Weekly Practices
Weekly Practice 6/15/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Scripture
1 Corinthians 14:1-4 NLT
Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.
Practice
Witness
This week, watch or listen to this episode from Practicing the Way’s “Rule of Life” podcast: Witness 03: Partner with the Holy Spirit. Then, reflect on the following questions:
What do you think about the “thin line” between encouragement and prophecy?
Is “three-way listening” (listening to another person while also paying attention to God and to yourself) a new concept for you?
How might you like to grow as a listener?
Also, this week, spend time with someone and just practice listening attentively to them.
Weekly Practice 6/8/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Scripture
Matthew 9:1-13 MSG
Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus’ hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, “Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins.” Some religion scholars whispered, “Why, that’s blasphemy!”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . .” At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.” And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.
Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him.
Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and misfits?”
Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”
Practice
Witness
This week, watch or listen to this episode from Practicing the Way’s “Rule of Life” podcast: Witness 02: Practice Hospitality. Then, reflect on the following questions:
How might you slow down to allow more space for spending with others?
Are you a good listener?
What might hospitality look like “in the contours of your actual life”?
Wide Awake
As promised, our friends at Wide Awake have shared slides you can post as a carousel set on social media. This helps to shine a light on the work they do. You can also support them by:
Praying—For the Johnson family, for their team, for their work, for the boys and men they serve, for Ukraine.
Staying Connected—Sign up for their newsletter to learn more and get updates.
Donating—Consider supporting Wide Awake financially.
Weekly Practice 6/1/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Scripture
Matthew 9:35-38 NLT
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Practice
Witness
This week, watch or listen to this episode from Practicing the Way’s “Rule of Life” podcast: Witness 01: Begin With Love. Then, reflect on the following questions:
What has your experience of witness/evangelism been like? Would you say it’s been motivated by love?
Does thinking of witness/evangelism as a “long relationship of love" with others encourage you? Challenge you?
How does, or could, this kind of witness/evangelism fit into your own life?