John Ortberg

Stand Strong in Life’s Furnaces How do you respond when the bottom drops out? What happens to your character quotient when things don’t go the way you planned? How do you react when the temperature is rising, you are under attack, and God seems far away? Daniel discovered that the furnace experiences of life refine and define us. Spiritual integrity rarely grows when everything goes our way. Instead, God uses things like a furnace, a lion’s den, a mad king, and exile in a foreign country to forge character in a soul. If you long to meet God in the challenging times and come through the fire stronger and more faithful, Daniel is ready to show the way.

Extend the Compassion and Grace of Jesus Jesus came to serve, sacrifice, and die. His humble lifestyle flies in the face of the conventional wisdom of a society that is fixated on getting more and scraping our way to the top. Not only did the Savior model a life of extraordinary service, he called his followers to join him in this mission. In 2 Corinthians we find a pathway to Jesus-like living. Paul calls us to align our hearts and lives with the way of the Savior and offer authentic love, amazing grace, extravagant generosity, and humble service. As we do this, we are shaped into the image of the One who served so hard he ended up on a cross.

Many Christians have an easier time being saved by grace than they do living in grace every day. But grace is at the center of the life God calls us to--and reflects the heart of the One who calls.These studies in Grace will help you make the connection between grace as a remote biblical concept and grace as a lifestyle--a reality you experience day in, day out. Through an unfolding study of Psalm 23, you’ll learn how God--our Good Shepherd--is for you, how he longs to walk with you through temptation, sorrow, and even deep regret. You’ll discover God’s desire to make his joy your joy. Throughout, you’ll learn how enduring, powerful, and life-affirming God’s work in your life can be—and rediscover why it’s called amazing grace.Leader’s guide included!Grace group sessions are:Living in GraceGrace for RegretsSustaining GraceDelighting in GraceA Legacy of GraceGrace ForeverGrace to Share

On the eve of his crucifixion it seemed like Jesusâ?? influence on the world had ended. On the contrary, it had just begun. In Who Is This Man?, Ortberg reveals how Jesus has impacted civilization and individual human hearts.

God has a heart that is intent on loving his children. He also longs for his followers to grow to love him and others with all their heart. This participant’s guide to the wisdom books of the Old Testament takes you on a journey from romance to human sorrow and reveals the pathway to loving God each step of the way.The Truth for Today small group series is a high-impact tool for discovering the power and relevance of the Old Testament. This innovative series combines Bible study with an enjoyable, interactive format to help you and your group experience God’s Word as it really is: energetic, immediate, and life-transforming. Other Truth for Today small group studies:Creating a New Community: The Torah (9 Sessions)Stepping Out in Faith: The History of Israel (7 Sessions)Pursuing Spiritual Authenticity: The Prophets (8 Sessions)

DISCOVER HOW GOD USES ORDINARY PEOPLE IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYSConsider this: God wants to use you to impact people in powerful ways. How often do you reflect on your spiritual influence? It is unrelated to your title, position, human status, or worldly achievements. It is based on how closely you are connected to the heart of God and how faithfully you follow Jesus. Do the people you love see the life of God’s kingdom flowing through you? In Titus, you’ll discover how spiritual influence weaves its way through your friendships, your family, your church, the world, and every relationship you have. When the Holy Spirit is at work in you—an ordinary person—you are being used by God in extraordinary ways. Be a vessel for the divine. Let your integrity blossom. Every follower of Jesus has spiritual influence … and God wants to use you for his glory.

Learn to Pray with the Master If you could ask the first disciples, “What was the Savior’s secret to living in alignment with the Father’s will and with power to face life’s challenges,” they would have answered with one word, “Prayer!” As we learn to talk with the Father, we grow strong in faith and obedience. The Lord’s Prayer is much more than a collection of words to be recited from memory. It is a Jesus-given springboard to launch us into the refreshing waters of God’s wisdom and strength. When we learn to pray with Jesus, we become like him. Will you dare to echo the plea of the first disciples, “Teach us to pray”?

Written by the dynamic leaders of church ministry across the country, this series explores life-changing topics from a biblical perspective. New Community guides don’t force small groups to choose between Bible study and building community. Just the opposite. Each study delves deeply into Scripture in a way that strengthens relationships. Challenging questions encourage group members to reflect not only on Scripture but also on their own lives—individually and as a part of God’s family. And unlike most Bible studies, the New Community series helps study groups convert biblical principles into practical teamwork—helping at the soup kitchen, bringing a meal to someone, writing an encouraging letter, and so on. Filled with prayer, insight, intimacy, and action, each study in this series will help group members line up their lives and relationship more closely with the Bible’s model for the church.

Using popular games as a metaphor for our temporal lives, this six-session small group Bible study, When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box, by John Ortberg, neatly sorts out what’s fleeting and what’s permanent in God’s kingdom.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 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.When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box will teach you 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 havingThis Participant Guide is designed for use with the companion DVD (sold separately). When used together, they work as a powerful catalyst for spiritual growth.Sessions include: 1. When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box2. Keeping Score Where It Really Counts3. Resign as Master of the Board4. Calling or Comfort? Choose Your Moves Wisely5. Playing the Game with Greatness and Grace6. The King Has One More Move

Six-session small group studies to build true community within the church and among the world Parables: Jesus, the wisest man who ever lived, had much to say about God, the human heart, the future, life, anger, love, and everything that mattered. Digging into the treasure trove of the wisdom and truth hidden in his parables will stretch minds, feed souls, pierce hearts, and shape his followers into true disciples.

Today, some people think of the church as a powerless institution made of ancient traditions and stuffy buildings. They're wrong! The church is the new community of God's people. It's filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. And it has as much to say to the world today as it did two thousand years ago. In Acts, you will discover that God wants to do a fresh work among his people by the power of the Holy Spirit. You will find the pathway to authentic community. You will learn how to grow as a worshiper. And you will deepen your passion to invite others into the fellowship of Christ-followers we call the church. Sound exciting? Let's rediscover church together!

When God pours out his love, our parched lives are revived and our thirsty souls satisfied. What is the secret of receiving more of God's love and of giving it freely to others? The book of I John calls us back to the basics of loving God and one another. Do you long to experience God's mercy and goodness in deeper ways and extend them to others? Would you like his love to fill you up to the point where it overflows naturally into the lives of others? This study of I John will help you and your small group experience the refreshing rain of God's love in ways you have always wanted. New Community Series -- a high-impact tool for experiencing the transforming power of God's Word. This cutting-edge series lets you explore life-changing topics from a biblical perspective in community with others in your small group. Challenging questions encourage you to reflect on Scripture and its impact on your life, both as an individual and as part of a community of Christ followers.

Consult the compass for the journey of your life. Life as a Christian is a journey -- a journey toward God. But how do you set your compass? How do you make sure that God is guiding your steps and that you are not being blown willy-nilly by life's shifting winds of circumstance? Turn to the book of Exodus and discover guidance and joy for your pilgrimage. You will grow to know God in a deeper, more personal way. You will learn to trust him more than ever before. You will discover who your fellow travelers are. And you will learn how to chart your course by the compass of God's will as you take the trip of your life.

What Are You Waiting For?Intimacy with God can happen right now if you want it. A closeness you can feel, a goodness you can taste, a reality you can experience for yourself. That's what the Bible promises, so why settle for less? God is closer than you think, and connecting with him isn't just for monks and ascetics. It's for business people, high school students, busy moms, single men, single women . . . and most important, it's for YOU.God Is Closer Than You Think shows how you can enjoy a vibrant, moment-by-moment relationship with your heavenly Father. Bestselling author John Ortberg reveals the face of God waiting to be discovered in the complex mosaic of your life. He shows you God's hand stretching toward you. And, with his gift for storytelling, Ortberg illustrates the ways you can reach toward God and complete the connection--to your joy and his.

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 isLearning what the soul needsExperiencing the joy of a restored soulWith 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

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.

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 presenceDiscern between faith and foolishnessNot only expect problems, but field them when they comeReorient your thoughts about failure and see it as an opportunity to growWait on the LordAnd, ultimately, connect more deeply with GodFeatures discussion questions at the end of each chapter to enhance your reflection and spiritual growth. Also perfect for small group discussion.

What does the spiritual life really look like?If you're tired of the status quo – if you suspect there's more to Christianity that what you've experienced – John Ortberg invites you to join him on a road to transformation and spiritual vigor that anyone can take. The Life You've Always Wanted video-based Bible study guide you down the ancient path of the spiritual disciplines.This Leader's Guide give you the clear, step-by-step instructions you need to maximize interaction, support, and insights within your group. Most of the preparation has been done for you – just follow the easy-to-use lesson plan, complete with helpful tips. Because this book includes the full text of the Participant's Guide, it's the only guidebook you need to track page-for-page with your group.Cultivate new intimacy and confidence in prayer. Discover the freedom of secrecy. Taste the benefits of slowing life's frenetic pace. Learn how to be guided by the Holy Spirit… and more.Sessions include:It's Morphing TimeSlowing Down and CelebratingPraying and ConfessingMeditating on Scripture and Seeking GuidancePracticing Servanthood, Finding FreedomGoing the Distance with a Well-Ordered Heart

Six-session small group studies to build true community within the church and among the world.Revelation: When is the world going to end? Who is the anti-Christ? Will Christians go through the tribulation? This study helps readers find a humble, biblical balance as they learn, study, and look closely at this powerful book whose purpose is to mold them into people ready to meet Jesus.

Our hearts hunger for order and a sense of belonging in the chaos of life. We long for community. Deep inside us, we yearn to connect with God and with those around us. That’s not surprising—it’s a reflection of God’s own longing. Guiding you through the first five books of the Bible, this participant’s guide reveals God’s passionate desire for intimacy with his people and among his people.The Truth for Today small group series is a high-impact tool for discovering the power and relevance of the Old Testament. This innovative series combines Bible study with an enjoyable, interactive format to help you and your group experience God’s Word as it really is: energetic, immediate, and life-transforming. Other Truth for Today small group studies:Stepping Out in Faith: The History of Israel (7 Sessions)Developing a Heart for God: The Wisdom Books (8 Sessions)Pursuing Spiritual Authenticity: The Prophets (8 Sessions)