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Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did
The author of the international bestseller The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry calls us to rediscover the path that leads to a deeper life with God .
“One of the most important books I have read in a decade . . . If we would all follow in this way, our lives would change and the world would change.”—Jennie Allen, author of Get Out of Your Head and Find Your People
We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice.
To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.
This introduction to spiritual formation is full of John Mark Comer’s trademark mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life.
These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.
“One of the most important books I have read in a decade . . . If we would all follow in this way, our lives would change and the world would change.”—Jennie Allen, author of Get Out of Your Head and Find Your People
We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice.
To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.
This introduction to spiritual formation is full of John Mark Comer’s trademark mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life.
These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 16, 2024
About the author
John Mark Comer
30 books3,498 followersI am the director and teacher of Practicing the Way, founding pastor of Bridgetown Church and New York Times bestselling author of Live No Lies. My growing passion is the intersection of spiritual formation and post-Christian culture. The gnawing questions that get me out of bed in the morning are, how do we experience life with God? And how do we change to become more like Jesus? To that end, I can regularly be found reading the desert fathers and mothers, ancient saints and obscure contemplatives, modern psychologists and social scientists, philosophers like Dallas Willard, and op-eds from the New York Times.
When I'm not reading, I can be found around a table with my family and friends, attempting to learn how to cook, drinking Heart coffee, and walking the family dog in the forest. Most important, I am husband to T and father to Jude, Moses, and Sunday.
When I'm not reading, I can be found around a table with my family and friends, attempting to learn how to cook, drinking Heart coffee, and walking the family dog in the forest. Most important, I am husband to T and father to Jude, Moses, and Sunday.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,886 reviews
July 10, 2024
John Mark Comer tells his story in a way that brings his ideas to life, making this guide to spiritual formation engaging and accessible.
Comer offers a guide for spiritual growth that starts with being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and then living as He did as a way to advance. His simple, practical style and personal narratives make deep theological ideas both understandable and useful.
Why did I choose to listen to this book?
Because Comer's voice is warm and genuine, it feels like Comer is speaking just to you, encouraging and suggesting the way he lives out what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
You can check the audiobook version available too Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did
This is a resource for someone who is interested in hearing more about living a spiritual path that is transformative, personal, and life-giving. This book would be an ideal companion for someone who wants to deepen their spiritual formation.
Comer offers a guide for spiritual growth that starts with being with Jesus, becoming like Him, and then living as He did as a way to advance. His simple, practical style and personal narratives make deep theological ideas both understandable and useful.
Why did I choose to listen to this book?
Because Comer's voice is warm and genuine, it feels like Comer is speaking just to you, encouraging and suggesting the way he lives out what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
You can check the audiobook version available too Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did
This is a resource for someone who is interested in hearing more about living a spiritual path that is transformative, personal, and life-giving. This book would be an ideal companion for someone who wants to deepen their spiritual formation.
September 4, 2023
“In both my personal and pastoral experience, the problem is not that people don’t want to change (most do) or aren’t trying to change (most are); it’s that they do not know how to change. We don’t have a good grasp on how the human soul goes from spiritual birth to spiritual maturity. So we have a lot of spiritual adolescents, few elders.”
This is the problem John Mark Comer seeks to address in Practicing the Way, and he thoroughly succeeds. This book is the single best synthesis of the spiritual journey of being a disciple of Jesus that I have ever read. John Mark Comer brings together a historical perspective of discipleship with the wisdom of how we live this out in the modern world, and it is a brilliant work that will become an invaluable resource to the church in this age. As someone who has listened to many of John Mark’s teachings and read his other books, I view this as the compilation of much of his best work. To anyone outside of the Christian faith, this book is an invitation to take up a life of discipleship to Jesus, and to the church, it is an invitation to the rich depths of experiencing eternal life through knowing Jesus. John Mark balances the beauty of the vision of following Jesus with the immense practicality of crafting a rule of life in community, and the resources he gives for this in the back of the book are worth their weight in gold. This is a book that I will be coming back to many times, and I look forward to its official release to be able to share it with more people.
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy.
This is the problem John Mark Comer seeks to address in Practicing the Way, and he thoroughly succeeds. This book is the single best synthesis of the spiritual journey of being a disciple of Jesus that I have ever read. John Mark Comer brings together a historical perspective of discipleship with the wisdom of how we live this out in the modern world, and it is a brilliant work that will become an invaluable resource to the church in this age. As someone who has listened to many of John Mark’s teachings and read his other books, I view this as the compilation of much of his best work. To anyone outside of the Christian faith, this book is an invitation to take up a life of discipleship to Jesus, and to the church, it is an invitation to the rich depths of experiencing eternal life through knowing Jesus. John Mark balances the beauty of the vision of following Jesus with the immense practicality of crafting a rule of life in community, and the resources he gives for this in the back of the book are worth their weight in gold. This is a book that I will be coming back to many times, and I look forward to its official release to be able to share it with more people.
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy.
May 27, 2024
I liked the concepts in this book and the huge number of quotes. It was a little too modern for me in that the narrative felt sparse. Still it would be a great graduate gift book. I also have some niggling concerns that I can’t quite articulate to myself.
June 5, 2024
There is some good here. JMC rightly points out that often the Gospel that is preached today is not the full gospel. People hear that they need to put their faith in Jesus so they can go to heaven, but they do not hear about how the Gospel changes their lives today. JMC also talks well about the heart and how following Jesus is more than just rules. I appreciate these things!
However, I struggled with most of this book. Maybe it's because of how I've become so immersed in Reformed theology. :) I think JMC and I have different views on salvation and the Christian life and what those things entail (and honestly our overall theology). We would seemingly agree that salvation and life as a Christian are based on grace, but I think we would differ on to what extent. While he talks about grace, much of this book is about what we do to follow Jesus only as an apprentice of his. And, it almost seems throughout this book that Jesus is no more than a really good rabbi to JMC. He talks about him as the Son of God, but rarely. He seems to imply that we can be like Jesus here - perform miracles, prophesy, etc. - because he was the perfect man with the Holy Spirit, not Christ, the Son of God.
I have lots of thoughts on this but overall struggle to see how this book is good news. With so much emphasis on doing and not enough emphasis on grace, JMC misses how Jesus is the beginning AND end of our salvation. Jesus not only justifies us but he sanctifies us and he is always interceding for us. I become like him because his Spirit is working in me. Of course there are means that he uses to do this work (like prayer, Bible reading, meditation, etc. like JMC talks about). But my becoming like him is a work that he does. That is good news.
However, I struggled with most of this book. Maybe it's because of how I've become so immersed in Reformed theology. :) I think JMC and I have different views on salvation and the Christian life and what those things entail (and honestly our overall theology). We would seemingly agree that salvation and life as a Christian are based on grace, but I think we would differ on to what extent. While he talks about grace, much of this book is about what we do to follow Jesus only as an apprentice of his. And, it almost seems throughout this book that Jesus is no more than a really good rabbi to JMC. He talks about him as the Son of God, but rarely. He seems to imply that we can be like Jesus here - perform miracles, prophesy, etc. - because he was the perfect man with the Holy Spirit, not Christ, the Son of God.
I have lots of thoughts on this but overall struggle to see how this book is good news. With so much emphasis on doing and not enough emphasis on grace, JMC misses how Jesus is the beginning AND end of our salvation. Jesus not only justifies us but he sanctifies us and he is always interceding for us. I become like him because his Spirit is working in me. Of course there are means that he uses to do this work (like prayer, Bible reading, meditation, etc. like JMC talks about). But my becoming like him is a work that he does. That is good news.
May 29, 2024
I respect JMC I really do; I own and have read/reread most of his books, but brother is so repetitive 😭 If you’ve read one of his books you’ve read them all. Also he includes quotes in like every other paragraph. They’re really good additions, for sure, and definitely impressive showing he’s done hella research, but makes you wonder if you can say you wrote a book when it’s all other people’s quotes 🤔🤣 It would be one short book if it was just his content lol. EXCITED TO DISCUSS THIS ONE FOR SALT BOOK CLUB WOOHOO! I love the opening quote, “May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi.” (Not his quote someone else’s lmao). OKAY IM DONE. He’s the famous published author king and I’m just a girl who loves a ruthless book review
October 20, 2023
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy.
"Are you a christian or are you an apprentice," John Mark asks.
Because your answer matters and changes every move you make. Breezing through his introduction and a scattered synopsis of his last two books, Live No Lies,. and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (which are not essential pre-reads, but highly recommended), we find the core of John Mark's work: more than 7 years of lived communal (and longer personal) experience in a church practicing the Way together in Portland. The habituated rhythms of this community may form the bedrock of proof for John Mark's arguments, but the groundwork is laid using the most relevant of Jesus' teachings, a history of formation, and the best works of countless philosophers, sociologists, scientists, and writers from the past.
John Mark has termed himself a "popularizer" which is an apt statement when half the chapters fill with +70 references to the authors he excavates for us. This tendency to borrow from other thinker's is not a crutch of his writing, but rather the power of it. Seamless, and at times extravagant, weaving of diverse thoughts allow each reader to glean a new voice that best fits their context while discovering prolific voices to follow. A narrative is built from the bones of past work across a myriad of fields.
Practicing the Way leans most heavily into the practices John Mark has done cursory work on in previous books. His framing of a Rule of Life will be familiar to followers of Bridgetown church but revolutionary within this vital Apprenticeship framework provided. Ideas like the "trellis and the vine" and "our working theory of change" paint a picture of a faith that goes beyond Sunday mornings and transcends individualistic, self-help teachings at work today.
The pairing of this read with the blossoming organization of the same name unveils the vanguard of this micro-movement of followers committed to the future of the Church that is not modern, but ancient. It encapsulates the perfect introduction to the world of spiritual formation within a tight package of numerous jumping-off points for the curious reader. It does what even the best deep cuts of JMC's work (looking at you, God Has a Name and Garden City) try to do in answering our day's VITAL question, How do people change? and takes us to the starting point of a journey that can transform faith for the modern disciple of Jesus.
In short: it's very, very good.
"Are you a christian or are you an apprentice," John Mark asks.
Because your answer matters and changes every move you make. Breezing through his introduction and a scattered synopsis of his last two books, Live No Lies,. and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (which are not essential pre-reads, but highly recommended), we find the core of John Mark's work: more than 7 years of lived communal (and longer personal) experience in a church practicing the Way together in Portland. The habituated rhythms of this community may form the bedrock of proof for John Mark's arguments, but the groundwork is laid using the most relevant of Jesus' teachings, a history of formation, and the best works of countless philosophers, sociologists, scientists, and writers from the past.
John Mark has termed himself a "popularizer" which is an apt statement when half the chapters fill with +70 references to the authors he excavates for us. This tendency to borrow from other thinker's is not a crutch of his writing, but rather the power of it. Seamless, and at times extravagant, weaving of diverse thoughts allow each reader to glean a new voice that best fits their context while discovering prolific voices to follow. A narrative is built from the bones of past work across a myriad of fields.
Practicing the Way leans most heavily into the practices John Mark has done cursory work on in previous books. His framing of a Rule of Life will be familiar to followers of Bridgetown church but revolutionary within this vital Apprenticeship framework provided. Ideas like the "trellis and the vine" and "our working theory of change" paint a picture of a faith that goes beyond Sunday mornings and transcends individualistic, self-help teachings at work today.
The pairing of this read with the blossoming organization of the same name unveils the vanguard of this micro-movement of followers committed to the future of the Church that is not modern, but ancient. It encapsulates the perfect introduction to the world of spiritual formation within a tight package of numerous jumping-off points for the curious reader. It does what even the best deep cuts of JMC's work (looking at you, God Has a Name and Garden City) try to do in answering our day's VITAL question, How do people change? and takes us to the starting point of a journey that can transform faith for the modern disciple of Jesus.
In short: it's very, very good.
January 24, 2024
What does it mean to be a Christian? Ask 10 different people this question, and you may get 10 different answers that might range from political affiliation to church attendance. For this reason, John Mark Comer begins his latest book, Practicing the Way, with defining the terms.
Because "Christian" can mean different things to different people, he lays out a definition of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. You'll have to read the book for yourself for the details, but the short answer is found in the subtitle: Be with Jesus, Become like him, and Do as he did.
Basically, being a disciple or a follower of Jesus impacts not just what we do on Sundays, but our entire way of life. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we must evaluate what we are being formed by, and who we are becoming. Does it look like Jesus? Comer argues that we are all being formed by something and into someone. The questions are, formed by what, and into who?
What I love about John Mark Comer's style is that he can pull from so many different sources (he's a big Dallas Willard fan) but somehow bring them all together to share a familiar concept in a new and thought-provoking way. If you've read any of John Mark Comer's previous work, this will feel familiar, but not repetitive. If you're new to his writing, this is a great place to start.
The only thing I would have preferred to be different in this book is how it ended. He makes the case throughout that spiritual formation is not formulaic, but the note he ended on felt that way. That being said, I think there is a lot of good here and would recommend it as a launching point for intentional thinking about who we are becoming over time.
Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
Because "Christian" can mean different things to different people, he lays out a definition of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. You'll have to read the book for yourself for the details, but the short answer is found in the subtitle: Be with Jesus, Become like him, and Do as he did.
Basically, being a disciple or a follower of Jesus impacts not just what we do on Sundays, but our entire way of life. Therefore, as followers of Jesus, we must evaluate what we are being formed by, and who we are becoming. Does it look like Jesus? Comer argues that we are all being formed by something and into someone. The questions are, formed by what, and into who?
What I love about John Mark Comer's style is that he can pull from so many different sources (he's a big Dallas Willard fan) but somehow bring them all together to share a familiar concept in a new and thought-provoking way. If you've read any of John Mark Comer's previous work, this will feel familiar, but not repetitive. If you're new to his writing, this is a great place to start.
The only thing I would have preferred to be different in this book is how it ended. He makes the case throughout that spiritual formation is not formulaic, but the note he ended on felt that way. That being said, I think there is a lot of good here and would recommend it as a launching point for intentional thinking about who we are becoming over time.
Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
February 24, 2024
Very good! It’s funnier and more witty than his other books which I liked. Reads pretty much like a culmination of his most prominent teachings over the years. I am a very active consumer of all things JMC so thats a little bit why I’m rating 4 instead of 5. It wasn’t anything revolutionary or new to me, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t thought provoking and convicting all the same. I feel like I must plug Garden City here because seriously that book changed the trajectory of my walk with God.
Side: shoutout GK Chesterton that’s truly one of my favorite quotes of ALL time.
Side: shoutout GK Chesterton that’s truly one of my favorite quotes of ALL time.
June 14, 2024
Really anything that reignites my excitement to follow Jesus is a huge win. Overall, this left me feeling like I wanted to know Jesus more and spend more time with Him. I kept thinking, this would be a great book to pass to someone who first comes to the faith then asks “so now what?” But I was challenged in several areas myself! I always appreciate Comer pushing the spiritual disciplines and giving lots of practical advice in that arena.
In an effort to track random, specific takeaways for my own sake:
- when implementing more prayer, don’t feel bad about working WITH the kind of person I am. If I’m not a sit-in-silence-on-the-ground-for-an-hour person, I can prayer walk and build up the endurance for more solitude. I don’t have to be guilty that I’m a mover to think more clearly for now. I should just start there.
- fasting. I want to think more about this as a nursing & TTC mother. I want to incorporate this discipline somehow? What could that look like?
- always trying to further define sabbath for our family
- i keep thinking “but what about my students and friends caught in deep abuse and suffering??” I know this all still applies in some way. JMC just wasn’t writing a book on suffering, he was writing a work on practicing The Way
- it actually agree with his point that “is this bringing me closer to Jesus?” is a far more productive question than “is this sin?” Ex: asking “is waking up & scrolling Instagram SIN?!” Okay maybe not, but is it bringing me CLOSER to my Heavenly Father? I love the idea that we’re not just trying to avoid dirty sin, we’re trying to be so far above reproach that we’re chasing what would draw us near to Him.
- the idea of a kind of prayer that isn’t actively saying anything but just sitting in God’s presence is a very freeing thought to me. I often don’t have a lot of good words.
- I am very inspired and not scared by JMC’s “rules” for his life (solitude, screen time, etc.) I want more for myself. Thinking about this.
- I do feel like the Lord has been nudging me for a while to wake up earlier and go down to the river we live right along. Need to try this as my “secret place.” And not view going somewhere to “just” pray as a waste of time! I was convicted that if I wasn’t reading a book or exercising (some favorite ways to rest), I almost view that as lost time. So I think God is calling me down to the river just to hear His voice.
In an effort to track random, specific takeaways for my own sake:
- when implementing more prayer, don’t feel bad about working WITH the kind of person I am. If I’m not a sit-in-silence-on-the-ground-for-an-hour person, I can prayer walk and build up the endurance for more solitude. I don’t have to be guilty that I’m a mover to think more clearly for now. I should just start there.
- fasting. I want to think more about this as a nursing & TTC mother. I want to incorporate this discipline somehow? What could that look like?
- always trying to further define sabbath for our family
- i keep thinking “but what about my students and friends caught in deep abuse and suffering??” I know this all still applies in some way. JMC just wasn’t writing a book on suffering, he was writing a work on practicing The Way
- it actually agree with his point that “is this bringing me closer to Jesus?” is a far more productive question than “is this sin?” Ex: asking “is waking up & scrolling Instagram SIN?!” Okay maybe not, but is it bringing me CLOSER to my Heavenly Father? I love the idea that we’re not just trying to avoid dirty sin, we’re trying to be so far above reproach that we’re chasing what would draw us near to Him.
- the idea of a kind of prayer that isn’t actively saying anything but just sitting in God’s presence is a very freeing thought to me. I often don’t have a lot of good words.
- I am very inspired and not scared by JMC’s “rules” for his life (solitude, screen time, etc.) I want more for myself. Thinking about this.
- I do feel like the Lord has been nudging me for a while to wake up earlier and go down to the river we live right along. Need to try this as my “secret place.” And not view going somewhere to “just” pray as a waste of time! I was convicted that if I wasn’t reading a book or exercising (some favorite ways to rest), I almost view that as lost time. So I think God is calling me down to the river just to hear His voice.
February 25, 2024
I’m pretty sure I’ve read all of this author’s books at this point, and his commitment to following Christ above worldly ideals continues to impress me. John Mark Comer stays above the culture wars, citing teachings by everyone from the extremely progressive Rob Bell to the extremely conservative Rosaria Butterfield. The common denominator is that all the spiritual teachers he quotes are devoted to Jesus.
In this book, the author challenges Christians to go beyond believing in Christ to truly following him. It’s a book that encourages and convicts its readers in equal measure. It’s an invitation to give all you already have in return for something even better.
My favourite parts were the guidelines for creating a “rule of life” and the call to community. I absolutely loved the whole book and would recommend it to any Christian looking to deepen their faith.
In this book, the author challenges Christians to go beyond believing in Christ to truly following him. It’s a book that encourages and convicts its readers in equal measure. It’s an invitation to give all you already have in return for something even better.
My favourite parts were the guidelines for creating a “rule of life” and the call to community. I absolutely loved the whole book and would recommend it to any Christian looking to deepen their faith.
January 31, 2024
Potentially his best book yet… which, coming from me, is saying a lot. 💯
November 26, 2023
In comparison to other John Mark Comer books, this one took me the longest to read and I think that’s because I felt like I had a lot to sit with and reflect on. Comer’s practicality, synthesis of thoughts from theologians throughout the centuries, and use of the scriptures to talk about the Way may sound intimidating, but it all felt very straight-forward. His chapters on surrender and sacrifice particularly gave me a lot to sit with and then take to the Lord. I’d highly recommend this book for anyone who feels like they are stuck in their faith; Comer beautifully discusses that there is so much more to life with Jesus than we tend to believe in our mundane, busy lives. A quote I sat with for a while:
“Apprenticeship to Jesus is about turning your body into a temple, a place of overlap between heaven and earth - an advance sign of what one day Jesus will do for the entire cosmos, when heaven and earth are at long last reunited as one.”
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy!
“Apprenticeship to Jesus is about turning your body into a temple, a place of overlap between heaven and earth - an advance sign of what one day Jesus will do for the entire cosmos, when heaven and earth are at long last reunited as one.”
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy!
March 14, 2024
Straightforward yet convicting and moving read. I think this quote summarizes it for me: “Christlikeness in our inner being is not the result of the right application of spiritual disciplines, finding a “good church,” or mastering the right technique of living—it is always a gift of sheer grace. You will never work harder for anything in your life than Christlike character, and nothing else will ever feel like such an unearned gift.”
June 14, 2024
Ich schätze Comer für seine theologische Ausgewogenheit zwischen Zuspruch und Anspruch des Evangeliums und sein kritisch-wertschätzenden Umgang mit unserer Kultur. Für meine Spiritualität war es erfrischend zu lesen und ich werde es in der deutschen Version Leben vom Meister lernen: Practicing the Way über den Sommer mit den Gen-Z Jugendlichen aus meiner Gemeinde lesen.
January 28, 2024
I could hardly put this book down. Comer presents such a compelling and inspiring vision of apprenticeship to Jesus. There is a lot of spiritual and practical wisdom packed throughout its pages, and I will frequently return to it as I craft my own Rule of Life. Highly recommended!
November 4, 2024
Practicing the Way is a very accessible entry to spiritual disciplines. It’s basically Dallas Willard's spiritual formation for a young, modern audience.
"A discipline is any activity I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do what I currently cannot do by direct effort."
I've heard it said that if GenZ ever reads a book, it will for sure be a Comer book.
Ian Harber writes that Comer's "books and sermons are gaining Lewis or Keller-like popularity among Millennial and Gen Z Christians."
Practicing summed up much of what I’ve been learning this year in reading Willard, as well as brain-science focused on re-prioritizing the right hemisphere (Iain McGilchrist).
I liked it so much I’m having all my college ministry staff and student leaders read it.
I really like Practicing's 3-fold approach:
Be with Jesus.
Become like him.
Do as he did.
That sums up how you grow as a Christian. It's relational and acted ("those who hear my words and put them into practice…").
Habits books have been tremendously helpful for me as a follower of God: “turning desired behavior into default behavior” (Shane Parrish).
Practicing the Way is full of practical steps toward slowly becoming the kind of person "who spontaneously exhibit the character of Jesus" (as Willard says).
It's helpful to know the broader context that Comer fits in. Trevin Wax gives a helpful framework for understanding this new interest in spiritual formation with his article 3 Waves That Have Shaped Evangelical Churches (and a 4th on the Way)
The three waves over the last 50 years have been:
-Spirit-filled Worship
-Seeker-Sensitive Church Growth
-and Gospel Centrality
The rising fourth wave is the Comer-led spiritual formation movement.
I find the third and fourth wave to be incredibly compatible and actually much stronger together. The Keller-led Gospel Centered movement deeply shaped me and Tim Keller remains my favorite pastor and author. But the Spiritual Formation brings a helpful corrective of obedience and striving. Without the Gospel Centered foundation, Spiritual Formation can quickly devolve into bootstrapped human effort.
John Piper, in a 2019 sermon brings the two movements together - critiquing gospel-centered sermons that merely rehearse the gospel (with gratitude that Christ gave you righteousness), calling them "a half-gospel." Piper calls for obedience; for striving flowing from grace.
May Spiritual Formation AND Gospel Centered content increase!
"A discipline is any activity I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do what I currently cannot do by direct effort."
I've heard it said that if GenZ ever reads a book, it will for sure be a Comer book.
Ian Harber writes that Comer's "books and sermons are gaining Lewis or Keller-like popularity among Millennial and Gen Z Christians."
Practicing summed up much of what I’ve been learning this year in reading Willard, as well as brain-science focused on re-prioritizing the right hemisphere (Iain McGilchrist).
I liked it so much I’m having all my college ministry staff and student leaders read it.
I really like Practicing's 3-fold approach:
Be with Jesus.
Become like him.
Do as he did.
That sums up how you grow as a Christian. It's relational and acted ("those who hear my words and put them into practice…").
Habits books have been tremendously helpful for me as a follower of God: “turning desired behavior into default behavior” (Shane Parrish).
Practicing the Way is full of practical steps toward slowly becoming the kind of person "who spontaneously exhibit the character of Jesus" (as Willard says).
It's helpful to know the broader context that Comer fits in. Trevin Wax gives a helpful framework for understanding this new interest in spiritual formation with his article 3 Waves That Have Shaped Evangelical Churches (and a 4th on the Way)
The three waves over the last 50 years have been:
-Spirit-filled Worship
-Seeker-Sensitive Church Growth
-and Gospel Centrality
The rising fourth wave is the Comer-led spiritual formation movement.
I find the third and fourth wave to be incredibly compatible and actually much stronger together. The Keller-led Gospel Centered movement deeply shaped me and Tim Keller remains my favorite pastor and author. But the Spiritual Formation brings a helpful corrective of obedience and striving. Without the Gospel Centered foundation, Spiritual Formation can quickly devolve into bootstrapped human effort.
John Piper, in a 2019 sermon brings the two movements together - critiquing gospel-centered sermons that merely rehearse the gospel (with gratitude that Christ gave you righteousness), calling them "a half-gospel." Piper calls for obedience; for striving flowing from grace.
May Spiritual Formation AND Gospel Centered content increase!
October 12, 2023
"Apprenticeship to Jesus—that is, following Jesus—is a whole-life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do the kinds of things Jesus said and did as we apprentice under him in every facet of our lives."
Comer has made the process of being made an apprentice of Jesus not only sound desirable, he has simplified it through "Practicing the Way". The language used to describe our abiding with Jesus stirred up in me a deep passion for Jesus's presence. And, it is through our abundant time spent with Jesus that we are transformed to be like him and do as he did, as Comer reminds his readers throughout the whole book. Comer has great wisdom in implementing practical steps to seek transformation as well, giving readers a wide variety of ways to seek transformation. But what Comer does best in this book is that he very smoothly synthesizes thoughts and excerpts from many Christian sages. "Practicing the Way" gives vision and inspiration to living as an apprentice of Jesus, and it acts as a springboard into a life of continued learning. I'll be highly recommending this book to all the young men I disciple, and I am eager for how the knowledge found here can be used to transform the church.
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Comer has made the process of being made an apprentice of Jesus not only sound desirable, he has simplified it through "Practicing the Way". The language used to describe our abiding with Jesus stirred up in me a deep passion for Jesus's presence. And, it is through our abundant time spent with Jesus that we are transformed to be like him and do as he did, as Comer reminds his readers throughout the whole book. Comer has great wisdom in implementing practical steps to seek transformation as well, giving readers a wide variety of ways to seek transformation. But what Comer does best in this book is that he very smoothly synthesizes thoughts and excerpts from many Christian sages. "Practicing the Way" gives vision and inspiration to living as an apprentice of Jesus, and it acts as a springboard into a life of continued learning. I'll be highly recommending this book to all the young men I disciple, and I am eager for how the knowledge found here can be used to transform the church.
Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
June 25, 2024
Huge caveat with this review. If you have never been discipled or been in a church that strongly encourages you to “be with Jesus”, “become like him”, and “do as he did” then this book is a 5/5! However, in my journey with Christ much of the book was not extremely profound (still great though!), and in much of it I was wanting John Mark to talk more in depth about the specific topic that he was on.
If you feel similar to me then you’re actually in luck! John Mark’s “Practicing the Way” podcast is sooooooo good!! For example, instead of one page on prayer there is 4 hours of sermons! All together the podcast is the book and so much more!
Even though I didn’t give the book the highest score in the world, this idea of “Practicing the Way” is transforming the American church into the beautiful bride of Christ that doesn’t just proclaim Christ but lives Christ out in every aspect of their life. I deeply appreciate John Mark for pursuing and communicating the higher calling that Jesus calls us to! 🤟🏼
If you feel similar to me then you’re actually in luck! John Mark’s “Practicing the Way” podcast is sooooooo good!! For example, instead of one page on prayer there is 4 hours of sermons! All together the podcast is the book and so much more!
Even though I didn’t give the book the highest score in the world, this idea of “Practicing the Way” is transforming the American church into the beautiful bride of Christ that doesn’t just proclaim Christ but lives Christ out in every aspect of their life. I deeply appreciate John Mark for pursuing and communicating the higher calling that Jesus calls us to! 🤟🏼
June 12, 2024
2,5
Irgendwie hat das Buch nicht so viel zu bieten. Ja, seine Kategorien sind gut, aber er füllt sie nicht aus. Ja, sein Anliegen ist super, Brücken zu schlagen zwischen der Kultur, in der er lebt, und den geistlichen Gewohnheiten oder der klösterlichen Tradition, aber es bleibt doch einseitig. Mit seinem Schreibstil versucht er zugänglich zu sein, aber auf mich wirkt es eher oberflächlich. Er schreibt über Gewohnheiten wie ein Lebensberater, aber er erklärt nicht wirklich, was er damit meint oder wie die Praxis aussehen soll.
Ja, das Buch ist ganz nett und ich teile sein Anliegen der Nachfolge. Aber ich glaube nicht, dass ich das Buch ein zweites Mal in die Hand nehmen werde. Nur seine vereinfachenden Kategorien finde ich nach wie vor sehr hilfreich, aber die tauchen bei ihm auch schon an anderer Stelle auf.
Irgendwie hat das Buch nicht so viel zu bieten. Ja, seine Kategorien sind gut, aber er füllt sie nicht aus. Ja, sein Anliegen ist super, Brücken zu schlagen zwischen der Kultur, in der er lebt, und den geistlichen Gewohnheiten oder der klösterlichen Tradition, aber es bleibt doch einseitig. Mit seinem Schreibstil versucht er zugänglich zu sein, aber auf mich wirkt es eher oberflächlich. Er schreibt über Gewohnheiten wie ein Lebensberater, aber er erklärt nicht wirklich, was er damit meint oder wie die Praxis aussehen soll.
Ja, das Buch ist ganz nett und ich teile sein Anliegen der Nachfolge. Aber ich glaube nicht, dass ich das Buch ein zweites Mal in die Hand nehmen werde. Nur seine vereinfachenden Kategorien finde ich nach wie vor sehr hilfreich, aber die tauchen bei ihm auch schon an anderer Stelle auf.
February 26, 2024
I would caution Christians who read this book. Comer preaches a works based salvation, hints at heresy and doesn’t mention James teaching or the Holy Spirit work, in describing the relationship between faith and works. He actually mentions he has secret knowledge and trusting in Christ alone is an incomplete version of the gospel. To be fair to him, I only read the first chapter, but when chapter 2 started, and he took I am the way the truth and the life out of context to prove his point about salvation regarding works, I decided not to read anymore.
July 6, 2024
“When you do the math, you may conclude that, yes, following Jesus will cost you — a lot. But here’s the thing: not following Jesus will cost you even more.”
June 27, 2024
John Mark Comer, are you a Wesleyan? If you are, don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody. But are you a Wesleyan?
January 24, 2024
a disappointment on three levels: form, content, and practice, and one redeeming quality.
form.
i love patterns, therefore rituals, so i thought about why i love some artists more than others. why do phoebe bridgers or lizzie mcalpine’s voices take me where they do? why jon foreman and leonard cohen, but absolutely not beyoncé or hillsong? coldplay have a way of reinventing and re-marketing themselves with every album, and although i have my preferences (ghost stories is a sonic masterpiece) i usually end up going along with whatever they do (except for the last one or two, but that might be because of my son, who has sucked up every particle of my attention like a black hole for the last 4 years). ry x absolutely shattered my heart with his first album and no matter what he does now, i’ll give it multiple chances. jeff buckley and thom yorke (the camus and kafka of rock music) are simply form geniuses. on the other hand, there are artists like james vincent mcmorrow, with one great album followed by terrible misses. with every new album he becomes a parody of himself, even when (and maybe precisely when) he tries to sound like his old self. u2 is the absolute poster child for this - either you die a rock’n’roll hero or you live long enough to become its corpse.
comer follows in the footsteps of u2 and james vincent mcmorrow. he will continue to have hardcore fans (see u2) and fill arenas, but for nostalgic and lacanian reasons, the same reasons tribute bands exist and old uncles with yellow beards go to led zeppelin tributes. what made comer sound fresh and vital a decade ago, makes him sound out of touch now. the tone, the rhythm… as infectious as a summer hit, as fatiguing as one too.
content.
this is a book for people who do not read books. if you have not read more than 10kg of books, or you read 5 books a year, then yes, this might sound exciting. comer has a gift (probably from growing up in silicon valley) of knowing how to package ideas. every new iteration of the same concept is considered novel and worthy of center stage.
practice.
and this is where the capital sin is committed. entire portions of this book are eerily similar to rob bell’s 'velvet elvis', without quoting him once. a sentence of bell‘s 'velvet elvis' becomes a paragraph of comer‘s 'practicing the way'. at first I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt - maybe they read the same sources. it’s not that comer does not cite other authors (there is a dallas willard quote every on almost every page), he strangely omits rob bell (and also eugene peterson’s 'a long obedience in the same direction' and saint john of the cross). i get that rob bell’s anathema status is inconvenient when selling to evangelicals, but still…
the 'rob bell' parts are also the best parts of the book, the rest is mostly a compilation of 'garden city' and 'the ruthless elimination of hurry' (both great books)
the redeeming quality: mysticism.
all of the above might be forgiven in the light of comer’s mission: to make orthodox practices cool again. in a world where christians prefer to get their theology from repetitive pop songs (cough, cough, hillsong and similar industrial complexes), books written by personality pastors, or nice instagram quotes, comer tries to bring some church fathers and church history to the table. he is surely aware that 99% of his readers’ ears are not used to the sound of orthodox dogmas or catholic orders, but he vehemently serves them as the main course, and for that i join him in the insistence of pointing to a future that is ancient.
form.
i love patterns, therefore rituals, so i thought about why i love some artists more than others. why do phoebe bridgers or lizzie mcalpine’s voices take me where they do? why jon foreman and leonard cohen, but absolutely not beyoncé or hillsong? coldplay have a way of reinventing and re-marketing themselves with every album, and although i have my preferences (ghost stories is a sonic masterpiece) i usually end up going along with whatever they do (except for the last one or two, but that might be because of my son, who has sucked up every particle of my attention like a black hole for the last 4 years). ry x absolutely shattered my heart with his first album and no matter what he does now, i’ll give it multiple chances. jeff buckley and thom yorke (the camus and kafka of rock music) are simply form geniuses. on the other hand, there are artists like james vincent mcmorrow, with one great album followed by terrible misses. with every new album he becomes a parody of himself, even when (and maybe precisely when) he tries to sound like his old self. u2 is the absolute poster child for this - either you die a rock’n’roll hero or you live long enough to become its corpse.
comer follows in the footsteps of u2 and james vincent mcmorrow. he will continue to have hardcore fans (see u2) and fill arenas, but for nostalgic and lacanian reasons, the same reasons tribute bands exist and old uncles with yellow beards go to led zeppelin tributes. what made comer sound fresh and vital a decade ago, makes him sound out of touch now. the tone, the rhythm… as infectious as a summer hit, as fatiguing as one too.
content.
this is a book for people who do not read books. if you have not read more than 10kg of books, or you read 5 books a year, then yes, this might sound exciting. comer has a gift (probably from growing up in silicon valley) of knowing how to package ideas. every new iteration of the same concept is considered novel and worthy of center stage.
practice.
and this is where the capital sin is committed. entire portions of this book are eerily similar to rob bell’s 'velvet elvis', without quoting him once. a sentence of bell‘s 'velvet elvis' becomes a paragraph of comer‘s 'practicing the way'. at first I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt - maybe they read the same sources. it’s not that comer does not cite other authors (there is a dallas willard quote every on almost every page), he strangely omits rob bell (and also eugene peterson’s 'a long obedience in the same direction' and saint john of the cross). i get that rob bell’s anathema status is inconvenient when selling to evangelicals, but still…
the 'rob bell' parts are also the best parts of the book, the rest is mostly a compilation of 'garden city' and 'the ruthless elimination of hurry' (both great books)
the redeeming quality: mysticism.
all of the above might be forgiven in the light of comer’s mission: to make orthodox practices cool again. in a world where christians prefer to get their theology from repetitive pop songs (cough, cough, hillsong and similar industrial complexes), books written by personality pastors, or nice instagram quotes, comer tries to bring some church fathers and church history to the table. he is surely aware that 99% of his readers’ ears are not used to the sound of orthodox dogmas or catholic orders, but he vehemently serves them as the main course, and for that i join him in the insistence of pointing to a future that is ancient.
January 24, 2024
Have always been a huge fan of anything JMC writes, and this book is no different. One of the best I’ve read on spiritual formation that provides a deeper look at what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus, and how that can/should play out in our lives. I basically underlined the whole book so I’m limiting myself to two (albeit, long) quotes:
“Apprenticeship to Jesus- that is, following Jesus -is a whole-life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do the kinds of things Jesus said and did as we apprentice under him in every facet of our lives.”
“As far as I can tell, not one time in the entire New Testament is disciple used as a verb. Not once. Grammatically speaking, then, to use disciple as a verb is bad form… Language matters. Here’s why: If disciple is something that is done to you (a verb), then that puts the onus of responsibility for your spiritual formation on someone else, like your pastor, church, or mentor. But if disciple is a noun- if it’s someone you are or are not - then no one can “disciple” you but Rabbi Jesus himself. YOU must choose to accept Jesus’ invitation to a life of apprenticeship.”
“Apprenticeship to Jesus- that is, following Jesus -is a whole-life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do the kinds of things Jesus said and did as we apprentice under him in every facet of our lives.”
“As far as I can tell, not one time in the entire New Testament is disciple used as a verb. Not once. Grammatically speaking, then, to use disciple as a verb is bad form… Language matters. Here’s why: If disciple is something that is done to you (a verb), then that puts the onus of responsibility for your spiritual formation on someone else, like your pastor, church, or mentor. But if disciple is a noun- if it’s someone you are or are not - then no one can “disciple” you but Rabbi Jesus himself. YOU must choose to accept Jesus’ invitation to a life of apprenticeship.”
October 13, 2024
He has a way of speaking through the fluff that makes up so much of christian language. First books in a while where I just want to sit down and do everything the book told me to do. Highly recommend to new believers and the mature. If you hear me using funny terms, it’s probably because of Comer.
(A small disagreement: he writes about witnessing primarily as hospitality leading to sharing the gospel and doing this on a quarterly basis. I would say witnessing is more frequent than this and needs to have a more balanced focused of meeting people where they are at as well as inviting them to meet us where we are)
(A small disagreement: he writes about witnessing primarily as hospitality leading to sharing the gospel and doing this on a quarterly basis. I would say witnessing is more frequent than this and needs to have a more balanced focused of meeting people where they are at as well as inviting them to meet us where we are)
March 21, 2024
So so good! Huge fan of John Mark Comer and his voice of calm amidst the chaos of our culture - even the chaos that can infiltrate how people operate as Christians. I love JMC’s push to simplify. I am inspired after reading this to implement the simple practices of life and apprenticeship that Jesus showed us. It’s just simple!!! This book reminded me of that.
Sidebar I agree with @Alex Betts’ review on this book about how this book outlines a way of following Christ that is super accessible for all people. Luv.
Sidebar I agree with @Alex Betts’ review on this book about how this book outlines a way of following Christ that is super accessible for all people. Luv.
April 27, 2024
really good probably 2 of the best things I took from this book 1. god designed food to be a constant need, literally at least 3x per day, why not slightly restructure something that is already a part of your day to have meaningful conversations and hospitality 2. our freedom or I guess “freedom” is what got us into sin, the “constraint” that many people complain about regarding christianity is actually what forms us into jesus; we are being formed whether we like it or not, id rather 1. know what im being formed by and 2. who I am being formed into
May 2, 2024
If taken as more than just a “good read”, I think this book (solely by the power of the Holy Spirit) has the potential to be one of the most transformational and revolutionary reads of our current Christian culture. If you haven’t read it yet, you probably should order it now.
February 3, 2024
Beautifully written, prophetic, timely.
November 12, 2024
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives"
Refreshing blend of honesty and practicality that makes discipleship under Jesus seem both doable and desirable without watering down harder spiritual truths. I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
Refreshing blend of honesty and practicality that makes discipleship under Jesus seem both doable and desirable without watering down harder spiritual truths. I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
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