A New, Yet Ancient Pastoral Imagination (Featuring John Mark Comer)

A New, Yet Ancient Pastoral Imagination (Featuring John Mark Comer)

From The Contemplative Pastor by Practicing the Way

May 7, 2026 · 1h 10m

About this episode

John Mark Comer discusses the implications of prioritizing spiritual formation in church life.

If spiritual formation were the primary goal of your church, what might need to change? In this episode, John Mark Comer invites us to consider whether the way we have organized church life is actually forming people into maturity in Christ, and the kinds of convictions that support a more intentional pathway of life-change. This is an invitation to a new, yet ancient pastoral imagination rooted in the way of Jesus — one that is slow, patient, and transformative. This session was held at the Practicing the Way Pastor Conference in Los Angeles, California, in 2026. 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.

People in this episode

Host: Practicing the Way

Guest: John Mark Comer

Topics covered

  • spiritual formation
  • church life
  • maturity in Christ
  • pastoral imagination
  • way of Jesus

Keywords

  • spiritual formation
  • church
  • maturity
  • pastoral imagination
  • transformation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Practicing the Way

Places: Los Angeles, California

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