In This Issue

• Lutheran CORE turns 20!
• Rebutting Social Statement approved at CWA 2025
• Decades of DEIA haven't worked
• Some good news about Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Discipleship that works
• Why Americans aren't moving and how that could impact your church
• Worship planning around church holidays



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by Pastor Mark Chavez, first Executive Director of Lutheran CORE, currently serving Reformation Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (NALC)

Note from Lutheran CORE's Executive Director: We thank God for His faithfulness and blessings as we observe the Twentieth Anniversary of Lutheran CORE. Many thanks to Mark Chavez, first Executive Director of Lutheran CORE, for his many years of providing inspiration, guidance, and leadership for our ministry. Pastor Chavez also previously served as Director of the WordAlone Network and NALC General Secretary and now serves Reformation Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (NALC). 

We also thank him for writing this account of the sequence of events that led to the formation of Lutheran CORE. As we think of the passion, commitment, and hard work of so many, including Mark Chavez, retired ELCA bishop Paull Spring, and Jaynan Clark, former president of the board of the WordAlone Network, we are reminded of the words of the writer to the Hebrews. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12: 1-2)

Lutheran CORE formed in November 2005, but the seeds for its formation were planted many years prior. The seeds were sown in 1982 when the Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches established the Commission for a New Lutheran Church (CNLC). Seventy representatives from the three churches developed the proposal for the new church, now known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The 70 leaders were almost evenly divided on the authority of Scripture over all matters of faith and life. Some upheld the authority of Scripture and others put themselves in authority over Scripture. The proof [...]

by Mr. Paul Flemming, Fredericksburg, VA

Rather than repeat Pastor Nelson’s comprehensive review of the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, I focus on the social statement “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All” and its resolutions. This document represents a significant attempt to reshape Lutheran public witness within contemporary American civic engagement. As someone committed to the Augsburg Confession and the Book of Concord, I see this statement as indicative of the ELCA's growing theological accommodation to secular ideologies, often undermining historic Lutheran doctrine, Christian liberty, and the two-kingdoms approach. Below, I offer a Lutheran theological rebuttal, addressing the document’s most serious theological issues and providing a confessionally-rooted correction.

[...]

by Pr. Brett Jenkins, NALC pastor from Pennsylvania and former board member of Lutheran CORE

It is 2025—an auspicious year. We are a quarter way into the 21st century. The Lutheran Reformation is just beginning to essay its second half millennium, and just as the printing press projected the ideas of a firebrand priest named Luther across the continent before a decadent hierarchy could crush him as they did Jan Hus a century before, so now the internet can empower the Church to reform and retool for the changing challenges of ministry.

I know, I know; from shadow-banning, to AI, to the identity crisis in young people, to the manipulation of the masses through algorithmic engineering, the internet actually seems to be the source of most of our ministry challenges. Fair enough. I do not mean to downplay  [...]

by Pr. Megan Shaffer, NALC pastor in Pennsylvania

Why is it that a group of unlikely people can spread the Gospel to others, while we, with all our Bible knowledge, struggle to do the same? The disciples had no formal education or Bible classes. We have catechesis, weekly sermons preached to us, and many other tools at our disposal. Yet, despite our understanding, the mere thought of bringing up faith, Jesus, or even God in a conversation strikes fear into our hearts. Even if we're willing to try, how do we actually do it? [...] I have to admit, it took me a while to commit to intentionally being discipled by others. I grew up in a Roman Catholic family that rarely attended church and talked about God even less. [...] I vividly remember following a few kids through an unlocked door into the side chapel where their mothers were gathered in prayer. When the parents saw me standing awkwardly outside the chapel door, they [...]

by Pr. Don Brandt, Congregations in Transition and Congregational Lay-Led Initiative (CLI)

By now most of you are probably aware of the current clergy supply crisis, and the fact that this shortage is unprecedented in our lifetimes.

Just one factor—among many—contributing to this crisis was highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article this last month. And while this article was not specifically about clergy, it was definitely relevant to what churches are facing when they have pastoral vacancies. The article was about the lack of mobility among American households. The August 17^th, 2025, WSJ article began with this subtitle: “Nobody’s buying homes, nobody’s switching jobs—and America’s mobility is stalling.” Another quote: “Americans are stuck in place.” Even more specifically, this article stated that, “Those who bought homes when mortgage rates were low or have stable white-collar jobs (which would, of course, would include clergy collars) are clinging to those jobs.”

This article included the following statistics:

1. In 2024 home sales fell to their lowest level in almost thirty years.

2. In the 1950’s and 1960’s 20% of Americans would typically move each year. In 2024, only 7.8% moved. [...]

Video Ministries: Tools For Worship Planning — Part Two

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

 Many thanks to NALC pastor Cathy Ammlung for this second in a series of videos intended to provide congregations - especially those with temporary and/or longer-term pastoral vacancies - with some tools for worship planning.  [...]

In this video, Cathy discusses the church year and festivals. She looks at the rhythm and logic of the secular year, as broken unofficially into various seasons and as punctuated by special holidays [...] Next session will focus on understanding and using the lectionary as you do your worship planning.

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

Matthew Levering and Kevin Vanhoozer. 

Click here to register.

• Cross Country Mission III—September 15-20, 2025 — Return to Burnsville, NC (the area damaged by Hurricane Helene). Click here.
• Global Confessional and Missional Lutheran Forum —September 23-25, 2025, in Nairobi, Kenya. Click here.
• LCMC 25th Annual Gathering & Convention — Lakeville, MN. October 5-8, 2025. Click here.
• 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.

© 2024 Lutheran Coalition for Renewal

Email Editor (Kim Smith)

PO Box 1741 Wausau, WI 54402-1741

1-888-810-4180

www.lutherancore.org

Lutheran CORE's mission:

• A Network for Confessing Lutherans
• 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.

We communicate Biblical truth through our newsletter, mailings, and various forms of social media.