The stories of the Old Testament often show us what not to do, even through some of its most famous characters—but every story points to Jesus, who faithfully delivered God’s truth to us and refused to forsake us when we rejected his words. In this message, Pastor J.D. shows how every great leader becomes good only as they model their leadership after Jesus, the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King.

In this teaching, Pastor J.D. highlights the radical difference between God’s faithful shepherds and spiritual abusers. Throughout history—and throughout the Bible—it is tragically common to find spiritual leaders who exploit and wound others. But in Jesus, we find a different kind of Shepherd—faithful, gentle, safe, and true. He came not to wound, but to be wounded for us. And by his wounds, we are healed.

It’s easy to read Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel and think the lesson is that if we ask God for something in faith, he will answer. But Hannah’s song of praise and trust in God’s faithfulness point to an even greater promise. Pastor J.D. continues to teach in this message how trust in God’s greatest gift, Jesus, leads to identity, security, and happiness.

Pastor J.D. kicks off our series following the biography of David, Israel’s greatest king. A king who began his life as an obscure shepherd boy, but became a warrior who brought rival nations to their knees. We see hints of that king long before David arrives—in the story of an overlooked woman named Hannah.

Sometimes, the worst situations in life provide the best opportunities for God to use us. As we conclude our study in the book of Acts, Pastor J.D. reminds us that it’s usually during the middle of life’s storms that God uses us to make the biggest impact on those around us. It’s part of our SENT series, and Pastor J.D. is teaching from Acts, Chapter 28.

Life doesn’t always go the way we want. But even in the midst of those difficult seasons, God calls us to make the most of our time. As we continue our series titled, SENT, we’re turning to the book of Acts, Chapter 28. Pastor J.D. shows us how Paul furthered his mission of getting the gospel to Rome—while sitting in jail.

Sometimes it can feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. But Pastor J.D. explains that there’s only one person who is responsible for saving the world, and it’s not us! Pastor J.D. draws our attention to five things in the Book of Acts we should be focused on instead. It’s part of our series called SENT. 

Have you ever considered what you’d like to have written on your tombstone? Well, death isn’t something we like to think about very often. But Pastor J.D. encourages us to reflect on the summation of our lives. From Acts 20, this message is titled, Paul’s Tombstone, and it’s part of our series called SENT. 

I bet we all have things we’re not willing to give up. And if we’re holding too tight to something, it might be an idol! So, Pastor J.D. is helping us to examine our hearts to identify any idols in our lives. J.D. is teaching from the book of Acts as we continue our series called SENT.

When we hear the word “idol,” we probably conjure up images of ancient statues and graven images. But idols are still with us today. They just come in different packages. That’s our subject as Pastor J.D. continues our SENT series, teaching from Acts, Chapter 19.