John Mark Comer is the pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon. He is the author of several books, including The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, God Has a Name, and Live No Lies, the latter a New York Times bestseller. His ministry and thought have been deeply influenced by several major figures in late-20th and early 21st-century American evangelicalism, including John Ortberg and Dallas Willard, both of whom focus on the application of biblical Christianity to the practical realities of the spiritual life in contemporary society. Comer grew up in the San Francisco Bay area of California, holds a master’s degree in biblical and theological studies from Western Seminary, and is a doctoral student at Fuller Seminary. 



At the time of this book’s publication, Comer was a young but rising voice in American evangelicalism as a co-host of the This Cultural Moment podcast, garnering attention not only for his pastoral ministry in a large, multi-site megachurch, but also for his approach to the spiritual life. He teaches and writes on practical issues related to following Jesus in the context of post-Christian Western culture. In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, Comer addresses what he sees as the dangers inherent in the incessant pace of contemporary life and argues that the solution is found in observing and following the manner of Jesus’s lifestyle. 

Although he became the leader of a large and expanding ministry, Comer decided to resign his position at his multi-site megachurch to pursue a more focused ministry with a single congregation (Bridgetown Church)—a decision that played a major role in the habits and practices described in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Because he now pastors in a city where secular and post-Christian elements of society predominate, Comer presents his beliefs in a more neutral way in this book, as when he makes references to Jesus as a “rabbi” without stressing any further theological claims about Jesus’s identity. Thus, although his insights arise from his Christian convictions, they are presented in a conversational style that is more typical of secular self-help books. He also includes many quotations from a broad range of sources, stretching beyond Christian thinkers to embrace secular philosophy and the contemplative traditions of other religions. Nevertheless, although the book is partially presented as a self-help book for a general audience—the title and some marketing materials do not mention Jesus or Christianity—its takeaways are mostly limited to a Christian system of belief.