Most Christians would say they know Jesus.

But what if we’ve misunderstood who He really is?

In this episode of The Walk: Faith in the Real World, Mark E. Moore—teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley and bestselling author of Core 52—challenges one of the most foundational assumptions in modern faith: not whether we believe in Jesus, but whether we actually understand Him.

From his years as a New Testament professor to leading at one of the largest churches in the country, Mark brings clarity to a question that reshapes everything:

Have we reduced Jesus to something smaller than who He really is?

This conversation explores the tension between seeing Jesus as Savior versus recognizing Him as Messiah and King—and why that distinction changes how we live, lead, and follow Him today.

Guest Bio

Mark E. Moore is the teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona—one of the fastest-growing churches in the United States. He previously spent over 20 years as a New Testament professor at Ozark Christian College and is the bestselling author of Core 52. Mark is passionate about making Scripture accessible, clear, and transformative for everyday life. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Phoenix.

Episode Highlights

Are we missing the real Jesus?
How modern Christianity can unintentionally reshape Jesus into our own image
Savior vs. King: why it matters
What happens when we embrace Jesus as Savior but ignore His authority as Messiah
Why “personal faith” might be incomplete
Recovering the power of a shared, lived-out faith in community
The danger of a customized Jesus
How culture influences the way we interpret Scripture and identity
What it actually means to follow Jesus today
Moving from comfort to surrender—and from belief to embodied faith

Pull Quote

“IF YOU SEE JESUS ONLY AS SAVIOR, YOU’LL WAIT FOR HEAVEN SOMEDAY—INSTEAD OF LIVING ETERNAL LIFE RIGHT NOW.”

Helpful Links

Mark E. Moore Books: https://www.markmoore.org/
Christ’s Church of the Valley: https://ccv.church

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Planning Center: the all-in-one software to help your church schedule volunteers, plan services, and stay organized. Try it today at https://www.planningcenter.com/?utm_source=wlm&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=thewalk

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Ep 168: Mark E. Moore: Savior or King? What Most Christians Get Wrong