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(Explicit Content Warning) Vile, vulgar, salacious, perverted and crude are some of the words I would use to describe the dating advice commentary (view below) written by the Rev. Lura Groen. Her commentary seems to be inspired by all the sexual assault accounts that have been expressed lately in our society. It is a serious issue, but this Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastor goes way beyond what is proper and godly, even discussing sexual acts that could take place in her dating advice scenario.  (See here on Pastor Groen's Facebook page)
What kind of Christian pastor would speak like this privately, let alone publicly? Be warned. This is the kind of pastors the ELCA is now producing and ordaining. The ELCA has taken a stand against the clear teaching of the Bible, the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God, and this is an example of what results. Rev. Groen is not an anomaly or a renegade within the ELCA, if fact she has made a name for herself in the denomination. Six months ago, Pastor Groen sat on a public panel discussion with the presiding bishop of the ELCA. (see here) She also has many ELCA pastors, and people who work in ELCA synods, connected with her via social media. Find out more about Rev. Groen by reading additional articles about her unchristian, outrageous thoughts and behavior here.
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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. At the bottom of this article I have included some additional information. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Nadia Bolz-Weber, upcoming preacher at the Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has tweeted a picture of herself and Gloria Steinem at a feminist conference saying "I may have just, in front of an audience, looked at Gloria Steinem and said that if I manage to get women to mail me their purity rings to be melted into a sculpture of a vagina, I would give it to her as a thank-you gift." Instead of disciplining this heretical pastor, the ELCA invites her to speak at events. I am part of a clergy Facebook page for ELCA and former ELCA pastors and it is tragic to see some of them defend all this. In Christ, Tom  Here is a link to the video of the talk given by ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, at the 2018 MAKERS Conference, where she talks about making a sculpture of a vagina. (starting at the 3 minute mark) A transcript of the video is also included on the linked page. Racism is defined as “Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.” (See here)
There is racism in this sinful world, and it is against God’s will. I pray for an end to all racism. True racism. And when Christ returns we will see an end to all sin. With that said, the ELCA has made some claims about white people and racism that are highly questionable. It could be argued that the ELCA's statement itself is racist. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) Living Lutheran magazine recently ran an article with this claim, “You can’t grow up white in the United States and not be racist.” (see here) I’m sure many ELCA church members would be shocked that their denomination is calling them racists. (96% of all ELCA members are white.) It is irresponsible of the ELCA to make this incredibly audacious statement. The ELCA does not know everyone’s thoughts, actions, beliefs, life stories and feelings. If the ELCA wants to claim that all people of the world are racist, that is one thing. But to single out all white people in the United States as being racists is false and dishonest. This must be a popular notion with ELCA leaders because here we have an ELCA seminary president saying something very similar: “In particular, I am writing this mainly to white people like me at our seminary. I am convinced that we are in denial about the racism that saturates our society and from which we directly benefit. That denial produces predictable twin reactions from white people: either silence about the racism that plainly reinforces our way of living or surprise at the frustration and outrage African Americans and others express at how they are treated. I believe this denial, with its attendant silence and surprise, is nothing other than a refusal to acknowledge the privilege we hold and the degradation it inflicts on others. If we as white people have any conscience left, if we at this moment feel any distress at all with recent events, then we should at least have the moral courage in a seminary to admit that how we live is destructive for other people and ultimately unsustainable for ourselves. As white people, we must acknowledge our racism.” - The ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago President James Nieman (see here) (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Head bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was asked by a Chicago newspaper about Hell and she said "There may be a Hell, but I think it is empty." This is an old heresy called universalism, the teaching that all people will be saved, whether they believe in Jesus or not, which is a flat contradiction of Scriptures (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 16:31). Bishop Eaton has also been quoted to say that saving souls is not the business of the Church, that's God's job. So if saving souls is not the business of the Church, what is? It appears the answer is "liberal politics". If one goes to elca.org and looks through their news items, it is filled with political stands, along with some religious news. Here is the present list of news articles from the ELCA website: ELCA presiding bishop issues statement on Dreamers 02/09/2018 ELCA presiding bishop to participate in rally to end racism 02/06/2018 ‘Set Free By Truth’ Lent devotions offered by four church leaders 02/05/2018 ELCA Presiding Bishop responds to reported racist comments 01/12/2018 A Christmas message from the ELCA presiding bishop 12/14/2017 ELCA presiding bishop responds to decision to move U.S. Embassy in Israel 12/06/2017 It appears that, if everyone is going to heaven, the ELCA must find other ways to spend peoples' offering dollars and it has chosen politics. Of course we should all be against racism, but that is not the Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus died and rose again to save sinners from Hell. And yes, according to Jesus, there is a Hell. And yes, according to Jesus, the Church should be all about saving souls (Matthew 28:19). In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock
The apostate church, the world and ultimately the devil want to destroy the life, faith and souls of our youth. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is part of this: injecting sexual perversion and evil into the hearts and minds of young people. They are justifying and encouraging sexual sin and denying the clear reading of scripture against it.
Take a look at some of what the the ELCA has been doing lately that is aimed at the youth of the church: - The ELCA's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, in their newsletter, invited LGBT youth on a youth retreat - 
- Lutherock is a camp of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Newland, NC. They hold all kinds of gatherings for children and teens. Below Lutherock posted this message and picture of a same-sex wedding of their past staff members. It gives us clear indication as to the mindset and beliefs taught to the children who attend the camp. 
- A large gathering for ELCA high school youth in regions 1-4 was held at California Lutheran University (CLU), June 28 - July 2, 2017. One of the featured speakers was transgender ELCA pastor, Megan Rohrer. (see here) 
Below is the transgender pastor's post on Instagram while at the youth gathering.
Of course, this ELCA gathering for youth had "All Gender Bathrooms."
- Lastly, we have the #ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza. This is a gathering for ELCA persons who work with the youth of the denomination. The following are tweets from the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and people at the "Extravaganza." Most are related to the session given by a transgender child's mother. 
On a different topic, we have the ELCA Youth Ministry Network tweeting this gender-avoiding reference to the Trinity.
(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
In the current February edition of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's national magazine, Elizabeth Eaton, ELCA head bishop, wrote this in her monthly column: "The history of salvation is one extended love story between God and God's creation, between God and human kind, between God and God's people". Notice the tortured English in order to avoid calling God "He". It reminded me of the transgender pastor who recently spoke at Luther Seminary and asked the congregation to say the Lord's Prayer in a way that was comfortable for them. She then led them in praying "Our Mother in heaven..." The Bible regularly refers to God as "He". The Bible says God is "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ". We do not know better than Jesus, who taught us to pray "Our Father...." In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom (see Presiding Bishop Eaton's column here) |
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Dan Skogen
Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word. If you have been helped and blessed by Exposing the ELCA's ministry, please help us continue to proclaim the truth of God's Word to ELCA members who need to hear it.
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