Sunday May 3, 2026Sunday May 3, 2026
Lance Johnson Ministries
It’s one thing to look at a map… and it’s another thing to take the journey. You can study every road, every landmark, every turn, but until you step out and go, you don’t really know what it’s like. And sometimes, that’s how we treat our faith. We rely o...
29:30•3 May 2026
From Second-Hand Faith to Real Hunger: Bishop Lance Johnson on Pursuing God
Episode Overview
- Second-hand faith is not enough; a personal encounter with God is presented as essential.
- Hunger for God is described as an active pursuit that goes beyond religious routine and other people’s expectations.
- Jesus is said to pursue those with bad reputations, wealth or deep brokenness, offering hope regardless of past or status.
- Staying free from addiction and sin is linked to ongoing dependence on God, not just a one-time altar experience.
- Lukewarm, consumer-style Christianity is challenged, with a call to become a living habitation for God rather than a casual visitor.
“People may be talking about you, but Jesus is in pursuit of you.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Bishop Lance Johnson brings a fiery message that speaks straight to anyone who feels stuck in cycles of brokenness, addiction, or religious apathy. Drawing from Luke Chapter 19 and the story of Zacchaeus, he talks about moving from second-hand faith to a real, personal encounter with God. This teaching leans into one big theme: hunger.
Bishop Lance pushes hard against folded-arm Christianity, calling out those who are content to "know about" God but never actually pursue Him. He paints a vivid picture of Zacchaeus running ahead of the crowd and climbing a tree, not because he was religious, but because he was desperate: desperate enough to go beyond the opinions, failures and hypocrisy of others just to see who Jesus really is.
If you're in addiction recovery, or have ever felt written off by church culture, there’s a strong message here: "People may be talking about you, but Jesus is in pursuit of you." Bishop Lance reminds the audience that wealth, bad reputation or a messy past don't disqualify anyone from being saved, restored and radically changed.
He also challenges those who are sober but stagnant, asking what it really means to live hungry, to stay dependent on God daily, and to move from being a spiritual consumer to someone who actually reflects Jesus in real life. With passionate preaching, vivid metaphors (including a surprisingly mouth-watering description of steak), and plenty of straight talk, this episode speaks to both the broken and the complacent.
If you've ever traded one addiction for another, or slipped after a powerful spiritual moment, this message might prompt you to ask: are you just visiting faith, or are you ready to let God move in and stay?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.