John Mark Comer Teachings

"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 givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Daniel from Hillsboro, Oregon; David from Yorba Linda, California; Aarti from Beaconsfield, Australia; Melanie from Flower Mound, Texas; and Kim from Keller, Texas.Thank you all so much!

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"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 examples of how to create rhythms of solitude in our everyday lives.

Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 131

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Mackenzie from Charlotte, North Carolina; Dy from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Luke from Redding, California; Matthew from Sherwood, Oregon; and Gina from Asheville, North Carolina.Thank you all so much!

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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 podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Amy from Fort Wayne, Indiana; Claire from Madison, Mississippi; Cheyenne from Charlotte, North Carolina; Michele from Plymouth, Minnesota; and Beth from Fort Worth, Texas.Thank you all so much!

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"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 Olympia, Washington; Christa and Jim from Goodyear, Arizona; and Andrew from Woodstock, Ontario. Thank you all so much!

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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 so much!

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Do you have hope? John Markexplores 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 you all so much!

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"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 onlinehere, or in person wherever books are sold.

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Cheyne from Vero Beach, Florida; Christina from Burbank, California; Gabriel from Portland, Oregon; Scott from Sudbury, Massachusetts; and Jennifer from Spokane, Washington. Thank you all so much!

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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 Madison, Wisconsin; Macy from Fort Collins, Colorado; and Barbara from Mesa, Arizona. Thank you all so much!

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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 Dakota; and Mark from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Thank you all so much!

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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, Tennessee; Ethan from Columbus, Ohio; Jenna from Choteau, Montana; and Nate from Pittsboro, Indiana. Thank you all so much!

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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 for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: John from Telford, Pennsylvania; Carter from Mount Vernon, Ohio; Clint from St Simons Island, Georgia; Taylor from St. Catharines, Ontario; and Anne from Olympia, Washington. Thank you all so much!

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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 episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Brandon from Indianapolis, Indiana; Julia from Auburn, Washington; Tami from Tustin, California; Nate from Denver, Colorado; and Delaney from Edmonton, Alberta. Thank you all so much!

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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 Discipleship by Diedrich Bonhoeffer

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Dwayne from Waianae, HI; Michael from Tyler, TX; Carine from Rogers, AR; Kyle from Waco, TX; and Scott from London,UK. Thank you all so much!

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"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 The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Sam from Derby, Derbyshire; Kevin from Hamilton, Ontario; Matthew from Langley, British Columbia; Elijah from Garland, Texas; and Kendall from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Thank you all so much!

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"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, Robert Mulholland

The Road to Character, David Brooks

enneagraminstitute.com

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Barbara from Mesa, Arizona; David from Portland, Oregon; Josiah from Byron Center, Michigan; Renee from Cambridge , Massachusetts; and Kyle from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Thank you all so much!

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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 from Forest Grove, Oregon; Tobias from Hürth, North Rhine Westphalia; Tom from Hubbard, Oregon; Drew from Greenville, South Carolina; and Bates from Waco, Texas. Thank you all so much!

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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 episode goes to: Shaun from Nashville, Tennessee; Michael from Clarksville, Tennessee; Kelsey from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Amanda Ann Godwin from Hillsborough, North Carolina; and Jesse from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Thank you all so much!

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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.

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 episode goes to: Pat from Modesto, California; John from Minneapolis, Minnesota; Scott from Waco, Texas; Nick from Laguna Niguel, California; and Tahisha from Arlington, Virginia. Thank you all so much!

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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 for this episode goes to: Autumn from Austin, Texas; Joshua from Shreveport, Louisiana; Hollie from Meridian, Idaho; Derrick from Portland, Oregon; and Cadyn from Sachse, Texas. Thank you all so much!

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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 from Carnegie, Pennsylvania; Trish from Houston, Texas; Keith from Flowood, Mississippi; Chris from St. Louis Park, Minnesota; and Trevor from Damascus, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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"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 goes to: Jo-Dee from Cookeville, Tennessee; Dustin from Portland, Oregon; Beth from Lake Zurich, Illinois; Thomas from Soldotna, Arkansas; and Kevin from Lexington, Kentucky. Thank you all so much!

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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 Springs, Colorado; Lana from Kernersville, North Carolina; and A.J. from Newburgh, Indiana. Thank you all so much!

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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, Kentucky; Jacob from Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland; and Maddie from Indianapolis, Indiana. Thank you all so much!

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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, Illinois; Alex from Springfield, Missouri; City Life Church in Lansing, Michigan; Kay from Glendale, California; and Simon from Zürich, Switzerland.Thank you all so much!

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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 Richardson, Texas; and Clay from Marietta, Georgia. Thank you all so much!

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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; and Steven from New York, New York. Thank you all so much!

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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 of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Paytron from Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Chantelle from Lincoln, Nebraska; Alex from Bloomington, Minnesota; Lovina from Sarasota, Florida; and Marcus from Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you all so much!

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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: Jessica from Hermantown, Minnesota; Ben from Portland, Oregon; Brooke from Nashville, Tennessee; Marc from Chino Hills, California; and Achsah from Fayetteville , Georgia. Thank you all so much!

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"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 and fear.

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 5v12-16

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Araceli from Portland, Oregon; Kristin from Omaha, Nebraska; Keith from Modesto, California; Brian from Durham, North Carolina; and Dan from Foley, Alabama.Thank you all so much!

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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; Cory from Oakland, California; Mason from Dallas, Texas; Seth from Hood River, Oregon; and Adam from Omaha, Nebraska. Thank you all so much!

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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 from Christchurch, New Zealand; Lisa from Calgary, Alberta; Kevin from Cresson, Texas; Gracie from Austin, Texas; and Gregory from Ballwin, Missouri. Thank you all so much!

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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 Pleasant, North Carolina; Michael from Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Callie from Cary, North Carolina; Stephanie from Richmond, Virginia; and Ashley from Montrose, Colorado. Thank you all so much!

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"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 Milford, Nova Scotia; Heath from University City, Missouri; Lynn from Ocala, Florida; Callum from Swindon, Wiltshire; Wendy from Dundas, Ontario; and John and Elli from Greenwich, Connecticut. Thank you all so much!

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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, North Carolina; and Ryan from Toronto, Ontario; Thank you all so much!

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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 givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jess from Cape Town, South Africa; Tim from Singapore, Singapore; Tyler from Windsor, Ontario; Jessica from St Augustine, Florida; and Deidre from Portland, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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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, Maine; Meiko from St. Petersburg, Florida; Rachel from Clearwater, Florida; and Seth from Portland, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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Is marriage a contract, or a covenant? Is the love that lasts a lifetime a fiery passion of desire, or something else? Is divorce a necessary evil to “be true to yourself,” or a rupture of a deep union? Jesus’ teaching on divorce is based in his vision of marriage, which is as radical today as it was nearly two thousand years ago.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 19v1-10

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 Cincinnati, Ohio; Sarah from Carlton, Oregon; Ike from Durham, North Carolina; Hayley from Walsall, West Midlands; and Hannah from San Francisco, California. Thank you all so much!

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What do we do when other followers of Jesus fall into sin and wander away? John Mark explores Jesus’ teaching on dealing with sin in the church. Even though it's one of the most abused teachings of Jesus, John Mark show that, rightly applied, it has the potential to help the church become everything it's called to be.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 18v10-20

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Jesus’ call for his apprentices to become like children is one of his most misunderstood teachings. John Mark explores the cultural background to Jesus’ words and argues that living like a child -- dependent, humble, and servant-hearted -- is the the key to greatness in Jesus' Kingdom.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 18v1-9

Resources for this teaching:

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Thank you all so much!

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At the fulcrum point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus goes up on a high mountain where he is transfigured before his apprentices. Over their fear, the apprentices hear a voice from heaven saying, “listen to him!” Thousands of years later, in our own fears, the call to find a mountain and listen to Jesus is greater than ever.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v28-17v13

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What if control is actually an illusion? What if yielding is actually the path to freedom and joy? John Mark explores Jesus' call to deny your self and take up your cross and follow Him. In a culture of hedonism, digital instant gratification, and postmodern propaganda, this call sounds bizarre. But in yielding control to God in trusting love, we enter the Kingdom.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v21-27

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"How you answer the question, 'who do you say I am,' will define you."

John Mark explores Simon Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ. He shows us that in seeing Jesus rightly, we move from fear to faith.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 16v13-20

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In this well known, but often missed-out-on story of Jesus walking on the water, we notice the writer Matthew’s key insights from Jesus’ life and teaching about becoming a “non-anxious presence” in a world caught in a vicious cycle of anxiety. We have faith and release control.

Key Scripture Passage:Matthew 14v22-36

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 Hays, Kansas; Matthew from West Pymble, New South Wales; Grace from Portland, Oregon; Amanda from Lawrenceville, Georgia; and Scott from Midwest City, Oklahoma. Thank you all so much!

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Jesus warns and encourages his disciples about what will come as they live into his Kingdom mission. What would it look like to live as a disciple, free of all fear, fully alive to his power?

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 11v1-15

Resources from this teaching:

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Jenna from Rossmoor, California; Amelia from Homestead, Pennsylvania; Leandra from Tomball, Texas; Jordan from Anaheim, California; and Brianna from Hyattsville, Maryland. Thank you all so much!

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What do we do the Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount? Jesus ends his manifesto of life in the kingdom of the heavens, not with a pep talk or feel-good story, but with a warning about what happens when we don’t put his teachings into practice. John Mark argues that, in the “information” age, where things go in one ear and out the other, we need to be diligent to do what Jesus taught.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v24-29

Resources from this teaching:

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Haylee from Camas, Washington; Nick from Watsontown, Pennsylvania; David from Southlake, Texas; Ben from Dannevirke, New Zealand; and Rebekah from Atascadero, California. Thank you all so much!

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With so many voices claiming to be the truth, how do we discern what is from God and what isn't? John Mark examine's Jesus's warning to beware false prophets in the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus's three "tests" for who to believe.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v15-23

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Bryce from Austin, Texas; Brett from Mattoon, Illinois; Blake from Birmingham, Alabama; Gregory from Boise, Idaho; and Jennifer from Phoenix, Arizona. Thank you all so much!

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We all know the Golden Rule, but do we actually live by it? John Mark teaches on how this summary of the teachings of the Bible was familiar during the time of Jesus, but how Jesus makes it even more radical and powerful. He concludes by challenging us to actually try living by this rule and doing to others what we would have them do to us.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 7v12

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Are you tired of trying to earn other's approval? John Mark looks at the first of Jesus's teachings of practicing righteousness before others to be noticed by them in Matthew chapter six. He encourages us to break free from the bondage of seeking the approval (or disapproval) of others by doing good works in secret in order to be rewarded not by others, but by our Father in Heaven.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 6v1-4

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Is it practical to love our enemy? John Mark exegetes from Jesus's final teaching in Matthew chapter five on enemy love. He challenges us to take this teaching seriously by showing historical and personal examples of Jesus's way bearing fruit, and encourages us to lean into our questions about this teaching with honestly before God and our communities.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v43-48

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Gideon from Virginia Beach, Virginia; Dee from Upper Marlboro, Maryland; Kayleigh from Colorado Springs, Colorado; Zachary from Bettendorf, Iowa; and Lauren from Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Thank you all so much!

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Is following Jesus really incompatible with violence? John Mark looks into Jesus's teaching about returning evil not with more evil but with good. He wraps up by acknowledging how many of us are resistant to Jesus's ideas on nonviolence, but encourages us to continue to follow and learn from Jesus and not let our conclusions become a source of disunity in the Body of Christ.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v38-42

Resource from this teaching (affiliate link):

Fight, Preston Sprinkle

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Kendall from Nashville, Tennessee; Jonathan from Nanterre, France; Victor from Sanford, Florida; Aaron from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Hannah from Warren, Michigan. Thank you all so much!

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When Jesus recounts the Laws from the Torah, he doesn’t simply address the behavior, he gets to the heart of sin. John Mark explores Jesus's commandments surrounding lust and divorce and highlights how God's heart is for us to honor one another as brothers and sisters in our we see and interact with one another. He concluded by challenging us to repent for the ways that we have dishonored one another and to step forward into Jesus's plan for human flourishing.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v27-32

Resources from this teaching:

Divorce and Remarriage in the Church, David Instone-Brewer

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to Tashona from Carrollton, Texas; Logan from Hinsdale, Illinois; Karen from East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; Amanda from Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Seth from Spokane, Washington. Thank you all so much!

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Is anger wrong? John Mark looks at Jesus's teaching on anger in the Sermon on the Mount, and argues that Jesus is teaching us to guard against nursing a grudge, harboring resentment, and partnering with contempt. Instead, Jesus offers a way forward: reaching out in love and a spirit of reconciliation.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v21-26

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Anh from Dublin, California; Evan from Troutdale, Oregon; Parker from Dallas, Texas; Terry from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Alexander from Fresno, California. Thank you all so much!

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"The Bible is how the authority of Jesus is mediated to His apprentices."

John Mark examines Jesus's teachings on the Scriptures in Matthew chapter five. He argues that Jesus not only views the Bible as trustworthy, authoritative, and good, but also sees Himself as the climax of the biblical narrative.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v17-20

Resources from this teaching:

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Brett from Waco, Texas; Sonya from Stilwell, Kansas; Samuel from Clinton, Illinois; Luke from Leland Grove, Illinois; and Joshua from El Cerrito, California. Thank you all so much!

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Most people think of the Beatitudes as virtues, but what if that's not at all what Jesus was saying? John Mark looks at some of the ancient context around Jesus's opening of the Sermon on the Mount and argues that Jesus is not telling us virtues to aim for, but offering blessing to the downtrodden of the world in the midst of their pain.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 5v1-10

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Michele from Mooloolah Valley, Queensland; Philip from San Diego, California; Kyle from Portage, Michigan; Meagan from Austin, Texas; Katya from Portland, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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What can Jesus's origin story tell us about Him? John Mark explores Matthew's story of Jesus's conception and His calling to "save their people from their sins." He invites us to recognize where we need saving, healing, and rescue in our own lives.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 1v18-2v23

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Lisa from Jackson, Tennessee; Jonathon from Vancouver, Washington; Aimee from Nolensville, Tennessee; Tiffany from Louisville, Kentucky; and David from Chatsworth, California. Thank you all so much!

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"This genealogy isn't just a genealogy. It's an invitation to join the story of Jesus."

John Mark explores the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew and uncovers for us the hidden treasures of meaning found in this often-overlooked section.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 1v1-17, Matthew 13v51-52

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Jordan from Lutz, Florida; Sylvia from Friday Harbor, Washington; Tyler from Knoxville, Tennessee; Jared from Salem, Oregon; and Carson from Victoria, BC. Thank you all so much!

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“What if there is a rich gift waiting for us in this new cultural moment of rising hostility?”

John Mark discusses what it meant in the early church to be a witness and how that applies to how we share the Gospel. He argues that the call of Jesus isn't just to preach the good news, but it's also to become 'good news people.'

Key Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 2v11-12

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/preaching-the-gospel

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Tarrah from Ames, Iowa; Paul from Cleveland, Ohio; Guy from Wenatchee, Washington; Benjamin from Herborn, Germany; and Matthew from Beaverton, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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How do we preach the Gospel in our cultural moment? John Mark examines Jesus’s practice of hospitality and how this practice can help us share the good news about Jesus with the lost and the least.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 19v1-10; Luke 7v33-50

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/preaching-the-gospel

A Meal with Jesus, Tim Chester

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers.Special thanks for today’s episode goes toSarah from London, UK;William from Elkton, Maryland;Peter from Springfield, Missouri;Karissa from Nampa, Indiana; andAndrea from Portland, Oregon. Thank you all so much!

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What does it even mean to be saved? John Mark looks at four common articulations of the Gospel, and unpacks what’s good about each of them, and how they might fall short of the Gospel Jesus preached. He concludes with some thoughts on how we can examine our own views of the Gospel with our communities.

Key Scripture Passage: Matthew 19v16-30

Resources for this practices:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/preaching-the-gospel

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Melissa from Falls Church, Virginia; Elisha from Rindge, New Hampshire; Pedro from Brasilia, DF; David from Round Rock, Texas; and Bethany from MacGregor, Manitoba. Thank you all so much!

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“A lot of us are emotionally allergic to preaching the Gospel of Jesus.”

In our post-modern culture, sharing the good news of Jesus can feel insensitive or unkind. John Mark shows us that everyone is believing a “gospel” of what they hope in, and through the Scriptures, unpacks how Jesus preached the Gospel and what it means to rethink and turn towards Jesus.

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/preaching-the-gospel

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to Zach from Cleveland, Tennessee; Alison from Dallas, Texas; Reggie from Arcadia, California; Jenn from Rome, Georgia; and Eric from Cincinnati, Ohio. Thank you all so much!

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"The more we have, the more we want."

John Mark examines how our never-ending desire can lead to lives of discontentment and dissatisfaction, but how the practices of desiring less and generosity can help us practice simplicity and lay hold of Jesus’s promise of life to the full.

Key Scripture Passage: 1 Timothy 6v2-19

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/simplicity

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to: Kali from Silver Lake, Kansas; Morgan from Nashville, Tennessee; Joshua from Whitefish, Montana; Dan from Stamford, Lincolnshire; and Jerod from Fairhope, Alabama. Thank you all so much!

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“The mouth is the main thoroughfare of evil in human life.” – Dallas Willard

Simplicity of speech is a disciplined attempt to bring our speech into alignment with Jesus' heart. John Mark dives into what the New Testament’s author say about the power of the tongue and our words. Through it, he encourages us to simplify what we say in order to ultimately bring more blessing into the world. 

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 6v43-45; Mark 12v13-17; Mark 15v1-5; James 3v1-12

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/simplicity

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to: Aidan from Grand Rapids, Michigan; Sydney, Cody, and Violet from Bellingham, Washington; Mark from Cary, North Carolina; Jim and Deanna from Portland, Oregon; and Ruben from Euless, Texas. Thank you all so much!

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Simplicity is about choosing a deep life over a simple one, a life of focus rather than a life of distraction. John Mark talks about how we need to simplify around something, and how our heart and values are essential for this practice. He reminds us that, as followers of Jesus, we are called to make Him the center of our lives, in the various ways that plays out for each of us.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 12v22-31

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/simplicity

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to: Anna from Indian Land, South Carolina; Christel from Coogee, New South Wales; Scott from Pearland, Texas; Lisa from Sherwood Park, Alberta; and Jordyn from Dallas, Texas. Thank you all so much!

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Most of us don’t really believe that less money, stuff, or activities is actually the way to a better life. But Jesus’s teachings tell us that life doesn’t consist of our possessions. John Mark introduces the practice of simplicity, also called minimalism, by reviewing Jesus’s teachings on money and discussing how simplicity can lead to a better, happier life.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 12v13-21, Matthew 19v23-24, 1 Timothy 6v6-10, Hebrews 13v5

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/simplicity

The Freedom of Simplicity, Richard Foster

Abundant Simplicity, Jan Johnson

The More of Less, Joshua Becker

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today's episode goes to Bonnie from Palmer, Arkansas; Ian from Vero Beach, Florida; Tiffany from Tirana, Albania; Corrine from Rancho Santa Margarita, California; and Megan from Port Orchard, Washington. Thank you all so much!

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Why should I so what the Bible says? Authority is a negative word in our individualistic culture, making the idea of Scriptural authority feel scary for some of us. John Mark challenges us to approach the Bible as Jesus did: with trust and obedience. 

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 3v1-7; Matthew 4v1-11

Resources:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/scripture

Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Craig Keener & John Walton

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more atpracticingtheway.org/give.

Why do authoritarian governments often ban the Bible? John Mark talks about the how the library of Scripture is an alternative story: one that points to Jesus as the center of reality. He challenges us to let this story shape our lives and engage with these writings, even through its confusing, difficult, or challenging aspects.

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 4v14-22

Resources for this practice:https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/scripture

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more atpracticingtheway.org/give.

How did Jesus view the Scriptures? In contrast to how many people view the Bible today, either as an ordinary human text or as “golden tablets” from Heaven, John Mark explores how Jesus thought, taught, and talked about the Scriptures. Through that, John Mark shows us that our approach to the Bible matters and encourages us to adopt a posture of surrender as we read.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 5v17-20; Mark 12v18-27; John 5v39-46; 2 Timothy 3v14-17

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/scripture

Shaped by the Word, Robert Mulholland

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more atpracticingtheway.org/give.

If the Bible tells us to "rejoice always", how do we do it? John Mark walks through how to experience more joy. Since we can’t “will” ourselves to joy, he offers us practices based in the Scriptures that allow us to cultivate happiness and celebration in our everyday lives.

Key Scripture Passage: Philippians 4v4-9

Resources for this practice

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

Path of Life, Rick Howe (https://amzn.to/3ERlngB)

How do we experience more joy in our everyday lives? John Mark talks about how the common human desire to be happy isn’t the problem, but that we’re searching for joy in the wrong places. He encourages us to examine what beliefs might be blocking us from experiencing the joy that Jesus offered to all who follow Him.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 1v39-45; Luke 2v8-11; Luke 4v14-21; Luke 10v17-21;

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

Do you have margin in your life? In the digital age, it’s easy to operate outside our emotional and spiritual limit and undermine our formation into people of love. John Mark reminds us of the importance of margin in our lives and how the practice of simplicity can help us live within our limits.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26-2v8, Genesis 3v1-7

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

What if the greatest threat to faith today is not hedonism, but distraction? John Mark discusses the importance of making time for silence and solitude in our rule of life, and the benefits of quiet in our spiritual walk: helping us accept reality, experiencing God’s love, yielding to God’s will, hearing God’s voice, and ultimately becoming people of love.

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 5v15, Matthew 6v5-6

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

“If your rule of life does not find a way to ruthlessly eliminate digital distraction, it will likely fail.”

Is distraction undermining our spiritual life? John Mark makes a case for a rule of life that accounts for our society of digital distraction by highlighting how our technology can be unhealthy for us. He also offers some guidance on shaping your rule of life to avert digital distraction and help orient your life towards becoming a person of love.

Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 16

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

“A good rule of life can actually set us free to be our true and best selves.”

In a world of distraction and speed, how do we arrange our lives so that we are experiencing deep joy, peace, and contentment in our life in God, as Willard said? John Mark talks about the ancient practice of creating a “rule of life” and offers seven tips for creating your own rule of life.

Key Scripture Passage: John 15v1-8

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

“Most people are just too busy to live an emotionally healthy and spiritually rich life.”

We live in an age of chronic distraction and business. John Mark talks about hurry as the great enemy of our spiritual life. He proposes that the solution to “hurry sickness” is not more time, but rather become people of love through being intentional with our own “rule of life.”

Key Scripture Passage: Luke 10v25-37

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/unhurry

“When we honor people, we get access to whatever people carry, if it's friendship, relationship, conversation, wisdom, prophetic ability, healing, discernment, wealth, resources, opportunities, whatever it is. When we dishonor people, we cut off ourselves from whatever it is they have to offer.”

John Mark talks about the importance of honor in in a culture of dishonor and contempt, highlighting the difference that living with honor can have on our relationships and others’ lives.

Key Scripture Passage: Romans 12v9-16; Mark 6v1-6

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/community

Jesus intended his followers to become a family-like community. John Mark talks about how this idea of family was radical not only for first-century Jews, but also why it’s just as radical for us today. Through it, he offers advice on how to build relational skills to bless and love our communities well.

Key Scripture Passage: Mark 3v31-35

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/community

We are lonelier than ever. In the US, loneliness rates have doubled since 1980, with 35% of people saying that they are chronically lonely. Is there are practice from the life of Jesus to help us thrive in a culture that is more disconnected than ever? John Mark talks about Jesus’ practice and invitation into community, encouraging us to commit to community, despite the challenges, so we can embrace “life to the full.”

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 4v18-22; Matthew 8v18-22; Matthew 9v9-13; Matthew 10v1-4; Matthew 20v20-28

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/community

Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Can pain make us more loving? Continuing our discussion of stage theory, John Mark uses the story of Leah and Rachel in Genesis to show how our responses to the pain in our lives can either lead us closer to God and acceptance of our circumstances, or towards bitterness and pain.

Key Scripture Passages: Gen 29v15-35; Gen 30v1-24; Gen 35v16-20

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

“Have you ever cried out to God in a time of distress, but felt nothing in return?”

John Mark continues his discussion on the dark night of the soul, focusing on the two types of “dark nights” that are written about by St. John and St. Teresa in the 16th century. In it, he encourages us to continue to press into community and into God if we find ourselves in a dark night.

Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 77

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

The Dark Night of the Soul, Dr. Gerald May

Have you ever felt like there is a wall between you and heaven? John Mark explores the Dark Night of the Soul, talking about what it is, what it isn’t, and some ideas for how to move through this season well.

Key Scripture Passage: Psalm 42

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

“The farther we get down the path of the spiritual journey, the more our apprenticeship to Jesus feels less and less active, and more and more passive.”

John Mark continues with our discussion on the stages of apprenticeship, this time talking about active and passive spirituality and its role in our formation. He shows us how to use practice (active) and surrender (passive) to be more formed into the likeness of Jesus in every season of our lives.

Key Scripture Passages: John 21v18; Matthew 6v25-34

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

Sacred Fire, Ronald Rolheiser

As we continue to explore stage theory paradigms, John Mark turns to the paradigm of the two halves of life by drawing on Jesus’s post-resurrection conversation with Peter. John Mark breaks down the common challenges and struggles of each half of life and offers some helpful ideas on how to move through these stages well.

Key Scripture Passages: John 21v18-25

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/naming

Sacred Fire, Ronald Rolheiser

The Second Mountain, David Brooks

How do we get unstuck? This week, John Mark introduces the newest spiritual journey paradigm: the Critical Journey, and discusses how we can get unstuck at the various stages and challenge us to push through the “wall” in the various places in our lives.

Key Scripture Passage(s): John 21v15-19

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, Henri Nouwen

What is the meaning of life? According to Jesus, the meaning of life is love: becoming a person who loves God and loves others. Breaking down the story of the Road to Emmaus and our modern cultural moment, John Mark challenges us to embrace the good news of the resurrection and live as beacons of love and hope in our world.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 24v13-35

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

Do you feel stuck in your apprenticeship to Jesus? Drawing from the wisdom of followers of Jesus throughout church history, John Mark discusses how identifying landmarks on the journey of our apprenticeship to Jesus can help us get unstuck. This week, he talks about one ancient journey paradigm called The Three Ways to show how the purpose of our spiritual formation is becoming people of love and presence.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 9v57-62; 1 Corinthians 13v11; Hebrews 5v12-14

Recommended Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/naming

Invitation to a Journey, Robert Mulholland

Sacred Fire, Ronald Rolheiser

Did Jesus practice sabbath? John Mark talks about Jesus’s teachings and relationship to the sabbath by highlighting four common words associated with the word “shabbat”: stop, rest, delight, and worship. John Mark shows how these four words give us clues on how to find happiness, joy, and peace in this practice.

Key Scripture Passages: Mark 2v23-28; Mark 3v1-6

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/sabbath

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

“Sabbath is an act of resistance, a prophetic act over against the accomplishment and accumulation of our society.”

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. 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

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/sabbath

“If you go against the grain of the universe, you get splinters.” – HH Farmer

Sabbath was built into the rhythm of creation and going against this rhythm has consequences. John Mark lays out a biblical theology of sabbath, showing that sabbath is instituted by God, blessed, holy, made for worship, a command and a gift, and a day to remember. 

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v31-2:3; Exodus 16v9-30; Exodus 20v1-8

Resources for this practice: 

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practice/sabbath

Are you tired? We are plagued by a cancerous restlessness of our condition and our culture, made worse by our digital technology. Through sabbath, the way of Jesus instead offers rest and peace. In this episode, John Mark teaches on the need for sabbath in our lives and its potential to radically change our walk with God.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 11v28-30; Hebrews 4v1-11

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/sabbath

The Subversive Sabbath, AJ Swoboda

"When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We live in a culture that focuses on self-gratification, but Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. In this episode, John Mark talks about how denying the self and our disordered desires leads to our deepest joy, peace, and happiness.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 16v21-27; Galatians 2v20; Galatians 5v24-25; Colossians 3v1-5

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

How do we resist being shaped by modern culture? The "world," as the New Testament writers called it, shapes how we think and live. John Mark discusses how we can discover how we being shaped by culture. By learning how to reconnect with God's definitions of good and evil in those ways, we find how to be "in the world but not of it." 

Key Scripture Passages: John 15v18-21; John 17v6-18; 1 John 2v15-17; Romans 1v20; 1 John 3v16; 

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

Why Liberalism Failed, Patrick Deneen

Liberal Christianity, Theo Hobson

The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Disappearing Church, Mark Sayers

The Truth About Lies and the Lies About Truth, David Takle

You don't just reap what you sow: you become what you sow. Continuing his exploration of Galatians, John Mark teaches that our decisions to walk by the Spirit or by the flesh have a compounding effect that shapes our character and our destiny. He finishes by encouraging us to embrace the way of Jesus as practice walking by the spirit.

Key Scripture Passages: Galatians 6v1-9; James 1v4

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

Satan and the Problem of Evil, Greg Boyd

Doesn't freedom mean that I can do what I want? Not according to Jesus. John Mark contrasts our modern culture's definition of freedom with how Jesus and the other biblical authors thought about freedom. He then breaks down Galatians 5 and shows us how the practices of Jesus help us to walk by the Spirit towards true fulfillment in God and not be mastered by the flesh. 

Key Scripture Passages: Ephesians 2v1-5; Galatians 5v1-26

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

The Gift of Being Yourself, David Benner

Why Liberalism Failed, Patrick Deneen

How do we identify the lies that we are believing about God and ourselves? John Mark talks on the destruction that deception and believing lies can cause in our lives with a teaching on the Fall. Then he shows us how to identify and overcome those lies: by living with spirit and truth and refining our desires with the practices of Jesus. 

Key Scripture Passages: John 8v44-45; Genesis 3v1-15; Luke 4v1-13; Ephesians 6v13; James 4v7-8; 1 Peter 5v8-9

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck

Why Liberalism Failed, Patrick Deneen

What is the truth? The modern, secular world laughs off the idea of the devil as a relic from the pre-scientific age. But for Jesus, there is an invisible but intelligent evil at work in the world, but his primary strategy isn’t what most of us expect. It’s lies. Fighting the devil is first and foremost about the war to believe truth over lies.

Key Scripture Passages: John 8v31-47; John 18v36-38

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/fighting

Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard

The Truth About Lies and Lies About The Truth, David Takle

The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis

The practice of communion has changed throughout church history. In part two of this teaching, John Mark continues to discuss the the many names for this practice and its use over the centuries. He leaves us with a challenge to press into community even when it's mundane and messy.

Key Scripture Passages: 1 Corinthians 11v20-34

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/eating-drinking

Come to the Table by John Mark Hicks

What is communion, really? The practice of eating with God, or the Lord's Supper, shows up throughout the New Testament. In part one of this teaching, John Mark breaks down the many names for this practice and its use in the Scriptures and throughout church history to give us a better understanding of the essence of this practice.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 22v7-30; Acts 2v42; Acts 20v7; 1 Corinthians 11v20-34;

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/eating-drinking

The Meal Jesus Gave Us by NT Wright

Seven Practices for the Church on Mission by David Fitch

In a culture that focuses on the negatives, how do we stand apart and live with joy? In part two of this teaching, John Mark talks about how to practice joy in our day-to-day lives and how the practice of eating and drinking together is one of the best ways to go about living a happy life.

Key Scripture Passages: Philippians 4v4-9

Resources for this practice:

https://practicingthewayarchives.org/practices/eating-drinking