Leonard's Story

In 1972, I became a believer at the age of 21. My story is sadly summed up in one word: ignorance.

For twenty years following my public profession of Jesus as my Redeemer, my young family actively attended church and all became Christians. We grew in the Spirit, placed our faith in God who guides our lives and decisions.

Regretfully, during all that time I was completely unaware of what the term Protestant meant and the reasons of its origin. This became particularly embarrassing and painful in the years ahead because, I was a teenager living in Wiesbaden, (just a short drive from Mainz & Worms) where my father was stationed serving in the U.S. Air Force. And, during those years I was oblivious to anti-Semitism, the history of Reformation and the deep divisions between Catholics and Protestants.

Even though I regularly attended church in the chapels provided on the military bases, I was completely unaware of the reasons there were separate "Protestant" and "Catholic" services, nor the history behind it.

It was not until around 1993 while attending a PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) the "scales" fell off my eyes while studying the history of the Church (from many differing sources) leading up to the Reformation and why freedom of worship for billions became radically different since 1517.

I began observing and, now seeing, the divisions in virtually all churches – Protestant and Catholic alike. Determined not to add to those divisions, I became familiar with the many differing ways worship was lived out in all followers of Christ, and in the Tribe of Judah.

In recent years I've prayed that God would involve me in some fashion with the events this year and with all the healing restoration many are receiving. My ignorance has been replaced with a clearer understanding of our shared history and in particular the extensive anti-Semitism that remains throughout Europe.

Sharing our mutual Christian history with those in my life and church helps reconcile followers of Jesus, and helps diminish the wariness many Americans harbor toward Jewish people.

I praise God and thank Him for His Patience with me during all those years of ignorance.

Source: Wittenberg 2017 - "Leonard's Story", from the Wittenberg 2017 (US) website
http://www.wittenberg2017.us/leonardrsquos-story.html