In This Issue

• How does Jesus get us to the Father?
• The most effective way to change a heart
• Children's sermons
• A challenge for yourself and your congregation
• How to forgive
• Committing to the traditional sexual ethic

Scroll Down for More

by Pr. Brett Jenkins, NALC pastor from Pennsylvania and former board member of Lutheran CORE

In my office hangs my ordination certificate. Across it is emblazoned the name of the ordaining body, the body whose confessional commitments I pledged to uphold on the day I knelt and made my vows. An adult convert to the Christian faith who settled in Lutheranism as the place where I would live out my “mere Christianity” after reading a church library copy of the Augsburg Confession, in the spring of 2016 I had served that denomination in various roles for twenty years.

This spring marks the eighth year since I called my bishop and informed him that I would be serving in a new church body. Even as an adult convert, I know how painful the process is of leaving a church body you have called home [...]

by Pr. Kevin Haug, ELCA Pastor in Texas

Almost 30 years ago, I had my first introduction to the tactics of postmodern argumentation. A professor at Texas Lutheran made the statement that he could not be racist because as a Latino, he had no power. Racism was prejudice plus power. I scratched my head. I had been taught that racism was prejudice towards another person on the basis of skin color or a sense of moral superiority towards one’s own race. Where did this other definition come from?

Since then, I discovered the origin of the professor’s definition, and I have also discovered that such shifting of definitions are a strategy to   […]

by Pr. Don Brandt, Congregations in Transition and Congregational Lay-Led Initiative (CLI)

Consider the contrasting good news and not-so-good news ministry challenges that are confronting many of our congregations in 2024:

Good News: Many local churches have now been blessed by the return of members to in-person worship services now that the pandemic is over.

Not-so-good News: A great many of our congregations have nevertheless experienced a significant decrease in overall weekly in-person worship attendance when compared to 2019; i.e., before the pandemic.

Good News: Many smaller congregations are in good financial shape; benefiting from the generosity of the active Boomers who make up a majority of their membership.

Not-so-good News: These aging Boomers will not  [...]

by Pastor Dennis D. Nelson, Lutheran CORE Executive Director

Many thanks to David Peterson, pastor of Apostles Lutheran Church in Chesapeake, Virginia (LCMC), for giving us a video review of his first book, “Journey to Forgiveness: 21 Milestones to Freedom.” A link to David’s review can be found here. A link to our You Tube channel, which contains reviews of around three dozen books as well as a dozen CORE Convictions videos on various topics related to the Christian faith and life, can be found here. 

David writes, “After some thirty years of active ministry in congregations, hospices, hospitals, and fire and law enforcement settings, I have encountered many people wrestling with unforgiveness in their lives. Many well-meaning pastors have told folks, ‘You just have to forgive,’ yet have done little to share how to forgive. This book is intended to share the ‘how to forgive’ as well as provide some explanations of why extending forgiveness is so difficult.  

“As I wrote, ‘Journey to Forgiveness: 21 Milestones to Freedom,’ I knew that I needed to share a bit of my own journey to forgiveness and the devastating effects that unforgiveness has had on my own [...]

by A. Nestenprest, a friend of Lutheran CORE

Note from Executive Director Dennis D. Nelson:

Many thanks to a friend of Lutheran CORE for giving us a review of Eve Tushnet’s book, “Tenderness: A Gay Christian’s Guide to Unlearning Rejection and Experiencing God’s Extravagant Love.” The reviewer finds in this book a hope-giving guide for same-sex attracted persons who seek to live lives that are faithful to the Scriptures as well as find healing from their pain as they draw near to God. It is also a reminder to the followers of Jesus that we need to have the mind of Christ as we offer grace, encouragement, and support to people who are struggling with the issues in their lives as they seek to live lives that are faithful to God.  Here is a link to our Resources page and here is the link to the post on our website that offers resources for same-sex attracted persons as well as their pastors, church leaders, friends, and family members.

Many Christian books have been written about LGBTQ+ concerns (homosexuality, transgenderism, etc.) from a traditionalist perspective. Rarely, if ever, are these books written by and for members of the LGBTQ+ community, addressing their needs and concerns.   

Tenderness: A Gay Christian's Guide to Unlearning Rejection and Experiencing God's Extravagant Love meets the need for such a book. The author, Eve Tushnet, is a practicing Roman Catholic who holds to a traditional sexual ethic.  [...] Tushnet identifies as “gay”/“lesbian”  (same-sex attracted); however, she lives a celibate life.

 [...]

• Pro Ecclesia (CCET) Conference - Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, AL. June 10-12, 2024. Click here.
• NEXUS 2024 - Grand View University, Des Moines, IA. July 21-27, 2024. Click here.
• NALC Online Convocation. August 9, 2024. Click here.
• LCMC 24th Annual Gathering & Convention - Marion, IA. September 29 - October 2, 2024. Click here.

© 2024 Lutheran Coalition for Renewal

Email Editor (Kim Smith)

PO Box 1741 Wausau, WI 54402-1741

1-888-810-4180

www.lutherancore.org

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 communicate Biblical truth through our newsletter, mailings, and various forms of social media.