AN ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY GUIDE

FOR THE RECONSIDERATION OF THE HUMAN SEXUALITY SOCIAL STATEMENT

by Dennis D. Nelson

The task force that is reconsidering the 2009 ELCA social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” has released a study guide that focuses on the whole issue of bound conscience.  They are asking for responses by September 30.

HERE is a link to an article I wrote which described the two reconsiderations that are a part of the process as directed by the 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  The first reconsideration was approved by the 2025 Churchwide Assembly by a vote of 742-46 and consisted of changes which the task force described as “simply editorial.”  In the article I argued that the changes are not “simply editorial.”  Rather they amount to no less than a most radical full embrace of every form of sexual orientation and gender identity.  The second reconsideration, which is being worked on now, is being described as “substantive.”  It is a reconsideration of the whole issue of “bound conscience.”  That is the term which the 2009 social statement uses to describe the fact that people in the ELCA hold different views on same sex relationships.

HERE is a link to the study guide.  It is a series of readings and questions which congregations and individuals can use to reflect on the issues.  The process is set up to consist of two sessions of one hour each, though there is also a way to divide it into four sessions.  This schedule can be found on page 8.

2026 — The task force publishes study materials for congregations.

2027 — A draft of revisions to the social statement will be released for public comment. The task force will consider these comments in revising the draft.

2028 — The ELCA Churchwide Assembly will take action on any proposed revisions.

On page 7 there is a statement that for me has no credibility.  “The end of the process is not pre-determined.”  Leading up to 2009 and ever since 2009 there has been continually less and less space for traditional views.  Why would we expect that the vote in 2028 will be anything other than another step in the same direction? 

As part of the discussion of the first reconsideration at the 2025 Churchwide Assembly a motion was made to remove the phrase “to be a covenant between a man and a woman” from the language “The Christian tradition has historically defined marriage to be a covenant between a man and a woman, as reflected in the language of Genesis.”  The rationale for the amendment was that the current wording is harmful to LGBTQ people and does not correspond to their lived experience.  The claim was that merely reminding people that marriage between one man and one woman has been the historic teaching of the church was traumatic and upsetting.  The maker of the motion argued that rather than waiting three more years when bound conscience will be considered, something could be done then to make the social statement less harmful.  The amendment to the amendment was adopted by a vote of 552-211, and the revised social statement was approved by a vote of 742-46.  Two things were going on in this vote.  First, a re-writing of history to eliminate what some people find traumatic, upsetting, hurtful, and harmful.  Second, making truth conform to certain people’s liking and lived experience.

ELCA youth gatherings are grooming events for LGBTQIA+, transgender, and non-binary ideology.  Synods post on Facebook the ways in which they celebrate June as Pride Month.  ReconcilingWorks has a voice but no vote position on the ELCA Church Council.  Why would we think that this reconsideration process also will not result in great gains for the LGBTQIA+ cause and community?  The only question is how much will they gain.       

And yet the study guide tries hard to do damage control, emphasizing church unity as it seeks to limit potential losses as a result of the vote on this reconsideration.  For example –

Page 10 – Focusing on God as the source of the church’s unity as well as on our shared vocation “can open our hearts to the many things we hold in common and to the behaviors and values that will support trusting and life-centered relationships.”

Page 13 – “What effect do you think it would have on our conversations about sexuality if we made these core beliefs the glue that holds us together even amid disagreement?”

Page 27 – “Even in disagreement, there is still much upon which this church agrees regarding how we relate to one another.”

Page 35 – “The social statement does not try to solve disagreements but to guide the church in living together amid disagreement.”

Page 14 introduces the example of Lutheran-Catholic dialogue, which they described as focusing on what unites us and being honest about what divides us as it fostered dialogue and renewed relationships.

Page 16 – “The joint statement reflects yearning for unity, but neither the Lutheran church nor the Catholic church lets go of its deepest beliefs.  Dialogue across disagreement does not mean that either side must come to a quick or easy compromise. . . . The joint statement recognizes that these deep disagreements still exist and notes that the two churches commit to remaining in relationship, learning from each other.”

However, there is a huge difference between Lutheran-Catholic dialogue and the ELCA’s reconsideration of bound conscience and same sex relationships.  Because of this huge difference I do not see any relevance in the comparison.  In Lutheran-Catholic dialogue both parties come to the table from a position of strength.  It is a conversation between two fairly equal parties – where neither party is at risk.  That is not the case with ELCA discussions regarding human sexuality.  There is great discrepancy between the strength and resources of the two sides.  One side – those with traditional views – has been continually losing ground.  The other side – those who are working relentlessly to advance LGBTQIA+, transgender, and non-binary ideology – is continually gaining ground.  For one side – those with traditional views – the question is how much will they lose and will there be any kind of place remaining for them.  For the other side the question is how much will they gain.  And even if they do not gain everything they want this time, they will certainly gain some and there will always be a next time.

Finally, there are many references in the study guide to the importance of mutual respect.  For example –

Page 32 – “The social statement calls upon us to live out the moral principle of ‘mutual respect’ amid our disagreements.”

On page 33 we find a section from the social statement which includes these statements –

“In our Christian freedom, we therefore seek responsible actions that serve others and do so with humility and deep respect for the conscience-bound belief of others.”

“This church . . . encourages all people to live out their faith . . . with profound respect for the conscience-bound belief of the neighbor.”

“Regarding our life together as we live with disagreement, the people in this church will continue to accompany one another in study, prayer, discernment, pastoral care, and mutual respect.”

I have already mentioned how ELCA youth gatherings have become grooming events for LGBTQIA+, transgender, and non-binary ideology.  At the 2018 youth gathering Nadia Bolz-Weber, ELCA pastor and the ELCA’s first “public theologian,” led 30,000 young people in a chant rejecting traditional views on human sexuality as a lie from Satan.  With the masterful way in which she structured and gave her presentation, she got the response that she wanted.

For me, until and unless the ELCA officially apologizes for and distances itself from this highly manipulative action by and these highly inflammatory comments from Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, there is no credibility to the ELCA’s talking about mutual respect.

Page 38 provides a link where people can respond to a survey.  The link will close September 30, 2026.  Additional comments and questions can be sent to the task force at Reconsiderations@ELCA.org.  You can follow the process by visiting ELCA.org/Reconsiderations. 

The ELCA developed worship resources for the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  As expected, right from the start, the ELCA made this observance into something negative.  It introduced these resources as ones that “both celebrate and lament our nation’s history.”  HERE is a link to the resources. 

Certainly there are many things in our nation’s history that were done wrong.  Racism is wrong.  Slavery followed by decades of racial discrimination were wrong.  The way that indigenous people were treated was wrong.  Any form of oppression of the weak and vulnerable is wrong.  But why can we not just give thanks for this great country that we have been privileged to live in as we re-commit ourselves to continuing to work for “liberty and justice for all”?

What would it be like if my wife and I were celebrating a milestone wedding anniversary and she were to tell me all the things I have done wrong during our years of married life?   Before I retired I served as pastor of the same congregation for forty years.  What would it have been like if on my final Sunday there I had told the congregation all the things that they had done wrong and all the ways I had been treated badly?  And what if the congregation were to invite me to return some Sunday and I were to repeat the same list of grievances?  Would I be invited again?  And yet that is what the ELCA consistently does.  It has even made worship resources for the 250^th birthday of our nation into a time of criticism of our country and “white-dominant Christianity.” 

And then the next thing I want to talk about is the order of confession and forgiveness in the proposed worship service.  The order of confession is as follows –

“God of all mercy, we have sinned against you, our neighbors, and your creation.  Within ourselves and our communities, our desire to do what is good is at war with the evil that dwells in us.  We lament the evil that holds us captive.  We repent of the evil we have done, and the evil done on our behalf.  Rescue us, forgive us, and restore us for lives of compassion and courage through our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

What word is used four times?  Evil.  Evil that dwells in us, evil that holds us captive, evil that we have done, and evil that has been done on our behalf.  Evil is a very strong word.  Is evil the word that most accurately describes how we have lived and how our country has been for the past 250 years?

In contrast to the wording of the confession, compare the wording of the absolution –

“All-merciful, Almighty God forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit’s power strengthen you in doing what is good.  Amen.”

If evil is the primary word that describes my and our country’s spiritual condition, then I need far more than just forgiveness and strength to do what is good.  I need someone to deliver me from and break the power of evil. 

In the Second Reading for July 5 from Romans 7 the apostle Paul talks about the struggle taking place within himself.  He does use the word evil twice.  But then what he calls out for is not just forgiveness and strength to do good.  He begs for deliverance.  “Wretched man that I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7: 24-25)

But I am not convinced that the ELCA really wants us to be rescued from “this body of death.”  Rather it seems to want to continually be able to call on us to grovel and repent of the same things – racism, sexism, patriarchalism, white supremacy, male dominance, and so on.  I am not convinced that the ELCA really wants there to be forgiveness and really wants Someone to break the power of evil because then the ELCA would have no authority and right to continually call on me to grovel over and repent of the same things if they have been forgiven and the power of evil were to be broken.  There is real power in claiming to be in a position to continually call on others to grovel and repent, just as there is real power in claiming to be one who has been victimized and oppressed.  If I were to forgive, then I lose my power over the one whom I claim has offended me.  If the power of evil were to be broken, then I would lose my power over and my vindication for putting my foot on the neck of the one whom I claim has victimized and oppressed me.

The words of the third verse of the hymn, “When Peace, Like a River,” are as follows –

“He lives – oh, the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.  Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

That is a gift that I am not convinced that the ELCA actually wants people and our nation to have.  Because if our sins truly were nailed to the cross and we bear them no more, then the ELCA would have no right and authority to keep on calling on us to grovel over and repent of the same things.

Finally, I would like to say a few words about the article that comes after the sample worship service.  It is written by an ELCA pastor and is entitled, “Preaching the Lectionary on the Occasion of the US Semiquincentennial.”  Because it is included with these resources, I take it to be an accurate reflection of the position of the ELCA.

The first thing I notice is that it is overwhelmingly negative. Right from the start it talks about all the awful things that were happening in our country during the time leading up to our nation’s Bicentennial.  Then it makes these comments –

“On this day, Lutheran preachers in particular are called to reject outright the temptations and claims of Christian nationalism.  At this moment in the United States, we are faced with a political movement that has married Christianity with an embrace of hardline authoritarianism and glorification of violent masculinity, casting Jesus in the role of a warrior.  We have seen a political Christian movement that has attempted to demonize empathy and love of neighbor, recasting ‘neighbors’ as only those who share the same ethnicity and cultural background.”

“In today’s gospel (from Matthew 11), we hear. . . . the call to repentance for a church that has celebrated America without acknowledging the role its dominant (white Christian) culture has played in enslavement, abuse, and terrorization of non-white, non-Christian Americans, and all are (sic) who are most vulnerable, including women, children, and the poor.”

White supremacy, violent male dominance, and Christian nationalism are all wrong.  The United States is a great place to live, but it is not the Kingdom of God on earth.  And yet are the bad things rejected in this article actually concerns and values held by the typical ELCA member of a typical ELCA congregation?  Rather I believe they are issues raised by a certain group because it makes them feel powerful and better to do so.  At the heart of much extreme left political activism is an intense sense of self-righteousness.

The introduction to these resources says that they are intended to “unite the diverse body of Christ for the life of the world.”  With their negative, inflammatory language they do just the opposite.

by Dennis D. Nelson

Many thanks to AALC pastor James Hoefer and NALC pastor Cathy Ammlung for providing the latest videos for our You Tube Channel.    A link to our YouTube channel, which contains sixty-nine videos on books and topics of interest and importance, can be found HERE.   

“WALKING WET: GOD’S BAPTISMAL PROMISE”

by James Hoefer

Pastor James Hoefer has reviewed his latest book, “Walking Wet: God’s Baptismal Promise.”  A link to his review can be found HERE. 

In this book Pastor James clearly states that baptism is God’s saving work – not our work of obedience and testimony.  God does not start with our faith in Him, our witness to Him, or our efforts for Him.  Rather He starts with His promises to us – promises He made and gave long before you or I could ever do anything to earn them.  Our faith in Him, witness to Him, and efforts for Him would never be enough.  They could never give us a solid foundation for life, a sure and certain sense of who we are, and security in our relationship with God.  All these are given to us through God’s promises through baptism. 

Dennis Nelson, executive director of Lutheran CORE, writes –

This book is clearly written with many very interesting and relevant illustrations.  It reflects a pastor’s heart and is theologically solid.  I was deeply honored to have been invited to write the Forward for this book.  James and I were roommates in seminary and have been good friends ever since.  I have always known him to have a deep love for Jesus, a passion for ministry, and a heart for global mission, especially in the Third World.     

“TOOLKIT FOR WORSHIP PLANNING – PART FOUR”

by Cathy Ammlung

Pastor Cathy Ammlung has released the fourth in a series of videos intended to provide congregations – especially those with temporary or longer-term pastoral vacancies – with some tools for worship planning.  A link to her latest video can be found HERE.  A link to the full manuscript of her latest video can be found HERE.   

In this video Cathy covers more traditional hymnody and the most common Lutheran hymnals.  In her next video she will address hymn selection in contemporary worship.

Cathy writes –

In the present video, we’ll talk about why selecting hymns can be difficult and examine some of the tools the hymnals themselves provide for assisting you.  Make sure you have an LBW (Lutheran Book of Worship), ELW (Evangelical Lutheran Worship), or LSB (Lutheran Service Book) in hand so you can follow along.  In addition to navigating the lectionary information in the front of hymnals, we will also look at several of the indexes. We’ll use a popular hymn tune as an example as we examine the indexes and give a practical example of how that can be helpful.  Finally, we’ll wrap up with some additional “helpful hints” and strategies for selecting hymns, swapping out tunes, teaching and introducing new hymns, and helping people really sing their faith.

In the first video in this series Cathy discussed the importance of worship planning.  In her second video she talked about the church year, including festivals.  The third video covers the lectionary.

June 2026

NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

Dear Friends –

In Matthew 9: 18-26 – part of the Gospel for June 7 – we read of two people who come to Jesus at a time in their lives when they have nowhere else to go.  One was a leader of a synagogue, whose daughter had just died; the other was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.

Mark 5 and Luke 8 also tell of these two people and give the man’s name – Jairus.  Matthew says that he “came in and knelt before Him” (9: 18); in Mark the language is much stronger.  He “came and, when he saw Him, fell at His feet and begged Him repeatedly” (5: 22-23).  This man was desperate.  Luke informs us that this twelve-year-old girl was his only child (8: 42).  And while in Matthew the girl had just died (9: 18), in Mark “she is at the point of death” (5: 23) and in Luke she “was dying” (8: 42).  In Matthew Jairus begs Jesus to raise her from the dead.  In Mark and Luke he begs Jesus to come and heal her.  Either way, he is desperate.  He sees Jesus as the only one who can help him.  He is highly respected in the community, but he has a problem that is way beyond his ability to solve.  He is a leader of a synagogue, so he could be severely criticized for associating with Jesus.  But out of desperation and because of his great love for his daughter he goes to Jesus, falls on his feet before Jesus, and brings Jesus into his home.  He has nowhere else to go.

The woman who had been bleeding for twelve years also had nowhere else to go.  According to Mark, “she had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse” (5: 26).  Several ancient versions of Luke do not want to badmouth physicians as Mark does, so they do not include “she spent all she had on physicians” but only say “no one could cure her” (8: 43).  As I think of the tremendously high cost of health care today and of people who have spent a great deal of their retirement resources on health care, I can understand why they are – and this woman was – desperate.

If the little girl was at the point of death or dying rather than already dead, then Jairus must have become even more desperate when there is a delay in Jesus’ responding to his need because He first responds to the need of the bleeding woman.  Either way here are two people who have nowhere else to go who go to Jesus.

When in your life have you gone to Jesus, knowing that you had nowhere else to go?  Are we sufficiently aware of the fact that every Sunday morning there are people in our sanctuaries who have nowhere else to go? 

It grieves me when I see churches taking away from people the Jesus they can go to when they have nowhere else to go.  Instead they give people a Jesus who is constantly calling on them to try harder, do more, and keep on repenting of racism, sexism, patriarchalism, white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia (fear of foreigners), and Islamophobia.    

It grieves me that in their first recommendation the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church revealed what they valued the most and felt most urgent about. They recommended that “the ELCA Church Council immediately begin identifying and acting upon mutual accountability measures and compliance incentives across all expressions of the ELCA to ensure the proactive centering of dismantling racism within the denomination.”   A memorial overwhelmingly approved by the 2025 Churchwide Assembly directed the Church Council “to provide progress updates to this church with a final report by fall 2027, including possible constitutional changes.”  Nearly one year after the 2025 Churchwide Assembly no progress report has been given.   

Dismantling racism does not mean just not being racist and being against racism.  We all are against racism.  We all agree that racism violates the dignity and value of every human being.  Dismantling racism is different.  It speaks of a political ideology, which views society as being made up of systems of power, privilege, and oppression.  Those in power (especially straight white males) are unable to not be racist.  They will do everything they can to preserve the systems that empower them.  Therefore those systems must be dismantled.  I wonder how many ELCA members know that that is the ideology undergirding much of what the ELCA is doing.   

Even though the ELCA Church Council was directed “to provide progress updates to this church,” they are very tightlipped and non-communicative.  The report from the representative from churchwide at the recent assembly of the synod in which I am rostered told of many good things the ELCA is doing, but we were told nothing about the above.  It definitely seems that ELCA leaders do not want ELCA congregations and church members to know what is actually going on.  We will inform you as we learn more. 

In our two most recent publications we included resources for those who want to learn more and/or want to inform their congregations about what the ELCA is actually doing.  In our May 2026 newsletter we had an article which contains links to and summaries of a number of articles which tell about actions that have been taken and decisions that were made during and between the 2022 and 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assemblies.  In my June 2026 letter from the director I gave a list of questions that you can use if and/or when your synodical bishop or another synodical representative visits your congregation.

Thank you for your prayers, words of encouragement, and faithful financial support, all of which enable us to do our work of being a Voice for Biblical Truth and a Network for Confessing Lutherans.  Please find below links you can use to give a gift towards our regular operating expenses.  Your prayers are especially important to us.  Please let us know how we can be praying for you. 

In the Name of Jesus, to Whom we can go even when we have nowhere else to go,

Dennis D. Nelson
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE
P.O. Box 1741
Wausau WI 54402-1741

CROSSING THE JORDAN

by Dennis D. Nelson

I am currently studying the Old Testament book of Joshua.  For many people what first comes to mind when they think of Joshua are the walls of Jericho and the challenge to “choose this day whom you will serve” (24: 15).  There are several things in the first five chapters that give me strength and encouragement as I seek to live the Christian life.

Right from the start Moses must have seen in Joshua a young man of exceptional ability and promise.  The first time we meet him is in Exodus 17 when Israel was attacked by the Amalekites on their way to Mt. Sinai.  Moses chose Joshua to lead the battle.  A few chapters later – in Exodus 24: 13 – Joshua is called Moses’ assistant and accompanies Moses up Mt. Sinai.  Only Moses is called by God from the cloud, enters the cloud, and goes further up the mountain (24: 16-18).  We do not know exactly where Joshua was and what he was doing during the forty days and forty nights when Moses was with God up on the mountain, but here Joshua experiences the glory of God.  Later Exodus 33:11 tells us that Moses would meet with God in a tent outside the camp, where God would speak to him “face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” One time, after meeting with God, Moses returned to the camp, “but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not leave the tent.”  Having experienced the presence and power of God, Joshua must have wanted to remain in the place where he felt closest to God.

When was the time and where was the place where you most experienced the presence and power of God?  Where is the place where you like to go back to and remain because there you feel closest to God? 

Having shown unusual leadership ability and spiritual sensitivity even as a young man, being chosen and mentored by Moses as his assistant, and having experienced the presence and power of God, Joshua was uniquely prepared to lead God’s people across the Jordan into the Promised Land.

What are the unique experiences that prepared you for your present position of leadership, ministry, and service, or that prepared you for the roles and responsibilities that you had during your time of active ministry?

It amazes me that after forty years of seeing all the pressure that Moses was under and how badly the people treated Moses – and God – Joshua was still willing to take on the challenge of leading the people.  Why did he do it?  What made him able to do it?  Was it because he knew that he had been chosen and that he had spent time on Mt. Sinai and had lingered at the tent of meeting? 

1.  The book of Joshua starts out with these words – “After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord (after their deaths, but not until after their deaths, both Moses and Joshua are given the honorific title, ‘the servant of the Lord’) the Lord spoke to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, ‘My servant Moses is dead.  Now proceed to cross the Jordan’” (1:1-2).

It would have been very easy and natural for Joshua to say, “Moses is dead; all is lost.”  Or “Moses is dead; what do we do now?”  Or “Moses is dead; we had better go back into the wilderness.”  But God said, “Moses is dead.  Now proceed to cross the Jordan.”  We all have had experiences of great loss and great change – experiences after which life will never again be the same – when we have wondered, “What do we do now?”  May we hear and heed God’s saying to us the same thing He said to Joshua – “Now proceed to cross the Jordan.”  At this point in your life what would be the equivalent for you of proceeding to cross the Jordan?

May we hear God say to us the same thing He said to Joshua – “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. . . . Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1: 5, 6, 7, 9).  In 1: 18 the warriors from Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh say to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.”  What a joy it must have been for Joshua to hear these warriors repeating the words of God. 

2.  In chapter 2, when Joshua sends spies across the Jordan to check out the land, especially Jericho, he only sends two spies.  Was he remembering forty years before when Moses sent twelve spies – one from each tribe?  That time only he and Caleb came back with a positive, if-God-promises-it-we-can-do-it report.  Was sending twelve spies a set up for trouble that he – Joshua – was not going to risk?

3.  In chapter 3 Joshua is getting ready to lead the people across the Jordan.  In verses 3-4 he says, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place.  Follow it, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before.”  We all have had times in our lives when we have needed to go where we have not passed before.  Are you going through one of those times right now?  During those times we need to know that God is going with us – and He is going first.  I remember a poster I hung in my room during my first year in seminary.   A young man asks, “Is there a future?”  God answers, “Yes, I am already there.”

4.  Joshua 3: 13 says, “When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord . . . rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.”

There are many parallels between the leadership times of Moses and Joshua – parallels that I believe were intentional.  God was showing that He would be leading and caring for the people through Joshua just as He had through Moses.  At the beginning of the time of leadership for both of them there was a miraculous crossing of a body of water – the Red Sea (or Sea of Reeds) for Moses, the Jordan River for Joshua.  Both times it says that the people crossed over on dry ground (Exodus 14: 22, Joshua 3: 17).  But there is also an interesting and I believe significant difference.  Under Moses in Exodus 14: 21 “the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land.”  The people did not need to step into the place where the water had been until the path was already provided and the ground was dry.  Under Joshua in Joshua 3: 13 the waters of the Jordan were not cut off and the path was not provided until the feet of the priests stepped into the water.  It is also interesting that the priests who were carrying the ark across the river stayed in the middle of the river until all the people had crossed over (3: 17).    

When in your life has God provided a clear, dry path before you needed to proceed?  When have you needed to proceed before God provided a clear, dry path?  When have you needed the assurance of God’s presence until you were all the way across and all the way through the difficult time?

I believe it was significant the order in which it happened.  It was early in their relationship with God – when they were fresh out of Egypt – that God first provided a clear, dry path.  It was forty years later – when there was a whole new generation that had been trained in trust through the daily provision of manna, water in the wilderness, and the guidance of the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire – when God expected them to first step into the water.

5.  Joshua 3: 15 says, “Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest.”  God did not lead the people across the Jordan during the time of year when it would be the easiest because the water level would be the lowest.  Rather He led them across the river when it would be the hardest because the water level would be the highest – during the time of spring harvest when the sources of the Jordan would be most abundantly fed by the snow melt up in the north.  We thank God for times when things go relatively smoothly, but we also know that there will be times when life will challenge us and require the best that we have to give.  God is with us during both kinds of times. 

6.  In chapter 4 God tells Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe, each of whom was to select a stone from the middle of the river – from the place where the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant had stood – and then pile those stones on the west side of the river.  And these were not to be small stones.  Joshua told the twelve men, “Each of you take up a stone on his shoulder” (4: 5).   These stones would be for the Israelites “a memorial forever.”  “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’, then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (4: 6-7).  What for you would be the equivalent of the twelve stones west of the Jordan?  What are the objects and experiences that remind you of God’s working in your life?  And are you telling your children and grandchildren about them?

It is also interesting how 4: 9 tells us that “Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.”  The phrase “to this day” occurs often in the book of Joshua.  That phrase says something about the passing of time between the occurrence of the events and when they were written down.

7.  We read in chapter 5 about two things that happened soon after they cross the Jordan – the circumcision of all the males who had been born in the wilderness and the keeping of the Passover on the plains of Jericho.  Then it says, “On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.  The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land” (5: 11-12).  God had been very faithful in providing manna throughout their time in the wilderness.  But when they were no longer in the wilderness, they no longer needed manna and so the manna stopped.  Has there been a time when you experienced God’s providing as long as there was a need, but when there was no longer a need, the provision stopped?

8.  And then chapter 5 concludes by giving another example of the many parallels between the lives of Moses and Joshua.  “Once when Joshua was by Jericho (the taking of Jericho occurs in chapter 6), he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand” (5: 13).  The man identified himself as commander of the army of the Lord.  He said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy” (5: 15).  Reminds me of what the angel of the Lord said to Moses at the burning bush.  “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3: 5).  When have you most had the sense that you were standing on holy ground?  Our hope and prayer for you is that whenever you gather with God’s people for worship and whenever you read and study the Bible, you will have a sense of standing on holy ground. 

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DISCIPLESHIP

If you have not already done so, I urge you to check out the new Discipleship page on our website.  HERE is a link to that page.  The page contains links to a number of articles and videos that will help you grow in your relationship with Christ and in your following Christ’s call to mission.  Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28: 19).  He did not tell His followers to focus on gaining more members for churches.  Rather He told them to make disciples.  The resources on this page will help you make His last command your first concern.  

 For example, HERE is a link to an article by Jacob Moorman from early 2024.  Jacob is a member of River’s Edge Ministries in Mt. Airy, Maryland, which leads local mission trips as well as annual mission trips to parts of the country that have been hit hard by natural disasters.  In this article Jacob talks about the impact on him of his working in the devastated area of Clarksville, Tennessee, after it was hit by an F3 tornado just a few weeks before Christmas 2023.  Jacob writes, “This storm humbled me.  Witnessing the vast devastation put me in touch with the devastation of my own soul.  It made me realize how much I need Him.  It brought to light the spiritual reality that Christ truly is the only One who can heal and restore.”   

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QUESTIONS FOR SYNODICAL LEADERS

In our May 2026 newsletter we had an article which contains links to and summaries of a number of articles which tell about actions that have been taken and decisions that were made during and between the 2022 and 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assemblies.  HERE is a link to that article, which we provide as a resource for those who want to learn more about and/or want to inform their congregations about what the ELCA is actually doing.

Here is another resource – a list of questions that you can use if your synodical bishop or another synodical representative visits your congregation.  It definitely seems that ELCA leaders do not want ELCA congregations to know what is actually going on.  These questions will help you engage with synod leaders in a way that should lead them to face, admit, and communicate the truth.

1.  In response to actions taken by the 2025 Churchwide Assembly, a task force is developing “mutual accountability measures and compliance incentives across all expressions of the ELCA to ensure the proactive centering of dismantling racism within the denomination.”  What do you expect will be the nature, scope, and shape of these “measures” and “incentives” and how will they be implemented in our synod?

2.  At the 2018 ELCA youth gathering Nadia Bolz-Weber, the ELCA’s first “Public Theologian,” led the young people in a chant rejecting traditional views on human sexuality as a lie.  Also a pre-adolescent transgender child was a featured keynote speaker.

A keynote speaker at the 2024 ELCA youth gathering, Keats Miles-Wallace, celebrated being queer and transgender and a video argued that the creation account in Genesis 1 provides for the possibility of more than two genders – more than just male and female.

The ELCA’s 2009 human sexuality social statement gives a place of dignity and respect to a variety of views on human sexuality, including traditional views.

Why then do ELCA youth gatherings do nothing to support, encourage, and teach traditional views, but instead are grooming events for LGBTQIA+, transgender, and non-binary ideology?

3.  How would you respond to those who are concerned that the provision for bound conscience will be eliminated when the 2028 Churchwide Assembly considers the second set of recommendations from the Human Sexuality Social Statement Reconsiderations Task Force?

How would you respond to those who fear that powerful and preferred voices will not stop until traditional voices have first been silenced and then totally eliminated?  

4.  How would you respond to those who are concerned that eventually DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility) will be made mandatory for congregations?

5.  Why did the ELCA not clearly communicate to congregations that DEIA and a full embrace of every form of sexual orientation and gender identity were incorporated into ELCA governing documents through Continuing Resolutions approved by the ELCA Church Council prior to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly?  See my discussion regarding Recommendation 7 from the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church –  The Horse Has Already Left the Barn: – Lutheran Coalition for Renewal (CORE)

6.  The 2009 human sexuality social statement provided for the approval of (PALMS) publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same sex relationships and the ordination of people in those relationships, and yet that obviously was not enough for the LGBTQIA+/transgender/non-binary community.  There was even a memorial that came from a synod to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly wanting the human sexuality social statement to provide for polygamous relationships.  And a former synodical bishop who has spoken positively about polyamory (multiple partners) is the Theologian in Residence for this summer’s ELCA Rostered Leaders Gathering.  How would you respond to those who fear that even the ELCA’s full embrace of every form of sexual orientation and gender identity will not be enough?  Instead extreme, radical (and powerful and preferred) voices will never be satisfied but will always be pushing for more?

7.  We have heard and read of instances where synods have used paragraph S13.24 in the Model Constitution for Synods to take over and sometimes even close congregations.  Has this synod made use of S13.24?  If so, please tell us about the instance(s).  What was the justification and reasons given?  How was the action taken?  What has been the end result?  Does this synod have any current plans to use S13.24 to take over and maybe even close a congregation?    

One thing we can know for sure – no matter how far the ELCA goes, it will not stay there.  It will only get worse. 

HERE is a link to a list of articles that we have written regarding the ELCA covering the period of time between the 2022 and 2025 Churchwide Assemblies along with a summary of the major points from each of these articles. 

We begin with a Review and Evaluation of the 2022 Churchwide Assembly.  This is the gathering that called for the creation of a Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church and a reconsideration of the 2009 human sexuality social statement, including the whole issue of bound conscience.  We then have two articles regarding the formation of the Commission entitled, “Once You Know the Makeup You Know the Outcome.”

Next we have links to several articles regarding recommendations that came to the 2025 Assembly as a result of actions taken by the 2022 Assembly –

An Analysis of the First Set of Recommendations from the Human Sexuality Social Statement Reconsiderations Task Force

An Analysis of Constitutional Amendments that came from the Church Council to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly

Videos from the Lutheran Congregational Support Network showing the ELCA’s Quest for Greater Control

An Analysis of Recommendations 1 and 7 from the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church

We then conclude with a Review and Analysis of the 2025 Churchwide Assembly and information showing how the organizers of the triennial ELCA youth gatherings are working relentlessly to groom ELCA youth in LGBTQIA+, transgender, and non-binary ideology.

The ELCA Constitution requires the Church Council to inform synods of recommendations it will be bringing to the Churchwide Assembly six months prior to the Assembly.  So I do not know how much we will know about the 2028 Assembly before early 2028.  During the three years prior to the 2025 Assembly I was struck with how little we were informed regarding the work of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church.  They were amazingly non-communicative and non-specific in the written summaries of their meetings.  So I am not hopeful regarding how much we will know about what will be coming to the 2028 Assembly until six months before the Assembly. 

The 2025 Assembly did not go as far as many feared it might go in terms of remaking the ELCA.  The 2028 Assembly might be the time when that happens.  As we become aware of anything specific, we will keep you informed. 

Will the provision for bound conscience be eliminated?  Will the ELCA say that there is no place for traditional views on marriage and human sexuality and those who hold them?

What will be the recommendation of the Secretary of the ELCA regarding the motion for a revised process for the fast-tracking of constitutional amendments that come from the floor?

Will those who are determined to make DEIA mandatory for congregations prevail? 

What will be the shape of and what will come from the “mutual accountability measures and compliance incentives” that are being developed to make dismantling racism central in all parts of the ELCA?

Will the authority of the Bible, the Great Commission, and the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins through faith in the risen Christ have any place in the ELCA?  

We will keep you posted. 

“Your Devotional Journey Through Scripture: A Daily Discipleship Resource”

by Pastor Don Brandt

Many thanks to Doug Schoelles, NALC pastor and member of the board of Lutheran CORE, for his video review of Don Brandt’s new book.  A link to Doug’s video can be found HERE.  A link to our You Tube channel, which contains sixty-seven reviews of books and videos on topics of interest and importance, can be found HERE. 

Doug writes –

I applaud Pastor Don Brandt for addressing a fundamental practice of growing in our faith: How do we study the Bible?  As Lutherans with our mantra of Sola Scriptura we believe the Word of God is for all people. We also believe that God’s Word has something to say to every Christian every day.

But we know that building a consistent devotional pattern is difficult. We get distracted by the mundane, our busyness, and shiny electronic things. I commend Pastor Brandt for laying out a pattern to help people to begin to immerse themselves daily in the Word. Your Devotional Journey is a practical book to help a beginner become a pupil of scripture. The pattern that he gives is relatively simple. He gives advice on how to set yourself up for your quiet time in the Word. I do think he should have given a bigger emphasis to praying for the Holy Spirit to teach us. Only by the gift of the Spirit will the Word be revealed to us and our understanding be grounded in God.

• Read the day’s Bible passage.

Pastor Brandt has selected passages of three to twelve verses from throughout the Bible. I would even suggest they read the passage twice. The work he has done to select passages helps the pupil of the scripture to focus initially on important scripture passages. He has twice as many New Testament lessons as Old Testament passages. Again, this is a beginner’s book. A pupil of the scripture should cover all the scripture, Old and New Testament, over their years and decades.

• Copy 1 to 3 verses of the passage.

We are encouraged to hide the Word in our hearts (Ps 119:11). One of the best ways to learn and memorize scripture is to copy it. Pastor Brandt asks the pupil to write down – copy – 1 to 3 verses of that passage to their prayer journal. This is a good practice. Another practice that could be encouraged is writing down key words or repeated words.

• Read Pastor Brandt’s brief reflection on the passage.

The work he has done to give direction to the pupil of the Word by way of his written reflection and questions is very helpful. Reflection questions are helpful to guide meditation, going deeper, making personal. His reflections focus on the bondage of sin, the character and works of God, and applying the New Life in Christ.

• Write your personal reflections on the passage.

We have read the scripture and even copied, so now what? How does the Word of God apply to my life? The act of writing down our meditation on the Word should lead us to listen for what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. How is the LORD applying this scripture passage to me, to my life, to my sin and to my need for salvation? So, again I applaud Pastor Brandt for encouraging this step.

• Write a prayer of gratitude to God based on the scripture passage.

I was pleasantly surprised that his concluding devotional act was to reflect and write down a “thanksgiving to God.”  Not just what you are thankful for, but to thank God for his work and word in your life. When we ponder the character and works of the LORD that bless our lives, then we will find our unshakeable joy in the LORD (Isa 58:14). This emphasis on gratitude can help the pupil of the scriptures to develop a hunger and thirst for God’s Word because they find something delicious to consume each time.

I commend Pastor Don Brandt’s “Your Devotional Journey Through Scripture” as a practicum that can help Christians to begin and establish a daily time in God’s Word.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

A devotional Bible study based upon Psalm 23
The Psalm for Good Shepherd Sunday, April 26

What do you think David had in mind when he wrote the Twenty-Third Psalm? Can you even imagine having such a gift with language and such a close relationship with God so that you could write something like that? Later in life, when David was reflecting back on what he had written, what kinds of thoughts and feelings do you think might and must have been going through his mind? Maybe something like this –

“The Lord is my shepherd”

In David’s day, as well as at the time of the birth of Jesus, being a shepherd was an occupation that was looked down on. When Samuel came to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king, he asked whether all the sons were present. Jesse replied, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” (1 Samuel 16: 11) Later, when David went to visit his older brothers who were in the army, his oldest brother Eliab asked him, “Why have you come here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness?” (1 Samuel 17: 28)

David took an occupation that was looked down on and gave it dignity and value by using that image to describe his relationship with God. Reminds me of when the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “So whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10: 31)

“He restores my soul”

There were many reasons why David’s soul needed to be restored. After his sin with Bathsheba the prophet Nathan told him, “The sword shall never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12: 10), which turned out to be painfully true. Son Amnon raped daughter Tamar, whereupon son Absalom murdered Amnon. After stealing the hearts of the people, Absalom stole the kingdom from his father, whom he publicly humiliated, and then eventually met his death after his short-lived rebellion.

David experienced unimaginable sorrow, as the prophet Nathan told him he would. But still God called him a man after God’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13: 14) His soul was also restored in the birth by Bathsheba of Solomon, who would build the Temple that David had wanted to build and would be the ancestor of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus.

“Your rod and your staff – they comfort me”

David was confronted by a wise woman from Tekoa for refusing to reconcile with his son Absalom. He was also confronted by the prophet Nathan regarding his sin with Bathsheba. “You are the man!” Nathan had said. (2 Samuel 12: 7) Realizing the greatness of his sin, David experienced the greatness of God’s mercy and wrote a most powerful psalm of repentance. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51: 1)

“You spread a table before me in the presence of my enemies”

David spent many of his younger years fleeing from Saul, who saw David as a threat to the throne and therefore wanted to kill him. Three Psalms are identified as written by David while he was fleeing from Saul and living in a cave – Psalm 142, Psalm 57, and Psalm 34. These Psalms show a progression in his trust in God. Whatever was happening in David’s life when he wrote Psalm 22 also shows how many enemies he had. This is a psalm that Jesus prayed from the cross, beginning with the lament, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

“My cup overflows”

David had wanted to buy from Araunah the Jebusite a threshing floor where he would build an altar to the Lord, but Araunah wanted to give it to him at no cost. David replied, “I will not offer to the Lord my God sacrifices that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24: 24) First Chronicles 29 records the enormity of David’s gift towards the project of building the Temple. How much David must have rejoiced over the resources God had given him so that he would be able to make such a large contribution and in doing so inspire other leaders of Israel to give significantly. The Bible tells us that the people rejoiced over the generosity of the king.

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”

The prophet Nathan, who later would confront David over his great sin, earlier in David’s life comforted David with the promise that after his death, his son would build the Temple that David had wanted to build, and his house, kingdom, and throne would be established forever. (2 Samuel 7: 16) It would not all end with David.

“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”

For days David had prayed that God would spare the life of the child that was born out of his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, but on the seventh day the child died. At that point David rose from the ground, washed himself, changed his clothes, went into the house of the Lord and worshipped, and then went home and went on with his life. When asked why he had responded in that way David replied, “Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12: 23) People go through death only in one direction. David was saying, “Someday I too will die and will go to where my son is. But he will never return to where I am.”

The Twenty-Third Psalm has given comfort, strength, encouragement, and hope to millions of people for three thousand years. I believe it did the same for the one who wrote it – the shepherd who became king. Could he have written a psalm of such depth, insight, and beauty if it did not also speak powerfully to his own life?

How does the Twenty-Third Psalm speak to your life? Where and how especially does it give you comfort, strength, encouragement, and hope?

Sharing with you in following and in being cared for by the Good Shepherd,

Dennis D. Nelson
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE

Easter 2026

Dear Friends in the Lord Jesus –

For me one of the great joys of Bible study is seeing something that has always been there but I had never noticed before. Such was the case with a couple statements about Peter, which I discovered as I was preparing for the Bible study on Peter that I have been leading on the Wednesday evenings during Lent.

For many years I have been aware of the statement made by the young man dressed in a white robe to the women who had come to Jesus’ tomb early Easter Sunday morning and found that it was empty. “Go, tell His disciples and Peter” (Mark 16: 7). Other translations say, “Go, tell His disciples – especially Peter.” There was special concern for the man who had denied his Lord. “Make sure Peter knows that Jesus is alive.”

The new discovery for me this year was in Luke 24: 34, where the two followers of Jesus from Emmaus, after they recognize the Risen Lord, run back to Jerusalem, find the eleven and their companions, and say to them, “The Lord has risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon!” Paul also mentions this special appearance of the Risen Jesus to Peter in his First Letter to the Corinthians. “He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and . . . he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (1 Corinthians 15: 4-5). According to John’s Gospel at the empty tomb on Easter Sunday morning Mary Magdalene saw the Risen Jesus, but Peter did not. He only saw an empty tomb. Sometime later on Easter Sunday Jesus made a special point of appearing to Peter.

Think of what that must have meant to Peter – to know that Jesus made a special point of appearing to him. Think of what it would have meant to the lamb in Jesus’ parable, if the lamb had been aware of what actually was going on – to know that the shepherd left behind the ninety-nine to go searching just for him.

What can it mean to all of us – with all the ways that we have failed our Lord – to know that Jesus wants to make sure that His message of mercy, grace, forgiveness, hope, and love also comes to each one of us?

Peter spent the rest of his life boldly proclaiming Christ. Why, then, did all four Gospel writers – when they were recording this part of Jesus’ story – include the account of Peter’s greatest failure as a disciple? The Gospels contain different parts of the story, but they all tell about the collapse of Peter’s courage and his denial of his Lord. Why? I believe that they all told this story because Peter himself told this story over and over again. Peter and the Gospel writers wanted us to see that we all are like Peter and have denied Jesus. We all have lived in ways that our inconsistent

with our pledge to follow Jesus. We all have had moments when our witness or example was needed, but we remained silent and did nothing.

Peter’s story shows us that we do not need to be defined by our failures. God does not look at us in terms of the worst thing we have ever done. Jesus uses flawed disciples. And sometimes He uses us even more profoundly and powerfully, not merely in spite of our flaws and failures but because of them.

As I ponder all this, I become very sad as I think about the way that in some churches the main and sometimes the only message the people hear is about social, gender, and climate justice. People are continually told to grovel, repent, confess, and resist all forms of racism, sexism, male dominance, white supremacy, xenophobia (fear of foreigners), homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. In other churches it is not quite so bad. The main and sometimes the only message that people hear is that they need to do good. Every Sunday they are told they need to do more good. The problem is that none of us is able to do enough good.

I was very saddened while watching a summary video from the ELCA of the ELCA’s 2024 Youth Gathering. The only time that Jesus was mentioned in the video is when the host bishop of the host synod described our Risen Lord as “the Jesus who calls us to challenge systems of oppression and power.” It was distressing to think that this was the main message about Jesus that was being given to fifteen thousand young people.

As I realize that I too have been like Peter and have disappointed and denied my Lord, I need to know that Jesus still loves me, forgives me, has a place for me within His Kingdom, and will make sure that I get word that He is alive. I do not need – I am not helped, healed, and encouraged by – a Jesus through the lens of Marxism, critical race theory, and DEIA.

Because of your faithful prayer and generous financial support we are able to continue our work of being a Voice for Biblical Truth and a Network for Confessing Lutherans. We are able to continue giving witness to the truth of the Gospel, alerting people to ways in which the Gospel is being undermined and even rejected in some parts of the church, and providing support and resources for individuals, pastors, lay leaders, and congregations.

Please find below links you can use to give a gift towards our regular operating expenses. Please also let us know how we can be praying for you. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel, as we serve the Risen Lord Jesus, Who forgives and restores people today just as He did for Peter.

Dennis D. Nelson
Executive Director of Lutheran CORE
P.O. Box 1741
Wausau WI 54402-1741

In our January and February 2022 publications I wrote a two-part article which explored the question of how the LGBTQ+ agenda and community were able to be so successful in completely taking over the ELCA and in such a short time.  Here are links to that two-part article, which I entitled, “How Did It Happen?” – LINK and LINK.  

I described the strategies and principles of Community Organizing as outlined in a resource from ReconcilingWorks, “Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit” (BIC).  Here is a link to that Toolkit – Building an Inclusive Church – ReconcilingWorks.

On its website ReconcilingWorks describes its mission in this way.  “Since 1974, ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation has advocated for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community.”  

The Toolkit outlines steps to take to gain the support of Early Adopters, the Early Majority, and enough of the Late Majority in order to achieve the 75% approval vote that is required by ReconcilingWorks for an organization to become Reconciling in Christ (RIC).

I am a retired ELCA pastor, rostered in the Grand Canyon Synod.  I attended one of the recent Spring Conference Assemblies.  At the gathering it was mentioned that a motion will be coming to the 2027 Synod Assembly that the Synod become Reconciling in Christ and (typical of the ELCA) that there be a full year of study and discussion leading up to the vote.  It was also said that ReconcilingWorks is no longer a one-issue organization.  It is no longer focused solely on the welcome and inclusion of all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.  It is also concerned for the full welcome and inclusion of people of all races as well as differently abled people.   

With their approach of building relationships and capitalizing on shared values, I immediately recognized Community Organizing.

I wrote to the Bishop of my Synod, stating that I found the presentation to be manipulative, questionable, unfair, and unjust.    

What is manipulative is adding the inclusion and welcome of people of all races and differently abled people to the meaning of being Reconciling in Christ.  I assume that is being done in order to “grease the skids” and gain support for a more wide-spread acceptance of the inclusion and welcome of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. 

What is questionable is the statement that the focus of being Reconciling in Christ has been expanded from being merely LGBTQ+ welcoming and inclusive to also being welcoming and inclusive of people of all races and as well as differently abled people. 

The website of ReconcilingWorks does not speak so clearly of such an expansion of concern.  Here is a link to their website – Home – ReconcilingWorks. 

True, the description of “Our Vision” and “Our Values” in the purple rectangles on their Home Page does not restrict their attention solely to LGBTQ+ persons as the purple rectangle “Our Mission” does, but still it appears that the local, Grand Canyon Synod task force – I assume following the principles of Community Organizing as outlined in the Toolkit and in order to gain wider support – is misrepresenting what it means to be Reconciling in Christ by giving their own, expanded definition and version of Reconciling in Christ.   If the local task force has a definition and meaning of being Reconciling in Christ that is not the same as the definition and meaning of ReconcilingWorks as a whole, then the local task force should not use the term Reconciling in Christ.   

I clearly remember a few years ago the tensions between the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) LGBTQ+ community and the non-BIPOC LGBTQ+ community within Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries after the dust up in the ELCA’s Sierra Pacific Synod regarding former bishop Megan Rohrer (the ELCA’s first transgender bishop).  I would be surprised if there is now such peace and harmony between these two groups that the LGBTQ+ community is willing to share equally the spotlight with the BIPOC community.  

That is what is manipulative and questionable.  What is unfair and unjust is the way in which people who are welcoming of all races, are concerned for differently abled people, and hold traditional views on marriage and sexuality who therefore vote No on the resolution that the Grand Canyon Synod become Reconciling in Christ will then be made to appear as racist and uncaring.  People who hold traditional views on marriage and sexuality will be further isolated and stigmatized.  For example, the “Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit” calls those with traditional views Laggards. (Which does not sound inclusive to me.)  Once again, the truly marginalized in the ELCA will not be the LGBTQ+ community (who constantly claim that they are marginalized) but those who hold traditional views.

Either way – whether ReconcilingWorks as a whole is now expanding its focus to include people of all races and differently enabled people or the Grand Canyon Synod Task Force is coming up with its own version of what it means to be Reconciling in Christ – either way this is an example of the strategy of Community Organizing.  ReconcilingWorks – either as an entire organization or at the Grand Canyon Synod level – is setting people up so that if they are open and welcoming to all races and differently abled people, then they certainly will be just as open and welcoming to all forms of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.