Book Review - Practicing the Way

‘Practicing the Way’ by John Mark Comer (2024 Waterbrook Pub USA)

Earlier this year I happened to be visiting some relatives in England who in turn, happened to lead a community-minded Baptist church. They mentioned this book a few times in conversation and recommended I read it. I grew curious. When I arrived home, I happened to notice UC News was looking for someone to review this very book. This involved receiving a FREE copy. Yep, I’m in.

I have been both encouraged and challenged by reading Practicing the Way. It is a call to pursue a growing spiritual formation and to adopt intentional spiritual practices to ensure a growing faith.

The book is well written, with numerous catchy phrases and helpful quotes (I was very busy underlining). It has an elegant simplicity that gets to the heart of the issue, which is the lack and decline of intentional discipleship in our western churches.  In addition, I appreciated an index in the back of the book.

Comer highlights that, whether we are aware or not, we are all being spiritually influenced and formed at any particular time of day. I was very much challenged when he mentioned the addiction most of us hold to our personalised digital screens. I had to pause and think, who actually influences my spiritual discipleship?

He sums up his process of discipleship (or in his words ‘apprenticeship’) to three essential elements: Be with Jesus; Become like Jesus; Do what Jesus did.

The goal of spiritual formation is not simply to get to know our Bibles better. As Comer puts it, ‘information is not transformation.’ The goal of spiritual formation is to become more like our ‘Rabbi Jesus’. This is the metric of true discipleship and spiritual maturity.

Comer emphasises that spiritual formation is not something to add to our already over-busy to-do lists. It requires us to do less - not to do more. He advocates the importance of daily contemplative prayer and solitude.

Towards the end of his book, Comer advocates the adoption of a ‘rule of life’ which initially sounds monastic but simply means the intentional adoption of practices that will aid spiritual renewal and growth. He also helpfully distinguishes between a ‘rule of life’ and ‘rules.’ A ‘rule of life’ is not legalism.

What he has to say is particularly relevant to my church way of life which tends towards activity and intellectualism. Subconsciously I think discipleship means busyness, and the acquisition of more bible knowledge.

I think every serious Christian, and especially every Christian leader would benefit from reading this book. This book reveals what true discipleship looks like in our post-modern and post-Christian age. It is gravely serious, challenging, and even confrontational. However, in my opinion, this book describes the heart of what it means to follow Jesus and it is the only WAY that will sustain our Christian faith going forward. Every other form of half-baked Christianity will fade away. I am sure you would have noticed.