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Below is a letter from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's director of the ELCA Foundation to a person who used their services. From what I was told, among the money invested by this person was a Charitable Gift Annuity. It is believed, in this one case, tens of thousands of dollars were lost because of the ELCA's poor management.   No doubt the ELCA has lost a lot of trust because of this indecent.
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A question many have asked, since the ELCA’s voted to ordain practicing homosexuals, is “Will the ELCA force us to call a practicing homosexual minister?” Here is your answer.
Bishop Bill Gohl of the ELCA’s Delaware-Maryland Synod wrote a recent blog sharing an exchange he had with a church leader who told him, "Bishop, I know you are new, but I want to be clear. When you send us a new pastor: no blacks, no women, no gays." Bishop Bill Gohl responded to the person with "Then no pastor." Seriously, Bishop Gohl? If a congregation, who believes God’s Word on homosexuality does not want a practicing homosexual as a pastor you will punish them and not allow them to have any pastor? Bishop Gohl called the church leader’s directive a “homophobic swipe.” The ELCA bishop later says, “(B)eloved Church, I want to be clear: your synod staff and I will work hard with you to discern with whom God is calling you to share ministry, but in this church, we have rostered leaders. There are no separate rosters for people of color, women, or the LGBTQ community. When we recognize that, God might just surprise us with a partnership we never could have imagined.” (see here) Based on the above statement by the bishop, he will not like it if a church says they do not want a gay, bisexual or transgender pastor. A Lutheran gay advocacy organization, which is obviously very focused on gay issues, made a video of Bishop Gohl’s blog and the Delaware-Maryland Synod shared the video on Facebook. (see here) Bishops have power over congregations, and they can practically force a congregation to take the pastor they “recommend” or the church risks not getting a pastor, as this account indicates. The ELCA has stood in opposition to Scripture regarding homosexuality. They push their approval, support and blessing of homosexuality continually on their members. And now, as you have read above, the ELCA seems to be intent on forcing you to compromise your faith and your stand on God’s Word. (The following was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
Herchurch, a feminist congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, worships "the goddess" and God as "Mother". Now the church is bringing in a witch to help congregational members paint a Hindu goddess. Years ago, the pastor of Herchurch took her women on a retreat and gave them each a piece of clay to make an Asherah statue so they could worship the forbidden "divine feminine." (Asherah was the pagan goddess that Old Testament Jews were forbidden to worship). When people have complained about this congregation in the past, the ELCA bishop in California defended it. National ELCA headquarters had a speaker at one of Herchurch's events. This congregation worships pagan images of God, brings in a witch, and remains in full fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America--- no discipline whatsoever. Check out Herchurch.org. This is perhaps the worst heresy I have seen in the ELCA. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock Pastorsstudy.org The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has an obsession with sex, and increasingly, as in this case, sexualizing God.
We Talk. We Listen is a website that is connected, at least informally, with the ELCA’s Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. An LSTC professor is the editor. An LSTC emblem adorns the homepage that also has multiple links to LSTC. And most contributors are connected to the school. Last spring, the website posted a piece called “Re-Naming God and Smashing Idols” by Francisco Herrera, a Ph. D student at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. After reading his garbage, and you should read the whole blog, one has to wonder what kind of insanity is permeating this once Christian denomination. The article begins with the author telling about a class discussion where Song of Songs 2:8-13 was read. The question was asked, “If this excerpt from the Song of Songs is God speaking to us, what does it say about God?” The author, Francisco Herrera replied “God is a woman… who loves us, who desires us, who wants to make love to us, who longs for us in a perfumed garden, eagerly waiting to give herself to us with passion and abandon.” Then he writes, “And as I spoke, seduced by my own imagination, there I was – languishing in some highland orchard, hiding myself among the apple and peach blossoms – oiling my skin, lining my eyes with kohl, waiting for my Lord to come so that that he could delight in me, and I could delight in him.” He continues with these gems, “And yes, I was being provocative, at least for this crowd, but I believed my insolence towards the class honest and just. Despite the shocking nature of what I said, in truth, my comment was actually a classic example of biblical literalism. If this excerpt is God speaking to us, well then, God is a woman who wants to have sex with us – apples and turtledoves and young stags and all. No imagination necessary. What’s more, these soon-to-be-pastors’ well worn theological tropes – though socially acceptable – completely drained this holy Scripture of its unquenchable fire and, well, butchered its song. But what really took my breath away was how quickly students moved to hush me – scandalized by the idea that God could possibly be a sexually active woman.” “And at that point I could truly appreciate how shocking and vital it was to speak of God not only as ‘not male,’ but in brave and shocking ways, indecent ways – because doing so exposes the hidden idols in our theology that so often blind us to the pain and suffering and oppression that we initiate and/or perpetuate.” “Using such powerfully transgressive language for God often does a fine job of exposing destructive limitations in our theology, limitations that we have been taught, even inherited – and hence makes it easier for us to query them and, as with any idol, to smash them.” (read here) What warped thinking and theology! Come on ELCA, you are championing this evil? Rev. Dr. Linda E. Thomas, Professor of Theology and Anthropology, Chair of the LSTC’s Diversity Committee and Editor of “We Talk. We Listen” made this comment about Francisco Herrera’s article, “if we don’t open ourselves to myriad ways of talking about God, then we can very well sacrifice others on the idols of our own theological complacency.” (The following was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
"Living Lutheran", the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has had a number of articles highlighting homosexual and transgender Lutherans. In the most recent issue, an article is written about Larry Meyer. "His outgoing personality and desire to building relationships also led him to form the group Queer for Christ (queerforchrist.org), which he calls "an ecumenical, young-adult LGBT Christian group." Back in 2009 the ELCA decided to ordain practicing homosexuals. It was acknowledged at that time that there was a division among ELCA members about homosexuality. Everyone would be allowed to hold either a conservative or liberal view on the issue and be members of the ELCA. Since 2009 there have been favorable articles about homosexuals and transgenders in the ELCA's official magazine, but there has not been one article giving a conservative point of view. You can view the latest issue of Living Lutheran at elca.org. Notice how much space is given to "community organizing" and social justice issues and how little print is given to evangelizing the lost with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are still conservatives in the ELCA, but for those who read the ELCA's national magazine--which I am guessing is not many--it is harder and harder to stay. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org
The ELCA finally did it. Applauded by many ELCA leaders, an action that cements their defiance of the Great “I Am,” the God of the Universe, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has written official marriage tools for gay weddings in the ELCA. The resource even claims that "God joins this celebration." More on that later.
The ELCA posted the resources a few days ago calling it “Supplemental Resources for use within the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Service of Marriage.” (see here) The ELCA News Service made the announcement saying, "The liturgical resources were developed based on action by the ELCA Church Council to implement recommendations from the 'Ministry to and with Same-gender Couples and Their Families' working group." ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton comments, "This is work that the church asked us to do. These are faithful and sensitive supplemental resources which can be used by all couples." (see here) Rev. Kevin L. Strickland, the ELCA director for worship formation and liturgical resources, is quoted in the same ELCA news announcement saying, “These supplemental resources have been created to offer more inclusivity in language, pastoral care, and openness for all persons who seek to be married within this church,” And, “It has been said that marriage is a gift of God, intended for the joy and strength of those who enter it and for the well-being of the whole human family…It is my hope that these supplemental resources help point us as a church, in offering this gift for the whole human family.”
Notice how the ELCA goes to great pains to minimize the fact that this is for same-sex marriages: "For all persons" and "can be used by all couples." Even in the content of the materials you can not find words like homosexual, same-sex and gay, but it was written in response to "the church" wanting a resource for gay weddings.
Here are some specific quotes from the resource that signify its real purpose:
What is even more distressing is how the ELCA "speaks" for God in this same gender wedding resource. It says God celebrates gay marriages, how their marriage is a gift that points to Him and how they are married in God's sight. See below: “God intends the gift of their marriage to be a source of comfort and joy for them, and a blessing to all whom they encounter. Their promises bear witness to God’s faithfulness. Their love and care for one another, though human, finite, and flawed, reflect God’s enduring mercy and steadfast love. They love because God first loved them.” Page 2. “Your marriage brings you joy and serves the community by witnessing to Christ, as you daily die to self-centeredness and rise to self-giving love. God joins this celebration, pouring out the Holy Spirit to bless your marriage with forgiveness, courage, and compassion. The community joins God in rejoicing with you and in promising to surround your marriage with joy and loving support.” Page 3 “The uniting of these two persons in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy, for the help and comfort they give one another in prosperity and adversity, and that their love may be a blessing to all whom they encounter.” Page 3 “Acclamation A The presiding minister addresses the assembly. Name and name, by their promises before this assembly, have joined themselves to one another and are married in the sight of God. Those whom God has joined together let no one separate.” Page 8 And to no one's surprise, the ELCA can not help themselves but call God "mother." “Blessed are you, O God, mother of life.” Page 8 (see here) The Bible makes it clear that God does not celebrate homosexual activities; He calls it sin. By saying that God approves of same-sex marriages, the ELCA has shown themselves to be a false teaching cult. Warn as many people as you can and get out quickly. |
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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