Great Example of What a Synodical Presidential Address Ought to Be from WELS President Mark Schroeder, by Pr. Rossow
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) President Mark Schroeder delivered a wonderful address to their convention last summer. He seamlessly interwove doctrine and practice. Right doctrine in this address is not some sort of boundary or some set of right words added to a program to make it work. For Schroeder true biblical doctrine is in, with and under all that the redeemed say and do.
Here is an excerpt from the address which asserts that our work is not a matter of slick programs with God’s word sprinkled on top but our work is simply a matter of proclaiming God’s word sans programs.
The book of Acts tells us repeatedly that, as God’s people proclaimed the gospel, “the Word of the Lord grew.” As the Holy Spirit worked, the Word grew in the hearts of people. It grew to fill the empire. It grew to span the centuries…A while back I complained that President Kieschnick’s address to the district onventions was the opposite approach. Instead of a unified presentation of doctrine and life he spent the first fifteen minutes rattling off confessional truisms to try and convince the synod that he is orthodox. “Me thinks thou dost protest too much.” More to the point, a good synodical president does not need to prove his orthodoxy; he simply is orthodox in word and deed. This is what we mean by churchliness and this is an outstanding trait of Matt Harrison who is the clear confessional alternative to President Kieschnick for president of the LCMS.
What we do conclude from that? First, we are reminded wherein the success of our mission lies. If we were left to our own strength, our own wisdom, our own resources, the task would be daunting. We would surely either be compelled to retreat from that task or be doomed to failure. But the strength of our mission and our witness does not depend on us, on our own cleverness, our own will power, or on our abilities. Its effectiveness is not to be found in slick programs or in effective marketing strategies. The strength and success of our mission is found in one place: in the power and faithfulness and love of a God, whose Spirit works through the preaching of his Word and the administration of his sacraments. (p. 3)
Unlike the leadership of the LCMS, President Schroeder judges synodical success by the measure of faithfulness and not the measure of numbers. Here is another excerpt from President Schroeder’s address:
As our synod carries out its mission of sharing the gospel with the lost and caring for the souls of the found, we dare never forget that our success will not be measured in terms of numbers or statistics. Ours is a theology not of glory—striving for mere outward achievement or measurable accomplishments for their own sake. Our success will be measured only by our faithfulness—to God, to his effective and powerful Word, and to the work he has called us to do.
Rather than a theology of glory, ours is a theology of the cross. Our theology centers on a message that came to us wholly and completely because of the love of Christ. It proclaims a message that calls sinners to repentance, directs them to the cross, and that assures them that in Christ and his love all of their sins find full forgiveness.
Admittedly, the theology of the cross is not attractive in our postmodern, self-gratifying world. Unlike the theology of glory, the theology of the cross makes no promises of instant relief for the ills of life in a sinful world. It does not beckon people with the lure of financial or personal or professional success. It does not seek validation of its success in terms of numbers. It does not offer a practical “how to” manual to achieve temporal happiness or to mine the depths of human potential. The message of the cross cannot be packaged to be palatable and cannot be soft-pedaled to be acceptable. It is a message that this world does not understand and does not desire.
In fact, our message—if we are faithful to it—will always be regarded as utter foolishness, just as Paul reminds us, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” (1 Cor 1:18) (pp. 3-4)
This address sounds like the addresses of the synodical president’s (sic) of old. You can get a taste for those traditional and faithful presidential addresses in Rev. Harrision’s new book, which of course demonstrates that Rev. Harrison is at home with this Biblical approach to leading a synod and further qualifies him for the LCMS presidency.
We recommend you read the entirety of President Schroeder’s address. You can do so by clicking here.
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GJ - Faithfulness to the Word is success - so reads the conclusion of Walther's Law and Gospel, quoting Luther. Oh wait, Reformation Day is over. Forget him for another year. Sorry.
I am pleased that Missouri has a leader to emulate - Schroeder. Sadly, Barry and McCain simply prepared the way for Kieschnick.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "SP Schroeder Noticed by LCMS Blog":
Dear Greg,
I appreciate the words of the synod president as I was present and felt very good about his presentation. However, I also believe the WELS is in denial about many areas of ministry and wants to blame that on church growth or a host of other excuses. My school is struggling and as a member I see no serious effort by the pastors, principal, or lay leadership to address the problems. How do I balance my concerns against your feelings that I might be focused on measurements? I just don't feel like we have the right effort and yes, I do realize that God is directing all things to His glory. I am however having a real problem with the lack of urgency and action that I see from our called workers and some of our lay leaders.
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GJ - I can understand the dismay. WELS was in complete denial 20 years ago. Someone like Kelm could publish a Reformed paper, teach Reformed doctrine in WLC, and still be hired as a Perish Assistant at headquarters. As someone said about a mere Circuit Pastor, "The Holy Spirit put him in that office. If I question his decisions, I am questioning the Holy Spirit." I might add - and no one questions Holy Mother WELS, either.
One synod leader told me, "Even the best pastors do no visiting." I think that is the heart of the problem. The executive model has killed the pastoral model. A home-going pastor does make for a church-going congregation.
District Popes have also used their imaginary prestige to meddle with congregations and destroy the divine call. Tis strange how a man has a "divine call" to be a Fuller-trained consultant, a kindergarten teacher has a "divine call" to tell kids to draw within the lines, but the parish pastor is just a robot wound up to do the bidding of the DP. If the DP wants to get even because a pastor has discovered a praesidium pal in adultery, may God have mercy on that man's soul - because the DP won't. And I don't mean the adulterer.
The WELS method has been, at least since the days of heresiarch Ted Hartwig, to prosecute the person who tries to deal with false doctrine. WELS can always invent evidence that the wrong process was used, or the right one used in the wrong way, to incur the wrath of the officials against who? - not the false teacher, but the one who dares mention such a thing. God cannot bring about the fruits of the Gospel, when the Word of God is mocked at every step.
