For Information on the Paul Kelm Call

Bruce Becker, Church and Change Board Member, WELS DPS Leader.
The photo is from the Church and Change website.

SP Schroeder did not know about the DPS call to Paul Kelm until it appeared on the call list, according to my sources.

Therefore, the best way to find out how this happened is to contact Bruce Becker, the administrator for the Division for Parish Services.
His email is:

bruce.becker@sab.wels.net

Phone - 414.256.3228.

WELS Website:

Position: Parish Services Administrator

Bruce Becker has been serving in WELS Parish Services since February 1995. For seven years he served in WELS Adult Discipleship and has been in his current position since January 2002. After graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1982, he served as missionary pastor at Our Savior in Springville, New York and then became the administrative pastor at Trinity in Brillion, Wisconsin from 1987-1995. He, his wife Linda, and their four children live in Jackson, Wisconsin and are members of St. John’s, Lannon, Wisconsin.

Church and Change Bio

Bruce currently serves as the administrator for WELS Parish Services. He has also served as the WELS Adult Discipleship Administrator, as a parish pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church of Brillion, WI, and as a mission pastor in Springville, NY. He is married to Linda and has four children. They are members of Morning Star Lutheran Church, Jackson, WI. Bruce has been actively involved with Church and Change since 1998.

Comments from Bailing Water:

Anonymous said...
This reminds me of Arnold. Use your best Austrian accent "He's baaaaack."

September 30, 2008 9:35 AM


Anonymous said...
Kelm is filling the vacuum left by Wayne Mueller's departure.

Thirsty for the Kool-Aid

October 1, 2008 11:41 AM


Anonymous said...
i would be real curious to know in what capacity he is going to serve. is it really necessary for him to consult the parishes? just when you think some progress is being made, it's back to the same ol' same old. geeeez. what's wrong with giving this guy a call to a church, watching him like a hawk, and giving him the 'left foot' if he strays?

October 1, 2008 9:45 PM


Anonymous said...
I am not sure why you are surprised. Prez Schroeder and Rev. Kelm share the same theology.

Beano

October 2, 2008 1:10 AM


John said...
I will contact 2929 and see who issued this call to Kelm.

October 2, 2008 7:25 AM


Anonymous said...
Parish Services issued the call without Schroeder's knowledge. He probably found out by reading Bailing Water. That is really evil when subordinates try to pull a nasty as a sign of contempt for the elected synod president.

Bespoke

October 2, 2008 7:44 AM


Anonymous said...
He has not yet accepted the call. He is serving in his call to St Mark Lutheran Church in De Pere, WI. He still needs to deliberate which call he will serve. Just because he was issued the call does not mean that he is going.

October 2, 2008 9:18 AM


Anonymous said...
"Parish Services issued the call without Schroeder's knowledge. He probably found out by reading Bailing Water. That is really evil when subordinates try to pull a nasty as a sign of contempt for the elected synod president."

Exactly right. This had nothing to do with President Schroeder.

I believe that one of the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee was that the Synod President should be involved directly with the calling of synodical positions. That would have prevented this problem.

Don't worry. Parish Assistance is already under close watch. There have been a lot of complaints about them. If Kelm accepts the call, Schroeder is going to be all over everything he does.

October 2, 2008 9:29 AM


Anonymous said...
Actually, they called at least 7 pastors for this position before the current call to Paul Kelm. All 7 returned the call having deliberated to stay in their current calls. There may be more than 7, but these 7 were called and turned down the call:
Pastors Bruce Janisch, Randy Hunter, Steven Witte, Don Sutton, Michael Duncan, John Stellick and Robert Raasch.


---

Missing - Spriggs' graduation from Mequon and His Call

Martin Spriggs has been serving as the WELS CTO since October 2004. A former WELS pastor, he earned his MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, Chicago. He built the Midwest presence for Net Quotient Consulting Group (a firm that provides Internet application development for Fortune 1000 companies) and Qwest Communications (a telecommunications firm), as well as worked on technical development and consulting at these companies. A member at Peace, Hartford, Wis., he, his wife Debra, and their three children live in Slinger, Wis.

Technology Services on WELS.net

Another Diocese May Leave The Episcopal Church

The gathering storm.

Diocese of Pittsburgh Historic Decision Will Reverberate Around Anglican Communion

Commentary

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
9/30/2008

The Diocese of Pittsburgh will make an historic decision on October 4, 2008. The diocese will ask itself if it will remain a constituent member of the Episcopal Church USA or vote to come under another jurisdiction, in this case the Province of the Southern Cone and Archbishop Gregory Venables.

If they vote to leave, and all the indicators are that they will, the cries of anguish, anger and bewilderment will reverberate around the Anglican Communion, indicating one more time that The Episcopal Church fabric has been irrevocably torn and that realignment is now a fact of Anglican life. (Since his deposition, Bishop Duncan has been personally received into the Province of the Southern Cone).

This is the second diocese following the Diocese of San Joaquin to leave the Episcopal Church, which brought down the wrath of litigation upon the head of Anglican Bishop John-David Schofield by Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori and her attorney David Booth Beers.

The Episcopal Church, under the heretical leadership of Jefferts-Schori, has left no room at the table for orthodox Episcopalians. They are slowly but surely being shunted out. By the end of this year, if the dioceses of Ft. Worth and Quincy vote to leave, and all the indicators are that they will, then it will be the end of Anglo-Catholicism in The Episcopal Church. True, there will be isolated parishes here and there, but to all intents and purposes, traditional catholics in The Episcopal Church will cease to exist.

What happens next to evangelicals remains another question.

In a reflective observation of the deposition of Bishop Duncan, the Bishop of South Carolina, Mark Lawrence noted that it was "a rush to precipitous action.... the wrong canon, the wrong action, and the wrong time to proceed with this deposition," he wrote in a letter to his diocese. http://tinyurl.com/4gfffo

Lawrence went on to say, "All of this leads me to believe that the challenges that lie before a predominately conservative diocese like South Carolina have now been enormously increased if only because of the perception of our parishioners and clergy-but, more pertinently from what I fear is a failure of the present House of Bishops to realize just how far from historic Christianity our church has drifted."

Will Lawrence be forced inevitably to the conclusion that his diocese can no longer stay in TEC? He has said dogmatically that he is going nowhere, but so did Bishop Duncan. In 2001, Duncan supported Archbishop Carey against the formation of the AMiA saying, at that time, "I am deeply grateful that Archbishop Carey chose...to voice support for...our decision to remain in the Episcopal Church."

That was before the Robinson consecration and a number of general convention resolutions affirming homogenital behavior. A couple of years from now, perhaps even sooner, when a new North American Anglican province has been formed and the Global South primates declare they are no longer in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lawrence may be forced, along with his Standing Committee, to declare that they, too, are out the door. Will the dioceses of Albany, Western Kansas, even Dallas and Central Florida, now adamantly committed to staying in TEC, be forced by sheer circumstances and historical events to consider other options?

With all the fluidity in the Anglican Communion and everything is on the table, the only certainty is uncertainty.

This weekend will see the day of the long knives emerge. [GJ - Where have I heard that before?]

Leading the charge against any move by the diocese to leave the Episcopal Church will be the Rev. Harold Lewis, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, a pro-gay institutionalist rector whose hatred of Bishop Duncan has quantifiably grown as the day has drawn closer for the diocese's possible departure.

He has litigated several times in order to have The Episcopal Church seize diocesan and parish properties, even if Bishop Duncan and the majority decide to leave. He is supported by groups like Across the Aisle which incorporates Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh (PEP). Their key leader is The Rev. Dr. James Simons in Ligonier, rector of St. Michael's of the Valley. He chairs the steering committee of Across the Aisle, a theologically diverse group of Pittsburgh clergy and lay people committed to remaining in the Episcopal Church.

As time and tide wait for no man - where Death is speaking about certainty - then it is a certainty that the death of The Episcopal Church through liberalism is as certain and sure as the new life about to be generated in a diocese, free at last from the clutches of a doctrinally, morally and perverse church that has truly lost its way.


NOTE: VOL will be present at this historic occasion and will post stories immediately after the diocese announces its decision. VOL will also syndicate Anglican-TV's video of the occasion, as well.

END

The False Claim of Slander, Employed with Enthusiasm by Church Shrinkers

Many fear the WELS Grapevine. Why?

I was browsing Megatron for additional Eighth Commandment charges. Kelm's made me chuckle again. I had them dead to rights about the Joy Radio Show, developed jointly with ELCA, Missouri, and WELS.

In the database I found Norm Berg raging against me in a 1996 letter. He was completely in the bag for Church Shrinkage, studying at Pasadena. Anyone who heard him talk knew that. He stated I was dishonest. He did not explain how all the American Mission people were sent to study at Fooler Seminary, just like him, how WELS paid for pastors to study at Willow Creek. Now his two sons are Eastern Orthodox pastors, sinuflecting toward Rome.

I was warned in a 1989 letter by Waldo Werning, who confessed and denied that he studied at Fooler Seminary. The letter was stamped in red: CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL. He claimed a WELS pastor dropped the dime on me, describing how my anti-CGM articles would hurt me in WELS.

District Pope Marcus Nitz sent his letter in 1991, with copies to everyone except Handsome Dan, warning and threatening me. He mentioned that I had taken on the entire Sausage Factory faculty by disagreeing with Valleskey. I could picture them, running away, as Valleskey did when I approached him at the Ohio conference.

One supposed CG critic sent a letter around to various people, giving me the Left Foot of Fellowship, because I asked to quote his tepid dissertation. Now they call this "being thrown under the bus."

Of course, I got ugly, hate-filled letters from District Pope Mueller and Vice Pope Kuske. That was routine for them. They ran interference for Stolzenburg, CrossRoads Community Church, Lutheran Parish Resources, and various adulterous pastors in the district. I was clearly not up to their standards.

Their counterparts are found in the Little Sect on the Prairie and the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic). Same doctrine; same antinomianism; same MO; same personalities. Minor problems of adultery and incest were dwarfed by the sin of questioning Holy Mother Synod. As one dimwit president wrote me, "You have shown contempt for CLC resolutions." Shown contempt? I was doing my best to hide it.

Let me take the time to thank these people for betraying their loyalty to their Father Below. They did not intend to be a blessing to me and my family, but they have been and continue to be. I am sorry that they have crushed and devoured many of my friends, who hardly raised a protest against the Shrinkers, but paid the ultimate price for having a single negative thought.

The real slanderers (Eighth Commandment) are the Church Shrinkers. They destroy the good name of pastors, laity, even church leaders who get in their way.

1. When Corky K. criticized the Shrinkers in a paper, his fellow WELS pastors spread the story that he was "brain-damaged." He served as pastor to many or most of the drones at The Love Shack.
   
   
2. When the former president of the seminary questioned the dissolution of Northwestern College, they called him "senile."
   

Those are the men who issued a DPS call to Paul Kelm.

Luther Decade Begins: Church Sign Heralds News

By now some have begun to suspect that I am generating these church signs with some javascript. They are fun to create.

I edited the news feeds at the bottom of the page. Soon Ichabodians will not need to leave their computers for anything more than the essentials of life...and to get another bag of Fritos.

I also added the Biblical reference script suggested by one reader. I am not sure what it accomplishes, but it is there and also on the Bethany blog.

KJV John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

New Bumper Sticker: The Bad Penny Kelm, Keeps Coming Back to The Love Shack

Paul Kelm, DMin, Our Lady of Sorrows Seminary, formerly known as Concordia, St. Louis

I asked around WELS about Kelm's new call as a parish consultant. Believe it or not, people in the Wisconsin Synod talk to me from time to time.

The Board of Parish Services issued the call to Kelm without the knowledge or the approval of the Synod President, they tell me.

That reveals a lot about the mindset of The Love Shack. Only a dunce would think that the move is good. A huge groundswell of opposition to Gurgel-Mueller led to Mark Schroeder being elected. I knew nothing about this until the convention was over. As one source told me, "Schroeder arrived at the convention already elected. There was also a move to eliminate everyone from The Love Shack at once, regardless of when their terms were up."

The BPS was Wayne Mueller's sandbox before he became First VP. He installed the Church Shrinkers in those positions, as I mentioned in another post - with the education people being removed in favor of Adult Discipleship and Youth Discipleship people. They might as well have worn their Fuller Seminary sweatshirts, as I did in my photo for CN.

So Wayne left office for his first love, the parish, and his BPS friends are now trying to replace him. Like most Church Shrinkers, they are being devious, duplicitous, and divisive.

If the WELS pastors and laity have any guts, they will force the BPS out and get some Lutherans to replace them.

Wisconsin Synod members should expect more showdowns in the future, which are good for the denomination:

KJV 1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

KJV Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Professor Kelm, DMin, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis: At Our Valpo

"WLC Got $30 Million From Marvin Schwan To Teach This?"

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE [GJ - Fertile Womb of Church and Change]

Milwaukee, WI


THE 211: The Christian Faith and Life (3 credits)

Pastor Paul Kelm, Home Phone 784-0492 (Consultation by appointment)


I. COURSE DESCRIPTION


A biblical study of the Christian’s relationship with God~ self and others, with a particular focus on the ministry and fellowship of Christians gathered to be Christ’s church.


II. COURSE OBJECTIVES



A. That students develop a more personal relationship with their God through Bible

study, reflection and discussion.



B. That students develop a clearer understanding of themselves and their gifts, as well as Christian skills for coping with life and using their gifts.



C. That students become familiar with the nature and mission of Christ’s Church,

together with the challenges and opportunities confronting contemporary churches.



D. That students evaluate several significant issues and functions of confessional Lutheran churches.





III. COURSE METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS



A. Three distinct areas outline the content of the course: Skills of Christian Living, Is sues of Personal Christianity and Principles of Church Leadership. Sometimes students will be asked to prepare for class discussion, especially by thoughtful study of a chapter of the Bible during the “issues of personal Christianity” subjects. Most classes will be guided by a handout prepared by the instructor. Lecture, question and answer, focused discussion and small-group interaction will be the methodology employed. Students are invited to raise related issues for discussion.



B. Each student will develop a Bible study, based on a specific chapter of the Bible and for a specific audience. Chapter and audience options are listed later in this syllabus. Bible studies will be graded according to the following criteria: 1) How well did this study bring out the main truths of the chapter in a detailed outline or narrative that both explained and illustrated these truths? 2) Is this study relevant to the audience selected? 3) Does this study involve the audience in the study through effective questions, discussion starters, action involvement, etc.? 4) How clear and practical are the applications of the chapter’s truths to life? 5) Does this study clearly relate Jesus Christ to the chapter and to the Christian’s life? 6) How creative and engaging is this study? Bible studies are to be turned in no later than September 23.





C. Each student will deliver an oral book review of six minutes in class. Book choices are listed later in this syllabus. The book review should include: the title of the book and a brief introduction of the author; a clear statement of the major premise/point/purpose of the book; at least four significant secondary or supporting arguments the author raises: an explanation of what value the book has to a Christian life and/or a church leader: a theological evaluation of the book (Is it biblically accurate and doctrinally correct?). Finally, the book review must convince the instructor that you actually read the book. The book review is due on or before Wednesday, October 21.



D. Students will complete an interview, analysis and summary project in teams of two. Options are listed later in this syllabus. Students must register their choice of project with the instructor by Wednesday, September 30, and must submit the written summary - no less than four typed, double-spaced pages with interview sheets attached - by Wednesday, November 18.



E. A research paper on one issue or aspect of congregational life and ministry is due on or before Wednesday, December 9. This paper must be not less than five typed, double-spaced pages of original composition. Two copies must be submitted, one of which will be returned. The paper should combine research, evaluation and the clear presentation of a thesis or strategy. Research should include interviews, essays, articles and books. At least five different sources must be cited in the bibliography. A list of suggested subjects is included in this syllabus. However, students may choose their own subject, with the approval of the instructor. The subject matter of each student’s research paper must be established with the instructor by Wednesday, November 4.



F. There will be no exams.



G. Texts for this course are available in the bookstore and include:

THE HOLY BIBLE



IV. EVALUATION AND GRADE



Completion of all course requirements assures a C. Grading above a C will be based on the level of thoroughness, thought and clarity in each area of course requirement. The grade will be compiled with approximately 20% weight attributed to each of five areas: the Bible study, the book review, the team interview project, the research paper, and class contribution. Failure to complete all of the course requirements will result in an F. Late submission of any required assignment will lower the final grade by as much as one-half of a grade point (A to AB, AR to B, etc.) for each week or portion thereof overdue.



Because class preparation and discussion rather than examinations are an essential means of evaluation as well as education, each unacceptable absence from class will lower the final grade by as much as one-half of a grade point.



Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will mean failure of this class, and may result in expulsion from the college. Academic integrity means that you will not attempt to use one paper for two classes without prior agreement with both professors.


V. ATTENDANCE POLICY


Attendance at each class period is expected.


Absence from class must be excused with the instructor, in person. prior to the class to be missed where anticipated or in the following class when unanticipated.


Illness, family crisis and participation on in college-sponsored extra-curricular events are acceptable excuses. Issues of personal discipline and responsibilities to other educators or employers are not in themselves acceptable excuses for absence.


Habitual absence or dishonesty in reporting absence can result in a failing grade. Repeated late arrival is a disruption of the class and an expression of poor sell-discipline. Without prior explanation, repeated late arrival will be treated as an absence.


VI. COURSE OUTLINE


Week One:





Week Two:



Week Three:





Week Four:





Week Five:



A. Instruction and overview

B. SKILLS: Personal Bible Study



B. SKILLS: Christian Prayer Life



A. SKILLS: Christian Encouragement B. SKILLS: Christian Conflict Resolution



A. SKILLS: Christian Values Choices

B. SKILLS: Christian Witness



A. SKILLS: Apologetics

B. SKILLS: Christian Decision Making





Week Six:

A. ISSUES: Repentance. Psalm 51

B. ISSUES: Sell-Image. Psalm 139





Week Seven:





Week Eight:

ISSUES:Sanctification. Romans 6-7

B. ISSUES: Character Formation. H Peter 1



A. ISSUES: Christian Hope. Romans 8

B. ISSUES: Christian Sexuality. I Corinthians 6:9 - 7:18









Week Nine: A. ISSUES: Christian Giving II Corinthians 8 and 9

(B. ISSUES: Being Sure John 3)







Week Ten:



A. Book Reviews
B. Book Reviews




















Week Eleven: A. LEADERSHIP: What’s A Leader?

B. LEADERSHIP: Understanding Ministry



Week Twelve: A. LEADERSHIP: Mission and Vision

B. LEADERSHIP: Analyzing a Church



Week Thirteen: A. LEADERSHIP: Philosophy of Ministry

B. LEADERSHIP: Organizing Ministry



Week Fourteen: A. Interview and Summary Sharing

B. LEADERSHIP: Involving Members in Ministry



Week Fifteen: A. LEADERSHIP: Small Group Ministry

B. LEADERSHIP: Leading Change





VII. OPTIONS FOR THE BIBLE STUDY ASSIGNMENT:



Audience Options:

high school-aged youth; college students: young adult singles; married couples; families with children aged 4-10; and adult Bible class at your church; young mothers; business men and women; a men’s Bible class; a women’s Bible class; seniors.



Assume that the class for which you are preparing your study consists of ten people, is lay-led, and runs for 45 minutes.

Bible Chapter Options:

Genesis 3: Genesis 15; Exodus 3; Numbers 14: Deuteronomy 6; Joshua 24;

II Samuel 7; Nehemiah 9; Psalm 40; Ecclesiastes 9; Isaiah 40; ‘Jeremiah. 31;

Ezekiel 3; Hosea 11; Matthew 13; Luke 10; John 6; Galatians 3;

Ephesians 2; Philippians 3; Colossians 3; 1 Thessalonians 4: I

Timothy 6; Hebrews 12: James 1; I Peter 4; I John 4; Revelation 22.

Viii. BOOK REVIEW OPTIONS



Generating Hope by Jimmy Long (InterVarsity Press)

The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren (Zondervan)

The Contemporary Christian by John Stott (InterVarsity Press)

Renewal for The 21st Century Church by Waldo Werning (Concordia)

The Body by Charles Colson

A Church For The 21st Century by Leith Anderson (Bethany House)

Inside Out by Larry Crabb (NavPress)

Entertainment Evangelism by Walt Kallestad (Abingdon)

Effective Church Leadership by Kennon Callahan (Harper and Row)

Church Without Walls by Jim Petersen (NavPress)

Getting Together by Em Griffin (InterVarsity Press)


Christ Esteem by Don Matzat (Harvest House)

Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (Olive Nelson)

Fit Bodies Fat Minds by Os Guinness (Baker).

The Once and Future Church by Loren Mead (The Alban Institute)

Why Nobody Learns Much. of Anvtbinng At Church and How To Fix jt

by Thomas Schultz (Group)

Three Generations by Gary Mcintosh (Fleming Revell)

Effective Church Leadership: A Practical Sou,rce Book by Lee Harris

It’s A Different World by Lyle Schaller (Abingdon)

Reflections ot a Contrarion by Lyle Schaller (Abingdon)

Strategies For Change by Lyle Schalller (Abingdon)

A Primer on Postmodernism by Stanley Grenz (Eerdmans)

Gentle Persuasion by Joseph Aldrich

User Friendly Churches by George Barna (Regal Books)

Darwin On Trial by Philip Johnson

Connecting by Paul Stanley and J. Robert Clinton (NavPress)





XI. OPTIONS FOR INTERVIEW AND ANALYSTS



1. Interview 15 or more students at an urban university to determine religious attitudes and beliefs, with a view toward analyzing how to do evangelism with young adults. Teams will develop a questionnaire, interview students face-to-face, summarize conclusions and suggest implications for evangelism.





2. Interview 12 or more high school juniors or seniors who no longer attend church, though they were confirmed, to determine why they dropped out and how the church might better serve them. Teams will get names from churches or pastors, develop a questionnaire (for personal or phone interview), conduct interviews, and draw conclusions re why dropout occurs and how the church can better prevent it.

3. Attend a voters meeting in 3 different churches, then interview the pastor and two

key lay leaders from each church to determine what is effective and what is ineffective in the decision-making process of churches. The written summary will be based on the interviews and personal observation.



4. Conduct a door-to-door canvass until 12 or more unchurched people have been located for interviews to determine what about the church turns unchurched people off. Teams will develop an interview or questionnaire format (while open-ended questioning should be included; multiple choice questions will assure some meaningful response), conduct the canvass and interviews, summarize and prioritize reasons why the unchurched remain so, and draw conclusions for the church’s mission today.



5. Interview 12 or more elderly church members, 4 in nursing homes, 4 in senior

apartments and 4 in their own homes, to determine what are their spiritual

perspectives and personal needs and how the church can better serve its elderly.

Teams will develop a basic interview format (personal or phone), gather the names of elderly members from one or more pastors, conduct interviews, compare responses and summarize.









6. Interview 12 or more new members (joined within the last year) from at least 3 churches. 4 transfers from sister churches, 4 who had been members of a different Christian church and 4 who were new to Christianity, to determine how well they have been assimilated into their churches and what facilitates assimilation of new members. Teams will, gather names and addresses and phone numbers from three or more pastors, develop an interview format, conduct interviews, compare responses from the three groups, summarize conclusions and draft suggestions for churches,



7. Interview 12 or more young, single members of at least 3 churches, with a balance of male and female as well as those who are members of the congregation in which they grew up and those who’ve recently joined a different church, to determine the level of involvement of young singles and what they believe would make the church more effective at involving young singles. Teams will gather names and addresses or phone numbers from three or more pastors, develop an interview format, conduct interviews, summarize and compare responses, and develop suggestions for the church.



8. Interview 10 or more Christian business leaders or professionals to determine what are the challenges facing Christian leaders in the business world, what are the ways in which they witness their faith, how can they best serve their churches, and how they balance the responsibilities to family, work; church and community. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of business leaders - both male and female, draw up an interview format, conduct the interviews, compare and summarize responses, and draw conclusions for future Christian business leaders and for the church.



9. Interview 10 or more Christian public school teachers to determine what are the challenges to Christianity they’ve encountered, the ways in which they witness their faith, and what they believe the church can do to reach the non-Christian children they teach. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of teachers, draw up an interview format, conduct the interviews, and summarize findings.



10. Interview 10 or more home missionaries to determine the challenges in church planting, the strategies that have been successful, and the kind of support or assistance that the church can best provide. Teams will gather the names and phone numbers of missionaries, develop an interview format, compile and compare responses, and draft conclusions for the church.



11. Interview 8 or more Christian psychologists or social workers to determine their assessment of the most significant problems facing families, children and adults, as well as what they believe the church could do to more effectively prepare people for these problems. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of Christian psychologists or social workers, develop the interview format, conduct the interviews, and summarize findings.



12. Students may propose additional interview, analysis and summary projects, but must have instructor approval before proceeding.



NOTE: WLC students are NOT to be included in the people you interview.









X. SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR RESEARCH PAPER







1. “Staff Ministry” what’s the future?

2. The Parish Nurse: real holistic health.

3. The Lutheran Deaconess - past and future.

4. Why do para-church agencies develop and are they a good idea?

5 Family Ministry: who’s doing what, how?

6. The annual stewardship program - what it is and if it works.

7. Programmatic approaches to evangelism - pros and cons.

8. Keys to cross~cu1tural ministry.

9. Ministry among the urban poor - how are we doing?

10. Peer counseling programs in the church - possibilities and pitfalls.

11.Prison Ministry: Describe several working models.

12. The “Mega-Church’ is bigger better?

13 Lutheran confirmation should it be changed?

14. Campus ministry: can a regular congregation do it?

15. Church-planting strategies: what’s new and what works?

16. Special ministries for the handicapped - what and how.

17. 12-Step programs in the church - pros and cons.

18. Deferred giving: is this the answer to the church s financial crunch?

19. Why the Sunday school is in decline and what should be done about it.

20. Tuition in the Lutheran Elementary School - trends and implications.

21. “Seeker Service” - definition and evaluation.

22. Assimilation and retention - principles and methods.

23. The Church Growth Movement: can we lean anything from it?

24. Does the church have a place in cyber- space?

25. Religious publishing: Should the market drive decisions?

26. Religious broadcasting - issues and trends that affect the future.

27. Christian day care - issues and questions confronting congregations who are

considering it

28. Legal issues and concerns confronting churches in a litigious and secular society.

29. Conflict in the church: avoiding it and resolving it.

30. YOUR IDEA. with instructor’s approval

***

GJ - I am not sure what format this syllabus was in originally, when it came to me from a source at Our Valpo. Therefore, the typos could be from a scan or from Kelm himself. Or from copying it. I fixed the "Bock Review." I decided to leave "What we can lean from the Church Growth Movement?" Since the original of the typos is unknown, I decided against using my favorite word in quoting WELS documents - (sic).

Our Valpo is not WELS, unless they are raising money from WELS members or training people for the WELS ministry. Then WLC is WELS. It's like Brigadoon, appearing and disappearing in the synod. Archbishop Weakland, pedophile Antichrist servant? Not a WELS college. Estate giving from Marvin Schwan? Proud to be WELS.

Meet Your Church Consultant, I

QUOTATIONS BY AND ABOUT PASTOR PAUL KELM (WELS)



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

Rev. Robert Hartman TELL (WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.



"The Network of WELS Small Group Leaders. 1. Information on active/interested small group leaders. 2. The Resource Sharing Network led by Divine Savior in Indianapolis, Indiana [Pastor Dan Kelm]." WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19. Finding the Receptive: People in Transition, by James Witt - "The Bible illustrates the people-in-transition receptivity principle very well. Converts such as Naaman, a leper; Ruth, a widow; the woman at the well, a five-time divorcee; the thief on the cross, a convict near death; were all people who in a period of transition were receptive to hearing the Gospel. The Receptivity-Rating Scale shown at left... Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism Appendix III,



"MOTIVATING AND ORGANIZING THE CONGREGATION AROUND THE GREAT COMMISSION" [This is the Donald Abdon view of relating all church structures to evangelism, as noted in Valleskey's PT notes.]

Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism



"Don't let the world paint us into a corner of antiquarianism on subjects like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 13.



"Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is logically defensible, once one makes reason ministerial to God and His Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic tools. In fact, lend your copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education have become his curse. Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' argument for the deity of Christ, you'll find yourself using it."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 14. "PLANNING, long-range or short-range, should be S-M-A-R-T...specific...measurable...accepted...realistic...timed...." Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism p. 3.



"A last word on sound doctrine is in place. Sound doctrine must be distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The liturgy, translation of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the church are not equatable with sound doctrine." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3. "Doctrines in controversy and applications to those doctrines are a disciple's meat. They are swallowed only after patient doses of discipling milk. The art of mission work is to preserve that sequence despite a prospect's desire to chew what he can't swallow."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.



"Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: "I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.]

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 4.



"Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When Good People Sound it. Normally, people respond to other people before they respond to doctrine."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 7.



WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, 1992: authors are - James Woodworth, Disciples of Christ; "Net Results," March, 1991; Roger K. Guy, Disciples of Christ; Arnell P. C. Arn, American Baptist Church; Jane Easter Bahls, Presbyterian; C. Jeff Woods, freelance writer and minister; Lyle Schaller, United Methodist; Pastor Paul Kelm; Pastor Jim Mumm, WELS; Pastor Peter Panitzke, WELS; Pastor Randall Cutter and Mark Freier, WELS; First Congretional Church, Winchester, MA."

Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, '92, 2929 Mayfair Road Milwaukee, WI 53222



"The mistaken announcement by a reporter from another Lutheran body was clearly repudiated in the March 15, 1992 issues of The Northwestern Lutheran. Yet you boldly state that the WELS continues to be a part of this project, in which it never participated. Dr. Jackson, I ask you to repent of your slanderous lie and retract it publicly. Galatians 6:1-2 leads me to ask this of you, for the sake of your spiritual life. Titus 3:10 urges me to ask this of you for the sake of the church. cc: District President Robert Mueller, Vice President Paul Kuske, Vice President Gerald Schroer, Rev. David Grundmeier, Rev. Gary Baumler."

Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.



"Your September 21 article in Christian News perpetuates a lie, slanders leaders of your church and risks spiritual offense to weak brothers and sisters. You describe a conference on leadership in which fellowship lines were clearly drawn and at which testimony to the truths which separate Lutherans was publicly given as 'a joint ministry conference with a liberal agenda.' Then you add, 'Months later, the three groups [ELCA, LCMS, WELS] joyfully announced a joint religious radio show, Joy, also funded by Lutheran insurance money. WELS participated in 'Joy' from the beginning and continues to be a part of the project.'"

Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.



"Small churches need not be small thinkers, but small-thinking churches will always remain small. Churches and people seldom go/grow beyond their expectations."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 6.



"Small thinking churches typically budget to remain small."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 7.



"Evangelism upside-down is starting with the subjective issues of perceived reality and working back to God's objective truths of ultimate reality - sin and grace. It's offering the attendant blessings of salvation as the 'hook' to gain an audience for God's plan of salvation." [felt needs used to sell the Gospel]

Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 4.



"Upside-down evangelism may begin with different diagnostic questions. What do you want out of life? lets the other person pick the path for witness. How do you feel about where our society is heading? uncovers fears and needs without becoming too personal. What makes people happy (or unhappy) do you think? allows someone to express preceived [sic] needs in the third person."

Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



"Upside-down evangelism doesn't begin with personal sin and guilt, but rather with the consequences of sin. Societal consequences (for which each day's newspaper provides evidence) are the 'perceived need' door to understanding the alienation of life and people from God."

Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



"It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism, as shown by Walther's Law and Gospel.] Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

"Upside-down evangelism follows the path of least resistance to the God of gracious acceptance."

Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



"Lifestyle evangelism is the merger of visual and verbal witness, by the people Jesus intended, in the way that He modeled. It's the primary element in a church's strategy to win the lost." [Other endorsements from Rev. Burton Bundy, Church of the Lutheran Brethren, and Dr. Erwin Kolb, LCMS] Rev. Paul Kelm, Evangelism, WELS

Your Invitation! Kent Hunter, (D.Min., Fuller; S.T.D., LSTC) Church Growth Center, Corunna, Indiana 46730 Phone 219-281-2452 Invitation for Heart to Heart Workshop,



"When planning the service, Rev. Kelm and the worship committee decided immediately that there wouldn't be any organ music and that the usual Lutheran liturgy wouldn't be used."

Carol Elrod, "Pastor Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1990 printed in CN



"The role model for this carefully choreographed and rehearsed service, referred to by Rev. Kelm as a 'seeker service,' is Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill., near Chicago, an independent congregation formed 14 years ago...Rev. Kelm said he viewed a videotape of a service at the Chicago-area church before planning the first seeker service for Divine Savior, which is affiliated with the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod."

Carol Elrod, "Pastor Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1990 Reprinted in CN



"Our synod now has a fulltime executive secretary for evangelism. He's the Rev. Paul Kelm; and we need him. We need him to be our evangelism advocate."

Rev. Ron Roth, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985 p. 2.



"Church growth theory suggests the need for seven fellowship groups for every 100 members."

Pastor Paul E. Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 4.

Meet Your Church Consultant, II

PAUL KELM


"Your September 21 article in Christian News perpetuates a lie, slanders

leaders of your church and risks spiritual offense to weak brothers and sisters.

You describe a conference on leadership in which fellowship lines were clearly

drawn and at which testimony to the truths which separate Lutherans was publicly

given as 'a joint ministry conference with a liberal agenda.' Then you add,

'Months later, the three groups [ELCA, LCMS, WELS] joyfully announced a joint

religious radio show, Joy, also funded by Lutheran insurance money. WELS

participated in 'Joy' from the beginning and continues to be a part of the

project.'"

Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS),

Letter to Gregory L. Jackson,

9-23-92.


"The mistaken announcement by a reporter from another Lutheran body was

clearly repudiated in the March 15, 1992 issues of The Northwestern

Lutheran. Yet you boldly state that the WELS continues to be a part of this

project, in which it never participated. Dr. Jackson, I ask you to repent of your

slanderous lie and retract it publicly. Galatians 6:1-2 leads me to ask this of you,

for the sake of your spiritual life. Titus 3:10 urges me to ask this of you for the

sake of the church. cc: District President Robert Mueller, Vice President Paul

Kuske, Vice President Gerald Schroer, Rev. David Grundmeier, Rev. Gary Baumler."

Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS),

Letter to Gregory L. Jackson,

9-23-92. [GJ - As Kelm knew, everything I reported was true. His letter, copied to everyone except Handsome Dan, was utterly false. I spoke with the ELCA representative and a WELS pastor spoke to the Missouri representative. The cover story invented was that WELS' expertise was needed, so they "consulted," helping out poor little Missouri and tiny little ELCA.]


"Doctrines in controversy and applications to those doctrines are a disciple's

meat. They are swallowed only after patient doses of discipling milk. The art of

mission work is to preserve that sequence despite a prospect's desire to chew what

he can't swallow."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.


"A last word on sound doctrine is in place. Sound doctrine must be

distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The liturgy, translation

of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the church are not

equatable with sound doctrine."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

p. 3.



"Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as

I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological

reasons.'"

[Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor

Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: "I went to

Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring

people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get

together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.]

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

p. 4.



"Small churches need not be small thinkers, but small-thinking churches

will always remain small. Churches and people seldom go/grow beyond their

expectations."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

[See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought.

Did the Apostles know this?] p. 6.



"Small thinking churches typically budget to remain small."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought.

Did the Apostles know this?

p. 7.


"Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When Good People Sound it.

Normally, people respond to other people before they respond to doctrine."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

p. 7.


"Don't let the world paint us into a corner of antiquarianism on subjects

like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."

Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

p. 13.


"Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound Doctrine Sound

Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is logically defensible,

once one makes reason ministerial to God and His Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis

Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic tools. In fact, lend your

copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education have become his curse.

Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' argument for the deity

of Christ, you'll find yourself using it."

Rev. Paul Kelm,

"How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects,"

p. 14.


"Lifestyle evangelism is the merger of visual and verbal witness, by the

people Jesus intended, in the way that He modeled. It's the primary element in

a church's strategy to win the lost." [Other endorsements from Rev. Burton

Bundy, Church of the Lutheran Brethren, and Dr. Erwin Kolb, LCMS]

Rev. Paul Kelm, Evangelism, WELS

Your Invitation!

Kent Hunter, (D.Min., Fuller; S.T.D., LSTC)

Church Growth Center, Corunna, Indiana 46730

Phone 219-281-2452

Invitation for Heart to Heart Workshop,

"MOTIVATING AND ORGANIZING THE CONGREGATION AROUND THE GREAT COMMISSION"

[This is the Donald Abdon view of relating all church structures to evangelism,

as noted in Valleskey's PT notes.]

Paul Kelm, editor,

The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism


"PLANNING, long-range or short-range, should be

S-M-A-R-T...specific...measurable...accepted...realistic...timed...."

Paul Kelm, editor,

The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism

p. 3.


Finding the Receptive: People in Transition, by James Witt - "The Bible

illustrates the people-in-transition receptivity principle very well. Converts

such as Naaman, a leper; Ruth, a widow; the woman at the well, a five-time

divorcee; the thief on the cross, a convict near death; were all people who in a

period of transition were receptive to hearing the Gospel. The

Receptivity-Rating Scale shown at left...

Paul Kelm, editor,

The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism

Appendix III,



"Church growth theory suggests the need for seven fellowship groups for

every 100 members."

Pastor Paul E. Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 4.

"Upside-down evangelism follows the path of least resistance to the God

of gracious acceptance."

Paul Kelm

The Evangelism Life Line (WELS),

Fall, 1985

p. 5.

"It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective

to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start

with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the

problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism, as shown

by Walther's Law and Gospel.]

Paul Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985, p. 5.



"Upside-down evangelism doesn't begin with personal sin and guilt, but

rather with the consequences of sin. Societal consequences (for which each day's

newspaper provides evidence) are the 'perceived need' door to understanding the

alienation of life and people from God."

Paul Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985, p. 5.


"Upside-down evangelism may begin with different diagnostic questions.

What do you want out of life? lets the other person pick the path for witness.

How do you feel about where our society is heading? uncovers fears and needs

without becoming too personal. What makes people happy (or unhappy) do you

think? allows someone to express preceived [sic] needs in the third person."

Paul Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



"Evangelism upside-down is starting with the subjective issues of

perceived reality and working back to God's objective truths of ultimate

reality - sin and grace. It's offering the attendant blessings of salvation as

the 'hook' to gain an audience for God's plan of salvation." [felt needs used to

sell the Gospel]

Paul Kelm,The Evangelism Life Line (WELS),

Fall, 1985

p. 4.

Bailing Water Asks: Why Issue Kelm a Call?

Meet Your Parish Consultant

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Parish Assistance Consultant

The beat goes on: From the latest WELS call report:

Kelm, Rev Paul E -- Parish Assistance Of - Milwaukee WI 09/26/2008

How odd it seems to me as word on the street was SP Schroeder was doing a fine job of rooting out the Church and Change crowd from synodical headquarters. Now we find the esteemed Rev. Kelm is called back to assist congregations in using contemporary worship and reformed sermons. Is he called back to start another spiritual growth program?

Why oh why?

***

GJ - I have some suggestions for calls, on a level with Kelm as a parish consultant:

1. Joe Biden to oversee and discipline WELS plagiarism cases.
2. The head of Fannie Mae, to supervise investments.
3. A Hybels fan, to run technology. Oh, that was done already.
4. A Church and Change board member, for Adult Discipleship. What? Bruce Becker is already in that role? I forgot...no, I was just rubbing it in.

This is really sad. No one has been more openly Reformed than Kelm. That is all he taught at WLC (Our Valpo), a course required for graduation.

WELS has shown, for the last 30 years, that doctrinal discipline is aimed at Lutherans only. The closeted Calvinists have won another one with this call.

Has The Love Shack been informed that plagiarism is against the law?

James Huebner (another consultant, with Larry Olson) admitted to me that all three of them--Kelm, Huebner, Olson--were trained at Fuller Seminary to be parish consultants.

So WELS, some years ago, under the blighted administration of Mischke, paid Fooler Seminary money to train these dolts to promote the Pentecostal-Baptist agenda in the Lutheran Church. Every time Kelm got in trouble as a false teacher, he skated to a new position.

And now he has skated back.

Sign says.. Woo... stay away fools,
'cause love rules at The Lo-o-ove Shack!
Well it's set way back in the middle of Mayfair,
Just a funky old shack and I gotta get back.

Freedom

Water on Mars

My new teaching schedule started, not soon enough. I will seldom leave the house to teach because so much work is available online. I experienced the joy of turning down a Yuma job (400 miles round trip) three times in two days.

Thanks to so many advisers, I have no lack of things to do. My editor (trained at Ft. Leavenworth) has writing plans for me. Readers have content, audio, and art suggestions. My journalism teachers have homework to fill in remaining hours.

Before I had to stop mid-day and prepare to teach at a local campus. That meant being away for a stretch of about seven hours. Now I can concentrate on work at home and taking care of domestic projects.

I just got the mega Adobe Creative Suite (DreamWeaver, PhotoShop, Flash, Adobe Editor) at a 75% discount, so I am looking forward to remodeling my http://www.gljackson.com domain and putting all the books on it for free. One journalism class is mass media, so that means exploring more media outlets (like podcasts) for what I am doing with sermons and the Book of Concord. All I need is a grandchild as an assistant for that.

Why Call This Virus the Church Shrinkage Movement?

Question: Why do you call it the Church Shrinkage Movement?

Answer: Why do you call it the Church Growth Movement?

Question: What do you mean, responding to a question with a question?

Answer: Have I done that?

Question: Yes.

Answer: The Church Growth Movement, according to C. Peter Wagner, your mentor, has been a complete failure. Sure, many Lutherans (Olson, Oelhaven, Valleskey, Werning, Hunter, Roth, Kelm.Dan, Kelm.Paul, Parlow, Bivens, Kuske, Mueller, Stolzenburg) have made a career out of CGM. Their synods have lost droves of members while plunging toward bankruptcy, exposed by the benchmarks (money and members) they value the most.

Question: But overall?

Answer: There has been no positive change in American Christianity. People have tended to move from little congregations to big box operations. The few mega-churches which do not blow up from scandal are simply sheep-stealing and sheep-slaughtering on a large scale. The Church Shrinkage Movement has not benefited the Christian faith in the broadest sense. The Church Shrinkage Movement has hollowed out every congregation and denomination it has preyed upon.

Weird Parallel: ELS Mission Channels Kelm/Parlow

An ELS mission in Minnesota has a doctinal statement identical to St. Mark's in DePere and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

To contact Pastor Oberer

Phone: 651-463-1055

Email: pastor@hope-lutheran.com

Pastor Oberer grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and lived there until he went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he earned a Business Administration Degree. After graduation he moved back to Green Bay and worked in the paper industry. After working in the business field he decided to enter the ministry and enrolled at Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary in 2002 and earned a Masters of Divinities (sic) degree in 2007. In May of 2007 Pastor Oberer received the call to be Pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, the newest mission church of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Pastor Oberer resides in Farmington with his wife and two children.

Aha, the light goes on: the Green Bay connection.

Oberer has Pietistic cell groups.

Small Group Studies

Small Bible study groups which meet so that people can be nurtured by God’s Word and be encouraged by one another. Some small groups include marriage groups, women's groups, men's groups, and parenting groups.

The newest mission for the Little Sect on the Prairie will follow Fooler Seminary's model. Hint: the Pentecostals and Baptists do this better because it is closer to their original doctrinal standards.

Third-rate Lutherans make fourth-rate Baptists.

Rev. Mouse wonders, "Then why has it worked so well in certain Lutheran congregations?"

My Answer
Shameless apostates do not even try to walk the tightrope between the Means of Grace and the Methods of Disgrace. They appeal to the Old Adam alone. They offer a God without wrath, a Christ without the cross, a world without sin. God has allowed some apostates to have great material success in order to punish the synods for groveling before Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek, for shoveling millions of dollars into the Church Shrinkage Movement. The result? They have a few stupor-stars who will eventually embarrass everyone (even shameless synod drones) before making a shipwreck of their lives. God's wrath will continue to be revealed as the few mega-congregations openly separate from their synods and allign with each other and Willow Creek. They already began this process in the LCMS during the spineless Barry-Otten-McCain administration. The result was Kieschnick: Church Shrinkage on meth.

Dozens of LCMS congregations were alligned with the infamous Willow Creek Association, already during Paul McCain's lackluster years at the Purple Palace. When I exposed this in CN, the congregations made the Willow Creek list a secret. St. John's in Ellisville is now the biggest and baddest in the LCMS, earlier featuring a video on their website showing a stoned Jesus mocking Holy Communion. How could the pastor allow such a travesty? He starred in it!

God's wrath is revealed in pastors agonizing over the success of places like St. John's in Ellisville and St. Mark's in Green Bay/DePere. If those pastors and their members trusted in God's Word, in the efficacy of the Means of Grace, they would be content with faithfulness and let the apostates run off the cliff, as they surely will.

Sikh And Ye Shall Find: Valpo Called "Our WLC"

Award for Being the Least Lutheran College: "Director of International Students & Scholars Moninder “Holly” Singh and retired Director of International Studies, Dr. Hugh McGuigan display the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization"


Sikh Festival to feature scholar

Tue, September 2, 2008

Valparaiso University will mark the 300th anniversary of the holy book of the Sikhs with a Sept. 27 event that includes a keynote lecture by an eminent scholar of Sikh studies and a communal meal of traditional Indian foods.

The Sikh Festival will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Valpo Center for the Arts and is free and open to the public.

The event recognizes the anniversary of the compilation of the Guru Granth Sahib, which contains the teachings of 10 Sikh gurus.

Dr. Renu Juneja, associate provost and a professor of English, said the festival will be an intercultural experience that will allow the community to learn more about Sikhism and connect with the local Indian community. The event is being planned under the auspices of the Surjit S. Patheja Chair in World Religions and Ethics, which supports the work of a faculty member whose concentration is in the area of world religions.

"Valparaiso's Patheja chair was established by a prominent member of the local Sikh community to focus on the study of world religions and ethics," Dr. Juneja said. "It made sense for us to take advantage of this anniversary of the Sikh holy book to partner with the Sikh Religious Society of Indiana-Crown Point to organize an educational event that would take place in a festive atmosphere."

Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann, the author of the books Sikhism and The Making of Sikh Scripture, will present his keynote address "Sikhs in America: Opportunities and Challenges" at 10:40 a.m. Dr. Mann, a professor of religion at the University of California-Santa Barbara, has focused his research on the evolution of Sikh institutions, the challenges facing the contemporary Sikh community both in Punjab (an area straddling the India-Pakistan border) and other areas settled by immigrants from the traditional Sikh heartland, and the interactions between the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of Punjab.

Dr. Mann will answer questions from the audience following his talk.

Also speaking during the event is Dr. Balwant Hansra, raised in Punjab and a member of the Board of Trustees for the World Council of Religions and past president of the Sikh Religious Society of Chicago.

Members of the Sikh Religious Society of Indiana-Crown Point also will sing a shabad, or guru's word, and perform a folk dance from the Sikh homeland of Punjab known as a Bhangra dance during the festival.

The festival will conclude with a traditional communal meal known as the langar that will consist of vegetarian Indian foods.

Dr. Juneja noted that several Valparaiso faculty and staff have visited India to learn more about the country and explore opportunities for greater engagement, and that next spring, a group of graduate business students and students in other academic programs will participate in a field study course to India.

"The University also is very seriously looking into a South Asia initiative that would further develop partnerships and opportunities for studies in the region," she said.

***

GJ - "Our WLC" is my little joke. The Church and Change gurus spawned at WLC are far more dangerous than a Sikh at Valpo. Sikh culture has not caught on, outside of Northern India. Generic, man-worshiping, mission-vision Management by Objective Fullerism has gone viral, with few willing to administer the cure since they do not realize they have a disorder.

Teaching Plagiarism at Martin Luther College

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Plagiarism and the Church Shrinkers":

While sitting through classes at MLC, trying not to hurl myself out of a second story window, a few professors advocated using other sources for sermons or devotions. They called it "evangelical sharing". They told us not to make copies of any Northwestern Publishing House materials because that would be wrong. Anything and everything else was fair game.