The Summit Church

The art of letter writing is one that has largely fallen by the wayside in today's highly technological society. But taking the time to write a personal letter communicates something in a way that simply sending a text never can. In this week's message from 3 John, Pastor John shows us the value of just such a personal letter. What we learn from reading this communication from the Apostle John to...

“Lukewarm” isn't really a desirable trait in, well, just about anything. After all, is there anyone who actually looks forward to a lukewarm cup of coffee in the morning? But when Jesus uses this word, what he has in mind is something far worse. In this week's message from Revelation 3, Pastor J.D. takes us through John's last three letters to the churches. Though Jesus doesn't have anything negat...

There are many threats that the church faces today, but the most dangerous may lie within, in the form of sin that we tolerate and compromise that we engage in. In this week's message from Revelation 2, Pastor Curtis examines how John's letters to the churches at Pergamum and Thyatira reveal the dangers of compromising to blend in with the surrounding culture. What often disguises itself as tolera...

In this week’s message from Revelation 5–7, Pastor Mitchel Lee of Grace Community Church speaks about multiethnic unity.

We may think that making a small compromise here and there doesn't matter. But the truth is that there is inherent danger in compromising our beliefs or morals, danger that can sometimes lead to disaster. In this week's message from Revelation 2, Pastor J.D. takes us through John’s letters to the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna, showing us where Jesus both commends and challenges these congregation...

Ask your friends which book of the Bible they most enjoy reading for personal quiet time, and it's highly unlikely that anyone will choose Revelation. But the book that we often avoid is the same one that we desperately need to help us live the Christian life in tumultuous times. In this week's message from Revelation 1, Pastor J.D. highlights how in the midst of tribulation, this book presents us...

When navigating the currents of this broken, sinful world, our tendency is often to respond like someone rowing a boat (that is, out of our own strength). Instead, our response should look more like that of a sailboat, where the wind that fuels us is the Holy Spirit. In this week's message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Bryan explains what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, as well as the impli...

Mention the Holy Spirit and reactions are likely to range from excitement to uncertainty or even discomfort. But for the early church, the Holy Spirit was vital to everything they did. In this week’s message from John 16, Pastor Curtis explores the role that the Holy Spirit plays in our lives, both individually and as a church. What does it mean that God’s glory dwells inside of us? Among the many...

As we close our journey through the book of Exodus, we come to a seemingly anticlimactic ending—the construction of the tabernacle. You might think it strange, after all of the crescendos in the book, to end here. The burning bush, the 10 plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses meeting God on the mountain … and this is the happy ending? But as Pastor J.D. shows us, the tabernacle functioned as...

To one degree or another, we all long for transformation, whether on a physical level or a spiritual one. In this week's message from Exodus 34, Pastor Bryan walks us through a transformation that happened to Moses, one that was brought about by time spent in the presence of God. The reality is that true gospel transformation isn't something we can manufacture. Though we can ready the environment...

In many cultures around the world, names are a big deal. More than just what someone is called, names often imply identity and even purpose. In this week's message from Exodus 34, Pastor Bryan explores a passage that is quoted numerous times by the Bible itself, a passage that reveals not just the name, but the very character of God. When we think rightly about who God is, we can approach his thro...

We tend to read the story of the Israelites making the golden calf and ask, “How could they?” But we fail to realize that what the Israelites were guilty of, idolatry, is the very thing that is behind all of our other sins. In this week’s message from Exodus 32, Pastor J.D. shows us not only the danger of idolatry in our lives, but how we can escape it. Ultimately, what is bad news for those who r...

At Easter, we consider the cross and the resurrection, of course—but this consideration ultimately demands a response from us. It demands that a choice be made. In this Easter message, Pastor J.D. explains how Luke 23 is the dividing line of history, and the most important decision we will ever make is whether we are on the side of Jesus or not. For those who choose to put their faith in Jesus, we...

Rather than a necessity, the idea of rest can often seem like an unattainable luxury. After all, who has time for rest in a society that prizes constantly being on your hustle? But even as he was giving the instructions for building the tabernacle, rest was the very thing that God commanded for his people. In this week's message from Exodus 31, Pastor Curtis explains how God intended the Sabbath t...

We love the idea of freedom, but what does it really mean? Clearly, the freedom offered by the world is drastically different from that offered by Christ. In this week's message from Galatians 5, Pastor Wes Smith shows us how in Christ, we are set free both from and to certain things. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to do what we were designed to do—live in obedience by lovin...

In a secular, post-Christian society like the one we find ourselves living in, the Ten Commandments aren't exactly popular. Cries to "live your own truth" threaten to drown out the absolute truth of God's law. But how can we expect to love each other well without parameters for what that actually looks like in practice? In this week's message from Exodus 19–20, Pastor J.D. shows us how the Ten Com...

We all have an important role to play in the body of believers. This truth, though seemingly ingrained in us now, was something that God had to intentionally teach the Israelites. In this week's message from Exodus 17–18, Pastor J.D. takes us through three foundational lessons that God taught the Israelites about life in the redeemed community. In showing them that everything wasn't meant to be ce...

You aren't likely to find many people who genuinely enjoy tests, but they certainly have a way of revealing where we are lacking in knowledge. In this week’s message from Exodus 15–17, Pastor J.D. explains three tests that God walked the Israelites through after delivering them through the Red Sea. These tests, along with the lessons learned from them, were so fundamental that New Testament writer...

The parting of the Red Sea was not only an epic moment in Israel's history, but an event that would become the most frequent image of salvation in the Old Testament. In this week's message from Exodus 13–15, Pastor J.D. shows us how this defining moment became a marker for the Israelites to look back on when their faith faltered. In the same way, when we are tempted to doubt God's goodness in our...

We know that there are people in need all around us. We know that, as followers of Jesus, we are called to do something about it. But often, the difficulty lies in knowing how best to help. In this week’s message from Luke 10, Pastor J.D. unpacks the parable of the Good Samaritan, a story which beautifully illustrates how showing compassion toward those who are most vulnerable reflects the very he...

The power of the gospel to change people cannot be underestimated, and we see examples of this riddled throughout the book of Acts. In this week's message from Acts 8, Pastor John highlights the example of Philip, whose changed life had a profound impact on those around him. Likewise, when we have been truly changed by the gospel, we cannot help but share the good news and meet the needs of those...

For many people in the world, believing in God may not necessarily be a far reach. But believing in Jesus? Furthermore, believing that it was necessary for Jesus to die in order for us to receive forgiveness of sins? That, they would say, is a step too far. In this week's message from Exodus 11–13, Pastor J.D. takes us through the story of the Passover, showing us the mercy of God for the Israelit...

Throughout Scripture, God uses various means to show that he is far more transcendent and powerful than any false gods that people choose to worship. In this week's message from Exodus 7–10, Pastor Bryan explains how in sending plagues on the Egyptians, God demonstrates not only his power and might, but also immense grace and kindness in confronting idols. It is through these plagues that God come...

Our obedience to God doesn't necessarily guarantee that things in our life won't go wrong, or that we won't fail. And yet, that's a hard pill to swallow—if we're obeying God, surely everything will fall into place, right? In this week's message from Exodus 4–6, Pastor J.D. shows us how Moses faced this very struggle in his first confrontation with Pharaoh. Ultimately, God allowed Moses to fail not...

When we are overwhelmed by a particular challenge or even just by life itself, feelings of insecurity can threaten to take over. In this week's message from Exodus 3 and 4, Pastor J.D. walks us through Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. Though Moses felt completely unprepared for the assignment in front of him, God provided reassurance that was rooted in his unchanging nature. This rea...