The Safe House Podcast

Safe House Podcast Ep: 55 - What Do the Stones Have to Say?—Past Insight for Future Glory

Live Service for Feb 16, 2025
Guest: Valerie Boyer

podcast notes 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson 

Luke 22:39-43
39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 

Proposition
We have been told that we cannot question God. It was a statement to keep us from genuine and authentic relationship with God. If your god can’t handle your questions, it’s not the true God. 

Relevant Question
What can we learn from an inquisitive Christ?

Synthesis
1. Questions Are Not a Sign of Doubt
2. Trust Is Not the Absence of Clarity 
3. God Provides Help When We Struggle Forward

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​
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Safe House Podcast Ep: 54 - Where Are You in the Story?—Wrestling with the Colonialism and Christ

Live Service for Feb 12, 2025
Guest: Pastor Anthony Hendrix a.k.a Priest

podcast notes 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson 
Mitchell Harper

Luke 23:26-27
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.
Proposition 
The Gospel that is preached can be based on the perspective of how they are found in the story.
Relevant Question
How do we get the story straight?

Engagement
1. Introduction 
2. Hopefully some form of sharing your artistic talent 
3. Deal with the text
4. Discuss our perspectives 
5. Introduce the relevance of art, history and blackness in connection to our faith. 
6. Q&A

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​
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We do not own the rights to this music.
Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Safe House Podcast Ep: 53 - Reclaiming Freedom and Community—Moving Toward the Kingdom God Intended

Live Service for Feb 4, 2025
Guest: Stevi Knighton a.k.a DearMsStevi

podcast notes 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson 
Mitchell Harper

Reclaiming Freedom and Community—Moving Toward the Kingdom God Intended
Psalm 133
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

Proposition 
Our faith and liberation comes together when we engage in healthy stages of community.

Relevant Question
What does God ordained, liberating community look like?

Engagement
1. Introduction 
2. Hopefully some form of sharing your artistic talent 
3. Deal with the text
4. Discuss our perspectives 
5. Introduce the relevance of art, history and blackness in connection to our faith. 
6. Q&A

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​
!!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​
FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!!
We do not own the rights to this music.
Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Safe House Podcast Ep: 52 - The Toxic Infection of Grasshopper Numbers 14:1-38

Live Service for Jan 29th, 2024

podcast notes 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson 
Mitchell Harper

Proposition 
When we get a wrong perspective of the future/opportunity, we find ways to sabotage our God given opportunity to live in the blessing provided. 

Relevant Question 
What are the toxic results of grasshopper thinking?

Synthesis 
1. Corrupt a Generation 
2. Delay a Generation
3. Cause Division Between the Generations 
4. God Squashes the Rebellion
5. God Elevates the Faithful

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​
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Safe House Podcast Ep: 51 - When Grasshoppers Attack - Numbers 13:25-33

Live Service for Jan 22th, 2024

 

podcast notes

https://drive.google.com/.../1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1T...

 

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

Mitchel D. Harper

 

Numbers 13:25-33

 

25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

 

Proposition

Grasshopper thinking interferes with the opportunity to acquire the promise of God. The fear of success and completion interferes with the shift into a new season.

 

Relevant Question

Why do we entertain this type of sabotage?

 

Synthesis

1. We Don’t Want the Commitment to Advancement of Our Community

2. We Are Content with Psuedo-Martyrdom

3. We Are Afraid of the Responsibility to Complete the Task

 

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​

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We do not own the rights to this music.

Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Safe House Podcast: Ep. 50 - Part IV—Assignment: The Unveiling John 1:19-34

Live Service for Jan 15th, 2024

podcast notes 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson 
Mitchell D. Harper

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Behold, the Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Proposition 

The unveiling of our mission and purpose to the world is accompanied by supporters, observers, and interference. When we are marked and identified, we are open to the issues of our environment. 

Relevant Question 

How do we rise to the occasion to unveil the future to others?

Synthesis 

1. Point the World in the Right Direction 
2. Be Secure in Your Role
3. Set the Platform for the Gamechanger

Safe House Podcast: Ep. 49 - On Assignment Part III—Assignment: Preservation Matthew 2:1-16

Live Service for Jan 8th, 2024

 

podcast notes

https://drive.google.com/.../1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1T...

 

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

Mitchell D. Harper

 

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose[b] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

 

Proposition

We have a responsibility to protect what God loves and desires to use to transform the world.

We are deputized to secure the means God wants to use.

 

Relevant Question

How do we preserve the future of transformation?

 

Synthesis

1. Find a Home Among Our People

2. Never Assist the Murderous Intentions of the Empire

3. Repeal the Scheme of Elimination

 

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​

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We do not own the rights to this music.

Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

 

Safe House Podcast: Ep 48 - On Assignment Part II—Assignment: Covering Matthew 1:18-25

Live Service for Dec 18th, 2024

 

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

Mitchell D. Harper

 

On Assignment

Part II—Assignment: Covering

 

Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

 

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

 

Proposition

We have the assignment to cover our responsibilities. Covering is not rooted in origin DNA. It is rooted in being the exact person necessary to carry a task to fulfillment. Covering does not enhance the ego, but it establishes our worth to the task and assignment entrusted to us.

 

Relevant Question

How do we find ourselves grounded as a covering?

 

Synthesis

1. The Mission Is Bigger than Our Ego

2. The Task Requires Clarity

3. Our Trust in God Will Guide Us Through the Uncertainty of the Moment

 

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​

!!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​

FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!!

We do not own the rights to this music.

Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above