11 Reasons Everyone Should Leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

2/21/2016

(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)

Recently I read an article by a liberal Lutheran pastor entitled "11 Reasons I Am Proud to Pastor in the ELCA". Permit me to do the opposite. Here are 11 reasons everyone should leave the ELCA.

1. The ELCA pays for abortion for any reason in its health care plan – which is funded by offering dollars.

2. The ELCA's health care plan has recently decided to pay for sex change operations.

3. The ELCA has a hard time referring to God as "He" and references to God the Father are rare. The ELCA's hymnal has removed all masculine references to God in the Psalms. The ELCA's "The Lutheran" magazine also avoids masculine pronouns for God.

4. The ELCA allows for the worship of "the goddess" and pagan deities like Asherah at an ELCA congregation called Herchurch (check out the false teaching for yourself at herchurch.org). When people have shared concern about this congregation, the ELCA has defended Herchurch instead of disciplining it.

5. The heresy of universalism, which teaches that all people will be saved regardless of faith in Christ, is being taught at ELCA seminaries. The ELCA's "The Lutheran" magazine also has articles promoting universalism. This is done even though the ELCA's founding documents teach that we are saved by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.

6. The number of ELCA missionaries has been reduced dramatically since the ELCA's founding in 1988. If universalism is true, why send out missionaries?

7. Some ELCA pastors, like the popular ELCA speaker Nadia Bolz–Weber, deny the substitutionary atonement of Christ, which teaches that Jesus died on the cross in our place to pay for our sins. This central Christian teaching is rejected as "divine child abuse" by some in the ELCA.

8. The ELCA ordains practicing homosexuals as pastors. The ELCA now has a male bishop with a "husband" who rode in a gay pride parade in California.

9. The ELCA recently has ordained transgender pastors.

10. Basic Christian teachings like the Virgin Birth of Christ are denied by many seminary professors in the ELCA.

11. The ELCA regularly advocates for liberal political causes, but does little to nothing to advocate for the unborn. This is understandable since the ELCA pays for abortions with offering dollars.

Need a good alternative to the ELCA? The Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, Lutheran Churches in Mission for Christ (LCMC), the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, the Wisconsin Synod Lutheran church, and the Association of America Lutheran Churches are all options which provide good Biblical teaching for those seeking to live out their Christian faith.

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock
Pastorsstudy.org

43 Comments

Didaskalos link

2/22/2016 06:05:24 am

What the ELCA is: NARAL, Planned Parenthood, NOW, Greenpeace, GLAAD, Democratic Party

What the ELCA isn't: Lutheran, Church

Kathy S.

2/22/2016 10:38:46 am

ELCA = PCCA. Maybe I'm a dreamer, but it is not the Church....

Curt - North

2/22/2016 01:42:38 pm

I feel lost, I'm a member of an ELCA church and even sit on the church council. I don't support ANY of the things going on in the ELCA, but our local church really doesn't ever discuss that, we keep things local. Yet I fully realize that some small portion of my offerings go to Chicago, I get that. We've been members for years now, we love our local Pastor, my kids go on youth trips, but how can I reconcile supporting the edicts coming from ELCA in any way? I feel lost, I get headaches when I go to church, the more I read of the ELCA the more I find myself disgusted, but this is the church and Pastor who helped me walk back to God, to re-find Jesus Christ as my savior, I really just want a prayer or two coming this way.

Dakota

2/22/2016 06:44:06 pm

Curt:
I will definitely pray for you. I left the ELCA in 1992. It was my home church and the church that my parents attended. It was a tough decision. (It took many years for my parents to accept that decision). I had this sick feeling in my stomach for many months before my wife, kids and I finally left. I believe it was the Holy Spirit leading me as I wasn't a dogmatic believer let alone one who considered my faith very seriously.

I knew I made the right decision when Bishop H. George Anderson was asked on a radio interview about allowing homosexual clergy, and he punted and said the church needed to wait for the Study of Sexuality to be complete before he could answer. I wanted to scream, "what does the Bible say Bishop Anderson about this very subject?"

We joined an Independent Lutheran Church that emphasized the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Our children were taught well in Sunday School and I as their father took on the proper role as the Spiritual Leader of the family. Is our family perfect? No! But my family knows they are saved only by grace through faith in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Grace and peace to you as you make this decision. My kids were young when we made the decision to leave so perhaps it was easier for me. But I praise God for leading me and my family out of the ELCA and away from the leadership within the national church who"having the form of godliness, but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." 2 Timothy3:5

2/23/2016 07:11:57 am

Thank you for that story Dakota, so glad it all worked out for you! Sounds like you made the right call early on.

Dan Skogen

2/22/2016 09:44:03 pm

I'm praying for you also, Curt. May God give you wisdom.

Carl W Baggett Jr

2/23/2016 11:31:07 pm

Curt, I left the ELCA after the 2009 Assembly. In 2003, a friend(LCMS pastor) urged me to dig deeper into what was happening on Higgins Road. I, too, was very pleased with my local congregation, but my investigation caused me to conclude that the ELCA was heading down a dangerous path. It, actually, was not the homosexual issues that urged my decision to leave as I've always considered it a symptom of a greater problem in the church. It was the so-called bound conscience doctrine which turned out to be a way of silencing critics rather than engendering diversity in the church. Everything was fine as long as confessional congregations and pastors toed the line; however, to point out the obvious hermeneutical flaws of the ELCA leadership's pet doctrines was a crime of the highest order. Quite literally, we were told our objections merely parroted right wing talking heads in the editorial section of their national periodical. There is life after the ELCA. One's best bet is to forgive them, shake the dust from one's soles, and move merrily along. Trust me; you'll be MUCH happier!

Jeff

2/25/2016 06:38:31 pm

You are not alone! Several years ago, our church fought this battle and left ELCA. This divided our church: those that recognized the false teaching of the ELCA and those that wanted to cling on. During one of our final congregational meetings as ELCA, someone made a comment about how we could even imagine leaving the ELCA. The answer was, "Do you worship the ELCA or God?" Ask have to ask yourself the same question and pray: pray first, pray last, pray always. You should feel filled up and empowered going to church - that's why you go!

J.A.

4/5/2016 05:34:41 pm

Our church was started by people who left the what was then the LCA now the ELCA over doctrinal issues - in 1965. It has been going on since then and has only gotten worse. In 1965 it was a Sunday School curriculum that taught that the miracles never happened, that they could all be explained in earthly terms. They fled their old churches, and by the grace of God built a new church, and named the road where the church was built as Pella Ave., as in where the Christians fled to during the destruction of Jerusalem. They started the church as an independent Lutheran church, but we now are a member of the Church of the Lutheran Confession.

Not to start a fire storm on here but read http://clclutheran.org/library/ccf.html on why you should leave. I'll pray for you.

Woodrew Wilson

12/5/2022 11:31:18 am

Hello. I know your initial comments were posted a few years ago. Still, I wish to respond...2022. I could give you a ton of Bible verses but won't. Here's the deal...read the Pauline epistles in the N.T....in so many places are condemnations of false teachers and false beliefs. God condemns them. Either He is the God of the Bible or He is not. He is. But, you cannot believe the teachings of these "fake churches" and truly be a Christian or serve God. Get out of the ELCA. I did in 1980, got saved (i.e. personally received Christ as Savior), and then began attending a Bible-teaching church. Our city has a number of "fake churches". I would NEVER EVER attend them of send someone to them.

Mike Cooper

2/22/2016 06:24:16 pm

My church is a member of the NALC. I did not see it mentioned in your alternatves. Is there a reason for that?

2/23/2016 07:09:26 am

Thank you all for your words and prayers, I feel it. Mike Cooper, the NALC is definitely on my own personal radar, we don't have one in our town, nearest is an hour drive. I understand the NALC is made largely from former ELCA congregations? At least it sort of started that way, but I see it growing like crazy. I checked out the NALC website and I like what I see there. I realize the Missouri Synod is a vibrant church as well, and we have one local, it's big and full and a growing place, lots of energy. In the end it's all in Gods hands, I do listen, I pay attention to promptings, and my wife and I discuss these things, it's not just in my heart, it's in hers as well I think. I don't want to get into too many details, but she has a long-standing family connection to this church, this particular building even, very tough for her to walk away. Right now if our Pastor were to leave, that'd probably be it for us here, but we LOVE this man, our kids babysit his young ones even. And we love our fellow church members here, just so much to walk away from locally, honestly it's difficult to imagine ourselves in a different church. The ELCA stuff in Chicago, that stuff is easy to walk away from, it's the local connection that would be truly missed.

Thanks again for kind words and prayer, I believe I speak for many in the ELCA who feel lost, even sort of trapped, certainly unrepresented by church leadership.

Pr. Cathi

2/24/2016 07:52:00 pm

Prayers for your household's discernment. If there are others of like mind, consider forming a house church. The NALC can provide info.
thenalc.org

Cathi

2/24/2016 07:47:46 pm

My question is the same as Michael Cooper's. NALC belongs in the list, IMH&FO.

Bill Cowert

2/22/2016 09:03:25 pm

I would also suggest those seeking a church home that is Christ centered, mission driven, traditionally grounded, congregationally focused, and grounded in its belief of scripture as God's Word, check out their local North American Lutheran Church congregation.

Dave from Minnesota

2/23/2016 08:15:44 am

I would like to add a 12th point, and that is the ELCA's support of anti-Semitic groups in the mid-east. For example, on the ELCA's web site, there is a fake map, showing that there were virtually no Jews living in modern-day Israel pre-1945, but that there were many Arab towns. This is totally false.

Erika

3/19/2016 10:53:51 am

Thank you. I couldn't believe some of the anti-Israeli resolutions they had signed on to.

2/23/2016 12:07:02 pm

I do not mean to overstep a boundary, and I am not a troll, but I have a suggestion.... I left the LCA in 1974 for many of the same reasons many of you are expressing. At that time, I joined the local Catholic Church -- a large, old, beautiful church about 5 blocks from my home. Never regretted it. And now -- I can hardly believe my eyes -- most of what the conservative Lutheran Church is teaching is good ol' 16th-century "pure" Catholicism! Luther was right -- the Church needed reformation. That happened! Look at Pope Francis -- he is more Lutheran than many Lutherans!

What I am trying to say, for those of you who may have to drive one hour to a conservative Lutheran Church, why not go to the Catholic Church down the street -- as I did? You may be pleasantly surprised. Just a suggestion....

William

5/13/2021 11:48:31 am

We left the Catholic Church, so much false doctrine; they changed the 10 commandments - they do bow to statues and had to change that. They worship Mary; she worshipped Jesus and had other children w/her husband. The bible says bow to NO MAN and call NO MAN the name FATHER. The catholics do all this. They do repeat prayers as the bible says - do NOT do. They have changed their rules many times - eat meat Fri. - go to hell. Now you can eat meat Fri. - no problem. The priests say they can Forgive Sins - The bible says ONLY GOD/JESUS CAN DO THAT. The bible says No one is saved except Through Jesus Christ. There is NO PERGATORY in the bible, just heaven and hell. Many priests are homosexuals/pedophiles- they have destroy thousands of young lives - they move the priests to cover for them. Get out, this is The Church of Satan as Martin Luther stated when he left, they charged people to forgive sins! The entire church is HORRIBLE.

Debbie

6/8/2022 08:21:24 pm

There is really no church out there for a moderate such as myself. I believe women should be ministers , yet resent the liberal agenda being pushed by the ECLA. I certainly wouldn’t consider the Catholic Church with their centuries of hiding pedophile priests, abusing and killing indigenous peoples for refusing to give up their pagan religions and the abuses suffered by countless individuals at Catholic orphanages throughout the world. No thank you. The Southern Baptists have been hiding sexual abuse for years. The Mormons are a cult and treat women terribly. Maybe, I will start my own church.
It seems to be the only option.

6/9/2022 03:50:48 pm

Hi Debbie. There are still some good churches out there. If you are looking for a Lutheran denomination, the LCMC or the NALC might fit your needs. Both ordain women and teach the truth of God's Word.

Curt North

6/10/2022 07:57:13 am

You're not alone in wondering about worshipping Christ outside of an organized church. House churches popped up here and there during the virus madness, when we saw many organized churches do the unthinkable - voluntarily shut down and literally turn people away.

The emptying of Christian churches has been a long-time trend that was quickened during the lockdowns. I always saw that a terrible thing, but maybe it isn't?

I believe in Jesus Christ as my savior, and believing that inside a nice building or in my backyard won't affect my relationship with Him and my salvation. Nothing can take away or diminish the incredible gift He gave me.

I still haven't found my way back to a church, and while I miss worshipping with others, I have access to God's word and Jesus is there listening when I need him. I still listen to promptings, and right now I feel none regarding an organized church. The only prompting I feel is the same St. Augustine felt - Tolle Lege.
We don't need an organized church for that.

Chuck Braun

2/24/2016 01:04:28 pm

Dear Sister in Christ Kathy,

Sad to say, the RCC teaches the "many ways to God and eternal life" heresy that the ELCA and other liberal churches espouse. The Popes have said that Muslims and Jews are also saved. Sadly, this is not the case. Mother Teresa didn't present the Gospel of Christ crucified and risen to forgive the world's sin and bring those who trust in Him unto eternal life. Rather, she tried to make people "better Hindus or Buddhists" in India. I am sure she was a wonderful person, and I hope she is saved. But the exclusivity of eternal life found in Jesus Christ alone is sadly absent from the RCC, as evidenced in her statement here.

Also, I want you to understand that Jesus Christ paid the full debt of your sins. The RCC says Jesus was not the only one who made payment for sins by taking the full punishment they require, but that sinners also pay that penalty. Ergo, penance and purgatory are part of RCC theology. One receives Christ's merits and grace by cooperating with Him in good works, according to the RCC. Please, dear Kathy, believe that God the Holy Spirit called you to trust in the atoning work of Jesus in his death and resurrection for us poor miserable sinners, reconciling us to God the Father and cancelling our sin debt. And the good works which you do would be sinful and tainted on their own; Jesus causes them to be done by you, and He covers them with His Righteousness to make them truly good works. Now concerning St. James, I believe that he was saying that true, trusting faith in Christ will always cause believers to help imprisoned and impoverished fellow Christians. A merely mental assent to the Creeds would allow for one to merely stand by and watch the poor and helpless suffer. Faith that doesn't produce good works is dead, thus is not saving faith. Even the Devil believes that Jesus is the Second person of the Holy Trinity...

The RCC's practice of praying to the saints seems to be idolatry to me. Perhaps Catholics think of this practice as like asking a friend to pray for them, except that friend is in Paradise. And as to whether or not the saints in Paradise see what is happening on earth, I cannot be sure. But when Catholics think that they need to gain access to Jesus through His mother, that makes St. Mary the ultimate Savior. With all due respect to Mary, I think she would be shocked and appalled. Mary was a sinner, since she called God her Savior. I believe Jesus had the ability to sin, and was tempted with everything humans were tempted to do, but yet He never sinned. If Mary was born without sin, how could Jesus be tempted? Why would she need a Savior?

This very day, my wife's cousin's grandson is having open heart surgery at 3 months of age. The parents asked their priest for an emergency Baptism, to which they were informed that they would need to cough up $350. As a confessional LCMS Lutheran, I believe that any Christian can perform Holy Baptism in an emergency. And I can't imagine a Lutheran pastor of any stripe who would demand money to bestow God's free grace in Christ to a helpless child. This is what Luther objected to at the start. God's free grace with a human price tag on it. And the beat goes on...

While I identify Roman Catholicism as a seriously flawed Christianity, I pray that those in the RCC would nonetheless be able to receive the Gospel of salvation in Christ alone, despite the distortions of that Gospel which they have been taught.

Let me close by saying that I drove by the local Catholic church near me, and the sign read, "JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU". Bingo! Amen and Amen! Hold that thought. God's grace, mercy and peace to you. I'm no theologian, just an LCMS layman. A sinner saved by the free gift of grace alone, through the free gift of faith in Christ alone, bestowed by Baptism and the preached Word of God. Jesus did it all for me. Kathy, Jesus did it all for you too. While I would rather be Catholic than return to the ELCA, I have serious reservations about the Roman Catholic Church. And I desire that the Holy Spirit would lead the RCC closer to God's truth...

2/24/2016 01:34:43 pm

Curt,

Sadly, even my LCMS gives money to heretical parachurch organizations like Lutheran Immigrant Relief Fund and Lutheran World Relief, not to mention Thrivent, which at one time supported abortion. Put a slip of paper with the words "NON-SYNOD" over your offering check. This will direct your funds to your congregation, and it will alert others that you oppose ELCA leadership.

I'd look for another nearby non-ELCA Lutheran congregation. Talk to their pastor, attend once monthly, with your family if possible. Monitor what your kids are being taught in youth group. And sit down with your pastor and share your concerns. As God used him to lead you back to trust in Jesus Christ, perhaps He could use you to help lead your pastor to do something. Perhaps your pastor wants to stand his ground and protect his flock from his leaders' heresy for as long as he can. Perhaps he is afraid to make a scene and split up the church. But sooner or later, your pastor will be replaced by somebody new, and who knows what false teachings he or she will bring in. At my old ELCA church, my last new pastor had subtle implications of open theism, non-Trinitarianism and acceptance of same-sex unions. The belief statement of my old church appears orthodox, but what I read in this pastor's sermons online scares me. Jesus had to learn to respect the Canaanite woman who was a "dog". Our God is a God who learns, a God who grows. Open theism, right there! Will my former fellow parishioners notice or care?

Getting back to you, Curt, as a church board member, state your case against ELCA affiliation to your board, as well as your pastor. I personally sent letters to those in my congregation whom I thought were the most Bible-believing, twenty households in all. Along with my wife and I, just one couple left.

Now this is the church where my son was baptized, confirmed and married. It is where I met and married my wife. We're talking over a 30-year membership. Leaving was the hardest thing to do, but God used my struggle to realize how much I need the grace of Jesus Christ, how my sin is far more serious than I had previously thought, to humble me before His holy Presence at His Table.

I keep you in my prayers, Curt, and desire that your congregation would leave the ELCA. But even some ELCA congregations with two successful votes to disaffiliate require synod permission to do so. Scarily, like the Hotel California, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. At least not as a congregation. But hook up with like-minded believers in your church, Curt. Whatever you do, there is a way for your to stand up for Jesus in this situation. May God give you the strength for your journey.

Remember that while it's best to do the right thing, doing the wrong thing is better than doing nothing at all...

Matthew Schmidt

2/24/2016 02:01:08 pm

Another good alternative for those seeking conservative/confessional Lutheranism is ULMA (the United Lutheran Mission Association). Small, but very faithful.

2/24/2016 04:33:44 pm

Kathy S,
My main issue is with pretty much all Catholic churches, only those that have taken the classes and converted to the Catholic Church can partake in the Holy Sacrament! I believe in the fact all Baptised Christians are welcome to the table. I can not attend a church that turns away other Christians nor can I attend the ELCA because of their unwillingness to follow true Christian beliefs and God's Law! Would I say that a homosexual or transgender can't come to my church if they believe in Jesus and want to repent (that is if they understand their life decisions is a reason for the same repentance of sin) I have no problem sharing my pew and my table with them. Acceptance of the person and forgiving them is the true meaning of being a Christian, not acceptance of the sin nor excluding those looking for salvation!

2/25/2016 09:12:48 am

JD - I have to agree with you on the RCC, and frankly I find the same problem with the Missouri Synod, that you need to be members of THEIR church to partake in the Lords Supper, meaning classes and paperwork for membership. This has always seemed restrictive to me, why in the world would you want to deny a fellow Christian the opportunity to partake in the Lords Supper?

Kathy S - There are several other issues I have with the RCC, after all that's why I'm Lutheran and not Catholic right? I'm not going to go on an anti-Catholic rant, that's not helpful and I believe in the coming struggle of civilizations we're on all the same side, standing with Jesus Christ. But I DO thank you for you kind words and I'm very happy for you that you found a church home in your local Catholic church.

Chuck Braun - I said already that if my current Pastor were to leave, that'd be about it for us, we're kind of hanging by a string in many ways already. As far as him leading his flock away from the ELCA, he's a younger guy, came up through the ELCA Seminary system, and all he's known as a Pastor is the ELCA. He's an open minded, intelligent man, but I'm not sure he'd be open to ever leaving the ELCA, I struggle with what to do, but if it comes down to us leaving, I will certainly make it known why. In the meantime my hope is to see new leadership in Chicago one day, to see the ELCA swing back towards the mission of a Christian church, and forgo earthly politics and left-wing social justice issues, time will tell.

2/25/2016 11:41:35 am

Curt - I don't want to be sounding anti Catholic either, just a view of why I am not big on RCC in which we agree. As for the Pastor leaving, don't be so quick on following suite. If the church council feels the same as you, that maybe the churches opportunity to leave the ELCA and join a different division like the NALC or the LCMC. Have you expressed your concerns to the council? My home church where I grew up in voted after the latest homo acceptance issue, and that was just one of the many reasons, and they voted with a majority to leave the ELCA and join the LCMC. The difference was that our Pastor followed us. Just some things to think about.

Sasha Bill Kwapinski

2/25/2016 04:47:10 pm

Kathy S.
I may agree or disagree with different peoples' theological positions. Nevertheless,
where people stand before their maker (God) is for them to demonstrate to us, for for me to try and "second guess" for them. Likewise, it is not my place to tell others what guidance and spiritual direction they receive from their religious tradition, but for them to tell me. Thus, if you have found and experience God's grace, blessings, and direction in the Catholic tradition, I wish you well, and may God's presence and blessings attend you.

Since I am not Lutheran myself, I am something of an outsider to the situation in the ELCA. I did, however, attend California Lutheran College (now CLU), in the late 1960s, graduating from there in 1969. I witnessed the beginnings of the liberal "politically correct" trend in the ELCA (ALC and LCA at that time). Had I been a member of the ELCA, I would have left long ago.

2/25/2016 08:59:01 pm

I want to compliment the discussion here,it makes me think of Paul's command in Ephesians 4: 1-5 "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." God bless everyone of you for showing grace to those whose comments you may not necessarily agree with.

2/26/2016 11:25:50 am

I hope you don't mind if I jump in again.... First, let me say that Dakota's comment brought a tear to my eye. It was beautiful. After all the rancor, insults, you-name-it, on internet threads, that was... well, beautiful.

Now I will offer you my perspective again, hopefully in the same spirit Dakota described. I, too, am taken aback by what I call the "alphabet soup" of Lutheran denominations. (I think Luther would get a big laugh.) But, seriously, I, too, sit in a Catholic church every Sunday and look around at the people -- gay, straight; married, divorced; Democrat, Republican... and so on. I am absolutely sure of one thing: Not one person in the church, including the priest, agrees with ME on everything.

I do not agree with all the teachings of the Catholic Church -- for example, contraception and divorce. So what should I do? Look for a new church that agrees with me on everything -- or start my own church? -- I know that is futile.

In Mt. 16, Jesus had an idea for how the church would work -- Peter would be the temporal "head" (of course Christ is the spiritual Head!) and the Apostles would be the teachers. Then, as the Scripture follows, Peter said a dumb thing (in his misunderstanding of Christ's mission), and the Protestants say at that point Jesus revoked his solemn pronouncement. -- Does this make sense? Where in Scripture does it say that Jesus revoked his statement? Would Jesus do a thing like that -- frivolously change his mind? I don't think so....

Then how does a Catholic live if she does not agree with everything? With perseverance, obedience, and humility -- to change what she believes is wrong. She does not break the unity of the Church -- for her own personal interpretations of Scripture and views.

If you need a clear, easy-to-read, simple explanation of what I have just tried to say, you can find it in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Thank you for permitting me to express my views.

2/26/2016 02:49:01 pm

Kathy - Again thank you for your words, but at the risk of being negative in any way, let me gently say that we understand where you're coming from, you've expressed it very well. But to continue to push Catholicism on this, in this comments section...? Well we're pretty much all Lutheran on here I believe, and our struggle is/was with the ELCA, a Lutheran church. My struggle has nothing to do with the RCC. And to be more pragmatic, if I'm struggling with the ELCA partly because of its leftward leanings, why in the world would I be interested in the Catholic church considering some of its teachings? I probably speak for others when I say I have no interest in attacking the Catholic church on here, but the RCC really isn't the focus here.

Christopher link

2/25/2016 10:59:56 pm

Having been ELCA and LCMC, I would be very hesitant to suggest the LCMC as an alternative to the ELCA. Yes, they are somewhat more conservative than the ELCA, but they still retain much ELCA baggage. I know that LCMC was formed as a breakaway group, which first began with the WordAlone Network (WAN). However, WAN was a movement within the ELCA to reform it, and when that didn't happen, LCMC was formed. Unfortunately, LCMC is little more than ELCA-lite. Yes, it is slightly more conservative, but they still ordain women, and there is very little in terms of pastoral oversight. I was excommunicated by an LCMC pastor because I opposed the direction he was leading the congregation, which I believed was in violation of scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. That was over ten years ago. I have been in the LCMS since then, and have learned even more, such that I would not even consider returning to LCMC, much less the ELCA. If the LCMC were to finally discard its remaining ELCA baggage, they would have little need to exist, as they would be more like the NALC.

2/26/2016 08:33:31 am

Christopher - Your post demonstartes one of the problems I have, there are literally so many Lutheran branches and churches now, and som much change, that it's hard to keep up. I had to write down what each acronym stood for to keep it straight what you were talking about. I can't help but wonder what Martin Luther would have to say about what has been going on with the Lutheran church, seem like a LOT of change in the last generation or so. Maybe that's bad, maybe that's good...?

North MN

2/26/2016 11:23:32 pm

Actually Curt, there are way fewer Lutheran church branches now then there were earlier in the 1900's. When the ELCA was founded, it was a merger of 3 separate branches. Go back a few years earlier in history and you would learn that those three branches were actually mergers of several other Lutheran branches.

LKH

2/29/2016 06:38:59 pm

Yes, ELCA members, consider leaving. But also consider the choices of where to go. My amateur opinions of the possibilities: LCMS, WELS and ELS have changed little since the Reformation. I like that. AFLC and CLB were influenced by later reformers and by Pietism, and seem to have little problem with today's non-denominational evangelicals. I think some of that was also in the old ALC churches and those are the people leaving the ELCA and forming NALC and LCMC. I agree with those who note that those new groups may not be far enough from the ELCA in some doctrines and practices.

2/26/2016 09:11:30 am

Chris,
Tell me what baggage? I am quite confused about this. Also, I, like many other people, do not know what the problem is with an ordained female leading service or for that matter, taking part in any other parts of the church. Last I knew, women can be Christian and any Christian can share the gospel. If this is the type of baggage you are referring to then I am proud of that baggage. If you are talking about the political type, then I hate to tell you, that is in every church or denomination. A true Christian does not pass judgement, but only passes the Word.

Becky

3/24/2018 03:39:07 pm

Curt, I would encourage you to keep praying and listen for the Holy Spirits calling in your decision. Many of us truly understand the struggles in loving the people of your current church but knowing you need to move on. About 7 years ago about 65 of us left an ELCA congregation of about 1000. We formed a new church of the AALC and couldn't be happier with their beliefs and doctrine. I would take objection with the blogger who said you have to be a member of the LCMS before you can take communion. In the year that my husband and I were in between churches we visited a LCMS church in a neighboring town and were allowed to take communion. We spoke with the pastor before the service. When he realized our situation he just asked us what we believed communion was. It was no problem.
Your first post was over 2 years ago. I am wondering where you are at in your spiritual life and journey now?

Curt

3/28/2018 07:20:16 am

Hi Becky, I must have clicked the email alert on this thread waaaaaay back when since I was notified of your comment.

I appreciate you asking and will answer you completely. I am still a a member of our church, which is unfortunately still an ELCA church as well. I have come to the conclusion that the GOOD of our congregation and our Pastor simply outweigh the BAD of belonging to the ELCA. My Pastor knows how I feel, and he is sincere when he says that he appreciates the political diversity within our church.

So, while I'm not thrilled about our little church being a member of the ELCA, I do take great joy in attending our local services, the relationships we've built, and even attending adult study classes when the schedule is right.

There will be a time to leave this church if it stays within the ELCA, I realize that. But for now the uneasiness in my heart has quieted down. When I wrote that post over 2 years ago, the promptings were intense, since then I have finished my service on the church council, with the last year serving as it's president. During the year I was president, I learned a LOT about the nitty-gritty of how a local church really functions, as well as spending even more time with my Pastor, which has only endeared him to me even more.

My heart is telling me that for right now, this is where I should be, so I will heed that prompting and stay, I feel I am supposed to be here. Thanks again for asking.

Iōannēs

6/11/2019 01:05:33 pm

Hello Curt,

Sorry for this late post on a similar situation. Confirmed LCMS, I have attended an ELCA church since I moved to a small city 18 years ago. It is within walking distance, and is a typical small-town congregation. Older members have an institutional knowledge about the history of this congregation, which was inherited by the ELCA in the merger without becoming swept up in the secular, political issues- so far.

Our pastor of 12 years had a let sleeping dogs lie attitude toward the political turmoil on the horizon. The congregation had a recent meeting on whether to perform a gay marriage, if it were asked to. Only 10 congregants attended. During the meeting, I cited chapter and verse on why this goes against God’s will and that I was surprised we were even discussing it. An older member said they were glad that I had spoken up. As far as I know, nothing was decided.

Talking to the pastor, he was surprised when I said that I was not a member of the congregation, as he had seen me each week. I couldn’t join an ELCA church, being confused by their shifting sand doctrine. Friends told me I should get out, but I remember Paul’s statement to Timothy to “remain at Epheses”. We are now in the call process for a new pastor. I may do some good here yet, though I feel like a missionary at times.

6/12/2019 10:13:12 am

It's weird in a wonderful way that you would comment on this older post, as the entire issue of ELCA membership has flared up yet again, this time with the outright blasphemous abortion statement from ELCA bishop Eaton of May 30th this year.

My poor pastor has had to endure yet more pestering and debating from me on ELCA policy, but the bottom line is that I am pro life, and cannot abide membership in a church that supports abortion, which the ELCA made crystal clear on May 30th. If there was ever any doubt on the ELCA position on abortion, that doubt has been removed, they are unabashedly pro-abortion, with any and all restrictions on abortion now removed.

Until very recently, I felt much like you, small town congregation, good folks, great pastor. But I can no longer ignore what I'm supporting by simply remaining as a member. I cannot support it any longer. I've not made it official yet, but my pastor knows this was the last straw as far as me remaining a member. I attended church on June 2nd, 3 days after that statement was released, still in a daze and suffering grief and loss at what I was now forced to do - leave my church. That day was the last day I will donate to an ELCA church.

I'm still broken hearted over it all and can't yet imagine walking into worship at another church, but my heart is at peace, I no longer feel ANY promptings or urges to stay. In fact, the decision to leave has lifted a mighty weight from me.

6/12/2019 01:53:41 pm

Thank you for the update, Curt. I believe you are making the Godly decision. The ELCA has shown itself to be pro-abortion. That is reason enough to leave, IMO. There is a group of us that have formed and many of them have been through what you are facing. If you'd like to join us we are on Facebook, search for Exposing the ELCA group (as apposed to my other Exposing the ELCA page).

Carmen Soto

4/17/2020 03:45:44 pm

I loved my old church and its members, especially the choir, God only knows. I stayed there to worship, but knew in my heart and mind ELCA went out of the Word. It hurt to leave those I loved for 30 years.

Now that I moved out of the State, I am seeking a Lutheran church that is not ELCA. ELCA is out of the Word. I hope others realize it.
We must truly seek the Lord, with all our heart, soul, and mind. It feels good to be in the Lord, completely.

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11 Reasons Everyone Should Leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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