A Course on Spiritual Formation and Apprenticeship to Jesus
Every person is being formed. Our habits, relationships, schedules, screens, desires, wounds, and daily choices are shaping who we are becoming. The question is not whether we are being formed, but what is forming us — and who we are becoming as a result.
Practicing the Way is an eight-session course designed to help us become more intentional about our spiritual formation as followers of Jesus. Together, we will explore how to arrange our lives around Jesus, open ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, and practice the rhythms that help us become more like Christ.
Course Details
Teacher: Pastor Peter Pera
Focus: Spiritual Formation and Apprenticeship to Jesus
Length: 8 Sessions
Format: Teaching, group discussion, prayer, and weekly exercises
Location: Rise Community Church (Weston, FL)
Date & Time: TBD
Cost: Free
Who Can Attend: Anyone who wants to grow as a follower of Jesus
What Is Practicing the Way?
Practicing the Way is a discipleship course developed by Pastor and Author, John Mark Comer, focused on spiritual formation — the process of being shaped into people of love, holiness, peace, compassion, and Christlike character.
Through biblical teaching, guided conversation, community, prayer, and practical spiritual exercises, we will learn how to follow Jesus as apprentices: being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.
At Rise Community, we are offering Practicing the Way through Rise University because we believe spiritual growth does not happen by accident. Formation takes intention. It happens as we create space for God, practice the way of Jesus, and walk together in community.
Why Spiritual Formation Matters
All of us are being shaped every day.
Culture forms us. Hurry forms us. Technology forms us. Pain forms us. Our routines form us. The stories we believe about God, ourselves, and the world form us.
But Jesus invites us into a different way of being human.
Spiritual formation is the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus from the inside out. It is not about religious performance or trying harder. It is about opening our lives to God’s grace and allowing the Holy Spirit to reshape our desires, habits, thoughts, relationships, and character.
In this course, we will learn how the practices of Jesus help us create room for God’s transforming work in our everyday lives.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is for anyone who wants to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus and become more intentional about the person they are becoming.
Whether you are new to faith, returning to church, or have followed Jesus for years, Practicing the Way will help you take practical steps toward a more formed, rooted, and faithful life with God.
You do not need to have it all figured out. You simply need a desire to be formed in the way of Jesus.
What to Expect
Over eight sessions, we will gather for teaching, reflection, discussion, prayer, and practical spiritual exercises. Each week will invite us to examine the forces that are shaping our lives and learn how to participate with God in our transformation.
You can expect:
Biblical teaching on spiritual formation and apprenticeship to Jesus
Guided conversation in a group setting
Practical spiritual exercises to practice during the week
Space to reflect on your habits, desires, and rhythms
Encouragement to build daily practices that open your life to God
Community with others who are learning to be formed in the way of Jesus
This is more than a class to attend. It is an invitation to become.
Course Themes
Throughout the course, we will explore questions like:
What is spiritual formation?
What forces are shaping who I am becoming?
What does it mean to be an apprentice of Jesus?
How do spiritual practices open us to the transforming work of God?
How do we become more like Jesus in our thoughts, desires, habits, and relationships?
How can we build a Rule of Life that helps us live with Jesus in everyday rhythms?
How do we practice the way of Jesus together in community?
The Goal of the Course
The goal of Practicing the Way is not simply to finish a curriculum. The goal is formation.
We want to become people who are increasingly shaped by the presence, practices, and person of Jesus. People who carry his love into our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and city. People who are not just informed about the way of Jesus, but transformed by it.
As we learn to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did, we begin to experience the life he invites us into.
