Formation · Issue 002 — Courageous Kingdom Living

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The science & soul of spiritual flourishing

From

John Ortberg

The Big Book of AA says this about fear: "This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it… We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper…"

"Paradoxically, humble dependence on God is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage."

So take a deep breath… sit up straight… read and believe… — John

In This Issue

Recent Research

Fear isn't just a feeling — it's a full-body takeover. Deep in your brain, the amygdala fires first, flooding your system before you even know why you're afraid. When that alarm misfires, imagined threats feel real. That's where anxiety begins — and why it's so hard to shake.

But here's the twist: courage doesn't erase fear — it recruits it. Psychologists now argue that bravery is action because of fear, not despite it. The most resilient people aren't calm; they're committed. Courage is less about personality and more about practiced defiance in the face of internal alarms.ⁱ

And what if anxiety itself isn't the enemy? Emerging research suggests a "sweet spot" where stress sharpens focus, fuels action, and builds resilience. Too little, you drift. Too much, you freeze. But just enough? It might be the very signal that something meaningful — and courageous — is at stake.ⁱⁱ

i. People often think that 'courage' and 'fearlessness' are synonyms. They're closer to antonyms! I can only display courage by taking action that I'm afraid to take. No fear = no courage. So if you're afraid — be encouraged!

ii. I remember reading years ago how researchers at Berkeley created conditions of perfect comfort for amoebas — temperature, nourishment, ideal conditions. The amoebas died. Even amoebas need stress to thrive. So have no fear, little flock. You are worth many amoebas.

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In the Field

Most discipleship programs skim the surface. Emotionally Healthy Discipleship goes for the jugular — exposing the buried fears, wounds, and emotional immaturity sabotaging your faith. Their premise is blunt: you can't follow Jesus courageously if you're still ruled by what you refuse to face. Transformation starts where avoidance ends.

Then there are believers who don't have the luxury of avoidance. Open Doors US works where following Jesus can cost everything — freedom, family, even life. Over 388 million Christians face persecution today, yet many persist with defiant faith, proving courage isn't theoretical — it's forged under pressure most Western Christians will never face.ⁱⁱⁱ

And what happens after trauma reshapes a life? Courage For Life steps into prisons and recovery spaces, delivering Scripture and formation resources to those rebuilding from addiction, abuse, and loss. Here, courage isn't heroic — it's daily, fragile, and hard-won, as people rediscover their voice, their story, and their future in Christ.^iv

iii. Sobering to remember that for many followers of Jesus in the early church in ancient Rome, 'in the arena' wasn't a metaphor — it was a literal reality. Susan Bergman's wonderful book Martyrs reminds us of the heroes that have walked before us and still walk beside us.

iv. It's striking how much of attachment theory mirrors Scripture. In the Bible, "Don't be afraid" is followed by "For I am WITH you." The antidote to fear is generally not to find less daunting circumstances, but to bring the Presence of God into the daunt. (Is daunt a word? If it's not, it should be.)

v. Teddy Roosevelt wasn't a Willardian. But one of my favorite quotes — I read it regularly for inspiration — is from his Sorbonne speech in 1910: "It's not the critic who counts; not the man who points out where the strong man stumbled or the doer of deeds could have done better. Rather the credit belongs to the man who is in the arena, whose face is marred by blood and sweat… (you can google it)."

Data Point

Source: CivicScience, January 2026

Soul Talk

What if fear isn't the enemy — but raw material? Dallas Willard suggests fear carries energy that can be redirected toward courage, even service. The question isn't how to eliminate fear, but how to redeem it — turning dread into decisive action that opens space for grace rather than retreat.

But redemption requires redefinition. The real danger, according to the C.S. Lewis Institute, isn't fear itself — it's misdirected fear. When we let culture, approval, or uncertainty rule us, we quietly enthrone them. True courage begins when fear is reordered, placing God — not circumstances — at the center of what we ultimately take seriously.

And then comes the surprise: Scripture's most repeated command isn't "try harder," but "do not fear." As Word on Fire explores, this isn't denial — it's defiance rooted in presence. Courage emerges not from certainty about outcomes, but from trust that God is already there, holding what we cannot control.

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Courage is like a muscle — the more we use it, the more courageous we become.

Formation with Dr. John Ortberg

EP003 ft. Gary Haugen

International Justice Mission founder Gary Haugen joins John to wrestle with Scripture's most troubling passages — and the kind of courage required to face humanity's hidden capacity for evil rather than explain it away.

Listen Now ↗

From the Editors

Watching

Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life doesn't ask if you believe in courage — it asks what it will cost you. Based on a true story, it follows a man who refuses to bow to Hitler, even when it means losing everything. Courage here isn't loud; it's stubborn, costly, and devastatingly ordinary.

Listening

Courage doesn't grow in isolation — it's rehearsed in worship. The Belonging Co.'s "Peace Be Still" echoes the phrase Jesus speaks to the storm: courage as defiance against doubt, not its absence. When your voice joins the chorus, you're not escaping fear — you're training your soul to stand inside it.^vi

Reading

Then comes the reckoning. In Silence by Shusaku Endo, faith collides with unbearable suffering — and God seems absent. As believers are tortured, the question sharpens: is courage holding on, or letting go? In the deafening quiet, endurance itself becomes the final, fragile testimony.

vi. Harvard's Ed Hallowell used to write about rule #1 in fear management: "Never Worry Alone." Fear thrives on rumination — and nothing interrupts ruminating better than the presence of another human being whose mere bodily presence reminds us we're not on our own.

A publication from

Formation is a publication from Become New — a ministry helping people grow spiritually one day at a time.

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