The Summit Church

It's often easy to dwell solely on the joys of discipleship, but what about the costs? We can't divorce forgiveness from repentance, communion from confession. If we do, we are left with what Dietrich Bonhoeffer so aptly referred to as "cheap grace." In this week's message from 2 Timothy 4, Pastor John shows us how following Jesus comes with a cost—and it is one that we must embrace if we are to b...

When individualism is prized above all, it can be difficult to communicate to others that there is truth that is not subjective, not up for debate—namely, the Word of God. In this week's message from 2 Timothy 3, Pastor Bryan highlights why it is vitally important to look to the Bible, rather than looking inward, to remind ourselves of truth. If the words contained in this book really are the very...

As followers of Jesus, we wouldn't disagree with the need to make disciples. But the reality is that it requires both intentionality and a significant investment of time—one that we may feel we simply don't have, at least according to our busy calendars. In this week's message from 2 Timothy 2, Pastor Bryan shows us the importance of prioritizing disciple-making in our lives. When we take the time...

For many of us, fear rules much of our lives. We worry about our finances, our health, our relationships—and yet, the solutions we seek are often unhelpful at best. What's more, this fear tends to spill over into our spiritual lives, making us less likely to share the gospel. So how can we walk with courageous, unashamed faith? As we begin our series through 2 Timothy, Pastor Curtis reminds us of...

When you hear the phrase "The Great Commission," what is your initial reaction? There can be a tendency in the church to relegate the carrying out of this command to those who are "called," or perhaps to those of a certain personality type. But if we follow Christ, the command to make disciples applies to us all—to the introvert as well as to the extrovert; to the lawyer and the barista as well as...

Whether you make New Year's resolutions or not, you probably have areas of your life that you would like to change. But the path to change, as we all know, isn't always an easy one. It can be difficult to break old habits, make new ones, and incorporate fresh rhythms into our lives. In this week's message from John 15, Pastor J.D. helps us to see that our growth as disciples isn’t a matter of stee...

If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, you probably refer to yourself as a "Christian." But how often do you call yourself a "disciple"? In this week's message from John 15, Pastor J.D. shows us that the difference between these two words might just be more significant than we think. What's more, we may be surrounded by people who claim to be Christians but are far from being true disciples...

"Getting back to the basics" is an oft-repeated phrase—and for good reason. Whether you've been following Jesus for 10 months or 10 years, it is always beneficial to be reminded of the essential truths of the gospel, upon which our faith is built. In this week's message, the first in our series on "The Whole Disciple," Pastor J.D. helps us unpack some of these foundational truths from Romans 3:23–...

It's safe to say that we all desire to pray bold prayers, grounded in God's Word and fueled by his Spirit. So why is it that we often find ourselves settling for a prayer life that is characterized more by timidity than audacity? As we prepare to begin 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, this week's message from Pastor J.D. focuses on a lesser-known story of Elijah and King Ahab in 1 Kings 18. Bold pra...

In this short message from 1 Corinthians 16, Pastor Curtis provides valuable direction for us as we find ourselves on the cusp of a new year, giving us four practical steps to ensure we are making progress in our lives as Christians. While we don't know exactly what this new year will hold, we can be sure that there will be both highs and lows. But we can also know with certainty that even through...

Have you ever been in a place of immense darkness, literal or otherwise? If so, then you know how incredibly powerful it is when you see the first rays of light beginning to break through. In this week's message from Isaiah 9, the last in our Christmas series, Pastor J.D. shows us how Jesus is the light that the long-ago prophet spoke about. Even when darkness threatens to overwhelm this weary wor...

Christmas can stir up many different emotions. For some, it generates excitement and anticipation. But for others, particularly those who find themselves in the midst of a difficult season of life, it may feel more sorrowful than joyful. So what do we do when it simply doesn't "feel" like Christmas? This is precisely the question that Pastor Bryan considers in this week's message from Revelation 5...

While Christmas has inspired the writing of many songs throughout the centuries, one song that is often overlooked is a biblical one—namely, that of Zechariah, whose words were inspired by the birth of John the Baptist. Over the next few weeks, we will examine three ordinary objects and how they can help us better apprehend the meaning of Christmas. In this week's message from Luke 1, Pastor J.D....

While the Bible makes it clear that the demonic realm is real, it doesn't leave us in a place of despair, without instructions on how to do battle against such forces. In this week's message from Ephesians 6, Pastor J.D. returns to the issue of spiritual warfare in order to show us the importance of putting on the armor of God. The truth is that if we try to fight out of our own strength, we will...

In this week's message, Capital Hills Campus Pastor John Muller teaches about preparing the way for Jesus by working through Mark 1:1-8.

Pastor Daniel Simmons shares a message from Matthew 3:1-11.

Would you describe yourself as a generous person? If not, chances are that you may be viewing the world through the wrong lens. In this week's message from Leviticus 19, Pastor J.D. shows us how seeing the world through the correct lens can propel us toward lives characterized by gratitude and generosity. Though there may not be a prescribed amount that we are to give, it is clear that God intends...

Who are you, really? In a culture rife with comparison, the question of identity is one that tends to plague many of us. Is your identity anchored in things such as your accomplishments, your net worth, your social media presence—or in God's purpose and plan for your life? In this week's message from Matthew 3 and 4, Pastor J.D. explains common snares that Satan uses to attack our identity and how...

When you think about the realm of the demonic, perhaps your thoughts tend toward Hollywood depictions of it rather than its real influence in the world around you. As we begin a short series on spiritual warfare, Pastor J.D. takes us through the realities of demonic activity in this week's message from Luke 11. Though the attacks and accusations of Satan can often lead us to despair, there is much...

The book of Jonah ends in a curious manner, with a surprising cliffhanger of a question posed to Jonah. And while we are left wondering what Jonah will do, the real question for us becomes what we will do with God's invitation to extend mercy to our enemies. As we wrap up our series through the book of Jonah, Pastor Bryan walks us through chapter 4, detailing reasons why it is often so hard for us...

When we see Jesus for who he truly is, we can't help but respond. In this week's message from Acts 2, Pastor Curtis shows us how the crowd at Pentecost had a revelation about Jesus that led them to respond in repentance and baptism. Maybe you don't feel ready to be baptized, or you aren't sure it's really necessary in order to follow Jesus. Or maybe, like those present at Pentecost, today is the d...

It can be tempting to think that we've messed things up beyond repair, that surely God must be done with us this time. In this week's message from Jonah 3, Pastor Bryan explores the beautiful truth that we serve a God who delights in giving second chances, because he is rich in mercy. And it is precisely this mercy and kindness—not guilt or condemnation—that leads us to repentance.

Chances are, you'll never be swallowed by a giant fish—but you may find yourself in a pit of despair, feeling as though there is no way out. In this week's message from Jonah 2, Pastor Bryan reveals the perhaps counterintuitive truth that there are blessings to be found in the pit. Indeed, God is able to use these experiences that are often unpleasant or even downright painful to make us still mor...

Why do we often struggle to show mercy to others? Perhaps, we think, the other person doesn't really deserve to be shown mercy—after all, they have offended us deeply. How could we possibly be expected to forgive them? As we begin our series through the book of Jonah, this week's message from Pastor Bryan shows us from Jonah 1 how it is impossible to become people who extend God's mercy without fi...

Is prayer actually effective? And if it is, should we still pray even if we have a less-than-robust faith? As we wrap up our series in James this week, Pastor J.D. sheds light on a crucial—and often misunderstood—passage about prayer from James 5. In the end, we can be encouraged that God does indeed hear the prayers of his children, and it is often through them that he chooses to accomplish his w...