Normal? Who's Normal?Not you, that's for sure! No one you've ever met, either. None of us are normal according to God's definition, and the closer we get to each other, the plainer that becomes. Yet for all our quirks, sins, and jagged edges, we need each other. Community is more than just a word---it is one of our most fundamental requirements. So how do flawed, abnormal people such as ourselves master the forces that can drive us apart and come together in the life-changing relationships God designed us for?In Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them, teacher and best-selling author John Ortberg zooms in on the things that make community tick. You'll get a thought-provoking look at God's heart, at others, and at yourself. Even better, you'll gain wisdom and tools for drawing closer to others in powerful, impactful ways. With humor, insight, and a gift for storytelling, Ortberg shows how community pays tremendous dividends in happiness, health, support, and growth. It's where all of us weird, unwieldy people encounter God's love in tangible ways and discover the transforming power of being loved, accepted, and valued just the way we are.The need for community is woven into the very fabric of our being. Nothing else can substitute for the life-giving benefits of connecting with others---not even God. He won't preempt the way he himself has designed us to reflect his own intensely relational nature. But there's a hitch in our experience of community, says John Ortberg: We're all weird. Folks around us may seem normal enough, but just wait till we get to know them---and they get to know us. The unhealthy, sinful ways we respond to life in a fallen world are hardly God's idea of 'normal,' and they can make us as unhuggable as porcupines. We face the 'porcupine dilemma,' says Ortberg: We need each other, but how do we get close without getting hurt? How do we get past all those quills and grow together in Christ?In Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them, Ortberg once again reveals his gift for sharing profound insights using a lighten-up approach. With winsome humor and a fondness for well-spun stories, he pops the myth of normalcy and hands us the keys to creating and sustaining relationships. 'God's dream for community encompasses the redemption of all spheres of life,' he says. Who doesn't want like to be liked, to be wanted, to have solid, satisfying friendships! Ortberg shows what such relationships are made of. He reveals the benefits of authenticity---what it means to live with an 'unveiled face,' as the Bible puts it. He encourages us to trade the stones it's so easy to cast at others for acceptance. He opens our eyes and heart to empathy, the art of reading people. And he takes us through the ins and outs of conflict, forgiveness, confrontation, inclusion, and gratitude.The principles and discussion questions in this book are down-to-earth. They're for real people living in a real world, and are intended to help us count the practical cost of relationship and then pay it---because in all the rewards and struggles of community, we're investing in something beyond our comprehension. You could call it heaven. You could call it home. It's the place where all of us are headed, all of us belong, and all of us will be normal at last.

You Can Live a Deeper, More Spiritual Life Right Where You Are.An expanded edition with a new chapter on prayer and discussion questionsThe heart of Christianity is transformation---a relationship with God that impacts not just our 'spiritual lives,' but every aspect of living. John Ortberg calls readers back to the dynamic heartbeat of Christianity---God's power to bring change and growth---and reveals both the how and why of transformation.With a new chapter on prayer and added discussion questions, this expanded edition of The Life You've Always Wanted offers modern perspectives on the ancient path of the spiritual disciplines. But this is more than just a book about things to do to be a good Christian. It's a road map toward true transformation that starts not with the individual but with the object of the journey---Jesus Christ. As with a marathon runner, the secret to winning the race lies not in trying harder, but in training consistently---training with the spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are neither taskmasters nor an end in themselves. Rather they are exercises that build strength and endurance for the road of growth. The fruit of the Spirit---joy, peace, kindness, etc.---are the signposts along the way.Paved with humor and sparkling anecdotes, The Life You've Always Wanted is an encouraging and challenging approach to a Christian life that's worth living---a life on the edge that fills an ordinary world with new meaning, hope, change, and joy.

Winner of the 2002 Christianity Today Book Award!You're One Step Away from the Adventure of Your LifeDeep within you lies the same faith and longing that sent Peter walking across the wind-swept Sea of Galilee toward Jesus.In what ways is the Lord telling you, as he did Peter, 'Come'?John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you in ways that will change you forever, deepening your character and your trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It's thrilling beyond belief. It's everything you'd expect of someone worthy to be called Lord.The choice is yours to know him as only a water-walker can, aligning yourself with God's purpose for your life in the process. There's just one requirement: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.

Many Christians have an easier time being saved by grace than they do living in grace every day. But grace is at the center of the life God calls us to--and reflects the heart of the One who calls.These studies in Grace will help you make the connection between grace as a remote biblical concept and grace as a lifestyle--a reality you experience day in, day out. Through an unfolding study of Psalm 23, you'll learn how God--our Good Shepherd--is for you, how he longs to walk with you through temptation, sorrow, and even deep regret. You'll discover God's desire to make his joy your joy. Throughout, you'll learn how enduring, powerful, and life-affirming God's work in your life can be---and rediscover why it's called amazing grace.Leader's guide included!Grace group sessions are:Living in GraceGrace for RegretsSustaining GraceDelighting in GraceA Legacy of GraceGrace ForeverGrace to Share

What does it mean to do everything 'in Jesus' name'? Is that an ideal attainable only by a few 'super Christians'--or is it a way of life we can all experience?Leader's guide included!Fully Devoted group sessions are:What Is True Spirituality?GraceGrowthGroupsGiftsGiving'We Know Him Well . . . '

What would your life be like if Jesus lived it? Imagine the change you would experience in your thoughts, actions, and relationships. Think of the joy and freedom that could transform every area of your life. That's exactly what God has in mind for you! You'll find out how in Growth. Through personal study and small group interaction, this study sets you on a path to live out the character of Jesus in this world as only you can. It happens not by trying hard, but by training. By cultivating spiritual disciplines--Scripture meditation, prayer, solitude, endurance, loving others--you'll discover the joy of being transformed by Christ and the freedom of living each day sustained by his power. Leader's guide included!Growth group sessions are:Training to Live Like JesusThe Practice of Scripture MeditationThe Practice of SolitudeSimple PrayerThree Transforming PrayersThe Roundabout WayAnd the Greatest of These Is Love

Gifted--that's you! Uniquely equipped to help build up the body of Christ. As a follower of Jesus, serving others is an integral part of your identity and an important key to your personal growth. But how do you cultivate a servant's heart and your spiritual gifts in ways that build up your church, your family, your friends, and your world--without wiping you out in the process? Gifts guides you to the answers. Through personal study and small group interaction, this study will help you develop a passion to be used by God. You'll find out about your unique place in the body of Christ and how to surmount the obstacles that keep you from thriving. You'll discover the joy of serving with others--doing together what you cannot do alone. And you'll learn how to abide in Christ, experiencing a freshness and vitality that grow as you give!Leader's guide included!Gifts group sessions are:Use Me!Use My Gifts!Walking into WeaknessComparison: The Killjoy of ServanthoodThe Ministry of the MundaneServanthood's Bell-Shaped CurveAbide in Him

Today, some people think of the church as a powerless institution made of ancient traditions and stuffy buildings. They're wrong! The church is the new community of God's people. It's filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. And it has as much to say to the world today as it did two thousand years ago. In Acts, you will discover that God wants to do a fresh work among his people by the power of the Holy Spirit. You will find the pathway to authentic community. You will learn how to grow as a worshiper. And you will deepen your passion to invite others into the fellowship of Christ-followers we call the church. Sound exciting? Let's rediscover church together!