In this edition of Ask the Pastor’s Greatest Hits, Pastor J.D. talks about some key advantages and disadvantages to each type of schooling and how Scripture guides our decision-making. A glimpse inside this episode: My friend Joby Martin says if you want some entertainment, get a home-school mama and a public school mama together and ask what the b…

In this episode of the Group Answers podcast, Mary Wiley and Ashley Gorman discuss the value of reading lists and their approach to curating and consuming books. They explore the impact of reading on discipleship, leadership, and group ministry, as well as the role of reading in forming relationships and fostering curiosity. The conversation delves…

Show Notes: The answer to this question comes from the lips of Jesus, the most compassionate person ever to live. Marriage is a covenant you make with your spouse before God. God created it in Genesis 2 as a union where two literally become one, and death is the only thing that can dissolve that covenant (with a couple of death-related exceptions w…

Host of His Glory, Her Good, Amanda Mejias, joins Haley Malone and Brian Daniel to discuss a much needed topic! Amanda discusses the significance of relationships in discipleship, the challenges and needs of teen girls, and the evolving role of women in ministry. It also delves into the impact of technology on youth and the importance of creating s…

Show Notes: We should be as intentional with our families as we are with our jobs. There is a sense that, on one level, I as a parent affect the faith journey of my kids. But on another level, there is a limit to the responsibility parents have for the choices our kids make. God has made them as individuals. A lot of godly parents will have a child…

On today's show we are diving into the intersection of creativyt and discipleship! Brain Daniel and Haley. Malone are joined by Heather Zemple to cover a range of topics including leadership, discipleship, creativity, and generational dynamics within the church. Heather Zemple is passionate about making disciples, cultivating community, and curatin…

Pastor J.D. answers a question about what it really means to be a Christian. Show Notes: Everyone has a different assumption of what it means to be a Christian. In the Western world, a lot of people have the assumption that if you’re not a Jew, not a Muslim, and not an atheist, you must be a Christian. Some people think it means a certain amount of…

Hosts Brian Daniel and Haley Malone sit down with Dr. Katie McCoy to discuss her new book, 'To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond'. Katie provides insights on engaging in conversations about gender confusion and emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the issue and the individual. Katie McCoy s…

This summer we are looking at some of the most popular Ask the Pastor episodes over the years. This week, Pastor J.D. answers the question of whether or not you can lose your salvation. Show Notes: At first glance, Hebrews 6 seems to say that not only can you lose your salvation, but once you do, you can never get it back! So what does it mean? Thi…

On today's episode of Group Answers, Daniel Im discusses the changing landscape of the church in a post-everything world. He highlights the increased hunger for spiritual things and the recognition that the world's promises don't deliver. Daniel emphasizes the need to move beyond assumptions and focus on the interested individuals in our churches a…

This summer we are looking at some of the most popular Ask the Pastor episodes over the years. This week, Pastor J.D. discusses Can a Christian Be Possessed by a Demon?. Show Notes: It depends on what you mean by “demon possessed.” It’s never used in the Greek language that I know of, and it’s not in the Bible. The word in the Bible is “demonized,”…

Our theology can never be divorced from biblical theology! On today's show Brian Daniel and Haley Malone discuss the importance of theology in group life with guest and theologian Mary Wiley. Mary Wiley is the author of Everyday Theology, an eight-week Bible study exploring essential doctrines and why they matter in our everyday lives. She holds an…

This summer we are looking at some of the most popular Ask the Pastor episodes over the years. This week, Pastor J.D. discusses how to honor a toxic parent. A glimpse inside this episode: This brings us to one of the “big 10” — the 10 Commandments. There are a couple of things to understand starting with the 10 commandments are divided into two sec…

Have you ever asked your spouse a simple question, like, "whats for dinner?" and all of a sudden they're making a snarky comment back to you? Have you ever found yourself responding out of irritation and frustration when your spouse or kids simply ask you a question? On today's show we're highlighting an episode from The Glass House Podcast where N…

This summer we are looking at some of the most popular Ask the Pastor episodes over the years. To start, Pastor J.D. discusses what’s important to keep in mind when it comes to leaving a church and choosing one. A glimpse inside this episode: The no-commitment consumer culture is not appropriate for the church. Consumer culture works for some thing…

On today's show, groups expert Ken Braddy joins Haley and Brian on a great conversation about groups ministry! As Ken travels all over the country to support churches and their groups ministry, he shares with us the positive and negative trends churches across the nation are experiencing. Ken also shares how we can do groups better than ever despit…

Hey friends! Filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick have an incredible discussion with Brian Daniel about their latest movie, The Forge. This film focuses on discipleship and following Jesus, and Alex and Stephen share their hearts behind making this film. They emphasize the importance of having a strong foundation in Christ and prioritizing Him abov…

Show Notes: Matt: J.D., as we’re recording gambling was just legalized in North Carolina this month, like it has been in 37 other states. That has us wondering – is gambling a sin? — J.D.: Some of our long-time listeners might remember us talking about this 2 years ago, but we thought given its popularity, we’d revisit it. So, look, the reality is …

Have you ever been talking to a teenager and find yourself in a situation where you don't know what to say? Sometimes it can feel like there is a huge wall between you and the teens in your life. Today on Group Answers Zac Workun and Brian Daniel dive into how we can effectively engage with the next generation in small groups. Zac currently serves …

Show Notes: Matt: J.D., some people feel like, because we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, we should never have some of these big, mental health struggles like depression or anxiety. The question is, can Christians be depressed? Or if someone is depressed, is that an indication that they’re not saved? — J.D.: Matt, that’s a heavy question. Let me…

Hey friends! Welcome back to another great season of Group Answers! We have soem incredible guests lined up for this season and we can't wait to dive into all things students, adults, women, and men, small groups! Today on the show Josh Smith joins Joel and Brian to discuss his ministry to men and the importance of investing in men in the church. J…

Show Notes: Matt: J.D., is cremation (as opposed to burial in a casket) wrong? — J.D.: Well, this one’s actually a little more interesting than you might think. If you’ve never thought much about it, you probably (like most people) just think about the fact that when someone dies, they basically have two options—burial in a casket or by cremation, …

Show Notes: Matt: Welcome. J.D., here’s a softball… What are your thoughts on the 2024 election? It’s now officially decided through primary votes that we’ll have a re-match of Trump v. Biden in November. J.D.: We as the church didn’t respond well last time… we are getting a gracious mulligan I have a handful of pieces of counsel to that end, Let m…

Show Notes: Matt: Welcome. — Today we have a question today from someone who sent this in named Ronnie. She asked, “Is modesty a biblical virtue or is it a relic of the patriarchy?” J.D.: So for our listeners that are like, what’s really the question here behind the question? I grew up in the, the purity culture. Josh Harris was, wrote the famous b…

Show Notes: Matt: Welcome J.D., you’ve heard from a member at The Summit Church’s own Chapel Hill Campus who asked you how to share the gospel with a staunch atheist, which we felt like would be a great topic for this week’s episode. — J.D.: Yeah Matt, I’m sure many of us have been in a situation like this where God lays someone on your heart to sh…

Show Notes: Matt: J.D., this week we’re pivoting from our series on spiritual disciplines and we’ll be tackling some one-off questions our listeners have been sending us for the next few weeks. One of the topics we’ve had several people ask about is how to process what’s going on in Israel and their conflict with Gaza… — J.D.: Yeah, Matt, wow. Well…

Show Notes: MATT: J.D., we just wrapped up the last of the spiritual disciplines we wanted to cover, and it’s been a great 8-part series. But before we move on, we wanted to answer a few more questions from our listeners and kind of recap what we talked about. A lot of these are more general questions about the disciplines as a whole, and some focu…

We are wrapping up another great season of Group Answers with Brian Daniel. If you haven't listened to the entire season, we encourage you to go back and check out the amazing guests we've had on the show! On today's show Brian and Haley discuss the attributes of compelling community with Jared Osselaer. Jared is the Pastor of Story City Church in …

Show Notes: MATT: J.D., our next spiritual discipline is worship. What do we mean by the “discipline of worship?” — J.D.: Matt, good question. I’m excited to talk about this one because I think it’s perhaps the least-understood spiritual discipline. When I say “worship,” what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Probably the 3 or 4 “worship …

Hy friends! Welcome to another great episode of Group Answers! Discipleship can play out in a variety of ways in depending on the context: big churches vs. small churches, or rural areas vs. urban areas. On today's show Rebi Varghese, Community Groups Pastor at Church of the City in New York, shares his passion for discipleship and the challenges a…

Show Notes: Matt: J.D., today we’ll cover our next spiritual discipline, and this week, we’re talking about giving. Everyone loves talking about money, right? — J.D.: Let’s start with the assumption that God doesn’t need our money. In Psalm 50, God says, “I don’t have needs… and if I did have one, I wouldn’t come to you.” God owns the cattle on a t…

Churches all over the world will be embarking on Vacation Bible School this summer! Besides it being a fun-filled week for kids, VBS has an amazing potential for discipling the next generation and reaching families. On today's show Melita Thomas shares with us the history of VBS, the "how", and the "why"! Melita Thomas serves as Lifeway’s VBS and K…