J.D. Greear’s Summit Church responds to YouTube series on alleged attempted takeover of Faith Baptist Church

Church elders say the merger with Faith Baptist was undertaken “with the utmost integrity.”

The Summit Church has responded publicly to a documentary series – “J.D. GREEAR UNMASKED: How Faith Baptist Church Defeated a Ruthless SBC Elite,” which reveals how Summit leaders allegedly attempted to take over a church’s property for a fraction of its value.

The Church Reform Initiative has posted three installments of the documentary on YouTube since June 1 detailing what it calls was a takeover attempt of Faith Baptist Church in Nightdale, N.C., by Summit, which is Southern Baptist megachurch in Durham, N.C.

The documentary recounts how leaders of Summit Church, pastored by Greear, former three-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention, led an effort to take over the church’s property for a new satellite location.

The YouTube videos detail the contentious closure of Faith Baptist and its subsequent attempted acquisition by Summit Church. Members of Faith Baptist are interviewed, alleging a hostile takeover orchestrated by Greear, claiming that he and other leaders pursued a deliberate strategy to acquire the Faith Baptist building, ultimately leading to the church’s dissolution and bankruptcy.

According to the documentary, Faith Baptist Pastor Jason Little worked with Summit leaders to transfer the assets of the church to Summit Church for a fraction of its worth.

Faith Baptist had a crucial vote on March 3, 2024, regarding the proposed merger with Summit Church, which required a two-thirds majority to dissolve Faith Baptist. The vote resulted in a 97-55 outcome that Greear claimed was a majority consensus, while critics argued it did not meet the necessary threshold, leading to a lawsuit and temporary restraining order against the merger.

Following the court’s failure to support their lawsuit, Little and Summit Church filed bankruptcy, claiming operational expenses as justification. Undeterred, Faith Baptist members continued to fight for their church – though the lawsuit was ultimately withdrawn before the depositions – allowing members to reclaim their church.

In its response to the Church Reform Initiative series, Summit Church elders said the merger with Faith Baptist was undertaken “with the utmost integrity.”

“The story being told misrepresents the events as well as our intentions in this process. The Summit sought to pursue this path with the utmost integrity at every step,” states the letter. “We believe it is important to be open with you as a church. Despite the claims being promoted in this video series, our church never sought to take anything from Faith Baptist Church.”

Read “Directional Elder Letter to The Summit Church” in its entirety.