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Lament for a Fallen Train Horse
May 8, 2025

Lament for a Fallen Train Horse

Editor’s Note: The image above shows soldiers harvesting and cooking a fallen horse. Brett writes, "While originally written in regards to Western culture generally, the thrust of this poem more particularly…
Brett Jenkins 0
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DEIAKicking the Can
May 8, 2025

Kicking the Can

The Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC) finally released their final recommendations to the ELCA Church Council–and to the larger church, particularly in regards to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly…
Kevin Haug 0
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SeminariansThe Quandary of Discipleship
May 8, 2025

The Quandary of Discipleship

Editor's Note: Pastor Megan Ann Shaffer is writing for Lutheran CORE for the first time. She is an NALC pastor in Pennsylvania. “Ugh, discipleship is so law-based.” Sadly, I frequently…
Megan Shaffer 0
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DEIAThe Horse Has Already Left the Barn:
May 8, 2025

The Horse Has Already Left the Barn:

An Analysis of Recommendations 1 and 7 in the Final Report of the ELCA's Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church The past couple years we have written extensively about the…
Dennis Nelson 4
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ELCAThe ELCA’s Quest for Greater Control
May 8, 2025

The ELCA’s Quest for Greater Control

The Lutheran Congregational Support Network (LCSN) has recently released three more videos which tell of big changes that are on the horizon for the ELCA.     HERE is a link…
Dennis Nelson 0
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Orthodox Repentance
March 10, 2025

Orthodox Repentance

If your church is following the three year lectionary, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday with 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10.  Officially, the pericope begins, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be…
Brett Jenkins
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The Implications of Current Religious Trends
March 10, 2025

The Implications of Current Religious Trends

     To use a somewhat dated expression, it’s “hot off the press.” I am referring to the latest Pew Research Center “Religious Landscape Study.”  This is Pew’s third large-scale “Religious…
Don Brandt
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Video Ministries: Captain Comet and the Intergalactic Patrol
March 10, 2025

Video Ministries: Captain Comet and the Intergalactic Patrol

Many thanks to Alan Williams for his video review of his book, “Captain Comet and the Intergalactic Patrol.”  A link to Alan’s review can be found HERE.  A link to…
Dennis Nelson
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Approaching the Throne of Grace With Boldness
March 10, 2025

Approaching the Throne of Grace With Boldness

Every year Lent is a time when we give thanks to God for His great love and amazing grace.  How much we need that love and grace.  Every year on…
Dennis Nelson
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Leadership: Wisdom and Innocence
January 13, 2025

Leadership: Wisdom and Innocence

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”  (Matthew 10:16) Our Lord gave these instructions to…
John Mohan
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March for Life and Y4Life Conference in January!
January 13, 2025

March for Life and Y4Life Conference in January!

The NALC Life Ministries team is once again preparing for the March for Life in Washington D.C. this January, but our plan is a little different. Instead of holding a…
Dennis Di Mauro
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SeminariansYoung TimothyHow Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation?
January 13, 2025

How Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation?

Many thanks to Dr. Mark Mattes of Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, for the video recordings of the lectures he recently gave on how we can be sure of…
Dennis Nelson
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ELCAReconsiderations: More Than “Simply Editorial”
January 13, 2025

Reconsiderations: More Than “Simply Editorial”

The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly passed two resolutions that called for reconsideration of the 2009 social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.” Reconsideration #1: A review of specific text references that…
Dennis Nelson
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Accountability
January 13, 2025

Accountability

In my last article I detailed a way you could tell that “Progressive Christianity” was in fact an alternative to Christianity, namely that it held different things sacrosanct and considered…
Brett Jenkins
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ELCANo Way to Slow Down
January 13, 2025

No Way to Slow Down

This January marks the end of my term as President of Lutheran CORE.  I have been on the board of CORE since 2019.  In that time, my own congregation held…
David Charlton
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CRLCDEIAELCAELCA Focus
January 13, 2025

ELCA Focus

Please check out the new page on our website, “ELCA Focus,” which brings together in one place a large number of resources and articles regarding the ELCA.  It is intended…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministries – Review of “The Coddling of the American Mind”
January 13, 2025

Video Ministries – Review of “The Coddling of the American Mind”

Many thanks to LCMC pastor Daniel Ostercamp for his video review of the book, “The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a…
Dennis Nelson
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Untrustworthy Faith: Good As Your Word?
January 13, 2025

Untrustworthy Faith: Good As Your Word?

Is your word any good? Like the Old Westerns, “My word is My bond.” We like to think we are people of our word. We make a concerted effort to…
Douglas Schoelles
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Vision Casting for Church Leaders
January 13, 2025

Vision Casting for Church Leaders

Editor’s Note: Click here to register for Lutheran CORE’s next free webinar, Vision Casting for Church Leaders, led by the author. During the night Paul had a vision of a…
Brian Hughes
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Free Webinar on Church Conflict
November 14, 2024

Free Webinar on Church Conflict

At the church in southern California where I served as pastor for forty years we had a large Christian day school that went from preschool to eighth grade.  The Christmas…
Dennis Nelson
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CRLCDEIAIs Even Greater Conflict on the Horizon?
November 14, 2024

Is Even Greater Conflict on the Horizon?

Structural and governance changes will most certainly come about from the work of the ELCA’s Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church.  An all-encompassing redefinition of mission and ministry will most…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministry – “Understanding Evil From a Christian Perspective”
November 14, 2024

Video Ministry – “Understanding Evil From a Christian Perspective”

Many thanks to Ken Coughlan for giving us a video review of his recent book, “Understanding Evil from a Christian Perspective.”  Ken is a Christian apologist and religion teacher at…
Dennis Nelson
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WokeWho Is Like the Lord Our God?
November 14, 2024

Who Is Like the Lord Our God?

As a friendly commenter noted, my last article needed some serious editing. It is never good for me to find myself writing too close to a deadline; the result is…
Brett Jenkins
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The Existential Crisis Facing So Many Congregations
November 14, 2024

The Existential Crisis Facing So Many Congregations

Pastor Don Brandt The Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), on its website, lists the average worship attendance of each of their 818 U.S. congregations.  This data represents a…
Don Brandt
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ChurchStoriesEscaping Egypt: Undeserved Loyalty
November 14, 2024

Escaping Egypt: Undeserved Loyalty

Editor’s Note: Lutheran CORE is collecting and possibly publishing stories from our readers and congregations about the process they followed when they tried to exit the ELCA — successfully or…
Brian Hughes
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SeminariansFree Webinar – “Planning as a Paradigm Shift”  
September 12, 2024

Free Webinar – “Planning as a Paradigm Shift”  

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 – 11 AM EDT In addition to alerting people to ways in which the ELCA is going further and further off the rails, we of Lutheran CORE…
Dennis Nelson
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Young TimothyA Father’s Wise Instruction
September 12, 2024

A Father’s Wise Instruction

Do you worry if your children will be wise when they go off to live in this corrupted world? Have you given them the foundation they need?  Jesus said our world…
Douglas Schoelles
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CRLCWhat Are They Actually Accomplishing?
September 12, 2024

What Are They Actually Accomplishing?

An Analysis of the Work Of the ELCA's Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church As promised, we continue to monitor the work of the ELCA’s Commission for a Renewed Lutheran…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansAddressing The Clergy Supply Crisis
September 12, 2024

Addressing The Clergy Supply Crisis

Given the increasing shortage of ordained pastors available for call, now is the time when many churches will need to take the initiative to enlist one or two (or three)…
Don Brandt
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Video Ministries-September 2024
September 12, 2024

Video Ministries-September 2024

“RESIDENT ALIENS: LIFE IN THE CHRISTIAN COLONY” A video book review by Douglas Schoelles   Many thanks to Douglas Schoelles, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansWokeWoke? Awake; the Sacred’s Changing
September 12, 2024

Woke? Awake; the Sacred’s Changing

Although the appellation “woke”—used by Ricky Gervais to the Hollywood establishment at the Oscars as “insider” language just a few years ago—is eschewed by progressives now that cultural conservatives have…
Brett Jenkins
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ELCAChristian Marxist Antisemitism
July 11, 2024

Christian Marxist Antisemitism

Most people would call me a “conservative” Lutheran, although I would prefer to be called orthodox or traditional. Nevertheless, I will accept the label. Therefore, as a conservative Lutheran, it…
David Charlton
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Ghosting Faith?
July 11, 2024

Ghosting Faith?

Ever been ghosted? Ever have someone with whom you were connected not call you back? Ever have someone stand you up? Most of us have been ghosted some time. Cutting…
Douglas Schoelles
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A Different Approach to Pro-life Ministry
July 11, 2024

A Different Approach to Pro-life Ministry

As a pastor, I sometimes have the opportunity to take on unexpected ministries outside of the church.  Such was the case when I was invited to become the Executive Director…
Patrick Darnell
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City Mission: A Catalyst for Becoming a Missionary Disciple
July 11, 2024

City Mission: A Catalyst for Becoming a Missionary Disciple

“… if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the…
K. Craig Moorman
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Anti-RacismCRTDEIAOther CommunicationsHow DEIA, Anti-Racism and CRT Are Becoming the New Gospel in the ELCA
July 11, 2024

How DEIA, Anti-Racism and CRT Are Becoming the New Gospel in the ELCA

How DEIA, Anti-Racism and CRT Are Becoming the New Gospel in the ELCA Any meaningful discussion of these modern-day heresies absolutely must begin and end with scripture.  DEIA (Diversity, Equity,…
Larry Becker
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ELCAThe ELCA Shows Its Values Through Whom It Features
July 11, 2024

The ELCA Shows Its Values Through Whom It Features

There is an old adage that says, “You show your values through what and whom you feature.”  That certainly is true of the ELCA. Again this past June, in observance…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministries-July 2024
July 11, 2024

Video Ministries-July 2024

Be sure to check out the two new videos on our You Tube channel.  A link to our You Tube channel can be found here.  Both of these videos are…
Dennis Nelson
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WokeOrthodox Reading Is Pastoral Reading
July 11, 2024

Orthodox Reading Is Pastoral Reading

“What’s all this ‘Father’ stuff about in the Lord’s Prayer?  Why should we call God ‘Father,’ anyway?” she intoned petulantly, fixing me with a stare that clearly thought no reasonable…
Brett Jenkins
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“Journey to Forgiveness: 21 Milestones to Freedom”
May 9, 2024

“Journey to Forgiveness: 21 Milestones to Freedom”

Many thanks to David Peterson, pastor of Apostles Lutheran Church in Chesapeake, Virginia (LCMC), for giving us a video review of his first book, “Journey to Forgiveness: 21 Milestones to…
Dennis Nelson
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The Ministry Challenges We Face in 2024
May 9, 2024

The Ministry Challenges We Face in 2024

Consider the contrasting good news and not-so-good news ministry challenges that are confronting many of our congregations in 2024: Good News: Many local churches have now been blessed by the…
Don Brandt
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WokeWords Fail Me: Questioning the Newspeak of My “Progressive” Education
May 9, 2024

Words Fail Me: Questioning the Newspeak of My “Progressive” Education

In my office hangs my ordination certificate.  Across it is emblazoned the name of the ordaining body, the body whose confessional commitments I pledged to uphold on the day I…
Brett Jenkins
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Bringing Children to Jesus
May 9, 2024

Bringing Children to Jesus

In Matthew 19: 14 Jesus told His disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom…
Dennis Nelson
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Anti-RacismCRTDEIARacism, Power, and Prejudice
May 9, 2024

Racism, Power, and Prejudice

Almost 30 years ago, I had my first introduction to the tactics of postmodern argumentation.  A professor at Texas Lutheran made the statement that he could not be racist because…
Kevin Haug
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Book Review: “Tenderness” by Eve Tushnet
May 9, 2024

Book Review: “Tenderness” by Eve Tushnet

Note from Executive Director Dennis D. Nelson: Many thanks to a friend of Lutheran CORE for giving us a review of Eve Tushnet’s book, “Tenderness: A Gay Christian’s Guide to…
A. Nestenprest
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Anti-RacismCRTDEIAAn Incoming DEIA Disaster
March 5, 2024

An Incoming DEIA Disaster

Recently, the ELCA posted the results of a DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) Audit1 which was authorized by the Churchwide Assembly.  The audit laid out its findings and made…
Kevin Haug
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Operation Reconquista: Responses to Critical Questions
March 5, 2024

Operation Reconquista: Responses to Critical Questions

Editor’s Note: Pr. Haug wrote a positive article on this topic in January (click here). Last newsletter I hinted that I would write a follow up article about OperationReconquista and…
Kevin Haug
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When Does Life Begin?
March 5, 2024

When Does Life Begin?

Editor's Note: by M. Roy Schwarz, M.D. The American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd College Edition defines "life" as "the property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from the dead or inanimate…
M. Roy Schwarz
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Contented Faith
March 5, 2024

Contented Faith

When I was dating my wife Debra, I was so excited about being with her. I was eager to talk with her, be with her, and go off on adventures…
Douglas Schoelles
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… and Now Many of Them Are Just Lost
March 5, 2024

… and Now Many of Them Are Just Lost

Just over a year ago Christine and I found ourselves in Florence, South Carolina.  Nice place just off I-95, we found a fixer-upper on the little lake in town.  Pro…
Brian Hughes
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Hope for De-churched Lutherans
March 5, 2024

Hope for De-churched Lutherans

In my previous two articles, I talked about the dilemma facing De-churched Lutherans.  Some cannot find an orthodox Lutheran parish in their area.  Some have been made to feel unwelcome…
David Charlton
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Reflections on Mission
March 5, 2024

Reflections on Mission

Editor’s Note: Jacob Moorman is a member of River’s Edge Ministries, which regularly hosts and leads mission work locally in Maryland, through City Mission, and annually in other states through…
Jacob Moorman
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Anti-RacismCRTDEIAA Warning of What is Coming
March 5, 2024

A Warning of What is Coming

Many thanks to Kevin Haug for his very insightful article about the DEIA audit which the ELCA recently commissioned a law firm to do of its governing documents.  I hate…
Dennis Nelson
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ELCAThankful for the Opportunity to Share
March 5, 2024

Thankful for the Opportunity to Share

I am very grateful for the recent invitation to have a zoom conversation with the director and associate director of the ELCA’s Reconsiderations process.  This is the task force that…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministry – January 2024
January 11, 2024

Video Ministry – January 2024

“PASTORAL HELMANSHIP: A PASTOR’S GUIDE TO CHURCH ADMINISTRATION” Many thanks to Aaron Heilman for this review.  Aaron is Worship Leader for Pointe of Hope Church in Blue Springs, Missouri (LCMS). …
Dennis Nelson
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Considering the Challenge of Transitioning from Clergy-Led to Lay-Led Congregational Ministries
January 11, 2024

Considering the Challenge of Transitioning from Clergy-Led to Lay-Led Congregational Ministries

This article is written especially for smaller congregations that are either 1) already experiencing a pastoral vacancy, or 2) know that their solo pastor will be retiring within the next…
Don Brandt
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March for Life and Y4Life Conference in January!
January 11, 2024

March for Life and Y4Life Conference in January!

The NALC Life Ministries team is once again preparing for the March for Life in Washington D.C. this January, but our plan is a little different. Instead of holding a life conference,…
Dennis Di Mauro
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Book Review: Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?
January 11, 2024

Book Review: Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?

Editor's Note: Full title of the book is Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage: 21Conversations from a Historically Christian View. Also, Spencer Wentland is a former ELCA missionary. Introduction and…
Spencer Wentland
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Operation Reconquista: An Affirmative Response
January 11, 2024

Operation Reconquista: An Affirmative Response

Can mainline denominations be reconquered from theological liberalism?  A group named Operation Reconquista has emerged to attempt such a thing, and they are offering tactics on just how to proceed.…
Kevin Haug
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CRLCCRLC and Critical Theory
January 11, 2024

CRLC and Critical Theory

In the September and November editions of CORE Voice, Dennis Nelson analyzed the activist constituency of the members of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC). The fact that…
Ryan Cordle
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ELCAIs This What You Want?
January 11, 2024

Is This What You Want?

We all remember with horror the ways in which traditional views on such matters as human sexuality were rejected and belittled at the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering.  Here is a…
Dennis Nelson
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Resentful Faith
January 11, 2024

Resentful Faith

While visiting another Lutheran church in the area as the gathered worshipped the LORD through the prayers and praised God through the songs, across the pews I saw a man,…
Douglas Schoelles
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REST, INC., Part 2
January 11, 2024

REST, INC., Part 2

Finding Rest in (and for) a Restless World Dear Friends—                                                                                                     When did so many of the mainline denominations begin to go adrift and lose their way? Why? How? What happened?…
K. Craig Moorman
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Aging and End-of-Life Decisions
January 11, 2024

Aging and End-of-Life Decisions

“Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and will bear, I will carry and will save.”  Isaiah 46:4…
Alden Towberman
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ELCAMission Under Accompaniment
November 15, 2023

Mission Under Accompaniment

Director's Note: Spencer Wentland is uniquely qualified to write this article analyzing the ELCA’s concept of global mission as accompaniment rather than evangelism – as responding to requests for help…
Spencer Wentland
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Should We Put a Loved One Out of Her Misery?
November 15, 2023

Should We Put a Loved One Out of Her Misery?

Imagine a scenario where a loved one is suffering from an incurable condition and unimaginable pain.  And yet, antiquated laws have prevented her from finding peace once and for all.…
Dennis Di Mauro
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Rest, Inc.
November 15, 2023

Rest, Inc.

Part 1: A Gift of Restoration, Resilience, and Prophetic Perspective Dear Friends— We were in the middle of our first vacation ‘Out West’, somewhere between Colorado Springs, CO, and Yellowstone…
K. Craig Moorman
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Ingrate Faith
November 15, 2023

Ingrate Faith

“You’re welcome.” Joy comes from saying those words to someone who recognizes and thanks you for an act of service or kindness. When you perform such gracious acts to express…
Douglas Schoelles
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ELCAYou Can’t Have God’s Kin-dom Without God’s Kingdom
November 15, 2023

You Can’t Have God’s Kin-dom Without God’s Kingdom

With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? –Mark 4:30 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall…
Kevin Haug
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Churches Without Pastors
November 15, 2023

Churches Without Pastors

In the September CORE Voice, I reflected on my time as the pastor of a mission congregation.  My question was whether the Lutheran Church is prepared for a time when…
David Charlton
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ChurchStoriesIn Faith
November 15, 2023

In Faith

“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have…
Franklin Gore
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Training Disciple-Makers
November 15, 2023

Training Disciple-Makers

“...take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan…” Joshua 4:3 We wish God’s blessings upon Dean Rostad, president, and the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute.  This is the third…
Dean Rostad
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ELCAOnce You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome – Part Two
November 15, 2023

Once You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome – Part Two

In the September 2023 issue of CORE Voice I gave an analysis of the expected outcome from the ELCA’s Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church.  After reading the biographical paragraphs…
Dennis Nelson
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About Congregational Singing
September 14, 2023

About Congregational Singing

I recently attended a traditional worship service where the emotional and spiritual highlight for me was the opening and closing hymns.  This was not because the sermon message was subpar…
Don Brandt
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ELCASeminariansOnce You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome
September 14, 2023

Once You Know the Makeup, You Know the Outcome

If there ever will be a time when that old adage will be proven true, it will be with the ELCA’s thirty-five-member Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church. This commission…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung TimothySevered Foot Faith?
September 14, 2023

Severed Foot Faith?

Choices, choices and AdChoices. Our hyper-consumer culture overwhelms us with all the choices we can make to please our whims. For all the hyper-individually focused advertising that is pushed at…
Douglas Schoelles
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ResourcesSeminariansOn Christian Nationalism
September 14, 2023

On Christian Nationalism

Santino Burrola recorded a video and posted it to TikTok.  He was fired from his job at a grocery store for the offense.  What did he do wrong?  Inappropriately filming…
Kevin Haug
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ResourcesSeminariansChurches Without Property
September 14, 2023

Churches Without Property

In 1998, I moved with my wife and my 3 year old son to Pembroke Pines, Florida.  I was sent there to start a new congregation in an area of…
David Charlton
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ResourcesSeminariansYoung TimothyPrevailing Against the Gates
September 14, 2023

Prevailing Against the Gates

“Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to get home. It's late. I'm in for it as it is.” Name that movie.  Name that scene.  Anyone with even a…
Brian Hughes
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Young TimothyPockets of Hope
July 18, 2023

Pockets of Hope

When I think of Baltimore, I often think of my early childhood home with a large magnolia tree in the front yard and a tall, hemlock pine in the back,…
Teresa Dubyoski
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ChurchStoriesELCA Moves In and Takes Over
July 18, 2023

ELCA Moves In and Takes Over

In my Summer Letter from the Director I told in great detail the disturbing story of how Bishop Yehiel Curry of the ELCA’s Metropolitan Chicago Synod threatened, intimidated, bullied, and…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministry – July 2023
July 18, 2023

Video Ministry – July 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung Timothy“Here Am I. Send Me!”
July 18, 2023

“Here Am I. Send Me!”

Of all the voices in the world calling you to be this or do that with your life, how will you discern God’s call? While God calls persons into full…
Jeff Morlock
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ELCASeminariansThe Creeds Don’t “Sparkle”
July 18, 2023

The Creeds Don’t “Sparkle”

Note from our Executive Director: Many thanks to Kevin Haug, ELCA pastor in Texas, for his article about the Sparkle creed.  This so-called "creed" has received a lot of attention…
Kevin Haug
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SeminariansCaring Christian Faith Communities: Needed Now More Than Ever
July 18, 2023

Caring Christian Faith Communities: Needed Now More Than Ever

As Americans we are living in a time of increasing emotional despair.  And this crisis presents the Body of Christ with tremendous challenges as local churches consider how they might…
Don Brandt
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Daily Devotion Options
July 18, 2023

Daily Devotion Options

Editor’s Note:  Rev. Dr. Douglas Schoelles joined the board of Lutheran CORE earlier this year.  Rev. Jeffray Greene has been writing devotions for us for a long time. We are…
Kim Smith
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SeminariansYoung TimothyDead Faith
July 18, 2023

Dead Faith

Don’t play with dead fish! Mom said don’t bring it home thinking we’ll eat it! A dead fish is useless and worthless. What are we to do with dead faith?…
Douglas Schoelles
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Book Promotion: The Power of Healthy Leadership
July 18, 2023

Book Promotion: The Power of Healthy Leadership

Leadership is not a title, a performance, or mere occupation. It is a sacred relationship creating ripple effects, for both good and bad. This book is about stewardship leaders, who…
James Hoefer
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City Mission 2023
May 15, 2023

City Mission 2023

Our prayers are with Pastor Craig Moorman and all those who are providing leadership for and participating in City Mission 2023, a multi-generational, multi-denominational outreach effort into the inner city…
Dennis Nelson
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Web Map
May 15, 2023

Web Map

Whenever I fly into an airport I have never been in before, I am always very grateful for all the signs that greet me as soon as I step off…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministry – May 2023
May 15, 2023

Video Ministry – May 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various…
Dennis Nelson
Love0
Congregational Lay Leadership Initiative
May 15, 2023

Congregational Lay Leadership Initiative

We are very grateful for all of the ways in which retired NALC pastor Don Brandt enhances the ministry of Lutheran CORE.  He has an article in every issue of…
Dennis Nelson
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The Clergy Shortage: Some Historical Perspective
May 15, 2023

The Clergy Shortage: Some Historical Perspective

Perhaps my perspective is somewhat distorted by being one among so many retired or retiring Boomer pastors.  After all, the Boomer generation has been accused—often justifiably—of having an inflated view…
Don Brandt
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(Per)Mission to Lead
March 13, 2023

(Per)Mission to Lead

Editor’s Note: River’s Edge Ministry (REM), of Mt. Airy, MD, traveled to Pine Island, FL in January as part of Cross Country Mission (CCM) 2023. Pine Island was devastated by…
Kim Smith
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SeminariansFeed My Sheep
March 13, 2023

Feed My Sheep

I have appreciated Don Brandt’s wisdom and leadership in Lutheran renewal through the years, and I welcomed his article in last month’s CORE Voice. He accurately diagnoses the biggest single…
Steve Shipman
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SeminariansYoung TimothyThe Awaken Project Offers a Gap Year Program
March 13, 2023

The Awaken Project Offers a Gap Year Program

Introduction by Dennis D. Nelson: In this issue we will be featuring The Awaken Project (TAP), a nonprofit organization housed on the campus of Mount Carmel Ministries in Alexandria, Minnesota.…
Steven Wagner
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SeminariansYoung TimothyResisting God’s Call
March 13, 2023

Resisting God’s Call

When God calls a person to a specific task or ministry, resistance is often the first response of the called. Jeremiah claimed that he was too young. Gideon feared he…
Jeff Morlock
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SeminariansHow Your Congregation Can Identify, Enlist and Train Part-time Lay Ministers
March 13, 2023

How Your Congregation Can Identify, Enlist and Train Part-time Lay Ministers

Note:  "This is a ministry resource article for churches that might be interested in the new upcoming CORE ministry called the Congregational Lay-leadership Initiative (CLI). The article below offers a…
Don Brandt
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Video Ministry – March 2023
March 13, 2023

Video Ministry – March 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel. In the top row you will find both our Video BookReviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various topics…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung TimothyYou Do-I Watch: A Hard Lesson in Fully Releasing the Next Generation into Mission
March 13, 2023

You Do-I Watch: A Hard Lesson in Fully Releasing the Next Generation into Mission

Editor's note: River’s Edge Ministry (REM), located in Mt. Airy, MD, traveled to Pine Island, FL in January as part of Cross Country Mission (CCM) 2023. Pine Island was devastated…
K. Craig Moorman
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SeminariansGlobal Lutheran House of Studies
January 12, 2023

Global Lutheran House of Studies

Rev. Dr. Richard Blue, Jr. As the Directors of the Global Lutheran House of Studies at United Theological Seminary (UTS) in Dayton, Ohio (established in 1871), we are honored to…
Richard Blue
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SeminariansYoung TimothyThe Potency of Missional Engagement
January 12, 2023

The Potency of Missional Engagement

Dear Friends— A most happy and blessed New Year to you and yours. No doubt, many of us reading this article can readily receive such a greeting; but, for some,…
K. Craig Moorman
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SeminariansYoung TimothyBetter Call Saul: Discernment at Damascus
January 12, 2023

Better Call Saul: Discernment at Damascus

Pr. Jeff Morlock Ananias (not Sapphira's husband, but the other Ananias) is an obscure figure in the New Testament. He appears only twice, for a total of eight verses. Yet…
Jeff Morlock
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ELCAWho Counts and Who Does Not
January 12, 2023

Who Counts and Who Does Not

In my letter from the director for December 2022 I wrote about several concerns that arose in my mind as I read a November 16 news release from the ELCA…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung TimothyThe Need for More Lay-led Lutheran Congregations
January 12, 2023

The Need for More Lay-led Lutheran Congregations

It has, for decades, been an incredibly unfair reality faced by smaller rural and inner-city congregations.  In a denomination that has traditionally insisted that viable, healthy congregations must be led…
Don Brandt
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SeminariansVideo Ministry – January 2023
January 12, 2023

Video Ministry – January 2023

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung TimothyIntroducing Faith GreenHouse
January 12, 2023

Introducing Faith GreenHouse

Pr. Dave Wollan More than an internship, a community for leadership formation! Faith Lutheran Church, in Hutchinson, MN, is excited to be launching a new initiative to address the need…
Dave Wollan
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Jim Nestingen Tribute
January 12, 2023

Jim Nestingen Tribute

Pr. Jim Nestingen I first got to know the name James Nestingen through what I still believe is the best confirmation text ever produced — the first edition of Free to…
Steve Shipman
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Encuentro 2022 – A New Perspective
November 14, 2022

Encuentro 2022 – A New Perspective

Many thanks to retired ELCA pastor and former Lutheran CORE board member Keith Forni for organizing, and to St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) in the Hermosa neighborhood of northwest Chicago…
Dennis Nelson
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Video Ministry – November 2022
November 14, 2022

Video Ministry – November 2022

Each month we feature two videos – the most recent addition to our video book reviews, and a recent addition to our CORE Convictions videos.  The CORE Convictions series is…
Dennis Nelson
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SeminariansYoung TimothyDoes Doctrine Matter?
November 14, 2022

Does Doctrine Matter?

Does doctrine matter?  That is a question that has been asked again and again in the Church.  Sometimes, the question is asked because doctrine seems so dry and boring.  It…
David Charlton
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Some of the More Common Mistakes Call Committees Should Avoid
November 14, 2022

Some of the More Common Mistakes Call Committees Should Avoid

As CiT Director I have been in a coaching relationship—since 2019—with a large number of call committees.  I have now provided at least some level of assistance to twenty-five different…
Don Brandt
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SeminariansYoung TimothyEvery Samuel Needs an Eli
November 14, 2022

Every Samuel Needs an Eli

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It's a question that youth have been asked since they graduated kindergarten. But in high school, the question becomes a…
Jeff Morlock
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SeminariansThe Value of Internship
November 14, 2022

The Value of Internship

Over a decade ago I had the pleasure and privilege of being on internship. Internship proved to be a pivotal time in which I figured out – with God’s help…
Chris Johnson
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Video Ministries – September 2022
September 12, 2022

Video Ministries – September 2022

Lutheran CORE is always looking for ways to take our ministry to the next level and expand our work of being a Voice for Biblical Truth and a Network for…
Dennis Nelson
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ELCAHighlights of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
September 12, 2022

Highlights of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly

No Mention of God Here is a link to the ELCA’s description of the Highlights of its own recent Churchwide Assembly. Please notice.  Two words are conspicuously absent – the…
Dennis Nelson
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Encouraging and Improving Congregational Singing
September 12, 2022

Encouraging and Improving Congregational Singing

First off, this is not an article about the relative merits of traditional and/or contemporary hymns and songs.  So even if you suspect you might have a “chip on your…
Don Brandt
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Inter-Lutheran Hispanic-Latino Ministry Encuentro Returns October 15th
September 12, 2022

Inter-Lutheran Hispanic-Latino Ministry Encuentro Returns October 15th

After two consecutive pandemic cancellations, the Inter-Lutheran Hispanic-Latino Ministry Encuentro will take place again on Saturday, October 15th, 2022, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. in Chicago's Hermosa Neighborhood, offering a…
Keith Forni
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ELCASeminariansYoung TimothyNo Acceptance of Confessional Faith at My ELCA Seminary
September 12, 2022

No Acceptance of Confessional Faith at My ELCA Seminary

Note from CORE's Executive Director: Many thanks to a seminarian, who wishes to remain anonymous, for writing about what it was like to attend an ELCA seminary.  Students considering enrolling…
Dennis Nelson
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SIMUL: A New Academic Journal
September 12, 2022

SIMUL: A New Academic Journal

In the fall of 2021, St. Paul Lutheran Seminary launched a new academic Journal called SIMUL, and since that time its pages have featured articles by Bob Benne, Mark Granquist,…
Dennis Di Mauro
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