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We Knew Something Was Fundamentally Wrong

11/2/2021

9 Comments

 
(Below is a recent testimony from a gentleman about his family making the difficult decision to leave their ELCA church)

Friends--

Approximately 5 months ago, my wife and I made what we would classify as the most painful decision of our married life…to leave a local church that we had known and loved for many years. This is not a topic we have spoken about publicly to any degree, but I feel it necessary to do so now, to an intentionally limited audience, in prayer that the Lord may use it in service to you, to your family, and to the furthering of His work.

The church we left was the only church our children had ever known. It was/is the site of countless memories precious to our broader family history (baptisms, confirmations, weddings, etc). The earthly remains of loved ones lay buried in the churchyard awaiting the resurrection. The fellowship in the church was precious to us, as we loved (and still do) each person in the pews of that congregation.
​
There was every reason that we wanted this church to be an anchor point for our walk in the Lord. But increasingly, we knew something was fundamentally wrong in our church body, which was/is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). And this brings me to my reason for sharing.

I don’t know how much attention you pay to what is happening within your church hierarchy above your local congregation. As a friend whose only motivation is to warn you of danger, I am today risking friendships to tell you that I believe that if your church is associated with the ELCA, there is much reason for you to be alarmed. Many of the highest leaders of the ELCA have openly taught that hell does not exist, that all will ultimately be saved, that other religions are equally as valid as Christianity, that Christ sinned, that Christ’s death was not a substitutionary atonement for our sins, that He was not virgin-born, that He was not literally bodily resurrected, and a host of other heretical teachings which fly in the face of our holy Scriptures. Teachings such as these are not coming from rogue congregations or pastors who have gotten off course, these teachings are being embraced at the very highest levels of the ELCA…those who teach in ELCA seminaries, those who are chosen to speak to our youth at national gatherings, those who write for the ELCA main publications, elected bishops, including the ELCA’s current presiding bishop.

Friends—you may believe that your church’s main obstacles are financial in nature, or perhaps that you’re challenged with how to properly foster church growth. I’m humbly submitting though, that if your church is affiliated with the ELCA, you face a much more present and menacing danger. By their words and actions, the ELCA has shown that they are a blind guide that will lead your church body straight into a pit, and they’ll eagerly then devour the carcass to capitalize on the assets your church held.

Why should you believe me? You shouldn’t. You should research these issues yourself. If I can help direct you to resources to do so, I would be glad to, and I would stand ready to assist in any other way that I am called upon in accordance with God’s will. I implore you though: Do what is necessary to take hold of your congregation and turn it back to the pure teaching of God’s holy Word. This is a difficult road. But resources are available to walk alongside you on this path.

My family is healthy and happy, having been embraced by a confessional Lutheran congregation where we receive Christ each week in Word and Sacrament. My children have been buried with Christ in the waters of holy baptism. We are blessed. But we still pray for the congregation we left. We still love the saints in those pews. I pray that you receive these words in the spirit in which they were intended.

In Christ,

​

9 Comments
Didaskalos link
11/2/2021 03:33:12 pm

'...I’m humbly submitting though, that if your church is affiliated with the ELCA, you face a much more present and menacing danger."

In God's great mercy, many ELCA members have discovered the denomination's soul-imperiling heresies and apostasies, and they've fled Babylon.

Lutheran theologian/professor Robert Benne is one:

"...The [ELCA's] glaring departure from classic Christian teaching is so stunning it is scarcely believable.

[. . .] "After watching these recent proofs that the ELCA is pretty much both 'in the world' and 'of the world,' however, I want to write this as a warning. First, to those orthodox souls who remain in 'evolving' churches. They belong to and support churches that increasingly depart from right teaching. Indeed, those churches suppress it. And it will get worse in the future. Today’s United Lutheran Seminary seminarians will be tomorrow’s pastors. Remember Timothy: 'For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear' (2 Tim. 4:3) Second, I want to alert those churches that have not 'evolved' to the dangers of doing just that. Once orthodoxy is breached on these issues, the process won’t stop there. It will lead to sharper denials of the apostolic faith. The revolution will eat its own children. There really is a slippery slope."
-- https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/10/elca-hits-bottom

Reply
Bryan
11/2/2021 05:34:18 pm

Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

2 Corinthians 6:17

Reply
Didaskalos
11/4/2021 08:26:42 am

When the Apostle Paul unerringly describes the proudly unrepentant leadership of the abortion-funding, Planned Parenthood-praising, “pride” parade-participating, universalism-preaching, sin-recategorizing, Bible-bowdlerizing ELCA, it’s truly time to spare no effort leaving it with great haste.

2 Timothy 3:3-5 (Amplified Bible) “ [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.”

Reply
Born again
11/3/2021 01:07:21 pm

Congratulations on your courage to leave this sinful denomination. I have noted as an outsider that Lutherans are very loyal to their congregations. However, when the church replaces the Word of God with leftist rhetoric, Marxism, CRT and other devious messages, it is time to leave to save your own souls. I applaud you.

Reply
A Reader
11/4/2021 06:41:32 am

We can relate to the comments of the writer leaving their ELCA church. A year ago we finally quit contributing to our ELCA church hearing about the direction the bishops & leadership were going for some time. When we would comment on things such as the constant push for the LBGT++, etc., people would say I don't know where you are hearing about that so it must be fake news & it won't affect us at our church. The church was closed down for months as they didn't dare meet because of the virus when some of the other area churches had opened up much sooner. It is hard to leave the family of church friends you have known for years. We recently attended a service there again & felt we are really not that welcome anymore! When you hear the repetitious chants during the service and more concerns about the environment & the earth in the prayers it is time for a change. We have checked out other area churches & have found a church that acts more like a family of believers rather than just following the corporate policies pushed by its synod leaders.

Reply
DEWEY SHAW
11/4/2021 02:32:23 pm

Your words express exactly what we are experiencing right now. We are about to leave when we find a suitable church that will serve our needs. Thank you for putting yourself out there, so to speak. The hardest part is leaving the wonderful friends and our roots.. God bless you!

Reply
Jack L Richards
11/5/2021 09:15:53 pm

I have heard the concerns of many senior aged members of elca congregations as they see their own congregation drift further from a confessional stance. Sermons have become socio-political-economic discourses with little regard or mention of Jesus as Lord. When asked why they remain, they cite their age and grim resolve to stay because, "this is where I want my funeral to be held." Oh my!
Kudos to this gentleman and his spouse for finally smelling the coffee and realizing that it is bitter.

Reply
Rebecca
11/6/2021 08:31:00 pm

Dear Friends, Support here for your decision. You did the right thing, but it is painful as I can attest to. I was so torn about finishing out the terms of my commitments, but one morning,
this thought came to me. "Do you want to please Pastor ____, or please Me? I was sitting in the car waiting for someone, but I took my phone and typed out my resignation on the spot.
Felt a huge load off my conscience!!
I was disappointed that some of the folks didn't ask me why I left. They don't even know what they don't know......
Such faithful people but not being taught the Truth.

Reply
J. A.
12/16/2021 05:03:17 pm

Thankfully, some are waking up from sleeping in the pews. Nothing has changed in the last 57 years when the founding members of our church left what was then a LCA (now ELCA) church. They were preaching unsound doctrine way back then.
Remember the caution in Romans 16:17-18.

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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.


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