Advertise on podcast: John Mark Comer Teachings

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

"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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

"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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

"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! If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.