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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.) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America last week had 31,000 teenagers gather for its teen assembly. One of the speakers was an ELCA pastor’s wife who told the teens that her child, who is biologically a boy, “deeply knows herself to be a girl”. The mother said “she wasn’t a boy, we just didn’t know that yet.” Her congregation held a renaming ceremony at her son’s tenth anniversary of baptism, and they renamed him “Rebekah”. This “girl” is now an “out and proud” transgender person and an activist for transgender and non-binary people…all at age 11. Then Rebekah came out on the stage to speak to the teens: “Transgender is being who God made me to be…God does not make mistakes…Its difficult to be in a world that is trying to make you… be someone else. My mission is to make things better for transgender kids, to speak hope. I may only be 11 years old, but I talk to legislators to make better laws for kids like me…Transgender kids are just like other kids…By being who God has called me to be, hearts and minds are changed, I can change the world…I hope that the Church is a place where everyone can bravely be themselves in all their uniqueness…Paint a giant rainbow flag out front (of your church)." This is tragic beyond belief. No, ELCA, God does not create little boys to be little girls. Studies show that if one leaves children with gender dysphoria alone, most of them grow out of it. But instead of that, the ELCA and this pastor’s wife are affirming this child in the wrong sex, and are publicly celebrating and advocating for it. What if in a few years the child changes his mind and wants to identify with his biological sex? It happens often, but I doubt it will in this case since his parents and denomination are praising him for being an “activist.” One can only think of Jesus’ words in Mark 9:42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” I believe the ELCA has a millstone around its neck. Not only were the speeches tragic, but it was tragic how often the speeches were interrupted by loud cheering by the teenagers. It appears the ELCA has succeeded in getting teenagers to applaud the LGBT agenda. You can watch it all in the video below. May God have mercy. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock
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ELCA Pastor Preaches the “Beauty of Queerness” and Universalism to 31,000 Lutheran Teenagers7/3/2018  (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Reverend Nadia Bolz-Weber is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the liberal branch of Lutheranism in the United States. She is a universalist and believes that everyone will be saved and no one goes to Hell. She spoke last week to 31,000 Lutheran teenagers at the ELCA Youth Assembly. In the below video at minute 17:50 she teaches that Harvey Weinstein, and everyone, will be in heaven. The low point in her sermon was when she had 31,000 teenagers follow her lead and loudly proclaim “I renounce the lie that queerness is anything other than beauty” (minute 22:05). She also tells the teenagers that it doesn’t matter if they believe in a literal Devil. But according to Jesus, there is a Hell and a Devil and only those who trust in Christ will be saved (John 14:6). According to the Old and New Testaments, homosexual behavior is not beautiful but sinful. Jesus said stern things about those who lead children astray (Mark 9:42) and I believe God is angry with this denomination as it indoctrinates teenagers with evil teaching. There is a reason the ELCA continues to decline in members. There is a reason the ELCA has to merge its shrinking seminaries (Gettysburg and Philadelphia seminaries) or sell off large portions thereof (Luther Seminary). The reason the ELCA is shrinking is given in Revelation 2:5: "Repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent." The ELCA's lamp stand is going out because it refuses to return to the teaching of Scripture. If you are still an ELCA member, I pray you will find a more faithful Christian denomination. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock 
The 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering takes place this week, beginning Wednesday, June 27.
The ELCA has assembled the most appalling speakers to preach to more than 30,000 teenagers. Over the last three months Exposing the ELCA has warned you of the disturbing, foul-mouthed and extreme speakers and organizations who will be promoting their thoughts and ideologies into the hearts and minds of all those listening. One, ELCA Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche, is a keynote speaker who co-authored the (please excuse me) "Fuck This Shit" devotional. (read here). Another is ELCA Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, who I have written about extensively because of her horrific theology, unabashed cursing, and anti-Biblical social beliefs. (See here) Next, presenting at the gathering is a transgender boy with his trans-activist mother. (See here) And finally, several highly troubling organizations will be hosting and leading something the Gathering calls "Interactive Learning." (See here) I just learned this weekend that in addition to being keynote speakers, Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche and Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber will be teaching the teenagers in "Live Bible Studies." The ELCA website describes the Bible studies this way:
"Part of our Community Life programming for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering are daily bible studies featuring some of our guest speakers on our main stage!" (see here) Below I have compiled additional information about some of the ELCA leaders who are placed in a position of authority and influence over the ELCA teenagers at the Youth Gathering.
Keynote speaker Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber is a "Christo-centric universalist," does not view homosexual sex as sin, has a drag queen perform at church functions, presided over a transgender renaming ceremony, views the Wiccan goddess as an aspect of God, views some of Scripture as just the writer's opinion, has called some of Scripture "wretched," doesn't believe every line of the Apostles' Creed and doesn't believe in substitutionary atonement. (See here) Below are some tweets by Rev. Bolz-Weber. You can also see many of the disturbing thoughts and actions of this leader, and her vile language, by viewing some more of her social media postings here.
Nadia is pictured below with a transgender ELCA pastor.
Some additional reseach, since my first blog about ELCA Pastor Tuhina Verma Rasche, (see here) has uncovered more disturbing information. Here is a quote from her "devotional" - “I’m angry because in the midst of conversations about justice, they are just that: conversations. Actual justice, the world turned upside down, has yet to appear in the fullness of her glory. And God damn it, I want to live into the fullness of who God created me to be, which is a threat to misogynist white supremacists…My anger and desire to see justice lived in the world hasn’t dissipated from last year’s #FuckThisShit devotional.” (See here)
Shame on the ELCA leadership for picking such vile speaking, theological troubling and extreme liberal spewing people to influence the unsuspecting youth. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Here is our recent show about heresies in the Church, including info about the upcoming ELCA Lutheran Teen Gathering and its radical speakers If you or someone you know is part of the United Church of Christ, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church USA, United Methodist Church, Catholic Church, or Disciples of Christ, you may want to watch this. Especially if you know someone who is going to the ELCA Lutheran Teen Assembly coming up on June 27th, have them watch this dealing with the radical speakers they are bringing in to speak to 30,000 Lutheran teens. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock We have exposed the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering’s extremely disturbing speakers (see here and here). Today I’d like to tell you about some of the activities, or as they have termed it, “Interactive Learning,” the ELCA has assembled to “educate” those attending the gathering, which takes place June 27 – July 1.  The ELCA describes "Interactive Learning" as "A 'Holy Playground' of sorts, that invites Gathering participants to encounter God through a variety of learning styles and sensory experiences. All 30,000 participants have a dedicated day in the three day program rotation to experience the extensive offerings inside the over 700,000 square feet Interactive Learning space.” (see here)
The “Interactive Learning” takes place in dozens of stations/booths/activity areas and you should be concerned over who the ELCA has decided will speak to and instruct your children, as well as the content that will be communicated. One option the ELCA offers attendees is hosted by the ELCA church of the extremely troubling, ELCA youth gathering keynote speaker, Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber. The description provided is ridiculous: “What I wish I’d known: Lessons on spirituality and sexuality Take a break in a relaxing space and ask anonymous questions about sexuality. Participate in learning activities on consent, healthy relationships, birth-control methods, anatomy, boundaries, sexuality and spirituality. We are not teaching a particular values system about sexuality. Rather, this is answering questions with medically accurate information and helping youth determine how they form their values regarding sexuality.” This group answering students questions is described in the ELCA materials: “HFASS Denver - House for All Sinners and Saints (HFASS) is a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo- centric, social justice-oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient-future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination. We are here to explore healthy and life-giving connections between spirituality and sexuality and answer teens' questions about sexuality.” (page 20) Another “Interactive Learning” activity is hosted by an LGBT advocacy group, Reconciling Works. The 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering Guide Book tells us about it: “God adores you! Come and be part of sharing the news that God adores you just the way you are! Join in the affirmation and celebration of the diversity of people. Learn how to extend welcome and inclusion to LGBTQIA+ people in your congregation! ReconcilingWorks - An independent Lutheran nonprofit that works for the full welcome, inclusion and celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQIA+) people in the Lutheran church. It is our vision that the church is a place where LGBTQ people and their families can worship and thrive, bringing all their God-given gifts to mission and ministry for the world.” (page 27) The radical group #decolonizeLutheranism is interacting with the youth at their "Interactive Learning" activity: “Bracelets of fortune: Identity and intersectionality in Scripture and beyond.” Here the youth will learn the following: “Scripture talks about how personal characteristics precious to us (e.g. gender, age, race, dis/ability) are often despised by others. What’s more, some of these characteristics overlap, making us even more beautiful and vulnerable. Explore the lives of Bible characters and find how these crisscrossing identities impact us and those around us. Here is the description of the group leading this session: “#decolonizeLutheranism - We are a group of Lutherans across the spectrum of race and ethnicities, ages, gender expressions, sexualities and abilities who have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make our communities more welcoming of the diversity in them – be those communities individual congregations or neighborhoods, cities and nations.” (page 27) Other “Interactive Learning” experiences for the students include “Refugee integration obstacle course” and “People on the move: A migrant and refugee experience.” And finally, why not indoctrinate the youth against the Jewish-state? At the falsely titled booth/experience “Peace with justice in the Holy Land” the 30,000 young people will learn: “What does life under military occupation look like? What is peace with justice? Hear from Palestinian youth from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, learn about the conflict in Israel and Palestine, and learn how you can help make a change happen.” It is put on by the ELCA, as a part of their “Peace Not Walls” campaign. (page 26) Wild. Sad. Concerning. These young people are impressionable. Pray for God to move in the hearts of all who attend that they may discern truth from lies and stand up against falsehoods so that they may boldly follow the Lord Jesus in the face of false teaching and deception. Here is a link to the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering Guide Book where you can read all the details referenced above. Ken Ham is the founder, president, and CEO of Answers in Genesis, the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. He is also a sought-after author and speaker. Last week Ken shared Exposing the ELCA's blog, with his 300,000 Facebook followers, regarding the transgender youth who is scheduled to speak at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering. Here is his post:  See and "like" Ken's Facebook page here.
Ken Ham sees the danger and faith-destroying work of the liberal Christian church and has been warning people about it for years. He has been a champion of Scriptural truth and a watchman on the wall. My thanks to Ken for helping share the disturbing news of the ELCA's appointments of speakers who will undoubtedly influence the next generation at the national youth gathering. Please feel free to post and share our blog with your friends and acquaintances, with newspapers, websites and reporters, with pastors, speakers, and influencers. Getting the message out about the Bible-defying viewpoints, teachings and actions of the ELCA is of extreme importance. People need to know and be warned. Here is a link to the Exposing the ELCA blog that Ken Ham shared.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has chosen a transgender boy and his transgender advocacy activist mom to be speakers at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering. (see below and this link)
The boy (who wants to be a girl) is just 12 years old and has been carted around the United States to speak for transgender rights.
Kevin DeYoung writes, "The Bible teaches that God made us male or female, and no matter our own feelings or confusion, we should act in accordance with the biological reality of God’s good design. Transgenderism falls short of the glory of God and is not the way to walk in obedience to Christ." (see here)
God does not desire children or adults to reject their God-given genders, mutilate their bodies and pretend to live as the opposite sex. They need to be helped out of their confusion and embrace the truth of their biological sex. But that will not be taught at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering. Sadly and infuriatingly, the trans-advocate mother and son are not the only troubling speakers the ELCA has hired to speak to the 30,000 impressionable teens. ELCA's Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche is one of the Gathering keynote speakers. She is an outspoken radical and controversial pastor, who gained fame in the ELCA for co-authoring the (please excuse the vulgarity) "Fuck This Shit" devotional, is an advocate for premarital sex, and when you read her tweets, you will find it displays lots of anger, swearing, demonitization of white males, racist comments about white people, liberal politics, gay pride, trans pride and anger at the United States of America. (see here) ELCA Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber is another keynote speaker at the ELCA Youth Gathering. She is a foul-mouthed, proponent of premarital sex, supporter of Planned Parenthood, who has many theological beliefs that run contrary to Scripture. She is a universalist who has presided over a transgender re-naming ceremony and has had a drag queen emcee her church's children's program. (read more about Rev. Bolz-Weber here and here) If you are sending your youth to the ELCA National Youth Gathering, please consider cancelling their trip. Below is the transgender advocate mother's tweets about speaking at the Youth Gathering.
Keynote Speaker At 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering is the Co-Creator of the "Fuck This Shit" Devotional3/13/2018
(Language warning. My apologies for using the vile words of this ELCA Pastor. But with so many teenagers going to this event, people need to know what kind of teacher will be speaking to their children and also what the ELCA leadership finds good and acceptable to place in front of these students as a teacher and role model)
The 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering, occurring this summer, recently announced that the ELCA's Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche will be a keynote speaker at their national gathering/conference. Here is their announcement: 
(See here)
Parents sending their teenagers to the ELCA Youth Gathering are entrusting their children to the ELCA, to care for and properly instruct them in Christ-honoring ways and with Christ-honoring content. It is a mistake. The ELCA has proven to be an extremely liberal denomination that twists, ignores and violates God's Word. And the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has proven again that they can not be trusted, by asking Pastor Tuhina Verma Rasche, an outspoken radical and controversial pastor, who gained fame in the ELCA for co-authoring the "Fuck This Shit" devotional, to be a keynote speaker. Here is a screenshot of the devotional written by Rev. Rasche: 
(See here)
- A follow-up Advent devotional, co-authored by Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche, is called #ShutTheHellUp. (see here) Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche will be speaking to an estimated 30,000 young people who are coming, from all over the United States, to the ELCA Youth Gathering held in Houston, Texas. (Who will each pay around $400 to attend.) - If that isn't bad enough, ELCA pastor and Youth Gathering speaker, Tuhina Verma Rasche, stood in agreement with a sex-obsessed ELCA group called "Naked and Unashamed" when she signed a statement by the group, which in part said, “We are ELCA Lutherans…The plethora of stories we hear in our conversations demonstrate that life and liberty are being oppressed in the pressure for church leaders to be in marital relationships, or otherwise abstain from all sexual intimacy. The common good of both parishioners and church leaders would benefit from the freedom to be in a variety of healthy relationships…” A specific change the group would like to see in ELCA official documents is: "No longer privileging marriage as the only acceptable form of sexual relationality." (see here) Tuhina Verma Rasche isn't the only ELCA 2018 Youth Gathering keynote speaker who signed the "Naked and Unashamed" statement. ELCA Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber did also. (read more about "Naked and Unashamed" here) - Rev. Tuhina Verma Rasche says she is a "Networker" for another radical ELCA group called #decolonizeLutheranism. (see here)
As you contemplate what you have just read and what you will read below, ask yourself if Pastor Tuhina Verma Rasche is the kind of person you want challenging, instructing and motivating your teenagers. Also ask if you should trust the ELCA with your teenager's spiritual growth. Events like this have potential for enormous impact in the lives of young people. Many make commitments and respond to challenges given. What type of commitments will they be called to make? What kind of messages will they be asked to respond to, in their thinking and actions?
Additionally, the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering will have a transgender child and his trans advocate mother speak. (see here) As well as many extreme, radical groups hosting “Interactive Learning" booths at the Gathering. (see here) If you are a parent of a teenager scheduled to go to the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering, I recommend you cancel their trip. Additionally, if you know of students attending, call your church leader and recommend the church cancel their plans to go. Choose something that will lead them to know and follow Jesus, an experience that will lead them into a greater understanding of God's Word rather than being influenced by leaders with this type of message: - In a blog by ELCA Pastor Rasche, she writes, "I am so fucking furious right now." And, "The United States, a nation built on white supremacy, decided that it would rather be white than the silly and stupid metaphors of a melting pot and a salad bowl I learned about in my civics classes." (see here) - Below are tweets by ELCA Pastor Rasche going back to the first of the year. In her tweets you will find lots of anger, demonization of white males, racist comments about white people, liberal politics, gay pride, trans pride and anger at the United States of America.
The apostate church, the world and ultimately the devil want to destroy the life, faith and souls of our youth. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is part of this: injecting sexual perversion and evil into the hearts and minds of young people. They are justifying and encouraging sexual sin and denying the clear reading of scripture against it.
Take a look at some of what the the ELCA has been doing lately that is aimed at the youth of the church: - The ELCA's Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, in their newsletter, invited LGBT youth on a youth retreat - 
- Lutherock is a camp of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Newland, NC. They hold all kinds of gatherings for children and teens. Below Lutherock posted this message and picture of a same-sex wedding of their past staff members. It gives us clear indication as to the mindset and beliefs taught to the children who attend the camp. 
- A large gathering for ELCA high school youth in regions 1-4 was held at California Lutheran University (CLU), June 28 - July 2, 2017. One of the featured speakers was transgender ELCA pastor, Megan Rohrer. (see here) 
Below is the transgender pastor's post on Instagram while at the youth gathering.
Of course, this ELCA gathering for youth had "All Gender Bathrooms."
- Lastly, we have the #ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza. This is a gathering for ELCA persons who work with the youth of the denomination. The following are tweets from the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and people at the "Extravaganza." Most are related to the session given by a transgender child's mother. 
On a different topic, we have the ELCA Youth Ministry Network tweeting this gender-avoiding reference to the Trinity.
(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
On the cover of its June issue, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's "Living Lutheran" magazine highlights the below 15-year-old Lutheran who won a Google contest by drawing a picture of people of all religions, LGBT pride people, and gender non-conforming people with their arms around each other. "Diversity is a beautiful thing", she said. Not too long ago the Lutheran Church encouraged teenagers to follow the Bible's teaching on sexuality. Today, the ELCA highlights those who endorse a lifestyle that the Bible says will exclude people from the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Back in 2009, when the ELCA decided to ordain practicing homosexuals, they also agreed to allow everyone--liberals and conservatives--to follow their "bound conscience" on the issue. But since 2009, I have not seen one "Living Lutheran" article giving the conservative viewpoint on this issue. But there have been numerous articles promoting the liberal viewpoint. It is most tragic, however, when teenagers are enlisted to support the cause. Pastor Tom Brock Pastorsstudy.org (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and twitter - here.)
This conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will feature ELCA Pastor Asher O'Callaghan. This is a woman who presents herself as a man and is the first transgender person to be ordained through the regular ELCA ordination process. It is tragic to see the ELCA elevate sexual confusion to this level. In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock Pastorsstudy.org Here is how the ELCA conference describes her: Before becoming a Lutheran pastor, Asher fancied himself spiritual but not religious. He thought he was done with organized religion after growing up transgender and bisexual in a fundamentalist church. But then he stumbled into a church called House For All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado where God messed up all his plans. There he heard an invitation he couldn’t help but share. From Christ’s open table he heard: “Behold who you are. Become what you receive.” Becoming what he’s received has led him to earn a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary, to pastor a small mountain congregation called Zion Lutheran Church in Idaho Springs, Colorado and now to serve as Program Director of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. (see 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 official website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has listed some “Don’t miss” stories for its readers. The first listed is the story of Bishop Kevin Kanouse, Bishop of the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod of the ELCA, who announced his homosexuality to teenagers at the ELCA’s national youth assembly this summer. He has stated that “the Holy Spirit” led him to do this. He told the teens that earlier in his life when he was struggling with God’s call, God said to him “You a**hole, why aren’t you listening to me?” What has happened since his coming out? “The support …and love I have received have been amazing…Perhaps 98% of emails, letters, texts, notes, phone calls, and conversations have been positive. Some have told how their mind has changed as a result of my courage in coming out…” What an indictment of the ELCA, that 98% of those writing him have rejected the Bible’s teaching regarding homosexual behavior to embrace the bishop’s “courage.” No, Bishop Kanouse, it would have been courageous of you to say “I have this temptation, but I believe this behavior is contrary to God’s Word.” But the bishop didn’t say that. Instead he encouraged young people to embrace homosexuality. The bishop writes “the majority of teen suicides are caused by depression and fear over issues around gender identity and rejection.” He cites no study to support this statement, but even if it is true, could not the culprit be not “society’s condemnation” but that there is something inherently depressing and destructive about homosexual acts themselves? Given the liberal climate of the ELCA, it would have been courageous for the bishop to encourage teens to abstain from homosexual behavior, but he didn’t do that. The bishop writes “Among the first comments I heard when I sat down after delivering my sermon at the Youth Gathering where I came out was: “You saved some lives today.” That brought tears.” No, bishop, perhaps your sermon damned some lives that day since I Corinthians 6:9-11 states that those who continue to live in impenitent sin, including the sin of homosexual behavior, will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The bishop continues to share the results of his coming out sermon: “Soon another pastor said: “One of my girls came up to me and asked if I would mind if she talked to our youth group tonight about her own sexuality. She has never told anyone that she is a lesbian.” So the bishop’s message of accepting homosexuality is spreading to ELCA youth groups. The bishop writes of more results of his coming out: “Said one pastor: “…my bible study group (made up mostly of people over 70) spent the entire hour telling stories of people we knew or to whom we were related who were gay or lesbian. We talked about how times have changed. We laughed together and we cried together and in the end they wanted me to tell you (bishop) that you are always welcome to come to our church …”. That kind of heartening response has been repeated over and over again.” Next the bishop writes: “A mother and father pulled me aside… with tears in her eyes (the mother) told me of her daughter…who had come out to her as a lesbian… She said: “I have prayed every night: ‘God change her. God change her.’ Then I read your (bishop’s) letter and subsequent story about your experience and I picked up the phone and called her right away. I apologized to her and reassured her that I love her.” Their daughter had pretty much dropped out of church some years before, perhaps because of this reality in her life, but the following Sunday they were in church, all three of them.” So the point appears to be “Lets get people back in church by telling them their sin is okay.” The truth is that liberal churches which do this are shrinking and conservative churches which uphold the Bible’s teaching are growing. And where is the bishop’s concern for people’s eternal salvation? There are more important things than pleasing people and getting them to attend an heretical church. Lastly, the bishop states “if God can and does love us as we have been created, with all our uniqueness and individuality, how can we as a church reject anyone? Indeed, how can we continue to live with self-hatred, doubt, and rejection? Since God loves us as we are, created in God’s own image, we indeed are freed in Christ to love ourselves unconditionally. That is a new acceptance of grace for me and from me toward others who are LBGT.” My response: Yes, God deeply loves us sinners, but wait a minute, bishop, what about original sin? The Bible (Romans 5:12, 15-19) and the Lutheran Church teach we are born in sin and need to be redeemed from sin. This bishop seems to say we are all born wonderful and have no need to repent of whatever “uniqueness” we have. No, bishop, we are to do what the Apostle Paul writes “If you are living according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). Tragically it appears the bishop is using his influence to teach that homosexual sin is not really sin, so no need to repent. Again, if I Corinthians 6:9-11 is true, what the bishop is doing is not loving, but damning. I know what this struggle with homosexual temptation is about. I encourage people to read my story entitled “My struggle with same sex attraction” at pastorsstudy.org Also read my article there “What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?” The difference between my position and the bishop’s is the difference between the Bible and the world, truth and falsehood, light and darkness. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock pastorsstudy.org
The tweet below comes from a main speaker at last months ELCA National Youth Gathering, Emily Scott. She is the pastor at "(a) progressive, GLBTQ-affirming congregation in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York” (see here).
Rev. Dr. Kevin S. Kanouse, bishop of the ELCA's Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area, spoke to the youth of his synod while in Detroit for the ELCA's National Youth Gathering and told them he is gay.
ELCA transgender pastor Megan Rohrer tweeted this -
Two gay news websites also reported this A few days later, Bishop Kanouse wrote a letter to his synod explaining what happened. (read here) There are a number of things to be said about this letter: 1) The bishop spoke to 400 youth and adults announcing he was gay, something that was previously unknown. This is what you subject your children to when you remain in a denomination that has denied God's Word regarding homosexuality. 2) The bishop spoke of his homosexuality saying that is how God made him. He wrote, "Being gay is not a sin. My sin was a lifetime of denying that the God who created me, also accepts me and loves me. It was faithlessness." If the bishop means "same-sex attraction" is not a sin, but rather a temptation, when he writes, "(b)eing gay is not a sin," then I agree. But if he means acting on that attraction in thought and deed, then he is 100% wrong. How do you think the youth understood this message from the bishop? 3) The bishop painted a dark picture of the Biblical view of marriage and homosexuality if his letter is any indication. He writes, "the arguments defending those few scriptures condemning gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual persons sounded more and more hollow. It did not sound like the truth of the Gospel I have been preaching." 4) Bishop Kanouse says he and his wife of 40 years, "are both committed to our marriage." I commend him for this decision and pray that they remain committed to their marriage in every way. Then strangely enough Bishop Kanouse wrote this about the same event on his facebook page - 
Click the day and date link below to view the post yourself -
Does God speak like that? Who is really speaking to this man? I would be very upset if I had sent my children to the youth gathering and they were indoctrinated toward believing same-sex attraction is from God and that it is good. This man needs us to pray for him, as do all who listened to his non-God-glorifying message.
The ELCA National Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI takes place July 15-19. 35,000 teenagers are expected to be there. I have relatives going. And you can bet they will be taught the ELCA's anti-Biblical views on all the issues, from homosexuality to anti-Israel propaganda, if previous years are any indication. (see here) And today I run across this tweet from the LGBTQ activist organization (ReconcilingWorks) announcing they are coming to greet your youth.
The theme of this year's ReconcilingWorks booth is "Find another word." Isn't that apropos? The ELCA has been trying to find any other word than God's Word since 1989. |
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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