Teaching | Four Layers of Sin | Spiritual Cartography E01
Practicing the Way with John Mark Comer
Practicing the Way
4.9 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 5 January 2026
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This is an episode from the Practicing the Way podcast. To dig deeper into the ideas from today's teaching, you can find more by searching for "Practicing the Way" wherever you get your podcasts.
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How do we change our deepest sin patterns? John Mark explores the four layers of sin we must navigate on the spiritual journey—from major sins to unconscious patterns to our deepest attachments. He shows us why true transformation requires moving past behavior modification into the painful but liberating work of surrendering everything we cling to for happiness and peace.
Key Scripture Passages: Galatians 5v19-21; 1 John 5v16-17; James 1v4
This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: James from San Diego, California; Tyler from Rockvale, Tennessee; Kate from Landrum, South Carolina; Jaime from Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Jessica from Richardson, Texas. Thank you all so much!
If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey friends, it's John Mark. |
| 0:02.0 | Our team of practicing the way is really excited for our upcoming pastor conference, |
| 0:07.0 | happening January 26 through 28 of 2026 here in Los Angeles. |
| 0:12.0 | The conference is sold out for in-person tickets, but if you are a pastor who still wants to gather with your team or a few friends |
| 0:19.0 | and explore what formation looks like |
| 0:21.8 | in your context. We have a watch gathering option for you. Your team can join remotely and |
| 0:27.7 | watch each session live or on demand. We've also created resources designed to help your team |
| 0:33.5 | process what you're learning and discern your next steps together. There is a lot riding |
| 0:39.6 | on our shoulders as leaders, but we don't have to go on this journey alone. Learn more about |
| 0:45.4 | watch gatherings at practicing the way.org slash pastor conference. |
| 0:57.5 | Hello and welcome to the John Mark Homer Teachings podcast. |
| 1:00.3 | My name is Yinka Dawson and I'm your host. |
| 1:05.0 | Each week we feature teachings by John Mark or other voices in the formation space and it's great to have you with us. |
| 1:07.6 | As we jump into the new year, we're starting a special series that we're calling Spiritual Cartography, |
| 1:13.9 | featuring valuable content from John Mark's book, Practice in the Way, that didn't make it into the final version. |
| 1:20.0 | Today, John Mark explains why spiritual cartography matters, how mapping our spiritual journey can help us recognize the unique challenges, temptations, |
| 1:29.7 | and invitation that come with each season of faith. |
| 1:32.7 | Here's John Mark. |
| 1:37.0 | In the fourth century, St. Serapion the Sindonite, one of the best known of the Desert Fathers, |
| 1:43.0 | traveled from his monastery in Egypt to visit a |
| 1:45.3 | woman in the city of Rome who had become widely known as a spiritual master of the way. Unlike |
| 1:51.1 | Serapion, she did not retreat to the desert, but stayed at home and devoted herself to prayer. |
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