Formation with John Ortberg

About Formation with John Ortberg

Formation is a podcast for leaders, seekers, and lifelong learners at the intersection of theology, psychology, and lived wisdom. Hosted by John Ortberg, PhD, each episode explores the science and soul of spiritual flourishing: what shapes us, what changes us, and what it means to be fully human. Topics include: - Spiritual formation - Contemplative practice - The psychology of transformation and habit change - Leadership, character, and the inner life - Theology in dialogue with modern science - Emotional health, resilience, and purpose Learn more by visiting formationpodcast.com

Publisher

Become New

Category

arts · religion & spirituality · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Apr 2026

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

12 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   FN002. John Ortberg on Interpreting Genesis & What It Means to Be Chosen

   Host Jackson Lane interviews John Ortberg about how understanding ancient culture and biblical genre illuminates Genesis and the concept of being chosen.

2. 

   14 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   FN001. John Ortberg on Transcendence, the Loss of Enchantment, and Curiosity About God | Tyler Staton

   John Ortberg and Tyler Staton explore how to maintain curiosity about God, discussing transcendence, humor, and marriage.

3. 

   30 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   012. The Apple Store Creator on Why the Most Important Thing You Bring to Work Is You ft. Ron Johnson

   Host John Ortberg interviews Ron Johnson, the Apple Store creator, about why your unique inner voice is your most valuable workplace contribution.

4. 

   16 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   11. This Ancient Creed Can Rescue Us From Spiritual Homelessness ft. Glenn Packiam | 011

   Host John Ortberg interviews Glenn Packiam about how the ancient Nicene Creed offers a powerful antidote to modern spiritual homelessness.

5. 

   2 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   10. A Systems Theory Expert on the Anxiety Running Your Team ft. Steve Cuss

   Systems theory expert Steve Cuss shares with host John Ortberg how understanding emotional wiring helps leaders manage team anxiety.

6. 

   19 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   AMA01. Predestination, Soul Care, Navigating Church Hurt, and Healing Childhood Wounds

   Host John Ortberg answers listener questions on predestination, soul care, church hurt, and childhood wounds in this interview with Creative Director Jackson.

7. 

   5 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   009. Everything You Need to Know About the Next Generation ft. Kara Powell

   Host John Ortberg interviews Kara Powell, Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, about understanding and engaging with the next generation.

8. 

   22 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   008. As the World Gets More Synthetic, the Church Must Get More Human ft. Carey Nieuwhof

   Host John Ortberg interviews Carey Nieuwhof about how the church can remain human in an increasingly synthetic world, exploring leadership, fame, and faith.

9. 

   8 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   007. Quadriplegia, Despair, and Learning to Truly Live ft. Joni Eareckson Tada

   John Ortberg interviews Joni Eareckson Tada about embracing suffering and finding faith through profound adversity.

10. 

    24 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

    A Silicon Valley Pastor on the Spiritual Cost of a Distracted Life ft. Jay Kim | 006

    Host John Ortberg interviews Silicon Valley pastor Jay Kim about the spiritual cost of distraction and finding peace through ancient prayer practices.

11. 

    10 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

    005. The Hidden Spiritual Cost of How We Work ft. Gary Hamel

    Host John Ortberg interviews business thinker Gary Hamel about the spiritual cost of modern work and how to unleash human potential.

12. 

    20 May 2026

    004. How Politics Shapes Our Spiritual Formation ft. Michael Wear

    What does it look like to follow Jesus when the culture insists that everything depends on the next election? Michael Wear joins John for a conversation about politics, allegiance, and the slow work of keeping ultimate things ultimate. A former White House staffer who came to faith as a teenager in a Wegmans grocery store, Michael has spent his career arguing that Christian knowledge is not just privately meaningful but publicly useful, and that the church has handed political parties a power...

13. 

    6 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

    003. Facing Humanity's Hidden Capacity for Evil ft. Gary Haugen

    What does it take to do hard things for a long time without being broken by them? Gary Haugen is the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. He joins John for a conversation about evil, the human capacity for violence, and why the people most serious about changing the world may be the ones most in need of spiritual formation. AMA Opportunity: Leave us a review ahead of our launch for a chan...

14. 

    22 Apr 2026

    002. How to Read the Old Testament (and Still Have Faith) ft. Tremper Longman

    What do we do with a God who commands violence, permits slavery, and seems to change his mind? Tremper Longman III — one of the most prolific and trusted Old Testament scholars of his generation — joins John for a conversation about the parts of Scripture that trouble us most, and why sitting with that trouble might be more formative than explaining it away. AMA Opportunity: Leave us a review ahead of our launch for a chance to ask John a question on an upcoming episode. Here's how: fol...

15. 

    22 Apr 2026

    001. How God Gets Our Attention and the Pace of Formation ft. Tyler Staton

    What does it mean to know God, not as a doctrine held, but as a presence inhabited? Tyler Staton joins John for the first conversation in Formation's history: an unhurried exploration of how the Holy Spirit forms us, why prayer is less about technique than attention, and what it looks like to discover God not only in the sanctuary but in the chaos of a basketball sideline, a marriage, and a cancer diagnosis. This is a conversation about the ancient and the empirical, and how sometimes we may ...

16. 

    8 Apr 2026

    Your Chance to Ask John a Question

    Leave us a review ahead of our launch for a chance to be featured in an upcoming episode. Do you want a chance to ask John a question? Four easy steps. Follow the podcastLeave a reviewTake a screenshotEmail it to usEmail proof of your review to us along with your question for John — ⁠connect@becomenew.com⁠ We’ll answer selected* questions in an upcoming episode of the podcast. (Your screenshot must be attached. Submissions without proof of review will not be considered. Entries are limited to...

Inside a recent episode

FN002. John Ortberg on Interpreting Genesis & What It Means to Be Chosen

Published 28 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So, uh, its uniqueness and its authority and the reality that come has come to the human race and change history is like no other book. And so in that sense, just a very deep sense of confidence and, And it's a bit like what Peter said to Jesus when Jesus said, again, leave me now. Where else would we go? […]

Who has been a guest on Formation with John Ortberg

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tyler Staton
• Ron Johnson
• Glenn Packiam
• Steve Cuss
• Kara Powell

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

126 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

76 ratings

Contact Formation with John Ortberg

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Formation with John Ortberg