Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer

What if God is found as much in the ordinary as in the extraordinary? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Sittser take us into the days of the medieval church, highlighting the emphasis in that period on bridging the seen and unseen realms through architecture and the sacraments, showing how our faith can be enriched by the ordinary. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, ou...

How different can the church be and still be one? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Sittser discuss the development of Christianity in the East, highlighting its cultural diversity, historical divisions and what we can learn today despite the differences that marked that time. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this e...

How do you spend your time? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Sittser continue exploring the desert movement as it became more organized in monastic communities, and specifically how these communities related to one of humanity’s most valuable commodities: time. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to:...

How far will we go to discover God more deeply? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Gerald Sittser take us into the desert movement of church history and explore how the desert fathers and mothers embraced hardship in pursuit of a deeper life with God. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Lori from C...

What difference can being different make? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Gerald Sittser uncover how the early church functioned as a genuine, lived community against the backdrop of the dense and challenging environment of Roman cities, and explore why that counter-cultural life drew people in. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Spec...

What happens when our faith comes under pressure? In this conversation, John Mark and Dr. Gerald Sittser discuss the marginalization and persecution of the early disciples of Jesus, and how their faithfulness—rather than their safety—defined the first years of the Christian movement. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this...

How has Christian spirituality evolved throughout history? Welcome to a brand-new series of conversations between John Mark and Dr. Gerald Sittser called “Water from a Deep Well.” This series explores the rich history of Christian spirituality and the wisdom of the early followers of Jesus across twelve different eras of the Church. This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our com...

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...

How do we move forward after forgiveness? John Mark and Bethany Allen walk through the four essential steps of reconciliation—confession, repentance, restitution, and restoration—and show us why forgiveness isn't complete until we've done the hard work of making things right. They challenge us to move beyond our culture's victimization mindset and take personal responsibility for the r...

What do you do when you can't forgive? Gerald Griffin, pastor and coach at Practicing the Way, walks us through a practical, step-by-step process for moving beyond the decision to forgive into deep emotional healing. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 6v9-15 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Adam fro...

How do we truly forgive from the heart? John Mark unpacks Jesus' radical call to forgive without limit and shows us how to absorb evil into ourselves with God's help, becoming agents of healing instead of remaining victims. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 23:32-34; Ephesians 4:30-5:2 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. S...

Why do we need to forgive? Bethany Allen, Associate Pastor at Bridgetown Church, opens a new series on forgiveness by clearing away common misconceptions and returning to the teachings of Jesus. She walks through what forgiveness is not and invites us to release our grip on revenge and surrender to the justice of God. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 7v36-50; Matthew 6v14-15 This podcast and its episo...

Is noise undermining our spiritual life? John Mark highlights how the increasing "noise" of modern life is detrimental to our souls, exploring the importance of quiet and solitude for our spiritual growth and maturity. He challenges us to fight for solitude, silence, and stillness amidst a world that's louder than ever. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 5v15-16; Luke 4v1; Mark 1v35; Mark 6v...

What happened at the Resurrection? John Mark reviews the panoramic impact of the Resurrection on world history, arguing that many of the good things we enjoy result from Jesus's life, ministry, and ongoing Kingdom expressed in the world through his Church. Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 28v1-7; John 1v8; Colossians 2v9; Hebrews 1v1-3 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, o...

What does the kingdom of God actually look like? John Mark walks through Isaiah's prophetic vision of the Messiah and the coming Kingdom of God, then explores its fulfillment in Jesus's ministry and parables. He leaves us by challenging us with Jesus's words to "seek first the Kingdom" in a culture full of competing visions of the good life. Key Scripture Passages: Isaiah 10v33...

What is prophecy? John Mark dives into the prophetic books of the library of Scripture and explores what the role of the prophet is in the Old Testament. He shows us how these books are designed to wake us up from our indifference to sin and comfort us in hard situations, and challenges us to lean into God's refining fire. Key Scripture Passages: Isaiah 1; Hosea 11v8-9; Hebrews 12v5-11; Isaiah...

What does it mean to "pray continually"? John Mark explores Paul's command to pray without ceasing and introduces the ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer: pausing multiple times throughout the day to reorient your heart and mind toward God. He shows us how prayer is less about getting God to do something and more about moving through all of life in joyful, grateful relationship with...

How do we actually pray for others? This week, Alex Rettman offers a practical training on prayer ministry. He covers the theology behind effective prayer and then walks through a simple three-step method: interview, listen to what God is doing, and say or do what He's saying or doing. Key Scripture Passages: John 5v19; John 8v28; Zephaniah 3v17; Matthew 7v11; Matthew 8v2; Romans 8; 1 Corinthi...

What is "imaginative prayer"? Josh Porter explores the practice of imaginative prayer and shows us how our God-given imagination can become a powerful tool for intimacy with God, showing us how we can use the gift of our imagination as means of encounter with the Trinity. Key Scripture Passages: Romans 12v2; Philippians 4v8; Colossians 3v1-2; John 14v9; John 1v14; Colossians 1v15; Hebrews...

Can your singing actually be prayer to God? In this teaching, Alex Rettman explores three powerful truths about worship: it changes us as we behold God's glory, it moves God's heart when we offer costly praise, and it shifts circumstances as we lay a target for His kingdom to come. He shows us how worship isn't just about singing songs: it's about expressing our delight in God in w...

Why do so many of our prayers seem to go unanswered? John Mark tackles one of the most difficult tensions in the Christian life: how to square Jesus's bold promise of "ask anything in my name and I will do it" with the reality of unanswered prayer. He explores fifteen reasons our prayers might not be answered the way we expect and closes by introducing the ancient practice of lament as...

Why should we pray? John Mark covers Jesus' teaching and parable on prayer in Luke 11 to show us that prayer is a way to collaborate with God to create good in the world, challenging us to believe Jesus and continually petition our Father with shameless audacity. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 11v1-13; Genesis 1v26-28; Genesis 2v15-17; Genesis 3v6-7; Exodus 32v1-10 This podcast and its episodes...

What does it mean to pray without ceasing? Father Rick Ganz explores contemplative prayer drawing from John 15 and the image of the vine and branches. He introduces the ancient Jesuit practice of the Examen and offers a beautiful vision of prayer as enjoying God's presence in all of the moments of our lives. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 18v40-43; John 15v1-9 This podcast and its episodes are p...

How should we pray? John Mark digs into the Lord's Prayer, and what it shows us about Jesus's posture toward prayer, challenging us to engage in prayer from a place of delight rather than rote discipline. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 5v15-16; Luke 6v12; Luke 9v18, 28-34; Luke 11v1-4 This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks fo...

What does it look like to keep growing in our faith? John Mark unpacks the three essential shifts in our journey of discipleship—moving from fear to trust, despair to hope, and self-focus to love. He explains how the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love aren't just feelings but settled conditions of the heart that develop over a lifetime of following Jesus. Key Scripture Passages: 1 Jo...