The Contemplative Pastor

What is my shadow mission?In this episode, join John Mark Comer and John Ortberg as they explore the possibilities and pitfalls in the pastoral vocation. They discuss the dangers of over-relying on giftedness, the importance of detaching from outcomes, and the power of identifying what John refers to as a "shadow mission"— what your life could be if it veers just a few degrees off course. This session was held at the Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Los Angeles, California, in 2026.John Ortberg is a pastor, author, and speaker. He’s been in ministry for over 40 years and teaches around a central theme of spiritual formation. John is a deep believer that the main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become. He desires for people to know God in an interactive, life-transforming way. Presently, John leads the ministry Become New, focused on helping you grow spiritually one day at a time.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.

Is your life as a pastor arranged in such a way that you are experiencing deep joy, contentment, and freedom in your life with God?In this episode, join John Ortberg, Bethany Allen, and Bryan Rouanzoin as they explore the vision for building an inner life that can allow you and your ministry to flourish, even amid the unique demands and temptations of pastoring today.This teaching was delivered by John at the first annual Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 2022.John Ortberg is a pastor, author, and speaker. He’s been in ministry for over 40 years and teaches around a central theme of spiritual formation. John is a deep believer that the main thing God gets out of your life is the person you become. He desires for people to know God in an interactive, life-transforming way. Presently, John leads the ministry Become New, focused on helping you grow spiritually one day at a time.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.

The Contemplative Pastor is a podcast for the pastor who longs to embody a less hurried, less overwhelmed, less CEO-like form of leadership, and to recover the ancient path of pastoring in the way of Jesus.Each episode features insightful teachings from guides and sages on key topics within spiritual formation, along with practical conversations on those teachings between Bryan Rouanzoin and Bethany Allen, pastors from Canopy Church and Bridgetown Church, followed by guided prayers and reflections to help you sit with the rich wisdom of each episode. Our aim? To shape a new, yet ancient, kind of pastor—more unhurried, more prayerful, more peaceful—and to see the formational role of the local church flourish once again.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.