PDF Summary:Practicing the Way, by John Mark Comer

Many people struggle to grow spiritually or find themselves shaped more by the world around them than by their faith. In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer addresses this challenge by presenting discipleship as apprenticeship with Jesus—a lifelong process of learning to be with him, become like him, and do what he did.

Comer explains that spiritual formation happens to everyone, whether intentionally or not, and that without deliberate effort, we risk being shaped by secular influences rather than by Jesus. He discusses the gospel as an invitation into God's realm, salvation as the healing of the soul, and the importance of confession and community. This guide explores Comer's ideas on intentional spiritual formation and the practices that help us resist negative influences while cultivating a life centered on following Jesus.

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The Power of Cultural Practices

Comer’s ideas about spiritual formation, worldly influences, and dominant culture are rooted in a modern Augustinian stream of Christian thought. This tradition, exemplified by thinkers like James K. A. Smith, emphasizes the formative power of cultural practices and the need for intentional spiritual disciplines to counteract them. Smith, in You Are What You Love, argues that “you are what you love, not what you think. Your deepest identity is shaped by your desires, and those desires are trained and directed by the concrete, embodied practices and rituals you give yourself to. This is why I describe cultural institutions and routines as ‘liturgies’: they are formative pedagogies of the heart that inculcate a picture of the good life. Christian worship, then, is not an escape from ordinary life but the central practice in which the Spirit re-habits our loves, recalibrating our imagination and our habits so that our very way of being in the world is oriented toward the kingdom of God.”

Comer then explores how spiritual formation is universal and the danger of unintentional formation.

The Universality of Spiritual Formation

Comer describes spiritual formation as a universal human experience that involves the process of becoming a person. It's how our spirits are molded, in positive or negative ways. Spiritual development in Jesus' Way involves being shaped into loving individuals in Christ. Comer stresses that everyone experiences spiritual formation, whether they choose to or not. It's a gradual journey that unfolds across a lifetime, often at an imperceptible rate. The crucial question to ask is: Are we becoming more loving? The aim is for Jesus to shape us in all aspects of our existence so that we become filled with love.

The Science of Spiritual Formation

Comer’s assertion that spiritual formation is a universal human experience is supported by research in developmental psychology and neuroscience. In The Spiritual Child, psychologist Lisa Miller argues that we are born with a natural capacity for spiritual awareness. Longitudinal studies show that when this innate spirituality is nurtured, children and adolescents develop greater empathy, compassion, and prosocial behavior. This research supports Comer’s view that spiritual formation unfolds across a lifetime and that asking “Are we becoming more loving?” is a valid way to evaluate our spiritual growth.

The Risk of Unintentional Formation

Unintentional shaping of our spirituality can lead to ineffective and secular approaches to change, Comer warns. Many people lack a framework for how spiritual growth works and fail to understand the transformation process. Consequently, their ideas about change are nonconscious, haphazard, secular, and ineffective. This leads to congregations with many Christians who aren't followers of Jesus, prevalent hypocrisy, a generation disenchanted with the faith, and many who experience spiritual stagnation.

(Shortform note: Unintentional shaping of our spirituality can lead to the problems Comer describes because our brains are wired to form habits through repetition. When we repeatedly engage in certain routines, our brains create neural pathways that make those behaviors automatic. This means that even if we have good intentions, we can still fall into patterns of behavior that don't align with our values. This can lead to hypocrisy, disillusionment, and stagnation.)

Many people assume they only have to discover the proper method or shortcut to fix their soul's issues. They believe that if they become skilled in the correct spiritual practice, they can shape themselves into an ideal person. But Comer argues that the process of developing the human soul resembles cultivating a vineyard more than getting takeout. It’s hard, slow, and beyond our control. We can’t rescue ourselves, and it’s not necessary. We've been rescued, are being rescued, and will continue to be rescued solely by Jesus.

(Shortform note: If you interpret this passage to mean that you should wait for Jesus to fix your soul’s issues, you may fall into a deferring religious coping style. In The Psychology of Religion and Coping, Kenneth I. Pargament explains that people with this coping style believe that God is in control of their lives and that they should wait for God to resolve their problems. However, he explains that this coping style is associated with poorer psychological health and spiritual growth.)

The Nature of Discipleship

Comer believes that discipleship involves becoming Jesus's apprentice. An apprentice learns from an instructor or philosopher and is dedicated to accompanying their master and emulating them. Jesus seeks followers of God's kingdom, not just people who will convert to Christianity. The goal of apprenticeship is to spend time with Jesus, emulate him, and act as he did. The primary and most significant aim is to remain in his company, to dedicate all waking moments to sensing his presence and attending to what he says. The second objective is to emulate him. The third objective is to follow his example. Ultimately, an apprentice aims to continue their master's work.

The Importance of Community in Discipleship

Comer lists three objectives of apprenticeship: remaining in Jesus's company, emulating him, and following his example. However, he omits a fourth objective: apprenticing to Jesus together. In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues that Christian community is essential for discipleship. He explains that we need brothers and sisters to help us see our blind spots, confess our sins, and encourage us to obey Jesus. Bonhoeffer writes, “In confession the break-through to community takes place. Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him.”

Practices and Rhythms for Apprenticeship

Comer explains that the path of apprenticeship involves accompanying Jesus and becoming more like him. The initial and primary aim of apprenticing with Jesus is remaining in his presence, being aware of his being and listening to him all day long. To be with the Spirit is to be with Jesus, and to be with Jesus is to be with the Father. It means being present with God and immersing yourself in the love inherent to His inner being.

The second objective is to emulate him. Jesus said, "No apprentice surpasses their teacher, but all those who are completely trained will be like their teacher." This encapsulates the essence of apprenticeship: accompanying your teacher with the aim of emulating them. You'd emulate his speech, his behaviors, and how he expressed himself. You aimed to personify him.

The Science Behind the Path of Apprenticeship

In How God Changes Your Brain, Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman explain that the brain is plastic, meaning it can change and adapt throughout life. They argue that whatever you focus on and contemplate regularly will gradually reshape your brain's neural pathways. This means that your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are not fixed, but can be transformed by what you choose to pay attention to. When you accompany Jesus, you are essentially training your brain to become more like him. By focusing on his presence, his words, and his actions, you are rewiring your neural circuits to mirror his compassion, wisdom, and love.