The leadership and seminaries of the ELCA are teaching and believing heresy.   I wish all ELCA members would come to knowledge that their/our denomination believes in Universal Salvation.  Below is an interesting blog on the topic.  (There is more to come on this topic also, as I am researching and putting together a blog on it, which should be ready in a week or two.)

Pastor Harrison's Convention Report
Add Comment
 
 
Professors teaching Christianity, the Bible and Religion Studies are supporting an far-left liberal organization in their efforts to keep "the curriculum titled  'The Bible in History and Literature'” from being used in public school classrooms. Here is the link to the long list of "Christian" teachers.  Of course there are a couple ELCA school professors representing.

The Texas Freedom Network is the organization behind this initiative.   They pride themselves on fighting to keep evolution as the only taught theory in public schools, promoting sex education while mocking abstinence, and are against school vouchers, among other things.   The information below is some of the organizations self described "success stories."
  • "This year we helped persuade the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to reject an application from the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research (ICR) to offer master's of science in education degrees in Texas. Because TFN activists leapt into action and contacted the Coordinating Board about their concerns, the board turned back ICR's attempts to promote biblical creationism over sound science in higher education."
  • "In February clergy in Texas and across the country took part in Evolution Weekend, reminding congregations that there is no conflict between faith and supporting a sound science curriculum for public schools. The Texas Faith Network, which includes mainstream religious leaders from around the state, partnered with the Clergy Letter Project to promote Evolution Weekend. Clergy in all 50 states -- including more than 40 congregations in Texas -- delivered sermons, lead discussions and hosted speakers, among other activities, over the weekend."
Add Comment
 
Timeline of ELCA 04/26/2010
 
Crisis of Authority of God's Word. (a timeline)  View pdf file.


Add Comment
 
 
". . . An ELCA pastor informed the churchwide assembly in a discussion of the ELCA’s HIV and AIDS strategy that his congregation hands out condoms 'to anyone who asks for them, young or old.' He had emailed his bishop and asked if he could pass out condoms, and the bishop responded, 'Jesus would be passing out condoms.'

Churches that pass out condoms are all but saying to their members, 'When you have sex outside marriage, make sure you use a condom.' Do ELCA leaders really hear Jesus saying that he would pass out condoms in a church or anywhere to people who are having sex outside marriage?"

(read more of the article)

Add Comment
 
 
Below are some thoughts from a man named Andrew.  He wrote them in the comments section under this article.

". . . As a homosexual member of the LCMS. . . (t)he last thing I need is a pastor telling me it’s ok to act on my temptations or, God forbid, a pastor who flaunts a gay relationship. It is hard, lonely and frustrating enough to overcome this temptation and I certainly don’t need a pastor to be throwing gasoline on the fire for me.

No, what I need is to be able to stand before God every Sunday and confess 'I am by nature sinful and unclean.' I need to know that I stand among others who, even if they might reject me for the temptation I face, are, at least that moment, connected to me through our mutual struggle with our own sinful natures. With the sinners and lepers of the past, I need to be able to say 'Lord have mercy upon me.' And with the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, I need to look forward to a future glory and fellowship when I will no longer face this struggle. I need a pastor who will point me back to the Word of God instead of his own limited reasoning and feed me on the Means of Grace instead of poisoning me with permission to sin. . . (M)ay God preserve us from such shepherds. . . who not only allow the lost sheep to wander but hasten their departure from the flock.

Perhaps (they) should recall Christ’s words in Matthew 18:6 'But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”

1 Comment
 
 
View the document.

The first part of the document is the church's Confession of Faith.  And later is the reasoning behind leaving the ELCA.
Add Comment
 
 
Check out this "little jingle."

(sung to the tune of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, from the musical Mary Poppins)

If you donate your tuppence
Wisely to the church
Safe and sound
Soon that tuppence
Safe within the ELCA
Will compound

And you’ll achieve a sense of justice
As your piety expands
When Higgens Road and its directors
Give in – to special int’rest groups’ demands

You see, members, you’ll be part of
Dissing the church in Africa
(They’re homophobes, you know!)
Two millenia of Christendom’s
Theology must to go!
Millions given for bogus studies
Toward a pre-determined goal!
…Ordination for non-celibate gays!

All from tuppence, prudently
Fruitfully, frugally donated
to the, to be specific,
to the publicly accountable,
life-long, monogamous,
same-gender Luth’ran Church

Now, members,
When you give tuppence to the ELCA-church
Soon you’ll see
Leftist causes successfully promoted
At church-wide assemblies.
And you’ll achieve that sense of stature
As your arrogance expands
To the high ecclesial strata
That our ELCA-church commands

You can buy our health insurance
That’ll cover abortions!
Ageism! Feminism! Racism! Sexism!
It’s Victomhood that sells!

Opportunities!
All manner of social activism!
Anti-War! Pro-Choice!
Global Warming! End of Life!
Stewardship to
Secularize the Church!

You see, members,
Tuppence, patiently, cautiously trustingly donated
To the, to be specific,
To the publicly accountable
Life-long, monogamous,
Same-gender Luth’ran Church

By "Snuggarunt," found in the comments section of this article.
1 Comment
 
 
Exposing the ELCA asked the question, "Which denomination do you most identify with?"

The results were:

The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod or Wisconsin Synod received 36% (121 votes)

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) received 26% (87 votes)

ELCA received 22% (76 votes)

North American Lutheran Church (NALC)/Lutheran CORE received 10% (34 votes)

Non-Lutheran received 6% (21 votes)

There was a total of votes: 339.  Thank you to all that voted!


Add Comment
 
 
A study was conducted in 2009 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America called "Lutherans Say. . . No. 6."  This study asked ELCA congregational leaders their thoughts on certain topics.  Here is one of the findings.  

46% of the ELCA congregational leaders Agreed with this statement, "It is possible for a faithful follower of any religion, including Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism, to find the truth about God through that religion."  30% disagreed and 22% were "not sure."  This is revealing and shows the sad truth about the direction our denomination is going.  The Bible does not teach that people devoted to other religions will go to heaven.  But 46% of church leadership believes this.  And 22% don't know.  

This makes me ask, what is their pastor teaching?  The belief of universal salvation, that everyone is saved, is running through-out the ELCA.  From the top working it's way down to church leadership and members.  

This should be a wake up call to all people, especially if you are a member of the ELCA.

Lutherans Say. . . No. 6 (pdf file)
1 Comment
 
 
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania's presiding bishop, Rev. Alex G. Malasusa had some strong words for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  He said that they do not support the ELCA's decisions on same-sex relationships and ordination, that the ELCA has strayed from Scriptures and that his church needs to not be reliant on ELCA money "so that they don't use their money and wealth to threaten us. . . we should leave them with their money and stick to the word of God."   (Read more)

Presiding bishop Mark Hanson of the ELCA was quick to respond.  The two presiding bishops will meet next month and Hanson said, "I will share with Bishop Malasusa the ELCA's strong commitment to the centrality of the Word of God in our faith and witness."   (Read more)

I think Bishop Hanson is being honest here.  But what is he really saying and what is he not saying?  In this statement,  ". . .ELCA's strong commitment to the centrality of the Word of God in our faith and witness," Hanson is not talking about the Bible.  He is talking about Jesus.  "Lutherans define the Word of God first as Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh."  (ELCA church) 

While the bishop Malasusa is saying the ELCA is not following scripture, bishop Hanson uses language that makes normal ELCA church members think he is saying that the ELCA has a strong commitment to scripture, when he is not.   

The ELCA has never had a strong commitment to scripture.  They make exceptions, deny, disregard and claim errors and untruths throughout the Bible.  They believe they have a "knowledge" that supersedes what God says.  It's called Gnosticism.  This gnostic knowledge "in question concerns the secret mystery of life that arises from within the self. The God of gnosticism is the experiential God identical with what seems most authentic and real in each individual soul. The God of the Bible is exactly opposite from that and comes from the outside through the Word that he speaks. The God of the Gnostics and the God of the Bible are mortal enemies." (Read more)

I pray Rev. Malasusa doesn't fall for bishop Hanson's carefully chosen words.
2 Comments