Lord Have Mercy [US WCC Delegates Apologize for US]

Weekly Standard ^ | 3/1/2006 | Mark D. Tooley

[Unam Sanctam]

AMERICAN CHURCH OFFICIALS pleaded for forgiveness for the sins of the United States last week--from the Iraq War, to Bush's rejection of the Kyoto Accord, to the racism exposed by Hurricane Katrina, to economic exploitation, and for the more general American sin of idolatry.

The clerics were representing 34 Protestant and Orthodox denominations in America at the Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

"Our leaders turned a deaf ear to the voices of church leaders throughout our nation and the world, entering into imperial projects that seek to dominate and control for the sake of our own national interests," lamented the apologetic Americans. "Nations have been demonized and God has been enlisted in national agendas that are nothing short of idolatrous."

The Geneva-based WCC, which includes 340 churches totaling 550 million members, has been governed by leftists for decades. About 25 percent of the world's Christians belong to Protestant or Orthodox communions in the WCC. Thanks largely to leadership by leftist Europeans, the WCC long ago abandoned traditional Christian notions of ecumenism and evangelism in favor of radical liberation theologies that demonized the West, capitalism, and even Christianity. (Perhaps most famously, the WCC grudgingly refused to criticize the Soviet bloc during the final decades of the Cold War, while supporting and sometimes actually funding Soviet backed insurgencies.)

[Raycpa]

You need to amend number 3.

Jesus finished the work on the cross.

[reagan_fanatic]

This is an example of why I never go to church any more.

There are plenty of churches that don't associate or endorse these fools. I go to an Assembly of God church with a wonderful congregation and a straightfoward Pastor. This kind of sniveling wouldn't sit too well with us.

[Pablo64]

Thanks for posting the link. I think I had seen that list once before, but I was glad to see that the denomination we currently worship with is not a member.

[jimfree]

Who are the US WCC delegates?

The Dixie Chicks?!

Not exactly. One of them, mentioned in the article, is recently elected Disciples General Minister Sharon Watkins.

In the spirit of our delegation's comments I apologize for the behavior of my General Minister. I'm afraid our leadership has become politically extreme and unapproachable, intimidated by the more extreme leftism of the WCC and wanting so much to belong.

[gakrak]

No illusion whatsoever, they gave up the right to be Christians when they started to support the Gay agenda. Amen.

[Shimmer128]

Redemption is OFFERED and AVAILABLE because of the Cross. Repentance is necessary and the Lord is working in and on our hearts daily, that never stops.
Sin and then repentance certainly didn't stop at the Cross!

And separation of church and state is necessary so that these types of wackos in this group doesn't take over

[Shimmer128]

Make that "don't take over"

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for the link Molly, I stumbled on the following piece just last night.

PCUSA nears half-life as exodus accelerates

PCUSA leaders have often said the empty seats are because people are simply dropping out of churches and the truancy doesn't have anything to do with their "progressive" theological agendas.

But professional surveys that suggest otherwise and the overall demise of the mainline U.S. Protestant denominations – reflected also in their ecumenical alliances in the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches – show their aggregated social/political strength is withering both in membership numbers and financial support.

[bcsco]

"It is one of the major reasons why I left the ELCA and moved to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod."

We too! We'd given up on the ELCA for over a year due to their WOT bashing from the pulpit (I was assistant minister one Sunday and almost got up and walked out when a visiting pastor pontificated on the war).

Then we began going again. Well, gee, they began their study on 'sexuality'. One of our parishioners (who's wife was a synod VP) was on the ELCA board for that study. This couple were totally against the direction the ELCA was going but powerless to make any inroads. They're still with the ELCA but no longer participate at synod level.

Ash Wednesday last year we went to the service at our local LCMS parish. We joined a couple months later and are very happy we did. Our LCMS parish preaches the Bible.

[IronJack]

Just so you know, these "prelates" don't speak for at least one American. I apologize for NONE of these things.

[bcsco]

"Yeah, every Church I ever attended is full of hypocritical sinners. If they can't get their act together someone needs to do it for them."

We're all human, that's why! The one to 'do it for them' is the Holy Spirit, but we first have to let him into our hearts. Just because someone is 'churched' doesn't mean they're with the Spirit.

Does this mean the church is hypocritical? NO! It means that it has a lot of work to do.

Read 1 Co 5: 9-13. Far too often we're either ignorant of Paul's admonition, or too lazy or fearful to do anything about those among us who don't measure up.

This is NO reason to leave a church. If the Spirit is working in you, don't ignore it. Go to church and make use of your gifts.

[FormerLib]

We must get the Orthodox Church out of the WCC and it's US clone, the NCC.

We must!

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

This is an example of why I never go to church any more.

Sorry, this is no excuse there are plenty of churches who do not belong to the evil National Council of Churhes or WCC.

We left the ELCA (NCC) for Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (no NCC).

[Sisku Hanne]

I was discussing this takeover of Church Leadership Organizations (NCA, WCC, Methodist & Presbyterian, Mennonite Central Committee, etc) by socially liberal anti-Israel leftists with my sister, saying that it's one of the things that distresses me the most.

She said denominations are of man, and if they must fall, so be it. All that will be left is the Word and those who follow it as God intends, not their selfish humanistic interpretations. It was just one of those simple lightbulb moments that changed my whole outlook on the situation.

[mkjessup]

Sitting in a church, no matter how spiritual or how apostate, no more makes one a Christian, than sitting in a garage overnight will turn you into a motor vehicle.

Christ knows what is in each heart, and only He is able to discern the motives of each person.

I'll trust King Jesus as to what's in my heart before I embrace a weekly tally sheet proclaiming who was in church and who was playing hooky.

[Raycpa]

Lord is working in and on our hearts daily, that never stops.

The Lord or the Holy Spirit?

[mkjessup]

Lord is working in and on our hearts daily, that never stops.
The Lord or the Holy Spirit?

Yes.

[Raycpa]

I'll trust King Jesus as to what's in my heart before I embrace a weekly tally sheet proclaiming who was in church and who was playing hooky.

I cannot imagine life without regularly worshiping with fellow Christians. My heart, mind and soul yearn for corporate worship more and more every day.

I never see it has a task that needs to be checked off. I see it as being privileged enough to honor God in some small way, to look at Him in wonder and awe, to drink in the words of scripture, to fellowship and love other Christians.

[mkjessup]

Sounds like you have a great church home. Personally, I'm involved in a home-church, and while the numbers are not gigantic, the Spirit is genuine, and so too is the enthusiasm. :)

[Raycpa]

I have felt the same way in an apostate Church.