By Lee Horn
I have just lost another friend, a dear friend, who first touched my life more than 45 years ago. What made her special was that we had a common foundation upon which our friendship was based, the Lutheran Church. Yes, we went back to Luther League days, here in California.
It is interesting how the Lord works. We had only known each other for a short time when circumstances took us on separate paths. But some 10 plus years later our paths crossed again while we each worked within our church.
I have lost many precious Lutheran friends over the last ten years. I grieve over each one because a part of me is gone. You too may have had the same experience. These friends had been leaders, teachers, prayer warriors, retreat chairmen, Bible study leaders, committee chairmen, choir members in my church and in neighboring Lutheran churches.
These friends have left the Lutheran Church. Now they are active and alive in other churches. These people were the "cream" of the Lutheran Church, who 'spilled over' into other fellowships when things got too watered down. They are using their spiritual gifts in other churches. The churches they have chosen are those which are B.C. (Biblically Correct) not P.C. (Politically Correct).
No, there is no perfect church here on earth. But can we keep drifting away from the core of our beliefs – the Bible? How many more friends, leaders, and churches must we lose before the course is corrected? Doesn't Scripture say to the church of Sardis, "Wake up!" They think they are alive but they are dead.
At least for the present, I still have hope that our leaders of the ELCA will choose to lead the church to repentance and new life in Christ.