In This Issue…

Women and Justice is an example of postmodernism gone viral within the Body of Christ, seeking to destroy it, and if the ELCA hopes to remain Christian in a way that will permit them to be recognized as such by other Christians not held captive to the postmodern mindset, they must not only reject it, but the worldview that informs it.

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All Christian communions functioning within the increasingly-postmodern West must be on guard against the same virus that has so deeply infected the ELCA. We must fortify our immune systems against it if we hope to not have our health compromised… or worse, to die as non-Christians mouthing Christian-sounding words.

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Postmodernism Gone Viral: What Is Disingenuous About the ELCA Social Statement

“Ah! Words! Just words!” the person shouted to the man at the lectern whose speech had just concluded.  “Who told you culture is a search for coherence? Where do you get that idea from? This idea of coherence is a Western idea.”

Coherent
or Incoherent?

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I heard Ravi Zacharias tell this story.  With a quickness of wit that I can only marvel at, he responded to the person (whom he later learned was transgendered) by saying, “Before I answer you, Madame, let me ask you this, then: would you prefer that my answer be coherent or incoherent?”[1]

[1] https://www.rzim.org/read/just-thinking-magazine/an-ancient-message-through-modern-means-to-a-postmodern-mind

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Coaches for Congregations in Transition

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One thing I’ve learned over the years is that congregations can sometimes feel so desperate to call a pastor, any pastor, that they rush through the call process and sometimes make a bad decision. And if the process drags out, they become so discouraged that they simply drift – and some members just leave, often permanently. An experienced coach helps them understand that they really can see – and take – one small, necessary “discipleship step” after another; and each small step can strengthen their faith, prayer life, discipleship, fellowship, stewardship, and outreach.

The CORE Voice Newsletter Looks Different … Very Different!

Lutheran CORE is trying a new format for its newsletter and moving away from its traditional glossy magazine-style newsletter to one that is easier to read on small devices like cell phones and tablets. There will always be a printable version, but CORE will also have versions of the newsletter on our website and on Facebook that will make it easier for our readers to decide which articles they want to read and which they prefer to skip. We will also send out a version via email. If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact lcorewebmail@gmail.com with your name and email address.

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash

Rekindle Your First Love

In the March issue of our newsletter, CORE Voice, we included information about the ministries of two of the pastors who were going to be presenters at the Rekindle Your First Love event.  Another one of the persons who was scheduled to be a presenter, NALC pastor Wendy Berthelsen, heads up a non-profit Christian teaching ministry called Call Inc., which mobilizes ordinary people “called” by Christ Jesus our Lord to “incorporate His call” into all of life, 24/7: home, family, church gathering and “glocal” (local to global). 

Pithy Responses to CORE’S April Letter from the Director

I am continually blessed and encouraged by the very positive and uplifting responses which I receive to my letters from the director, articles in our newsletter, CORE Voice, and other written communications.  It is good to know that people read our materials and appreciate, value, and support our work.  The responses I received to my most recent (the April) letter from the director were no exception.

One NALC pastor wrote, “There have been times when I have wondered why CORE staff and adherents remain in ELCA, but after reading this letter, I am thankful that you are still there.  If you were to leave, it would please them because they wouldn’t have to deal with your wisdom any more. . . .

Photo by Fred Kearney on Unsplash

The Uncle Charlie Program @ St. Timothy

This program, for adults with special needs and sponsored by St. Timothy Lutheran Church, has been serving Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood for nearly 30 years. Meeting monthly since 1990, the Uncle Charlie program serves an average of 50 residents from eight group homes on the northwest side of Chicago.

American Lutheran Publicity Bureau (ALPB)

Books by Robert W. Jenson and Eric W. Gritsch!

Photo by Jonathan Simcoe on Unsplash

Coming Events

Print Version of the Full Newsletter

March 2019 Lutheran CORE Newsletter

January 2019 Lutheran CORE Newsletter

Second Mini-Newsletter – Late November 2018

November 2018 Lutheran CORE Newsletter

All,

This month David Charlton, an ELCA pastor, wrote to Bp. Eaton about his concerns concerning seminary education of traditional Lutherans seeking ordination in the ELCA. Click here to read his letter which asked some very important questions. Bp. Eaton responded and gave him permission to share; click here to read her response.

September 2018 LCORE Newsletter

 

Click here to access the summer 2018 version of the CORE Voice newsletter.

Click to access the CORE Voice newsletter for  Easter 2018.

A funny thing happened on my way to the 2018 March for Life–I almost talked myself out of going. I was already in DC, having attended the 8:30 prayer service at DAR Hall, although technically it was the 24th National Memorial for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers. At any rate, my car was in two-hour parking and I had broken away from the group (of mainly pastors), in search of a parking garage to prevent my car from being ticketed. It would have been easy to just keep driving as I needed to get to Richmond that night. But then I received an email from Dennis Nelson, President of the Board and Director of Lutheran CORE, which said, “Thank you for your bold witness as you participate in the March for Life today. Your presence and involvement help communicate the fact that we as Lutheran Christians believe that life, including the life of the unborn, is a precious gift from God.” Okay then—the timing of that was incredible and I believe in God, not coincidence–better find the others.

Four minutes later, my bus arrived and within an hour, by bus and by foot, I arrived at 12th Street and Constitution Ave where I was told to look for a large Lutherans For Life banner on the sunny side of the street. For the next two hours, Lutherans of all stripes gathered there to assemble their banners, grab lunch from the food trucks, and prepare for the march. There was unity of purpose, music, and joy in the air as introductions were made and photos were taken.

For us, the March began about 2 pm and we very slowly walked 1.3 miles to the United States Supreme Court building in about an hour and a half. Along the way, we saw a multitude of Catholic priests, nuns and lay people—an amazing witness to other Christians. There were also a number of evangelicals from independent and traditional churches. We saw Lutherans holding signs and singing along to the hymns printed on the back of the signs. I will admit, I don’t trust myself to walk and read at the same time, so it was good that the hymns were familiar.

At the prayer service I noticed a lot of young people in the seats, in sharp contrast to the seniority of some of the clergy on the stage, but during the march we saw huge crowds of high school students, often dressed in brightly colored hats, scarves or shirts, as well as babies and young children. There was even an ELCA law student who attended with his NALC mother. His mom later told me, “It was great for him to see so many young adults his age marching for the cause of life.” Another young man approached us because he saw the banner we took turns carrying. He had come in from Iowa, one of only two Protestants on the bus, and he was happy to see other Protestants present. Now, 45 years after that fateful court case was decided, there seems to be hope for the future based on the youth present. This is not a battle that is going away anytime soon. I was heartened to hear that the President addressed the March for Life at the Rose Garden, but I did not witness that.

At the prayer service, I sat two seats away from an older teenager who seemed uncomfortable in her own skin and remarked that she wasn’t even religious. Near the end of the service, the Benham twins, David and Jason, spoke and much of what they had to say was directed at the youth. It turns out that their father, a pastor, used to talk to Miss Norma nearly every day because his office was located right next to the abortion clinic where she worked. Yes, the Norma McCorvey, from the Roe v. Wade court case, that led to legalized abortion in the United States. The Benhams continuously sent her cookies and invited her to dinner at their house until, over time, she became a Christian and pro-life. It is a much more complicated story than that, but I’m glad I got up early enough to hear it. If nothing else, a seed has been planted in that teenager, and I will always wonder if that day was life changing for her.

I don’t usually think of Washington, DC as a friendly place, but I met nice people at every turn all day long. Not just the marchers, but the bus drivers, the parking attendant, random people I stopped to ask for directions, and the Metro subway workers. I made it safely back to my car, parked somewhere near the intersection of Vermont and L streets, because the Metro workers knew I needed to get off the subway at McPherson Square. That was very important to know because my phone had died by that point and I didn’t have a map. Next time I will bring a bottle of water, my cell phone wall charger plus a map and SmarTrip subway card. When I finally got to my room in Richmond, VA that night, I had walked 13,725 steps and I fell asleep instantly.

To give you a feel for just how big this event was, watch this timelapse of the 2018 March for Life. 

In its most recent newsletter, Lutheran CORE’s Steven Gjerde noted that ELCA Presiding Bp. Elizabeth Eaton had stated that, “Life is precious and beautiful and, even in its painfulness, something fiercely to be protected.” Next year, please join Lutheran CORE members, supporting members and partners, from a multitude of Lutheran church bodies, who will participate in the 2019 March for Life. Invite a friend, bring your kids and their friends, in order to show them that they are not alone and that “… we as Lutheran Christians believe that life, including the life of the unborn, is a precious gift from God.”

Kim Smith

Member of the Board of Lutheran CORE