“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21) Or to say it another way: man has a plan, but God has a purpose.
The people of Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Madison Heights (Detroit), Michigan, are a testament to this great truth. In the five years since our last Lutheran Spokesman article, God has continued to grace us with many blessings: a dozen baptisms, around twenty new members, five weddings, and a handful of funerals. In 2021, we formed a Board of Christian Education and started an education fund with the goal of opening a Christian day school. In 2022, we became a self-supporting congregation, ending almost twenty years of status as a domestic mission subsidized by the CLC.
In 2023, we observed our congregation’s fiftieth anniversary with a special celebration service which was attended by eighty-seven souls.
Dedication Service Attendees
In 2024, we refocused our attention on finding a way to open a Christian day school for our growing population of young children and for outreach in our community. We had already discovered that this would not be possible in our modest quarter-acre property and small, split-level church building. We needed to relocate to a larger property and a more suitable building. Initially, our plans for relocation took many different shapes. We thought of leasing a commercial property. Or perhaps we could repurpose a former daycare center or even an old banquet hall. It was important that we not move too far, as Madison Heights is a centrally located suburb and easily accessible for our spread-out metro Detroit membership. Above all, we wanted to be bold in our faith and zealous for the Gospel but also wise stewards of our God-given resources. Finally, we decided that we must first sell our old property before relocating. During the interim we planned to rent a conference room for Sunday services. This was our plan, but God had a purpose.
Moving day
In early April of 2025, after almost a year without any significant offers on our old property, a nearby church (only two miles away) put their sizeable property on the market at an extremely reasonable price. After much prayer and consideration, we determined that this was an opportunity from the Lord which we could not miss. Man has a plan, but God has a purpose. With the help of a Church Extension Fund loan from the CLC (and substantial assistance from the CLC Board of Trustees), we were able to purchase the new property in late May. The address is 510 W. Girard Ave, Madison Heights, Michigan, 48071. The 1.64-acre plot consists of a 56-car parking lot, a large grassy field, and a single-level, L-shaped building with a large sanctuary, a fellowship hall, kitchenette, bathrooms, nursery, two offices, and three classrooms. Truly a gift from God! His purpose for us was much better than any plans we could have envisioned. We spent the summer sprucing up the building and property, and on September 14, 2025 we officially opened the new location with a special dedication service praising God for His gift of a new church home. We had many visitors from other Michigan CLC congregations and beyond. Total attendance was ninety-two souls.
VBS Bible lesson
However, we were still in possession of our old church property, which was now sitting vacant. As we waited for God to find us a buyer, there was plenty of temptation to doubt His purpose. We needed our Lord Jesus’ gentle rebuke and reminder: “O you of little faith. . . . do not worry . . . For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:30-33 NKJV) As promised, our Heavenly Father did indeed provide for us according to His perfect timing and, as always, all our worries were for nothing! God found us a buyer by year’s end, and we closed on the sale of our old property on December 18, just in time to celebrate Christmas and God’s greatest gift—His Son, our Savior Jesus. Man has a plan, but God has a purpose.
With the new property, God’s people at Mount Zion are now fully concentrated on opening a Christian day school. There are still renovations that need to be made to bring the building up to Michigan school code, and our Board of Christian Education is working to ensure that all other preparations are completed before we issue a call for a full-time teacher. In the coming years, there will certainly be more temptations to doubt God’s purpose, but every temptation to doubt is also an opportunity for faith. We pray that God would strengthen our faith to entrust all things to Him, and to adjust our human plans to fit His divine purpose.
The future is bright for Mount Zion, as it always is for all God’s people. God has given us redemption through Jesus Christ, saving faith through the Holy Spirit, and the certain promise of eternal life. Man has a plan, but God has a purpose. The new home of Mount Zion Lutheran Church is further evidence of this great truth. We invite you to visit the Motor City and join us on Sunday mornings at our new location as we praise God for all that He has done for us.
is pastor of Mount Zion Lutheran Church of Madison Heights, Michigan.