Broken to Bread

The Sunday services have finished. The switch on the melodious organ has been turned off, and the choir has hung their gowns in the choir room. The custodian has locked the doors to the sanctuary; and everybody has gotten in their cars, and drove off.

At home, you kick off the uncomfortable shoes and the suffocating corset. You plop down in your comfortable easy chair, switch on the TV, and settle in to the humdrum monotony of your real, everyday life. You are at home, now, and at home is the one place where you can be – must – be yourself.

You stood in line, as usual, today, hoping for a breakthrough. The preacher layed his hands on you, and you danced for a minute or two; but when it was over you didn’t feel that anything about your situation had changed.

Oh, how you needed a word from the Lord.

This is a book for the broken; for anyone who has ever found themselves going through, in a “dry place, “needing a word from the Lord. It does not contain any magical formulae or benign promises of great wealth; just some words of encouragement, from the Savior, Who declares that “I am the BREAD of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

The simple message is, it does not matter about our broken relationships, broken condition, broken minds, broken hearts, or broken spirits, we live with the assurance that Jesus gives to us, that he is the Bread of Life. Jesus is our most basic need that fills our hunger.

Our brokenness does not matter, because Jesus is our BREAD of Life.

I started writing this book when I was really in a battle to keep my head above the waters of hope — much less faith. In fact I had started to write this book on I can't recall how many occasions when I found myseelf struggling to keep my head above those same waters. In those times I have prayed, cajoled, strategized, and even pleaded, but still sometimes got no answer from the God I'd put on front street, even during a time when I lived in a land where so many already question His very existence.

People look to us for comfort, for strength; not realizing that we face struggles every day, too ... just like them. In China I was the poster child for "Jehovah-jireh" for seven years — for helping them to see in my own difficulties how God will part the troubled waters for us ... It's what we preachers do.

We talk a good game, but I can assure you that all of us have those private moments where we wonder if God is really there – really listening to us, or even concerned about us. The disciples had Jesus right in the boat with them, and yet even to them — men who could talk to Him about their problems, face to face — it seemed as if He was oblivious to the tragedy that was confronting them. What chance does a West Side Negro from Detroit have in a place like China, when it looks like the devil is about to capsize his boat?

Broken to Bread

Is a collection of words of encouragement that have been given to me in troubled times. I write these messages from the vanage point of someone who knows what it is to try to steer a ship through a storm: I've had a storm or two, in my own life. I've found myself wondering too, "Lord, don't you care if I perish?"

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Jehovah's witnesses versus the Biblical Jesus

Jehovah's witnesses Versus the Biblical Jesus is the fourth book in the "Leaving the Watchtower" series, written by Bishop Johnson. In this book we explore what the Church has believed about Jesus Christ, since its inception -- and in contrast with what Jehovah's witnesses teach about Him. By the grace of God, some of the issues about the deity of Christ have been settled by our ancient Church Fathers; and explored in depth by great Christian leaders and teachers, ever since. We re-open this conversation, though settled, for the sake of the thousands who are presently coming to terms with the Watchtower society's beliefs; and are seeking to understand what the Bible really says about Jesus Christ. Buy at Amazon, Kindle, and other fine booksellers.

Keeping the Faith: From Kingdom Hall to Kingdom Call Volume 2

This book is a sequel to my semi-autobiographical work, entitled From Kingdom Hall to Kingdom Call. In the first book I talked about my experiences growing up in the Jehovah’s witness religion, and attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall. Volume Two – Keeping the Faith – is the story of what happened next, and of what has happened over more than four decades, since leaving the Jehovah’s witnesses behind, and becoming a Christian.

From preaching my initial sermon, in 1975; to embracing Pentecostalism; to Consecration into the sacred office of the Episcopacy, and ministry in the underground House Church movement, in the Peoples Republic of China, leaving the Watchtower was the beginning of a very fulfilling journey of faith.

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The Sojourners' Story: Conquering Your Jericho

The Sojourners' Story begins when an obscure Bedouin shepherd left his tent with his son and a pile of wood, and climbed up the hill of destiny: an inauspicious place that carved out of time a shift in your destiny, and my destiny, and the destiny of every man, woman, boy, and girl; in every generation that followed. It begins with the promises and covenants God makes to that shepherd and his descendants to anoint them as the bloodline through whom the Savior of the world would come; and to give his seed a homeland that would prevail and persist as theirs through all subsequent generations, even down to this present day.. its promises, and God's faithfulness to them, foreshadow everything that we hope for in the promises that He has made to us; and connects our sojourn through this world with that of God's people in every generation.

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The Challenge of Christianity in China

Christianity has always been a minority religion in China. It is the second of three big world religions to come to China from the outside. It arrived -- after Buddhism and before Islam; and has progressed through about five well-defined eras, during which Chinese became Christians, and then went underground, or were driven out, or killed. As Chinese society struggled in turmoil at the turn of the twentieth century, Sun Yat-sen, an overseas Chinese Christian, rose to lead a revolution that gave birth to the Republic of China. The once unthinkable — that a Chinese leader would be a Christian — became a reality. Moreover, China’s next leader, Chiang Kai-shek, turned to Christianity in order to marry the future Madame Chiang Kai-shek. But when the Communists came to power they put forth great effort to eradicate Christianity as the religion of the Imperialists; and in 1954 established the Three Self Patriotic Movement with its three principles of 'self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation' . This is the story of the challenges Chinese Christians have had to face, in order to maintain their faith.

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The Adjutant's Manual

Serving the Men and Women of God in Today's Church

This book is intended for the sacred garrison of anointed men and women of God assigned to protect and to serve the leadership of Body of Christ. There are many general references that offer explanations and advice on what Adjutants should do, and how to be an Adjutant; in fact the magnum opus of our craft is found in a book called God’s Armorbearer,1 by Elder Terry Nance In historic times knights were military operatives who were appointed to the service of monarchs and other high-ranking nobles. In our time the Adjutancy serves the highest-ranking leadership of the Church. Over the course of these pages, we have attempted to convey an image of the Adjutancy that reinforces this idea of Christian knighthood.

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A Compendium of the Episcopacy

An Episcopal Catechism for Pentecostal and Apostolic Clergy

A Compendium of the Episcopacy is not simply another book about the bishopric. It is, instead, a handbook offering a concise set of information that can be useful for training men and women aspiring to the “fine work” of the episcopacy – and those already serving in this fine work – regarding the history, rituals, vestments, and protocols pertinent to this anointed office. The Compendium gives an exploratory account of the development of the episcopacy, from the time it was first transmitted to the early successrs to the Apostles. It pinpoints the places where the various streams of Apostolic Succession began; and answers the pertinent questions as to where the numerous streams of Succession have an impact upon the episcopacy, within Apostolic and Pentecostal community. Furthermore, it points to historical events in the history of the Church that bear upon Pentecostal Faith and Practice, today. As with any handbook of this sort, the aim of the Compendium is also to familiarize the episcopal candidate, as well as the apprentice bishop, with the rituals that pertain to our office; but at a far broader than usual scope. That includes a careful look at the history of the Pentecostal and Apostolic Faith. As intellectually competent clergy we are called upon to be sure that we are well enough informed about our spiritual heritage as we can be. By seeking out historic truths for ourselves, we won't need to follow every new trend that comes along in ministry; and won't participate in useless arguments – especially with individuals who won't give due diligence to the cause of learning; and/or who are so stuck in ignorance that they refuse to listen to reasoned arguments supported by scholarship.

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