Become New with John Ortberg
Join John Ortberg each day for 10 minutes of spiritual guidance on the person we are becoming.
Episodes
1097 episodes
41. Here's Exactly What Changed Paul’s Life
How does someone go from being full of condemnation… to writing, “There is now no condemnation”?In this episode, John explores the transformation of Paul — a man driven by zeal, judgment, and certainty — who encounters the risen Jesu...
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26:14
What If You’re Not Being Honest With God
What if our biggest barrier with God isn’t sin, but politeness?In this episode, John Ortberg explores a surprising truth from Scripture: God isn’t looking for polished prayers. He’s inviting honest relationship. Through the story of Job...
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13:19
39. What Jesus Meant by Cast the First Stone
We don’t throw stones anymore.Except… we do.Online.In conversations.With a look, a tone, a pause.In this episode, John Ortberg unpacks one of the most famous and unsettling teachings of Jesus:“Let the one wit...
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13:02
38. Giving Up the 'Last Word'
Criticism is inevitable.Condemnation is optional.In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of the most important distinctions for spiritual growth: how to receive criticism without absorbing condemnation.Drawing from the li...
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14:56
37. The Real Reason Why We Judge Others
Condemnation doesn’t start with what we say.It starts with how we see people.In this episode, John Ortberg explores the root of condemnation and a critical distinction that can change the way we live: observation vs. evaluation....
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12:36
36. How to Let Go of Your Anger
What do you do with the anger that keeps replaying in your mind?The conversations.The injustice.The words you wish you could say back.In this episode, John Ortberg looks at the remarkable life of Saint Patrick — a man wh...
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13:04
35. The Difference Between Conviction and Condemnation
There’s a voice in your head that never stops talking.But not every voice deserves to be trusted.In this episode, John Ortberg explores the difference between self-condemnation and conviction. Drawing on i...
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12:53
34. When Someone in Your Family Won’t Change...
How do you confront someone’s behavior without becoming condemning yourself?In this episode, John walks through a common real-life situation — dealing with a difficult family member — and explains the three elements required for genuine cha...
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14:58
33. Is it really surprising that God loves you?
Is it really surprising that God loves you?In this episode, John challenges a common assumption many Christians carry: that God’s love for us is somehow unexpected or hard for Him. But Scripture paints a different picture. Over and over...
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12:52
32. We've Been Listening Wrong
What if the key to overcoming condemnation isn’t arguing better — but listening better?In this episode, John explores Jesus’ surprising instruction in Luke 8:18: “Consider carefully how you listen.” Through the parable of the sower, Jes...
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10:59
31. Becoming a Person of Blessing
The opposite of condemnation isn’t just restraint...it’s blessing.In this episode, John Ortberg explores how Jesus calls us to become people who actively bless others — even those who curse us. Drawing from Scripture and insights from T...
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12:20
30. Can you be a good person and condemn others?
Why does condemnation feel like it’s everywhere today?In this episode, John Ortberg explores a cultural shift: we no longer define a “good person” by love and character, but by holding the “right” opinions. The result? More judgment, mo...
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14:36
29. The Virtue of Self Knowledge (w/Dr. Jim Taylor)
Sign up here to receive the Formation Newsletter: https://becomenew.com/formation/What if the antidote to condemnation isn’t trying harder to be nice… but learning to know yourself?In this conversation, John Ortberg talks with p...
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13:36
28. The Six Types of Condemnation
You don’t condemn people… right?Let me stop you right there.In this episode, John Ortberg walks through six surprisingly common styles of condemnation — from the obvious (aggressive anger) to the subtle (silence, sarcasm, p...
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15:10
27. The Law of Reciprocal Condemnation
There is now no condemnation...but if we’re honest, sometimes condemnation feels effective.In this episode, John Ortberg explores what Dallas Willard called the law of reciprocal condemnation — the almost unbreakable cycle where ...
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12:32
26. The Benefits of Guilt and Shame
In this episode, John Ortberg offers what he calls “two cheers for guilt and shame.” Drawing from the book of Judges, John explores why justice matters, why moral reality is woven into the fabric of existence, and why a world without any sense ...
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13:18
25. Stop Condemning, Just Listen
John Ortberg builds on a surprising Lenten invitation echoed even by the Pope: fast from harsh words. Disarm your language. Refuse contempt.John revisits what condemnation actually is — not discernment, not moral clarity — but a toxic mix o...
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13:34
24. The Fence They Couldn’t Get Over
Condemnation comes easily when we quietly assume we earned where we stand.In this episode, John explores two truths that change everything about how we see other people: we do not know their full story — and we do not know their future....
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14:12
23. Les Misérables, Condemnation, and Grace
Today, John Ortberg uses Les Misérables by Victor Hugo to explore two ways of living:• the condemning life (Javert)• the blessing life (the Bishop)• and the transformed life (Jean Valjean)Drawing on Romans 8, 2 Corinthia...
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21:06
22. The 'Status Elevation Ritual'
Why does condemnation feel so automatic?In this episode, John explores how shame and judgment often operate through what sociologists call status degradation rituals, the subtle ways we lower others to elevate ourselves.Drawing ...
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13:56
21. How to Know If You Have a Condemning Spirit
Why does condemnation feel so automatic?In this episode, John Ortberg invites us to slow down, breathe, and notice something surprising: judgment doesn’t just live in our thoughts — it lives in our bodies.Returning to the story ...
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14:47
20. The Right Way to Tell Someone They're Wrong
How do you tell someone they’re wrong… without condemning them?John Ortberg explores one of the most important distinctions in communication: the difference between tone and heart. Tone can be soothing or jarring. But the heart must alw...
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16:06
19. Doesn’t the World Deserve Condemnation?
John Ortberg tackles a tension many of us feel but rarely name:If there is no condemnation, what do we do with real evil, injustice, and wrongdoing?John walks us through Scripture, the prophets, and Jesus’ own words to show why “no ...
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14:45