Podcast appearances and mentions of John Ortberg

What can still grow in your life after you've been hurt? John Ortberg explores that question through a story author James Michener remembered from childhood: an aging apple tree, eight rusty nails, and an unexpected harvest.Years later, after heart surgery and other painful health challenges, Michener returned to that image. He resolved to keep bearing fruit. John connects his story with the poetry of John Milton and the lives of Hank and Jan, a couple whose faithful care for one another became a powerful expression of love.John does not try to explain away suffering. He invites us to consider what love can still look like within it: noticing someone who feels invisible, offering help, caring for a loved one, or doing our ordinary work with God.The episode closes at the cross, where nails hammered into a tree become part of the Christian story of self-giving love. Your wounds matter. What might God help you grow from here?Scripture connections: Matthew 25:14–30; John 15:4–5, 12–13

What do you do when God seems absent from your story? Maybe you still pray, read Scripture, and show up, but the closeness you once felt is gone. Does that mean you've done something wrong? Has God left?John Ortberg explores those questions through John of the Cross, the sixteenth-century spiritual writer associated with the phrase dark night of the soul. John explains that this phrase can mean something more specific than a difficult season: a time when the pleasure and reassurance someone once found in spiritual practices seem to fade. For some, John of the Cross believed, that season can become part of learning to love and trust God more deeply.Through the image of a weaned child in Psalm 131, John asks what it means to remain with God even when we are not receiving the comfort we want. He also remembers learning to ride a bike as his father ran beside him. When his father let go, the support felt different, but his father had not abandoned him.If God feels hard to find right now, you do not need to manufacture a spiritual feeling today. You can bring your honest experience to him and ask for the grace to wait.Scripture: Psalm 131:1–3

Everybody wants to make a difference. We spend billions developing leaders, and schools, businesses, and churches all talk about raising up the next generation of them. But when Jesus began the movement that would change countless lives, his invitation was just two words: “Follow me.”In this episode, John Ortberg asks what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. He challenges the idea that followers are passive or weak. A follower of Jesus can be courageous, curious, persistent, and willing to learn through mistakes. Following means letting Jesus shape the way we think, see, love, and act.John also makes the invitation wonderfully concrete: Do one thing today simply because Jesus said to do it. Forgive someone. Refuse to judge. Offer kindness where you've felt hostility. Give your time or resources in service of someone else. What might change if, for one moment today, you let Jesus lead?

For many Christians, the command to "pray without ceasing" feels more intimidating than inspiring. After all, most of us already struggle to maintain a consistent prayer life. We know prayer matters. We know we need it. Yet if we're honest, prayer often feels difficult, awkward, or disappointing.   Maybe the problem isn't our effort, but our understanding of prayer.   In this episode, our Lead Pastor, Whit George, and Spiritual Formation Pastor, Casey Shirley, explore what it really means to bring ourselves before the Lord.   Show Notes: Listen to the Weekend Message: How to Pray Without Ceasing   In this episode, they reference the book Eternity is Now in Session by John Ortberg

In this video, church planting director (Northeast U.S. and Canada) Gary Smith shares insights on reaching people with Christianity through innovative methods with host Eric Bryant. Gary emphasizes the importance of adapting to cultural contexts and the role of church revitalization in today's world.Gary discusses the significance of a flexible approach in church revitalization, allowing leaders to tailor their methods to local needs. This adaptability is crucial for the effective presentation of the gospel in diverse communities. By listening to the Holy Spirit, the context, and the people they are trying to reach, church planters can discern the best ways to engage with their surroundings.The video highlights stories of success in reaching people with Christianity in challenging areas. Gary shares examples of church planters who have embraced unique strategies, such as prayer driving and community engagement, to foster church revitalization. These efforts demonstrate the power of listening to the Holy Spirit in guiding their mission.Practical steps for reaching people with Christianity include understanding local cultures and being open to new methods. The presentation of the gospel should be relevant and relatable, ensuring it resonates with the audience. By listening to the Holy Spirit, leaders can find innovative ways to connect with their communities.✳️ Resources mentioned:

What do you do with a part of yourself you wish you could change? Maybe you feel limited by your personality, your abilities, your age, or something your body can't do. It's easy to compare yourself with someone else and believe that if you just tried harder, you could finally become enough.In this episode, John Ortberg invites us to practice radical acceptance of our limitations. Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Abraham each had reasons to think they weren't the right person for what God was asking. Yet their limitations did not limit God. John explores how humility can open us to wonder, why Jesus chose to embrace the limits of human life, and what Paul means when he says we carry treasure in “jars of clay.”What limitation have you been fighting? Today, consider what it would mean to offer it to God as a place where you might meet him.Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6–7; Exodus 4:10–12; Judges 6:12–15; Jeremiah 1:6–8; John 1:14

What happens when someone really listens to you?In this special bonus episode, John Ortberg sits down with Become New Creative Director Jackson Lane, who shares a story about a childhood stuffed animal, a remarkable ninth-grade teacher, and one small act of kindness he still remembers nearly 15 years later.The story leads John to a beautiful idea about the way God loves us: there is a kind of love that looks for value, and another kind of love that creates value by treasuring what it loves.Sometimes loving another person begins with something surprisingly simple:Listen. Let it register. Respond.Who in your life needs to know that what matters to them matters to you?#JohnOrtberg #BecomeNew #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #Love #Relationships

Today we're revisiting an episode from SHINE, our walk through the book of Philippians. And there's a reason we're bringing this one back: we've just launched a new Bible reading plan on the Bible App based on the SHINE series. So if today's teaching is helpful to you and you'd like to go deeper, you can now walk through the whole series one day at a time in the Bible App.What if there were a law of the spiritual world as dependable as gravity?In Philippians 2, Jesus doesn't grasp for power. He lets go. He becomes a servant. He humbles himself all the way to the cross.Then everything reverses.God exalts him.John Ortberg explores what this reveals about the deepest pattern of reality: the way up is down, greatness comes through service, and self-giving love is always worth it.So when love gets costly, when you're tempted to self-promote, or when failure and guilt overwhelm you, remember the strategy:Double down on the cross.And remember the phrase:Jesus Christ is Lord.This is how we shine.#JohnOrtberg #Philippians2 #Jesus #SpiritualFormation #TheCross #ChristianityMusic in this episode: Starry Dream - Uptempo by A. Blomqvist MB01OKHAB5EAUXF00:00 What's Most Important to Believe About Jesus?00:22 The Oldest Words About Jesus00:54 The Great Christ Hymn01:35 Every Knee Will Bow02:18 Jesus Goes Down, God Lifts Him Up02:44 What Goes Down Must Come Up03:07 The Hinge of Human History03:28 A Law of God's Kingdom03:52 God Exalts Those Who Humble Themselves04:14 Love Is Always Worth It04:38 What Does It Mean to Double Down?04:56 Jesus Doubles Down on the Cross05:18 Double Down When You Feel Like a Failure05:39 Stop Chasing Money and Reputation06:23 The Most Important Phrase You Can Say06:45 Jesus Christ Is Lord07:19 Caesar vs. a Crucified Rabbi07:49 Peter, Paul, Mary…and Nero

Why did Frodo need Gollum?Coming to you from Hobbiton, New Zealand, John Ortberg explores one of the deepest themes running through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings:Mercy.Bilbo could have killed Gollum. Frodo could have killed him. Sam could have killed him.But pity stayed their hands.And when Frodo finally reaches Mount Doom, something surprising happens: he fails. His own willpower isn't enough to destroy the ring.Yet the mercy extended to Gollum earlier in the story follows Frodo all the way to the end.“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”Maybe we need mercy because none of us can save ourselves.And maybe there's a Gollum somewhere in your day who needs mercy too.#LordOfTheRings #Tolkien #JohnOrtberg #Hobbiton #Psalm23 #Mercy #Gollum

In this video with host Dr. Eric Bryant, pastor of Transformation Church Dr. Derwin Gray discusses the transformative power of faith and the role of the church in bringing justice, beauty, and the message of Jesus to our world. Dr. Gray emphasizes the concept of what is spiritual formation and how it shapes individuals into the image of Christ. Dr. Gray highlights the need for believers to embody the Kingdom of God on earth, rather than focusing solely on the afterlife.Dr. Gray explains that understanding what is spiritual formation involves recognizing Jesus' role in transforming lives. This transformation is not just about personal growth but also about engaging in emotional healing and addressing societal issues. The church's mission includes promoting the importance of community service as a reflection of God's love.The discussion also touches on what is the gospel message, emphasizing that it is more than a promise of heaven. It is about living out the teachings of Jesus and bringing heaven to earth through acts of service and justice. Dr. Gray illustrates this by sharing examples from his church's initiatives, such as providing meals and supporting local schools.✳️ Resources mentioned:

Your life was made to be a Psalm.As this journey through the Psalms draws toward its close, John Ortberg reflects on where the Psalter has been leading us all along.Psalm 1 begins by asking what kind of life we will live. The Psalms then carry us through fear, anger, grief, confession, hope, and joy. But the final five Psalms end in an explosion of one thing:Praise.In Psalm 148, everything is invited into the song: people, animals, mountains, stars, sun, moon, even the creatures of the sea.And so are you.Maybe a life with God isn't about escaping the messiness of being human. Maybe it's about learning to bring all of it before God until our lives themselves become a song.Hallelujah.#Psalm148 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Praise #Hallelujah #SpiritualFormationSTEPS SEMINAR, October 17th - REGISTER HERE:https://www.oceanhills.org/event/steps-workshop-with-john-ortberg

What can a therapist teach us about prayer?John Ortberg sits down with his longtime friend and therapist Dr. Rick to explore the Psalms as a kind of “divine therapy with God.”The Psalms are messy. Angry. Afraid. Contradictory. Unfiltered.And according to Rick, that's exactly where healing begins: ruthless honesty inside a relationship where we know we're accepted.So what would happen if we approached God that way?Can we tell Him what we actually think and feel, not merely what we believe we're supposed to say?Can God become our fully disclosing friend?Maybe the path toward becoming who God made us to be begins by bringing Him who we actually are.In this episode: prayer • therapy • Psalms • emotional honesty • healing • friendship with God#JohnOrtberg #Prayer #Therapy #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #MentalHealth

Suffering can do one of two things: break us or break us open.Beginning with Frederick Buechner's unforgettable image, John Ortberg explores Psalm 110 and one of the deepest ways Christians have read the Psalms: seeing the story of Jesus in their suffering, longing, and hope.Drawing from C.S. Lewis, Plato, and the mysterious biblical figure Melchizedek, John looks at how Jesus brings together two ancient hopes: the victorious king and the suffering servant.Jesus doesn't overcome suffering by avoiding it.He enters it.And because the story ends in resurrection, suffering doesn't have to get the final word.The difference between being broken and broken open is hope.In this episode: Psalm 110 • suffering • hope • Jesus • C.S. Lewis • Melchizedek • resurrection#Psalm110 #JohnOrtberg #Suffering #Hope #Jesus #CSLewis #Psalms

Are you actually experiencing joy, or are you mostly experiencing relief when problems finally go away?In Psalm 68, John Ortberg explores the biblical idea of exultation: deep, expressive joy that can exist even when life isn't going perfectly.Drawing from C.S. Lewis and Dallas Willard, John looks at why we can spend our lives clearing one hurdle after another and mistaking the resulting relief for genuine joy.Lewis called the Psalmists' delight an “appetite for God.”So how's your appetite?Maybe we've filled ourselves with so much achievement, entertainment, information, and distraction that there's little room left for something better.Today, try getting hungry again.In this episode: Psalm 68 • joy • relief • C.S. Lewis • Dallas Willard • fasting • appetite for God#Psalm68 #JohnOrtberg #Joy #CSLewis #DallasWillard #SpiritualFormation

There are three kinds of friends. Two can be valuable, but the third can actually help you become the person God created you to be.Beginning with Psalm 122 and the simple words “Let us go,” John Ortberg explores why friendship is so essential to human flourishing and why it seems increasingly difficult to find.Drawing on Aristotle's three kinds of friendship, John looks at useful friends, pleasant friends, and spiritual friends: people with whom we can be honest, vulnerable, challenged, encouraged, and pointed toward God.So take inventory today:Do you have that kind of friend?And perhaps more importantly:Are you becoming one?In this episode: Psalm 122 • friendship • loneliness • Aristotle • spiritual friendship • community#Psalm122 #JohnOrtberg #Friendship #Loneliness #Community #SpiritualFormation

In this video, Lloyd Reeb of the Halftime Institute and 100x Forum shares insights on finding your purpose in life in an interview with Eric Bryant. Lloyd discusses the importance of community and leadership within the church, emphasizing how these elements contribute to helping individuals achieve significance. Lloyd's experience with the Halftime Institute provides a unique perspective on the second half of life, where many seek deeper meaning and fulfillment.Lloyd explains that finding your purpose in life often involves understanding one's spiritual gifts and strengths. He highlights why a mission statement is important, as it serves as a guiding tool for making impactful decisions. By focusing on personal strengths, individuals can transition from success to significance, a key theme in helping individuals achieve significance.The second half of life can be a time of great productivity and purpose. Lloyd emphasizes that finding your purpose in life requires introspection and a willingness to explore new opportunities. He shares how the Halftime Institute and 100x Forum aid in this journey by helping individuals achieve significance through structured programs and support.Practical steps include crafting a mission statement, which is crucial in finding your purpose in life. This process helps in making informed choices that align with one's values and goals.Get clear on your strengths and spiritual gifts.Understand why mission statement is important for direction.Embrace the second half as a time for new beginnings.✳️ Resources mentioned:

Why does God want us to praise Him? And what if praising God sometimes feels awkward, artificial, or forced?In this reflection on Psalm 67, John Ortberg explores the same question that once troubled C. S. Lewis.Lewis eventually discovered that God doesn't need praise like an insecure person needs compliments. Praise is actually part of our enjoyment of what's good.We naturally praise the things we love, and we want other people to enjoy them too. That's why Lewis concluded that praise doesn't merely express joy:Praise completes joy.And when praise still feels like duty? Keep tuning the instrument. The duty exists for the delight.In this episode: Psalm 67 • C.S. Lewis • praise • worship • doubt • awe • joy#Psalm67 #CSLewis #JohnOrtberg #Praise #Worship #SpiritualFormation

What do you do when you're afraid?In this reflection on Psalm 62, John Ortberg shares a memorable Dallas Willard story about a terrified cat clinging to a tree, and asks a surprisingly revealing question:What's your branch?When we're afraid, we clutch. We grasp for control over relationships, money, health, reputation, work, or whatever makes us feel secure.But Psalm 62 offers another way.Let go. Lean on God. And stand firm.John explains how these two seemingly contradictory postures belong together: “I'm standing on the outside and leaning on the inside.”You don't have to hold everything together today. Open your hands. Lean on the everlasting arms. Then stand firm and do the next right thing.In this episode: Psalm 62 • fear • control • Dallas Willard • letting go • trusting God#Psalm62 #JohnOrtberg #Fear #TrustGod #SpiritualFormation #Psalms

Who has your attention?In a world where screens, money, health, worries, ambitions, and countless other forces compete for our focus, John Ortberg asks a deeper question: Who is my master?Psalm 143 teaches us how to pay attention to God through two important practices: focused attention and open attention.John explores why attention is so powerful, how what we consistently attend to can actually change us, and how we can learn to notice God's presence throughout an ordinary day.The invitation is simple:Pay attention to the God who is already paying attention to you.In this episode: Psalm 143 • attention • distraction • spiritual formation • neuroscience • noticing God#Psalm143 #JohnOrtberg #SpiritualFormation #Attention #Psalms #ChristianFaith

Sometimes you need to stop moving long enough to notice where you actually are.In this reflection on Psalm 100, John Ortberg pulls over at a vista point and invites us to create a “vista point” in our own day: pause, look around, notice the beauty and goodness of God, and make a joyful noise.John also shares the remarkable story of a $3 thrift-store jersey that turned out to be worth $90,000. It looked discarded, but it was a treasure.Maybe you need that reminder too.You are not self-made. You are the work of a master craftsman.So pause today. Look around. Say “Wow.” Say “Thank You.” And don't miss the view.In this episode: Psalm 100 • gratitude • joy • identity • God's creation • serving with gladness#Psalm100 #JohnOrtberg #Gratitude #Joy #SpiritualFormation #Psalms

Why do so many faithful Christians feel exhausted by their own faith? Jessie Cruickshank, a Harvard-trained expert in the neuroscience of transformation, joins Jenni Wong Clayville (Nova Community Church) to unpack her new book, "Becoming Good News," co-written with Julia Schmaltz.Jessie explains why most discipleship models fail — because they're built on the wrong memory system in the brain — and what actually creates lasting change. She dives into the difference between "human doing" and "human being," why identity (not behavior) is the real starting point for transformation, why community requires real eye contact and attunement (not just a group chat), and how her own story of trauma led her to put down the pen on authoring her own life and let God write the story instead.This is a rich, science-meets-Scripture conversation for anyone leading discipleship, small groups, or their own spiritual formation — and for anyone tired of trying to earn a love they already have.

What do people experience when they're around you?In this conversation on Psalm 23, John Ortberg is joined by Keith Matthews, who spent 18 years teaching alongside Dallas Willard.Keith shares what Dallas was really like, why he loved Psalm 23, and a remarkable story about a young woman whose life changed after simply watching Dallas interact with someone on the USC campus.Dallas often prayed that people would have “a radiant life and a radiant death.” His life embodied a deep confidence in the sufficiency of God: The Lord is my shepherd. I have what I need.Keith leaves us with a powerful thought:“Our presence goes before us.”What might your presence communicate to the people you encounter today?In this episode: Psalm 23 • Dallas Willard • God's sufficiency • spiritual formation • becoming a radiant person#Psalm23 #DallasWillard #JohnOrtberg #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith

We're surrounded by voices telling us to maximize ourselves: our looks, productivity, wealth, health, status, experiences, and potential.But Jesus offers a radically different path to maximum life.In this episode, John Ortberg explores the “self-maximizer” inside us and contrasts it with John the Baptist's famous words: “He must increase; I must decrease.”The paradox of God's kingdom is that abundant life doesn't come from making ourselves bigger. It comes as we loosen our grip on ego, reputation, and self-promotion and give ourselves to love and service.Want to live life to the max?Try a little less of yourself.In this episode: life-maxing • John the Baptist • Philippians 2 • the self-maximizer • Psalm 146 • abundant life#JohnOrtberg #SpiritualFormation #Psalm146 #AbundantLife #Jesus #ChristianFaith

What does your soul actually need for self-care?Psalm 19 gives a surprising answer: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.”In this episode, John Ortberg explores why God's instruction isn't meant to burden us, but to help make us whole. Our souls become divided when our thoughts, desires, values, words, and actions pull in different directions. God's Word shows us what is good and helps bring our lives back into alignment.John also shares how memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 helped him confront anger and resentment in his own life. Sometimes soul care is as simple as taking one piece of God's Word and asking Him to help us actually live it.Go ahead and take the walk, light the candle, or get the massage. But don't miss the deeper invitation:Let God revive your soul.In this episode: Psalm 19 • wholeheartedness • internal integration • 1 Corinthians 13 • Dallas Willard • becoming whole#Psalm19 #JohnOrtberg #SoulCare #SpiritualFormation #Psalms #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith

We're surrounded by surveys.Rate your phone call.Rate your church experience.Rate your doctor's visit.John even got asked to rate his experience giving a urine sample.

Remember where you come from.According to John Ortberg, remembering where you truly come from gives you two remarkable gifts: Identity and hope.In this reflection on Psalm 139, John explores what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made.”In this episode:Psalm 139 and where we truly come fromWhy remembering your origin gives you identityWhat it means to be fearfully and wonderfully madeYour body as your “little kingdom”The biblical word golemGollum and the Ring“What's your ring?”William Wordsworth and “trailing clouds of glory”Why we lose our sense of wonderThe danger of “peaking too soon”Jesus and the lilies of the fieldWhy remembering where you come from gives you hopeThe more important question: Where are you headed?Scriptures:Psalm 139:13–16 • Genesis 2:7 • Matthew 6:28–30#Psalm139 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Identity #Hope #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Purpose #FearfullyAndWonderfullyMade

Only one in three pastors finish well. And 78% say they have no close friends. Kevin Abbott, who leads pastoral health and resilience work for Texas Baptists, joins Eric Bryant to talk honestly about the isolation that quietly derails so many pastors — and what it actually takes to keep going the distance.Drawing from 30 years in ministry, a season as a military chaplain, 13 years as a senior pastor, and now years spent walking hundreds of pastors through cohorts built on his doctoral research at Fuller Seminary, Kevin shares the habits that separate leaders who finish well from those who burn out. He gets real about his own dark nights of the soul, why "every leader has a limp," and the power of having a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in your life.This conversation is packed with practical wisdom and real stories — including pastors who found physical, emotional, and spiritual breakthrough through community, coaching, and the kind of friendship most pastors never let themselves have.

What happens when God shows you something about yourself you don't want to see?Our instinct is often to defend.Explain.Distract ourselves.Push it away.But what if the uncomfortable truth is actually an invitation to transformation?In this reflection on Psalm 32, John Ortberg explores the relationship between pain, honesty, forgiveness, and genuine change.John begins personally, describing a conversation in which a longtime friend helped him recognize uncomfortable patterns of comparison, envy, and competition in himself.Instead of defending himself, John is learning to say:“Yep. That's me. God, I need Your help.”Psalm 32 describes the blessed person as someone “in whose spirit is no deceit.”Then John tells the extraordinary story of Tom Tarrants, a violent white supremacist and KKK terrorist who was imprisoned in Mississippi.In prison, Tarrants encountered the words of Jesus:“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”His life began to change.The man who once participated in racist terrorism eventually devoted himself to forgiveness, racial reconciliation, and serving the very people he once hated.How far can somebody fall and still be changed by God?Maybe much further than we imagine.So when your conscience shows you something today, don't immediately run.Don't defend.Don't hide.Ask:God, help me see the truth about myself.And then:Would You change me?In this episode:- Psalm 32 and honest confession- What happens when we become defensive- Dallas Willard on pain and reality- Why hiding the truth fragments us internally- David, Psalm 51, and forgiveness- The story of Tom Tarrants- Radical transformation from hatred to reconciliation- What it means to have “no deceit” in your spirit- How to respond to conviction- Why God's grace can change anyoneScriptures: Psalm 32 • Psalm 51 • Psalm 1 • Matthew 16:26 • 2 Samuel 11–12#Psalm32 #JohnOrtberg #Forgiveness #Psalms #Transformation #SpiritualFormation #Confession #ChristianFaith #Grace #BibleStudy

How is it with your soul?It's probably not a question anyone else will ask you today.But it may be one of the most important questions you can ask yourself.In this reflection on the Psalms, John Ortberg draws from Renovation of the Heart to explore what the soul actually is and why its health affects everything else in our lives.Dallas Willard describes the soul as an inner stream of water that brings strength, direction, and harmony to the rest of our being.That's why the Psalms repeatedly use the language of water:“My soul thirsts for You.”“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You.”“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.”John then tells the story of a beautiful village whose life depended upon a crystal-clear stream. When the unseen keeper of that stream was dismissed, everything seemed fine...for a while.Then the water began to change.Eventually, the entire village felt the effects.Our souls can work the same way.We can neglect what's happening beneath the surface while remaining busy with everything that seems more urgent.But eventually, everything flows downstream.So ask yourself today:How is it with my soul?The stream is your soul.And you are its keeper.In this episode: What is the soul?  Why the Psalms are the great “soul book”  Dallas Willard on the inner life  Why the Psalms repeatedly use water imagery  The soul as an inner stream  How the health of your soul affects everything else  Why unseen spiritual work matters  The parable of the keeper of the stream  What happens when we neglect our souls  How to begin tending your inner life Scriptures: Psalm 121:7 • Psalm 63:1 • Psalm 42:1–2 • Psalm 46:4#JohnOrtberg #Soul #Psalms #DallasWillard #SpiritualFormation #Prayer #ChristianFaith #InnerLife #BibleStudy #SpiritualHealthSuggested YouTube Chapters00:00 How Is It With Your Soul? 00:33 What Is the Soul? 00:59 The Psalms: The Great Soul Book 01:16 Who Is the Keeper of Your Soul? 01:34 My Soul Thirsts for God 01:51 As the Deer Pants for Water 02:20 The Soul Is an Inner Stream 02:43 How Healthy Is Your Soul Today? 03:07 What a Healthy Soul Looks Like 03:34 Where Does Your Soul Get Its Life? 03:48 The Keeper of the Stream 04:11 A Beautiful Village in the Alps 04:35 The Old Man Nobody Noticed 04:59 The Unseen Work of Tending the Stream 05:25 What Happens When the Stream Is Neglected 05:39 At First, Nobody Noticed 06:02 The Whole Village Begins to Suffer 06:11 The Life of the Village Depends on the Stream 06:35 The Stream Is Restored 06:41 You Are the Keeper of Your Soul

What if you haven't lived up to your potential?In this reflection on Psalm 8, John Ortberg explores one of the great wonders of God's creation: human potential.You can count the seeds in an apple.But you cannot count the apples in a seed.Human beings possess an extraordinary capacity to grow, create, love, serve and become. Psalm 8 looks at the vastness of the heavens and then marvels that God is mindful of us.But there's another side to potential.It can become a burden.I should be further along.I should have accomplished more.I should have made better decisions.I should be more successful, disciplined, attractive, productive or fulfilled.What happens when the possibility of what we could become turns into disappointment over what we haven't become?John offers two truths to carry with us:“I am but dust and ashes.”And:“The whole world was created on my account.”One reminds us that we are limited creatures.The other reminds us that we are deeply loved.And if you're worried that too much of your life has already passed or that you've wasted your potential, remember:God never gets trapped in the past.Today is still here.And who knows what God may yet have in store?In this episode:Psalm 8 and human potentialRecovering awe and wonderWhy we become blasé about extraordinary thingsAbraham Joshua Heschel on human possibilityWhat it means to participate in the divine natureHow potential becomes a burdenThe pressure to constantly optimize our lives“I am but dust and ashes”“The whole world was created on my account”What to do when you feel insignificantWhat to do when you feel too importantLetting go of regret about wasted potentialWhy God isn't trapped in your pastScriptures: Psalm 8 • 2 Peter 1:4 • Genesis 18:27 • Luke 23:39–43#Psalm8 #JohnOrtberg #Potential #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #Purpose #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Identity #Hope

What do you really want?According to the Gospel of John, that's the first question Jesus asks His would-be disciples:“What do you want?”In this reflection on Psalm 1, John Ortberg explores why that may be one of the most important questions we ever answer.Our lives have a way of organizing themselves around our deepest desires.How do you spend your time?Your money?What makes you angry?What are you willing to sacrifice for?Those things often reveal what we want more accurately than our words do.Psalm 1 gives us a picture of a different kind of life: a flourishing person, like a tree planted beside streams of water, with roots sunk deeply into God.And John closes with the remarkable story of Natan Sharansky, who spent years imprisoned in the Soviet Union and memorized the entire Book of Psalms.When he was finally released, Sharansky refused to cross the bridge to freedom until his captors returned his copy of the Psalms.What we fill our minds with matters.Because what fills our minds helps shape what we desire.So today, ask yourself:What do I really want?And:What am I filling my mind with?In this episode:The first question Jesus asks in John's GospelHow our lives reveal what we actually wantPsalm 1 and the meaning of “blessed”What biblical flourishing looks likeThe tree planted beside streams of waterWhy invisible roots matterThe progression of walking, standing and sittingWhy Psalm 1 isn't a formula for easy circumstancesHow inner goodness crowds out envy and greedNatan Sharansky's remarkable storyHow the Psalms sustained him through Soviet imprisonmentWhy what we fill our minds with shapes our livesScriptures: John 1:35–38 • Psalm 1 • Acts 20:35 • Matthew 7:12#Psalm1 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Jesus #SpiritualFormation #Flourishing #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Prayer #NatanSharansky

Today is a good day to die.Which means it's a good day to come alive.In this reflection on Psalm 51, John Ortberg explores an old Christian word that doesn't get used much anymore: mortification.It sounds miserable.But properly understood, mortification isn't about becoming miserable.It's about becoming free.John describes two selves within us: the impulsive self, driven by whatever we happen to want right now, and the valuing self, shaped by what we most deeply believe matters: love, joy, peace, patience and generosity.The goal of the spiritual life isn't to spend every day desperately resisting everything we want.It's to increasingly become the kind of person who is no longer controlled by destructive desires.Drawing from Psalm 51, Romans 8, and Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find, John explores Jesus' strange invitation to die in order to truly live.To mortify is to liberate.And it can begin with one very small act today.In this episode: What “mortification” actually means  Jesus' paradox of dying in order to live  Samuel Johnson on how death clarifies life  Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find Psalm 51 and David's prayer of repentance  The impulsive self vs. the valuing self  Why following Jesus isn't endless miserable resistance  How destructive desires lose their power  Mortification as liberation  A simple practice for becoming more free today Scriptures: Psalm 51 • Romans 8:13 • 2 Samuel 11–12 • Matthew 16:25#Psalm51 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #SpiritualFormation #Freedom #DyingToSelf #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Jesus #Transformation

What does it look like to bring your full faith into a 30-year career at the top of London banking? Filipe Santos, lead pastor at Echo Church in the Bay Area interviews Ken Costa — former Vice Chairman of UBS Investment Bank, Chairman of Alpha International, and advisor to the UK government on Saudi economic reform. They talk about the moment that changed everything for Ken as he realized his workstation was his worship station.In this conversation, Ken unpacks why "work-life balance" is the wrong framework, how to steward time, energy, and money as one integrated life, why the local church matters more than ever in a digital, disconnected age, and what he sees coming in the massive wealth transfer happening right now between generations. He also shares a candid word on AI, spirituality, and why church leaders can connect more with high-octane people working in the marketplace.Whether you're pastoring a church, leading in business, or just trying to figure out what your work has to do with your faith, this conversation will challenge how you see both.

You were made for great joy...but what do you do when you don't feel particularly joyful?In this reflection on Psalm 47, John Ortberg explores a surprisingly practical answer: Do something joyful.Sing.Clap.Dance.Go outside.Listen to birds.Look into the face of someone you love.Maybe even skip.The Psalms weren't merely written to be read. They were meant to be sung.Drawing from William Law and the James-Lange theory of emotion, John explores the fascinating relationship between our bodies and our inner lives.We can't simply command ourselves to feel happy. Our emotions don't work that way.But we can choose our actions.And because our bodies and souls are deeply connected, the things we choose to do can help shape what's happening inside our hearts.So don't wait until you feel joyful to sing.Sometimes, singing helps lead us toward joy.This is your day.You can make this day a song.In this episode:Psalm 47 and the command to singWhy the Psalms were meant to be sungWilliam Law on singing the PsalmsThe relationship between body and emotionWhy “just choose to be happy” doesn't workThe James-Lange theory of emotionWhy the Psalms include dancing and other physical practicesHow our outward actions can shape our inward livesPractical ways to move toward joyMaking your day a songScriptures:Psalm 47 • Psalm 113:3#Psalm47 #JohnOrtberg #Joy #Psalms #Worship #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Prayer #Happiness

What's the right way to wake up?In this reflection on Psalm 5, John Ortberg continues the daily rhythm begun in Psalm 4.Evening is the time of peace. Morning is the time of hope.And don't worry: you don't have to become a morning person.John explores how Psalm 5 gives us a practical way to begin an ordinary day with God, even when we wake up carrying heavy burdens, difficult circumstances, or unanswered questions.Drawing from the ancient Christian invitation Sursum corda, “Lift up your hearts,” and the wisdom of Francis de Sales, John invites us to preview the coming day with God.What meetings are ahead?Who will you encounter?Where might you be tempted?Where might you have an opportunity to serve or encourage someone?Bring your actual day to God.Then wait expectantly.Maybe we shouldn't call the thing that wakes us an “alarm clock” at all.As John puts it, perhaps we need a resurrection clock.God has given you another day. This one will never come again.In this episode:Psalm 5 as a morning prayerThe rhythm of Psalms 3, 4, and 5Why you don't have to be a morning personWaking up with God when life feels heavySursum corda: Lift up your heartsWhy waking shouldn't begin with alarmFrancis de Sales on morning prayerPreviewing your day with GodPreparing for difficult interactionsLooking for opportunities to serveWhy morning is the time of hopeThe “resurrection clock”Living this day surrounded by God's careScriptures: Psalm 3:5 • Psalm 4 • Psalm 5 • Proverbs 27:14 • Psalm 118:24#Psalm5 #JohnOrtberg #MorningPrayer #Psalms #Prayer #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #MorningRoutine #Hope

Did you know the Bible gives us a way to go to sleep?In this reflection on Psalm 4, John Ortberg explores what sleep can teach us about surrender, control, prayer, and trusting God.Drawing from Answering God, John points out a fascinating biblical rhythm: evening comes before morning.Genesis says, “There was evening, and there was morning.”Sabbath begins at sundown.Psalm 4 gives us an evening prayer before Psalm 5 gives us a morning prayer.Why?Because before we wake up, accomplish anything, solve anything, or even become conscious of the new day, God is already at work.Every night, sleep asks us to relinquish our grip on our work, our relationships, our problems, our thoughts, and our need for control.The world keeps turning.God remains awake.And we can rest.In this episode:Psalm 4 as an evening prayerWhy the biblical day begins at nightEugene Peterson on evening and morning prayerSleep as an act of surrenderWhy we struggle to relinquish control"Search your hearts and be silent"Historical "first sleep" and "second sleep"Reviewing your day with GodGratitude before bedPsalm 4:8 and sleeping in peaceLearning to trust God's providence while we sleepScriptures: Psalm 3:5 • Psalm 4 • Psalm 5 • Genesis 1 • Genesis 2:2–3#Psalm4 #JohnOrtberg #Sleep #Prayer #Psalms #EugenePeterson #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #TrustGod

What if you prayed the Psalms as if they could really help?In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores the difference between simply reciting Scripture and allowing its words to become our own prayer.John shares the story of Rabbi Plotkin, whose life seemed to be falling apart. His marriage was ending. His future felt uncertain. Fear and self-pity had taken over.Then one morning, as he prepared to say the same prayers he'd prayed for decades, he challenged himself:“Don't pray as you always have. This time, pray as if it could really help.”The words were the same.But the speaker was different.When he reached Psalm 30 and read, “At night you go to sleep crying. In the morning there is joy,” something changed. The ancient words suddenly became personal.That's John's invitation to us today: don't merely read Psalm 30.Pray it.Bring your actual fear, grief, need, and hope to the words. Read them as though they're addressed to you. Let the Psalms become a vessel of God's grace in your actual life.In this episode:Psalm 30 and transformational prayerHow to turn Scripture into prayerRabbi Plotkin's story of crisis and hopeWhy familiar words can suddenly become personalThe difference between reciting and prayingHow the Psalms remind us we're not alone“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning”Praying Scripture with your whole heartScripture: Psalm 30#Psalm30 #JohnOrtberg #Prayer #Psalms #PrayingScripture #BibleStudy #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Hope #Joy

What do you do when you find yourself in the pit?In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores one of the Bible's most powerful metaphors for suffering: the pit, the depths, the darkness, Sheol.Sometimes the pit is grief.Sometimes it's depression, failure, anxiety, physical pain, a broken relationship, a dream that has died, or something completely beyond our control.And sometimes the night lasts much longer than we ever imagined.John shares personally about a season when the pain didn't go away the next day...or the next. One thought became especially important:It will not always be this way.That doesn't mean circumstances will immediately improve. It doesn't even mean things can't get worse. It means that even in the darkness, God can still be found.Psalm 30 says, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”We don't know how long the night will last.But the night doesn't get the last word.In this episode:Psalm 30 and the biblical image of "the pit"What to do when suffering overwhelms youWhy "joy comes in the morning" isn't a formula or timelineFinding God in darknessPsalm 139 and finding God in SheolHow to keep going when circumstances don't improveWhy we can't lift ourselves out of every pitMourning and dancing existing togetherHope when the night feels endlessScriptures:Psalm 30 • Psalm 139:8 • Genesis 37 • Jeremiah 38 • Daniel 6 • Revelation 21:4#Psalm30 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Suffering #Hope #Prayer #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Grief

What do you do with the mess inside your mind?In this reflection on Psalm 102, John Ortberg explores how the Psalms can become a kind of divine therapy, teaching us to bring our actual thoughts, emotions, fears, and beliefs honestly into the presence of God.Drawing from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, the ABCDE framework associated with Martin Seligman, and insights from Walter Brueggemann and Dallas Willard, John shows us a practical way to process what's happening inside us with God.Psalm 102 doesn't clean up the mess.The psalmist pours it out.Fear. Despair. Exaggeration. Loneliness. Anger.And then comes the turn:"But You, Lord..."We bring God what we're actually thinking and feeling, then allow the truth of who He is to reshape the way we see our circumstances.In this episode:- Psalm 102 and lament- What "divine therapy" might look like- Why our inner lives rarely match what we present publicly- Lori Gottlieb's Maybe You Should Talk to Someone- The ABCDE framework- Why lament Psalms use exaggeration and hyperbole- Walter Brueggemann on Psalm 102- Bringing truth to our thoughts- Dallas Willard's "Eternity is now in session"- Walking through an ordinary day with the Eternal GodScripture: Psalm 102#psalm102   #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Prayer #MentalHealth #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #DallasWillard #Lament

In this message, John Ortberg explores the first three steps of discipleship - “I can't, God can, I think I'll let Him” - and invites us to let go of our need for control, trust God's power, and follow Jesus with our lives and wills.(https://slocity.church/groupguides) - Click here for group guides for this series(https://slocity.church/im-new) - Click here to fill out a connect card if you're new(https://slocity.church/events) - Click here to jump into events at SLO City(https://subsplash.com/slocitychurch/app) - Click here to download the app and stay connected(https://slocity.church/give) - We dream of being a generous church that trusts God fully and makes a difference. If God has put it on your heart to give, click the link above.

How do you deal with foolish people?The Bible gives a surprisingly complicated answer.In Proverbs 26:4 we're told:“Do not answer a fool according to his folly...”And then, in the very next verse:“Answer a fool according to his folly...”So which is it?In this reflection on Psalm 14, John Ortberg explores why biblical wisdom can't be reduced to a simple set of rules. Sometimes wisdom requires speaking. Sometimes it requires silence. Sometimes you engage. Sometimes you walk away.The goal of Scripture isn't merely to give us enough information to always follow the right rule. It's to form us into wise people, capable of judgment, discernment, and love.And Psalm 14 eventually turns the question around.Instead of asking only, “How do I deal with the fools out there?” perhaps we need to ask:“How do I deal with the fool in here?”In this episode:- Psalm 14 and the meaning of foolishness- Why sin isn't only bad, but foolish- Proverbs 26:4–5 and seemingly contradictory wisdom- Why the Bible doesn't simply give us rules- How Scripture forms judgment and discernment- When to engage a foolish person and when to walk away- Why biblical narratives require us to wrestle- The Psalms as honest journals rather than rulebooks- What it means to live as though "there is no God"- 1 Corinthians 13 and filling our minds with Scripture- How to become a wiser personScriptures:- Psalm 14- Proverbs 26:4–5- 1 Corinthians 13#Psalm14 #JohnOrtberg #Wisdom #Proverbs #Psalms #BibleStudy #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Discernment #Relationships

What if the goal today isn't to make your life extraordinary?What if it's to learn how to see the extraordinary gift hidden inside the ordinary?In this reflection on Psalm 104, John Ortberg explores how modern life has changed the way we see the world around us. We know more than ever about how nature works, yet we may have lost something along the way: our ability to experience creation as filled with meaning, wonder, and the presence of God.Drawing on Charles Taylor and Dallas Willard, John invites us to recover the eyes of "saints, poets, and artists" and rediscover what Willard called "the well-kept secret of the ordinary."Birds sing.Trees grow.Wild animals drink.Leviathan frolics.People go to work.And apparently God really likes hyraxes.Psalm 104 invites us to look again and recognize that ordinary creation is overflowing with the generosity, creativity, and goodness of God.In this episode:Psalm 104 and the wonder of creationCharles Taylor and the "immanent frame"Recovering the enchantment of realityDallas Willard and the secret of ordinary lifeWhy God made the hyraxSeeing creation as more than something to useThe love-letter analogyReceiving your life as a giftFinding God in everyday momentsScriptures:Psalm 104Genesis 1:26–27#Psalm104 #JohnOrtberg #DallasWillard #CharlesTaylor #Psalms #Creation #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Wonder

Which version of you shows up when you pray?In this reflection on Psalm 55, John Ortberg explores a surprising truth about prayer: God doesn't want the cleaned-up, polished, "Disney version" of you. He wants the real you.The Psalms aren't theological essays or collections of perfectly polished emotions. They're raw prayers from real human beings bringing fear, anger, anguish, confusion, and desire honestly before God.John connects this idea to the original story of The Adventures of Pinocchio, which is much darker and more spiritually suggestive than the famous Disney adaptation. Pinocchio is lovingly created by his father, rebels against him, rejects his conscience, and longs for something he cannot accomplish on his own: to become real.And that's where Pinocchio's story intersects with ours.Transformation doesn't begin when we finally become the person we think God wants. It begins when the person we actually are becomes willing to stand honestly before Him.In this episode:Psalm 55 and honest prayerWhy every emotion in the Psalms isn't necessarily an instructionBringing our troubled thoughts before GodThe surprising theology of PinocchioConscience, rebellion, and the love of the FatherBiblical echoes of Jonah and the Prodigal SonMoving from a heart of stone to a heart of fleshWhy transformation begins with getting realScriptures:Psalm 552 Timothy 3:16–17Hosea 11:3Luke 15Jonah 1–2Matthew 12:38–40Ezekiel 36:26#Psalm55 #JohnOrtberg #Prayer #Psalms #Pinocchio #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #HonestPrayer #Transformation

What are you looking to for help today?In this reflection on Psalm 121, John Ortberg explores two simple actions that can make today a blessed day:God watches over us.We lift our eyes toward Him.But "I lift up my eyes to the hills" may mean something different than we often assume. In the ancient world, the hills weren't merely beautiful. They were places of idolatry, uncertainty, and danger. The psalmist looks directly toward them and asks: Where does my help really come from?John explores what it means to live under God's watchful care, why Psalm 121 doesn't promise a life without suffering, and how this Psalm became deeply personal as he recited its final words at his father's deathbed.Whatever hills you're facing today, your help comes from the One who made them.In this episode:Psalm 121 and God's watchful care"I lift up my eyes to the hills"The high places and ancient idolatryWhat we're tempted to trust instead of GodNicholas Wolterstorff and Lament for a SonWhy God's protection doesn't mean a pain-free lifeRomans 8 and God's inseparable loveJohn Ortberg's final moments with his fatherScriptures:Psalm 1211 Kings 18Romans 8:35–39#Psalm121 #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Prayer #TrustGod #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Faith #godspresence 

Should you pray every line of every Psalm?In this reflection on Psalm 109, John Ortberg tackles one of the most difficult passages in the Bible—and offers one of the most freeing insights of the entire Psalms series.What do we do with prayers that sound angry, vengeful, or even shocking?Drawing on the work of René Girard, John explains that the Psalms are not polished theological essays. They are honest prayers in process. They teach us how to bring our real emotions into God's presence without pretending, suppressing, or acting on them.This episode explores:- Psalm 109 and the imprecatory psalms- Why the Bible gives voice to victims- The difference between words and actions- Internal processors vs. external processors- Why prayer is a journey, not a performance- How Jesus Himself prayed the PsalmsScriptures:- Psalm 109- Psalms 113–118- Matthew 5:43–48- Matthew 26:30#Psalm109 #JohnOrtberg #Prayer #Psalms #RenéGirard #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #HonestPrayer #Jesus

What does it really cost to follow Jesus?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Jesus' most misunderstood invitations: "Count the cost." Drawing from Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart, he explains why discipleship is not an emotional decision but a thoughtful one. More importantly, he asks a question many of us rarely consider: What is the cost of not following Jesus?Discover why surrender isn't the loss of life, but the pathway to the greatest treasure you'll ever find.

What if doing whatever you want doesn't actually make you free?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most profound ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: true freedom isn't the ability to satisfy every desire. It's becoming the kind of person who desires what is good and has the strength to live it out.Discover why self-denial is not the enemy of freedom, how envy quietly steals our joy, and why the path Jesus offers leads to the deepest kind of human flourishing.

Is Christianity about becoming a better version of yourself?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most challenging and hope-filled ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: the ruined life isn't meant to be enhanced, but replaced. Discover why self-denial isn't about self-hatred, why Jesus calls us to lose our lives in order to find them, and how true transformation goes far beyond self-improvement.If you've ever wondered what Jesus really meant by "deny yourself," this conversation offers a hopeful vision of the new life God desires to create in every believer.

What if the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth isn't what has happened to you, but what is happening within you?In this episode, John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of Christianity's most misunderstood ideas: remorse. Discover why the Bible distinguishes between the wounds we've suffered and the wrong we've committed, and why genuine remorse isn't meant to produce shame, but lasting transformation.Healing begins when we stop hiding from the truth and discover the grace of God waiting on the other side.

John explains what makes a soul lost and how the truth about ourselves is the beginning of being found.In this episode (2022), John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of the greatest barriers to spiritual growth: self-deception. Discover why the human heart naturally resists uncomfortable truths, what Jesus meant by "losing your soul," and how learning to love the truth becomes the starting point for genuine transformation.God doesn't reveal the truth to shame us. He reveals it so He can heal us.