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Practicing the Way is a very accessible entry to spiritual disciplines. It’s basically Dallas Willard's spiritual formation for a young, modern audience.

"A discipline is any activity I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do what I currently cannot do by direct effort."

I've heard it said that if GenZ ever reads a book, it will for sure be a Comer book.
Ian Harber writes that Comer's "books and sermons are gaining Lewis or Keller-like popularity among Millennial and Gen Z Christians."

Practicing summed up much of what I’ve been learning this year in reading Willard, as well as brain-science focused on re-prioritizing the right hemisphere (Iain McGilchrist).
I liked it so much I’m having all my college ministry staff and student leaders read it.

I really like Practicing's 3-fold approach:
Be with Jesus.
Become like him.
Do as he did.

That sums up how you grow as a Christian. It's relational and acted ("those who hear my words and put them into practice�").

Habits books have been tremendously helpful for me as a follower of God: “turning desired behavior into default behavior� (Shane Parrish).
Practicing the Way is full of practical steps toward slowly becoming the kind of person "who spontaneously exhibit the character of Jesus" (as Willard says).

It's helpful to know the broader context that Comer fits in. Trevin Wax gives a helpful framework for understanding this new interest in spiritual formation with his article

The three waves over the last 50 years have been:
-Spirit-filled Worship
-Seeker-Sensitive Church Growth
-and Gospel Centrality
The rising fourth wave is the Comer-led spiritual formation movement.

I find the third and fourth wave to be incredibly compatible and actually much stronger together. The Keller-led Gospel Centered movement deeply shaped me and Tim Keller remains my favorite pastor and author. But the Spiritual Formation brings a helpful corrective of obedience and striving. Without the Gospel Centered foundation, Spiritual Formation can quickly devolve into bootstrapped human effort.
John Piper, in a brings the two movements together - critiquing gospel-centered sermons that merely rehearse the gospel (with gratitude that Christ gave you righteousness), calling them "a half-gospel." Piper calls for obedience; for striving flowing from grace.

May Spiritual Formation AND Gospel Centered content increase!