Formation with John Ortberg

Latest episodes

Showing 13 · updated from the feed

11. This Ancient Creed Can Rescue Us From Spiritual Homelessness ft. Glenn Packiam | 011

This year the Nicene Creed turns 1,700 years old, and Glenn Packiam thinks it might be the most important thing the modern church has forgotten how to use. In this conver

Sep 16
1 h 16 min

10. A Systems Theory Expert on the Anxiety Running Your Team ft. Steve Cuss

What happens when the person managing everyone else's anxiety is the most anxious one in the room? Steve Cuss joins John for a conversation that starts in a childho

Sep 2
1 h 33 min

AMA01. Predestination, Soul Care, Navigating Church Hurt, and Healing Childhood Wounds

Since Formation launched, we've talked about giving our listeners the chance to have their questions answered by John. This is that episode. No guest this time, just

Aug 19
41 min

009. Everything You Need to Know About the Next Generation ft. Kara Powell

About the Guest Kara Powell leads the Fuller Youth Institute as its Executive Director, where for more than twenty years her team has tracked how young people are changi

Aug 5
1 h 21 min

008. As the World Gets More Synthetic, the Church Must Get More Human ft. Carey Nieuwhof

In this episode of Formation, John Ortberg sits down with Carey Nieuwhof to talk leadership, fame, faith, and what it means for the church to stay human as the world turn

Jul 22
1 h 16 min

007. Quadriplegia, Despair, and Learning to Truly Live ft. Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada became a quadriplegic at seventeen after a diving accident that severed her spinal cord. In the nearly six decades since, she has written dozens of bo

Jul 8
1 h 14 min

006. A Silicon Valley Pastor on the Spiritual Cost of a Distracted Life ft. Jay Kim

What does it take to find peace in a culture engineered for distraction? In this episode of Formation, John Ortberg sits down with a Silicon Valley pastor whose pursuit o

Jun 24
1 h 20 min

005. The Hidden Spiritual Cost of How We Work ft. Gary Hamel

What does it mean to treat people as ends in themselves rather than instruments to get things done? Gary Hamel joins John for a conversation about work, dignity, and the

Jun 10
1 h 25 min

004. How Politics Shapes Our Spiritual Formation ft. Michael Wear

What does it look like to follow Jesus when the culture insists that everything depends on the next election? Michael Wear joins John for a conversation about politics, a

May 20
1 h 34 min

003. Facing Humanity's Hidden Capacity for Evil ft. Gary Haugen

What does it take to do hard things for a long time without being broken by them? Gary Haugen is the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission, a global organizati

May 6
1 h 18 min

002. How to Read the Old Testament (and Still Have Faith) ft. Tremper Longman

What do we do with a God who commands violence, permits slavery, and seems to change his mind? Tremper Longman III — one of the most prolific and trusted Old Testament sc

Apr 22
1 h 11 min

001. How God Gets Our Attention and the Pace of Formation ft. Tyler Staton

What does it mean to know God, not as a doctrine held, but as a presence inhabited? Tyler Staton joins John for the first conversation in Formation's history: an unh

Apr 22
1 h 18 min

Your Chance to Ask John a Question

Leave us a review ahead of our launch for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode. Do you want a chance to ask John a question? Four easy steps. Follow the podcas

Apr 8
1 min

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I want to send the first episode to everyone I love. Ortberg is answering every question we were too afraid to ask. This podcast is the perfect addition to Become New and the ministry of prayer and contemplation that has blessed so many of us.

Rachel Shoshana · May 2026

Tears of gratitude welling up rn. Thank you so much John and the Become New team for this beautiful extension of the ministry. I’m not even able to articulate fully all the ways that the Spirit of Jesus has used Become New as means of conforming me into His Image. I’m so looking forward to more of these long form Formation episodes. I’ve just listened to the first one and it was so awesome, Tyler and John are both so thoughtful and I admire them both deeply.

AudreyR :) · Apr 2026

Listening to John and his guests on Become New has fed my soul. I find the content nurtures my mind, heart, and spirit. I’m always inspired to be better, do better, and lead with a compassionate heart. I appreciate John’s honesty about his own struggles and how his faith is helping him Become the person God designed him to be.

GabyLovesG · Apr 2026

While getting ready for work, at the lake making supper in our camper, while my baby naps… listening to John Ortberg has become a part of my routine. Now my husband & mom as well. John communicates in a way where there’s relatability, humor, humbleness & honesty- there’s no ‘better than’ filter with John. And the guests he chats with are of the same caliber like Steven Cuss who share insight on things like anxiety or overthinking who give the same down to earth, genuine style. I have a short attention span, I’m 32 & busy and yet I look forward to slowing down to listen & learn from John so I encourage everyone to listen in as well!!

KPainter23 · Apr 2026

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.