Epic Conversations

I have said and continue to say that I am an old rock and roller who fell in love with Jesus. What this means is I have rock and roll in my veins. I listen to rock and roll music almost every day (mostly from the ’60s and ’70s).

The great thing about music is it creates experiences. It can take you back in time as well as generate emotions and feelings about a wide variety of topics and people. And while I appreciate Christian music, it rarely touches those who are not yet followers of Jesus. This is one reason why I admire Bono and U2. They are out in the culture playing music that connects with people while at the same time introducing them to the ideas and concepts of Christ in a non-threatening way. I believe that what we need today are more bands who are Christian rather than more Christian bands. Don’t get me wrong. There will always be a need for Christian music. It edifies the body and helps build faith. But we live in a world who needs to hear about the love of Jesus proclaimed in a way they can understand.

To that end, my son Wes and I are putting together a band to record music. The name of the band is “Recondite” and we call what we do “esoteric rock.” We are in the pre-production stage at this point and hope to have our first project completed by January 2008.

This is not an album of Christian music. It is an album written, produced, and played by followers of Jesus. My hope and prayer is that the music will connect with our culture in such a way that it will make them think and hopefully consider following Christ.

I am looking forward to working on this project with my son as well as the opportunity to create and produce music with a life-changing message. Let the rock and roll begin!

Last night I had the opportunity to speak to the people of TTUMC at our second “Talk Back” Dinner. It was entitled “Take a Risk - Make a Difference.” I shared with them that we are now living in a culture that sees no value in church. In fact, the church is seen in many cases as being intolerant, judgmental and critical. We are called to engage the culture, listen to their views and get in on the conversation.

This morning one of my parisioners sent me a story that was in the Dayton Daily News. It was entitled, Woman Expresses Indignation at quote on Starbucks Cup. I have been drinking Starbucks coffee for quite some time and I hold most of my appointments in Starbucks stores. I was curious to see what the ruckus was all about.

Michelle Incanno, a married mother of three who is catholic, dropped by Starbucks all the time. She would buy their coffee beans every week. But one day, when she ordered her cup of coffee, she was offended to see the following quote printed on her cup:

Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imagninations for guidiance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.
-Bill Schell, a Starbucks customer from London, Ontario.

The purpose of the quotes on Starbucks cups is to engage the culture in meaningful conversations. It is a great way to see what people in our culture are saying today. Here is Michelle’s response:

As someone who loves God, I was so offended by that. I don’t think there needs to be religious dialogue on it. I just want coffee.

Because of the writing on a cup, Michelle Incanno says her days at Starbucks are over. I wouldn’t feel right going back, she said.

This story is one of the reasons why the culture says Christians are intolerant, judgmental, etc. Basically what I get out of Bill’s quote is this:

Why do we ask God (who may or may not exist) for help to get us out of crises we created in the first place?

Yes, Bill appears to be an Agnostic, but doesn’t he have a right to express his opinion? Instead of being offended by the comment, shouldn’t we be showing him the love of Jesus and help him to discover the truth about who Jesus is and how much Jesus loves him?

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT) says this: You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.

This is the challenge we have as followers of Jesus. The media so often portrays Christians in a negative light. When you think about it, this story is hardly news worthy. But this is the world in which we live. I am going to continue to meet at Starbucks and who knows? I may run into someone like Bill. I would love to sit down with him over a good cup of coffee and share how Jesus has changed my life. Maybe in the process, his life will change as well. It’s worth a shot!

Life is made up of stories. Whenever anyone asks us a question about our lives, our realtionships, our vocations, etc. we respond by telling a story. Even the Bible is a collection of narratives, songs, prayers, poems, and letters that tell stories. It is the way we connect to one another, and it is the way we share our connection with God.

Over the years I have heard so many compelling stories about life and faith, doubts and fear, overcoming the odds, seeing God in the midst of a storm, receiving the healing touch of Jesus. I could go on and on. And every time I hear the story I think to myself, “If others could hear this it would change their lives.”

Here’s what I would love for everyone who reads this to do: send me your story as a response to this post. Share with me how God has touched your life. Talk to me about your struggles, your worries, your fears - whatever you feel like sharing. If you feel uncomfortable sharing on this blogsite, then email me your story: dollfins.rule@verizon.net. I would also like for those who read the stories to respond with their comments.

It is when we share our stories that conversations take place, healing occurs, and inspiration, hope and understanding are spread throughout the community and blogosphere. I look forward to hearing from you!

Ed and I had a great time at the Q conference in Atlanta last week. We took in so much information and had so many different experiences that it is hard to put into words. Ed has done a terrific job at recaping the event on his blog site Clearly TTUMC (see my Blogroll). I have decided to talk about what this event has stirred within my heart.

There was a time in recent church history when everyone was talking about being seeker sensitive. This meant that churches should be sensitive to those visiting who may not understand the rituals, the language, or the liturgy of the church. We were told to use everyday language instead of Christianese. The church had to be culturally relevant in order to connect people with the message of the gospel. This was good advice and the church has come a long way at being more accessible to those who are unfamiliar with its customs.

Here’s the problem. The people in our culture are not interested in going to church. In fact, many people in our culture today have a hostile view of Christianity. The latest study by the Barna Group says that 16-29 year-olds do not believe Christians live the way Jesus intended. They view Christians as judgmental and hypocritical. And they’re not alone in their view.

Here’s what has become abundantly clear to me: The church is not called to be seeker sensitive. The church is called to be sensitive seekers. Yes, we need to present the Good News in a way that is clear and understandable. Yes we should use video, drama, art, music, etc. in our worship services to connect people with Jesus. The problem is we are operating under the mindset of opening the doors and shouting “Come.” This has and will continue to be ineffective.

We are called to “go into the world” being sensitive to the needs of others. We are to seek those who are broken and broken-hearted and share the love of Jesus with them. The idea is not to target people and convert them. The idea is to relate to people and get to know them. We are to connect people with the love of Jesus by the way we live our lives. It is only when they see Jesus in us that they will be interested in visiting our churches. Let’s commit to being a church of sensitive seekers, a community of Jesus followers, who are willing to risk whatever it takes to connect people with the love of Jesus. For it is Jesus Himself who says, “If you seek, then you will find.”

Wow! I’m absolutely amazed how fast time flies. It sure isn’t any fun to check a blog that isn’t saying anything is it? Well, all that’s going to change beginning today. I am currently in Jacksonville on my way to Atlanta to attend a seminar on connecting the church with 21st century culture. Andy Stanley, Rob Bell, Don Miller are just a few of the keynote speakers who will be attending. Our very own Ed Jordan, who is currently in Las Vegas, will be flying in tomorrow morning to attend as well. Hopefully the hotel will have WI-FI so I can keep you abreast on what is happening. In the meantime take a risk and make a difference!

I just returned from our Good Friday service at TTUMC entitled Journey with Jesus to the Cross. The service was put together by our prayer team ministry. I was so impressed with its simplicity and power that I decided to post it here to give you an opportunity to participate.

I encourage you to block off an hour and find a place that’s quiet so you won’t be disturbed. All you need to take with you is your Bible and a journal. Read the Scripture, reflect on the questions and record your thoughts. I think you will find this to be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.

I would love to hear about your insights and what you received during this time. Send me your comments and they will be posted on this site.

Special thanks to Jackie, Susan Jane, Martha and Deah for making this a truly epic experience. You were willing to take a risk and you made a difference!

Journey with Jesus to the Cross

Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-7
Immanuel means ‘God with us.’ When did you last experience God with you?

Jesus baptized by John the Baptist. Luke 3:21-22
Baptism is a sign of spiritual birth. Take a few minutes to think about your spiritual birth, when you accepted Christ as your Savior.

Jesus calling his first disciples. Matthew 4:18 - 20
If Jesus looked into your eyes today and said “Follow Me,” how would you respond?

Jesus calming the storm. Mark 4:35-41
What would it take for you to believe Jesus can calm the storms in your life?

Jesus blessing the children. Mark 10:13-16
What does childlike faith mean to you? Do you have childlike faith?

Jesus riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Luke 19:37-40
Do you truly believe Jesus is your Savior – and what does that mean about the choices you make in your life each day?

Jesus at the Last Supper. John 13:2-30
Do you see yourself as a humble servant?

Jesus crucifixion. Luke 23:26-49
What does Good Friday mean to you today?

The Next Step

Read Philippians 2:5-11
Think of what Jesus risked to connect us with the love of God - What kind of risk are you willing to take to connect others with the love of Jesus Christ?

Wow! Did we have a dynamite worship service this morning or what? The new lighting system is beautiful! We experienced so much clarity and rich color. And the coolest thing of all is this: IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING!! We are on our way to becoming the church God created us to be.

Special thanks to Deah, Jeff and the band for our rockin’ closing, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” You could feel the Spirit and the energy throughout the sanctuary. After the service was over, I couldn’t stop and found myself getting down with Monica as we walked out the front door together. It was great!

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, Made this comment:

Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world.

I am so excited because we have over three hundred people who are willing to risk it all for Jesus. Think about it. According to Wesley, that’s over THREE TIMES THE POWER TO SHAKE THE WORLD!

Here at TTUMC we are going E.P.I.C.(Experiential, Participatory, Image-driven, Connected). The first phase is almost ready to be revealed. For the past several weeks workers have been installing a new lighting system in the sanctuary. If all goes according to plan, everything will be in place for our celebration services this Sunday. You don’t want to miss this, so make your plans to be here!

At TTUMC there’s a whole lot of shaking goin’ on! Don’t miss out on the action.

Visit my office or the study in my home and you will find yourself surrounded by dolphins. Many people have asked me, “what is the deal with the dolphins?” Here’s my story.

I am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with squamos cell carcinoma of the neck in September 2000 and underwent a four and a half hour surgery to have the malignancy removed. The doctors were unable to find the primary source of the cancer and recommended that I have thirty-four daily radiation treatments of my neck and upper chest to ensure that all the cancer would be eradicated.

I began radiation therapy in October 2000. I knew the treatments would be difficult, but they were much worse than I imagined. My weight dropped from 235 to 158. I was unable to eat and could barely drink water. I shuffled when I walked and looked like I had aged about 20 years. I finally reached a point in my therapy when I didn’t think I was going to make it. I could no longer stand having a mask placed on my face and bolted to the table so I could not move. I could no longer tolerate the sight and the sounds of the radiation equipment.

One day about two-thirds of the way through my treatment, I remember praying to God as my face was being bolted to the table. I said, “Lord, please do something. I can’t endure this one more time. Help me!”

The next thing I knew I was standing barefoot on a sandy beach overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and glistening over the deep blue water like a million sparkling diamonds. All of a sudden, two dolphins jumped out of the water. They were chattering and having a wonderful time. They jumped, they splashed, they twirled in a magnificant aquatic dance of life. I have never seen anything like it.

I was totally captivated by these images unfolding before my inner eyes when I heard a voice say, “Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson. It’s over. You can get up now.” I was stunned. I made it through my radiation treatment without being aware of it. Little did I know the best was yet to come.

The attendant told me to walk down the hall to the first office on the left and wait for the nurse to draw some blood. When I walked into the room I could not believe my eyes. There were dolphins everywhere! Dolphin posters, dolphin statues, dolphin paintings. When the nurse arrived she was wearing a dolphin necklace. My eyes filled with tears. God heard my prayer and gave me this wonderful gift to help get me through a difficult situation. My heart was filled with gratitude and I made a vow that one day I would thank this incredible creature for the dance of life.

My dream came true. The photograph you see on this blog was taken in Cozumel, Mexico, in July 2003. My friend’s name is “Triton.” I was able to hold this magnificent creation of God by his fins, look into his eyes and say, “thank you!”

I have collected dolphins ever since as a reminder of what God has done in my life. By the way, I have been cancer-free for six years and six months. God is good and dolphins rule!

Hi, Pastor Jerry here welcoming you to the first installment of Epic Conversations. This is an opportunity for me to share my thoughts with you on vision, the direction of the church, how to connect with today’s culture, good books to read and movies to see, plus a wide assortment of random thoughts about hearing and seeing God at work in the world, along with utter nonsense and silliness.

This blog is meant to be an on-going conversation. I want you to share your thoughts with me, your comments, your ideas. I will be posting here on a regular basis so please check back frequently. In fact, I suggest that you subscribe to this blog so it will come to you whenever a new post is published. You can do this by setting up an account with reader.google.com. (it’s free).

Thanks for thanking the time to visit my site. Now, let the conversations begin!