The Bullpen with J.D. Greear

Can God lead you into a decision that fails? J.D., Matt, and Curtis close out Ecclesiastes by talking about the small compromises that can eventually take someone out, the difference between faith and recklessness, how to discern God’s will, and why peace isn’t necessarily proof that a decision will succeed. Then they turn to Christian nationalism—religious liberty, who gets to define what counts as Christian, the viral University of Texas student-section photo, race and national identity, immigration and enculturation, and the difference between Christian influence in government and government authority over Christianity. Read Pastor J.D.’s article, “Why I’m Not a Christian Nationalist,” at The Gospel Coalition: HERE Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10-12 Watch the full sermon HERE. Get the sermon transcript HERE. Stay Connected! Text BULLPEN to 97000 for updates about the podcast. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode of The Bullpen!

Are you building a life that looks successful—or one that will actually matter when it’s over? In this episode of The Bullpen, J.D. Greear sits down with Matt Love, Curtis Andrusko, and special guest Julius Tennal to go deeper into Ecclesiastes 7 and the surprising wisdom that can come from hardship, loss, and even thinking about death. They talk about the difference between résumé virtues and eulogy virtues, what we tend to sacrifice in the pursuit of success, why we need people in our lives who are willing to tell us the truth, and how obedience can quietly become an attempt to control God. Julius also shares what it means to “live sent,” why Christians shouldn’t always wait for a dramatic calling before taking a step of obedience, and his family’s journey toward planting a church in South Africa. Plus, with football season back, we tackle the explosion of sports betting and ask whether “Is it a sin?” is even the right question. Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7 Watch the full sermon HERE. Get the sermon transcript HERE. Stay Connected! Text BULLPEN to 97000 for updates about the podcast. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode of The Bullpen!

Why do bad things happen to good people—or are we asking the wrong question? In this episode of The Bullpen, J.D. Greear sits down with Matt Love and Curtis Andrusko to go deeper into Ecclesiastes 3 and what it means to trust God in seasons we don’t understand. They talk about why “God has a plan” can be true and still be difficult to hear when you’re hurting, how Christians can respond to suffering without minimizing someone’s pain, and why J.D. says the Bible actually reframes one of our biggest questions about God and evil. They also talk about learning to enjoy the season you’re in instead of constantly waiting for the next one, whether our pets will be in heaven, and how Christians can hold together grace and truth as questions about gender and sexuality continue to play out in culture. Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-14 Watch the full sermon HERE. Get the sermon transcript. Stay Connected! Text BULLPEN to 97000 for updates about the podcast. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode of The Bullpen!

Why is it that getting what we want so often leaves us wanting something more? In the first episode of The Bullpen, J.D. Greear sits down with Matt Love and Curtis Andrusko to go deeper into his first sermon in the book of Ecclesiastes and the search for a meaningful, satisfying life. They talk about why success and pleasure can’t carry the weight we put on them, how Christians can genuinely enjoy God’s gifts without turning them into idols, and what Ecclesiastes has to say to a culture constantly looking for the next thing. They also discuss social media, our endless appetite for more, and what it looks like to build your life around the things that actually last. Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 Watch the full sermon HERE Get the sermon transcript. Stay Connected! Text BULLPEN to 97000 for updates about the podcast. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode of The Bullpen!

For years now, whenever Pastor J.D. Greear preaches, he writes far more than he can actually say in the sermon. The material that doesn’t make the cut—the extra illustrations, the rabbit trails, the good questions he didn’t have time to chase—gets kept in a section of his notes he calls the “bullpen.” All of that material, all these years, has just sat there and never seen the light of day. But that changes next week. Each time J.D. preaches, he’ll sit down with a couple of people and unpack the message. They’ll go deeper into the passage, wrestle with the hard questions just like they always have, and bring out implications they didn’t have time to get into during the message. And if there’s something big happening in the world, or a controversial question that could use some Christian wisdom applied to it—even if it wasn’t directly addressed by the text—they’ll discuss that too. No scripts. Just a free-flowing conversation. And as always, J.D. is praying it will be a resource to help you grow deeper in your love and understanding of the gospel. Episode Links: Watch on YouTube: YouTube Channel Listen wherever you listen to podcasts.