John Ortberg

John Ortberg Key Player in Contemplative Spirituality and Spiritual Formation

God is Closer Than You Think by John OrtbergIn Ortberg's 2005 book, God is Closer Than You Think, Ortberg quotes favorably from contemplatives such as Anne Lamott, Annie Dillard, Gary Thomas (Sacred Pathways), Brother Lawrence (who danced violently like a mad man when he practiced), interspiritualists Tilden Edwards (Shalem Institute), Thomas Kelly (Divine Center in all), Jean Pierre de Caussade, Frederick Buechner, Meister Eckhart as well as Dallas Willard and Thomas Merton. And yet, Christian churches are using this book.


Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg"The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People" by John Ortberg

John Ortberg, once teaching pastor at Willow Creek, now at Menlo Park Presbyterian has some interesting things to say.
Look who he quotes favorably in this book:

Richard Foster

Dallas Willard
Soren Kierkegaard
Henri Nouwen
Thomas Kelly
Frederick Buechner
Thomas Merton
George Fox
Eugene Peterson
Lewis B. Smedes


John Ortberg's Other
Contemplative Connections


Dallas Willard
(Ortberg spoke at the Ancient Wisdom conference with Willard and showed his affinity with Willard in his public talks)

National Pastor's Convention

Willow Creek

Ruth Haley Barton

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