Brisbane born Pastor Ron Hutchison is a big man with big dreams. When most people have big dreams they don’t take the next step needed to make those dreams a reality. Ron is not likely to wait for the perfect moment or develop the perfect plan before he steps out. He is a man of action who credits himself with having the spiritual gift of stupidity. I wondered what he that meant by that. I think it means the gift to act without being worried about the cost of those actions. It involves a willingness to take some hits.
He has taken some hits over the years. His father was a violent man which his mother turned a blind eye to. He received broken ribs and broken fingers from his father. What does that do to a person? In Ron’s case it taught him how to fight. In time it also taught him how to stand up for the little guy.
But not all bullies throw punches. Sadly Ron has come across bullies in churches who have abused people under the guise of loving them. I would say that another of Ron’s gifts is his nose. It has been punched more than once in his life but it is still a really effective tool for smelling bullshit.
Like many people who have not had the best family situation growing up Ron developed friendships with men who became father figures to him. One gentleman taught him how to make models. Another taught him how to fish. But not all of his role models were good. Thankfully though as he progressed in life he displayed a willingness to work hard at whatever job came his way. He has done a paper run and a milk run. His other jobs included cleaning up in a cake shop, tyre fitting and also tiling.
Then came the moment when he hit rock bottom. Ron found himself in a car at the bayside suburb of Sandgate. Fortunately slashing himself with a knife did not end his story. If the aftermath he went to a church and responded to an altar call desperate to turn his life around. That is not where his story ends.
That sensitive nose of his was called into action again. Something did not smell right within the church he attended. The things that did not seem right were small at first but they accumulated. It all came to a head when his wife had a stroke and a miscarriage. The church advised him that this occurred because he had not been tithing enough. That was it. He had had enough. He got himself a theology degree and became a Pastor. The rest as they say is history.
Ron is now the Pastor at Fringe Church, Redcliffe. It is a church for those who have taken a few hits in life. It promises to be a safe place for many who may not feel safe in a traditional church. The church has done extensive work with current and former prisoners. Many of these people had given up on dreaming of a better life. So dreaming big is a new thing for them. Honestly to have any dreams at all is a great start.
Every story has a beginning, a middle and end. If you are still breathing you are in the middle of your story. Ron would encourage you find the thing that brings you life. He won’t find it for you. That’s up to you. If you ask him about his story you won’t get a happy ever after fairy tale with all the answers laid out for you. But you just might see how cool things can happen when people feel safe enough to dream together. You don’t have to be overly smart to work everything out. Sometimes a little stupidity helps.
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