The Three Lifelong Pursuits of Following jesus
a practical disciple making guide, informed by John Mark Comer's Book: Practicing The Way
by Raimer Rojas
(English & Español)
Discipleship • What Is A Disciple Of Jesus Christ? • The Radical Call of Jesus • The Biblical Connection To Practicing The Way • Holistic Discipleship Framework
So many were drawn to Jesus — captivated by His miracles, stirred by His words. But when He invited them to follow Him, everything changed. His invitation wasn’t casual — it was costly. It meant leaving comfort, rethinking identity, and surrendering every part of life to a new path. It was a call to a radical way of life. Today, the name “disciple” is used freely, but too often it’s disconnected from a life that truly reflects Jesus. The difference between believers and the world around them can look blurry — yet it was never meant to be that way. Jesus’ call was and still is radical, specific, and life-changing.
I remember when this burden first gripped me — in 1995, after a personal encounter with God that shattered my assumptions and exposed the shallow waters we often call “discipleship.” Something deep within me broke open. I began to see what I hadn’t before: how casually the Church had treated the command to make genuine disciples, and how content many had become with forms of godliness that lacked power to transform.
It wrecked me. Night after night, I wrestled in prayer, haunted by one burning question: How do we awaken the Church to the kind of disciple making Jesus actually called for — discipleship that reshapes the heart, reorders the life, and reflects His image?
It felt like swimming against the current — this ache for a deeper way, a real framework that forms people from the inside out. And the ache never left. Decades later, the burden still burns.
Then recently I came across John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way, and it was as if language was finally given to what my spirit had carried all along. It offered a vision of discipleship through the three lifelong pursuits of following Jesus that was simple yet profound — anchored in the life of Jesus and charged with the call to true transformation. Since then, I’ve woven in my own reflections, adjustments, and practices to strengthen and expand the path — hoping to call others into a discipleship that is not theoretical, but embodied, not passive, but transformative.
We need to recover the clarity of that call — not just to understand it intellectually, but to feel its weight and beauty in our hearts. This Practicing the Way guide exists to help you step into that clarity. It unpacks the call to disciple making into three life-shaping pursuits—the heartbeat of what it means to follow in the steps of our beloved Rabbi Jesus.
To follow Jesus is to apprentice under Him — to shape our lives around His way. True discipleship is not about mere belief, self-improvement, or performance; it is a journey of being deeply formed by Him. As apprentices, we embrace these three pursuits that shape our walk with Jesus and lead us to transformation in this life-long journey to... Be with Jesus, Become like Jesus, and Do as Jesus did.
Live in continual connection with Jesus. Learn to remain in His presence and rest in His love moment by moment.
Behold Jesus (Seeing Him Clearly) – Fix your eyes on Him through Scripture, prayer, and worship. Let His presence captivate your heart. (2 Cor. 3:18)
Abide in Jesus (Staying Connected With Him Continually) – Stay connected to Him like a branch to a vine. Walk with Him daily, not just occasionally. (John 15:4-5)
Rest in Jesus (Trusting Him Fully) – Trust His love, surrender control, and embrace rhythms of peace and renewal. (Matt. 11:28-30)
Our first calling as disciples is to be with Jesus. Before we work for Him, we are invited to live in deep communion with Him. Just as His first followers walked by His side, we are called to learn from His words, watch His ways, and experience His love.
Jesus does not call us to a distant or merely ritualistic faith. He calls us into an abiding relationship. He wants us to know Him deeply, not only in moments of worship and prayer, but in the ordinary rhythms of everyday life.
As we fix our eyes on Him, remain in His presence, and rest in His love, we begin to experience the fullness of life He offers. We discover that we are never alone. His Spirit is with us, leading, comforting, and transforming us as we walk with Him.
What's the Distinction Between Beholding Jesus, Abiding in Jesus, and Resting in Jesus?
Beholding Jesus is about attention. We look to Him with awe and focus so we can see Him clearly, hear His voice, and be captivated by His beauty. Abiding in Jesus is about connection. We remain with Him moment by moment, allowing His presence to shape us from within. Resting in Jesus is about trust. We surrender fear and control as we depend on His love, His promises, and His Spirit.
Behold sets our focus. Abide sets our pace. Rest sets us free.
The Transformational Flow of "Be With Jesus":
In “Be With Jesus,” transformation begins by beholding Him. To behold Jesus is to truly see Him with the eyes of the heart. We pause long enough to let who He is captivate us. As we behold Him, we are not merely learning facts about Him. We are encountering the living Christ. We see His kindness, strength, humility, and love. Wonder is stirred, and our hearts awaken to a Person more beautiful than we imagined.
But beholding is not where it ends. We then abide in what we have seen. Abiding means staying, lingering, and letting truth take root. It is where fascination becomes formation. The truths we see in Jesus become the environment our hearts live in. His faithfulness, mercy, and nearness begin to shape how we think and feel. We no longer visit His love occasionally; we learn to dwell in it.
As we abide, we are invited to rest in Him. We stop striving to earn what He freely gives. We begin to live with quiet confidence that Jesus is who He says He is, and that we are safe in Him. This rest is not passive. It is active trust. It is the peace that comes from knowing we are held, guided, and never alone.
So when we say “Be With Jesus,” we are not prescribing a task. We are describing a relationship. We are inviting people into a rhythm of looking at Jesus until the heart is won over again and again. From there, transformation flows. Not by effort alone, but through union with Him. We become like the One we love.
Pursuit #1: Be with Jesus:
Learn More About Beholding:
Let His Spirit transform you from the inside out — renewing your mind, reordering your loves, purifying your desires, and reshaping your actions.
Renew The Mind (to have the mind of Christ) – Think like Jesus. Fill your mind with truth and let it reshape how you see God, yourself, and the world. (Romans 12:2)
Transform The Heart (to embody His love) – Desire what Jesus desires. Let His love and holiness reshape your emotions and affections. (Matthew 6:33)
Train The Body (for godly and righteous living) – Live like Jesus. Develop habits, disciplines, and virtues that sustain a Christlike life. (1 Timothy 4:7-8 & 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Being with Jesus naturally leads to becoming like Him. The more we abide in Him, the more His Spirit reshapes our thoughts, reorders our affections, purifies our desires, and transforms our actions. Transformation is not about striving to become better on our own. It is the overflow of a heart captivated by Jesus and changed by His love.
As we walk with Him, old patterns begin to shift, our priorities align with His kingdom, and His character is formed in us. To become like Jesus is to carry His heart. We begin to think as He thinks, love as He loves, see people as He sees them, and live as He lives. This is the Spirit’s work in us, shaping us into His image so that we reflect His character to the world.
What's the distinction between Renew the Mind, Transform the Heart, and Train the Body?
Renew the Mind is about replacing distorted patterns of thinking with God’s truth. Transform the Heart is about allowing our loves, emotions, and desires to be reshaped by His love. Train the Body is about practicing godly habits that help us embody His character.
Renew the Mind reshapes how we see God, ourselves, and the world. Transform the Heart reorders what we love and value. Train the Body forms us to live out what we believe.
Pursuit #2: Become Like Jesus:
Bring His kingdom to the world through your words, actions, and presence.
Make Space for the Gospel (Hospitality) – Create room in your life to be hospitable to the people God loves. Welcome His divine interventions and appointments. (Luke 14:12-14)
Proclaim the Gospel (Outreach/Evangelism) – Speak the good news boldly, lovingly, and with winsomeness. Point people to Jesus. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Demonstrate the Gospel (Ministry/Service/Biblical Justice/Mercy/Power Evangelism) – Reveal the love and power of Jesus by serving, healing, and showing compassion. Extend mercy and pursue justice through both natural and supernatural expressions of His kingdom. (Matthew 10:5-8)
A life transformed by Jesus cannot remain inward-focused. To truly follow Him means stepping into His mission. We bring His love, truth, and presence into the world. Jesus did not merely teach about the kingdom; He embodied it. He healed the sick, welcomed the outcast, and forgave sinners. He also proclaimed the good news of God’s reign.
As His apprentices, we are called to continue His work—not out of obligation, but out of love. When we are with Jesus and shaped by Him, His mission becomes our mission. We learn to see the world through His eyes, move with His compassion, and serve with His humility.
Living on mission is not mainly about grand gestures or public platforms. It is about embodying Jesus in everyday relationships. We love the people in front of us, speak truth with grace, and make space for others to encounter Him. Whether in our homes, workplaces, or communities, we are called to reflect His goodness wherever we go.
What's the distinction between Make Space for the Gospel, Preach the Gospel, and Demonstrate the Gospel?
Make Space for the Gospel invites others in through hospitality. It creates room for people to encounter Jesus. Proclaim the Gospel speaks the truth of Jesus clearly, boldly, and winsomely. It points people to who He is and what He has done. Demonstrate the Gospel shows the truth of the gospel through embodied love and faithful action. It also reveals the power of God through healing, freedom, mercy, and justice.
Pursuit #3: Do As Jesus Did:
To apprentice under Jesus is to center our lives on Him. It means ordering everything around being with Him, becoming like Him, and doing as He did. This is not a program to complete or a set of rules to manage. It is an invitation into a new way of living, marked by love, transformation, and purpose.
The world pulls us in many directions, but Jesus calls us into something deeper: intimacy with Him, lasting change within us, and meaningful mission through us. This is the journey of discipleship. This is the way of Jesus.
Deeper Dives Into These Three Driving Goals:
VIDEOS: Practicing The Way Videos - These are interviews with John Mark Comer.
SERMON: Practicing The Way (Bridgetown Church Sermon) - From the series "Vision Series 2023." Mark 8v34-35. Be with Jesus. Become like Jesus. Do what Jesus did
DBS Set: Practicing The Way DBS Set - A set of Discovery Bible Study passages to help you deepen in being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus and Doing as Jesus did.
COURSE: Practicing The Way - An intro into Christian formation featuring eight sessions of teaching, guided conversation, and spiritual exercises designed to lay a foundation for lifelong apprenticeship to Jesus.