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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.) Below is a picture from the current issue of Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pictured is Guy Erwin leading a worship service at the National Assembly. Erwin is the ELCA’s first homosexual bishop with a “husband“ and he is now the president of an ELCA seminary. The article mentions that the Native American practice of smudging occurred during the assembly, along with the Native American “Prayer to the Four Directions of the Earth.” Smudging is a Native American practice of burning sage in order to get rid of evil spirits and energy. In a previous post here was my comment on incorporating pagan practices into a Christian worship service: “Years ago when I was still a pastor in the ELCA, I went to one of our conventions where we turned to the north, south, east, and west in order to pattern our prayers after Native American spirituality. I got to the microphone and said "I am German, my ancestors worshiped Thor and Odin. Are we going to incorporate Thor worship at our next convention?" When I returned home, I told that story to my congregation and a Native American woman with tears in her eyes said "They're trying to take us back to what Jesus saved me from." This is called syncretism, when people mix various gods and religions together. It is what got the ancient Jews in trouble when they tried to mix Baal worship with the worship of Jehovah.” It is interesting that the ELCA’s national magazine put all of this on display for everyone to read. I hope many ELCA Lutherans will become upset over what happened, but I’m afraid the “frog in the kettle“ syndrome has dulled the senses of many in the ELCA. But I must say to the ELCA: No, ELCA, smudging and sage do not drive out evil spirits, but only the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock 
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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.)
Living Lutheran, the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has become predictable in its promotion of all things LGBT. One article talks about the “historic” election of the ELCA’s first lesbian bishop and also the election of the ELCA’s first transgender bishop. Then there is an article by the homosexual president of an ELCA seminary (who has a “husband”) talking about how he weaves together being gay and Lutheran. He states “Late in life, I have woven these three aspects of my life- Osage, Lutheran, gay- closer together, and I am a happier, more complete person for it.” Then there is the magazine’s torturous avoiding of the word “he” for God, like this statement: “God provides us with the original Sabbath blueprint creation, when God rests on the seventh day…God also commands God’s people to honor the Sabbath day.” This de-sexing of God language is done because the biblical way of referring to God as “he” is offensive to the ELCA’s feminist sensibilities. On a very rare occasion, a conservative point of view comes out in the magazine’s Letters to the Editor. One writer from Iowa said “I have observed my own church move from conservative to ultraliberal during the past 33 years of the ELCA. I am sorry to say, if Bonhoeffer we’re alive today, he would not be a member of the ELCA.” Finally, something in the Living Lutheran magazine to which I can say “Amen.” Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock --- See August, 2021 issue of Living Lutheran 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 first article in the October 2021 edition of Living Lutheran, the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, says this: ”And the Spirit transforms you and me by her relentless presence in, with, and among humanity”. The Bible never calls the Holy Spirit “her” or “she”, but that does not stop the feminist ELCA from revamping the biblical language for God. Indeed, years ago, the ELCA came out with its most recent hymnal which desexed all the Psalms to get rid of masculine pronouns for God. I hope you attend a good church which unashamedly worships the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the only true God. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock PS The same article also talks about the “kindom” of God (whatever that is) instead of the “kingdom of God“. I’m presuming we can’t even say the word “king” anymore because that is too patriarchal and oppressive. ELCA Lutheran magazine article on ELCA’s first lesbian bishop: 'God has created you this way'8/30/2021 (The following article 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 a glowing article about the ELCA’s first lesbian bishop who has a “wife”. The article states: “The first openly lesbian bishop in the ELCA, (Brenda) Bos said her call to ministry was directly tied to her coming out… ‘The integration of my sexuality and my spirituality has been a key piece of my evolution as a spiritual person and a religious leader,’ she said. ‘They’re almost inextricable…The process is about recognizing your full personhood…As you become a fully integrated person who has come out to themselves, you realize that God has created you this way, God delights in you,…’” (see here) No, God does not create people to engage in sex with members of their own sex (see my article “What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?” at pastorsstudy.org). I personally have struggled with same sex attraction most of my life, but for the sake of Christ and my soul (I Corinthians 6:9-11), I abstain from this behavior. If you or someone you know struggles with same sex attraction, you may wish to go to restoredhopenetwork.org and see if there is a support group near you. When I was young, all Lutheran denominations taught that homosexual behavior is sin. But at a church convention in 2009 the ELCA voted to ordain practicing homosexuals. Today the ELCA also ordains transgender and bisexual pastors. Even the ELCA’s World Hunger program will be promoting the LGBTQAI+ agenda at an upcoming webinar. And, most grievous of all, Lutheran teenagers are taught the pro-LGBT agenda at ELCA Teen Gatherings and in ELCA youth materials. Isaiah 5:20 says “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). And Jesus said it is better to have a millstone around your neck and be drowned in the sea than to cause little ones to stumble (Luke 17:2). Tragically not only the ELCA but also the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church in America, the Disciples of Christ and (soon) the United Methodist Church all ordain practicing homosexuals, thus affirming as good something that God calls evil. All these denominations are shrinking in membership and contributions, and they should. 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.)
Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is ever printing articles promoting the LGBTQIA+ agenda while never allowing a conservative viewpoint to be heard. Witness the June/July 2021 issue. I’ve never seen so many pro-gay articles in one church magazine. First, in its “I’m a Lutheran” column, the magazine highlights a person from the LGBT community. Next is an article by lesbian Pastor Emmy Kegler. Then an article about a California ELCA congregation which helps LGBT people who have experienced “religious rejection” by the Church, which I assume means someone told them that homosexual behavior is sinful. Then there is a disturbing article about a summer camp that is helping youth accept their homosexuality and transgenderism. Lastly are the “Highly recommended” books for the month, a list of seven books, all of which promote the liberal view on homosexuality and, again, not one representing the traditional Christian point of view. Notice how youth are targeted with some of the book recommendations: “Made, known, loved: developing LGBTQ-inclusive youth ministry”, “Outlove: a queer Christian survival story”, “Queerfully and wonderfully made: A guide for LGBTQ+ Christian teens”, and “Welcoming and affirming: A guide to supporting and working with LGBTQ+ Christian youth”, One would think they are reading a gay pride magazine but, no, this is the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA voted in 2009 to ordain practicing homosexuals and to allow for homosexual “marriages”. Back then the vote was somewhat close with 66 percent voting to affirm homosexuality, but conservatives were assured their viewpoint would be allowed in the ELCA. In the ELCA's national magazine, the traditional, Biblical viewpoint is never allowed. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See publication 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 below article is tragic. Instead of helping young people with same-sex attraction and gender confusion see the light, they are helping them get comfortable in the darkness. If you or someone you know has same-sex attraction, go to restoredhopenetwork.org and you will see a list of ministries around the country that help people with same-sex attraction deal with it in a Biblical way. But you won’t see any of these groups highlighted by the ELCA, because Living Lutheran bans this view in its magazine. I should know, I am part of a such a group called “One by One” which inquired about buying advertising space and were not allowed because, we were told, our view is not congruent with more recent decisions of the ELCA. This in spite of the fact that the 2009 ELCA decision on homosexuality assured conservatives that their viewpoint would also be allowed in the denomination. But it is not allowed in the ELCA’s national magazine. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See article here.)
On May 8, 2021, the Sierra Pacific Synod of the ELCA elected transgender pastor Megan Rohrer bishop of their synod.
Thrilled with the news, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America issued a press release with posts on their website, Facebook page and their magazine Living Lutheran announcing the historic action of the ELCA's "first openly transgender bishop..." (See below) The news has been picked up by many national news outlets including this one from NPR. The ELCA mocks God. They mock God's Word. They lead others astray and they twist the Truth. The ELCA:
I can no longer have any respect for anyone who remains in the ELCA. That includes churches that remain too, from the very smallest to the biggest (the ELCA's Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines and Nazareth Lutheran in Cedar Falls, to name a few). Shame on you for staying in a denomination that is not faithful to Scripture but is leading people into sin and away from Jesus. Your participation is your shame and you have no excuse. You can not justify being part of this evil, faith-destroying denomination. (See the new release the ELCA published where they brag "Rohrer is the first transgender bishop in the ELCA" here) 
Living Lutheran magazine continues to promote LGBTQAI+ agenda, won't allow conservative view1/31/2021 (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has an article highlighting Mikah Meyer, a runner who has run 210 miles to promote the LGBTQAI+ agenda. The conclusion of his five week run across Minnesota was “chosen to coincide with National Coming Out Day.” This is Living Lutheran’s second article on Meyer, who earlier visited every national park in America to promote LGBTQAI+ inclusion. Living Lutheran magazine often highlights homosexual and transgender persons in the ELCA. In 2009 when the ELCA voted to ordain practicing homosexual pastors, conservatives were assured that the more traditional view of homosexuality would also be allowed in the ELCA. However, Living Lutheran does not allow the conservative view. I am part of a Christian ministry called OnebyOne which helps people out of homosexuality. We inquired about putting a paid advertisement in Living Lutheran about our ministry but were denied because our viewpoint does not line up with “more recent decisions” of the ELCA. So much for tolerance and diversity of opinion--much less Biblical Christianity--in the official magazine of Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See article here)  (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has an article giving advice on how to observe lent. It starts with this "Deep breaths.… Remember to breathe deeply. While doing so, perhaps you can meditate on a mantra such as "I breathe in peace. I exhale worry.” A mantra is the Hindu practice of repeating a phrase over and over to achieve magical and spiritual results. The article also recommends reading a “centering poem” each day and “Light a candle. Sit by its glow. Watch the flame and smell the scent. Repeat as often as needed, whether aloud or silently: “Jesus is the light of our world.” This incorporating of non-Christian religious practices reflects what the ELCA did at its last national assembly in affirming that we do not know what God thinks of non-Christian religions. One delegate tried to amend that saying, yes, we do know since Jesus said He is the only way of salvation (John 14:6). The delegate was voted down by 97 percent. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See article on page 9 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 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continues to push for a feminist understanding of God and a diminishing of God the Father in its December, 2021 edition of Living Lutheran, the official magazine of the ELCA. In an article entitled "A Gift of Ministry: Embracing mom–pastors and a mothering God" the magazine quotes from ELCA Pastor LeeAnn Pomrenke's book "Embodied: Clergy Women and the Solidarity of a Mothering God". She writes "When I began recognizing the mothering behavior of God in my own experience, it made me feel less alone...We have fallen into a rut in referring to God mostly as "Father" in the church..." One must ask: Was Jesus in a rut when He taught us to refer to God as Father? Never once did Jesus refer to God as "Mother." Are we in a rut praying regularly "Our Father", the prayer our Lord taught us to pray? Do the people running the ELCA know more about God language than Jesus Christ? Another article in Living Lutheran written by Karoline Lewis, preaching professor at Luther Seminary, talks about God revealing "God's self". It is normal to talk about God revealing "Himself," but that is too patriarchal so now a new phrase has been invented. Living Lutheran magazine regularly eliminates masculine pronouns for God, using "God...God...God.." instead of "God...He...etc." This de-sexing of God language has been going on for a long time in the ELCA, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Christ, but at its last national assembly the ELCA voted to officially declare itself in favor of more "expansive and inclusive" language for God. The liberal mainline Protestant denominations are shrinking, and they should. Any denomination which is embarrassed by 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" language and desires to "expand" beyond it does not deserve to exist. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock 
Lenny Duncan is a highly controversial pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It should surprise no one that he and his radical message have been embrace by the denomination's leadership and pastors, who are paid by conservative, Bible-believing membership.
A recent article talks about Rev. Duncan and his former church, Jehu's Table, saying, "At Jehu’s Table church in Brooklyn, New York, Duncan proclaims his gratitude during Communion for African American role models ranging from transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson to Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X to civil rights minister Martin Luther King Jr." (See here)
Below you can read what Pastor Duncan is about and what he is saying. You will also see that the ELCA has embraced Rev. Lenny Duncan all the way up to the highest of ELCA leaders.
- The official ELCA magazine published an article written by Rev. Duncan where he says,
"I believe that the call of the church in the 21st century is to dismantle white supremacy; that the way of the cross for the entire church is to lay down our lives, resources, buildings and endowments to this cause. That our entire future as a church and as a credible, viable Lutheran witness in the 21st century and beyond is balanced on this alone." And, "Our church is the place to have hard and loving conversations that call us to repentance and reparations..." (See Living Lutheran article here) Rev. Duncan then says implementing his vision for the ELCA will bring about church vitality, that sanctuaries will swell.
- “You can't have reconciliation without repentance. Until the ELCA recognizes the way that it's treated persons of color, specifically black folks, and until they realize their style of church is inherently racist and repent from that, until they talk about reparations to the children of pastors who were never paid full salaries, then I don't think there can be reconciliation.” - Lenny Duncan (See here)
- As a form of reparations, Rev. Duncan also advocates for, "..all straight white males in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to remove their names from ballots for bishop." (See here) 
- Fortress Press, Rev. Lenny Duncan's publisher, describes Rev. Duncan's book saying, "It is time for the church to rise up, dust itself off, and take on forces of this world that act against God: whiteness, misogyny, nationalism, homophobia, and economic injustice. Duncan gives a blueprint for the way forward and urges us to follow in the revolutionary path of Jesus." (See here)
(See above article http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2019/07/queer-lutheran-preacher-calls-on-church-to-end-white-supremacy/
- At this time Lenny Duncan was the pastor at Jehu's Table:
- From ELCA Bishop Patricia Davenport, of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod.
- Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton appeared in a film made by Lenny Duncan. 
- Kristen Kuempel, ELCA bishop of the Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod is promoting Rev. Lenny Duncan and says about his book "I know several of our church leaders are reading" it.
- Rev. Duncan now has a new job as the Mission Developer Pastor an ELCA church, Messiah Lutheran Church and Preschool in Vancouver, Washington. Currently, Rev. Duncan is writing blogs calling for the ELCA to pay reparations. (See the first of four, so far, here) Pastor Duncan is throwing ELCA higher ups under the bus and making things difficult for the ELCA with his anger, race baiting and demands. This should be no surprise to those who know history. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Nicole Garcia was born a man, married a woman, and then divorced. After that time he went to a transgender conference and discovered “I’d always been a woman. The weight lifted from my shoulders and, for the first time in my life, I felt at peace. I claimed myself as Nicole.” “She” then joined a congregation of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and “fell in love with Lutheran theology...Now, as an ELCA pastor, I proclaim the gospel of love and inclusion of my savior, Jesus Christ. The ELCA has embraced me.” This article appeared in the official magazine of the ELCA in its September 2020 edition. Today one can be a practicing homosexual pastor and also a practicing transgender pastor and lead a congregation of the ELCA. And the ELCA continues to shrink in members and donations. As I have said before, ELCA really stands for “Extremely Liberal Church in America” or “Everything Luther Cautioned Against” or “Every Lutheran Confession Abandoned.” In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock -- (See Living Lutheran article here)  (The following article was written last year by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to ordain practicing homosexuals, thus violating Scripture and causing the largest church split in American history. Countless people have left this denomination, along with their offerings, and the denomination continues to decline.
God Himself and His Word are opposed to what the ELCA is doing. The ELCA churchwide assembly even voted down a delegate-by 97%- who tried to affirm that Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6).
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man shows that also he shall reap” (Galatians 6:7). In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock https://www.livinglutheran.org/2019/08/perspective-scraped-floors-open-doors/ (The following article is from Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) I have same-sex attraction, and I don't appreciate yet another promotion of homosexuality by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America If you go to my website, pastorsstudy.org, you will see the story of my personal struggle with same-sex attraction. Because the Bible teaches that homosexual behavior is sin (I Corinthians 6:9-11), I abstain from this behavior. But below is yet another example of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America promoting homosexuality.  Emmy Kreger is a lesbian pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who is "married" to a woman. She has been featured before in the ELCA's national magazine, Living Lutheran, and is featured again this month (May 2020). In this article she refers to herself as "queer" and "married to a woman." She states "We dwell in a world that--from the moment of "It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!--binds us up in boxes that shut out some of the best among us." She talks about a man "who sent me a long diatribe about my sinfulness" and referred to I Corinthians 6:9-11 "as if I hadn't known those verses would be used to condemn me since I was old enough to read my third-grade Good News Bible." Sadly, Pastor Kreger and the ELCA have found a way around I Corinthians 6:9-11 and similar verses. The argument normally goes like this: "The Bible does not condemn loving, committed same sex behavior, only promiscuous, exploitive homosexual behavior". That doesn't work because the Bible never says "Its okay if you love each other". Romans 1 says homosexuality is "against nature" and never adds that it becomes natural if you are in love (see my article "What does the Bible say about homosexuality?" for all the verses). Kreger's article talks about "out" parents of her church and "exiles from megachurches and family churches who wander through our church doors", presumably LGBT people, who discover "We might be OK here." What I think that means is "You will never hear a sermon against homosexuality here, you can be safe in your sin here, in fact, I, the preacher, am an out lesbian." I remember years ago when an old Lutheran pastor bemoaned that a liberal Lutheran bishop was promoting homosexuality, saying "We are nicing people right into Hell." If I Corinthians 6 is correct and people who live impenitently in homosexual behavior will not inherit the Kingdom of God, then we must humbly, lovingly urge people to turn from this behavior. But instead the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Disciples of Christ and the ELCA Lutherans have all found a way of circumventing Scripture--and of "nicing" people into Hell. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock PS If you or someone you love struggles with homosexuality, there is help at restoredhopenetwork.org  (The following article is from Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) This past summer the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in convention passed a resolution calling for more expansive, inclusive language for God. The national magazine of the ELCA, Living Lutheran, is very liberal and I am sure happy to oblige. So here is their recent article telling us to pray to “God the Mother”. When God the Father is no longer “enough”, something has gone terribly wrong. Yet another reason to flee this unbiblical denomination. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock https://www.livinglutheran.org/2020/05/god-or-mother-both/  |
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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