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LCMS pastors' statement

Sunday, September 6, 2009
seMissourian.com
The following statement was signed by the following pastors of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: the Rev. Lawrence N. Gradt, Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ste. Genevieve, Mo.; the Rev. David V. Dissen, Cape Girardeau; the Rev. Thomas V. Handrick Sr., Perryville, Mo.; the Rev. Timothy Matthew, Kennett, Malden and Doniphan, Mo.; the Rev. Mark Martin, Cape Girardeau; the Rev. Wayne Schwiesow, Gordonville; the Rev. Paul R. Winningham, Uniontown. Mo.; and the Rev. Alan J. Wollenburg, Sikeston, Mo.

In light of the much publicized recent decisions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), we area pastors of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) would like to inform our fellow Christians in these communities that the LCMS and the ELCA are essentially two different denominations, even though both have "Lutheran" in their names.

When the ELCA, in its convention in the third week of August, declared that it will sanction and bless same-sex marriage and also that it will ordain gay and lesbian clergy, it once again departed from the clear Word of God. Humbly, we would like it to be made clear that this is a disappointment to us, and we are grieved and embarrassed that these and other actions have been taken in clear violation of God's holy, inspired and inerrant Word.

We in the LCMS are sinners who serve sinners of all kinds, calling one another daily to acknowledge our sins against God and one another, to daily repent of those sins and to daily live under God's grace in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and new life in him. Though we love all sinners, we cannot endorse nor condone the homosexual lifestyle because of the clear testimony of God's Word (Leviticus 18:22, 24 and 20:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; and Romans 1:26-27).

It is our sincerest prayer that the Lord will lead all who turn their backs on his saving Word to humble repentance in Christ.

Thank your for giving us the opportunity to correct whatever misunderstandings may have come from the ELCA's sinful decisions.

© Copyright 2009 seMissourian.com

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The ELCA decision certainly baffled me, as would any religion's similar decision on this matter.

It's probably good that you cleared up the difference between ELCA and LCMS, for the sake of your followers.

-- Posted by gurusmom on Sun, Sep 6, 2009, at 1:51 PM

Well written, but why is the first preacher the only one who's church is listed? I was born and raised LCMS, but haven't found a new church home since heading off to college 12 years ago. I still go whenever I visit the folks back home, and even visited a couple in this area (albeit a few years ago)...just haven't found one I liked. A preacher willing to put his name on a paper placing his beliefs above what is "politically correct" would go a long way with me.

The Bible shouldn't change to fit societal changes, and neither should your interpretations of it. What the ELCA did is basically allowing the inmates to run the asylum....changing the Word of God to match your chosen lifestyle instead of changing your lifestyle to live in accordance with God's Word.

-- Posted by dixietrucker on Sun, Sep 6, 2009, at 8:15 PM

My experience with LCMS is two-fold: As a young engaged man in Fenton, MO, I started attending a nearby LCMS church. The pastor called, I mentioned that my fiancé was living with me, and he told me I should no longer commune at the LCMS church. Regardless of the reasons my fiancé was living with me, he immediately condemned me for my actions. The second exposure to LCMS is the angry, hate-filled letters that I've seen written to former LCMS members when they decide to move to the 'heathenish' ELCA church.

While I have some serious questions about the logic of homosexuality, I certainly understand that they are wired to behave differently than heterosexuals. No one would set themselves up for such contempt, disdain, and scorn without serious quantifiable and psychological differences. However, I absolutely believe there is a difference in the relationship between homosexuals and heterosexuals that gives heterosexuals special status.

But, since God created everything, do we welcome everything to church? Or, if you don't conform to the interpretation of the Bible espoused by the LCMS, are you an unworthy sinner. Maybe we only welcome people who hypocritically hide their sins.

"The body is a temple; keep it holy." Does that mean we don't allow fat people in church? Should we allow there to be fat ministers? Can we have fat sopranos in the choir? What about people that are too skinny? Maybe the LCMS is where the young fat lady got the stink-eye a few months ago.

I think the LCMS should rethink its positions on this and many subjects... ...unless they only want to allow a 'certain kind of sinner.'

-- Posted by bebo on Mon, Sep 7, 2009, at 7:15 AM

The name of the pastor of the Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ste. Genevieve is misspelled. It should be Bradt not as stated.

-- Posted by Observer1 on Mon, Sep 7, 2009, at 7:47 AM

I love when churches fight with each other. It makes being an atheist feel so...right.

-- Posted by FriendO on Mon, Sep 7, 2009, at 1:04 PM

Dixietrucker, I am the author of the letter. We did put our names on the letter to the editor, as well as our locations so that we can be found. We did not include church names just because we thought that it would make the signature line too long. You can find us easily enough by looking for Lutheran Church in our respective communities and then matching it up with our name. I'm the pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston.

Bebo, I am truly sorry that you have such bad experiences with an LCMS Church. There might have been other avenues to explore. Your other arguments regarding homosexuality simply do not hold water. But I do try to understand that some folks are "wired" differently -- just as my wife and I are wired differently. :-) But that does not mean that the Christian church may defy God's Word. There are pastoral ways to address homosexuality as well as other sins, and most pastors I know will be glad to struggle with how to properly and Biblically to address those issues.

Observer1, thanks for correcting Pastor Bradt's name spelling. It was correct when we sent it to the paper, but typo's happen.

-- Posted by ajwrev on Wed, Sep 9, 2009, at 11:48 AM

Have any of these pastors ever collected wood on Saturday? Do they believe we should stone to death anyone who does? (Numbers 15:32-36)

Have any of them forgotten the Sabbath by referring to Sunday as the Sabbath? (Leviticus 19:3)

Do any of them have a physical defect when they approach the altar? (Leviticus 21:18) Do you or any of your co-signers wear glasses, ajwrev?

Do any of them ever wear wool suits that have cotton thread? (Leviticus 19:19)

Do any of the pastors put their wives apart for 7 days during menstruation, or do they share their beds every day regardless, and go to church "unclean"? (Leviticus 15)

Let the stoning begin. Would you lead it, ajwrev?

I'm curious, too, on the topic of inerrancy - do all of the pastors listed in the letter believe that the universe was created less than 12,000 years ago, when science reveals that the Earth is over 4 billion years old?

-- Posted by Ediacaran on Sun, Sep 13, 2009, at 8:07 AM

Hi, Ediacaran -- I missed your post. Still want a comment? I thought that this would notify me when there was a new post. Sorry.

-- Posted by ajwrev on Tue, Sep 22, 2009, at 9:56 AM

Ars longa, vita brevis ... tick tock.

"Everybody must get stoned." -- Bob Dylan

-- Posted by Ediacaran on Wed, Sep 23, 2009, at 9:53 PM

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