John Mark Comer Teachings

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 6v31; Philippians 2v12-13; Hebrews 13v21This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Josh from Centennial, Colorado; Mark from Irmo, South Carolina; Kayla from Berrien Springs, Michigan; Jeremy from Greenwood, Indiana; and Wendi from Rome, Georgia. 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 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 1v1-3This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jason from Cape Town, South Africa; Brian from Camby, Indiana; Orrey from Edmond, Oklahoma; Cindy from Trabuco Canyon, California; and Collin from Golden, Colorado. 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 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 10v33-11v9; Luke 3v21-22; Mark 1v1-3, 14-15; Mark 4v30-34; Matthew 6v21, 31-33This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Julie from Canton, North Carolina; Barbara Gail from Nicholasville, Kentucky; Michaela from Torrance, California; Christian from Arden, North Carolina; and Jennifer from Holland, Michigan. 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 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 40v1,29-31; Isaiah 50v10; Isaiah 30v15This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Robert from Concord, California; Kaitlyn from St Petersburg, Florida; Cherith from Mannford, Oklahoma; Chanel from Seattle, Washington; and Johann from Extertal, Germany. 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 "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 Him.Key Scripture Passages: 1 Thessalonians 5v16-18; Psalm 55v17; Daniel 6v1-10; John 15This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Austin from Fort Wayne, Indiana; Michael from Bon Aqua, Tennessee; Chloe from Quispamsis, New Brunswick; Kristen from Salinas, California; and Savannah from Mill Creek, Indianapolis. 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 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 Corinthians 12; 1 Corinthians 14v3; 1 Timothy 2v4This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Ben from Concord, North Carolina; Jamee from Bothell, Washington; Emma from Saint Charles, Missouri; Karen from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; and Rhonda 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.

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 12v1-2; Acts 2v17-18This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Julie from Bellingham, Washington; Greg from Pottsboro, Texas; Stephen from Sunnyvale, California; Wilson from Cochrane, Alberta; and Ally from Dallas, 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.

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 ways that complete our joy and partner with Him in pushing back darkness.Key Scripture Passages: Exodus 33v18-23; John 1v18; 2 Corinthians 3v16-18; Psalm 22v3; Isaiah 42v10-13This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Matthew from Lexington, South Carolina; Mitchell from Lubbock, Texas; Courtney from Edmond, Oklahoma; Robert from Leander, Texas; and Mitch from Fort Collins, Colorado. 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.

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 a way to meet God honestly in our pain.Key Scripture Passages: John 14v12-14; John 15v7, 16; John 16v23-24; Psalm 13; Psalm 66v18; Isaiah 58This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Matthew from Fullerton, California; Kree from Bismarck, North Dakota; Lee from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire; Benjamin from Conroe, Texas; and Amy from Wilton, New York. 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.

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 32v1-10This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Drew from Georgetown, Texas; Tasha from New York, New York; Anthony from Benson, North Carolina; Nancy from LakeBarrington, Illinois; and Ginger from Dallas, 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 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 15v1-9This 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 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 11v1-4This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Joel from Olalla, Washington; Danny from Tucson, Arizona; Greg from Lynn Haven, Florida; Jake from Yakima, Washington; and Randy from Dallas, 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 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 John 4v18; 1 Corinthians 13v13This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Jordan from Liberty, South Carolina; Heather from Huntsville, Texas; Lifepoint Church from Palm Bay, Florida; Matthew from Plymouth, Michigan; and Paul from San Mateo, California. 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 look like to stay faithful to Jesus through every season of life? John Mark unpacks the concept of the "first and second halves of life"—a simple but profound framework for understanding the different stages of spiritual maturity. He explores the unique temptations and invitations of each season, showing us how transformation isn't about climbing higher but about surrendering deeper.Key Scripture Passages: John 21v18; Genesis 2v24; Matthew 7v21-23; 1 Corinthians 3v1-3; Hebrews 5v12-14This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Shanon from Lynchburg, Virginia; Georgia from Clermont, Florida; Laura from Portland, Oregon; Kim from Battle Creek, Michigan; and Roger from Irvine, California. 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.

This is an episode from the Practicing the Way podcast. To dig deeper into the ideas from today's teaching, you can find more by searching for "Practicing the Way" wherever you get your podcasts. --How do we change our deepest sin patterns? John Mark explores the four layers of sin we must navigate on the spiritual journey—from major sins to unconscious patterns to our deepest attachments. He shows us why true transformation requires moving past behavior modification into the painful but liberating work of surrendering everything we cling to for happiness and peace.Key Scripture Passages: Galatians 5v19-21; 1 John 5v16-17; James 1v4This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: James from San Diego, California; Tyler from Rockvale, Tennessee; Kate from Landrum, South Carolina; Jaime from Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Jessica from Richardson, 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 is God like? John Mark dives into Matthew 11v25-30, exploring what it means that Jesus is "gentle and humble of heart" and showing why grasping this truth is essential for finding true rest for our souls in a culture of burnout and exhaustion.Key Scripture Passages: Matthew 11v25-30; Ephesians 4v2; Colossians 3v12; 1 Peter 3v4; Philippians 2v5-8This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Annemarie from Norwood, South Australia; Seth from Cincinnati, Ohio; Esther from Waynesville, Missouri; Tom from Brunswick, Maine; and Jay from Richmond, 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 love well? Bethany Allen explores the final theme of Advent: love. She shows us that receiving love requires surrender, vulnerability, and trust, and challenges us to intentionally receive God's love as an active, life-changing invitation to become the people we were always meant to be.Key Scripture Passages: Micah 5v2-5a; 1 John 4v10This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: James from Stafford, Virginia; Barb from Bluffton, South Carolina; Brandon from Havre, Montana; Jared from Huger, South Carolina; and Nicole from Kalamazoo, Michigan. 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.

What does the arrival of Jesus have to do with joy? Ken Shigematsu explores how Christ's coming brings what Tolkien called "the sudden, joyous turn"—a miraculous shift in our story that gives us cause for deep and enduring joy, even in the midst of sorrow. Key Scripture Passages: Luke 1v26-38, 46-49; Luke 2v8-14, 19; 1 Corinthians 2v9This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Rebekah from Springfield, Ohio; Randy from Eagle, Idaho; Amy from Cambridge, Massachusetts; Catherine from Lynnwood, Washington; and Sarah from Portland, 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.

How do we experience more peace? In this Advent teaching, John Mark shares about his journey with anxiety and explores the theme of peace throughout the Scriptures. He challenges us to see that inner peace isn't just about feeling better—it's essential for becoming people of love. Key Scripture Passages: Colossians 3:15; John 14:27; John 20:19-21; 1 John 4:18This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Brad from Dallas, Texas; Alexa from Tampa, Florida; Dan from Sellersville, Pennsylvania; Andrew from Floyds Knobs, Indiana; and Heather from Camarillo, California. 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 wait with hope? Gemma Ryan explores the story of Simeon—a man who waited decades for the Messiah—and invites us into three transformative questions: What are you waiting for? Who are you becoming as you wait? And what is sustaining you in the waiting? She shows us how waiting isn't passive but active, and how our seasons of in-between can become the very places where God refines and transforms us.Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-7, 22-35; Psalm 130; Isaiah 40; Galatians 4v4This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kathleen from Dallas, Texas; Shailaja from Cranbury, New Jersey; Edward from Pacific Palisades, California; Jeremy from Shoreview, Minnesota; and David from Hove, East Sussex. 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.