In this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Conor Berry about the topic of fasting.

Conor is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Maria on the Central Coast of California. 

Recently, a listener reached out to me asking if I had any resources on the topic of fasting. I remembered that, several years ago, I had picked up a book from a church book store titled, “A Hunger for God,” thinking that the title sounded like something I would be interested in – but when I got home I took a look at it and realized, much to my dismay, that it was a book about fasting! So, I left it on my bookshelf and never read it… until this week!

It isn’t that I was opposed to fasting. I have, and do, fast occasionally. It’s just that I assumed the book would be a downer, and would basically just tell me that I needed to fast more. Well, this week, in preparation for this episode, I read the whole book in one day, and actually loved it! Here’s a link to the book, if you’re interested in checking it out: A Hunger for God by John Piper

In this episode, Conor and I discuss what the Bible has to say about fasting; what is the purpose of fasting? How does it work? What is the relationship between fasting and prayer, and what is the “reward” of fasting mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 6:16?

We seek to answer these questions with consideration of how Christians throughout history have understood fasting, and finally, Conor gives some practical recommendations for people regarding the duration and regularity of fasting, as well as what to fast from.

The book Conor references in this episode is: Fasting by Scot McKnight (Ancient Practices Series)

And as a bonus, at the end of the episode, we give a recommendation for those looking for a church in Cork, Ireland.

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

The Purpose and Power of Fasting – with Conor Berry – Theology for the People

Conor Berry is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Maria on the Central Coast of California.  In this episode we discuss what the Bible has to say about fasting. What is the purpose of fasting? How does it work? What is the relationship between fasting and prayer, and what is the "reward" of fasting mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 6:16? We seek to answer these questions with consideration of how Christians throughout history have understood fasting, and by looking at a few modern resources as well. Books referenced in this episode: A Hunger for God by John Piper Fasting by Scot McKnight (Ancient Practices Series) If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org — Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theologyforthepeople/support