You're one step away from the adventure of your life. John Ortberg invites you to consider the incredible potential that awaits you outside your comfort zone. Deep 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"? 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. In this Christianity Today Award-winning read, bestselling author John Ortberg pushes you to take the last step that separates you from the adventure of your life. And, as a result, you will learn to: Recognize God's presence Discern between faith and foolishness Not only expect problems, but field them when they come Reorient your thoughts about failure and see it as an opportunity to grow Wait on the Lord And, ultimately, connect more deeply with God Features discussion questions at the end of each chapter to enhance your reflection and spiritual growth. Also perfect for small group discussion.

In this six-session study pastor and author John Ortberg teaches people how to trust God more fully. Using testimonial interviews to illustrate his talks, Ortberg teaches participants the skills essential for “water-walking” in faith with God. Designed for use with the video.

Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet you and offer you his Holy Spirit power that will change your life forever, deepening your faith and trust in God.

In the six-session small group Bible study, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, John Ortberg guides you and your group through the spiritual disciplines and teaches you how they can transform your spiritual life. What does true spiritual life really look like? And what keeps you from living it? What can you do to pursue it? If you’re tired of the status quo—if you suspect there’s more to Christianity than what you’ve experienced—John Ortberg invites you to join him on a road to transformation and spiritual vigor that anyone can take. Cultivate new intimacy and confidence in prayer. Discover the freedom of secrecy. Taste the benefits of slowing life’s frenetic pace. Learn how to be guided by the Holy Spirit … and much more. As in a marathon, the secret lies not in trying hard, but in training consistently. Proven by followers of Jesus over the centuries, the spiritual disciplines are exercises that strengthen your endurance race on the road to growth. Sessions include: It’s Morphing Time Slowing Down and Celebrating Praying and Confessing Meditating on Scripture and Seeking Guidance Practicing Servanthood, Finding Freedom Going the Distance with a Well-Ordered Heart Designed for use with The Life You’ve Always Wanted: A DVD Study 9780310810506 (sold separately).

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

Community is God’s idea. Only in community can we know and be known, love and be loved, celebrate others and be celebrated by them. And only through close, transparent relationships can we be transformed as individuals.Groups invites you to enjoy the rewards--and embrace the risks--of community. Step by step, this study will challenge and encourage you to explore the amazing potential for growth found in authentic relationships. You’ll study the true nature of friendship. The power of paying attention. The path to intimacy. The encouragement of being for one another. You’ll learn what it means to live out these and other simple but vital truths for being all you are, giving all you’ve got, and receiving all you need as a member of God’s dynamic community, the church.Leader’s guide included!Groups group sessions are:This Is a FriendshipLove Pays AttentionKnowing and Being KnownWhen Community Breaks DownForgivenessBuilding a Passionately Inclusive ChurchBeing "For" One Another

In this refreshingly candid look at what it takes to live a life of faith, John Ortberg takes an honest look at the misgivings and uncertainties that often shake our beliefs as we navigate through the highs and lows of life. Reflecting on his own bouts with doubt and uncertainty, Ortberg shares with readers his discovery that, rather than being a contradiction in terms, doubt and faith may be very much a part of each other. He challenges readers to consider how doubt can motivate us to study and learn, how questioning expands our understanding, and how uncertainty can lead to trust. These challenges point us toward the relief of being totally honest. The right kind of doubt can be a gift—an action-generating truth that actually allows us to deepen our faith and intimacy with God. Written to challenge, comfort, and inspire readers, Know Doubt reveals uncertainty as a cause for celebration.

What if the most important word is the one in the middle? We often think of doubt as the opposite of faith, but could it actually strengthen our relationship with God? According to John Ortberg, best-selling author and pastor, the very nature of faith requires the presence of uncertainty. In this refreshingly candid look at a life of faith, he traces the line between belief and unbelief: less a dividing line between hostile camps than a razor’s edge that runs through every soul. His findings point us toward the relief of being totally honest. Questions can expand our understanding, uncertainty can lead to trust, and honest faith can produce outrageous hope. Written from Ortberg’s own struggle with faith and doubt, this book will challenge, comfort, and inspire you with the truth that God wants all of us—including our doubts.

You’re only one step away from the adventure of your life. In this abridgement of his bestselling book, If You Want to Walk on Water You Have toGet Out of the Boat, John Ortberg invites you to do with God’s help what you could never do on your own—step out of your comfort zone and step out on the risky waters of faith. If you do, you’ll find that 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.