Celebrating sin. That is what we see happening in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Case in point, the bishop of the New England Synod of the ELCA, James Hazelwood, announced that the New England Synod's Churchwide Assembly t-shirt will, in part, say "We Celebrate" and "LGBTQ+." (See below)
The t-shirts are being made by the synod to be worn at the upcoming ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
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Pastor Reported to Have Taken Others Shopping For Sex Toys, Was In Town Speaking At ELCA Seminary7/27/2019
Rev. Dr. Amy Butler got in some trouble recently. The pastor at Riverside Church in Manhattan (not ELCA), was in the Twin Cities speaking at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Luther Seminary for the 2019 Festival of Homiletics: Preaching and Moral Imagination. Not long after, the New York Post reported "Pastor out at famed Riverside Church after sex toy shopping spree." (See here)
When not shopping, Rev. Dr. Amy Butler addressed those gathered at Luther Seminary saying "The story of Noah and the arc is pretty much a terrible story…The plotline centers around a natural disaster that destroys the whole world…and God is a terrible character in this story.” Read a summary of what Rev. Butler said here.
"Being Gay Is Not A Sin. Period", according to multiple social media posts by St. Paul's Church in Rye Brook, New York, an ELCA congregation (see below). This is a message that the ELCA churchwide continually sends in all they do to lift up LBGT lifestyles in their words, actions and publications. Of course, the ELCA's 2009 decisions communicated this too, when they approved of gay weddings and practicing homosexual clergy in the denomination.
The truth is, homosexual lust and sexual relations is a sin. God says this in His Word. Below are some St. Paul's Church social media posts, beginning with the post saying "Being Gay Is Not A Sin. Period.":
Paul Egensteiner, Bishop Elect of the Metropolitan New York Synod (ELCA), recently attended a gay pride parade and shared a heretical message. While giving people "...thumbs up or a handshake or high five or simply a greeting of 'Happy Pride!'" Bishop Elect Egensteiner tells of a specific encounter he had with a young man who asked him "You mean I'm not going to hell?” The ELCA bishop writes:
"I was stunned. 'No,' I said. (Along with Bishop Eaton, I believe there is a hell but it is empty, by the grace of the Father and the love of Jesus.) 'God loves you!' He held my hand a little longer and then said, 'Come here. Give me a hug' As I did so, he repeated his initial question, 'So I’m not going to hell, right?' 'No!' I repeated, maybe a little more emphatically this time. 'God LOVES you!'” (See here) This statement about hell is wrong on many so many levels. - It is heretical to believe hell is empty. The Bible clearly speaks of people in hell and warns about going there. (See here) Teaching that hell is empty is universalism, a false teaching that all people will be saved. It is a dangerous belief that risks the eternal life of those who believe it. That is what this Evangelical Lutheran Church in America bishop elect (and many in the ELCA) believes. It is a teaching from hell. - In this exchange between the young man and the ELCA bishop elect, a false assurance of salvation was given. Nothing was said about faith in Christ, repentance, grace by faith for those who believe, fleeing from sin, forgiveness, God's Word or lovingly helping this man know the healing that God can provide him. Satan could not have done better. This is a grave teaching of the apostate Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Shame on the ELCA for not preaching that Hell is real, people will be in hell and that salvation is available to all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. - And then you have ELCA bishops encouraging sinful behavior that separates people from the Lord. ELCA members, you are hurting people and the Lord God Almighty by supporting this denomination. (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 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's "Living Lutheran" magazine, an article entitled “A Cross-country message” highlights the nationwide trip of Mikah Meyer, a young adult homosexual who speaks in churches about gay inclusion. “After the service, people approached Meyer, many with tears, saying how much they appreciate his message.” Meyer states “It was a message and gospel of inclusion for LGBTQ people.” At one point in his travels Meyer was running out of money and a friend told him “Just tell people about your journey and growing up closeted in the church and tie it all into the gospel.” And, well, the Holy Spirit put in overtime” and the money came in. This is the new “gospel” of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, that we are to accept and celebrate homosexuality and transgenderism. And I believe it is close to blasphemy to say the Holy Spirit is the one who inspired the funding of this. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See article on page 8 here)
The following is a collection of gay pride or LGBT-related social media posts by ELCA entities.
The first is a Facebook post by an ELCA pastor showing ELCA bishop Paul Egensteiner marching in a gay pride parade:
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, a school of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, sends a very clear message on their Facebook page:
The ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago shows their pride by posting this:
The Northwest Washington Synod of the ELCA wanted readers to see this:
Newly-elected ELCA bishop, who identifies as gay, proudly posts:
The next post is from Sawyer Vanden Heuvel. His Twitter page says he is the Director of Communications for the @SDSynod of the @ELCA in Sioux Falls.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church marched in the Cincinnati Gay Pride Parade:
Peace Lutheran Church Gahanna marched:
"Happy Pride Month!" from Saint Paul Lutheran in Santa Monica:
Saint Paul Lutheran Church of Santa Monica, CA, is having a service that they call "Queer Church." A Tweet by ELCA Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee:
Transgender ELCA pastor Rohrer marching with Pride:
From Bethel Encino in Encino, California:
This is Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Prescott Valley, Arizona:
Then we have this from Columbia City Church of Hope. They are an ELCA church in Seattle, WA: Below is the church sign of Zion United Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville, PA: Faith Lutheran Church of Chico, CA, posted this on their Facebook page: Five years ago, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Encinitas, CA, shared this picture and announced that "ELCA Bishop Murray Fink rode in the SD Gay Pride Parade."
Four years ago, Central Lutheran Church in Seattle, Washington, posted this picture and we read that they are an "Open and Affirming Congregation."
Here is an old one from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico:
Peoples Church in Bemidji, Minnesota, shared this picture of a toddler at a gay Pride parade: And Christ the King Lutheran Church in Nashua, New Hampshire, is a sponsor of the city pride festival. Finally,
Below we learn from the ELCA's Living Lutheran magazine:
"This Ramadan Shoulder-to-Shoulder (of which the @ELCA is a founding member) is visiting 5 cities across the U.S., holding interfaith celebrations. Tonight the #RamadanRoadTrip concludes in Washington, D.C"
See here.
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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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Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
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