the SBC or defending it. This is a time to lament and repent.  But, since I have been asked that question, I do want to take the time to answer it: The actions of those noted in the report do not reflect the will of the body. I’ve always thought of my presidency and work in the convention as trying to keep the messenger’s convention out of the hands of a few who do not reflect the attitude of the SBC and seek to impose their will on the SBC. I believe my role was to stand in that gap and say, “You cannot have the power of the SBC. The people don’t want that.” If there is one note of encouragement in all of this, it’s the fact the messengers themselves called for this report. This report was not imposed from outside or even called for by a leader—it was called for and voted on by the messengers. To note, the SBC has a rather unique structure that allows this. This would not be possible in most denominations. It is a biblical and wise safeguard. I want to be in a convention where the people have the power, because as we see, the leaders go corrupt quicker than the people!  We are already seeing the effect of change as new people come onto the Executive Committee.  The current Executive Committee staff did not know anything about some of the most egregious systemic failures, and that the current Executive Committee board and staff have already acted swiftly to refute and reverse what they can. The headlines aren’t clear about that, so our people aren’t either. So, what has to change?  People: This is a time to repent. Pastors: We need a commitment to raise awareness. Policies:  Commitment to transparency Shift of priority from protection of reputation of an institution to protection of victim Shift of benefit of doubt from leaders to victims Not allowing bureaucratic mumbo jumbo and legalese to keep us from doing the right thing Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this week’s episode of the Ask Me Anything Podcast, we listen in as Pastor J.D. talks about communion during a recent sermon. Show Notes: Three words arise out of Paul’s theology of communion that you should remember in every communion service Proclamation Participation Examination Proclamation (verse 26) Normally you think of me, standing here, as the proclaimer, and I am. But Paul says the Lord’s Supper is itself a proclamation—the bread and cup are like visual aids; a sermon prop Jesus gave us to help us better reflect on the gospel. The first thing communion proclaims is that we need to be saved! Second, the bread and cup proclaim that you can be saved! Third, we proclaim that suffering and death are not the end. This table proclaims, “Death is not the end! Poverty is not the end. Jesus rose, and he will return again.” This table proclaims that our hardship, like Jesus’ cross, is part of bringing God’s good plan into the world. Fourth, this table proclaims that this church is first and foremost a community of the forgiven. The Lord’s Supper is a sermon, a proclamation, that destroys all these divisions. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this week’s episode of the Ask Me Anything Podcast, Pastor J.D. answers a question from one of our listeners, Linda, about whether or not people of other faiths go to Heaven. Show Notes: For a while, the Hebrew “religion” was the only religion God had given—they were God’s chosen people in the Old Testament. The Apostles taught Jesus as the only way to salvation. Jesus’ interaction with Gentiles was very infrequent, and his statement about being “the way, the truth, and the life” was spoken to Jews, in a Jewish context. But that wasn’t a departure from the Jewish religion; instead, Jesus taught that it was a fulfillment of the Jewish religion. The Apostle Paul explains in Romans 4 that Jews in the Old Testament were saved in the same way we’re saved now—they just were saved by looking forward to the Messiah, and we’re saved by looking back at the Messiah. The bigger question asked is about sincere people in every religion. There are five general views on this: Universalism: Believing that God reveals himself to everyone, and so just by merely being human, all of us are saved. Pluralism: Everyone essentially believes in the same God, but has a different name. Inclusivism: Jesus is the only way, but faithful believers of any faith are saved Anonymous Christian Thesis: A person may not claim to be a Christian, but they might see the stars and the moon and all of creation and believe in a creator, and then God counts them as saved because they accept general revelation. Post-Mortem Evangelism: There is a chance to be saved after death… Jesus will witness to a person upon death to those who have not been evangelized. Exclusivism: You must have explicit faith in Christ and the gospel during your life to be saved. That last one is what I believe the Bible teaches. All of this is about bringing God glory (Romans 3: just and the justifier; Romans 9: wonder at his mercy; Isaiah: God would send salvation that his name would be great on the earth and all would know that salvation belongs only to God.) Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this week’s episode of the Ask Me Anything Podcast, Pastor J.D. defines what it means to be a multiplying leader. Show Notes: While a good leader can lead an organization for a time, the world is realizing the value of multiplying leadership that outlasts just one leader. This idea has been making the rounds even in the secular world recently, as businesses and other organizations have started to realize the value of multiplying leadership. Liz Wiseman’s book, Multipliers, is popular in the business world—her principles don’t claim to be rooted in Christianity, but they do show how much the secular world is “leaning in” to these principles. Some of you may think, “I wouldn’t count myself as a church leader, so do these principles really apply to me?” I promise you, they do! The gospel teaches us to be disciple-making disciples. No matter your stage of life, you and I are responsible to be disciple-making disciples. That’s how the Great Commission goes forward! I want to give you five words that help define what it means to be a multiplying leader: Clarity Familiarity Proximity Equity Humility Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In this week’s episode of the Ask Me Anything Podcast, Pastor J.D. answers a question from a listener named Caroline who asks what the command to “be fruitful and multiply” means, especially for the single and infertile. Show Notes: Every few years at our church, we try to do a series on dating and relationships. When we do, I am always aware that well over half of the people listening to me are single, whether for a season or for a lifetime. A lot of times we talk about marriage as the “ultimate state” of Christianity, and if you don’t get there, something went wrong. But that’s just not the case at all. Here is the biblical truth, and it’s a little counter-cultural: earthly families are just temporary stand-ins for heavenly realities. Paul said that marriage is really just a picture of Christ and the church. It doesn’t mean it’s not important or that we don’t devote ourselves to it, but it is temporary. There are several examples throughout the Bible and Jesus’ life and teachings in particular that teach this. John Piper says: “Jesus was (in Matt. 19) calling out a new family where single people in Christ, or people not in traditional families, are still full-fledged family members on par with all others, bearing fruit for God and becoming mothers and fathers of the eternal kind. Marriage is temporary, and it will finally give way to the relationship to which it was pointing all along: Christ and the church…” So, marriage is not permanent, nor is singleness, nor is physical childlessness. Because of that, I would say that spiritual offspring is even more important  — more eternal — than biological offsprings because that is the ultimate fulfillment of being fruitful and multiplying. If you’re single, you can intentionally devote yourself to raising up spiritual sons and daughters in the faith. That is the fulfillment of that command. Now, to be clear: it’s ok to mourn the lack of an earthly marriage, or the lack of the ability to have biological children. That’s a real loss, and I completely understand that. But by God’s grace, even that very real grief can be overshadowed by a joy of having spiritual children and being a part of their lives. Want to ask J.D. a question? Head to our Ask Me Anything hub to submit your question. As always, don’t forget to rate and review this podcast! Find Pastor J.D. on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.