Seth Udinski, FISM News

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In May FISM News reported the distrurbing news of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) and its election of an openly transgender minister. In May, Megan Rhorer, a biological female who identifies as trans, was elected as bishop over the Siera Pacific Synod in the ELC, encompassing over 200 congregations in Northern California and Nevada. She officially began her new position over the Sierra Pacific Synod on Saturday and will serve in the roll for at least six years. This marks the first time in the history of Protestantism in the United States that a transgender person will fulfill a role of this nature.

Predictably, Rhorer and many progressive like her were elated at her installation. She said afterward,

I step into this role because a diverse community of Lutherans in Northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing. My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.

Bishop Rhorer and the ELC are doing the opposite of trusting God to shepherd them forward. They are, in fact, openly disobeying God. This is a saddening development for the American evangelical community. The severly progressive Evangelical Lutheran Church is one of the larger Protestant denominations in the country, with roughly 3.3 million professing members. With theological precision on a sharp decline in America among professing Christians, installations of LGBTQ “ministers” may become frighteningly commonplace in churches nationwide.

With a growing number of unqualified persons stepping into pulpits across the nation, this is a grave reminder to pray for the faithful remnant of pastors who are left. We must also pray that God would add to that number more courageous men to shepherd the flock of God through faithful preaching and sound leadership.