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Why is Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, an ELCA seminary, selling their property and buildings? The slow death of the apostate denomination rolls on.
A news release by the school titled "Institutions Agree on Plan for Sale of Hyde Park Property" can be read here. The article did not list the sale price. This news was a surprise to the ELCA's United Lutheran seminary president: I found this an interesting side note. The LSTC Seminary website says this: "ABOUT THE LAND The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago recognizes that our school stands on the lands of the Potawatomi, Miami, and Peoria peoples. For thousands of years before their forced removal, this was their traditional homeland, and it continues to hold their ancestral stories and wisdom. We honor and thank the elders of these and other nations, past and present. These lands are still home to many indigenous people, and we are grateful to learn in this place." (see here) With such a statement I find it telling that the ELCA is not giving the land "back" to the Potawatomi, Miami, and Peoria peoples. And we have yet to learn if the ELCA will keep the money made on the sale the "native American lands."
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Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, Iowa is the largest ELCA church in the nation and has numerous satellite locations, that are also ELCA churches, in surrounding communities. Lutheran Church of Hope hosted the ELCA's 2019 Southeastern Iowa Synod Assembly at their church. Lutheran Church of Hope and senior pastor Mike Housholder has been hosting ELCA synod assemblies for many years, which we will be detailing in a future blog. From a conversation I had years ago with an Lutheran Church of Hope pastor, their church also pays for many of the expenses that normally would be the responsibility of the Southeastern Iowa synod.
It is disturbing and I would suggest, a sin against God for Lutheran Church of Hope to be aligned, aiding and abetting a denomination that preaches universalism (that all are saved), is pro-abortion, uses feminine words for God, demonizes Israel, encourages homosexual relations even with their pastors, allows goddess worship, pushes liberal policies, ordains transgender individuals, twists and ignores Scripture and rejects God's clear historical account of creation recorded in Genesis. If you are a member of Lutheran Church of Hope or any ELCA church you would be wise to find a new church that is not be part of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's battle against the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 
(See here)
Disturbingly, there were two resolutions at the 2019 assembly, held at Lutheran Church of Hope, seeking funds from the United States to be given to the Palestinians. (See here)
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.
Over these ten years, Exposing the ELCA has reached millions of people. - ExposingtheELCA.com has had over 2.7 million page views - Our website elcatoday.com has had 280,000 page views Publications in which I have been quoted directly or those who have shared content and have referenced or quoted Exposing the ELCA:
This ministry also has five Facebook pages or groups that reach hundreds of people daily. We face an organization, in the ELCA, that has almost 20 billion dollars in assets and has brought in income, in the past, that has exceeded 2 billion dollars a year (see here). They have millions of allies, thousands of websites and social media pages, dozens of educational institutions and a publishing company that they utilize to preach and teach their falsehoods. Shockingly, heretical leaders, preposterous teaching and radical policies in the ELCA have grown immensely in the last decade, and there are still 3.3 million ELCA members and millions of potential members who need to know the truth about the ELCA. Just peruse our "Newly Added Articles and Information" section on our homepage to see the height of the ELCA's heresy, and understand the need to carry on this calling, to expose the beliefs, teachings and actions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Thank you for reading, praying for and supporting this ministry!
In Christ, Dan Skogen
Kristen Kuempel is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) bishop of the newly named Northwest Intermountain Synod. Bishop Kuempel took to Facebook on October 2, 2019, to comment and share an article that attacks Franklin Graham's Operation Christmas Child (OCC) organization.
The recommended article contains the assertions that "Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham spews ever more hateful rhetoric about immigrants and Muslims" and that Operation Christmas Child is one of the "more toxic forms of charity." The bishop-recommended article offers additional hollow criticism and then ELCA Bishop Kristen Kuempel concludes her post with a self-serving suggestion: "If this article changes your mind about OCC but you still want to help, check out the ELCA Good Gifts program." One thing to know or remember about Operation Christmas Child is that they include a Gospel booklet, with their boxes, that shares Bible stories and invites children to follow Jesus, helping children know about our Lord and Savior. When was the last time you saw ELCA charities doing that? 
Another Tweet by the ELCA bishop has her attacking Franklin Graham:
If you reject the ELCA bishop's implications and behavior, see here to be part of Operation Christmas Child's God-honoring work. Click here to read another Exposing the ELCA article of an ELCA leader attacking Operation Christmas Child. (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.)
Luther Seminary, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is advertising the May 2019 Festival of Homiletics with numerous liberal speakers like Brian McClaren, lesbian ELCA Pastor Barbara Lundblad, and ELCA Pastor David Lose who denies that Jesus died in our place to pay for our sins. Last year liberal senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren addressed the Festival participants. It is also offering yoga for attendees with this description: "Yogadevotion...is an organic response to a deeply profound experience of God’s Presence following a vinyasa yoga class. The experience of God’s Presence through the practice of yoga... Some call it a time of prayer, some a time of worship, some a time to simply be present to God in a new way, and experience an increased sense of God’s Presence in the midst of busy lives." As I have noted in previous posts, my alma mater Luther Seminary has embraced radical worship with chapel services featuring homosexual and transgender preachers, "deep breathing" meditation, and womanist/feminist worship, sometimes referring to God as "She" and "Mother". A few months ago President Robin Steinke of Luther Seminary announced that, due to financial problems, Luther is selling off a number of its buildings. There is no sign that Luther Seminary has learned that unbiblical teaching will not grow a seminary. Sadly, I can recommend my old seminary to no one. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock ELCA Wants the United States to Pay Palestinian Bills to the Lutheran World Federation (LWF)10/4/2018 Yesterday the ELCA Conference of Bishops issued a statement (see here) that coincides with the statement last month, by ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, asking for the United States to pay $25 million in expenditures to 6 hospitals that treat Palestinians. One of those hospitals, the Augusta Victoria Hospital, is run by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), of which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a member.
The ELCA and LWF are very sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and antagonistic to Israel. And they want U.S. taxpayer money to compensate them, because the Palestinian people and their government are not paying the bills that they accumulate at the hospital. The terrorist Palestinian state is manipulating the system, and the ELCA and LWF are willing participants who, up until this year, were passing the bill on to the United States. The ELCA and LWF need to pay their own bills or demand the Palestinian government pay for their services received. The United States has helped this terrorist, Jew-hating entity enough. The United States has given over $700 million alone to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in 2016 and 2017. (see here) It is time to stop paying their and the ELCA/LWF’s expenses. Doing so enables evil behavior. Read more about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s evil actions against the Israel here. A letter written to the President of the United States, as reported in the article "More than 750 Faith Leaders and Faith Organizations Decry Low Refugee Arrivals" included the supporting signature of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The ELCA and the other signators want the United States to resettle “at least 75,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2019” (see here). This is a great cost to the United States and its citizens, which is something the ELCA should realize when one reads the following article, by Ann Corcoran, who reports that the ELCA's Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is "95% funded by you—the taxpayers of America!" She reports that in 2014, LIRS received $55,341,275 in federal grants. (See here) This seems self-serving. Wanting more refugees, one would think, means more tax money would be coming to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. That is just one of the problems I see with this. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
When I graduated from Luther in 1979 it was somewhat liberal, today it is extremely so. In past posts I have written of Luther’s chapel services with de-sexed God language, “breathing meditation”, and homosexual and transgender preachers. Luther President Robin Steinke has sent a letter asking for funds in which she states: “We’re leading into a new vision of an inclusive, counter-cultural, Christ-centered community. This semester, a representative group of students, faculty, and staff—including international community members, students of color, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+…progressives and conservatives—collaborated on an intentional welcome statement that gets to the heart of who we are…”. Then she drops the bombshell “…we are planning to put the lower campus…on the market this summer.” Thus Luther Seminary is in financial trouble and much of the campus has to be sold. The verse “You reap what you sow” comes to mind. A woman who watches our TV show and has been a contributor to Luther Seminary asked my opinion about giving to Luther. Even though I graduated from there, I told her that I cannot give Luther a penny because of the false teaching there. A prayer that I regularly pray is: “Lord may these erring denominations turn around, but if they are going to keep leading people astray, may they shrink and die and may the people in them be moved into more Biblical denominations.” I believe God is answering my prayer. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org It is great to see at least one ELCA pastor publicly criticizing ELCA leadership.
“The Revd Paul Messner, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, who serves at the Otsego County Lutheran parish, in rural Upstate New York, voted for Mr Trump as 'the lesser of two evils'. He says that opposition to the administration by his own denomination and other mainline Protestant ones is 'frankly irrelevant: they are "bleeding" members. Many in the Church on the Left relish their self-indulgent "prophetic’ role,"' he argues, 'and forget their pastoral role toward all in their congregations and communities.'” (see here) Rev. Messner is correct that the ELCA is "bleeding" members. “The ELCA saw its membership decline to 3.5 million members in 2016, down from 5.2 million in 1988 when the denomination was formed as a merger of three other smaller Lutheran groups. Today, 40 percent of its churches have between 50 and 100 worshippers each Sunday.” (see here) The ELCA is a dying denomination. Any conservative, Bible-believing members still in the ELCA need to stop funding this liberal, radical, Bible-twisting and faith-destroying denomination and leave it for a God-honoring, truth preaching, Bibilical church. I, and many others, have been saying for years that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pays for abortions of those who are covered by the ELCA health insurance plan (ELCA employees and their families). It is truly horrific that a church, claiming to be followers of Christ, would willingly participate in the killing of an unborn child. It is unfathomable that a pro-life person would be part of that church. In order to shed more light on the vile policy and support of abortion happening in the ELCA, I wrote Portico Benefit Services, an ELCA ministry who administers the ELCA's health insurance, asking them about their coverage of abortions. Below is their response:  As you can see "the ELCA health plan does cover a range of procedures that includes those for abortion, up to 20 weeks gestation." Portico also states they cover abortions that fall after 20 weeks of pregnancy, "when the life of the mother is threatened; or...when the fetus has lethal abnormalities indicating death is imminent." It has been said that the ELCA health plan will pay for abortions no matter the reason. If you look at the email you will see that "Portico Benefit Services does not collect data related to abortion claims." That seems to confirm the belief that all abortions, including sex-selection abortion and those because of Down syndrome, would be covered. You can also find much of this same information stated in their 2013 ELCA Health Benefits Plan ELCA-Primary Coverage document. (see here, page 14) The ELCA is in trouble. Besides the trouble we see surrounding the ELCA's heretical teachings, they are also dealing with a continual, yearly financial deficit, dwindling membership and a clergy shortage. - Bishop James Hazelwood, of the New England Synod of the ELCA reports, "Several years ago, I presented a picture to the June Assembly of this synod. I explained that we were a synod of 40-100-40: Forty congregations in near crisis, forty healthy and one hundred in between trying to figure out which way they were going. Three years later, I’d venture a guess that this assessment is no longer accurate. In the last three years, we’ve had churches close, others merge, others partner with Episcopal congregations, and others go from full time clergy to part time. In 2017, I think we are now 20 functionally or officially closed, 60 in crisis, 60 in the middle and 30 that are healthy. These are challenging times.” (see here) Despite the financial crisis in the bishop’s synod, he is/has taken two trips to Israel within a matter of months. (see here) - The ELCA recently released their 3rd Quarter financials for 2017, and they do not look good. (See here) - Then we learn from a publication of St. John's Lutheran Church in Summit, NJ, that, “Bishop Bartholomew of the NJ Synod has asked our pastors to be willing to occasionally serve as supply pastors in 2018 due to the lack of supply pastors in the Synod.” (see here) - I also came across the following information online. If someone could help me find the source I'd greatly appreciate it. It tells of the enrollment problems happening at ELCA seminaries over the last 10 years. You can see additional ELCA seminary enrollment information here.  - A poster on ALPB Forum writes: "In the Lutheran Forum (Winter 2017 Edition) there is a interesting chart on the enrollment at the 8 ELCA Seminaries for the 2016-2017 Academic year. There was a total enrollment of 663 ELCA students studying for their Master of Divinity degree. This compares to 1274 ELCA students studying for the M.Div degree ten years ago. This amounts to a decrease of 611 seminarians in one decade." (see here) The ELCA is Just an Extreme Social Policy and Political Organization that Cloaks Itself in Religion12/19/2017 God's Word in Matthew 4:17 tells us that Jesus preached the message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” You will not hear ELCA leadership preach repentance of sin (unless it has to do with "Global Warming" or lack of being inclusive). They must believe Jesus was naive to think that people needed to repent or that hell awaited those that reject Christ as their Savior. Instead ELCA leaders succumbed to Satan's directives and are preaching their liberal social and political policies. Here are some examples: - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America stands against the Congressional tax cut being voted on this month. They are spewing leftist propaganda saying it is a bill that "benefits corporations and the wealthy over lower and middle-income families." (See here and below.)  - Today the ELCA's Metropolitan New York Synod shared a post from a pro-LGBT organization about the case of the Christian baker from Colorado who was sued by two gay men because the baker would not use his artistic talents to make them a wedding cake. The article features an ELCA pastor condemning the Christian baker's claim of religious freedom (see here and below). In the case of gay men vs. a Bible-believing Christian, it is not a surprise with whom the ELCA synod is siding.  - Next is an article co-written by ELCA bishop William Gohl Jr. of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA. It condemns "current immigration policies" of the United States and says the "repeal of DACA would be morally reprehensible." He even says, "If we are to truly live out our faith, then we must...advocate that those who (are in the United States)...through DACA be allowed to stay." (See here) - Gun regulations and laws are a favorite topic of many ELCA leaders. Here is some of what ELCA bishop Steven L. Ullestad of the Northeastern Iowa Synod is using to fill up his Facebook page:
(See here) - News from the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has them adopting the Israel-inspired (anti-Israel) investment screen that was passed at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2016. (read the summer blog here) They also “declined the request for the ELCA to declare itself a sanctuary denomination, yet supported the spirit of the sanctuary movement by encouraging congregations to serve and support the protection of migrants in their communities.” (see here) - Finally, I will end this with what is truly one of the most morally reprehensible positions held in the ELCA, the support of abortion. After someone posted this abortion-supporting article on an ELCA Clergy Facebook page, some challenged the thought. Then ELCA pastor Russell L. Meyer wrote the comment below:  The Northeast Iowa Synod recently shared on Facebook a blog they wrote in 2016 which encouraged people to NOT support certain (un-named) Christian charities, but instead give to ELCA-related organizations. (see here) And who might these Christian charities be? The synod says, “non-ELCA organization programs that involve putting small gifts and trinkets wrapped in boxes for children in other countries.”
This truly was an ugly, shallow, uncharitable, self-serving piece by the Northeast Iowa Synod, which gives highly questionable “reasons” to not work with such organizations. The synod blog, written by Rev. Dr. Joelle Colville-Hanson, said things such as:
“The cheap toys that people are encouraged to buy and put in the box may be made by exploited or even slave labor. Some are even made by children. Remember that we want to help children and make their lives better. Exploiting children or families is the opposite of what people want to do when they are looking for Christmas giving projects. Even if the toys are ethically produced, many of them are not culturally appropriate.” “Some of these organizations will add pamphlets with religious messages contrary to how we understand the Gospel. Many of them also have images with racist, sexist and culturally insensitive stereotypes.” “If we support organizations that contradict what we say about the Gospel, this can be confusing and even damaging to people’s faith.” It is true that Samaritan’s Purse has a different view of the Gospel than most leaders in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Samaritan’s Purse wants to share the love and truth of Christ, dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead three days later, having victory over death so that those who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior (by grace through faith) will have eternal life. Whereas, the ELCA does not do this because the ELCA consensus is that “all will be saved” no matter what they believe. (see more on the ELCA’s universalism here) That is truly a dangerous and false belief, putting individuals' eternal life at risk if they believe that and do not believe in Christ. Yes, there is a different Gospel shared by Samaritan’s Purse than that of the ELCA. Which message do you agree with and what organization do you want to support?
If you doubt the truthfulness of Mr. Van Zile's statement watch the following news discussion: |
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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