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

by John Mark Comer

The word Christian is used only three times in the New Testament.

To put that in perspective, the word disciple (or apprentice) is used 269 times, which comes as no surprise since the New Testament was written by apprentices of Jesus, for apprentices of Jesus.[26]

Christian: 3x Apprentice: 269x

Goal #2: become like Jesus. All good.

To many in the West, a Christian is just someone who mentally ascribes to the bare bones of Christianity (a word never used in Scripture) and may or may not occasionally attend church.

become a kind of Rorschach test that says more about what we believe than what he believed.

you must first confront “the essential question of what it means to be a Christian.”

Jesus Christ was divine and part of a Trinity, that Christ died for the sins of the world, and that faith in this doctrine is necessary for one to gain salvation”;

the label Christian is one Jesus never used.

Christians: 63 percent Apprentices: 4 percent

in-breaking kingdom is available now, to all. That anyone, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your station in life is, can enter this kingdom and be “blessed” (or “happy”) with God.

And what a gift- thank you, Jesus!

We are often told, “It’s not about what you do; it’s about what Jesus has done for you.” But that’s a false dichotomy,

My grandfather always said, "You've got to help God some," - not meaning that God actually needs our assistance, but you cannot just sit around waiting to receive help; we have to take action and do our part too- He will meet us in the middle! As my beloved childhood preacher said, "Get off your knees and roll up your sleeves."

It’s always been grace, pure grace.

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a way of life.

Going to church and worshipping and fellowshipping with others/praying with others is very important, but the true test, I feel, is in how we live our lives.

One way to paraphrase Jesus’ invitation to “follow me” is to say, “Adopt my overall way of life to experience the life I have on offer.”

Christianity is more than a theory about the universe, more than teachings written down on paper; it is a path along which we journey—in the deepest and richest sense, the way of life.

So often in the church, much is said about what to believe and what is right or wrong (which I’m all for), but so little is said about a lifestyle that is conducive to life with God. Yet lifestyle is where the money is.

I am the way and the truth and the life.