Mannnnn. Ugh. I adore John Mark Comer and his teachings. I’ve read almost all of his books, and I’d review them about the same. They are overall good. They’re interesting, thought provoking, and are packed full of real life application. They’re easy and light and helpful. But they’re starting to all feel the same. His writing style is very repetitive, and he uses so many quotes. There are so many quotes that I often get lost in them and forget what he’s actually talking about. So I don’t know; I probably wouldn’t recommend this one. JMC is at his best in Loveology and Garden City — go read those instead.

What to expect in this book:

-Practical steps
-Footnotes
-Theological practices
-Scripture references
-Exercises and graphics
-Convicting disciplines

Thoughts

John Mark Comer is one of the best pastors and theologians of our time. His sound wisdom and clear love of God is detailed in all of his books. He combines wisdom and insight from those in the spiritual space also with psychology and social sciences to demonstrate the power and call toward being an apprentice of Jesus, following him, and practicing life as he would. As a life-long Christian, the statistics in this were informative and staggering to me. This book is not about talking the talk, but walking the walk--the clumsy and challenging path of living as Christ calls us to live.

I appreciated the defined sections of the book and the resources at the back for beginning this journey in Practicing the Way. Of all of JMC's books, this is definitely the most practical and intended to be lived out rather than just absorbed or informed by. In reading, it is easy to retain information or to recall, it is not so easy to go out and "do." This books calls us toward action in being followers of Christ in solitude, in our families, and ultimately in our communities and to the world.

There is so much that is counter-cultural about this pathway, however, it is so convicting to read and remember Jesus' calling to GO and to take up our cross and FOLLOW him. If you are looking for a book to reignite your faith, or even a book to inform you more of Jesus' calling for those who love him, be sure to pick up this--and all of JM's other books. This one published on 1/16. Thank you to #NetGalley and WaterBrook for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. He gave a lot of good advice and practical steps! I definitely underlined and went back to reread several sections. I don’t necessarily agree with him 100% theologically, but for the most part, the rule of life steps were spot on.

Magnus Opus feels grand and almost implies John-Mark Comer doesn’t have plenty more to give, but I still use the phrase because it is clear this book is a culmination of years of hard work and practice. Throughout the book he gives clear logical arguments and practical real world next steps. This is easily readable by most anyone, and yet dense enough to warrant multiple reads. The crux of the entire book is this: following Jesus isn’t simply believing something, it is living out practically and daily in ways that are consistent with what you believe. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who is asking questions about what it means to be a biblical follower of Jesus and 10/10 would recommend to anyone who is interested in taking following Jesus seriously.

I read an early digital copy of this and can’t wait to get my highlighter out to read the physical copy!

Practicing the Way is life changing and a must read for anyone who wants to grow in their faith. Definitely a 5 star read. I will be coming back to this book often.

In his book Practicing the Way John Mark Comer defines what it really means to be a disciple (apprentice) of Jesus. Which is far from the present day Christian.

The problem he presents is how differently we read the scriptures and Jesus’ invitation to follow him. By showing the cultural context and traditions of Jesus time the reader gets a better picture of what a follower of Jesus truly is.

Once this gap in understanding is defined he breaks down his working theory of how someone can truly be an apprentice of Jesus. This comes down to three goals:
Be with Jesus.
Become like him.
Do as he did.
with a separate section of the book elaborating on each of these goals.

These sections culminate with a history and explanation of a Rule of Life. This section also provides insight on the spiritual disciplines and tips on forming your own Rule of Life.

Comer lays out these disciplines/practices while also reminding us that these are tools to open ourself up more to God. They are not measures in which we can produce our own salvation or righteousness. He quotes Saint Augustine, “Without God, we cannot.
Without us, God will not.” to help us balance these two responsibilities.

Like his previous works he regularly intertwines wise sources with his own insight as both an apprentice of Jesus and one who helps others follow the way of Jesus. An amazing read I’d highly recommend to all who want to truly follow Jesus.

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

A really enjoyable read. This book will challenge you to become more. This book is needed for the Christian Church to take the next step in our walks of Christ.

I have found Practicing the Way, by John Mark Comer, a stabilizing, grounding tool that teaches a way of life with Jesus as my teacher - a way that helps me live in what can often be a world of constant crisis, lies, and division. The practices help me to stay focused on what really matters while staying in reality, at the same time giving hope. I have only scratched the surface of how these spiritual practices can help me live a more happy, joyous, free, and meaningful life.

Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer is an excellent book about spiritual formation and following Jesus. He references works of many other Christian teachers which offered an excellent opportunity to explore writings and thoughts I may not have otherwise. This is a great resource on discipleship and living a life truly transformed into the image of Christ.

In this book you are reminded of the basic and practical ways that we as Christians should follow in order to live out The Great Commission. The three best practices are: being with Jesus, being like Jesus, and living out in action in the same way Jesus did. While it's easy for Christian books to all talk about the same things, but I think in this book has a fresh perspective and thought-provoking nature to it to make you rethink how you live out your calling and how you focus your faith. One of the parts that stood out to me was early on in the book when it speaks on apprenticeship/discipleship and it's made me rethink how to challenge others in their faith journey. I've recommended this book for the last couple of months, as I received an ARC from @JohnMarkComer, @netgalley and @waterbrookmultnomah in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this book!

#netgalley #johnmarkcomer #practicingtheway

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy,

I am always amazed and grateful at the way John Mark. Comer can relay information so well. This book was encouraging, convicting and is a book I will read more than once. This is not a fast read, it is one you have to read and take time to reflect one. This book speaks to how being a disciple of Jesus is practicing the Way of Jesus. Highly recommend.

This is the third book I have read by John Mark Comer and I think it is my favourite!
Comer observes that, sadly, in the western world at least, it is possible for someone to attend church for decades and profess to be a Christian but for there to be little discernible change in their behaviour or growth in faith. The book explores what it means to be a disciple and how we can actually put our faith into practice.
Comer highlights that being a Christian is not just about responding intellectually to the Gospel or putting our hand up at the end of a sermon. It is answering the call to be Jesus’ apprentice, and he breaks this down into three key areas being with Jesus, becoming like him, and doing as he did.
Throughout the book, he explores several practices that can aid this growth. I appreciated the emphasis that it is about practicing. It is not about making a set of New Year’s resolutions and expecting to dramatically change our lives overnight. It is about small gradual steps over time, and it is not all dependent on our work and effort. Instead, it is being intentional about allowing God to transform us.
He gives the personal example of the “Rule of Life” he has created and the practices he has committed to. However, there is no one-size-fits-all formula. He recognises that everyone’s circumstances, life stages and personalities are different, but he encourages the reader to take some time to reflect on the practices that may be helpful in their own lives.
It is a challenging book, but very helpful, and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who is serious about following Jesus.

Practicing the Way by @johnmarkcomer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one of those books that I see myself reading over and over again throughout the years. So many good thoughts and truths.

One passage that stood out to me:
“Jesus is in the business of healing souls. But while the four Gospels have dozens of stories of Jesus instantly healing people’s bodies (after which, by the way, he almost always gave them instructions to go and do something as a next step), he doesn’t seem to do the same with people’s characters. There is not a single instance in which he simply waved his hand to take away an ugly habit or personality trait in one of his apprentices. The opposite is true - we see their stubborn sinfulness live on for years. Jesus didn’t zap them; he just kept teaching, rebuking, and loving them, giving them time to grow and mature.
Miracles, emotional breakthroughs, and profound moments of radical change do happen, and need to happen, but they are not the daily path of disciple-ship. They are an essential part of our development as persons, but most of our growth is a slow, incremental but noticeable maturation into adulthood.”

Highly recommend.
Thank you @netgalley and @waterbrookmultnomah for an ARC of this book. It was released on 1/16, so it’s available now if you want to check it out! #netgalley #johnmarkcomer #practicingtheway #goodreads #bookstagram #literarypearlsof24

What a practical guide! As a long-time follower of JMC’s work, I was excited to dig into his new book, Practicing the Way. It did not disappoint. Rather than go through each of the practices he has defined through his nonprofit’s educational efforts, JMC uses this book to make an extended argument for becoming an apprentice of Jesus.

He urges readers to go beyond the self-identification of a Christian and rather take on the lifestyle and practices of Jesus. It’s a well-crafted invitation, although it felt like he tried to pack a lot of meat into a small casing which showed through the writing style. Do yourself a favor and take this book very slowly.

Two things I admire about John Mark Comer is that he is a voracious reader and has an amazing ability to synthesize things. His writing is smart, without pretension and accessible to a wide audience. In Practicing the Way, Comer continues to flesh out a path of Jesus-centered spiritual formation that calls an individual to slow down and simplify their life. He proposes that a life formed in the Way of Jesus allows one to find a deeper union with God and to be one's truest self. It is up to each person to weigh the cost of apprenticeship to Jesus and with faith, choose daily to respond the Love of God.
Practicing the Way is a perfect for anyone starting to explore spiritual disciplines and wanting to enrich their faith. The end notes also provide a rich resource of further texts to explore for further study.

I have been a huge fan of John Mark Comer and have read all his other work. This book knocked it out of the park. I don’t know many authors can that communicate conviction with empathy so well but he can. I walked away from this book with new insights on how to love a life more align to Jesus and the faith that with little changes great impacts can be had.

Practicing the Way.
Be with Jesus. Become like Him. Do as He did.
Once again, I have no idea how to review a book by John Mark Comer. How do I sum something as rich and deep as this book into a few words?
Wowwwww. This book was so full of so many good things. I made soooo many notes. 😂 This book made me think about so many things and encouraged me to implement change in my own life.
I highly recommend it!
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*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts expressed are strictly my own.*

Become an apprentice of Jesus. That's the focus of John Mark Comer's new book. Practicing the Way is a practical call to action.

Disciple is a noun, not a verb.

What? Think about it. In the Great Commission, we're called to make disciples. When we use "disciple" as a verb, the emphasis is on our efforts. "Disciple" as a noun puts the responsibility on the learner, the apprentice, the follower.

Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

4.5 stars

This book is a beautiful introduction to spiritual formation.
In his typical style, John Mark Comer weaves solid biblical teaching with references to literature, psychology, history, and Star Wars (the most important, obviously).

One of the best parts of the book is the compelling vision it paints of apprenticing under Jesus. It sheds light on the rich, joyful, deep life found in the Kingdom and how the spiritual disciplines—which are so often ignored by the modern church—are actually God’s gifts to help us experience more of Him.

Comer breaks down what discipleship under a rabbi actually meant back when Jesus called the twelve to follow Him, as well as how our modern approach to spiritual growth leaves many in a rut without seeing much real transformation. And it all culminates in a practical explanation of how to intertwine the spiritual disciplines into the daily rhythms of your life.

My only critique is that if you already listen consistently to his podcast, you’ve likely heard most of this information. However, it’s wonderful material, and I appreciated the chance to cover it again. If you’ve never listened to any of John Mark Comer’s teachings or read his books, Practicing the Way would be a perfect place to start.

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am quite impressed by this book. I have read a number of books on Christian growth and spiritual formation and I would put this one at the top. Comer reminds us we are being formed whether we realize it or not. If we want to be formed into the people God wants us to be, we must be intentional to that end.

Comer encourages to become followers of Jesus. We are to be whole life apprentices to Jesus. He gives information and practical strategies to do that. He gives three aspects: Be with Jesus, Become like Him and Do as He Did. It is a long process for us to become the people God had in mind when He willed us into existence.

I like Comer suggesting we take an audit, an honest look at the forces now forming us. He presents a working theory of change to help us understand how we are transformed. And finally, he encourages us to form a Rule of Life, intentionally ordering our lives around what matters most: God.

I really like the informative and practical nature of this book. While I am familiar with some of the material, Comer has insights I've never seen before. If you read only one book this year on spiritual growth, make it this one.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.