Travis Johnson

Brave Men

I received a Naval ROTC scholarship to the University of Miami in 1992.  I had planned to go to Lee for one year and then transfer back to Miami.  I never did.  I was 15 or 16 during the first Gulf War.  Had I been 18, I would have probably enlisted.  While in Seminary, I flirted with the idea of Military Chaplaincy.  I have a lot of very close friends I went to school with serving in combat and in chaplaincy.  I guess God had another plan for me.  Today, I have nothing but huge respect for our military. 

Memorial Day and thinking about how my grandfather served...enlisting about 5 months before Pearl Harbor humbles me.  So many people have paved the way for us to be free.  I guess the war in Iraq isn't the most popular thing to support.  I think it is so hypocritical of some of our leaders to have supported it when it was beneficial for them to do so.  But, now that we are in the thick of it, they bail somehow explaining that they never supported it in the first place.  Politicians are pretty lame like that.

Anyway, I got this picture from one of my college roommates who is a Captain in the US Army today and I just had to say thanks to our troops publicly. The story behind this picture? This is a 1-504 PIR "Red Devil" paratrooper from Sean Lambert's battalion.  A car bomb had just gone off and this guy maintains his cool, rifle ready, and is able to provide cover for a kid hoping to escape the violence.

Sean is Charles Lambert's son.  Charles or Carlos as we call him is the missions Representative for south and Central America.  He's an all around decent guy.  Life Pointe built a couple churches in Nicaragua through him.  Sean was right behind me in College.  He married my bud, Erik Kemerling's sister Carrie.  They are a special couple, serving a great country.  I just wanted to pause a moment and say thanks to teh brave men I am privileged to know.

Interruptions in a Church Service

Joe McKeever had a great article today on handling disruptions in church services.  It is useful for any public speaker or any team involved in any type of public gathering.  We've had to deal with cell phones, crying babies, a lady that tried to kiss me while I was speaking (she even produced Scripture for that), loud talkers, and a truck crashing into our building.  I read the article twice.

Buzzed about the Buzz

I registered the day before the Buzz Conference sold out. Hitting it for the second year in a row. I'm glad I got signed up in time. I'm bringing Jesse with me...want him to check things out. Since he's just coming on board, this will be a good opportunity to get the creative juices flowing.

Is This a Man Bag?!?

I've given Chris, Bob, Tony, Tadd, and Gary a hard time about their new purses they got to carry around their computers. You know...the whole Man Bag Controversy.

Dave is on board with the way I'm thinking. But, truth be known, he carries a backpack- something I quit doing ias a freshman in college. That's almost as bad as your mom sending you to the 7th grade with a barbie lunch box while wearing three striped knee high socks. You get beat up for that kind of thing. So, I don't think I could pull off the back pack like he does.

But, I guess we all have skeletons in our closet. As you can see in this picture, I got an Oakley "satchel." Technically, it is not a man bag. It has handles which I used when I was around Bob Franquiz last week. But, it also has a strap. Check out the picture of my satchel...if you can see it around the clutter of my manly autographed Hurricanes helmet and football, "Real Men Love Jesus" bumper sticker, fraternity paddle, and a picture of me nailing a heck of a jump at Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe.

So, let the jury weigh in and determine if this is indeed a man bag. Real men cut through the bull. So, tell it like it is. If I lose, I will leave the toilet seat down in my house and sip tea while eating crumpets...at least for one day.

Freedom

I had a long conversation on Sunday with one of our guys about how I thought the most important right we have as Americans is Free Speech. That right manifests itself in so many other areas of the U.S. Consitution to the point that if it was taken away, all of our rights would crumble.

My heart hurts for people in the world who do not experience the same freedoms as we do in America and in other free societies. This weekend was another tough one on the people in Venezuala. Hugo Chavez is a charismatic socialist. With a smile, colorful words, and a heavy hand, he is rapidly pulling all of the national resources into government ownership. This week, it was the largest television station.

People are protesting. The government is cracking down on dissident voices. Their freedom and way of life is being taken away quickly. I pray for Venezuela. I also pray for individuals that have and are going through this sort of hellish takeover on a more personal level. In Christ there is freedom. He came to set at liberty those that are held captive. He does it right also...no partial freedom or liberty is granted. John 8:36 says, "if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free."

Great Love

Navy-Marine memorial honoring all the sailors that died during World War I.
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. "
    -John 15:13 NASB

Sunday Wrap-up

    
WOW.  Here goes:

• It's 11:53.  I stopped hanging out with our people about 1 hour ago.  7:30 AM @ theater. 1 PM at Bayfront Park. 5:30 PM @ our house.  Crazy fun. 
• Hospitality setup was complete at 8:15 and tear down was over before church finished (not our M.O. but due to the summer schedule and the party at Bayfront, they did it).  Impressive.
• Phil and the band have done an awesome job filling in until Jesse starts on Sunday.
• Speaking of Phil and the band (and all the setup and engineering guys in the auditorium).  These guys have put their hearts into their ministry.  We ask for a lot out of them.  And, they give it freely.  Their service isn't second rate.  It's first class.
• For a Memorial Day weekend, our crowd was smokin'.  On days like today, I typically want to stand out on the curb to watch and see if anyone will show up.  Not going to feel that compulsion anymore.
• Paul did a great job speaking today.  He insulted me a few times.  The whole St. Peter joke was classic.  References to my argument with my wife over the toilet seat were unappreciated.  Now that that wound is re-opened, Kelly and I are going to have to get counseling.
• One thing about Paul- he made some comment about football and dreaming that he caught me in the backfield.  After service, I stressed to him it was a dream.
• For the fourth week in a row, we've had people come for movies and attend church.  This is getting to be hysterical.  These are some really cool cats too.  I love doing church in the theater for reasons just like that.
• Bayfront Park was awesome.  Good food.  Good people.
• Our people know how to party.
• Baptism was awesome.  Alex Link's expression when he came out of the water was priceless!
• We baptize people about every 6 weeks.  The largest baptism we've done is 32 people.  That was cool.  Today, we baptized 8 people (6 guys, 2 girls).  We circled up and shared our stories.  Then, Jim Nelson, Paul Hollifield, and I baptized the group.  That is one of my highest privileges in ministry!  I especially love sharing it with guys that are coming along with me in ministry.
• Note to self.  Apparently, you have to have an "event permit" to baptize someone in the bay?!  Who knew? 
• FOOTBALL- the old man still has it.  Our team was dominant.  We were offensive and defensive giants.
• Paul did manage to catch me in the backfield one measly time.  But, the three Mississippi rule was violated repeatedly by my aerodynamic bro and his minions.
• I'm embarrassed that our opponents whined like a bunch of "man-bag toting" girly men.

Overall the day was great.  I enjoyed hanging out with a lot of friends and catching up with Paul, Annie, and their kids.  Great time.  Great Sunday.  Glad it's over.  Time for some rest.

A Face in the Crowd

Paul Hollifield will be speaking this Sunday and I'll be a face in the crowd.  I'm looking forward to it for a couple reasons:

1. I have a lot of confidence in Paul speak from the Scriptures and from his heart.  He's a super guy with a heart to see the Church worship Christ.
2. I really enjoy being on the receiving end of a church service.  I get to sit next to Kelly in church and do the family thing.
3. I'm looking forward to slipping into Kids Life and our kids environments for a few minutes to check on our kids.  We have some of the best kids' volunteers.

We also have our Memorial Day gig tomorrow after church (football, soccer, food, etc...) at Bayfront Park.  We have some of our crew going public with their faith in Jesus by being baptized.  I'm always fired up about that.

Dealing with Criticism - brush it off

Have you ever felt like people "dump" on you for no apparent reason? What's the right response? President Bush shows how to just "brush it off."

Girls do Groups better Than Guys

I don't have any stats to prove what I'm about to say.  But, based on my experience, girls do better than guys at small groups.  Intimacy and empathy just come more naturally for girls.

I am not cursing the darkness.  I actually have an idea we put to work.  Beginning last week, IFL Battleground is on my 60" TV from 7-7:30 PM.  So the guys can come early and catch a couple fights while the girls mingle and chat.  Then, we can open the group in prayer.  We'll pray for all of the rejected UFC fighters who just got pounded.  Ya' dig?!