John Mark Comer: pastor wants to send Christians to the desert
For pastor John Mark Comer, Christian faith cannot be sustained without solitude and silence. Read on Gazeta do Povo.
TL;DR
- John Mark Comer's book *Into the Quiet* argues that Christian faith requires solitude and silence.
- Comer undertook a 21-day solo retreat without technology to explore this idea, inspired by early desert monks.
- The book suggests modern life has eliminated silence, impacting people's ability to focus, even during prayer.
- Comer's previous book, *Eliminate Hurry*, sold over a million copies.
- The book's mystical elements and emphasis on experiencing God in silence have drawn criticism from some evangelical theologians.
- Critics argue that Comer's approach might create a separate path to knowing God outside of the Bible, challenging the principle of *sola scriptura*.
- Comer suggests practical steps like having breakfast without a phone or walking without headphones.
- He notes that initial solitude can increase anxiety as suppressed issues surface.
- The church itself is criticized for mirroring cultural noise, with services becoming loud events.