Sometimes the best books are the ones that are unsettling. Practicing the Way is challenging to the point where I found it unsettled me as I resisted hard truths and a call to change.

This book is a flagship book for a set of spiritual formation resources for churches and small groups, by the same name ‘Practicing the Way’. I have dipped into some of the additional resources, podcasts and video clips, which expand on the chapters, and are definitely worth seeking out.

John Mark Comer writes in a direct and clear style. The book feels like a dense fruitcake, full of thoughts and quotes from those who know much about spiritual formation, both from centuries ago and the giants of today. It is the kind of book that will slowly change your life, and I expect to return to it again and again. I’d recommend it both to new followers of Jesus, and those who have been on the journey for many years.

This book presents a different angle on discipleship. Among many things that Comer brings up, one that stuck out is to quit using disciple as a verb, it is a noun. A disciple is something we are. He continues and shows how it should be a way of life. Not just a step by step process that we do, but something that affects each part of our lives. It a wholehearted commitment.

Practicing the Way approaches following Jesus in a way that, not so much goes against the traditional method, but carries it out in a different way. There is a lot that I am still mulling over in the book. I cannot say that I disagree, but it is not what I am used to hearing. I saw several things that I need to take look at how I am doing them. This book is something that would be good for anyone looking to go deeper in following Jesus.

I received a free ARC of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

John Mark Comer, pastor and best-selling author, has penned his latest book entitled, "Practicing the Way." In his newest book, Comer asserts that everyone worships someone or something. If you think you don't, look at how you spend your free time and where your thoughts are centered. According to Comer, Christianity is like an apprenticeship which has three steps: be with your Rabbi, become like your Rabbi, and do as your Rabbi did. As we develop what the author calls "the practice of the presence of God," we will find ourselves becoming more and more like him.

This was an excellent, easy-to-read devotional book that will be enjoyed by anyone looking to deepen their relationship with Christ. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

"To be with Jesus, to become like him, and to do as he did. This is the animating passion of your existence."

This book teaches on how to live and approach a life of apprenticeship to Jesus in a very practical way. It gives insights on how to become a true apprentice in the kingdom of God, by presenting Jesus' way of life and the practices he lived by while on Earth, so that we too can follow them and grow into a deeper relationship with the Father, as we balance being in the quiet place with being rooted in community. It also mentions the importance of being still in the midst of the busyness of the digital age, and how to focus our gazes onto Jesus and rest in him. This was a short and wonderful read, which I recommend to anyone wanting to become a true disciple of Jesus and surrender all of their life to him, step by step, day by day.

Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

"Jesus is not looking for converts to Christianity; he's looking for apprentices in the kingdom of God."

"The Way of Jesus is not just a theology (a set of ideas that we believe in our heads). It is that, but it's more. And it's not just ethics (a list of dos and don'ts that we obey or disobey). It is that, but it's still more. It's exactly what it sounds like - a way of life. One way to paraphrase Jesus' invitation of "follow me" is to say, "Adopt my overall way of life to experience the life I have on offer."

As I was reading this book, I constantly kept putting it down to text people that they have to read this book when it releases. John Mark Comer provides not only a beautiful vision for discipleship to Jesus, but also an accessible framework to take practical steps. Especially in our modern and distracted world, we desperately need a vision for the grace of transformed lives that Jesus offers us. As someone who has been apprenticing under Jesus for over a decade, I found myself with renewed hope and excitement about the kind of person Jesus desires to see me becoming. Grounded in scripture, filled with historical and modern sages, and packed with practical examples, Practicing the Way is a truly enjoyable and must-read for individuals and communities desiring to follow Jesus in our age.

Thank you to Waterbrook/Multnomah and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

So simple but so profound. I love the simplicity and purity of the book's message and the call to action. JMC has proven himself a necessary voice in today's world. I'm inspired by his words. They are challenging and grace-filled all at once. This book was fantastic, and I will recommend it to everybody.

“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.