Gaining by Losing: What J.D. Greear Gets Right That Lutherans Must Not Forget
- Jack Kalleberg
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
I met J.D. Greear at a leadership conference hosted by Summit Church. As we chatted during a break, I joked that I must be the token Lutheran in the room. That cracked open the door to an unexpected moment of theological connection. J.D. began sharing his deep appreciation for Martin Luther. He talked about visiting Wittenberg and other Reformation sites, and how much Luther’s ideas had shaped his thinking on mission and church leadership. He even mentioned he was considering getting a tattoo of Luther’s rose.
Later that day, he handed me two copies of Gaining by Losing—one for me and one for our senior pastor. We both read it and were struck by how deeply Greear’s framework resonates with Lutheran theology, especially our doctrine of vocation. Now, our whole staff is reading it together.
This post shares key insights from the first four chapters of Gaining by Losing, reflecting on how Greear’s ideas intersect with Lutheran convictions—and how they challenge us to think more boldly about calling, leadership, and the mission of the Church.
I. The Priesthood of All Believers Isn’t Just Lutheran
One of the foundational teachings of the Reformation was that every Christian is called to ministry—not just the clergy. This principle, deeply rooted in Lutheran theology, is something Greear doesn’t just acknowledge—he builds his entire framework upon it.
“Martin Luther explains that through faith in Christ, we are all on equal footing. We are all priests. We are all prophets. We are all ambassadors for Christ.” (Chapter 4)
Luther’s idea of the priesthood of all believers is often affirmed but under-practiced in many Protestant churches—including Lutheran ones. Greear isn’t borrowing lightly here; he’s applying Luther with laser focus.
In our own tradition, we often proclaim the priesthood of all believers while structuring ministry around the actions of a few professional pastors. This is the wall that Luther helped tear down, and yet many of us continue to build back up—sometimes unknowingly.
“In many Protestant denominations, the wall never really came down… We’ve become very pastor-centric in our expression of ministry, even though we strongly believe in the priesthood of all believers.”
II. Calling Is Not Mysterious
In many church contexts, the concept of calling feels elusive or reserved for a spiritual elite. Greear dismantles that notion by asserting that every believer is already called. The only real question is how and where we live that calling out.
“We don’t have to find God’s will because it’s not lost... His will is that we would be involved in that mission.” (Chapter 4)
“The question is no longer if we are called, only where and how.” (Chapter 1)
Calling doesn’t need to feel abstract. It’s not some mysterious code to crack. Greear urges believers to start with what they already know:
What skill has God given me by which I can bless the world?
Where and how can I do this most strategically to advance the mission of God?
This demystification of calling is liberating. It makes mission practical and accessible. Once we understand this, it becomes obvious that our everyday lives are the front lines of Kingdom work.
III. Vocation as Missional Deployment
The doctrine of vocation is one of Lutheranism’s greatest gifts to the global church. Greear highlights how our everyday roles—no matter how ordinary—are the very platforms through which God works His mission in the world.
“Luther believed that every believer must discover how he or she is gifted by God to develop his world... God uses your vocation to care for this world through you.” (Chapter 4)
“Whatever God made you good at, do it well for the glory of God—and do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God.” (Chapter 2)
This is Luther’s doctrine of vocation, alive and well in a modern evangelical voice. Greear reminds us that the sacred/secular divide is false. Work is worship. The role of the teacher, the barista, the engineer—these aren’t second-tier callings. They’re frontline assignments in God’s Kingdom strategy.
IV. The Aircraft Carrier Church
Greear contrasts common church models. Many churches operate like cruise ships, where the goal is to make the journey comfortable. Others try to act like battleships, focused on staff-led mission. But the ideal is an aircraft carrier: a base that equips and launches every believer.
“Every believer is a fighter plane. When church members understand that, they move from spectators to owners of the vision, ambassadors of the mission.” (Chapter 4)
This imagery is powerful. It reorients church as a launchpad, not a lounge. Once vocation is rightly understood, the natural result is a mobilized church—one where every believer is launched with purpose.
V. A Sending Culture Requires Sacrifice
We all say we want to see revival—but few are willing to pay the price of sending. Greear calls the church to give away its best, to sacrifice comfort for mission, and to shift from a posture of preservation to one of multiplication.
“We say we want revival, but we structure our churches to compete with other churches, not send people out.” (Chapter 4)
“Stop asking God to do something for you and start asking Him to do something through you.” (Chapter 3)
These quotes sting with conviction. If we truly believe the Great Commission is for everyone, then we must reimagine our church structures around sending, not retaining. That means releasing your best leaders. That means losing by design—and gaining by faith. Greear’s challenge to the church is not theoretical. It’s functional—and costly.
VI. Discipleship Isn’t a Checklist
Discipleship isn’t about checking off spiritual growth milestones—it’s about being captivated by the gospel. Greear reframes spiritual formation as a response to awe rather than a pursuit of achievement.
“We don’t become better disciples by mastering 10 steps to becoming more like Jesus. We become passionate followers of God when our hearts are gripped with awe and wonder at the 10 billion steps He took toward us in Christ.” (Chapter 4)
This is gospel-centered discipleship. Not performance-driven, but awe-driven. That’s the kind of transformation that sustains mission. When our hearts are stirred by what God has done for us, we cannot help but live sent lives.
VII. The Great Commission Is for Everyone
Perhaps the boldest claim Greear makes is that mission is not a niche calling—it’s the baseline for every believer. He challenges church structures to reflect this, calling every follower of Jesus into the game.
“The Great Commission is not a calling for some, it is a mandate for all.”
(Chapter 4)
That’s the heartbeat of this entire book—and the theological thread that Lutherans must follow with renewed boldness. The time for spectator Christianity is over.
How would your church look different if every member saw themselves as a fighter plane, not a passenger? What’s one step you could take to launch more leaders into their God-given callings?
Coming Next: In Part Two, we’ll explore how Greear pushes beyond individual calling to create systems that consistently send, multiply, and release leaders.
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