Practicing the Way

The young concert pianist sits at the bench, her fingers hovering over the keys. For years, she has practiced scales until they were second nature, studied theory until it was instinct, and rehearsed her piece until the notes were etched into her muscle memory. But tonight, something is different. The audience is silent, the lights are hot, and a creeping anxiety begins to fray the edges of her focus. She knows the notes, the rhythm, the dynamics—she has all the information. Yet, the performance feels hollow, a technical execution devoid of the soul that first drew her to the music. She is doing all the right things, but she is not becoming the kind of artist who can truly move an audience. This gap between knowing what to do and becoming the kind of person who can do it with grace and depth is a uniquely human frustration, one that echoes far beyond the concert hall.

This is the very dilemma that pastor and author John Mark Comer wrestled with for years. He saw people in his church, and in his own mirror, who were rich in information about faith but poor in the actual, tangible transformation that was supposed to accompany it. They knew the teachings of Jesus, but their lives didn't look much like his. It felt like they were pianists who knew the theory but couldn't play the music. After experiencing his own burnout from the frantic pace of modern life, Comer dedicated himself to rediscovering the ancient, time-tested practices of apprenticeship to Jesus. "Practicing the Way" is the result of that journey—a guide to move beyond simply believing in Jesus to actively training with him, to close the gap between information and transformation.

Module 1: The Universal Reality of Apprenticeship

We often think of ourselves as self-directed individuals. We make our own choices. We forge our own paths. But Comer challenges this idea directly. He argues that the core human question is who or what you are a disciple of. Everyone is an apprentice to something. You are constantly being shaped. Your desires, habits, and beliefs are being formed every single day. The myth of the rugged individual blinds us to this reality. It makes us think we are autonomous.

But powerful forces are always at work. Tech philosopher Jaron Lanier calls modern advertising "continuous behavior modification on a titanic scale." That's what your social media feed is. It’s a system designed to disciple you. It wants to form your desires toward a specific, commercial outcome. So here's the thing. If you aren't consciously choosing your master, one will be chosen for you.

This leads to a critical insight. Spiritual formation is an inevitability. You are being formed right now. The question is, by what? Are you being formed by the relentless pressure of your inbox? The curated perfection of Instagram? The 24-hour news cycle? Comer suggests that these default cultural forces often lead to anxiety, division, and a sense of emptiness. The alternative is intentional counter-formation. It’s a deliberate choice to arrange your life around a different set of inputs.

So what is the solution? Comer proposes that apprenticeship to Jesus offers the most beautiful and life-giving way to live. This is about signing up for a hands-on apprenticeship. It’s about learning a new way of being human from a master. Philosopher Dallas Willard, a key influence on Comer, claimed there is no problem in human life that apprenticeship to Jesus cannot solve. This is a bold claim. But it reframes faith from a belief system into a practical, life-altering training program. The goal of this apprenticeship is to live as Jesus lived. It's a "way," a path to be walked. This shifts the focus from a one-time decision to a lifelong process of practice and transformation.

Module 2: The Three Goals of an Apprentice

Now, let's turn to the structure of this apprenticeship. Jesus’s invitation to his first followers was simple. "Come, follow me." Comer breaks this down into a clear, three-part journey. These three goals define the entire process of practicing the way.

The first and most foundational goal is to be with Jesus through a life of abiding. This is the starting point for everything else. For the original disciples, this was literal. They left their jobs and families to travel with their rabbi. They ate with him. They listened to his teaching. They were, as an ancient rabbinic blessing says, "covered in the dust of their rabbi's feet." They were that close.

But how do we do that today? Comer explains that being with Jesus now happens through the Holy Spirit. And the core practice for this is "abiding." Jesus used the metaphor of a vine and branches. He is the vine. We are the branches. A branch can only bear fruit if it remains connected to the vine. Abiding means to remain, to stay, to make your home in him. It’s about cultivating a constant, conscious awareness of God’s presence until it becomes the default setting of your mind.

From this foundation, we move to the second goal. We become like Jesus through a process of counter-formation. This is where transformation happens. Becoming like Jesus is not automatic. It requires training. Comer is clear: you cannot simply try harder to be a good person. Willpower is a finite resource. Instead, you must train to become the kind of person who naturally does what is good. This is a process of intentional counter-formation. It’s about adopting practices that rewire your desires and habits to counter the deforming patterns of the world.

Think of it like marathon training. You can’t just show up on race day and decide to run 26.2 miles. You have to train. You have to incrementally build the capacity in your body. In the same way, spiritual practices are the training exercises that build your capacity for love, joy, and peace. They are about creating space for God's grace to work in you.

This brings us to the final goal. The ultimate aim is to do as Jesus did by continuing his work in the world. An apprenticeship is not complete until the student can do the work of the master. A plumber’s apprentice becomes a plumber. A medical student becomes a doctor. An apprentice of Jesus eventually continues his mission. Jesus himself said his followers would do the works he did, and even greater things.

This work unfolds in three key rhythms. First, hospitality. Jesus was constantly eating with people, especially outsiders. He used shared meals to create space for relationship and welcome. Second, preaching the gospel. This is about bearing witness to the good news of God's kingdom. And third, demonstrating the gospel. This means participating in Jesus's work of healing, justice, and setting people free. The point is to realize that Jesus is the prototype of a new humanity. He showed what is possible for a human being living in complete reliance on God.