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

Hiking the Highlands

I took this photo in Scotland this summer. The view was stunning. Waking up above the clouds was a spiritual experience. And while a photo has a way of taking you there, the several day hike, the ankle-twisting, loose-rock, steep ascent it requires to reach such a location may prevent a crowd from gathering. Or it could be as simple as not having the time. There are so many obstacles that prevent us from experiencing the full beauty of life.

New Years resolutions should include physical, spiritual, emotional, vocational and educational goals, but I think we also have to be realistic. Too many resolutions get abandoned at the base of the mountain. Too many goals are above the clouds with no real commitment, determination or training to get there. Or even worse, we can set goals and start hiking but get lost in the process. I believe the view from the top of the mountain is attainable for each of us if we prepare for the challenge ahead, if we commit to the course in front of us and persevere when the world presses against us.

This January in worship and small groups I will share my Scotland experiences;

• The Holy places
• The kindness of strangers
• Mountain top experiences
• Solitude and simplicity
• Culture and community
• Discipline and prayer.

I will share how this renewal will have a long-lasting spiritual impact on my everyday life and ministry. This January, come and set goals, face your mountains with me, and lets get hiking the highlands of life.

Johnston River of Life has another exciting journey planned this year. Together we are setting out to charter as a new church in the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. We will spend the next nine months refining our administrative structure, celebrating our ministries and volunteers, deepening our relationships and spiritual life, and re-visioning all things through the lens of, “Being Christ in Community.” In September we will have services celebrating this new beginning.

Between now and then, we invite your prayers, and we commit to ongoing prayer for our community and fellow churches. We invite anyone who doesn’t have a church family to join us in this new adventure. If you are curious about faith or wonder what it would feel like to be a part of a group of friends at the top of a mountain, looking down on the clouds, and making a difference in the world, this is a journey and a family for you.

Pastor Craig Ferguson