Buzz Lightyear's Confession

I wanted to share one of the 10 Free Sermon Illustrations About Confession that I'm giving away. This is one of my favorites. If you want you the other 9, sign up here.

“For to confess is not simply to change but to first face and fully deny the false person you were trying to be.”

This is a quote from Josh Larsen’s book Movies are Prayers. In his chapter on how movies can be prayers of confession he looks at Buzz Lightyear’s journey in TOY STORY. For the majority of the film Buzz believes he is actually a real life space ranger and not just a toy. This all comes crumbling down when he happens to see a commercial advertising other Buzz Lightyear toys.

Feeling at his lowest, Woody tries to cheer up Buzz by saying “being a toy is a lot better than being a space ranger.”

On this scene Josh Larsen writes “Glancing from the corporate stamp on his wrist (“Made in Taiwan”) the hand-lettered inscription on the bottom of his foot (“ANDY”), Buzz comes to understand that his true identity lies not in the facade of a factious hero but in being claimed by someone else, someone who loves him despite his faults.”

Get 10 FREE SERMON ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT CONFESSION

Most AWKWARD Prayer Time

What's the worst/least helpful thing someone has said to you when you've asked for prayer during an altar call?

That’s the question I asked my Facebook friends a few months ago. There were SO MANY responses.

Here are some highlights.

“I know a teenager who was visiting a church for ministry purposes. The kid tried to cast a demon out of a man he’s never seen before. That someone just happened to be the pastor of the church.”

One guy told me he was literally told “to ‘shut up and quit praying.’ I needed to listen to what he was praying over me.”

A woman told me “After a lady finished praying for me one time, she said, ‘You know, I would really like it if you married my son.’”

Someone said “The worst is when you ask for prayer for a specific thing and the person praying with you repeats it in prayer extra loud and at the quiet part of worship." I thought this was really funny and relatable. How many teen guys don’t ask for prayer because they’re afraid the leader will start shouting "LORD, HELP THIS PERVERT TO STOP LOOKING AT SO MUCH PORN!”

It can be so scary to take the leap and open up to a leader about what you’re going through.

To confess and ask for prayer is making yourself so vulnerable.

But it can be just as scary to be on the other side of that conversation.

To be the leader someone is choosing to be vulnerable with can be so intimidating.

You can feel all this pressure like you have to fix this person in the next few moments or you’re not doing your job.

That mindset can lead to more harm than good.

I want to help train leaders.

That's why in 2018 I'm partnering with churches for a special event that not only includes a free comedy show outreach event for the community, but also training for pastors, leaders, and parents on how to be there for someone opening up.

Very Good Friends

I’m writing to you from Wichita, KS. I performed at a Christmas party last night (a lot of fun) where they played a game called “poop the potato.” Tomorrow I have a house show and next Wednesday I’m doing comedy for “big church.” It feels weird saying “comedy for adults” and I didn’t know what else to call it.

Wichita is where Cameron, one of my best friends, live. That’s a picture of him up top. He didn’t know I was taking the picture. He won’t know until he sees this (hi Cameron!).

I’m VERY good at sneaking pictures of people. If we're friends, there's a chance I snuck a picture of you while hanging out and you'll never know. I don't know why I do this. Just for fun, I guess. There's no weird collection I keep for creepy reasons.

I was so excited about spending time with Cameron since I haven’t seen him in several months. I’ve been making a list on my phone of all the stuff I want to talk to him about.

“What do you think about all these churches live streaming their services on Facebook?”

“What’s one thing you’re most looking forward to?”

“Matt Chandler recently preached a sermon where he talked about feasting and it was so beautiful and I want you to hear it.”

I always leave conversations with Cameron excited to learn, read, and get closer to Jesus. My biggest hope is that he could say that about me, too. That’s the kind of friends I want to have. That’s the kind of friend I want to be.

I once saw Wade Bearden lecture on C.S. Lewis and he said if you’re ever not sure about your preaching or writing you can always throw in a C.S. Lewis quote to make everything better and make you sound smarter.

So here’s a C.S. Lewis quote for ya:

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Friendship is one of those things that makes all this surviving worth it.

Here’s to the Christmas season!

Here’s to the long break

the cold weather

The empty schedules

The “I’ve got nothing on today”

the conversations that feel so short until we check the time and see that 2 hours have passed in 30 minutes and we're like "HOLY CRAP OUR CONVERSATION WAS SO GOOD WE TRAVELED THROUGH TIME!"

here’s to making friends with your family

and making family out of friends

I FREAKING LOVE CHRISTMAS

Jokes and the Holocaust

I just watched the documentary LAST LAUGH on Amazon Prime. Here’s the description they give:

Can a tragedy the scale of the Holocaust ever be the subject of comedy? Perhaps more importantly, should it be? Here we see comedians pitch in with their own views on the boundaries of comedy - views tested against the reactions of Holocaust survivors.

Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Rob Reiner, Carl Reiner, and a ton of other comedians talk about how and when you joke about tragedy, and (the part I found most fascinating) WHY you’d joke about it. Even Holocaust survivors are interviewed about what humor was like in the camps.

“We were miserable but without humor I don’t think we would have survived.”

It’s a really great documentary with a lot of great points on both sides. That’s one of the things that I loved about it. There’s not a neat and tidy conclusion. Not everyone agrees. One survivor talks about the importance of finding the humor and another says is offensive to even suggest there’s humor to be found.

What are we allowed to talk about?

What are we allowed to joke about?

This is the subject of one of my videos in HOW TO LEAD A CULTURE OF CONFESSION.

My main rule is that we should be aware of what we’re laughing at. Victims should never be the punchline.

I think Mel Brooks is pretty strict about following this rule when it comes to the Holocaust. To him it was important to make fun of Hitler and the nazis, to make them look so silly. He called it “revenge through ridicule.”

The other thing I really loved about the documentary is how it illustrates the two ways comedy can get through a dark time.

First, comedy can distract us. It can be a powerful form of escapism. Robert Clary, an entertainer and Holocaust survivor recalls performing in make shift shows in the camps. “For the 10, 15 minutes I performed, they forgot where they were.”

That’s so beautiful.

Secondly, the main point I think the comedians are trying to make about why they want to make jokes that involve tragic subject like the Holocaust is because if we can joke about it we can talk about it. If we can make jokes then it’s not bigger than us.

I really think this documentary is worth your time. You might totally disagree with a lot of it, but I think it’s a really fascinating topic and worth exploring.

Here's the trailer:

My Graphic Design Process is Terrible

Here is my process for graphic design

1. Have an idea
2. Recreate what’s in my brain in Photoshop
3. Do a bad job
4. Get frustrated
5. Take a nap
6. Try again
7. Succeed but realize it was a dumb idea and it looks bad
8. Give up
9. Forget that I’m supposed to be making something
10. Go on urbanoutfitters.com and look at vinyl album artwork
11. Find something I can rip off
12. Try
13. Do a bad job
14. QUESTION EVERY LIFE CHOICE YOU'VE EVER MADE
15. nap
16. Try to think of cool new ways I can trick talented friends into doing it for me for free
17. Realize that’s a bad idea
18. Distract myself with Twitter
19. Try one more time with a different idea
20. Accidentally make something that looks pretty cool
21. Freak out with excitement
22. Polish it up and make it look nice
23. Second guess myself
24. Decide it’s good enough

This is always the process and it’s exhausting.

I recently wen through all these steps as I tried to create some sort of graphic for my 2018 stand-up tour, The Black Hole Comedy Tour.

My original idea was doing something where I scribble a poorly drawn “black hole” over my face. This would really fit the theme of the show because it’s about the type of topics we’re afraid to talk about because they feel like they’ll be black holes that’ll suck everything into it and ruin our friendships.

I tested out this design and didn’t like it at all.

Then it was time for a nap.

I screwed around some more and made this

I’m not good at this. I hate this.

Then I made this weird thing.

Meh. TIME FOR A NAP AND TO QUESTION EVERYTHING.

But when I came back I made this and thought it was…..ok, I guess.

Then I did my classic move of looking at album artwork for something I could steal and that’s when I found the design for the Bojack Horseman soundtrack and I really loved it.

I loved that involved space (black holes are in space). I loved that was so simple so it’ll be easier for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing to recreate it.

I tried using my silhouette and just doing the exact same as Bojack but it wasn’t working. I really liked the little ink droplet from the earlier thing so I just used that instead and then I couldn’t stop screaming out of excitement because it actually looked ok.

Praise God.

It is finished. I don’t have to worry about designing anything else for a while. This will get me through the year.

Also, and this is only kinda related, but you should check out Austin Kleon's book Steal Like an Artist.

New Free Video Series | How to Lead a Culture of Confession

My biggest passion in my comedy and preaching is confession. We need to be open and honest about what’s going on in our lives.

Paul says in Galatians that we need to bear each other’s burdens but how can we bear someone’s burden if we don’t know what it is?

I’ve created a free video series to train church leaders on how to be the type of leader that people will feel comfortable opening up to.

Watch the series

This is for pastors, small group leaders, volunteers, or church members who just want to be a good friend to the people in their lives.

HOW TO LEAD A CULTURE OF CONFESSION is a free 4 day video series.

Sign up with your email address and for the next 4 days you’ll receive a new video in your inbox every morning. They’re short, simple, but challenging.

Start today and walk through the steps that will let your church know that you’re a leader they can be honest with.

SIGN UP NOW TO WATCH “HOW TO LEAD A CULTURE OF CONFESSION”

It’s easy. It’s free. It can make a huge impact.

Watch it on your own while sitting on the toilet (they’re short videos) or go through the series with your ministry team. You’ll end up having some incredible discussions.

How Do We Call Out What's Bad?

John Darnielle, frontman and songwriter of The Mountain Goats, said one of my new favorite quotes on the latest episode of the podcast I ONLY LISTEN TO THE MOUNTAIN GOATS.

He was talking about how his favorite protest songs are upbeat and fun. They’re about serious issues but they’re also songs you can dance to. And then he said this:

“It’s great to call out what’s bad but if we can do it in a way that everyone still has a good time along the way, we’re more likely to get more people involved.”

This is my entire motivation behind how and why I do stand-up. I want to talk about confession. I want to call out the types of issues we get nervous talking about but I think there’s a way of getting there that can involve a lot of silliness and laughs.

Yes, the actually message is serious but laughter can make it easier to swallow. I can’t believe I’m about to reference this but, “A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

Find out more about how I partner with churches for the most effective way to use comedy as an outreach.

Being an Anchor | a lesson from FAILING FAITH

What am I supposed to do for someone I care about when they’re suffering?

How do I help a friend after a tragedy?

I know they’re hurting but I don’t know what to do for them.

How do I make them better?

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves when someone we love reaches out to us in a vulnerable moment. There’s pain or loss in their lives and they need someone to be there for them and you desperately want to fill that role but you have no idea how.

We feel like we need to be the hero. We need to snap them out of it. There’s a perfect piece of advice around here somewhere, and I need to be the one to deliver it before it’s too late.

I just finished Wade Bearden’s new book Failing Faith. It’s incredible and I think it should become essential reading for Christians, especially because of the insight into this very topic.

Throughout the book Wade walks us through what it was like watching his father’s battle with cancer. It’s beautifully written and so incredibly honest about such a heartbreaking time in his life.

There are tears. There’s anger. There’s loss. There’s doubt.

He offers a window into what’s it like in those moments for those of us on the outside who feel at a loss for how to help. In one chapter he describes how his wife, Priscilla, was there to support him.

Once, after I heard some especially bad news about my father, Priscilla leaned her head against my shoulder and quietly whispered that she loved me. Her statement felt like warm honey to my soul. This wasn’t the first or last time she did it either. Sure, sometimes she’d offer advice, but most of the time she just walked alongside me. She became a symbol to the new life that I longed for. The fresh experience of all-surrounding joy.

This is a pattern you start to notice throughout the book. There were moments that were the most meaningful during this time, and very few of them revolved around advic. There’s nothing in here about a friend or family member saying just the right thing at the right time and changing everything.

Wade states the lesson plainly at one point:

When someone is in pain—when they’ve experienced a miscarriage, lost a loved one, or saw their future fall apart— presence is always better than philosophy. Write that down and make sure to look at it often. When someone is in pain, don’t explain to them how God is in control. Just be the anchor they need to make it through the hurricane.

This should be a relief to us, the friends and family. We don't have to shy away from hospital visits. We don't have to fear what might happen if we ask how things are going. Our list of responsibilities is a lot more manageable. We don’t have to find the perfect words. They probably don’t exist. We’re not there to fix anyone. We just have to be there. They might go through some dark and devastating times, and our job is the anchor.

I’m here.

I’m right here.

I’m still here.

We can do that. We can handle that.

Read Failing Faith for yourself. I'm telling you, it's an amazing book. I’m not just saying that because Wade is a close personal friend and I’m even thanked in the acknowledgements at the end of the book. It’s no big deal. Why even bring it up?

GET FAILING FAITH ON AMAZON

HOT TAKE: Thanksgiving is Dumb

I love Christmas so much I hate Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving season I am thankful for Christmas.

— Taylor Johnson (@taylordson) November 6, 2012

Thanksgiving is just a speed bump you have to endure on your way to Christmas.

Thanksgiving is a bully standing between me and my ability to celebrate Christmas in public without getting judged.

Christmas is the only holiday I actually celebrate. I don’t even go to church on Easter. I always find a church that has a Saturday night service so I can avoid the crowds. GO AHEAD AND JUDGE ME! I AIN'T SCARED!

The Grinch wouldn't even waste his time with Thanksgiving.

— Taylor Johnson (@taylordson) November 27, 2015

Everything Thanksgiving does Christmas does better.

Time with your family? Christmas wins. Get out of here, Thanksgiving. Half of your holiday is focused on trying to get Black Friday deals so you can have an even better Christmas.

A ton of food? Christmas does that too. And better. Yeah, I said it. Christmas gives you a lot of food, but Thanksgiving gives you too much food. You eat this food all day until you're sick and then you're forced to continue eating that food for the next week. No one likes leftovers. No one is excited about leftovers. People tolerate them. Thanksgiving is famous for making you eat old food.

There are no popular Thanksgiving movies.

There’s no Thanksgiving music.

May all your Thanksgiving wishes come true.
Huh?
What's that? That's not a thing?
Oh yeah. I forgot this holiday sucks.

— Taylor Johnson (@taylordson) November 27, 2015

It's a Thanksgiving miracle!
Oh yeah.
Not a thing either.
Stupid holiday.

— Taylor Johnson (@taylordson) November 27, 2015

On Thanksgiving the president pardons a turkey as a fun joke where the leader of our country does a whole ceremony where he treats a dumb bird like a criminal that he’s letting off the hook. Super cool. Do we do any weird stuff like that on Christmas? No. We just talk about Jesus Christ, WHO PARDONS ALL THE SINFUL TURKEYS BY DYING ON THE CROSS. I know that's Easter related but we wouldn't have Easter without Christmas. Think about it.

I’m sure some of you aren’t really into all this Thanksgiving hate. You think I’m being a real Scrooge and you want me to be visited by the ghosts of Thanksgiving Past, Present, and Future. Well too bad. That's a Christmas thing.

Alright. That's enough. I don't want to shame you for your Thanksgiving love. It's an excuse to spend time with your family. So do it. Enjoy it. Find out something about your parents or grandparents that you never knew before. Start a tradition. Laugh and eat until you fall asleep.

Happy Thanksgiving.

INTERVIEW: Comedy, Confession, and School Assemblies

I’m on a podcast.

I travel with North Texas Youth Alive as one of their speaker for school assemblies. A while ago I wrote about one of the most difficult assemblies I've had to do.

This week I was interviewed by Kyle Embry, the director for the ministry, on their Youth Alive podcast. It’s designed to be another resource for the churches they’re serving.

I talk about how I write my segments for the assemblies, confession, and how to be there for students who are opening up about what they’re going through.

I haven’t listened back to this thing yet. I might sound like a total idiot. Who knows!