Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer

When we live in community, conflict is inevitable. But how do we handle conflict well? Alex Rettman—former Bridgetown pastor and now Lead Pastor of Saints' Hill Church in Newberg, OR—explores how conflict—when done in love—can be one of the primary ways we move from disillusionment to acceptance in our relationships, encouraging us use conflict to point one another back to Jesus.

Key Scripture Passages: Philippians 2v1–4; Matthew 18v15–17; Romans 8v1

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Daphne from Utrecht, Netherlands; Whitney from Northport, Alabama; Cade from Plano, Texas; Amy from Quincy, Illinois; and Cooper from Hartselle, Alabama. 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.

What does it really mean for a church to be a family? Bethany Allen unpacks a powerful vision of community not as an optional add-on to the Christian life, but as the very environment where transformation takes place. Bethany explores why community is both beautiful and broken, and how Jesus invites us to move through disappointment, unmet expectations, and past pain into a healing family of faith.

Key Scripture Passages: Genesis 1v26–27; Genesis 3v6–13; Genesis 12v1–3; Luke 8v19–21; Galatians 3v26–29

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Alan from Suwanee, Georgia; Andrew from Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Matthew and Chyril from Pittsford, New York; Lora from Bristol, Tennessee; and Randy from Port Angeles, Washington. Thank you all very much!

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

Can we follow Jesus alone? John Mark explores the essential—but often overlooked—role of community in spiritual formation. Drawing from the life of Jesus and the early church, he shows how transformation doesn’t happen in isolation but in the messy, beautiful tension between the ideal of community and its imperfect reality.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 4v18-22; Matthew 9v9-13; Acts 2v42-47; Romans 12v15; 1 John 4v20

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Margreet from Drachten, Netherlands; Will from Lewisburg, Ohio; Bruce from Memphis, Tennessee; Abby from Sandpoint, Indiana; and Rebecca from Friendswood, 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.

What do spiritual disciplines have to do with real transformation? John Mark double clicks on the concept of the practices of Jesus—also called the spiritual disciplines—and explains why they’re not optional for those who want to become like Him. He shows us how transformation doesn’t come through trying harder but through training wisely.

Key Scripture Passages: 1 Corinthians 9v24-27; Acts 20v24; Galatians 5v7; 1 Timothy 6v12; 2 Timothy 4v6-8

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Sid from Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Josh from Oxford, Oxfordshire; Margaret from Woodland Hills, California; Ashley from Dallas, Texas; and Erin from Centralia, 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.

How do we actually change? John Mark dives deep into two core elements of our working theory of change: teaching and practice. He shows how true transformation doesn’t come from inspiration alone, but through a rewiring of our minds and a reshaping of our habits, inviting us to a more holistic vision of apprenticeship to Jesus. 

Key Scripture Passages: Mark 1v14-15; Matthew 7v24-27; Romans 12v1-3; 2 Corinthians 2v16; 2 Corinthians 10v5; Colossians 3v3; Philippians 3v5

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Clayton from Olympia, Washington; Lindsay from Woodway, Texas; Christopher from Palm Beach, Florida; Marcie from Cincinnati, Ohio; and Richard from Frisco, 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.

What does it mean to actually live like Jesus? John Mark explores the third goal of apprenticeship: doing what Jesus did, showing us how Jesus invites us to participate in His Kingdom work through everyday acts of love, hospitality, and Spirit-empowered presence—and challenges us to say yes, right where we are, in our real lives.

Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 4v18-25; Matthew 8v18-22; Matthew 9v9-13; Matthew 9v35-10v8; Matthew 28v16-20; 1 Peter 2v11-12; Luke 19v10; Luke 7v34-35; 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: Sacha from Ellicott City, Maryland; Ethan from Lake Charles, Lousiana; Amanda from Pittsburg, Kansas; Derek from Cave Creek, Arizona; and Catherine from Christiansburg, 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.

“Who are you becoming?” John Mark discusses the call of Jesus for His students to become like their master, as well as how teaching, practice, community, and the Holy Spirit combine to help us practice and live the way of Jesus.

Key Scripture Passages: Luke 6v39-40; 2 Corinthians 3v18, Romans 12v1-2; Matthew 5-7; Galatians 5v13-26.

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Darren from Henderson, Nevada; Savannah from Portland, Oregon; Bill from Waynesboro, Virginia; Matt from Brookings, South Dakota; and Geoff from Columbus, Ohio. 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 cultivate a deep relationship with God? Using key scriptures and church history examples to give a tangible vision of how to “practice the presence of God,” John Mark shows that through abiding, we have access to the peace and joy that Jesus promised as we adopt the spiritual disciplines that Jesus exemplified.

Key Scripture Passages: John 1v35-49; John 14v16-15v8; Galatians 5v13-26

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Lenny from Muncie, Indiana; Rebekah from St. Simons Island, Georgia; Peter from Stevenage, Hertfordshire; Luke from Canton, Ohio; and Micah from Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 wanted to experience the abundant life of Jesus? John Mark outlines the what, how, and why behind Practicing the Way, diving into the cultural context behind Jesus's identity as a first-century rabbi, and what that means for us as His followers as we practice being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.

Key Scripture Passages: Mark 8v34-36; Mark 1v16-20; Mark 2v13-14; Mark 3v13-14; John 15v1-8; Matthew 5-7

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Mallory from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania; Erin from Louisville, Colorado; Angela from Lebanon, Tennessee; Rachel from Woodstock, Georgia; and Andrew from Jackson, Tennessee. 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.

Do you know about God's love but struggle to actually feel it? Brandon Shields, Director of Church Engagement at Practicing the Way, shares his personal journey of moving from knowing about God’s love intellectually to experiencing it in a way that heals, transforms, and reshapes how we relate to others. He invites us to open ourselves to God’s loving presence and challenges us to not just receive that love, but to become it—embodied in how we see, hold, and care for one another.

Key Scripture Passage: Ephesians 3v14-21

This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Rachel from Broomfield, Colorado; Nathan from Olathe, Kansas; Carolynn from Maryville, Missouri; Chris from Nokomis, Florida; and Robert from Hendersonville, North Carolina. 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.