This week, the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) followed the lead of the Episcopal Church in America (ECA) by affirming that homosexual relationships are valid and normal in the eyes of the church and those currently practicing homosexuality should not be precluded from serving as pastors in ELCA congregations.  There is a very interesting side story here . . . at the exact hour this debate was scheduled, 2 pm on Wednesday, a tornado hit the church and conference center where delegates were stationed.  Coincidence . . . John Piper doesn't think so, see his opinion on his blog.

Anyway, it appears to me that this is the case of a dying denomination hoping to get traction and stop its rapid decline by bowing to the culture's norms rather than lovingly calling the culture to Jesus' norms.  As I said in the title, dead things just go with the flow, but living things have the energy and drive to swim upstream.  And it is surprising the amount of blindness there is to this among mainline denominations.  Every single mainline denomination is in decline (Methodists, Episcopalians, ELCA Lutherans, Presbyterians (PCUSA)), and now 2 out of these 4 have capitulated on the issue of homosexuality and without a miracle the other two will soon follow, as they were at about a 55/45 split on this issue at their last votes. 

At the same time, there is some fantastic growth within churches in the USA, but it is happening among socially and theologically conservative evangelicals (non-denominational churches and conservative churches of every stripe and flavor).  These churches are swimming upstream and growing, while mainline churches are floating downstream and dying (laying off denominational workers, closing churches and missions, etc., etc.).

I could draw a lot of conclusions from this matter, but I don't think I have to.  I think it is all so obvious that writing out the conclusions would only insult your intelligence.  So just let me conclude by saying that never, ever, ever, ever have the followers of Christ had the luxury of just going with the flow in culture.  In every instance when you see the followers of Jesus going with the culture, whether in 1st century Rome or middle ages Europe or the 'golden years' of America in the 50's and 60's, you see a compromised church in decline that is awaiting a prophetic movement.  These new movements bring the church back to a place of leading people to reform our cultures, not capitulate to them.   Jesus was a revolutionary, he was crucified for being a revolutionary, and his followers are built to be revolutionaries, albeit peaceful ones. 

So let's stay true to our Christian Manifesto, the Holy Scriptures, at all cost.  Following the paths and teachings of Jesus have always caused followers to be disdained by the larger culture, but this is our calling, this is our privilege. 

And let us pray for the 30-40% of Lutheran churches within the ELCA that voted against this theological error, as they have some very tough decisions to make in light of these decisions.  Will they stay in the ELCA and be a prophetic voice and take their punches . . . will they separate from the ELCA and perhaps forfeit their property, the retirement and pensions of their pastors?  It is times like these that cause churches to count the cost of being a prophet, and often the cost is high . . . but not nearly as high as the cost of compromise and capitulation.  Swim upstream you Bible believing Lutherans, and refuse to set aside the commands of God for the votes of men, but be careful to do so lovingly and not spitefully, following the model of Jesus, the peaceful, yet fearless revolutionary.