Don't you hate it when news comes out with headlines like this, on the FOX news website: "Lutherans Urged to Accept Homosexual Ministers." Two words that do not belong in that headline at all: Lutherans and Ministers. First, we real Lutherans do not in the slightest recognize the ELCGay (ELCA) to be a Lutheran Church, period. Their doctrine and practice is heterodox, heretical, and downright abismal. There's a ELCGay "church" (dare I even use the term church; okay, let's call it an ELCGay gathering of like empty-minded idiots) in the town south of the Northwoods Luther, and the sign currently reads: "Take your faith out for a spin and see what you can do." Dee Dee Dee!!! What useless dribble!
Not only has the ELCGay completely capitulated to culture, and the three enemies of devil, world, flesh, they're even making resolutions to "refrain from defrocking gay and lesbian 'ministers' who violate a celibacay rule..." So, they can be gay in the ELCGay, and masquerade as a "minister," but just can't practice their homosexuality. Ha! Ha! Ha! With that absurdity a sex offender could be a "minister" in the ELCGay, so long as he doesn't practice it; so also a murderer, thief, you name it... What next?
Well, to be honest, it had to go this way with the ELCGay. Once the snowball was rolling, you know. They've given up any sort of sound confession of Scripture, Christ, Word and Sacrament. Hell, they don't even believe there is a hell. Basic First Article faith isn't even there, for they've gone to bed with Rome on evolution, etc. Truthfully, Rome and Reformed have found their whipping boy: the ELCGay!
Just think, the next time your relatives in Minnesota, who have some queer boy or dike named "pastor chris" or "pastor pat" giving them the bread at the altar to which they bow, there's no doubt that those hands, and other things, have been in places they shouldn't have been.
"I wash my hands in innocence and go around Your altar, O Lord." (Psalm 26:6) Confession of sin as exactly that, entirely sinful, and absolution, that is, the forgiveness of our sin in Christ, washes us in the innocence of Christ and recalls our baptismal life. Examined and absolved, we go around His altar for His Gifts. Refraining from calling a thing what it is, sin - sin, we must refrain from receiving the Gifts of Christ, for then we have made ourselves guilty again, and our guilt remains.
So, refrain away ELCGay, for you have chosen "another" (Hetero) way, your own bondaged sinful will -- its way, which leads to destruction. Kyrie Eleison!
Regards,
Northwoods Luther
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Restructuring the Synod?
If the call goes out for us to restructure the already crumbling infrastructure, what should we suggest? How about all those fat, lazy, "meetings and eatings" District Presidents must serve a parish -- that's a great start! Then, they can trim down those many stupid meetings, and maybe even trim their waistlines a bit. In fact, every "District Official" who has departed from the parish soon becomes very much disconnected from the real work of the Church: Word and Sacrament Ministry (no, not missions, sorry you mission exec. wannabes). Then the districts and synod send the local pastor and parish all the hog-swill programs they want you to promote (translation: to make more $$$ for the district and synod). Gee, I thought congregations made up district and synod, and simply gathered funds for the mission field, which was the only reason for the existence of a district and a synod in the first place. Now, the whole thing is turned upside down, and it's us (pastor and people) serving them (bureaucrats), instead of them serving the real servants of the Church.
And, by the way, if restructuring is the call, how about we start, dare I say it, de-emphasizing missions. Here's news to you ignoramuses out there who always use the tag words "Mission and ministry" and think that by merely saying it you're more mission-minded than the average parish pastor; and this is a "Northwoods Luther" original, so mark it well, and get a lot of mileage out of it, and take from it what you will: If you constantly adopt the missionary position, you're theologically screwed! The Church is not all about, what has been erroneously called "The Great Commission." Matthew 28:18-20 is not the whole Bible, and what is taught there is this: Make Disciples by Baptism, Catechesis, Communion (I am with you always...). If you over-emphasize the "Go..." and forget about "Lo, I am with you..." you'll think you need to do some sort of, oh I don't know, Ablaze! thingy. Let's call it the Great Omission, and get to the real Magna Charta of the One Holy Christan and Apostolic Church:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42
There it is, the restructuring of our Synod, so that she won't be the LCMess any longer. Mightily into the apostolic doctrine (the Gospel in all its articles), which confessed establishes closed communion fellowship in the Eucharist, and this within the framework of the Divine Service, which contains "the prayers": the Psalms and the Our Father. Hmmm, sounds like something we're already doing, in many places, as a Church. Ah, there you have it: "Be what you already are" as baptized, forgiven sinners feasting on Christ in Word and Sacrament, and you'll be confessing to the world what Christ has done. And the Lord (not Ablaze, nor anything else) added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
Restructuring complete: no need to meet --- let's eat!
Regards,
The Northwoods Luther
And, by the way, if restructuring is the call, how about we start, dare I say it, de-emphasizing missions. Here's news to you ignoramuses out there who always use the tag words "Mission and ministry" and think that by merely saying it you're more mission-minded than the average parish pastor; and this is a "Northwoods Luther" original, so mark it well, and get a lot of mileage out of it, and take from it what you will: If you constantly adopt the missionary position, you're theologically screwed! The Church is not all about, what has been erroneously called "The Great Commission." Matthew 28:18-20 is not the whole Bible, and what is taught there is this: Make Disciples by Baptism, Catechesis, Communion (I am with you always...). If you over-emphasize the "Go..." and forget about "Lo, I am with you..." you'll think you need to do some sort of, oh I don't know, Ablaze! thingy. Let's call it the Great Omission, and get to the real Magna Charta of the One Holy Christan and Apostolic Church:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42
There it is, the restructuring of our Synod, so that she won't be the LCMess any longer. Mightily into the apostolic doctrine (the Gospel in all its articles), which confessed establishes closed communion fellowship in the Eucharist, and this within the framework of the Divine Service, which contains "the prayers": the Psalms and the Our Father. Hmmm, sounds like something we're already doing, in many places, as a Church. Ah, there you have it: "Be what you already are" as baptized, forgiven sinners feasting on Christ in Word and Sacrament, and you'll be confessing to the world what Christ has done. And the Lord (not Ablaze, nor anything else) added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
Restructuring complete: no need to meet --- let's eat!
Regards,
The Northwoods Luther
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