Not Lutheran but our children attend Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) schools and we're extremely thankful for it.
One thing I've realized is that there are denominations of Lutheranism that are as different as night is from day. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA, the largest Lutheran demonization in the US) has forsak…
Not Lutheran but our children attend Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) schools and we're extremely thankful for it.
One thing I've realized is that there are denominations of Lutheranism that are as different as night is from day. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA, the largest Lutheran demonization in the US) has forsaken the Bible and some might say Christ Himself. The churches are "pastored" by characters that proudly list their pronouns and the churches sport rainbow flags and BLM banners. It's about as far from biblical Christianity as one can get.
The LCMS and other denominations such as WELS on the other hand, are still biblical, often fiercely so. At my kids orientation their LCMS principal stated, "my vow to you is we will never teach your kids anything contrary to God's Word". He meant every word of it.
If you find comfort in Lutheran services you really might want to consider LCMS or one of the other remaining biblical denominations. The ELCA unfairly gives Lutheranism a bad name as unlike the ELCA, not all Lutheran churches have not submitted to the demonic spirit of the age.
I agree. I liked the pastor of my duel Lutheran church. I worked in the school and he would often come in and talk politics with me. Then CoVid hit and the lockdown shut off every light. Nothing. After a month they started streaming a service of sorts where the pastor stood in front of a blue screen with automated choir music and delivered a message. He would state that he abstained from communion until “we” could all take it together, the implication was don’t try to do this at home. Wait. OK, but suddenly last December it was announced we would have communion in every service, never done before. I realized that the all of the new directives were coming not from our board of elders but from the top of the Missouri synod, so we would be homogenous. I want Biblical teaching, what I realized I was getting was a canned sermon, a same every Sunday liturgy, that seemed to be moving more towards the Catholic masses where only the top down was allowed to direct or speak. I have learned more about Martin Luther from this Pentecostal church then I ever did in my own Lutheran church. My new Pastor broke down the Apostles Creed and why it is so important and yet it is not part of their everyday services. I love much about the traditional Lutheran church I grew up in, but I can no longer remain in a tight little group with only my “church” people included. Too many churches failed in the events of covid and the lockdowns. I have learned to give Grace to them as no one knew what was going on, but too many have persisted in sweeping it all under the rug. That can’t ever happen again. I still volunteer at the parochial school and love it, but I pray that the leaders now know how duped we all were.
What you describe is parallel to the PCA / PC(USA) divide. The former is, to use your words, "fiercely Biblical". The latter, well, correct pronouns are more important within their denomination every passing day. Our PCA church has welcomed families fleeing the ELCA church in town.
The small town church I grew up in is PC USA. The pastor is completely lost... he's a college prof as well. I think the combo of PC USA churches closing down and colleges closing and requiring zoom courses completely undid him! He hasn't held a church service indoors since March 2020... he sends his congregants an email each week, "that counts as a sermon..." When he did agree to hold services, he had people drive up and sit in their cars, while he spoke (with a mask on) over a loud speaker from the breezeway... No communion. No piano. No hymns. 15 minutes and it was done. Our friends moved to another church. What was once a vibrant church has been suffocated by milk toast Christian fools!
Not Lutheran but our children attend Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) schools and we're extremely thankful for it.
One thing I've realized is that there are denominations of Lutheranism that are as different as night is from day. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA, the largest Lutheran demonization in the US) has forsaken the Bible and some might say Christ Himself. The churches are "pastored" by characters that proudly list their pronouns and the churches sport rainbow flags and BLM banners. It's about as far from biblical Christianity as one can get.
The LCMS and other denominations such as WELS on the other hand, are still biblical, often fiercely so. At my kids orientation their LCMS principal stated, "my vow to you is we will never teach your kids anything contrary to God's Word". He meant every word of it.
If you find comfort in Lutheran services you really might want to consider LCMS or one of the other remaining biblical denominations. The ELCA unfairly gives Lutheranism a bad name as unlike the ELCA, not all Lutheran churches have not submitted to the demonic spirit of the age.
I agree. I liked the pastor of my duel Lutheran church. I worked in the school and he would often come in and talk politics with me. Then CoVid hit and the lockdown shut off every light. Nothing. After a month they started streaming a service of sorts where the pastor stood in front of a blue screen with automated choir music and delivered a message. He would state that he abstained from communion until “we” could all take it together, the implication was don’t try to do this at home. Wait. OK, but suddenly last December it was announced we would have communion in every service, never done before. I realized that the all of the new directives were coming not from our board of elders but from the top of the Missouri synod, so we would be homogenous. I want Biblical teaching, what I realized I was getting was a canned sermon, a same every Sunday liturgy, that seemed to be moving more towards the Catholic masses where only the top down was allowed to direct or speak. I have learned more about Martin Luther from this Pentecostal church then I ever did in my own Lutheran church. My new Pastor broke down the Apostles Creed and why it is so important and yet it is not part of their everyday services. I love much about the traditional Lutheran church I grew up in, but I can no longer remain in a tight little group with only my “church” people included. Too many churches failed in the events of covid and the lockdowns. I have learned to give Grace to them as no one knew what was going on, but too many have persisted in sweeping it all under the rug. That can’t ever happen again. I still volunteer at the parochial school and love it, but I pray that the leaders now know how duped we all were.
What you describe is parallel to the PCA / PC(USA) divide. The former is, to use your words, "fiercely Biblical". The latter, well, correct pronouns are more important within their denomination every passing day. Our PCA church has welcomed families fleeing the ELCA church in town.
Yep!
The small town church I grew up in is PC USA. The pastor is completely lost... he's a college prof as well. I think the combo of PC USA churches closing down and colleges closing and requiring zoom courses completely undid him! He hasn't held a church service indoors since March 2020... he sends his congregants an email each week, "that counts as a sermon..." When he did agree to hold services, he had people drive up and sit in their cars, while he spoke (with a mask on) over a loud speaker from the breezeway... No communion. No piano. No hymns. 15 minutes and it was done. Our friends moved to another church. What was once a vibrant church has been suffocated by milk toast Christian fools!