ALPB Online I can only speak for myself but I can tell you that for this NALC pastor the central issue has never been sexuality. If it were just about gay clergy then I and so many others would not have waited for the NALC to form. The LCMC was already established and provided us with a quick and easy way to exit the ELCA. The charge that the NALC was born simply as a reaction to gay pastors is a convient way for the ELCA to avoid facing their lack of evangelical mission (sorry but I don't see walking together with people while not talking about Jesus as a great missionary strategy).
I don't know that I'm proud of this, but personally I was content to stay in the ELCA, so long as Higgins Road's obsession with cultural political correctness, didn't affect my or my congregations ability to do ministry. I was willing to work for change and if that didn't work to simply ignore the liberal left circus. My congregation was growing and conflict free the week before CWA09 but was divided and in turmoil the week after. The reality of CWA09 was that the Church in assembly did something that they knew would damage congregations and their ability to do ministry. That for many of us was the last straw.
I wanted a Lutheran church body that was committed to mission. Only time will tell if the NALC will live up to our expectations. I do, however, see signs of hope. The NALC only has four staff persons. A General Secretary who does the administration, a Bishop who is pastor of pastors and defender of the faith, a Missions Director and an assistant who spends much of her time focused on mission. We are a little over a year old and we have had numerous regional missions events, one national new missions conference and we are planning a national conference for revitalizing congregations in November. I have been active as a member of the Missions team, a Dean and a delegate and can attest that the major topic of discussion at all of these meetings was not sexuality but our mission to make Christ known to all the world.
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GJ - The Olde Syn Conference has been introducing change on little cat's feet so that they do not end up with the ELCA 2009 problem. As the writer said, he was ignoring everything until the congregation woke up and began tearing itself apart.
Nothing really changed in 2009. The LCA and ALC had been quietly ordaining and defending homosexual pastors for years. In 1987, ELCA began with a homosexual quota for all official positions, commissions, committees, and tea parties. Herb Chilstrom, as ELCA bishop, whose son committed suicide, beat the drums for homosexuality - his main mission in life.
The LCA and ALC funded Lutherans Concerned, the primary lobby for homosexuals and lesbians, long before the merger.
The Olde Synodical Conference does not want their dwindling population to wake up and start discussing issues.
