Comments on: A look at the declining membership of the ELCA http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:41:28 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45495 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:41:28 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45495 A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever! When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all. A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever!

When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all.

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45496 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:41:28 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45496 A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever! When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all. A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever!

When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all.

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45498 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:41:28 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45498 A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever! When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all. A Church-Wide Assembly (national convention) can never over-ride God's Word revealed in the Holy Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever! Societies and nations, with their so-called values" will rise and fall, but God's Word remains forever!

When a "church" leaves God's teaching, it is no longer church, no matter what it may look like by outward appearances. Having bishops, and dressing in clerical collars does not make a church Christian. May God rescue those who are still lost in the ELCA. May He have mercy on us all.

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45492 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:33:25 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45492 Erik, Jules has a point. One who cares for those who are sick, in prison, or homeless are not "leftists." Those who take money from everyone else to fund the above and other agendas (planned parenthoods slaughter of unborn chilkdren, etc.) are leftists. There are caring Chistians across the political spectrum. To learn about genuine Lutheranism, get a copy of the Book of Concord from your church library, and some biographies of Martin Luther, including Bainton's "Here I Stand." If you know the small Catechism, try reading the Large Catechism by Luther, and the Augsburg Confession. Unfortunately the ELCA is no longer Lutheran, although it has had a Lutheran "heritage" or past. See for yourself how far the ELCA has strayed from Lutheranism and Biblical Christianity. A friend once referred me to the Wittenberg Trail online. I would encourage you to Google that and "Issues Etc." I was baptized and raised in an LCA church (which joined in the merger of the ELCA in the '80s). I know what I'm talking about. Peace! Erik,
Jules has a point. One who cares for those who are sick, in prison, or homeless are not "leftists." Those who take money from everyone else to fund the above and other agendas (planned parenthoods slaughter of unborn chilkdren, etc.) are leftists. There are caring Chistians across the political spectrum.

To learn about genuine Lutheranism, get a copy of the Book of Concord from your church library, and some biographies of Martin Luther, including Bainton's "Here I Stand." If you know the small Catechism, try reading the Large Catechism by Luther, and the Augsburg Confession. Unfortunately the ELCA is no longer Lutheran, although it has had a Lutheran "heritage" or past. See for yourself how far the ELCA has strayed from Lutheranism and Biblical Christianity.

A friend once referred me to the Wittenberg Trail online. I would encourage you to Google that and "Issues Etc." I was baptized and raised in an LCA church (which joined in the merger of the ELCA in the '80s). I know what I'm talking about.
Peace!

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45494 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:33:25 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45494 Erik, Jules has a point. One who cares for those who are sick, in prison, or homeless are not "leftists." Those who take money from everyone else to fund the above and other agendas (planned parenthoods slaughter of unborn chilkdren, etc.) are leftists. There are caring Chistians across the political spectrum. To learn about genuine Lutheranism, get a copy of the Book of Concord from your church library, and some biographies of Martin Luther, including Bainton's "Here I Stand." If you know the small Catechism, try reading the Large Catechism by Luther, and the Augsburg Confession. Unfortunately the ELCA is no longer Lutheran, although it has had a Lutheran "heritage" or past. See for yourself how far the ELCA has strayed from Lutheranism and Biblical Christianity. A friend once referred me to the Wittenberg Trail online. I would encourage you to Google that and "Issues Etc." I was baptized and raised in an LCA church (which joined in the merger of the ELCA in the '80s). I know what I'm talking about. Peace! Erik,
Jules has a point. One who cares for those who are sick, in prison, or homeless are not "leftists." Those who take money from everyone else to fund the above and other agendas (planned parenthoods slaughter of unborn chilkdren, etc.) are leftists. There are caring Chistians across the political spectrum.

To learn about genuine Lutheranism, get a copy of the Book of Concord from your church library, and some biographies of Martin Luther, including Bainton's "Here I Stand." If you know the small Catechism, try reading the Large Catechism by Luther, and the Augsburg Confession. Unfortunately the ELCA is no longer Lutheran, although it has had a Lutheran "heritage" or past. See for yourself how far the ELCA has strayed from Lutheranism and Biblical Christianity.

A friend once referred me to the Wittenberg Trail online. I would encourage you to Google that and "Issues Etc." I was baptized and raised in an LCA church (which joined in the merger of the ELCA in the '80s). I know what I'm talking about.
Peace!

]]> By: Donna http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45491 Donna Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:31:56 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45491 I honestly think this was happening before the statement on Human Sexuality. I have a feeling it is because most Lutherans do not know nor have they studied their history. Most do not even know what the Augsburg confession is, much less have read it. They do not really understand the theology, nor do they try. If we studied our history which is rich and full of God's word and if we proceeded to share our pride in that history, then things would turn around. It would also help us understand our differences. In order to grow, you have to start with fertile soil (learning). We need to incite passion in our Church again! I honestly think this was happening before the statement on Human Sexuality. I have a feeling it is because most Lutherans do not know nor have they studied their history. Most do not even know what the Augsburg confession is, much less have read it. They do not really understand the theology, nor do they try. If we studied our history which is rich and full of God's word and if we proceeded to share our pride in that history, then things would turn around. It would also help us understand our differences. In order to grow, you have to start with fertile soil (learning). We need to incite passion in our Church again!

]]> By: Donna http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45493 Donna Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:31:56 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45493 I honestly think this was happening before the statement on Human Sexuality. I have a feeling it is because most Lutherans do not know nor have they studied their history. Most do not even know what the Augsburg confession is, much less have read it. They do not really understand the theology, nor do they try. If we studied our history which is rich and full of God's word and if we proceeded to share our pride in that history, then things would turn around. It would also help us understand our differences. In order to grow, you have to start with fertile soil (learning). We need to incite passion in our Church again! I honestly think this was happening before the statement on Human Sexuality. I have a feeling it is because most Lutherans do not know nor have they studied their history. Most do not even know what the Augsburg confession is, much less have read it. They do not really understand the theology, nor do they try. If we studied our history which is rich and full of God's word and if we proceeded to share our pride in that history, then things would turn around. It would also help us understand our differences. In order to grow, you have to start with fertile soil (learning). We need to incite passion in our Church again!

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45488 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:21:27 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45488 A-men, Eric! A-men, Eric!

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45485 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:19:56 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45485 I know a book that could work an even better renewal among those left in the ELCA. It's called The Holy Bible. Oh, that ELCA churches would hear the changeless Word of God over the shifting, worldly voices of society. I know a book that could work an even better renewal among those left in the ELCA. It's called The Holy Bible. Oh, that ELCA churches would hear the changeless Word of God over the shifting, worldly voices of society.

]]> By: Rik http://www.jakebouma.com/2008/08/15/a-look-at-the-declining-membership-of-the-elca/comment-page-1/#comment-45489 Rik Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:19:56 +0000 http://www.jakebouma.com/?p=671#comment-45489 I know a book that could work an even better renewal among those left in the ELCA. It's called The Holy Bible. Oh, that ELCA churches would hear the changeless Word of God over the shifting, worldly voices of society. I know a book that could work an even better renewal among those left in the ELCA. It's called The Holy Bible. Oh, that ELCA churches would hear the changeless Word of God over the shifting, worldly voices of society.

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