Here is the link.
Listen in awe as he traces his family tree. Bow in humility as he lists himself as the last Lutheran left in broadcasting. Seriously, Mark, when was the last time you let the word Lutheran pass through your lips on Time of Generic Grace?
Get out your clickers and add up the times he uses the word change, extolling change the way Luther praised the Word of God. Could Jeske be the man who named Church and Change?
Mark loves the city, he says, and mocks "the sticks," where nothing changes.
In grantsmanship, rural areas are not fruitful for foundation and Thrivent grants. But urban areas are good for shaking the tree of liberal white guilt.
4 comments:
I hope HE changes....to the Missouri Synod.
Howdy Professor,
You know, I just moved back to Milwaukee from the "Sticks" (I wouldn't have but I found a better job here)
I know exactly why Jeske loves the city and mocks the sticks. The city has tons more fools than the country. (and it's not because of the higher population density. Per capita, there are far more fools, morons, idiots, halfwits, dimwits and imbeciles in the city.)
Jeske would've been run out of town YEARS ago if he'd tried setting up shop in farm country. Farmers know darn well that change is very wise when it's necessary and very foolish when it's not.
to them.
DK
This speech has many quotables. Here are a few highlights, please excuse any transcribing typos:
After 37 minutes, regarding change: “we had nothing to lose [...] we started to change our brand from gathering our people, and—I challenge now for the rest of your life, if you ever amongst Lutherans hear that phrase ‘our people,’ I hope the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, I hope alarm bells, red alerts, condition red, this is major trouble, to talk about ‘our people,’ that’s backward thinking that's gonna take us backwards, and ultimately that kind of thinking will destroy whatever organization you’re trying to advance.”
First, I have never ever heard the phrase “our people” in any confessional Lutheran context. Never. I don’t know when Pastor Jeske thinks we Scandinavians and Germans got off the boat to settle the prairie, but I just don’t get this “our people” tirade. You’ve also got to love the talk about branding and organizations. Thanks goodness American consumerism has taught us how to ‘do church,’ eh? Ironically, “our people” seems to be the very lingo that keeps Apple computers successful, “Oo, I’ve got my $1,500 iMac. I’m an Apple person!”
After about 44:45: “You've got it--I was gonna say bass-ackwards, but I'm not going to say it.” Good old-fashioned use of apophasis to work in some profanity. Not swearing exactly, just icky in the context of a missions speech.
After about 47:20: Good part here: denigration of ladies aid. I’m fine with that. Bad implication: more business-oriented women will work to change our congregations: “Consumer driven? Thank God—that means they will force us to change. Nobody ever wants to change. No business wants to change. Dear God, no congregation or synod wants to change.” Hurray for breeches of the second commandment. He goes on to praise the consumer-driven “me” generation at 49:35.
After about 53:00: “I told you before what the main musical instrument of Hispanic peoples is [the guitar]; what is the first and foremost musical instrument in all African culture, whether it’s African American, African African, or African Cuban? Drums. And the primary form of artistic expression in all African cultures is the dance.”
This last quotation here is one of the juicier nuggets from the whole speech. Nothing like a little racial determinism to spice up one's “organization.” Now, there is some truth to stereotypes, and Pastor Jeske does say drum and dance is a favorite of African culture (ALL African culture, apparently) rather than ‘race,’ but Pastor Jeske's unsettling implication is that African and Hispanic peoples are unable to understand any form of musical expression that is not somehow “native.” The best is how a room full of white Missouri Synod folk all murmur out “drums” when Pastor Jeske asks them about the African “heart language.” Of course, historical liturgical worship is miles away from the rock-and-roll/techno/rap culture that is the main form of “white folk” culture too (and American culture in general), but apparently that’s all by-the-by. Reminds me a little of “Theme for English B” by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes:
“I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me not like
the same things other folks like who are other races.”
-Dan
If Mark Jeske leaves the WELS,( I pray for his soul that he repents )
an anouncement should be sent to every pastor in the church.
Mark put himself in the spotlight with his show and WELS royalty -free-rein to make his own rules.
He should have no problem when his
apostacy is shown to all members.
Post a Comment