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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
35 books3,018 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 975 reviews
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.
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.
March 12, 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, prophecy, 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, prophecy, 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.
January 31, 2024
Potentially his best book yet… which, coming from me, is saying a lot. 💯
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.
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!
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!
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
May 10, 2024
I really loved this one. He lays things out in a way that just makes sense and is very approachable.
Good reminders, and I feel encouraged to dig deeper where I lack. Will for sure read again.
Good reminders, and I feel encouraged to dig deeper where I lack. Will for sure read again.
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.
January 23, 2024
this book is convicting for a believer in any stage of maturity. comer really challenged the way i think about being a christian & shares a radical way of following jesus that is so biblically & theologically rich. i really appreciated how much comer covers in this book — not only does he give a biblical & theological framework for spiritual formation, but also incredibly practical steps (that are made to be possible for everyone, regardless of life stage or job or personality). i can see this being a book i reference back to & recommend to anyone who wants to take their relationship with god seriously & to live as he’s called us to live — as his disciples.
February 3, 2024
Really loved this! Summary of a lot of JMC’s teaching and work over the last 10 years in apprenticeship and spiritual formation.
Deeply inspiring and really helpful!
Deeply inspiring and really helpful!
February 9, 2024
It’s very possible that I’m just a John Mark Comer fanboy, but I loved this. It’s more or less a standard and straightforward book about spiritual formation, a life of following Jesus, and the practices that create space in our lives for those two things to take place. Comer himself will say that he’s more of an aggregator and synthesizer of content than he is a creator or generator of new ideas. That’s true in this book as it is in his others. Many of the ideas are quoted, referenced, and not groundbreaking, but stated clearly succinctly. Tim Keller is similarly wired. In both cases, I love the tone, voice, and style that they write with and thus gobble up what they put out. Such is the case here.
November 27, 2023
I think this book will be outsized in its influence on the upcoming Christian generation. John mark is is just so compelling and clear and winsome in his urgency to commit to becoming a disciple was wonderful. His astonishment that we’ve “created” a category of “Christian” that doesn’t desire to be a disciple of Jesus makes the book. The rest is immensely practical and gracious. Read this now.
February 6, 2024
It's quite hard to summarise this book in a few lines for review purposes, simply because it is such an excellent piece of work. But here goes.
I expect this is the book Comer has been wanting to write for years. The deepening of his faith, his experiences at Bridgetown Church and then his business 'Practicing the Way' and his ferocious appetite for learning and reading have all led to the book.
Comer writes in an easy to understand manner. It's active, so he's always encouraging the reader to respond to his words. Using short sentences with plenty of space, he challenges the reader to consider their own relationship with Jesus and how to deepen it.
How? By apprenticing oneself to Jesus.
He doesn't shy away from saying that this will require change and eliminating certain things in our lives, but that's part of what surrendering our lives to Jesus involves. He appreciates that it's hard and not everyone will do it, hence, why there aren't more Jesus apprentices wandering the earth.
Comer provides a path to follow with guidelines regarding 9 practices that will help people to apprentice themselves. In addition, his vast reading library provides some excellent references and support for his words and recommendations.
But what I like most about this book is that Comer has walked that path (he's still walking it because it never stops) and as s such is a walking demonstration that such a life is possible.
I initially received an early ebook copy of the book from the publisher via Net Galley but I'd already ordered my own copies and 10 more for friends so it clearly had a positive effect on me.
I suspect this book will be being read by our children and grandchildren in years to come.
I expect this is the book Comer has been wanting to write for years. The deepening of his faith, his experiences at Bridgetown Church and then his business 'Practicing the Way' and his ferocious appetite for learning and reading have all led to the book.
Comer writes in an easy to understand manner. It's active, so he's always encouraging the reader to respond to his words. Using short sentences with plenty of space, he challenges the reader to consider their own relationship with Jesus and how to deepen it.
How? By apprenticing oneself to Jesus.
He doesn't shy away from saying that this will require change and eliminating certain things in our lives, but that's part of what surrendering our lives to Jesus involves. He appreciates that it's hard and not everyone will do it, hence, why there aren't more Jesus apprentices wandering the earth.
Comer provides a path to follow with guidelines regarding 9 practices that will help people to apprentice themselves. In addition, his vast reading library provides some excellent references and support for his words and recommendations.
But what I like most about this book is that Comer has walked that path (he's still walking it because it never stops) and as s such is a walking demonstration that such a life is possible.
I initially received an early ebook copy of the book from the publisher via Net Galley but I'd already ordered my own copies and 10 more for friends so it clearly had a positive effect on me.
I suspect this book will be being read by our children and grandchildren in years to come.
February 17, 2024
For me, it was the culmination of Comer’s teachings over my past four or so years of following him on spiritual formation and discipleship.
There was a lot here though that was new and fresh. That stuff really inspired and reminded me of the importance of being intentionally formed by Jesus - to follow him daily with real practices.
Will recommend it for sure - especially for those who are struggling with what it means to tangibly follow Jesus or are thinking about spiritual formation in general.
There was a lot here though that was new and fresh. That stuff really inspired and reminded me of the importance of being intentionally formed by Jesus - to follow him daily with real practices.
Will recommend it for sure - especially for those who are struggling with what it means to tangibly follow Jesus or are thinking about spiritual formation in general.
Read
April 15, 2024Very good. Appreciate all of JMC’s books. This one felt like a more accessible version of Macchia’s “Crafting a Rule of Life” (also worth checking out). Also, make sure you read the footnotes.
“There is no problem in human life that apprenticeship to Jesus cannot solve.”
“I used to weigh potential behaviors with the question, Is this sinful or not? But now that I better understand the gospel and its possibility of ‘life that is truly life’ with Jesus, my new question is, Does this move me toward Jesus or away?”
“There is no problem in human life that apprenticeship to Jesus cannot solve.”
“I used to weigh potential behaviors with the question, Is this sinful or not? But now that I better understand the gospel and its possibility of ‘life that is truly life’ with Jesus, my new question is, Does this move me toward Jesus or away?”
February 8, 2024
My favorite of JMC’s work. This book challenged me so much & i’ll definitely be reading again. My favorite take away is “Am I becoming more loving?” A really good gauge of my growth in actually knowing Jesus deeper & living like him.
“Come, follow me.[11] Contrary to what many assume, Jesus did not invite people to convert to Christianity. He didn’t even call people to become Christians (keep reading…); he invited people to apprentice under him into a whole new way of living. To be transformed. My thesis is simple: Transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the practices, rhythms, and truths that Jesus himself did, which will open our lives to God’s power to change. Said another way, we can be transformed if we are willing to apprentice ourselves to Jesus.”
“The single most important question is, Are we becoming more loving? Not, Are we becoming more biblically educated? Or practicing more spiritual disciplines? Or more involved in church? Those are all good things, but not the most important thing.”
“For those of us who desire to follow Jesus, here is the reality we must turn and face: If we’re not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it’s highly likely we are being unintentionally formed by someone or something else. “
“Come, follow me.[11] Contrary to what many assume, Jesus did not invite people to convert to Christianity. He didn’t even call people to become Christians (keep reading…); he invited people to apprentice under him into a whole new way of living. To be transformed. My thesis is simple: Transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the practices, rhythms, and truths that Jesus himself did, which will open our lives to God’s power to change. Said another way, we can be transformed if we are willing to apprentice ourselves to Jesus.”
“The single most important question is, Are we becoming more loving? Not, Are we becoming more biblically educated? Or practicing more spiritual disciplines? Or more involved in church? Those are all good things, but not the most important thing.”
“For those of us who desire to follow Jesus, here is the reality we must turn and face: If we’re not being intentionally formed by Jesus himself, then it’s highly likely we are being unintentionally formed by someone or something else. “
February 22, 2024
I'll preface this by saying I really cannot get on board with Comer's irregular writing style. I opt to listen to all his books as they tend to read more like sermons and then I don't have to read 1,000 sentence-long paragraphs.
Comer has been preaching the good news of spiritual disciplines and adopting a rule of life for a long time now, so this book was a long time coming. It does a decent job of summarizing a lot of his previous explorations of the topic, though it wasn't exactly easy to follow. Ideas are explored, dropped, and picked up again chapters later (sometimes with repeated quotes or phrases). He is also quite well-read on the topic and relies on a plethora of quotes from those who have gone before him. In some ways, the whole text reads as a re-packaging and summarizing of these other writers for a new audience.
I will say, that I am likely not the target demographic for this book, but was still impacted by it. It is full of essential reminders that point us back to a pursuit of spiritual disciplines for the sake of ourselves and of others (though the focus does seem to be more on self-development).
Comer challenges us to examine how we spend our time, as the way we spend our days, energy, and attention says a lot about who we are and who we want to become. I was convicted and encouraged to do this myself, to remember who I am, and who I hope to become.
Comer has been preaching the good news of spiritual disciplines and adopting a rule of life for a long time now, so this book was a long time coming. It does a decent job of summarizing a lot of his previous explorations of the topic, though it wasn't exactly easy to follow. Ideas are explored, dropped, and picked up again chapters later (sometimes with repeated quotes or phrases). He is also quite well-read on the topic and relies on a plethora of quotes from those who have gone before him. In some ways, the whole text reads as a re-packaging and summarizing of these other writers for a new audience.
I will say, that I am likely not the target demographic for this book, but was still impacted by it. It is full of essential reminders that point us back to a pursuit of spiritual disciplines for the sake of ourselves and of others (though the focus does seem to be more on self-development).
Comer challenges us to examine how we spend our time, as the way we spend our days, energy, and attention says a lot about who we are and who we want to become. I was convicted and encouraged to do this myself, to remember who I am, and who I hope to become.
April 21, 2024
Whew, such a refreshing read for any believer regardless of where you find yourself in your walk with Jesus. Lots of good quotes & practical nuggets to take away but this was one of my favs:
“Mystics are just those who aren’t content to read books or hear sermons about this glorious reality; they want to experience this love and be transformed by it into people of love. Because it’s here- looking at God, God looking at us, in love— that “we are happy,” that we are most free, content, at rest, at ease, grateful, joy filled, and alive” (pg 52)
“Mystics are just those who aren’t content to read books or hear sermons about this glorious reality; they want to experience this love and be transformed by it into people of love. Because it’s here- looking at God, God looking at us, in love— that “we are happy,” that we are most free, content, at rest, at ease, grateful, joy filled, and alive” (pg 52)
May 7, 2024
Uden tvivl det skarpeste, jeg har læst fra John Mark Comer. En stærk evangelisk udlægning af discipelskab, som også bliver meget konkret uden at blive påduttende. Han har en solid kirkelig (og historisk) forankring, men formår også at tale direkte ind i det 21. århundrede. Simpelthen lidt af et must-read for alle, der er optaget af at følge Jesus.
April 26, 2024
Truly one of the most impactful books I’ve read in my life of following Jesus. It paints such a captivating picture of life as a disciple of Christ, and then offers such practical, convicting, and gentle wisdom on how we become a disciple.
December 12, 2023
I love all of John Mark Comer’s teachings, and this book distills his most important thoughts about incorporating the spiritual practices of Jesus into your daily life. It’s really good and helpful.
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