I ran away from Luther

When I left the Lutheran Church in St.Ignace last December after attending for 40 years, I did not tell anyone other than my wife why.
Tongues wag, gossip fly's and here are some samples of what people gossip about of why I left.

1. I was not chosen to lead the church
2. I was not put into position to provide pulpit supply
3. It was a certain woman who is a non believer who forced me to leave
4. goddess worship was supported.

AND I should have taken control and forced people to choose sides.

I am a Christian, I have no allegiance to any church (corporate) except the Body of Christ, the Bride, or as we say in Cursillo and Keryx WE ARE THE CHURCH, me and you.

The reason I left Zion is that the Holy Spirit told me it was time to go. I have and friends of mine who are of all different sects of Christianity who have prayed for years for me to attend a Christian church rather than Zion Lutheran.

I believe that as long as the past Minster was their, God wanted me to be there as a sentinel, a person to hold the pastor accountable to the Gospel of Christ. On her last day as a pastor as I was walking by the alter on the way out, That was when the Holy Spirit spoke, " You will never worship here again"

After that night in mid December, My house caught unfire, and i was burned a bit. I stayed with my son and his family for a week out of town and then when I came home the church I was planning to attend was closed due to a bad snow storm. So I did not attend any church for a month. I now attend a Baptist church and I am happy there. Am I still a Lutheran? I teach in the Lutheran lay school. And If the Synod blesses me with a Licence to be a lay minister in prisons then yes i will be a Lutheran lay Minister. I love the Lutheran church, BUT first and foremost I am a Christian.

What I have learned in all this.

A. A wonderfull style of preaching the word.
B. A desire to attend a lot of different churches to witness about mission in Prisons, and Long term care, the homeless, Mission work in America.
C. That at my old church it was not the council but the whole church body who did not care If that church was becoming non-Christian. They did not care. It is go to church for an hour and then gone as fast as they can. No desire to small group, bible study, outreach to the poor and hurting. Dry Bones that once held flesh.
D. That God works his plan and we have to be ready to go out and serve him.

I have just attended a meeting of Pastors of many different Sects of Christianity, and witnessed to them about ' The short course in Christianity." I have been asked to attend a Baptist Church 100 miles away to talk about prison Bibles and Mission.

And starting soon four, 4 day missions in 4 different Prisons.

God is good. All the time.

So I put Luther in my pocket, and thank God for his tutoring. I pray that the ELCA will not be ripped apart.

And I follow the narrow road, to Salvation.

Aleichem shalom Upon you be peace