Travis Johnson

Church Planter: Brent Stephens

In the past, Awakenings or Revivals came by way of persecution, crusades, student-led prayer ministries, and overseas missionary endeavors.  I believe there may be an awakening taking place today and church planters are involved in a big way.  I'm blown away by how many really awesome guys are laying it down to establish new life-giving churches.

I am glad to see my friends, Brent and Sarah Stephens going public with their decision to plant a church in the Atlanta-area town of Acworth.  They are leaving a relatively comfortable, upwardly mobile denominational position working for someone I consider to be one of our very best denominational leaders to step out into the arena of the unknown.   I'm incredibly proud of Brent and Sarah.  I've known both of them for over 10 years.

If you know of anyone in the Acworth area that would like to be a part of a launch team for a new church, have them check out www.acworthchurchplant.com.  I'd also encourage you to consider supporting these guys in prayer and with cash.  Its an awesome thing to be a part of the mission of Jesus.  Its a beautiful thing to be a part of the Church. 

Missionary Bloggers

Yesterday, I taught a session on Marketing the Mission at the Gold Coast Missions Conference in Cooper City.  Some of the most unique, genuine, and decent people I've met were there.  Some were pastors, educators, social workers and clinicians (like Evan and Charity), and pilots (like Richard Bechton).  Others were national leaders of church planting movements.  We discussed blogging as a tool to carry out mission.  It was cool to see that while I was teaching, one of our leaders, Nick Park, our National Overseer of Churches in Ireland started his blog during the session.

You've got to check out his first post on Using the Irish Republican Army As an Example for Missionary Support Groups.  I'm anticipating a great social network emerging from guys like Nick and others over the next few weeks.

Brian Hunter Blogs

Brian Hunter and I go back to college and seminary.  I was maybe a year or two ahead of him at Lee U.  I didn't know him well during our undergraduate.  But, we ended up working together at North Cleveland doing the Master's Commission program there.  From there, I went to Chicago.  He went to Toronto.  We both ended up in Florida.  I came to the promised land (Miami).  He went to the den of the devil (Tallahassee, home of the Semi-noles).

Since arriving in Tallahassee about three years ago, he and his team have absolutely rocked taking Genesis Church from 9 to somewhere over 1,000 people.  Brian is a thinker.  He's solid as a person.  He's a gifted speaker and leader.  He's a decent person.  He's the newest addition to my Blog Roll.  I bet you anything, he'll be a daily read for you.

A Missional Denomination is an Impossibility

In a previous post on COG Catalyst, I shared that I was in Pursuit of a Missional Denomination.  I actually meant that I wanted to see the Church of God become missional in its appropriation of trust and resources.  However, thanks to Art Rogers at the 12 Witnesses blog, I have found a new expression that may more accurately reflect my heart for missionality- "A Missional Denomination is an Impossibility." Art via his blog also introduced me to a denominational change model (pdf download) to learn from.

I've had a personal conversation with our Presiding Bishop, Dennis McGuire concerning the next General Assembly.  I heard a passion from him to make the Church of God a denomination that offered real services to its pastors.  While it sounds totally attractive to me to hear of the potential to have health insurance provided for the pastors, property insurance provided for the churches, more services from our corporate offices on both the state and international levels, and missions money better distributed by the denomination, I think it also may cause us to be even more bureaucratic, more centralized, slower, and less field focused.  I don't question the aims of our current direction.  But, the times are rapidly changing and now more than ever, we need to be nimble, responsive, and missional.

I'd like to offer the approach that the Tulsa Metro Association of Baptist Churches has taken. They have divested themselves of all non-core functions such as their "campground, a clothing center, crises pregnancy center, etc.", turning them over to churches within the association that have a passion for those ministries.  This resulted in a significant downsizing of association staff.  They subsequently reorganized the association into 4 divisions: Church Planting Team, the Church Strengthening Team, the Church Leadership Development Team, and the Church Staff Support Team.

According to Charles Cruce, Director of Missions for the Association, he has come to understand that the association is not:

1. a church
2. in the ministry business

The TMABC will not:
1. TMABC will not usurp and take up the role of the church!
2. TMABC will not promote and protect its own existence!
3. TMABC will not discriminate in resourcing the ministry vision of the churches!

The temptation in any organization, especially as it matures is to protect the existence of bureaucracy.  It is a temptation that must be beaten in order to ensure the vitality of the mission.  I feel we can make some basic changes to our structure that would radically alter our direction. 

At a time when we are closing more churches in the USA than we are opening, I think the time has come to do as Charles Cruces has done and shed the bureaucracy in favor of mission. If not, we can resign ourselves to the wisdom of General Eric Shinseki when he said, “If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.”

Big Times in Tampa

This is a brief follow up from my FL Ministers' Meeting post.  I thought I would blog a bunch of news from the meeting.  But, I can't since I was mostly delirious.  I stayed up until 3 am on Monday night at Bennigan's having earth altering conversation, woke up at 6 am, grabbed a coffee and went to the meeting.  We broke for lunch after having some difficulties with our voting pads. 

We shot off to "Village Inn."  By this time, I was completely overcaffeinated and underfed (if you can believe that).  By the time lunch was over, I was laying on a bench outside of the restaurant, nauxious, and pale.  I won't go into details other than to say that I appreciate people getting me water, a towel, and crackers.  Embarrasing for me and bad for business for them.

We went back to the meeting and I ended up bailing back to the room.  I went to sleep at 5 PM and woke up the this morning.  Before coming back home, we stopped in to see Sam Nelson (one of our Life Pointe Kids) at Clearwater Christian College.  He's a super kid with a great future.  What a trip.

I will say that I am glad that we selected a very progressive State Council.  I loved our church planting video highlighting Rockey McKinley at Destiny Community Church and Ryan Kramer at Mosaic Church in Trinity, FL.  It was also cool to see Brian Hunter voted on to the Evangelism Board.  Well, there's my fun.  Glad to be back.  Glad to sleep in my own bed.

Florida State Minister's Meeting

I'm on my way to the State Minister's Meeting for the COG in Florida. I may blog the meeting if I get a chance.  While I'm gone, I'll stop by and see Sam Nelson, one of our college kids in Clearwater.

Proud to be a Lee Alumnus

 

I had a great time at my alma mater on Thursday and Friday celebrating Dr. Conn's 20th year as the president of Lee University.  We sat with Tony and Heather Byrd, Phil Harris, and Torrey and Polly Herrin at dinner Thursday.  Then, we enjoyed a concert in the Dixon Center after which I had a good conversation with Dennis McGuire.  I may share some of that conversation later at COG Catalyst.

Friday morning, I sat in on Pitching Your Tent at the Postmodern Carnival: Witness in a Pluralist Context seminar led by Tony Richie and Cheryl Bridges-Johns.  I always enjoy listening to Cheryl.  It was my first time hearing Tony speak.  I wish I had been able to take notes.  They both had some interesting things to say about everything from ecuminism to seeker-sensitive ministry to Brian McClaren.

Then, we participated in the Celebration service.  The Symphony, mass choir, wind ensemble demonstrated one thing that Lee probably does better than most, music.  Dr. Carolyn Dirksen captured the past 20 years at Lee in an inspirational talk.  Dr. Conn spoke to the students and alumni concerning their roles and realities. The highlight was when he introduced K.C. Coomer III, representing the class of 2009. He left Lee and returned one year later after a tour in Iraq where his best friend was killed in Fallujah.  He received a seemingly endless standing ovation.

We caught up with a lot of old friends.  It was especially good to sit down with my pastor, Mitch Maloney and my 3 girls.  I am always challenged by his vision and friendship.

When I left the Lee campus, I drove away with a significant amount of pride for my school.  Dr. Conn is a phenomenal leader of what I would consider the premier evangelical Christian university in America.  It has really shaped my life.  My parents attended as did my grandparents.  I imagine that one day my girls will attend Lee as well.  I can't imagine what the school will have to offer then (much less what it will cost!).

On the way home, I thought about my girls moving away one day over a chili dog at the Varsity.  I guess that's one good thing about Lee being so far from Miami, the Varsity is in between Lee and the Atlanta airport.  Not bad...not bad at all.

tagged: lee university - paul conn - dennis mcguire - "church of god" - mitch maloney - cheryl johns - tony richie - tony byrd - torrey herrin - phil harris

photos: Lee University on Flickr - Humanities Building Great Sky Photo

Kelly's Celebration '06 entries: l.u.celebration '06 - webbs @ lee - the varsity - i can walk...just don't want to - cooler weather of n.c. - pop roberts house
 

Marty Baker's Giving Kiosk

This cool cat, Marty "Big Time" Baker has gone Hollywood with a story on his giving kiosks.  CBS, NBC, NPR, and the LA Times have picked up on his SecureGive gig.  Great article.  Great Story.  The marketing of this Church technology doesn't suck!  I'm sure Brad Abare would be proud.

tagged: marketing - technology - marty baker - Church Marketing Sucks - NPR - LA Times - Secure Give

Cleveland and Charlotte Chronicles

Posting from the Savannah Homewood Suites, the most signage-impaired hotel I've ever stayed in:

Kelly, the girls, and I are on our way to Charlotte to see my grandfather, W.J. Roberts.  We call him the "Silver Fox."  Kourtney calls him "Pop Roberts."  He is an awesome man.  McKenna has never met him.  He hasn't been feeling well and the doctors haven't given him the best news lately.  But, at 87, he still mows his own lawn and gives me a hard time.  I'll post an entire entry later on some really inspiring things about WJ.  I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Thursday, we will be in Cleveland, TN for Celebration '06 at Lee University where I'll be representing the Class of '97.  I am a big L.U. evangelist.  I love going back, especially for this event.  Everytime I'm there, I get to see a few new buildings that have gone up.  That place is rocking.  It is a great school being run by a great leader. 

I got a call from the Rabbi today.  He's there along with a lot of good friends I really look forward to seeing. 

tagged: lee university - paul conn - Church of God

Check out COG Catalyst

Follow the Re:Formation discussions here.  I won't be writing anymore of my gripes or thoughts on the COG here anymore.  I'm kicking it out to its new home, COG Catalyst.

Going to Re:Formation '06

I'm on my out the door to Re:Formation '06 in Atlanta.  Alex McManus is speaking.  I'll be there to tell the Life Pointe story along with a couple other pastors who are pastoring some out of the box churches in our denomination.  I'll blog the conference.  More tomorrow.

tagged: Alex McManus - Church of God - Reformation - Life Pointe Church

Catalyst - Brian Hunter

I was bragging on Brian on my old blog, talking about their name change and move to Leon HS in Tallahassee.  In the past three years, Brian's church has grown from 8 people to 1,000 on Easter with over 400 people professing Christ!  I am betting that this fall they will have around 1,500 people on Sundays. 

Check out the newly launched Genesis Church website. Remember to pray for these guys. They are going after the prize in a huge way. I can't wait until ReFormation '06 in September when guys like Brian, Jamie, Phil, Mike, Chad, Roscoe, and Pete get together to talk about ministry.

A Reformation Underway?

Cool article from downtown.  See you jokers at ReFormation '06.

Inspirational Jamison

This is my college roommate, Jamison.  He's come a long way.  I guess he's always been a brilliant guy.  But, I would now call him inspirational.  In two weeks, he will begin his eigth year as a missionary in the Middle East.  He has been incredibly faithful and has had great success.  While in the Middle East, he met and married a really sweet girl, Kelly.  They now have two handsome children with a third on the way.

When he was 19, he was almost killed in an arson on the campus of Lee University.  That was really a turning point in his life.  Yesterday morning, we both spoke at Life Pointe.  Last night, Jamison spoke at Dwight Allen's church in Cooper City.  I am very excited for what God is doing in his life and invite you to pray for them daily with me.

Kelly's pics and thoughts from Indy

Kelly had some great pics and thoughts to share from Indy here:
Off to Indy   Emily-apolis"   The "Air-porch"   The Disney Store   
Ahhhh....DZT!  Old Friends  Fun Times

Glad to be home

Friday morning, I woke up and got to the RCA Dome.  We finished business.  The General Assembly affirmed all decisions but one, the one I wanted to see go through.  I've got thoughts on that.  Big thoughts.  I won't express them here.  However, we have a process and that's life.  Live with it.

As a parting thought, I will say I have tremendous respect for Mike Chapman.  Bro, I love and appreciate you in a big way.  I also really enjoyed hanging with some really awesome people all week.  I enjoyed the conversations, the late nights, the early mornings, and the lack of sleep.

I left Indy glad to get back to Miami.  I love this place, my people, mi familia!  Sunday is going to be terrific.  Don't come if you are not ready to be challenged.  Its going to be that kind of service...powerful.  See you in Pier 2!

Day 4: Observations, Networking, and the Lee Alumni Reception

For those of you that are close to me, you know how I really thrive being around people.  I am a relational person.  Today, I finally saw Kelly and the girls for a few minutes around dinner.  After four days of non-stop people, I told her I couldn't wait to get back to Miami where I won't see someone I know every 15 feet.  You know I'm tired if I say something like that.  I've now retreated into my room.  I'm skipping the service tonight.  Roland Vaughn, the Director of World Missions is speaking.  I guess I'll get the DVD.  I want to be there but I am just shot.

Today, a series of measures came to the floor concerning our church government.  I will save the "politi-speak" for another venue.  Summing it up, I was mostly glad about the outcome.  I am still a little ticked off over how World Missions was treated yesterday.  But, hey...what can I do?!? 

A final thought about the business was that I loved Robert Carey's Jonah illustration about the Captiain, the four mates, and the 18 crew members.  I really enjoyed his wit.  Harold Bare spoke a couple times.  He did not say anything especially profound.  He did have an excellent point about the videos. I guess I just think the world of that guy. 

In about an hour, I'm going over to the Lee Alumni reception.  I'll see some old friends, hob nob with some important folks, ask Paul Conn when he is going to invite me to speak at a Lee University Chapel service (hook a brother up!), and then hang out with some really cool, young minded pastors to hopefully develop a network of young leaders that can resource one another, share best practices, and stay in touch with one another in an ongoing basis.

Day 3: Long Day - Great Pastors

First, I am kind of blown away by how many visitors I've had on my blog each day this week.  I'm not far from 1,000 readers each day.  That's kind of freaky.  This is the first time I've blogged about Church of God stuff.  I really had concerns about doing it in the first place.  But, I try to be as open source as I can.  So, if you don't like it, come back next week, I'll be writing about other stuff.

If you are from Life Pointe and are worried because I'm sounding like a pharisee or something.  I just want to let you know I am not wearing long tassles yet.  I'll be back in Miami soon.  We're going to rock on Sunday.

Now, today was long.  It was a learning experience.  I won't bore you with the details of business.  Basically, there was a lot of slick talking.  Some votes.  Things passed and failed.

Tonight we went to church.  During the service, there was a great video highlighting four church plants going on right now.  The four guys seemed really cool.  All of the churches would have blended well with Life Pointe.  Of course, we are the coolest group of people on the planet.  But, these four churches and their pastors were pretty decent.  I was proud.  Jamie Noel, Winfield Bevins, and those other two church planter types had it going on.  The guy that looked like "goat boy" is here in Indy and I want to meet him.  Dude, find me.  I want to talk.

After church, I got to hang out with some really nifty chaps.  Chad Smith, you look like Jim Carrey.  Callaway Park Church seems like a really great place.  You guys keep doing it in a big way.  I'll see you for the ReFormation Conference in September.

I'm hitting the sack.  No breakfast in the morning.  I'll be going in for bussiness at 8:30...sleeping in.  Later.

Council of 18 Selection and Grant McClung

Of the 18 leaders I voted for, 7 were elected, including my pastor, Mitch Maloney.  None of the four pastors that I mentioned earlier were elected.  Mike Chapman came just a few votes short.  I have not seen him since I've been here.  I really hope we get to talk before the week is up.  (Mike, if you're out there, I'm looking for you.)

One highlight is that Grant McClung, one of our top missiologists was elected to the Council.  He was my missions professor at the Seminary.  I have tremendous respect and appreciation for him.  I got to talk to him for a few minutes as we both walked to our hotels.  One of my best friends, Jamison (who will be at Life Pointe Sunday) received a missionary appointment under him to Palestinian teens in Jerusalem.

I am curious to see what role Grant will be taking in the denomination going forward.  Obviously, there is a great deal of confidence in him by his peers.  I hope those sentiments are affirmed by our Executive Council.

Well, I'm ready to hit the sack.  I'm grabbing breakfast with Todd McDaniel (one cool cat) and his pops, Larry (another cool cat) tomorrow early.  I love both of those guys a heck of a lot...can't wait to hang with them for a few minutes in the morning before going back into the business sessions.

Thoughts from the Floor- Day 2

I have been surrounded by about 2,200 ordained ministers today selecting the leadership for our denomination.  Mostly, people filled the same positions or moved up into positions vacated by others that stepped down.  Tonight, when I go back, we will get the results from our selection of our Council of 18. 

I really want to see my pastor, Mitch Maloney on the Council.  He will definitely go on, probably on the first ballot.  Mitch is an awesome pastor with a tremendous vision for prayer and missions.  He is the reason I am in full-time ministry.  I also want to see Marty Baker, Harold Bare, Michael Chapman, and Anthony McDaniel go on.  Marty is enough outside of the box for our denomination that it would be a big deal if that happened.  I spoke with him briefly and he felt like it would be a real stretch for that to happen.  But, he is encouraging to me as a young pastor who is out of the box in ministry approach. 

After the Council of 18 selection is complete, we will get into the agenda.  The 2nd item deals with cutting back the amount the denomination requires churches to send into our corporate entities.  As the proposal reads, the cut back will impact only World Missions.  A substitue proposal is coming to the floor which will speed up the time frame and shield World Missions from impact.  If I heard Dr. McGuire correctly, he will not allow such a proposal.  At that point, 2/3 of the body will have to overrule that decision by the chair.  This has been a real learning experience for me.  I have experienced a sense of responsibility that I had not known before. 

In the middle of all the business, Ray Hughes, our former General Overseer, spoke about his "affliction" and how he had a sense of expectancy and then he prayed.  He is old and confined to a chair.  He prayed with a voice of a young man and the wisdom of a Grandfather.  I was incredibly touched.  My eyes were hot as I heard the prayers of a father.  That moment has been the highlight of the week for me. Then, business resumed.

If nothing changes that I want to see change, I know that God is still working through our fellowship.  The story of Christ is being told.  Lives are being changed.  I will admit I have a level of frustration concerning the pace that we experience organizational change.  But, I am very glad to be a part of this fellowship and part of the process of global reach.  I am proud of the way our church family interacts and the friendships I have.  I am very blessed to be a part of such a great global family. 

More later tonight.

Church of God General Assembly Day One

Today was borderline bizzare.  We flew from FTL.  Dwight and Bonnie Allen were on our flight.  Super people.  Made a connection in Tampa...a pile of pastors, too many to name got on there.  The girls did super on the flight.

We caught a cab to Embassy Suites.  While I was checking in, there was an accident on the escalator.  Someone fell at the top and people began piling up on each other. It was bad.  People were screaming. I found myself in the middle of the pile pulling people by their hair, arms, and anything else I could grab to get them out of the rapidly building pile of people.  It was so weird.  I remember seeing Blaine Faircloth, a pastor in Michigan in there doing the same, except that his wife was in the middle of it all.

After getting passed that excitement and finishing checking in, we headed into the RCA Dome.  We saw a ton of familiar faces.  That's what is so great about these meetings, the relationships.

When we stepped into the service, I was taken back in time with the style of music.  It was all music I loved and had fond memories of.  But, it was very dated stuff.  It did not keep me from worshipping.  But, it does concern me that that is the style we hold up as the model to our pastors.

Dr. McGuire preached out of Acts 1 & 2.  He spoke of recapturing the same spirit that we had when our movement was birthed a little over 100 years ago.  I personally tend to believe that we cannot recapture that. 

I do believe we can function in the same passion.  Dr. McGuire spoke to that.  Our founders had a revolutionary passion.  I am afraid that as an organization, we may actually have an institutional passion.  The brokenness, humility, and contrition that Dr. McGuire spoke of is largely absent from
our church, including me.  We are far too comfortable. 

When we left, of all the people we spoke to, it was especially good to talk with Paul Conn, the president of Lee U. where Kelly and I both graduated from.  Dr. Conn has without a doubt had more direct influence on individuals in the Church of God than any other individual.  When preparing to speak, I often think of how he would try to communicate a message.  He is one the best communicaters, period.

Tomorrow, I start the day with a 6:30 breakfast with Ben Hodges from Four Corners in OH.  He is really doing some great ministry coming to the end of year two of their church plant.  I'm really looking forward to hanging with him.  After that I'll hit my first day of business on the floor at 8:30 AM.  It sounds like it is going to be a very interesting day.

Blogging the COG General Asembly

On Monday, I will fly into Indianapolis for the Church of God General Assembly. This will be the first year I will be able to participate in the discussion and voting as an "Ordained Bishop."  I've already done enough speaking in the Open Forums. During business, I will only be voting.  Since the Forums, people that didn't know my name, now pat me on the back and say "hey doc!" Or, they, look at me like I'm some kind of rebel. 

Perhaps, I should be more delicate when pointing out that our denominational organization is too top heavy.  Fortunately, I'm not even close to being the first to say it.  John Maxwell and Injoy were paid big bucks to say the same thing several years ago except they delved into Patronage issues as well.

The issues that I am particularly interested in that are coming to the Ordained Ministers are:

• A gradual elimination of the mandatory percentage sent in to World Missions.  I will vote for this but, I think it should be done immediately and it should all come out of the administrative budget.  For this to happen 2/3 of the body is going to have to agree to suspend the rules and submit a substitute proposal.
• Appointment of Evangelism, Youth, and World Missions Directors by the Executive Committee.  World Missions is one thing we do really well.  I can't understand why we would fire the General Assembly from being able to select leadership and give that authority to a few good guys with a more limited scope of who can effectively lead.
• Unified Budget (Consolidation of the World Missions Budget with the International Budget). Again, this seems like the parable of the talents in reverse.  The biggest producer on a corporate level for the Church of God is World Missions.  Yet, we have a proposal on the table to remove the World Missions budget and give it to our ever-growing International bureaucracy.  That makes no sense to me.
• Election of Denominational Leadership.  I am focusing on the selection of the Council of 18 since it      is basically the Elders Board of our denomination and there is decent opportunity for pastors to be selected. Additionally, selecting Administrative Bishops for this role makes no sense as they are unable to provide straightforward, honest feedback to the Committee that appointed them.  Four guys that I really would like to see on the Council of 18 are Marty Baker, Anthony McDaniel, Mike Chapman, and Harold Bare.  Those guys have big voices that pastors are listening to. As they speak, they are not considering first how the denominational guys perceive their statements.

Basically, I am not in favor of anything that further centralizes our structure.  I will be blogging from Indy.  I'm sure there will be others that get the facts out on the taboo, unofficial Church of God message forum, Actscelerate.  I'll try to share my personal observations here as well as there.  If it comes across as being too political, just ignore me for a week and it will be out of my system.

Related COG General Assembly posts:

Day One - Embassy Suites - Day Two - Council of 18/Grant McClung - Day Three - Day Four - Glad to Be Home