How can we model God’s love, and show what it looks like to love others, by truly listening? In this episode, Noël, Esther and special guest Siân Rees discuss how Christians can become better listeners, both inside and outside the church context. They emphasise that listening begins with love, humility and attention: choosing to prefer others, resist distractions and be fully present. They reflect on Scripture, including James’ call to be quick to listen and slow to speak, the unity of the early Church in Acts, and Jesus’ use of questions and parables. They explore good listening as a spiritual discipline shaped by prayer, Scripture, community and the Holy Spirit. The conversation highlights the need for patience, empathy and self-examination, especially when discussing faith with those who think differently. Timestamps (00:00) - Intro (01:32) - How do we model good listening within the church and society? (02:22) - Loving others by giving them time and attention (03:16) - Listening requires humility (03:56) - Focused attention and being fully present (04:43) - Distractions, unhelpful mindsets and learning to trust God (07:14) - What can we learn from the unity and purposefulness of the early Church community? (12:05) - The importance of considering people’s circumstances, not just what they say (15:13) - The motif of hearing and seeing in Mark 4 (17:34) - The need to be patient and let the Holy Spirit do his work (18:40) - Nourishing our souls: Scripture, prayer and listening to God in community (23:24) - Listening and deeper engagement – sharing the gospel outside the church (26:31) - Good news stories of God at work: The Quiet Revival Podcast: what’s the story? Rooted:Rooted is our devotional journal that helps make the Bible available to everyone, everywhere. Every other month, you’ll receive a new 80-page journal filled with insightful devotionals, thought-provoking prompts, and lots of opportunities to reflect, journal and be creative. Sign up today to receive your first journal for free.Send us your questions!We'd love to hear from you.Submit your question.Bible Society: The Rooted Podcast is brought to you by Bible Society, a Christian organisation that translates, publishes, and distributes the Bible. We communicate its relevance and invite people to experience the transforming power of the Scriptures in today’s world. Visit our website to find out more. Bible Society socials: FacebookInstagramX (formerly Twitter) Disclaimer: This is a Bible Society podcast, but it’s also a conversation between people exploring the Bible together. We won’t get everything right, and we won’t always agree! Please be patient with us and join us on the journey. #Listening #ListeningToEachOther #LovingOneAnother #Love #Humility #Attention #Unity #Patience #Empathy #Prayer #Scripture #Community #James #Acts #Mark #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast Everyday Faith Bible Let Scripture transform every part of your life with the Everyday Faith Bible.Created in partnership with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), the Everyday Faith Bible will help you to: Understand Scripture’s real-world context Relate to experiences and emotions in the passage Respond to what you read with practical actionKey features: Up to 1,000 margin annotations throughout the Bible, to encourage ‘head, heart and hands’ confidence in applying Scripture to everyday lifeReal-life stories and quotes from Christian expert practitioners across the UKWhole-page introductions to each genre of biblical writingWhole-page features on important biblical themes
