Roanoke Church Considers Leaving ELCA

Some have said that I have been less than charitable to those within the Evangelical Lutheran Church ("ELCA") who are upset with the denomination's vote last month to allow partnered gay clergy and to also recognize committed same sex relationships, although reserving the term "marriage" for heterosexuals. I plead guilty as charged because I believe that leaving the ELCA is rank hypocrisy unless congregations apply the same literal reading of the Bible to EVERYTHING. You do not get to pick and choose. If a literally reading is applied to gays, then biblical pronouncements on divorce, the holiness code in Leviticus - it ALL gets a literal read and application.

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In the case of St. John Lutheran Church in Roanoke, I have to wonder how many parishioners would be left - if any - were a literal across the board application of the Bible to be applied as the church's pastors seek to do to gays. I suspect probably none. Thus, I call senior pastor Mark Graham (pictured above) - and his former Baptist associate pastor, Elijah Mwitanti, homophobic hypocrites until they expel all divorced couples from the parish, as well as all those who eat shellfish, wear polyblend clothing, etc. We all know that such will never happen. Instead it will be only the gays and those within the ELCA who accept modern knowledge and recognize the denomination's past hypocrisy that will be bad mouthed by these Pharisee like pastors. I truly believe that if suddenly these false Christians had to abide by the same literal application of the Bible they seek to impose on gays, they would quickly be singing a very, very different tune. Here are some story highlights (Note Graham's meal mouthed language that he's not against gays - except of course when it comes to treating them like full members of the church):

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Mark Graham is the Senior Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Roanoke County and says his church is in crisis mode. “We believe that the recent decisions by the ELCA’s leadership contradicts the word of God,” said Graham. The ELCA stands for Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and is the specific denomination for St. John.

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“We’re not against homosexual people, but we are for the truth and love of the word of God,” said Graham. St. John Associate Pastor Elijah Mwitanti says the new amendments go against scripture. “What the bible teaches about marriage is that marriage is between one man and one woman with no other relationships of the sexual nature,” said Mwitanti.

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The two pastors along with other church leaders want St. John to leave the ELCA denomination and join the Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ ... or LCMC denomination. This Sunday they will hold a church-wide vote for St. John’s future. Pastor Graham said he’s been praying about this issue a lot because he says it could cause some people to leave the church. “It has caused a real crisis in our congregation, a lot of pain, sadness, and concern,” said Graham.

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He said a lot of church members have expressed support of leaving the denomination, but he’ll have to wait to find out how many. “Whatever happens after Sunday, we will be a different congregation,” said Graham. They hope their congregation will stand behind them on Sunday.

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Funny how King Solomon's many wives - and the multiple wives of others in the Old Testament - are conveniently ignored. Wouldn't it be nice if the good parishioners at St. John worried about their own lives and failings instead of sanctimoniously condemning gays and the national Church? But then, that's not the way of most bigots.