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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released their latest membership numbers a few weeks ago. The numbers show the ELCA lost 104,192 baptized members in 2016. They went from having 3,668,034 members at the end of 2015, to 3,563,842 members at the end of 2016.
The ELCA report is telling: “As of December 31, 2016, there were 3,563,842 baptized members in the ELCA. There were 9,252 congregations organized in 65 synods in nine geographic regions.” “As of September 15, 2017, there were 17,460 leaders on the ELCA roster including 1,228 Ministers of Word and Service and 16,232 Ministers of Word and Sacrament. In 2017, nearly 27 percent of clergy on the ELCA roster were women. In the ELCA’s seven seminaries, the numbers of women and men preparing for ministry are about equal.” (see here) The ELCA's report from last year provides additional insight: “As of December 31, 2015, there were 3,668,034 baptized members in the ELCA. There were 9,320 congregations organized in 65 synods in nine geographic regions.” “As of September 15, 2015, there were 17,777 leaders on the ELCA roster including 966 associates in ministry, 59 deaconesses, 200 diaconal ministers and 16,435 ordained clergy. In 2015, 25 percent of clergy on the ELCA roster were women. In the ELCA’s eight seminaries, the numbers of women and men preparing for ministry are about equal.” (see here) According to ELCA numbers, there are 68 fewer ELCA congregations in 2016, compared to 2015. The ELCA went from having 8 ELCA seminaries in 2015, to 7 ELCA seminaries in 2016. And there are 317 fewer ELCA leaders in the same time frame.
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(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The below video (at minute 3:26) shows Bishop Guy Erwin, the first partnered, homosexual bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, leading Lutherans in worship at LA’s gay pride parade. Marching with the Lutherans is a man in his underwear and another man in rainbow decoration portraying Martin Luther. There are no words. Please pray that many will leave this denomination of abomination for a more biblical branch of Lutheranism. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock
An incredibly disturbing article was written a few days ago about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, North Carolina. But even more disturbing than the content of the article, was the fact that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America proudly shared this article (multiple times) to all of their followers on Twitter and Facebook.
The article is titled “Amid decline, one Lutheran church strives to live up to its namesake’s spirit.” (See here) The article begins by telling of a Bible study taught by ELCA pastor Daniel Pugh where he is “telling members of Christ the King Lutheran Church that one way to interpret the story of Adam and Eve is as a coming-of-age allegory about a pair of carefree teens caught red-handed having sex…In this, alternative reading of The Fall, the ‘forbidden fruit’ offered to Eve in Chapter 3 may be a metaphor for sex, he said, and the ‘serpent’ may be a metaphor for a penis.” This is outrageous. And it is indicative of the warped, foolish and evil way the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America views Scripture. See below how the ELCA itself is sharing this news article. Why would anyone stay in a denomination that teaches this perverted way of viewing God’s account of creation? They treat God's Word with contempt. Later in the article you learn that: - Christ the King Lutheran Church’s senior pastor is Wolfgang Herz-Lane, the former ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod Bishop. - Pastor “Herz-Lane notified the church council that he planned to officiate at a same-sex marriage in Charlotte. Pugh, an associate pastor, performed one such marriage before coming on board…Herz-Lane now wants the church to declare itself a ‘reconciling’ congregation, meaning that it is welcoming and accepting of LGBTQ people.” - The newly appointed minister for contemporary music is a gay man. - “(C)hurch leaders want the congregation to take on more of an advocacy role…they want to start a local chapter of a national community-organizing network, the Industrial Areas Foundation, which could advocate for such things as health care, green energy, criminal justice or immigrant rights.” - “Herz-Lane hopes members gain a deeper appreciation for Luther’s willingness to break the mold and try new things.” Rev. Herz-Lane concludes “We’re here for the sake of the world, not to preserve some silly tradition.” Most Bible-believing Christians would be appalled by the anti-Biblical teaching, actions and “social justice” agenda of this church but the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is not. They proudly posted this article on their Facebook page. And on Twitter:
And again, on the ELCA News account:
Below are some ELCA Synods posting and sharing this article: The State of Israel passed a new law this year. The law denies entry of anti-Israel activists, those who support the boycott, divestment and sanctioning of Israel. The authors of the bill explain its purpose saying, "Over the past few years, calls for boycotts against Israel have grown louder. It seems to have become a new battlefront against Israel and the State has yet to be able to duly counter it. This bill seeks to prevent private individuals or those representing companies, associations or organizations that support boycotting Israel from promoting their agenda on Israeli soil." (see here)
ELCA leaders and even members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) should be very concerned that they will be denied entry into the Jewish State. They are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America which has been actively working to harm Israel. (see here and here) Last year the ELCA approved two resolutions aimed at Israel. One calls on the United States government to end all aid to Israel until a list of ELCA demands are met. The other resolution is titled “Justice for the Holy Land through Responsible Investment.” The resolution’s main aim is to stop investments in Israel and select companies that do business with Israel. (See here and here) An article titled “Evangelical Lutherans Divest from Israel over 'Settlement' Activity” speaks to last year’s votes by the ELCA. (see here) During an interview in 2014, before the 2016 resolutions, the ELCA’s highest bishop outlined the different actions the ELCA had taken concerning Israel. This is what she said: - “We've urged our government not to engage in grants to the state of Israel while the settlements are going on.” - “We also support that the blockade of Gaza be lifted.” - “We also engage in selective purchasing. So we not only try to trade with the Palestinian Authority, but we do not purchase products made in the illegal Israeli settlements.” - “...We are contacting the Congress, the President and saying that the illegal settlements must stop. We’re hoping that people are listening to us. I'm not sure that the government of Israel is listening to the United States when we ask for these settlements be stopped. But we have to keep trying.” (see here) In 2017 the ELCA, by way of its top bishop, signed a letter to congress stating its opposition to the "Israel Anti-Boycott Act." It said "we collectively affirm and defend the right of churches and organizations to use economic measures in the specific case of Israel-Palestine." (see letter here) The ELCA, which boycotts (they use the words "selective purchasing") parts of Israel, is defending churches and organizations that boycott Israel. The letter is advocating for the United States Congress to reject the “Israel Anti-Boycott Act” which "prohibit support of international state-sponsored boycotts of Israel by U.S. citizens engaged in interstate or international commerce." (see article here) As you can see, the ELCA is involved in and supports divestment, boycott and sanctions against Israel. Anyone associated with the ELCA should be prime candidates to be denied entry into the Jewish State. ELCA leadership and bishops should be forbidden entry into Israel. ELCA pastors and missionaries should be denied. And anyone who is an ELCA member should be denied entry to Israel, because they have chosen to be part of an organization that actively seeks to harm Israel. There is a precedence for this. In 2016, an Israeli government directive resulted in an “Associate General Secretary for the World Council of Churches (WCC)” being “blocked from entering Israel because of her work with the group to malign Israel and damage it through an economic boycott.” (See here) There is also this, “Presbyterian Official Denied Israel Entry Amidst Divestment Tension.” (See here) Top it all off with the fact that the ELCA sends “missionaries” to “the Holy Land” who take part in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) (see here, here and here) “which brings activists to the Jewish State to create publicity material alleging that Palestinians are oppressed.” (read more about EAPPI here) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pushes policies that are harmful to Israel. ELCA employees should no longer be allowed to come to Israel until the denomination rescinds all their anti-Israel policies, actions and rhetoric. Additional information: Rev. Khader El-Yateem, an ELCA pastor says, “I support BDS. And I will say this publicly, I say it to everyone.” (See here) The ELCA's Peace Not Walls program is an initiative of the ELCA to implement their Anti-Israel agenda. (See here) Here is an excellent response to an article about the two anti-Israel ELCA resolutions: “How does one distinguish between the ELCA’s actions as being anti-Semitic as opposed to merely anti-Israel? Well, because in presenting and arguing the proposed boycott the major proponent, an organization called Isaiah 58, characterized the history of Israel’s presence in the Middle East as nothing but a land grab. They characterized the history of Israeli-Palestinian relations as nothing but apartheid. They said nothing about why Israel came to exist, i.e. the Holocaust; they said nothing about the fact that Israel has had to defend against four wars from hostile Arab neighbors; they said nothing about the constant threat of terrorism that plagues Israel on a daily basis. They invited no one to speak to the Israeli side of the issue. From an ELCA standpoint, Jewish Lives Don’t Matter. When an organization cherry picks facts in order to support a position of discrimination as the ELCA did in this case, goes out of its way to not hear any evidence or meaningful argument which doesn’t support its agenda; when an organization fails to consider that the BDS movement undoes 50 years of engagement between Lutherans and Jews; and when an organization fails to realize the…BDS movement serves as a justification for hate crimes against Jews everywhere from Portland and Los Angeles to Brussels and Marseilles; that probably qualifies the organization’s actions as unambiguously anti-Semitic.” (See comment section here) Exposing the ELCA has compiled an enormous amount of information about the ELCA and their harmful work against the Jewish State. (See here and scroll down here) As you look through these links you will find that the ELCA continually takes the Palestinian position on the conflict, uses the Palestinian talking points, calls for Israel to divide Jerusalem and never condemns the Palestinians for their violence, terrorism and hatred toward Israel. From Portico Benefit Services, the ELCA’s largest institutional investor we learn that “New SIF Investment Creates Jobs and Housing in the Holy Land.” No, they are not investing in Israel, they are investing in Palestine. (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.)
Some liberal pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America did not like a recent post in which I wrote about the false teachings I encountered at a United Church of Christ worship service. They basically said that I'm too critical and I need to "judge not." I think "Judge not" is the most misquoted verse in the Bible. Below is my response to them. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org The same Jesus who said "Judge not" said "...judge with righteous judgement (John 7:24)" and "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? (Luke 12:57)." Both are true. I believe "judge not" means we are not to see ourselves as superior to anyone, and "judge with righteous judgement" means we are, of course, to distinguish between right and wrong. We can't get away from that nor should we. In fact, people who say "Judge not" are making a judgement about those they deem judgmental. Jesus tells us we will know false prophets by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20), so we must be discerning (I John 4:1).
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary has become a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) school. Read below to see what that entails but basically they are making a public statement that they view LGBT behaviors as normal, not sinful and that persons who are LGBT may be leaders in the church, school or synod. They can be a worship leader, Sunday school teacher, seminary professor, pastor, etc. All without repenting for this sinful activity.
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On a related note, this was posted today by Pacific Lutheran Theological, an ELCA seminary and one of the six RIC seminaries. They seem very happy about "National Coming Out Day." (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Today I talked with an elderly Lutheran woman who left her church because it hired a lesbian pastor who has a partner. The church is not far from where I live, and I went to its website to see what such a pastor would preach. The website says it is a progressive church, then says (repeatedly) how much they welcome people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The elderly woman had told me that her last visit to her church was when they were celebrating "Gender Identity Sunday". In her blog the pastor begins by quoting Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and then says: "His words and approach do not represent the God of love that I follow, just like we don’t beat our children in the shed anymore...As for Hell, Hell isn’t a place. It’s an experience: Hell is what the families in Flint Michigan are going through. Hell is a child going to bed hungry, their parents frantic and broken not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Hell is hoping the war in the Middle East doesn’t claim more children-our children. Hell is standing at the border of an unfamiliar country, holding a sick child, only to be turned away." She is wrong. Jesus talked about Hell as a place where there will be "eternal punishment" (Matthew 25:46). In fact, Jesus talks more about Hell than anyone else in the New Testament. And the Bible teaches that people who live in impenitent sin, including fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, homosexuality, etc., will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Perhaps the pastor has a vested interest in denying the reality of Hell. The elderly woman I spoke to was upset that the ELCA synod leadership promoted this person to become the pastor of her church. Not too many years ago, someone living in impenitent sin would be lovingly challenged to turn from sin, and if they refused they could be excommunicated. Instead today such people are made pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The good news is the elderly woman has found a very biblical Lutheran Church that she now loves. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock Pastorsstudy.org |
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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