Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Glory to the Holy Trinity!
Posted on 06/01/2010 4:58:57 PM PDT by rhema
After a number of ill-advised course deviations over the years, those at the helm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have piloted the denomination into a deadly collision with the same iceberg that has caused other Christian bodies to fracture and sink. For many, the Churchwide Assembly votes in August 2009 — to affirm same-sex unions and lower the sexual standards of clergy — will go down in history as the defining moment of impact.
But the real danger in hitting an iceberg is that only a small portion of it can be seen above the surface. The greater problem is what lies underneath and cannot easily be seen.
The new social statement and policies on sexuality are just the tip of the iceberg. They are a single example of how far the ELCA has strayed from the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. On a much deeper level, the changes taking place in the church today are altering the very message of Christ. When the Word of God is no longer taught as the basis for the Christian faith and life, a religious institution ceases to be a Church of Christ.
The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
The Decline of the ELCA
Consider the facts and disturbing trends over the years, shown here, since the forming of the ELCA:
ELCA Statistics -- 1988 -- 2008 -- % Change
Congregations 11,120 -- 10,396 -- -6.5%
Baptized membership (millions) 5.25 -- 4.63 -- -11.8%
ELCA new mission starts 50 -- 25a -- -50%
Global missions (millions) $18 -- $15.6b -- -13%
Global missions executive staff 22 -- 25 -- +14%
ELCA missionariesc 471 -- 180d -- -62%
a 2007 figure
b actual decline is greater when the $15.6 million is discounted for inflation
c missionaries actually supported by the ELCA churchwide budget (does not include Global Mission Associates supported financially by independent mission agencies)
d 48 were one-year young adults in global mission
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
For many years, the WordAlone Network has worked to reform the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and to call it back to the Church’s biblical and confessional foundations. Our time as a reform movement in the ELCA has now ended. We are moving forward as WordAlone Ministries, to directly support individuals and congregations in preaching, teaching and confessing the message of Christ. For those who ask why we are making this move forward out of the ELCA, the following is a simple list based on the format of our Common Confession and expressing the concerns we have about the theological departure of the ELCA in these important matters of faith.
The Lord Jesus Christ
**use of the name “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” has diminished in worship materials
**biblical pronouns in reference to God have been eradicated, Scripture altered in the ELW
**Unitarianism tendency in describing a non-specific generic “god” rather than naming Jesus Christ
**the true gospel of forgiveness/repentance is replaced by a false gospel of acceptance/affirmation
The Gospel of Salvation
**a post-Christian form of Universalism (all are saved) is routinely preached in pulpits
**less than 200 missionaries are in ELCA, only a few with “evangelism” in their job description
**ELCA’s paradigm of mission changed to support and “accompaniment” rather than evangelism
**lack of evangelism has resulted in a 600,000 decline in baptized membership in the ELCA
**LWF and mission support dollars are used to export a false gospel to world Lutheran partners
The Authority of Scripture
**educational materials and social statements show lack of respect for biblical authority
**Presiding Bishop acknowledges “two equal but irreconcilable” hermeneutics (March 2005)
**methods of “higher criticism” are used as an end, rather than as a means of proclamation
**seminary education stresses psychology and systems-theory rather than biblical teaching
A Common Confession of Faith
**teaching materials show a lack of respect for Scripture and our historical confessions of faith
**general American Liberal Protestantism has replaced specific Lutheran doctrine and practice
**a new definition of “bound conscience” grants authority to self-invented and individual truth
**the work of the Holy Spirit is regularly detached from the Word of God (aka. “Enthusiasm”)
The Priesthood of All Believers
**the ELCA suffers from a rigid institutional, bureaucratic, and regulatory mindset
**there is lack of representation and accountability in assemblies of independent “voting members”
**the Lutheran understanding of ministry and ordination has been abandoned for Episcopal forms
Marriage and Family
**sexuality statement assigns morality and ethics to gospel (salvation) rather than law (creation)
**2009 CWA actions change the traditional biblical teaching on marriage and homosexuality
**abortion is funded in the ELCA pension plan, contrary to the ELCA’s own social statement
The Mission & Ministry of the Congregation
**the ELCA has a “three expression” church structure, contrary to the Lutheran Confessions
**the top-down ELCA governing system allows for no ratification of important decisions
**congregations are routinely treated as franchises, simply “feeding” national offices
**emphasis on political advocacy diverts 5% of hunger relief funds to ELCA lobbyists
The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
I'll stick with what is real and original.
My sister-in-laws church was part of this break away...they left and had to give up their church...3ys. ago. This weekend they moved into their new church. The Baptist church let them use their facilities prior for youth groups etc. So they joined in the mile walk to their new church....the Pastor thanked the Baptist church Pastor for all their help and before he could hardly finish the Baptist preacher said...No, it is you who have helped us to see how it is done for that day we may have to do the same.
“church can meet in your living room.”
Well, that’s how it all started. In fact there is now a mini movement to start house churches.
Could you please share with us your understanding of the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church?
Specifically, I like to know whether you think the Orthodox Church is or is not the "real and original" church.
Thanks in advance.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Glory to the Holy Trinity!
Exactly what I decided to do when I swam the Tiber from the ELCA to Rome 16 years ago. What a blessing these past 16 years have been!
Good, you can sing Ave Maria, not worshipping of course, I'll sing A Mighty Fortress.
Friend, what you see in the ELCA is the future of the Catholic Church in the USA. There will be a schism, or rather an open schism. BXVI has hinted a long those lines. Laughing at the ship wreck of the ELCA may be fun, but please pay attention to the rocks you own communion is heading to. The abuse scandal in Europe is more serious than here in the US, if only because the EU has a lot more authority over the Vatican, and that the various states have a lot more control over the Church.
I have been dissatisfied with the ELCA from its inception, and after the 2009 CWA, I knew I had to do something. Since I saw no evidence that CORE or LCMC would ever get a foothold in my corner of the SF Bay Area, I found an LCMS congregation that I now consider to be my spiritual home.
When my wife and I left the ELCA a number of years ago, I came up with a statement I felt answered questions some had. “Christ established his Church on Earth to change peoples lives; not to change itself to suit people’s lives”. I see it reflects 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
Christ wants us to have a personal relationship with him, and individuals should study the Bible and belong to a church/denomination that is in line with their beliefs. The simple act of belonging to a church does not guarantee salvation. Belief in Christ, and living your beliefs does.
When groups or congregations "go along to get along" they miss the real blessing of knowing Christ on a personal basis.
I tire of Catholics jumping these Lutheran threads. They all want us to “ come home to the mother ship”. I am Old school Lutheran for a reason. Nothing comes between my G_d and me.
Amen! Old School Lutheran born and bred!
I've never understood that statement. With all respect, it just sounds corny.
God is the omnipotent divine being - he can have whatever he wants.
It is a significant part of it - that's the best I can do. It is not the whole.
God is the omnipotent divine being - he can have whatever he wants.
It does sound corny, but it cuts right to the heat of the "free will" versus "predestined" debate that Calvin had with the Melanchthon and others. A person on the "free will" side would argue that man can choose to ignore God, or man can choose to be in communion with God. God desires the communion with each person, but leaves the choice to each person.
The Predistination side of the debate would argue that God makes the decision, and he gets what he wants.
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