In a blog post below I mention how Rev. Jeske is promoting a Lutheranism that is encouraging leaders to be "Rule Breakers." A recent Jeske presentation was posted on Ichabod. In this presentation Jeske quotes the idea of breaking rules from a reformed author. Listen carefully to all of Jeske's words about Germanizing and Lutheranizing. The premise being promoted is that anything goes in worship.
Below is an editorial comment from Freddy Finkelstein about Jeske's friend Ski....
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He's (Jeske) not the only one on record saying this, of course. I recently visited Ski's Drive '08 blog, and on his Day_5 entry, he has some very telling comments regarding "Rule Breakers," and the influence they ought to have in directing ministry.
Here's the link: http://web.me.com/pastorski/Site/Day_5.html
The final Main Session with Andy Stanley was just phenomenal. We began with awesome worship. Today though, they began with a Christian rapper, Toby Mac. Our school kids would have loved it. I’m not sure that they would have believed that it was church though.
When Andy began his session. He started by saying that he was not going to follow his notes in the Drive ’08 Journal Book. Instead he was going to do something that he called, “Recent Random Thoughts On Church Leadership.” He shared 5 points and 5 takeaways. I think that he was at his absolute best this afternoon. Here are the 5 point & takeaways:
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To reach people no one else is reaching we must do things no one else is doing. (Question: "What is the measure of 'reaching people not yet reached?'" Numeric Growth in the church? Numeric growth from among the unchurched? Who's to say that they haven't already been reached with the Gospel, and that the Holy Spirit hasn't been doing His work all along?" Stanley's first point, here, unquestionably arrogates credit for the Holy Spirit's work to Man and his efforts.)
Takeaway - Become preoccupied with those you haven’t reached as opposed to those you keep. This is easier said than done. (Church Growthers are not concerned with back-door losses -- just perpetual growth. It is part of the program. Those who stay for awhile and contribute, but later leave, are nothing but throw-away "scaffolding" anyway, according to Church Growth theories.)
Wow, it seems so simple. And yet so hard.
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The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation. (In other words, every new generation re-invents itself, makes its own mistakes, learns from them etc. In response to this, the single word "catholicity" comes to mind -- a word which a Church Growth sectarian like Andy Stanley would never think to utter or contemplate. The New Testament Church has made mistakes and learned from them for 2000 years. What has been handed down to us in terms of public practice is the result of trial and error over this entire period. Human nature has not changed over this period, making such wisdom entirely "relevant," especially given that it is primarily the nature common to all men to which the Church must address itself -- not man's culture, whimsical and fleeting as it is.)
Takeaway - Be a student not a critic.
What more can be said? How do we approach things? When things are different & involve change are we scared? Do we criticize or do we look to learn and implement? (What? Critical reception of change is necessary, especially among those publicly confessing catholicity and orthodoxy -- doubly so among those who consider themselves to be Berean!)
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What do I believe is impossible to do in my field? But if it could be done it would fundamentally change my business. (Everything we are in Christ is impossible for man to accomplish -- this is the fundamental truth of our "business." Nothing we do can change this fact. The making of a Christian is a miracle from start to finish. It is the Holy Spirit's work, not ours. We employ His Means, according to the command of Christ, and the Holy Spirit does the rest.)
Takeaway - Pay attention to the people who are breaking the rules. (What rules? The "rules" of public practice handed to us in the Western Rite and embraced in the Confessions? The few strictures of public practice placed on us by the Scriptures? The voluntary and brotherly "setting aside of personal preferences" in favor of unity in practice? As if there isn't great enough freedom within these boundaries, now we are to regard them as "rules which need to be broken." The entire Church is called to a mind of adolescence by such statements, called to regard "The System" with disdainful suspicion, and to cast aside the sound wisdom of our fathers. Indeed, Church Growthers make a joke out if it -- "It's not your father's church, anymore!" But we are called upon in the Scriptures to exercise sound wisdom in our freedom. Catholicity offers such wisdom as it has been gathered over two millenia. Will the "unhistorical spirit of our times" cause us to disparage and forget such wisdom? Looks like it...)
Crazy sounding isn’t it? We can fight technology and change, but in the end it will pass us and we will become archaic and irrelevant. Not our Message, but the manner in which we present it. Who would have ever thought texting would be as big as it is? How about multi-site church? Video church? These are all things that have changed how we worship. (The use of "new technology" is not "breaking rules" of any sort. There is, however, great wisdom in exercising caution in our use of it, as certain usages may well carry us outside of acceptable practice. It is also unwise to invest in fads, but only in those aspects of "new technology" which are going to remain a fixture.)
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If we got kicked out & the board brought in a new CEO what would they do? Why shouldn’t we walk out the door & then come back in & do it ourselves?
Takeaway - Acknowledge what is NOT working & own up to why you are unwilling to change it. (Again, what is the "measure of what is working?" Numbers? If a given congregation doesn't have what "central command" defines as "positive stats," then the Holy Spirit is not working? Hogwash.)
Some thoughts on this - rarely does the church (in general) get concerned about change until they run out of money. What if we asked some questions before it was too late? (As in, "Why are we spending so much money on needless changes?")
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What’s in decline? (According to whose standards of decline? Why is all decline considered to be evidence of something wrong? At one point, as a result of hard teaching no less, almost all the disciples abandoned Jesus until only the original 12 were left. What a failure He turned out to be...)
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Where are we manufacturing energy? In other words pretending something is important. An example would be if I continued to say that Bible Study was important, but never attended. I’m blowing hot air, “manufacturing energy.” I don’t believe that anyone wants to stand behind that or get involved in something like that.
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Finally, when are we going to unearth all underlying assumptions? Sometimes, what we assume, is not the reality. Are we willing to dig to find out the truth or are we happy with assuming. ("Underlying assumptions," as in, "If my stats aren't 'good' then the Holy Spirit isn't working, and it's all my fault?")
- When your memories exceed your dreams the end is near.
Takeaway - Don’t let success or momentum overshadow your vision. Keep the out front. (Again, what is success, and how does one know he has momentum? Given that it is "your vision" against which these are compared, I would assume measures of success and momentum are rooted in some aspect of man.)
How quickly can we be satisfied? How often do we look at things and say, “Well, it’s not great but it is better than such and such church.” Scary, but we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking like this. Some questions to ponder:
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What the burden on your heart?
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What breaks your heart?
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Freddy Finkelstein on Ski's Theology":
Interesting statements in The Core's website. www.gotocore.com
It may be a complete mistake or maybe even a Freudian one but the About The Core section of their website states, "The purpose of the new congregation (The CORE) is to have a church that, without comprising our beliefs, removes all barriers possible to reaching people outside the church." Comprise means to consist of or be composed of. I'm inclined to think the latter after reading the website.
The About The CORE section also states, "We are passionate about lifestyle witnessing - as St. Francis of Assisi said "Preach the Gospel at all times, use words when necessary." Really? quoting a Roman Catholic monk to confirm your passion for witnessing? A soul murderer! How about quoting a faithful Christian? And did they even think about what this trite phrase is saying? Is it really possible to teach the true Gospel without Words, Christ's Words?
And under Relevant it states, "We work to be students of the culture." What about Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." and 1 John 2:15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Under the Download section there's two current bands. One is a man called Lil Mike's Christian Rap. Above they mention removing all barriers possible to reaching people. Really? Don't you think someone may be offended by Christian rap? Certainly since Rap music is generally associated with rebellion and immorality. Isn't causing an offense considered a barrier? Or does the freedom to worship card trump the breaking down all barriers card? Personally I abhor the whole breaking down barriers mantra. It's only an excuse to remove the Word of God which is the only thing that causes offense to the unbelieving world.
In the Welcome to The CORE section he says, "you will be...taught through God's Word how to connect to your Savior." There is a very Methodist/Baptist decision theology interaction proposed here. Scripture says it is God who calls people out of darkness and it's by grace through His Word and Sacraments. We don't initiate or even maintain a 'connection'. Romans 3:11, "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Acts 2:39, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call." Romans 8:30, "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." It is not we who are taught to connect. We are only to remain faithful to His Word, and that is still by His grace and doing. God does it all.
I won't go into the inference in the first part of the paragraph where they correlate coming to church dressed up (having reverence for God) with pretending to be perfect. That's offensive.
In What is a worship service at The CORE like? section Pastor Ski states, "Maybe you have had a bad experience at church and it has led yo to think that church worship doesn't connect with you, your heart or life. At The CORE, we'll try to change that impression with straight honest talk about the issues that concern you as well as the feelings that trouble you." Now with every denomination under the sun trying to speak the language of today and connect with the worlds heart and life they can only be speaking about Liturgical Lutheran Worship. Even the Catholic Church has gotten into the raging Church Growth enthusiasm worship. Throughout this website they take one opportunity after another to bash traditional Lutheranism and present an exciting, relevant, relational church as the one that really cares.
The section on What Does The Core Believe links back to the About The Core, Mission and Vision statements. Again with the 'without comprising our beliefs'.
Christ says in Rev. chapter 2, "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; 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: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted."
This could not be said of those who allow the apostate Church Growth horde to destroy the Pure Word and souls of men.
