Week 3 Reading
Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
Pages 120-205
“There is a special evangelistic work to be done, of course, and there are special callings to it. But if those in the churches really are enjoying fullness of life, evangelism will be unstoppable and largely automatic. The local assembly, for its part, can then become an academy where people throng from the surrounding community to learn how to live. It will be a school of life (for a disciple is but a pupil, a student) where all aspects of that life seen in the New Testament records are practiced and mastered under those who have themselves mastered them through practice. Only by taking this as our immediate goal can we intend to carry out the Great Commission.” Dallas Willard
If the most effective form of evangelism is a Christian “enjoying the fullness of life”, how does one embrace and live out a good life despite the fact we are also called to embrace trials and suffering?
The idea of living by a rule of life and apprenticing ourselves under Jesus might seem pretty foreign in our culture. How do we begin introducing this shift to people who may not even realize they need it—or might be resistant to the change?
Gary Thomas discovered the concept of “spiritual temperament”-nine unique pathways of engaging God.
We believe that there should be a level of participation in all nine, but what two or three do you gravitate to most?
Naturalists: loving God in nature and the outdoors
Sensates: loving God with the senses candles, incense, materials, and so on.
Traditionalists: loving God through ritual, symbolism, and liturgy.
Ascetics: loving God in solitude and self-denial.
Activists: loving God by fighting injustice.
Caregivers: loving God by caring for those in need.
Enthusiasts: loving God with music and dance and celebration.
Contemplatives: loving God through quiet adoration.
Intellectuals: loving God with the mind.
What was your overall opinion of this book? What stood out to you the most that you want to actually implement into your life?
Did you struggle with anything you read about? (If no, you don’t need to write more)
Is there anything else you want to share?