Paul and Christie Johnson

Missionaries in Rochester, MN

A Tender Story

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This morning at breakfast Christie and I were talking with the kids about the man healed near the Bethesda pool in John 5. The man had been disabled for 38 years and desired to get into the pool when an angel stirred the water and be healed. But, he never made it in. Jesus heals him instantly.

Discussing the power of God (and thinking about Jesus’ question in Mark 10) I ask my kids “What would you say if Jesus asked you what you want?” I thought it was a good question just to stimulate conversation about God’s power and get to what is in my kids’ hearts.

Elliott (age 5) jumped in first: “I’d ask to be invisible!” and went on chattering about getting bad guys.
Next I asked Theo (7) and being the thoughtful and rather private guy that he is he deflected with an “I don’t know.”

Then it hit me. My daughter Lily (5) has a lot of health issues. My boys are extremely healthy and anything they would ask of Jesus would be from that place of relative contentment.

I was then interrupted by my youngest, Caspian, wanting to be asked the question. So, I asked him what he would want from Jesus. He said: “Jesus love Elliott, Theo and Lily.” What a sweet response, even if as a 22 month old, he doesn’t know much he does know that he wants Jesus to love his siblings. I was touched.

But then the rounds came back to Lily. What would she say? I want to be able to speak normally? I want to be able to hear like everyone else? I want to be strong, fast and healthy like my brothers? I want my intestines to work properly so I don’t have to take all these medications? There is a long list not to mention the emotional trauma that she endured before we adopted her three years ago.
As I write this, tears roll down my cheeks as I grieve for what that little girl has gone through and what she is still going through.
After some brief consideration she finally responded. “I want Jesus to be kind to me.”

I assured her that he is.
What a response! We all live in a place that is dependent on the kindness and the mercy of God and that is the most important thing in all the world that we can ask for.
When we are living in the kindness of God we don’t have to worry about anything. Trouble comes.

Hardship is here every day. We all have emotional pain that we carry around with us and many have physical pain as well. But if we truly believe that God is kind we know that he is for us and desires eternal good for us rather than temporary good.

Whatever you’re facing – if you’re like Lily with a mountain of physical and emotional trials or just have the average helping that most people get – you can depend on the kindness of God. That doesn’t mean that he will heal us instantly like he chose to do for the man at Bethesda (though he may, he has the power to) but it does mean that he desires to be the father that we need.

Romans 2:4 (CSB)

Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

The Gospel says that God desires us and paid the ultimate price not so that we could have anything and everything that we ever want but so that we… would be his.

Yep, we’re in Rochester!

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The question everyone is asking us is: “How is it going?”

We are making a difference, one life at a time.
Sometimes the life that you see changed is your own. Sometimes it’s the life of your fellow church planter. Sometimes it’s the life of the person you’ve just met or the neighbor across the street. Here are the lives that God is changing-

Students

We’re seeing more students on campus come around to what has now become two different Bible studies. One young woman named Sophie even came to house church! Our efforts on campus were bolstered by two spring break teams that came to labor with and for us. One group came from our sending church in Ames and another trekked in all the way from Purdue University in Indiana. These teams were a huge encouragement to us and resulted in those new folks joining the Bible studies and a new couple coming to our house church.

Neighbors

Personally, my family and I have connected with our neighbors across the street from us. They have been friendly and we have jumped in to serve them by snow blowing their massive driveway and cleaning up a mess of downed limbs on their property. We also had them over for coffee, scones and a chance to share what we’re doing here on a church plant. I think it weirds them out quite a bit so we’re taking it slow and building towards a full explanation of how we feel that our Christianity should be lived out and how that’s different from the Christianity that they grew up with and see around them. They’ve been burned by the church and it shows.

Church Planters

A few Sundays ago we were “sent” by our other sponsor church, Evergreen up in Lakeville. My co-pastor Charlie has pastored there for 20 years and therefore it was an emotional time as his church said goodbye for now. Our team has been weighted a bit towards the Iowa side for a while and we’ll be getting several more from Iowa as well as a bunch more from Lakeville and the Twin Cities area. I admire these church planters as they step out in faith and endure hardship just like Christians from the book of Acts. They are growing toward God and they are growing toward one another. It’s marvelous to see!

Our Lives

 

Let’s just say that we’re taking it a day at a time. Our house is still under construction, many of our belongings are still in boxes and we are still building our routine and daily structure. We’re getting done what needs to be done and there isn’t much time or space for anything beyond that.
This is stretching our faith and teaching us once again that we need to rely on God. He’s got this and he knows what we need to do next. If we rely on him we can do what he tells us to do and have peace knowing that what hasn’t gotten done – well, it just doesn’t need to get done right now.

Kiddos

Our kids are tons of fun! God is moving each of them along through life and we get to be an active part of it! Sign for our email list for more details on how the family is doing. >> https://paulandchristie.org/contact/

We are gifted by God with our family, our church, and all that he has given us!

Thank you for being a part of God’s blessing in our lives!
Please let us know how we can be praying for you as well!
Much Love in Christ,
The Johnsons

Support Our Ministry!

Rochester Update!

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Here’s an update on our church plant to Rochester!

Rochester, MN is growing like crazy! Since 2013 the state of Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic, the city of Rochester and various other business have started investing in the city with the goal of putting over 5 billion into growth, doubling the workforce and making Rochester a destination medical center.

Through work with other churches and multiple survey trips to the area we determined that there is not only a huge need for more churches but an openness to spiritual conversations and the gospel here in Rochester. We have spent time downtown, in neighborhoods and on the Rochester Community and Technical College campus and have found people to be very friendly and available to discuss life, religion and faith.

My family and I moved here in late 2017 to help get Living Hope Church started with a team of over 30 adults from Ames, IA and Lakeville, MN. We are working to get a church established that has a mix of all generations with a focus on young people and families. God is using us to get the gospel out and disciples made! Thanks for your support as we partner together to honor God with our lives!