Yes, it currently looks that way. But there is a mighty struggle going on inside the LCMS - the liberal president Kieschnick, the liberal Atlantic District president Benke, and their supporters are using this episode to push their agenda. The LCMS is a quickly becoming a split church body, between those who favor biblical doctrine, and those who favor the lukewarm feel-good self-affirming type of pop Christianity that is so prevalent now.
I will say that obedience to the word of God has never been popular with unregenerate man.....the louder the protest the more correct the response I am afraid!
How right you are! Those of us inside the LCMS can tell that we are being obediant to God's Word, because on top of being true to the Word of God, never before in our synod have so many protested so loudly that we aren't being "compassionate" or "tolerant"! Its also heartwarming to see that Christian brothers and sisters in other denominations also recognize the efforts of those who would try to obsure the Word of God so that the people do not hear the Gospel. Just like the Catholic pedophile priest scandal hurts not only the Catholic church, but all of Christendom, so does unrepentant Lutheran syncretists.
A word of encouragment from OUR savior
Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
There you go again egarvue. Speaking of "pop" I just popped back into this thread to see what had transpired since I left a few days ago and I see you bad mouthing Rev. Benke again. Don't you know that when you call your brother in Christ a fool, like this, you put your own soul in peril? see Mt 5:22.
Rev. Benke and you and I all want to hold our faith in the purest manner and this is only possible through the gifting of the Holy Spirit. Man [you and I] has no *sticking* power before God, so we dare not boast of ourselves, as in we "...favor biblical doctrine" and they don't.
Whether or not you agree with Rev. Benke you simply can't look at him and say, "There goes a fool!" You can't look at all of his NY ministries and conclude, there goes a "...lukewarm feel-good self-affirming type of pop Christianity."
Come on egarvue! This is hate speech in the "biblical" sense! You're not accurately describing Rev. Benke or his Christ centered ministry in NYC!!! Please egarvue and friends, who like to see yourselves in such a good light, stop attacking your brother in Christ!