From ELS Bad Boy - Trouble in Paradise
Abiding Shepherd's website-A review
I spent a bit of time looking over the website for Abiding Shepherd in Cottage Grove, the first congregation of the ELS to implement (and bold enough to call them) contemporary services.
In assessing the site the only thing Lutheran about it is they at least maintain the name Lutheran in their church name. That's more than many WELS congregations, periodicals, etc. do. At one LWMS rally I actually heard one report from the national rally that it is more advantageous to not use the name Lutheran and if we insist on retaining the name Lutheran, we are being selfish.
The name of Jesus is mentioned once on the site (at least I could find no other mention). This is on the "mission statement" page, and the mention of Jesus Christ is found in the now defunct mission statement. This is only one of two places the name Christ is mentioned (on this page as "Jesus Christ") The other mention is on Family Education Night under the Bible Study link. Here it mentions "Christ's sacrifice" as part of the study on the Chronicles of Narnia movie. This will probably be an interesting study, even if led by a layman instead of the called shepherd, er, spiritual administrator. Ugh. Business models for the church.
Yuck. Ick.
If the contemporary service is anything like this contemporary church website, I don't think there is much of substance here. Hopefully the website is incomplete and the good stuff is coming right around the corner.
September 20
NOT ROBBIE & responding to ABnormal
Sorry Norman, I didn't mean for any name to show up on any comments. Rest assured this is neither Rob or Bob Lawson. This is not Bob anybody.
Regarding comments from abnormal:
Jay Webber claims to understand the PMS as it is written. His paper presented at conference did not come across as a wauwatosan understanding. All of the so called middle of the roaders absolutely disagree with the wauwatosan understanding of the PMS and that folks like the two Presidents (ELS & Sem) are dead wrong. I tend to believe that the majority of the synod rejects the wauwatosan understanding considering Webber was elected to the Doctrine Committee.
Contemptible Services should be a basis for synodical discipline.
You want me to show from Scripture that these abominations are wrong? Easy enough:
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
But according to one of the ELS presenters at "church and change" a movie is worth a million words. These people give lip service to the means of grace, but that's all it ends up being, lip service. I think some folks misread verse 5 and think it says "that your faith should be in the wisdom of men in powerpoint."
Putting the best construction on the vicar situation, I can only assume the powers that be hoped they could send someone to that congregation to try to get the pastor back on the right track.
***
GJ - In Cape Cod, Webber advocated communing ELCA relatives of ELS members because it was easier that way. The ELS doctrine board is a perfect place for that attitude.
The ELS has always been more inclined toward open communion. The Wisconsin sect caught up with their own "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" open communion. Nothing is stated in the bulletin with DADT. It is a popular solution for the vexing problem of Biblical and Confessional principles, which are barriers to the numerical growth craved by apostate leaders.
Nathan Krause is the pastor of Cottage Grove. I used to watch students fall asleep in the classroom when I was at the Sausage Factory. One student used to prop his chin up on his Trigotta and fall asleep. Today I looked over the pictures of the 1987 class and recalled enough material for a novel.
John Parlow of Green Bay was in the class of 87. Tour his office. Exciting? You betcha. Here is what a Missouri Synod seminarian said about Parlow and sound doctrine in 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.
His LCMS News blog is an excellent site.
Someone was urging him to leave Missouri for WELS or the Little Sect on the Prairie. My advice: Don't. The groups smaller than Missouri combine tyranny with the worst doctrine and practice. They strut around like God's Counsellors but they hardly know their catechisms. The micro-minis are even worse than the ELS and WELS.
PS - The nickname Sausage Factory is the ELS joke about Mequon. Webber says that WELS stands for our Weaker Evangelical Lutheran Siblings.
