Podcast Summary: Jack Hibbs Podcast

Episode: It's Time To End Self Focus
Host: Jack Hibbs (JackHibbs.com)
Date: October 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pastor Jack Hibbs confronts the dangers of self-focus within Christian life and community. He draws from biblical teaching—primarily from Romans, James, and Corinthians—to emphasize the necessity of empathy, unity, humility, and rejecting partiality. The message challenges believers to move beyond selfishness, to adopt Christ-centered compassion, and to resist cultural and spiritual cliques, culminating in a powerful call to embrace humility and collective Kingdom purpose.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Destructive Nature of Self-Focus

Timestamp: 02:14

• Jack Hibbs identifies self-focus as a major source of brokenness in relationships, churches, and communities.
  • “Self focus destroys lives, destroys friendships, destroys marriages.” (B, 02:14)
• The call of Romans: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Genuine empathy is contrasted with superficial displays of emotion (e.g., paid mourners in Jesus’ day).

2. True Empathy in Practice

Timestamp: 03:40

• Jack challenges listeners to empathize deeply:
  • “The word for the believer is to weep with those who weep because we’ve stopped focusing on ourself enough to get inside their skin and to be able to say, meaning it, I feel. I feel this. I feel what you’re going through.” (B, 03:54)
• Warns against empty platitudes, especially in moments of deep tragedy.

3. Fighting Hardheartedness and Callousness

Timestamp: 06:43

• Jack addresses caregivers and ministry workers:
  • “You can be tempted to treat every, so to speak, case the same. None of them are the same.” (B, 06:50)
  • Calls for ongoing prayer for softened hearts to avoid becoming numb.

4. Jesus as the Model of Compassion

Timestamp: 07:30

• Jesus’ own empathy and capacity for emotional pain is described vividly:
  • “Jesus wept… his bowels were grieved to where his actual physical stomach was churning because he saw them hurting.” (B, 07:45)
  • Emphasizes that God is closest when we are hurting.

5. Unity of Mind Through Scripture

Timestamp: 08:59

• The “same mind” among believers is rooted in shared, scriptural thinking.
  • “The Christian community works the best when it’s Bible saturated. We think Bible together.” (B, 09:29)
• Jack highlights the transformative potential of a “Bible-minded” church:
  • “Imagine if today the church in America alone began to think Bible thoughts of the same mind. The church would be instantly, instantly a force to be reckoned with for good.” (B, 10:10)

6. Focus on Others Within the Christian Community

Timestamp: 11:40

• Explains “have your mind toward them,” meaning behind, beside, ahead—encompassing support for fellow believers.
  • Emphasizes prayer, shared joy, and shared grief as hallmarks of genuine relationships.

7. The Source of Conflict: Selfish Desires

Timestamp: 12:29

• Drawing from James 4:1, Jack links church strife, family arguments, and social division to self-focused desires.
  • “The Bible says, where’s this? Why is this happening in your home? The Bible says, I’ll tell you why. Because somebody… has got this selfish desire for pleasure, whatever that pleasure might be, to exhaust, spend, even destroy your neighbor, your family, the church, so that you can have it your way.” (B, 12:47)

8. Mutual Suffering and Rejoicing

Timestamp: 13:14

• Cites 1 Corinthians 12:26—emphasizing shared experiences in the body of Christ.
  • “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (B, 13:17)

9. Rejecting Elitism and Partiality

Timestamp: 13:53

• Jack uses first-century church context to illustrate that social status, wealth, or class should not separate believers.
  • “At the writing of this, in the Roman Empire, slaves were the biggest number group in the church in the first century. But there were also middle class and rich people… and they sat down in church together, side by side.” (B, 13:55)
• Strong statements against “cliques”:
  • “God hates cliques. He doesn’t want partiality.” (B, 16:26)
• Cites multiple scriptures establishing God’s impartiality: James 2:1–9, 1 Timothy 5:21, Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34, and 1 Peter 1:17.

10. The End of Self-Awareness as Self-Obsession

Timestamp: 18:50

• Jack closes by emphasizing humility:
  • “Do not be wise in your own opinion, don’t do that… Not to think of yourself above, beyond, better than others in rank, status or blood.” (B, 18:56)
• Calls for self-reflection and repentance:
  • “We are in this together. Why do you have to some way shape or form… get a word into the argument? ...It’s okay to be busted. Just don’t stay there. Go be broken about it.” (B, 20:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Empathy:
  “When someone is mopping up the suicide of their teenager, don’t show up and say, ‘I understand how you feel.’ Just don’t do that. Just cry… There’s a time when the grief reaches a point where there’s only tears. There’s only weeping.” (B, 04:47)

• On Unity Through Scripture:
  “How did that happen? Because we read God’s word. It’s beautiful.” (B, 09:46)

• On Partiality:
  “When God opens up the kingdom, he’s not gonna say, Platinum members, first class, all of you. Come on in. No, no, no. The first shall be last. The last shall be first.” (B, 14:27)

• On Church Conflicts:
  “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” (B, quoting James 4:1, 12:33)

• On Spiritual Humility:
  “It’s okay to be busted. Just don’t stay there. Go be broken about it.” (B, 20:56)

Timeline of Key Segments

• [02:14] – Introduction to self-focus as a source of brokenness
• [03:40] – Biblical empathy: weeping and rejoicing with others
• [06:43] – Addressing caregiver fatigue and the need for soft hearts
• [07:30] – Jesus’ radical compassion
• [08:59] – Spiritual unity through a “Bible-saturated” community
• [11:40] – The call to be mindful and prayerful toward others
• [12:29] – Selfish desires as the root of conflict (James 4)
• [13:14] – One body: sharing suffering and joy (1 Corinthians 12)
• [13:53] – Social status abolished in the Kingdom; warning against cliques
• [18:50] – The call to humility, ending with self-examination

Episode Takeaways

• Genuine Christian living demands a shift from self-obsession to Christ-centered compassion, humility, and unity.
• Empathy is expressed not in words but presence and shared pain or joy.
• Scriptural thinking (“Bible-saturated” minds) builds unity and resilience.
• The family of Christ cannot afford cliques, favoritism, or spiritual elitism—God Himself is impartial.
• Real humility involves recognizing and rooting out “wise in your own eyes” tendencies.

This episode offers both challenge and encouragement, calling listeners to examine their hearts, abandon self-focus, and reflect the radical humility and compassion of Christ in every relationship.