Anyone Can Wear the Mask: Our Calling as Followers of Christ

April 16, 2019June 25, 2020 ~ John Johnson ~ 13 Comments

It’s an exciting time to be alive if you are a comic book fan, more so if you are a Spider-Man fan! within the past two years, we have seen Tom Hollard’s Spider-Man recruited to team Iron Man, and fight against team Cap, then we saw Peter in high school trying to navigate his superpowered life and learn what it means to wear the suit, and then the heartbreaking “I don’t feel so good” line as Peter becomes dust in the wind in Avengers: Infinity Wars.

Here in the next few months, we see Spidey in Avengers: Endgame return, and then Spidey goes on a vacation to Europe and goes toe to toe with Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home. In my opinion, all these movies have some really good life lessons to draw from, and I can go on forever about other forms of Spiderman media, but in this post, I want to focus on the awesome gem Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and how it reflects our calling as believers and followers in Christ

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Be Excellent to Each Other: Bill, Ted and the Teachings of Jesus

April 5, 2019June 25, 2020 ~ John Johnson ~ 25 Comments

It has been rumored for many years, but a few weeks back Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves announced that they would be reviving their rolls of William “Bill” S. Preston Esq and Theodore “Ted” Logan in Bill and Ted 3: Face the Music.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m still excited about a third Bill and Ted movie. Not only were these funny movies filled with 80’s rock n roll, but it also taught me some valuable lessons in life. Some of these lessons are pretty theological as well.

Fourscore and… (looks at his pocket watch) seven minutes ago… we, your forefathers, were brought forth upon a most excellent adventure conceived by our new friends, Bill… and Ted. These two great gentlemen are dedicated to a proposition which was true in my time, just as it’s true today. Be excellent to each other. And… PARTY ON, DUDES!

– Abraham Lincoln (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventures)

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Hat Tip For You

April 1, 2019June 25, 2020 ~ John Johnson ~ 23 Comments

This morning I was listening to a sermon titled Confident Humility from Woodland Hills Church, while I was working. The preacher Dan Kent really caught my attention with this quote.

“The better you become at sumo wrestling, the less effective you will be at competitive swimming” – Dan Kent

The sermon was all-around good, but I’m going to segue into something that is not really tied to that sermon. This quote got me thinking about all the hats I try to fill in life. Sometimes I stretch myself a little thin trying to wear multiple hats, that I probably shouldn’t be wearing. Some hats I gladly choose to wear and would be terrible to take off, like the “husband” hat or the “father” hat. I would also say shedding the “follower of Jesus” hat is also a non-negotiable for me.

I feel that God has called me to be a husband to my wife, and I believe that he has called me to fatherhood, and even though I’ve wrestled with God on this in the past, and lost (luckily without hip damage, sorry Jacob. Genesis 32:22–32 ), I’m called to teach and share His word and love, people, the way Jesus did.

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How an anarchic punk rock spirit led me to the Holy Spirit: How it still fights!

March 30, 2019June 25, 2020 ~ John Johnson ~ 19 Comments

I’m like any other punk rock dude right now, I grew up, got married, had some kids and have found that the things I learned through punk rock music still continue to inform my thinking, and help me make sense of the world. I want to share this with my kids, my friends, and my family what I have learned from both my faith and punk ethics daily. The two of these intertwined have assisted in helping me come to several conclusions about my spirituality that are presumably far outside of the norm of contemporary Christian culture.

This probably isn’t all too surprising, but what may be, is that I am convinced that the combination of these ideas informing my head, heart and hands has led me back to the heart of Scripture. I mean, the way of Jesus is pretty punk rock! Several punk bands, now and then, have several points worth reflecting on if you are a follower of Jesus Christ in the Western world.

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His Legacy

March 28, 2019June 25, 2020 ~ John Johnson ~ Leave a comment

So this song has been in and out of my head for a few weeks now.

There is tons of Christian music out there, and I’m not necessarily a fan of Casting Crowns, but this song has been making me think a lot. (Please don’t read to much into that. I don’t hate them, but there is so much music out there that I listen to a different style, and I’m not the biggest on K Love. Again, not bad, but not my tea)

It’s catchy for sure, and I may have been thinking about the purpose of the church, which has gotten me thinking, what is my purpose as a pastor, and such. Good thoughts for sure! The lyrics popping into my head on repeat are:

“And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus”

Not to get into details, because the pastoral team I’m on have been doing some of the same thinking, so I don’t want to spoiler that, but as I ponder this question for myself, I ask that my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ reflect on this with me.

Are we trying to build an empire for ourselves, or are we directing people to the Kingdom?

Does my daily life reflect that of Jesus? Do my co-workers see this without me being all preachy? Do my students really feel I practice what I preach? Do my kids and wife see it behind closed doors and in private?

I want to say yes and vehemently hope that this points people to the hope of what Jesus can do. Before Him, I was foolish and a legacy I leave behind, without Him is just a man in his foolish ways.

Thoughts are running extra-strong tonight. Lord, thank you for this life!

*Originally my Facebook post from February 18th, 2018

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Only Jesus – Casting Crowns