The way of Jesus leads us to a deeper, fuller life. This was true in the ancient world where Jesus first lived and taught, and it’s still true today. But what does it mean to actually practice the way of Jesus in today’s complex, secular world? In this podcast, join John Mark Comer and other guides as they explore this important question through practical teachings and conversations. At Practicing the Way, we are here to help you journey to a deeper life with God.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Why is the world so messed up? John Mark reflects on the reality of the world's dysfunction and how the story of the Fall in Genesis explains humanity's descent into chaos. He challenges us to reconsider our understanding of sin, its origins, and its impact on our lives, ultimately pointing to Jesus as our only hope for overcoming sin and its consequences. Key Scripture Passage: Genesis 3v1-21 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special than...
The Generosity Practice is out now. Check it out at practicingtheway.org/generosity . "Generosity is more than giving; it's an act of trust." Ger Jones, lead pastor of Vintage Church, explores the deeper implications of generosity in the life of a disciple. He challenges the common views of generosity tied to wealth and obligation, urging us to see it as a practice that reshapes our hearts and lives. By reflecting on the biblical foundations and the transformative power of giving, he invites us ...
"What if fasting could break our hearts open to the suffering of the world and move us to action?" John Mark explores the connection between fasting and justice, urging us to consider how this ancient practice can realign our hearts with God's care for the poor. He challenges us to move beyond a self-focused spirituality and enter into a deeper solidarity with those in need. Key Scripture Passage: Isaiah 58v1-12 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly g...
Do you ever feel like your prayers aren't heard? In a world where we often feel disconnected from God's voice, fasting can be a powerful tool to hear and be heard by Heaven. John Mark explores the interplay between prayer and fasting, uncovering how these two ancient practices flow together and compliment the work of transformation in our lives. Key Scripture Passage: Acts 13v1-3, Jonah 3v5-10 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special than...
How can we overcome sin when our willpower isn't enough? John Mark talks about how fasting is one way to help us grow in self-control, and the ripple effect that can have throughout our whole lives. Key Scripture Passage: Romans 7v15-8v1 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Melanie from Dothan, Alabama; Evan from Westminster, Colorado; Shaylana from Dallas, Texas; Peter from Howell, Michigan; and Bob f...
Why should we fast? John Mark outlines the history of fasting in the Christian tradition, and argues that we don't fast to bio-hack our way to holiness, but rather to expose our weakness where God meets us. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 6v16-18 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Lena from Nashville, Tennessee; Robert from Marietta, Georgia; Adam from Norton Shores, Michigan; Miles from Waco, Texas; ...
How do we sabbath well? John Mark highlights four common words associated with the word “shabbat”: stop, rest, delight, and worship, showing us how these four words give us clues on how to best open ourselves up to the life God offers us through this practice. Key Scripture Passages: Mark 2v23-28; Mark 3v1-6 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Beverly from Pearland, Texas; Pamela from Coppell, Texas; ...
Do you think of Sabbath as a weapon? In a culture that is addicted to the twin drugs of accomplishment and accumulation, Sabbath is how we “fight” back against Egypt, Pharaoh, and his empire. Join us as John Mark continues his biblical theology on Sabbath with an exploration of work and rest in the story of the Exodus. Key Scripture Passages: Exodus 20v8; Deuteronomy 5v12-15; Nehemiah 13v15-22 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special than...
What makes the Sabbath different from the rest of the week? John Mark continues exploring a biblical theology of Sabbath, demonstrating how Sabbath is woven throughout creation as a rhythm for us to follow, and encouraging us to embrace the gift of this practice with delight. Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v31-2:3; Exodus 16v9-30; Exodus 20v1-8 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Philip from Coupevi...
Are you tired? In our world filled with fast-paced digital technology, what do we do to combat the restlessness that corrodes at our soul? John Mark teaches on how the practice of Sabbath can help us embody the peace of Jesus in our lives and and radically change our walk with God. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 11v28-30; Hebrews 4v1-11 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Tom from Kremmling, Colorado...
What do you do when you hit a wall in your apprenticeship to Jesus? Beau Hughes, lead pastor of The Village Church, Denton, interviews John Mark and Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church, Flower Mound about their journeys of discipleship and formation. Together, John Mark and Matt encourage us to open our lives for God to bring transformation in the deepest part of our selves. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for...
How do we become resilient disciples of Jesus? Gavin Bennett shares a vision for how a Rule of Life can shape us and our communities into people of love. He challenges us to resist the temptations to make a Rule of Life about control, busyness, duty, or enthusiasm, and instead encourages us to lean into the invitations of the Spirit and Jesus's easy yoke. Key Scripture Passage: John 15v1-5 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks f...
Why a Rule of Life? Tyler Staton explains the why and the what behind a Rule of Life, outlining the biblical, historical, and practical roots of this practice. He argues that a Rule of Life is essential for us to preserve the new wine of God's grace in this cultural moment with new wineskins. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 9v14-17, Psalm 56v12-13, Acts 2v42-47. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Joe...
What does it look like to witness in our culture? Tre' Giles walks us through three ways to witness to others: spoken love, supernatural love, and sacrificial love, and challenges us to live our lives in a way that demonstrates the good news of Jesus to others. Key Scripture Passages: Acts 1v8; Colossians 1v12-14; Matthew 3v16-17; Matthew 9v9-13; Luke 23v38-43 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Josh ...
"Sabbath rest empowers resurrection work." In a world filled with burnout, exhaustion, and shallow indulgence, Tyler Staton argues that Sabbath is a practice to reform our relationship with work and rest - helping us work with God and receive rest as a gift from him. Highlighting the scriptural foundations and formational purpose of this practice, he highlights the future hope that we live into as we stop and rest. Key Scripture Passage: Genesis 2v1-3; Exodus 20v8-11; Exodus 31v17; Deuteronomy 5...
Are our hands so full of money that we can't receive the generosity of God? Gavin Bennett argues that how we handle money is key to our apprenticeship to Jesus. He shows us that when our generosity is rooted in God's generosity, we can more fully step into our role as stewards of the resources God's entrusted to us. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 13v44-46; Matthew 6v24; Matthew 15v15-22; Matthew 19v16-26 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. ...
What if serving others is more rewarding than we think? Bethany Allen argues that we often only consider the costs of service, but rarely consider the deeper rewards it brings: lasting joy and fulfillment. She not only encourages us to see and sacrifice for one another in service, but also offers us five principles to guide as we serve. Key Scripture Passage: Luke 10v25-37 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode g...
What does not eating have to do with following Jesus? Tyler Staton breaks down the "why" of fasting: how it can help us focus on what's most important, give us freedom from idols in our lives, and grow us in compassion for others. Key Scripture Passages: Romans 12v1 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Goolam from Claremont, South Africa; Andrew from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida; Carli from Chandler, Ariz...
"You can't follow Jesus alone." John Mark shows us the essential nature of community in our walk with Jesus: how God adopts us into his family and the role our brothers and sisters play in our formation. He concludes with an encouragement to be intentional in finding community, and when we do, to put down deep roots. Key Scripture Passages: Mark 1v16-20; Mark 3v13-19; Mark 3v32-35; Romans 8v15; Ephesians 2v15-20 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly g...
"When you're waiting, you're not doing nothing. You're doing the most important something there is. You're allowing your soul to grow up. If you can't wait, you can't become what God created you to be." - Unknown In a world that is full of noise and activity, solitude is deeply uncomfortable for many of us. Yet it's core to the way of Jesus. Tyler explores the importance of solitude in our apprenticeship, slowing us down to God's pace and giving us hope in the waiting. He ends with practical exa...
Why are the Scriptures so confusing? Tim Mackie and Tyler Staton discuss how our intuition about what the Bible should do - that it's supposed to tell us about what's true, good, and God's voice - are correct. But these intuitions without the right tools to read can destruct our faith more than they construct it. Together, Tyler and Tim show us how to approach the Scriptures with the right tools, and read it like a story: one that leads us to Jesus. Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 1v1-3 This podcas...
"Prayer is the soil where every other spiritual practice grows." Tyler teaches on the pervasiveness of prayer in every facet of our spiritual walk and its importance in our growth. He challenges us to pray like we believe that God hears and answers. Key Scripture Passage: Hebrews 5v7 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Gillian from Forest Hills, South Africa; Jeff from Ann Arbor, Michigan; Evan from O...
What is the "yoke" of Jesus? Tyler Staton breaks down Jesus's invitation, helping us to experience the joy and life of Jesus as we follow in his ways. Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 11v28-30 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 Lakewood, California; Abraham from Omaha, Nebraska; Eli from Bois D’Arc, Missouri; Steve from Portland, Oregon; and Samara from Lausanne, Switzerland. Thank you all s...
Do you have hope? John Mark explores the life-changing message of Easter by showing us the hope found in the story of Jesus and 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: Christopher from Superior, Colorado; Jonathan from Langley, BC; Kathy from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Kayne from Phoenix, Arizona; and Ryan from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Thank...
"Godliness is possible, but it is not natural." John Mark discusses some of the foundational ideas from his new book: Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Jesus, Do as He Did. John Mark challenges us to resist the distractions that tempt us to waste our lives, and instead become people of love who live for our eulogies rather than our resumes. To pick up a copy of John Mark's new book, you can purchase it online here , or in person wherever books are sold. This podcast and its episodes...
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...
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 Dak...
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...
This episode addresses the prevalent issues Western Christians face with the Bible: not reading it, struggling to understand it, and disliking or taking issue with its content. John Mark Comer explores Jesus' relationship with scripture, emphasizing that our belief in the Bible stems from Jesus' authority. He argues for embracing the Bible as a divine and human word, advocating for a year of biblical literacy to deepen one's understanding and relationship with the text, ultimately finding Jesus within its pages.
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 its episo...
