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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.) Revamping gendered bathrooms and cabins, using youth's "preferred pronouns", and helping them be "their authentic selves", Outlaw Ranch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will host its first gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/queer camp for youth this June. Outlaw Ranch states "We know that our traditional format of gendered cabins and bathrooms doesn’t provide the space that some of our campers need to feel safe and comfortable." So, youth will be able to "stay with those with whom they feel most comfortable." And, because some youth have felt wounded by the Church, Bible study will be optional. This is especially grievous to me. I attended this camp as a teenager and remember the wonderful time of Christian fellowship there. I would never have dreamt that one day Outlaw Ranch would be promoting the acceptance of homosexuality and transgenderism to 14 through 18-year-olds. This is the bizarre new world of liberal, mainline churches. I can't help but think of the verse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fashioned around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6). Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock 
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ELCA Living Lutheran magazine: Everyone is saved, helping Lutheran camps be pro-LGBTQIA+, and more4/24/2020 (The following article is from Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran, regularly promotes a liberal viewpoint and the April 2020 edition is no exception.
Another article highlights that a grant has been given to ELCA Lutheran camps to help them be more welcoming "to people who identify as LGBTQIA+." The Bible teaches homosexual behavior is sin, but the article does not mention that. Another article is written by a young woman who left her evangelical upbringing and joined the ELCA. She writes "When I left my evangelical roots and began to find a home in the ELCA, I realized there were many faithful Christians who hadn't interpreted being "in the world but not of it" to mean shunning R-rated movies." She now watches R-rated movies and says "I met up with truth in young adult fiction and R-rated movies..." Since 2009, the ELCA has ordained practicing homosexuals and Living Lutheran often highlights homosexual pastors. In this edition, Pastor Joe Larson, "the first openly LGBTQ+ pastor called by an ELCA congregation of North Dakota" talks about sharing worship space with a Jewish synagogue. "We see the Spirit of God moving among us." He said he and the rabbi share a similar vision of what a faith community is meant to be. "We are working together on shared values." My response is this. Christians are indeed to love and respect people of other religions, but how can Christians have a "similar vision of faith community" with religions which reject Jesus as Lord and Savior? This is more evidence of Universalism in the ELCA. This past summer a delegate to the ELCA's national assembly tried to amend an inter-religious resolution by affirming that Jesus is the only way of salvation. He was voted down by 97 percent. Much as the ELCA claims to love diversity and inclusion, in its national magazine conservative viewpoints are rarely heard. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock --- (Three different articles in the April 2020 ELCA magazine spoke of "LGBTQ+" or "LGBTQIA+." Link to the Living Lutheran April 2020 magazine here.) (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Pro-transgender advice from ELCA Lutheran magazine: Say "siblings in Christ, instead of brothers and sisters in Christ; parents and guardians, instead of mom and dad; and all genders, instead of both genders" These pro-transgender articles from Living Lutheran keep coming, without a hint that there is another side to the issue, namely, that rejecting one's appointed sex is a rejection of God's plan for one's life. No one is ever allowed to say that in this official magazine of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The church I attended as a teenager in Omaha used to support the camp referred to below. My old pastors would weep to see what the ELCA has become. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See article here)
The apostate church, the world and ultimately the devil want to destroy the life, faith and souls of our youth. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is part of this: injecting sexual perversion and evil into the hearts and minds of young people. They are justifying and encouraging sexual sin and denying the clear reading of scripture against it.
Take a look at some of what the the ELCA has been doing lately that is aimed at the youth of the church: - The ELCA's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, in their newsletter, invited LGBT youth on a youth retreat - 
- Lutherock is a camp of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Newland, NC. They hold all kinds of gatherings for children and teens. Below Lutherock posted this message and picture of a same-sex wedding of their past staff members. It gives us clear indication as to the mindset and beliefs taught to the children who attend the camp. 
- A large gathering for ELCA high school youth in regions 1-4 was held at California Lutheran University (CLU), June 28 - July 2, 2017. One of the featured speakers was transgender ELCA pastor, Megan Rohrer. (see here) 
Below is the transgender pastor's post on Instagram while at the youth gathering.
Of course, this ELCA gathering for youth had "All Gender Bathrooms."
- Lastly, we have the #ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza. This is a gathering for ELCA persons who work with the youth of the denomination. The following are tweets from the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and people at the "Extravaganza." Most are related to the session given by a transgender child's mother. 
On a different topic, we have the ELCA Youth Ministry Network tweeting this gender-avoiding reference to the Trinity.
Jim Hazelwood, Bishop of the New England Synod of the ELCA went to a youth camp this summer and taught the heresy of universalism to the 450 youth in attendance. The bishop held what he called, “Text and Talk with the Bish” where he invited the youth to text him any questions and then stood before them for 15 minutes and answered many of the texts he received.
Bishop Hazelwood blogged about his heretical teaching, sharing that one student texted, “Do you think god sends nonbelievers to hell?” Bishop Hazelwood gave this answer to the youth, “No, I don't think God sends nonbelievers to hell, because God is not in that business. Plus it's not about what we believe, it's about the fact that God believes in us." (read here) What kind of answer is, “God believes in us”? And it doesn't matter what we believe? Bishop, you are teaching the non-Biblical belief of universalism, the belief that all people will be saved. People of the ELCA, do you see the damage this teaching will do to the 450 youth listening and the countless number of people who hear this belief that is constantly spouted within the ELCA? Bishop Hazelwood's statement is downright false, deceiving, dangerous and against Christian teaching. God tells us in John 1:12, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John Brooks, spokesman for the Chicago-based ELCA, recently spoke with the NewsOK, an Oklahoma Newspaper. The newspaper said that Mr. Brooks “estimates about 25 gay and lesbian individuals have been ordained since the policy change.” (read here) That doesn’t include the unknown number of gay and lesbian ELCA clergy who were ordained before the 2009 decision under the rules that homosexuals could not engage in sexual activity.
However, the really disturbing result of the ELCA’s action has been the multitudes of ELCA members whom the leadership has deceived and gotten to condone something that God, for our own good, told us not to do. Also disturbing is that the ELCA is preaching this damaging lifestyle to our children. The Lutheran, which calls itself, “The magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,” has a story in the April 2011 edition called, “ELCA Camp Experiences Support Gay Youth.” (see here) (Exposing the ELCA reported on these camps last year - see here and here) The article promotes the ELCA’s gay youth camps and ministries. You can be assured that the ELCA is not telling the youth what the Bible says about homosexuality, even though that is the loving thing to do. Also, the youth should be told that, with God's help, many people have left the homosexual lifestyle. (see Exodus International) Jesus says, “And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.” Mark 9:42 To date we know of three gay youth camps that have direct ELCA involvement. Lutherhill is one of them, which we have already discussed. (read here)
The second one is The Naming Project camp held at Bay Lake Camp in Deerwood, MN. Bay Lake Camp is owned and operated by First Lutheran Church which is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA. This camp is being promoted by the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA. (see here) The third camp is called Wonderfully Made and it is held at Bear Creek Camp, Wilkes Barre, PA. Bear Creek Camp and Conference Center is a ministry of the Northeastern and Southeastern Pennsylvania Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In America. Lutherans Concerned/North America has this to say about the camps, ". . .there are now three organizations that offer camps and retreats for youth who want to explore the connections between faith, sexual orientation, and gender identity. These camps are designed not only for LGBT youth, but youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities. And…amazingly enough, they are all sponsored by Lutherans! The three camps have the stamp of approval of the Youth, Young Adult, and Family Committee of Lutherans Concerned/North America." (read here) Lutherans Concerned/North America describes itself this way, "working at the intersection of oppressions, Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) embodies, inspires, advocates and organizes for the acceptance and full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities within the Lutheran communion and its ecumenical and global partners." (read here) If Lutherans Concerned is giving the camps their "stamp of approval," I highly doubt the youth attending these camps are being told that homosexuality is a sin and God has a better way for them that does not involve homosexuality. God's Word says this about homosexuality - Romans 1:26-27 - Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Teaching and encouraging kids to be involved in sin instead of turning away from it, can cause years of harm, separation from God, and bondage to evil. God's Word says this about youth and sin - Mark 9:42 - "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck." The ELCA is doing this and I don't want to be part of it. What say you? Lutherhill Ministries is an ELCA Summer Camp and Year Round Retreat Center. In April, 2010, a group called Spiritual Pride Project held a gay youth retreat at Lutherhill. They describe the retreat this way -
"We are offering a weekend camp retreat as a safe, accepting and loving community where GLBTQIA (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Question Intersex and Allied) youth can discuss how their sexuality and sprituality are beautiful gifts from God. We will accompany each other on the faith journey as we celebrate and struggle with our faith, family, friends, school, relationships, and everything in between. This is still camp after all, so we will enjoy God's creation and have a blast sharing our creative talents, playing games,and challenging each other. All People of all belief backgrounds are welcome!" (see here) Lutherhill Ministries, in full knowledge, allowed this homosexual focused youth gathering to take place on their facilities. Lutherhill Ministries is a ministry of the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is located in LaGrange, TX. (see here) You maybe able to keep false teaching out of your church, for a little while, but the ELCA is promoting their social policies, view of scripture and heresy everywhere and to everyone, including to our youth. |
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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