Official Document: WELS A Reformed Sect

"The elephant labored and brought forth a mouse..."

Someone got the idea to have WELS study its horrendous use of "making disciples," which they got from Fuller Seminary. The resolution passed at the 2005 convention, so the study took two years to write.

Whenever a synod studies something, the new false doctrine is already in place. Missouri studied Church Growth and found it good. WELS' Valleskey, who studied at Fuller Seminary, studied Church Growth and found it very good. Then the ELS studied Church Growth and found it bad, but quickly recovered and echoed Valleskey's "spoiling the Egyptians," finding Church Growth very good indeed.

If WELS found something wrong with "making disciples," WELS would be fallible. That is beyond the comprehension of anyone left in the shrinking sect.

The panel involved reveals the difficulties with instructional incest. Hardly anyone in WELS has been educated outside of WELS. Besides, the only way to survive in the educational structure is to go along with the political agenda. Thus a study is going to be a rubber stamp, not unlike ELCA's studies and Missouri's studies.

WELS got it all wrong, as usual, preserving the Church Growth agenda that has served them so badly for 30 years.

The Great Commission, as it is called, does not have Jesus commanding His diciples to manufacture more disciples - Go and make disciples.

The object of the verb is "all nations." The KJV is really the Tyndale translation. As the Mourna Hooker article explains, Tyndale was accused of being a Lutheran. In fact, he was closely associated with Luther.

KJV Matthew 28:19 (1.) Go ye therefore, and (2.) teach all nations, (2.) baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The two main verbs are "go" and "teach." The word "disciple" in Greek means student, not missionary zealot. The verb form of the noun means to teach, not to make something. Subordinate to going and teaching all nations are the two particles, which I marked with italics - baptizing and instructing.

When WELS adopted the NIV and expelled pastors who objected, the Reformed anti-Means of Grace attitude of the ecumenical NIV took over. Now the members and pastors are too ignorant to object and too scared to quote the KJV.

One objection to the KJV is using teach twice. Gasp! And yet the command is easy to understand. The first part of the disciples' work is to go and teach. When people gather to form a church, they need baptism and instruction.

The Fuller agenda is pure Pietism. Disciples make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Joel Gerlach, who studied at Fuller, loves repetation which it includes his mantra of disciples.

WELS Convention Finished

From the Spin Doctors at The Love Shack, New Ulm Branch:

PRESIDENTS DEMONSTRATE UNITY AS CONVENTION CLOSES

Newly elected WELS President Mark Schroeder and former president Karl Gurgel together are urging delegates to take home a message of unity as they head back to their home congregations today.

In interviews with WELS Director of Communications Joel Hochmuth as the 59th biennial convention concluded, both discussed their hopes for the synod’s future and their confidence in the Lord to provide.

"From day one there was no doubt that we all have the same beliefs, we have the same core beliefs, and we have the same mission—to spread the gospel and to declare his praises," says former president Gurgel.

"This convention, even though it was facing some tremendous challenges, was the most optimistic and positive conventions that I’ve witnessed," says Pres. Schroeder. "In spite of the problems we face, with God’s help we can move forward."

Before leaving, the delegates adopted a series of resolutions that keep Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS), Saginaw, Mich., open. The convention amended a proposal from the Synodical Council (SC) that would have closed MLS at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

The budget adopted by the convention alters the SC proposal by adding $600,000 to the 2008–09 budget for World Missions and $2 million to the 2008-09 budget for the Board for Ministerial Education. With inflationary factors and other spending authorized by the convention, former president Gurgel said the convention-approved budget requires an increase in Congregation Mission Offerings of $3 to $4 million.

To fund the increase, the resolutions call for a special stewardship effort to emphasize long-term spiritual growth, and direct the Conference of Presidents to maintain and enhance current funding efforts, and authorize a special offering to reduce synodical debt.

"It's a huge challenge the delegates have ascribed to themselves," says Gurgel. "It's not a huge challenge for God. Trusting God and working together as brothers and sisters, we can achieve this huge challenge that we've laid out."

"This convention sets a clear direction that focuses not on reductions and cutbacks but a direction that says under God we will grow," says Pres. Schroeder. "I think that is what connects all of us to this idea that the mission of the church is to proclaim the gospel."

If necessary, the convention has directed the SC to make adjustments to the 2008-09 budget primarily from Ministry Support, internal borrowing repayment, or Parish Services, and that every effort be made to retain budgets for the Board for Home Missions, the Board for World Missions, and the Board for Ministerial Education.

"My belief is that even though the problems ahead are daunting, we have a renewed resolve to work and walk together," says Pres. Schroeder.

Gurgel said he's praying for Pres. Schroeder as he addresses those problems. "My prayer is he first listens to God and then listens to God's people, and that the people of God listen to him as he seeks to work in support of the Lord’s mission."

***

It was going to cost almost as much to close MLS as to keep it open. Grey Goose says, "This is only postponing the decisions of 2009."

The real issue is the apostate wing (Church and Change, Church Growth Movement) versus Old WELS.

The Wisconsin Synod is known for following the LCMS a few years behind.
1. WELS joined with the LCMS and ELCA in loving the Church Growth Movement and unionism.
2. WELS began closing prep schools, just as Missouri did.
3. WELS has denied for years that there are any doctrinal problems, just as Missouri did.

Michigan DP Not So Excited, Exciting

 Former DP John Seifert (middle) posed with Scott Barefoot, who sent himself as a minister to gays and organized People of Grace with Pastor Richard Starr. But do not join the Intrepids! Oh no!

According to my source (Grey Goose) Michigan DP John Seifert did not seem energetic in his support for Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

I find little difference between LCMS District Popes, WELS District Popes, and ELCA bishops. All have seized the power to kick pastors out of the ministry without cause (except the pastors' valid criticisms of the synod). All three synodical types seem to think their job is to be loyal to and worshipful toward the organization. "I love the (fill in the blank) synod" is a good career motto. Expressing a few reservations is good - tossing red meat to the base - but those reservations mean nothing.

Michigan DP Robert Mueller, a tireless bungler, saw his district vote down four different resolutions in favor of amalgamation (DMLC taking over NWC). He did everything possible to get a positive vote. Then he spoke at the national convention in favor of amalgamation. The pastors stopped speaking to him. They even left the room when he entered. So he declined to run. He got a free trip to Russia, supposedly as a missionary. Ha. Now Gurgel is going to do "mission work" overseas. Ah, that sounds so much better than a long, synod-paid vacation.

Another synod cipher stepped in when Mueller declined to run. I mean, Seifert stepped in. He worships the Wisconsin Synod, as all the officials do.

Seifert was such a loyal circuit pastor that he never noticed Bivens (same circuit) defending Church Growth and bragging about going to Fuller Seminary. Seifert heard it in his own driveway, but he forgot the episode twice. Bivens forgot too, because he could not imagine why I thought he went to Fuller Seminary. Good career move, Frosty.

When initial efforts were being made to close down MLS, John Lawrenz, then the president of the school, said this, "We are willing to accept any role the synod gives us." He waved the white flag at his own school, at the district meeting! Soon he was president of DMLC for one month, head of Worker Training, and seminary professor. For some reason he was soon out of Mequon and teaching in Russia and Asia. Obviously, pulling the plug on his own school was not a bad career move.

Delegates Asked for MLS Ballot and Vote Count

Delegates wanted a ballot (not a voice vote) on MLS, plus publication of the vote count. They got the ballot but not the vote count. How difficult would that have been?

Perhaps a vote count would have encouraged the pro-school delegates too much if they saw the level of support for MLS.

WELS conventions are controlled and manipulated by The Love Shack. For instance, they called an emergency convention to buy the Prairie du Chien campus. They just had to have that campus, so the New Ulm prep school could move. They got their way, moved the campus to a place where there were very few WELS Lutherans. The New Ulm area immediately built an area Lutheran high school. Prairie was eventually merged with Northwestern Prep to become Martin Luther Prep.

At one point WELS talked about abandoning the very campus at PdC they just had to have. While they were cutting Prairie loose, they spent about $500,000 on a new music building.

So why are delegates wary? Don't they trust the Holy Spirit?

Delegates Vote to Keep Michigan Lutheran Seminary Open

From the Vatican's New Ulm Branch:

"CONVENTION DELEGATES VOTE TO KEEP
MICHIGAN LUTHERAN SEMINARY OPEN


Delegates to WELS 59th Biennial Convention at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., Thursday adopted a resolution that rejects the Synodical Council’s proposal to close Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) in Saginaw, Mich., at the end of the 2007-2008 school year.


Details to follow."

Doom Has Come Upon Us All! Orcs Riding on Wargs! Huebner Accepts

"On Thursday, it was announced that Pastor James Huebner accepted the call to be second vice president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Delegates elected Huebner on Wednesday on the second ballot. Runner-up was incumbent Thomas Zarling, pastor at Christ Our Savior, Sterling, Va.

The delegates thanked Zarling for his service as second vice president for the past four years.

The second vice president is a parish pastor, so Huebner will continue as pastor at Grace, Milwaukee, Wis. In his role as second vice president, he shall “assist the president and the first vice president, serve on the Conference of Presidents, and serve as the corporate secretary for the corporation” (WELS Bylaws Section 2.20)."

***

The headline is borrowed from Tokien's The Hobbit.

Of course, millions were shocked that Huenber would accept a promotion of any type. When he was about to be ordained, he and James Tiefel were vying for the call to Grace, Milwaukee. Huebner said (as he told me), "Tiefel won't get Grace. I'm getting Grace."

Huebner's father, as president of Dr. Martin Luther College, defended WELS teacher/murderer Al Just on the stand in Phoenix. Following in the same tradition, James Huebner took Floyd Luther Stolzenburg's side in Columbus, when he arrived to "fix things," based on his training at Fuller Seminary.

It is absurd how many WELS pastors stood behind Stolzenburg, a man forced to leave the LCMS ministry for cause, a blatant false teacher who never joined WELS and swore he never would. Paul Kuske and DP Robert Mueler practically promised sainthood to Floyd. Kuske and Floyd even started Pilgrim Community Church together.

So Huebner, as Second VP, will do everything possible to undermine anything the new Synodical President Schroeder might do. Huebner will be the Church Growth/Church-and-Change minder when Wayne Mueller is not there.

Huebner wanted a copy of Lenski's Eisenach Gospels. I found one at Trinity for 25 cents and sent it to him. I inscribed on the cover: "May this help you repudiate the Church Growth Movement." I never got an acknowledgement or a note of thanks.

Huebner turned pale when I told him how many copies of things I made each week and mailed out to people.

The Pope Speaks at the WELS Convention

Pope John the Malefactor spoke ex cathedra in his capacity as the head of the Little Sect on the Prairie (the ELS). He spoke about his barely passed Public Ministry of the Word document, but failed to mention how many congregations and pastors have been expelled.

Ichabod as Pundit

Someone was annoyed that I imagined the WELS presidency race as between John Brenner and Wayne Mueller.

Pundits do not have to be right all the time, just entertaining and provoking.

The final race was definitely between the two sides I mentioned: Church Growth versus the school system.

Tonight the convention debated closing MLS. As long as the apostates focus on the issue of money, they will win. The issue is doctrine, not money. The contributions have withered away because the tree (WELS leadership) is rotten to the core. WELS is like an old tree that looks sound but is full of mold and sawdust on the inside.

Some would like an outside audit, not from the good old boy Milwaukee auditors, to see where the money has gone. EastCoast, one of my sources, predicts officials going to prison if that happened. That is why I think a real audit is unlikely. Besides, how could WELS admit to being imperfect? Not even a voice from heaven would convince them.

Man the Life-Boats - Huebner as Second Mate

Jim Huebner is considering his call to be 2nd VP. He may comment at the end of the evening session. Apparently, Tom Zarling, current 2nd VP, while nominated, was not re-elected. Paul Janke was also in the top three on this ballot.

Huebner is one of the most fanatical Church Growth apostates, usually teaming up with Lawrence Otto Olson (D.Min., Fuller Seminary), and Paul Kelm. Huebner and Kelm were also trained at Fuller Seminary, like their mentors Valleskey and Bivens.

Schroeder Accepts WELS Presidency

From the WELS Vatican, New Ulm Branch:

REV. MARK SCHROEDER ACCEPTS CALL
TO BE NEXT WELS PRESIDENT


Rev. Mark Schroeder, 53, has accepted the call to be the next WELS president.
Addressing the delegates to the 59th Biennial Convention at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., Wednesday about the task ahead of him, Schroeder expressed the strength he gained from the book of Isaiah: “Surely it is God who saves me. I will trust in him and not be afraid.”

Schroeder was elected Tuesday and asked the convention to give him overnight to consider the call.

Schroeder currently serves as president of Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wis. He has previously served at congregations in Fond du Lac, Wis., and Maitland, Fla.

Concluding his remarks, Schroeder told the delegates, “I will strive with the help of God to be faithful to the calling you have given me, and faithful to God’s Word.”

Janke versus Schroeder

Janke and Schroeder are the finalists for WELS Synodical President.

If Janke wins, WELS has thrown in the towel on Lutheran doctrine, period.

Count the votes carefully, boys. More than one person knows the amalgamation vote was flipped. Amalgamation failed narrowly, but the results were reported as having it pass narrowly, according to Minnesota Fats, my source.

Church and Channge Wants Janke

The C and C people in WELS are the worst apostates. They want Janke.

Apostasy has a deep bench in WELS.

Wayne Mueller is still the power behind the throne.

WELS Convention - Latest Votes

Mrs. Ichabod needed a 5 hour medical test today, so I could not blog. She swallowed a radioactive egg for breakfast and they did special photographs of her digestive system. The test consumed a lot of time, but we no longer need a night-light.

This Just In!

James Huebner is now (11:50am CDT) out of the running leaving:

Paul Janke
Marc Schroeder
Paul Wendland.

The Synod Restructuring discussions continue, apparently evenly divided betwee those for the "streamlined" approach and those fearing a power grab. The text currently under consideration are not the same as those circulated 60 days prior to the convention and that has raised objections from several delegates. Further, there has been no hard copy of the latest version available to the delegates, rasing objections. Hard copies and continued discussion will be available at a time indicated by the steering committee.


James Huebner, Fuller Alumnus, is no longer in the running. He was clearly the worst choice of the Final Four. I do not know much about Paul Wendland. District Popes like Paul Janke are get-along, go-along guys. Marc Schroeder is the best choice left, a pleasant surprise for Ichabodians.

WELS Pre-Game Convention Coverage

The WELS convention will start with fireworks. There is a considerable move to have everyone at the Love Shack (headquarters) sacked, whether that person is up for election or not. According to Sine Nomine, my source, a signed resolution or prayer has circulated to that effect.

This does not bode well for the candidacy of President-in-Waiting Wayne Mueller. My grandpappy used to say, "All ships rise with the tide." One could also argue that the sinking of the WELS-tanic is sucking everyone into its undertow.

No one has started any prairie fires with the emergency giving measure. Who would want to respond and give the Love Shack drones a new life?

WELS made a big mistake in fractioning all the giving efforts. Instead of one synodical offering, there are Tetzels in every corner, all piping their eyes for the needs of this or that. The result is a raft of appeal letters asking for money while the synod is also asking for money. And the schools ask for money and sponsor rummage sales.

They could raise more money by selling the Collected Works of Paul Kelm, except some people at Fuller Seminary might sue over the issue of plagiarism.