Practicing Way: A Guide to Transformation (v.2)

The Three Driving Goals of Disciple Making

a practical disciple making guide, informed by John Mark Comer's Book: Practicing The Way

The Call to Follow Jesus

To follow Jesus is not merely to believe in Him but to apprentice under Him—to reshape our entire lives around His way. True disciple making is more than knowledge, behavior modification or performance; it is whole-life transformation. As apprentices of Jesus we embrace these three driving goals, in order to grow in the way of Jesus:

Be With Jesus – Cultivate a lifestyle of continuous communion with Jesus, gazing upon Him, finding joy in Him, and following His commands, while consistently adopting the posture and heart of a learner.
Become Like Jesus – Allow His life and character to transform us from the inside out, in every aspect of our life.
Do As He did – Step into the continuation of His mission here on earth and live as Christ would if He were you—in your present realities.

This is the Jesus Way—a journey of deep formation, where belief moves beyond intellect and into an embodied practice.

Apprentice With Jesus: A Life Reordered Around Christ

In biblical times, a disciple—or talmid [Hebrew word]—was more than a student. Discipleship meant total immersion in the teachings, practices and way of life of the rabbi. The modern equivalent is an apprentice—one who learns through intentional, relational and practice-based imitation, not just study. To apprentice with Jesus today means structuring our lives around His rhythms, priorities, and presence.

Jesus invites us into a life where the kingdom of God is not just a future hope but a present reality. This kingdom, defined by God’s presence saturating all of life, requires not just belief but transformation—a reordering of our lives around Jesus' way. Jesus is not just a teacher of truth but a model of a way of life—a way that, though narrow, leads to abundant life both now and in eternity.

GOAL#1: Be With Jesus

To be an apprentice of Jesus begins with one essential priority: being with Him. The original disciples followed Jesus not just in belief but in daily life—walking with Him, observing, learning, obeying, and imitating. Today, we experience this same closeness through the Holy Spirit, who makes Jesus’ presence a daily reality. Jesus calls us to abide in Him (John 15:4), meaning we stay rooted in His life, connected in every moment through prayer, Scripture, and communion with Him.

The first goal of apprenticeship to Jesus is to be with Him. Just as His first disciples walked alongside Him—listening, observing, and imitating. We are to take in all of who He is, in all of what He has done and said—including in what drives Him and why—in a continual posture of learning from Him. Our call is to live in constant awareness of His presence through the Holy Spirit, soaking in His Word and attuning to His voice. Jesus invites us to abide in Him (John 15:4), meaning we make our home in Him, staying connected through Scripture, prayer, and a life of devotion.

To cultivate this with-God life, we must slow down, create space, and develop habits that center our hearts on Him. Through beholding Jesus in Scripture and contemplative prayer, we encounter His presence, are transformed into His likeness, and align our lives with His way.

How Do We Cultivate a Life With Jesus?

Beholding Jesus – Regularly engaging with Scripture is not just about knowledge but about encountering the living God and getting to know Him ever more deeper. As we meditate on His Word, we learn His heart, hear His voice, and are transformed. We become what we behold (2 Corinthians 3:18). Contemplative prayer, where we still our hearts before Him, allows us to rest in His presence and receive His love. Marjorie Thompson tells the story of an 18th-century priest who asked an elderly peasant what he was doing as he sat alone in the quiet of a church. The old man simply replied, “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.” This is the heart of contemplative prayer—resting in God’s gaze of love and responding with our own. These encounters are meant to reshape our thoughts, refine our desires, and redirect our affections toward God.
Creating Space for Jesus – To cultivate this kind of with-God life, in a world full of distractions, we must slow down and prioritize our time with Jesus. True apprenticeship requires saying no to lesser things so we can say yes to Jesus. Setting aside moments of silence, solitude, and reflection helps cultivate sensitivity to His voice.
Building the Habit of Being With Jesus – Being with Jesus is not a single event but a lifelong practice. Over time, through consistent devotion, our awareness of Him deepens, and our relationship with Him becomes second nature. A.W. Tozer described it this way: “A habit of soul is forming which will become, after a while, a sort of spiritual reflex requiring no more conscious effort on our part.”

True apprenticeship means prioritizing Jesus above all else, allowing His life to shape every part of ours—above work, status, or personal ambitions. Yet, when we order our lives around Him, everything else finds its rightful place. To know Christ personally, experience His resurrection power, and walk in His way is the essence of a life lived with Jesus.

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death." - Philippians 3:10 NLT

"I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself." - Philippians 3:10 MSG

GOAL #2: Become Like Jesus

To be with Jesus is to be changed by Him so that we become ever more like Him. The natural result of abiding in His presence is transformation—an inner renewal where our thoughts, desires, choices and behaviors are reshaped to reflect His character. This is not about mere self-improvement or behavior modification; it is the work of the Holy Spirit conforming us into the image of Christ.

How Do We Become Like Jesus?

Renewing Our Minds – Transformation begins with our thought life. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). We soak in Scripture, meditate on His teachings, and let truth uproot the lies that shape our old ways of thinking in order to align with the Jesus Way.
Reordering Our Loves – Jesus lived in perfect alignment with the Father’s will. He calls us to do the same by ordering our hearts rightly—loving God above all else and letting that love shape every other affection and pursuit (Matthew 22:37-39).
Practicing the Rhythms of Jesus – Our spiritual formation doesn’t happen by accident. Jesus had habits—prayer, solitude, fasting, Sabbath, generosity—that cultivated His relationship with the Father and empowered His mission. We grow by embracing these same rhythms.
Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit – Evidence of Christ’s life in us is seen in our character and how we love with a mature love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23. As we walk by the Spirit, these qualities take root in us and become second nature.

Becoming like Jesus is a lifelong journey, but it is not one we take alone. The Holy Spirit empowers us, and the community of faith encourages, supports and sharpens us along the way. The goal is not just to admire Jesus but to embody His way of being in the world.

GOAL #3: Do As He Did

The final stage of apprenticeship is action. Jesus didn’t just teach truth—He embodied it as a way of life. To follow Him, we must step into His mission, extending His love, truth, and power into the world around us. This means practicing the rhythms of Jesus’ life—welcoming others, sharing the good news, and demonstrating God’s power in action.

What Did Jesus Do?

Preached the Kingdom – Jesus announced the good news of God’s reign, calling people to repentance, faith and new life (Mark 1:15). We continue His work by sharing the gospel in word and deed—through an embodied faith (that is consistent in public and private, and in the inside life and the outside life).
Stood Against Injustice and Released Mercy – Jesus spoke truth to those in power, defended the oppressed, and extended mercy to sinners. He called out hypocrisy and stood with the marginalized, showing us that justice and grace go hand in hand (Matthew 23:23, John 8:1-11).
Cast Out Darkness – Jesus confronted spiritual oppression, freeing people from bondage (Mark 5:1-20). As His apprentices, we carry His authority to push back the kingdom of darkness and bring freedom to the captives. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” - Luke 4:18-19.
Healed the Broken – Jesus brought healing wherever He went—physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. He invites us to pray for the sick, comfort the hurting, and be agents of wholeness in a broken world (Luke 9:1-2).
Served the Least – Jesus identified with the poor, the outcast, and the overlooked, embodying radical humility and compassion (Matthew 25:40). To follow Him is to love and serve people, especially those the world ignores.
Made Disciples – Jesus didn’t just gather crowds; He invested deeply in a few, training His disciples (His apprentices) to carry His mission forward. Our call is the same—to make disciples who make disciples, teaching them to obey everything He commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).

How Do We Do What Jesus Did?

1. Make Space for the Gospel (Hospitality)

Jesus welcomed the outsider, the lonely, and the hurting into His life. We are called to do the same. Hospitality isn’t just about meals—it’s about creating a space where people feel seen, valued, and loved. This could mean:

Inviting someone new to share a meal and honest conversation.
Seeking out and welcoming the lonely, the newcomer, the marginalized, or those without family.
Making our homes, churches, and lives places of warmth, safety, and belonging.

Hospitality is both a habit we plan for and a heart posture we live by—offering welcome, generosity, and genuine care to those around us.

2. Preach the Gospel (Sharing Jesus with Others)

The gospel is good news: Jesus is King, and life with Him is available to everyone! Preaching the gospel isn’t about pressure or performance—it’s about making Jesus known in everyday life. We do this by:

Talking about Jesus and what He has done, in natural conversations.
Recognizing where God is already at work in people’s lives and joining in.
Living a beautiful life (a countercultural life) that makes people curious about our faith—through our love, generosity, honesty, simplicity and kindness.
Praying for others, listening for God’s voice to encourage them, and stepping out in faith through prophecy, healing, and words of knowledge and wisdom.

Preaching the gospel is both speaking and living in a way that reveals Jesus.

3. Demonstrate the Gospel (Living Like Jesus)

Jesus didn’t just talk about the kingdom of God—He showed it. Wherever He went, He healed the sick, freed the oppressed, and met real needs. We follow His example when we:

Pray for people’s needs, believing that God still heals and restores.
Help those who are struggling—physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally or spiritually.
Stand up for justice, making wrong things right and advocating for those in need.
Live with integrity, diligence, humility, kindness and excellence in our everyday work and relationships.

Everywhere Jesus went, He brought the presence of God. We are called to do the same, letting His love and power flow through us in practical ways.

Living as Jesus’ Apprentices

By practicing these rhythms—hospitality, sharing the gospel, and demonstrating the kingdom—we follow Jesus’ way. We live as His apprentices, carrying His love, power, and truth into the world. This is how we become people who don’t just believe in Jesus but actively do what He did.

Saying Yes to the Jesus Way

To be a disciple of Jesus is to reorder your life so that apprenticing from Him—being with Him, becoming like Him, and doing as He did—is your highest priority. Everything else in your life, whether your job, money or reputation, finds its proper place when centered around Him. The question is: Will you slow down and say yes to being with Jesus? In a world filled with distractions, will you choose to fix your gaze on Him?

This is the starting point of apprenticeship—to abide in His love, sit at His feet, and behold His beauty. For in beholding Him, we are transformed. “We are loving to the degree that we have been loved.” The Jesus Way is not a passive belief system but an active, embodied life. It is a continual process of beholding Him, being changed by Him, and partnering with Him in the renewal of all things. Will you allow God’s love to conform you into the image of Christ? Will you practice being with Jesus so that His presence becomes the foundation of your life?

The journey begins here—with one simple but profound choice: Be with Jesus. May we follow closely, love deeply, and live fully in His way.

Go Deeper In These Three Driving Goals:

Practicing The Way Course: 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.

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