To Sing at the Ed Stetzer Church and Chicanery Conference

VP Don Patterson, stealthy member of the Church and Change networkfamous African zebra hunter.

O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold

by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

1. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold


And let Thy pity waken:

How few are we within Thy Fold,

Thy saints by men forsaken!

True faith seems quenched on every hand,

Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;

Dark times have us o'ertaken.

2. With fraud which they themselves invent

Thy truth they have confounded;

Their hearts are not with one consent

On Thy pure doctrine grounded.

While they parade with outward show,

They lead the people to and fro,

In error's maze astounded.

3. May God root out all heresy

And of false teachers rid us

Who proudly say: "Now, where is he

That shall our speech forbid us?

By right or might we shall prevail;

What we determine cannot fail;

We own no lord and master."

4. Therefore saith God, "I must arise,

The poor My help are needing;

To Me ascend My people's cries,

And I have heard their pleading.

For them My saving Word shall fight

And fearlessly and sharply smite,

The poor with might defending."

5. As silver tried by fire is pure

From all adulteration,

So through God's Word shall men endure

Each trial and temptation.

Its light beams brighter through the cross,

And, purified from human dross,

It shines through every nation.

6. Thy truth defend, O God, and stay

This evil generation;

And from the error of their way

Keep Thine own congregation.

The wicked everywhere abound

And would Thy little flock confound;

But Thou art our Salvation.


Hymn 260
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 12
Author: Martin Luther, 1523
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein"
Tune: "Ach Gott vom Himmel"
1st Published in: Enchiridion
Town: Erfurt, 1524

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "To Sing at the Ed Stetzer Church and Change Confer...":

Clearly you regard Martin Luther very highly. Perhaps then you'll remember that he also wrote the following:

We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.

***

GJ - That the first Eighth Commandment post I have seen today. As Luther wrote, and we confess, false teachers are not covered by the Eighth Commandment, which is about private sins. When people have published their error and attacked God's Word, obviously, they cannot be slandered by discussing their doctrinal errors.

Bailing Water Asks about Stetzer

Ron Ash to Bruce Becker: "When are going to announce Stetzer?
Stop bailing and answer me."

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Full disclosure ?

I am wondering why the Church and Change group is not proudly and loudly advertising their upcoming conference with Ed Stetzer as the keynote speaker.

http://www.churchandchange.org/

Ed Stetzer has revealed on his blog that he is in fact coming to this conference.

Last spring a covert group of WELS pastors swam down to the exponential conference in Orlando. http://www.exponentialconference.org/

Not long after that Ed Stetzer was contracted to speak at the WELS conference.

The Board for Parish Assistance issued several calls for a consultant and finally landed a whale, Rev. Paul Kelm. The synod now must make drastic cuts due to a large budget deficit. hmmm...

Rev. Bruce Becker is asked to clarify a recent statement: http://together.wels.net/2008/12/1/clarification

So that is what is happening. All is not well in the WELS.

Why England Is Ripe for a Bombay-style Attack

England is rapidly becoming a Muslim-controlled country, not by conquest but by surrender.

Mid-week Advent Vespers Service

Mid-Week Advent Vespers

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Phoenix Time

The Hymn #554 by Gerhardt O Welt ich muss
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 95 p. 143
The Lection John 15:1-10

The Sermon Hymn # 64 O Jesu Christ, mein’s
The Sermon
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45

The Hymn #52 Old Hundredth

KJV John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit

This is one of the clearest passages about the Means of Grace.

The Gospel of John supplements what we know from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Fourth Gospel assumes we know the content of the other Gospels. There are surprising lapses that most people do not realize until these omissions are pointed out. For instance, the Baptism of Jesus and the Last Supper are not actually described. The passages certainly address the meaning of both, but the actual narrative is not given. Why? Because the audience already had good descriptions of both events.
John gives us what we would not have otherwise. He was known for being in Ephesus, which was once a great capital of the Christian faith. They lost their first love (Revelation) and fell prey to the Muslim invaders.

KJV Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

So these “I AM” sermons or parables are exclusive to John’s Gospel and very significant as the words of Jesus Himself. If you look at a red letter edition of the Bible, there is relatively little red ink in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but plenty of red ink in John’s Gospel. The sermons are supported by the historical narrative of the first three Gospels. John corrects the impression of a one-year ministry by showing that Jesus’ public ministry lasted three years.

“I AM” passages are significant because that is the Name of God in Exodus. Moses asked who was sending him. The Angel of the Lord (the pre-Incarnation Christ) said, “Tell them IAM sent you.”

So whenever we read or hear the words of the I AM passages in John, we are looking back at the time of Moses and the Exodus, the Burning Bush, the Pillar of Fire. The entire Old Testament is Christ-centered.

The opponents yelled, “We have Abraham for our father.” Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” There He clearly identified Himself with the Angel of the Lord. There He called Himself God.

This passage in John emphasizes the Father-Son relationship but the Holy Spirit is not ignored. The divine effect of the Word is through the Holy Spirit, as we see throughout John’s Gospel. The Father-Son relationship in John 15:1-10 is explicit. The work of the Holy Spirit through the Word is implicit.

As far as I know, no one questioned the divine and immediate effect of the Word in those days. Anyone raised in Judaism knew that God’s Word was no different from His Will. It always produced results (Isaiah 55:1-10)

KJV Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The True Vine
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

This is a very plain description of caring for grapes (or roses). Deadwood hurts a bush or vine. God has created these plants so that pruning deadwood makes them come alive and send out more roots. Amateurs do not like to prune, but experienced gardeners know that pruning brings life.

Deadwood is pruned away and destroyed, because old plant material harbors disease. Productive branches are also pruned, to make them even more fruitful.
Plants flower and fruit. They fruit and set seed, bringing them to a more dormant state. If a productive plant is pruned, it will bear even more fruit.

When we grew edible pod peas, we had more and more as we picked them. The vines loved being picked, so they produced peas until we could not stand to think about them.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

The productive pruning Jesus addresses is absolution. When we hear the Law and Gospel, we realize our sinful state and our need for the Savior. Christ brings Himself to us through the Word and Sacrament. That produces the fruits of the Spirit.

KJV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The Solution
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

These two verses answer the question everyone asks – How can we enjoy these promised blessings?

There is no program, nothing new, nothing required as a virtue or strength in man.

The Means of Grace will accomplish everything. The old motto is still true – “Apply yourself to the Word, and the Word to yourself.”

Notice the divine promise – He who abides in Me and I in him, he will be very fruitful. (My translation) There is even a Promise within the Promise. When we abide in Christ through the Word, He abides in us. The verb means literally – remains in us, stays with us. How can we be unchanged when Jesus stays with us?

The warning is also there – Without Me you can do nothing. We can do everything with Him (according to His purpose) and nothing without Him.

That makes the program clear.

Lenski said, many decades ago – Fads come and go. The Church is built only upon the Word of God.

When fads take away the Word, and place an emphasis on man, the individual is removed from the True Vine.

I can tell that from the mocking, sarcastic, and obscene comments I get on the blog (mostly blocked) about the Means of Grace. There the Word is having an effect – in hardening hearts. But since they keep coming back, some may be converted by the Word.

Results of Shunning the Word
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

I have said before, I have seen many people shipwreck themselves by abandoning the Word. Here is a clear presentation on eternal punishment for those who abandon the Word. Repentance is possible at any time before death. God will rush to welcome the Prodigal Son. As long as we live, it is never too late to have true sorrow for sin and faith in the Gospel Promises.

Even More Promises
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Here is the great Promise I mentioned on Sunday. After building our faith with Gospel Promises, Jesus also declares God will answer prayers. This is the clearest and best motivation to pray. Being fruitful in the faith glorifies God the Father.

The Smalcald Articles - Second Part - Article 1

Smacald Articles, First Part

In the News

Robert Fleischmann, Another Donald Trump

Reflections Village to be sold

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Rich Kirchen

Lutheran minister Robert Fleischmann's dream of creating an early 1900s-themed single-family subdivision in Richfield called Reflections Village ended in foreclosure.

However, a group of investors has emerged that plans to keep the dream alive for a "new urban" community designed to house the elderly and their families in separate homes.

Jon Spheeris, vice president of Prudential Absolute Realtors in Oconomowoc, said Fleischmann has accepted his group's offer and the group hopes to finalize financing with another bank. Fleischmann would use the proceeds, in turn, to pay off his bank loan.

"Our investors are people who embrace the idea because it's quite a unique project," Spheeris said.

Fleischmann, who has no experience as a developer, announced the project in October 2005. He used a bank loan for the $2.6 million purchase of the 114-acre property on state Highway 175 about one-half mile south of state Highway 167.

All that's there now is a sign for Reflections Village in an open field with a phone number for Spheeris.

First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc, sued Fleischmann and his company, Nostalgic Times LLC, in May for defaulting on the loan. On Nov. 9, the bank won a $3.1 million judgment for the unpaid principal, interest and fees in Washington County Circuit Court.

Judge James Muehlbauer ordered the property to be auctioned with the proceeds going to the bank, but Fleischmann said he expects a sale to be closed by mid-December.

An attorney for First Bank Financial Centre could not be reached for comment.

Fleischmann said he pre-sold 22 of the planned 140 lots on the site, but his timing was bad, as the market for new homes was already starting to decline in late 2005.

"The market started really changing -- that made it difficult," he said.

Fleischmann is an ordained minister and national director of Christian Life Resources, a Wauwatosa anti-abortion group that counsels families on topics ranging from childbirth to elder care.

Reflections Village was to include smaller lots averaging one-third of an acre and a "village square" with retail and other services.

Richfield town administrator Toby Cotter said town officials approved Fleischmann's plan and liked the concept as one solution for older Richfield residents seeking housing with smaller lots.

The fact that Fleischmann had no development experience was not a concern because he filed a letter of credit with the town, Cotter said.

"It really comes down to financial backing," Cotter said.

Cotter is hopeful the current housing slump does not delay or kill the project.

"It still looks like the right project in the right area," he said.

---

Current National Director at Christian Life Resources
Past Manager/Proprietor at Nostalgic Times, LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
Pastor at Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
Education Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
Bethany Lutheran College

Christian Life Resources
(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Religious Institutions industry)

July 1988 — Present (20 years 6 months)

Manager/Proprietor
Nostalgic Times, LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Real Estate industry)

January 2004 — December 2007 (4 years)

Worked with the leadership in Richfield, WI to create zoning for Wisconsin's first walkable hamlet. (www.ReflectionsVillage.com)
Sold the land and project to developers in December 2007 but continue to be consulted as plans develop to break ground on the development.

Pastor
Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
(Non-Profit; Myself Only; Religious Institutions industry)

June 1983 — July 1988 (5 years 2 months)

Served as pastor of this mission congregation in Plymouth, WI that was about 45 members when I came and about 130 when I left.

Robert Fleischmann’s Interests:
I focus on social issues. I love sorting through difficult ethical issues and I thrive on being a problem-solver. I am interested in society's dangerous flirtation with eugenics and have studied the topic deeply and continue to do so. Personally I love technology, the imaginings of futurists, and my passionate hobby is landscaping.

From LinkedIn

***

GJ - I have trouble imagining a generic parachurch agency being Word and Sacrament ministry, especially when its Lutheran identity is obliterated. Fleischmann is not alone is deciding that there is more money in Pietistic union projects than in being an ordinary pastor. All the Church and Change stealth projects are based on the idea that Lutheran doctrine and worship are marketing negatives.

Preface to the Smalcald Articles

The Smalcald Articles

Preface
1] Since Pope Paul III convoked a Council last year, to assemble at Mantua about Whitsuntide, and afterwards transferred it from Mantua, so that it is not yet known where he will or can fix it, and we on our part either had to expect that we would be summoned also to the Council or [to fear that we would] be condemned unsummoned, I was directed to compile and collect the articles of our doctrine [in order that it might be plain] in case of deliberation as to what and how far we would be both willing and able to yield to the Papists, and in what points we intended to persevere and abide to the end.

2] I have accordingly compiled these articles and presented them to our side. They have also been accepted and unanimously confessed by our side, and it has been resolved that, in case the Pope with his adherents should ever be so bold as seriously and in good faith, without lying and cheating, to hold a truly free [legitimate] Christian Council (as, indeed, he would be in duty bound to do), they be publicly delivered in order to set forth the Confession of our Faith.

3] But though the Romish court is so dreadfully afraid of a free Christian Council, and shuns the light so shamefully, that it has [entirely] removed, even from those who are on its side, the hope that it will ever permit a free Council, much less that it will itself hold one, whereat, as is just, they [many Papists] are greatly offended and have no little trouble on that account [are disgusted with this negligence of the Pope], since they notice thereby that the Pope would rather see all Christendom perish and all souls damned than suffer either himself or his adherents to be reformed even a little, and his [their] tyranny to be limited, nevertheless I have determined meanwhile to publish these articles in plain print, so that, should I die before there would be a Council (as I fully expect and hope, because the knaves who flee the light and shun the day take such wretched pains to delay and hinder the Council), those who live and remain after me may have my testimony and confession to produce, in addition to the Confession which I have issued previously, whereby up to this time I have abided, and, by God's grace, will abide.

4] For what shall I say? How shall I complain? I am still living, writing, preaching, and lecturing daily; [and] yet there are found such spiteful men, not only among the adversaries, but also false brethren that profess to be on our side, as dare to cite my writings and doctrine directly against myself, and let me look on and listen, although they know well that I teach otherwise, and as wish to adorn their venom with my labor, and under my name to [deceive and] mislead the poor people. [Good God!] Alas! what first will happen when I am dead?

5] Indeed, I ought to reply to everything while I am still living. But, again, how can I alone stop all the mouths of the devil? especially of those (as they all are poisoned) who will not hear or notice what we write, but solely exercise themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully pervert and corrupt our word in every letter. These I let the devil answer, or at last Gods wrath, as they deserve. 6] I often think of the good Gerson who doubts whether anything good should be [written and] published. If it is not done, many souls are neglected who could be delivered: but if it is done, the devil is there with malignant, villainous tongues without number which envenom and pervert everything, so that nevertheless the fruit [the usefulness of the writings] is prevented. 7] Yet what they gain thereby is manifest. For while they have lied so shamefully against us and by means of lies wished to retain the people, God has constantly advanced His work, and been making their following ever smaller and ours greater, and by their lies has caused and still causes them to be brought to shame.

8] I must tell a story. There was a doctor sent here to Wittenberg from France, who said publicly before us that his king was sure and more than sure, that among us there is no church, no magistrate, no married life, but all live promiscuously as cattle, and each one does as he pleases. 9] Imagine now, how will those who by their writings have instilled such gross lies into the king and other countries as the pure truth, look at us on that day before the judgment-seat of Christ? Christ, the Lord and Judge of us all, knows well that they lie and have [always] lied, His sentence they in turn, must hear; that I know certainly. God convert to repentance those who can be converted! Regarding the rest it will be said, Woe, and, alas! eternally.

10] But to return to the subject. I verily desire to see a truly Christian Council [assembled some time], in order that many matters and persons might be helped. Not that we need It, for our churches are now, through God's grace, so enlightened and equipped with the pure Word and right use of the Sacraments, with knowledge of the various callings and of right works, that we on our part ask for no Council, and on such points have nothing better to hope or expect from a Council. But we see in the bishoprics everywhere so many parishes vacant and desolate that one's heart would break, and yet neither the bishops nor canons care how the poor people live or die, for whom nevertheless Christ has died, and who are not permitted to hear Him speak with them as the true Shepherd with His sheep. 11] This causes me to shudder and fear that at some time He may send a council of angels upon Germany utterly destroying us, like Sodom and Gomorrah, because we so wantonly mock Him with the Council.

12] Besides such necessary ecclesiastical affairs, there would be also in the political estate innumerable matters of great importance to improve. There is the disagreement between the princes and the states; usury and avarice have burst in like a flood, and have become lawful [are defended with a show of right]; wantonness, lewdness, extravagance in dress, gluttony, gambling, idle display, with all kinds of bad habits and wickedness, insubordination of subjects, of domestics and laborers of every trade, also the exactions [and most exorbitant selling prices] of the peasants (and who can enumerate all?) have so increased that they cannot be rectified by ten Councils and twenty Diets. 13] If such chief matters of the spiritual and worldly estates as are contrary to God would be considered in the Council, they would have all hands so full that the child's play and absurdity of long gowns [official insignia], large tonsures, broad cinctures [or sashes], bishops' or cardinals' hats or maces, and like jugglery would in the mean time be forgotten. If we first had performed God's command and order in the spiritual and secular estate we would find time enough to reform food, clothing, tonsures, and surplices. But if we want to swallow such camels, and, instead, strain at gnats, let the beams stand and judge the motes, we also might indeed be satisfied with the Council.

14] Therefore I have presented few articles; for we have without this so many commands of God to observe in the Church, the state and the family that we can never fulfil them. What, then, is the use, or what does it profit that many decrees and statutes thereon are made in the Council, especially when these chief matters commanded of God are neither regarded nor observed? Just as though He were bound to honor our jugglery as a reward of our treading His solemn commandments under foot. But our sins weigh upon us and cause God not to be gracious to us; for we do not repent, and, besides, wish to defend every abomination.

15] O Lord Jesus Christ, do Thou Thyself convoke a Council, and deliver Thy servants by Thy glorious advent! The Pope and his adherents are done for; they will have none of Thee. Do Thou, then, help us, who are poor and needy, who sigh to Thee, and beseech Thee earnestly, according to the grace which Thou hast given us, through Thy Holy Ghost who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Father, blessed forever. Amen.

Turn the Clock Backwards a Few Years

A few years ago, in the liberal mainline denominations, a minister who got divorced --for any reason--left the pastoral field. He might receive a job at headquarters, but that was it. The liberals did not allow for a divorced man calling himself a minister. Now the conservatives advocate it. I heard a Ft. Wayne seminary professor and WELS district pope both say that "husband of one wife" means one wife at a time. Suddenly everyone realized that the Bible supported the serial marriage of pastors.

The qualification for pastors clearly says, "Husband of but one wife." Perhaps in the Living Bible or the feminist NIV, one might find those new rules about "having a Scriptural divorce," but they are absent in the Word of God. In fact, God even says, "I hate divorce."

The Word allows for divorce in extreme circumstances but does not mandate divorce. Reconciliation and forgiveness are far better.

I find the leap to "Scriptural divorce" especially tricky because it rewards the slickest liar. What if the minister drives his wife away through mental cruelty and then cries abandonment? What if his career is his mistress?

Some people prefer the earlier approach when all the ministers were married men who were the husbands of one wife.

Divorced pastors can earn a degree in marital counseling. All the marriage counselors are divorced. It is a better-paying gig.

Every Divorced Pastor Has A Scriptural Divorce - Just Ask WELS

WELS pastors are experts on Scriptural divorces. All the divorced and remarried pastors have Scriptural divorces. In Columbus, three of the six pastors (one a phony) were divorced and remarried, a bit higher than the national average. All of them were Scriptural divorces.

Marvin Schwan, who divorced his first wife and married his employee's wife, also had a Scriptural divorce. His second wife probably had a Scriptural divorce too.

The neat thing about this Scriptural divorce gambit is the attack on the ex-spouse. Someone was anonymously thundering about that in the name of the Eighth Commandment, of course. He was loudly and anonymously accusing the first Mrs. Fleischmann on a public blog. Is she there to defend herself? What about the others involved?

Once a pastor's wife is disposed of, the rest of the brethren are free to slander her at will. I saw that in Columbus and elsewhere. The statistical likelihood of all these pastors being innocent victims?

Rule Number 1 in WELS - homies can do no wrong.

Rule Number 2 in WELS - refer to Rule Number 1.

Chastity Is Contagious? - So Is Adultery

WELS Pastor Robert Fleischmann, Christian Life Resources

A Secretary is Not a Toy

Lyrics - From How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Send “A Secretary is Not a Toy” Ringtone to Your Cell

Gentlemen. Gentlemen.
A secretary is not a toy,
No, my boy, not a toy
To fondle and dandle and playfully handle
In search of some puerile joy.
No, a secretary is not,
Definitely not, a toy.

You're absolutely right, Mr. Bratt.
We wouldn't have it any other way, Mr. Bratt.
It's a company rule, Mr. Bratt.

A secretary is not a toy,
No, my boy, not a toy.
So do not go jumping for joy, boy.
A secretary is not . . .
A secretary is not . . .
A secretary is not a toy.

A secretary is not to be
Used for play therapy.
Be good to the girl you employ, boy.
Remember no matter what
Neurotic trouble you've got
A secretary is not a toy.

She's a highly specialized key component
Of operational unity,
A fine and sensitive mechanism
To serve the office community.
With a mother at home she supports;
And you'll find nothing like her at FAO Schwarz.

A secretary is not a pet
Nor an e-rector set.
It happened to Charlie McCoy, boy:
They fired him like a shot
The day the fellow forgot
A secretary is not a toy.

A secretary is not a toy.
And when you put her to use . . .
Observe when you put her to use . . .
That you don't find the name "Lionel"
On her caboose.

A secretary is not a thing
Wound by key, pulled by string.
Her pad is to write in
And not spend the night in.
If that's what you plan to enjoy.
No!!

The secretary ya got,
Is definitely not
Employed to do a gavotte,
Or you know what.

Before you jump for joy,
Remember this, my boy,
A secretary is not
A tinkertoy!

---

Chastity's Contagious, posted at Christian Life Resources.

By Rev. Thomas H. Trapp, WELS Campus Pastor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Source: Beginnings, March 1989, Vol. 9, No. 1


Despite the age of this article, it is nevertheless included on this website for your information.

Chastity's contagious. Think of two people on a date. One insists on chastity; the other's going to practice it too. It's contagious! It's also 100 percent safe (as well as God-pleasing). But not everyone practices chastity. The result of unchaste living are STDs -- sexually- transmitted diseases. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that they are one of the great health threats to the American public today.

To protect people from STDs, school-based health centers and other government agencies are handing out condoms and other birth control items to students. Some public officials feel it's the solution to the problem. While the government's solution may be treating the symptom, it's not treating the root of the problem. The root of the problem of premarital and extramarital sex is not STDs but sexual intercourse. The best way to prevent STDs is to teach unmarried people to say "no" to sexual intercourse and "yes" to chastity.

But some will immediately object: "Our students are unable to say 'no' to sex. They must be given birth control devices." But isn't it peculiar that some of the same people who argue that youth are unable to say "no" to sexual intercourse feel that youth, however, are able to say "no" to drugs? Isn't it inconsistent? Don't young people have the same ability to say "no" to sex, as they have to say "no" to drugs? Non-Christians have the threat of disease, pregnancy and the fear of personal and emotional havoc to motivate them to say "no" to both sex and drugs, while Christians additionally have the power of God and the love of Christ behind them to say "no."

Why put our youth "down" as if they are incapable of saying "no" to actions that can harm them? And why, especially, put Christian young people "down" in whom God the Holy Spirit dwells? He can give them the power they need to respect their Godgiven bodies for whom Jesus died (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Young people (as well as adults) can say "no" to the sin of premarital and extra-marital sex. And when they say "no," they can spread a different contagious "disease" -- a good one -- chastity.

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WELS Pastor Thomas Trapp had his church (below) join the Willow Creek Association, to get discounts on workshops there. Apparently, he dropped that membership.

History

In 1964 the WELS began an independent campus ministry near State and Gilman Streets. Our first campus pastor was Richard Balge who served during the riot years of 1964-1971 and who oversaw the construction of our 1966 Chapel-Student Center at 220 West Gilman Street. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, an accomplished musician, pastured [GJ - put the sheep out to pasture? or pastored?] the Chapel from 1971-1975. Paul Kelm, who became a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran College, ministered to students from 1976-1979. Thomas Trapp is the current campus pastor and came in October, 1979.

Charis->Church and Change->Parish Services WELS

An imaginary graph from the WELS Church Growth Gurus.




Wisconsin Lutheran College

Pastor Ron Heins to become executive director of CHARIS
July 18, 2006

Pastor Ron Heins has accepted the position of executive director of CHARIS The Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran College. He will assume his new position after he returns from teaching at Asia Lutheran Seminary in Hong Kong during the fall. Heins will begin as executive director of CHARIS effective in early 2007.

Heins is currently the director of parish assistance for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, helping congregations to evaluate their ministry - both in outreach and nurturing. Before this position, Heins served as the senior pastor for St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, for 14 years.


Parish Assistance Mission Statement:
It is our mission to provide personal help to congregations, groups of congregations, agencies of the church, and their leaders in identifying, meeting, and addressing Christ-centered ministry needs and issues in a manner that is true to the Scriptures, focused on Christ's mission, and within the context of their congregation and community.

Parish Assistance
A recent e-mail message from a congregational president expresses a plea for help with the words, “. . . we can no longer do things the way we have always done them. . . . We have spoken many times in recent years of reaching out to the unchurched in the community around us but have never established any kind of well organized programs or goals toward that end . . .” When congregations ask, “Can you help?” we are privileged to respond, “Yes we can!” Since 1992 several hundred congregations have sought and found the help they were looking for. Currently there are 110 congregations being served.

A vacancy remains in Parish Assistance as a result of reduced funding. Several of our 25 trained, part-time lead consultants have picked up the additional workload temporarily.

A smooth transition with the role of Parish Assistance Director passed from Dr. Ron Heins to Rev. Elton Stroh at the end of 2005. Dr. Heins continues to serve as a consultant specialist. He will be taking a four-month sabbatical in fall 2006 to serve as an instructor at our World Mission’s seminary in Hong Kong. Dr. George LaGrow served faithfully as our full-time consultant with an emphasis on Lutheran school ministry from July 2002 until his unexpected death in April 2006. Because the demand for this service (Forward With Lutheran Schools) is substantial, we plan to extend a call to fill this position as soon as possible.


You can find examples of comments from those who have worked with Parish Assistance by visiting the User Comments Web page.

Wondering about the range of services offered by Parish Assistance? More information is available by visiting our Services Web page.

For more information, contact Rev. Elton Stroh at 608-837-3819 or visit our Web site.

Staff

Rev. Elton Stroh, director
Dr. Ron Heins
Mrs. Angela Faust

Rev. Elton Stroh, reporter

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A Right Strawy Epistle from Stroh

The Parish Assistance consulting ministry was authorized by the synod in convention in 1991, at which time an increasing number of congre­gations were seeking personalized onsite assistance with a variety of issues. Today our churches—mostly struggling ones, but some stable and even growing—continue to request the services of Parish Assistance, which focuses on “Assisting God’s people with pursuing his mission.”

We believe that, under God, as we help churches become healthier, we will also help our synod become a healthier church body. This, in turn, will position our synod to expand and support our ministry efforts at home and abroad, to train and send out more workers, and to increase our poten­tial to be a greater blessing to God’s kingdom.

Our core four-phase consulting service involves helping congregations accurately analyze current reality, create a compelling vision for future min­istry, prioritize and reorganize for action, and then pursue their preferred future with trust in the Lord to bless their efforts. Leaders are especially appreciative as we help them see with clarity

what must never change (God’s message and mission),

what may change (methodology), and

what must change (anything that gets in the way of proclaiming the gospel message and pursuing Christ’s make-disciples mission).
Staffing challenges

For the past several years, but especially more recently, vacancies within Parish Assistance have presented challenges. Both full- and part-time lead consultants, in love for their Lord and for the con­gregations of our synod, overextended themselves to serve additional churches. Still, service to some congregations needed to be delayed, and now congregations are being told, "We want to serve you, but we don’t know when we will be able to because of our staffing shortage." This unfortunate situation has caused some leaders, who intended to request our services, to back away or to look for help elsewhere.

A pastor serving one of our client congregations recently sent this note: "I wanted to sincerely thank you for the long hours and dedicated, cheerful service you gave the Lord and his people here . . . I am certain the Lord will work many blessings from it! I will continue to hold you in my prayers that God will . . . enable you to continue to bring more blessings to more congregations! Thanks for the fruitful and enjoyable weekend." Bringing more blessings to more congregations is also our prayer, and we are planning for this to happen.

At this time Parish Assistance has two full-time consultants in place and two full-time vacancies. One of the two vacant positions was defunded a few years ago. The other posi­tion has funding, and we are continuing to call with confidence that the Lord will lead us to the person he has chosen. Meanwhile, plans are in place to increase our number of part-time lead consultants and to begin their formal training during the 2008 Summer Quarter at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Our active part-time lead consultants will also participate in this week-long training event.

Additional consulting services

In addition to Parish Assistance’s core four-phase service, special consulting services have been provided over the years. Some examples of these services include team building, conflict transfor­mation, staffing level evaluation, lead­ership development, mentoring, coaching, merging ministries, and change management. It is now our intention to increase the availabil­ity of these and other services. To accomplish this, we are seeking the assistance of Dr. Ronald Heins (the former Parish Assistance director) and our part-time lead consultants—who by their previous ministry experiences and training are qualified to provide specialized assistance.

Forward with Lutheran Schools

Forward with Lutheran Schools is a major min­istry within Parish Assistance and is designed to assist congregations with starting new and strengthening existing daycares, preschools, Lutheran elementary schools, and high schools. Our Forward with Lutheran Schools consultant, who began his full-time service in July 2007, is Teacher Greg Schmill. He continues to serve congregations as they work through the pro­cess of analyzing the opportunities and chal­lenges of opening new preschools and Lutheran elementary schools. In addition, he is now piloting Second Wind, a streamlined school-strengthening process. As with our entire Parish Assistance consulting ministry, Forward with Lutheran Schools empha­sizes the use of programs within the church for outreach as well as nurture.

Parish Assistance had an opportunity in April to share information about its philosophy of ministry—why we do what we do the way we do it—with our Conference of Presidents. We appreciated their interest in and support of what Parish Assistance is striving to accomplish.

Turnaround churches

A future major project being undertaken by Parish Assistance, with funding from a Thrivent grant, will be a study of turnaround churches in WELS. Turnaround churches are defined as congregations between the years 1980 and 2007 that have declined at least 20 percent in worship attendance and then, by God’s grace and bless­ing, rebounded and rose above the original status (before the decline started) by at least 20 percent. In other words, turnaround churches experienced at least a 40 percent increase in worship atten­dance from the lowest point of decline.

An example of an imaginary turnaround congregation is provided in this graph.


The goal of this project is first to identify and categorize turnaround congregations—by setting, size, and age—and then study some of them in depth and discover what factor the Lord com­monly blessed among them. It is hoped that these findings will help inform and better enable our WELS consulting min­istry to assist additional congregations with pursuing turnaround.

Potentially, the discovered factors could be pre­sented at our ministerial training college and seminary and at regional seminars and district conferences. At the same time, we anticipate that the findings will be helpful not only to congre­gations that need and desire turnaround, but also to more stable congregations that desire improved health for the sake of having greater spiritual impact among their members and in their communities.

Continuing to declare his praises

As we thank our Lord for his benevolent blessings on Parish Assistance, we also entrust our chal­lenges to him. Confident that he is in control, we will continue to work tirelessly for the benefit of his kingdom and, with all our brothers and sisters in WELS, declare his praises!

For additional information, contact Rev. Elton Stroh, 608-837-3819 or elton.stroh@sab.wels.net.

Rev. Elton Stroh, reporter

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GJ - Wisconsin Lutheran College (nickname - Our Valpo) spawned Charis, and Charis begat Church and Change.

And lo, darkness spread across the land.

Church and Change members joined hooves to create stealth Church Growth missions across WELS.

Church and Change members divert synodical offering money for their own salaries and their wild hair projects.

And there was weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Church and Change members study and worship with false teachers, then conspire to have Lutherans listen to their favorite theologians:

Archbishop Weakland, Roman Catholic

Martin Marty, ELCA

Leonard Sweet, Methodist New Ager

Kent Hunter, Nominal LCMS

Waldo Werning, Nominal LCMS

Ed Stetzer, Babtist

Andy Stanley, Babtist

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Charis->Church and Change->Parish Services WELS":

Pastor:

Could you please not publish this, yet answer a question? I haven't seen your explanation of "babtist"? Is there an inside joke I'm missing? Why the second "b" and not a "p"?

Sorry...I'm a EE, not a M.Div. or PHD.

Thank you in advance sir.

***

GJ - I did answer this before, but I don't expect people to read every single post and memorize them as well. Lately I have been using the search function to find stuff I wrote.

I was at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College when the director made a distinction between Baptists and Ba-a-a-abtists. I laughed. The Baptists and the Ba-a-abtists did not.

Southern Baptists often say they are Ba-a-a-abtists. Northern Baptists are more liberal and do not affect the Southern accent.

I have been everywhere and heard the major Protestant and Catholic speakers, many of them now passed away. That, combined with doctoral studies in comparative dogmatics has given me a good perspective on what is happening. Unlike the Church and Changers, I can spell comparative.

The WELS Church and Changers think my doctoraol work gives them permission to study at Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. But I disagree.

I was in the LCA until 1987. WELS said, "Oh, unionism is so bad. People should not even study at those bad institutions." John Seifert (now DP) made a point of wrinkling his nose in disgust whenever Missouri was mentioned. Even now it is impossible to have a conversation with a WELS pastor without the typical We-are-so-superior-to-Missouri tale being shopped.

WELS talked a big story against unionism, but the clergy have been more unionistic than ELCA and completely dishonest about it. The Wisconsin Synod is listed at Trinity Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, as one of its corporate sponsors - in two different areas, including Parish Assistance. Connections? A Church and Changer runs PS which hires Parish Assistants like Paul Kelm.

Going back, it is easy to track where this came from. Ron Roth was the first openly Church Growther in WELS. Kelm, Valleskey, Bivens, Hartman, and Olson followed. The second wave of Growthers came with Wisconsin Lutheran College creating Charis, which created Church and Change, which sponsored even more of the above.

In the power structure it was Wayne Mueller at the center, with Parish Services (Bruce Becker) overlapping Church and Change. Love Shack employees are Church and Changers promoting Love Shack programs and eating up synodical offerings to pay for them.

So everyone should be laughing at how the Church and Change leaders (like VP Don Patterson and his circle) run off to see Babtist Ed Stetzer. Meanwhile, other key Church and Change leaders (Parlow and Ski) fawn and worship at Andy Stanley's Babtist church.

Non-Clarification from WELS Church and Change Mole Bruce Becker

Bruce Becker, Church and Change Board Member Doubles as WELS Parish Services Honcho


WELS Pastor John Parlow with Bender, a Satanic figure who twists the Word of God. Parlow, Ski, Buske, and others went all the way to Atlanta to worship with the Babtists and learn from them. Why isn't Parlow blushing?

WELS Pastor Buske with Babtist Minister Andy Stanley

Ski, also a board member of Church and Change - with Babtist Andy Stanley. What excitement!
Witness Ski gushing about worshiping with Babtists here.

Babtist Andy Stanley is the son of Babtist E. Charles Stanley, also of Atlanta. Andy will take money from over-eager WELS pastors,
but he will not baptize babies.

Clarification From WELS:

In the Nov. 17 article, "Forum to share ministry blessings," Rev. Bruce Becker, administrator of the Board for Parish Services was quoted in regard to a recent congregational leadership forum. One question he said participants would be asked to examine was: "What factors, beyond the power of the gospel, do you believe are contributing to God's blessings of numerical growth in your congregation?"

Becker wishes to clarify that quote, saying, "Obviously, we believe and confess that only the Holy Spirit can bring about growth in the holy Christian church; only he is responsible for people being called out of the darkness of sin and unbelief into the light of the gospel."

Becker, however, draws a distinction between conversion into the holy Christian church and numerical growth in a congregation. "Individual Christians join our congregations for many reasons," he says. "Congregations may experience numerical growth because of good, solid biblical worship and preaching; because it is a warm and friendly congregation; because the congregation has a Lutheran school for their kids; or for a host of other reasons." The goal of the forum, says Becker, was to identify factors common to congregations blessed with numerical growth that have led to their ever-increasing audience for the gospel.***

GJ - At first I thought Becker was being forced to make a Lutheran statement, but he is too clever for that. His statement could be repeated by any denomination. Becker is another unionist - like Valleskey, Wayne Mueller, and the rest. A unionist loves every denomination except his own.

A Lutheran statement about this issue would be: The Holy Spirit works only through the Word and Sacraments, and never apart from the Word and Sacraments. In fact, Hoenecke said that in his Dogmatics.

An Enthusiast is someone, like Becker, who separates the work of the Holy Spirit from the Means of Grace.

I like his adverb - obviously. That is such a smirky little word to drop into a confession of Enthusiasm, as if no one could question his Lutheran identity.

A WELS pastor said that these false teachers are too slippery. "It is like nailing jello to a wall." No, not at all. The WELS ministerium should force Becker to agree with the Book of Concord and the Bible. But they will shirk their duty again.

***
PS - Ski's church name went from Solid Rock to C.O.R.E. The following may be why. The false teachers do not mind if their doctrine is plagiarized. They do mind having their official name borrowed. The original Solid Rock was hewn in Appleton, home base for Ski's new stealth mission. Shh. Tell it not in Gath.

Church History

In fall of 1980, Bill Lenz and a handful of others had a desire to reach out to lost and hurting people. They ventured out on the streets of downtown Appleton with a desire to share Christ with anyone who would listen. The Salvation Army opened its doors for use of their building, just two blocks from downtown. Small teams would meet and pray, then go out on the streets to witness. Others would stay back to host a drop-in center. In March of 1981, that outreach was officially named Solid Rock Ministries. The Salvation Army gave office space at no charge, and Bill Lenz served as Director. A 24-hour crisis call line began. Many were coming to Christ.

To The Starting of a Church - June 1982
Those involved in Solid Rock Ministries realized that although many people were being reached, not many were being followed up with. Paul's words to the Corinthians came alive in 1 Corinthians 4:15, "For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Gospel."

We realized we needed to assume parental responsibility for those we had"birthed" in the Gospel. That led to the decision to start a church.The first Sunday of June, 1982 the New Corinthian Chapel held its first service in the Riverside Cemetery Chapel in Appleton. That Sunday there were 13 people in attendance. Rent for the cobblestone chapel was $9 per week.

TO THE VIKING THEATER - Summer 1983
After about a year, we outgrew the Cemetery Chapel. It was a big step up to rent the downtown Viking Theater at $75 per week. Sunday School classes for children were held in hallways, entry ways, and old rooms above a neighboring Chinese restaurant. After services, children got free popcorn from the theater staff.

To The First Permanent Building Downtown - November 1984 - March 1992
Originally built for Mount Olive Lutheran Church, the building on Oneida Street became a repertory theater, and was being remodeled by a small church group when we found it. We were able to take over a land contract from Mount Olive. Our services emphasized contemporary worship and relevant teaching. The emphasis was on accepting any and all who came. We also changed our name at that time from The New Corinthian Chapel to Christ The Rock Community Church.

On June 15, 1989 we made a final offer on 23 acres of land on the south side of Appleton off Plank Road, with the hope of someday building there. The church continued to grow through the many people converting to Christ. We were holding three services and still running out of room.