DJJ has left a new comment on your post "Jeske as the Last Lutheran in Broadcasting":
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
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From LutherQuest (sic)
Interesting how "official WELS" explains this. I wonder if Pr. Jeske prays with LCMS'ers in the RSO?
http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_t opicID=70&cuItem_itemID=15685
Q: Is Time of Generic Grace in fellowship with the WELS? Does WELS sponsor any Time of Generic Grace activites (sic), other than links to their website?
A: Time of Grace is what we call a parasynodical ministry. That means those who present and support it are in full doctrinal fellowship with the WELS, but their ministry is funded and managed apart from WELS mission and ministry.
Hmmmm.....At the bottom of this WELS.net page is a "Your gifts support special ministries-Partner with this ministry" opportunity to give electronically. Does this mean WELS is encouraging her people to support an LCMS RSO?
http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=642&contentID=81468&shortcutID=27364
Time of Generic Grace www.timeofgrace.org
Time of Generic Grace shares the Good News of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible, including the homebound and those who don’t hear well.
The weekly captioned church service broadcasts from St. Marcus Ev. LuthChurch, Milwaukee WI (WELS).
Look under “Find Us/Where to find us” to see if you can access the captioned TV broadcast in your area.
See “Video-Media/Recent Message” to listen/read/print recent and previous sermons.
