(The following article was written 4 years ago by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Reverend Jules Erickson spoke recently at Luther Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She is senior pastor at All Saints Lutheran Church in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, whose website states "Pastor Jules and her beloved, Beth, live in Hastings with two bouncing Goldendoodle dogs." The ELCA began ordaining practicing homosexuals in 2009 and has been shrinking in numbers ever since. In the below sermon (minute 18:35) Pastor Erickson has the congregation say "Hell, yes" more than once. What is wrong with this? Eternal Hell is a real place and we should not trivialize the word by using it as profanity. But, sadly, many liberal ELCA pastors and seminary professors no longer believe in Hell. Universalism, the teaching that all people will be saved regardless of faith in Christ, is so prevalent that even head ELCA bishop Elizabeth Eaton told a Chicago newspaper that, if Hell exists, "I think it is empty." One of the things Reverend Erickson thinks we should say "Hell yes" to is the waning numbers going on in churches "if that means our Empire building days are over, maybe that's a good thing." I agree that the shrinking numbers of the ELCA, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church USA are a good thing. People are getting fed up with the unbiblical heresy they are hearing in these denominations and are heading for more faithful churches. In prior posts I have written of prayers to God the "Mother" being offered at Luther Seminary chapel. At the end of this service below (minute 23:33), you will hear yet another instance of this as the congregation prays a new version of the Lord's Prayer to the "Father and Mother of us all.” Earlier this year Bishop Elizabeth Eaton asked this about the ELCA's declining numbers: "What is to be done? Our congregations are growing older and smaller. At least 40 percent of our congregations have an average weekly worship attendance of 50 or less. ELCA membership decreases by 70,000 people a year...There is a dearth of people in their 20s and 30s in our pews. How do we change this?" I have an answer: Get back to the Bible, believe in Heaven and Hell and that Jesus is the only Savior (John 14:6, Acts 4:12), stop paying for abortion with offering dollars in the ELCA's healthcare plan, and stop the promotion of homosexuality and transgenderism in ELCA publications. I see no sign of any of that happening, and so I believe the ELCA will continue to shrink, and it should. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock
4 Comments
11/14/2023 10:58:57 am
[Probably the most unerringly truth-based satire the Babylon Bee has ever posted]
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Born again
11/17/2023 05:00:15 am
Probably the biggest reason they are losing members is because people are realizing the ELCA is not really a church. They are leftist operatives.
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Born again
11/20/2023 03:06:23 pm
Thousands of conservative Methodist churches have left the woke United Methodist Church. Time for conservative ELCA churches to do same, if there are any. This denomination is circling the drain.
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11/21/2023 09:18:40 am
[Another Protestant church recently followed the ELCA’s craven example of selling out to the world. Barton Gingerich issues a clarion call to parishioners in a pretend church.]
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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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