The Holy Post 700: What Every Christian Can Learn from A.A. with John Ortberg
61 snips
Dec 17, 2025 
John Ortberg, an influential author and ministry leader specializing in spiritual formation, joins the discussion to delve into his book, which merges the 12-step recovery principles with Christian discipleship. He highlights the importance of honesty in acknowledging personal struggles and applying the concept of 'step zero'—recognizing when we’re not okay. Ortberg emphasizes that genuine faith involves trust in God's goodness rather than rigid certainty and warns against viewing spiritual practices as mere checkboxes, advocating for their role in fostering authentic love and growth.
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Lament As Active Worship
- Lament is an active, faith-filled plea that assumes God's covenant character rather than passive "thoughts and prayers."
- Mike Erre says lament builds a case to God and is corporate worship, not mere complaint.
Celebration Without Lament Hurts Worship
- Many evangelical churches avoid lament and emphasize perpetual celebration in worship services.
- That absence produces shallow responses to tragedy and discourages honest grieving before God.
Enforce Laws Without Dehumanizing
- Treat migrants humanely even when enforcing immigration laws; avoid dehumanizing or substandard detention.
- Phil Vischer cites Catholic teaching that basic rights must be guaranteed and cruel deportation can be intrinsically evil.