An instant message went something along the lines of:
Dan,
I am moving from a church in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod to a church in the LCMS. My pastor told me that I will be abandoning my confession if I do this. You seem to be a fairly conservative guy; how do you deal with being in the LCMS with churches of its differing practices (and thus theology)?
First of all, I respect the ELS. I know good people in the ELS, in Minnesota of all places, that take very good care of the faith they are receiving and passing it on to their children.
There is no completely faithful synod, and that includes the ELS. The ELS is in pulpit-and-altar fellowship with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and WELS has churches with the same issues as some churches in the LCMS.
I have to look at the vocations I am called to. Dad and husband. Not pastor. Not, certainly, Board Director, Circuit Counselor, District President, Synodical President, etc. My responsibility to these vocations consists of learning the faith myself and teaching it as best as I can to my wife and children. I have to find the best place within a geographical area where my family can hear sound doctrine and preaching.
My church-finding record over the past nearly 10 years in central Ohio hasn’t been the best. This has fostered a distrust in the “brand” of the LCMS. It frustrated me to no end to have my wife ask, “why an LCMS church?”, I respond with topics like its grace-filled theology of baptism, and then LCMS churches participate in practices which marginalize this theology and others. In the past I have told my parents things that the church we were attending was doing, and my parents have responded, “are you sure you’re in an LCMS church?”
The LCMS brand worked for us in the past. It helped me find a good church while I was at college. When we got married and moved to Oklahoma, we found a good church in Duncan. It seems to be working for us at the current church we have been visiting since February.
As a Lutheran you hold the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. You believe those doctrines found in the Small Catechism, drawn from the Scriptures, to be faithful and true. You intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully, by the grace of God. This can be done in churches of the LCMS, though we as fathers and husbands have to work harder than should be necessary to find those churches.
Pray for us in the LCMS and all Christian churches, that our pastors preach Christ crucified for sinners and teach sound doctrine.
I guess my question would be — what in particular about your confession are you leaving if you leave the ELS?
Are you abandoning the belief that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God? The Holy Trinity? that Christ is the Son of God and has died for our sins? That we truly receive the Holy Spirit in our baptism and become a child of God, or that we receive the body and blood of Christ in with and under the bread and the wine in Holy Communion — and that we receive that for the forgiveness of sins? Are you leaving a confession that clings to the confession of our forefathers in the Book of Concord? That we are saved by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone?
The LCMS still confesses these things. We unfortunately have many congregations that do not know what these mean. We have many churches that do not understand the idea of being united in doctrine and practice — but so does WELS, as Dan pointed out. This is the history of Lutheranism in all portions. At times we all fall prey to pietism (LCMS, ELS, and WELS have all done this), and at times we fall prey to ignorance/or apathy, or following the trends. But we have the Word, and we have the Sacraments. These are the things Luther said are the marks of the true Church.
I am sad to hear that the message writer leaving the ELS, since it has been my synod for 5+ years now. I also suspect that you must have some strong opinions about it and I can respect that. Should there be fellowship between the three confessional Lutheran synods? Yes and no, in my opinion. Do I pray for it often? Yes! The LCMS allows a great deal of flexibility in their congregations; some LCMS congregations would easily match up with ELS churches and others would be far, far apart. I, too, have my own call as a wife, mom, assistant, etc, which doesn’t include a direct decision-maker in my synod. What I am called to do is pray for my pastors, my church and my synod, as well as for all Christians in God’s invisible church. I also respect the decisions our ancestors made until new fellowships are forged. I rejoice that the ELS is continually revisiting fellowship issues, as it also desires true unity with fellow believers. I also rejoice that my synod is careful not to pretend there is unity where there is not. I wish him peace as he searches for a church home…it took me many years and much heartache before I found mine in the ELS.
As a husband and father of two I can relate to Dan’s sentiment about being disappointed searching for sound teaching at LCMS churches when relocating. I moved from the Wyoming district, which is very doctrinally solid to South East, Michigan. It took a while to find a church that was not watered down or that did not pull punches. I was in shock. We have since found a faithful church.
That’s great, Emmett. I also share your assessment of the Wyoming district. Good men over there, including Pr. Shields, Pr. Zill, and Cantor Hoffman.
I have been blessed to be under the care of Rev. Shields for nearly seven years. I served as a camp counselor with both him and Cantor Hoffman. Absolutely great guys!
Were you in Rock Springs in July, 2007?
Yep. Trinity Lutheran Church is my home congregation.
The person has to ask if they are leaving ELS for the right reasons. Is the person moving to a place where there is no ELS congregation? Is there something about the teaching and practice of ELS that the LCMS does differently?
I suggest reading some WELS and ELS documents about the reasons they severed fellowship with the LCMS. Some of those issues still exist.
Also, ask the pastor what he means by “abandoning your confession.” These are scary buzz words, but he owes you a thorough explanation.