Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Koeplin Essay Found! in the Ichabod Archives":
I believe that some who comment on this blog are to Lutheranism what the John Birch Society is to politics. As Birchers find a communist under every stone, some on this blog find a "Church Growther" in every comment that does not come from themselves.
I frequently attended Atonement when I was at the seminary. When Koeplin said that he was trying something "new and different," he was talking about things like singing "All Glory be to God on High" in place of the "Gloria in Excelsis" in TLH page 5 and page 15liturgy. I assume that some bloggers on this site would include Dr. Martin Luther as a raving WELS Lutheran "Church Growther", because as a PC he actually wrote chorales to take the place of liturgical chants -- fool that he was.
Some time ago, I wrote that I thought that the WELS would profit most from an every member visit from July 1 through December 31. Someone ripped me apart as a stark raving liberal who has never spoken out against Church Growth in WELS. I have, in fact, spoken against it with many at the "Love Shack," with district leaders, with my congregations, at conferences, and with those espousing it. I may have even spoke (sic) against it directly with more individual WELS "Church Growthers" than the person who accused me of being complacent. I have also paid what I consider rather high prices for my comments against Church Growth.
I certainly agree that Church Growth is a major, if not the number one, issue in WELS. I am not at all in disagreement with Ichabod and I enjoy the clever way Ichabod presents the issue. However, I do take exception when people who are on the right side and who have been addressing the right people are accused of complacency and "aiding and abetting" the Church Growth movement in WELS by people who are reading more into statements than is really there.
I believe that all bloggers need to be careful not to read all blogs through Church Growth sunglasses. It makes you sound foolish and extreme, when you want to sound wise and level-headed as we face root out this error.
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GJ - If you want a John Bircher, email James Heiser, Archbishop of ELDONA. He is a trainer and recruiter for the JBS. But - shhh - it's a secret. Everything is a secret in ELDONA.
I thought your idea about an every member visitation was a good idea (assuming it is done correctly). I can imagine a lot of pastors resisting the work. They should look at what they are doing that is really important. I can only think of: preaching original sermons, teaching the Word, and visitation.
I vicared with an old fashioned pastor who believed in constant visitation in homes, hospitals, and nursing homes. I always visited a lot and I thought it was essential pastoral work.
Your comments were terribly general. Someone may disagree and sound fairly caustic, but that is part of anonymous blogging. You should see what I delete every day. It is good not to take a few remarks in the wrong way. Calling the others "John Birchers" is a logical fallacy. It is better to identify a specific remark and explain why it may be wrong.
I teach online at two universities. Feelings are often hurt because of the nature of the medium, almost anonymous. Blogging is similar.
The Glory Has Departed
Sunday, June 28, 2009
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6 comments:
The Birchers did find Communists under every stone because 1) there were/are Communists under every stone, and 2) they were the only ones looking to rout them out!
+Diet O. Worms
CGM will go on as long as pastors think it is an easy way out of doing the Work of the Lord. They prefer to perpetuate the fraud to doing what they vowed to do. Why not? The confused laity continues to support and put up with them.
The fraud of crooked pastors will continue until the laity researches scripture and tells their pastors where to get off. Even then, the struggle will continue while some pastors go on deceiving and twisting the words of scripture. Fight the good fight starting at convention.
Anonymous you state, "When Koeplin said that he was trying something "new and different," he was talking about things like singing "All Glory be to God on High" in place of the "Gloria in Excelsis" in TLH page 5 and page 15liturgy."
If that were true why would Koelpin then state, "PC's pray fervently for extra measures of sense so that the "new" does not get in the way of the Spirit's work."?
Why would Koelpin think introducing "All Glory be to God on High" would "get in the way of the Spirit's work"? Unless this wasn't the case and those "new" things were quite questionable as to their faithfulness to Scripture.
Koelpin, "PC's were quick to recognize and say that non-WELS folk may indeed have some good ideas and sound methods which we may "sanitize," adapt and adopt" This is the exact sentiment used to open the wooden horse of Church Growth within the Lutheran churches. Is it not possible to test the spirits without, "but we were such good friends" getting in the way of applying God's?
Koelpin, "nor do they subscribe in any form or fashion to some sort of a "conspiracy theory" that "someone" or "some group" is quietly and persistently trying to drag the WELS to "the left".
In light of what is known of the satanic, New Age, apostate march through Lutheranism progressing today, this is either a statement from a blind man or one complicit in the apostasy. From what I've been able to read of Koelpin I am assuming the former but the question remains for everyone today. Those claiming there is no group or conspiracy to abolish Confessional Christian doctrine from Lutheran churches are shills of the movement.
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
P.S. The John Birch Society was warning people 50 years ago of everything you and I are seeing in the U.S. and world today, the carnage created by rampant global socialism merging into the New World Order and promotion of the New Age Satanism as the global religion. How appropriate that the WELS and other Lutheran Synods are learning at the feet of New Age Satanic Emergent Church author Leonard Sweet.
Speaking of politics, since the Republicans have been out of power, it has become more obvious who exactly Republicans were aligned with, and who gave them money. The Pro-Life vote, mine included, was allied with: 1) the coal industries from Midwestern states which impeded Green technology research and implimentation which would allow us to send less money to Muslims for oil, 2) credit card companies and banks which prey on the poor and student loan recipients, 3) the medical establishment and insurance companies who jacked up prices at twice the rate of inflation for decades until now healthcare costs 19% of the GNP!, and 4) businesses who insured that manufacturing was outsourced and immigration was high so that fewer people earned a livable wage.
WELS Tomkitteh, don't take it personally. What I see and hear at WELS makes me sick, too.
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