Measuring WELS by the Numbers

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Massive Cuts in WELS, But Safari Don Patterson and...":

So numbers do make a difference when you want them to make a difference.

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Ever since 1977, when the Shrinkers launched their hellish TELL magazine, the secret followers of Fuller Seminary have been nagging the innocent to look at the numbers. Their hero, Kent Hunter (DMin, Fuller) actually published a book with graph paper bound into the pages.

The Scriptures only teach faithfulness to the Word, but the wizards of Willow Creek misdirect our eyes, making us focus on something else.

But the Shrinkers do not want anyone to discuss what they have done to WELS since they usurped power dishonestly.

WELS has had fewer members each each year since 1977. I used to publish a graph on a website where I charted all the numbers in Excel and converted it into a graph. All the facts are in the WELS Book of Statistics.

As the membership numbers went down, The Love Shack staff members increased. WELS administration officials get more money than any other category on the wage scale, significantly more than the seminary professors. Needless to say, The Love Shack always voted for more staff and against the schools. The percentage of the budget given to the schools was strangled, ever so slowly.

The Church Growth Movement in WELS:

1. Closed three out of seven schools in the system.
   
2. Decreased the membership of the synod in all categories.
   
3. Increased the staff of The Love Shack.
   
4. Jacked up tuition so high that everyone finds it unaffordable.
   
5. Abused money entrusted by the membership.
   
6. Left the synod insolvent.

PS - Larry Olson's church never grew, so they made him the Waldo Werning Professor of Church Growth at Martin Luther College.

The best way to start a mission church, according to the Church Shrinkers, is to train and worship with the Babtists.

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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Measuring WELS by the Numbers":

Same old, same old from you, GJ. What I think is so interesting is that you always talk about faithfulness to the Word, but I never EVER hear you share the gospel on Ichabod. You've replaced the good works of catholicism that you learned at Notre Dame with the "good work" of being faithful to the Word. A real Lutheran would always tie in faithfulness to God's Word with the gospel of Christ that Word contains. Your own words condemn you.

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GJ - Don't look now, Mouse, but your own publishing house distributes my book.

I publish a sermon every week, but I am sure you never ever discern the Gospel. We even had Advent and Lenten services, which are unknown at Rock and Roll Lutheran Church and The CORE Lutheran Church.

Your comments remind me of the Jehovah's Witness who came to my house. He said, "How can God pray to God? I can't understand that." He was speaking of Jesus praying to the Father.

I said, "My dog can't understand it either."

Your blind hatred does not prove anything, but I am glad you keep reading. Wesley said, "If you can't convert them, at least make them angry."

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Measuring WELS by the Numbers":

"The Church Growth Movement in WELS:
• Closed three out of seven schools in the system.
• Decreased the membership of the synod in all categories.
• Increased the staff of The Love Shack.
• Jacked up tuition so high that everyone finds it unaffordable.
• Abused money entrusted by the membership.
• Left the synod insolvent."
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When the above items are considered along with new synod budget measures, we finally get a picture of total financial incompetence and irresponsibility that must get turned around to refocus on the Work of the Lord.

Synod is out of control for very good reasons. Too many clergy/leaders treated it as their sandbox to play in and do as they will. Due to inadequate visibility and controls they got by with that reckless behavior for years. Instead of serving member congregations, member congregations came to serve synod by making up for misused monies and high-risk, losing investments. Still, how they managed to go through so much money amazes me.

Nothing will change significantly until member congregations stand up and demand improvement, for example, better visibility and explanation of how monies are used, the trends, an oversight committee staffed by representatives of member congregations, etc.

Synod leaders have shown themselves a clever bunch when it comes to shifting the burden and responsibility to members. Somehow they link the shifted burden back to showing love and gratitude to Christ. I wonder if Christ feels used.