Disqus - Latest Comments for erikullestad

Re: http://kretzu.tumblr.com/post/1156129605

erikullestad — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:08:45 -0000

No need to feel like a fool...God's grace is sufficient. Peace!

Re: http://kretzu.tumblr.com/post/1156129605

erikullestad — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:43:34 -0000

Dude...Hannah M. is from Minnesota (MN).

Re: More Pension Problems

erikullestad — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:06:02 -0000

I think your accountability suggestions have merit. Obviously, the legal ramifications of opening the books, etc. are way above my pay grade. As a rule, I tend to be pro-transparency, especially when it comes to large organizations. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Re: More Pension Problems

erikullestad — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:03:44 -0000

I'd like to think that a person could be outraged at the pension debacle AND refuse to demonize the people who made a difficult decision. Many are rushing to judgment about the situation without knowing all of the details.

Sometimes, when people demand "accountability" they are just looking for someone to blame. In your opinion, what would the "accountability" look like? What form would the accountability take? Who should be held accountable? Beth Lewis? The board of directors? The pension fund managers? Current AF employees? The ELCA Churchwide Organization?

Stating that the defined pension plan was a "complete and utter failure" is a tad misleading, don't you think? It lost a lot of money, true...but members were still able to recoup a portion of the pension assets and reinvest those dollars as they see fit. Again, this doesn't negate the travesty that occurred.
(I say that because I've been accused of not caring about poor people in light of my opinions on this conversation...which I believe to be untrue.)

Re: Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm"

erikullestad — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:49:52 -0000

I'm not sure what is "known and unknown" in various circles. The AFP board of trustees met in executive session...certainly to share and discuss crucial information that couldn't be made public. I don't know what was discussed there; most of us don't know. I think that it's important to ask questions, but when conspiracy theorists imply that the AFP board or the Secretary of the ELCA have something to hide, that is unfair. It's awful that former AFP employees didn't receive their full pension...but I think some people's anger is misguided.

Re: Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm"

erikullestad — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:42:39 -0000

I guess it CAN lead to speculation...but I'm not sure why it HAS to. There are things that you, as pastor, are required to keep in confidence (or at least semi-private) that might cause people to be skeptical or speculative of you. I would say that is unfair to you as, one who has been entrusted with information that can't be public for whatever reason. Perhaps there is a similar circumstance (legal or otherwise) that prevents AFP / ELCA from being as forthcoming as you (and others) would like.

Re: Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm"

erikullestad — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:35:31 -0000

Brant - I initially wondered if Susan just hadn't seen my post...but 6 other comments have been moderated and approved since I made my comment. She has also updated her Twitter account since then, so there's no way that she hasn't seen my correspondences. Thanks for your feedback! I really enjoy your Saint & Cynic blog.

Re: The Biblical Debate on Homosexuality

erikullestad — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:32:18 -0000

I could see the conversation digressing into the "methamphetamine" argument in some cases. The difference, for me, is that Matthew and Genesis talk about homosexuality as much as they talk about methamphetamines. They talk about the purpose of man and woman (procreation, companionship) and for the importance of married people staying married...but not explicitly about homosexuality. My $0.02, for what it's worth...

Re: The Biblical Debate on Homosexuality

erikullestad — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:43:15 -0000

I think the Matthew and Genesis texts are an articulation of why heterosexual couples shouldn't get divorced...but I'm not sure what they say (pro or con) about homosexual couples.

Re: The Greatest of These Is Hope?

erikullestad — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:26:09 -0000

a) I would ask this pastor why there isn't more outrage at Hope about divorced and remarried pastors in the ELCA. Where's the 4,700+ word Q&A on their website about divorced and remarried pastors. Why didn't they choose to withhold funds from the ELCA because of this issue? It seems like they're proof-texting because homosexuality is a hot-button topic. The larger point (for me) is that there are a host of rules / laws / themes in Scripture that we are comfortable with pastors unrepentantly disregarding...so why use the small handful of verses dealing with homosexuality to be judgmental? I would rather err on the side of being gracious to gay people who feel the call to be in a relationship AND serve the church as pastor.

b) I don't doubt that Hope is using its influence to do social justice in our community. I think they (and all churches) could do more of this kind of gospel-centric work if they focused less on the sexuality debates. Householder's Q&A piece "Hope, the ELCA, and sexual boundaries" is one of only ten links on hopewdm.org/about. It's clear to web site users that human sexuality is a prominent issue at Hope. I think it doesn't need to be...

Re: The Greatest of These Is Hope?

erikullestad — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:02:19 -0000

Thanks for the comments, Brian...especially for clarifying the delegate / voting member nomenclature. Though they don't function like the electoral college, I maintain that they are the closest thing to a representative sample that we have in the church. Though it's not a perfect system, I'm perfectly comfortable with giving a significant amount of authority to those who gather at churchwide assemblies every two years.

I think it's cool that Hope offered their facility for the SE Iowa Synod assembly. Though the scheduling was done prior to CWA 2009, this wasn't the first time that Hope extended the invitation; it was the first time that the synod (staff? council?) accepted the invitation. I am among those who wish Bishop Burk would offer his thoughts on synod assembly being held at a congregation that is consciously withholding money from the synod and churchwide bodies. I also think it would be helpful for congregational leaders to be equipped with possible responses to congregation members who have reservations about attending synod assembly at Hope.

Re: The Greatest of These Is Hope?

erikullestad — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:00:16 -0000

Good stuff, Dave. I've always appreciated our conversations because they are founded in mutual respect; even if they don't result in 100% agreement.

I think that Hope has the ability to teach "traditional mainline" congregations how to actually DO ecumenical, shared ministry. Though the staff aren't often present at ELCA-specific events, I know they have forged dozens of inter-religious partnerships in the Des Moines area, not to mention the many civic alliances you listed.

The style vs. substance debate will always be part of conversations about mega-churches. Large screens, expensive A/V equipment, celebrity musicians, flat screen TVs in the narthex, etc. can cause people to question if that's the ONLY thing mega-churches have going for them. My thought is that most people have pretty good B.S. detectors, so if Hope didn't have any depth, they wouldn't be such a large, vibrant congregation.

I'm glad that there is open, honest discourse at Hope about controversial topics, especially the topic of human sexuality. I like that Pastor Mike believes that the church's thoughts on this issue shouldn't be reduced to a sound-bite or press release. I guess I wish that people were made aware that there is healthy disagreement in the midst of the conversations at Hope. Many of Mike's words about Hope's stance on sexuality give the impression that there is no room for dissenting voices to emerge because Hope's leaders are in 100% agreement on the topic.

Taking a nuanced view of sexual boundaries (where you & I are at this point) is much harder than "this Bible verse says it's wrong, so it's wrong" view. I appreciate that Hope refuses to spit hate towards gay people (unlike some Christian groups), though they clearly believe that unrepentant homosexual sex excludes people from being pastors.

Pastor Mike is right that the conversation about human sexuality is more about Biblical interpretation than about the physical act of sex. I think that the Bible can point us to God's truth, but it's not the only place where God's truth is found. I believe that parts of Scripture are contextual and some parts are timeless. Arguments can be made on both sides about where the "homosexual texts" fall. I don't pretend that my thoughts on this (or any) topic are static, which is why we are pursuing truth until the day we die. As such, I get concerned when people claim they have absolute answers to complex situations.

Thanks, as always, for the dialogue, Dave.

Re: The Greatest of These Is Hope?

erikullestad — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:14:57 -0000

Thanks for your feedback, Kent. I'm a big believer in "process over product", which is what I think you're getting at when examining "what God is doing amidst all of this." For me, being church is about on-going, open-ended conversation that involves everyone. Let's keep the discussion going!!!

Re: The Greatest of These Is Hope?

erikullestad — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:10:36 -0000

@Guest - Thanks for your comments. A few responses:
1) I only mentioned the 2,000 verses as a counter-argument to those who make the mistake of proof-texting. Certainly those who cherry-pick Bible verses to fit their views might be compelled with the sheer volume of passages that talk about the poor, marginalized, or persecuted. Also, for what it's worth, the 2,000 verses reference came from Baptist author / theologian Tony Campolo.

2) I would never claim that Hope doesn't do "social justice". Their ability to inspire and mobilize their people to do good things is truly impressive. Again, I think that issues of sexuality aren't nearly as important as growing disciples.

3) You're tapping into the kinds of topics that the LIFT / Ecology group is addressing. I think there is a better way to "do church" in all three expressions -- congregations, synods, and churchwide.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts...

Re: The Madness is Over

erikullestad — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:24:32 -0000

Yes...I wish a transcript was available.

Re: iPad for Seniors

erikullestad — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:40:39 -0000

Thanks for that helpful tidbit of information, Michael.

Re: Denominations Make Me Nervous

erikullestad — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:04:49 -0000

As with any human institution, there is brokenness, imperfection, and sin. Such is the case with denominations. I would argue that the existence of denominations isn't evil, but they become poisonous when certain tribes stray (or are led astray) from what is central.

Some believe that denominations are as old as the Christian movement in the 1st century. They didn't bear names like Methodist, Greek Orthodox, or Baptist...instead, they were called "The Church in Corinth" or "The Church in Rome". Denominations are bound to exist because (1) humans are created to make order out of chaos, and (2) different cultural norms create different needs. As long as Christians are called to be in the world but not of the world, there will be a tendency to gather groups of believers together based on station in life, geography, spiritual maturity, etc.

In some ways, our proclivity for grouping is played out in congregations that offer small groups and/or multiple styles of worship. You could say that these self-selected groups can (and often do) lead to unhealthy groupthink, disunity, and huddling. I'm sure the people who attend "traditional" worship at a church have a different understanding of worship and faith than people who attend a "seeker" or "emerging" worship service...or that a retired men's Bible study group has a different perspective on Scripture than a teenage girls' Bible study group.

The ELCA (just to pick on a particular denomination) has see the departure of congregations & pastors who exhibit the "I'm taking my ball and going home" mentality. This unwillingness to "work out theological disagreements in community" seems to be generated by congregations; not the denomination itself. In that sense, it is the existence of ANY human-made group that can be problematic; not just denominational groups.

Though I have become an unwitting apologist for the Lutheran tribe in recent years, I truly wish denominations didn't exist. This is why I get so excited when established denominations find ways to work towards unity; not fracture. For example, the ELCA has forged sacramental alliances with the Methodists, Moravians, UCC, Episcopalians, and Reformed Church. I think this lays the foundation for future generations to continue the work of dissolving the labels we assign to certain expressions of Christianity and, instead, focus on our oneness in Christ.

Thoughts?

Re: Denominations Make Me Nervous

erikullestad — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:29:45 -0000

This is a cool map, Justin. I'm curious - why do denominations make you nervous?

Re: Prophets of a Future Not Our Own

erikullestad — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:16:14 -0000

Thanks for reading and commenting, Kirstin!

Re: Farokhmanesh!

erikullestad — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:12:28 -0000

I'm a fool. Thanks for correcting me. I loathe Packer...Raft is the man. Go Panthers!

Re: Internet Matters

erikullestad — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:29:34 -0000

Thanks for weighing in, Steven. I'm curious what you think about newspapers, magazines, and books that are posted on the Internet. What about videos from vetted news sources or live footage of events captured by people with cameras on their phones? Certainly the Internet has SOME credible information that can be useful, no?

Re: Internet Matters

erikullestad — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:31:21 -0000

That's a money quote if I've ever read one! Thanks for passing it along.

Re: The Life Cycle

erikullestad — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:27:57 -0000

I think we're starting to realize that effective youth ministry is mostly about effective PARENT ministry. It's good to have programs for young people, etc...but if the parents don't care about church / faith, why would their children? Ministry is truly a partnership between church & home. Thanks for sharing your journey, which points us to how we need to redirect our focus.

Re: Reversal

erikullestad — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:40:56 -0000

Thanks for reading and commenting, Phillip. A couple of reflections:
Ms. Armstrong's letter clarifies synodical polity and doesn't make any claims about whether or not homosexuality is a sin. Her statement was "The conversations primarily centered on the issues of the authority of the synod council." I believe the synod council realized that they were unable to authentically declare a unified "bound conscience" for thousands of people in 180 congregations, so they undid they actions taken in November.

I have no need to attempt to sway your opinion, but I would like to address your statement that Jesus and Luther strove to "keep it simple stupid". I believe that the witness of Christ and the writings of Martin Luther are theologically complex and are ripe for a variety of interpretations. People have studied and argued Christ's intentions for over 2,000 years, which leads me to believe that there is nothing simple about being a disciple. Jesus had nothing to say about homosexuality, and there isn't much from Luther on the subject either. I'm drawn to two conclusions -- (1) Christianity is anything but simple, and (2) homosexuality isn't nearly as important as striving for peace and justice.

I value the discourse, Phillip. You are welcome to use this space to respond, if you feel inclined to do so. Peace!

Re: The Life Cycle

erikullestad — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:41:32 -0000

Thanks for reading and commenting, Diane. It was great to be with you in Arizona last week! I was reminded last week of the power of the invitation. There were lots of young adults at the Livelong Learning Partners event because they were invited specifically by someone they knew. There was a gift and a responsibility that came out of that pre-existing relationship. If I would have received a note saying, "you should think about attending this event in Arizona", I probably wouldn't have looked into it. BUT, Dwight said, "I really hope you consider going with me to this event", I was hooked. The same is true for young leaders in congregations. They / we sometimes need older members to have the audacity to ask us to be a part of something exciting. Thanks again for commenting here on "koinonia", Diane!