My congregation voted successfully to leave the ELCA in 2023. Reflecting on the past three years, here are three things I would encourage you to keep in mind if you choose to follow suit.
First of all, remember that, whether you stay in the ELCA or not, the priority is Christ. He is the center. The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel of forgiveness of sins, life and salvation in Jesus Christ. We voted to leave the ELCA because we came to believe that preaching the Gospel was no longer the priority. Instead, we believed that another gospel, or other gospels, had taken the place of the true Gospel in the mission and ministry of the ELCA.
One of the dangers of remaining in the ELCA and “continuing the fight” was that, in doing so, we would be distracted by the ongoing culture wars in our country and in the world. Don’t assume that the temptation to focus on the culture wars will dissipate if you leave the ELCA. The same forces that worked against the Gospel from within the ELCA, still do so from the larger culture. The key is not to try to win the cultural wars, but not to let them distract us from the mission of the Church.
A second thing to remember is that the political right is not automatically an ally of the Gospel. Several members of my congregation assumed that with a successful vote to leave the ELCA, we would begin to openly embrace the causes of the political right. There is an old saying among progressives that says, “No enemies to the left.” Don’t be tempted to turn that around by saying, “No enemies to the right.” While we are disgusted by the antisemitism, gender and identity politics of the left, we should not forget that there are equally loud voices of antisemitism, misogyny, and identity politics on the right. There really is a movement calling itself Christian Nationalism that is racist and sexist. There really are popular voices like Nick Fuentes that encourage your people to embrace antisemitism. Guard your congregation against these trends.
There was an earlier split within Lutheranism in the 1970s. In that case, it was people on the left who departed and formed a new denomination. Eventually, they helped form the ELCA. One of the mistakes that they made, in my opinion, is that they tended to assume that if their old denomination was against something, they should embrace it. Many seemed unable to recognize that it is also possible to go too far to the left.
My third warning has to do with the reality of spiritual warfare. The devil loves to sow division. Even on the human level, it can be observed that once a congregation experiences a division, it becomes easier for new divisions to arise. The devil certainly knows that. He will seek any opportunity to make small disagreements into church dividing ones. He is also alert to any spiritual vacuum. When a congregation leaves a denomination it is alone until it becomes part of a new denomination. Mutual support among clergy and congregations, as well as ecclesial oversight take time to grow. Beware of unexpected spiritual forces that may arise causing chaos and division.
Whether you stay in the ELCA or seek to leave, remember that a successful vote one way or the other does not solve all of your problems. You live in a sinful world. Your mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that God will help you to keep steadfast in His Word, amidst the trials and temptations that will inevitably come your way.
