|
Taking a page out of the liberal extremists’ playbook, an ELCA pastor in a sermon to her congregation said that Exposing the ELCA was the Lutheran version of the hateful, deranged WestBoro Baptist Church. You know, the people that are famous for carrying awful signs and protesting at military funerals. Here is the back story. A couple weeks ago, Exposing the ELCA posted a blog titled, “The Most Bizarre Sermon I Have Ever Heard: An ELCA Pastor Celebrates Transgenderism.” (see here) It highlighted a sermon given by ELCA pastor Andrea Roske-Metcalfe. Days later Rev. Roske-Metcalft took to the pulpit of Grace Lutheran Church of Apple Valley, MN saying, “Our congregation was featured this week on the blog of Exposing the ELCA. This group has been around for several years. They’re basically the Lutheran version of the WestBoro Baptist Church because they really only exist to hate other people. In this case, they exist, in particular, to hate the ELCA, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which is our denomination. Because we love too many people. Because our understanding of God is too expansive. You know, because we don’t think the LGBTQ people are sinning simply because of who they are. Because we celebrate all manor of gender identity and expression. Because we are interested in interfaith conversations. Because sometimes we call God “she.” Because Jesus wasn’t white. And because we believe that Black Lives Matter. Because we believe that, in order to, take the Bible seriously, we can’t possibly take it literally. Because not all of our pastors are heterosexual cisgender men…” (listen here) Grace Lutheran Church also took to Facebook with this post:  (If you have Facebook you can view the church's post, "likes," and comments here.)
This is certainly malicious rhetoric by the ELCA pastor, but much of what Rev. Roske-Metcalfe said is an indictment on the ELCA. What this all comes down to is that far-left radicals control the ELCA. They twist Scripture and ignore the rest. They advocate positions that go against God's Word and are harmful to the people they think they are supporting. What you need to understand is that ELCA leadership does not respect conservative, Bible-believing Christians/members; in fact they loathe you. They put up with conservatives for their financial backing, for the power and influence a larger membership gives the ELCA and for your family and children that they hope to influence toward their worldly, anti-Biblical values and viewpoints. If you are tired of the ELCA leftists: - demonizing you for holding to the truth - calling you homophobes, bigots, Islamophobes, haters, transphobic, racist, white supremacists, xenophobes and misogynists - lying about you - destroying people’s faith and - encouraging people to live out sinful, harmful lifestyles, it is time to get your family out of their churches, stop funding them and stop giving them a larger voice in this world. Leave and find a God-honoring church. -- As you can see, Exposing the ELCA is on the front lines. Please pray for this ministry, that Exposing the ELCA will continue to make a difference in God's Kingdom. And if you would like to help Exposing the ELCA continue to reach people with the truth of God’s Word and the ways the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is misleading people and mocking God with their false-teaching, gifts to Exposing the ELCA can be made here.
5 Comments
If you are an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America member who believes Scripture, that homosexuality is a sin and that marriage is only to be between one man and one woman, then you are at odds with your denomination. You are the target of a propaganda effort by ELCA leadership to push their pro-homosexuality viewpoint on you and your family. The ELCA, by way of their institutions, publications and social media (among others) are bombarding people with their false, anti-scriptural, pro-LGBTQ view. Let me show you some examples.
The ELCA magazine Living Lutheran wrote an article titled, "Equal participants in the body of Christ: LGBTQ members find spiritual home in ELCA congregations." In the article you will find three pro-homosexual stories and one pro-transgender story. (see here)
-- The ELCA, through Living Lutheran, also published this pro-homosexual article titled, "A dad’s concern." (see here) It is written by an ELCA pastor.
--
The ELCA Gulf Coast Synod tweeted that "LGBTQIA people are good & holy & made in the image of God.” See below.
--
Another article from the ELCA’s Living Lutheran website says, “We want to ensure that LGBT individuals are in the fabric of our church and that it is never questioned.” (see here)
--
The ELCA's Metropolitan New York Synod published an article on their website about two of their synod churches participating in gay pride marches. They title the article "Pride: conversations and connections." (see here) The ELCA synod's article claims falsely, as so many in the denomination do, that the ELCA's social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," is “grounded in scripture and Lutheran theology.” The article also says that a resolution was brought to the “. . . 2017 Synod Assembly that asks us to have deeper conversations with one another ‘that will seek to cultivate and nurture listening to one another’s stories, concerns, and fears, especially concerning issues of human sexuality and the call for full inclusion of all on the gender spectrum.’" (here is the link to this resolution) --
One month ago the presiding bishop in the ELCA wrote this moral and political social media post:
Then the ELCA Facebook page followed up with this today: 
--
And here we have the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at the Metro D.C. Synod Assembly with a rainbow banner, a symbol of support for homosexuality, front and center: 
--
The ELCA Young Adults' Facebook page chimes in:
--
The cover page of the June 2017 issue of Living Lutheran highlighted a teenager who won a contest with a doodle of "eight diverse teenagers lined up in an over-the-shoulder embrace. On their shirts were symbols of Islam, Judaism, Christianity, LGBT pride, gender nonconformity and disability rights." (see here, front page and page 17) -- (Former) ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson made a video (below) where he talks about bullying of gay people for "being the people God created them to be."
-- The shot below sat on top of the page of an ELCA Facebook group that has almost 14,000 members: 
The red sign in the above picture declares, "Queer Saints."
--
The founder and moderator of this 14,000 member ELCA Facebook group, Rev. Clint Schnekloth, wrote an article for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette saying,
“June is Gay Pride month, and I'm taking a moment to proclaim loudly and proudly how thankful I am for the increasing number of Christian faith communities who celebrate LGBTQ+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer] lives, and who partner with them to deepen our shared Christian walk of discipleship.” He goes on, “LGBTQ+ people are leaders in our congregation, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, and in our wider denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They serve on council, teach our Sunday school classes, are called as pastors and much more.” (see here) -- Just a couple of weeks ago the ELCA's Lower Susquehanna Synod posted a page on their website detailing their becoming an RIC synod, which means they are accepting and supporting homosexuality, as well as LGBT participation in church leadership. The page included a number of videos and additional information in support of their message. (see here) --
Below is a social media post by the ELCA's Sierra Pacific Synod in support of people marching in Gay Pride events:
--
Another Living Lutheran magazine article by the ELCA tells us: "The (sic) can also be said of same-sex couples who are seeking acceptance in a congregational setting. All congregations are supposed to be welcoming, but there’s a difference between lip-service and genuine acceptance and hospitality. Eight years ago the ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted in support of LGBTQIA folks both as rostered leaders and members within the church body, yet how many of our congregations make a point of posting visible signs of welcome to this community? Better yet, how many congregations are willing to have a Pride Sunday in addition to Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations?" (see here)
--
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the ELCA, posted this on their Facebook page:
--
Below is a response to an Exposing the ELCA post from Mike Rinehart, bishop of the ELCA's Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod. Notice his view of those with an accurate historical and biblical view of this issue. 
-- Here are a number of other Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Living Lutheran articles presenting homosexuality in a positive light:
--
Here is another pro-homosexual article from the ELCA magazine Living Lutheran. As you can see below it was shared by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Living Lutheran Facebook pages: 
Friend to Exposing the ELCA, Rev. Tom Brock, recently wrote about the above ELCA article and shared his concern over the ELCA's pro-homosexual agenda. Here is what Pastor Brock wrote:
No surprise here: Yet another ELCA article promoting gay pride. Gus Barnes, Jr., a seminarian of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, writes a June 25th article for the Living Lutheran website, the official magazine of the ELCA. He writes: "I am now back at Wartburg (Seminary); will marry my spouse, Steve, this summer; and will finish school by the first week of February. My faith is strong, knowing the challenges I may face in the future. My inner pride is carrying me through the journey to ordination....This pride flows through me, a gay man in an interracial relationship. This pride keeps me grounded in my faith daily..." There has not been one article with a conservative viewpoint on homosexuality in "Living Lutheran", but there have been an abundance of articles like the above painting transgenderism and homosexuality in a positive light. In 2009 the ELCA agreement was to respect both conservatives and liberals on this issue. Living Lutheran has given no space to the traditional, Biblical point of view. The abundance of pro-gay and pro-transgender articles shows that Living Lutheran's leadership has an agenda and the powers that be in the ELCA are allowing them to push their agenda through the ELCA's national magazine. Yet one more example of why members of the ELCA should leave this erring denomination and join a more biblical branch of Lutheranism. ELCA offering dollars help support Living Lutheran. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See Pastor Brock's article here)
--
Pastor Tom Brock had this to say in another blog: “Around the country, ELCA churches are often found marching in some of these lewd parades. The ELCA has a practicing homosexual bishop in southwest California who has a 'husband' And last year the ELCA's executive for worship (a 'married' homosexual pastor) came out with official materials so that ELCA pastors can perform gay 'weddings.' The ELCA materials declare this blasphemy: 'God joins this celebration, pouring out the Holy Spirit to bless your marriage...' ELCA presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton called the materials ‘faithful.'" (see here)
--
Below is a small taste of all the pro-gay messages happening from individual ELCA pastors and churches: 
--
Here is another:
--
Next is the popular ELCA pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber's church:
--
This ELCA Pastor tweets:
-- Then you can read this newspaper article about a tiny ELCA church which mentions them being an RIC church here. -- Lots of ELCA Lutherans marching in this Gay Pride parade:
--
This ELCA church makes a public witness by marching in a gay pride parade and posting their pictures for the world to see. (see here and below) 
How sad and evil that ELCA members, both straight and those struggling with same-sex desires, are being deceived and bombarded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, pushing their pro-LGBT agenda. An agenda that stands in direct opposition to God and His Word. (The following article was written a number of weeks ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
According to the May 2017 issue of the ELCA "Living Lutheran" magazine, "The 2016 Churchwide Assembly overwhelmingly approved memorials from 20 synods and affirmed that this church will eliminate the doctrine of discovery from its contemporary rhetoric and programs (my note: this is a reference to Columbus, etc.), electing to practice accompaniment with native peoples instead of a missionary endeavor to them..." Did you catch that? Of course we should renounce the injustices done to Native Americans (which have been many) but to say we will no long engage in "missionary endeavor to them" is evil. The worse thing we can do to any people group is to withhold the preaching of Christ to them. This "nice" assembly decision is in fact mean and shows no concern for people and their eternal salvation. And, yes, Jesus is still the only way of salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org ELCA Homosexual Seminarian "Will Not Stand For" Lutherans Who Disagree with Homosexual Pastors8/15/2017 (The following article was written a couple of weeks ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
Today I picked up a copy of "The Concord", the student newspaper of my alma mater, Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This seminary was somewhat liberal when I graduated in 1979, today it has become extremely liberal. The lead article of the May 2017 issue is an open letter to the ELCA's Presiding Bishop, bemoaning the fact that not everyone in the ELCA is open to homosexuals in the ministry. He writes: "I came out to my parents as gay...All were incredibly support of me...as I began the process of living into this new identity, and discovering my newfound, wholly, authentically, God-created self...I began to realize that the love and support I had received is by no means universal in the ELCA...I simply have been betrayed by the same Church that I have grown up in...It has hurt me and I will not stand for it..." In 2009 when the ELCA decided to ordain practicing homosexual pastors, the agreement was that each congregation could follow its "bound conscience" on whether to call such pastors or not. Only one point of view on homosexuality (the liberal one) finds space in the ELCA's national magazine and here we have a seminarian (future pastor) refusing "to stand for" those who disagree. One can only wonder how long the ELCA will be able to truly respect the "bound conscience" of conservatives on this issue. But, truth be told, so many conservatives have left the ELCA that it may become a moot point. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock pastosstudy.org
(The following article was written a couple of weeks ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
Claire Burkat is bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She gives this response to President Trump's tweet that transgendered people will no longer be allowed in the military: "Most of the discussion since yesterday's tweet set off an avalanche of hate and discrimination against people we should be thanking for their service, is centered around the bogus issue of medical costs. But what about the cost to our national security when thousands of skilled transgender military personnel are forced to leave? The loss of multiple language skills, medical skills, intelligence skills, combat skills, mechanical skills, engineering skills, leadership skills and other skills so critical and classified we don't even know about them is incalculable!" My response: "Avalanche of hate"? It sounds like she believes if you disagree with men who believe they are women serving in the military you are guilty of "hate." "Cost to our national security...incalculable?" Highly doubtful that not allowing transgendered people to shower and share close quarters with others is going to hurt America's readiness and soldiers' morale. This is one more example of an ELCA bishop jumping on the gay/transgender bandwagon that is going through our culture. Instead, she should uphold the dignity of God's creation and teach that we humans do not have a right to tell God He made a mistake by assigning us our sex at birth. And, yes, this is one more reason to leave the ELCA, which is more and more becoming the Extremely Liberal Church in America. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org
USA Today recently featured two articles highlighting an ELCA pastor who invited Muslims to use his church to hold their prayer services. Apparently, being very proud of this the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America posted about it on social media a number of times. (see below)
ELCA pastor Fred Schenker and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Pittsburg, Pennsylvania area opened their church building up for Muslim worship starting in 2007, up until Pastor Schenker's recent retirement. Pastor Schenker said, "There was a group of Muslims, a congregation, and they were trying to find a space to pray. They had been to different churches, trying to find a space just for Friday, and they got nos. And they came to Trinity, and I said well sure. Christ tells us to love all people, and these guys want to pray? Wonderful." (see here and here is the second article) Is it the lack of Biblical knowledge, lack of common sense, the placing of ones own values over that of Scripture or succumbing to Satan's influence that causes a pastor of a Christian church to allow people who worship a deity other than the One True God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to use their building, their worship space, to worship this false god? The same question can be asked of ELCA leadership who lift it up as praiseworthy. Pastor Schenker goes on to say, "In our church family, loving our Muslim neighbors and inviting them to use our church facilities for Friday prayers and activities, sends a strong message that Christians and Muslims not only can tolerate one another, but they can love and respect one another." Loving your neighbor is helping him or her know the Truth. It is not "loving your neighbor" to provide your church building, a place dedicated to the things of the One True God, so people can worship false gods. Should a church allow prostitutes to use their building to have sex with their customers? Should drug dealers be invited to sell and store their drugs in a church in the name of "love your neighbor?" What this church is doing is wicked, harmful and blasphemous. There is but one way to heaven, through Jesus Christ, who is revealed to us in the Bible. Other religions are highways to hell. It is eternally destructive for people to worship other gods. Additionally, it is strike in the face to God to have His building used to worship "any other god." Below are three different posts by official pages of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America about this issue:
As of Friday afternoon the above post by the ELCA has garnered 766 “likes” and 133 people/churches have "shared" it. You should read the comments and shares, and you will find all kinds of praise of this action from readers. Some of them include: - "Thank-you for doing the right thing." - "It's all about loving our neighbors as ourselves." - "Yes!!! This why I love being a Lutheran." - "My church in South Texas did the same before their mosque was built." (see here) How can people applaud this? Where are the true ministers of God who will inform people that this is wrong? Obviously not in the ELCA. They are failing, and most of them are wolves in sheep's clothing. 
|
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.
Give online by clicking the "donate" button below: Categories
All
Archives
April 2021
 Exposing the ELCA is on Facebook 
Follow Exposing the ELCA on Twitter
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
|
RSS Feed