Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Marantha--Come, Lord Jesus!
Posted on 12/07/2009 7:01:17 PM PST by rhema
The Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Churches have unanimously voted to join Lutheran CORE.
Lutheran CORE is honored to have these faithful Christians standing with us. We are humbled by their faithful witness both during the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly and since then. These faithful Christians faced persecution in their homeland of Ethiopia. They know what it means to stand firm in faith even in the face of intense opposition. Their witness is a source of encouragement to all who bear the name of Christ and to all who stand on the witness of Scripture and thus in opposition to the ELCA sexuality decisions.
Here We Stand -- the Response of The Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Churches of the ELCA to the 2009 ELCA Church Wide Assembly on the Social Statement of human sexuality was released online on November 26. Following are excerpts of their statement. The entire statement can be read at their website.
1. The people and the Government of the United States have accepted us with extended hands to become part of the nation. We appreciate the hospitality we received and experienced in this country by church and people. We are also grateful to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for standing with us in the process of organizing our Oromo congregations in several States of the United States. We are indebted to the bishops and Mission Directors of our respective synods, which have helped us in so many ways. We love our fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ with all our hearts. We have been through many things together with churches that hosted us and pastors and leaders of congregations who shared the warmth of their hearts with us. 2. Irrespective of all these, we want to express our disagreements with the ELCA’s decisions of the 2009 on the Churchwide Assembly regarding homosexuality lifestyle. We are saddened that the church that proclaims the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments can err and deny what it proclaims.
3. As a member and body of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), we, Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Congregations, express our strong disagreement on the decision of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly on “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” that approves same-sex unions contrary to the Scripture and adopting a resolution to ordain homosexuals.
4. Our church leaders have been expressing their concern and opposition to Synods, synod conventions and Church-wide Assemblies about the direction ELCA is taking in blessing same-sex unions, and ordaining homosexuals in contrary to God’s original creation and the Scriptures. . . .
28. The decisions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly regarding homosexual behavior have extremely damaged our basic tenets of the Christian faith and of the church's witness. For the sake of the truth of the Word of God to prevail, the unity in Oromo Congregations and authentic Gospel witness, based on our belief that the Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and for the sake of the true witness of faith to the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and the only norm and rule of faith of the Church of Christ, which rejects homosexual behaviors as a diversion from God’s will, we would like to express our decision as follows:
a. We disagree on “Visions and Expectations” of August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly resolution in relation to homosexuality.
b. We cannot in the name of “bound conscience” accept a policy contrary to the Scriptures.
c. We cannot accept the ministries of any gay or lesbian persons ordained by the ELCA or any church in our congregations and/or at synod or church-wide meetings.
d. We will work, consult and collaborate with the all-Lutheran bodies those in confessional resistance as to how we should continue our ministries as committed Lutherans in the United States of America.
e. We will earnestly pray for the ELCA that it may change its current course and come back to its original path and save the unity of the ELCA. 29. Therefore, Union of Oromo Evangelical Churches (UOEC) takes a firm stand based on the authoritative Word of God that homosexuality is sinful, and immoral. Because of UOEC firm belief and conviction that the Bible regards homosexual behavior as sinful and God’s original creation rejects same-sex unions, UOEC would not support blessing of same-sex, including ordination, consecration or commissioning. We believe, doing otherwise is a rejection of God’s commandment against same-sex conduct and God’s heterosexual order of creation.
What a day-versus-night contrast these Oromo Christians are to the mealy-mouthed “leaders” in the ELCA, who vainly attempted to showcase them as denominational triumphs of “diversity” at the ELCA convention.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Marantha--Come, Lord Jesus!
Now is the time to truly “Stand with Africa”!
I was a worship leader at an ELCA church, I’m glad I quit.
How many congregations and individuals are involved?
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