Is the WELS Magazine FIC the Xerox Room for Church and Change?

The Northwestern Lutheran--renamed Forward in Christ to remove the odious name Lutheran, has featured a startling number of Church Growth gurus and Church and Change leaders in WELS. Below are a few from past issues.

How can Deformed doctrine be defeated when the official magazine promotes it?

Forrest Bivens, Fuller Seminary alumnus. Sausage Factory professor, often writes for the magazine.

District VP Donald Patterson, led the Exponential field trip to see Babtist Stetzer, and he writes all the time for the magazine.

Wayne Mueller - "There is no Church Growth in WELS." Endless articles.

Randy (Latte Lutheran, first woman pastor) Hunter, has many articles published.

James Aderman, a Church and Change leader, writes frequently for FIC.

Peter Panitzke, promotes The Simple Church, and is a C and C presenter - devotions. This is his chaplain photo.

Joel Gerlach, is an admitted Fuller Seminary alumnus. The photo is Daniel Fuller, who helped get rid of inerrancy at Fuller, before the Church Growth Movement took hold.

David Valleskey, bragged/denied/admitted Fuller alumnus. He gushed about CG in the magazine.

Larry Olson, DMin, Fuller Seminary. Plus - Jeff Gunn, stealth pastor in Phoenix: "Love is important."

Mark Jeske is one of the key players at C and C.

Paul Kelm, Willow Creek Ministerium, published "Pharisees Then and Now," plus many more. Kelm is now a CG consultant at The Love Shack.

Mark Jeske, apparently at a Jars of Clay presentation in New London. C and C has several offshoots, which promote one another. Jars is one of them. Jeske's stealth TV service is another. There is a prayer institute, too.
Before joining ELCA, assistant editor Dorothy Sonntag wrote a puff piece on Steve Witte's CGM congregation.
Here is a quotation:

Moving from A to B

Emanuel's plan for more effective ministry: move from Model A to Model B

MODEL A

* Day-to-day managing
* Personal opinion-driven decisions
* Activity-oriented
* Inward-looking, congregation-centered
* Emphasis on "how to do it"
* Emphasis on administration of routines
* Prime reliance on money and the material
* Keeping things as they are or restoring the past
* My needs and wants (my kids, my wife)
* Desire for rules and regulations to solve problems and maintain system
* First question: How much money do we have?
* Most gifted people in administration

MODEL B

* Future-focused management
* Vision-driven decisions
* Goal-directed, results oriented
* Outward-looking, service-to-others centered
* Emphasis on "what to do"
* Emphasis on innovation
* Prime reliance on people and the power of the Spirit (God's promises)
* Meeting the needs of today, anticipating the future
* Meeting the needs of others, especially the hurting and lost
* Prayer and spiritual encouragement and growth to solve problems
* First question: What would the Lord have us do?
* Most gifted people in ministry

Richard Stadler published in the magazine before his staff and congregation were suspended from WELS. Stadler was also the keynote speaker at the WELS youth conference in Columbus, Ohio. The congregration seems to be slouching toward Missouri.

Curtis Peterson wrote several articles before leaving the ministry and joining "Freedom From Religion." Peterson was always an open supporter of Church Growth. No wonder he began on the World Mission board with Valleskey.

Rev. Kristen. St. Andrews, Waunakee, Wisconsin.
Let us not forget that FIC did a sneak attack on conservatives in January of 2009 by featuring Latte Lutheran, where the first woman pastor "administers the Means of Grace."

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