The Way of a Disciple

One of the things that I have learned in my years of life and ministry is that there is always forward, a way backward, many possible detours, and then there is the way of a Disciple.

How many times have we all heard, “When the world closes a door, God opens a window”? To some degree believe this is true. What we are basically saying is that the direction we thought life would take us is no longer possible and we need to change our course. Now I am not saying that I believe in fate, or predestination, but I do believe that the courses we plot for ourselves are not always the course that God desires for us. Sadly we often fight to stay on our own course, or we beat on the door that is closed until our knuckles are bloody and our fiber of our being broken in despair, all the time there was a another path just waiting…

In life we make choices that move us forward toward goals and dreams, we pour time and effort into becoming who we aspire to or attaining new titles at work and new toys at home. We experience push back and long detours when things don’t go as planned. And we experience stress, anxiety, depression the more we feel our world closing around us.

But I believe there is another way… The Way of a Disciple!

The way of a disciple is not the stubborn way forward, it never requires beating against doors of lost dreams. It doesn’t require retreat or back-treading. It doesn’t even have detours, although we don’t always understand why we had experience something. No, in fact it is EVEN MORE difficult. The Way of a Disciple often means finding doors that seem invisible, turning away from doors that are open, ignoring the voice of friends around us pointing where we should go, and recognizing an almost impossible road as the direction of Gods will. (Think Via Dola Rosa) The Way of a Disciple is never popular, it is never easy, for all of the disciples in meant turning away from family, job, and friends. It meant sacrifice, and even martyrdom. Jesus tells us if we want to follow Him, that we need to take up our Cross and follow Him. But no matter how difficult the path, the rewards are well worth it.

In April we invite you to join us for a journey along The Way of a Disciple. We will each take a personal look at where we are in our journey, areas we need to work on, ways that we can take a step closer to God, see doors that we never knew existed and be encouraged. Come and join us each week as we Begin the Journey, Belong to a Community, Become a Disciple, and Bless Others along the Way.

In Grace, Pastor Craig Ferguson

Looking for Charter Members!!!

Well the news is out and the excitement is building! Johnston River of Life will be a New Chartered Congregation of the United Methodist Church on Easter of 2018.  We have been dreaming and building up to this point and are excited to say that the road forward has become clear and certain.

Our Mission Statement sets a clear path for us. “Being Christ in Community,” is a clear directive for every member to be a missional presence in the community and the world.

• We do not have a Church building, but we are prayerfully looking for a space that would provide a unique means of serving the community 7 days a week.  (If you are a dreamer we want to hear your ideas)
• We don’t have a large congregation yet, but we do have some of the most transparent and real relationships. (If you want to meet people who you can share your good and bad days with – look no further)
• We do as much service as we do worship. (If you think the Christian life should be lived in service – come and find out how you can get involved)
• We believe faith is about a journey that we are all on together.

We have an amazing team with a diverse set of gifts who empower and raise up other leaders. We have an exciting and growing number of children and families.  We are so blessed by a church community that is positive, supportive, encouraging, and focused on the mission.

That being said, I personally invite you to come and be a part of this amazing team.  Make a difference in your community and in the world.

• Attend a Life group, build supportive relationships and grow in your faith.
• Get your kids involved in H2GO (Hearts 2 Hear God, Hands 2 Help Others)
• Join a service team and help in the community
• Participate in worship or join the praise team
• Sign up for a mission trip or a Habitat Project
• Attend training events or special retreat weekends

We have a couple months in front of us that are filled with exciting activities.  If you are looking for a new faith community, now is the time to stop in and see what we are all about. Join us at any of the following:

Friday February 16th 6 PM – @ Crown Point in Johnston – Celebration of Ministries. 

Come and celebrate with us all the ways that we are already serving our community and developing disciples. If you are looking for way to get involved and get connected, this is a great resource event. If you are just looking to build relationships and connect with new friends, again, this is the right place.

 

LENT!!! – February 14 – April 1

   Get involved or Host a Small Group Please!!! Invite!!!

• 5 PM Worship, every Saturday
• 10 AM Worship every Sunday
• Life Groups at a variety of days and times.
• Work Project opportunities

During Lent we will focus on our mission statement, “Being Christ in Community” and who we are as United Methodists. Join a small group or just stay for twenty minutes after worship on Saturday to “Talk Back” to the Pastor.

Easter Weekend – March 31 @ Crown Point, Johnston 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

• Egg Hunt and Family Activity Day

Easter Day – April 1 @ Crown Point, Johnston 10:00 AM 

•  Worship & Chartering Rev. Heecheon Presiding
• This will be a MAJOR Event you wont want to miss!
• Please ask how you can help and make sure to invite!!!

Final Thought: This is the powerful and exciting moment of opportunity!!! We are birthing a New Church on Easter!!! Invite your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to join us! Tell everyone who may be looking for a church that we want them to be a part of something new and exciting and to experience the power of God with us in this time.  Keep praying for a community space, for ongoing open doors, and all the people and families who will become Charter Members of Johnston River of Life this Easter!!!

In Grace and Peace,

     Pastor Craig Ferguson

Culture & Community

Every community and culture is different and unique. During my summer renewal in Scotland I encountered a world that looked different.  Some people might say that I cam back hellenized, wearing a Kilt, playing the bagipipes, and eating Haggis!

We often hear the phrase Us & Them! this concept offers an insider and outsider language where some people fit and others don’t. We often try to keep people out, or change them to be like us, eradicating the difference.

In today’s passage we find that God made no distinction between “us and them”. The same spirit of God is in us that is in “them” referring to the gentiles of the time. Yes cultures were different, medical and communal laws were different, languages and clothing was different, but God saw no difference.

Are there cultural differences that we can start celebrating and appreciating about each  rather than condemning and forcing people to conform?

I love seeing the diversity of God’s people, and I hope you can too.

Walking the lonesome Road

I have a church family that is very supportive to allow me to take this renewal leave and I am so blessed to be in a very lonely place right now. So thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and prayerful in this time.
However, before I left I had a few people share with me they were still confused why renewal was an important thing. Some saw this time as more of a grand personal vacation. Some saw it as running away from responsibilities. I can understand all of that, even though renewal is in our Book of Discipline, very few pastors have utilized this tool for strengthening leadership, and increasing longevity and health of ministry, and fewer churches are excited to send their pastor away. In fact I can understand why some pastors would avoid taking renewal leave just because there seemed to be a feeling from some people that I was a failure for needing one, a failure for not being able to keep up the pace and the nose to the grindstone. It was actually a hard pill to swallow, to determinedly say I need to walk away and to renew when I could see their look of disapproval. Let me share some of my processing yesterday.

One of the earliest childhood shows I can remember watching was The Hulk. It began and ended with a video of David banner walking down some lonesome desert highway, with his bag on his back, hitch-hiking, with music setting the emotion of his lonely dark journey. He was perpetually in a state of leaving, or running from himself and the ones he loved. He was constantly afraid of what he was hiding inside himself and how he could hurt others, so he just kept walking.

Yesterday as I walked another ten miles in the rain and up and down through the Great Glen Way seeing almost no one, this image of David Banner came to my mind. Then a song from childhood by the king singers jumped into my head, Lonesome Road and as I started singing I began breaking down the fullness of this renewal leave for me. (Funny how I need to walk several days to slow down enough that I can process)

I am not like David Banner and running from my friends and loved ones, though I am sometimes afraid of how I have potential to harm people. Life, love, friendship, spiritual leadership, all interweave life in ways that offer opportunities to uplift or harm the ones closest to us. I thrive on inspiring and uplifting people and yet at times I know I have failed at this.

I am a social person and not trying to be a hermit hidden away from the world or selfishly soaking in all the world has to offer. I am walking a road very intentionally.

One thing I did try for the first time a few days ago like David was hitch-hiking. I’ve picked people up before but never requested a ride. After a body destroying day of treacherous (that’s the word the local used when he picked me up – and if I explained more my mom would be scared the rest of the trip) Munro climbing and Bog walking, my ankles, knees, and mind were destroyed and I needed a bed. However the road I came out on was a 15 mile hike to anywhere and at 6 pm. I decided I could catch a ride. After the first car passed with a shake of the head and wave of the hand I realized how ragged I must look and the empty pit of rejection when I was in absolute need. I was lucky the guy who saw me coming down earlier recognized me and was willing to load my stinky body in his car and drop me off at the nearest hotel, then I found out they had no bed and no empty tables for supper. I was beginning to empathize with mary and Joseph and so many other homeless and refugees. I did however get help and food and a bed.

So somewhere along the way walking yesterday the quote, “Not all those who wander are lost” came rushing into my mind. (And yes you should know that quote) I turned it over several times. Don’t we all wander at some time, for some reason, to or from someplace? What is the purpose of wandering? (I have stayed at bothies and hostels a plenty already and spoken to a lot of people who are wandering, traveling day by day, not sure where the next will lead them, or traveling and working for years from place to place, but still waiting for a clear light of direction)

Then I began thinking about Moses in the desert and Abraham going to an unknown place. I began thinking of all the people in scripture who wandered and were leaders. Compounding this, I contemplated the early church fathers in the desert and the monastic movements as well as Celtic Christian practice of pilgrimage and silence and solitude.

Truth is there are a lot of people who wander who have been great leaders. Now the quote was transforming in my head into, “often those who wander are preparing for the great journey of leadership”. Remember, even Jesus began his three year ministry with a time of personal wandering in the desert. I actually have come to see the truth in this. The best leaders always take time alone, time to contemplate and pray, time to renew and redirect, time to reconnect with God before leading again.

This kind of practice can be called a pilgrimage or spiritual journey and renewal. It is a spiritual practice we all need more but tell ourselves we don’t have time for, or others will look down on us for.

I already feel how much this time is blessing and challenging me, how it is opening my eyes and refreshing my soul, how it is removing the layer after layer of exhaustion and broken baggage I’ve been carrying. I already know I will come back with vision and energy, humility and graciousness, love and hope for what God has set before me, before us. I am excited to share and to breath some of this life back into others. But I know I’m not done yet and I have more broken and lonely roads ahead of me before I will be fully restored and prepared for where God is sending me spiritually and in leadership.

One thing I have decided already is that I am committed to be an advocate for others. I believe that renewal time is powerful and essential for effective and long term ministry. And for laity I believe even a few days away on a regular basis without an agenda other than being with God will be energizing and life-giving. This is a practice we need to embrace and support much more.

So I return to the road alone, but in the presence of God. I invite the power of the Holy Spirit to speak in me and to me and to mold me from the path I am on for the path ahead.

Cue the music.

Lunar Spirituality

We have grown up in a society of light, colors, and beauty. Our society has tried to teach us to turn a blind eye to people in the dark recesses of life.

The fairy tales we tell our children are softened, sanitized versions of the classic tales told by Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm, the teachable, dark themes polished to a safe, palatable sparkle.

Our religious communities have taught us that a true faith is one that never doubts, never struggles, never hurts, never fails, and never walks in the dark.. We portray that faith must be solar, always bright, and never overcast or dark. I have even heard people say, if you have doubt, then you cannot really believe. But I guess that is where I differ. I believe that faith goes through phases like the moon. There are nights it is full and our faith reflects the glory of God. And there are nights when life seems overcast, and the moon is waxing where everything seems to be fading away and dim. And there are nights when the moon is new and totally dark. On those nights the only light that is left is that of distant stars glimmering though the cloud cover. The light of our faith never disappears completely, but for most people there are times when it more compares to a lunar faith than a solar one.

Paul and Silas on their missionary journeys knew of a faith that was woven with darkness. They experienced days of rejection, house arrest, imprisonment, and persecution. One such incident found them in jail, singing at midnight.. Somehow they were able to be filled with joy even during a difficult time. Their faith was not extinguished in the dark, but tempered by their circumstance.

I wonder,

• If we trust the rhythm of dark and light, what can we learn from it?
• If we accept the phase of the moon in our spiritual life, can we find joy when things are darkest?

In the same way that the fairy tales of yesterday engaged the dark realities of life, what happens if we embrace the night sky of our faith. I wonder, does looking into the the lunar phases of belief and doubt, struggle and pain, give us rest? Is it possible by accepting the phases of faith, that we are able to experience peace rather than fear in the dark?

 

Not Just Another Year

What makes this year different than last?

As I think about it, in all my 40+ years, they are all just about the same; New Years, Valentines, Easter, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. All of the holidays, school, seasons, family, friends, work, and life goes on… It is so easy to let a year slip by and miss the ride altogether.

Every year during the month of January I prayerfully reassess life and commit to make the current year the best possible. Now that does not mean that I avoid the bumps and bruises of life. No, in fact I often find more than most. Usually because I push the edges of possibility, live with passion and enthusiasm, vibrantly share my faith and life with friends and family. I choose to pursue life and not wait for it to find me. I choose to listen for God’s voice and bravely act on things that others think irrational or impossible. Sometimes it is as simple as that, to choose rather than to wait for what you are handed.

Here are a list of some of the things that I consider each year:

• Education – What do I want to add to my base of knowledge?
• Health – What do I need to do to honor God with my body?
• Work – What could God have in store, and how can I seek it faithfully?
• Relationships – How can I offer myself as a friend and support to others?
  • Do I need to adjust time or prioritize differently?
• Faith – What disciplines can I work on more?
  • What do I need someone to hold me accountable for?
• Fun – What hobbies, crafts, interests can I develop?
• Adventure – Think bucket list, what haven’t I done that I want to?
  • What may be life threatening, but makes me feel totally alive?

Here is a list of Goals I have set for myself, family, and ministry in 2015:

• Education – Read 2 books/month, attend conference on evangelism, study Spanish for mission trip
• Health – Personal weight goals, run & condition 3 times per week, run 3 mud races
• Work –
  • JROL – attendance +50%, 5 new small groups, door knocking
  • Hopkins – Attendance +50%, learn community
• Relationships – Nathan’s graduation, date night, family trip, church friendships
  • Always be open to the people and God moments that just appear
• Faith – Fasting discipline, daily prayer and devotion, share my faith daily with one person.
• Fun – Special Stained Glass project, write 3 songs
• Adventure – Hang-gliding, spelunking, base jumping (2017?), hiking & fly-fishing CO,
  • Find the best “hole in the wall” restaurants

My Challenge:

• Don’t settle for just another year.
• Choose to make 2015 better than every year previous.
• Make a list of goals and ask a friend to hold you to them
• Place God at the forefront

Life is a gift. Each day, month, and year is an opportunity to push ourselves, and live new dreams. Don’t allow contentment to stifle your life. Instead live vibrantly in all that you do; be Christ in Community, and let others see the Spirit of God alive in you.

Pastor Craig Ferguson

Crossing Lines (like Christ)

 

There I was standing in an old dilapidated brick building, holes in the ceiling and open to the elements. Then Kyle walked in with plastic bags full of paint cans and rollers. He walked with purpose to the center of the space and pulled on elastic gloves. As he started painting a wall, I wondered what made a person paint graffiti?

As a child I remember the joy of coloring. How simple; pick a color and start filling in the blank space. However one thing that always seemed to be a deviation from acceptable behavior was “Coloring Outside the Lines.”

Those who colored outside the lines risked criticism but created something completely their own. They were able to dream something bigger; visualize lines that told a story and came to life. They were the dreamers, visionaries, risk-takers, or simply troublemakers.

When I first saw Kyle I wondered if he was one of those troublemakers who colored outside the lines in Kindergarten and just kept breaking the rules as he got older. I wasn’t sure if he was someone I should talk to or not. (Ingrained habits of childhood – “Don’t talk to strangers.” especially someone painting graffiti in an abandoned building.)

But Kyle was not what I expected. He was a polite young man with a hobby of adding life and beauty to broken spaces. His paint told a passionate story. I learned that he and his girlfriend are traveling artists, painting on contract across the nation. While traveling, they look for broken spaces to add their art, often approaching local businesses that are run down and offering to add life simply for the cost of supplies.

I shared with him that I am a pastor and would be doing a series “Crossing lines – Like Jesus.” I planned to use images of his art and symbolically talk about how God can bring beauty to our broken and abandoned lives. When I came back I found he had painted a cross, almost hidden in a doorway to the building. It cried out – “This is holy ground; yes it was broken, shattered and falling apart, but with the light flowing down through the crumbling rafters on his fresh paint, it looked like stained glass, consecrated and beautiful.”

 

 

 

Super

Super is a study on Christology, or what we understand about the true nature of Jesus Christ. Some Old Testament scholars might say he was a Prophet, Priest, and King. Some might try to simplify it and say he was the promised Messiah. He was all of these things and so much more. Jesus is SUPER.

Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.  –Hebrews 1:1-5

In order for something or someone to be SUPER they need to be extraordinary, special, or out of this world!  Jesus is just that, he participated in the creation of the world and upholds it by his very words.  So when we think of Jesus we cannot just think of a child born in a manger, we should cling to the truth that Jesus is SUPER.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things… ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect,  –Hebrews 2:14-17

It is rare for us to find something SUPER hidden in plain sight, looking normal.  We don’t expect Great Power to be disguised in humility.  But Jesus was just that, a humble carpenter with Great Purpose.

But made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross  –Philippians 2:7-8

Jesus defined being SUPER as someone who serves not as one who seeks to be served.  Jesus emphasized a primary character of God is to serve and care for His people.  True heroes are not identified by acts of greatness, they are found making right choices; humbly serving “the least of these, my brothers.”

He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.  –Hebrews 9:12

No greater love is known than someone who is willing to lay down their life for another.  SUPER is a love for others that is willing to make the greatest sacrifice; to fight for their freedom, to seek out justice, to advocate for their defense, to stand by their side, and to protect them from harm, even if it means paying the ultimate price.  Jesus was willing to do just that!

I Hope you will come join us for the

June Sermon Series at Johnston River of Life.

God’s FB Page

Have you ever wondered what God’s Facebook Page might look like?  (This was my most recent Newsletter Article)

What kind of things would he post?  Who would comment?  Would it give us any insight for our faith?  I thought this might be one possible entry at the very beginning of Creation.  What kinds of things do you think God would post? Or what kind of questions would you leave for him?

Its the End of the World?

Well, May 21, 2011 is tomorrow.  The seconds are ticking by and we have all heard that the world is gonna end with Earthquakes and disaster.  I decided last night between completing my sermon and preparing for Life Group tonight, that I had just about run out of time to research MAY 21.

When I started pulling up articles I about gave up because the web is already inundated with as wide of variety of voices as you can imagine.  This whole Judgement day prediction was birthed by Harold Camping an apocalyptic fanatic who has already been wrong in 1994, so I was amazed to see how it has spread all over the globe.  There is even a local group out of Boone Iowa who has grabbed a hold of this claim.  Boone Bible Ministry.

Maybe a good place to start is by providing some links for any of you who have done your best to ignore it like me.  Lets have a top ten list

1. COUNTDOWN CLOCK
2. NPR
3. Focus on the Family
4. 5 Facts about Harold Camping (hint – he got it wrong once already) 
5. Top ten End of the World Prophecies (Time Magazine)
6. Family Radio -The Web Site of Harold Camping
1. Good luck getting there – Site had a bad rating and was moving very slow!
7. $140,000 Retirement spent on May 21, publicity
8. Real Truth – This web page uses Biblical sitings to disprove Camping
9. Understanding Campings Prophecy
10. Parents and Kids disagree

There is a lot of information out there.  but basically Campings belief is based on the date of Noah’s flood and calculating that May 21 is exactly 7,000 years after that date. (4990 + 2011 -1 = 7000 years. ([-1] is in the equation because there is no zero year between B.C.E. and A.D.).

While I am one who is enthusiastic about seeing Christ come in glory and having an eternity of time with the Heavenly Father, I must admit that I fall back on the scripture that no one know the day or the hour.  (Mark 13:32) and while yes I believe we are to be ready for His return any time, I also believe that living like there is no tomorrow is not Biblically responsible either.  Instead we are called to store up treasures in heaven, (I believe these things are the way we love God and love our neighbor)

Furthermore, my greatest fear is for all those who place their faith, hope, and life (financially, spiritually, or emotionally) on this prediction?  What about those who have quit jobs, sold homes, withdrawn retirements?  And the component so few are talking about, what about the non-christian culture who look at this as another proof that our Jesus, our God, our faith is not relevant to their modern world; that we use apocalyptic scare tactics to attract adherents.  I can just imagine the next person I invite to church asking, why, haven’t all the real believers already been raptured? Ok, I’ll stop being cynical now – something I have to work on.

Is it possible for the world to end tomorrow?  Sure, If we believe God is sovereign we must admit it is possible.  And to live with anticipation of the kingdom of God is good.  However, wow, and there are so many however’s I could start on.  (yea, I’m not gonna start down that road… unless you come to small group tonight)

Let me close with this thought.  If you are worried about what tomorrow will bring, if you even fully believe it will bring disaster, know that I have a sermon prepared for Sunday.  Know that we are planning a fun day at Beaver Creek Elementary next Wednesday.  Know that we have VBS scheduled for July, and activities planned through the end of the year.

I believe we are called to live every day like it is the day I will see Jesus, and yet somehow I believe we can also live with a plan for the days that this world may still hold for us.  It is the tension of what is with what will be.  I hope you will be able to rest tonight and trust that whatever tomorrow brings, placing your faith in Christ is what we are called to do every day, and that is enough to give us peace and assurance in our own rapture and eternal destiny with Jesus.