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Who is the ELCA lifting up as leaders of influence in the denomination? Who are they endorsing, by way of placing them in view of members, to speak into their lives? A new video from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America video features some interesting persons of "influence":
- ELCA bishop-elect Leila Ortiz, who made news this summer for her supportive comments in a news segment about polyamory. (See here) - And ELCA Rev. Kwame Pitts, (read about her here) who is wearing a t-shirt that says "I met God. She's tired of your lying on her." The ELCA video also has still-shot of an ELCA bishop participating in a transgender renaming service for an ELCA pastor. (See below) 
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met last month for their 2019 Churchwide Assembly. One event scheduled was a march to an ICE building in support of migrants, immigrants and illegal immigrants. Below are social media entries of the event from the ELCA, ELCA participants and observers:
Jessica Harren is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (ELCA). Pastor Harren proposed the following in one of her sermons:
“Here is an idea for you…Adam is basically the word for human…so this is the first human. So Adam, may very well have been intersex. Adam being the only human would have encompassed male and female and all the genders in-between. Because there was only one human.” Listen to more of her thoughts in her sermon here.
Our God, as we see in Scripture, knows the future. God knew He would make both Adam and Eve before He did it. Claiming Adam was intersex is foolish and self-serving. That is the ELCA for you. Rev. Jessica Harren is a bisexual person, serving as a pastor, (see here) who "is passionate about LGBTQ* inclusion in the church, decolonizing Lutheranism, and learning to be anti-racist with true allyship. She is working on decolonizing her brain, undoing her own internalized oppression, and writing.” (See here) 
The spring and summer of 2019 saw synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America holding their assemblies. It is a time when the liberal of liberals, the radical of radicals put down their keyboards and take a pause from their social media rantings to go to their ELCA synod assembly in order to vote for their favorite causes and elect their leaders.
Some of this year's attendees and happenings are contained below: Homosexual bishop, Guy Erwin was re-elected to another 6-year term by the Southwest California Synod. The synod Facebook page shared the news and a picture from SoCal Lutherans, which says they are "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Allied Lutheran Christians in Southern California." 
During the Delaware-Maryland (DE-MD) Synod Assembly one of the most vile pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was elected to the synod Discipline Committee, Rev. Lura Groen. (Read about her here)
Pastor Tamika Jay claims she is part of the DE-MD Synod and she wants attendees to know that "...not 'agreeing' about the rights and welcome of all of G-d's people is not about unity. That is bigotry."
Pastor Jay goes on to say that she is "proud of us" (the DE-MA Synod) for voting be a RIC (LGBT approving) Synod.
An article from the ELCA magazine Living Lutheran reports the Northeastern Minnesota synod passed resolutions on "polices that welcome migrants, opposing conversion therapy and calling for a commitment toward gender justice": 
A Pacifica Synod of the ELCA resolution was approved for "full participation of rostered ministers in equality, diversity and anti-racism training." Another resolution passed calling for "the use of inclusive and expansive language for humankind and God." (See page 38 here) I do not know exactly what this Tweet and the list of "Questions for Candidates" by the Upstate New York Synod means, but it doesn't sound good.
The Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly passed Resolution 2019-4 Regarding a Social Statement on Gender Identity and Gender Expression. It said: "RESOLVED that the Sierra Pacific Synod memorialize the 2019 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA to commission a study leading to a social statement on gender identity, gender expression and human sexuality; and be it further RESOLVED that this study should facilitate education among our members so as to build awareness of the broad varieties of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation among God's people, as well as provide pastoral care insights regarding concerns and issues of the transgender experience and gender non-conformity." (See here) ELCA Pastor Emily Scott, a past speaker at the ELCA Youth Gathering, wrote to those attending the Delaware-Maryland Synod assembly encouraging people to write on their name tag which pronouns people should use when addressing them.
Someone at the Oregon Synod Assembly of the ELCA Tweeted:
The ELCA's Saint Paul Area Synod Assembly's action:
At the Metropolitan New York Synod they "set the agenda for the Synod's strategic plan for the upcoming year, including major initiatives surrounding ecumenical efforts, inclusion of immigrants, and programming celebrating LGBTQIA+ congregants. The group also passed a resolution for consideration to the ELCA National Church Assembly in August, to declare itself as a "Sanctuary" Denomination, ready to seek justice and protection for refugees and undocumented people; and a resolution to endorse the Poor People's Campaign and encourage its members to participate where appropriate in the organizing, advocacy, and actions of the campaign." (See here)
Also the Metro New York Synod:
The Northwest Washington Synod passed the following resolutions:
The South-Central of Wisconsin ELCA synod passed resolutions "in support of immigration reform and refugee resettlement" and "human rights of Palestinian children." (see page 38 here) A workshop called "Transgender 101" was held at the Southwest California Synod Assembly. Below is a bunch of news from the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America:
Finally, the Metro D. C. Synod of the ELCA passed a memorial about the "process around revising" Vision and Expectations:
Below are comments by our friend, Rev. Tom Brock about resolutions and ELCA assemblies: Can you help Exposing the ELCA continue its ministry work? Your gift helps us do so. God's Word warns us about hell. (See here) Jesus spoke of hell and eternal punishment more than anyone in Scripture. Yet the ELCA seems to show no concern about people going to hell.
Rev. Craig Miller replied, “Is the ELCA concerned about anyone going to hell? I have not heard people express concern...Bishop have you heard of anyone expressing concern about (hell)? Our concern is that people know the gospel message is for them…Short answer is probably no, the ELCA has not expressed any concern that anyone is going to hell. But we wouldn’t know who it would be if it was somebody.” The recording, which has been removed from the website, was here and the statement was made at 1:55:54 on December 9, 2018.
ELCA leaders are not concerned about hell because most do not believe in hell or that anyone will be there. (See here and here. Scroll down the page.) A couple years ago ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton was asked, "Is there a hell?" Bishop Eaton's answered, "There may be, but I think it is empty.” (See here) This is against the witness of Scripture, against what God has said in His Word. Is there any wonder why the ELCA is not about bringing people to faith in Christ? Is there any wonder why many ELCA leaders are preaching universalism, that all people will be saved? I have no doubt the devil is pleased. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) If you go to minute 58:30 of the video below and watch for about 7 minutes, you will see the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America discuss whether to celebrate their decision 10 years ago to ordain practicing homosexuals, a decision that caused the biggest church split in American history and which caused the ELCA huge membership loss. You will notice the delegates announce their preferred pronouns before they speak. One ELCA lesbian pastor, who is “married” to another ELCA lesbian pastor, speaks with emotion. After the discussion, delegates voted 91 per cent to celebrate their defiance of Scripture. ELCA membership and donations are shrinking, ELCA seminaries are downsizing, one seminary has closed, but the ELCA forges ahead in affirming homosexuality and transgenderism. I encourage you to watch a few minutes of the below. This is the bizarre new world of the ELCA where delegates tell us what their preferred pronouns are, whether those pronouns match their God-given anatomy or not. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock 
Fox News ran a 5-minute panel discussion last Sunday about the ELCA's decision to be a sanctuary church body. (See video here) That video was no doubt seen by more people than my website has reached in 10 years. Because of the ELCA's actions and publicity they garnered this week, the ELCA has managed to upset hundreds of thousands (probably more) of their members. ELCA bishops are getting an earful from these members and appear to be in panic mode, writing and disseminating letters to try to undo the damage this decision and this publicity has caused. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here for just a few examples.)
One concerned, former member sent me a letter that the person sent to the ELCA:
"What the ELCA has done regarding its 'sanctuary' designation this week is another sign of a culture committing suicide.
I'm no theologian, but I know that Jesus exhorted his followers to "render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's"; meaning that in the civil sphere you follow the law. I think if Christians want to try to alleviate the suffering of poor people, they should go directly to where the poor people are in person - or send private donations. The ELCA - the church I grew up in, by the way - is wrong to encourage law breaking that affects our American compatriots outside of the ELCA. My old church now is taking a stance that will worsen the quality of education for Americans in the public schools, and put great pressure on municipal, state and federal budgets for education, health, infrastructure, pensions and so on. The ELCA's stance also will tend to drive up housing costs for everyone. Further, it will drive down wages for the poorest and most vulnerable Americans. As I see it, going forward the ELCA owes us all financial compensation. Unfortunately, the resources of the ELCA almost certainly don't amount to even one percent of the costs its irresponsible and wanton promotion of illegality will impose on American society. The ELCA is no longer so much a mainstream Lutheran denomination as a bunch of radical and myopic economic terrorists hellbent on eroding the rule of law and foundation of order and prosperity in our still-great country that millions have sacrificed so much to build and protect. I am saddened that an important aspect of my upbringing - the ELCA - no longer makes me feel happy and proud but ashamed and anxious."
The day the ELCA declared itself a sanctuary church body, many ELCA leaders celebrated. Below are some social media reactions from ELCA leadership and supporters who celebrate the decision:
ELCA Assembly Calls on the Denomination to Use “Gender-Inclusive and Expansive” Language for God8/15/2019 (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) At this week's national assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, delegates passed a statement decrying sexism and calling for "gender-inclusive and expansive" language for God. (See here) The ELCA's hymnbook years ago removed all the masculine pronouns for God in the Psalms and the hymnal contains a hymn "Mothering God, you gave me birth." It appears that the ELCA leadership wants more. One ELCA congregation called Herchurch in California worships the goddess Sophia and uses the prayer "Our Mother who is within us, we celebrate your many names". Herchurch's pastor had a retreat in which (according to its website) “Pastor Stacy... invited us to form our own images in clay of Asherah, the mother goddess of the Canaanites..." to aid them in worshipping the Divine Feminine. If you know your Old Testament, God forbade the ancient Jews from worshipping the false gods Asherah and Baal. Years ago some ELCA Lutherans in Iowa complained to the Iowa bishop about Herchurch. The Iowa bishop asked the California bishop about the situation. The Iowa bishop then wrote "“After visiting with the bishop (in California) and with another synod staff member... there is an acknowledgement that this congregation ‘pushes around the edges’ on matters that make some of us uncomfortable. Things...seen by many to be outside the bounds, but don't rise to level of anything in the disciplinary arena. Speaking explicitly about the pastor and regular worship experience there, when folks have ‘dropped in unannounced’ they have experienced preaching that is decidedly within Lutheran orthodoxy and worship that is familiar and done with integrity. It was said that this small congregation is serving the local community very well..." If anyone doubts it is time to leave the ELCA, go to the herchurch.org website and see the idolatry that the ELCA permits. There has never been any discipline of Herchurch by the ELCA bishop. If goddess worship is now within Lutheran orthodoxy and "done with integrity", something has gone very, very wrong in the ELCA. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock  (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Jesus said there are two genders: "He who made them in the beginning made them male and female" (Matthew 19:4) but now it appears the ELCA will be "educated" to believe otherwise. This week in its national assembly, delegates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America approved a recommendation to ask the Office of the Bishop (Elizabeth Eaton) to "provide materials to facilitate education among ELCA members so as to build awareness of the broad varieties of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation among God's people, as well as to provide pastoral care insights regarding concerns and issues of the transgender experience and gender nonconformity, and to request that the Church Council consider authorizing development of a social message on gender identity and gender expression." Eaton was interviewed by a Chicago newspaper and said "...God’s creation is diverse and... the diversity of God’s creation is actually a gift. When we take a look a people’s sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s not completely binary. Everybody isn’t male or everybody isn’t female. There’s a whole spectrum to that. I think that’s something that’s new for a lot of our people to think about, but it’s the truth…" So it appears the ELCA is now going to "educate" people to see that there are not two genders but a "whole spectrum." Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock --- (See a report of day two at the 2019 ELCA Churchwide assembly here)  (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
The majority of the ELCA delegates appears happy with her leadership.
There is no sign this denomination is willing to move in a more Biblical direction. I encourage Bible-believing Christians who are still within the ELCA to finally leave this denomination. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock -- (See election here) The following are posts are from Rev. Steven Gjerde and Rev. Richard Johnson (Wednesday, Aug. 7). They are attending the 2019 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly. (I do not know if they are voting members or visitors.) It is nice to get an inside perspective of someone attending the gathering. I think it is safe to say that the two writers are not completely supportive of all that is happening in the denomination.   "A clergywoman from New York (pronouns she/her/hers) moves an amendment that would also recognize tenth anniversary of ordination of LGBTQ etc. "All clergy are an intersection of identities and experiences . . . we need to reorient and challenge the ways some of these gifts are not fully valued." Vice president of Metro NY (pronouns she/her/hers) speaks in favor. Pr. Minneapolis (she/her/hers): "my wife and I are both ordained in the ELCA" speaks in favor. "I'm acutely aware that ten years ago I would not be able to be here. I would love to be a part of this commemoration." Young adult from Metro NY (she/her/hers) "We must recognize that until ten years ago we did not recognize all women." NO ONE speaks against. Voting. 824 to 75. And so a commemoration of ordination of women becomes yet another LGBTQ thing. Let's see how that commemoration flies in congregations. There is applause; PB Eaton reminds people not to applaud. "There are people who do not agree with the action; out of respect for their opinion, please do not applaud." The wording of the amendment finally on the screen: 'and the 10th anniversary of the ELCA's decision to remove the barriers to ordination for people in same-gendered relationships and recognize the diversity of gifts that women's ordination brings to this church.'" - Rev. Richard Johnson (See here)  "I'm getting sick of the pronoun thing, so I'm not going to play any more." - Rev. Richard Johnson (See here)  Rev. Richard Johnson writes, "Vice President William Horne called upon to give his report. He, like others, refers to "siblings in Christ." It occurred to me this morning that this isn't just to avoid the longer "sisters and brothers," but to avoid offending non-binary people. It seems that the memo has gone out that this is the preferred language now." (See here)  "Tim Blevins of 1517 Media (Augsburg Fortress, Fortress Press, Sparkhouse and something else) is introduced and presents a video about the agency. Two of the three Fortress Press books highlighted in the video have a Nadia Bolz-Weber connection--in one case, she wrote the forward; in the other, there's a quote from her on the cover." - Rev. Richard Johnson (See here)        --- Bonus from Tuesday (Aug. 6, 2019): From Rev. Richard Johnson: "Tonight I'm attending the "hearing" on the revision of Vision & Expectations. This is sort of an outlier, since there's nothing about this on the agenda. But it was set up as an opportunity to explain what's happening with this proposed revision, hear people's ideas, etc. Chaired by Pr. Peder Johansen who is apparently a Council Member on the task force working on this. He turns this over to Philip Hirsch, executive director of ELC Domestic Mission unit. The draft called "Trustworthy Servants of the People of God" (see May 2019 Forum Letter) was so problematic that it apparently has been withdrawn.The email Hirsch sent out to all "rostered leaders" recently said "Our inclination is to begin fresh and not try to edit" TSPG "and to start with your voices." So this session is part of listening to "our voices."... ...As Hirsch explains this decision, he seems to be saying that a primary reason for it is that groups like ELM (Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries), weren't invited to be part of the process. He then adds seminary students and ethnic communities to those who "weren't included." The Domestic Mission unit has called together some listening groups. What they noticed is that there are two things conflated, one the need to deal with misconduct among the clergy, and the other a more aspirational piece about "expectations." In other words, the problem is that V&E was being used in a disciplinary way. There's more than sexuality that needs to go into a document like this. Cultural sensitivity to racism, for instance, needs to be included. First speaker notes that V&E had excellent theological grounding, while TSPG did not, it went right to behaviors. What's your intent for a new document? Response: a statement of faith has got to be part of the new document. What's your intention to include folks that represent the more traditional or conservative ELCA members? Response: the bishop we have on the group is Kurt Kuserow, deliberately chosen because he represents the more traditionalist view. We want to be sure that we reach out to all four "categories" in the sexuality study (i.e., the various positions on homosexuality). Minneapolis pastor who identifies herself as using she/her/hers pronoun. (I can see where this is going.) She wants to be sure that if there is to be an aspirational document, it has to be clear that is what it is and why we need it. It can't be used as a cudgel against LGBTQ community, but also e.g. seminarians, young leaders who may have different ideas about relationships (i.e., they want to have sex outside of marriage). I don't think we should have this document at all. SW PA pastor. Commend church for moving past a document used to separate those "good enough" to be pastors from those not good enough. We also need guidelines on how we are to care for ourselves; the temptation is for leaders not to do so. Chicago pastor who uses she/her/hers pronouns. I don't believe we can have a document like this without it being weaponized. Pastor from Upper Susquehanna Synod. He doesn't identify his pronouns. Let's talk and think about money also. As we prepare people to go into rostered leadership in this church, one of the most important things we need to do is to outline realistically the economic realities of the communities into which they will be called. Minnesota young adult lay person: Church needs leaders who can credibly relate to their congregations. I've seen peers go through candidacy process in conditions that encourage them to lie about their relationships and beliefs. Pastor in Northern Illinois synod. Was involved in a discussion of TSPG that included some Presbyterians. In their church, expectations are for all members, not just clergy. She also saw a document from the UCC which was brief and very good (didn't focus on sex). Have you considered other church's comparable documents. Answer: some of us have, but we will be doing that more intentionally. Adds that we have different expectations for pastors because of the power dimension. Pastor from MN (she/her/hers)--how many on the task force are single? Response: two of the twelve. Pastor says she is single, and she observes that single pastors are treated much more suspiciously than married people, who are assumed to be OK. When the people who are having the conversation are all married, that's a problem. (This gets applause) Response: Listening group is not intended to be totally inclusive. Her comment: 50% of people are single. Pr. Johansen points out that the statement in TSPG against cohabitation was there in order to have it in congruence with the sexuality statement. Minnesota "queer pastor, also married, pronouns she/her/hers". Church has been too interest in "CYA" (I think that means cover your ass) rather than the gospel. We need to be bound by the gospel, not by an unethical document. Pastor from WVA/WMD synod, serving on candidacy committee. "We've been watching very carefully." We want a document steeped in the Lutheran heritage. As a clergy woman I have to squint a little to see myself in the Augsburg Confession, but I can see myself. Pastor from SW TX: What does the church need? We need to talk about sex, when it's good and when it's bad. We need to say our pastors have sex, so deal with it. A huge part of the problem is that we're not talking about it. We want to control sex, but not talk about it. We talk about clergy having power, but female clergy actually experience men having power over them, and we need to recognize that. Candidate for ministry, on internship. Affirm what committee is trying to do. We need a document outlining expectations. I was excited by the title of the document TSPS--"trustworthy" is what we need to be, and I need to know what is expected of me. Not just about sex. Woman pastor: I've been married 35 years, but I don't see why my experience should be normative. Document puts terrible burden on pastors--we need self care, there's no document telling congregations they need to care for their pastor. (applause) Iowa pastor: remember the single people. I was single when I was ordained. I dated, got engaged, got married. I felt relief on my wedding day that now I wouldn't be asked to account for my life in a certain way. Once I got married my economic reality changed, so I could consider different calls. While you're listening, include single income households. Pastor Texas: what the church needs is healthy pastors/leaders who can have healthy relationships. Documents we've had have forced people to make decisions that have caused rushed marriages, bad marriages, etc. We don't need seminarians or pastors rushing into marriages. We don't need a document like this at all. (muttering of affirmations all around me) College student excited to start candidacy process. It's crazy to me that people are already talking to me about V&E, that I should start practicing those values already. She is LBGTQ woman of color. This isn't realistic; we know our high school and college students are having sex. We need to hear their voices. Pastor from Brooklyn. When I went through candidacy no one asked me about my sex life, because I had a heteronormative appearing marriage. Nobody asked me. This church is dying for a sexual ethic. We know the truth: we don't hold congregants to any standard, we're so desperate to have them come to our church. These documents are "white supremacist and heteronormative, based on some 1950s standards that we'll never see again" NE PA pastor (she/her/hers) We don't need a new document, because we don't need any document. We already have what we need in our baptismal vows. Pastor from Luther college (she/her/hers). Whatever we get, it shouldn't be a revision of V&E because of its history. We need to officially renounce that document. Response: We plan to begin from scratch, not revise either V&E or TSPG. Deadline is fall 2020 Ohio pastor: When I started my candidacy I was married, then divorced, single mom. Multiyear hiatus, now in my first call at 60 years old. There are churches who want pastors and can't afford them, we need to stop putting labels on people. MN pastor (he/him/his). We don't need an aspirational document Chair of synod candidacy committee. I've listened, I agree with much, but how about practical realities. What is a candidacy committee supposed to do? We've repudiated V&E but we don't have a new document. Response: Church council did debate that very question. They voted not to rescind V&E but leave it in place until a new document is decided. So we continue to use a document that's not being used for the purpose for which it was originally intended? Makes no sense. What can we do at this assembly to address this problem? Johansen: Constitution requires that there be a document, so we can't just scrap the present document until there's a new one. In the meantime, let's be better stewards of the existing document (i.e, don't misuse it). Conference of bishops did advise their candidacy committees not to misuse document." (See here) --- Another Bonus from Tuesday: "... approved with no discussion a recommendation to ask the Office of the Bishop to "provide materials to facilitate education among ELCA members so as to build awareness of the broad varieties of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation among God's people, as well as to provide pastoral care insights regarding concerns and issues of the transgender experience and gender nonconformity, and to request that the Church Council consider authorizing development of a social message on gender identity and gender expression." Posted by Rev. Richard Johnson (See here)
The 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is happening. Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, an organization that "affirms and supports LGBTQIA+ Lutheran rostered leaders and those pursuing a call to rostered leadership, while engaging allied congregations and ministries to proclaim God’s love and seek justice for all," (See here) is active at the assembly as you can see in the below social media posts. The first one is of Kevin Strickland, bishop of the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA):
And another ELCA bishop:
A few days ago a show by Bancroft TV was posted on Youtube titled "Being Polygamous And Christian Is Not A Sin | LOVE DON’T JUDGE."
The show spotlights two women and a man who are a "throuple" - or having a sexual relationship between three people. Appearing on the show is Leila Ortiz, who was elected this summer as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Synod. (Rev. Ortiz was previously Assistant to the Bishop in the same ELCA synod.) Ortiz is interviewed, after we are told by the narrator that the trouple, “Having been asked to leave their Pentecostal church... went in search of a church that would accept their relationship." ELCA Bishop elect Leila Ortiz then recounted their meeting and her learning about their polygamous relationship:
“There’s still many people who would be scandalized and would even be scandalized by my acceptance of them. And that’s okay, that’s okay. I’m very grounded in my faith.”
This is an ELCA bishop proclaiming support for polygamous relationships. Polygamy is against God's will as He clearly outlined in Scripture. (See here) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has become so opposed to the Truth of God's Word that threesomes are fine. This is where the ELCA is headed and it will continue to get worse.
The following post is from ELCA pastor Lura N. Groen: 
(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Pastor Jeff Marian is lead pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minnesota, a large congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. He denies that Jesus died in our place for our sins. He believes "All people are "saved" from God's perspective". Pastor David Lose, pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, one of the ELCA's largest congregations, also denies Christ's substitutionary atonement. The problem for these pastors is that the Bible does indeed teach that Christ's blood saves us from the wrath of God (see Romans 5:9). The Apostle Paul puts all people under God's wrath in Romans chapters 1 and 2, and then saves us from that wrath by Christ's atonement in Romans chapter 3 (Romans 3:23-26). The Bible, even the Old Testament, teaches Christ substituted Himself and took our place for our sins (Isaiah 53:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:24-25, 3:18). In love, Jesus gave His life as a "ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28, I Timothy 2:6). To deny this is to deny what the Apostle Paul says is of "first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures... (I Corinthians 15:3)". (For a complete list of verses teaching substitution see Leon Morris' book "The Cross in the New Testament). You may read Pastor Marian's entire article below. It is a tragic example of a pastor eloquently denying one of the basics of Christianity. And, no, all people are not "saved from God's perspective". Jesus taught that Hell is real and it is only through faith in Him that one can be saved (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock (See Pastor Marian's article here) 
Celebrating sin. That is what we see happening in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Case in point, the bishop of the New England Synod of the ELCA, James Hazelwood, announced that the New England Synod's Churchwide Assembly t-shirt will, in part, say "We Celebrate" and "LGBTQ+." (See below)
The t-shirts are being made by the synod to be worn at the upcoming ELCA Churchwide Assembly. 
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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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