2×2 Ministry Influence Continues to Grow

Last week 2×2 heard from two readers, each identifying themselves as a fan of 2×2—and each from Nigeria. 

We had noticed growing traffic in this area of the world, but this was the first time we had connected.

We do not know if the two who wrote to us are acquainted, but their interest added to a phenomenon that we never dreamed would be part of our ministry.

2×2 Connects Churches Worldwide

A few months ago, 2×2 made an effort to put some of our regular readers in touch with one another. With permission, we shared email addresses and wrote letters of introduction.

We were surprised when a church in Pakistan told us of their plans to send a representative to Nairobi, Kenya. We were surprised again when a church leader in Nairobi took his Pakistani guest to visit a church in western Kenya. They had all met through 2×2, which is the web site of the excommunicated Lutherans in East Falls, Philadelphia.

Last week, one of the Nigerian readers asked to be connected to churches in Kenya. Again, with permission, we connected 2×2 readers.

Meanwhile, here in Philadelphia, a missionary couple, home from their work in Sweden visited 2×2. We had lunch together and talked about their house church ministry.

The ELCA and its regional entity, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, considers its East Falls church to be closed. There was never a vote. There was never any dialog or mutual discernment. Just a decree, five years of litigation, and a foolish, self-serving land grab. This could not have happened if ELCA rules had been followed.

Excluded from Lutheran fellowship, Redeemer’s Ambassadors have visited 61 sister congregations. Most of them have the same basic ministry.

Redeemer was heavily engaged in experimental ministry and succeeding. We were taking the risks (with our own resources) that Bishop Burkat is now asking all churches to take.

But the ELCA is intent on destroying us and taking our assets for their own survival.

2×2 has operated on a shoestring budget.

Imagine the influence we could be having within the ELCA — the denomination we supported for 122 years.

Imagine what we could be doing with income we could be earning with our educational building—an asset we built with our own resources and were fully prepared to use again when SEPA locked the doors.

Imagine the influence we could be having locally with the use of the property our members purchased and the buildings we built. We could be building the same kind of connections in our own community that we are building all over the world.

But we are kicked out, attacked in court and treated as undesirables. Why?

No one ever told us, but then we know the answer. SEPA Synod is funding its regional office by closing churches and assuming property and endowment assets as their own.

Here’s the lesson they have failed to learn.

  • There is more ministry potential in open churches than in closed churches.
  • There is more economic potential in open churches than in closed churches.
  • There is more possibility of innovation when regional offices are not trying to control parishes.

Redeemer knows this because we never closed — no matter what SEPA says. We do all the functions of church and we do this under horrendous conditions.

Last year, we sent some recorded music to churches who follow 2×2, with a suggestion that they teach the songs to children. Today, one of the mission workers wrote asking us to send more recorded music for their children to learn.

We’ll send them some of the songs we used to teach our own children.