Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did.

by John Mark Comer

Here’s why: If disciple is something that is done to you (a verb),[25] then that puts the onus of responsibility for your spiritual formation on someone else, like your pastor, church, or mentor. But if disciple is a noun—if it’s someone you are or are not—then no one can “disciple” you but Rabbi Jesus himself.

One way to judge the veracity of your gospel is by this simple acid test: Would someone hearing your gospel naturally conclude that apprenticeship to Jesus is the only fitting response?

At its best, this is a rightfully high view of the power of the Holy Spirit to deeply change us through encounter with him. To break strongholds over our lives, heal our memories, rewire our nervous systems, and touch our bodies. I’d go so far as to say any theory of change that doesn’t incorporate the need for moments of breakthrough will have only limited results. But at its worst, this is laziness, pure and simple, because it’s far easier to go to church once a week chasing a spiritual high and angle for a download from heaven than to do the daily, unglamorous work of discipleship.