Why Did Janke Resign?

Someone asked, "Why did Janke resign as District Pope, WELS?" Unfortunately, I am not on his email list. I can only guess.

He was famous for overlooking a clergy affair in a large congregation while forcing men out of the ministry without cause.

A pastor can be removed for failing to perform his duties, for doctrinal error, or for a scandalous life.

WELS DPs protect adulterous clergy (if they are buddies) and false teachers who agree with WELS false doctrine (generally the tacky, low-life side of Reformed doctrine, not classical Reformed doctrine, which is too deep for WELS). Performance of duties? All the District Popes should be removed for that since their primary role should be leadership in sound doctrine, not in promoting error.

WELS tries to use marketing figures for performance of duties. They confuse Coca-Cola sales with the true Church.

In all three categories (performance, doctrine, life) the pastor should be given due process. However, Janke, like his slavering co-workers, would do this: "You can volunteer to leave and we will give you three months salary. Or you can refuse and I will fire you on the spot with no salary or benefits." They call that leadership in WELS.

And when a reporter finds out a large WELS congregation has a pastor enjoying an affair with a staff member (female, to relieve your worries), the only WELS question is, "Who leaked?" In fact, I was asked that question! Sorry, WELSian pastors, I had nothing to do with the Milwaukee reporter pouncing on Gurgel.

In every WELS scandal there is a universal pounce. The pounce moves from person to person, parson to parson, until the leaker is found. Blessed is the man who turns in his friend, for he shall be rewarded when the final pounce lands on the evil one who told the truth about WELS. I got the pounce when it was revealed that I gave the Forbes article on Schwan to Christian News. I said, "It was public news." The answer was, "Not everyone reads Forbes."

I drew no conclusions about Marvin. I just mailed the article to CN. The ELS leaders were full of wrath.

Does that strike anyone as strange? I was bad for sending an article, read around the world, about the WELS guy bragging he got rid of his wife for a million bucks and a Caddy. His second wife had to divorce her husband to marry Marvin. She was Roman Catholic, but that is not considered unionism - if the gifts to WELS/ELS are big enough. She converted to WELS as long as Marvin lived. When he reached room temperature, she became Catholic again.

So people may guess that the final pounce landed on Janke. Or perhaps the pastors finally got sick enough of his Napoleon complex to place him on a quicksand foundation. I have learned from reading history that the most bloodthirsty leaders, with absolute authority, had to watch their public relations. When people got tired of them, when loathing grew greater than fear, the tyrants went from the penthouse to the outhouse in seconds.