August 12, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. – Under the theme, "The Christ-Marked Life," the Rev. Ruben Duran told voting members of the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) that never before – in the social experiment we call the United States – do Lutherans, as disciples of Christ, have the opportunity to take God's work seriously in fighting hunger and eradicating racism.

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are participating, including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."

Duran, executive for new congregational development, ELCA Division for Outreach, led the Bible study Aug. 11, offering some reflections about the Gospel of John and calling Lutherans to a life of discipleship – a "cross-marked life."

"There is something unique about John's purpose in which he wrote his book," said Duran. "First, John makes it very clear" and wants people to know "that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God."

"John also reminds of us our connection with God, "a connection with Jesus the vine and us the branch (that) bears fruit for God's glory," said Duran. "Being connected with God has to do with indicative verbs, imperative and subjective, in the text of John."

"An imperative verb is an order, a command. Subjective is conditional (and) indicative is more of a declaration, a fact – God says to you today, ‘I love you. I forgive you.' This is not conditional. It is a gift, receive it," said Duran.

"It's interesting how many times the indicative precedes the imperative of God. Even in the famous verse from (the Gospel of) Matthew – ‘Go, make disciples of all nations' – which we use so much, and rightly so, raises our awareness and our responsibilities to bear witness and do outreach, grow congregations and work around the world," Duran told the assembly.

"A disciple is someone that has an intimate relationship with Christ, living a life based on those indicatives of God so clearly spelled out in Scripture," he said. "I urge you, I beg you, I even order you in God's name to get on with the work with urgency, (so) people can hear the Good News. We're the ones to do that," Duran said.

Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05/ on the Web.

ELCA News Service