Ron Johnstone
Encyclopedia
Ron Johnstone is the Minister of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
in Newtownards
and the Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. He was elected to his post on 18 January 2008, succeeding Rev. Ian Paisley
, who had held the post for more than 50 years. Johnstone accepted the call to be the minister of Newtownards Free Presbyterian Church, and was installed on Thursday 29 May 2008.
Minister and his sister has been a missionary
in Colombia
for over 40 years. In the 1970s, Johnstone and his wife, Raema were missionaries with New Tribes Mission
in Papua New Guinea
for four and a half years, which give Johnstone the basis for his ministry. When he returned to Northern Ireland
, Johnstone studied Hebrew
, Greek
and Theology
at the Whitefield College of the Bible
, which is run by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. Johnstone began ministry in a parish at Carrickfergus
, then moving on to Clogher Valley and Moneyslane
Churches. Johnstone became minister of Armagh Free Presbyterian Church
in 1996.
Ron Johnstone is married to Raema, with whom he was a missionary in the 1970s.
Johnstone claims no political ties, and was quoted as saying "I am not a member nor involved in the DUP [ Democratic Unionist Party
]; my work is in the church and in the spiritual aspect of life, in relation to my congregation in Armagh and wider society.". In another interview, following protests at his church (see Controversies), he stated "It cannot be political as I'm a non-political person. I am not a member of any political party and my sojourn within the church is purely to evangelise."
Johnstone accepted a call to be the minister of Grace Free Presbyterian Church in Newtownards, leaving Armagh after 12 years in the post. He was ordained on Thursday 28 May 2008.
Sinn Féin
party, which prompted his decision to step down. On 18 January 2008, at Dungannon Free Presbyterian Church, Johnstone was unanimously elected as the new moderator, thus ending Paisley's reign. The former moderator was in good spirits, as he introduced his successor to the press. As Johnstone left the press hastily, he said, when questioned by a reporter, "It was a united meeting, decisions were unanimous". Johnstone paid tribute to Paisley and reiterated the church's stance against Ecumenism
, the Roman Catholic Church
and the Charismatic Movement
.
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
in Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
and the Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. He was elected to his post on 18 January 2008, succeeding Rev. Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
, who had held the post for more than 50 years. Johnstone accepted the call to be the minister of Newtownards Free Presbyterian Church, and was installed on Thursday 29 May 2008.
Personal life and ministry
Johnstone comes from a religious background. Johnstone's father, Cecil Johnstone was a BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Minister and his sister has been a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
for over 40 years. In the 1970s, Johnstone and his wife, Raema were missionaries with New Tribes Mission
New Tribes Mission
New Tribes Mission is an international, theologically evangelical Christian mission organization based in Sanford, Florida, United States. NTM has approximately 3,300 missionaries in more than 20 nations, second only to Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL International David Hesselgrave, Executive...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
for four and a half years, which give Johnstone the basis for his ministry. When he returned to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Johnstone studied Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the Whitefield College of the Bible
Whitefield College of the Bible
Whitefield College of the Bible is an independent theological college in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. It is operated by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster...
, which is run by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. Johnstone began ministry in a parish at Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
, then moving on to Clogher Valley and Moneyslane
Moneyslane
Moneyslane is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, on the main route from Castlewellan to Banbridge. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 147. It lies within the District of Banbridge.-History:...
Churches. Johnstone became minister of Armagh Free Presbyterian Church
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
in 1996.
Ron Johnstone is married to Raema, with whom he was a missionary in the 1970s.
Johnstone claims no political ties, and was quoted as saying "I am not a member nor involved in the DUP [ Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
]; my work is in the church and in the spiritual aspect of life, in relation to my congregation in Armagh and wider society.". In another interview, following protests at his church (see Controversies), he stated "It cannot be political as I'm a non-political person. I am not a member of any political party and my sojourn within the church is purely to evangelise."
Johnstone accepted a call to be the minister of Grace Free Presbyterian Church in Newtownards, leaving Armagh after 12 years in the post. He was ordained on Thursday 28 May 2008.
Moderator election
In September 2007, the Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church met for the annual elections for a moderator, in which Ian Paisley had won every year since the church's founding, bar one. After a stormy meeting, Paisley decided to step down in January 2008. Paisley said that the church was 'facing a real crisis', due to his role as First Minister in a power-sharing executive with the republicanIrish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
party, which prompted his decision to step down. On 18 January 2008, at Dungannon Free Presbyterian Church, Johnstone was unanimously elected as the new moderator, thus ending Paisley's reign. The former moderator was in good spirits, as he introduced his successor to the press. As Johnstone left the press hastily, he said, when questioned by a reporter, "It was a united meeting, decisions were unanimous". Johnstone paid tribute to Paisley and reiterated the church's stance against Ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Charismatic Movement
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
.