Do you really want to get well?

[Excerpt from new Bill Johnson's soon to be released book, "Physician, Heal Thyself"]

John 5:6 (NKJV)  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"

Neil was the pastor of a small church back in the mountains east of San Diego. Recently divorced, Neil had a long series of physical, emotional, and spiritual problems for several years. He was seeing professionals for his condition, but Rita and I had been providing prayer, counsel, and emotional support through much of this time. With all this, Neil was not getting any better and in fact it appeared he was falling deeper into depression and failing physically.

On a Friday evening in late fall we were joined by another couple as we drove up to Neil’s for another ministry session. His house was in a densely wooded area behind his church. Our meeting went like all other meetings with Neil; a few small breakthroughs, prayers for forgiveness, healing, and deliverance prayer. We sensed no real change until I stopped and asked Neil a question we had never before considered. “Neil, do you want to be healed?” The question was not asked in desperation or anger, but it was simply put, 

“Do you really want to be healed?” 

The question caught us all, including me, by surprise. We could tell that Neil was giving it serious thought. After what seemed like ten minutes, but was probably only one or two, Neil gave us his answer.

“I am not sure that I do want to be well. If I was well, then people would expect more out of me. If I was not sick I would have nothing to hide behind. If I was well, there would be more that I would be required to do.”

As a result, Neil decided that it would be better for him to be healed of all his infirmities and return to an effective life and ministry than to continue on the downward spiral. We all agreed that we would help him follow up on his decision. Neil is now remarried, living a healthy life, with a flourishing ministry. He has been healed of all those infirmities.   

As we walked out Neil's front door that evening many years ago, we walked down the three wooden steps to the pathway, I heard something crunch under my foot. The single light bulb above the door gave me enough light to see what I had stepped on. A now dead scorpion had been lying in wait for us as we left the house.

Luke 10:19 (NKJV) ¹⁹  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

The question we asked Neil is one to ask ourselves. Do I really want to be well? 

The Oxygen Mask Principle

 (Excerpted from Bill Johnson's soon to be released Book

Physician, Heal Thyself)

On every airline flight throughout the world attendants welcome the passengers aboard with a flurry of announcements. The most important is the safety announcements which mostly ignored by frequent fliers. No matter how creative the life jacket and oxygen mask demonstrations, they are generally met with apathy. But, if you will listen very carefully you will discover the single most important principle which may save your ministry and your wellbeing. The demonstration of proper oxygen mask attachment is followed by this instruction,

“If you are traveling with someone who needs your assistance, put your mask on first before you help them.”  

This statement should be placed on the mirror every care giver; nurse, doctor, pastor, parent or anyone responsible for the physical or spiritual care of others. You will not be able to help others if you are dying or impaired by oxygen depletion.

 Luke 4:23(KJV) And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself:

We can safely say that there are many throughout the world who ignore this principle to the detriment of themselves and also the people they are called to serve. This is a major reason why ministers of all types find their calling so difficult. My first few years of ministry were overwhelming. There were so many calls on my time and needs for compassion that I became burned out and discouraged. I was recently introduced to the term “Compassion Fatigue.” Compassion fatigue can result from internal and external factors. 

Internal Factors

Theologian and Christian author Don Williams writes, 

“Most churches are dysfunctional and most pastors are co-dependent”[1]

There are many who go into ministry because of their own needs, rather than an altruistic desire to serve others. They may have a great need to be loved. They believe that people will love them if they minister to their needs. They think to themselves, “If I take care of people, they will love me.  I will be loved and accepted.” Ministers with this deep need to be loved are very susceptible to burn out. They are driven to give but do not put boundaries on their giving.

Another factor is the attraction to ministry of people who have a strong desire for control. While spiritually deadly to both the pastor and the church, there seems to be a great number of control freaks in ministry today. This is often the result of an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Cable television viewers were treated to the ultimate OCD in the character of Adrian Monk portrayed so well by Tony Shalhoub. Needless to say most OCD's don't get that far out, but many of us will pat our pocket to see if the wallet is still there or the wife who calls her husband three times to remind him to stop at the store.

The Bible contains many OCD’s. Mary and Martha were friends and followers of Jesus. Martha, (the OCD)[2], considered the project of having the Savior for dinner more important than acknowledging the Person of Jesus Christ. She labored far too hard over the project and criticized her sister Mary who was sitting at Jesus’ feet. Martha felt motivated to control Mary as well as Jesus.Moses, another OCD, experienced a miracle[3] as God produced water from a rock. Later God told Moses to speak to the rock to receive the water.[4] But Moses decided he would strike the rock with his staff as he had done previously. This is a prime example of an OCD in action.

Another internal factors that affect pastors is; the very people to which they are ministering can be very hurtful. Hurting people hurt people. The old adage,”Sheep bite.” is very common. Ministers, by definition, provide care for individuals who often do not receive that care graciously. Anyone who has been in ministry for more than a few years knows what it feels like to be hurt by someone you are trying to help.

A hurting minister will begin to set up defensive walls. Over a period of time this may result in what John Sandford[5] refers to as a “Heart of Stone.”[6] There are two kinds of hearts of stone. The first kind is very obvious; it is the hard hearted person who does not care about anyone or anything except themselves. We say, “His heart is so hard he will never help.” Secular counselors and medical personal are taught to not become personally involved in their client or patient’s issues. But those in Christian ministry we need to care deeply for the people we serve. As a result the minister cannot always maintain a objective attitude.

The second kind of heart of stone is less obvious. It is the hidden heart of stone. People with the hidden heart of stone will act loving, will minister to others, and will always be ready to help others. But they will never let anyone minister to them. They are extremely loving and outgoing but will never let anyone know what is in their own heart. Those with this hidden heart of stone fear real intimacy.  They will not let anyone get close enough to hurt them.  When a relationship begins to grow intimate, they will deliberately do something mean to drive the other person away. Those with the hidden heart of stone are prone to fall into sexual sin because they are often covering up feelings that they are afraid to express.

External Factors

There are also external factors which rob pastors and church leaders of their joy in ministry. First, there is so much demand upon them. The number of people in the church, in the city, and in his family that need ministry can be over-whelming.  You then expand this to your area, region, nation, and the world. Jesus said; you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.[7] If someone is at all conscientious about this call, he carries a heavy load. Ministers must come to realize their specific call and do only what God calls them to accomplish.

Another external issue which faces ministers is contentious parishioners. If a leader wants to make changes, he must realize that where ever there is movement there will also be friction. Friction plus movement equals heat. A Boy Scout with two sticks can create a bonfire. A disgruntled member, with two allies can create a lot of heat for the pastor.

Then there are those people who a pastor or minister can never satisfy. They may have been wounded by a previous pastor or a previous church and they are still angry and bitter. They will spill out their hurt on the current pastor who wonders where he went wrong. While it may seem to be personal with the current minister, it is not. They were hurt by a former pastor or church member. They are only taking their hurt or frustration out on the current leader. Ministers cannot take these actions personally.

All pastors should learn how to handle conflict.

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[1] Jesus and Addiction, A Prescription to Transform the Dysfunctional Church and Recover Authentic Christianity, 1993 by Recovery Publications

[2] Matthew 10:40

[3] Exodus 17:6

[4] Numbers 20:7-11

[5] Sandford, John, Elijah House Ministries, http://www.elijahhouse.org/

[6] Ezekiel 36:26

[7] Acts 1:8

Maybe its time to Live on the edge

Everyone has something to do and somewhere to go. It’s what God created us for. We humans seem always to be on the go with no time to spend relaxing. He placed within each one a drive to exceed our limitations. Man cannot fly so he invents an airplane. We get tired running so we invent an automobile, we can’t swim long distances so we invent a boat. We are always trying to exceed our  limitations. We want to live outside the box.

Is this need to escape our bounds only a human thing? I think not. Why does the chicken have a need to cross the road? Why are our highways littered with road kill? Deer, polecats, armadillos, and even family pets can be found daily in the middle of the road. They went somewhere they had not been. They left their comfort zone.

A while back I hit a little squirrel. It was racing across Highway 18 in the Bienville National Forest. He, or maybe she, jumped out of the security of the forest to cross the road heading for another forest on opposite side. I saw him as he saw me, half way across. He didn’t stop or slow down. He actually sped up. I hit my brakes and swerved. “Faster little squirrel, faster, you can do it, you’re almost there, oops, too slow.”

It bothers me to see any living thing die, especially when I am involved. But, I wondered, "Why was the squirrel trying to cross the road?" There were large, acorn bearing, oaks on both sides of the road. If he was hunting food, he could have stayed on his side. Why this morning did he run across the road, risking his life or more accurately sacrificing his life for what? Inside that squirrel’s head there must have been a reason. Was it really a instinctual thing, searching for food? Or was it something deeper, a need to exceed his limitations? Could it be the need for adventure? 

Abraham Maslow's proposed a hierarchy of needs beginning with physiological needs, continuing on with safety, love/belonging, esteem and ending with self actualization.
Maybe the squirrel was fulfilling his need for self actualization. Maybe he would have been the first of his family to cross over and return. Maybe it wasn’t about success or failure, maybe it was about playing the game. 

A few miles beyond the squirrel was a six inch black turtle, inching his way across the road. I swerved and avoided sending him to turtle heaven while he nonchalantly kept crawling to the safety on the other side. A couple of years ago the government’s stimulus program set aside several millions of dollars to dig a tunnel underneath a highway in Florida so that turtles could use that because it was too dangerous for them to cross the highway. I am betting that when the tunnel is completed the turtles will still cross on the highway. What self respecting turtle would wimp out and crawl through  the tunnel when he can have the adventure of plodding across the busy highway dodging semis and SUV’s. That is something he can tell his children about.

All life on this planet has been instilled by our creator with a sense of adventure, curiosity and a desire to live on the edge. Unfortunately our system of education and governmental regulation wants to take the thrill out of everyday life. We are all to be wimps cowering in our basements, living in fear of; the next swine flu epidemic, the next bank failure, the next, automotive bankruptcy, the next … next ….next.

We are created by God for a purpose, to reach our destiny. As long as we are too afraid to leave our comfort zone and to reach out and do something we have never done before, to risk failure or ridicule, we will be considerably worse than the turtle or the squirrel.

The turtle lived, the squirrel died, but both broke free of their limitations, taking a chance.


 Maslow describes self actualization as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be. This has been labeled  a "fully functioning person", "healthy personality", or a "self-actualizing person."

What is keeping you from crossing the road, fear, apathy, or are you too comfortable? Maybe it is time to do something drastic. 

You may get run over, you may make it across. It is time to take a chance. 

True change 

True change in an organization or in one’s life does not come by merely changing programs and practices; it requires a change in core values and priorities. Core values cannot be changed by wishing them so or changing programs; it requires the establishment of a new identity through time, trauma, or some other life changing event.

For years, pastors and church leaders in main line denominations have watched their numbers decline while newer movements with contemporary music and a less formal ministry style are growing rapidly. So they change their music and the style of worship and find that they are still not growing, plus they have alienated some who liked the older music and the previous style. It is not about programs, music, and ministry style. It is about changing the value system. Values systems are at the core of what we do. 

On a routine flight from San Diego to Oakland, my value system was turned upside down by a simple two square foot package stowed in the overhead compartment. We had reached cruising altitude and flying directly over Los Angeles International Airport, when the captain came over the public address system and announced that we had to return to San Diego because they suspected a bomb had been placed in an overhead compartment on our plane. After landing back at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, we taxied to the far point away from the terminal where we were met by an armored vehicle with San Diego Police Department Bomb Squad emblazoned across the side. Two men in full body armor boarded through the tail ramp carrying a large steel crate. Removing a package from the overhead a few rows behind me, they put it in the crate and left the plane. Our plane taxied back to the runway and we proceeded on to our destination. The captain was unable to get any more information from the ground regarding the incident, and I never saw anything on television, but my core values were changed forever. 

Up to that point in my life my core values were success in life and my career. Suddenly my meeting in Oakland became unimportant. After checking in to my hotel, I spent the rest of the afternoon on my knees re-evaluating my values, my life and my future. As the sun set that evening, I had a new identity. As a Christian I had earlier turned my life over to the Lord, but now it was different. I now understood that this life was merely transitory and my spiritual life was now paramount.

Changing programs, music, and ministry styles result in merely superficial changes which do not last and often cause friction and conflict. Changing value systems results in true and lasting change, but is the most difficult to accomplish. It requires a new way of thinking, a new sense of what is important. That is why new church plants are easier to accomplish than changing the value systems of an established church. New churches start off with a new set of values.

 Leaders of existing organizations can change their core values by casting a new vision, a new identity and a better future. The change of values will only come over a period of time as the vision and identity become a fact. The people must see regular progress in the organization becoming, and the vision becomes a reality.

Change Part 2

Change is Inevitable

"No man can put his foot in the same river twice"

Whether we like it or not change is inevitable. Things are going to change. Greek philosopher, Heraclitus [1], quoted often by Plato and Diogenes, was known for his doctrine of change,

 “No man can put his foot in the same river twice, … Everything flows, nothing stands still, …Nothing endures but change.”

As much as we want things to remain the same, they will change, like it or not. We age, people are born, people pass on, our lives are constantly in flux. Economics, international conflicts, geophysical incidents, and political factors keep changing and they all impact the stability of society,commerce, and the church. Leaders must always anticipate and be prepared for changes which effect their organizations. The wise leaders must be more than an organizational maven. They must be able to respond to the changes which are inevitable. For information on leading when finances are uncertain you can find resources at Aslan Press

Leaders must be:

Prophetic

As a prophet, leaders must anticipate all issues which could impact the organization. You may call it intuition, understanding the times and seasons, or hearing the voice of God, but a good leader cannot merely react to events. By the time you react, it is too late. Organizations that merely react to the world around them will forever be followers. They may have a modicum of success but they will never be true leaders in their fields. If you are skeet shooting, you cannot aim at the clay pigeon, you must anticipate where it will be when the shot arrives. While the arc of the clay and the trajectory of the shot are easily figured by an expert skeet shooter, not all of the changes which effect your organization are as easy. However the leader must realize that things will be changing and prepare contingency plans.

Flexible

Flexibility is not to be equated to being wishy-washy, it is the ability to bend without breaking. There is always a limit to how much we can bend before we break. No matter how good you are at reading the future, there will be times when a change occurs that was not anticipated and you have no contingencies. While a change may take you by surprise, you must be able to roll with the punch and still stand. 

Flexibility imparts power. In the early days of pole vaulting athletes were limited to their own physical abilities. As vaulting poles became more flexible, vaulting records were broken. Golf clubs with flexible faces impart greater distance to the drive. As we age, our bodies become less flexible which results in pain as we are stretched. As organizations age, they often become less flexible. New church plants can change worship styles, facilities, and programs easily while large established churches are more rigid. That is why it is often easier to start new churches in order to reach a younger generation than it is to change older ones. 

Obviously there may be issues where rigidity is an asset, but remaining rigid in the face of changing winds may result in breakage. 

Be Unshakable

Being unshakable may seem to run in the face of flexibility, but my use here is to stay the course. Each organizational leader should have such a powerful purpose or vision of what he is trying to accomplish that that vision is not deterred by changes in the environment. Several years ago when I moved to a new city to become pastor of a newly planted church, the Lord gave me a vision of what He wanted me to accomplish. After the first three years we only saw a small part of the vision emerging. While frustrated with our results, we did not know anything else to d than stay with the plans and vision. After a couple of more years, everything in the vision had been accomplished accept one thing. We had remained true to the initial vision while changes kept coming against us.

Accept the fact of Change

Heraclitus also wrote: "The only thing constant is change itself."

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[1] . Greek philosopher, Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 BC – 475 BC)

The Five Things I have Learned About Change

"Catalyst," that was the designation given me after taking a battery of tests during a board meeting of an international renewal organization. The test was designed to identify the leadership style of organizational leaders. Other possibilities were "entrepreneur," "implementer" and "maintainer." That was twenty five years ago and it was the first time I had heard the term "catalyst used in connection with leadership. Today "catalyst" is used extensively in leadership and business literature. Unfortunately it is often misused and misunderstood. Basically a catalyst is a substance added to a chemical reaction that speeds up the process of change. A catalytic leader is one who speeds up change in an organization. The opposite of a catalyst is called an "inhibitor."

In many organizations today there is a need for change, which requires the presence of a catalyst. Unfortunately, where change is required and it is not happening, there is a preponderance of inhibitors.

As one who encourages good change, I have learned five things about change.

1.   Change is inevitable. You cannot stand still. If you are not moving ahead, you will be falling backwards. Things are always going to change. The question then becomes, "Will we change for the better or the worse?"

2.   Change will cause conflict. Change means there will be movement. When there is movement there is friction. Friction brings heat. Where there is heat there is fire. There will always be conflict when change occurs, but conflict can be resolved.

3.   Change requires courage. Bringing about positive change is not for the fainthearted. There will be inhibitors fighting you and inertia which must be overcome. You will want to give up when the going gets tough but you must carry it through to the finish.   

4.   True change cannot be imposed from the outside. True change does not come about by imposing someone's will upon another. Churches as well as business organizations have a specific culture and personality. Changing this does not come from changing programs or styles of worship. True change will only come about as core values and priorities are changed.

5 True change takes time and patience. When a catalyst is added to the process, the rate of change can be increased.

Aslan Ministries provides church leadership tools for assisting each organization or church that desires to become all that God created it to be.

Bill Johnson

What do you believe about Heaven and Hell

New movies are hitting the big screen about heaven, hell and the existence of God. It appears that God is suddenly "IN".

But what do you believe? 

What happened to me one evening changed me forever.  

It makes a difference what you believe about heaven and hell. Are they real places? Is there a place of eternal bliss and a place of eternal torment? Would a loving God send allow anyone to live in hell for eternity? Obviously there are a number of serious, Christians who differ on these issues. What you believe will affect the way you live out you faith. Nihilists and Universalists do not have a burden, but if you believe there is a real heaven and a hell, you have a big responsibility. My belief was radically confirmed.

We were a small group, no more than eight people crowded into our living room seeking the Lord. Rita and I had moved two thousand miles from the Pacific Northwest to Ridgeland, Mississippi, to plant a new church. We had gathered a few people, mostly single young adults and had begun meeting in our home on Wednesday evenings. Each meeting began with a time of intimate worship. One particular evening something very strange and unexpected occurred. As usual we started with a time of worship. 

The worship mood had just transitioned from praise, to a more subdued and holy worship. Suddenly the mood was broken by a loud commotion outside in the street. Ignoring the disturbance for me was impossible. As the noises got louder, I leaned over to the window to look out. Pushing the curtain back a couple of inches, I stared out into the evening dusk, seeing only the quiet peaceful street and a lone squirrel climbing the oak in our front yard.  

"Maybe someone drove by with their car radio blaring, I thought. As I returned back to worship, the noise started all over again.  This time it was louder and more intense. I could make out voices of people screaming and cursing. It was as if there was a brawl right in our front yard. Again I turned and pushed the curtains back. Again there was no one there and nothing amiss. No one in the room was noticed what I was hearing. They were all continuing in their worship, oblivious to the ruckus. It was then I felt that the Lord was trying to get my attention. Believe me, it worked. 

“Okay, Lord, what are you trying to show me?” Swiftly I was taken, in the spirit, to the top of a mountain overlooking a wide, barren valley. That picture still puts chills in my heart. Across the valley were thousands of people marching up a shallow mountain to its crater. The ancient volcano, had come back to life. Smoke and flames were belching into the air from the hot lava, yet the people kept climbing the hill toward disaster. As they reached the top they realized that they were going to fall into the fiery lake. They could not stop because the others coming up the hill behind them were pushing them forward into the fire. Then the Spirit took me in for close look. He spoke again, “These people are perishing. You must warn them.”

This incident was so real and so upsetting that I could not talk about it for several weeks, and whenever I did all I could do was weep. We abandoned the teaching element of the meeting and spend the rest of the evening praying for one another other. This happened twenty years ago but it is as real to me today as it was then. I believe!

I have never been a "fire and brimstone" preacher, but I feel a heavy responsibility to warn the people, like the "watchman on the wall." If you truly believe that there is a place of eternal torment, and you care about other people, it is also your responsibility to warn them.

Ezekial 33:1-6

Bill Johnson

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