We are seeing violence, Jew-hatred, anti-American speech, and discrimination against Jews coming from many college anti-Israel encampments. Lets see what the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is saying about the protest encampments.
A Facebook post by the ELCA documents the ELCA financially supporting the University of Minnesota's pro-Palestine/anti-Israel encampment. The ELCA post, shown below, calls what is happening in the student's encampments "holy work", proclaims the ELCA's support, and encourages people to "reach out to your local encampments and support the students protesting for a ceasefire and divestment of funds!" A second ELCA Facebook post says, "Students are protesting on campuses across America for a ceasefire and to divest from corporations who profit from Israel's war on Gaza. The students are rising up, are you? Connect with ELCA Sumud to learn how you can get involved in movements in your synod and the ELCA!" (The ELCA has renamed their Peace Not Walls initiative that targets Israel. It is now titled Sumud)
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(The following article was written last year by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) United Lutheran Seminary in Pennsylvania is a seminary of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church an America. The President of the seminary, Guy Erwin, is a man “married” to a man and Erwin was also the ELCA’s first practicing homosexual bishop. United Lutheran Seminary is advertising a retreat for women in ministry called “Kindling Faith: Calm in the Chaos” and the main speaker is Dr. Crystal Hall described thus: She is a frequent speaker in churches and denominational conferences on topics including women’s leadership, LGBTQIA+ inclusion and immigration. She resides in Philadelphia with her fiancé and their cat, Lady Blue. The seminary is not shy about advertising that Dr. Hall is living with her fiancé, which used to be called “fornication” and is a serious sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). But if the ELCA affirms homosexual sex and abortion rights, why not fornication? The ELCA is not biblical, but, sadly, it is consistent. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (See United Lutheran Seminary retreat information here)
Luther Seminary’s preaching conference to feature transgender preacher—who called Jesus an S.O.B.4/16/2024 (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Luther Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America helps put on a yearly “Festival of Homiletics” conference at which 1500 clergy and lay people from around the country gather. One of this year’s speakers is ELCA Pastor Nicole Garcia who was born a man but now identifies as a woman. Telling his (I can’t say “her”) story to NBC News, Garcia referred to Jesus as an S.O.B. From the NBC article: “I had my come-to-Jesus moment. It wasn’t one of those, “Oh please, oh please, help me,’” she explained. “It was more, “Alright you son of a b---h, if I’m going to come back, you better step it up this time.’” (see article here)
No wonder America is in such trouble when many in the leadership of the Church have caved to the sexual confusion of our age. When I graduated from Luther Seminary years ago, it was moderately liberal, today it is radical. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has affiliated camps around the country. This year four camps will host symposiums to promote the LGBT agenda and "inclusion".
One of the speakers is the "openly queer mother" of a "trans girl" (that is, a biological boy who believes he is a girl). The 11-year-old child spoke promoting transgenderism at the ELCA's Teen Gathering a few years ago and is now fifteen years old. The ELCA's healthcare program, which is funded by offering dollars, pays for the teen's hormone blockers. Here is how Lutheran Outdoor Ministries' website describes its speaker: "Jamie Bruesehoff will be leading the workshops focused on total inclusion of persons who are LGBTQIA+. Jamie (she/they) is an... openly queer woman married to a Lutheran pastor and mom to three spirited children, including a fifteen year old transgender daughter... Jamie writes and speaks about LGBTQ identities, policies and practices..." For more information, click here https://www.lomnetwork.org/total-inclusion-symposiums/ Beware of sending your child to an ELCA camp. The ELCA-related Outlaw Lutheran Bible Camp in Custer, South Dakota, this summer will hold its second annual LGBT Pride Camp for 14 through 18-year-olds. Many years ago as a teen I attended Outlaw Lutheran Camp and it was wonderful. Today I can recommend it, and the ELCA, to no one. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock PS It looks like Outlaw Lutheran Camp requires Pride Camp participants and staff to use "preferred pronouns". From its website "Our community will call people by their names and use desired pronouns to uphold an environment that is respectful, safe, and identity-honoring" (The following article was written last year by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
Luther Crest Bible Camp in Alexandria, Minnesota, is a ministry of the liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is putting on a women’s retreat with “bi-furious” Pastor Elle Dowd, see “their” description below. Dowd serves on the Clergy Advocacy Board for abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Is it any wonder the ELCA is shrinking in membership? To promote this kind of heresy and disguise it as a Christian retreat reminds me of what the Bible says about Satan, he “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock From Dowd’s website: “Elle Dowd (she/they) is a bi-furious pastor who preaches, writes and teaches about God’s desire to liberate us from the things we use to oppress each other: cis-heterosexism, racism, ableism, queerphobia, colonialism, misogyny, childism, capitalism and white supremacy. She believes we must deconstruct the harmful systems infecting the Christian Church and other American institutions, that a queer/femme interpretation of scripture is at the center of grace, and all bodies – including yours – are beautifully and wonderfully made.” From Luther Crest retreat description: “Elle Dowd is a bi-furious recent graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, a current PhD student at the Chicago Theological Seminary, the campus minister of South Loop Campus Ministry , and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Elle has pieces of their heart in Sierra Leone, where their two children were born, and in St. Louis where they learned from the radical, queer, Black leadership during the Ferguson Uprising. She was formerly a co-conspirator with the movement to #decolonizeLutheranism and currently serves as a board member of the Euro-Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice, does community organizing in her city as a board member of SOUL, serves on the Clergy Advocacy Board for Planned Parenthood, writes regularly as part of the vision team for the Disrupt Worship Project, and facilitates workshops in both secular conferences and Christian spaces. In 2021 she published a book with Broadleaf, Baptized in Teargas, about her conversion from a white moderate to an abolitionist is available now in print, e-book, or audiobook. To get in touch with Elle and to keep up with updates, you can visit their website www.elledowd.com , and subscribe to their newsletter.” ELCA Lutheran bishops' priorities: Overthrow the patriarchy and white supremacy, and embrace DEI3/25/2024 (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are meeting and the ELCA's website has summarized some of their actions. Not a word about evangelism, bringing the lost to Christ, or world missions. Instead the bishops are spending time lamenting white supremacy and the patriarchy. The "patriarchy", I believe, is the belief that using exclusively male language for God (like "Father, Son and Holy Spirit") is wrong. Overthrowing the patriarchy means overthrowing exclusively male leadership in the Church. But Jesus never taught us to pray to "God the Mother", only to God the Father. And the Bible indeed teaches that women should not preach over adult men (I Timothy 2:12-15). But the ELCA is a big defender of feminism, women's ordination, and abortion rights. The ELCA's Luther Seminary now has more female students than male and the ELCA's Minneapolis Area Synod recently came up with an "inclusive" worship liturgy which worships God the Mother and is queer/trans friendly.
The ELCA has lost its way. Missions and evangelism has taken a back seat to things like DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity). Social Justice has replaced the priority of preaching the Gospel of Christ to save people from Hell. But many ELCA leaders no longer believe in Hell. To quote ELCA head Bishop Elizabeth Easton, "Hell may exist but I believe it is empty." So if Hell is empty and people do not need to believe in Christ to be saved, what will the ELCA bishops do with their money, time and talents? Overthrow the patriarchy and promote liberal politics. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock From the ELCA website on the bishops' meeting: "(The bishops) received an update on synod diversity goals from Judith Roberts, senior director for ELCA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The report focused on the work being done in synods as called for in the continuing resolution adopted by the 2016 Churchwide Assembly, which requires each of the church’s expressions annually to assess its ethnic and racial diversity. (The bishops) engaged in learning and deliberations on white supremacy and patriarchy in a session led by Ms. Jennifer De Leon, director for racial justice, and Dr. Mary Streufert, director for gender justice and women’s empowerment. The bishops reviewed the conference’s work in 2023 on racial justice and gender justice and upcoming work of the church related to white supremacy and patriarchy. Small group discussions focused on white supremacy and patriarchy..." (https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/8219)
(The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.)
A friend of mine graduated from Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, a school related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He recently received this communication from the university about the university’s specialty housing for LGBTQ+ students, its new LGBTQ+ Resource Center, and Midday Mindfulness yoga: “Susquehanna University recently dedicated the LGBTQ+ Resource Center as an on-campus space where queer students will feel supported and empowered. “We want to promote students and community visibility by empowering and lifting up queer students and giving them a bigger voice on campus,” said Kyoti Tavarez ’24, a QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) student liaison with the resource center. “This is a space where we want to highlight queer students and their accomplishments, talents and joy.” …the center’s creation was due in part to growing demand among LGBTQ+-identifying students, said Dena Salerno, senior director of inclusion & diversity. “…over 30% of a recent incoming class tell us that they identify as queer in some way,” Salerno said. In addition to opening the resource center, Susquehanna also created specialty housing for LGBTQ+ students this year….Midday Mindfulness sessions, led by a certified student yoga instructor, are scheduled…” My friend complained to the university and got this response from the university chaplain: “Theologically—and I speak now as the university chaplain—I want to be very clear: we do not in any way endorse theologies that frame same-gender attraction as wrong or disordered. Quite the opposite, we celebrate the presence of God in the lives and loves of our LGBTQ members, and our community and campus are blessed daily by their inspiring faith, abundant spiritual gifts, and all-around brilliance.” My response: 30% of students are LGBT? Highly unlikely. And never mind prayer at this Lutheran college, let’s promote mindfulness yoga. Yes, this chaplain celebrates LGBT behavior, but he stands in contradiction to the Scripture and 2000 years of Christian teaching (see my article “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?” at pastorsstudy.org). This wholesale embracing of the homosexual/transgender movement is also evident at Augsburg, Concordia Moorehead, Saint Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus, Augustana, Luther and Wartburg Colleges. The only ELCA college I know of that still has some Biblical faithfulness is Grand View University in Iowa. So don’t send your child to a college of the Evangelical Lutheran church in America thinking they will get a Christian education. Instead, they will be indoctrinated in the lies of our culture. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock Susquehanna’s chaplain also wants to make clear where he stands on abortion, see below. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has produced a confirmation curriculum for their youth titled "Queer Confirmation." It is a project originating from the ELCA's Wartburg Theological Seminary. "The Queer Confirmation curriculum (QC) is a 1-year (24 sessions), synchronous, online curriculum for LGBTQIA+ teens accompanied by a safe adult (parents/religious leader)." (See here) "Queer Confirmation is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)." (See here) The author of the curriculum "underscored the monumental impact of the ELCA's partnership, viewing it as a significant step toward churchwide accountability. The financial support from the ELCA, a tangible affirmation of their statements, marked a historic moment. Budgets are moral documents, and this funding represents a commitment to accountability, inclusivity, and healing within the Church.
The ELCA's support went beyond financial contributions, extending to visibility and access through national platforms and social media. The partnership opened doors to present at key events and engage with influential figures within the Church, creating a ripple effect of positive change." (See page 10-11 here) (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The below video by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America shows an 11-year-old boy who thinks he is a girl (minute 8:29) and says the ELCA “respects diverse bodies rather than devalues them”. This child spoke to 31,000 teens at the ELCA’s Youth Gathering, promoting transgenderism. The video states the ELCA supports “reproductive health care”. The ELCA indeed pays for abortion for any reason in the denomination’s healthcare plan, which is funded by offering dollars. The video rails against the “patriarchy” and states God is not literally a Father. If you want to be part of a denomination which believes what Jesus said about human sexuality, that God made us “male and female“ (Matthew 19:4)…If you want a denomination which values human life from conception to death…and if you want to be part of a church which unashamedly worships the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, do not join the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA’s woke 9 minute video below looks more like a commercial on why not to join the ELCA. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock Aided by pro-Palestinian propaganda, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) continues it's advocacy for actions that hurt Israel and that aid the terrorists in Gaza. The ELCA's spiel, posted below, states the number of Palestinian people killed in Gaza. Those numbers come from Hamas' Health Ministry. PUSH FOR CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL & HAMAS CONTINUES: ELCA advocacy continues to urge Congress and the Administration to: (1) Publicly call for a ceasefire to prevent the further loss of life; (2) Prioritize the protection of all civilians, including by urgently securing the entrance of humanitarian aid into Gaza and working to secure the release of hostages; and (3) Urge all parties to fully respect international humanitarian law. Over 27,000 Palestinian people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, of which approximately 70% are women and children, and 1.9 million have been displaced from their homes (approximately 85% of the population). As of Jan. 29, 69 U.S. legislators have voiced calls for a ceasefire. ELCA is calling on senators to co-sponsor Senator Van Hollen amendment, which requires that “weapons received by any country under the [request be] used in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict.” The measure also requires the president to report to Congress on the matter and, according to the press release, to strengthen “current law that prohibits U.S. security assistance to any country that prevents or restricts U.S. humanitarian assistance to those in need.” Why It Matters to the ELCA Freed by the transformative life of Christ, the ELCA is committed to accompaniment, advocacy and awareness-raising with our partners in the Holy Land and in the United States. Sumud, an Arabic word meaning “steadfastness” used to describe this ministry and work since Oct. 2023 ELCA announcement, connects ELCA members to our companions in the Holy Land and seeks to follow the guidance, support the leadership and amplify the voices of our Palestinian partners. Together with our Lutheran companions, we accompany Palestinians and Israelis, and many other Jews, Christians and Muslims, in working to establish the justice required for peace. What’s Next In January, the Senate tabled Senator Bernie Sanders’ effort to curb military aid to Israel during Israel-Hamas war, but “the roll call vote begins to reveal the depth of unease among U.S. lawmakers over Israel’s prosecution of the war against Hamas…In all, 11 senators joined Sanders in the procedural vote, mostly Democrats from across the party’s spectrum, while 72 opposed.” A number of senators were unable to travel in time for the vote in D.C. due to winter weather storms. The future of the resolution is unclear, but Sanders has vowed to continue to advocate oversight from Congress. (See here) (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Many years ago, Elim Lutheran Church near my house in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, had a wonderful, Biblical pastor. He was willing to stand against the pro-homosexual movement that was being promoted by our bishop and others in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He eventually retired. Another pastor came and slowly but surely the church became more liberal. I remember a woman from that church calling me, upset that they wouldn’t allow the Christian men’s movement Promise Keepers into the church because one of the pastors said it was sexist. Today if you go to Elim’s website, you will see that the current pastor and all of the staff members list their preferred pronouns (see the “he/him” pastor below). The director of Elim’s children, youth and family ministries is a “they, them” who is studying “queer theology.” This is the danger of staying in a liberal denomination and I have seen it over again. A new pastor comes along, and slowly influences the congregation to accept the heretical beliefs of the ELCA. This is why I encourage every congregation to leave the ELCA and join a more Biblical branch of Lutheranism. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Tom Brock Screenshots are from the church website. See here. The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) Earlier this year, Luther Seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America hired a gay theologian. He recently preached at Luther Seminary chapel (see sermon below) about the Parable of the 10 Virgins. Instead of preaching the true meaning of Jesus’ parable, that we must be ready for Christ’s return or we will be shut out, he instead preached about the oppression of those who have been shut out, thus turning the parable on its ear. As an example of oppression, he told the story of homosexuals who were denied Holy Communion by a Roman Catholic priest and so started their own church (minute 14 below). At one point, the preacher referred to the “Kin-dom of God” instead of the “Kingdom of God”. In recent years “Kingdom“ is considered too sexist since it refers to God as a male King, so a new word, “Kin-dom”, has been invented. Sometimes traditional Lutherans from Africa come to Luther Seminary to be trained as pastors and are aghast at what they find. Recently, a Lutheran from Ethiopia told me how the Mekane Yesus Lutheran denomination there, the largest Lutheran denomination in the world, has cut off ties with the ELCA because of its embracing of the LGBT movement. How far the ELCA has drifted from what the Bible teaches, “…homosexuals…will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). It reminds me of what an old Lutheran pastor said many years ago when some Lutheran bishops started to promote the acceptance of homosexual behavior, “We are nicing people right into Hell.“ In Jesus our Savior, Pastor Tom Brock PS. And how tragic that yesterday the Pope authorized Catholic priests to perform blessings for same-sex couples. It seems everybody is caving. But Christians, let us follow Scripture though the whole world be against us. (See link to video of service here, on Tom Brock's Facebook page)
An article in the ELCA magazine Living Lutheran and posted on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Facebook page claims God's empowerment in the LGBTQ 'movement.' The article states:
"We call this an LGBTQ 'movement' and that image is apt. None of us are ever there at 'the beginning' of the movement, since the beginning is when God spoke the heavens and earth into being. We only enter this movement because of Christ’s redemption. Empowered by the Spirit, we move this movement along with our words and our actions, and eventually we pass it along to the next generation." (See here) The ELCA continues to push its liberal, anti-Biblical, LGBTQ views on its membership and two of the ways they do so is through their publications and social media. (The following article was written by Rev. Tom Brock of pastorsstudy.org. You can follow Pastor Brock on Facebook - here and Twitter - here.) The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this July will hold its national Youth Gathering for teens. This month, ELCA youth directors and children’s directors will gather at a conference for them.
Perhaps you read that back in 2018, the ELCA put an 11-year-old boy who thinks he is a girl on stage to promote transgenderism to 31,000 Lutheran teens. His—I can’t say “her”—mother is Jamie Bruesehoff, an activist for transgenderism. Bruesehoff will be a speaker this month at the ELCA Youth Ministry Extravaganza. The ELCA website says Bruesehoff is “rooted in her queer identity.” Many of the other Youth Extravaganza speakers appear to be very far left of center (click here, then hit “General Session Speakers” https://elca.memberclicks.net/extravaganza-2024). We have not been told yet who will be speaking at the Youth Gathering for teens in July, but if this month’s Youth Ministry Extravaganza speakers are any indication, it will not be good. In Christ, Pastor Tom Brock PS. The ELCA prides itself on being inclusive and diverse, so why don’t they have a speaker like me who has same-sex attraction but abstains for the sake of Christ (see my story at pastorsstudy.org)? But, no, only the liberal position on the LGBT issue is now allowed in the ELCA’s national magazine and also apparently at its youth conferences. From ELCA website: Jamie Bruesehoff is an award-winning LGBTQ+ advocate, heartfelt writer, and mother of three, including a transgender teenager. Rooted in her queer identity, her experiences raising a transgender child, and two decades of youth and outdoor ministry experience, Jamie equips leaders to create more inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA youth. She is the author of Raising Kids beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children. |
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Dan Skogen
Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word. If you have been helped and blessed by Exposing the ELCA's ministry, please help us continue to proclaim the truth of God's Word to ELCA members who need to hear it.
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Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. - Ephesians 5:11
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