Comments and Questions from a WELS Layman

Well so far I have gotten through about 140 pages of Thy Strong Word. I am enjoying it. Thank you for being able to put into words what I have been trying to verbalize myself for sometime. I have come to these conclusions in the last 5 years or so.
1. God may be testing the WELS to show if they really believe and trust in His Word.
2. Many people do not know even know what Confessional Lutheranism is, therefore how would they be able to refute the trends. I would suspect pastors as well.
3. Many have been duped with the idea that "the content doesn't change" with regards to the contemporary style services. I still remember in the ALC it was what was left out and not taught that left me wanting.
4. There seems to be great confusion of how God the Holy Spirit works and builds His Church.
5. There is a degree, it would seem, of envy and jealousy toward the churches out there that are leading the way with their "great numbers." That alone should make the alarms ring.

My one question thus far has to do with a statement in in introduction. "we now belong to the largest Lutheran synod of all, the 5,000,000 people who are Lutherans but refuse to attend the synodical franchise actively engaged in publishing." Could you explain this to me. Are you saying that there are 5 million confessional Lutherans with "no home?" Also how is that number quantified?

Have you ever gone to the web site - Slice of Laodicea? Just google that. They are definitely not Lutheran, but they bring out many concerns about the "Purpose Driven Church" etc. They also have a national radio broadcast.

Thanks again. This book confirms what I have learned by personal observation and experience in the last 17 years. I'll have to find a copy of the book that Kurt Marquart wrote. I think you should consider doing an abbreviated work, say of 150-200 pages or so that is more summary in nature and less intimidating for many who would be interested in what your driving at with this book. Not that it is a difficult read. It's very readable and it gives lots of great Lutheran and Biblical quotes. I have always wanted to ask Kincaid Smith if he ever thought of doing a book called What's Going On With Confessional Lutherans.

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GJ - This anonymous layman sent me the signed email copied above. He asked about the largest synod. The 5 million Lutherans mentioned in Thy Strong Word are those people who call themselves Lutherans but will not go to church.

I doubt Kincaid Smith will admit anything going wrong among confessional Lutherans. He was a nasty part of driving Rolf Preus out of the ELS. When I need a hatchet man, I will phone Kin. If I need a writer, I will contact someone else.

Note to new Ichabodians - the complete text of Thy Strong Word is linked on the main page. The book is also found at Thy Strong Word. Also, portions of the book are being published on Lulu.com. My editor and I decided on omitting the Greek citations. So far the justification chapter is published (chapter five). No one else has gathered all the quotations (within reason) supporting justification-without-faith and those quotations from the Bible and the Book of Concord that refute UOJ.