Become New with John Ortberg

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, forgive...

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 v...

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, Ch...

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...

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 o...

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-impor...

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 lov...

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 n...

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 u...

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 nam...

Your face is never neutral.  It communicates hope or fear, welcome or distance, trust or anxiety. In this reflection, John Ortberg explores the profound idea that our faces are not just physical features but outward expressions of our inner life and our sense of God’s presence. Drawing from the Gospel of John, the teachings of Jesus, and wisdom from Dallas Willard, this episode invites us to consi...

Every January, millions of people make bold resolutions. And by mid-January… they’re negotiating with a Twinkie. In this teaching, John Ortberg draws on wisdom from Dallas Willard to explain why willpower alone always fails—and why that’s not because you’re weak, lazy, or spiritually defective. The real issue isn’t effort. It’s vision. We don’t fail because we want the Twinkie too much. We fail be...

Why do so many goals fail, even when our intentions are good? John Ortberg explores why lasting change doesn’t begin with outcomes or even habits, but with identity. Drawing on wisdom from James Clear, the apostle Paul, and everyday experience, we’re invited to ask a deeper question: Who am I becoming? Transformation isn’t about achieving “it.” It’s about becoming a certain kind of person and allo...

We tend to believe contentment is always just around the corner. One change away. One upgrade away. One new season away. But what if that belief is the very thing stealing joy from our lives? John Ortberg reflects on wisdom from C. S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters, inviting us to rediscover God’s gift of rhythm: change and permanence held together. Seasons that repeat. Days that feel familiar. M...

What if worry isn’t just a bad habit but a misunderstanding of reality? John Ortberg invites us to reconsider how we see God, how we see the world, and how we carry today’s concerns. What if trust is not passive resignation, but active attentiveness to a God who is already here? Jesus taught that with a good and competent God present all around us, the universe is a perfectly safe place to be. Not...

Becomenew.com/Give  Thank you for being on the journey with us. We are so grateful and plan to keep at it. We will return with FRESH teaching from John on January 1st and then again January 19th for our new series: NO CONDEMNATION. 🙌 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...

Away in a Manger isn’t just a sweet song. It’s a radical message of hope. In today’s episode, John explores why Jesus was born in a manger, what that says about who He came for, and how Christmas answers the question we all carry: what will become of us? This episode is tender, thoughtful, and quietly powerful. A reminder that Jesus meets us where we are and heals what’s broken. 🙌 New episodes ev...

This song doesn’t just sound beautiful. It tells the truth about you. In today’s episode, John unpacks O Holy Night and explores what it means for the soul to feel its worth. From the Bible’s understanding of the soul to the surprising backstory of this carol, this episode offers a new way to talk to God, to yourself, and to others. If you’ve ever questioned your value, this one is for you. 🙌 New...

This Christmas song isn’t just festive — it’s revolutionary. In today’s episode, John unpacks Go Tell It on the Mountain, tracing its roots through Scripture, the African American spiritual tradition, and the long struggle for freedom and dignity. From Isaiah’s prophecy to Watch Night services to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final Christmas sermon, this episode reminds us that good news is meant t...

The “three kings” weren’t kings at all. They were outsiders. In today’s episode, John explores We Three Kings and what this carol teaches us about light, belonging, and letting go of what weighs us down. From sunrise reflections to strange gifts to the invitation to “travel light,” this episode is a reminder that no one is beyond the pale and everyone is welcome in the light of Christ. 🙌 New epis...

Regardless of what anyone believes about Jesus, it’s impossible to deny his impact. In this special Christmas teaching, John Ortberg asks a simple but profound question: Who is this man? Without religious hype or argument, this episode explores how one uneducated carpenter from Nazareth reshaped history, compassion, human dignity, education, art, forgiveness, and hope itself. If you’ve ever wonder...

This is a Christmas episode for anyone carrying trouble. In today’s teaching, John explores I Wonder as I Wander, a carol born out of poverty and lament, and reflects on how suffering can sometimes become a meeting place with God. If life feels uncertain, confusing, or heavy right now, this episode offers permission to bring your whole heart to Jesus and wonder in the wandering. 🙌 New episodes ev...

This Christmas carol was born out of a broken organ, a quiet night, and a simple guitar. In today’s episode, John explores Silent Night and invites us into a deeper understanding of intimacy, stillness, and God’s gentle presence. If you’re longing for connection with God or with others, this episode is a reminder that intimacy often begins in silence. 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, l...

This Christmas carol isn’t saying “be happy.” It’s saying “be held.” In today’s episode, John unpacks the surprising meaning behind God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and why this ancient song speaks directly to our need for strength, belonging, and hope. If you’ve been craving control but need peace instead, this one might change how you hear Christmas. 🙌 New episodes every weekday. 📲 Subscribe, like...

Today John sits down at the piano and plays Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, then talks honestly about expectations, hope, and real life during the holidays. This episode isn’t about a perfect Christmas. It’s about a real one. The kind where joy shows up in ordinary moments and Jesus meets us right where we are. If the season feels full or messy or both, this one is a gentle reminder that t...