WELS Administration Picks World Missions Instead of Schools

I have many sources within WELS. Some information is so good that I cannot be too specific about its content or origin. Anyone can conclude the obvious from the funding battle, but the thoughts have been put into print as well.

The WELS administration has decided to pick world missions over the funding of schools. World missions are essential. Schools are not. They must admire the political expertise of George Bush on the illegal invasion issue. WELS officials are copying the tactic of alienating all possible supporters.

The synod administration has decided to let both prep schools go down, temporarily prop up Martin Luther College, and keep the seminary long-term. Merging a teacher's college with a future pastor's college created a big problem years ago. WELS cut back its parochial schools, under the Fuller-trained Church Growth leadership of Norm Berg. If the two colleges had been kept apart, they could have turned DMLC into a nursing home with no problem, keeping Northwestern College. Now they have to move the pastoral training program to Wisconsin Lutheran College when MLC closes. WLC already has a pre-seminary program, no surprise, and plenty of Schwan money.

Although Gurgel admits to having the "gift of leadership," his reasoning is invulnerable to logical analysis. World missionaries can be replaced at any time in the future. A school, once closed, cannot be opened again. Although a school is a big drain on money, the cost of starting one is almost impossible for any church body, let alone a failing institution. Schools inspire loyalty and giving. No one can guess what closing a beloved school does to the trust of the members.

For decades now the Lutherans of all synods have chosen to abandon their schools. CLC clown David Koenig made the thinking all too obvious when he would shout, "Schools are for us. World missions are for them." Since he craved being the only world missionary in the sect, he might have admitted, "World missions are for me." The various administrations could say the same thing. How else could Pope John the Malefactor travel to South Korea, with another representative, on the expense account of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod? How else could Gaylin Schmeling travel through Europe with his wife?

Oddly, the men who are closing the schools received an education for almost nothing. When Gurgel was ordained, he received all his prep-college-synod tuition back as a gift from the synod. That was policy then and helped WELS pastors get a start with their new shepherdesses. The skyrocketing cost of Lutheran education is simply because the proportion of synod support has been decreased decade after decade.

The Lutheran doctrinal approach is: orthodox doctrine will produce fruit. That requires trust in God's Word, absent today among the apostate leaders.

The Reformed doctrinal approach is: God needs us to convert the heathen. If we do not act now and work with other Christian groups to accomplish this, millions of heathen will tumble into Hell. Deeds, not creeds! We are God's hands and feet and eyes and wallets. We have seen the godless, naked pagans of the French Riviera and Brazil. Send us back so we can save their sin-drenched souls.