became a WELS member through a Seeker Service.
The Rev. Loof Lirpa accepted a call from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, to teach evangelism, homiletics, and cross-cultural ministry. He wrote in his letter of acceptance, "The Holy Spirit told me in a dream last night that I would do great things for Him at Mequon. I am grateful to St. Mark Partners in Depere, Wisconsin (WELS) for its Seeker Service, where I became a Lutheran and began training for this totally awesome job."
Lirpa was able to earn several degrees online while preparing for this position. Keeping his job at UPS, he studied at Fuller, Trinity Deerfield, and Willow Creek Community Church. His studies were delayed when Willow Creek announced it had been wrong all along and changed their curriculum. Lirpa was also a little shocked when he found out that Willow Creek was not a member of the Wisconsin Synod.
Laughing, he said, "Our congregation is a member of the Willow Creek Association, so I thought it was something like an interest group within the synod. Something was lost in the translation."
Parlow smiled as he said, "We wanted to take Loof to the Drive 08 conference in Atlanta, too, but he was too busy studying. He is going to take Mequon to a whole new level by being pro-active, synergistic, and sensitive to unchurched demographics."
Lirpa admits being confused when he visited other WELS congregations far from Fox Valley. "I had trouble with the liturgy stuff, creeds, and hymns from a book. I wanted to take those pastors and shake them, but Pastor John said - Your hour has not yet come. Wait for a Mequon call. So I did."
Things are looking up, according to Lirpa. "We are getting women into the pastoral ministry, without all that fussy convention stuff. We have seeker-sensitive congregations all over the US. And, we have a vast network of support from the best minds of Christendom - Mark Driscoll, Leonard Sweet, Ed Stetzer, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, John Maxwell, Bill Hybels, Mark Beeson, and Rick Warren."
Pastor John said, "I would add Kent Hunter and Waldo Werning too, but we are not in fellowship with them."
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