Search results for ""Author John Ortberg""

When is the last time you thought about the state of your soul?The health of your soul isn’t just a matter of saved or unsaved. It’s the hinge on which the rest of your life hangs. It’s the difference between deep, satisfied spirituality and a restless, dispassionate faith.In an age of materialism and consumerism that tries to buy its way to happiness, many souls are starved and unhealthy, unsatisfied by false promises of status and wealth. We’ve neglected this eternal part of ourselves, focusing instead on the temporal concerns of the world—and not without consequence.Bestselling author John Ortberg presents another classic that will help you discover your soul—the most important connection to God there is—and find your way out of the spiritual shallow-lands to true divine depth. With characteristic insight and an accessible story-filled approach, Ortberg brings practicality and relevance to one of Christianity’s most mysterious and neglected topics.

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Normal? Who’s normal? Not you, that’s for sure! No one you’ve ever met, either. None of us are normal according to God’s definition, and the closer we get to each other, the plainer that becomes. Yet for all our quirks, sins, and jagged edges, we need each other. Community is more than just a word—it is one of our most fundamental requirements. So how do flawed, abnormal people such as ourselves master the forces that can drive us apart and come together in the life-changing relationships God designed us for?In Everybody’s Normal Till You Get to Know Them, teacher and bestselling author John Ortberg zooms in on the things that make community tick. You’ll get a thought-provoking look at God’s heart, at others, and at yourself. Even better, you’ll gain wisdom and tools for drawing closer to others in powerful, impactful ways. With humor, insight, and a gift for storytelling, Ortberg shows how community pays tremendous dividends in happiness, health, support, and growth. It’s where all of us weird, unwieldy people encounter God’s love in tangible ways and discover the transforming power of being loved, accepted, and valued just the way we are.

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The Me I Want to Be will help you discover spiritual vitality like never before as you learn to "live in the flow of the spirit."Why does spiritual growth seem so difficult?God's vision for your life is not just that you are saved by grace, but that you also learn to live by grace, flourishing with the Spirit flowing through you. And this book will show how God's perfect vision for you starts with a powerful promise: All those who trust in God "will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8).Pastor and bestselling author John Ortberg first helps gauge your spiritual health and measure the gap between where you are now and where God intends you to be. Then he provides detailed tasks and exercises to help you live in the flow of the Spirit, circumventing real-world barriers--pain and sorrow, temptations, self-doubt, sin--to flourish even in a dark and broken world.As you start living in the flow, you will feel: a deeper connection with God a growing sense of joy an honest recognition of your brokenness less fear, and more trust a growing sense of being "rooted in love" and a deeper sense of purpose. God invites you to join Him in crafting an abundant and joy-filled life. The Me I Want to Be shows you how to graciously accept His invitation.Spanish edition also available, as well as a video study and study guide.

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In this five-session small group Bible study DVD, The Me I Want to Be, John Ortberg reveals how you can become the unique, fully alive person God intended you to be. There is a me each of one of us wants to be… someone who’s more kind and generous, patient, and loving. But there is a gap between the me I am and the me I want to be. Oftentimes we find it easy to trust God to bridge the gap between and us and him, but we struggle to really live by grace and trust God to close the gap between the me I am and the me I want to be. Becoming God’s best version of you is both God’s desire and the greatest task of your life. And here’s the good news… he’s already working on it. Your life is God’s project, not yours.The Me I Want to Be small group Bible study is a powerful look at becoming the unique, fully alive, flourishing person God intended. Pastor and author John Ortberg teaches through fives sessions

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When is the last time you thought about the state of your soul? Bestselling author John Ortberg guides you through practical steps to restoring your soul so you can finally experience a life of wholeness, balance, and hope.In an age of materialism and consumerism where many people try to buy their way to happiness, many souls are starved and unhealthy, unsatisfied by false promises of status and wealth. We've neglected this eternal part of ourselves, focusing instead on the temporal concerns of the world--and not without consequence.Including reflections from his decades-long relationship with his friend and mentor Dallas Willard, Ortberg presents another classic that will help you discover your soul--the most important connection to God there is--and find your way out of the spiritual shallow-lands to true divine depth.Join Ortberg as he guides you through the three distinct aspects of Soul Keeping: Discovering what the soul is Learning what the soul needs Experiencing the joy of a restored soul With his characteristic insight and an accessible, story-filled approach, Ortberg will help you connect more deeply every day with the God who gave you life to bring more meaning, hope, and abundance to that life.Praise for Soul Keeping:"This book will not only help you to realize that you have a soul, an interior life, and reveal its importance, but will also give you some tools and handles to grab as you develop that life. It will help you to get grounded again, or even for the first time, with the One who first breathed that life into you, and Who desires every day to breathe more and more life into every corner of your being."--Dr. Henry Cloud, New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries and Changes That Heal

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Something in us is waiting - for what, we don't know. Something different? Something better?For Christians, perhaps the deepest expression of what we're waiting for is found in the phrase 'eternal life'. But what is eternal life? Why do we want it? And how do we know if we have it?In Eternity Is Now in Session, bestselling author John Ortberg dispels the myth that eternal life is something way out in outer space that we can only hope to experience after we die - and that being saved is merely about meeting the minimal entrance requirements for getting into heaven. Instead, John unpacks the reality that the moment we trust Christ, we are initiated into 'eternal living' with God as a here and now reality, one that will continue beyond our life on this earth.Jesus defined eternal life just once, in John 17:3: " ... that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." The kind of 'knowing God' that is eternal life is an interactive relationship, not just an affirmation of certain facts about God. Once we begin the transformative journey of truly knowing God, we can start to experience his presence, favour, and resurrection power right here on this earth - in the details, tasks, and challenges of daily, ordinary life.And as we begin to know God this way, we'll realise each moment of our lives is a vehicle to the eternity we've been longing for all along.

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You're one step away from the adventure of your life. John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone.Deep within you lies the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee toward Jesus. In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, "Come"?Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord.The choice is yours to know him as only a water-walker can, aligning yourself with God's purpose for your life in the process. There's just one requirement: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.In this Christianity Today Award-winning read, bestselling author John Ortberg pushes you to take the last step that separates you from the adventure of your life. And, as a result, you will learn to: Recognize God's presence Discern between faith and foolishness Not only expect problems, but field them when they come Reorient your thoughts about failure and see it as an opportunity to grow Wait on the Lord And, ultimately, connect more deeply with God Features discussion questions at the end of each chapter to enhance your reflection and spiritual growth. Also perfect for small group discussion.

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Today is the day you choose . . . which game you want to win, which prize you want to collect, which priorities you want to set.It’s a thrill to win at checkers or Clue or Trivial Pursuit. You sweep aside the other players and you “own” the board. It’s also a thrill to win a promotion at work … the new house you wanted … that sports car you’ve always eyed. But just like the game cards, the tokens, and the timer, those prizes are temporary. When the game is over, they all go back in the box.Games can cast a powerful spell, says bestselling author John Ortberg. But the wisest player remembers that the game is always going to end. So what can we take with us to the kingdom of God? Only the love we have for Christ, the love we have for each other, and our own souls. While it’s not bad to be good at chess or Risk—or the game of life on Earth—we can’t allow it to get in the way of what really matters.Using his humor and his genius for storytelling, Ortberg helps you focus on the real rules of the game and how to set your priorities. When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box Participant’s Guide helps explain how, left to our own devices, we tend to seek out worldly things, mistakenly thinking they will bring us fulfillment. But everything on Earth belongs to God. Everything we “own” is just on loan. And what pleases God is often 180 degrees from what we may think is important.In the six sessions you will learn how to: Live passionately and boldly Learn how to be active players in the game that pleases God Find your true mission and offer your best Fill each square on the board with what matters most Seek the richness of being instead of the richness of having You can’t beat the house, notes Ortberg. We’re playing our game of life on a giant board called a calendar. Time will always run out, so it’s a good thing to live a life that delights your Creator. When everything goes back in the box, you’ll have made what is temporary a servant to what is eternal, and you’ll leave this life knowing you’ve achieved the only victory that matters.Sessions include: When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box Keeping Score Where It Really Counts Resign as Master of the Board Calling or Comfort? Choose Your Move Wisely Playing the Game with Greatness and Grace The Kingdom Has One More Move Designed for use with When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box DVD 9780310808244 (sold separately).

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In the six-session small group study DVD, The Life You've Always Wanted, John Ortberg guides participants down the path of the spiritual disciplines.

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Ignite a deeper, more vibrant relationship with God that impacts not just your spiritual life but every aspect of your daily life.John Ortberg calls readers back to the dynamic heartbeat of Christianity--God's power to bring change and growth--and reveals how and why transformation takes place.The Life You've Always Wanted offers modern perspectives on the ancient path of the spiritual disciplines. But it is more than just a book about things to do to be a good Christian. It's a road map toward true transformation that starts not with the individual but with the person at the journey's end--Jesus Christ.As with a marathon runner, the secret to finishing a race lies not in trying harder, but in training consistently--training with the spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are neither taskmasters nor ends in themselves. Rather they are exercises that build strength and endurance for the road of growth. The fruit of the Spirit--joy, peace, kindness, etc.--are the signposts along the way.Paved with humor and sparkling anecdotes, The Life You've Always Wanted is an encouraging and challenging approach to a Christian life that's worth living--a life on the edge that fills an ordinary world with new meaning, hope, change, and joy.

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You’re only one step away from the adventure of your life.In this abridgement of his bestselling book, If You Want to Walk on Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat, now distilled down for busy readers, John Ortberg invites you to do with God’s help what you could never do on your own—step out of your comfort zone and step out on the risky waters of faith. If you do, you’ll find that Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It’s thrilling beyond belief. It’s everything you’d expect of someone worthy to be called Lord. The choice is yours to know him as only a water-walker can, aligning yourself with God’s purpose for your life in the process.

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Interweaving biblical insights and personal narratives, this eloquently written book shows how God often uses suffering and desert experiences to form us into Christ's image. Marlena Graves shares her experiences of growing up poor in a house plagued by mental illness as a means to explore the forces God uses to shape us into beautiful people in the midst of brokenness. This book offers a window into suffering through the motif of desert spirituality, revealing how God can use our painful experiences to show himself faithful. While no one welcomes suffering, God often uses desert experiences--those we initially despise and wouldn't wish on anyone--to transform us into beautiful souls who better resemble Jesus. Graves shows how God can bring life out of circumstances reeking of death and destruction, whether those circumstances are crises or daily doses of quiet desperation. Readers who have experienced suffering and question God's purpose for it will benefit from this book, as will counselors, pastors, professors, and mentors. It includes a foreword by John Ortberg and Laura Ortberg Turner.

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For the new small group leader, the seasoned leader who feels their small group lacks purpose, or the leader who is working to move their small group to the next level, Leading Small Groups with Purpose is the road map to follow. Steve Gladen takes small group leaders step-by-step toward a healthy, dynamic group with focus and purpose. Every chapter includes ideas that small group leaders can implement immediately as well as ways to shape their small groups over time. Includes a foreword by John Ortberg and a free small group assessment tool ($12.50 value).

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Every leader functions on two stages--the front stage or public world, and the back stage or private world. One cannot lead successfully front stage when one is completely depleted back stage. In a time when pastors are leaving the ministry in record numbers due to cynicism, disillusionment, weariness, and personal scandals, there is an urgent need for soul care in the private lives of leaders. Replenish helps leaders focus on the back stage, the interior life, in order to remain spiritually healthy. In a caring, encouraging tone, it will show pastors how to prioritize matters of the soul develop healthy spiritual practices address problems that lead to burnout create a healthy rhythm in their lives improve their people skills and the spiritual climate of their team develop better systems in their churches discover how to lead an unhurried life For the many ministry leaders who feel alone, in over their heads, or simply worn out, this book will offer welcome relief and a healthy way forward.

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This comprehensive textbook on pastoral ministry for pastors, church leaders, and students articulates a biblical model for shepherding God's people. Written by a leading psychologist and seminary professor who has served as a pastor for more than two decades, the book covers twelve major areas of pastoral ministry, highlights the essential work of the Holy Spirit, and focuses on the personal and family life of the pastor. It includes cross-cultural perspectives of special interest in our diverse world and a foreword by John Ortberg.

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A Communicator’s Toolkit for Teaching the Old Testament Having the right resources gives you a powerful edge in communicating the message of the Old Testament effectively in this media-driven, sensory-intensive culture. You’ll learn how to effectively connect with the minds, imaginations, and hearts of your listeners. Designed to maximize your connection and impact, it is a communicator’s toolbox for teaching your congregation 32 life-changing messages from the Old Testament. It is a stand-alone resource that can also be used in conjunction with the Exploring the Old Testament Bible study series to facilitate a nine-month church wide study of the Old Testament. Based on Pastor John Ortberg’s OTC series at the New Community services of Willow Creek Community Church, this teaching resource will enable churches to raise the level of biblical literacy and understanding among its congregation. * Historical, cultural, and geographical backgrounds unlock the meanings of Bible passages. Transport your listeners thousands of years into the past so they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the ancient world. * Illustrations, humorous stories, and word pictures engage the imagination and emotions, bringing home the timeless message of the Old Testament with clarity and freshness. * Creative applications help listeners make the leap from learning Old Testament lessons to living the Christian life. The genius of this teaching guide is its flexibility. Customize your messages from a treasury of resources. This revolutionary tool provides up to 16 categories of material for each message. No need to spend countless hours doing research—a wealth of ideas and resources lies at your fingertips! The preaching and teaching guide includes: •Creative Message Ideas •Heart of the Message •Heart of the Messenger •Historical Context Notes •Illustrations •Interpretive Insights •Life Applications •Narrative on Life •Narrative on the Text •New Testament Connections •On the Lighter Side •Pause for Prayer •Pause for Reflection •Quotable Quotes •Significant Scriptures •Word Studies

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Packed with new research, new interviews, and practical solutions, this updated and expanded edition of Next will equip pastors, ministry teams, and Christian organizations to navigate leadership changes with wisdom and grace. While there is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution to the puzzle of planning for a seamless pastoral succession, Next offers church leaders and pastors a guide to asking the right questions in order to plan for the future. Vanderbloemen, founder of a leading pastoral search firm, and Bird, an award-winning writer and researcher, share insider stories of succession failures and successes in dozens of churches, including some of the nation's most influential. The authors demystify successful pastoral succession and help you prepare for an even brighter future for your ministry. Includes a foreword by John Ortberg and an introduction by Eric Geiger and Kenton Beshore.

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