Christian or Christ-Follower?

by Gregory A. Johnson

I feel compelled to bring clarity to the confusion existing that is hindering Jesus' purpose for the church and its witness in our day. In the post-Christian culture we now live in, many are confused about being a Christian and being a  Christ-follower. There is a vast difference between the two.

There are Christians who do not follow Christ, and there are Christians who choose to follow Christ. Sadly, non-Christ-following Christians can do much damage to people inside and outside the church through their words and actions. 

In all my years of ministry, it has always been a joy to pastor Christ-following Christians. Still, I have discovered non-Christ-following Christians to be abusive in their words and actions, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the church to reach and make a difference in its community. 

The Secret to Understanding the Kingdom

by Gregory A. Johnson

When Jesus walked this earth, He revealed His Kingdom to us through His words and His actions. The secret to understanding the Kingdom and living as its citizens is found in the life of Christ. Jesus and the Kingdom are the same; He is the Kingdom embodied.

Jesus gave us the first hint into what His Kingdom is all about when He preached His first sermon in His hometown of Nazareth.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

Gender Equality

by Gregory A. Johnson

In Jesus' day and the days of the early Pauline church, women were not recognized or treated much better than animals. There are still parts of this world where women are not allowed to get an education, vote, or even drive a car.

The apostle Paul taught that women were to be silent in the church and could not hold some leadership positions. In the early Pauline church, women would sit on one side of the church and men on the other. I love the apostle Paul, and I believe his writings are inspired of God. He is one of my heroes of the faith, but I must take my understanding of his teachings within the boundaries of the teachings and actions of Jesus. If I do that, I can properly interpret the Scriptures. If I don't do that, my theology will become unbalanced and the result will not look like the Kingdom according to Jesus.

Females Preach the First Easter Sunday Message

by Gregory A. Johnson

The most important day on the Christian calendar is Easter. The most important day of the Christian week is Sunday. Jesus died on Friday evening, and He was buried in a borrowed tomb before the start of the Jewish Sabbath at sunset. On that Sunday morning, Jesus arose triumphant over death, hell, and the grave. Easter Sunday is celebrated once per year, but on every Sunday Christian churches meet around the world to celebrate an empty tomb. He has risen!

All day Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, the women mourned the loss of Jesus. They went to bed that night in sorrow, not realizing that the next morning joy would replace it.

At dawn on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb to minister to the body of Jesus. After seeing Jesus die a horrible and violent death, they were still fearful, but their loyalty to Jesus got them up that morning. They were determined to go to the tomb where they had seen Jesus' body placed. Their main concern that morning was how they were going to move the heavy stone, so that they could spread spices on the body; they would have no help from the men. The men were hiding while being full of fear and sorrow.

The Kingdom According to Jesus Book Trailer

We Need a Faith and Justice Revival in Our Day

by Gregory A. Johnson

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Revelation 7:9-10 ESV).

On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born in a day when those with dark skin did not have equality with those with white skin. The African American was not allowed to ride in the front of the bus with the European American. African Americans could not use the same restrooms. They could not eat in the same sections of the restaurants. The children could not play in the same playgrounds nor go to the same schools. They could not drink from the same water fountain. They could not even go to the same church. Slavery, a great sin of the nation, was over, but segregation and all of its inequalities remained in America. In the land of the free and the home of the brave, not everyone was free; many were bound by the injustices of racism. It is with that backdrop that a dream was birthed in an individual. Although that dream has not fully reached reality, it is burning intensely in the hearts of many in our day.

Dr. King lived his life in the belief of God’s rule that all people are created equal, and all people should be treated equally. This is the dream of justice driven by faith. It is the dream that God gave to Dr. King. It is the dream that God plants deep into the heart of citizens of the Kingdom.