The Summit Church

In this short Christmas reflection, Pastor Curtis shows us that while Christmas may technically be over, the best part of the season lasts forever—Jesus is still with us. Even when it’s hard, even when we feel alone, even when it’s not Christmas, God is with us. And he will be forever.

In this message from Matthew 2, Pastor J.D. walks us through one of the most recognizable, iconic stories of Christmas: the coming of the Magi, or “Wise Men,” to see Jesus. Through the story of these mysterious men, we see several responses to Jesus—curiosity, hostility, indifference, and joy. In fact, these are the same four responses to Jesus we find today.

In this Advent message from Isaiah 40, Pastor Bryan walks us through a simple statement given to ancient Judah: “Comfort, comfort my people.” In these four words we learn of the matchless love of God, which comes to us in our pain and overcomes every mess we’ve made. Like Judah, we may be so beaten up and miserable that we are heaving and sobbing, gasping for air. In the midst of this distress, Go...

In this Advent message from Isaiah 40, Pastor Curtis walks us through a simple statement given to ancient Judah: “Comfort, comfort my people.” Even amidst Israel's stubbornness, rebellion, and sin, God stands by his promises to send a Savior to rescue and restore them. No matter how ugly we make our lives because of sin, God stands ready to restore because of his great and powerful love.

In this message from our “Cutting Through the Noise” series, Pastor J.D. picks up the analogy Paul uses in chapter 9—of an athlete in training—and asks us, “How can we run like disciplined athletes in pursuit of the race God has set before us?” Athletes are ruthless, eliminating everything that stands in the way of winning. And we should be the same. Whether we’re looking at our personal preferenc...

In this Thanksgiving weekend message from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Pastor Curtis presses into the heart behind the holiday. What does it mean to be grateful? Is “giving thanks” only something we can do when life is going our way? And what does Jesus have to do with any of this, anyway? In the end, we’ll learn that—because of God’s presence with us—both the high times and the hard times are transforme...

In this message from 1 Corinthians 7, Pastor J.D. addresses an issue that is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago—divorce. Broken marriages affect so many of us in the church, and we often fail to apply gospel hope to this painful experience. But the Apostle Paul offers real-world wisdom and gospel hope to those who are divorced, those who have considered divorce, those who have been hurt b...

In this final message from our “Begin Again” series, Pastor J.D. takes us to the tiny book of Haggai, showing what happens when God’s people put him first—and what happens when they don’t. Haggai teaches us something that’s easy to get, but far too easy to forget: Our hearts are continually drawn to invest in things that don’t matter, won’t satisfy, and can’t sustain us. Fortunately, there’s a bet...

In this message from Exodus 13, Pastor J.D. invites us to learn from the Old Testament people of God, who—like us—were coming out of their own trauma into a new land of opportunity. Our last couple of years have been tragic and unpredictable. We don’t know what the future holds. But we do know that God is still at work, both in the church and in the world. Now is not a time to shrink back in fear....

In this message from 1 Corinthians 7, Pastor J.D. walks us through Paul’s teaching on sex, singleness, and spiritual gifts. When it comes to marriage and singleness, it’s easy for us to get disoriented. Outside the church, marriage seems less and less important. But inside the church, it can sometimes be elevated to the status of idol! So how do we understand God’s design for both marriage and sin...

In this message from Matthew 4, Pastor John Mark Comer carries us 6,000 miles away and 16 centuries into the past, into the ancient wilderness of North Africa. There, along with a desert monk named Evagrius, we learn about what it means to battle the devil. Yes, the devil. Hundreds of years later, the lessons Evagrius learned—about temptation, truth, liberation, and formation—remain as relevant as...

As we continue through the book of 1 Corinthians in our series, “Cutting Through the Noise,” Pastor J.D. explores a topic that is as contentious to us today as it was to the people in Corinth—sex. Our society has a lot of competing ideas about what sex is for and what makes sex good. God has ideas, too. And since sex was his idea, it’s well worth listening to the wisdom he has to share.

In this message from Genesis 3, Pastor Curtis dives into a topic that all of us have felt but few of us enjoy discussing—sin. By going back to the very first human sin, we’ll see what sin is, how it operates, and, ultimately, how it can be overcome. Has your sin taken you farther than you wanted to go? Jesus has come to get you. Has your sin kept you longer than you wanted to stay? Jesus has come...

In this message from 1 Corinthians 5, Pastor J.D. teaches about the messy but necessary process of church discipline. We may find it harsh to hear what the Apostle Paul says about those who persist in sin. But if we truly care about our people, if we truly care about the vulnerable, if we truly care about our neighbors, if we truly care about Jesus’ reputation ... we will be faithful to confront o...

In this message from 1 Corinthians 4, Pastor J.D. teaches shows us what makes for a good (or a bad) leader. Whether you’re a pastor or a plumber, a stay-at-home mom or a shift leader at a small restaurant, at some point in your life you will lead others. The question, then, is not if you will lead others, but how you will lead. Our culture has a lot to say about leadership. But the gospel cuts thr...

In this message from the Gospel of Mark, Pastor Curtis shows us four ways Jesus challenges our assumptions about what it means to be part of the family of God. Is the church full of sinners? Yes. Is the church full of people who will mess up and let you down? Yes. And yet, is the church the divine-albeit-dusty body of Christ, the family of God, the one place you can truly and finally belong? Yes.

In this message, Pastor Bryan continues our series, “Cutting Through the Noise,” showing how the gospel overcomes not only division in the church, but hypocrisy in the church. Church conflict may be at a fever pitch. Cultural idols may have infected Jesus’ body. Still, hope remains. Because as long as we have the gospel, we have the cure in hand.

In this message, Pastor J.D. kicks off our series in the book of 1 Corinthians, showing how the gospel cuts through the noise and chaos of our lives. First up—the issue of divisions in the church. We may assume that church factions are a new phenomenon. But one glance at the church in Corinth reveals that dysfunction, division, and doctrinal chaos are as old as the church itself. And yet, in the m...

In this message from Genesis 32, Pastor J.D. tells the story of Jacob, a man who began his life as a deceiver and ended his life with a limp—but who, right in the middle, wrestled with God and received an unimaginable blessing. Jacob provides a model for all of us who have ever waited on God to answer us, unsure if he hears, he cares, or he will ever act. Through Jacob, we learn that many of the b...

In this message from Genesis 19, Pastor J.D. tells the story of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Like us, Lot was allured by the world and its fast-paced, attractive life—but it didn’t happen overnight. The constant battle of what the heart loves reveals to us our desperate need for prayer. In our own battle, will we be like Lot, captured by the wonders of the world? Or like Abraham, interceding on behalf o...

In this message from Matthew 11, Pastor Bryan talks about true greatness. We all want to live satisfying lives. We all want to leave our marks for eternity. We all want to become, in a way, great. The problem isn’t in our desire for greatness, but in the path we choose to pursue it. Will we pursue greatness like the world—in status, acceptance, or circumstances? Or will we pursue true greatness—in...

In this message from Daniel 10–12, Pastor J.D. walks through Daniel’s visions of receiving warnings and capturing hope. We see that hardship, persecution, and suffering have all been decreed, but they’re not the only decree: Jesus will reign forever and judge the living and the dead according to his righteousness. He will renew and restore all things, and his people will dwell with him forever. An...

In this message from 1 Samuel, Pastor Bryan looks at one of the most iconic friendships in the entire Bible. King David and Prince Jonathan were two of the most accomplished people in their nation. What set them apart, though, was not their military achievement, but their committed, transparent, sacrificial friendship. Through these two men, we learn about true friendship, fake friendship, and the...

As we continue our walk through the book of Daniel, Pastor J.D. highlights the most undervalued resource of the church—prayer. Discarded by many, prayer is the vehicle through which the blessings of God are released and the promises of God are enacted. In Daniel 9, we not only see five principles that make for effective prayer; we also get a one-of-a-kind glimpse into what happens in heaven as we...

As we continue our walk through the book of Daniel, Pastor J.D. tackles two of the most obscure prophecies in the entire book. Although the imagery can be confusing—lions and beasts and fiery thrones—the message is as timely as ever. What God says to Daniel he says to believers in every generation: If you are going to faithfully shine in the present, you need to have a crystal clear vision of the...