Jan van Eyck, "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb," c. 1390-1441 In the early chapters of the Book of Genesis, there are four rivers. Two are unknown to us today; the others are the Tigris and the Euphrates, flowing through present-day Iraq. At the end of the Bible’s narrative arc, there is also a river. John …
What would Jesus say about Practicing the Way?
John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way model of discipleship invites participants to "apprentice under Jesus" through shared practices, rhythms, and communal formation. It is increasingly popular, and has helped many Christians recover the notion that the essence of Christian discipleship is not believing the right truths so much as learning an alternative way of life. …
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Six models of discipleship: Why I prefer Practicing the Way
John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way model of discipleship commends a continuous process of spiritual formation which Comer summarises as “be with Jesus, become like Jesus, do what Jesus did.” The model sits within a rich ecosystem of Christian formation movements that share deep family resemblances. Yet it also offers a distinctive synthesis that arguably …
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Sharing the good news of Jesus with others
In his book, What is Happening to Religion in Australia? Understanding the Trends, social researcher Philip Hughes observes a fundamental change in Australian values in the past century. He charts a shift from duty to family life to personal fulfilment. Perhaps the most notable example of this is changing attitude towards same sex marriage, with two-thirds of all …
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A guide to the Beatitudes
In what would be his last sermon, Pope Francis emphasised a contrast between the way of the world and the Way of Jesus. He said: Today’s builders of Babel tell us that there is no room for losers, and that those who fall along the way are losers. Theirs is the construction site of Hell. …
