Rule of Life

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

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 Reward Sibanda, senior advisor for church relations at World Vision International; Patrick Johnson, founder of Generous Church; and April Chapman, CEO of Generous Giving.

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

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.

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.

Lola grew up in a family that, in her words, “gave with ease.” When she joined a community of followers of Jesus, she experienced the same generosity during a period of unexpected difficulty. Taking in generous love softened her heart and kindled a desire to show up for others 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.

From the first pages of Scripture, this simple truth is clear: We are guests in God’s world. Our role is that of a steward, not an owner, and in that role, we are entrusted with God’s resources for our own good and for the good of others.

Through careful examination of key passages such as Luke 12 and 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, John Mark Comer and Christian Dawson discuss areas of theological controversy around money, how to avoid the pitfalls of wealth, and practical ways of cultivating a stewardship mentality, even with little resources.

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.

Sunny believes that how we use money is a concrete reflection of what we truly value. That conviction, along with the understanding that everything he owns is really God’s, has produced a lifestyle of increasing generosity in his family. As an engineer, Sunny knows that measuring and reporting is key to improving, and he’s given that same scrutiny to his stewardship; he and his family check on their giving regularly and seek to give 1% more each year – not because they feel they must, but because they sense God’s pleasure in the practice 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.

Accumulation and acquisition are often celebrated as the path to security and happiness, but Jesus warns against the broken human desire to always want more. 

In Episode 02 of the Generosity Season, John Mark and Christian Dawson explore how Jesus’ way of generosity can set us free from enslavement to greed and slowly train our hearts to be deeply happy and content.  

Learn how the pursuit of possessions leads to hurry and anxiety, ways to become more sensitive to our invisible propensity towards greed, and why Jesus calls wealth so deceitful.

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.

Jim and Jan faithfully tithed over the years, but their vision for generosity was dramatically expanded through a Generous Giving conference. After hearing Jesus’ counterintuitive words on money and listening to testimonials from people who’d given over $100 million over their lifetime, they left with a deep conviction that everything they had was truly God’s, and that stewarding those resources with radical generosity – rather than sinking into “spiraling affluence” – was the pathway to joy.

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.

The practice of generosity, and specifically our open-handedness with money, is not a peripheral issue in the teachings of Jesus. It is a central aspect of our apprenticeship to him. It is also a counterintuitive pathway to joy.

Jesus’ teaching on money and possessions sound absurd or even reckless to our modern ears. Yet social science over the last few decades attests to his wisdom: Generous people are happier, healthier, have stronger immune systems, and even laugh more often.

In Episode 01 of the Generosity Season, John Mark Comer and Christian Dawson discuss the paradox of generosity, two competing mindsets around giving, and simple steps to free our hearts from the fear and slavery of money. Along the way they unpack key passages like Matthew 6 and Genesis 3 to shed light on the happy, generous God revealed in scripture.

This podcast accompanies the Generosity Practice, a four-session experience designed to help integrate generosity in 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.

How often should I practice solitude? What if I don’t have a good time or the right place to practice solitude? What if solitude makes me more anxious? These are all questions that you, our audience, wanted help with! Join John Mark Comer, Bethany Allen, and Bryan Rouanzoin on this final Question and Response episode of season 4 of the Rule of Life podcast. You may just hear the question you asked. 

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit https://www.practicingtheway.org/.

In this podcast season so far, we’ve discussed two encounters that we may experience during solitude — an encounter with ourselves and an encounter with God. In this final interview of the season, John Mark Comer and Bryan Rouanzoin interview Emily P. Freeman about how solitude enables us to encounter the living God. Through this encounter, we can experience his presence, hear his voice, and witness his power personally. 

Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books, including The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions. As a spiritual director, podcast host, and workshop leader, her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Her work has been featured in Today Parents, Christianity Today, and Patheos. Emily holds a master’s degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University where she also serves as a residency lecturer. She lives in North Carolina with her family. Find her work on her website, instagram, and her Substack, The Soul Minimalist.

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit https://www.practicingtheway.org/.

In solitude, we not only encounter ourselves and who we are before God, we also encounter the voices of others. We can be met with fear, regret, and external voices that may be challenging to distinguish from God or ourselves. Is this why solitude can be so challenging? How can we tell the difference between God’s voice and the voice of the enemy? Why does solitude and silence facilitate this encounter with our enemies? 

In this conversation, John Mark Comer interviews Ken Shigematsu. Ken is the senior pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, BC, one of the largest and most diverse city-center churches in Canada. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded to Canadians in recognition for their outstanding contribution to the country. Before entering pastoral ministry, he worked for the Sony Corporation in Tokyo. Ken is the author of the award-winning bestsellers God in My Everything and Survival Guide for the Soul, and his recently released book (May 2023) Now I Become Myself. Ken lives in Vancouver with his wife, Sakiko, and their son, Joey.

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit https://www.practicingtheway.org/.

Solitude is a place of encounter, where we confront the reality of who we are before God. There are so many voices, including our own false selves, that we use to curate who we are. But in solitude, we encounter our true selves — created and loved by God. And we are free to bring all of our selves before God for healing, prayer, and reflection. 

In episode 2 of the Solitude season, John Mark Comer and Bryan Rouanzoin interview Bethany Allen. Bethany Allen is the pastor of spiritual formation and leadership development at Bridgetown Church in downtown Portland. She has a deep passion to see women defined by who they were created to be: image-bearers of God. Compelled by her affection for the Scriptures and her desire to be an effective learner in order to be an effective teacher, Bethany works hard counseling women, developing curriculum, and planning alongside Bridgetown’s pastoral team. A southern belle by birth, Bethany moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2007. She earned a Master of Arts in Specialized Ministry with a focus in Pastoral Care to Women from Western Seminary in 2011.

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit practicingtheway.org.

Jesus regularly oscillated between rich time in community and beautiful time connecting with God in solitude in the eremos. The “quiet place” was an intentional space Jesus entered to be alone with God and himself. As apprentices of Jesus, we desperately need to set aside time for this too.

In episode 1 of the Solitude season, Bethany Allen and John Mark Comer interview John Ortberg. John Ortberg is a longtime pastor, speaker, and author, and the founder of an online ministry called BecomeNew.Me. He and his wife Nancy live in Northern California. Born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, John graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in psychology. He holds a Master of Divinity and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Fuller Seminary, and has done post-graduate work at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit practicingtheway.org.

Our world is noisier than it’s ever been. Between noise pollution, our phones, and the digital era we live in, it is now possible to be alone but never truly be alone. Solitude has essentially disappeared from our modern world. And yet, Jesus prioritized solitude. 

In the first episode of the Solitude season, Bethany Allen and Bryan Rouanzoin interview John Mark Comer about the practice of solitude and why it's essential for every apprentice of Jesus. 

This podcast accompanies the Solitude Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all our resources are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit practicingtheway.org.

After discussing the ancient practice of fasting — its origins, practicalities, and benefits — the questions still remain: What about those of us with a history of disordered eating? Or a medical condition that prevents us from fasting? How do I know if it is healthy for me to fast? Am I missing out if I struggle in this way? 

This final episode of the Fasting series dives into these questions alongside Dr. Alison Cook, a licensed therapist, author, and podcast host. Originally from Wyoming, Alison studied at Dartmouth College (B.A.), Denver Seminary (M.A.), and the University of Denver (Ph.D.), where she specialized in integrating psychology and theology. Alison’s doctoral dissertation centered on the relationship between religion and prejudice. She is certified in Internal Family Systems Therapy and spent many years practicing in a clinic that served individuals with eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Alison has written two books: Boundaries for Your Soul and The Best of You. Find out more at https://www.dralisoncook.com/. 

This podcast accompanies the Fasting Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all Practices are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit www.practicingtheway.org.

Does a practice like fasting matter in the face of injustice and evil in the world? Can fasting really change any of it? If so, how?

For the fourth week of our Fasting series, pastor and writer, Tyler Staton joins John Mark Comer, Yinka Dawson, and Jarin Oda to talk about three key characteristics of biblical justice, the differences between standing for and with the poor, and how fasting is a powerful way to empathize with and intercede for our neighbors in need. 

This podcast accompanies the Fasting Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all Practices are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit www.practicingtheway.org.

Last week, we heard a story of miraculous, physical healing through prayer and fasting. But how does fasting heal communities? Generations? Systems? What is the effect of fasting outside of individuals? 

In this episode, our roundtable is joined by South African church planter Chris Wienand. Chris shares his experience in fasting and praying during Apartheid rule in South Africa, the opportunity for miracles through communities who fast, and the generational responsibilities belonging to followers of Jesus. 

This podcast accompanies the Fasting Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all Practices are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit www.practicingtheway.org.

Do you have a theology of the body? Many of us Western followers of Jesus have been formed to separate our bodies from our spirituality. But fasting might be the discipline we’ve been missing — a way to integrate our faith and our bodies and bring our whole self before God. To sanctify our souls as we fight sin in the flesh. 

In episode 2, John Mark Comer, Yinka Dawson, and Jarin Oda are joined by a special guest, T Comer, who shares her story of miraculous healing from chronic illness and a generational curse. Through fasting, intercession, and a call to holiness, the Spirit freed her body from fifteen years of serious sickness.

This podcast accompanies the Fasting Practice, developed by Practicing the Way. Thanks to the generosity of The Circle, all Practices are free. To learn more about The Circle or to run a Practice with your church, community, or small group, visit www.practicingtheway.org.