Bishop Finck,
I wanted to pass along my observations of some of the issues covered at the ELCA Assembly 2009. I am a member of Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Anaheim.
We know tension has been building in our ELCA for many years. I wonder if the negative impact would have been different if the issue had been handled in a more expeditious manner. It took so long to make the statement, and both sides retreated from one another waiting for the battle. Much of the blame lies with ELCA leadership. Each side of the issue dug deeper fox holes, cleaned and polished their weapons for the great battle. There will be casualties of the battle. The side of Sola Scriptura lost the battle but the war will not be over until God’s Word is seen as holy as God himself. “I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”- Psalm 138:2
I wish the battle had been over something other than same sex issues that so divides our civil society. As Christians we must have compassion that comes from Jesus Christ for every person no matter what the sin, for we are all sinners and sin much daily. God loves sinners but hates sin. Are we doing sinners a disservice by not calling a sin a sin? How can people truly be set free from sin and live in the joy of being liberated from sin if we do not call sin a sin. There is no sin too great that God’s mercy will not cover it. God mercy is great and we must herald that message. When we are weak in confronting sin, then God’s mercy seems weak. We must accept the repentant homosexual as we would any brother or sister. The biggest sin is covering up the sin like Adam and Eve did and say it is not a sin. Jesus commands us to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Our only true measuring device is the Bible.
I will stand with the ELCA where the pure Word of God is taught. If I am under teaching that goes directly against Scripture, I must take a stand on the side of Truth. I thank God for my Lutheran heritage and pray for God’s will to be done in His church.
God bless you in His service.
Byron Lovering
1517 AD Blog 
Good letter!
I agree with you wholeheartedly!
Excellent letter and stand for Christ! I agree.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The Word of God
Brian
We also broke with the ELCA – without a pastor, and we are struggling! We are a very small number! But we pray that we will grow. There must be others with the same beliefs…..love your blog!
Thanks