Mike Johnson

Are Movies Becoming More "Christian"?

2010-07-30T09:32:00-05:00

I love movies! And it looks like Hollywood might be getting the message that the movies that bring in the most money are those that a family can go and see together. Since I have always loved going to movies with my girls, I like the trend that I am seeing. Read on below...

Movieguide® has recently released statistics about changes that can be seen in the movie industry over the last 20 years.

Here are a few of the statistics:

Since 1991, there’s been a 425% increase in the number of movies with Christian, redemptive content that reflect a Christian biblical worldview – with a 20% increase in just the last five years.
From 2005-2009, movies with a very strong Christian and redemptive worldview averaged $65.3 million, while movies with a strong negative or anti-Christian worldview averaged only $23 million.
In 1995, movies with a strong Christian and redemptive worldview were earning an average of $21.14 million, but by 2009 that number had increased to $80.3 million.
In 1996, 12 of the Top 25 movies at the Box Office were R-rated; in 2009, only two of the Top 25 were R-rated. Conversely, in 1996 only three of the Top 25 movies had a strong Christian and redemptive worldview, but in 2009, 18 of the Top 25 had a strong Christian and redemptive worldview – a 500% increase.

For the complete list of Movieguide® statistics, click here.

Meet Wonder and Palette!

2010-07-28T13:47:09-05:00

Have you met Wonder and Palette yet? They are the two newest characters in Elevate Jr! Wonder and Palette will be a consistent part of each new Elevate Jr. series. They bring even more fun to the Biblical teaching your preschoolers get from Elevate Jr!

Elevate: Roanoke Jones Logo Development Process

2010-07-06T13:57:23-05:00

I thought you might like to see how we create the logos you see for each Elevate series. This is the development process we went through to get the Roanoke Jones logo.

Step 1 - Different logo concepts were sketched out and we chose the one that fit best.

Step 2 - The sketch was recreated digitally.

Step 3 - More detail was added to the logo and different variations were created.

Step 4 - The best attributes of each variation were merged into the final design.

Step 5 - Texture and shading were added to the design to arrive at the final logo.

I hope you enjoyed this look at our development process. I am very excited about Roanoke Jones and can't wait for you to see the rest of it!

Korea in a Week - Expectations

2010-07-02T11:32:41-05:00

I must say that when I went to Korea, I didn't have high expectations. The organizer of the conference told me in advance not to expect a large group of people. Instead, he told me to remember that this conference would be a good start toward increasing the awareness of the importance of Children's Ministry in the life of the Korean church. I think he was afraid I would be disappointed by the turn out and he wanted to make sure my expectations weren't set too high.

I had my own doubtful expectations before the trip as well. I wondered if what I had to say would have any relevance to a nation on the other side of the world. I wondered if the FC Kids philosophy of ministry would have any impact on a culture so different from ours. I wondered if my sessions on volunteering would add any insight to a culture that exudes servanthood. I wondered if the trip was even worth taking.

But then the trip came, and along with it came the realization that both my expectations and the organizer's expectations were way too low. With over one thousand people in attendance and an overwhelmingly positive response, I once again remembered that I should NEVER have low expectations about what God can and will do if I just make myself available.

When you live out the principle of Ephesians 3:20, believing that God is able to accomplish infinitely more than you might ask or think, you can have confidence that God will put you in places where He can have a huge impact through you. Your primary job is to realize that you are in those places not because of your own special ability, but solely because of your willingness to be a vessel that God can work through.

So, open yourself up to the opportunities God has placed in your life. Let Him bring to you what He has planned for you. Don't let low expectations discourage you and keep you from the amazing experiences God has created for you. Embrace each opportunity as a chance to make a difference in the kingdom of God, and then sit back and let Him do the rest.

Time Gobblers - Part 4: The Plan-less Paralyzer

2010-07-01T09:28:00-05:00

The last three weeks we talked about our time Gobblers, the Programming Pac-man, the Meeting Miser, and the Interruption Immobilizer. What is a time Gobbler, you ask? They are the things that leave you feeling disappointed each week with the amount of time you actually gave to doing the things that are important to you and your ministry. Now on to our last Gobbler!

Gobbler #4 The Plan-less Paralyzer

This may seem extremely basic, but you have to have a plan of action for your week. If you begin your week without a plan, you might as well be jumping into a den of hungry lions with a steak tied around your neck. Either way, you’re in trouble.

Know what you want to accomplish and set out to make it happen. Some people like “to do lists”, others like to set a schedule for their week so they are able to keep track of when they are supposed to be in a meeting or in the office. Do what works best for you.

It might take an hour of your week to get your plan down, but the benefits will be ten-fold. Take charge of your week by stopping the Gobblers before they attack. Don’t allow them to keep you from doing what God has called you to do, ministering to the kids and families He has brought to your church.

Korea in a Week: Ministry is More Universal Than You Think

2010-06-30T10:16:58-05:00

When I was preparing for this trip I poured over my notes, videos, and object lessons, looking at them with critical eyes. Would my Korean audience understand the context of my examples? Would humor that got big laughs in the United States fall on confused ears in South Korea? Would my ministry concepts developed at Fellowship apply in a foreign land? Secretly, I feared my insights of ministry may have no validity to an audience with a different language and culture.

But as I was teaching the material at the conferences, I saw many of the same reactions from the Korean audience as I saw from the American audience. Through conversations with them I realized that God was moving and they were getting it! In hindsight it shouldn't have surprised me. The concepts I was teaching came from scripture. And, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the universal principles of God's Word do not return void.

What a joy it was to see, through Christ, how much we have in common with ministers on the other side of the world! Always know that, when done with the right heart, God will use you and speak through you to others. The Holy Spirit has the power to communicate in ways that go beyond our understanding and abilities!

Korea in a Week - Language Barrier?

2010-06-29T11:08:18-05:00

When speaking to others there is always a chance for misunderstanding. I say something to you and I think you understand. You hear what I say and you think you understand. We then part ways and act on what was said/heard, only to find out that we completely misread each other. This happens all the time. So imagine what happens when you have to add a different language and cultural context on top of that.

At the C3 Kids conferences in Korea, the sessions took twice as long as normal because I was speaking through an interpreter. The interpreter would often have to stop and ask me to clarify something I said so he could find the right Korean phrase to communicate my meaning. I would often wonder if what I was saying was having any impact whatsoever.

But then I realized something: I did nothing to get to Korea. God brought this to me out of the blue. The attendance at the conferences was exponentially greater than expected by both the conference organizer and the host churches. God had something He wanted to say to the Korean people and by His grace I was the one He chose to speak through. Knowing this, I realized that not only would the interpreter make sure my words were understood, the Holy Spirit was making sure the intent was understood as well. Knowing that it is God at work through you, and not you on your own, is a very freeing feeling.

Korea in a Week: Service is a Lifestyle

2010-06-28T12:19:57-05:00

I just spent the last week in the nation of South Korea where God gave me the privilege of speaking to Children's Ministers and Leaders. While there I spoke at two churches: Jeonhari, in the Seoul area and Hosanna Church in Busan, which is on the coast of South Korea. In my travels I learned one thing for sure, God is blessing the churches of South Korea and they have a hunger to reach the next generation for Christ. Over the course of this week, I want to share with you some of my experiences.

One of the immediate impressions I got from the Korean people is that service is very important to them. I first saw this on the flight over. The flight attendants on Korean Air were friendly, helpful, and very professional. I later found out that this “job of service” was considered very prestigious and that the people who did this job were the best of the best. But this courtesy didn't end on the plane. No matter where I went, whether it was the people who worked in the different hotels, the couple who rented a bike to me for a quick ride in the park, the person who worked behind the counter giving me my morning coffee at Smoothie King, or just someone I would meet on the street, people were kind, compassionate, and warm.

At the churches where the conferences were held, Jeonhari in Seoul and Hosanna in Busan, servanthood was taken (as my good friend and senior pastor would say) to a "hole notha' level." I cannot remember a time when I wanted for less. The staff and volunteers went to great extremes, despite language barriers, to make sure my needs were met. I dined with senior pastors whom I knew were very busy. I couldn't carry my bags anywhere, even when I tried to. (An example: when I got out of the car to enter Hosanna Church on the first day of our conference there, someone who was on staff stepped up and took my bag. This person intended to carry my bag into the church for me, but he was unable to because someone else stepped up to take it from him.) Everywhere I turned the Korean people truly tried to, "Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10, ESV) We all could learn from their example.

Time Gobblers - Part 3: The Interruption Immobilizer

2010-06-24T09:08:00-05:00

The last two weeks we talked about our time Gobblers, the Programming Pac-man and the Meeting Miser. But what is a time Gobbler? They are the things that leave you feeling disappointed each week with the amount of time you actually gave to doing the things that are important to you and your ministry. Now on to our next Gobbler!

Gobbler #3 The Interruption Immobilizer

Interruptions, whether electronic or human, can keep you from getting anything done. A recent study in England showed that checking and responding to e-messages or phone calls actually hurts your IQ worse than the effects of smoking marijuana.

Here is something to remember; our modern methods of communication are great tools of efficiency, but they are just tools, nothing more. You are not a slave to these items. Don’t answer the phone every time it rings. Don’t take your cell phone or Blackberry to lunch with a volunteer you need to counsel. Don’t keep your email open if you check it every time you get a message.

If you have an office, close your door. And don’t answer every knock. It will give you the time to get things done, and it will empower your leadership to figure things out on their own. Sometimes the best training you can give your staff or volunteers is your absence.

Spend this week looking at the ways you interact with technology and how you deal with interruptions. Then take steps to keep interruptions from gobbling your time. Next week will be our final time Gobbler: The Plan-less Paralyzer.

Time Gobblers - Part 2: The Meeting Miser

2010-06-17T14:11:57-05:00

Last week we talked about the first of our time Gobblers, the Programming Pac-man. But what is a time Gobbler? They are the things that leave you feeling disappointed each week with the amount of time you actually gave to doing the things that are important to you and your ministry. Now on to our next Gobbler!

Gobbler #2 The Meeting Miser

Whenever it is within your power, try and keep all of your meetings within one day of your week. Meetings are great for getting face-to-face contact with your staff or volunteers, but when you spread your meeting schedule out over the week, you will find that you only have small increments of time to accomplish the actual “ministry” you’re meeting about.

Try to keep one day aside and schedule all of your meetings then. This way you will have larger blocks of time during the week and you will be surprised with how much you can get accomplished.

Spend this week looking at the way you do meetings and then take steps to keep meetings from gobbling your time. Next week’s time Gobbler: The Interruption Immobilizer.