Rule of Life

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.