In This Issue

• Three disaffiliation articles
• The Way to follow Jesus
• Charlie and the 8th commandment
• Encouragement from the global South
• Mockingbird Ministries and younger adults
• What Lutheran Church has 12 million members?



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by Pastor Larry Becker, member of the Board of Lutheran CORE, pastor of Westchester Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, California (NALC)

There were three linchpins that were integral to my departure

from the ELCA. The first linchpin, the so-called “Bound Conscience”

statements, kept me from leaving the ELCA for over 15 years with the

belief in the lie that the ELCA was some kind of “big tent,” with room

purposely made for biblical conservatives along with progressives. It

was, of course, a lie intended to stop the mass exodus of conservatives

and others, but it was convenient for me to believe and promote. I told

myself that as long as I could preach and teach from a biblically conservative

and confessional theological position without interference, I

would remain in the ELCA.  [...]

by Pr. Brett Jenkins, Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Dean, NE Mission District, NALC

  Once the endless meetings, insulting slurs, character attacks, hurt feelings, and procedural difficulties involved in leaving one ecclesial community and entering another are over, the remaining congregation members are often fatigued. Yet they are often galvanized by the process’ inevitable conflicts and are more committed as disciples of Jesus Christ than ever. They hope that the Lord will reward their faithfulness by swelling their ranks, securing their sometimes-tenuous finances, and allow them to return once again to whatever is identified as the golden age of the congregation’s life.

The Lord, in His mercy, rarely does this [...] The process of reaffiliating for the local congregation is always, to a larger or smaller degree, a traumatic one. Before a congregation is ready to properly disciple a significant number of people, there is usually work the Lord needs to do within us first. There is a gap between what we were and what we will need to be for the mission the Lord has planned for us. I want to encourage anyone facing this to GO intentionally into that GAP [...]

by Pr. Chris Johnson, Secretary of the board of Lutheran CORE and associate pastor of Zion Lutheran, Wausau, WI (LCMC)

The Eighth Commandment: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [...]

When was the last time you defended your neighbor’s actions in the kindest possible way? It’s not a very common thing we see done today. But was it ever a very common thing to do? In the charged atmosphere we live in today, a time and an age in which things are “hardening and narrowing and coming to a point…getting sharper and harder” (That Hideous Strength, chapter 13, C.S. Lewis), to speak well of others, especially those we vehemently disagree with on theological or philosophical or political grounds, it makes one wonder if it is even at all possible to do so. [...] But there is God’s Law staring us in the face: “You shall not bear false witness.” As always, the Law gives no wiggle room. The Law, that hammer of God (Jeremiah 23:29), crushes as it is intended to do. Or, as Saint Paul once so shockingly put it [...]

As we are all aware, on September 10^th this country, and millions throughout the world, saw the assassination of Charlie Kirk. [...]

by Rev. John Lomperis, Director of Education and Development for Petros Network

Amidst Lutheranism’s many recent challenges, we must celebrate where faithful Lutherans continue making a great difference for Jesus Christ. 

The world’s largest, reportedly fastest-growing Lutheran denomination is the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). Its membership of 12 million is roughly twice as large as all American Lutherans and many more than all Lutherans in the historic strongholds of Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Iceland, and Latvia combined. The EECMY, also known as the Mekane Yesus Church, is in full communion with the North American Lutheran Church, and hosted the 2018 Global Confessional & Missional Lutheran Forum, where leaders of the EECMY, NALC, Lutheran CORE, and other faithful Lutheran bodies developed a declaration of shared orthodox Lutheran faith.

Meanwhile, Petros Network has developed [...]

Global Lutheran Leaders Gather

by Pastor Paul Borg, LCMS pastor and friend of Lutheran CORE

Note from our Executive Director: Many thanks to Paul Borg, LCMS pastor and friend of Lutheran CORE, for his report on the recent gathering of the Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum (Global Forum) in Nairobi, Kenya. This is an international gathering of Lutheran church leaders and representatives of Lutheran reform and renewal communities throughout the world. Many of them are from Western Europe and Africa. [...]

Pause and ponder with me for just a moment. There has never been a time in all of civilization when so many unbelievers are discovering and embracing the Creator of the universe, Jesus. Never. And because of the financial support of CORE, I was gifted with a wonderful five day opportunity in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. I lived with, listened to, and learned from many global Christian leaders. They are being empowered and used by Jesus to reach those who do not yet know Him. [...]

We, in the global North, asked those from the global South, to teach us and be missionaries to us. [...]

Video Ministries: "The Jesus Shaped Way" by Bob Rognlien

by Pastor Dennis D. Nelson, Lutheran CORE Executive Director (ELCA)

Many thanks to Brian Hughes for his review of “The Jesus Shaped Way” by Bob Rognlien. Brian is a dual rostered NALC and retired ELCA pastor and vice president of the board of Lutheran CORE. A link to Brian’s video can be found HERE. 

Brian writes - “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered [...]

Video Ministries: "The Big Relief" by David Zahl

by Pastor Dennis D. Nelson, Lutheran CORE Executive Director (ELCA)

Many thanks to LCMC pastor Daniel Ostercamp for his video review of “The Big Relief” by David Zahl. A link to Daniel’s video can be found HERE. A link to our You Tube channel, which contains sixty-two reviews of books and videos on topics of interest and importance, can be found HERE.   

Daniel writes – “The Big Relief” is a helpful reminder that our congregations and our lives need to be centered upon [...]

The 2026 Pro Ecclesia conference is coming up fast. Keynote speakers include Marcus Plested,

Matthew Levering and Kevin Vanhoozer. 

Click here to register.

• Nicaea Pro Ecclesia: The Status and Potential of Our Nicene Heritage in Christian Catechesis and Ecumenical Dialogue — Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, AL. January 12-14, 2026. Click here.
• NALC Continental Youth Gathering 2026, Roanoke, VA, July 7-10, 2026. Registration is open! Click here.

© 2024 Lutheran Coalition for Renewal

Email Editor (Kim Smith)

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• A Voice for Biblical Truth

Our purpose can be summed up in two words– Network  and  Voice. As  Network  for confessing Lutherans, we support and connect Lutheran individuals and congregations who seek to live in accord with Biblical and confessional teachings and practices. As a  Prophetic Voice, we advocate for Biblical authority and confessional fidelity among churches of the Lutheran community.

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