COUNT NIKOLAUS LUDWIG VON ZINZENDORF (The Founder of The Moravian Community) (Part 12)

Family Loss and Personal Sorrow

By this time, Zinzendorf had resigned from his post at the Saxon court to devote his life to the ministry of the gospel. He and his family settled into their home in Herrnhut, which now had five hundred members. The years with Erdmuthe had been full of spiritual blessings but also painful family loss. Since the birth of their first child in 1724, Erdmuthe had given birth to five other children, but by 1733, three had already died of early childhood diseases. Tragically, Ludwig and Erdmuthe had to visit God’s Acre, the cemetery in Herrnhut, to bury their children far too often. During their marriage, Erdmuthe gave birth to twelve children, six boys and six girls, but only four of them survived to adulthood.

Suspicion from Church and Nobility

In addition to these family sorrows, Zinzendorf was continually the subject of much suspicion by those outside the Herrnhut community. Church leaders and European nobles alike were heatedly divided in their opinions of the unorthodox count. “Some regarded him as a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, but others conceived a great mistrust of him… they were also afraid of his odd projects.” Zinzendorf was concerned, not for himself, but for the Herrnhut Brethren. He realized that the Lutheran church in Saxony could force the community of Herrnhut to leave.

Test My Doctrine

Taking matters into his own hands, he approached the church leaders. “Test my doctrine of faith; prove that my theology is sound,” he requested. In a surprise move, Ludwig also asked to be considered for ordination as a Lutheran minister.

Ordained to Protect the Brethren

After months of interrogation and testing, Zinzendorf presented his final petition before the examining church board: I was but ten years old when I began to direct my companions to Jesus as their Redeemer….Now I am thirty-four, and my mind has undergone no change. My zeal has not cooled…I love and honor the established church….I will continue to win souls for my precious Savior….l shall go to distant nations, who are ignorant of Jesus and of the redemption in His blood.

Zinzendorf successfully passed all phases of the examination and was ordained as a Lutheran minister in December 1735. Now, he could preach in Lutheran churches throughout Europe and protect the Brethren at Herrnhut from accusations that they were “not Lutheran enough.”

Differences Within the Same Spirit

Unfortunately, nothing Ludwig did could protect him from the false accusations of the European churchmen. Religion always wants to make people conform to a narrow sphere. Scripture says, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:4–5). Too often, the church gets the “differences” and “the same” turned around.

To be continued…

Tale Tuesday 115

Date:  4th February, 2024
Title: :  COUNT NIKOLAUS LUDWIG VON ZINZENDORF (The Founder of The Moravian Community) (Part 12)
Source:  God’s generals- The Missionaries
Author: Roberts Liardon