LIVING THE JESUS CREED: A Daily Practice for November

This November, we invite you to join our church community in a simple but powerful daily practice: reciting the Jesus Creed each morning and evening. The Jesus Creed comes from Mark 12:29-31, where Jesus teaches us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Together, we’ll meditate on these words throughout the month as we seek to live them out.

This practice reflects the ancient Jewish tradition of reciting the Shema—“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one…”—every morning and evening. It’s a practice that Jesus Himself would have followed. Imagine that Jesus would have woken up in the morning, recited Deuteronomy 6, and gone about his work through the day and do the same at night. As Joshua 1:8 encourages us to meditate on God’s instructions day and night, allowing His words to shape our lives. 

Like Jesus, we want to practice saying The Jesus Creed at the beginning and end of each day for November.  Each of you will receive a small card at our All Gathering or in House Church with the words of Mark 12:29-31. When you wake up or before you leave your house, recite the verse out loud. In the evening, around the table, or in your prayers before bed,  recite the verse out loud. It’s an invitation to form your soul by making Jesus’ central command the foundation of your daily life.

What is the Jesus Creed?

The Jesus Creed is found in Mark 12:29-31:

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

In this passage, Jesus uniquely combines the Shema from Deuteronomy 6 with Leviticus 19. Some scholars note that this combination is distinctive to Jesus. A creed, by definition, is a set of beliefs or aims that guide one’s actions. In summary, Jesus’ teachings boil down to this: love God fully, and love others as you love yourself.

Discipleship isn’t just about head knowledge; it’s about shaping our hearts and lives to reflect Christ. By reciting the Jesus Creed each morning and evening, we allow Jesus' words to form us, helping us become more like Him. Like physical training, spiritual growth takes practice and time. Every time we say these words, we train our souls to live them out.

Creating Space for God’s Presence

When we pause at the start and close of each day to recite this creed, we create sacred moments to become aware of God’s presence. Life can be noisy and full of distractions, especially during election season in November! These grounding moments of prayer anchor us, reminding us of what’s most important—the presence of God and how we live that out in love toward others. Let these words set the tone for your day and serve as a reflection at night on how you lived out that love.

I pray we will experience the depth of God’s love for you and be renewed in God’s presence throughou your day. Together, we’re practicing the way of Jesus in Bakersfield—growing as a community that loves God fully and loves our neighbors as ourselves.

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Mark 12:29-31 (The Jesus Creed)

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Recommended Learning:

The Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight

Shema / Listen

Video by The Bible Project