Forget the Dow-Jones Average going up. The catastrophic news continues. The front page of the WS Journal today told a tale of one bank collapsing and all the damage being done in one community. That is in Colorado. Meanwhile, Georgia leads the US in toxic banks blowing up from bad loans on over-valued properties.
To make us feel even better, Obama and the Swimmer are proposing a $1 trillion takeover of the medical system. The bad news is going to continue for at least a year. By that I mean a steady stream of new horror stories.
Meanwhile, the damage continues to be felt in WELS and all other denominations. WELS is finding the current giving off from predictions, which were fairly glum anyway. That means even more cuts than expected.
I do not have the exact figures, but I hear Schwan is cutting back and deficits are widening in the years to come.
As one reader noted already, WELS missionaries are coming home without calls, income, or housing--except Bivens, who had two. Some are doubling up with pastoral friends or relatives.
Meanwhile, the worst DMB chairman in history, Fred Adrian, has a call again. He presided over the Scott Zerbe debacle, where the married vicar had an affair with a minor girl in the congregation. Fred knew or did not know, depending. He filed two different reports. Scott went to the Michigan hoosegow and WELS got sued to a fare-thee-well. Fred wrote his congregation, "Don't worry. We have insurance." And the synod lawyers promptly appealed the amount awarded. That's what they call The Michigan Spirit.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Financial Picture More Dire Than Expected":
Bivens: It is not what you know. It is who (sic) you know.
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Anonymous has left another cowardly stinkbomb on your post "WELS Financial Picture More Dire Than Expected":
I'm wondering, Greg, how someone who loves such beautiful music and who appears to be so intelligent, can spew forth such demonic venom. Your "humor" is more offensive (because you pretend to be a spokesman for God,) than David Letterman's "joke" about Sarah Palin's daughter. You literally turn my stomach, "Pastor" Jackson.
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GJ - A new record of sorts: sanctimony, name-calling, guilt by association, and de-ordination - all in two sentences. I wonder how the Michigan District could approve Adrian for pastoral duties. When doctors or teachers fail to report child abuse, that is the end of their careers.
Perhaps the writer is goaded by the lovely pictures of all the people who teach WELS/ELS pastors the Word of God.
KJV Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
The children of Schwan and his two widows must chortle over WELS getting all that loot and going into insolvency. There is a connection between not handling money well (unjust in the least) and not handling doctrine well (unjust in much).
Many have silenced themselves in the name of protecting Holy Mother WELS/ELS. Loyalty to an institution would be more touching if it were equaled by loyalty to the Word and the Confessions. But only one thing can be in first place. Mammon looks pretty good compared to the cross.
Do the ravening wolves of false doctrine think there will be no retribution for their crimes against the Word and against the laws of the nation?
Slick Brenner said many years ago, "WELS is facing a great judgment."
11 comments:
Bivens: It is not what you know. It is who you know.
Expect a new campaign of blame it on the parishioners for allowing it to happen. The leaders would never mismanage an entire synod.
In spite of the continuing economic weakness, WELS still has pastors who egg on parishioners to take on massive projects and debt saying trust in God. What is wrong with this picture? Are these pastors so daft that they cannot discern between what God can do versus what God possibly will do?
I'm wondering, Greg, how someone who loves such beautiful music and who appears to be so intelligent, can spew forth such demonic venom. Your "humor" is more offensive (because you pretend to be a spokesman for God,) than David Letterman's "joke" about Sarah Palin's daughter. You literally turn my stomach, "Pastor" Jackson.
The entire WELS synod could not imagine a recession and contraction of the U.S. economy.
Who will rebuke the ravening wolves of false doctrine? Not the cowardly peers in WELS. They go along to get along in the synod.
If you dislike the WELS so much, why do you continue to care about what the WELS does? I don't like church growth either, but what's the difference between someone listening to a church growth baptist and someone listening to you? Neither of you are in the fellowship with the WELS. Aren't you breaking your own rules of fellowship by continuing to say that people should read "The Theology of the Cross," even though you are not in fellowship with the professor who wrote it? Didn't you speak against Ski for doing this with another book? Sorry for the change of subject.
P.S. I was wondering about something else: you have said that the 8th commandment doesn't apply to this setting. But in his explanation Luther says, "do not...hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way." Jesus, in the parable of The Good Samaritan, clearly points out that our neighbor is not just those people we like. Would you be willing to clarify this for me? Also the goal of pointing out the sins of another is not to make others aware of the sin, but to win that person over to the truth. Your blog seems to do the exact opposite. How do you rectify Luther's meaning to the 8th commandment and the meaning of satire, "the use of irony, sarcasm, RIDICULE, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc. (Dictionary.com)"
Many thanks,
Curious -- Philippians 4:8
"The entire WELS synod could not imagine a recession and contraction of the U.S. economy."
That is an interesting statement.
Anyone younger than, oh, 45 years old, has never really been in the labor force during a major economic downturn.
The last major downturn was in the late 1970's to early/mid 1980's. The mini recessions of 1991 and 2001 and 1987 were just minor dips compared to that one. Of course, the 1930's has yet to be surpassed. May God protect us from a replay of that.
While the National unemployment has not hit the highs of 1982, and the interest rates are still extremely low compared to then (when double digit interest and inflation rates were the norm), I don't think we are even close to the end of the current downturn.
We have a younger pastor (mid 30's) who sometimes has an unrealistic approach to economics. He is paid according to Synod code (not a fortune, but not poverty wages either), is provided with a large parsonage (no rent charged), all utilities paid, all health insurance premiums payed, and yet he often indicates how ill he is treated. He says this when some of our members have been laid off from jobs they have worked for decades, and retirees investment income have nearly disappeared.
May God give us the strength to meet the challenges he sends us.
What does "Synod Code" really mean? There are numerous columns that a congregation can use to determine the salary.
"Synod Code" means the scale that the WELS uses to pay its employees. These would include: administrative positions of the WELS and hired staff; faculties and staff at all synodical (NOT area Luth. HS) schools; world and home missionaries as well.
Pastors and teachers in congregations are not synodical employees. Congregations are free to set their own salaries for their own called workers. However,it is also true that many congregations use the "Code" as a guideline for setting their own salaries, even though they are not required to.
As for the young pastor who openly, publicly complains -- from a fellow brother in the ministry I give these reminders from the pen of Paul: "Godliness with contentment is great gain." And, "Set an example for the believers in faith and speech..."
As for the idea that any parsonage is entirely "rent free", that's sort of true. While the pastor doesn't pay rent, he is required to report the fair market rental value of parsonage on his taxes and add that sum to his income. For many, that pushes up the income figure $8000 - 12,000, depending where they live. The pastor then is required to pay the full 15.3% SE tax on that additional amount. And since he doesn't own the home, chances are that he'll owe federal taxes on top of that, since he doesn't have enough deductions on Schedule A to zero out his 1040 tax (as many home-owning pastors with a house full of kids do.)
So, "rent free"? Technically, yes. But he does get nailed a bit on taxes. Also, if he then is led to take a call to a congregation that requires him to buy his own home, he has no equity for a down payment.
I've been in both situations in my ministry -- parsonage provided, and home owner. Honestly, I still debate in my mind which is better. Money advantages dare not be the bottom line, and it is good for pastors to look to the LORD for daily bread. And home maintenance projects can be such huge time stealers from the work of the ministry.
Not all pastors buy a home, however, motivated by financial prudence. There are very many brothers who simply have no choice; the congregation has sold all assets for other reasons, and owns no parsonage.
I pray that the buying / selling of a home is never a major consideration in the prayerful deliberation of a divine call.
I am a WELS member and I don't know what to think about your blog. Part of me says well someone else notices the things I have. Part of me asks is it sinful or is it right? You'll notice I'm being cowardly and not signing my name.
I do think it's sinful nature that causes all of this and I pray for all of us. I too worry about sin but I am trying to trust in God to take care of it.
I do think putting sin in the light is a good thing. I know of more than one case of sexual molestation that has gone on and was not reported to the police. In fact the person who was molesting was kept in their job and yes the Synod's insurance has paid for it and maybe that is what it is going to take to stop that kind of enabling. Bad publicity and rising insurance costs come from bad decisions being made. Why would anyone want to help another in their sin is beyond me.
In response to the rent issue, I know of churches who greatly undervalues the cost of the rent on the parsonage so it reduces the tax cost. I have also known Pastors to get state assistance because they say they are in the poverty level. If you add in all their perks they make well over most of the congregation. I've also heard Pastor's speak about their work much like a lawyer does - in 6 min increments.
Gone are the days Pastors made house calls. All I ever get is a voice mail message and I'm lucky if my call is returned by the Pastor. It seems some are turning their jobs into becoming managers. I'm sad about that as it shows a lack of caring. But I also think it is a sign of the times.
I'd like to ask why is there so little accountability in the church? We are to abide by the governance's of our state but I think many skirt around that and no one enforces the constitutions. If you call anyone on it they call you a heretic. I have seen more than a few men drop off of council because of it.
But just how are we suppose to deal with sin inside the church? I will tell you I notice it, spoken out and have been criticized for it. IMHO these actions have hurt the members in worshipping their God. It is one reason I and I know many others who have pulled back from service.
I am not leaving WELS because I think they are the best thing out there - they preach the true word of God and as we approach the reformation I am reminded about the reason I love being a lutheran. Remember what Luther's 1st petition was. Repentance.
So I am not sure about this blog but I keep coming back to read it. Maybe it's a good thing you're putting some of this in the son-light. I pray God takes care of the rest.
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