God's Zilla Monster

Godzilla Was Nothing
Compared to Katherine Jefferts-Schori,
Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church

Virtue Online

This week two more churches in the Diocese of Tennessee, (now six in all, but more will follow) announced they were leaving The Episcopal Church for warmer theological, ecclesiastical and spiritual climes, abandoning property in obedience to the call of God, and declaring, in no uncertain terms, that the cheap, all inclusive generic Eucharistic wine of TEC cannot be consumed without doing permanent damage to one's soul.

The leaders of Holy Cross Church, a Murfreesboro, Tennessee Episcopal/Anglican congregation with approximately 90 members, announced they are leaving The Episcopal Church and will affiliate with the Anglican Communion through the Anglican Communion Network and the Common Cause Partnership of North America, as a part of the Church of Uganda under Bishop John Guernsey.

"This move is necessary for the health of our congregation," The Rev. Frederick Richardson told VOL. "There has been a strong outcry from our members because of the clear direction of The Episcopal Church, which is the opposite direction of where we are going. We feel our future lies in the traditional faith, order and practice of the Bible, followed by the Anglican Church since its beginning, rooted in the teachings of the apostles."

According to statistics released by The Episcopal Church itself, it is losing members at the rate of one whole congregation every one and a half days since 2004. The figure of 1,000 a week was recently elevated when some 8,000 parishioners from the Diocese of San Joaquin decided en masse to leave the Episcopal Church.

***

GJ - The article above was shortened. Use the link for the complete story. Pope Jefferts-Schori does not seem to mind losing members, as long as she can keep their property. She has no legal right to do so, but many congregations do not want to spend a fortune and deal with the anguish of a protracted legal fight.

Roman Catholic parishes are listed, not under the parish name, but under the bishop's name. Caveat emptor, ELDONITES.

ELCA Heckler at Valpo

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

January 8, 2008

Valparaiso University Names Mark Heckler, ELCA Member, Its Next President


CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Mark A. Heckler will become the 18th president of Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., on July 1. He will succeed Alan F. Harre, who will retire June 30 after 20 years as Valparaiso's president.

Heckler, 52, is provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at University of Colorado (UC) Denver. He is a member of St. Philip Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Littleton, Colo. Valparaiso is an independent Lutheran university.

***

GJ - Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS) is called Wisconsin's Valpo.

WLC invited Archbishop Weakland to be their featured speaker in a series of public speeches where other Roman Catholic priests spoke. WLC also refused to dis-invite Martin Marty (ELCA) as a featured speaker, after the Michigan District asked them for that consideration. Pastor Guy Purdue's famous remark was, "WLC just gave the Michigan District the finger."

WLC begat Charis, which begat Church and Change, which begat the famously canceled Sweet Werning Conference of 2005. WLC graduates mourned the loss of that opportunity to hear giants in the field of apostasy at their tiny school.

Here is a little-known fact dug up by my extensive research - ELCA sponsored a big church event in 2007 where the speakers overlapped WLC's favorites:

Let the River Flow is a "connecting event" event for pastors, staff, and other leaders of large ELCA congregations and "anyone who feels they can benefit from this opportunity". The event will be June 18-21 at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Burnsville, Minnesota. Featured speakers include Martin E. Marty, Barbara Rossing, Reggie McNeal, Wyvetta Bullock, Leonard Sweet, Ken Medema, and Peter Eide. Registration is $150 (or $100 for registrations before April 13).

Marty spoke at WLC and for WELS/ELCA/LCMS in Florida. Sweet was invited but the party was canceled. (Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, venerated his New Age insights, taped them, and broadcast them.)

ELCA has a lot in common with WELS and Missouri, but the conservative synods act as if they are not in fellowship with the biggest and most dysfunctional synod.

Wayne, Wayne, Go Away

Because the Left Foot of Fellowship Is for Lutherans, Not Ecumenical Pioneers Like Wayne

The Pope Speaks, which is the official newsletter of Pope John the Malefactor, issued this chilling announcement:

Clergy Transfer
Pastor Wayne Borgwardt has accepted a call to serve Holy Scripture (WELS) in Red Deer, Alberta. His clergy membership is therefore being transferred to our sister synod. Wayne will continue serving Thoughts of Faith, but now as a newly elected member of the Board of Directors. We wish God’s blessing on the Borgwardts as Wayne takes up his new pastoral charge in Canada.

Borgwardt did some of the heavy lifting in getting rid of Northwestern College (WELS), Watertown. They called it amalgamation. Pastor Guy Purdue called it The Anschluss. More importantly, Borgwardt helped organize the ELCA-WELS-LCMS conference in Florida with Martin Marty as the featured speaker.

In 1992, I was sitting in the office of an LCMS executive, in charge of Church Growth for Missouri. He explained how WELS worked with ELCA and Missouri, "The two Waynes worked with us." That would be Wayne Mueller and Wayne Borgwardt. I asked if the ELS was invited to participate. He said, "No, they are statistically insignificant."

Fortunately, Borgwardt will be far enough away from the Vatican of the Little Sect on the Prairie that no one will notice him.

Meanwhile, Kincaid Smith's son is busy in India. Kincaid is the official hatchet man of the ELS.

My mother taught me this song for rainy days, but it work for Wayney days, too:

Wayne, Wayne, go away.
Come again some other day.

During the Breaks They Could Discuss Doctrine

From Norm Teigen:

Preusische Union

I received this meeting announcement in my mailbox this morning. The four Lutheran organizations together are known to some as the Preusische Union.

“Four Lutheran Organizations to Debate ‘Church Government’ in Minneapolis”

(Reclaim News commentary: The subject of who governs a congregation and how a congregation should be governed has become one of the primary concerns in Lutheranism today. We commend the sponsors of this free conference for having the courage to openly debate this potentially incendiary topic and make the conference available to both clergy and lay people.)

On January 30 and 31, 2008 speaker from the
Association of Confessional Lutheran Churches (ACLC) http://reformationchurch.org/ACLC.htm
Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA) http://eldona.org/
Orthodox Lutheran Confessional Conference (OLCC) http://www.olccic.org/
United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA) http://www.unitedlutheranmission.org/
will address the topic "The Church and Her Government"

The 2008 Winter Confessional Lutheran Free Conference is hosted by:
2008 Winter Confessional Lutheran Free Conference for the purpose of discovering and building fellowship among confessional Lutherans at the Select Inn, River Ridge Banquet Hall, 250 N. River Ridge Circle, Burnsville, MN 55337, 952-890-9550 on January 30 and 31, 2008 9:00AM-5:00PM

The following are scheduled to speak:

Rev. Steven Brockdorf (ACLC)
“The Presence of the Church”

Rev. Jack Cascione (ULMA)
“The Supremacy of the Voters Assembly”

Rev. Martin Diers (OLCC)
“The Bishop's Bequest: human accord or divine decree?”

Rev. John Rutowicz (ELDoNA)
“Episcopal Polity in Historic Lutheranism”

Rev. Roger Fehr (OLCC)
“The Keys, The Confessions, and Consistency”

Rev. Leslie Lanier (ACLC)
“Waltherian Polity in Context”

In keeping with the spirit of the Preusische Union, " the very nature of this conference presupposes that all participants and attendees will listen patiently and carefully, giving the benefit of the doubt, and will not make condemning reports verbally or in periodicals, on list serves, or in blogs. Pejorative language will not be tolerated at the conference."

The prohibition of intemperate language does not apply to Preusische Union members who might want to use such language in going after those church bodies and synodical officials with whom they disagree.

***

GJ - This reminds me of a joke. Each nation was assigned to write about elephants for a United Nations global conference. Here are the titles:
1. America - How To Make Money with Elephants
2. Britain - Elephants in the British Empire
3. France - The Sex Life of Elephants
4. Sweden - The History of Sweden.

They should discuss justification by faith. Like the established synods they have left, they are terrified of addressing real issues.

I am surprised Rutowicz did not have the meeting at his favorite Marian chapel.

***

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "During the Breaks They Could Discuss Doctrine":

There is little need to wait for Rev. Rutowicz to present his paper at the "debate". He has posted, "An Argument for Lutheran Episcopacy" on ELDoNA's website (http://web.mac.com/hunnius/ELDoNA/Papers.html). Reading it reminds me of the irrefutable scriptural evidence Pres. Moldstad provided in defense (when he cared enough to reply) of the false doctrine of the "Public Ministry of the Word". I quote, "While it is clear that in the new testament the terms for bishop and presbyter/elder are interchangeable, there does seem to be a precedent for bishop-like oversight among some members of the office of the ministry. James, the brother of our Lord, seems to have a bishop-like position in the Jerusalem church. James also certainly seems to have a prominent position at the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. Further, he seems to have a prominent position with regard to the other "elders" in Acts 21:18. Was James a "bishop" as we think of them? Probably not with all the ideas that we bring to the term, but an office of oversight does seem to be implied." He then goes on to state, "But, it can be said, that while there is no command to adopt Episcopal polity in the new testament, there is precedent for a type of episcopacy in the new testament. To interpret these passages as depicting a type of episcopacy is, probably, the best interpretation of them." Sarcasm overwhelms me.

He continues to attempt to justify adopting Episcopal polity within Lutheran churches. He even points to some aspects of ELCA to use as a possible model. He confuses the Catholic (Rome) Churches sacrament of 'tradition' with the Augsburg Confession defense of Christ's Church the Universal Catholic Church. He states, "The concept of catholicity is indispensable to Lutheran theology. It is necessary to believe that the Holy Spirit works in and through the creation." This is new age and Roman Catholic doctrine. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word alone.
He finally gets to his "Motivating Issues" and states, "The real issue, the unacceptable situation, is the utter lack of clerical authority in the congregation. Pastors who are honest will admit this is a real problem. Parish pastors are essentially hired employees of the congregation. ..... In far too many circumstances the parish pastor cannot be a spiritual father to his flock because he cannot give them medicine they need, but don't want. Congregational autonomy from the district and the synod, even the pay structure for clergy has a devastating impact on the ability of the pastor to do his job effectively. Pastors cannot be helped by district presidents whose positions are advisory, and pastors are too beholden to the sensibilities of the congregation which might cut off his salary at any time. ..... Pastors are constantly told catechesis is the answer. Education is the key to success and happiness, as if the only problem is a lack of knowledge in the church. Once the people know what is correct they will choose it. It seems as if we have abolished the concept of sin. The word "catechesis" is spoken of as if it were an almost magical word. But, if all the pastor has is catechesis, he can always be dismissed as a "flake." ..... The real issue is pastoral authority, not the ability to tyrannize, but the ability to do what is right even if it is unpopular.....Such a pastor must have an authoritative bishop behind him. I am not arguing here for the ability to tyrannize the laity. I am simply arguing for the ability to be a real shepherd, a real spiritual father. To do the right thing by the sheep even when they don't like it. Any father would do what was best for his children even when they complained about it. Think of the absurdity of it, if a father had to rely on simple catechesis to get his children not to stay up until midnight, or eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Rev. Rutowicz has rejected the Holy Spirit in the Word. The Word is dead to him and incapable of working contrition and faith. No wonder he pleads for authority, the authority to declare and demand his rules and mans rules. He disregards that in Christ's Church God is the authority and the authority of the Office of the Public Ministry of the Word, as instituted by Christ, is from and of the Lord. In my opinion this paper describes an individual who is Catholic, Roman Catholic. I honestly cannot fathom why ELDoNA would be invited to a Lutheran conference. Too bad the attendees must provide the benefit of the doubt when listening to his speech.

***

GJ - I hope they sing the original words to Faith of Our Fathers at the conference:

Faith of our Fathers, Mary's prayers,
Shall bring our country back to Thee...

That is a foot-stomper at ELDONA.

Seriously, folks, at a free conference, non-Lutherans like Cascione and crypto-papists like ELDONA can freely mix, share recipes for incense, and go home happy they are not those other heretics.

ELDONA's vision of the bishophric sounds like AMWAY, without the religion. AMWAY uplines are encouraged to enter homes of their downlines and inspect everything, to make sure the brand is on every single item in the house.

The Formula of Concord - On Justification

Orthodox Lutherans Subscribe to the Book of Concord, 1580, Not to Essays, Letters, and Political Votes at Conventions

The Righteousness of Faith, Solid Declaration

6] This article concerning justification by faith (as the Apology says) is the chief article in the entire Christian doctrine, without which no poor conscience can have any firm consolation, or can truly know the riches of the grace of Christ, as Dr. Luther also has written: If this only article remains pure on the battlefield, the Christian Church also remains pure, and in goodly harmony and without any sects; but if it does not remain pure, it is not possible that any error or fanatical spirit can be resisted. (Tom. 5, Jena, p. 159.) 7] And concerning this article especially Paul says that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Therefore, in this article he urges with so much zeal and earnestness the particulas exclusivas, that is, the words whereby the works of men are excluded (namely, without Law, without works, by grace [freely], Rom. 3, 28; 4, 5; Eph. 2, 8. 9), in order to indicate how highly necessary it is that in this article, aside from [the presentation of] the pure doctrine, the antithesis, that is, all contrary dogmas, be stated separately, exposed, and rejected by this means.

8] Therefore, in order to explain this controversy in a Christian way by means of God's Word, and, by His grace, to settle it, our doctrine, faith, and confession are as follows:

9] Concerning the righteousness of faith before God we believe, teach, and confess unanimously, in accordance with the comprehensive summary of our faith and confession presented above, that poor sinful man is justified before God, that is, absolved and declared free and exempt from all his sins, and from the sentence of well-deserved condemnation, and adopted into sonship and heirship of eternal life, without any merit or worth of our own, also without any preceding, present, or any subsequent works, out of pure grace, because of the sole merit, complete obedience, bitter suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Christ alone, whose obedience is reckoned to us for righteousness.

10] These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. 11] This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the father, and are eternally saved. 12] Therefore it is considered and understood to be the same thing when Paul says that we are justified by faith, Rom. 3, 28, or that faith is counted to us for righteousness, Rom. 4, 5, and when he says that we are made righteous by the obedience of One, Rom. 5, 19, or that by the righteousness of One justification of faith came to all men, Rom. 5, 18. 13] For faith justifies, not for this cause and reason that it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and accepts the merit of Christ in the promise of the holy Gospel; for this must be applied and appropriated to us by faith, if we are to be justified thereby. 14] Therefore the righteousness which is imputed to faith or to the believer out of pure grace is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, since He has made satisfaction for us to the Law, and paid for [expiated] our sins. 15] For since Christ is not man alone, but God and man in one undivided person, He was as little subject to the Law, because He is the Lord of the Law, as He had to suffer and die as far as His person is concerned. For this reason, then, His obedience, not only in suffering and dying, but also in this, that He in our stead was voluntarily made under the Law, and fulfilled it by this obedience, is imputed to us for righteousness, so that, on account of this complete obedience, which He rendered His heavenly Father for us, by doing and suffering, in living and dying, God forgives our sins, regards us as godly and righteous, and eternally saves us. 16] This righteousness is offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments, and is applied, appropriated, and received through faith, whence believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God sonship, and heirship of eternal life.

17] Accordingly, the word justify here means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ's righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith, Phil. 3, 9. For this use and understanding of this word is common in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Prov. 17, 15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord. Is. 5, 23: Woe unto them which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Rom. 8, 33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, that is, absolves from sins and acquits.


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GJ - Section #17 makes it impossible to cling to Universal Objective Justification. The term (UOJ) itself is a farce. Even worse are the lame arguments and personal attacks used to promote it. UOJ is new (from Pietism), alien to the Book of Concord and the Silver Age theologians (post-Concord), foreign to everyone except Walther and his Pietist mentors.

Lutherans have not faced their severe doctrinal problems. Each synod preaches the synod message, not the Gospel.

Marvin Schwan = WELS Finances

Schwan Foundation announces annual grant

Filed Under: Bethany, BLC, Budget, Finance, Schwan, WLC

The Marvin M. Schwan Foundation has announced its intent to grant WELS $8 million for its operating fund for calendar year 2008. In addition, the foundation has again offered a $1 million challenge grant that will be used to match gifts designated for WELS endowments from Dec. 1, 2007 to Nov. 30, 2008.

The annual grant for the operating fund is up from $7.6 million in 2007. The final amount granted for 2008 could still change depending on circumstances-in particular, the results of Schwan Foundation's annual audit. Schwan is announcing its intentions earlier than usual to facilitate WELS budget planning.

The $8 million grant would be in line with what was budgeted, so no significant changes in ministry are anticipated. The grant represents about 25 percent of all support for the operating budget.

"We're thankful to God that during Marvin Schwan's life, the Lord moved him to follow the example of King David, whose generous gifts for the temple benefitted the worship of God's people long after he was in heaven," says Rev. David Liggett, administrator for WELS Ministry of Christian Giving.

The Schwan Foundation is based in St. Louis and funds Lutheran organizations including WELS; the Evangelical Lutheran Synod; Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis.; and Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minn. The late Marvin Schwan was a WELS member from Minnesota who started Schwan's Sales Enterprises-famous for home-delivered frozen foods.


New budget process to enhance visibility

From the office of President Mark Schroeder

As the work of our synod moves into a new year, we are adopting a new budget process that not only will enable us to plan wisely and faithfully, but will more accurately represent the synod's entire work program.

The impetus for the new budget process was last summer's convention, where one recurring theme of discussion was the need to review and analyze the overall programs and activities of the synod. Doing so requires careful planning as well as complete and accurate financial information. Under the leadership of Chief Financial Officer Todd Poppe, much progress has been made in the financial area. Financial reports are timely, audits have been completed far sooner than in the past, and reliable support forecasts have become the norm. Financial information has been made available to our members on a monthly basis, and from what I can see, it has been much appreciated.

But more needs to be done. As we begin to plan the synod's ministry program and the supporting budget for 2009-11, we need a process that reflects the totality of our ministry. Of course the process will, like any good budgeting process, include the following important features:

An overall strategy to adopt a plan for the synod's mission and ministry that reflects the direction adopted by the synod in convention.
Careful planning by areas of ministry.
Dependable financial information, both in terms of expenses and anticipated income.
But it will also involve two major changes.

1. A single budget that includes both operating and special funds
In the past the operating budget adopted by synod conventions has supported only a portion of the total work that is done by the four areas of ministry. The 2007-08 operating budget of $34.8 million is based on the anticipated unrestricted gifts from congregations and individuals for the synod's operations. It does not, however, include the dollars from special (non-budgetary) funds that are also used to fund the synod's program but are restricted by the donors to specific ministry. If the programs supported by special funds are included, the actual amount that will be spent to carry out the work in the four areas of ministry in 2007-08 is $45.1 million. Consider the example of World Missions. The 2007-08 operating budget for World Missions is $7.3 million. But when special funds are included, the actual amount to be spent on the work being done in World Missions amounts to a total of $10.6 million. A simi lar situation occurs in all of the areas of ministry.

We believe that there is a need to present a more complete picture of the budget and the programs it supports.

To help make this picture more complete, the 2009-11 budget will include all work planned by the areas of ministry—regardless of the source of the funding. The budget will combine funding from all sources, including Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO), offerings from individuals (IMO), and organizations, grants, and fees. As a result, we will be able to present a more complete and accurate portrait of the total work that is actually being done and the true cost of doing it. And because the use of special funds will be a part of the planning process from the beginning, we will also avoid many situations in which programs are carried out simply "because we have non-budgetary funds available."

2. A "program budget," which evaluates all work on the basis of adopted priorities
Another major change involves the process of forming the budget. Areas of ministry will not be assigned an arbitrary percentage of the synod's budget. Instead, each area of ministry will be asked to:

Describe and prioritize in detail what they plan to do (the "programs").
Indicate the cost to carry out those programs.
Provide information regarding sources of funds other than from the synod operating subsidy (grants, fees, gifts, etc.).
Indicate plans for new or expanded programs if additional dollars are available.
Indicate priorities of programs if there is a need to reduce or eliminate one or more.

Describe how each program relates to the overall mission of the synod.
Once the areas of ministry submit their program plans and funding needs, the president and the Synodical Council will evaluate and prioritize the plans in keeping with the available dollars and the priorities established by last summer's convention. As a result, the final budget proposal may include increased funding for some areas of ministry; for others it may be reduced. The Synodical Council will ultimately submit the proposed budget to the 2009 synod convention for approval.

Serving in Christ,

Mark Schroeder

***

GJ - The Schwan grant is a bit difficult to parse. How much will WLC, and other entities receive? Anyone can see that the sect is unduly dependent upon the Schwan Foundation for its existence. Grant day is like the Battle of Waterloo each year. Will the empire survive?

Many people would love to see how all the Schwan money has been spent. Denominations are more secretive than the Mafia about where the money goes.

Schwan Giving in the Past

WELS/LCMS Meltdown

Here is the link with the former Schwan Foundation figures:

Texas Concord website

More will be posted tomorrow about the current WELS finances.

The headline may be seen as having a double meaning, like WELS Giving Up.

The Unloving Book of Concord

Some people are allergic to the Book of Concord

From the Book of Concord, Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, On the Righteousness of Faith:

59] Therefore we unanimously reject and condemn, besides the above-mentioned, also the following and all similar errors, as contrary to God's Word, the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, and our Christian faith:

60] 1. When it is taught that Christ is our righteousness before God according to His divine nature alone.

61] 2. That Christ is our righteousness according to His human nature alone.

62] 3. That in the passages from the prophets and apostles, when the righteousness of faith is spoken of, the words justify and to be justified are not to signify to declare free from sins and to obtain the forgiveness of sins, but to be made actually and really righteous because of love infused by the Holy Ghost, virtues, and the works following from it.

63] 4. That faith looks not only to the obedience of Christ, but to His divine nature as it dwells and works in us, and that by this indwelling our sins are covered before God.

64] 5. That faith is such a trust in the obedience of Christ as can be and remain in a person notwithstanding he has no genuine repentance, in whom also no love follows, but who persists in sins against his conscience.

65] 6. That not God dwells in the believers, but only the gifts of God.

66] These and like errors, one and all, we unanimously reject as contrary to the clear Word of God, and by God's grace abide firmly and constantly in the doctrine of the righteousness of faith before God, as it is embodied, expounded, and proved from God's Word in the Augsburg Confession, and the Apology issued after it.

67] Concerning what is needful furthermore for the proper explanation of this profound and chief article of justification before God, upon which depends the salvation of our souls, we direct, and for the sake of brevity herewith refer, every one to Dr. Luther's beautiful and glorious exposition of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians.

***

GJ - The condemnation of false doctrine is just as important to the Confessions as the positive witness to the truth. We do that all the time in giving road directions: "But if you see the Dairy Queen, you have driven too far."

Schmauk pointed out that those who condemn the confessions quickly abandon the Scriptures as well. The unionists and apostates like to scream "Nasty! Nasty! Unloving!" when their favorite false doctrine is condemned, but they are the ones who prey upon the weak, make fun of sound doctrine, mock the Means of Grace, praise the false teachers, drive out the faithful, and harvest only the weed seed of their evil ways. Then they plant their weeds and tell everyone, "Look how strong they grow. Look at how large they are. We are changing the church for the better."

Church and Change: Neutered But Healthy

WELS Has Dropped Church and Change from the WELS.net Website

On vacation I checked the WELS.net website for the Church and Change link on the jumpword list. The link was missing, as noted earlier. I have checked several more times and still find it missing. The 2007 Church and Change Conference was hosted by the WELS website via this link and the registration forms. It may be a coincidence that President-in-Waiting Wayne Mueller's son Adam is active in Church and Change.

Four things have happened since SP Gurgel left the country:

1. Church and Change was de-linked or neutered on the WELS website.
2. Income went up dramatically.
3. The schools are all closing jeremiad was stopped.
4. AnswerMan stopped being so belligerent and easy to lampoon.

I wondered about how AnswerMan was posted on the WELS site. The questions and answers were full of spelling errors exactly like those on the Church and Change official website. I figured the same student intern was keyboarding. It could have been a Fuller Seminary graduate, too!

Shortly after the Michigan Lutheran Seminary victory at the last convention, WELS dropped another stinkbomb on Michigan. Someone from the Love Shack told the local paper that MLS was still hanging by a thread. It was a repeat of the thumb-in-the-eye approach that charmed the Michigan District before the convention. SP Schroeder showed up at MLS and things calmed down again.

SP Schroeder is making some progress. The ultimate results depend on the courage of the pastors and laity to root out heresy.

Church and Change is neutered but still happy and healthy. Watch whether another conference is launched and check who is invited if that happens.

Another conference to watch is James Tiefel's pan-denominational worship conference. Everything is Outside the Framework of Fellowship when WELS is promoting unionism. That includes worship, you narrow-minded legalists. Tiefel is quite talented. He managed to produce the worst new Lutheran hymnal, with feminist creeds and hymns, schwaermer hymns, Church Growth hymns, Pietistic liturgy, all in a Lutheran Book of Worship package.

Worse than ELCA's?

Worse.

The Epiphany of Our Lord - Sermon

Were earth a thousand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jewels rare,
It yet were far too poor to be
A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee.
Martin Luther

The Epiphany of Our Lord

KJV Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

KJV Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

The Lutheran Hymnal:
126 – Arise and Shine in Splendor
127 – As with Gladness Men of Old
131 – The star proclaims the King
134 – Songs of Thankfulness

Several wrong assumptions need to be dispelled to understand the Star of Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus.

Wrong Assumption 1: Primitives
People often assume that the ancients were primitive, without the technology we enjoy today. Much of that history is lost to us, but we can still make some observations. The pyramids remain a mystery to man. Every so often I find a new book explaining how they were built. Whatever the solution to that enigma might be, we still have to marvel at the mathematical and engineering skill required to make such perfect and enduring monuments. Of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, only the pyramids remain. Until the Eiffel Tower was built in modern times, no other building was taller than the Great Pyramid. The Egyptians were advanced in math, and so were other ancient cultures.

People are often astonished that anyone knows what is happening in the sky at night. First of all, no matter how beautiful the stars and planets may look to a city dweller, there is no comparison to the view in an area with almost no electrical lighting. I was reading about a farm in Minnesota where the farmer loved his work because of the sky at night. “The stars seem to come down and envelop you,” he said. Add this factor – there was no artificial light at night in the ancient world. Beauty was one thing. The stars were also the only roadmap for the ancients. Anyone navigating at night would use the stars, so they were important and impossible to ignore.

When I was gardening and dabbling in astronomy, I quickly learned the relationship between the sky at night and the weather. The full moon in the Midwest was almost always accompanied by a high-pressure zone: crisp clear weather, blue skies, and possible frost. Rain was rare during a full moon but often followed. Therefore the old wives tale of planting at full moon was valid. Unfortunately, the full moon and clear skies were not the combination I wanted. The moon washed out the galaxies and nebulae. Not surprisingly, amateur astronomers are called moon-cursers.

Wrong Assumption 2: No religion
Another wrong assumption is common in the media today. Media people are often secular and range from liberal to Left-wing. They cannot comprehend others viewing the world from a religious perspective. When I attended the Martin Marty lectures at Notre Dame, he mentioned how the New York media could not imagine what a born-again Christian was. They wanted an explanation for Jimmy Carter. Marty, contacted in Tennessee, said, “I can’t find anyone here who was not born-again.”

The ancients only saw things from a religious perspective. I wonder if people think about how an atheistic philosophy has taken over our thinking. If Lutherans were honest, they would admit their own leaders work from a perspective of no religion, the Word without power, people justified without faith, marketing the Gospel as if it were a new car or box of soap.

The ancient world was extremely frightening. All the rationalism in the world (like our own) will not exorcise the terrors of those days. Sometimes Velikovsky’s interpretations were far off, but he was good at pointing out the easily remembered terrors of those days. The world was recovering its population lost in the Genesis Flood. They remembered the chaos and terror associated with the Plagues of Egypt.

When the Mississippi flooded in the 1960’s and again in the 1990’s, the entire Midwest was under a threat no one could blunt with government programs and sandbags. That was minor compared to earlier cataclysms. Hurricane Katrina and the new flooding remind us of our great heritage of engineering and how easily it too is washed away and buried.

The world at the time of Jesus was highly technological. The Roman Empire absorbed the engineering and math of conquered territories. They got their best technology and engineering from the Greeks. There is a saying that “The Romans had the drains, the Greeks had the brains.” They were also religious and weighed down with the sense of sin. The ancients were looking for a savior, for the savior.

The Wise Men or Magi were men who combined mathematical skills with a religious perspective. My hero, Martin Chemnitz, did the same. He was hired to forecast astrological tables. I imagine he did that with his mathematical and astronomical skills. (Chemnitz abandoned astrology.) We do not know exactly what star the Wise Men saw, but if it was a planetary conjunction (my best guess from the research) then they concluded the king was coming to Israel. He was more than a king, in their minds, as we know from the Gospel:

KJV Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

“Come to worship Him” – we remember those words from so many Sunday School presentations, but they are really startling out of context.

King Herod did not welcome the competition. He wanted to kill this new king, even if it meant killing the first-born males. Herod thought he would be toppled from his throne. In fact, the Roman Empire was starting its decline. During those centuries of decline the Empire persecuted the Christian faith and then became Christianized. Finally, when all the glue came out of the joints, the church took over governing the remains of the Empire.

The Wise Men were not looking for any king, as we can see from Matthew:

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

This passage has amused the liberals, who seem to know evolution but not science. According to the experts, the planetary junction that took place would have had the same characteristics as described in Matthew 2. That does not prove Matthew’s 2nd chapter. The Gospel does not need proof. But it is fun to see that the very things mocked a few years ago have been accepted as credible today. Yet, we could have a video of the Star of Bethlehem and a diary of all three Wise Men and not convince a single doubter. The Gospel converts. The facts do not.

The light was shining in the darkness, and the darkness could not extinguish it (John). The harmony of Isaiah 60, Matthew 2, John 1, and Genesis 1 is remarkable. God created light before He created the sun and stars. Therefore, light existed before God made the source of light. Luther pointed this out in his Genesis commentary.

KJV Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.


To this day we use those expressions in everyday speech:

I was in the dark about that.

Oh, now the light goes on.

I don’t know. Enlighten me.

I wandered in the darkness, but finally saw the light.

“I was blind but now I see” – Amazing Grace.

Prince of Darkness – two different books in print and on sale at Barnes and Noble.

People have associated darkness with evil and ignorance, light with truth and goodness.

Jesus is the light shining in the darkness.

KJV John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

KJV John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

KJV John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

KJV John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

KJV John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. 37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. 42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
(Two Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) pastors published a newsletter, While It Is Yet Day, to promote false doctrine. The CLC Board of Doctrine was blind to this, of course.)

St. Paul also used the comparison of light and darkness. Here is just one example:

KJV 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We believers have a very small book, the Bible, where the Holy Spirit speaks concisely and clearly about the truths God reveals to us. The Bible conveys Christ to us. One of the surest signs of false doctrine is the speaker ranting against the Bible:
A. The Bible is incomplete. Roman Catholics teach that the pope must fill in the gaps with the Deposit of Faith, those extra revelations passed down through the magisterium and revealed with a flourish when needed (The Immaculate Concept of Mary, The Assumption of Mary). Mormons also teach the Bible is incomplete and needs their extra documents.
B. The Bible is unclear. Apostates ape the Romans when they say there are g-r-e-y areas of the Bible. When someone asks about a controversial subject, such as women teaching men, the pastor says, “Well, that is a g-r-e-y area of Scriptures.” He is saying that God speaks unclearly and indistinctly, so muddled that the gurus on the Board of Doctrine must powwow to decide what God would have said if He only had their ability to communicate.
C. The Bible contradicts itself. The cults and all apostates love this argument. They know how to smooth out the problems. Liberal Biblical critics are always finding problems, often they are problems discussed and settled 15 centuries ago.

The Bible is very small in comparison to other books. We often wish we knew more, but that would not satisfy our curiosity. We really need to know this small book much better - and use it to judge all other books. The Word of God is the light. The Scriptures judge all other books. No book judges the Word of God.

Some may think this section about the Bible is elementary, but they are not accounting for the Old Adam at work in religious circles. The wedge is a material wedge. “All that is fine, but what about how the organization is doing?” Then the Word of God is supplanted, not kicked out. That would be too gross and obvious. Instead it is slowly displaced with something else, man’s wisdom. “My thoughts are not your thoughts.” That is forgotten. Suddenly Drucker’s thoughts are better than God’s thoughts. I thought it was hilarious that a rave review of Saddleback Church (Church Growth, Purpose Driven) included the point that Peter Drucker saw it as ideal. Drucker? He is the management expert who invented Management by Objective. When Drucker is the light, only darkness will follow.

Supplanting works well. In chemical factories, I learned, nitrogen is used to supplant oxygen. If the atmosphere is 100% nitrogen, there are no fires, no explosions. Saran Wrap is created by blowing up a big bubble with nitrogen. When the bubble hardens a bit, Saran Wrap. The trouble is, one man fell into the bubble and turned blue. They pulled him out and he was fine.

What we have today is an adroit case of supplanting the Light of God’s Word with the darkness of man’s reason. That is why we must cling all the more tightly to the truths of the Gospel. Human reason sees the false teachers prospering and the orthodox persecuted (no matter what the confession). The more secular the congregation, the more popular it is with everyone. The media will praise anything that makes money. How they can create a story from “Teacher faithfully teaches God’s Word today”? They like scandals and huge building complexes.

The Wise Men risked their lives to see the infant Jesus. They traveled a great distance and went to the very man most hostile to the Savior. And yet, this was God’s plan too. Herod had the chance to believe in the Savior and receive forgiveness. Instead, he feigned interest so he could kill the baby. People ask about why more are not saved. God gives opportunity lavishly and people reject Him with wrath, derision, and hypocrisy (the vice that pays homage to virtue).

The Wise Men hungered for salvation and brought gifts to Him to show their gratitude. What can we offer? Luther’s Christmas play/hymn says it best:

13. Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

The entire hymn:

"From Heaven Above to Earth I Come"
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

1. "From heaven above to earth I come
To bear good news to every home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
Whereof I now will say and sing:

2. "To you this night is born a child
Of Mary, chosen virgin mild;
This little child, of lowly birth,
Shall be the joy of all the earth.

3. "This is the Christ, our God and Lord,
Who in all need shall aid afford;
He will Himself your Savior be
From all your sins to set you free.

4. "He will on you the gifts bestow
Prepared by God for all below,
That in His kingdom, bright and fair,
You may with us His glory share.

5. "These are the tokens ye shall mark:
The swaddling-clothes and manger dark;
There ye shall find the Infant laid
By whom the heavens and earth were made."

6. Now let us all with gladsome cheer
Go with the shepherds and draw near
To see the precious gift of God,
Who hath His own dear Son bestowed.

7. Give heed, my heart, lift up thine eyes!
What is it in yon manger lies?
Who is this child, so young and fair?
The blessed Christ-child lieth there.

8. Welcome to earth, Thou noble Guest,
Through whom the sinful world is blest!
Thou com'st to share my misery;
What thanks shall I return to Thee?

9. Ah, Lord, who hast created all,
How weak art Thou, how poor and small,
That Thou dost choose Thine infant bed
Where humble cattle lately fed!

10. Were earth a thousand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jewels rare,
It yet were far too poor to be
A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee.

11. For velvets soft and silken stuff
Thou hast but hay and straw so rough,
Whereon Thou, King, so rich and great,
As 'twere Thy heaven, art throned in state.

12. And thus, dear Lord, it pleaseth Thee
To make this truth quite plain to me,
That all the world's wealth, honor, might,
Are naught and worthless in Thy sight.

13. Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

14. My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep;
I, too, must sing with joyful tongue
That sweetest ancient cradle-song:

15. Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto us His Son hath given!
While angels sing with pious mirth
A glad new year to all the earth.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #85
Text: Luke 2: 1-18
Author: Martin Luther, 1535
Tune: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1855, alt.
1st published in: "Geistliche Lieder" Leipzig, 1539

Our Great Heritage - Of Universalism

UOJ Stormtroopers Precision March: "They Are Never Out of Step, Whether in WELS, Missouri or the ELS," Says Pope John the Malefactor

I googled upon the website of Heritage, ELS, in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Here is part of their confession of faith, apparently conjured by the Little Sect on the Prairie in 1992:

Because Jesus was true God, He was able by His divine power to save us all; because He was true man, He was able to be our substitute under God's Law. Christ was tempted in all things as we are but was in every respect without sin. See John 1:1 and 14, Col. 2:9, Matt. 1:23,1 Tim. 2:5-6.

By His perfect life and His innocent sufferings and death Jesus has redeemed the entire world. God thereby reconciled the world to Himself, and by the resurrection of His Son declared it to be righteous in Christ. This declaration of universal righteousness is often termed "objective justification." One has this justification as a personal possession and is personally declared by God to be righteous in Christ when he or she is brought to faith in Him as Savior. This is often called "subjective justification". If the objective fact of Christ's atonement is not personally received by faith, then it has no saving benefit for the individual. We reject as unscriptural any teaching that people can be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ. See 1 John 2:2, 2 Cor. 5:19, John 1:29, 2 Pet. 2:1, John 3:16-18, 2 Cor. 5:19, Rom. 4:25, 1:17 and 5:1-2.

5. THE MEANS OF GRACE...

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GJ - I broke off at the Means of Grace because the entire world is already saved and declared righteous. Why add grace to grace?

True, Jesus is the Savior of the world because there is no other savior. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." That is not the same as claiming Jesus saved the world. The Universalists say that, or they used to say that.

Even the Universalists have fallen into apostasy. They used to believe in universal salvation. But they merged with the Unitarians and became ultra-Left political activists. Their websites seldom if ever address the topic of God, but then neither do the Lutheran Church Growth websites.

Someone must wonder, as I did, "Why did the Little Sect adopt a new confession?" They used to wave the Brief Confession of 1932, but that has the Missouri Synod brand on it. Besides, the Waltherians of the Little Sect could use that against the ELS. Then we need to remember that the ELS is the Amen Corner for WELS. Justification Without Faith is bad enough coming from Missouri. The Wisconsin sect goes beyond the absurdity of UOJ and the ELS must follow.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Our Great Heritage - Of Universalism":

WELS has published Pastor John Buchholz' 2005 Convention essay on Justification in video format here. The entire UOJ belief is promoted in the first segment. Interesting that they still teach that unbelievers partaking of the Lord's Supper for the forgiveness of sins, take it to their damnation because they do not discern Christ's body and blood. But yet in the false doctrine of UOJ they declare all unbelievers forgiven of all sins and justified while they are not of the body of Christ and at enmity with God. Martin Luther stated it this way in one of his sermons on Galatians, “It is given of pure grace. Note, faith justifies the individual; faith is justification. Because of faith God remits all sins, and forgives the old Adam and the Cain in our nature, for the sake of Christ his beloved Son, whose name faith represents.” ... “Then nothing else is necessary to justification but to hear and believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. But that is not a work of the natural man; it is a work of grace. He who presumes to attain justification by works, only obstructs the way of the Gospel, of faith, grace, Christ, God and all good."

ELS Hops on the Bandwagon

Graphic Used To Promote Cell Groups at Cottage Grove
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.

Virginia Diocese Needs to Bust a Schwan Grant

Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori Has No Authority To Seize Property

DIOCESE OF VIRGINIA IN FINANCIAL CRUNCH OVER LAW SUITS

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
1/4/2008

The Diocese of Virginia is taking out a $2 million "line of credit" to pursue lawsuits against a dozen parishes that have fled their ecclesiastical grip. Revenues from remaining parishes have fallen short of expectations as parishes cease to pledge or fall behind on their payments.

The diocese also plans to sell "real properties" to raise cash. The Virginia Episcopalian, the official publication of the Diocese of Virginia, is reporting in its current edition that the Executive Board has "authorized the treasurer to open a $1 million line of credit to cover anticipated legal expenses for the near-term. That line has since been increased to $2 million and about $1 million has been accessed."

In addition, the Executive Board of the Diocese of Virginia authorized diocesan staff to plan "the sale of non-strategic diocesan real property" to raise needed cash.

The Diocese also revealed that nine churches have not paid any of their pledges, which Mike Kerr, Treasurer of the Diocese, estimated as a loss to the diocese of $50,000. In addition, other churches have not paid their pledges in full causing the diocese to run a deficit of expenses over income from those pledges.

Baptist Church Growth Service: So Much Like WELS-ELS-LCMS-ELCA

From a Baptist layman:

Speaking of my mom, we all gathered together at my brother's house in southern Ohio the last weekend of 2007 for a Christmas celebration together, part of which was attending my brother's church there in Cedarville. This church has a long history of quality and solid foundations, affiliations with the Baptist University there, and a general, overall practice of doing things as right as Baptists can. The service we attended was among the worst I've ever suffered through. We sat down, and I leaned over to Donna and said that pretty much everything that I saw was what I call the "Television Church," and that I hate every bit of it. Huge projection screens covered every wall. The organ console (which I suspect was covered in a layer of dust) was buried by not one, but two drum sets with every trap that any enthusiastic 18-year-old drummer could ever wish to bang on. "Musicians" appeared shortly before the "service" began, having donned jeans with untucked dress shirts and hair that hadn't been visited by a comb in days. There was an electric guitar and bass guitar, two drummers (I cannot call them percussionists) a violinist, and piano player, all over-miked in a room that didn't need amplification at all. Every one of them had his own audio monitor floor speaker, again completely unnecessary.

Then the event began. The violinist was so attrociously out of tune that I wanted to get up and walk out. The individual mics were obviously EQed and mixed by someone who had lost his hearing at some Greatful Dead concert in the 1980s. Awful, awful, awful. Oh, forgot the soloist. She never really sang by herself, but "led" us forcefully along. And I use the term "us" very loosely as I didn't participate. They sang campfire chorus after campfire chorus, each one more insulting to anyone with any musical training than the one before. I tried to ignore the inane "melodies" and just read the lyrics, and they didn't make any sense either. Everything was insulting to anyone with any sense of music or the English language.

Finally they morphed into the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness, and I thought there may yet have been hope. As you may know, this hymn is in 3/4 time. These knuckleheads sang it in 4/4 time, making the whole experience something akin to dancing with a camel under water, gimping along with an extra beat every measure. Meanwhile people both on the platform (or shall I call it a stage -- the whole thing was a show, not a worship service) and in the congregation (audience) were waving their hands in the air and swaying back and forth. I couldn't help but think of the stoners in California in the 1960s. They just looked stupid. Meanwhile the words are projected on the huge screens.

Then the pastor took the stage with his wireless mic running down his cheek and proceeded to deliver what I would consider a mediocre, 3rd-grade Sunday School lesson about Mary and Martha attending to Jesus, and Martha's getting upset that Mary wasn't helping serve. It was filled with uneducated conjectures and historically inaccurate suppositions about what they may or may not have been doing. All during this, pictures vaguely relating to the story were shown on the massive screens. They looked like a Target Store advertisement. I suppose this was intended to keep the attention of the audience since his oration certainly couldn't. This was followed by another musically useless and intelligence-insulting ditty that everyone was supposed to sing.

Donna and I made a beeline out of there lest anyone ask our opinion and force us either to lie or actually state the obvious of which everyone seemed oblivious. I managed to get my mom alone later, and she said that she had to bite her lip to keep from crying all during the chaos. I felt differently. I was insulted at having been battered by all that uselessness, and rather angry at having been forced to suffer through it all.

And there you have it. I've experience the Church Growth Movement, and it created quite a movement of a completely different kind within me. I really see little hope for the Church if this one is at the cutting edge of what's going on right now. Most of the College students attend that church, and whether they shape or are shaped by it, that is what they will think is appropriate and proper, and then go out and pastor or participate in their own churches accordingly. It sends a cold shudder down one's spine.

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The WELS layman added:

So there is a certain revulsion against the invasion of TV Techniques into even those Reformed areas that used to be respectful of what they did in a building they called Church. If only Lutherans who have the same reaction could get it together enough to call a halt to the nonsense.

***
Another WELS layman:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Baptist Church Growth Service: So Much Like WELS-E...":

I own THREE drum sets and I am DEEPLY upset with your comments!!! Not really:)

I have had similar experiences in some WELS churches. It usually takes me about a week to get over the angry, confused and creepy feeling, because I know the implications of what occured and where it is all going. (My wife hates it when I project the logical outcome into the future from these such things)

I do have a theory about the 3 ring circus approach with all the visuals etc. Have you ever noticed how much more you can get out of reading a book as opposed to watching the same thing on video? I find that I get a much better understanding of DETAIL when I read it.

I surmise that video in churches is a good way to DISTRACT the people so that a DUMBED DOWN version of what should be communicated can be more readily diseminated to the masses. It is also easier to slide in false doctrines to the auditory senses when the visual senses are distracted. Add the tacky, sentimental music and you can manipulate peoples emotions by using what passes as worship music. Work the emotions and you can tell them just about anything you want and their critical judgement falls flat like a badly played violin.

WELS Too

***

GJ - I have noticed some educators favoring Attention Deficit Disorder by having things all over the classroom. Creating a lack of focus is not a good idea in education, worse in worship. Of course, these services are not intended to be worship. Willow Creek even promoted that idea. Sunday is for tickling and entertaining.

A printed bulletin can easily replace the movie screen and Jumbo-tron for text.

The tackiness is the direct result of abandoning the Means of Grace.

***

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Baptist Church Growth Service: So Much Like WELS-E...":

WELS Too (anonymous):
I had a similar discussion today with my wife when I explained the logical conclusion of slowing creeping contemptible worship. Her reaction was about the same as your wife's. Emotional appeal is at the heart of the contemptible worship methods. I believe that much of the laity in the WELS is really in the dark about the historic liturgies. I wonder if many of them think that it is just another way to "do church". Also, much of this can be snuck into the church under the big umbrella of evangelism. After all, if it increases membership, what can be bad about that? Isn't one soul worth it? Who can argue with a smiley pastor and musicians that make a joyful noise?

Anonymous Throws a Hissy Fit

Greg Jackson is a self-important, little man has left a new comment on your post "Incensed Crypto-Papist Avoids the Doctrinal Issues...":

Dr. Greg Jackson wrote (who holds his doctorate from Notre Dame, that fabulous Roman Catholic institution): "I could not find any argumentation in the comment, only arrogance and scorn."

You must be talking about your Ichabod blog, because that's all I ever see on it--arrogance and scorn.

***

GJ - I agree with you, Anonymous. That is all you have ever seen on it. I believe you are also the same person who complained about all the doctrinal quotations posted on Ichabod. How you must suffer!

Martin Luther also attended a Roman Catholic school.

PS - Unlike Werning, Valleskey, and Bivens, I have never denied attending any given school. I will even admit to being at the Sausage Factory in Mequon. As everyone knows, we will all be judged by the schools we attended and our DNA, not by the doctrine we believe, teach, and confess.

Osiander

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Reasons for WELS-LCMS-ELS Apostasy":

Methinks you frequently stumble into a position that is dangerously close to Osiander, cf.

Try reading "The Fire and the Staff" by Klemet Preus for a clear explanation.

***

GJ - Note the dog-eared approach above. First of all, it is anonymous. How bizarre to call someone a false teacher anonymously! I post these things to show Ichabodians the state of the Lutheran Church.

Secondly, there is no foundation for the accusation. I can only look over Osiander and guess. Common courtesy would dictate a real name and some reasoning. Since nothing is cited on my side or from Osiander, I cannot respond.

I have not read Klement Preus. (I took his class in Persuasive Preaching at Concordia, Ft. Wayne.) Once again, no citation is provided for our edification. I do agree with his father's conclusions in Rome and Justification. I suggest Anonymous read Robert Preus and the Book of Concord.

I made it clear in Thy Strong Word that I disagree with UOJ for Biblical and confessional reasons. I also listed the Biblical passages and Book of Concord passages which support justification by faith alone.

Why Abridge Thy Strong Word

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How To Buy Thy Strong Word":

I'm not sure why you want to abridge your Thy Strong Word. If you go to Lulu, they can print up a single-copy 650 page 6"x9" book for $17.53, or for less if you buy in quantity. Then you can sell it for $25, and still make $6 or $7 profit on each copy:
http://www.lulu.com/en/products/paperback/

Of course, you could probably get it printed up elsewhere cheaper.

I'm just sayin'

Bruce Church

***

GJ - I have a few copies left and the entire book is on the internet.

The reason for a new edition would be to eliminate some of the highly technical parts and make it English-only.

Profit is not the idea. Making the doctrinal material available is the goal.

Besides, my feisty editor wants more work to do.

Incensed Crypto-Papist Avoids the Doctrinal Issues. Feel the Love?

I'm a little papist, still smiling,
Here is my censer, here, KISS MY RING!
(tune: I'm a Little Teapot)

Father Hollywood has left a new comment on your post "Baby Steps - Or Alien Doctrine?":


As the dean of the SSP, all I can say is the tin-foil-hat conspiracy stuff is quite a hoot. If anyone wants to know what the SSP is *actually* all about (rather than this straw-man silliness and worst-construction paranoid speculation), feel free to e-mail me at larrybeane@gmail.com.

But if you're really more into "beautiful mind"-type fantasy, and have no shut-ins to visit, no texts to study, and no prayers to say - but want to spend time slandering other Lutherans and breaking the 8th commandment, well, consider these other points:

+ "Polycarp" and "pope" both begin with the SAME LETTER.

+ Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Society of St. Polycarp confess the NICENE CREED and use CANDLES at their services.

+ The SSP includes pastors from both St. Louis and Fort Wayne seminaries, both of which are LINKED to prominent Lutheran expatriot pastors, such as Neuhaus and Fenton. Coincidence? I think not...

+ The current SSP dean attended a seminary whose president and several professors have doctorate degrees from Notre Dame University (Notre Dame is openly ROMAN CATHOLIC, and its name is a *secret code word* for MARY!).

+ Many SSP members belong to the LCMS, whose hymnal uses the word CATHOLIC (a *known practice* of ROMAN CATHOLIC and EASTERN ORTHODOX churches).

+ Crosses (such as those used as bullet points in this very post) are found in ROMAN CATHOLIC churches around the world.

Pax Domini, (which is LATIN, the *secret language* of ROMAN CATHOLICS),

Rev. Larry Beane, SSP
larrybeane@gmail.com

***

GJ - I gave the readers choice quotations from the material posted by this cult, plus the links, so they can harvest their own conclusions. I could not find any argumentation in the comment, only arrogance and scorn. Father Hollywood is welcome to post again if he has something to say about introducing Marian worship into the Lutheran Church.

Moose Attack

GJ - The following comment, reverently reproduced in italics, is broken up into bite-sized bits to facilitate the digestion process:

Rachel, author of The Moose Report has left a new comment on your post "The Slandering So-Called Slander-Victims of WELS":

"Mrs. Moose is an ardent Sweet supporter, now in denial."

I must be in denial, because until you quoted my 2005 post on your blog, I had no idea I was an "ardent supporter."

GJ - I will reproduce her original paragraph from the Moose Report, in bold. The 2005 Church and Change conference invited Leonard Sweet (New Age Methodist) Kent Hunter (LCMS Church Growth Guru), and Waldo Werning (LCMS, Church Growth promoter):

This symposium was on evangelism. Apparently it is breaking fellowship by bringing in those who have effective evangelism programs that actually work because they are not WELS. Our synod is losing members faster than they are gaining them. You’d think they’d be open to new ideas. There is a serious danger here in this fellowship misapplication. Those planning to attend have lost the opportunity to learn about other evangelism methods to win souls for Christ.

"I fail to comprehend how noticing a familiar name is a slanderous attack on the entire Moose herd. Disavowing published support for Sweet is bad enough, but calling me a false witness for quoting her is only going to draw attention to what the entire Moose coalition represents."

I have a coalition now? Not bad for a WLC grad who holds a B.A. in music.

GJ - WELS members are trained in avoiding the issue.

Are you a pastor of a congregation? If you are, I am surprised at your tactics. For someone who is to be "above reproach," why do you find it neccessary (sic) to provoke and make fun of other Christians, mostly Lutherans? What does that accomplish for the Kingdom? And yes, there ARE other Lutherans despite all the apparent conspiracy theories. The definition of "apostate" is one who abandons his religion. The WELS has not abandoned the Bible nor the Lutheran Confessions, attend a Sunday service and you'd know that.

GJ - Lutherans should start reading Luther and the Book of Concord. In most sermons Luther pointed out what the false teachers were promoting and denounced it. The Book of Concord rejects false doctrine throughout. WELS has been dumbed down so much that people do not realize the point of polemics and cannot grasp humor and satire. I accomplish nothing for the Kingdom. The Word of God does everything. WELS has officially and defiantly rejected Biblical doctrine and the Lutheran Confessions. Not even the mildest Lutheran would walk across the street to hear Leonard Sweet or Kent Hunter or Waldo Werning.

Even if you disagree with how things are done in the WELS, what kind of witness is it for orthodox Lutheranism (and orthodox Christianity for that matter) to speak to and about people in such an unloving way? Or to speak in such a tone as to insinuate that you alone are above reproach? I guess one advantage to being a synodical conference of one is that you can say whatever you want.

GJ - The love gambit is well worn among the unionists. They want love, not sound doctrine. Luther said, "Don't speak to me about love. Love does not convert. The Word of God converts." The true Church consists of all those who trust in Christ alone as their Savior. How strange to be so obsessed with a man-made organization, especially one where two church workers have murdered their wives and a DP went to state prison. Try "above reproach" on the officials who covered this up and still deny the facts.

Well, as all Alaskans know, and since you seem to delight in using the metaphor, moose leave an area when there is "no good food" left. I wouldn't feed on what you are selling or promoting. I'm sure, as seems to be your way, you'll have a scathing reply to this comment. Quote me, misquote me, judge me, attack me, say whatever you want. You may hold Masters and Doctorates in everything under the sun, but simple Christian love demonstrated in words and actions has eluded you.

GJ - I did not pick the name Moose Report. I prefer to quote people verbatim. That is enough. In fact, many have complained about being quoted. Larry Olson (D.Min., Fuller Seminary) published an article in Christian News about that very topic.

Not Every Evangelical Is Fooled by Church Growth

It's not only Lutherans who have been victimized by the CG-PURPOSE DRIVEN heresy. Just substitute "Lutheran" for "Baptist" when reading the following, and the show goes on. Same false idea, same, modus operandi, same disillusionment by discerning layman, resulting in conscience bound departure due to betrayal by leaders and pastors who look to the next program, the next CGM guru, the next "numbers game" instead of "Thus saith the Lord".

Mary Thompson
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
IS YOUR CHURCH SUFFERING FROM R & R?

By Paul Proctor
January 2, 2008
NewsWithViews.com
The Lord sent me on a difficult journey several years ago. It has been a long, painful and frustrating excursion. But it has also been quite rewarding in that I have learned so much along the way. He called me out of The People's Church in August of 2000 for reasons I have already chronicled in a published piece by the same name. It wasn't a mere critique of a church gone bad from a disgruntled ex-member with an axe to grind, but rather the beginning of a calling of sorts to
expose what I discovered to be a growing movement and trend in church life that in reality robs people of their faith in Jesus Christ. In my ten or so years as an untrained writer and columnist with an undeserved high school diploma and a very basic knowledge of the scriptures that came largely through personal study and prayer, I started writing commentary for the internet barely knowing even how to
punctuate a sentence, much less how to structure one properly. It was more or less on-the-job-training; so frankly, I learned as I wrote what I witnessed. And not having the luxury of editors most of that time, it meant that any embarrassing errors I made involving grammar, punctuation or spelling were promptly published for all the world to see - and in many cases, still are.

In retrospect, I suppose that helped keep my ego in check, at least most of the time, especially when the praise and support of other Christians began coming in - not unlike the Apostle Paul's thorn in the flesh that tormented him throughout his ministry. By the same token, I guess those words of encouragement helped keep my discouragement, embarrassment and humiliation from overwhelming me when all the criticism and rejection followed.

I had been a musician all of my adult life and until the mid-nineties, had no inkling or desire to write about anything that didn't involve music - much less controversial matters of church and faith. To this day I'm amazed that anyone is interested in anything I have to say - and moreover, that the Lord would compel a fool like me to write it down. But I do nonetheless, for whatever it's worth.

After leaving The People's Church, I ended up at a smaller more traditional Southern Baptist fellowship where the pastor assured me numerous times over the four years I was there that he would not bring that church growth movement stuff I had agonized through at my previous church into his church, only to end up, much to my dismay, hearing him quote Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven Life principles time and again
from the pulpit - eventually going so far as to offer a class on it to those who were interested in attending - that is, until I reminded him of his promise to me. It was as if every time I tried to settle in and serve the Lord in some capacity there, either as a teacher, a committee member or as a trustee, the CGM would reappear in one form or another and distract me into a confrontation and response in order to restrain its influence. As I would soon learn, many others who were reading my articles were also enduring the same kinds of struggles at their churches.

Whenever I questioned my pastor about his PDL proclivities, the justification was that, even though he didn't actively promote The Purpose Driven Life and Church per se, there were some practical things in Warren's books he thought would help our congregation. I suspect he was also under at least some peer-pressure, intentional or not, from local promoters and sellers of PDL products and materials which may have
included fellow pastors and representatives from LifeWay Christian Resources here in Nashville, where such things have been for sale for years - a company that once employed him as an editor - not to mention the fact that he was shepherding a handful of misguided church members who were absolutely taken by Warren's unbiblical notions and ideas. Still I remained, hoping to persuade him otherwise.

What finally sent me packing and back on my journey in search of a faithful church (not to be confused with a perfect church) was a Sunday morning message given in two services on November 21st, 2004, where he told of being impressed by a missionary and speaker he heard a few days earlier named Rick Leatherwood, who shrewdly used certain Proverbs from the Old Testament as a means of evangelizing Muslims by referring to the God of the Bible as "Allah," in hopes of winning them to Christ. After the service was over, I obtained a CD copy of my pastor's sermon, to make sure I had actually heard him correctly, so as not to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse him of something he didn't actually say. Citing the Apostle Paul as an example, this is an excerpt of what he preached that morning:

Paul had learned to become all things to all men. Rick Leatherwood has done that too. He does so many interesting things. And, he was trying to figure out, "How do I connect with these Muslims? They believe in the same God, sort of, that I do. They believe in the same God Abraham believed in. They believe in that God. Well, what can I do to connect with them? I can't just walk in and start talking about Jesus. They believe that Jesus was a real man but they don't believe He really died. So, I just can't walk in and start telling the good news about Jesus." So, he came up with the idea, he said, "They believe in God; why not tell them about God? And so the one way I can do that is to give them a copy of the book of Proverbs from our Old Testament." It tells all this wisdom about God, from God and how to know God. And so, what he did; he printed up these little booklets - and he's done it - he's got them printed in various Arabic languages. And he'll go up, and when he gets to know somebody, he said, "I'd like to give you a gift. I'd like to give you this copy of the wisdom of God." Because they believe in God, he can say, "I'm talking about the same God." After listening to the CD at home I called my pastor and politely told him: "Jesus is not the Son of Allah." He responded to my concerns by saying, that wasn't what he meant, followed by an apology for "offending me." You see, he cleverly turned an Absolute Truth issue into a Relationship issue and quickly apologized for having offended me rather than admitting that he had in fact contradicted the Word of God.

After a short but heated discussion, I closed the conversation stating, if I were he, I'd revisit the issue from the pulpit and clear up any confusion his remarks may have caused. When two or three Sundays passed without any mention of his mistake, my
wife and I discontinued our participation in worship there, but did continue in Sunday School with friends for a time, visiting another nearby church for worship, waiting on the Lord's leading elsewhere or our pastor's public confession and repentance - whichever came first. Almost three months later, on February 6th of 2005, my pastor made the following remarks in passing during his sermon that morning:

"Muslims claim to know God; but the god that they say they know, when you really study what they say; we did a study, some of you may remember, on Muslims and Muslim religion a few months back. When you really study what they believe, you see that the god they're worshipping is not the God you and I worship. It's a different God. It's not the God that Jesus revealed to us."

So, apparently this was, to his way of thinking, an acceptable substitute for confession and repentance; to ever-so-briefly re-visit the issue months later as if no real error had actually been committed - as if his unofficial follow-up sermon communicated what he really believed all along about God and Allah. I was left to ask myself: How could such a man ever call on sinners to confess and repent when he was so stubbornly unwilling to do so himself? We never looked back. And that brings me to the point of this article about my ongoing journey and the question I offered as its title:

Is your church suffering from R & R?
Both my previous churches obviously were; and amazingly, so have every one of the Southern Baptist churches my wife and I visited across three counties here in Middle Tennessee over the last three years.

Blame whomever and whatever you will; but somewhere along the way, they all to varying degrees, quit believing God - they lost their faith - their conviction - their focus and their Divine call to hear, believe, proclaim and obey the Word of God at all costs, whatever may come - and made the call to repentance and faith in Christ at best, secondary to the pragmatic pursuit of Results and Relationships - refashioning their religion into something more marketable - more practical - more
horizontal and humanistic, so as to please prospects and participants into jumping onboard, that they might artificially grow their congregations into something impressive instead of something faithful - boasting of "fruit" while yielding a great harvest of weeds.

In spite of all this, the numbers steadily drop and revival continues to evade the Southern Baptist Convention whose members stare at their baptisteries year after year, longing for more Results - and then at each other, longing for more Relationships - this, while ignoring the Provider of both Who patiently waits for their confession, repentance and obedience, that He might bless. Eve took the forbidden fruit because she wanted Results. Adam took it to protect and sustain his Relationship with Eve. Today, the church of the 21st century shamelessly continues to pursue both at God's expense in a desperate and disobedient attempt to satisfy "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life." (1st John 2:16)
May God have mercy on us all in 2008.
© 2008 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved

***

GJ - I noticed that the lies and the sneakiness are the same, whether in a Lutheran synod or in an Evangelical congregation.