CORE Voice Newsletter, Issue 1, January 2020
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In This Issue...
In this issue, read about the ELCA’s alarming use of alternate pronouns for Father and Son and how that puts the Gospel and salvation at risk. The ELCA is also being called out for information it posted on its own Facebook page. In addition, read a book review of Robert Benne’s latest book (he mentions the ELCA too) and read about Lutheran CORE’s strategy for handling the clergy shortage.
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Reflections on the Augsburg Confession - Part 2
Lutheran CORE Board member
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These days, there are many who are offended by the God revealed in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Scriptures. The primary offense is caused by the name Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Others take offense at the masculine pronouns that the Bible uses for God. As a result, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in its hymnal
Evangelical Lutheran Worship, worked diligently to reduce the use of masculine pronouns to refer to God. This was particularly true in the translation of the Psalms. In addition, they provided an alternate invocation for the beginning of the liturgy that enabled congregations to avoid saying Father and Son.
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ELCA: Answer the Question! - Part 2
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE
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Once again the ELCA refuses to be honest, to have integrity, and to allow the way it is doing things to be challenged. Instead, once again it just ignores those challenges as it demonstrates that it hopes that those who disagree will eventually just give up and go away.
Towards the end of last November the ELCA declared on its Facebook page, “Before 2009, our denomination sinfully refused to ordain any of our openly LGBTQIA+ siblings.” It also said, “We highly recommend checking out some of ReconcilingWorks’ resources.”
I have several problems with these statements.
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Thanks Be to God! Memoirs of a Practical Theologian by Robert Benne
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE
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I was thoroughly blessed through reading the recently published memoirs of Dr. Robert Benne. Many thanks to Dr. Benne for writing them and to the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau for publishing them. Reading Dr. Benne’s memoirs reminded me of when I saw the 1989 movie, “Born on the Fourth of July.” While watching that movie, and while reading Dr. Benne’s memoirs, I felt like I was reliving several of the years of my own life.
I greatly appreciate the way in which Dr. Benne shares so personally, openly, and honestly the story of his own spiritual and ministry journey. He feels deeply and articulates boldly and clearly the seriousness of the departure of much of American Lutheranism from the historic Christian faith. He feels the pain, and he can articulate the issues.
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New Year Reflections on Our Future as a Church
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There are at least two significant and alarming trends confronting American church bodies in general, and mainline Protestants in particular.
One is the developing clergy supply crisis, and the second is the aging and upcoming precipitous decline of most of our congregations.
With Lutheran CORE’s
Congregations in Transition (CiT) ministry we are focused on both a short-term and long-term strategy to help LCMC, NALC and orthodox ELCA congregations address both of these daunting challenges.
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March for Life and 2020 NALC Life Conference
Lutheran CORE Board President/Editor
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One big difference between the ELCA and the NALC is life. The NALC supports life and its Bishop Emeritus, John Bradosky, attended the March for Life regularly during his episcopate.
Bishop Dan Selbo also plans to attend both the NALC conference on the 23rd and the March for Life events on the 24th! Please plan to attend too!
I first attended the March for Life in 2018 and one of the highlights of my day was attending the National Memorial Service for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers. That year the
Benham twins spoke about how their family met and converted the woman behind Roe v. Wade. Click
here to read that story. But the real point is that this service has good speakers and attending will get you into town early with time to chill before the march begins.
If you attend and can’t find the others, text 570-916-7780 to reach Steve Shipman.
Don’t forget to bring a water bottle, a phone charger and a SmartTrip card if you’re using the
metro. You can buy it there, but lines will be long at the end of the day.
Click the
Read More button to see the agenda for both the NALC Life Conference and the March for Life events on January 23 and 24, 2020.
See agenda details under the Read More button below.
Photo courtesy of Life Issues Institute.
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Joint Anglican/Lutheran Discipleship Conference
(Feb. 13-15, 2020) in Orlando, Florida
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This conference is about discipleship and it is the very
first joint conference between the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Per the
DiscipleLife2020.org site, “both describe themselves as ‘Great Commission” churches—committed to the Lord’s charge to “Go, make disciples…baptize…teach…’ (Matthew 28:19-20).”
You can find everything from the schedule to how to register and book your hotel by clicking
here.
We are already in the second week of January and … who wouldn’t want to go to Florida in February? This is a good opportunity to meet other biblically-grounded Christians intent on creating disciples to spread the Gospel.
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© 2019 Lutheran Coalition for Renewal
PO Box 1741 Wausau, WI 54402-1741
1-888-810-4180
Lutheran CORE's mission:
- A Network for Confessing Lutherans
- A Voice for Biblical Truth
Our purpose can be summed up in two words–
Network
and
Voice
. As
Network
for confessing Lutherans, we support and connect Lutheran individuals and congregations who seek to live in accord with Biblical and confessional teachings and practices. As a
Prophetic Voice
, we advocate for Biblical authority and confessional fidelity among churches of the Lutheran community.
We support local gatherings and communicate Biblical truth through our newsletter, mailings, and various forms of social media.
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