Dear ELCA 

Me, too. The ELCA is no longer a church. It is an arm of the radical leftists in the Democratic Party. I truly loved my parish. I could not remain there in good conscience.

Same here. My late mother would be hugely disappointed in what her much-beloved church has become.

I've been worshipping in the LCMS for eight years now!

That’s why I stopped going to church completely for a long time. It just broke my heart. I felt truly abandoned by the church I was baptized in. I miss it though. I miss the sung liturgy. I’m so glad I know it. I can still sing it word for word. Sad 😞

@@ellen823ful left Elca after70 years when their pastor said Mohammed’s allah was the same as God, please try the LCMS if you need the sung liturgy but also true preaching of Gospel , adherence to the Word and sacraments . Used to be a feminist but male LCMS pastors ARE faithful loving shepherds recognizing their lady members gifts and they know the difference between God and Mohammed’s allah

It certainly is.

Some of it clearly is Hateful

No it's not, but the church quite often has been very hateful.

​@@wayhollobj36"Without an hate for which threatens our love, our love is an empty catchphrase"

@@mpkropf5062 Yes, I realize that. The LCMS is much closer to the Catholic Church in most ways. But, I pray that God guides both of them closer to Him. The ELCA just has a farther distance to go

Simple minds do love those things.

I'm glad that folks like Pastor Wolfmueller are talking directly to our brothers and sisters who are most closely related to our own church body, so that we may keep striving for unity in the Gospel instead of division according to the whims of the world. It's encouraging to see hope for the Gospel win out over indifference to the lies embraced by our sister church body.

I commend this pastor. Apparently Pr Wolfmueller left the ELCA as I. Many faithful pastors remained so please, please do not think my following comments are directed at those faithful ELCA Lutheran pastors who remain to tend God’s people. I want to make that clear at the start. One can make enemies in speaking out as Pr Wolfmueller has. Some colleagues will think one a traitor to ordination vows, whether one speaks out and /or leaves the church. This is sad. But the ELCA is so politically charged there is little room for theological discourse, were that to be allowed at synod assemblies or elsewhere. Sadly, those who bring up any Biblical teachings on the floor of Synod are sometimes greeted with scorn and heckling. It’s a tough sell in these god-less times. When I left, things hadn’t come to a full head as yet, at least in my synod. It wasn’t the fullness of time for the parish as our people first needed to see where the synod would lead at that point. I thought it best to leave the parish after educating those wonderful folks in the Word and Holy Sacraments, Confessional statements, and Bible, thus allowing them to make their own decisions w/o my prejudice entering into it. In an odd way it was like a parent letting go. They were spiritual adults. I knew the ELCA would go left, but never dreamed that it would be as radical a turn as it was. The ELCA ,from its inception, incorporated cultural norms which is always highly dangerous for the church body. At its worse, cultural norms are anti-gospel and is antithetical to all that is true, right, and pure. Why? Because popular culture always has a dark side which is the playground of the devil. It’s been a tough road personally. But when I was chastised by colleagues and friends by using “antiquated” teachings no longer suitable in “today’s church” I knew the church I loved was dead. She had left her first love, Jesus Christ our Lord, and has satisfied her own depraved wants and needs by accepting the most immoral and shockingly perverse behavior society offers and baptizing it as good, right, and true. The devil loves that church trickery because he first developed it. Look at radical, leftist culture and ELCA and the two mirror one another so closely as to be one. But I still grieve. That’s what happens when you love something with all that you are. So kudos to this pastor! Keep fighting the good fight. Your brother and sisters in the faith support you and our Lord God awaits to give you the Crown of glory that he gives all who persevere in the One ,True Faith.

The eclc has jumped on the united Nations climate train the safe and orderly migration compact.

How many ELCA or NALC pastors have been indicted for interfering with US elections? Oops, that is a LCMS pastor involved in politics to intimidate volunteer election workers and now under legal indictment, yet supported by LCMS leaders,a bit ironic huh?

@@mpkropf5062 yet, LCMS us (by far) a minority in the Lutheran church. Perhaps it should spin off given it disagrees with about 77 million other Lutherans?

Back in the 80s when our church voted to join the ELCA, my mother said they were too liberal. Boy was she spot on!

What are you a member of now?

There is nothing dangerous at all about quoting church fathers as a Lutheran. It's often thought that Rome or the Eastern Orthodox have some sort of “corner” on the great church Fathers. But Lutherans have never believed this to be true. The Lutheran reformers drew upon the writings of the early church fathers to understand what the Christians of old believed and how they understood scripture, and to see how Rome had strayed from the catholic faith in certain areas. That is why every document in our confessions is supported by quotes of the early church fathers. We acknowledge the church fathers as an important authority, but not the ultimate authority, that would be the Bible alone. The Lutheran Church did not start in the 1500s, but is the continuation of the one catholic (universal) Church, including everyone who taught and believed the one catholic faith.

LOL As a member of a WELS congregation, any WELS pastor would speak to the exclusivity of the Bible, rather than to any inclusivity for any religion or behavior. Not all things can be simultaneously true, but rather that the Bible speaks to an exclusive truth.

sweyn forkbeard That’s what Pr Wolfmueller said. :)

To where did you depart?

I was just able to search with zip code

The link above goes directly to the worker search, if you click back to the main "locator" area you can search by church which has the option to do zip code + miles.

Go to Google maps and type in "LCMS." If a church in your area says LCMS on its website, the location of that church on your map will pop up, as well as a link to the website and phone number.

Ah, wise move.

May I ask, how does one screen record?

Roxie Sheppard on iPhone it’s built in. 😃 just have to press the little red button.

But it is always worth saying.

They are. LMSC is on their radar because most just can't envision not being Lutheran. Its going to be quieter than the waves of departures from recent past, can't speculate on the numbers but the ones who are will cripple some churches at the local level. Leadership should be very, very concerned but I assure you, they are not.

15 yrs here. Left heartbroken but knew I did my best to try to inform and educate people so they could stand firm in the Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ in the future. Have the battle scars to prove it. It was so painful to go.

Say hello.

Great choice. Wish we had LCMS here in New Zealand

There are still faithful churches in the ELCA trapped in the church. That being said, to be in the ELCA means that you commune with the ELCA which is a very horrifying thing to tell you the truth, there is a church in San Francisco which is the seat of a bishop that practices witchcraft. If I were you I would look for WELS, LCMC, ELDONA, or an NALC church nearby if possible since you said there is no LCMS churches. That being said if there are none I would engage and challenge your pastor on his theological beliefs to make sure you are not being led by a false teacher. If it is a remnant (which does exist within the ELCA) that’s better than nothing.

I grew up Pentecostal and stopped attending church several years ago, just not really able to find a place I felt at home. A few months ago I decided to try a local ELCA church and I really like it. I didn’t know there were different synods at that time. I liked the people and traditional service. They are very involved with community outreach. They were very warm and kind to me when I first attended. At this point in my life, I feel like it’s where I should be. It is very close to my home. I’m not going to worry about the stances on certain issues unless I start hearing things being taught from the pulpit that are troubling. We say the Creed and ask for forgiveness for our sins. I think if you like your church and they love you and your family, you should keep going.

@@mpkropf5062 no church within 150 miles where we live LSCM -

check out www.lcms.org for a church near your home. But you should expect to take an adult instruction class (length of class varies), not because we consider you dumb or deficient in any way, but it serves as a great way to get to know your pastor, ask questions of him, and well simply everyone of us should consider ourselves catechumens in need of learning.

If you want to share what's available to you within a reasonable drive of your family, maybe we can help you here!

@@rev.steveandrews2227 Oh I have one locally I'll be attending as soon as I can and a few others within reasonable distance I will check. Just what to expect from the introduction process both from a technical aspect of getting in the closed communion, but I think more importantly what it is like joining a new church from a social change perspective. Getting used to new people, how to tell a good church from a bad church etc. I think what I want to emphasize with the ELCA is that in their embrace of social progressivism they are disenfranchisizing and harming their own congregations significantly. I don't imagine they actually care about that but I consider it a significant slap in the face to disrupt our lives and plans in this way. Do you have any thoughts on what to look for in a church or references I could lookup? I do have a few LCMS churches (and a WELS though I wasn't leaning that way) to choose from luckily :) Thank you Reverend.

@@Kingcob7 In regards to closed communion, the appropriate step when you visit a congregation would be to speak with the pastor prior to the service. They will discuss with you what you believe the Lord's Supper is, and let you know if you can receive the Lord's Supper that day, or if there's a way to do so in the near future (such as going through a new member class). If you don't understand the idea of closed communion, let me know, and I'd be happy to discuss it. If my family and I were looking for a new congregation, here's the things we'd do: 1) see what LCMS churches are around us (you've already done); 2) check out their websites: you can gain a lot there from service times and types, to seeing what kind of things they're about, I'd want the website to admit they're LCMS (not all do), and be willing to share what they believe, teach, and confess. 3) visit in person. Key thing here: did the pastor share Law and Gospel? That is, in the service, did I recognize and repent of my sin and hear the good news that I'm forgiven? Were my young children welcome to be in the service with me, so they too can hear God's love for them and begin to learn how to have this as a regular part of their life? Is the pastor's sermon preached on God's Word? Was I able to attend Bible study? Did we talk about God's Word in Bible study (seems like a no-brainer, but not all do!)? This is my short list of musts. A Church that stands (or falls) on the truth of God's Word. If these things are there, it's a good place to be. You'll regularly hear God's Word for you (and your family) of forgiveness, life, and salvation. My hope is, that would be true of each of the congregations you've mentioned are an option. You mentioned people/social things. There's value there, certainly, but look at it this way: every one of our families is broken and messed up with drama we'd rather avoid. In finding a new church to call home, you're also looking at your brothers and sisters in Christ, a family. They won't be perfect anywhere you go. You're looking for a place to call home, where you will then learn to walk together as you receive God's gifts in His house and then share those things with your community around you.

@@Kingcob7 It seems like their congregants had no real say in what leadership does. These resolutions to recently be passed, I feel most congregants did not support. At any rate, I SHOCKED at the news coming out of this assembly. Wasn't an easy decision but I'm gone.

Perhaps they should dread the word judgment. Of course, eternal judgment is God's alone. In the meantime, we are called to discern false teachings... Faithful pastors like Bryan Wolfmueller help point us in the right direction. Thank you, pastor, and God bless...

Plumber Bear I'm with you. The clergy drove me NUTS with this stuff. In the Lutheran tradition, I would go to them and ask, "What is the scriptural basis for these things you are claiming ?". I would either get silence or a long winded no answer answer which would contradict itself !!!

religious groups that are conservative and resistant to change, flourish and withstand the test of time.

it is because of that awful noise they do instead of good old hymns. and the Liturgy is missing.

wierd it took so long to realize this.

Yes, send your address to the link

The Redhead Rambler Take II I’m just a lay person, and former LCA myself (looong time ago), but I feel confident in saying you would absolutely be welcome in the LC-MS, and that your baptism absolutely would be considered valid. God bless you in your search for a new church.

1. Absolutely! 2. Absolutely!

More soon

I am also a member of the LCMS. My family and I transitioned from ELCA to LCMS back in the late 1990s. I feel confident in saying that you would be welcomed into our denomination with open arms if you decide to make your home with us. Your baptism would be accepted as 100% valid.

You are the only commenter in here to be reasonable. I don't like the way some congregations in ELCA are currently run, but I Don't want to join the Misery synod either. Or any other wacko group of haters or repressors.

Some minds are like concrete, all mixed up and permanently set.

Psssst…the ELCA hasn’t been around for 60 years. Just saying. 🫣

Raul Griego exactly. And crazies like the Episcopal church are "blessing" abortion mills. Ultimately I left the Lutheran church because of that issue they were silent about. Coming into Catholicism now and I can't find a parish without some ProLife ministry.

The LCMS addresses these isses

@@laurentheheiress98 you were in a false Lutheran Church then. But leaving a heretic church is the Christian thing to do

WELS