Fall, 1985 - Do You Know Where Your Doctrine Is?

Paul Kelm, WELS Church Growth Guru,
Now Becoming Missional

Reading old issues of TELL is like finding the archives of the KGB. Do you know the difference between a KGB agent and a CG guru? ... You can negotiate with the KGB.

The old gang was certainly populating the pathetic little hand-out called TELL (The Evangelism Life-Line). The newsletter was started specifically to promote the Church Growth Movement of Fuller Seminary.

"The publication TELL ('The Evangelism Life Line') has been inaugurated to promote the cause of church growth."
Ernst H. Wendland, "Church Growth Theology," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, April, 1981, 78, p. 105.

"TELL has served the church faithfully for 15 years. Three editors have served; Ronald Roth (1977-84), Paul Kelm (1985-88), and the undersigned since 1989...The lead article in the first issue of TELL was titled 'Church Growth - Worthwhile for WELS.'...The author of this article in April 1988 issue of TELL concludes, 'It's obvious by now that I believe we in WELS can profit greatly from the writings of the church-growth leaders.' ... TELL as a separate publication ends with this issue. Nevertheless, the focus of The Evangelism Life Line will continue for years to come as an integral part of the new Board for Parish Services journal - PARISH LEADERSHIP.
Rev. Robert Hartman, TELL (WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.


The future of WELS (and Missouri) is foreshadowed in each issue. As noted just before, Reuel Schulz was promoting Fuller Pentecostal C. Peter Wagner 27 years ago. Valleskey was writing for the newsletter. So was Paul Kelm, who edited some years, including this one.

Let me run through the Fall, 1985 issue of TELL. Readers will see why WELS is in such deep yogurt today.

1. Paul Kelm published his classic "Evangelism Upside Down" article. He quoted Valleskey, argued for the Felt Needs approach of Fuller Seminary, and solemnly declared, "What must I do to be saved? is not the burning question of the masses" Listen to this howler, the conclusion: "Upside-down evangelism follows the path of least resistance to the God of gracious acceptance."
   
2. Joel Gerlach wrote for this issue. No one promoted Church Growth more than Gerlach. He especially favored "making disciples." Yes, he went to Fuller Seminary.
   
3. Paul Kelm, as editor of TELL, wrote about Friendship Evangelism, as suggested by another Fuller Seminary student, Norm Berg.
   
4. Norm Berg deserves his own bullet. Berg championed Felt Needs, which proved to be a major belly flop for WELS. My favorite Berg enthusiasm was, "The pastor in New York City is trained to give classes in stress relief." Berg was sure that would bring the prospects in the door. They closed that mission too, after spending tons of money.
   
5. Daniel Schmelzer wrote his own article on Felt Needs. He enthused about the New Mode missions, which Norm Berg loved so dearly. Schmelzer wrote with the authority of the Scribes and the Pharisees, "Put your confessional six-shooter in its holster for the time being and be willing to listen." And... "Don't brush aside felt needs simply because statements contrary to Scripture are made." [GJ - Maybe this has dawned on most TELL readers - the newsletter was consistently contrary to the Word of God and the Confessions. Doggedly contrary.]

Cheer Up - They Gave Kelm a Job, One of Several in Promoting Reformed Doctrine
Ron Roth (who has been taking stewardship down the drain for years) cheerfully reported in the Winter, 1985 issue that WELS made Kelm the fulltime executive secretary for evangelism.

Roth wrote these prophetic words: "Only God knows what will be the effcts of a fulltime secretary for evangelism in WELS. This much I know. The effects will be related directly to how much, how wisely and how enthusiastically you and I make use of this new God-given resource. Welcome to the team Paul!"

Kelm saw the tremendous growth of The Love Shack employees. That was the only thing growing in WELS during the Kelm years. Membership tumbled, perhaps because the true Church is built on the Word, not Enthusiasm. Kelm got himself into serious trouble, but his Fuller friends bailed him out many times. He seemed to be so far gone that everyone thought he was going toward the light. But wait, WELS made him Spiritual Renewal Project director. And he taught a required course at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Everyone had to read Reformed literature to graduate from a WELS college. No, WLC is not WELS unless they are raising funds for it.

Sidebar: brother Dan Kelm became famous for his Willow Creek-like service in Indianapolis. I admit helping his fame by printing the newspaper article in Christian News. Soon Dan was in the LCMS, which is a little bolder about its false doctrine.

Paul Kelm serving as the Pastor of Discipleship at the WELS CG congregation, DePere in Wisconsin. Someone else is the Life Coach. Do those titles ever get confused?

Kelm earned a D.Min. from Concordia Seminary, so he is being called Dr. now.

C. Peter Wagner, Pentecostal Baptist - Early Guru for WELS Church Growth

C. Peter Wagner was an early guru for Church Growth - among the WELS leaders. The very first issues of TELL were praising Wagner. That was more than 27 years ago.

On my lap is a copy of TELL from 1980. In the issue is a book review of a C. Peter Wagner book. Reuel Schulz, a WELS pastor, began his review with these chilling words:

"For several years I've been a Peter Wagner fan." Several years! That means Wagner was sowing his Pentecostal weed seeds in WELS 30 years ago. Three decades. "Game over, man. Game over!" as Bill Paxton once said.

Schulz also recommended more Wagner books, ending his review with "Read these books and you might become a Wagner fan too."

Another fan of Wagner - David Valleskey. What did Valleskey and Schulz have in common? Oh yes, both went to Fuller Seminary. Both wrote for TELL. Valleskey recommended Wagner books in his article in The Northwestern Lutheran (before it became FIC).

WELS has had a number of Pentecostal outbreaks among its clergy, especially those in world and American missions (Valleskey territory). Randy Cutter is healing the sick Pentecostally in Florida right now.

Ft. Wayne Seminary produces Eastern Orthodox clergy, while Mequon makes disciples of Wagner. Could the seminary professors be responsible?

Where is the doctrinal discipline? A Missouri DP hands out free copies of Reggie McNeal. Can anyone imagine a Lutheran DP handing out copies of Luther and saying, "You really need to read this."

BM - Painful at Times, Says WELS Leader

By Dr. John E. Bauer, Editor
Reggie McNeal, not a Lutheran, pictured above.

A Singular Lack of Repentance

By now, readers may be aware that the 3rd annual Church Door Symposium was cancelled after WELS district presidents actively discouraged pastors in their districts from attending. Not one, but three guest speakers were to have shared their insights and the results of their research and experience. One was a Baptist and two were from the LCMS. The 2005 Symposium hosted Dr. Reggie McNeal, a nationally known Baptist author. At the fall 2005 Church and Change Conference, Dr. Leonard Sweet, a Methodist, was the keynote speaker. In the spring of 2005 a Baptist author spoke at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary as part of the Home Mission Seminar.

In those events that were held, the parameters for the presentations were clearly outside the “framework of fellowship.” In all cases, the expertise of the outside speakers was of great value and they were warmly received. In no case was there a misunderstanding about the doctrinal differences between the hosts and the speakers. As the COP report indicated, these speakers were properly used.

To say that these speakers were “not well received” is not accurate. In fact, representative district presidents and seminary professors were at all of these events. They spoke well of the events and the insights that were gained from listening to the speakers.

But to say that they were well received would not support the conclusion of the COP argument, namely, that the “continuation and increase of such outside speakers is leading to making it unhealthy for the synod.” One has to wonder what is unhealthy about having speakers share their expertise in matters outside the framework of fellowship, especially when they were all received with high praise and appreciation. What appears to actually be the case is that certain parties who
have never attended such symposia or conferences have prejudged the presence of such speakers as being in and of itself a violation of the doctrinal principles of fellowship. Without taking the time to think through such things as audience, topic,context, purpose, setting, etc., reactions often seem to be based on personal and individual impressions. Rather than engage in brotherly discussion, emails and letters fly about that label individuals “and their ilk” as “heretics,” even when the purpose of the presentation is of a non-doctrinal nature. Is this the “sensitivity” that is spoken of in the report—a sensitivity that is based on an inadequate understanding of the doctrine of church fellowship and a narrow interpretation of how it should be applied?

Much of the confusion comes from the fact that it is a matter of judgment as to which speakers might be acceptable and which are not. However, it is never clear whose judgment should prevail. The correspondence from some pastors and district presidents urging that the Church Door Symposium be cancelled was more than outweighed by the outrage expressed by other pastors following the Symposium’s cancellation.

Can this report really be saying that the COP can’t find fault with the practice itself on doctrinal grounds, but finds it unhealthy because a number of individuals have their sensitivities offended? Readers are again urged to read the article in the Christmas 2005 issue of CHARIS entitled “What the Scriptures Say About Christian Liberty.”

But consider the nature of the symposia and conferences that have come under attack and which seem to be goading church leaders into becoming more and more prohibitive. These events are offered on the well-founded assumption that attendees are spiritually mature and biblically literate. The audiences are comprised largely of pastors and lay leaders in the WELS fellowship. These are not impressionable undergraduates or theologically naïve laypeople. These audiences are comprised of the very people who are in the best position to discern truth from error, to take what is wholesome and beneficial, and to recognize if something said doesn’t jibe with WELS doctrine and to challenge it.

The context for such symposia is clearly academic in nature. Analyzing and evaluating ideas about ministry is consistent with what think tanks, institutes, colleges, and seminaries are supposed to do. The topics are carefully chosen to avoid direct instruction in doctrine, but are rather selected to explore issues and challenges that face the church. The audience is comprised of theologically trained pastors and teachers, along with spiritually mature lay leaders. The expectation is that they are capable of discernment and good judgment. The purpose of such events is to help churches carry out their ministries, not to alter doctrine. To that end, church leaders participate with the expectation that they are getting from the event what they paid for. If they are disappointed, or offended, then they don’t attend. How sad that we have devolved to such a level of mistrust, that brothers in the ministry don’t have confidence in each other to exercise appropriate discernment. How sad that the WELS has been reduced to factional mistrust instead of collegial respect. How odd it is that some of the “strongest” voices in the Synod are making the greatest appeal to their “weakness.” And how sad it is that we can’t trust pastors and professors to properly engage with the authors of the very books that are sold to untrained laypeople at Northwestern Publishing House.

College Qua College

These distortions of the church fellowship principle raise a larger issue regarding the nature and qualities of a college that identifies itself as distinctively Lutheran. What are the attributes of a Lutheran institution of higher education? What are the means and methods by which it educates its students and extends its educational mission into programs and services for its larger constituencies? A college is a place in which students explore and examine ideas, develop reasoning skills, cultivate the ability to communicate ideas, reason scientifically, think critically, argue logically, and grow in appreciation for the arts and humanities. In a Christian college, this is done in the context of the Bible as the ultimate source of truth, but not the only source of all truth. In a Lutheran college, this is conducted within the parameters set by the Lutheran confessional writings. Wisconsin Lutheran College in particular expresses this commitment by saying that “education is inseparable from religion, that all knowledge in all areas of human thought and endeavor is worthy of inquiry when viewed in the light of human sin and divine grace.”

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The whining in 2005 worked well. Church and Change had their conference October 15th.

LCMS BMs

From John Whaley:

Mt. Olive Lutheran Ministries hosted Circuit 18's Convocation Sunday, January 22nd. A good number of churches from the Silicon Valley came to hear President Newton share his vision of the ministry for the CNH District. He continued to speak on the theme from Jeremiah 29. In addition, the group spent time in discussion around the six realities facing the church today as identified by Reggie McNeal in his book, The Present Future. As experienced in other convocations this year, lively discussions ensued.

Try Not To Gag

Present Future: A Book a Lot of People are Reading


Why is President Newton giving away copies of Present Future to everyone he meets? Perhaps it's because Reggie McNeal has touched on the jugular when it comes to where the church needs to be as it attempts to minister in our world.

Reggie McNeal identifies the six most important realities that church leaders must address including: recapturing the spirit of Christianity and replacing "church growth" with a wider vision of kingdom growth; developing disciples instead of church members; fostering the rise of a new apostolic leadership; focusing on spiritual formation rather than church programs; and shifting from prediction and planning to preparation for the challenges of an uncertain world. McNeal contends that by changing the questions church leaders ask themselves about their congregations and their plans, they can frame the core issues and approach the future with new eyes, new purpose, and new ideas. Written for congregational leaders, pastors, and staff leaders, The Present Future captures the urgency of a future that is literally now upon us, in a thoughtful, vigorous way. It is filled with examples of leaders and churches who are emerging into a new identity and purpose, and rediscovering the focus of their mission within new spiritual dimensions.

Get your copy. . .

Your Daily BM

Becoming Missional Logo

House Church Blog:

From Reggie McNeal’s book (The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church):

The Pharisees' evangelism strategy sounds eerily familar. Their approach to sharing God was, "Come and get it!"...Jesus' evangelism strategy directly challenged the Pharisees' approach. Instead of "Come and get it!" it was "Go get'em!" p. 28
Jesus' strategy was to go where people were already hanging out. This is why he went to weddings, parties, and religious feast day celebrations...Taking the gospel to the streets means we need church where people are already hanging out. We need a church in every mall, every Wal-Mart supercenter, every Barnes and Noble. p. 35

Bottom line: we've got to take the gospel to the streets. This is the only appropriate missional response to the collapse of the church culture. I am not talking about short forays into port off of the cruise ship. I am speaking of an intentional 24/7 church presence in the community, not tied to church real estate: (rather) office building, malls, school campuses, sports complexes, storefronts, homes, apartment buildings, and community centers. We need to go where people are already hanging out and be prepared to have conversations with them about the great love of our lives. This will require our shifting our efforts from growing churches into transforming communities.

They're not coming to us. We've got to go to them.

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WELS Official apostate lobbyists, Church and Change, are huge fans of Reggie McNeal and Becoming Missional. Huge.

Episcopal House of Bishops

Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop

Posted by David Virtue on 2007/10/6 5:40:00 (3554 reads)

NO SHAME IN EPISCOPAL CHURCH HOUSE OF BISHOPS

Commentary

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
10/6/2007

While observing the Episcopal House of Bishops in action from the bleachers at the Intercontinental Hotel in New Orleans recently, I was struck by the fact that before me were a group of mostly white males playing out the moral delusions of the 60's as they head towards retirement in the early decades of the 21st century.

What struck me most was that, in the absence of any notion of personal sin (except perhaps child and female abuse), the idea of sin, and therefore shame, was entirely absent. Sin is now cast mostly in terms of racism and homophobia and Global South Primates who can't quite get with the program that the Episcopal Church and Mother Schori know best about how the whole Anglican Communion should be run, if only it could be let loose to run (read ruin) it.

Mercifully, that is not now going to happen. The Global South has awakened to the truth that North American bishops, like the proverbial emperors, have no ecclesiastical clothes, and what they wear has been tainted by so much sin that Joseph's coat of many colors would make better vestments, even after they have been dry cleaned a few times.

One could not help but notice the over bearing presence of Jo Mo Doss, the former worthless Bishop of New Jersey, striding around like he owned the place. He was tossed out of the diocese for, among other things, being a racist according to the Black Caucus of priests in the diocese. Compounding the outrage was a $1.5 million payout engineered by former Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and the promise that the diocese would not hire a new bishop until the retirement date of Doss kicked in.

In the back pews of the HOB sat former Utah bishop Otis Charles looking hollow and gaunt, much like his morality. He and his male partner have five former marriages between them...and now they have each other. No shame there.

In the middle of the episcopal circus sits Vickie Gene Robinson dressed in Hawaiian shirt grinning at everyone, ready and waiting to pounce on anyone who even dares to suggest that his sexual behavior is bringing the Anglican Communion down around its ears. Naturally, he took a swipe at Rowan Williams, the titular head of the whole communion, accusing him of "dehumanizing" gays and lesbians, telling him in no uncertain terms exactly what was on his mind and heart. Never mind that in the entire history of Canterbury archbishops no one has cut sodomites more slack to engage in anal sex, presuming it is being done in a committed relationship. No point in letting an opportunity slip by without whacking your only solid friend in Lambeth Palace, now is there.

Then of course there is Charles Bennison, the idiot, sociopathic Bishop of Pennsylvania, who faces civil and ecclesiastical charges ranging from fraud to financial mismanagement of the diocese. He was the ONLY bishop to vote against the final resolution because he just had to be honest with himself about letting sodomite priests practice their behavior without fear of Episcopal inhibition and sexual curtailment. I never saw the giant bear hug Vickie must have given him, but I'm sure there must have been one. A missed photo op for sure.

Then there is Tom Shaw, Bishop of Massachusetts dressed appropriately in black monkish robes. His chaplain, a younger look-alike version of himself, is appropriately following his "master" around with a funny grin on his face, while Shaw engages his former female suffragan Bishop Barbara Harris in "deep" conversation about whatever.

There are other sodomite bishops of course, but they won't come out of the closet to support Gene. Why should they, Gene is doing all the heavy lifting for them. No need to spoil a good thing. Stay under the radar screen, Gene is doing great PR for the cause. They can cheer him along from the sidelines collecting huge pensions when they come to retire with their lovers to Mexico or wherever the dollar is still worth something.

And then of course there is Mother Schori who treats them all like a schoolmistress dealing with a bunch of recalcitrant schoolboys. The only thing missing is a large primeval (British-made) cane she can wield to whack those who get out of line about MDG's or for daring to suggest that the Great Commission might have something to do with saving souls, which might be necessary if there is to be an Episcopal Church a decade from now.

In the meantime, there are lots of papers to be written, more communiques to be handed out, more shuffle to be done, more spin to be spun, more bribes to African bishops to be made, more "mission" gabfests to attend at expensive hotels courtesy of the Episcopal Church's proxy sister, Trinity Church Wall Street, and dead men's money to be spent to keep the church afloat and law firms to pay.

After all the show must go on (and there is no shame in that) even if there is only the HOB in attendance and the lights have gone up to reveal an empty auditorium.

Willow Creek Effect

Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church aka Lutheran Training Academy

wantingthemountainstofallonme has left a new comment on your post "Willow Creek Story and Parody":

I was not only alarmed and confused when my former WELS pastor and leaders of that church were attending Willow Creek for seminars and sessions. Why would they want to sit at the feet of mockers and even subject themselves to false teachers I wondered? Even that pastor said if you went to a Willow Creek Service you would say (quote to the best of my memory) "these people are devoid of the Gospel, there is no solid teaching there. But the zeal these people have is amazing." I just remember him saying "their zeal, their zeal!" as if he were bitten by the AMWAY bug. (if youv'e ever met someone smitten with the AMWAY eyes you'll know what I mean. It was truely frieghtening fo rme to see. My stomach was really starting to tweek and twitter. The internal alarm in me (my conscience, discernment?) was really convicting me. I left the chruch shortly after.

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GJ - Ditto. Wally Oelhaven, trained at Fuller Seminary, head of the Michigan WELS mission board, wanted Lutherans to be as enthusiastic as the Reformed.

I know the Michigan District board paid pastors to attend Willow Creek seminars. They never asked me. I attended a Seeker Service there anyway.

WELS pastors really thought that imitating Willow Creek would create Willow Creek clones. I suppose the Parlow/Kelm congregation is a clone, but is it Lutheran?

A Church Growth expert has said that Willow Creek is the most influential church in America. That is certainly true about WELS and Missouri. Willow Creek has influenced ELCA as well. Even some of the mini-micro sects have their tongues hanging out for Willow Creek.

Why do Lutheran congregations do well when they become liberal Reformed?

1. Lutherans have a long history with Pietism, which is unionism with the Reformed and based on good works, not the Word and faith.
2. The Wisconsin Synod began with union Reformed-Lutheran congregations. The old spirit has not gone away.
3. The high profile congregations in America are anti-Confessional.
4. Synodical leaders are pragmatists, not idealists. They want to promote what works.
5. Many synodical leaders are also apostates. They hate orthodox Lutheran doctrine and those who love the Triglotta, Luther, Chemnitz, and J. Gerhard. (It's official, everyone loves Paul Gerhardt the hymn-writer. They just hate his doctrine.)
6. Healthy, orthodox Lutheran congregations are an embarrassment to Lutheran leaders, so they never give those parishes any credit for doing anything right.
7. Apostate pastors who chase women and girls (boys, too) must be protected, because they give synodical leaders a bad reputation.

One WELS mission pastor actually gave Hybels sermons, verbatim, complete with the same vocal nuances. On Ichabod I have recorded two WELS pastors copying Reformed sermons almost verbatim and posting them as their own work. That is against the law.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Willow Creek Effect":

A former member of our WELS congregation was obsessed with the zeal that those in the Reformed camp exhibited. He even tried to lead by example. When he wasn't working or going to board and Council meetings, he would be watching some TV circus tent huckster or going to a "prophecy conference". Whenever we had a vacancy on a board, he would start whining about the lack of enthusiasm (pun intended) among our members. He would then point to the Oneness Pentecostal sect about a mile away as proof that their zeal produced results. The claim was made that they never had any money problems as everyone tithed. There was always a packed house as members came from as far as 30 miles away. The implication being that they did things right.
Those who lack discernment will always be impressed with apparent success. I used to work with a fellow who belonged to a big LCMS congregation. He had the same complaints about lack of zeal. He used to point to the door knocking of the Jehovah's Witnesses as evidence that even the JW's were better than those dull Lutherans.

The Amway analogy is fitting. The Amway stakeholders are expected to leave , eat and breathe Amway. My wife was involved in a similar direct sales scheme many years ago. Their monthly meetings were no more than circus tent revivals. Their product was expected to be the center of your universe.

It reminds me of a little comedy routine from Cheech & Chong. A guy is talking about how his life changed when he got religion. He says, "Before, I was all messed up on drugs. But since I found Jesus, I'm all messed up on the Lord".

Along with this, the keynote speaker at the C&C conference is motivational speaker John Di Frances. Read about him at http://www.superbspeakers.com/speaker_listing.asp?sid=56.
To paraphrase a credit card commercial - Motivational speaker fee: $15,000 to $20,000. Cost of enthusiasm: priceless.

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Greg Jackson Is Da Man! has left a new comment on your post "Willow Creek Effect":

******"On Ichabod I have recorded two WELS pastors copying Reformed sermons almost verbatim and posting them as their own work. That is against the law."*****

You are the man Greg, you da man! Continue your back patting. I'm sure it feels good. You sure stuck it to them! If you keep it up surely WELS will soon bow down to you! You go Greg!

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GJ - The poster directly above should wonder why ordained ministers are stealing the words of others and portraying them as their own. I did not find the plagiarism. Various WELS pastors/laity found the examples and relayed them, signing their emails, not hiding like A. Nony Mouse. I asked for a direct link to prove where one came from.

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Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "Willow Creek Effect":

You're wise for copying comments on your blog into the main body of your posts (i.e., updating your posts) because otherwise, the commenters might come back and delete and revise their comments unbeknownst to you.

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GJ - Thank you. I learned how quickly the Ichabod effect hits. Crown of Life, Corona, California, removed the Leonard Sweet rhapsody plus its gushing-red-ink offering figures, finding it a horrible sin that I mentioned their offerings.

A typical WELS response to violations of the Ten Commandments is to make the objection itself a sin and to make snide personal remarks. Nevertheless, stealing someone els'e words remains a sin and a civil crime. My experience with classroom plagiarists is that they act very offended, deny the most obvious facts, hide the evidence (if possible), and accuse the instructor of vile crimes against education.

In confirmation, the daughter of a woman who committed adultery explained the Sixth Commandment this way, "You should not steal away someone who belongs to another person." I thought this was an insightful blending of two commandments. Infidelity and thievery go together.

Holy Communion Practices

The old Receptionist views of the Synodical Conference have adversely affected the thinking of many. Receptionism means the elements of Holy Communion are not the Body and Blood of Christ until they are received. Many were trained this way and still think along these lines.

There are three ways of dealing with elements remaining after the Holy Communion service is over, if the congregation rejects Receptionism. (I hate to use the term Consecrationist, because the word is a label for orthodox Christian teaching.)

1. One way is to consume the remaining elements.
2. Another way is to respectfully pour the remaining wine, which is the Blood of Christ, onto the earth. I vicared at a church where a sink was installed in the sacristy for that purpose.
3. A third way is to have an accurate count of the communicants. That is fairly easy with closed communion and a smaller congregation.

I know that one WELS member thought a Missouri congregation was throwing away the remaining elements. The reasoning behind these actions listed above is to show that the Words of Institution mean what they say. Congregational actions are not always consistent. It is good to ask what is being done and why it is being done. I think the LCMS congregation throwing away the remaining elements was saying: We do not mix consecrated elements with the unconsecrated, because the Words of Institution mean what they say." I am also guessing the congregation treats the remaining elements with reverence, even if the words chosen (or impressions given) are bad.

If a congregation short-changes the elements for a large communion service and ushers bring in new supplies (to be used right away), it is saying, "The Words of Institution mean nothing." New elements should be consecrated or adequate amounts should be provided in the first place.

I am writing about this because several laymen had questions. The best preparation for Holy Communionn is a believing heart. If the pastor is an orthodox Lutheran in his teaching, the individual should have no problems communing.

Perhaps others share my frustration. Many ELCA and LCMS pastors insist on every Sunday service being a Holy Communion service. I am not opposed to this. It is my practice. I am opposed to the Law attitude of the advocates. I also wonder about those who are Patristic Fundamentalists but care nothing about Lutheran doctrine.

KJV 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

KJV 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Chemnitz Post on The Plucked Chicken

The Plucked Chicken is an ELS blog with fairly regular posts, worth reading. Here is PC quoting B. W. Teigen:

In giving Chemnitz's stance with regard to the Scriptures and his hermeneutical principles, it is necessary to consider his view of reason and the use of Aristotelian terms and conceptual usages. Chemnitz is a sharp thinker who recognizes the necessity of precise definitions and nice distinctions. He will draw valid conclusions from clear propositions of Scripture. But he follows Luther in holding that there is no place in theology for reason corrupted by natural man. In spiritual matters reason must take its premises from the Word. While at times it may be harmless to borrow Aristotelian terminology (such as causa efficiens, causa instrumentalis, causa finalis, rem sacramenti, etc.), it can become dangerous and limit the Word of God because these terms of Aristotle are designed for the secular world. There is a vast difference between the earthly kingdom and the spiritual or heavenly kingdom, where we deal with things which eye has not seen nor ear heard nor entered into the mind of man.

-- Bjarne Wollan Teigen, The Lord's Supper in the Theology of Martin Chemnitz p. 21.

The Lord's Supper controversy in the ELS is significant because the ELS ambiguously denied the efficacy of the Word, following the lead of WELS, where the efficacy of the Word is strenuously denied as often as possible.

The old bromide of "We don't know the moment of consecration" is another way of saying, "We reject Isaiah 55, with the Calvinists." The true Calvinists are never sure when the Holy Spirit accompanies the Word.

KJV Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,
but watereth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower,
and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be
that goeth forth out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace:
the mountains and the hills
shall break forth before you into
singing, and all the trees of the field
shall clap their hands.

When--in the Isaiah 55 passage or any other Biblical passage--is the Holy Spirit absent from the Word?

Willow Creek Story and Parody

At Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago, Sunday morning generally features eight worship services at four locations with 15,000 people attending.

On Christmas Sunday this year, their doors will be closed.

As quoted in USA Today:


Cally Parkinson, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., said church leaders decided that organizing services on a Christmas Sunday would not be the most effective use of staff and volunteer resources. The last time Christmas fell on a Sunday was 1994, and only a small number of people showed up to pray, she said.

"If our target and our mission is to reach the unchurched, basically the people who don't go to church, how likely is it that they'll be going to church on Christmas morning?" she said.

According to Willow Creek the only reason to worship God on Sunday is to reach the unchurched? I thought that Christians worshipped God on Sunday in order to......uh.....worship God!?

Sure Christmas is a busy day....for families in particular. There are stockings to poke through. Bicycles to assemble. Presents to unwrap. Food to cook. Guests to accommodate. Trips to make. When Christmas falls on a Sunday, like it does this year, how can people be expected to squeeze in a morning worship service in the middle of all that?

Christmas, after all, is about families, isn't it? Or is it about God....and Jesus....the Incarnation...the Word become flesh....the advent of the Son of God....Immanuel....the Prince of Peace.

On that first Christmas,

-Angels took the time to form a choir, and;

-Shepherds took time off in order to find the baby Jesus and worship him.

It seems to me that the Christmas story provides a clear guide to what should be a Christian's priority on a Christmas Sunday morning.

After all, the only present really worth celebrating on Christmas Day is the gift of Jesus himself.

Come to think of it, Easter morning is a busy time for families, too. All those egg hunts and Easter baskets and family gatherings and travel plans and cooking big Easter meals.

Perhaps Willow Creek should close down on Easter, too. It's a real bother that Easter has to land on a Sunday every year.

Note: It's almost enough to make this parody seem like the real thing!

[GJ- The parody is below. Warning. Warning. It is a parody. That means the story is making fun of Willow Creek trends. The story above is serious. One must have great discernment to detect the difference between the news story and the parody.]

Shutdown Season:

Willow Creek Community Church Will Close its Doors for the Summer


SOUTH BARRINGTON, IL – In perhaps the most extreme example to date of churches halting ministries during the traditionally slower summer months, Willow Creek Community Church – one of America's prototypical mega-churches – has decided to close its doors until after Labor Day.

"The church leadership took a look at where attendance and giving were last summer, and when you look at the numbers, the case for closing shop just makes a lot of sense," said Willow Creek Senior Pastor Bill Hybels. "For years we've been trying to justify the expense of operating throughout the summer when schools are closed and people are on vacation. We just couldn't do it any more. If people are going to put their spiritual growth on hold until September anyway, why should the church fight it?"

While weekly services and other regular ministries have all been canceled, some special, summer-specific programs like summer camps will still go on as scheduled.

"It's not like the church will be disappearing off the face of the earth," said Church Administrator David Widener. "We're still having the big Third Day concert, along with any other events that traditionally bring in a good amount of money. Plus we'll still have a pastor on call at all times just in case anyone has a spiritual need that absolutely can't wait until September."

While many churches have been putting Bible studies, choirs and other portions of regular church life on the back burner during the summer for years, this may be the first example of a church scheduling a complete shutdown.

"I see this as part of a trend of church attendance as we know it taking a serious dip around the world, and not just during the summer months," said Robert Holmes, president of the Center for the Study of World Religion – a London-based religion think tank. "With so many media options out there for people to get their spiritual enlightenment, the practice of church attendance is in real trouble. Mark my words. This is a harbinger."

Not surprisingly, Hybels doesn't see it that way.

Hybels is planning on 4 weeks in Tahiti
"Willow Creek has been setting trends for the rest of the evangelical community for decades," he said. "When we started changing the way we do worship and outreach, you had people acting like it was the end of the world. Now they're all doing the same things. This is going to strengthen our church. The money we save by shutting down over the summer will go toward reaching people for Christ during the rest of the year. When other churches see how this benefits us, shutting down for the summer will soon become as common as church names that have nothing to do with God or Christianity."

Josh Allen - a 13-year-old who regularly attends Willow Creek with his parents - is on Hybels' side.

"No more hymnals. No more pews. No more sermons to make me snooze," Allen rhymed with glee. "I'll see you at the pool!"

But not all Willow Creekers share Allen's enthusiasm.

"We had skits rehearsed and ready to go for every Sunday in the summer," said Willow Creek Drama Team Leader Leah Cress. "Now all that work is completely worthless. It's not gonna make much sense to perform a theatrical representation of the importance of beach evangelism in the dead of winter, now is it?"

Despite the detractors, Widener is almost giddy about the concept of saying a fond farewell to summer services.

"No more bloated air conditioning bills for a room that's only half full," he said, eyes gleaming. "All that money being saved for God's kingdom and not being wasted on a scant congregation that would rather be on vacation anyway. It's a beautiful thing."

LCMS Winning Poll

There is only one day left to vote in the poll on which synod is the most pastor-friendly.

The Missouri Synod is clearly winning. ELCA pastors leave Sodom for the LCMS. ELS pastors leave their tiny kingdom for their big sister, following the example of the sainted Preus brothers (Jack and Robert).

ELCA probably won some votes because they accept men, women, and the undecided. In the language of the Lavender Mafia: LBGTQ. The Q is for Questioning. That category probably fits most of the straight, male clergy. "I really like the design of the new hymnal. Omigosh. Am I gay?"

I cannot fathom why anyone would vote the Little Sect on the Prairie as the most pastor-friendly. Maybe some read the question as the most pasture-friendly.

Anyone who voted for WELS must have Stockholm Syndrome, which is rife in the Wisconsin Synod. Stockholm Syndrome is that disorder where people are kept captive and abused and yet sympathize with their captors. Mark Twain described it in Tom Sawyer, when the boys planned to kidnap women, who would fall in love with them.

Stockhold Syndrome is obvious when pastors say, "Every time I read Christian News I thank God I'm in the Wisconsin Synod." One WELS pastor sent me a book on abusive churches. I said, "This fits WELS perfectly."

WELS is united doctrinally. The old leadership is trained 100% at Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek Community Church. The same can be said for the LCMS. Kieschnick has a Fuller-trained administration and he is ecumenical to a fault.

Link Fixed

Souces Menu

Practial Applications of the Word (Chapter 10 from Thy Strong Word) was not working, one of my advisors said. I repaired the link, so it should work now.

ELCA's New Social Statement

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 12, 2007

Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality Works on Draft of Social Statement

07-165-MRC/JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Task Force for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Studies on Sexuality surveyed biblical, ethical and theological material that may be included in a draft of a social statement on human sexuality, and offered
further instructions for its writing team when it met here Oct. 5-6. A proposed social statement on human sexuality is due in early 2009.

The Rev. Peter Strommen, bishop, ELCA Northeastern Minnesota Synod, Duluth, and task force chair, said a primary objective of the meeting was for the task force "to continue work on the development of a first draft" of a social statement. The draft is scheduled to be made available to the church in early 2008.

"The church has given us the responsibility of writing a social statement, and we are working hard to do our best. We want it to be helpful to the church and faithful to its core convictions. Our task force, like the whole church, represents diverse backgrounds. There is genuine respect for one another, reflective of our unity in Christ, but we do not see all things in the same way," he said.

The task force's discussions on the draft material were conducted in closed, off-the-record sessions. "When social statements are in the actual process of being written, things are very fluid," said Strommen. "We are determining the statement design and structure and whether we have something that will do a good job," he said.

The task force is approaching its work from a biblical, ethical and theological perspective, said Strommen. "We ask ourselves, 'Will our approach be effective and fresh? Will it help us to explore the interconnection of individual, family and
society on these important matters?'" he asked.

The draft of the social statement will be distributed across the church for feedback, said Strommen. On the basis of that feedback the task force will reshape the document, he said. The task force will present a proposed document to the ELCA through the ELCA Church in Society program unit. The final proposed statement goes to the ELCA Church Council with a request to place the document on the agenda of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly for action.

In an open session, the task force discussed the actions of the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly with David D. Swartling, Seattle, secretary-elect of the ELCA.

In a separate open session, the task force received a preliminary report on the church's response to "Free in Christ to Serve the Neighbor: Lutherans Talk about Human Sexuality" -- a study guide designed to engage members of the ELCA in thoughtful discussion and theological discernment on topics that may be addressed in an ELCA social statement on human sexuality. Responses are due Nov. 1.

In September the task force released an adaptation of the study called, "Free in Christ to Care for the Neighbor: Lutheran Youth Talk about Human Sexuality" -- a study designed for senior high-school-age members of the ELCA. Responses from youth are due Dec. 15.

The task force met with the ELCA Conference of Bishops in small groups on Oct. 6. Members of the conference commented on what they would like to see included in a draft of a social statement on human sexuality and discussed their hopes for the
ELCA following the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. The ELCA Conference of Bishops is an advisory body of the church, consisting of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops, presiding bishop and secretary.

Among the bishops' comments were suggestions that the statement seek agreement on "core" teachings, that biblical interpretation and authority guide the statement, that it express a spirit of "humility," that the statement enhance mission, and that it engage ELCA members to discuss the topics in dialogue. Others expressed concern that the church somehow acknowledge that many members and leaders are "fatigued" by the continuing sexuality studies and process, and that they hoped that the conference could lead in a way that promotes unity, not division, in the church.

The Rev. Rebecca S. Larson, executive director, ELCA Church in Society, told the bishops that the social statement cannot directly address a 2007 Churchwide Assembly directive that the task force "specifically address and make recommendations to the
2009 Churchwide Assembly on changes to any policies that preclude practicing homosexual persons from the rosters of this church." She said social statements are not intended to specifically address ministry policy. Instead, the task force response to the directive will be reported separately to the churchwide assembly
and will not be embedded in the social statement, said Larson.

The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, agreed, saying the assembly action does not bind the task force to embed its response to the directive in the social statement.

After the draft of the social statement is made public in March 2008, a series of hearings will follow from March through October 2008, which is standard procedure for preparing social statements, said Larson. The proposed social statement itself will be made public in early 2009 and undergo review before it is transmitted to the churchwide assembly, she added.
- - -
Information about the ELCA Studies on Sexuality is at htp://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney on the ELCA Web site. Information about "Free in Christ to Serve the Neighbor: Lutherans Talk about Human Sexuality" is at
http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney/study and "Free in Christ to Care for the Neighbor: Lutheran Youth Talk about Human Sexuality" is at http://www.ELCA.org/faithfuljourney/youth on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog

***

GJ - Several things are worth noting - how long it will take to produce a new social statement (two years) followed by voting on the statement; how open and closed session meetings are held; how the statement will not include actual policy.

Twenty years ago the LCA ended its life by having a study of the same issue, using up the last of its cash to do so. I recall the 1987 study's Biblical expert using an assumption that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans. (Funny, I assumed the same thing!)

So what is this study going to do when the latest convention of ELCA voted to leave homesexual and lesbian partners alone in the parsonage? The study will be an expensive lobbying platform for one group only - the Lavender Mafia. Roughly 1-2% of the American population is setting the agenda for the whole country.

Each study or vote is advancing the same agenda, with plenty of influence on the old Synodical Conference as well (LCMS-WELS-ELS). ELCA is also promoting youth studies in the name of helping teens work out these problems.

ELCA works closely with Missouri and WELS, the two smaller groups looking at their big sister with awe, wonderment, amazement, and covetousness. The little ones would like to be as big, rich, and metrosexual as ELCA. There are no jokes for this situation. This agenda is surely the clearest sign of apostasy in the Lutheran Church.

Hopeful at Parker High

Hopeful signs for boys injured in tug of war at Lutheran HS

By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News

October 15, 2007

Two high school juniors who nearly severed their right hands in a game of tug of war during a pep rally Friday have undergone surgery and are doing well, police and school officials said today.
"From what we understand, blood is flowing to their hands — a very optimistic sign," said Randy Lowe, chief executive officer of Lutheran High School in Parker, where the incident happened.

Elise Penington, spokeswoman for the town of Parker, said the teens — identified by 9News as Henry Barrett and Mitch Helfer — were participating in the contest between juniors and seniors in advance of Saturday's homecoming game.

"There was like 40 to 50 kids on each side of the rope," she said. "A couple of them, these kids included, had just wrapped the rope really tightly around their hands."

Penington said police are calling the students' injuries a partial amputation.

"I don't know if that means that it was completely ripped off or just bones completely broken apart," she said.

Lowe declined to elaborate on the students' injuries, only saying that it was a "freak accident."

The gymnasium was packed with students at the time.

"The kids who witnessed it were pretty traumatized," Penington said. "It was a pep rally, so all the kids that were there that day were in there watching it."

Lowe and Penington said counselors with the Douglas County Crisis Advocacy Group have been available to students and staff since Friday. School officials met with parents on Saturday, she said.

The student body is doing "very well," Lowe said.

"It's a phenomenal group of young students that we have here, very strong in their faith life and that helps immensely," he said.

Saturday's homecoming game was rescheduled for today at 4 p.m., Principal Juls Clausen said.

WELS Pastor in ELCA-LCMS Feminist Holy Communion Service

Chapel, Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Breaking news. You saw it here first. Second, to be honest.

The material below was posted on LutherQuest (sic):

Dennis Boettcher (Boettden)
Advanced Member
Username: Boettden

Post Number: 996
Registered: 5-2004
Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 4:24 pm:

--------------------------------------------------------
Ladies and gentlemen:

A former poster, now lurker to LQ was in contact with me this afternoon, and has the following information that he has agreed to be shared with you:

This gentleman did take the time to call CTSFW and speak directly with Dr. Wenthe. He spoke originally with the President's secretary, left a message, and Dr. Wenthe called him back 20 minutes later. Dr. Wenthe was open and honest with the caller. Here are the main points of Dr. Wenthe's response to the question posed on this thread:

Yes, there was an assembly this past August of the Society of the Holy Trinity. The assembly there was made up of clerics from the ELCA, the LCMS, and the WELS.

Dr. Wenthe agreed to this assembly, under the understanding that no women would preach, and all participants would observe all LCMS pastoral issues.

The assembly and CTSFW did not have a common understanding of the guidelines presented.

Dr Wenthe stated that CTS did not officially endorse this event, but they were only trying to be charitable.

The group did not follow the proscribed guidelines: an ELCA minister did officiate at the communion service, with an LCMS pastor preaching.

The Society of the Holy Trinity will no longer be welcome at CTSFW.

The LCMS pastor who preached at the servicve has been referred to his DP.

Throughout the entire conversation, the caller said that Dr. Wenthe was apologetic about ever allowing such an event happen on the CTSFW campus.

Thus far the notes I transcribed from my conversation with the LQ lurker/former poster.

***

GJ - I have been reading about the Society of the Holy Trinity on the ALPB website, where I noticed Paul McCain is excruciatingly polite to ELCA pastors. I became intrigued by all the pastors with STS after their names (ring-knockers?). That is oh-so-snooty for Society of the Holy Trinity, in Latin, as if they could parse amo, amas, amat.

If you look up the Society of the Holy Trinity website, you will notice that they call themselves a ministerium. Therefore, a WELS pastor [if LQ is correct] has joined another ministerium of sorts and participated in a pan-Lutheran Holy Communion service where ordained women took an active role.

Public ceremoney. Publicized by the culprits. This is not an Eighth Commandment case. If the facts from LQ are wrong, post something here or there about it.

ELDONA

Pastor John Rutowicz has left a new comment on your post "Lutheran Monastery, Oxford, Michigan":

15 October 2007

I got home from work this evening and through this list went to Gregory Jackson’s blog. Wow! I don’t know where to start. I think I’ve been accused of being a crypto-Easternizer or Romanizer. I can’t think of what would give Mr. Jackson that impression? What have I said or done that is even remotely Easternizing? But perhaps he means for the Easternizing accusation to be applied to ELDoNA generally. Although I would think the Malone Thesis would have put such a charge to rest.

“It is our desire to make a clear distinction between ourselves and the Eastern Orthodox churches. Our fellowship does not intend to be a “half way house” between the Lutheran Church and Eastern Orthodoxy. We wish to separate ourselves from any appearance of “Easternizing.”

I wrote that because I wanted to clearly say NO to any thought of Easternizing. Frankly, I’m dumbfounded by the accusation. What more do we have to do to declare ourselves anti-Easternizing?

With regard to myself, I suppose Mr. Jackson believes me to be a Romanizer. There is a link on St. Boniface’s web site to St. Augustine’s House, and I am interested in recovering clerical garb and certain ceremonies for the Lutheran Church. First of all, I must say, the St. Boniface web site is not where I want it to be. A good, faithful layman made the site for us, but I have been neglectful in including content originally or maintaining the site. Very little has been done to the site for a couple of years now. I have planned to rework the site, but have not got around to it. The links were all my selections, and I do admit there may be a bit of confusion because of the title “Confessional Lutheran Links.” But right under that title is the disclaimer: “Neither Pastor Rutowicz nor Saint Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church necessarily endorse all the positions taken on any of the following web sites. These sites are listed because it is felt that they have some value. The reader is responsible for his or her own use of these sites.” Mr. Jackson didn’t see fit to include that bit of information.

I visited St. Augustine’s House a number of years ago while I was in the LCMS (and I did not commune there). By no means do I endorse the ecumenical agenda of St. Augustine’s House. It is an interesting Lutheran location here in Michigan. Father Richard Herbel was very nice to me when I was there, even when I explained to him and the other guests that I had to maintain my separation of confession, and I could not commune with them. And though I could not enter fellowship with Father Herbel or St. Augustine’s House, I still think he is engaged in an interesting undertaking at a Lutheran monastery. That was my reasoning for having the link on the St. Boniface web site. Is it a sign of fellowship to have a link on a web site? Mr. Jackson has one to the ELCA.

I could have explained all of this to Mr. Jackson had he contacted me. I can’t be all that hard to find. The telephone operator could tell him the listing for the only Rutowicz in Niles, MI. Mr. Jackson is free to speculate about my loyalty to the Lutheran Confessions if he likes. He says, “Three out of the first four [links] are about clerical garb - a burning issue for crypto-Romanists.” My claims not to be a crypto-Romanist will, I’m sure, will be of no use to change his opinion of me. But perhaps some questions are in order to gauge the rationality of his opinion.
1) If I wanted to swim the Tiber, why wouldn’t I have done itwhen I left the LCMS? It would have been the perfect opportunity for it. And if I wanted to remain a married priest, there are Serbian Orthodox connections right down the road in South Bend.
2) If I wanted to go in one of those directions I certainly would have done so by now, just for the financial security alone. I make lousy pay working at a camera store, wishing I could spend much more of my time working as a pastor.

I find the accusations of Mr. Jackson irresponsible and bizarre. And would it be going too far to call them slanderous? Well, at least it will renew my zeal to rework the website. I will let all of you decide for yourselves the truthfulness of these accusations.

Pastor John S. Rutowicz
Saint Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELDoNA)
Niles, Michigan

***

GJ - Such protests! Overly much, I think. I cannot figure out why Missourians de-ordain someone they disagree with. I am suddenly Mr. Jackson even though I was ordained and serving congregations when Pastor Rutowicz was riding his trike around the playground. And I am still serving people through the Means of Grace. I offer the sacrament of Holy Communion at every service.

I list all websites so people can judge for themselves. I welcome debate, and the laity enjoy having some real information available instead of hagiography from headquarters.

The Cross of Life, Corona, California, WELS website was suddent de-Sweetened when I mentioned the pastor's school-girlish rhapsodies over the bilge of Leonard Sweet. Even the offering totals vanished. Poof.

Here is my point about the Niles website. Supposedly these pastors left the LCMS because they loathed unionism. Yet their archbishop, James Heiser, who wears purple at Concordia, Ft. Wayne, put an ELCA member on his board because the man gave so much money for the Repristination books being published. As His Grace explained to me over the phone, "I had to. He bought so many books." I have designed a baseball cap for ELDONA, "It's OK to pay, if you're E - L - C - A."

The monastery! Apostate ELCA and longing-to-join LCMS pastors at the ALPB link to that same monastery. The history? All liberal. All ecumenical. Chapel for Marian devotion. So why commend the monastery with WELSian exculpatory remarks? I do not understand how the monastery advances Lutheran orthodoxy. That is my opinion. This is a polemical website, not the PR department of ELDONA. A quasi-Roman monastery is not confessional Lutheran by any definition. If the page had been labeled Weird ELDONA, it would have made sense. But it was not.

False accusations of slander are in fact slander. Take a number, Pastor Rutowicz. Every time I deal with a doctrinal issue, the Eighth Commandment card is played. I am used to it. Your website is public, not private. The implications of your doctrine are public, not private. The Large Catechism explains this distinction. Please read the section on the Eighth Commandment.

I hope no ELDONA pastor joins Eastern Orthodoxy or Rome. I wish the high-church Missourians would quit slobbering over the non-essentials of worship and focus on doctrine. When the Archbishop features a photo of the Niles chalice and patten on his website, the priorities seem tilted to the East.

***

Pastor John Rutowicz has left a new comment on your post "ELDONA":

Pastor Jackson,

My apologies to you for not addressing you properly. I could not find your congregational web site for quite a long time now, and I assumed you were no longer serving in that capacity. It was obviously a false assumption. I had no intention of de-ordaining you. I would appreciate it if you would not refer to me as a Missourian since I left the LCMS several years ago now.

I accept your correction concerning the titling of the web page “Confessional Lutheran Links,” and then having a link to St. Augustine’s House. The page is poorly organized and I am guilty of neglecting it. But the point of having it at all was simply to educate my laity (and maybe others) that there are such things in the world as Lutheran monasteries, even if this was not an example of an orthodox one. In fact, I am not aware of an orthodox one.

You say that you’re dealing with a doctrinal issue with regard to St. Boniface’s web site. What is the doctrinal issue? The mis-labeling of the links? My neglect with regard to the site? You imply that I’m Romanizing. You put up a picture of James Heiser, myself, and Charles Hudson with the title “Missouri Going Eastern Orthodox.” Such statements are absolute rubbish!

I met you a couple of times a few years ago, and haven’t had any contact with you since. But to the best of my memory I’ve never even had an disagreement with you over anything. And yet you didn’t even have the decency to talk to me before saying false things about me. And for the record, I asked Heiser to feature the chalice and patten that had been bought by an elderly couple of our parish. We were rather proud of the fact that though we had practically nothing as a parish, we started out with beautiful communion ware. My people see it as offering their best to the Lord.

Pastor Rutowicz
St. Boniface - Niles

***

GJ - I am glad you have beautiful communion ware. You seem to miss just about everything I discuss. I don't expect you to read all 500 posts, but try for some perspective. Concordia, Ft. Wayne, has become an Eastern Orthodox factory of sorts. You know it. Many know it. And you know the professors promoting Eastern Orthodoxy.
Men do not study Pieper, jump up and say, "By golly, I'm going to be an Eastern Orthodoxy priest, the day after graduation." Influential professors have paved the way.

Do you expect people to see a group of seven congregations with a bishop and not think something different is happening? And why was ELDONA such a secret until it rose from the sea like Aphrodite? That makes people wonder. So does the overall content of your website. The two trends I see in the LCMS are Fuller and Eastern Orthodoxy, two bad answers for serious long-term problems.

I think of Concordia Seminary graduates as Missourians, even if they have left the LCMS. The Little Sect on the Prairie will not accept a former LCMS pastor. WELS pastors are accused of reading Missouri materials. Missourian means raised Missouri and trained Missouri.

WELS Report

The COP heard encouraging reports about the finances of the synod. For example, Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) are up for the first three months of the new fiscal year about $650,000 over last year—as a result of the COP’s efforts last summer to respond to the financial difficulties facing us. Offerings from individuals in the Walking Together and Mission Partners efforts, and other gifts, were up by approximately $650,000. Additional dollars have been received due to investment results and a more favorable foreign exchange rate.

Because it is still early in the fiscal year, because some of the increases are due to earlier receipt of some gifts than last year, and because a multitude of factors could still impact our financial picture, we must be cautious about these results. Still, these are blessings for which we first thank God, and for which we also thank all of the members and congregations of the synod.

Download the complete report from WELS’ chief financial officer at www.wels.net/jump/financialreport.

Special debt retirement offering planned
The synod convention received reports on the synod’s capital debt of $22.4 million. The payments on this debt are budgeted at approximately $3 million per year—money which could be used to fund missions and other important synodical programs. For that reason, the convention authorized the Conference of Presidents to plan a synod-wide debt retirement offering.

The COP has now approved plans for this effort. It is our prayer that we will all join together to completely eliminate this debt by the time of the synod convention in 2009. All congregations and members of the synod will join together in the “WELS Year of Jubilee” offering. The effort will be planned and coordinated by the Ministry of Christian Giving without the use of an outside consultant.

The specifics of the offering will be presented to the district conventions next summer. Materials and worship resources will be provided to congregations at that time. The plan is that all congregations will participate in this celebration of God’s blessings, culminating in a month-long emphasis in late November and early December of 2008.

Congregations will be given a number of options for participation. Some may choose to carry out the celebration over a series of four weeks; others may choose a single day as an emphasis. Still other congregations will be given the option of beginning their efforts already in January 2008, using the entire year as a way to gather regular monthly offerings from their members. For congregations beginning the effort in November, members will be able to give one-time gifts or to spread their gifts over the following months. The offering will conclude with a celebration at the synod convention in 2009.

If God blesses us with the elimination of this debt, we will have $3 million annually to use for the expanded mission and ministry efforts approved by the convention. Please ask God to bless our efforts as we respond joyfully and with commitment to the many blessings he has showered on us and on our synod.

Top News Stories
Latest numbers show a change in prep school enrollment
The latest numbers from WELS’ two preparatory schools—Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS), Saginaw, Mich., and Luther Preparatory School (LPS), Watertown, Wis.—show a moderate decrease in enrollment from previous years. Two hundred thirty-four students are enrolled at MLS, down from 242 in 2006-07. LPS also experienced a decrease from 382 students in 2006-07 to this year’s 339.

“The enrollments in the prep system have decreased every year since 2001-02,” says Tim Dolan, director of recruitment at LPS. Much of this decline, he says, is a result of fewer available candidates and decreasing enrollments in WELS elementary schools.

Paul Prange, president of MLS, also cites tuition increases as a source of declining enrollment: “The trend is very clear. Since 2003, where we had the drastic lowering of subsidy and the significant increases in tuition, the enrollments of MLS, LPS, and Martin Luther College seem to be directly correlated to the tuition increases,” he says. “We’re all down.”

To combat these declining numbers, the prep schools are working to show families the value of a Christian education, as well as encouraging pastors and teachers at Lutheran elementary schools to “find their replacements” in the public ministry.

Peter Kruschel, administrator for WELS Ministerial Education, says that although prep school enrollment is down slightly, “I think that we’re probably at the low end and [enrollment numbers] should either remain stable or go up slightly.” Prange agrees: “We have a quality [ministerial education] system,” he says. “People are going to realize the value of it and say, ‘This is worthwhile . . . this is something I’m going to encourage my kids to do.’ That’s the kind of optimistic sense you get all around the synod, and that’s going to help enrollment.”

***

GJ - The Laffer curve works with tuition, too. When tuition is too high, people do not want to mortgage the farm to pay for kids in high school, with college and possibly seminary in the future.

Air Quality Affected by Church and Change BMs

Eye-witness...or rather... a nose-witness account:

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "More BMs at Church and Change":

I work on the opposite side of the airport in Milwaukee from where the C&C conference is being held. This morning, I was wondering what that horrible stench was that had infiltrated our ventilation system. Please pardon my banal sense of humor. It must have been that the wind was coming from the west and there was a huge BM at the C&C conference.

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GJ - Becoming Missional is the Cloaca Magna of Christianity.

In case you were not blessed with Latin courses and ancient history in school, the Cloaca Magna was the sewer system in Rome.

Why No One Confuses Parlow (WELS) with Luther

Mark your calendars for…

“Let the Praises Ring”! St. Mark’s 3rd Annual Praise Band Concert!

If you were unable to attend last year, here’s your chance to get in on a night of great music and heartfelt worship as musicians from the St. Mark praise band share their gifts with you.


September 9, 2007

THE GOSPEL JOURNEY

We all start out at white belt level.

Luke 5:1-11

This is my obi, the Japanese word for a belt worn by a martial artist. This is a black belt which denotes a master’s level in the art. One thing you notice when you instruct people in the martial arts is their impatience and frustration. Many people will ask you, “How long until I am a black belt?” I always reply, “I don’t know. Everyone moves at a different pace. It’s a process. Don’t worry about the people around you in the class. Just be willing to move from where you are to the next step, one step at a time. It’s a process.”

It could be today that impatience and frustration is your take on Christianity in general and Christian growth specifically. You look around at these people and some have their Bible and they are flipping back and forth and they say Christian words and you don’t know what they are talking about. And you say, “I’m just not there.” And then you know some Christians once (theme from the Twilight Zone) and you said, “I’m not sure I want to be one of those. They are speaking Christianese all the time.” You think to yourself, “I just can’t be that,” because the implication is when it comes to the Christian walk: white belt to black belt in one week. You sit here and think, ‘I’m interested. I’m curious but . . . I just am not ready for that.”
I’ve got some great news. That’s not really the paradigm. That is not what is taught in the New Testament. Turn with me in Matthew 4:18-22. At first that doesn’t look spiritual but irresponsible. “See you Dad! Tell Mom we love her. We got to go! Hope you can get the boat in yourself and clean the nets without us.” And the old guy is over there staggering in wonderment. They just left their father with the family business that he probably saved for them.

This was how their family made a living. Suddenly they just go marching off with some guy in a robe because he walked by and said “Follow me.”Some of you feel that way about the Christian walk. You think, “Could you just slow down.

Could I just do this a little bit at a time?” Absolutely. You see once Christ has brought you to fatih, following Jesus is a process of moving from wherever you are to just the next place. For many of us it is a simple baby step. What God wants for you is not for you to come in here today and learn how to spell Jesus properly and then surrender your whole life to him. That’s not realistic. That’s not the normal way God works in people’s lives. What God wants for you as a follower is for you to take the next incremental step as he grows you in your relationship with him. The fancy term for that is sanctification.

Fortunately for us, Matthew who wrote what we just read was writing to Jews who understood if you ever ran into the Messiah, you drop everything and followed him. Luke tells us the same story but he is writing to people like us who weren’t Jewish looking for a Messiah, who would never in a million years drop everything and follow a guy who said, “Follow me.”

Luke gives us more detail about what happened on this afternoon. This account sets up for us an incredible context for what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Turn with me to Luke 5. The story actually starts with teaching. Read Luke 5:1. The people would fish at night and then in the morning they would clean their nets. They would then stretch their nets out and let them dry. When they were dry they would roll them up and store them and then go home and sleep half the day because they had been up all night. These guys had finished their nets and they are listening to Jesus teach. Who knows how long Jesus taught? The people were pressing against him so Jesus says to Simon, “Would you mind if I used your boat as a floating pulpit?” Simon Peter says, “Okay.” So they get into the boat and push off a few yards and Jesus continues to teach and Peter continues to listen.

Read Luke 5:4. You see this story didn’t begin with a stranger saying, “Leave all you have and follow me.” Jesus now tells Peter, “Let’s go fishing.” Peter says, “Jesus, you might be a really smart carpenter but apparently you don’t know anything about fishing. You don’t fish during the day. No offense Jesus but we’ve been fishing when you are supposed to go fishing and we didn’t catch anything. What’s the point of going fishing when you are not suppose to go fishing? Besides we have already cleaned out nets. Beside there is a crowd. If these people seeing me fishing in the middle of the day they will think I’m nuts. This doesn’t make any sense.”

This next verse is great because this is where many of us are – read Luke 5:5b. The implication is, “I wouldn’t do this for everybody. I wouldn’t even do this for my fishing buddies James and John. But, Jesus, I’ve been sitting here and listening to you. There is something about you. There is something about your teaching. In light of what I sense and hope about youI’ll do this.” Here’s the rest of the story – read Luke 5:6-10a. The word “then” should be bolded. Then after they sat and listened to him teach. Then after they let him borrow the boat. Then after they took a chance and took him fishing. Then after they saw what he was able to do. Then when he proved himself who they hoped he would be – read Luke 10b-11. Who wouldn’t follow a guy like that? What father wouldn’t say, “Boys, I’ll take care of the family business. You need to follow a Teacher like that. He’s the One we have been waiting for.”

The reason I love this story is because it is about us. It’s about different people with different backgrounds and different faith levels and different places in their spiritual journey with Jesus. The invitation to follow Jesus is just the invitation to take the next step, whatever the next step is. It begins at the white belt level with sitting and learning. Do you know why the story begins there? Because this is how the Holy Spirit draws us and puts us on the path with Jesus. Read Romans 10:17. Christianity is not some dark hole with a voice at the bottom yelling, “Jump, I’ll catch you.” You don’t reply, “I’m a Christian. I don’t know who is down there but here I go!”

That’s not the picture of Christianity. Christianity is an informed faith. All of our journeys with Jesus begin with us sitting down and listening for the first time about who Jesus really is and what he has done (expand). Listening and learning. And then at some point Jesus nudges us to take the next step. That’s what Jesus did with Peter when he asked him to go fishing. Just think about what hung in the balance that day for Peter. Everything in him said, “Bad idea. I’m going to ruin my reputation. It is going to cost me money.” In his little world there was a lot at stake. But he really had no idea what was at stake, right! He had no idea what God had planned for him. He had no idea who Jesus was. Jesus was Jesus the whole time. But it wasn’t until Peter agreed to take Jesus fishing that it gave Jesus the opportunity to reveal himself which caused Peter to fall on his knees and say, “I’m not worthy to be in your presence.” Hey, Peter you weren’t worthy to be in his presence before. What’s the difference? The difference is when Peter’s little faith intersected with Jesus’ faithfulness he suddenly discovered whom he was really dealing with. This is the stage of life some of us are in right now. Jesus says, “Hey, let’s take the next step.” And you might argue with God as if you are peers. Peter thought Jesus and he were peers. He was going to have this argument with Jesus about fishing. In his mind he is thinking,
“This could cost me some time and money. I’m not sure I can sacrifice this to take Jesus fishing.” Jesus must have been thinking, “You have no idea what is hanging in the balance, Peter. I’m going to have you write two books of the Bible and people will name their children after you. In two thousand years they will still be talking about you. And you are worried about a little bit of time and a little bit of money. Trust me.” He was just asking him to take a baby step. “We are already out here why not fish?”

Here’s where we are. We are all within the two ranks, white belt and black belt; between the two bookends. You are here today, you are new to the fiath, and you are not really a religious person or church person. In fact, in your world the fact that you get up on Sunday morning and fight the Packer traffic and come to church; that is as monumental as Peter saying to Jesus, “Let’s go fishing.” For some of us that’s just normal but for you it is a big step.

Congratulations! You’ve taken another baby step in this relationship Jesus has given you. You might say, “I’m not ready to change a lot yet.” That’s okay. You are here. You are listening. You are studying. You are right where God wants you. You just need to keep sitting and you just need to keep listening. You are where you are; don’t worry about where other people are. God is excited to see you moving down the path. But the day will come when he will nudge you and say, “I need your boat. We’re going to get a little more closely associated. It may be time to speak to one of the pastors and get some questions answered. Maybe its time for you to attend the CLASS seminars or get plugged into a small group.” God is going to want you to start reading this on your own. Some of you haven’t pick this up forever. In fact, the only Bible you have weighs forty pounds and sits on a table. Jesus wants you to pick this up and start reading it on your own. Learn more about this Savior who starred death in the face your you and death fled. Read it. It’s a baby step but it is an important part of the Gospel journey, it’s part of the process that Jesus carries you through.

For others of us, you have been reading for a long time and now for the first time in a very compelling way the Lord Jesus is saying, “Let’s go fishing.” He’s put his finger on one specific area of your life, not the whole deal, one specific area of your life and said, “I want you to trust me with that right there.” You say, “Oh, not that.” He’s not saying, “Die for me. Go into the ministry. Go over seas.” No. He is saying, “I want you to see me work in this one area of your life. I want you to trust me in this part of your life so your little faith and my faithfulness can intersect because when that happens I know you will be different. But you are going to have to trust me.”

And still some of you are like Peter and right now you are having arguments with God. “God, I’m 40 and if I narrow the people I date down to that point I there’s nobody to date. It’s over!” “Trust me,” God says. “If I start treating my wife like . . . If I start giving like that . . . If I start having a good attitude toward my parents I . . Lord, you want me to move out . . . .” God says, “Just try me. Trust me. Drop those nets. I know when you trust me you will be moved to know that the God of the Universe who is all over this book and sometimes seems so distance; the Savior who died for you showed up tangibly in your life with some spiritual or physical blessing. And when that happens, you will drop to your knees and say, ‘Lord, I’m not worthy. And yet you really care about me and we are like this (cross fingers) and Wow!’” And suddenly it not as difficult to trust him with other parts of your life; the next time it won’t be so hard to let down your nets, it’s easier to trust him with any and every part of your life. The Christian life is a journey closer and closer to the Son. At some point it moves from I’m learning to I’m asking to I’m doing. But here’s the good news. When it comes to the Christian life you don’t go from white belt to black belt in a week. It takes training. It is process. You mature in our faith gradually. And as you do, Peter would tell you, “Don’t be afraid to trust Jesus as he nudges you down the path. You don’t know what hangs in the balance – believe me!”

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why No One Confuses Parlow with Luther":

Wow. I counted one sentence of gospel in that entire sermon. There's no way anyone could read that sermon and still think that Parlow is a Lutheran pastor.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why No One Confuses Parlow with Luther":

How relevant. Nothing but the law. Just what we need.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why No One Confuses Parlow (WELS) with Luther":

Interesting. The fastest growing WELS congregation is led by a Reformed preacher.