Lutherans used to having sayings like Cross and Crown, showing how the path of the Christian was to bear the cross and share the crown of glory in eternal life. The Cross and Crown graphic is common in many older churches. The term crown is the word we use for Stephan, the first martyr, so many think the phrase crown of life was a deliberate wordplay.
But now we have a cross resting in a coffee mug and advertising aimed at coffee drinkers.
Besides that, the pastor is known for sheep-stealing from other WELS churches. The District Pope does nothing about it. The pastor (Latin for shepherd) goes to WELS members and says, "Join my church."
There in a capsule is the whole mindset of the Church Growth Movement, Church and Change. They do not convert. They sheep-steal. They undermine the discipline of other congregations, especially their own synod's, by claiming to make disciples.
The Church Growth Movement has had no positive impact on American Christianity. Millions of dollars have been spent. The only growth has been in apostasy (all denominations) and lawsuits (ditto).
