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

by John Mark Comer

Because it’s in relationships that we are formed and forged.

In one of the final stories of Jesus’ life, Jesus takes on the garb of a servant and insists on washing his apprentices’ feet. This is Jesus intentionally taking the lower social position, the master trading places with the servant.

Again, our role isn’t to “convert” anyone, but it is to preach—to tell others the good news of Jesus, through the practice of witness.

Start where you are, not where you “should” be

Step one: We must find God in the contours of our actual lives—not

Think subtraction, not addition

Take a balanced approach

Take into account your personality and spiritual temperament

Take into account your season of life and stage of discipleship

Keep a healthy blend of upstream and downstream practices

Follow the J curve

One of my favorite definitions of discipleship is “a lifelong process of deepening surrender to Jesus.”[9]

Willard was once asked how to become a saint. He answered, “By doing the next right thing.”[25]