We Still Believe

I wrote the following and used it in a brochure. Then I urged others to copy it, via Christian News, and they did. Here it is:

In an age of anxiety, we still believe that peace comes from Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

In an age of confusion, we still believe that the Bible is the Word of God, inerrant and infallible.

In an age of doubt, we still believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

In an age of guilt, we still believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to remove the power of sin, death, and Satan from our lives.

In an age of fear, we still believe that Christ rose bodily from the dead to win for us eternal life.

In an age of self-centeredness, we still believe that God acts through the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

In an age of constant change, we still believe in the unchanging Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"If you hold to my teaching, then you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 8:31-32

***

I no longer had the brochure, so I Googled "We Still Believe Lutheran." I found examples all over Lutherdom, some with variations that fall harshly on the unwaxed ear.

Pietistic Cell Groups at a WELS Church

I warned you!

Lay-led Cell Groups.

Aha! Matt Has Not Actually Seen This

I know a lot of you WELS and ELS pastors are reading this, so take a gander at what the Ft. Wayne seminarian says about Green Bay, De Pere. Isn't Paul Kelm there? Yes, I see that he is.

I anticipate what WELS leaders will say. Matt has not seen these apostate acts first-hand. Read and weep, Old WELSians, because it can only get worse.

At January 22, 2006, Matt Makela said...
Dear WELS and WELS student,

Sorry for being vague. Nothing is intrinsically unbiblical about contemporary worship. However, St. Mark's contemporary worship is often unbiblical. My source of information concerning St. Mark's is my former hairdresser who is a faithful member of the congregation. Please note that on their home page (http://www.stmark-depere.com) there are three main pictures. The rightmost of the pictures has what contemporary worship typically looks like at St. Mark's. My informant has told me that songs with decision theology lyrics such as "Refiner's Fire" and "I Choose You" are sung regularly at St. Mark's contemporary services (they have 3 per week). Often there is no confession and absolution, creed, or Lord's Prayer. The site does, however, have a very good Q&A portion that is very faithful to Scripture. My informant told me that women read Scripture and help with distributing the elements not terribly often...probably once a month at one service. There were at one point Bible studies based on the Purpose Driven Life, which I find very disturbing (it's unforunately happening all over the LCMS).

Let me clarify that I have not personally seen anything that goes on at St. Mark's. However, my witness is very trustworthy, and I have no reason to doubt her. I hope this clarified some of the confusion.

***

At January 23, 2006, wels_of_pure_doctrine said...
Matt,
I personally talked with Pastor Parlow of St. Mark DePere this morning. He emphatically told me that they do NOT allow women to distribute the elements. Only called men are allowed to help with that. He also told me that songs which contain reformed lyrics (I believe you mentioned "I choose you") are not used. They often write their own songs, and ANY song they used not written by one of their WELS ministers is put under doctrinal review (that includes hymns as not all their services are "contemporary."). I don't know what was up with your informent, but he demonstrated to me that those things are simply not true.

***

GJ - Now we know it did happen and perhaps still does happen. The official denial has been posted. You have already broken fellowship with WELS by reading this blog, so repent you guilt-free saints of UOJ.

I wonder - does Paul Kelm supervise the doctrinal purity of the hymns? No one is more Reformed than he is.

Some may know that the WELS and ELS leaders got together to discuss women distributing Holy Communiion (and more?). They said, "Naughty, naughty." That does not mean it actually happened, ever, anywhere, at any time.

Matt - Wake Up and Smell the Kool-Aid

Consider joining WELS?


I guess another thing is what constitutes a "persistent errorist"? I know for a fact that some WELS pastors in Green Bay are persistent errorists by their love for unbiblical contemporary worship and adherence to The Purpose Driven Life and other church growth books. They allow women to read Scripture, perform children's messages during the Divine Service, and serve the elements. They have women "staff ministers." The church in particular that I refer to is St. Mark's, which has a dual parish (one church in Green Bay and the other in DePere). I know also that "percentage-wise" more WELS churches have unbiblical contemporary worship services than LCMS churches. Is it because the WELS has PAPER ORTHODOXY that you are confident to say that it is 100% orthodox and the LCMS 100% heterodox?

You wrote in a post last week (I think) that the WELS takes care of its problems, and that's what makes it different fom Missouri. If this is true, the one responsible for St. Mark's in Green Bay is not doing his job. I guess my point is that not even the WELS is always able to combat false teachings. Should it be that because the WELS does not take care of the problems happening at St. Mark's that you should leave and join the ELS? However, that would be problematic also since the ELS is in fellowship with the WELS.

I hope that you do not take offense at my writing. I in no way mean to cause you to be angry or insulted. As I said before, I respect the WELS and ELS greatly, and I know that you are a very faithful Lutheran believer. I just have some questions about WELS that I would like clarified before I feel 100% cut to the heart that I need to switch synods (something that I am definitely considering by the way).

Any clarification you can give to me, WELS, would be very helpful. Thank you!

***

GJ - This young man is very polite. I am sure some WELS member will post something about the Green Bay Packers, rendering Matt's knowledge of Green Bay null and void.

Charis - Church and Change

From the source:

Research Update: Factional Attributes in the WELS
By Dr. John E. Bauer
Dr. Bauer is the former Executive Director of The CHARIS Institute, Inc.

Introduction

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has experienced steady rates of decline over the past two decades that have produced financial and organizational stress. With the exception of 2004, baptized and communicant membership saw 21 straight years of decline. Sunday school attendance has dropped for 32 years straight and Lutheran elementary school enrollments have declined for 25 years in a row. Fiscal shortfalls, first made public in 2002, have led to reductions in the number of world missionaries, the number of college and seminary professorships, and numerous other cost-cutting measures.

When an organization experiences decline, it is common to observe denial and avoidance on the part of organization members and leaders on the one hand, and agitation forinnovation and change on the other. Both are occurring in the WELS. Within the last decade, growing divergence is occurring between two distinct factions.

One group, characterized by The CHARIS Institute and The Center for Church and Change, reacts to decline and loss by seeking creative and innovative approaches to ministry, by trying to develop networks for sharing ideas, and by combating the forces of legalism that restrict the free expression of the gospel.

The other group, characterized by the “Issues in WELS” conferences, the now defunct journal, Motley Magpie, and blogs such as “WELS in Crisis” react to financial and cultural changes in the denomination by returning to the safety of orthodoxy. Judging from the articles, papers, and postings of these organizations and groups, the preferred reaction to decline and demise is a clearer refinement of the church’s doctrine of church fellowship, rejection of anything thatseemingly resembles “church growth,” and a rejection of things contemporary or innovative in favor of the more traditional modes of pastoral ministry and worship.

Cell Group Quotations

Cell Group Quotations in Alphabetical Order


The lay-led cell group or conventicle is at the heart of Pietism, Reformed doctrine, and the Church Growth Movement. Below are quotations from WELS, LCMS, and various non-Lutherans, all saying approximately the same thing.

"Small Group Fellowships are not, as is sometimes supposed, a formal Bible class. Instead, Small Group Fellowships are a 'relationship,' a relationship among members of the group, a relationship with God, a relationship based on and centered in the Word of God. Small Group Fellowships are gatherings of people who study God's Word together and then put the Word into action together by (a) applying it to their lives, (b) by worshiping the Triune God, and (c) by serving others--sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and their very lives."
Campus Ministry Foundation (WELS), Inc., Small Group Fellowships, Madison: Campus Ministry Foundation, 1990, p. 3.

"The Rationale for Small Groups...5. It Follows Biblical Practice. a. Jesus and the Twelve Apostles (Jesus concentrated on investing Himself in His small group of disciples to teach and model spiritual truth, attitudes and behavior for them and to train them to be spiritual leaders. b. The Early Christians (Acts 2:42-47; 16:40; 20:20-21).
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 3.

"Small Group Fellowships are lay-led."
Campus Ministry Foundation (WELS), Inc., Small Group Fellowships, Madison: Campus Ministry Foundation, 1990, p. 8.

"HomeWORD Bound Groups, Fairview (WELS), Milwaukee, WI. The Boards of Elders and Education of Fairview Ev. Lutheran Church Prayerfully Extend A DIVINE CALL to____________________ To Lead a Small Group Bible Study along with ________. Purpose: A Bible study leader in Fairview's HomeWord Bound program shall facilitate lay-led, home Bible studies which assist Fairview in its ministry...."
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison.

"Definition: 'A small group within the church is a voluntary intentional gathering of people, varying in number, regularly meeting together for mutual Christian purposes.' - Serendipity
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 2.

"Types of Home Groups, by Karen Hurston (Church Growth Assoc.), from material by Bob Fulton."
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 10.

"A Look at Several WELS Small Group Ministries. 1. Fairview in Milwaukee (Pastor Jim Aderman) 2. Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison (Mr. Rolf Wegenke) 3. Emanuel in New London (Pastor Steve Witte)"
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19.

"The Network of WELS Small Group Leaders. 1. Information on active/interested small group leaders. 2. The Resource Sharing Network led by Divine Savior in Indianapolis, Indiana [Pastor Dan Kelm]."
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19.

"A Look at Several WELS Small Group Ministries. 1. Fairview in Milwaukee (Pastor Jim Aderman) 2. Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison (Mr. Rolf Wegenke) 3. Emanuel in New London (Pastor Steve Witte)"
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19.

"A cell group is the basic part of our church. It is not another church program--it is the program of our church."
Dr. Paul Y. Cho (with R. Whitney Manzano), More Than Numbers, Waco: Word Books, 1984, p. 42.

"We have many different types of cell groups. I have found that there is a basic sociological principle which must be maintained in order for them to be successful. The principle is one of homogeneity."
Dr. Paul Y. Cho (with R. Whitney Manzano), More Than Numbers, Waco: Word Books, 1984, p. 44.

"The unrelenting growth is based on a multiplication of home cell groups led by lay leaders." Harry Genet, "Big Trouble for the World's Largest Church,"
Christianity Today, January 22, 1982 p. 30.

"Students of Church Growth realize that a good structure for the church that really wants to grow is the organization of celebration plus congregation plus cell. When we see the importance of the organization of the church we are looking with 'Church Growth Eyes.' We are looking from an x-ray perspective and understanding the internal organs of the body of Christ—the Church!"
Kent R. Hunter, Launching Growth in the Local Congregation, A Workbook for Focusing Church Growth Eyes, Detroit: Church Growth Analysis and Learning Center, 1980, p. 81. WELS Church and Change loves, loves, loves Hunter.

"In an article on the small group movement, J. A. Gorman notes that 'both the Church Growth Institute of Fuller Seminary and the American Institute of Church Growth became centers for influencing the use of this means for evangelizing." (Christian Education, Moody Press, 1991, pp. 509, 510)
Prof. David Kuske, "Home Bible Study Groups in the 1990s," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1994. p. 126.

"This writer's acquaintance with this current phenomenon is threefold: 1) he has attended one of the workshops held by Lyman Coleman; 2) he has read about a dozen books in the last ten years coming from evangelical sources [i.e. false teachers] that deal with small groups either wholly or in part; 3) he has also inquired about why a number of WELS congregations have begun to conduct small group Bible study and how they have structured these groups."[1]
Prof. David Kuske, "Home Bible Study Groups in the 1990s," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1994. p. 127.

"The point being made here is that the reason for having home Bible study in small groups seems to have shifted from the Pietists' or parachurch groups goal of creating cells of people who will reform the church to having small groups as an integral part of a congregation's work."
Prof. David Kuske, "Home Bible Study Groups in the 1990s," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1994. p. 127.

"PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY AT CROSSROADS...Conduct seeker services... Provide small group leadership. At Crossroads, as people come to know Jesus they are encouraged to participate in groups of 8 to 10 people who meet weekly for 2 years of fellowship, holding one another accountable, discipleship training, encouragement and support. 1 Thessalonians. 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."
Pastor Rick Miller, (WELS), Crossroads Community Church, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

"Every disciple had responsibility over two types of cells, one cell where he formed the lives of the new converts, and another cell where he took the most advanced of those new converts and taught them how to be leaders, knowing that cell would soon be divided and the most advanced disciples put over additional cells. So came the multiplication." Juan Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, Plainfield: Logos International, 1975, p. 101. "A cell has five elements: 1) devotion; 2) discussion; 3) programming; 4) mobilization; 5) multiplication. It takes all five to form a cell group." Juan
Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, Plainfield: Logos International, 1975, p. 106.

"The cell groups are used to teach sound doctrine...Sound doctrine is not just belief in the millennium, the rapture, and the tribulation."
Juan Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, Plainfield: Logos International, 1975, p. 111.

"Another cause for the misplacement of believers is the Sunday school. The early church knew nothing about Sunday schools. They knew the best way for believers to grow and multiply is not through Bible lectures, but through living cells. This means small groups of four or five persons who meet in homes under a leader so their lives may be shaped so they may mobilize and multiply themselves in other cells."
Juan Carlos Ortiz, Call to Discipleship, Plainfield: Logos International, 1975, p. 29.

"Resources mentioned in this 'Bulletin' are available from CHURCH GROWTH, 709 E. Colorado Blvd. #150, Pasadena, CA 91101. Or call 1-800-423-4844."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, Mission Counsellor Newsletter, Austin, Texas, May, 1988

"Types of Home Groups, by Karen Hurston (Church Growth Assoc.), from material by Bob Fulton. Copied with the permission of Charles Arn."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, Oct., '91, 2929 Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53222 p. 11.

"The dynamics of assimilation into active church membership have very little to do with theological issues. Rather, a new members' class should focus primarily on relational issues of involvement and belonging." (Defining an Assimilated Member, by Charles Arn, copied with permission from EVANGELISM, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, WI, 53092. Annual subscription rate for EVANGELISM is $12...Charles Arn is Vice President of Church Growth, Inc. in Monrovia, Ca.)
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, Oct., '91, 2929 Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53222 p. 150.

"What Are Affinity Groups? by Pastor Wayne Vogt, Fount of Life, Colorado Springs, CO."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, Oct., '91, 2929 Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53222 p. 8.

WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, 1992: authors are - James Woodworth, Disciples of Christ; "Net Results," March, 1991; Roger K. Guy, Disciples of Christ; Arnell P. C. Arn, American Baptist Church; Jane Easter Bahls, Presbyterian; C. Jeff Woods, freelance writer and minister; Lyle Schaller, United Methodist; Pastor Paul Kelm; Pastor Jim Mumm, WELS; Pastor Peter Panitzke, WELS; Pastor Randall Cutter and Mark Freier, WELS; First Congretional Church, Winchester, MA." [2]
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, April, '92, 2929 Mayfair Road Milwaukee, WI 53222

"The church is no longer the community of those who have been called by the Word and the Sacraments, but association of the reborn, of those who 'earnestly desire to be Christians'...The church in the true sense consists of the small circles of pietists, the 'conventicles,' where everyone knows everyone else and where experiences are freely exchanged."
Martin Schmidt, "Pietism," The Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church, 3 vols., ed. Julius Bodensieck, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1965, III, p. 1899.

"Some 15 years ago, Peter Wagner's equation read 'Cells + Congregation + Celebration = Church.'"
Ken Sidey, "Church Growth Fine Tunes Its Formulas," Christianity Today, June 24, 1991, p. 46.

"Wouldn't it be terrible to sleep through the Second Reformation? Cell Group Churches. The New Lifestyle For New Wineskins. Cell Group Churches Are Really Different! A 'Cell Group' Church is built on the fact that all Christians are ministers, and that there is no 'professional clergy' hired to do the work of ministry. According to Ephesians 4, God has provided 'Gifted Men' to equip 'Believers Who Are Gifted' to do the work of ministry...The life of the church is in its Cells, not in a building. While it has weekly worship events, the focus of the church is in the home Cells."
Touch Outreach Ministries, P.O. Box 19888 Houston, TX 77079 1-800-735-5865

"Cell Groups For Reaching The Unchurched Are Called...SHARE GROUPS. Touch Outreach Ministries has spent many years experimenting with the best way to train Cell Group members to form 'Sub-Groups' called SHARE GROUPS which specifically target evangelizing the unchurched. SHARE GROUPS are 'pre-Bible study' Cells, which bond relationships between three Christians and six unbelievers. A series of three small books are used over a 27-week period of training. The first book, called 'BUILDING BRIDGES, OPENING HEARTS,' guides the SHARE GROUP Team through the first part of the strategy."
Touch Outreach Ministries, P.O. Box 19888 Houston, TX 77079 1-800-735-5865 p. 7.

"The cell groups have probably become the universal trademark of Full Gospel Central Church...A cell group is a cluster of church members who meet weekly in a home, factory, office, or other place for the purpose of evangelism and Christian fellowship through singing, prayer, Bible study, offering giving, announcements, sharing of needs, and praises and ministry to one another."
John N. Vaughan, The World's Twenty Largest Churches, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984, p. 44.

"Cell. Sometimes called a kinship circle; a small group of 8-12 believers; an important part of the church's struct which has the primary functions of spiritual accountability and intimacy and secondary functions of Bible, prayer, and healing."
C. Peter Wagner, ed., with Win Arn and Elmer Towns, Church Growth: The State of the Art, Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1986, p. 283.

"Cell groups of Christians fellowshipping together date back to the first century, for it was largely through the activities of little groups or cells of believers that the message of Jesus Christ spread throughout the Roman Empire."
Waldo J. Werning, The Radical Nature of Christianity, Church Growth Eyes Look at the Supernatural Mission of the Christian and the Church, South Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1975, p. 93.

"Bible studies from Serendipity. Serendipity makes available Bibles (with outlines and discussion questions) and topical study booklets for adults and teen-agers. See appendix D for sample study courses. Order a SERENDIPITY SMALL GROUP RESOURCES CATALOG from Serendipity, P.O. Box 1012, Littleton, CO, 80160 or call 1-800-525-9583 (In CO call 1-303-798-1313)."
Notebook, WELS School of Outreach IV, p. 225.


-------------------------

[1] CLC Pastor David Koenig was anxious to prove that David Kuske was not trained by Lyman Coleman. Koenig even published a letter in Christian News about it. Koenig was always eager to start cell groups and heatedly supported Pietism while trying to quash any criticism of his beloved Church Growth Movement.

[2] Two of the featured WELS authors, Cutter and Freier, have left Lutheranism.

What I Found On My Scavenger Hunt for Blogs

St. Peter (WELS) Lutheran Church Blog

Sermon for May 7, 20064 May 2006 by Saint Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church
I believe in the Holy Christian Church, but I do not believe in the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod. God’s Church cannot fail because … well, because it is God’s church. The Wisconsin Synod can fail because it is a human institution. ...

I picked that up from the link on Google, but the page no longer exists. Once again, I ask, Who says WELS has no doctrinal discipline?

Bloggers know that pages can be kept online for a long time. Deletion has to be deliberate and pre-meditated. This pastor stopped drinking the Kool-Aid. I am sure he has returned to his Holy Mother WELS mode now.

Maranatha Remembers

Maranatha Student:

Where our college/seminary was located (Watertown, WI) was an old-line Lutheran college. Northwestern. Since merged with Martin Luther in Minnesota.

In 1968 a group of students went on their campus, into dorms, to "witness" to those WELS heathen!! Rock, drunkeness, porn and about everything that was NOT allowed at Maranatha were in evidence. And we were confronted with the fact that many of these guys were going on to seminary and into the pastorate.

After our visit we were told we could talk to students out on campus, but never again allowed in the dorms. We had been TOLD that the WELS was the most conservative/hyper or "x" of the Lutherans, but I've found most MoSyn to be in REALITY more conservative.
__________________
'Dr. Bob' Griffin
www.sovereigngracechurch.com

***
GJ - UOJ favors alcoholism because drunks know they are already forgiven. Northwestern College was famous in WELS for allowing underage drinking, drinking to excess, and many other excesses. I posted this because it was information found on the Net. Of course, now we know it is true because an official denial was posted immediately afterwards.

WELS logic: If one Starbucks makes real whipped cream, then WELS is still perfect.

If Maranatha expects young women to dress modestly, their posts must be full of lies about WELS.

***

M Schottey has left a new comment on your post "Maranatha Remembers":

No, but a 40 year old story coming from a legalistic source isn't what i'd call classy investigative journalism.

2nd-- Because it happened at Northwestern does not mean it was 'allowed' as you put it. Just as it is not 'allowed' at MLC today.

In fact, a bigger problem is getting people to see that you cannot solve a 'morality problem' with constant and empty sanctification preaching, or using the Gospel as a new Law.

I know many young men who were the type of men you are deriding, and they have repented and been forgiven.

Not all of us can be perfect from the start as you and your baptist friend seem to be.

Does a lack of drinking on campus or ankle length skirts make you a better Christian?

If it does...please post a picture of yourself in an ankle length skirt.

***

GJ - I had to feature this because it is so typically WELS, except for the fact that the author signs his name.

Sig Becker, according to Herman Otten, was disgusted with the alcoholism and adultery of the WELS ministerium. Recently, I heard of a well-traveled WELS businessman who said the WELS clergy were the worst behaved, adulterous, and loutish of all the clergy he knew across the country. But of course, when the former SP was asked about a pastor in Arizona living in adultery, he went after the supposed source of the news. The adulterer was left alone.

One WELS pastor's wife, a graduate of DMLC, complained about the Score Reports at NWC. Her husband, a WELS circuit pastor, roared with laughter. Perhaps Mike could explain the Score Reports in a comment.

I would dissect all the logical fallacies from the post above, but I have some homework to grade. Readers can judge for themselves.

This is a polemical website emphasizing orthodox Lutheran doctrine, where vast amounts of web information are gathered to save people the trouble of going to other websites.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant Printing

The Luluputians have informed me that Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant is being printed and sent to Christian News, another shipment going to the Galactic Headquarters of Martin Chemnitz Press.

I have learned from my Church Growth mentors in various synods to inflate all titles. However, that makes me a bit uneasy, since an ecclesiastical organization is always inversely proportionate to the grandiloquence of its name. (For Mequon graduates, that means: the bigger the name, the smaller the institution. Example - Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America. Translation - one church building, a half dozen meeting-ats.)

When my copies arrive I will immediately ship them to those who care to order through me, or, those who ordered early to avoid the rush.

CN ordering advantage - they take credit cards.

MCP advantage - If you want 10 or more, I can give you a good discount. A number of churches have ordered boxes of CLP at a time, for confirmation or adult classes. I will still take care of individual orders, too. I am happy to work with small book stores with a consignment arrangement. They can take on a few books at a time and pay the wholesale rate when they have sold them.

***

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant Printing":

Any person can take credit card orders through PayPal or Google's Froogle service. PayPal allows people to send money and an invoice to you without your having to even post anything on e-Bay or your website. I think Froogle requires you to post something, BUT posting on Froogle is free. The post remains active for 30 days, but you renew the post with a couple mouse clicks when the 30 days is up. You can do that indefinitely.

GJ - That may be true, but I am allergic to PayPal.

Trinity 16 Sermon

KJV Ephesians 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

KJV Luke 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

TLH Hymns
292 – Lord Jesus Christ (Selnecker, Concordist)
297 – The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace (Matthias Loy, American Lutheran leader, Delaware, Ohio)
287 – That a Man a Godly Life (Luther)
288 – Lord Help Us Ever to Retain (trans, Loy)


Words and music to hymns at these sites:

http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/

http://www.hymnsite.com/


http://breadsite.org/hymns.htm


The Power Working in Us: Efficacy of the Word
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

This verse from Ephesians should stop every single Christian, to make him think – what is this power? If we know what this power is, we can understand how God works to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

That is always the question in religion – what can God do and how does He accomplish His will? The way in which a question is asked or a statement is made will ultimately be a religious statement, often a foundational statement.

One of the problems of legalism - or perhaps rationalism is illustrated by this statement:

“God wants His Church to grow.” Donald McGavran

This is a proposition, not a Biblical statement. Even worse, this is a distortion of a Biblical revelation, so the words appear good, pious, and Christian at first. I find it a bad echo of this verse:

KJV Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

One question raised by the McGavran proposition is – which church? The visible church? God wants the organization to grow? That’s the problem with the Methodist hymn, The Church’s One Foundation. The hymn confuses the visible and the invisible church

If it means God wants the true, invisible church to grow, then that is rather vacuous. God is the One Who accomplishes all growth in the true Church.

KJV 1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

No one is going to make a million in conference fees with that Biblical citation. In fact, church leaders used to quote 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 all the time, whether they were Lutheran or Protestant. They would say, “Everything is up to God. All we can do is be faithful to His Word.”

Picture a room full of church executives from many different denominations, including the Church of Rome. How these sleek cows of Bashan would love to hear those words – God wants their church body to grow! Success. Promotion. A five-bedroom cottage retreat in the north woods. God’s will!

I constantly repeat myself on this, but people need to know. The Church Growth leaders—who have trained all the mainline, Catholic, and Lutheran leaders—constantly make fun of traditional worship as boring and tedious. Then, when someone detects their hatred of the Gospel, they yell, “Christian-bashing!” Who was actually doing the bashing and still is assaulting divine worship? They loathe Lutheran doctrine and detest Lutheran worship with a special animosity, a demonic hatred.

God’s power and will are the main issues. If God needs man to accomplish His will, He is a very weak God indeed. The McGavran statement implies as much. God needs statistical studies (but never did during Christianity’s miraculous growth in the Apostolic Age). God needs marketing (but never did during the Reformation, which swept through Europe via a printing press made from a wine-press). God will be powerful when His numbers are powerful, as McGavran and his sycophants always teach.

In contrast, the power of God is expressed exclusively in the Bible as derived from His Word. The Holy Spirit never works apart from God’s Word, so we know that even the wild opposition to the Gospel experienced so often is a result of God’s power, the power to harden, to blind, and to enrage. Man causes those adverse reactions, something almost everyone has seen. Speak about the Gospel to a Mormon and the eyes will flare up. The fault is not with the Holy Spirit, not with the Gospel. When someone has hardened himself against the Gospel and hears it again, he normally grows even more opposed to the Gospel.

Power and the Word go together throughout the Bible, from the Creation. God the Father spoke the Word, “Let there be Light,” and there was Light. This Word was and is Christ. All things were created through Him and nothing was created apart from Him. I read this in Greek to my world religion class. I compared Genesis 1 to John 1, showing how the Trinity is taught throughout the Bible. The Holy Spirit brooded over the water, Genesis 1.

The power of God is never divorced from the Word, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Word, but we can also say the two are never separate at any time. The Word is always effective and the Holy Spirit always works through the Word. The Bible is utterly consistent in teaching this. So is the Book of Concord, following Luther.

Luther was so influential that all Protestants taught the basic efficacy of the Word, although they added their rationalistic touches. Twenty-five years ago an LCA bishop would say more about the efficacy of the Word than any “conservative” Lutheran leader today.

Some ministers have said, “They have taken my call away, my congregation away. I am shunned everywhere.” And yet the Word remains all powerful. The synods are so tyrannical because they are so frightened. Any pastor can start studying the Bible and Confessions with people and create a congregation through the Word.

If someone truly desires the Holy Spirit, then the only way to receive this Spirit is through the Word. God does not work in dreams and visions, apart from the Word. Faith is a good word in the Bible, not a bad one. God wants us to trust His Word, and proclaims the Gospel to create and sustain that trust.

One I played Trivial Pursuit against Martin when he was fairly young, not even a teen. He knew the answers for his team, so I would interrupt and say, “Are you going to trust a kid for that answer?” That would make them waver. No, the capital of Portugal was not Lisbon. That did not sound right. This worked time after time, leading to our team’s well- deserved victory. All I had to do was question their trust. I never attacked the answer, just the confidence they placed in a child.

Most of the voices in this world question our trust in God’s Word. I know that any mention of creating the universe in six days will earn me looks and open hostility in academic circles. Almost all the communication we get is anti-Word, anti-God in subtle ways.

But if God’s Word is true, something we know and experience, then the secrets of the universe open up. The Bible may not satisfy our curiosity about many things, but the Scriptures do teach us all we need to know about our ultimate destiny. We can also see the purpose for all life in the words of the Testaments.

The concise wording of the verse in question is one of those great secrets, hidden from the wise and powerful, revealed to babes.

1. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. That is the great promise of all religion, fulfilled only in Christianity. God not only provides for us, but beyond anything we could ask or imagine.
2. According to the power at work in us. The Word is that efficacious power, that divine power, at work (efficacious) in us. We carry Christ with us in that Word, and that Word is powerful.

We are glued together with Christ through Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and the Word. Christ is with us always, as the popular song says, “My forever Friend, My leave-me-never Friend.” The Scriptures urge us to pray, but the Word also motivates us to pray. This verse is one of the great Gospel promises of the Bible: we will receive far more than we ask.

So why does the Word seem to fail? For one thing, people adulterate the Word of God, mixing it with man’s word to make it appealing, logical, and germane. The word of man is not effective and does not convey Christ to us. The City of Man is built upon love of Self while the City of God is built upon the love of Christ.

Also, people grow tired of the Word. The two enemies of the Gospel are curiosity and satiety, according to Luther. People become curious about pagan beliefs like reincarnation, spirit guides, and other goof-ball notions. Curiosity moves them away from the Gospel. Besides, they grow satisfied and complacent about the Gospel and move on.

Trials and challenges make us return to the Word of God. The Word teaches us:

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.