Be Strong in the Grace: November 2006

Monday, November 06, 2006

Lutheran Carnival XXXVI

Lutheran Carnival XXXVI is now up at The Markel Family. Thank you to them for hosting it, and thank you to all who contibuted. The next carnival will be hosted by What Did Jesus Do. Posts are due by November 17th, with the Carnival up on November 19th. Hosts are still needed for December. If you are willing, email Random Dan at daniel Dot sellers At gmail Dot com.

The ELS: Tempest in a Teapot

I found our current church six years ago, after an exhausting, draining and depressing 24 year search for "the perfect church". Coming from the doctrinal sandy ground of American Evangelicalism, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod seemed at first to be paradise. In time, I discovered the how and why of the current state of Lutheranism. I also had to face the realities of synods that sometimes seem to attack one another. An ELS pastor wrote to me these words of encouragement:

"The ELS is a "little" synod, but can be a complicated place! We are basically a miniature version of what the old synodical conference was - Norwegian Synod (ELS), WELS and LCMS born and bred people all attempting to co-exist together as adults.

Basically I want to tell you to take heart. Your synod wants to be faithful to God's Word. Therefore the devil wants to rob us of our treasure and all of divisiveness is the result of his efforts. So you are in the right place. Also, you are in a faithful congregation at your church with faithful pastors. So, ignore the attacks. "