From a Man Who Actually Uses His Own Name

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "This Poor Guy Cannot Read, Cannot Count":

Thanks, Mr. Brom Bones, for crediting me as a regular contributor. Oddly enough, Ichabod is the first and only blogspot that I consider worthy of commentary. I am not a big fan of "flaming" on blogs. I always remember what G.K. Chesterton once said - "Men quarrel because they do not know how to argue."

***

GJ - I have not allowed or posted Fiend comments that are even more derogatory than the ones I published already. I will post some silly, negative comments just to show the public how degenerate the visible Lutheran Church is. For those who want to roll in the dirt with dogs, there is always LutherQuest (sic).

Intelligent opposition is welcome, even if it is anonymous.

LemKeel Again - On MLS

Lemkeel said...
I can't believe it (though I'm not surprised) that Mark Schroeder LPS president is going to be WELS new president. He, in my opinion, is a large part of the problem, not the solution. His job was in jeopardy (president of prep) and so he started campaigning for new presidency, this time of the synod, and he put together a bunch of nonsense to make it look like he knew what he was talking about, and the people who don't use their brains said, "Hey, he's made a bunch of points, he's obviously thought about it and we haven't so let's elect him president!" These same people don't want to lose MLS, but have no idea why it should stay open and don't know how to think, and they're the majority in the WELS so... The Wisconsin Synod is about to downward spiral into self-destruction more so than it is. With Wayne Mueller elected Pres., there was hope because he actually knew what was going on and had a vision for the future of WELS. Mark Schroeder is going to put the synod in a worse condition than it already is. I can't wait.

August 1, 2007 1:08 PM
Anonymous said...
I would assume that this indicates that MLS will definitely receive enough votes to stay open? Wasn't Schroeder a huge proponent of keep MLS open?

I thought LPS was in much better shape financially than MLS. Is this not the case (lemkeel, I assume you are an alumni of LPS ?)

August 1, 2007 7:58 PM
Lemkeel said...
Yes, I graduated from LPS. My thinking was that if MLS closes, LPS would eventually follow. If people are willing to lose one prep school, the other one is likely to follow shortly thereafter. LPS is in about the same financial shape as MLS, except there's slightly more students enrolled at LPS. However, there currently aren't enough students enrolled at LPS to meet the financial needs to maintain the school, hence the tuition increases. Both schools take funding from the synod budget each year, but because enrollment is down in both schools, the schools themselves are hurting due to lack of tuition funds. Additionally, because the synod is in debt they're looking for ways to make cuts, and prep schools should be the first to go. Mark Schroeder for the past few years has been involved in fund raising activities at LPS, a bad sign. He realized that his role as president of Prep was in jeopardy simply because he knows that his job in a prep school is dispensable (able to lose synod functioning and/or close) much more so than the college or seminary. That's what I was implying...

Not Everyone Keen about MLS

Lemkeel said...
This is disappointing. You'd think the delegates would strongly consider the WELS CFO's warnings against keeping MLS open or funded by the synod... but they came into the convention already with a decision. They listened to the many letters and phone calls of the parents of the prep schools and decided to let their emotions make the decision. The irony here is that the delegates voted to keep MLS open with the thinking that the synod's problems would begin to be resolved. In fact the problems are going to get worse. By voting to keep MLS open or continue to receive synod funding, the delegates only delayed the inevitable. MLS will eventually close or lose synod funding, and LPS will soon follow. The fact is that enrollment will NOT increase in either prep school because tuition is too expensive. The money that goes into the prep schools should be diverted to the college to encourage enrollment there by reducing the cost of tuition for students. It's cheaper to go to an instate university to be a teacher/pastor where in fact the students get a more well-rounded education. I have no idea how parents can afford to spend 25K for each of their kids at prep and then 50K for each kid at MLC. That is ridiculous, or should I say ludicrous.

***

GJ - I am assuming this is a WELS layman.

Typical Liberal Defense: Name Calling, Intemperate Language

Anonymous said...
You've got an awfully large amount of free-time for a pastor. It's a good thing, though. Why, if you actually devoted time to shepherding God's people instead of spewing filth and venom - who knows - people might start to buy in on all this brotherly Christian unity crap.
Keep going, please, (I know you want to,) until all Lutherans everywhere bow the knee and worship Greg Jackson, their inerrant source of doctrine.

***

That was his response to a sermon.

From Another WELS Layman

August 6th comment:

R Klatt said...

I spent too much time last week watching the streaming internet feed of the Monday-through-Friday national convention of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The main issues were the election of a new president, the closing of the prep school in Saginaw, and money. The synod is going broke, mostly because people in the pews aren't giving more and more and the administration is spending unwisely.
A new president was elected. That does not mean things will get better. The prep school was resolved to stay open. That does not mean it will not close. There will now be pressure, from the top down, on congregations to increase their regular offerings and further to contribute to a huge special offering. The top does not, or refuses to, realize that the bottom has heard so many cries of "wolf" recently that they are tired of the whole thing.

The long-time Lutherans in the pews realize there is something wrong. Many cannot put a finger on it. It is doctrine and practice. For thirty years, the Church Growth advocates in the synod administration have been watering down the published material, setting aside good practice and trying to turn every member into a minister to haul in more members so there will be more money. None of that belongs in a Lutheran church, in any church. That's why Lutheran churches in all the synods are failing. I would not now argue with the premise that Lutheran Christian teaching will no longer be around in 2017, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, so there will be nothing to celebrate.

Because of the plethora of bad Bible translations, no one knows what the Scriptures say anymore. Preaching the Gospel has turned into worldly mutual consolation in a support group. There are Lutheran churches that no longer offer Holy Communion. So there are many little gatherings in odd little buildings on many little corners each led by some guy or gal who thinks he or she has found the key. Americans are largely consumed by a social religion, not a Christian one. That week-long convention did not help. The freedom Christians are given by the Gospel is freedom to reject the false and cling to the true. We can do the former only by doing the latter.

This Poor Guy Cannot Read, Cannot Count

Brom Bones has left a new comment on your post "Forward in Chicken Soup for the Soul":

A few of your recent posts seemed to be moving towards a more balanced assessment of Lutheranism. Unfortunately, in one day, you have returned to beating the same drum. Methinks I have a headache...

You will always look like a winner when you publish only those comments that support your point of view. Interestingly, you seem to have only one regular contributor (rlschulz). How about a real debate, not just a one-sided diatribe against WELS and other Lutherans?

An Anonymous Person Yells - Coward!

Brom Bones has left a new comment on your post "Another WELS Comment":

The fact that you rarely publish comments critical of your blog demonstrates the highest form of cowardice. Your unwillingness to debate in a balanced and logical way is evidence of your own sense of inadequacy.

Labels Are Handy

The labels at the end of a post link all the articles with that label. Use the label list to the left, to look up similar posts.

I am going to post some comments and label them. Some are from laity, so they will be labeled laity.

Some of them are from anonymous rock-throwers (really brave fellows). Several names are used, but I suspect the grand total is two. They will be labeled fiends.

Ichabod is aimed at restoring Luther's doctrine to the Lutheran Church. The glory has departed.

Leonard Sweet Lives! - in WELS

From a layman:

Here is a taste - an email from Rev. Aderman to the Church and Change group.

"James Aderman adermanj@fairviewlutheran.com


FYI

I see that Leonard Sweet has a new book out, The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion. The title sounds like some of the material we heard from him at the Church and Change conference almost two years ago. Anyone read it?

Blessings!

Jim

Link to Amazon:
Sweet's Latest Book

***

GJ - This layman got himself on the Church and Change email group. Aderman is the WELS pastor who represents the cutting edge of Church Growth apostasy.

Leonard Sweet is a Methodist, cutesy-wutesy writer, as anyone can tell from the title of his latest abomination. Here is his self-inflating bio:

How Many Methodist Sermon Titles
Can You Find On This Page?

If you have not realized this already, Church and Change is the Jesus First of the WELS.

Forward in Chicken Soup for the Soul

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Comment on WELS Materials and Synod Help":

Forward in Christ is a good example of the dumbing down aimed at adults. Many of the articles read like "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Perhaps they can glean some of the easier material, assemble it into a how-to manual and call it "Christianity for Dummies". NPH could publish it and all of the synod's financial woes could be over. Some articles also tend to have that Reformed slant that is similar to Dobson and Rick Warren claptrap.

Comment on WELS Materials and Synod Help

"That's my problem with all of the Synod materials anymore, they treat everyone like spiritual idiots. Please feel free to quote me. I will have to jump into your blog and share some of the issues we've experienced in our school, and the HELP we've received from various DP's. You're definitely up against it and I'll pray for you."

GJ - I answered an email saying that all the Sunday School materials were dumbed down now. I could not think of anything good. Feel free to post good materials you may know about - Name of the materials, how to get them, synodical source.

Another WELS Comment

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "From a Lifelong WELS Member":

This is encouraging to read that another lifelong WELS member, like myself, feels this way. I can get some knowledgeable WELS laity to agree with many of our criticisms. But, most of them have been whipped into shape and are too cowardly to be vocal about it. Fear is control and many of the synodical officials enjoy having a subserviant, mute laity. After all, when you are infallible, you are above reproach.

MLS, R.I.P.

Michigan Lutheran Seminary was taken off death row...for now. However, I expect the efforts to close MLS to accelerate. The first, loud comments about closing MLS started in the 1980's.

Item: Wayne Mueller is still the First VP.

Item: James Huebner, Fuller alumnus, is also a VP.

Item: The Curia at The Love Shack, 2929 N. Mayfair Road, is all Church Growth - Ron Roth, Hagedorn, etc.

Item: WELS is still broke and cannot face its doctrinal problems.

From now on, The Love Shack will say to Michigan - "Boost your offerings. We kept MLS open for you." And...

"Why can't you get more students at your school? If you can't do better, you will have to close."

The Love Shack has driven down enrollment at MLS. Knowing how WELS works, I imagine people will use a whispering campaign to keep students going to Luther Prep rather than MLS. "Biting off the nose to spite the face" is an unquenchable desire in WELS.

MLS will get a slight boost from Apaches being sent from Arizona, where Mueller/Gurgel shut down that high school.

Besides, they have driven prep tuition and board up to the level of a state university. Parents need a federal student loan program to get their children through high school.

When the Curia at The Love Shack went to school, prep tuition was easy to pay, college and seminary were inexpensive. They received all their tuition back upon graduation from seminary, so the shepherd could buy his new shepherdess some furniture for their parsonage. Now tuition is sky-high and there is no refund at ordination.

The destruction of the school system began during the Niagara Falls of funding from the Schwan Foundation. Where did all that money go?

From a Lifelong WELS Member

"Pastor Jackson,

I discovered your blog several weeks ago and have really enjoyed the commentaries. As a lifelong WELS member, I have seen and experienced many of the problems with our Synod and its hierarchy first hand."

Trinity Nine Sermon

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson, chemnitz@cox.net

KJV 1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

KJV Luke 16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. 3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

TLH Hymns
200 I know that my Redeemer lives
251 We all believe in one true God
427 How firm a foundation
50 Lord Dismiss Us

Make Friends with the Mammon of Unrighteousness

Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

This Gospel certainly sounds perplexing. The star of the story is an unrighteous manager who wasted his owner’s goods and was being fired for good cause. The manager was too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg, so he needed a plan. His plan involved making friends out of the people who owed his master money, by reducing their bills. The master then commended this servant for being so clever! We are thinking, “But the manager wasted his goods, then cut down the money owed to save his own skin and guarantee future employment. How is this a good thing?”

Not every portrait in the Bible is intended to show us an ideal person. The unbelievers love to point out how fallible the Biblical characters were. Of course, that is why we call it God’s Word instead of man’s word. When people talk about each other, they either condemn them as utterly black or as so pure and generous that the world does not deserve them. Hollywood does this kind of flattery best, but it happens in the business world and at church meetings.

Jesus’ parable shows us a man who got himself into a pile of trouble but used his cleverness to get himself out. The master was impressed because he was probably, in this work of fiction, a man who was clever himself. There is a story of one Wall Street genius who sold just before the big Crash because he heard the shoe-shine boy talking about his stocks. He thought, “If a shoe-shine boy is buying stocks, the market is over-sold.” Sure enough, the people who bought on margin from their home mortgages were losing their homes and stocks were diving faster than stock brokers from tall buildings.

The conclusion tells us what Jesus is teaching.

Make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness…

This means to use money and goods, the mammon of unrighteousness, to make friends. That can happen in a variety of ways. Overall, it means a generous spirit toward others. Instead of selling items in a garage sale, give them away to those who need them. Providing financial support for people who need it. Being generous with family, friends, and people we work with.

There are hundreds of ways to be miserly with others: giving the smallest tip possible, giving small gifts with a tragic sense of deep loss (this cost me five bucks!), paying the lowest wages possible while bragging about one’s wealth.

One Lutheran talked about his business relationship with a member of the same congregation. He said, “That guy is always talking about Jesus, but when we do things together in business, he always comes out on top, every time.”

The Bible is full of illustrations of people who talk big and mean nothing by it. The famous false teacher passage in Matthew 7:15ff addresses those who say “Lord, Lord” all the time but are wolves in sheep’s clothing. James devotes considerable space to the same topic, especially about caring for the needy. There are many perpetual welfare cases, professional indigents, one might say, but there are also people who have temporary needs.

Now that the synods are collapsing, I wonder how congregation will fare. Many congregations will close or merge due to huge health insurance costs. I read that it hurt the large congregations the most! Hardly. They have the lowest cost per member for a pastor. The smaller churches are being crippled by insurance costs and therefore reduce salaries in real terms, so pastors commonly have their wives work full-time outside the home, even with small children to raise.

It may be that money itself is not the issue. We have many kinds of help readily available for all types of problems. But what is more precious today than time and attention? Some people should start with their own children. I sat with an Army sergeant and his wife. They make $25,000 a year and have a little girl. His wife does not work outside the home because raising the little girl is so important to them both. I told them how wonderful that was. How many people have all the stuff and no time for children? What greater good can we do for society than raising good citizens and Christians?

And how much is our time worth to shut-ins, the sick, the handicapped? The disabled are everywhere but invisible to most. They have the most to offer, in many cases, far more than they receive.

The real issue is thankfulness. If people are not thankful for the Word, they will show that in their attitude toward the person who brings the Word to them. They may only be thankful for the synod, since they are taught to worship the infallible synod at all times. If they rely on the synod to solve their problems, they will not look to the Word. They will not trust in God to provide for them.

The greatest blessings are spiritual, not material. We cannot say we have any material worries in America. We have food, clothing, and shelter. We even have more Christian ministers (nominal Christians, in many cases) than the rest of the world put together. Where Christians in India might be content to worship in something resembling a chicken shed, we cannot fill a moderate sized building.

The spiritual blessings come only from the Means of Grace. The Gospel of forgiveness is conveyed through the Word and grants what God promises. Forgiveness of sin does not come through regret or penance, but from the sacrificial death of Christ, the treasure of the Atonement distributed by the Holy Spirit working through the Word.

People who want to meet Jesus may meet Him daily through the Scriptures and through Holy Communion when offered. There we have the assurance lacking in the sects. They talk about Jesus but feel uncertain about how Jesus comes to us. They do not look to the solid foundation of the objective Word, so they look for certainty in the feeling of forgiveness, the feeling of salvation. Feelings come and go. They often betray us.

Everyone has unnatural fears. Some may fear spiders. Others will jump if they see a cockroach. I mentioned how roof rats from Asia were in certain parts of Phoenix. A scientist talked about how cute roof rats were. I said, “Not on my roof. Maybe in your lab.” Someone else’s fear sounds silly to me. My fears sound silly to others.

The same thing is true of those things that make us happy and light-hearted. When churches cannot teach the objective truth of the Gospel, they try to generate positive feelings through certain types of music. The idea is to be contagious. Contagious joy. Contagious laughter.

One WELS church, in Phoenix, has tried this approach for several years. They do not have Holy Communion at all. The emphasis is on happy feelings, not on the objective Means of God’s forgiveness.

Happy-talk is always going to degenerate into Unitarianism or peppy business motivation talk. Happy-talk Robert Schuller does not allow anyone to question his phony Gospel. There are some interesting stories about him off-camera – not a happy guy at all.

The Gospel makes us truly joyous by taking away our sins – for free. The burden is lifted forever. The sins are forgotten. That alone should inspire us to be generous to others.

Jesus says there is a reason.

that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

Make friends with money, so that when you die, these people will speak for you and welcome you into eternal life.

Luther makes much of this. He portrays the people helped saying, “He gave us food. She gave us clothing, etc.” They are the character witnesses we will have as we enter eternal life.

I won’t get any synod officials to speak for me (assuming some are there) but I expect some wonderful sick, shut-in, and handicapped Christians will vouch for me.

But isn’t that works-righteousness?

The Gospel teaches consistency between what we believe and what we do. If we do everything and have not faith, every good work is a sin. If we talk about Jesus but show no fruits of the faith, even persecute Christianity (as all Church Growth people do), then we are the “Lord, Lord” types who did signs and wonders as evil-doers.

But with sincere faith, there is no difference between the resolve and the act. We carry out what we believe in. If we find our hearts hardened against the suffering of others, then we repent of that hardness in light of God’s great mercy to us.

Luther constantly taught that faith is active in love. Faith is our relationship to God. Love is our relationship to our neighbor.

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.”