In the 1990s, Homestead Heights was a church that had plateaued at a respectable 300 members. In 1998, without a senior pastor, the church prayed for a fresh vision for reaching the world. In December 2001, they decided to call as pastor a young J.D. Greear, who had been serving as their college pastor. Homestead Heights relaunched as The Summit Church. That church has now grown to over 12,000 in attendance. But what makes Greear and Summit a unique church is their vision to plant 1,000 new churches by the year 2050.

Greear is known for his commitment to gospel-centered theology and a focus on reaching the next generation. He has authored several books and hosts a 30-minute daily radio broadcast. His tenure as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2018 to 2021 also highlighted his influence, during which he championed racial reconciliation, evangelism, and church revitalization. His leadership, preaching, and vision for mobilizing churches for missions make him one of today’s most influential pastors.

Photo courtesy: ©Facebook / J.D. Greear