Fasting Without Missing the Point: Prayer, Pride, and Self-Denial | The Church Resource Podcast

In this episode of The Church Resource, Lucas Pinckard and Dr. Chris Respass have a practical, honest conversation about fasting in the life of the church—why we do it, how to plan it wisely, and how to avoid missing the point.

As many churches consider beginning-of-the-year fasts, they explore key leadership questions: When should a church fast? How long should it last? How restrictive should it be? Drawing from real ministry experience, they discuss why some churches fast midyear while others fast in January, and how factors like congregational background, health, fellowship, and major events shape those decisions.

The conversation introduces tiered fasting approaches—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—and explains how offering levels can help people participate meaningfully without turning fasting into a competition. Lucas and Chris also address common pitfalls, including turning a fast into a diet, obsessing over recipes or weight loss, and replacing one distraction with another.

At the heart of the discussion is a reminder that fasting is about self-denial and prayer, not personal achievement. They unpack how fasting reveals temptation, pride, and vanity, and how it can deepen prayer by making it more Scripture-driven, more personal, and more focused on others.

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