Travis Johnson

I'm in it for the pain

I just finished a root canal.  Dr. Victor Garcia was the artist that tickled my ivories.  I have never had a painless visit to the dentist.  I don't respond like a normal person to Novocaine.  I have always felt everything when my teeth were drilled.  When bits of tooth hit the roof of my mouth, I knew precisely where that piece of tooth came from.

When I was in middle school, I had to have four cavities filled.  I told them not to waste their time with the shots because I didn't want my jaw to hurt from the needle.  So, they drilled my teeth like they did in the old west.  I just thought pain went with those procedures. 

Dr. Garcia is a genius.  I felt nothing during the procedure.  However, I'm at home now with the blinds shut.  The nerves in my jaw and head are in an open assault on the rest of my body.  A personal poignant lesson that I'm learning right now is that pain follows the event.  The most painful events in my life often come long after the bone-headed decision that caused it.

Fortunately, the event was a root canal therapy.  Through it I faced my fear and experienced temporary pain for a long term win.  For the truly good things in life, you've got to be in it for the pain if your want to make it to the victory.

Now, where's the Tylenol?

Jesse Santoyo on Your Worship Experience

Here's a well deserved plug for Jesse's blog... a real heartfelt challenge for you to prepare yourself for a corporate gathering where we worship Jesus.  Check it out.  He also makes a slight correction on the pronunciation of his nickname (apparently, a kind-hearted dig at us gringos).

Private Prayer Language and the SBC

Todd Rhoades pointed out a research project by LifeWay that indicated over half of Southern Baptist Pastors believe in a Private Prayer Language.  I am curious about what the implications of those results are for the NAMB.  I follow a lot of that developing story via Wade Burleson's blog, which at times reads like a well-written soap opera.  I enjoy following his blog and see much of what he does as a road map for reform for the denomination with which I am affiliated.  While my blog is not focused on that agenda, it is very much my heart to see our organization become a more mission affirming group.  I have most of those discussions in another forum.

Now, if you want to see my perspective on the Charismata and more specifically a prayer language, you can do so here.  Have fun.

Rising Above Your Handicap

I'm inspired when I see people rise above their hurdles, their handicaps.  I've mentioned before that Ela Ortega is a person like this.  There will always be excuses for why a person cannot serve in ministry, succed in life, befriend people, or smile. Ela's breathing condition keeps her out of church most Sundays.  It doesn't keep her from calling all of our guests to say thank you for attending.

A handicap also did not keep Bryan Gaynor from being the star of the night on "So You Think You Can Dance."  I watched it for the first time last night.  I think I'm hooked.  I also think I'm more inspired than ever to eliminate excuses from my life.  If Bryan and Ela can succeed in spite of their situations, so can I.

I belieive in....

I believe in Hitler but I'm not a Nazi.
I believe in Ghandi but that doesn't make me a Hindu.
I believe in Mussolini but I'm not a facist.
I believe in Lucifer but I'm not a Satanist.
I believe in girls but I'm not a feminist.
I believe in Jesus but that doesn't make me a Christian.

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. -James 2:14-16

Leadership Development and Small Groups

About a month and a half ago, my life group (Palm Isles) broke off into about 3 other groups: one at Marbella Bay, the Redlands, and one near the theater.   Some of those groups had nothing more than a prepared life group leader/facilitator.  To be honest, I was concerned that a couple of the groups would survive because they really didn't have the critical mass that they should have had.  What they did have were strong leaders. 

Last night we had 11 in our group and three very strong groups meeting elsewhere (I think the Redlands group is doing better than us).  This summer, we'll break from our groups and have a church-wide gathering for leadership development.  Our goals are:

• to identify everyone who wants to lead and equip them.
• to give our groups a sabbath during the summer.
• to share a no holds barred vision with high commitment people where questions can be asked.
• to create more stake holders in the ministry.
• to allow people to simply come to something without them having to prepare themselves.

John Maxwell says, "Everything rises and falls on leadership."  I believe that is true.  At this point in my ministry, I have to do a better job developing our leaders.  We are putting all our eggs in that basket.

Christians vs. Atheists

We're watching this together.  I haven't seen it all yet.  But, I'm posting it and would like to have a conversation about how we present AND represent Jesus.  Did Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort do a good job?  Without being a "homer" (one who always critiques in favor of the home team), share your thoughts.

The Elephant Sitting in My Living Room: Courage and Tact

Mark Batterson, movie pastor/blogger extraordinaire said this:

It seems like those with tact lack courage. And those with courage lack tact.

Thanks, Mark for the tact-filled stone hitting me squarely between the eyes.  I find that when I am under some type of pressure, I am prone to have an exaggerated sense of courage and an underdeveloped sense of tact.  Like an animal backed into a corner, I am ready to lash out against inequity, mean people, injustice, bullies, institutionalism, and other people who seem to threaten me, my church, or friends. 

My goal? Cultivate courage by developing a greater sense of love for others, tact, positivity, optimism, humility, and a heavier dose of reliance on God's presence in my life.

On Working Toward a Civil Conflict

The whole Mark Driscoll vs. People Against Fundamentalism (PAF) mess has me thinking about conflict.  By nature, I thrive on conflict.  I believe it is an area in which I've grown and still have some growing to do.  Here are some of things I've learned on a much smaller scale than Driscoll.  Of course, that doesn't mean that I've mastered those principles.

CONFLICT OBSERVATIONS

1. You will never meet someone you agree with 100% of the time.
2. It is ok to be linked together with other Christians who approach life and ministry from very different angles.
3. It is not okay to be linked with other Christians who stand in opposition to core Scripture.
4. It is normal to have significant disagreements with someone else and never reach unanimity or even agreement.
   
5. The Gospel does not require us to be clones of one another.
6. When engaged in conflict, it is paramount to challenge ideas and respect people.
7. Avoid continuously contentious people. 
8. Conflict passionately for the important things.
9. Honor Christ.  Honor the Scriptures.
10. Don't believe your own hype.  You don't know everything, see everything.  You are not always right.
11. Be willing to conflict for the people and ideas you are committed to.
12. Stand up for the guy who is having difficulty standing by himself.
13. Never stand up for someone who is unwilling to stand up for himself.
14. Always stand up for the ones who are unable to stand for themselves.
15. Commit to the principles of Jesus and live in His shadow.
16. Disarm tense situations with kind words, even in the middle of conflict.
17. Affirm your commitment for the people with whom you are in conflict.  Make them feel safe even as you disagree with them.
18. And when conflicting, you don't have to win, compromise, or lose to end a conversation. 
19. And, in a direct commentary to PAF, you should never elevate your personal preferences or causes above the core cause of Christ.  It is not our duty to attempt to humiliate every ministry that does not value our preferences or non-essential convictions.

I am learning daily how important it is to handle conflict well.  Our approach to conflict is as important or more important than the outcome of conflict.

Barbarians of the New Dark Ages

Barbarians of the New Dark Ages is posted by Meldenius at Trespassers Will.  It is the text from Dr. Matthew Melton speaking at Thursday's Lee University chapel service.  I hope the audio is available soon.  This is a MUST READ for every Christian that is leashed to technology.

tagged: Matthew Melton - Lee University - ipod - pda - technology

the Disciplines

 Tomorrow, we face the concept of the Disciplines in our Origins series.  It is not a popular message.  We like the concept.  But, the application of the concept of disciplining our minds and bodies is challenging.  We find that "the flesh is willing but the spirit is weak."  Prayer, fasting, stewardship, bringing our bodies and minds into subjection to the nature of Christ challenges even the most mature believer.

But, peace in our walk with Christ cannot truly be experienced until we choose to be disciplined and to discipline ourselves to walk in the Way of the Master.  Converting to Christ without following Him is like being born and refusing to breathe. The new birth takes place but death follows.  In my opinion based on my understanding of Scripture, Christians who choose not to proceed beyond new birth are neither dead to themselves nor are they alive to Christ.  Marc Vandersluys frames it up well when he said:

Examination of our ultimate desires and intentions, reflected in the specific responses and choices that make up our lives, can show whether there are things we hold more important than being like him.  If there are, then we are not yet his disciples.  Being unwilling to follow him, our claim of trusting him must ring hollow.

Prayer, fasting, self-control, stewardship, and the taming of habits which run in rebellion to Christ must be made as integral to life as the receiving of grace, foriveness, healing, restoration, and prosperity- all gifts we actively seek and freely receive.

Technorati Tags: stewardship - prayer - fasting - discipleship