Ol' man Church Growth,
Dat ol' man Church Growth
He mus'know sumpin'
He can't stop talkin,
He jes' keeps jawin'
He keeps on jawin' along.
He don' trust preachin',
He don't trust teachin',
An' dem dat does it,
is soon forgotten,
But ol' man Church Growth,
He jes keeps jawin'along.
You an' me, we study an' preach,
Visit de members, take time to teach,
Trust the Word!
It's never stale
Can't get a call
The DP's in jail.
Ah'm not weary
An' ah'm still tryin'
But tired of livin'
With all their lyin',
That ol' man Church Growth,
He jes' keeps jawin' along.
Don't read books
An' don't leave town,
You don' dast make
De DP frown.
Bend your knees
An' bow your head,
An' pass the plate
Until you' dead.)
Ol' man Church Growth,
Dat ol' man Church Growth
He mus' know sumpin'
He can't stop talkin,
He jes' keeps jawin'
He keeps on jawin' along.
I am always providing fresh new words for the Church and Chicanery Seeker Service, but I haven't heard about them using my lyrics. They must fear the implicit copyright issues. Anything published is copyrighted, whether registered or not, so they probably know how unethical it is to copy my inspired words without prior permission and an imprimatur from the District Fuller Mission Board.
Mrs. Ichabod just said, "It's because you aren't a Babtist."
If the WELS/ELS pastors actually start denouncing Church Growth, its crafts and assaults, I wonder if the following words will be used:
- The efficacy of the Word alone. The Reformed jabber about Jesus and the Word all the time, but they utterly reject the efficacy of the Word alone. Bruce Becker (Church and Chicanery Board, Overpaid Parish Services Boss at The Love Shack) also rejects the efficacy of the Word alone. That is why Wayne Mueller hired him.
- The efficacy of the Means of Grace alone. The Reformed do not believe in Sacraments, so Holy Baptism and Holy Communion are just ordinances for them. When Rick Miller started CrossRoads, with the blessing of Robert Mueller and Paul Kuske, he referred to the Sacraments as ordinances in his literature. Miller also wrote about "boring worship services." The congregation is no longer Lutheran, of course, but it is a big, booming success, according to them.
Church Growth in the WELS/ELS/LCMS/CLC/ELCA has been a Satanic lie from the very beginning. The people who promoted it deceived everyone about their doctrine. Those leaders who mildly criticized Church Growth while supporting their Deformed brothers are even more guilty, since the leadrs knowingly conspired to cover up the truth about the doctrinal apostasy they sponsored.
Many pastors have been pushed out of the ministry, by devious means, because they criticized the precious Church Growth Movement. I am waiting for the Doctrinal Pussycats to apologize to all of the pastors and their families.
Does anyone wonder why the seminaries are becoming empty of students as well as empty of Lutheran doctrine? Decades of work have accomplished this wonder. And then, in the case of WELS, the cheerleaders of Deformed doctrine--Paul Kelm and Kudu Don Patterson--are asked to write papers advising The Sausage Factory about how to improve their curriculum!
I am seeing names pop up, newly converted critics of Church Growth. They knew what was happening 20 years ago and kept their silence. Maybe they feel safe in their calls.
The funniest of all was seeing Aaron Frey's name on the tepid Tendrils paper, supposedly a criticism of Church Growth, and reading his words on the Church and Chicanery list-serve. The question was - Is Brother Babtist Stetzer really the keynote speaker at our next conference? The answer was - Greg Jackson is a bad person who rejects our precious OJ.
Here is a memo for the innocent in WELS, the guys who continue to act like fresh graduates from Our Lady of Perpetual Obligation Convent School. Or maybe they just fell out of the turnip wagon.
Memo:
Church and Change has invaded every nook and cranny of WELS. Their moles will report on every move you make. Some of the men you think are friends are really plants to keep Patterson, W. Mueller, Jeske, Kelm, and B. Becker informed. When you make a move against one individual, various parts of the network will come alive and denounce you as a worthless piece of Dreck for criticizing Holy Mother WELS, for violating the Eighth Commandment, for trashing Matthew 18, and for various crimes and misdemeanors. Church and Change is now making daily efforts to get rid of the elected Synod President. Do you think they will pause to spare you?
Trust the Word. God's will is carried out through His Word alone, not through the machinations of man.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Will the Words Be Spoken?":
Sad to say, religion looks more like Washington politics everyday. No matter whom you trust you lose.
***
GJ
KJV 2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
PS - What does - "The Word is everything" (WELS) mean? I saw that on a call report. Any denomination could use those words because the phrase is blander than mashed potatoes without salt. Confidential to WELS - stop insulting everyone's intelligence.
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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Will the Words Be Spoken?":
You know, Greg. You keep laboring this apology thing. I'm gonna play devil's advocate. I think your ugly behavior on this blog is testament enough as to where the blame is. But all that aside; if WELS were to come to you and make amends, I dare say it wouldn't be enough. You think too much of yourself. And besides, if you were able to make up, what would you do all day? You need this blog for some really sick need of yours.
***
GJ - I am glad Mouse knows in advance what I will think and say. He could start posting for me, except he is an Enthusiast and not a Lutheran.
WELS could start the road to recovery by apologizing to a host of pastors and their families. The DPs are probably more than familiar with the Twelve Step programs where apologizing is part of the healing. I guess Mouse cannot read, because my words above involved all the pastors they have given the Left Foot of Fellowship, without cause. I know many of them.
What would I do all day without blogging? I would be teaching eight different university courses, undergraduate and graduate, as I do now. And I would still write my own sermons, in contrast to the Rebel's Guide to stealing them from the Net.
No one owes me an apology for putting me in a beautiful house with a pool, waterfall, hot tub, and multiple guest rooms. No one owes me an apology for giving me an opportunity to teach the Word all over the world. I am not surprised that the children of WELS church workers do not want a church vocation. The apostates should start looking at their destructive work and repent.
