C. Peter Wagner, Pentecostal Baptist - Early Guru for WELS Church Growth

C. Peter Wagner was an early guru for Church Growth - among the WELS leaders. The very first issues of TELL were praising Wagner. That was more than 27 years ago.

On my lap is a copy of TELL from 1980. In the issue is a book review of a C. Peter Wagner book. Reuel Schulz, a WELS pastor, began his review with these chilling words:

"For several years I've been a Peter Wagner fan." Several years! That means Wagner was sowing his Pentecostal weed seeds in WELS 30 years ago. Three decades. "Game over, man. Game over!" as Bill Paxton once said.

Schulz also recommended more Wagner books, ending his review with "Read these books and you might become a Wagner fan too."

Another fan of Wagner - David Valleskey. What did Valleskey and Schulz have in common? Oh yes, both went to Fuller Seminary. Both wrote for TELL. Valleskey recommended Wagner books in his article in The Northwestern Lutheran (before it became FIC).

WELS has had a number of Pentecostal outbreaks among its clergy, especially those in world and American missions (Valleskey territory). Randy Cutter is healing the sick Pentecostally in Florida right now.

Ft. Wayne Seminary produces Eastern Orthodox clergy, while Mequon makes disciples of Wagner. Could the seminary professors be responsible?

Where is the doctrinal discipline? A Missouri DP hands out free copies of Reggie McNeal. Can anyone imagine a Lutheran DP handing out copies of Luther and saying, "You really need to read this."