Examining a Performance-Driven Way of Life with John Ortberg

Do you feel like the only ways to cultivate your life with God are through spiritual disciplines such as Bible study and prayer? What if you could arrange your entire life in a way that empowers you to encounter God in all things?

In this episode, Jay Y. Kim is joined by bestselling author and speaker John Ortberg. Through wrestling with the limitations of his own faith upbringing, Ortberg has learned to instead hunger for real and accessible transformation that is Christ-shaped and all-encompassing. 

Together they envision and reflect on a way of life that goes beyond mere religious activities and devotional efforts. Ortberg also exposes the common struggle of seeking after performance in spiritual growth and offers us practical steps toward a better way—one of trust and surrender to God’s timing and wisdom.

This rich dialogue also spotlights the "Become New" content series crafted by Ortberg, which focuses on cultivating the whole-life discipleship so many of us desire. 

If you often feel discouraged about your spiritual life or find it difficult to hear God’s voice, Kim and Ortberg offer hopeful ideas for everyday engagement with God as our home.

Download a reflective guide to The Examen.

This episode highlights the following themes:

• Practical ways to abide with God amidst daily pressures
• The challenge of spiritual transformation beyond religious activities
• Redefining “success” in our spiritual journeys to resist performance culture

Links from this episode:

• Get to know more about John Ortberg
• Subscribe to Become New to receive daily emails and devotional content
• Read The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
• Read Soul Keeping by John Ortberg
• Read Eternity Is Now in Session by John Ortberg
• Read the transcript here

The world is full of noise. Many are exhausted by the cacophony and chaos of the modern, digital age, where peace is scarce and self-reflection is infrequent. In “The Digital Examen”, a new podcast from IVP, author and pastor Jay Y. Kim converses with a variety of leaders, pastors, and scholars who are working to reorient their lives in the direction of listening, tuning their hearts and minds to hear the voice of God in all of its clarity, kindness, and strength.

Learn more about The Digital Examen

Learn more about your host, Jay Y. Kim

Read Analog Church and Analog Christian by Jay Y. Kim

Links and Credits

✅ Special offer: Visit ivpress.com and use the code IVPOD25 for 25% off any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.

✅ Producers: Helen Lee, Travis Albritton, and Andrew Bronson

✅ Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts

✅ Social Media Manager: Allie Noble

✅ Production Assistants: Christine Pelliccio and Isis Toldson

✅ Podcast Art: Kate Lillard

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