ACELC: A Loving Challenge to the LCMS

Greetings in Christ, our One and Only way to salvation. Church of God – people of faith in Christ – recall your baptism and fight the good fight. Use this gracious gift He gave us to contend for the One True Faith.

ACELC – what is it and why now? Is your congregation one of the many in the LCMS that seems to be standing alone? Have your congregational members been asked or even pressured to support district or synodical programs that appear foreign or sound methobapticostal? Well, we understand and while we acknowledge that the struggle is not new within the LCMS, nonetheless it has certainly intensified and gotten worse. Have you or do you know someone who has visited a sister LCMS congregation and the service was unrecognizable? You probably came away from there with a sense of not being fed spiritually, even though the church sign out front had “LCMS” displayed and there may still have been a cross in the Sanctuary (behind the big screen of course!). You are NOT alone, and many have asked, where did my grandfather’s church go? Many parents have sent their children off to college, without a place for them to worship that remotely resembled their church roots.

Permit me to introduce you to the “speed bump” known as ACELC (Association of Confessing Evangelical Lutheran Congregations), an organization of confessing Lutheran congregations that hold to the One True Faith. ACELC members love our erring brothers and sisters to the extent that we are willing to expose Synod’s errors.

On July 15, 2010, the ACELC mailed a letter to each LCMS congregation telling them about our concerns and asking for their support. The letter included a document called “A Fraternal Admonition” that lists the errors that need to be addressed. Here is the link to the ACELC web site; you will find the letter and Admonition document there.

We cherish our strong liturgical history and grounding in the One True Faith. We do not want to lose this gem that has been given to us by our loving God in Christ. If you are so inclined to join with us, congregational membership in ACELC is available to you, as we are one in faith and God has called us to His service. Feel free to join us at our upcoming constituting convention in Kansas City, MO. As we march forward in unity let us with one voice speak the truth in love, praying the errors of our synod be corrected.

Please don’t let the church that God has called you to serve turn into another ELCA. To keep us on track, it will take good solid confessional laymen to be involved. What we experienced in the 1970’s (with seminex) when the laity helped turn the synod back from it’s liberal thinking is rare and is not likely to happen again. I am not calling the laymen of the church to become theologians, but some may as a result of the struggle – God Knows! The LCMS has many solid confessional Pastors, teaching the laymen pure doctrine, properly dividing between law and gospel, and administering the sacraments rightly. We must listen to their message; it is divine, confessional and Christ centered.

We do not need the gimmicks that are ablaze throughout the LCMS; they are fleeting and will not last the test of time. We need only One message as we are justified by faith in Christ, for Christ’s sake. As our past President Barry said, “Missouri – keep the message straight and get the message out.” Isaiah 55:11 states “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” This we can trust, by the power of the Holy Spirit for it is Gods Holy Word.

Also dear laymen, support the solid confessional pastors who continue to teach the truth, as they are facing some very tough times in this wayward Synod. The old evil foe would destroy them and their message if he could. People of faith – recall your baptism and fight the good fight; use this precious God given gift in Christ, our One and Only way to salvation.

In His Service,
Carl Pigors

Printable version of this letter
ACELC Letter to Congregations
ACELC Website
ACELC Definition of Confessional Lutheranism (Short Version)
ACELC Definition of Confessional Lutheranism (Long Version)