Michael D Johnson

Making Disciples

Why is it so important to make disciples? Disciples of who? And whose job is it really? We hear a lot of talk these days about making disciples. As a matter of fact, we are hearing so much from so many places that we might begin to wonder if this is really a movement ofContinue reading “Making Disciples”

More lessons learned from marathon training

If you have ever (or never) run before the likelihood that you have at some point thought that running was ‘stupid’. People ask runners “why would you punish yourself like that?” and “how can running be ‘fun’?”. I myself have been that person. And yet now that I am running I feel completely different aboutContinue reading “More lessons learned from marathon training”

Jesus’ Ministry of Words (and Healing)

I have been preaching a sermon series entitled “Jesus in my shoes” and have looked at numerous aspects of Jesus’ life on earth. Just last Sunday I completed a sermon entitled “Jesus in my words” and shared a number of things that defined Jesus’ words and should therefore be descriptive of our words as well.Continue reading “Jesus’ Ministry of Words (and Healing)”

Marathon Training and Ministry, part 2

So I am really digging this running thing. I have been reading up on what to wear and how to train and what to eat, and it is really fun! (And the physical benefits aren’t bad either). But perhaps even more interesting is what marathon training has to say to us about ministry (and reallyContinue reading “Marathon Training and Ministry, part 2”

Marathon Training and Ministry

I was recently bit by the runner’s bug. And so here I am at 33 years old training for a marathon. I am enjoying the training, the newness and adventure of it all and of course the physical benefits. But one thing I am also learning is how much marathon training has to teach usContinue reading “Marathon Training and Ministry”

What to do with others’ expectations, part 3

Let us examine a little more closely what we should do with other people’s expectations and our judgments of others. I want to in particular examine some of the negative consequences of our judgments on other people. As a pastor I have often been on the receiving end of living in a ‘fishbowl’ where nearlyContinue reading “What to do with others’ expectations, part 3”

What to do with others’ expectations, part 2

So we each think we know what others should do. We are each convinced that if people would listen to us we could straighten people out, iron out the wrinkles in church, government, dining establishments, retail, city services etc. We mostly think our judgments are harmless, but what if they aren’t? What if our “private”Continue reading “What to do with others’ expectations, part 2”

What to do with other people’s expectations

There is not a day that goes by in your life or mine that we don’t encounter a situation where someone expects something of us. Our kids expect us to feed them and love them, our bosses expect us to show up and accomplish the work, our spouses expect us to be loving and availableContinue reading “What to do with other people’s expectations”

As unto the Lord or unto men?

I have been thinking a lot about why we do what we do. And if we are honest with ourselves there is an inordinate amount of time, energy, worrying, guessing and second-guessing that takes place in many of our lives about what other people think about us. We pick our clothes, our words, our philosophies,Continue reading “As unto the Lord or unto men?”

Forceful Advancement of the Kingdom

Scripture tells us that the kingdom of God is advancing forcefully and that forceful men grab a hold of it. The Word also tells us that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. These two verses speak to me. But they speak to me that there is more toContinue reading “Forceful Advancement of the Kingdom”