Shrinkers Are the New Pietiests

Shrinkers turned doctrinal discernment into "slander, legalism, and lovelessness."

Spener was the first union theologian among Lutherans, but not the last.
He wanted to "downplay" doctrinal differences, to borrow a term from David Valleskey,

The high-pitched shrieking from the Shrinker girly-men is a result of the New Pietism instituted by their crew across synodical lines.

Once the basic premises of Pietism are accepted, the Shrinker program is worthy of praise.

Premise One - Doctrinal differences are not important enough to block cooperative efforts by Lutherans and the Reformed.

Premise Two - Fruits of the Christian life must be encouraged through the promotion of lay-led small groups (conventicles, cell groups).

Premise Three - The Word of God is not effective.

The New Pietism has cloaked itself under various labels. In the 1980s, they still used Church Growth, because no one could be against the church growing. The WELS Doctrinal Pussycats even had their manufactured excuse for it. "We are not for Church Growth, but for Church Growth." I don't know who made it up, but the excuse was used often. I heard it from DP Mueller. The same lobbying group is more likely to use Emerging Church or the label du jour, whatever works for the moment.

Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield are all union institutions. Those three places are the main training centers for WELS Chicaneries, who have branched off to such places as Driscoll (Seattle), Groeschel (Life Church), Stanley (Northpoint, Drive conferences), Beeson (Granger Community Church), Rick Warren (Saddlesore), Exponential Conference (Patterson's fave), Dirt (Bishop Katie was there), Catalyst (Stanley, Groeschel, and Ski - Oh My!), and more.

Missouri and the Little Sect on the Prairie are also deeply involved. The CLC (sic) is now "all church growth," thanks to Dan Fleischer and Steve Kurtzahn (WELS, CLC, WELS) bootlicking Paul Tiefel and David Koenig. The Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) is exemplified by rancid Pietism, not by the Lutheran Confessions, hence the need to warn readers with the (sic).

I have tried to convert the Pietists to Lutheran doctrine, using the Scriptures and the Confessions. Sometimes they are agreeable and do not listen, going on as before. At other times, they shout their favorite slogans, wrapped in various accusations ("not loving!") and calls for repentance (on my part).

A Pietistic websty is easy to spot. The following characteristics jump out at the reader:

1. They emphasize love and caring and friendliness. The domain name for the most Growthy parish in Fox Valley is stpetercares.com. Do you feel the love? I do.
   
2. Pietists lead with how God has blessed them with an increase in numbers. The pastor says, "God has richly blessed us. We had ___ members when I came. Now we have ____ members." An emphasis on sound doctrine is lacking - too embarrassing.
   
3. The websty avoids the name Lutheran at all costs. The next step is avoiding the name church, which The CORE has already achieved. Check out the Chicanery carcinomas: CrossWalk, CrossRoads, Christ the Rock, etc. It is possible, not not easy, to find out the synod affiliation.
   
4. The Sacraments are "downplayed" to the point of disappearing from regular worship entertainment times.
   
5. Slogans quoted are from Enthusiasts, who have so much more wisdom than fuddie-duddies like Luther, Chemnitz, and Melanchthon. It's easier to spell Warren than Melanchthon, so that is a bonus for any Mequon graduate.
   
6. Time of Generic Grace is featured.
   

--- Anonymous has left a new comment on your post " Shrinkers turned doctrinal discernment into "sl...": Good morning Pastor GJ! Yes, the words "Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church" are listed once on the Core's webstry. It is not even on the home page, you have to click on the categories and scroll down a few times. Are Ski and others ashamed of being Lutheran? Oh yes, I remember now. Jeske said, "Change or die." He went on to make fun of those churches "out-in-the-sticks." I did not laugh at his funny remarks concerning close communion. Jeske's unionism is blatantly public; therefore, my input is not needed. Hey, I like my fuddy-duddy church with its Folgers Coffee instead of lattes. In our new visitors folder it says that church is not a movie theater. Considering the Core, do you think they list that one in there visitor information? You have to admit, that's pretty funny just thinking about it. Can you down play the sacraments? With the "felt needs approach" one has to be hospitable to the guest. Give them a choice, for example, "Would you prefer the body or the blood?" (Yes, that's morbid,remember, the Roman Catholics used to be given only the bread.) There are churches near my home[not Lutheran]that do not offer communion. Disclaimer: Time of Grace is not featured on my church's web. In Christ, from WELS church lady

--- GJ - How about "Hello, I'm Pastor Bob. We have an exciting hour for you today"? He is dressed in a Hawaiian shirt. That happens all the time.