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
Showing posts with label ELCA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ELCA. Show all posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Sunday, June 29, 2008
More hot ELCA SEX
More Sexuality stuff, So what would Jesus do?
In many of today's churches it is all about being of the world, a major sin to be sure, for we are to be in the world baptizing in the name of the Lord not hugging trees and ordaining gay and Transgendered people.
We seem to forget that Jesus when he taught had to reach Millennium's into the future to reach way past this generation.
So yes we love our neighbor, 24/7/365. but what if your neighbor kills your family, do you still love that neighbor? I say this because I know people who have forgiven the murderer of their loved ones. It is the most Christ Like life a person can have.
I say this in the extreme because just as we are to love our neighbor does not mean we have to like them or even talk to them. we need to help them when needed, especially to find Jesus. So we are open to all peoples to worship with us, offer to know the Christ, and we pray share and hug, we love. but we are not called to accept sin. We are not called to tell them it is ok to sin.
But do we accuse? Do we JUDGE?
Now I'm a judgement guy, I believe we cannot help people unless we judge them. Not to accuse or belittle but to access, help, and love.
We are to tell them that sex outside of marriage according to the Bible is a sin, one man, one woman. And that is it. We all sin, who is better than another? Only one is good and that is the father.
I sin every day, There are two kinds of Christians, those who sin and liars. I do not want to sin but I recognize and act on sin I do not rationalize it as something else.
Repent and Move on. So what if gay people say they are born that way and so it is ok to have sex in sin.
Well, I was born an alcoholic, I cannot change that fact, so I can either drink and hurt myself and those I love, Or I can abstain and not only turn from that sin which hurts me, but I have the chance to help others.
This came to me in Prayer recently, DO I love God, really love God,,,,,More than the sin I am committing??
I felt as Holy Spirit rushed over me at that moment that I wanted to desire God, Desire Jesus MORE than the sin I was committing.
So I view all people who are working toward ordination of gay people to being opposed to God, they are putting the world, sin and self ahead of God.... Not some plaster figure on a cross, But the LIVING GOD.
They adhere to fuzzy kitten theology, where we all live in a field of daisy's. They do not know the Bible, they do not know God and most Probably have not been baptized by Blood and Spirit.
If you truly believe in Adonai our God, shake with fear and humility. get on your knees and worship in love and ask for mercy. In Love, the God who died for you on the cross, will tell you in a quiet voice,
This is not your home, live a live devoted to our Father. Die to self daily and in Love and Humility love your neighbor as yourself.
We are not to burn these people at the stake, If they worship with you and still live in sin, even the heterosexuals, state Biblical truth to them once. Do not thump them with the Bible, Tell them once. They will either turn from sin or not, THAT is between them and God, It is up to each of us to work out our salvation.
We are asked to live the Gospel, and to share the good news. Tell them the truth, then love them into the Kingdom of God.
Amen
In many of today's churches it is all about being of the world, a major sin to be sure, for we are to be in the world baptizing in the name of the Lord not hugging trees and ordaining gay and Transgendered people.
We seem to forget that Jesus when he taught had to reach Millennium's into the future to reach way past this generation.
So yes we love our neighbor, 24/7/365. but what if your neighbor kills your family, do you still love that neighbor? I say this because I know people who have forgiven the murderer of their loved ones. It is the most Christ Like life a person can have.
I say this in the extreme because just as we are to love our neighbor does not mean we have to like them or even talk to them. we need to help them when needed, especially to find Jesus. So we are open to all peoples to worship with us, offer to know the Christ, and we pray share and hug, we love. but we are not called to accept sin. We are not called to tell them it is ok to sin.
But do we accuse? Do we JUDGE?
Now I'm a judgement guy, I believe we cannot help people unless we judge them. Not to accuse or belittle but to access, help, and love.
We are to tell them that sex outside of marriage according to the Bible is a sin, one man, one woman. And that is it. We all sin, who is better than another? Only one is good and that is the father.
I sin every day, There are two kinds of Christians, those who sin and liars. I do not want to sin but I recognize and act on sin I do not rationalize it as something else.
Repent and Move on. So what if gay people say they are born that way and so it is ok to have sex in sin.
Well, I was born an alcoholic, I cannot change that fact, so I can either drink and hurt myself and those I love, Or I can abstain and not only turn from that sin which hurts me, but I have the chance to help others.
This came to me in Prayer recently, DO I love God, really love God,,,,,More than the sin I am committing??
I felt as Holy Spirit rushed over me at that moment that I wanted to desire God, Desire Jesus MORE than the sin I was committing.
So I view all people who are working toward ordination of gay people to being opposed to God, they are putting the world, sin and self ahead of God.... Not some plaster figure on a cross, But the LIVING GOD.
They adhere to fuzzy kitten theology, where we all live in a field of daisy's. They do not know the Bible, they do not know God and most Probably have not been baptized by Blood and Spirit.
If you truly believe in Adonai our God, shake with fear and humility. get on your knees and worship in love and ask for mercy. In Love, the God who died for you on the cross, will tell you in a quiet voice,
This is not your home, live a live devoted to our Father. Die to self daily and in Love and Humility love your neighbor as yourself.
We are not to burn these people at the stake, If they worship with you and still live in sin, even the heterosexuals, state Biblical truth to them once. Do not thump them with the Bible, Tell them once. They will either turn from sin or not, THAT is between them and God, It is up to each of us to work out our salvation.
We are asked to live the Gospel, and to share the good news. Tell them the truth, then love them into the Kingdom of God.
Amen
Friday, June 27, 2008
SEX, SEX, SEX,SEX,SEX
I guess my picture does look like the Feds are coming to arrest me. ( long story)
I like SEX, Alot.
A joke, a guy named Sean brags in the bar that he gets all the sex he needs, his mate says, wot? I hardly knew you with a woman,,,,,,Don't need no woman said Sean, I got the Internet.
At the ELCA Synod convention I went to my first Lutheran CORE meeting, ( It was not well attended) AND there were spy's!!!!, my pastorette Tari and a pastor from Houghton and one from Escanaba. SEX, UGH,,,not in my church,,, Core is cool, Im up wit dem. I love Gay people, I feel for them, I really do, and I wish the gay marrige ban in Michigan would have left them with the ability for civel unions.
So at the ELCA sexuality hearing in Cheboygan yesterday I was prepared top read a whole page, and so I stepped on up to the microphone and found I was literally only able to say a small bit,,,,,Guess Holy Spirit wanted me to say only a little. and I said this
The study states that “The past six or seven decades have seen immense changes in every aspect of human life, including human sexuality. The sexuality study seeks to describe the social realities of this age and to address them pastorally.”
It seems to me that many Clergy in the ELCA believe that Gods church needs to change to conform to social norms. In the past the social norms in America was that Slavery of Africans was Permissible. True Christians and not Pseudo Christians were steadfast in there belief that Slavery was evil. The same can be said for Nazi Germany, The Lutheran and Catholic churches adopted the social norms of the times.
As Christ bearers in this world we are called to be set apart, holy, sanctified. We are not to adopt that which is of the world while disregarding the Word of God.
With Sex being the focus in the ELCA now I guess Interesting times are upon us. I wonder though, my Pastor kept stepping up to add or question small differences in the wording of the study, she wants the word baptism added and I wonder if she knows the difference between Baptism by water, by Blood, and by Spirit. I get the feeling she might not.
In Christ
Rick
I like SEX, Alot.
A joke, a guy named Sean brags in the bar that he gets all the sex he needs, his mate says, wot? I hardly knew you with a woman,,,,,,Don't need no woman said Sean, I got the Internet.
At the ELCA Synod convention I went to my first Lutheran CORE meeting, ( It was not well attended) AND there were spy's!!!!, my pastorette Tari and a pastor from Houghton and one from Escanaba. SEX, UGH,,,not in my church,,, Core is cool, Im up wit dem. I love Gay people, I feel for them, I really do, and I wish the gay marrige ban in Michigan would have left them with the ability for civel unions.
So at the ELCA sexuality hearing in Cheboygan yesterday I was prepared top read a whole page, and so I stepped on up to the microphone and found I was literally only able to say a small bit,,,,,Guess Holy Spirit wanted me to say only a little. and I said this
The study states that “The past six or seven decades have seen immense changes in every aspect of human life, including human sexuality. The sexuality study seeks to describe the social realities of this age and to address them pastorally.”
It seems to me that many Clergy in the ELCA believe that Gods church needs to change to conform to social norms. In the past the social norms in America was that Slavery of Africans was Permissible. True Christians and not Pseudo Christians were steadfast in there belief that Slavery was evil. The same can be said for Nazi Germany, The Lutheran and Catholic churches adopted the social norms of the times.
As Christ bearers in this world we are called to be set apart, holy, sanctified. We are not to adopt that which is of the world while disregarding the Word of God.
With Sex being the focus in the ELCA now I guess Interesting times are upon us. I wonder though, my Pastor kept stepping up to add or question small differences in the wording of the study, she wants the word baptism added and I wonder if she knows the difference between Baptism by water, by Blood, and by Spirit. I get the feeling she might not.
In Christ
Rick
Where am I?
It has been awhile, seems a thought has been stuck in my mind, " Work out your own salvation"
In the last prison ministry ( 4 days) as we talked into the wee hours of the night I kept postulating the premise that No one is 100% right, a little of this and a little of that seems a good mix to me. Calvin was only partially right, every reformer that came along had some of it right, so we take what we need and leave the rest.
Except for the word of God, Scripture being Gods word, all this other stuff is either pure blather or gold that God has led us to read.
Predestination can free you, at least me from the rabid desire to drag everyone by the hair to Christ. because God chooses YOU, I am Free, and still we need to speak the words. Holy Spirit will convict, but our lives, lived as a living sacrifice and our words of proclamation bring those who are lost to meet God.
I am now a graduate of an ELCA Lay school, got the diploma and everything. It was the very best of time and I loved it, could not wait fore it to start every Thursday night. Now It is over,,,I had asked to teach a course, I doubt i will be blessed with that task, seems I am a bit to reformed to teach Lutherans and Presbyterians.
So ther is a slim chance that the ELCA will bless me with me performing Pulpit suppy, which I have always loved, I have filled the Pulpit over 20 times and have given communion solo a few times, But the ELCA is very gaurded who speaks in there name, I cannot find fault in that, It is after all the represenatation of God. But at Synod convention I realized this, an Idiot with a masters degree in teoligy is still and Idiot. kinda like the person with the worst grade in med school is called........Doctor.
Here is the odd thing. I always LOVED preaching, a month or so ago I was filling in for pastor Tari and I was feeling during the whole service unfullfilled, odd, out of place. and so I wonder was God telling me that preaching in a church is not for me at this time?
Because
Doors have burst wide open for me to expand Keryx into another Prison, and I love prison ministry. I relate to the guys and I feel at home.
So I thought the gifts of the spirit God gave me was to be a Preacher,,,seems I am to be a evangelizer with a strong inclination to also be a Disiple.
God is good, all the time, in time, throgh time, and as we die to self dailey we remember,,, Our lives are forfit to he whom created us... And so in Love and Humilty we become the hands and feet of the annointed one of the most high God. Adonai.
Amen.
In the last prison ministry ( 4 days) as we talked into the wee hours of the night I kept postulating the premise that No one is 100% right, a little of this and a little of that seems a good mix to me. Calvin was only partially right, every reformer that came along had some of it right, so we take what we need and leave the rest.
Except for the word of God, Scripture being Gods word, all this other stuff is either pure blather or gold that God has led us to read.
Predestination can free you, at least me from the rabid desire to drag everyone by the hair to Christ. because God chooses YOU, I am Free, and still we need to speak the words. Holy Spirit will convict, but our lives, lived as a living sacrifice and our words of proclamation bring those who are lost to meet God.
I am now a graduate of an ELCA Lay school, got the diploma and everything. It was the very best of time and I loved it, could not wait fore it to start every Thursday night. Now It is over,,,I had asked to teach a course, I doubt i will be blessed with that task, seems I am a bit to reformed to teach Lutherans and Presbyterians.
So ther is a slim chance that the ELCA will bless me with me performing Pulpit suppy, which I have always loved, I have filled the Pulpit over 20 times and have given communion solo a few times, But the ELCA is very gaurded who speaks in there name, I cannot find fault in that, It is after all the represenatation of God. But at Synod convention I realized this, an Idiot with a masters degree in teoligy is still and Idiot. kinda like the person with the worst grade in med school is called........Doctor.
Here is the odd thing. I always LOVED preaching, a month or so ago I was filling in for pastor Tari and I was feeling during the whole service unfullfilled, odd, out of place. and so I wonder was God telling me that preaching in a church is not for me at this time?
Because
Doors have burst wide open for me to expand Keryx into another Prison, and I love prison ministry. I relate to the guys and I feel at home.
So I thought the gifts of the spirit God gave me was to be a Preacher,,,seems I am to be a evangelizer with a strong inclination to also be a Disiple.
God is good, all the time, in time, throgh time, and as we die to self dailey we remember,,, Our lives are forfit to he whom created us... And so in Love and Humilty we become the hands and feet of the annointed one of the most high God. Adonai.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Where's Waldo? Not in the ELCA
Where have I been?
Been awhile, been busy beating the bushes for Disciples to serve the most high God. Today is Halloween and I am just regaining my energy from my last 4 days in Prison Ministry. I was able to minister to a very violent man who is ready to max out after 23 years inside. I was able to Minister to a semi - retarded ( no disrespect but I feel that it is an appropriate word) and 2 Muslim men plus another 20 inmates.
The Violent man found peace in Christ, I believe everlasting peace. The mentally handicapped man found Brothers who would care for him, Pray with him, protect him, and the Muslims? Well there were 2. Scott might not come to Christ but he for the first time in his life encountered the Holy Spirit and the rush of peace and love that comes from that. He is a changed man, If he stays a Muslim, well OK but he is our brother non the less.
Muslim #2 When I was praying for men in the prayer Chapel, We men received a prayer request from him that was in reality a curse. calling on condemnation of Christians through a semi Egyptian deity. Holding that prayer request was like handling a snake. Bile rose up and I cast it down and denounced it in the name of the most High God and his son Jesus the Christ.
Dramatic? Not if you had been there, It was Evil. Thank our God that the other 24 men in Prison for various crimes were filled with the Holy Spirit, and I do not use that term Lightly.
As a whole the 4 day Prison Keryx ( Cursillo) went great, many men either came to Christ or renewed there commitment in a loving relationship with Adonai.
As a carpenter and having to earn my bread I, in my spare time have been meeting with ministers in northern Michigan to see If I can talk at there church services to the collective Church to enlist men and women to minister in the state prisons. It seems that the ELCA Lutherans are way to bust to Evangelize, Maybe it should be the LCA?? Cause they are light on the E!
I have some invitations to talk at an LCMS and an Assembly of God church which I shall take up late December or January because I have already been in 2 prisons this fall and have to lock down again mid November.
As a conservative Christian I have always hated convicts and was for the death penalty, Now? It seems that when you are to do those things you do not want to do that God is behind the seen moving us into his kingdom. Ministering to men who have nothing has been the very best of ministries, most men I serve with when we get out are both elated to go home and depressed for being taken away from that holy ground where the holy Spirit is so alive ,,,,,It seems that you left a piece of you inside.
God has been good, We are most certainly blessed. Today my Grand Daughter who is 2 years old had surgery where they gave her Anesthesia. My Prayer partners across the country were praying for our little Katey. God is most certainly good, All the time
May Jehovah Bless you and keep you and yours
Rick
Out
Been awhile, been busy beating the bushes for Disciples to serve the most high God. Today is Halloween and I am just regaining my energy from my last 4 days in Prison Ministry. I was able to minister to a very violent man who is ready to max out after 23 years inside. I was able to Minister to a semi - retarded ( no disrespect but I feel that it is an appropriate word) and 2 Muslim men plus another 20 inmates.
The Violent man found peace in Christ, I believe everlasting peace. The mentally handicapped man found Brothers who would care for him, Pray with him, protect him, and the Muslims? Well there were 2. Scott might not come to Christ but he for the first time in his life encountered the Holy Spirit and the rush of peace and love that comes from that. He is a changed man, If he stays a Muslim, well OK but he is our brother non the less.
Muslim #2 When I was praying for men in the prayer Chapel, We men received a prayer request from him that was in reality a curse. calling on condemnation of Christians through a semi Egyptian deity. Holding that prayer request was like handling a snake. Bile rose up and I cast it down and denounced it in the name of the most High God and his son Jesus the Christ.
Dramatic? Not if you had been there, It was Evil. Thank our God that the other 24 men in Prison for various crimes were filled with the Holy Spirit, and I do not use that term Lightly.
As a whole the 4 day Prison Keryx ( Cursillo) went great, many men either came to Christ or renewed there commitment in a loving relationship with Adonai.
As a carpenter and having to earn my bread I, in my spare time have been meeting with ministers in northern Michigan to see If I can talk at there church services to the collective Church to enlist men and women to minister in the state prisons. It seems that the ELCA Lutherans are way to bust to Evangelize, Maybe it should be the LCA?? Cause they are light on the E!
I have some invitations to talk at an LCMS and an Assembly of God church which I shall take up late December or January because I have already been in 2 prisons this fall and have to lock down again mid November.
As a conservative Christian I have always hated convicts and was for the death penalty, Now? It seems that when you are to do those things you do not want to do that God is behind the seen moving us into his kingdom. Ministering to men who have nothing has been the very best of ministries, most men I serve with when we get out are both elated to go home and depressed for being taken away from that holy ground where the holy Spirit is so alive ,,,,,It seems that you left a piece of you inside.
God has been good, We are most certainly blessed. Today my Grand Daughter who is 2 years old had surgery where they gave her Anesthesia. My Prayer partners across the country were praying for our little Katey. God is most certainly good, All the time
May Jehovah Bless you and keep you and yours
Rick
Out
Saturday, August 11, 2007
A Gay time in Chicago
As a Christian who was raised in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod till we move to the U.P. and now a ELCA Christian since 1963, I am now concerned what will become of the Lutheran Church since this past week when in the ELCA Convention in Chicago, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) passed a resolution at its annual assembly urging bishops to refrain from disciplining pastors who are in "faithful committed same-gender relationships."
This passed by a vote of 538-431, What does this mean for the church? what does it mean for my church and what does it mean for me?
At Zion Lutheran here in St.Ignace our Church council president is a gay woman living in a committed relationship with another woman. I really like both women though only one of them attend church. I suppose that this vote will mean nothing physically to Zion Lutheran. Things will continue to go on as it has before.
I Imagine after the CORE convention Sept 28 some church's will split from the ELCA, how many will remain to be seen but I wonder if it will be 431 churches.
Core http://www.commonconfession.net/index2.html
What of me? I have 1 1/2 year of Lay School , I am deeply committed in a multi-Denominational Ministry in 4 prisons and have a hunger for the word of God.
Well, I will not attend a church that has a gay minister. I will still believe that what the Bible says that Homosexuality is a sin. Not so much because of scripture says verbatim but for the fact that A homosexual relationship is all about that person, And for thousands of years millenniums upon millenniums God has made it a HARD point to say it is NOT ABOUT YOU, It is about your relationship with Yahweh. So homosexuality is in defiance of Living for God and God alone.
For that Gay Community it is not only all about me, It seems they want to jam there lifestyle down our throats.
This call for Prayer, It calls for loving our gay brothers and sisters, But it also calls to God for Faithfulness.
In Messiah
Rick
This passed by a vote of 538-431, What does this mean for the church? what does it mean for my church and what does it mean for me?
At Zion Lutheran here in St.Ignace our Church council president is a gay woman living in a committed relationship with another woman. I really like both women though only one of them attend church. I suppose that this vote will mean nothing physically to Zion Lutheran. Things will continue to go on as it has before.
I Imagine after the CORE convention Sept 28 some church's will split from the ELCA, how many will remain to be seen but I wonder if it will be 431 churches.
Core http://www.commonconfession.net/index2.html
What of me? I have 1 1/2 year of Lay School , I am deeply committed in a multi-Denominational Ministry in 4 prisons and have a hunger for the word of God.
Well, I will not attend a church that has a gay minister. I will still believe that what the Bible says that Homosexuality is a sin. Not so much because of scripture says verbatim but for the fact that A homosexual relationship is all about that person, And for thousands of years millenniums upon millenniums God has made it a HARD point to say it is NOT ABOUT YOU, It is about your relationship with Yahweh. So homosexuality is in defiance of Living for God and God alone.
For that Gay Community it is not only all about me, It seems they want to jam there lifestyle down our throats.
This call for Prayer, It calls for loving our gay brothers and sisters, But it also calls to God for Faithfulness.
In Messiah
Rick
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