(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Luther Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has this announcement for tomorrow's chapel service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 19 Transgender Awareness Week liturgy... Preacher: Austen Hartke, graduate of Luther’s Master of Arts program in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Studies, and author of Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians (2018), a book on theology and personal narratives. Then Thursday will be this: 11 a.m. Thursday, November 21 Transgender Day of Remembrance healing prayer and song vigil. I am sure the "healing" on Thursday will not be about helping those in sexual confusion live according their God-given gender, but instead helping them heal from "oppression" from those who believe transgenderism is contrary to God's will. This is yet another example that the radical take-over of Luther Seminary is complete. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock --- (See below or see here.)
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, through its advocacy office, celebrated gay Pride Month this past June.
In most cases, some money given to ELCA churches makes its way to ELCA synods, which in turn distributes some of that money to ELCA Churchwide. ELCA Churchwide uses some of the money received to promote and advocate for things they believe in, decisions headed by the ELCA Advocacy division. Therefore money given by individuals pays for the ELCA's extreme and often unBiblical policies, beliefs, pastors and leadership.
The Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America held a youth gathering (see here) two weeks ago for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. The person chosen to be chaplain for the middle schoolers was transgender ELCA vicar Atticus Zavaletta. (see here and below)
This is another example of how the ELCA continues to lift up transgender confusion and homosexuality to young people. People of God, please pray for God's will to prevail in the hearts and minds of those still worshiping in the ELCA and for ELCA leaders and those struggling with same-sex attraction and gender confusion to turn from sin and trust God and His Truth. Below are Facebook posts about the youth event by the Delaware-Maryland Synod, Delaware-Maryland Synod Bishop Bill Gohl and transgender ELCA vicar Atticus Zavaletta.
Bill Gohl, bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America officiated the wedding of a transgender person (who is a vicar at an ELCA church and an ELCA seminary student) and well known ELCA pastor Emily Scott. Rev. Scott was a keynote speaker at the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering. (see here beginning at 2:23:20 and read more about her here)
Are there any Biblically led leaders in the ELCA anymore? (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)
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. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
In the February 2019 issue of Living Lutheran, the national magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a glowing article is devoted to Reconciled in Christ (RIC). RIC promotes the acceptance of homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism in the Lutheran Church. But Living Lutheran will not allow a conservative ministry group (of which I am a part) to advertise. OneByOne is a Christian ministry which follows the Biblical view that homosexual behavior is contrary to God's will. OneByOne inquired about buying an advertisement in Living Lutheran about our ministry but was told that our viewpoint is not consistent with more recent ELCA teaching. Back in 2009, the ELCA voted to ordain practicing homosexuals and now allows for homosexual “weddings” and transgendered pastors. In 2009 conservatives were assured that their “bound conscience” on the homosexual issue would be respected. But since 2009 Living Lutheran magazine has promoted many articles showing homosexuality and transgenderism in a positive light, but has not printed one article representing the traditional viewpoint on homosexuality. What we see happening today shows the intolerance of the religious left, a group which pretends to be tolerant. Today if you want to present the traditional viewpoint on homosexuality in the ELCA's venues, your voice will most likely be banned. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock -- (Below is Living Lutheran's Facebook post sharing the article Pastor Brock wrote about.)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) came out last week in support of the so-called "Equality Act" bill. The bill "would place nearly all Christian ministries, religious organizations, and faith-based companies in the cross-hairs of discrimination lawsuits" according to Craig Parshall, General Counsel for National Religious Broadcasters. (See here)
Mr. Parshall went on to say "The law adds sexual orientation and transgender identity as protected categories and then wildly expands the list of activities and organizations impacted by the civil rights law to include any public 'gathering,' 'exhibition,' or 'display,' or anything involving the provision of goods or 'any service, or program.' During one House subcommittee hearing, employment law expert Lawrence Lorber flatly acknowledged that the bill would apply to 'churches' and 'houses of worship.'" The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Advocacy department publicly posted their support of The Equality Act last week. (See below) Director of ELCA Advocacy, Pastor Amy E. Reumann announced "We applaud this historic legislation..." (See here) Portico Benefit Services says, "As an ELCA ministry, Portico offers health, flexible spending, retirement, disability, and survivor plans to help rostered leaders and lay employees strengthen their well-being." (See here) In a questionnaire, Portico asks ELCA employees "How do you describe yourself?" The first two choices are "Man" and "Woman." The next choice is "Transgender" and the forth choice is "Do not identify as man, woman or transgender." Seriously? What is going on with this denomination? See the screenshot below. Since we are talking about Portico Benefit Services, if you haven't heard before, this ministry of the ELCA "will cover services including . . . hormone therapy, and sex reassignment surgery..." What about abortion? In the following email sent by Portico Benefit Services they say "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."
A discernment retreat called "Queering the Path" is being hosted by the "Seminaries of the ELCA" and Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) at the ELCA's Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) in April 2019.
The retreat is for LGBTQIA+ individuals who are considering going into public ministry. "The Seminaries of the ELCA" are working with a LGBT supportive ministry to find future pastors. Is there any doubt where the ELCA stands on homosexuality? They are actively seeking lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people to become pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELM calls itself a "professional community for publicly identified gender and sexual minority ministers and candidates." (See here) More on the ELCA and Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries: The ELCA's Sierra Pacific Synod Vice-President wrote how they are honored to represent the synod at the "Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries 'Extraordinary Callings-Holy & Queer Resistance in the Lutheran Church' exhibit..." (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 the website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, you will find the ELCA frequently taking liberal positions on all kinds of social and political issues. Recently the ELCA quickly responded against a Supreme Court decision because it may keep transgendered people out of the military. Since then, the State of New York has passed a radical law allowing abortions up to the due date. And the governor of Virginia made a statement in favor of infanticide, saying that a newborn child with severe deformities may be allowed to die. What is the ELCA's response? Silence. Even though the ELCA's official abortion statement is against late-term abortion, ELCA leadership is silent. Why? My guess is that when they are passionate about a social cause, they speak, and when they are not passionate about even their own official position, they choose to remain silent. The ELCA abortion statement is a problem. In one paragraph it sounds pro-life and in another it sounds pro-choice. The tragedy is that for years now the ELCA abortion statement has been interpreted to allow the ELCA to pay for abortion for any reason in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The ELCA healthcare plan for pastors and their families is paid for with offering dollars. That's right, the ELCA pays for abortions with offering dollars. I remember years ago when I was still in the ELCA I received a letter, I think from a pastor's wife, who was so glad the ELCA "was there" to pay for her 16-year-old daughter's abortion. Years ago the congregation that I served and I left the ELCA over this and other issues. I pray that if you are still in the ELCA, you will take your money, time and talents, and join a denomination that does not destroy unborn children with offering dollars. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock
Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America posted the following message about transgender persons. It is another instance of the ELCA siding with the world and against God and His creation, while encouraging harmful lifestyles. Included in the ELCA Facebook post is an article from the ELCA's Living Lutheran (2017) that focused on transgender persons and included this statement, "The call of Christ’s people today is to celebrate the diversity of God’s creative work..."
Information About ELCA Pastor Arrested for 'Suspicion of Possession of Child Pornography'11/27/2018
Rev. Steven P. Sabin was, up until a week ago, the pastor at Christ Church Lutheran in San Francisco, CA. (See below and here) In 1998, ELCA Rev. Steven P. Sabin was “removed from the ELCA clergy roster for being in a committed, same-sex relationship while serving as pastor at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Ames, Iowa.” In 2010, Rev. Steven P. Sabin was "welcomed back" into the ELCA and to the ELCA clergy roster. This happened because of the ELCA's 2009 decision allowing practicing homosexuals to be pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. When reinstated, Rev. Sabin said, "For two decades, many have been grieved and alienated by the ELCA's exclusion of gay and lesbian pastors blessed with loving spouses. I hope and pray that they can, like me, lay aside the hurts and take hope from the gracious power of God to renew and direct the church into evermore faithful and effective proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope that this will be the beginning of a new period of evangelical outreach for the ELCA aided by our new witness to the forgiveness and grace of God truly being for all people...Like the psalmist, I can only observe with awe and gratitude: 'This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.'" (see here) Pastor Sabin served as one of the primary ordaining clergy in the ELCA's first ordination of a transgender pastor. See video below. Also participating in that ordination is the pastor of the ELCA's goddess worshiping church, herchurch.
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). A couple weeks ago, Masters of Divinity student Elle Dowd preached during worship in the school's Augustana Chapel (listen to it here or read it here).
Elle Dowd didn't want us to miss it, as she contacted me a number of times wanting me to read her sermon (and write about, no doubt). The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago certainly thought highly of it as well, because they promoted it on their Facebook page and linked to the full audio of the sermon.
(Go see the seminary Facebook post here)
Here is Elle Dowd's second tweet seeking my attention:
Below is the type of teaching and preaching future ELCA pastors are digesting (and it has been like this for years). Lowlights of the sermon:
You can read more about this ELCA seminary student here. ELCA pastor Lura Groen responded to my tweeting this article:
And this from ELCA pastor John Sipf:
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) made a statement today that is very indicative of where the ELCA is now, how they have swallowed the lies of the world and departed from the Word of God. Presiding Bishop Eaton declared,
"No human institution decides who is human, who is visible, who is valued. Human sexuality and gender identity is a beautiful mystery. Trans people, like all people, are beloved by God." Here is Bishop Eaton's Twitter post -
Presiding Bishop Eaton's statement is one of support for transgender persons. It was apparently made in response to a recent statement made by President Trump "that his administration is 'seriously' considering changing the way it treats transgender people under the law, confirming what administration officials describe as a debate about whether to define a person’s sex as a biological fact determined at birth." (see here) There was at least one request for a statement by Bishop Eaton about this:
God does love all people. But that does not mean He loves everything we do, everything we say, everything we "are" or all of our actions. Bishop Eaton, by her statement, is affirming homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism and all the claimed gender identities as "beautiful," that they are good, that they are not sin. This is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Harming people by encouraging sin. Standing against our holy and loving God. Why would anyone be part of this denomination, this evil work of the devil that emerges in proclamations and statements such as this? Also, notice how the Presiding Bishop says "No human institution decides who is human, who is visible, who is valued." Yet, the ELCA supports the killing of unborn humans and actually pays for employee abortions in their health care insurance. Many who are pro-abortion love to claim that the unborn children are not humans to justify their position. You can't have it both ways, Bishop Eaton. Below you will find tweets of praise which Bishop Eaton received for making this statement. (Her statement has been shared on Facebook almost 2700 times and over 400 times on Twitter.)
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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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Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
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