“Three ways to Change Your World?”

You can change your world.

Our lives are a series of events – some we control, and others we cannot. Stuff just happens. We cannot change the event, but we do have control of how we react to the event, and our reaction will determine the atmosphere. Will it be hot, cold, or warm and cozy?

Event + Reaction = Atmosphere

Here are three ways to transform the world around you:

1.     Be Generous:

A few days ago we pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru lane behind about a dozen cars. Patience is

not one of my virtues. But it was a nice day, cold but the sun was out, so we patiently waited our turn. There was one car that seemed to take an inordinate time to place its order. We finally placed our order at the squawk box and waited patiently to get to the pick-up window.  The Starbucks app on my phone was not working so I dug out a credit card to pay for my “Vente Americana” and Rita’s “Tall Mocha.” As I tried to pass the card to the barista, she informed me that our drinks had already been paid for by the customer who preceded us. She smiled and asked if we would like to treat the folks behind us with the same courtesy. “Sure, why not? It is Christmas Eve.

It is unclear who had started the gift chain, the barista or some earlier customer, but I would guess the givers outnumbered the takers. The Christmas season is noted for the thought of giving to others. Our kids blew us away with their gifts for us this year.

2.     Be Courteous:

While in college in Atlanta, I would visit my girlfriend several miles from campus. Exiting the freeway, there was a stop sign at the end of the off-ramp, which I often totally ignored. One day I got caught and given a traffic ticket. The judge gave me a choice between paying a fine or going to traffic school. Lacking funds, I opted for the school which consisted of a three-hour lecture accompanied by the obligatory gruesome movie showing the results of bad driving. But the most interesting thing was they gave me a small decal that said, “COURTESY IS CONTAGIOUS”

Sticking the decal on my dashboard, I decided to test it out whenever I had the chance. It was amazing. Most of the time, whenever I acted courteous to another driver, they, in turn, acted courteous themselves. Courtesy is contagious. By the same token, being discourteous or angry can lead to road rage, fights, and wars.

3.     Don’t take it Personal:

Driving to work one day, I was distracted thinking some deep thought and accidently cut off a furious young woman who immediately expressed her anger by showing off the nail polish on the middle finger of her right hand. I could have gotten angry and responded with similar heat, but I knew I was at fault and repentant. Rather than react negatively to her sign of contempt, I was impressed by the dramatic splendor she displayed. Over the years, I have seen many vulgar displays of anger, but the aplomb with which this lady responded to my carelessness was in a category by itself. I had to admire her dynamism. 

When someone gets upset or angry our tendency is to take it personally and fight fire with fire. But, over many years, I have learned that people often strike out because of some internal issue. 

Hurting people hurt people.

Proverbs 15:1 (NKJV) A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Bill Johnson

Leading Your Ministry To Financial Health

A Focus On The Future

Each December, I try to take time away to pray and plan for the coming year. But this year I received no clue about 2016. Sure, there was the normal stuff - losing weight, getting more exercise, and spending more time with family and friends – but I was getting no vision or goals for the coming year. 

Then, on New Year’s Day it hit me.

Your purpose in life - and mine - is to be used by our Creator to do His will here on earth. He will use our past experiences as preparation for our divine role. [Everybody has a divine role.] My dilemma this year was choosing between two or three opportunities.

So I began to look back on my life for a clue of what God prepared me for. The first half was spent in a purely secular environment, striving to climb the corporate ladder, and manipulating people and situations to my own advantage. While deemed successful in the eyes of the world, something in my life was missing. It was then that the Lord came into my life through the efforts of my wife Rita and a loving church family on Mississippi’s gulf coast. As my devotion to God increased, my business success also increased and we moved to San Diego and built a successful international consulting business. At the top of the business mountain, the Lord called me to make a decision. I could continue in my present life dividing time between business and ministry, or enter fully into His service. We chose the latter.

A number of divine encounters caused us to move to the Seattle area and accept a part time secular position - to pay bills - while entering the ministry. Soon I entered seminary and held three unpaid ministry positions. As a regional director for a renewal ministry, we consulted with churches and their leaders. As part of an evangelistic ministry, we helped lead conferences in around the country. All the while we continued to minister in a local church. One day while driving to work, I felt the Lord ask me if I was enjoying all of this. My answer to Him was a resounding, “Yes!” My heart fell when He told me I had to choose one and get rid of the others. I 

responded, “Okay, but can I wait for a while?” Soon we let go of the secular position, the regional director position and began to plant and lead churches where we could minister to all of God’s people.

As the year 2016 begins, the Lord told me again that I have been too scattered and trying to do too many different things all at once. But this time, He did not give me a choice. My role has been to encourage and equip the church and its leaders to become all that God created them to be. God prepared me for this throughout my entire life. In the first half, He taught me to plan, motivate, and lead people to accomplish a common purpose. In the second half, He showed me the difficulties that ministry leaders face and has given me the tools and the heart to encourage and equip God's people and their leaders. Therefore, that is to be our focus for the foreseeable future, and the it is the specific focus for 2016.

This is not a change in direction, but a refocus on our true purpose. Our websites, blog, and five books, all are focused on equipping God's people, ministers, and leaders to be the best they can be. While these resources are also useful to leaders of secular organizations, our focus will continue to be on those who minister in the name of God. 

In 2016, we plan to develop additional resources to better use social media to reach out to our target audience and provide the resources they need in a form that will best suit their busy schedules.

Please provide any comments or suggestions you might have for us at this time.

 Bill Johnson

Psalm 71:17-18

If anyone is confused about their God-given purpose, please read our book "Destiny."

Problem Solving Made Easy

Solving the problem is easy - once you understand the problem!

We are all looking for solutions to our many problems.

"Read the Question." Those words were emblazoned at the top of the first page of my chemistry test. Unfortunately I failed to heed the warning. Instead I jumped in and tried to solve each problem as quickly as possible. After all isn't that what many of us do?

Turning in the exam and walking out of the room, I smiled at how easy it had been. When I got the test back, I did not smile. The problem was that I had not read each question carefully and there were a number of trick questions which were placed on the test to measure the our knowledge of the subject and also to train us to think clearly.

In problem solving we often fail to read the question carefully, listen clearly to what others say, or take the time to fully consider all aspects of the problem. Our problems in technology, business, religion, government, and personal relationships fail to be solved because we do not read the questions properly.

As a result we try to solve problems by treating symptoms without ever facing up to the real problem. We are often like the child who finds a hammer and believes everything in the house needs to be hammered. We look for a solution before we understand the problem. Then when we find one solution we run around using it to solve every problem whether or not it is appropriate.

We need to first read the question and understand the real problem. Once we are able to define the problem clearly, the solution or solutions become obvious.

It is not solving problems that is hard; it is in understanding the true problem.

The biggest example can be seen in bureaucracies. There are some in governments that believe the solution to every problem is regulation. So they want to regulate technology, business, healthcare, the economy, and relationships. Government regulation is the hammer and everything must be hammered.

But, in our own businesses, churches, and personal relationships we have a similar practice. We keep looking around for that magic hammer that will solve our problems. We attend webinars, conferences, and read every new book looking for the thing that worked for someone else, then try to apply it to our particular problem. We do this without a careful understanding of our individual problem.

Before we buy that new course or apply that hot program, we must be introspective and look at ourselves and understand our specific issues. Then we can pick the proper solution that applies to our situation.

You cannot solve a problem if you do not understand the problem. But if you fully understand it and can clearly state the issues, the solution or solutions will usually become obvious. Then we can pick the one best suited for the issues we face.

When we truly understand the problem, the solution or solutions become obvious.

Do You See the People?

Jim was a veteran of World War II -a member of the "Greatest Generation." He was a colleague and a personal friend.  As a B-24 bombardier, Jim flew many bombing missions over Germany. We were having lunch at a Mexican restaurant one day when I asked "the" question, "What were you feeling and what was it like to be the one dropping bombs on people below that could be wounded or killed?" 

His reply was very telling and has wide implications, “When I looked through the bombsight, from altitude, I never saw people, I only saw buildings and weapons factories.”

I never saw people!

Jim’s answer provides an interesting insight not only about war, but also about our business and personal lives. War is hell and there will always be innocent lives lost and threatened. But there is another concern that hits much closer to home. 

Leaders are often gifted with the ability to focus on long-range issues. In focusing on the goal/vision/purpose, there is a tendency to lose sight of immediate surroundings. Looking to the future, leaders can fall into the trap of never seeing the people. 

In this TGIF world (Twitter, Google, I-Phone, & Facebook) there is so much technology at our disposal that we have a tendency to rely on these modern forms of communication without interacting with real, live people.  We need to have face to face meetings between people, without phones, texts, or Skype. The most effective communication is still one on one. Studies have shown that what we say is not half as important as how we say it. A text can be misinterpreted. People interpret our communications in three different ways; 

• 55% of what they hear is based on facial expression & body language, 
• 37% percent is based upon the tone of our voice, 
• and only 8% on the words that we say.

In the church, we tend to sit in our comfortable pew and send money for someone else to go into the poor neighborhoods of our cities, go overseas to minister in the developing countries, or to just share our faith with our next door neighbor. We will never receive the blessing of touching lives until we serve others face to face. That is a life changing event, not for those touched, but for those who touch.So often we think we are doing our duty by sending a donation to the Salvation Army, overseas missionaries, or disaster relief. But without interacting directly with people, we are never doing enough. Something of our message is lost without our presence. It is the difference between being and doing. You can do good stuff, but being good is more effective. 

In the business world, it is easier to sit in a padded chair behind our plush desk than it is to go out among the employees, customers, and the community. The view from the office is a distorted image of the needs of the organization. There has to be a time to get away from all the hustle and bustle and to think and plan, but it is just as important to see the people and listen to what they are saying and become known to them.

When taking an automobile trip with my wife, Rita, I usually do all of the driving. Her driving makes me very nervous while its relaxing for me to drive. It has taken years to understand why this is so. It is not about being in control. There are others, worse drivers than Rita, with whom I am not nervous. We finally figured it out. Rita is a detail oriented person with shorter range vision. I, on the other hand, am a long range viewer. She sees everything around her but does not see the things I see - way ahead down the road. While I am focusing on the road ahead, I often ignore, or do not always see, the things that are close up on either side. 

I never want to get to the point where I do not see people!

Renewal: Step One - Think!

On Monday morning a friend was driving me to the Seattle -Tacoma airport after a long weekend of teaching and leading. On the way, he asked me, “What do you feel is the best thing about your new situation?”

The question caught me by surprise. I didn’t have a ready answer. My life had always been a busy and exciting journey. My early career years were spent as a corporate executive in the electronics industry, starting and growing business organizations. Then leaving that behind we transitioned into full-time ministry - planting and growing churches and teaching and leading seminars and workshops. My new situation was semi-retirement. We had left our church, moved to Mississippi, and started Aslan Ministries - a non-profit organization to encourage and equip churches and other organizations.

After about thirty seconds of thought, I blurted out the answer that had suddenly hit me, “Now I have time to think.” The answer seemed to stun me, and also my friend. But it was true. My life had become far more productive.

Too often, we get caught up with daily activities and do not take the time to reflect. Our lives have become too organized.

Today this starts in early childhood as parents begin to organize their children's lives. They fill the child’s life with organized activities - sports, dancing classes, and church groups. These are all worthy and teach, but they keep children, and the parents, so busy they have no time to think and reflect.

I grew up in a time when there was no television. We would sit on the floor in front of the radio and listen to the Lone Ranger, Jack Benny, and other programs. You could shut your eyes and picture the great white stallion, Silver, and trusted Indian friend Tonto. When these programs came to television something was lost. No television set could equal the imagination pictured in a listener’s mind.

For many years I have been struck by an interesting fact. The state of Mississippi, which is often near the bottom of positive statistics, stands out above all other states in the number of creative people per capita. Was there something in the water? I have since come to the conclusion, that because of the poverty and slower lifestyle, people have time to think. When people have time to think, they can use their creativity.

When starting a company from scratch, there are few customers to serve. There will be a lot of marketing activities, getting out and meeting new people, and setting up your products or services. It is the same way planting a church. This leaves time for thinking and soul searching - sometimes wondering why you ever tried this.

As the organization grows, you have to get organized, because that is what everyone does. You start with the vision of the future, a significant purpose that will motivate the leadership to spend their lives for that purpose. Concerns for any difficulty are subjugated by the sheer power of the vision. The rewards will be greater than the risks. The family, employees, or members of the organization are able to foresee the significance of what they are trying to accomplish.

As the organization grows, the exciting adventure of achieving the vision dims, even in the best of situations. Somewhere along the way, the organization itself changes. Instead of being the instrument for fulfilling the vision, it now has become a consumer of valuable resources. Like an overindulged, spoiled child, the organization itself demands everyone’s attention. The vision is subjugated to the demands of maintaining the organization. Resources intended to serve the greater purpose are now consumed maintaining the organization.

Renewal can only come when the original vision is restored. If you feel that your life, your job, or your organization has become a drudgery, it is time to stop, get to a quiet place and spend time reflecting upon whatever happened to your dream. Several years ago we were teaching a group of missionaries, pastors, and evangelists in Costa Rica. It was obvious that many of them had lost their God-given vision. My advice to them was if their vision has dimmed, they should stop what they were doing, go up on a mountaintop, and pray for their vision to be restored. They should not go back into ministry until that vision was clear again.

If you are a leader of an organization, do not let the organization lead you. You should be led by your vision. If that vision is unclear, take time to think, reflect, and pray.

What Happened to The Dream

(Excerpt from "Disorganize or Bust") 

When a baby is born, the family gathers around and are struck with the wonder of what the child will accomplish. It is a time of joy, looking to the future and dreaming big dreams. There is the potential for greatness. Parents also feel the burden of responsibility to provide the child everything needed to reach its full potential. As the child grows into adulthood, there will be many trials passing through different age levels – the terrible twos, teenage years, and leaving the nest. Later in life choices are made, good and bad.

So also is an organization. There is the vision of what the organization can become. There will be a significant purpose that motivates the organizers to expend their lives for the good of the purpose. The future trials are subjugated by the sheer power of the vision. The rewards are seen as greater than the risks. The family, employees, or members of the organization can see the significance of what they are all about.

Then trials begin to show up and the vision of the future is dimmed in light of immediate circumstances. The exciting adventure has become a drudgery. This can happen even in the best of situations. Somewhere along the way the organization itself has changed. Instead of fulfilling the vision for which it was created, it now has become a consumer of valuable resources. Like a spoiled child, the organization demands everyone’s attention and the vision is subjugated to the demands of the organization. The organization which was started to fulfill a need has become the entity in need. Resources intended to serve the greater purpose are now consumed to maintain the organization.

The organization has become institutionalized. It acts like Audry Jr., the crossbreed of a Butterwort and a Venus Fly Trap in the movie Little Shop of Horrors. Little Shop of Horrors is a 1986 American rock musical horror comedy film directed by Frank Oz. It is a film adaptation of the off-Broadway musical comedy of the same name by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman about a nerdy florist shop worker who raises a vicious, raunchy plant that feeds on human blood. As the plant keeps growing, it became more demanding, and commands its owner, “Feed me Seymour!”

Organizations can grow into bureaucracies and become more demanding, consuming more and more time and resources, just to continue to exist. The leaders, employees, or members become so consumed with keeping the organization fed that they forget the original purpose. 

Imagine the “Borg Collective.” The Borg are a fictional alien race that appears as recurring antagonists in the Star Trek franchise. Aside from being the main threat in First Contact, the Borg play major roles in The Next Generation and Voyager television series, primarily as an invasion threat to the United Federation of Planets, and serve as the way home to the Alpha Quadrant for isolated Federation starship Voyager. from the Star Trek television series.

The Borg was an alien race that was a collection of species that have been turned into cybernetic organisms functioning as drones in a hive mind called the Collective, or the hive. The fictional Borg, whose ultimate goal is "achieving perfection," resembles a large organization trying to achieve ultimate institutionalization.

Any organization, large or small, can fall into the trap of losing sight of the original significant purpose for which it was created. Governments, major corporations, labor unions, service organizations, religious entities and individuals all are vulnerable to losing the vision. 

The obvious examples of this bureaucratic process are government agencies. But, we see it in the banking industry where a bank becomes “too large to fail.” Some corporations have grown out of control through merger and acquisition in an attempt to control an industry. Labor unions which came into life to protect the workers have become institutions which have lost sight of their original purpose and exploit workers as the industrial barons once did. Education systems have become large bureaucracies which must be maintained while the education of students continues to fail. In the old one room country school, the expenditures for education were spent mostly in the classroom. Now the majority of funds are spent on maintaining a hierarchal bureaucracy. The bureaucracy of some charitable organizations has grown to the point where only a small fraction (as little as five percent in some well-known cases) of their income is actually spent helping people while the majority of income feeds the organizational beast. Our religious institutions are not immune to this structural obesity. Many local churches spend the majority of their budgets on maintaining facilities and infrastructure. As a result little is left to feed the poor and minister to those in need.

While this situation is pandemic throughout the world, there are solutions that can renew these organizations. Renewal infers that there was a significant vision which has been lost but can still be realized, but it will require taking drastic steps. The alternative is to continue on the path of growing budgets while providing less and less significant work.

John 15:2 (NIV) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.