How can our communities learn to follow Jesus in a way that is within, but not defined by, our surrounding culture?

In this episode, Dr. Gerald Sittser draws from the history of the early church to explore how the Jesus movement grew — slowly, relationally, and often in the margins. He reflects on the role of the catechumenate and the long, patient work of communities that learned how to follow Jesus in an opposing culture. This teaching offers a historical and deeply practical vision of formation, inviting us to consider what we are building and whether it can endure beyond the conditions that currently support it.

This session was held at the Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Portland, Oregon, in 2023.

To find more resources and experiences tailored just for you—the pastor—visit practicingtheway.org/pastor.

This podcast and its episodes are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. You can learn more about The Circle or contribute toward future resources like this podcast at practicingtheway.org/give.

How can the digital age challenge and reshape our understanding of church?

In this episode, Jay Kim addresses the unique pressures influencing life and ministry in our digital landscape, followed by a Q&A period alongside John Mark Comer. This discussion invites us to envision a thoughtful reimagining of our churches, encouraging us to resist the allure of the easy, immediate, and consumable, while instead fostering a slower, deeper, and countercultural way of following Jesus together.

This session was held at the Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Portland, Oregon, in 2024.

To find more resources and experiences tailored just for you—the pastor—visit practicingtheway.org/pastor.

This podcast and its episodes are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. You can learn more about The Circle or contribute toward future resources like this podcast at practicingtheway.org/give.

Where can you go as a pastor to find the safe relationships you need to flourish?

In this episode, Dr. Todd Hall is joined by John Mark Comer to engage with questions from pastors about the tensions of leading relationally. They explore questions such as: How can we practice vulnerability while maintaining appropriate boundaries? How do we foster more relational safety within our staff teams? And where can pastors go to cultivate their own necessary, safe spaces?

This Q&A was held at the Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Portland, Oregon, in 2024.

To find more resources and experiences tailored just for you—the pastor—visit practicingtheway.org/pastor.

This podcast and its episodes are free, thanks to the generosity of The Circle and other givers. You can learn more about The Circle or contribute toward future resources like this podcast at practicingtheway.org/give.