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ELCA Bishop To Preach At Transitioning ELCA Pastor's Renaming Service

1/25/2018

You can not change your sex. You can not change your gender. Those are facts. Trying to do so goes against God's will for you and is a sin against God. (see here)

It is also a sin to encourage sinful behavior. The ELCA is guilty of this. They do this regarding homosexuality and transgenderism. This week the ELCA's St. Matthew-Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoboken, New Jersey, announced that one of their pastors is "transitioning" from female to male. They will be holding a renaming service for this pastor. The bishop of the New Jersey Synod, Tracie Bartholomew, will be the featured preacher that day.

Here is Pastor Rose Beeson, the transitioning woman who is having the renaming service.

Pastor Beeson's church will also be holding LGBT Etiquette Training. The church newsletter describes it this way, “a refresher course on terminology used by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to equip us with more tools and resources to make St. Matthew Trinity an even safer and more welcoming congregation. This builds on SMT's historic commitment to be a Reconciling in Christ congregation, welcoming people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.” (See here)

Here are a couple excited St. Matthew-Trinity members sharing the news of their pastor's renaming ceremony.

Proud that my @ReconcilingWrks, @ELCA (spec. @njsynod) congregation is one of hospitality, love, understanding, and progress.

Join us in supporting our pastor and showing the world what God's love looks like. https://t.co/Gs1ugQllaT
— Olivia Whitener (@owhitener) January 23, 2018

This isn't just a case of one wayward church or one wayward ELCA leader embracing transgenderism. It is happening throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

- Not long ago a ELCA website published an article by an ELCA pastor about her transgender child. (See here)

- The ELCA's Sierra Pacific Synod 2016 Assembly Handbook tells us how the synod had a workshop called “The Story of Gender.” Here are the first few sentences describing the workshop:

“Gender is no longer just male and female. As a church we need to know and understand the language around gender identities and be able to include this language into our liturgy.
Now that many people are getting the language needed to help them understand who they are, such as transgender, people are now able to live into authenticity.” (See here, page 18)

- Also in the Sierra Pacific Synod 2016 Assembly Handbook you can read all the changes being recommending to the synod and the ELCA by the Committee on Gender Identity Inclusivity in response to two resolutions that were passed at the 2015 Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly. (see previous link and go to page 71)

- Fittingly, I just came across this tonight.

Lifting prayers for strength and courage to all my dear friends at #CC18. I am finishing my last semester of seminary by serving as a pastoral intern. Next year, I hope to be with you as a transgender Latina who is an ordained pastor in the ELCA.
— Nicole Garcia (@nicoleg152) January 28, 2018

- Then there is this from the ELCA Youth Ministry Network:

Transgender children are whole and holy, they are not mistakes, and the Body of Christ is fuller when they are present in it with us. - @hippypastorwife #Ext18
— elcaymnet (@elcaymnet) January 27, 2018

To see more evidence of the ELCA embracing transgenderism see here and scroll down the page here.

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ELCA Homosexual Bishop Doesn’t Like “Love the Sinner and Hate the Sin”

1/23/2018

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(The following two articles were written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

Bishop Guy Erwin is a homosexual bishop with a “husband” in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He recently preached at an event commemorating Martin Luther King of the Southwest California Synod. He brought up his homosexuality and said “most painful of all – that people thought that in order to be faithful to God they needed to hate people like me – even when they tried to hide the hate by saying it wasn’t about me, it was only “the sin” they hated. I couldn’t choose what I was...”. He went on in his sermon to call President Trump a “reality show ex-salesman... who says whatever the hell he wants.”

I personally have struggled with same-sex attraction most of my life (see my story at pastorsstudy.org). We are all to “love the sinner and hate the sin” within ourselves and others. But Bishop Erwin does not believe it is wrong for a man to have sex with a man. The Bible teaches, however, that if this bishop does not repent, he will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). And, no, the great majority of the Bible-believing Christians do not “hate” homosexuals. They believe homosexual behavior is wrong. That does not mean they hate anyone. Indeed, the people who are hurting homosexuals are those who tell them to engage in a behavior that will bring them a horrible eternity.

I also do not appreciate the bishop using “hell” as a profanity. Hell really exists, and we should not trivialize that. I don’t know this bishop’s belief about hell, but sadly many liberals in the ELCA have rejected Jesus’ teaching on hell and deny its existence.

Colossians 3:5-6 says “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”

We need bishops and pastors today who will care for human souls and who will uphold the truth of that verse.

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock

(see sermon - http://www.socalsynod.org/2018/01/15/bishop-guy-erwins-sermon-at-the-swc-synod-celebration-and-commemoration-of-the-rev-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-january-14-2018/ )

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The ELCA Health Plan Covers Abortions

1/19/2018

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I, and many others, have been saying for years that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pays for abortions of those who are covered by the ELCA health insurance plan (ELCA employees and their families).

It is truly horrific that a church, claiming to be followers of Christ, would willingly participate in the killing of an unborn child. It is unfathomable that a pro-life person would be part of that church.

In order to shed more light on the vile policy and support of abortion happening in the ELCA, I wrote Portico Benefit Services, an ELCA ministry who administers the ELCA's health insurance, asking them about their coverage of abortions. Below is their response:

As you can see "the ELCA health plan does cover a range of procedures that includes those for abortion, up to 20 weeks gestation." Portico also states they cover abortions that fall after 20 weeks of pregnancy, "when the life of the mother is threatened; or...when the fetus has lethal abnormalities indicating death is imminent."

It has been said that the ELCA health plan will pay for abortions no matter the reason. If you look at the email you will see that "Portico Benefit Services does not collect data related to abortion claims." That seems to confirm the belief that all abortions, including sex-selection abortion and those because of Down syndrome, would be covered.

You can also find much of this same information stated in their 2013 ELCA Health Benefits Plan ELCA-Primary Coverage document. (see here, page 14)

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The ELCA Ship is Sinking

1/12/2018

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The ELCA is in trouble. Besides the trouble we see surrounding the ELCA's heretical teachings, they are also dealing with a continual, yearly financial deficit, dwindling membership and a clergy shortage.

- Bishop James Hazelwood, of the New England Synod of the ELCA reports, "Several years ago, I presented a picture to the June Assembly of this synod. I explained that we were a synod of 40-100-40: Forty congregations in near crisis, forty healthy and one hundred in between trying to figure out which way they were going. Three years later, I’d venture a guess that this assessment is no longer accurate. In the last three years, we’ve had churches close, others merge, others partner with Episcopal congregations, and others go from full time clergy to part time. In 2017, I think we are now 20 functionally or officially closed, 60 in crisis, 60 in the middle and 30 that are healthy. These are challenging times.” (see here)

Despite the financial crisis in the bishop’s synod, he is/has taken two trips to Israel within a matter of months. (see here)

- The ELCA recently released their 3rd Quarter financials for 2017, and they do not look good. (See here)

- Then we learn from a publication of St. John's Lutheran Church in Summit, NJ, that, “Bishop Bartholomew of the NJ Synod has asked our pastors to be willing to occasionally serve as supply pastors in 2018 due to the lack of supply pastors in the Synod.” (see here)

- I also came across the following information online. If someone could help me find the source I'd greatly appreciate it. It tells of the enrollment problems happening at ELCA seminaries over the last 10 years. You can see additional ELCA seminary enrollment information here.

- A poster on ALPB Forum writes:

"In the Lutheran Forum (Winter 2017 Edition) there is a interesting chart on the enrollment at the 8 ELCA Seminaries for the 2016-2017 Academic year.

There was a total enrollment of 663 ELCA students studying for their Master of Divinity degree. This compares to 1274 ELCA students studying for the M.Div degree ten years ago. This amounts to a decrease of 611 seminarians in one decade." (see here)

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15 Reasons People Should Stay Away from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

1/8/2018

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It is a new year and with every passing year the ELCA grows further away from the Christian faith. Here are 15 reasons people should stay away from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and warn others to do the same:

1) They ordain practicing homosexuals.
2) They ordain transsexuals.
3) They pay for employee (and their family's) abortions.
4) They pay for employee sex change costs.
5) They condemn Israel at every opportunity.
6) They condemn Christians that support Israel.
7) They allow other religions to worship in some of their buildings and chapels.
8) They believe in evolution and do not view God’s creation account as true or historic.
9) They teach universalism. Last year the top bishop of the ELCA said that there may be a hell "but I think it is empty."
10) They believe many accounts in Scripture are myth.
11) They often avoid using male pronouns for God but are fine using female pronouns for God or calling Him "Mother."
12) They are very political, taking up even the farthest left causes.
13) Goddess worship is allowed and practiced.
14) Many ELCA leaders deny the substitutionary atonement of Christ.
15) Using foul language in public settings is commonplace among ELCA clergy.

It all boils down to the ELCA having a very low regard for Scripture, God’s Word. If you haven’t left this apostate denomination this is a good time to do it.

What would you add to the list?

--

See the links below for information confirming the above list.

1) http://www1.cbn.com/ChurchWatch/archive/2009/08/24/gay-is-o.k.-according-to-lutheran-vote
2) https://www.elm.org/2015/11/25/thankful-for-a-more-trans-friendly-church/
3) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-abortion.html
4) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/elca-health-plan-will-pay-for-sex-change
5) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-israel.html
6) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-israel.html
7) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/elcas-augsburg-university-holds-muslim-friday-prayers-in-their-university-chapel
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/muslim-prayer-gatherings-in-elca-church
8) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/revealed-elca-leadership-on-evolution-creation
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/category/creation
9) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-universalism--hell.html
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/elizabeth-eaton-presiding-bishop-evangelical-lutheran-church-in-america-chicago-if-hell-exists-i-think-its-empty-face-to-faith-podcast/
10) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-universalism--hell.html
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/merry-christmas-myth-elca
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/church-that-doesnt-believe-the-bible
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/read-the-elca-articles-that-caused-a-huge-uproar
11) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/category/mother%20god
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/category/gender%20neutral%20language
12) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/category/politics
13) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/on-goddessmother-godgender-neutral-lang.html
14) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/getting-rid-of-christs-substitutionary-atonement
https://www.exposingtheelca.com/apps/search?q=substitutionary
15) https://www.exposingtheelca.com/exposed-blog/category/cursing

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Latest Edition of the ELCA's National Magazine Promotes the LGBTQ+ Agenda--Again (and) The Bible is "Biased, Contradicts Itself and Can Get Real Weird...(A) Mess" Says Lutheran/Episcopal Ministry

1/2/2018

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(The following two articles were written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)

Back in 2009, when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to allow practicing homosexual clergy, the agreement was that both liberal and conservative voices would be honored in the ELCA on this issue. For years, Living Lutheran, the national ELCA magazine, in numerous articles has promoted only one point of view, the liberal one. Numerous articles are like this one from the January 2018 issue:

"Elizabeth Rawlings (is) the ELCA pastor of The Sanctuary, the Lutheran/Episcopal campus ministry at the University of Washington, Seattle...Many of the students identify as LGBTQ+, and Rawlings, who is bisexual, knows that to lead such conversations for those who are in a critical stage of their faith development means "being real and...being open about when and how I struggle."

At The Sanctuary's website, the Episcopal priest is also "out queer". The website reads:

"Together, we worship, play, pray, dance, do yoga, hike, eat, meditate, make art, conversate and much more. We are a Q Center Safe Zone and a Reconciling In Christ ministry (a designation given to ELCA ministries who are supportive of the LGBTQ+ community). We engage in interfaith conversation and relationship. We do our best to live out the radical, gracious love of God in Jesus Christ." (see here)

For years now I have been waiting--and waiting and waiting--for one article in Living Lutheran to express a conservative view on homosexuality. Churches and groups around the country are helping people out of homosexual behavior (see restoredhopenetwork.org), but such a story has never made it into Living Lutheran. Given how left of center the ELCA has become, I am guessing such a story never will. So much for "diversity" in the ELCA.

In Jesus our Savior,

Pastor Tom Brock
pastorsstudy.org

(Here is the Living Lutheran article. Below is Rev. Brock's second blog)

The Bible is "biased, contradicts itself and can get real weird...(a) mess" says Lutheran/Episcopal Ministry

In my previous post, I shared about The Sanctuary, the Lutheran/Episcopal campus ministry at the University of Washington, Seattle, which was mentioned in an article in Living Lutheran Magazine, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ministry fully supports the LBGTQ+ agenda. The Episcopal priest is "out queer" and the Lutheran pastor is bisexual.

How does a "Christian" ministry get to the point where it celebrates behaviors that the Bible condemns? This is done by getting rid of the authority of Scripture. Below is the ministry's statement on what the Bible is all about.

"What is the Bible?
The Bible is one of the resources we use to guide our lives of faith. As Lutheran & Episcopalian Christians, we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It is a collection of stories of God's people and how they saw God acting in their lives and the lives of others. As it was written, edited, compiled and translated by humans who were products of their time and place and likely had their own agendas, there is bias, sometimes it contradicts itself, and it can get real weird. When we read the Bible, we consider the context of those involved in passing the stories down to us when we apply Biblical teaching to our own lives. Even with the mess, the contradiction and the weirdness, God is present in the Bible and is present with us when we read scripture. The Bible is one of the tools we use to understand who God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are, how they have acted in history, and how they are still active in the world (and our lives) today." (see here)

Martin Luther, who taught the Bible alone is the highest authority in the Christian life, would ask to have his name removed from the Lutheran/Episcopal campus ministry in Seattle.

Sincerely in Christ,

Pastor Tom Brock
pastorsstudy.org

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ELCA Bishop To Preach At Transitioning ELCA Pastor's Renaming Service

ELCA Homosexual Bishop Doesn’t Like “Love the Sinner and Hate the Sin”

The ELCA Health Plan Covers Abortions

The ELCA Ship is Sinking

15 Reasons People Should Stay Away from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Latest Edition of the ELCA's National Magazine Promotes the LGBTQ+ Agenda--Again (and) The Bible is "Biased, Contradicts Itself and Can Get Real Weird...(A) Mess" Says Lutheran/Episcopal Ministry

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