This September, our Men’s Bible Fellowship will start the book Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did. by John Mark Comer. I read this book earlier in the year and was delighted to find a new resource about creating and living by a Rule of Life. If you’re new to Rule of Life, you can watch a short overview by the author HERE.
I've written about the value of having a Rule of Life at various points, even highlighting the spiritual practices I’ve included: sabbath, tithing, fixed-hour prayer, observing sacred seasons, fasting, sacred meal (Eucharist), and pilgrimage. This list comes primarily from the Ancient Practices series that outlines seven practices that the Abrahamic faiths share. The expression of these practices varies from faith to faith and with each person.
Comer suggests a different set of practices, the first to encourage the reader to reevaluate their Rule in years. The core spiritual practices he includes are sabbath, prayer, fasting, solitude, generosity, scripture, community, service, and witness. There is substantial overlap, as well as less clear redundancy, such as the centrality of scripture within my current practice of fixed-hour prayer. Comer also notes that each practice can be experienced differently by individuals as they seek to implement a rule.
Comer also emphasizes the communal aspect of developing and maintaining a Rule. As our Men’s group delves into this book, I envision a rich dialogue about the Rule of Life at Ascension. I encourage you to read the book and visit the website. For those interested, let's explore together what aspects we find essential and commit to developing a Rule of Life that we can embrace at Ascension.
Blessings,
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