Ask the Pastor with J.D. Greear

Pastor J.D. explains the three concentric circles of friendship—care, influence, and intimacy—and gives wisdom for how to approach relationships in each one, especially those affected by negativity. A glimpse inside this episode: Part of this depends on what kind of “friend” we’re talking about: Three concentric circles—care, influence, intimacy In the innermost circle, intimacy, you have a small group of friends—probably just three or four—that profoundly shape you, and vice versa. If you’re married, your spouse goes in this circle. These are people that share the ultimate convictions you have. These are the ones that forecast your future—and it would take a lot for you to “break up” with them, so to speak. In the next circle, influence, you have a larger number of friends. You influence them, and they influence you—not as deeply as your closest friends but still in meaningful ways. In the outermost circle, care, you have the largest number of friends, including more casual acquaintances. These are people that you love and care for. You legitimately want the best for them and are willing to sacrifice for them, sometimes in stunning ways. When it comes to It’s wise to have different ways of assessing our relationships based on which circle we’re talking about. In my relationship with my wife, who is in that innermost circle, there will never be a time when her “negative impact” on me makes me say, “Well, you know what, this is just too draining.” But in the “care” circle, there are going to be times when it’s best to say, “This isn’t healthy for either of us.” God doesn’t want us in toxic relationships, relationships where the net result is leading both people further into sin. Helpful principle—first sinner, second sinned against. Another helpful principle—”turn the other cheek” (and what that actually means) Neither of these mean we always allow others to hurt us. But this should be the baseline for how we approach our friendships. Resources from Brad Hambrick on jdgreear.com.

Pastor J.D. discusses three problems with the belief that all religions lead to God and also explains that if God is real, it’s only natural that he sets the terms for where and how we seek him. A glimpse inside this episode: The contemporary wisdom of our day says that the more sophisticated we become, the more we’ll realize that God is “bigger than we can describe.” He’s like a mountain, and different religions are really just paths up that mountain. We may prefer our path, but the truly wise person sees that they all lead to the top in the end. This attitude is epitomized in the parable I heard in college: Several blind men fall into a pit. An elephant happens to be in that pit, so the blind men begin to argue about what they’ve discovered. Grabbing the tusk, one says, “It’s like a spear.” Grabbing the tail, another says, “No, it’s like a rope.” Feeling the elephant’s side, still another says, “It’s like a wall.” And the last takes hold of an ear, claiming, “It’s like a fan.” The point is pretty clear. We’re the blind men groping in the dark, and God is the elephant. We’ve got to stop being so narrow-minded and dogmatic and open up our minds a little bit. Respectfully, as the saying goes, “It’s good to have an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.” I worry that many of the well-intentioned “wise” of our day may have loosened the hinges on their mind a little too much. Here are three problems with the idea that all religions lead to God: The Arrogance Problem On the surface, it seems humble to say that “God is like a mountain,” or that “we all only see a part of God’s truth.” That would be well and good, if it weren’t for the total enlightenment that the speaker assumes for herself. Both of the illustrations above reflect this problem. With the mountain illustration, the narrator looks at us feeble religious folk, stumbling up our path, and says, “Well, if you could just see what I see, you’d realize these paths are all the same!” With the elephant parable, this is even clearer. The blind men (again, this is us) don’t know what they’re looking at, but the narrator does. That’s the only way she can confidently conclude that the blind men are interacting with one complex reality: She sees it and can correct their ignorance. The Logical Problem It takes some real mental gymnastics to claim that the major religions of the world are really just saying the same thing in different ways. Most people are only able to make statements like this because they haven’t thought too deeply about the supposed contradictions between the religions. The mountain and elephant metaphors hinge on the notion that religious claims are complementary. Certainly many of them can be. But all? As just one example, take the issue of what happens to people when they die: Some say you go to heaven or hell; some say you are reincarnated into another life here on earth; some say you disappear into nothingness. Even a child can see that you can’t possibly do all of these things at once. The Relational Problem Honestly, where else in our lives do we think like this? If you are having a heart attack, you need a cardiologist. But what if you decided to head to Walmart to find one? You think, “I just love Walmart. Their prices are great. There aren’t any pesky employees around to bother me by asking if I ‘need anything.’ So I think I’ll take my heart problem there.” You can be as sincere as you want, but you won’t find what you’re looking for at Walmart. You can get a lot at Walmart—a Big Mac, an eye exam, a haircut, a tire rotation, a bathing suit you’ll immediately regret. But heart surgery? Not your best bet. If you want to find a cardiologist, it matters where you look, and the consequences of looking in the wrong place can be fatal. “Come to my place,” the cardiologist says, “with my name on the door, and my healing instruments inside. I can give you help, but you have to actually come to me.” The Answer If God were a fiction we’ve made up or some projection of our imaginations, it wouldn’t matter where we sought him. But if God is real, then as unpopular as it sounds, he gets to set the terms of where we seek him and how we seek him. He’s more like a cardiologist than he is an elephant or a mountain. The gospel message is a narrow one, and many sophisticated people balk at it, just as they did in the days of the Apostles. But we make the same claim that they did. There really was a man with miraculous healing power, who made the blind see and the dead come to life. And only through him, through Jesus Christ, can we—blind and dead as we are—receive the sight and life we need.

The podcast explores the importance of building relationships with the grace and truth of the gospel, especially with people in the LGBT community. It discusses the narrative our culture puts forward regarding homosexuality and the need for a gospel response. The speakers share their thoughts on attending and baking for homosexual weddings, emphasizing the importance of love, truth, and maintaining relationships while addressing the sinfulness of the behavior.

Pastor J.D. shares his thoughts on dating and courtship, as well as some helpful guidelines for appropriate displays of affection before marriage. A glimpse inside this episode: Courting vs. Dating Why I don’t agree with courting: Courting goes beyond the Bible teaches; it is inconsistent (e.g. giving flowers can be sexual); and it puts unhealthy pressure on dating when you court. But we can learn from the idea of courting. But I think we should keep dating light Dating is a road that is leading toward marriage. Dating is best when it is non-exclusive, non-physical, non-escalating (especially when you’re younger). Appropriate show of affection vs. foreplay Lynn’s Laws (from Pastor J.D.’s father): Nothing in the dark Nothing should last longer than 5 seconds Nothing below the neck Never lie down

The podcast discusses debunking the idea of a mystical calling from God and emphasizes that all Christians are called to use their gifts for God's glory. It explores the process of self-discovery in identifying passion, abilities, and affirmation as a way to understand God's calling and spiritual gifts. Examples from Nehemiah's call and Chronicles of Narnia are used to illustrate these concepts.

Prominent pastor J.D. discusses the response to moral failure in the church, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and accountability. He shares personal experiences of building community, supports fallen pastors, and offers advice on how laypeople should respond. A must-listen for church members and leaders.

Pastor J.D. shares helpful tips to structure quiet time with God and reminds listeners that It’s more important to find a rhythm that works for them than to do it “the right way.” A glimpse inside this episode: Pastor J.D.’s Personal Method: 15-15-15 15 minutes of Bible reading 15 minutes of prayer 15 minutes of devotional, Scripture memorization, etc. ACTS method of praying Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication Prayer helps Paul Miller’s A Praying Life Notecards, journaling, going for walks, etc. Gospel Prayer from Gospel In you, there is nothing I could do to make you love me more; nothing I have done that makes you love me less. You are all I need today for everlasting joy. As you have been to me, so I will be to others. As I pray, I’ll measure your compassion by the cross and your power by the resurrection. Start where you are! Don’t get overwhelmed. If you aren’t doing anything at all, start with 5 or 10 minutes. Don’t let what others are doing intimidate you from just starting. It’s more important that you find a rhythm that works for you than to do it “the right way.” To paraphrase a friend of mine, “I like my way of meeting with God better than your way of not meeting with him.”  

Pastor J.D. discusses four core myths about Christians and politics while encouraging listeners to exercise both empathy and charity in their daily lives, especially when talking about politics. A glimpse inside this episode: This is always tough for me. On one side, I feel guilty for having said too little … on the other, for having said too much. It’s important to remember that politics is just one way we impact society. Luke 12 Four myths about Christians and politics: (1) Secondary political ideals are matters of first importance. We might be wrong about them. Politics doesn’t have the same weight as the gospel. (Matthew the tax collector and Simon the zealot) (2) Christian truth doesn’t apply to politics. MLK was able to oppose racism because of his Christianity. (3) There is never a time to take a controversial political stand. We should be vocal of people saying, “If you aren’t vocal about this issue, you aren’t being faithful.” But there does come a time when we need to connect the dots. Bonhoeffer went from “Discrimination is wrong” to “We must oppose the Nazi party.” (4) We see everything clearly. Great Christians can be wrong. Support of slavery, of Jim Crow… For us specifically today, two words—empathy and charity Empathy – If you voted for Trump, you should be listened to those who are dismayed, and your voice should be the loudest in opposing xenophobia, misogyny, or racial stereotypes. Show that you care for the poor and disenfranchised. Charity – Assume the best about those who voted differently than you. Not every Trump voter was a villain. Give the benefit of the doubt and choose to believe a better narrative than our society tells about politics. Additional Resources from Pastor J.D.: Four Myths Christians Believe About Politics (Video) Challenges to Racial Integration: Politics When Should the Church Make Political Statements? Empathy and Charity: How Christians Can Respond to the 2016 Election

Pastor J.D. explains that neither celebrating nor opposing Halloween is right or wrong. However, the holiday does present a unique opportunity for fellowship among neighbors. A glimpse inside this episode: This is a topic that demands we respect each other’s perspective; both sides need to extend charity to the other. Functionally, Halloween isn’t good or bad. Paul, similar topic, in Romans 14: Whatever is not of faith is sin. Some people will choose to refrain because of the historic connections with the occult. Many, though, will recognize that cultural symbols shift. “Trick or treating,” for most, has nothing to do with the occult. For those who do celebrate: I encourage people to see trick-or-treating as an opportunity for outreach. As my friend Ed Stetzer says, on what other day of the year are your neighbors out in the neighborhood and willing to engage in conversation? Why would we not use this open door? Halloween at the Greear household. Recommended resource: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

Pastor J.D. answers one of his most asked questions and talks about the non-negotiables of the Christian faith in contrast to some particulars where it’s okay to disagree. A glimpse inside this episode: Theologians have argued about this for 2000 years. “Calvinism is not an issue to me until it becomes one to you. But when it becomes one to you, it becomes one to me, and I’ll probably take whatever side you are not.” -Pastor J.D. What someone believes about the finer points of Calvinism is not usually the issue; it’s how they believe it. We may have trouble achieving absolute clarity together on every one of the “five points,” but we can be absolutely clear on the fact that the Bible condemns a divisive and uncharitable spirit over something about which gospel-loving Christians have historically had trouble finding complete agreement. John Calvin’s favorite verse: Deuteronomy 29:29. God chose to keep some things hidden from us. Type A people like me hate that. But it’s for our good. We must never go farther in our theology than Scripture allows. Elevating your doctrinal system too highly makes you a fundamentalist. You start to believe that God’s graces are only found in your narrow little camp. Calvinists seem especially prone to this. Anti-Calvinism can be just as bad. (Remember: Luther, Spurgeon, Whitefield, Judson, and Carey were all Calvinist! Calvinism doesn’t kill evangelism!) Christians should “cross-pollinate.” I’m not saying I’m a doctrinal relativist. Some things are non-negotiable (bodily resurrection, salvation in Christ alone, etc.) Reading broadly takes humility. Isn’t that a good thing? Eat the fish, spit out the bones. The gospel—not the 5 points of Calvinism—is the center of our faith. If you believe in the loftiness of God’s glory, that salvation belongs only to God, and that God is sovereign over the world, and that he that has begun a good work in you will see it through, then you and I can stand in alignment, even if we parse some of the particulars differently.