Christian Web News - Walt Kallestad, senior pastor of Community Church of Joy , Glendale, AZ, told Church Executive that the movement within his ELCA denomination to allow gay ordained clergy will not be accepted by his congregation or school.
The ELCA churchwide meetings in Minneapolis next month will vote on allowing congregations to receive "life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships" among ordained clergy.
On March 4th, Kallestad wrote to his congregation "our firm opposition to this policy" in the belief that "the Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is a sin." He expanded on his views in the magazine's interview, noting that the ELCA statement on sexuality has "become a social action issue when it's not. It's a biblical authority issue."
Church of Joy has an attendance of 2,500 and a school of 1,000 students. Kallestad says that "if they are seeking diversity, what they've ended up with is division." He has said he is working with other large congregations against the action when it comes to a vote.
According to Church Executive, in a special congregational meeting on Sunday, June 28, the church voted to sever its relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in a 94 percent vote, and to join the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) in a 98 percent vote.
Christian Web News - Jesus has a way of getting right to the point, doesn't He? There was certainly no mincing of words, He came right out and said, "why are you fearful?" and then went on to say, "O you of little faith." You don't have to read between the lines to see what He was saying, they had little faith.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Christian Web News - Walt Kallestad, senior pastor of 
