Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sent By A WELS Layman":
As a WELS pastor, I agree with this observation. The ministry is, without a doubt, a calling in which one can be busy all the time while doing nothing in nurture and outreach. WELS has too many mini-popes and do-nothing kings. I would suggest something that would help WELS at all levels, namely that every WELS church carry out an every member visit between July 1 and December 31, 2009. This would help clarify our membership, increase our attendance, get our pastors reinvolved with all their members, and give us the real input we need to proceed on the local and synodical levels and in para-church ministries. As an added blessing, it would very likely increase offerings to our churches, which in turn would increase offerings to the synod.
I propose that this would do more good than a thousand agonizing think-tank meetings and twenty conventions.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sent By A WELS Layman":
Kudos to the WELS pastor above to strike at the root of it. Our pastors are too busy with the stuff the congregation should be doing. We --the local church -- retain the pastor to minister to us, not to sit in on the "Ministry of Lawn Mowing"
committee meetings.
+Diet O. Worms
10 comments:
I disagree. The anonymous pastor has detailed a plan to engender what are fruits of pure faith with only a relationship building excercise - 'every member visits'. This is more lame duck being sold as the Golden Goose.
How about the anonymous WELS pastor return to teaching the pure Word, contending for the faith, rebuking the false teachers, reproving the false doctrine and rightly administering the Sacraments. The WELS wallows in false doctrine and the apathy that is the fruit of false doctrine and the solution they come up with is every member visits to among other things, 'clarify our membership'.
He also expects to get 'real input' needed to proceed with parachurch ministries. Real input - from the laymen who you've spent years teaching to bow to Holy Mother Synod, to cow when the Pastor declares "Scripture is unclear on this doctrine, this is what it means...", "That's a grey area where the Confessions were dealing with a totally different issue." and to abandon the pure Word for the warmth and comfort of human relationships, "I couldn't deal with that false doctrine, these people are my friends!"
WELS is so parched of faithfulness to the pure Word that the spittle that flies from the wolves slavering fangs must feel like it's raining.
I mildly disagree with Mr. Meyers, though I appreciate the vigor. Yes, adherence to the Word and its correct explanations is of utmost importance. So let's devise a plan:
Confessional, faithful pastors, go forth and speak with every member of your congregation. Answer their questions in kindness. Pray with them. Sup with them. Respond to their doubts. Read the Word with them. There will be enormous fruits of faith from that exercise: their thirst will be refreshed every week in worship, they will greatly encourage others, and their faith will be fired up and renewed.
For unfaithful pastors: You deserve a vacation. Cut and paste is hard work. I'll bet the ELCA convention will need some comic relief after the sodomy lectures. Or maybe Fuller is having a summer reunion? Just spend time away from the God's people and leave them be for a respite. Better to leave the weedy ground fallow than cast salt upon it every week.
I am more inclined to your proposal Mr. Worms than that of the anonymous WELS pastor.
For starters, would you mind naming three Confessional, faithful WELS pastors who are currently publicly contending for the faith, publicly (may require posting their names) reproving false doctrine and publicly rebuking false teachers?
OK, name two....
Ok, ....
I stand at the ready to post a retraction of my skepticism.
Nope...
Brett is right.
I'm fricken tired of the WELS because the people who have been given authority will not (cannot?) "publically contend" for Real pure doctrine. There are some who might if they wouldn't lose their pensions.
If there are only 50 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah will you spare the city?
If there are 50 I will spare the city
Point taken.
C'mon guys. The cynicism is overwhelming. Anonymous pastor's comment was spot on. It's called "consolation of the brethren" in Lutheran dogmatics. It involves one an one law and gospel in the specific situation of each family visited. Yes there are dolts out there, but they won't take the advice and do the visits. Those who will, will be applying law and gospel and great fruits will arise therefrom.
Again, I understand the frustration, but Brett, it's made you unobjective and reactionary.
Anonymous at 5:34pm, be of good cheer, God is not mocked.
John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Matthew 28:20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Also, 1 Thessalonians 5
In Christ,
Brett Meyer
Anonymous at 7:40pm - if you believe what you said then please post your real name.
...in advance, I rest my case.
Brett Meyer is absolutely right to rest his case, in advance, as he's done, & I'm with him, all the way.
Thanks too, to Diet of Worms for his 'Point taken' comment.
Anonymous
There are some who might if they wouldn't lose their pensions.
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WELS pensions...what a joke.
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