Rule of Life

Épisodes

• Witness 04: Share the Good News (featuring Shaila Visser) 17.03.2026 1h

  What becomes possible when we embrace a patient yet courageous approach to sharing the good news of Jesus? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore how to share the gospel through your life and words, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Shaila Visser.In this episode’s luminary interview, John Mark and Shaila discuss a whole-life approach to sharing the gospel that is animated by key Kingdom values. Shaila is the National Director of Alpha Canada and the Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International. If you’re not familiar with Alpha, they exist to equip the church with resources that help people explore their questions about faith and God in a safe, nonjudgmental way. You can connect further with Shaila and the work of Alpha on social media @shailavisser and by searching for 'alpha course' in your country of residence.The idea of sharing our faith can elicit confusion or even aversion for some followers of Jesus. In recognition of this, we created the Reimagining Witness PDF to help you invite people into the Witness Practice with wisdom and clarity. Sign up for our emails to receive the PDF.This podcast accompanies the Witness Practice, a four-session experience designed to help us bear witness to the good news of Jesus in our cultural moment. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/witness.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Witness 03: Partner with the Holy Spirit (featuring Pete Hughes) 10.03.2026 1h 7min

  What changes when we know that the Holy Spirit is already at work in the lives of those around us who don’t know Jesus? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in our witness, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Pete Hughes. In this episode's luminary interview, John Mark and Pete explore the Spirit's relationship to the practice of witness through inspiring true stories and practical best practices for growing in the discernment of God's work and leading. Pete is one of the Lead Pastors at KXC (King’s Cross Church) in London, a vibrant community known for its heart for worship, prayer, and mission. Alongside his wife Bea, Pete has spent the last decade planting and leading a church in one of the most secularized corners of the West. You can connect with Pete and the ministry of Kings Cross Church on social media at @petehughes and @kxchurch.The idea of sharing our faith can elicit confusion or even aversion for some followers of Jesus. In recognition of this, we created the Reimagining Witness PDF to help you invite people into the Witness Practice with wisdom and clarity. Sign up for our emails to receive the PDF.This podcast accompanies the Witness Practice, a four-session experience designed to help us bear witness to the good news of Jesus in our cultural moment. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/witness.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Witness 02: Practice Hospitality (featuring Drew Hyun) 03.03.2026 1h 1min

  What if our ordinary homes and tables were brimming with latent potential for gospel encounters? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the role hospitality plays in our witness, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Drew Hyun.In this episode's luminary interview, John Mark and Drew discuss how hospitality, as a form of witness, relies on us not only sharing the good news but also becoming what Drew calls 'good news people.' Drew is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Hope Church NYC, and the Executive Director of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, an organization that aims to transform church culture through deeply changed pastors and leaders. You can connect with Drew and the ministry of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship @drewhyun on social media and at emotionallyhealthy.org. The idea of sharing our faith can elicit confusion or even aversion for some followers of Jesus. In recognition of this, we created the Reimagining Witness PDF to help you invite people into the Witness Practice with wisdom and clarity. Sign up for our emails to receive the PDF.This podcast accompanies the Witness Practice, a four-session experience designed to help us bear witness to the good news of Jesus in our cultural moment. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/witness.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Witness 01: Begin With Love (featuring Ger Jones) 24.02.2026 1h 6min

  How can we move beyond duty and obligation, into a witness motivated by a deep love for the lost? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the core motivation for the practice of witness — featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Ger Jones.In this episode's luminary interview, John Mark and Ger explore how the cultural landscape in the West has evolved over the past few decades and how this evolution should influence our approach to sharing the good news as followers of Jesus. Ger is the lead pastor of Vintage Church in Los Angeles, California. Since moving there from the UK with his wife, Lizzie, in 2011, Ger has spent over a decade forming a community with a wide open door for those exploring faith and the more difficult questions that come along with it. You can connect with Ger and the ministry of Vintage Church on social media at @gerjones and @vintagechurchla.The idea of sharing our faith can elicit confusion or even aversion for some followers of Jesus. In recognition of this, we created the Reimagining Witness PDF to help you invite people into the Witness Practice with wisdom and clarity. Sign up for our emails to receive the PDF.This podcast accompanies the Witness Practice, a four-session experience designed to help us bear witness to the good news of Jesus in our cultural moment. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/witness.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Service 04: Where Does Service Lead? (featuring a Luminary Roundtable) 28.10.2025 1h 7min

  What if service in the way of Jesus was meant to lead not first to life change or impact, but to relationship? Join Tyler Staton and Shelbi Shutt as they explore kinship as Jesus’ destination for a life of service, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with a roundtable including Charlee Tchividjian, Gabrielle Clowdus, and Sara Miller.In this episode’s roundtable, Tyler and this incredible group of female leaders explore why this practice must move beyond service-provider and service-recipient relationships into reciprocal relationships. Charlee Tchividjian is the founder of Every Mother’s Advocate (everymothersadvocate.org), an organization that provides one-on-one, ongoing support for at-risk mothers. Gabrielle Clowdus is the founder of Settled (settled.org) — a team committed to addressing homelessness through close relationships with the chronically homeless and those who serve them. Sara Miller is the founder of A House on Beekman (ahouseonbeekman.org), which empowers children and youth to flourish in the South Bronx.This podcast accompanies the Service Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you serve in the way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/service. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Service 03: How Do I Serve? - Part 02 (Edwin Colon) 21.10.2025 52min

  How can we cultivate an intentional and interruptible life of service in our everyday rhythms and routines? Join Tyler Staton and Shelbi Shutt as they explore this “Good Samaritan” way of being in the world, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with Pastor Edwin Colon. In this episode’s luminary interview, Tyler and Edwin Colon discuss seeing our schedules through what Edwin calls “Jesus’ time” and how that creates space for encounters of love and service. Edwin is the senior pastor of the Next Step Community Church Brooklyn. Edwin, along with his wife Liz, started Next Step as a Bible study in their kitchen, where they reached out to people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction in their area. You can connect with Edwin and his team’s work at nextstepcc.org. This podcast accompanies the Service Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you serve in the way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/service. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Service 02: How Do I Serve? - Part 01 (featuring Jonathan Tremaine Thomas) 14.10.2025 1h 1min

  How can service grow beyond projects and campaigns and into a lifestyle? Join Tyler Staton and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the primary environments and relationships where Jesus invites us to serve, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Jonathan Tremaine Thomas.In this episode’s luminary interview, Tyler and Jonathan Tremaine explore Jesus’ model and invitation to serve in the hidden and familiar places of our lives. Jonathan Tremaine is an activist, pastor, and preacher who founded Civil Righteousness — an organization dedicated to racial justice and reconciliation through Jesus. You can explore more of Jonathan Tremaine’s work at civilrighteousness.org and connect with him @jontremaine.This podcast accompanies the Service Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you serve in the way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/service. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Service 01: Why Do I Serve? (featuring Gary Haugen) 07.10.2025 1h 8min

  Love is the hallmark of Jesus’ followers, but what does it look like? Join Tyler Staton and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the topic of love — the core motivation of a life of service — featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Gary Haugen.In this episode’s luminary interview, Tyler and Gary discuss how loving the oppressed became a priority for Gary, and how a practice-based spirituality animates his mission to stand against injustice. Gary is the CEO and founder of International Justice Mission — an organization that exists to protect people in poverty from violence and slavery. You can explore more of Gary and the team’s work with International Justice Mission at www.ijm.org and @ijm on social media.This podcast accompanies the Service Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you serve in the way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/service. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Community 04: What We Avoid in Community (featuring David Kim) 27.05.2025 50min

  What kind of community do we desperately long for, and yet, what are we often unwilling to do to form it? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore five practices for cultivating community, featuring testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary David Kim.  In this episode’s luminary interview, John Mark and David discuss the process of cultivating deep relationships and the practices we often avoid to form them. David is a pastor, speaker, and the author of Made To Belong: Five Practices for Cultivating Community in a Disconnected World. You can explore more of David’s work at davidjanghyunkim.com and connect with him @davidjanghyunkim. This podcast accompanies the Community Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you cultivate community in the Way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/community. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Community 03: Overcoming Shame — The Ancient Enemy of Community (featuring Dr. Curt Thompson) 20.05.2025 1h 1min

  What is the main culprit behind so much disconnection and damage in our relationships? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the universal experience of shame, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with shame expert Dr. Curt Thompson. In this episode’s luminary interview, John Mark and Dr. Thompson discuss the degrees of disconnection and damage caused by shame and how we can address this ancient enemy to connection. Dr. Thompson is a psychiatrist, speaker, and the author of The Soul of Shame. You can explore more of his work at curtthompsonmd.com and connect with him @curtthompsonmd. This podcast accompanies the Community Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you cultivate community in the Way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/community. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Community 02: Family Systems and Life in Community (featuring Jay and Danielle Pathak) 13.05.2025 54min

  Is Grandpa really in my bones? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the topic of Family Systems, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminaries Jay and Danielle Pathak.In this episode’s luminary interview, John Mark, Jay, and Danielle explore Family Systems Theory — how we carry our family dynamics into all our relationships and the impact that community can have in fostering our awareness and healing. Jay and Danielle are church planters and are both in national leadership of the Vineyard USA. Jay is the co-author of The Art of Neighboring with Dave Runyon. You can connect with them @jayrpathak and @dpathak33. The Genogram can be a helpful next step for increasing awareness of your family origins and understanding what you may be carrying forward from your family into your present-day relationships. You can download our free Genogram Workbook at https://practicingthewayarchives.org/dealing-with-your-past/genogram-workbook. This podcast accompanies the Community Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you cultivate community in the Way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/community. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Community 01: Rediscovering Jesus’ Vision for Family (featuring Andy Crouch) 06.05.2025 1h 5min

  How can we cultivate the deep relationships Jesus invites us toward in an age of isolation, transience, and superficiality? Join John Mark Comer and Shelbi Shutt as they explore the topic of kinship groups, featuring conversations with everyday people in the West, testimonials from real-life practitioners, and an interview with luminary Andy Crouch. In this episode’s luminary interview, John Mark and Andy explore the evolution of radically familial relationships in the Early Church community and the devolution of community in the West. Andy is a partner for theology and culture at Praxis, and author of The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World. You can explore more of his work at andy-crouch.com and connect with him @ahcpix. Table Conversations is a beautifully designed set of cards with 100 questions to help your community connect around life, faith, and formation. You can purchase your set at practicingtheway.org/tableconversations.This podcast accompanies the Community Practice, a four-session experience designed to help you cultivate community in the Way of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/community. Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Scripture 04: Reading Scripture as a Spiritual Discipline 25.02.2025 28min

  John Mark and guests Dr. Tim Mackie, Dr. Brittany Kim, and Hakeem Bradley explore what it means to read Scripture as a spiritual discipline and why, as apprentices of Jesus, reading is ultimately about following him and becoming like him.Reading Scripture aloud in groups, a tradition rooted in early house churches, allowed for a shared, transformative encounter with Scripture — and it’s a practice we can rediscover today. Whether done privately or corporately, reading longer sections and reading aloud help us capture the literary design and thematic unity often missed in fragmented readings. This podcast accompanies the Scripture Practice, a four-session experience designed to help your community read the Bible as apprentices of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/scripture.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Scripture 03: Unlocking the Wisdom of Scripture 18.02.2025 55min

  John Mark and BibleProject’s Dr. Tim Mackie, Dr. Brittany Kim, and Hakeem Bradley discuss what it means to approach Scripture as “wisdom literature” and “meditation literature.”Wisdom literature encourages readers to internalize God’s values, making decisions that promote flourishing for themselves and others. Meditation literature invites readers to slow down, immerse themselves in Scripture, and allow its truths to permeate us to the extent that they transform how we interact with others.This podcast accompanies the Scripture Practice, a four-session experience designed to help your community read the Bible as apprentices of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/scripture.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Scripture 02: Scripture as a Cross-Cultural Experience 11.02.2025 42min

  BibleProject’s Dr. Tim Mackie, Dr. Brittany Kim, and Hakeem Bradley continue a conversation with John Mark around BibleProject’s seven-part paradigm for understanding Scripture. Episode 02 addresses common struggles with interpreting ancient texts, such as reconciling difficult laws or cultural norms with modern values, and how to approach puzzling or morally complex passages with patience and respect for their historical and cultural settings. This episode also explores the messianic theme woven throughout the library of Scripture and why scholars refer to the Bible as a unified story that points to Jesus.This podcast accompanies the Scripture Practice, a four-session experience designed to help your community read the Bible as apprentices of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/scripture.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Scripture 01: Three Problematic Approaches to Scripture 04.02.2025 47min

  In this first episode of the Scripture season of the Rule of Life podcast, John Mark is joined by BibleProject scholars Dr. Tim Mackie, Dr. Brittany Kim, and Hakeem Bradley for a conversation on the nature of Scripture and our relationship with it. Common traditional approaches to Scripture — such as the “reference book” approach, the “domesticated grab-bag” approach, and others — can limit our understanding and enjoyment of this complex library of texts. BibleProject is guided by a seven-part paradigm in their understanding of Scripture, and the first “pillar” is to understand the Bible as “human and divine literature.”This podcast accompanies the Scripture Practice, a four-session experience designed to help your community read the Bible as apprentices of Jesus. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/scripture.Our Practices are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. Learn more about The Circle at practicingtheway.org/give. Run a Practice with your community and find other resources at practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Generosity 06: Roundtable with John Cortines, Jimmy Mellado, Sara Miller, and Christian Huang 29.10.2024 1h 6min

  In this second roundtable on Generosity, John Mark is joined by John Cortines, co-author of God and Money; Jimmy Mellado, president of Compassion International; Sara Miller, founder of A House on Beekman and partner at Praxis Labs; and Christian Huang, president of Mobilize Love.This wide-ranging conversation explores nuanced issues around giving and generosity, including tithing, serving the poor regardless of proximity to need, “high-touch” versus “low-touch” involvement, and how to take simple steps in the face of overwhelming inequality.This podcast accompanies the Generosity Practice, a four-session experience designed to help integrate generosity into your community. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/generosity. Thanks to The Circle and other givers, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle, visit practicingtheway.org/give. To run a Practice with your church or small group, visit practicingtheway.org/resources
• Generosity 05: Roundtable with Patrick Johnson and April Chapman 22.10.2024 57min

  John Mark leads the first of two roundtable conversations with leaders who have devoted a significant share of their lives to advancing generosity and giving.This episode features Patrick Johnson, founder of Generous Church; April Chapman, CEO of Generous Giving; and Reward Sibanda, Senior Advisor at World Vision.Their conversation explores the reasons for our disordered relationship with money, misunderstandings around Matthew 5 and 6, and how vital it is to remember God’s often-overlooked trait of generosity.This podcast accompanies the Generosity Practice, a four-session experience designed to help integrate generosity into your community. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/generosity. Thanks to The Circle and other givers, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle, visit practicingtheway.org/give. To run a Practice with your church or small group, visit practicingtheway.org/resources
• Generosity Testimonial 04: Josh & Abbi 19.09.2024 16min

  Josh and Abbi learned early on in marriage to live on a meager income – just enough to cover essential needs, and not much else. Today they consider it a gift, because it taught them how little they really needed. When they did make enough for a small surplus and sensed the pull of materialism, they incorporated practices into their lives to maintain radical generosity. The result has been joy and contentment, both for themselves and for their children.This podcast accompanies the Generosity Practice, a four-session experience designed to help integrate generosity into your community. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/generosity. Thanks to The Circle and other givers, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle, visit practicingtheway.org/give. To run a Practice with your church or small group, visit practicingtheway.org/resources.
• Generosity 04: Be Generous to the Poor 17.09.2024 46min

  The early church was marked by extravagant generosity to the poor. Followers of Jesus formed socioeconomically diverse communities that cared for each other like family, something unheard of in the 1st century Greco-Roman world.All of this was in response to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, which repeatedly emphasize the call to care for those in need. John Mark Comer and Christian Dawson explore how followers of Jesus can walk in the footsteps of the early church by cultivating diverse, interdependent communities. Along the way, they address key questions such as, “Who are the poor, and who are the rich?” And, “What does it look like in my life to care for those in need?” This podcast accompanies the Generosity Practice, a four-session experience designed to help integrate generosity into your community. Learn more at practicingtheway.org/generosity. Thanks to The Circle and other givers, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle, visit practicingtheway.org/give. To run a Practice with your church or small group, visit practicingtheway.org/resources.