Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
Posted on 10/05/2010 12:12:06 PM PDT by lightman
ELCA Presiding Bishop Tells ELCA Leaders it's Time to Move Forward
10-261-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a report to leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said it is time for the church to move forward and get over being "timid" about mission and ministry.
"In the name of Jesus Christ our days of timidity are over," Hanson told the ELCA Conference of Bishops, ELCA synod vice presidents and ELCA seminary presidents Oct. 2. "I just think we have to say it. And we have to say it with the confidence that's implied in that declaration."
In recent months the ELCA has been affected by losses of members, declining financial resources and disagreements over sexuality decisions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, Hanson said.
Hanson said he has been thinking about a Bible verse featured at the Sept. 18 installation of the Rev. Wolfgang Herz-Lane as bishop of the ELCA Delaware-Maryland Synod. That verse, 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV), says: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
"I've been pondering that a lot. Have we become a timid church?" Hanson asked the ELCA leaders. A sign of a timid church is one that describes itself by what it has lost and what it lacks, he said. Such a church is one that tries to hold onto the past and preserve what was, Hanson said.
A church that defines itself by controversies and partisan divisions "will become a weary and timid church," Hanson said. A timid church has lost confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to work through the gospel, he said. The presiding bishop also said he is "deeply concerned" that leaders preach with a sense of confidence.
There is plenty of evidence that the church should be confident in the power of the Holy Spirit through the gospel, he said.
"We have this treasure in the gospel of Jesus Christ," he told the ELCA leaders. "Why are we timid about that good news? Don't you think the world deserves to hear it?"
Hanson said while the gospel frees believers, Lutherans also recognize that they are "free to be bound" to their neighbors in service. "Lutheran Christians know what it means to roll up our sleeves to get to work together for the sake of the neighbor," he said.
The presiding bishop reminded the leaders of the ELCA's "rich texture" of global companions, its six full communion partners, and that the church welcomes and expects dialogue with people who bring "diverse and passionately held positions" on a variety of topics.
Hanson said he continues to have confidence in the two priorities for the churchwide organization: accompanying congregations as growing centers of evangelical mission, and building capacity for evangelical witness in the world to alleviate poverty, and work for justice and peace.
He reflected on his experiences at recent gatherings. One was a retreat with 300 high school students and young adults in the ELCA North/West Lower Michigan Synod, and another was the "Follow Me" conference here for ELCA communicators, and campus and youth ministry staff. "In those gatherings, I saw evidence of the stirring up of leaders in this church that gives me a sense of confidence and courage," he said.
Hanson also cited the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Assembly in Stuttgart, Germany. While many predicted the assembly would show division in the federation, Hanson said he believes the assembly will be remembered for its contribution to healing divisions in the Body of Christ. That occurred when the Lutherans asked God and Mennonites, on behalf of all Anabaptists, for forgiveness for condemnations and persecution of Anabaptists by Lutherans.
Hanson said he gives thanks for the service of the Rev. Gerald B. Kieshnick, former president of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), and welcomes the Rev. Matthew Harrison, Kieschnick's successor.
Leaders of the ELCA and LCMS will meet as the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation in December, Hanson said. "It is my prayer that now as Lutheran Christians in the world, we not yield to the temptation to make this an occasion to use confessional theology and doctrine as grounds for dividing us," he said. The ELCA presiding bishop said he hopes the two churches can find a deeper unity in their understanding of the faith "that becomes the basis of a shared but differentiated proclamation in the world and in our shared service."
Hanson concluded his report by asking leaders not to lose confidence "in the gifts of the Spirit and what it means to live out the faith."
"I think we are in a time of 'turning and being turned' as this church. The next 11 months … could be the most significant in the 22-year history of the ELCA. They could be, and I'm confident they will be," Hanson said.
Hanson's 11-month reference was to the next ELCA Churchwide Assembly, to be held in August 2011 in Orlando, Fla.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
http://www.facebook.com/elcanews
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews
YES!
The ELCA has forgotten Thesis # 1, that the entire life of a Christian ought to be one of repentence.
The ELCA has ceased to repeat the Lord's words "go and sin no more"
The ELCA has ignored the paradigm of the call and conversion of Zaccheus the tax collector in Luke 19.
All this has been cast aside for the drivel and pablum of the false "gospel" of "radical inclusion"--God acccepts you just as you are and keeps you just as you were.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
I recently took part in an introductory class for new members at an LCMS church and there were quite a few former ELCA people there.
Rev. President Harrison is a good man and a faithful servant. If something needs to be said in their meeting regarding the heretical teachings of the ELCA, he will say it.
Hanson has turned the ELCA into a Kabuki Theater!
[previous FR post] . . . Glesne, citing statistics from the “ELCA Yearbook,” said: “Between 1988, when the ELCA membership stood at 5,250,000 and 2000, the ELCA lost 125,000 members. Between 2000 and 2008, the ELCA lost 492,000 members—a nearly fourfold increase in decline in one third less the time.” Glesne added, “When the numbers are tabulated for 2009 and 2010, the loss could well be three quarters of a million [for the century thus far].”
Sundberg agrees, saying, “Mark Hanson has presided over the largest loss of any Lutheran denomination in American church history. There is no prospect that the numbers will turn around; none whatsoever.”
Hanson's 11-month reference was to the next ELCA Churchwide Assembly, to be held in August 2011 in Orlando, Fla.
The theme of that convention will be "Last one to leave the ELCA, please turn out the lights."
It is a terrible thing when a Body of Christ
becomes a mere social club,
stepping away from the Power
and Authority of the Scriptures
He must be taking tips from the knothead Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal church.
“Bishop” Hanson just doesn’t get it!!!!
He may “move forward”, but that doesn’t mean that anyone is going to follow him!!!!
People can get the same kind of bogus liberal social “gospel” by staying home and reading the New York Times. No need to get showered and dressed to go anyplace, no need to drive, and bagels and coffee are included.
However, if one wants a real relationship with our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, and with His people, better look elsewhere.
....Wolfgang Herz-Lane...
Wow! Now feminist couples with hyphenated names are putting the WOMAN’S name at the end! Change just keeps on coming!
And this guy’s a new “bishop”, too, in a synod that previously had two solid confessional Lutherans in a row as bishops.
Remember, if you’re in the ELCA, and have a confessional pastor or bishop, you’re just one election away from getting a total wacko heretic instead.
Better get out of the ELCA now. If you think things are bad now, they’ll be even worse in a year or two!!!!
For those of you on the fence, I can clearly say that I feel ten times better after leaving that apostate church.
Yea, verily. Let us not be divided by differences in theology and doctrine. /sarc/
What does “moving forward” mean? Children?
These retrobates are like maggots in a corpse; after they devour the soft rotting tissues, leaving a bare skeleton, they will move on to infest and destroy another victim.
Converts fit for hell has had no better description.
Why can’t the ELCA Church-Wide Assembly elect a truly spiritual person as Bishop?
The 2001 Churchwide Assembly—at which ++Mark was elected— was the beginning of the end.
The opening rounds of the election process looked very promissing for traditionalists. Donald McCoid, Bishop of the Southwest PA Synod and a participant in the Lutheran-Orthodox dialog wa a strong leader.
Also in the running was James Nestigen, a member of the Society of the Holy Trinity and co-author of the only decent Augsburg-Fortress Confirmation curriuclum left “Free to Be”.
As the field narrowed it came down to a run-off between McCoid and Hansen; who, prior to the election had sometimes been described as “Bill Clinton in an alb.”
I often wonder what might have been....
Would he meet with Hanson? Scripture says we are not even supposed to eat at the same table with such people.
Christ met with Pharisees. He called them out for their false beliefs. I think that’s a pretty good example to follow.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
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