Confidential to various Lutheran political hacks - the synod is not the True Vine.
I confess to looking at the ALPB Online Forum and LutherQuest (sic). I never read DeadLast Lutherans because it is akin to wondering what brand of sandals Judas Iscariot wore.
Someone just asked me, "Does this doctrinal apathy come from UOJ?" The answer is - "Yes!" Nothing dulls the mind more than this last step before atheism, proclaiming the entire world is forgiven and saved - without faith.
I know several Lutheran pastors who went through this phase and Church Growth, simply becoming atheists, loud and proud.
No politician is going to change the downward slide of WELS-ELS-LCMS-ELCA and the rest. Let's look at the Creation analogy, which Jesus used often.
The only way we can be fruitful is to abide with the True Vine through the Means of Grace (John 15). The UOJists reject the efficacy of the Word and mock faith in Christ, which are foundational themes in the Gospels. The UOJists have nothing left but stale gimmicks borrowed from the Pentecostals.
Clergy and synod leaders enjoy the state of apathy, because no one is riled up about anything. The membership is quietly slipping away, but not being loud and irritating about it. Why should the current leaders worry? - they will be retired in a few years.
The "conservative" Lutherans offer their flocks either the Calvinist ESV (from the National Council of Churches) or the NIV - the equivalent of McDonald's veggie-burger.
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| "Of sin, because they do not believe in Me." As plain as can be, Jesus said the work of the Church - the Holy Spirit in the Word - is to teach faith in Christ. However, the "conservative" Lutherans mock this at every turn and substitute their precious OJ/SJ for the simple Gospel. |
