The UpWords Podcast

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace | Mark DeYmaz

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Description

In this deeply reflective conversation, host John Terrill welcomes pastor, author, and practitioner Mark DeYmaz for an exploration of Christian peacemaking. Drawing from his new book Make Me an Instrument of Peace and his decades of work leading multi‑ethnic congregations, Mark unpacks the biblical, historical, and practical foundations of living as Christlike peacemakers in a fractured cultural moment.

Mark shares his upbringing in economic hardship, his journey into pastoral ministry, and the early experiences that awakened his calling to build healthy, multi‑ethnic churches. Together, John and Mark discuss the Prayer of St. Francis, its surprising origins, and its enduring ability to shape Christians into people who sow love, pardon, hope, and light.

Listeners will gain insight into:

  1. The true origins of the peace prayer (hint: not St. Francis)
  2. Why peacemaking is central to Christian identity
  3. How juxtaposition and paradox lie at the heart of the gospel
  4. The skills required to think and speak with nuance
  5. Practical disciplines for removing “peace‑disturbing factors” in our lives
  6. Stories of God’s grace at work amid personal grief, community challenges, and ministry breakthroughs
  7. How Christians can witness with humility rather than merely “make points”
  8. How churches can embody reconciliation in polarized times

This episode invites us to pause, breathe, and rediscover the beauty and costliness of Christlike peace.

Key Topics

  1. Multi‑ethnic church leadership
  2. Cultural intelligence and nuance
  3. The peace prayer of 1912 and its global impact
  4. Biblical foundations of peacemaking (Matthew 5, Isaiah 61, Luke 4)
  5. Christian formation in polarized times
  6. Practical disciplines for pursuing peace
  7. Mark’s personal journey and testimony

Resources & Links

  1. Mark DeYmaz: Books, resources, and ministry
  2. Make Me an Instrument of Peace (NavPress, 2026)

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This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.

Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave Conour

Edited by Dave Conour