The Seek First Podcast

In this episode I am joined by Lead Pastor of the Summit Church and President of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear. Pastor J.D. currently leads thousands of members at his church in the Raleigh-Durham area and has written multiple books including Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart and Gaining By Losing.

In this episode we discuss his new book What are You Going to Do With Your Life where he encourages everyone to leverage their lives for the glory, the fame, and the renown of God. 

Matt Carter is currently the Lead Pastor at Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas. Previously, he served as the Pastor at The Austin Stone where grew the church from 18 college students to a weekly attendance of 7,000. 

He talks about the impact COVID-19 has had on the church, where the church is headed, and his book The Long Walk Home.

Jeff Dodge is currently the Teaching Pastor at Veritas Church in Iowa City. He shares his story on how asking for someone else's ID to drink underage actually led him to the Gospel and to become a Christian.

He actually shares his insights on his book Gospel 101(which is a book used all throughout the Salt Network and beyond to teach on the basics of theology and the Biblical Narrative). We talk about justification and why it is at the heart of the gospel as well as what he is seeing in the current cultural environment and the biggest obstacle(s) for the church moving forward over the next 20 years. 

I went on a short-term(2 months) mission trip last summer to Southeast Asia where this individual was my mentor and a huge blessing. The work him and his wife do to take the gospel to unreached people groups is so encouraging. This is a really interested and engaging conversation where you will get a glimpse of what being a long-term missionary looks like. In this conversation we talk about determining success on obedience over results, how the name "prosperity gospel" is wrong in itself, and why other religions and belief systems offer no hope. 

Nate Hilgenkamp serves as the College Minister at Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. He is also a Co-Host of The Becoming Something Podcast which is a wide-reaching Christian Podcast designed to challenge and encourage individuals to live the life that God has called them to. 

In this episode Nate talks about how he's leading his college students through some of the unique cultural moments that we are going through, how the Becoming Something Podcast started, why the "you do you" mentality doesn't hold up, and how to win at the comparison game. 

Zach Cunningham is the Salt Director for The Salt Company in East Lansing, Michigan at Michigan State University. In this episode Zach discusses what's going on at Michigan State's Salt Company, his favorite moments, and what he has learned during his time in ministry. He also touches on what makes a good leader and some of the advice he would give to single and dating individuals. Because Zach will be a repeat guest we keep this conversation broad, but you absolutely do not want to miss this episode. 

Jarryd Cole is a ministry leader for Cornerstone Church of Ames where he serves on the Pastoral and Local Ministry Staff Team. As a former collegiate and professional basketball player he breaks down the Last Dance Documentary, who the GOAT is, and who would've won March Madness. He also discusses practical ways to get the most out of the Coronavirus Epidemic as well as why he's encouraged from the response by Christians to the death Ahmaud Arbery and what he would tell those who are unengaged or unaffected by the loss.