Posted on 05/05/2009 11:08:28 AM PDT by SmithL
“The issue of homosexuality in this Church is not all that we are,” he says.
My dad, a retired ELCA pastor, sent me this email:
“EVERY TIME HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, IT IS
CONDEMNED! That is a very strong statement and one with meaning!
The Holy Bible always treats heterosexuality as normative:
See I Cor. 7; Eph 5 and I Peter 3.
Old Testament references to read:
Genesis 19:4-5 Their sin is homosexuality
Leviticus 19:22
Leviticus 20:13
New Testament references to read:
Romans 1:18-19
1:21
1:24
1:26-27
I Cor. 6:9-11 A very significant reference.
I Cor. 6:16-20 and
I Tim 1:9-11
I began - and now I will close - with the very powerful reminder
that EVERY TIME HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, IT IS
CONDEMNED!”
Please use these verses, when trying to persuade people that no Christian church should consider ordaining gays.
Look at the strife it causes. It tears apart any organization that embraces, or even compromises it. Not because God curses them. But because of what homosexuality does to people.
Come to the WELS. We too are losing youth. The jury is still out on my own, sad to say. But then I think back to my own younger days. If the Lord could rescue me from that pit, then best not to give up on them.
I was in the LCA. Am now a WELS pastor in a very liberal area of CA. We are not ashamed of the Gospel. The LC-MS congregation has suffered one pastor problem after another. Too bad, we need a strong LC-MS congregation here for the many who wouldn’t think of the WELS. In any case, it is a blessing to see the devotion of our families and individuals as they come together for mutual encouragement, seeking to serve, in this difficult area.
In Dante’s Inferno there is a special place in Hell for corrupt church leaders (granted they were all Catholic, but that was his environment). While I do blame the people for moving away from God, I blame the church leaders even more for LEADING them away. Liberal church leaders are perverting doctrine in order to convince the people that they’re still within God’s teachings all the while being completely out of it.
ELCA is in “full communion” with the Episcopal Cult, the original “Gay Church.”
You are correct, but also the people that are wanting this have itchy ears, and their leaders tell them what they want to hear.
Ha ha ha ... have never heard the term “itchy ears”, but it does describe who they are. Unfortunately, there are church leaders who are all too willing to facilitate their desires in order to maintain power.
I’ve very lucky to be a member of a parish whose priest is very willing to speak REAL Biblical truth. He’s a very devout man. (had to chuckle this past Sunday when he scolded the people coming in late to Mass .. explained that it was counter to the purpose of coming to Mass)
The ‘itchy ears” reference in from Scripture.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.
Beautiful!
How about this pastoral Society that adds about 10% to its membership at every annual General Retreat?
Strange as a reform movement within a reform movement may sound, there is a pan-Lutheran (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) oratory of biblically conservative, liturgically steeped clergy that has gathered for mutual support and to resist the tide of modernity.
I encourage you to check out the website of the Society of the Holy Trinity http://www.societyholytrinity.org Read the page on "The Rule" http://www.societyholytrinity.org/rule.htm, paying particular attention to the section entitled "Parish Practices".Members of the Society are deeply committed to the weekly Eucharist, Private Confession and Absolution, and the public recitation of the Daily Office
Then look at the membership directory http://www.societyholytrinity.org/stswebdirectory.htm to see if there are any STS members serving a congregation within a reasonable driving distance. Although not every parish is practicing every aspect of the Rule at this time, most subscriber clergy are committed to working toward those goals and have a deliberate plan to achieve them incrementally. These clergy would be delighted to receive visitors and/or new members who share those commitments.
Like you, they are somewhat embattled. They would welcome your support and you would benefit from their ministry.
Oh, my. Do you mean to tell me that Bible-believing Lutherans are not satisfied with the ELCA “brand”?
The people running ELCA today talk about the Church as is it is just another commodity, another brand—like cigarettes, soap powder, or automobiles.
The Church is no longer your family, your Christian community, your spiritual home, your place of solace and love. It is a BRAND!
And they think their marketing techniques are going to make a difference.
This is ridiculous secular pap for the masses!
Can you translate this from the article: ‘prophetic stands for justice’.
Brandmark
ELCA emblem, tagline and graphic standards
A brief sermon about a brand: Before we talk about the importance of a brandmark, we should start at the beginning with a brief explanation of just what a brand is. In a simple sense, a brand is the meaning behind logos and products.
Organizations are brands, too. They have similar goals as companies in that they want people to see their organizations as more than the brick and mortar that make up their operations.
The ELCA, like any church, is also a brand. The foundation for building a strong brand identity is the brandmark. And consistency is the key to our effectiveness. All of us need to follow these guidelines to present a consistent appearance and message to both members and non-members throughout the world. Variations to the brand mark, even slight, can cause confusion, and give the impression of disorganization.
Open borders, gay agenda, immediate withdraw from Iraq-—you know, the Obama playbook.
Ironic, isn't that, coming from an organization that otherwise celebrates "diversity" and "inclusiveness" and encourages "local option" with regard to disciplining non-chaste clergy.
A couple months ago a letter went out to every congregation insisting that all web sites and stationary be redesigned to add the words "God's work, our hands" beneath the logo.
Round file for that one.
Sorry Mark, but it IS all you are. Recycling milk jugs and embracing Homo's yes those are the worlds most important issues today!
I figured that from the ‘justice’ part, but how does that qualify on the ‘prophetic’ count?
“Prophetic” as in false prophets and blind guides.
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