Pastor Travis Johnson is urging Christians to stop keeping Jesus at arm’s length. Appearing on Ministry Now on Daystar, Johnson said the modern church is in danger of repeating Peter’s mistake by following Christ “at a distance” rather than with bold conviction.
Citing Luke 22, Johnson pointed to the moment after Jesus’ arrest when “Peter followed him at a distance.” He argued that this single phrase reveals the beginning of spiritual collapse.
“If you follow Jesus from a distance, you’ll lose your faith. If you follow him closely, you’ll change the world,” Johnson said.
He admitted that he once struggled with what he called a “respectable faith.” As a young pastor meeting with potential clients, he bowed his head to pray but covered his face as if he had a headache so no one would notice. “It’s embarrassing,” he said. “I can’t even actually I wish I had not told that to everybody right now.”
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Johnson said many believers attempt to balance cultural approval with spiritual identity. But he rejected the idea that Christianity can remain socially neutral. “Church isn’t a TED talk and our faith isn’t a social club,” he said. “He’s either Lord of all or He’s not at all.”
Using Peter as a case study, Johnson described what he called three stages of an embarrassed Christian. First comes being “respectably distant,” where faith is softened to avoid offense. Next is being “variably committed,” where believers choose which parts of Scripture to follow. The final stage is outright denial.
“We talk a lot about deconstruction right now. When I was younger, we just called that backsliding,” he said.
Johnson said Peter’s restoration began with the resurrection. As a teenager, Johnson wrestled with whether Jesus was truly divine and even historically real. Studying history and the martyrdom of the disciples convinced him otherwise.
“Why would Peter die for Jesus if he was dead? He wasn’t. He was alive,” Johnson said. “Jesus is not in the grave.”
That conviction, he said, transforms embarrassment into boldness. He pointed to Acts 2, where Peter, once ashamed, “stepped forward with the 11 others” and preached with power.
“When you stand with Jesus, you will never stand alone,” Johnson said.
Johnson also sees signs of renewed spiritual hunger, particularly among Gen Z. He said rising Bible sales and church attendance signal opportunity. “Faith is back in style. Family is back in style and freedom’s back in style and there’s a window over heaven that’s open with an opportunity for revival,” he said.
Still, he emphasized that revival begins with personal surrender. “A person with a testimony is never at the mercy of someone with an argument,” he said. “Your best ability is your availability to Jesus.”
Johnson’s message was direct. Lukewarm faith leads to drift. Bold faith changes lives. Christians, he said, must decide whether they will sit at a distance or step forward in power.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
