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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.) This month a memorial service was held for Herbert Chilstrom, first head bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America when it was newly formed in 1988. Bishop Chilstrom stood for abortion rights and for the ordination of practicing homosexuals. Chilstrom chose former ELCA head Bishop Mark Hanson to deliver his funeral sermon. It was during Hanson’s tenure as bishop in 2009 that the ELCA voted to ordain practicing homosexuals, causing the largest church split in American history. Bishop Hanson said this in his sermon regarding Chilstrom’s vision for the Church: “Sometimes we will need to engage in public acts of repentance for that past, for the perpetuation of white, heterosexual, patriarchal systems of power and privilege that continue to enslave both church and society today”. Hanson said Chilstrom had a vision for the church “in which those who identify as LGBTQAI+ are not just welcomed, but whether single or partnered, lay or ordained, you are leading congregations  and synods and church-wide ministries...”. Hanson’s sermon was reminiscent of his 2013 sermon when Hanson installed the ELCA’s first practicing homosexual bishop Guy Erwin. In that sermon Hanson “repented” of the churches prior teaching that practicing homosexuals should not be ordained with these words: “There is weeping for joy this day, because for too long many of you have wept tears of bitterness from the experience of being rebuked. Rebuked for believing that God could call you to the ministry of word and sacrament and to the vocation of marriage with your beloved Rob (my note: Rob is Erwin’s “husband”). Rev. Erwin, in your call to serve the gospel in the office of bishop, we as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are saying again and saying publicly and forthrightly, such rebuking shall not be what we as a church will be saying quite openly any longer. But let our public resounding 'no' to such shaming and bullying and rebuking also become our public repentance...” At Chilstrom’s funeral, Mark Hanson also preached that Chilstrom’s vision “was of a nation not with fortified borders and barriers, not separating out families and keeping out immigrants and refugees and asylum seekers but the vision of a nation welcoming the stranger.” Holy Communion was served at Chilstrom’s funeral, but with a more liberal understanding of communion. Communion used to be reserved for those who repented of their sins and who had faith in Christ. But at this service these words were said:. “Wherever you are in your journey you are welcome to take communion”. Through the leadership of Bishop Herbert Chilstrom and Bishop Mark Hanson, the ELCA has become the extreme, heretical denomination that it is today, a denomination which pays for abortion for any reason with offering dollars and which ordains not only practicing homosexuals, but now also ordains transgendered people. The ELCA even promoted the acceptance of homosexuality and transgenderism to 31,000 teenagers at its 2018 Teen Gathering. But God is not mocked and he will have the last word. The ELCA continues to shrink in membership and donations. Two ELCA seminaries had to merge and another had to sell off some of its buildings. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock 
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently compared the Berlin Wall to the United States border wall with Mexico and the Israeli wall with the terrorist Palestinian entity.
The ELCA social media post (see below) says "Today is the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. As we celebrate this historic symbol of freedom, we also hold in our hearts those who are still divided by walls — in Palestine, at the U.S.-Mexico border and in all the other places we build barriers." This is disgraceful. Extreme liberals are running the ELCA. They proclaim their extreme ideas under the guise of Christianity while collecting their salaries from people who are tithing/giving to the Lord. It is time to either stop giving and attending churches that are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or help your church or the churches around you move out from under the leadership of the ELCA. 
Pay attention to the people lifted up by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, those on whom they shine a spot light -- like the vile-speaking and sin-preaching people the ELCA placed in front of 31,000 youth this summer. (see here, here, here,
here, here, here and here) or the people living out sinful lifestyles whom the ELCA advocacy featured this summer. (see here) Please note who is writing articles for the ELCA's magazine and the people they feature in ELCA publications. They are not orthodox, conservative, or Bible-believing Lutherans. This week Pastor El-Yateem was featured in the ELCA's official magazine Living Lutheran (see here and below).
- He is quoted in a New York newspaper saying, “I support BDS. And I will say this publicly, I say it to everyone.” (See here) BDS is a Palestinian origination movement aimed at encouraging Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. In a moment of truth-telling, El-Yateem announced, "My church the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and I support the BDS."
(Radical Linda Sarsour, who is a friend of Rev. El-Yateem as you will see in pictures below, commented on Rev. El-Yateem's post saying BDS is "a non violent means of protest protected by the US constitution." See here and read about Linda Sarsour here)
The BDS movement is anti-Semitism in action. This movement has no place in the Christian church, yet we have the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America supporting this movement (see here for further confirmation). Add to that Rev. Khader El-Yateem, also a high-ranking ELCA leader, is an outspoken advocate of BDS. 
- Last year, Rev. El-Yateem offered housing to Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) staff when the United States spoke of closing the PLO mission in the nation's capital. (see here) If you are not aware, the PLO has a long history of terrorism against Israelis. (See here)
Here are some of other anti-Israel social media posts by Rev. El-Yateem. Two years ago, the ELCA pastor shared this post, a radical message to and about both Israel and the United States.
Below is what Pastor El-Yateem believes and thinks. History says otherwise. In the following Facebook post, ELCA leader Khader El-Yateem says, "the Israeli soldiers have no respect for human life or law." Notice the rocks being thrown at the soldiers in the video he shared. Below, the ELCA pastor expresses delight with President Obama's betrayal of Israel. Next Khader El-Yateem shows his displeasure with a new Israeli law allowing BDS advocates to be banned from Israel. He could and should be one of those banned from ever going to the Jewish state. Did you know Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Rev. Khader El-Yateem is a socialist? - While running for a political office a few years ago, ELCA pastor El-Yateem said, "I want to be Trump’s worst nightmare.” That is recorded in an article about Rev. El-Yateem titled (see here) Meet the Socialist Who Hopes to Become New York’s First Arab-American Elected Official. The article goes on to say, "It was these progressive credentials that inspired the New York chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to endorse El-Yateem and marshal its fervent base to volunteer on his behalf week after week, day after day. As of early September, the DSA reported that 'nearly 300' of its volunteers have participated in the El-Yateem campaign, including knocking on over 15,000 doors. And, while El-Yateem admits that some Democrats are unsure about the term 'socialism,' he is proud of the endorsement and unabashed about his socialism. 'Jesus was a socialist!' he laughs, referencing his vocation as a pastor."
ELCA Rev. Khader El-Yateem radicalism runs deep in many other areas too. Below are some of his social media posts. - Rev. El-Yateem retweeted a post saying "Abolish profit. Abolish prisons. Abolish cash bail. Abolish borders. #AbolishICE." 
- And here the ELCA pastor takes a knee with Linda Sarsour to #StandWithKap.
- ELCA pastor El-Yateem must be pretty close with Sarsour, here he says "#IMarchWithLinda." - So moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is against Jesus, but Palestinians claiming the Jewish capital as their own is not? - ELCA leader El-Yateem is honored to have an abortion advocating organization's endorsement. And he adds "Women's health is non-negotiable."
- This ELCA leaders stands with LGBTQ community and displays some fine name-calling skills.
- And again, happy pride and #LoveIsLove posted by the ELCA leader.
This is the leader being lifted up by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
A few weeks ago many Evangelical Lutheran Church in America leaders amassed at the United States and Mexico border. It was a planned attempt to garner attention. Photos were taken (mostly by ELCA people) and posted on social media by ELCA leaders and synods. Even a video surfaced of a prayer said by the wall by the ELCA's Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton where she called Jesus a refugee (a couple times) and then said,
"Bless...all that we do. That we might be a symbol of hope and hopefully of reconciliation, the tearing down of walls. We ask in Your name, Amen.” (see video below) So while standing by the border wall/fence the ELCA leader references the "tearing down of walls?" I do not believe this was just a poor choice of words by the Presiding Bishop Eaton. It was a calculated phrase, a political call to remove the wall that stops illegal immigrants free access to come into our country unchecked. How do I know this? Because the ELCA has been against the US border wall all along. (see here) What an unsafe, extreme position for a denomination to take, being against the securing of our country's borders. On a related note, the ELCA has an advocacy page name "Peace Not Walls" that refers to the protection wall built by Israel. And in 2005 the ELCA passed a resolution calling for it to be removed. (see here) Prayer for Refugees at the Mexican-U.S. Border, January 2016 Did you know that the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is not fond of the border fence between the United States and Mexico, a fence which effectively diminishes the amount of illegal aliens entering our country? Here is what the ELCA leadership has said about it:
“Finally, the ELCA calls for a moratorium on and a comprehensive assessment of fence building along the United States-Mexican border.” Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America - November 2009. (read here) ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson told 30,000 kids at the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering “. . . I didn’t want us (the ELCA) to be associated with people that are building up the walls that separate immigrants and migrants, for we are a church committed to working toward fair and just immigration reform.” (see here, Sunday video) In 1998, the ELCA said, “. . . we have serious doubts about the rightness and effectiveness of current policy to erect imposing barriers between the United States and Mexico.” (read here) The ELCA’s magazine, The Lutheran reported in 2005, that “Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service opposed the REAL ID Act, a bill to regulate state security standards for driver’s licenses, prevent terrorists from abusing asylum laws and to ensure a security fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.” (read here) The Lutheran magazine wrote in 2007, “Extending this U.S.-Mexican border wall the full 2,000 miles will require an estimated $8 billion. Kim Erno, an ELCA pastor and program director of the Lutheran Center in Mexico City, asked participants of an ELCA conference on walls whether that money would be better invested in the lives of the poor.” (read here) If you are an ELCA member who does not support the U.S-Mexico border fence, then this should make you happy. But if you do support the border fence, I believe it is your right to know that your denomination is against it and working to prevent its completion. |
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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