The Bullpen with J.D. Greear

By J.D. GreearReligion & Spirituality Christianity

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The Bullpen with J.D. Greear episodes

January 28, 2019Is white privilege real?
Pastor J.D. discusses the origins of privilege, its influence in society, and the responsibility Christians have in the issue.
A glimpse inside this episode:
This term “privilege” was first developed by a white woman in the 1980’s to talk not about race but male privilege in academics. (Learned from Dr. George Yancey)
Definition: “An invisible package of unearned assets that whites can count on cashing in each day.”
Privilege is multi-dimensional. There is never one exclusive privileged class and one underprivileged class. Rather, there are various ways in which a person may be privileged or not.
For example, a white woman growing up in poverty, with an abusive father, may experience far fewer benefits of “privilege” than a black man growing up in an affluent, healthy family.
Dr. Yancey says there is tall privilege and good-looking privilege. He says that Asians are often given a “they must be smart at math privilege.”
The phrase “white privilege” indicates that—all other factors being equal—there is more social advantage in being white in the United States than in being non-white. Or, in other words, because “whiteness” is the social norm, those who are in that group have more benefits than those outside that group.
Examples:
As a white guy, if a traffic cop pulls me over, I never have to wonder if it was because of my race (Almost all POC have stories about this)
As a white guy, the same is true when I see a clerk looking at me in the store.
As a white guy, I don’t have to worry about my name causing me to be overlooked on a job or housing application. (Chris Green tells a story about assumptions being made by a lender about his income because he was black.)
We want to see all people in our society have access to the same rights and privileges. When Dr. George Yancey, an African-American sociologist from North Texas University, came to speak to our church recently, he made a really interesting comment about privilege: He said “privileges” are like “rights.” It’s not that we want to take rights from one group and give them to others, but we want to see the rights that one group enjoys extended to all. He said often, in discussing privilege (white privilege or male privilege), there’s an unspoken assumption: “Things are not equal between these two groups, and we need to make them equal by pulling the top group down.” But if we think about privilege more like rights, it changes the conversation. When I think of the privileges that I have as a white person, or as a man, what I want is to see those privileges extended to as many people as possible. I don’t want people to lose all of their rights. I want more people to have those rights!
These are just a handful of examples that show us that at least at some level, privilege exists. Another way to say it (that I’ve found helpful) is that the judicial and empowerment structures in our society, while better than in generations past, are still tilted. There is a sort of center-of-gravity toward the majority culture.
What to do about it?
There is responsibility to use that privilege to help others
Politicians are divided: some will say that because our history of exploitation and discrimination has undoubtedly contributed to creating some of these realities, that demands certain benefits and privileges be extended to the black community
Others will say that that won’t help: now that the doors of opportunity have been opened, only black people can go through them.
DESK: Diploma, employment, spouse, kids. These are things everyone can do and are proven to fight poverty.
15 min
January 21, 2019Should we stop saying, “The Bible says so …?”
Pastor J.D. shares why Christianity that is not built on “it is written” is insufficient for both personal faith and sparking a worldwide resurgence of the Christian movement.
A glimpse inside this episode:
Todd: Pastor J.D., some are saying today (Andy Stanley, for example) that because our culture no longer accepts the authority of the Bible, we should refrain from saying, “the Bible says” in our preaching. What do you think about this?
Response:
True, as a starting point. But if it doesn’t quickly translate into “thus says the Lord,” it’s not a sufficient basis for faith
A Christianity that is not built on “it is written” is insufficient for personal faith, much less sparking a worldwide resurgence of the Christian movement.
There is an advantage to thinking about this the way our overseas missionaries think and share with different cultures where the Bible doesn’t have authority.
For instance, you might say, ‘John says,” or “Paul says…”
Apostles: “It is written.” The early church had written text, so the argument that they didn’t have Scripture isn’t accurate.
2 Peter 3:16
Paul, if you are spiritual, acknowledge these commands
Matthew 7:24–27 shows us what love looks like; gives us confidence in the face of Satan
Paul/Ephesians: built on the foundation of Apostles and their writings!
Jesus with Satan! (Luke 4)
Again: A Christianity that is not built on “it is written” is insufficient for personal faith, much less sparking a worldwide resurgence of the Christian movement.
2 Timothy 3:16
Billy Graham’s most used phrase, “The Bible says…”
14 min
January 14, 2019What’s the First Step in Creating a Sending Culture in a Church?
Pastor J.D. talks about creating a sending culture in the church by sending as many people as possible on short-term mission trips to open eyes to missional culture and principles.
A glimpse inside this episode:
First, let’s answer why we would want to create a sending culture in our churches. All of the promises Jesus gave about the church had to do with the church being raised up and sent outside its doors. God grows his church through multiplication. Paul’s entire strategy was centered around going to strategic cities and planting churches.
Then, let’s talk for a second about culture. Sometimes we go to a conference or read a book and then go home and try to implement what we learned. Nearly always, it fizzles out.
The French mystic Antoine de Saint Exupéry once said, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” As people yearn for the salvation of the world they will start pushing for sending without you even doing anything formally. It is the preaching of the gospel that creates this yearning.
So, one very practical thing you can do to encourage a sending mentality is to send as many people on short-term mission trips as possible.
Few things open our eyes to missional living like spending time with missionaries overseas.
The more that mentality gets into the bloodstream of the church, the more church members become willing to apply missional principles to their own context.
During the first two years after our church’s re-launch, we sent an inordinate amount of our people and leaders overseas. It cost a lot of money and took up valuable time, but it did two things.
First, it raised the level of generosity in our church. Having seen the needs on the field, the people gave. The trips may have cost us a lot of money, but they paid for themselves many times over.
Second, it made our people ask themselves if we were laboring to reach our city the same way that missionaries overseas were laboring to reach theirs.
When you create a sending culture in your church, you will likely lose some of your best people to a church plant or a missions assignment. But don’t be afraid; the sending culture creates more leaders to take their place. It has worked for us like the five loaves and two fish: the more we give away, the more is multiplied and given back to us.
Resources:
jdgreear.com
North American Church Planting: thesummitnetwork.com
12 min
January 07, 2019How do you guide kids who are exploring their sexual identity?
Pastor J.D. gives parents some helpful guidelines for navigating conversations about sexual identity with their kids.
A glimpse inside this episode:
This is an excellent question, and one that more and more pastors, specifically, need to be equipped to answer. I am still learning how to navigate questions like this, and I’ve been incredibly thankful for Brad Hambrick, the counseling pastor at the Summit, for teaching me how to think through this not only theologically, but also pastorally.
From the beginning of my ministry, I decided that if I could preach like anyone, I wanted to preach like a counselor.
You can check out his website for a lot more helpful resources: bradhambrick.com
Now, when talking with kids about “sexual identity,” here are a handful of ideas, most of which I’ve borrowed from Brad:
1. “The talk” is different today than it was for us growing up. By that, I mean a couple things.
First, kids aren’t just going to be curious about sex (which is pretty universal). But as our society’s views about gender identity evolve, our kids will be exposed to different ideas than perhaps we’ve ever heard.
Second, statistics tells us they will be exposed to sexual ideas way earlier than most of us were. For most of us, we need to have these discussions earlier than we’d expect.
2. When our kids bring up a potentially awkward subject, we shouldn’t over-react.
This is true whether your kid is asking about gender identity for himself, for someone else, or just out of curiosity. Your initial response to your kids signals whether you are someone they can or should approach with these questions.
3. We need to talk about sex and sexuality proactively, not just reactively.
If the only times we talk with our kids about sex is when they approach us, it will distort the biblical message about sexual ethics. Questions about sexuality and gender identity will start on the wrong foot if we let culture dictate the sorts of things our kids are asking us.
4. Be sure to ask as much as you teach.
When your kid asks you about sex—especially when they’re younger, say elementary school—the most important part of that conversation will be what you learn from them (not vice versa).
5. We want our kids to be biblically informed and personally compassionate.
We don’t have to agree with someone or understand their experience to love them. We believe that everyone is made in the image of God and deserves our honor and respect.If they’re hurting, we try to represent God’s compassion. If they’re sinning, we let them know of God’s forgiveness through the gospel. If we’re not sure, we listen and ask questions.
11 min
December 31, 2018 What Are Your New Year’s Resolutions?
Pastor J.D. discusses his hopes and goals for the new year.
A glimpse inside this episode:
Each new year gives us an opportunity to refocus and recalibrate about the year ahead. A practice I’ve learned from John Piper is taking some dedicated time to pray about my calling and specifically if we’re called overseas each year.
On our staff team, each December we prepare for the next year. For example, in 2019, we’re praying for 1,000 baptisms in the coming year through our Who’s Your One? initiative. Another thing we’re focusing on is the number of people in small groups. Those are re-calibration items we’re seeking God for this year.
Personally, I have a standard set of goals each year. One is a goal for the number of books I’ll read next year, and I spend time researching what I want to read and if there is a theme. My wife and I set time each week to plan ahead for the next week. And then every three months, we set time to talk about the next six months. And so, going into 2019 we have plan for our shepherding our kids and mission trips we plan to take.
What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”
11 min
December 24, 2018Is the Old Testament Still Relevant?
Pastor J.D. speaks to the recent claim that Christians should unhitch their faith from the Old Testament and explains why doing so is unwise and untrue to the nature of Scripture.
A glimpse inside this episode:
True: Wrong use of the Old Testament has been a major obstacle to faith.
Paul in Galatians: Obligating yourself to one part obligates you to all of the law.
“Some would like to subjugate us to certain parts of the Mosaic Law. But this is not to be permitted under any circumstances. If we permit Moses to rule over us in one thing, we must obey him in all things.” -Martin Luther
Andy Stanley talks about the problem of mismatching which I agree with.
Throughout history, Christians have found two uses of Old Testament Law:
Mirror – Reveals where we are sinful
1 Corinthians 7
Galatians 3
Awakenings are always built on preaching of the 10 Commandments
Guide – After being saved, shows us how to live pleasing to God.
Jen Wilkin, “When you are an unbeliever, the Law points to your need for grace. When you are a believer, grace points to your need for the Law.”
But should we unhitch from the Old Testament altogether?
The sacrificial death of Jesus makes very little sense without the history of the sacrificial system.
Ephesians 6:1
Stanley says Jesus released into the world a new law: love
But what does love look like in action?
Jesus came to fulfill the law not abolish the law.
2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture (referring specifically to the Old Covenant) is breathed out by God and profitable for doctrine (understanding what love really is), for reproof (understanding what it is not), for correction and for training in righteousness (understanding how to live it out), that the man of God may be complete, not lacking in anything.”
The real problem that “de-converts” have:
Skeptics’ main objection to Christian faith, in my experience, is not why Christians today borrow from the Old Testament, but how we could ever believe God had said in it the things that he said.
Plus, they are just as skeptical of the New Testament as the Old (Hello Romans 1!).
Old Testament and how it pointed to Jesus saved my faith. Same for disciples in Luke 24
And so much more!
What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”
17 min
December 17, 2018How Do You Read a Book?
Pastor J.D. explains why it’s important to not only read but also remember what you read with some helpful tips he’s found throughout the years.
A glimpse into this episode:
A guy once told me that in 5 years you’ll be the same person except for the books you read and the people you meet.
First of all, you should be reading.
John Wesley, “Read or get out of the ministry.”
“Readers are leaders.”
But assuming you already are a reader… I talk to people all the time who read a lot but are frustrated at how little they seem to retain. They want to know the secret to reading books well.
People always see my library, which is pretty large–over a thousand books, and invariably ask me the same question, “Have you read all of these?”
I believe it really doesn’t matter how many books you’ve read if you can’t remember what’s in any of them. As Proverbs 12:27 says, “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.”
Here are my two action items for you on how to read a book well:
First, take notes.
If you look into one of my books, you’ll notice that I underline passages, add stars next to others, and scribble short responses in the margins. Sometimes I’m agreeing with the author; sometimes I’m arguing; sometimes I’m making dumb jokes that only future J.D. will find funny. But I’m engaging the words, not simply looking at them.
Second, create a cheat sheet.
This is the toughest part, and it’s where most dedicated readers fall off. After the book is done, and you’ve been scribbling throughout it, create a 1-2 page cheat sheet that acts as your guide for the book. I like to use the empty pages at the front of the book for this (which, if I’m remembering correctly, is what Mortimer Adler suggested in his classic book, How to Read a Book).
Now, if you’ve ever seen one of my books, you know that my cheat sheet isn’t comprehensive (or even always legible). That’s okay: it’s not for anyone else but me. But that cheat sheet helps me remember what I liked about a book and where to find it. So at a glance, I can remember, for instance, that Tim Keller has a great evangelism analogy about a doughnut on page 46 (or whatever).
I also have a filing system by topic and book of the Bible where I catalogue a lot of the helpful things I read. And after 20 years of ministry I’ve created a rich storage of useful things that I can use later for sermons or anything else.
I keep track of all of the books that I read, but it ends up being about 65-70 books a year. I also use a service called Blinkist that gives short summaries of leadership books.

What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”
10 min
December 10, 2018 Is It Okay to Teach Your Kids About Santa Claus?
Pastor J.D. discusses the difference between playing along with the idea of Santa Claus and helping kids distinguish truth from fiction.
A glimpse into this episode:
Every year my wife and I take a Santa doll and cut it into shreds and burn the remnants in front of our children’s eyes to remind them how badly that God hates lies. Then we read all the passages in the Bible about lying, and then we show them that by simply switching 2 of the letters, “Santa” becomes “Satan.”
Just kidding.
I think there is an appropriate place for fantasy in a child’s life, and I don’t mind playing “kids’ games” with my children when they are kids. So, when my kids were 4 or 5, we talked about Santa as if he was real. But all of my kids are older, now, and they realize that what we did when they were little kids was “playing a game.”
Now, I will say that things were a little different when my kids asked me directly about Santa. I’m not about lying to my kids about anything, but I didn’t want my kid being the one telling everyone in their class that their parents were liars. So when my kids asked, I tried turning the question around. “What do you think?” And then changing the subject.
My oldest, of course, had a lawyer’s mind from the time she was 3. (She’s 15 now.) So she wouldn’t let us get away with dodging the question. When she was 6 she cross-examined my wife like a grizzled court attorney, and my wife cracked. The next month we went to a local mall, and that was the first time she saw someone dressed as Santa, and she grabbed my arm and said, “Dad, Mom told me he wasn’t real, but there he is.”
Personally, I don’t think playing along with a fantasy with young kids is damaging. But trust matters, and at a certain age (say, 5 or 6), your kids will ask you directly. They’re learning to separate truth from fiction, and it’s important we reinforce that by being honest with them.
I know some families who parse this differently. One couple I know tells their kids that Santa is pretend, but that part of the game is not telling other kids that he’s pretend. Other parents just lay out from Day 1 that Santa is a fairy tale. Having parented four kids through those early years, I’m willing to show a lot of grace, because other people may have it figured out better than me. (Before I had kids, I had 4 great ideas on parenting and 0 kids. Now I have 4 kids and 0 great ideas on parenting.)
By the way, if there’s any kids listening in, this is all just a joke. Of course Santa is real.
What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”
9 min
December 03, 2018How do you prepare for sermons?
Pastor J.D. shares his process for developing his weekly sermons, from research to manuscript and everything in between.
A glimpse inside this episode:
Research
Big picture—picking the content of the entire sermon series. This happens anywhere from 3 to 6 months prior to the start of a particular series.
I consult with several key church leaders to determine what to preach. (I let a lot of people speak into my process, from the very beginning even through the weekend I’m preaching.)
We ask questions like: What parts of Scripture have we not preached recently? What is going on in our church that requires pastoral leadership? What has God been teaching me and our leaders?
Alternate between book-by-book (Old Testament and New Testament) and then occasional topical series.
Both are faithful methods.
John Stott on the preacher’s role as steward’s (cooking for the kids, etc.)
Listening to communicators and how they present the material
From research to outline
If I’m preaching through the book of Judges, I’ll read the book a dozen times. I want to get it into my blood.
My weekly pattern
Monday (initial research and rough draft)
Tuesday (fill out the draft)
Wednesday (feedback from campus pastors)
Sermon ends up being preached to the 10 people the pastor met with that week, so we want to expand that net
Thursday (flesh out the draft, incorporate changes based on feedback)
Friday (generally let it sit and not fuss with it too much)
Saturday (some last minute additions before my first sermon)
Do you preach from the outline or do you use a full manuscript?
I wouldn’t necessarily advise this for everyone, but I write out my sermon outline almost word-for-word, so that it is written down just as I would preach it.
The reason I say I wouldn’t advise this is that most people don’t write exactly how they speak. So when they try to do a full transcript, their preaching ends up sounding like someone reading a position paper. (Even though I say this to guys all the time, most people end up trying to do what I do. My advice would be: don’t.)
Of course, anyone familiar with my outlines will recognize that there are certain illustrations, stories, and points that I don’t write out completely. Many times I’ll just need a word or two (“Karate Kid”) that makes perfect sense to me but would be essentially nonsense for someone who happened to pick up a manuscript later.

What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”
13 min
November 26, 2018What do you do when you find yourself in a toxic friendship?
Pastor J.D. explains the three concentric circles of friendship—care, influence, and intimacy—and gives wisdom for how to approach relationships in each one, especially those affected by negativity.
A glimpse inside this episode:
Part of this depends on what kind of “friend” we’re talking about:
Three concentric circles—care, influence, intimacy
In the innermost circle, intimacy, you have a small group of friends—probably just three or four—that profoundly shape you, and vice versa. If you’re married, your spouse goes in this circle. These are people that share the ultimate convictions you have. These are the ones that forecast your future—and it would take a lot for you to “break up” with them, so to speak.
In the next circle, influence, you have a larger number of friends. You influence them, and they influence you—not as deeply as your closest friends but still in meaningful ways.
In the outermost circle, care, you have the largest number of friends, including more casual acquaintances. These are people that you love and care for. You legitimately want the best for them and are willing to sacrifice for them, sometimes in stunning ways.
When it comes to It’s wise to have different ways of assessing our relationships based on which circle we’re talking about.
In my relationship with my wife, who is in that innermost circle, there will never be a time when her “negative impact” on me makes me say, “Well, you know what, this is just too draining.”
But in the “care” circle, there are going to be times when it’s best to say, “This isn’t healthy for either of us.” God doesn’t want us in toxic relationships, relationships where the net result is leading both people further into sin.
Helpful principle—first sinner, second sinned against.
Another helpful principle—”turn the other cheek” (and what that actually means)
Neither of these mean we always allow others to hurt us. But this should be the baseline for how we approach our friendships.
Resources from Brad Hambrick on jdgreear.com.
11 min

About The Bullpen with J.D. Greear

From the publisher's feed

Every sermon starts with more than can fit into a message. For years, Pastor J.D. Greear has filled his sermon notes with extra illustrations, questions, insights, and rabbit trails that never made…