Become New with John Ortberg

Latest Episodes:

How to Find Meaning in Your Story Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Every person you encounter today is carrying a story you cannot see.
In this episode, John reflects on the unseen battles every human being fights and the surprising truth that healing often comes not from focusing on our own pain, but from learning to notice and care about the stories of others.
Drawing from the Book of Job, insights from Eleanor Stump, and lived experiences of suffering, forgiveness, and mercy, this teaching explores how God is at work in stories within stories. Like a fractal, each life reflects a larger pattern of divine care, love, and redemption.
This message invites us to slow down, to see the person in front of us, and to remember: when we step into someone else’s story with compassion, generosity, or forgiveness, we enter a reality much larger than our own—and God uses it in ways we may never fully understand.
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Music Credits:
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

Why Jesus Said to Give in Secret (Matthew 6:3) Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

John reflects on Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount regarding giving in secret. His words weren’t just spiritual advice. They were revolutionary. In a world built on reciprocity, status, and public recognition, Jesus offered a radically different way to live—one rooted in gratitude, freedom, and quiet goodness.
Drawing on insights from ancient history, lived experience, and wisdom from voices like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this reflection shows how generosity can slowly retrain our hearts. When we practice giving without announcing it, something remarkable happens: we become less impressed with ourselves and less dependent on other people’s approval.
Over time, generosity becomes second nature. The left hand forgets what the right hand is doing. And goodness begins to feel free.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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TEXT US at 855-888-0444
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Music Credits:
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

THIS Keeps Us Stuck Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

Why do some habits change and others seem impossible to break?
In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked role of belief in transformation. Many of us confuse our habits with our identity. We say, “That’s just the way I am.” But Scripture, psychology, and lived experience all point to a deeper truth: habits feel natural, but they are not our nature.
Drawing on insights from Ezra Sullivan, Charles Duhigg, and the lived wisdom of communities like Alcoholics Anonymous, this reflection shows why change rarely lasts without faith. Not just belief that habits can change, but belief that you can change—with God’s help.
Transformation happens in community. We borrow belief from one another. We practice hope until it becomes real. And over time, love itself becomes habit-forming.
So the question for today is simple:
Who helps you believe that change is possible?
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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TEXT US at 855-888-0444
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Music Credits:
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

In God There is NO Darkness (1 John 1:5 explained) Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

Darkness won't have the last word.
Today’s reflection centers on a simple, powerful word: light. Scripture tells us that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. That doesn’t mean we deny the reality of suffering, grief, or burden. It means those things are not ultimate.
Drawing from Scripture, everyday moments of joy, and insights from Dallas Willard, this episode invites us to see the world the way Jesus did—as a God-bathed, God-permeated reality. A world where light is always closer than we think. A world where God is “right upstairs,” friendly and near.
This message is for anyone feeling weighed down by life, anxious about the future, or unsure how to live faithfully in a dark moment. Jesus’ promise still stands: His burden is light. And His message—to both Israel and the Gentiles—was a message of light.
Pay attention today. Look for joy. Look for goodness. The light has already come.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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Music Credits:
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

What is a PROPHET? (And why do we need them?) Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

What if faith isn’t meant to comfort us, but to disturb us?
In today’s reflection, we explore conscience, prophecy, and the unsettling gift of a sensitive soul. Throughout history, God has sent “disturbing people” into the world—prophets who refuse to ignore injustice, suffering, and hypocrisy.
We meet Margery Kempe, a 14th-century woman whose tears became a form of truth-telling, and we reflect on the nature of prophets through the wisdom of Abraham Joshua Heschel, who reminds us that prophets feel the world’s pain more deeply than others.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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Music Credits:
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

How to Stop Playing God (and Why It Matters) Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

What if one of the most important spiritual practices is learning to laugh at yourself?
This teaching centers on Rule #62, a simple but liberating wisdom that emerged from the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Drawing on Christian thinkers, church history, Scripture, and everyday life, John Ortberg invites us to be freed from the exhausting burden of self-importance.
Joy is not frivolous. Humor is not shallow. And humility is not self-hatred. They are deeply connected, rooted in the very character of God. From Abraham and Sarah’s laughter to the resurrection itself, Scripture reveals a God who brings joy, who relieves gravity, and who delights in human lightness.
Today’s invitation is simple but powerful: stop playing God. Let yourself be human. And let joy ripple outward to everyone around you.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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Music Credits:
Dive by Traveler - MB01UYPFDKTVJ4Q
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

A Forgotten Virtue. An Obscure Verse. Honest Abe. Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

There is a virtue that doesn’t get much love anymore.
It sounds cautious. Boring. Overly careful. But the ancient world believed that PRUDENCE was the hinge on which a good life turns. In this episode, John Ortberg reclaims prudence as a courageous commitment to reality. Not wishful thinking. Not emotional reaction. But clear-eyed wisdom that asks: What is really going on, and what is the most loving, skillful way forward?
Drawing from Scripture, the story of Abraham Lincoln, and the biblical image of “the stars fighting in their courses,” this teaching invites us to trust that God is already at work in reality itself.
The most prudent thing you can do today may simply be to face what’s real and take one wise step forward.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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TEXT US at 855-888-0444
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Music Credits:
Dive by Traveler - MB01UYPFDKTVJ4Q
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

This Therapy Practice Will Help You Forgive Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

Forgiveness is never simple. And it’s rarely quick.
In this episode, John Ortberg explores a powerful, research-backed practice that helps move forgiveness from an idea into the heart. Drawing from the story of Joseph and his brothers, and the work of psychologist Everett Worthington, we’re invited into a deceptively simple exercise involving two chairs.
Forgiveness does not excuse harm. It does not erase boundaries. And it does not guarantee reconciliation. But it does free us from being trapped by resentment and bitterness. This teaching offers a compassionate, practical way to begin that journey, even when wounds are deep and time has passed.
What if forgiveness isn’t something you feel first, but something you practice?
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.
TEXT US at 855-888-0444
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Music Credits:
Dive by Traveler - MB01UYPFDKTVJ4Q
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

What Every Person Wants in Any Relationship Jan 06, 2026

Show notes

Every human being longs for significance.
Not just to be busy. Not just to be successful. But to know that their presence has made a difference in someone else’s life. In this teaching, John Ortberg explores five relational needs identified by psychologist David Richo that help people flourish: attention, acceptance, affection, appreciation, and allowance.
These are not abstract ideas. They show up in marriages, friendships, families, workplaces, and churches. They reveal the heart of God and the way Jesus treated people, especially those who were often overlooked.
What if today you chose to help one person feel seen, valued, and free? That might be the most significant thing you do all day.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.
Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.
TEXT US at 855-888-0444
EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com
GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe
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Music Credits:
Dive by Traveler - MB01UYPFDKTVJ4Q
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

The Sound of Heaven Might Surprise You Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

What if the sound of heaven is laughter?
Drawing on The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, biblical wisdom, and surprising research, this episode explores joy not as a personality trait, but as a spiritual strength. Humor. Playfulness. Delight. These are not distractions from spiritual growth. They are often the pathway into it.
From babies laughing at peekaboo to the story of Isaac, whose very name means laughter, we discover that joy is woven into the heart of God. Even more, joy is compatible with pain. Real joy does not deny suffering. It survives it.
So today, laugh. Do something fun for no reason at all. You might just discover that God is closer than you thought.
🙌 New episodes every weekday.
📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.
Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.
TEXT US at 855-888-0444
EMAIL US at connect@becomenew.com
GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe
GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text BECOME to 855-888-0444
SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team
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Music Credits:
Dive by Traveler - MB01UYPFDKTVJ4Q
Forever and For Always feat. Ivywild and Roary by Marie Hines
MB01IDTJ7Z0NIZ3

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