How do we read the Bible? John Mark talks about the importance of obedience in our reading the Bible, challenging us to not only study the Bible, but meditate and digest it through slow, prayerful reading of the Scriptures. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 24v13-27, 44-48; Joshua 1v7-8; Psalm 1v1-3 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tim from Paron, Arkansas; Michael from Kettering, Ohio; Keith from Madis...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Why read the Bible? John Mark argues that we don't just read the Scriptures to gain information or be entertained, but to be shaped: to become more like the God whose story and character are revealed to us as we read. Key Scripture Passages: 2 Timothy 3v14-18 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jill from Louisville, Ohio; Jess from Brea, California; Jacob from Austin, Texas; Kate from Fargo, North...
Mar 08, 2024•47 min
What exactly is the Bible? If we misunderstand what the Bible is, we’ll turn in into something it’s not. John Mark makes the case that the Bible is a library of writings that are both divine and human, that together tell a unified story which leads us to Jesus. Key Scripture Passages: John 5v39-40 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Natalie from Sierra Madre, California; Michelle from Nashville, Tenne...
Mar 01, 2024•54 min
We have a problem with the Bible. More and more followers of Jesus in the west don’t read it, don’t now how to read it, don’t even like it, and frankly, take issue with it. So why do we follow the Bible? In this episode, John Mark looks at how Jesus talked about the Bible, arguing that we believe in the Bible because of Jesus's authority, not the other way around. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 5v17-19; Mark 12v35-36; Mark 12v18-27; Matthew 28v16-18. This podcast and its episodes are paid f...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Are you waiting on a dream from God? John Mark teaches about God's promises through the story of Joseph. He shows us that God's fulfillment of our deepest dreams and desires are often even better than we can imagine, giving us hope and endurance in the different, harder, and longer middle of the story. Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 37v2 - Genesis 45v8; Philippians 4v11-13 Resources for this practice: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/identity-and-calling This podcast and i...
Feb 16, 2024•49 min
Have you ever tried to change but couldn't make it last? As John Mark taught last week, we're constantly being shaped by our beliefs, habits, relationships, and environment. This week, he tells us how to fight back and create lasting transformation in our lives. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 6v39-40; Romans 12v2; Matthew 5-7 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part-six Other Mentioned Resources: Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster The Cost of Disciplesh...
Feb 09, 2024•50 min
"The question isn't, are you being formed? It's, what are you being formed into?" John Mark talks about the various influences that shape our lives and who we become. He challenges us to be intentional with our beliefs, habits, relationships, and experiences to form us into people of love. Key Scripture Passages: Ephesians 4v1-24; Galatians 4v19; Proverbs 4v23 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part-five This podcast and its episodes are paid for by T...
Feb 02, 2024•46 min
"The main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become" - Dallas Willard Our calling isn't just about what we do with our lives: it's also about who we become. John Mark talks about the inward journey: who we are called to be as believers, and how to get there. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 4v18-22; Matthew 9v9-13 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/part- three Other Resources: The Road Back to You, Suzanne Collins Invitation to a Journey...
Jan 26, 2024•50 min
Who are you, really? John Mark walks us through what the Scriptures tell us about our identity in Christ, helping us step into that reality through faith -- even when our lives don't seem to live up to it. Key Scripture passages: Matthew 3v13-17; Ephesians 1v1-15; Ephesians 4v1-3 Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/week-two This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Janine fro...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Our identity and calling has ramifications for who we become and what we do with our lives. John Mark lays out a biblical framework for this journey of discovery, encouraging us to embrace this process with community and the Holy Spirit. Key Scripture passages: Matthew 3v13-4v11; John 1v20-28; Matthew 16v13-18; Discussion Guide: https://practicingthewayarchives.org/identity/week-one This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this...
Jan 12, 2024•49 min
We've got lots of new content coming in 2024! Our new host, Strahan Coleman, gives a quick update on what's upcoming for the John Mark Comer Teachings podcast.
Jan 05, 2024•2 min
When was the last time you were disappointed? In our world, it's easy to put our hope in things that fail us. In contrast to the disillusionment of the world, John Mark talks about the Advent hope of Jesus's birth and second coming, showing us how putting our hope in that reality is the only hope that will never disappoint. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 1v16-38; Luke 24v13-27 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this...
Dec 22, 2023•42 min
Are you happy? Many of us aren't. Yet Martin Luther once said "a Christian should be happy." And Rick Howe argued that "the pursuit of joy is a moral obligation." In a world filled with sorrow and grief, John Mark shows us how the coming of Jesus gives us a path to pursue joy and how we can hold it in tandem with the pain of our lives. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks ...
Dec 15, 2023•45 min
How do we pray when we run out of words? John Mark talks about the practice of contemplative prayer and it's importance in our spiritual formation. He concludes with three primary obstacles to this form of prayer, offering ideas on how to move past these and embrace the depth of this path to life with God. Key Scripture Passages: 2 Corinthians 3v7-18 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Shirley fro...
Dec 08, 2023•49 min
"Learning to hear God's voice is the single most important task of a disciple of Jesus." John Mark talks about listening to God, exploring both they why and the how behind it. He challenges us to posture ourselves in surrender and obedience as we lean into a relationship with our creator. Key Scripture Passages: John 10v1-10; Deuteronomy 6v4-5; Matthew 28v19-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode g...
Dec 01, 2023•48 min
There comes a moment in our prayer lives when we want to pray our own words to God. John Mark shows us how the ancient practices of gratitude, lament, petition, and intercession help us find words to place our lives before God in love. Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-13 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Emily from Bakersfield, California; Evan from Woodland Park, Colorado; Callie Jane from Colorado...
Nov 24, 2023•46 min
How do we pray in a world full of smartphones? John Mark dives into Luke 11 and how Jesus taught his disciples to pray, showing how this prayer orients us to the character of God and how other pre-written prayers can help us grow in our walk with God. Key Scripture Passage: Luke 11v1-4 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Caleb from Avondale, Arizona; Timothy from Toronto, Ontario; Tyler from Grayson, ...
Nov 17, 2023•48 min
Do you ever feel stuck? John Mark speaks to the difference between our role and God's role in our formation journey, inviting us to embrace God's leading by letting go of attachments. He argues that surrender to God's work is a way to go beyond the surface level of our spiritual journey. Key Scripture Passage: John 21v18-19 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tiffani from Oak Park, Illinoi...
Nov 10, 2023•51 min
What do you do when everything falls apart? John Mark talks about overcoming fear in our lives, laying out a three-part journey of growing in faith, where we find deep peace and trust that transcends our circumstances. Key Scripture Passage: Mark 9v14-29 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kevin from New Richmond, Wisconsin; Nathan from Social Circle, Georgia; Mike from Nashville, Tennessee; Barb from...
Nov 03, 2023•51 min
What gives you hope for the future? John Mark contrasts the negative news cycle of our age with the good news of Jesus: that he's overcome death and is returning that we might walk in his resurrection. Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 15v1-28 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Eric from Lake Zurich, Illinois; Matt from Conway, Arkansas; Zodwa from Spring, Texas; Annie from McKinney, Texas; an...
Oct 27, 2023•38 min
How would you work differently if you believed your work was essential to your apprenticeship to Jesus? John Mark argues that a subtle religion emerging in our culture is 'work-ism,' where work becomes the primary system of meaning and identity in our lives. In contrast, he proposes the practice of vocation - 're-weaving glory' by doing everything unto the Lord. Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26-29, 2v8-15 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community...
Oct 20, 2023•34 min
What if the way forward in our political moment isn’t sweeping reform, but a meal around the table? As much of the world becomes more divided than ever, John Mark challenges us to become peacemakers by demonstrating God's love through the practice of hospitality. Key Scripture Passages: Mark 2v13-17, Mark 3v13-19, Romans 12v13, 1 Peter 4v8-9, Hebrews 13v1-2 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jess...
Oct 13, 2023•40 min
"If there's anything left of my annoying voice in your memory banks in 20 years, I would hope that you would hear me as a brother in your ear just saying, 'follow Jesus to the quiet and pray.'" All around us, people are angry and afraid. John Mark invites us to become a community of peaceful, 'non-anxious presences' by engaging in the practice of silence and solitude. Through this practice, we learn how to receive the love of God into the deepest places of our pain an...
Oct 06, 2023•48 min
How do we love others in the moral decay of the modern West? John Mark argues that the world needs a community of holiness as the counter-culture to the mainstream. John Mark explores the concept of holiness, a theology of the body, and the practice of fasting as a path to joy in God. Key Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6v12-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kayla from Cape Girardeau, Missouri; ...
Sep 29, 2023•52 min
In a culture of deconstruction and ideology, how do we stay faithful to Jesus and His teachings? Through the practice of Scripture, John Mark challenges us to deepen our trust in God and the teachings of our rabbi, Jesus. Key Scripture Passage: 2 Corinthians 10v1-5 Resource for this teaching: After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It, AJ Swoboda This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Maja...
Sep 22, 2023•56 min
How do we cultivate deep community? John Mark explores how the practice of community fits into our cultural moment of the loneliness of tribalism and individualism. He challenges us to press into community, even in pain, wounding, and trauma, since it is in community that we will ultimately find our healing. Key Scripture Passage: Romans 12 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Timothy from Mount Pleasa...
Sep 15, 2023•56 min
"This could be our finest moment. This could be the moment not of our death but of our rebirth." John Mark challenges us to dream again about what the Church can and should be in our cultural moment. He invites us to re-examine our Rule of Life as we think about being a counter-culture amidst the secular mainstream. Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 80 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tammy from...
Sep 08, 2023•37 min
How do we deal with emotional pain? John Mark explores Jesus's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and discusses how His model can help us process through our own moments of pain, turmoil, and disappointment. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 26v36-46 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jimmy from Randle, Washington; Jonathan from Shalimar, Florida; Rachel from Norwich, Norfolk; Diana from Charlotte,...
Sep 01, 2023•52 min
How do we keep from becoming "pharisees"? In a time when deconstruction is the cultural tide we swim in and disillusionment with pastors is widespread and well-earned, how do we model the way of Jesus? John Mark looks at Jesus's critique of the pharisees in Matthew 23, and explores what it means for us: how we live our lives and relate to our leaders in the church. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 23 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly giv...
Aug 25, 2023•47 min
What is life about? John Mark teaches on Jesus's teaching on the two greatest commandments in the Old Testament: to love God and to love our neighbor. He challenges us to examine how we can arrange our lives in such a way that love of God and neighbor is our natural response. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 22v34-40 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Michelle from Boerne, Texas; Marlys from Augusta...
Aug 18, 2023•47 min
