LCMS pastors' statement

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.