Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel, A Willow Creek Franchise, Channels Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill



Mark Driscoll interviewed Ed Stetzer here.




Tom Trapp is so well trained by The Sausage Factory that he needs to borrow material from Driscoll to preach about Jesus. See below. That is what Kelm and Patterson told the seminary in their papers - "We have to teach the Kinder how to copy the Enthusiasts. Get to work on those copy and paste exercises."


The Real Jesus: "What Difference Has Jesus Made In History?" (Part 11 of 12)
Worship on Sunday, January 11 at 10:00 am

H. G. Wells who wrote The War of the Worlds (1898) stated, “I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” The apostle Paul goes further than this, “All things were created through him [Jesus] and for him....in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).
Thanks to Mark Driscoll’s book Vintage Jesus for the outline, ideas and visual materials for this series. Pre-sermon video clip Copyright © 2008 Mars Hill Church (Creative Commons license). Used by permission.

The Real Jesus: "What Will Jesus Do Upon His Return?" (Part 12 of 12)
Worship on Sunday, January 18 at 8:30 & 11:00 am
Comedian Woody Allen, who married his own stepdaughter said, “If Jesus came back and saw what was being done in his name, he would not be able to stop throwing up.” The Bible says God wants all to come to repentance and that none perish (II Peter 3). But a Day of Judgment is coming where eternal punishment and eternal life will be revealed to the world. Jesus will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42) and will separate believers and himself from unbelievers—forever (Matthew 25).
Thanks to Mark Driscoll’s book Vintage Jesus for the outline, ideas and visual materials for this series. Pre-sermon video clip Copyright © 2008 Mars Hill Church (Creative Commons license). Used by permission.


Mars Hill theology:

Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5). We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for the flesh (Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11–15).

the Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer’s responsi¬bility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; Ephesians 4:7–8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given to him (Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).


***

GJ - The WELS parents are saying, "Thank God we have a chapel there to keep our children Lutheran. We wouldn't want them wandering over to the Enthusiasts."

Global Warming Alert



(AP) Ben Tobin, right, and Jamie Schmidt remove a snow berm left in their driveway by snowplows.

Spokane, Wash., residents cope with record snow

Jan 7, 5:36 AM (ET)

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - More than 6 feet of snow in the past three weeks has left Spokane residents frustrated. Tempers are so frayed that a man was arrested for shooting at a snow plow operator.

This unusually harsh winter has disrupted schools, traffic, garbage pickup and mail service in the city of 200,000.

Roofs are collapsing, streets are clogged with ice and slush and locals are starting to refer to this as Sno-maggedon.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Rebel's Guide to Plagiarism - At Doebler's Rock and Roll Church:
Cutting Edge of Church and Chicanery



Busta Move, borrowing someone else's music.



Copycat Matt Doebler must be emulating Paul Kelm and John Parlow, or the rest of the creative Church and Chicanery leaders.



From Mars Hill Church: The Rebel's Guide to Joy

"We live in a society where everybody is peddling joy. Stuffed shirt types try to sell you religion, and the legion of advertisers tell you that joy can be found in a bottle, pill, or new car. Yet, as Pastor Mark Driscoll examines the life and teachings of the apostle Paul in Acts 16 and Phil. 1:1-1a you will learn where joy is to be found as the Bible is the rebels guide to joy."


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 2940
01hr:06mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Temptation
Phil. 2:12-30 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 6 November 11, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 3436
01hr:09mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Humility
Phil. 2:1-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 5 November 04, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 2565
01hr:10mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Death
Phil. 1:19-30 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 4 October 28, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 3193
01hr:12mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Suffering
Phil. 1:12-18 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 3 October 21, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 4384
01hr:09mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Loneliness
Philippians 1:1b-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 2 October 14, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 3783
01hr:12mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy in Anxiety
Phil. 4:2-9 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 9 December 09, 2007


Added: 6 months ago
Views: 7157
01hr:07mn
show series clips The Rebel's Guide to Joy
Acts 16, Philippians 1:1-1a Pastor Mark Driscoll
Part 1 October 07, 2007

From Doebler's Rock and Roll Church: The Rebel's Guide to Joy

NEW SERIES FOR JANUARY!

"We live in a society where everybody is peddling joy. Stuffed shirt types try to sell you religion, and the legion of advertisers tell you that joy can be found in a bottle, pill, or new car. But as the economy worsens, brokenness increases, and relationships continue to disintegrate, the search for joy grows all the more desperate and fruitless. Starting January 11th, we will be digging deeply into the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippian Church and will find out where real joy is to be found in every circumstance, good or bad."

1/11 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy Intro

1/18 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Loneliness

1/25 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Suffering

2/1 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Death

2/8 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Humility

2/15 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Temptation

2/22 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Conflict

3/1 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Exhaustion

3/8 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Anxiety

3/15 The Rebel’s Guide to Joy in Poverty

All of Pastor Matt's sermons are located right here on our website under the Resources tab for Media. If you missed last Sunday don't worry! Catch up right here by listening to Pastor Matt through our Podcast by visiting our media page.



***


GJ - I said it before - plagiarism is a civil crime. Ask any doctor of divinity. Yes, it is against the law to use the words of someone else and claim them as your own. Here Doebler gives no credit to the Mars Hill Church or to the minister who gave the sermons and posted them six months ago. Where are the quotation marks around the introductory words, which are almost identical? Where is the link to the source?

Get this - Rock and Roll Church copyrights their plagiarized material. Here it is:

Copyright Christ the Rock Ministries 2008 All Rights Reserved

St. Mark, Depere has been a leader in nabbing the sermons--yay, even the emails--of false teachers. That is why The Sausage Factory invited Paul Kelm to give a paper on how to improve seminary education. Imaginary excerpt: "There is not enough plagiarism being taught here. Buckle down and teach the Kinder how to plagiarize."

Meanwhile, Gunga Don Patterson and Doctrinal Pussycat Glaeske do exactly nothing.

---




Blog promotion of the Mars Hill series.

More Digital Advances




The semester ended in a frenzy of grading and being graded. I had to catch up with all my past-due journalism homework and grade a bunch of classes. Everything had to be finished just before the Winter Break. Now everybody in education gets two weeks off for Winter Break to celebrate Winter. We also spent time buying Winter presents for our grandchildren and their parents. We were in the retail capital of the world, so we also shopped for bargains during the Winter and post-Winter sales.

We are trying to keep the Winter spirit alive the rest of the year.*

The spring semester brought a surprise. I am taking a required course to increase my knowledge of all the digital media. That is why you will be seeing more PhotoShopped work on this blog and many more additions to my domain. I will be learning more about social networking (FaceBook, Twitter) and podcasting, and video on the website. I also have to refresh my knowledge of Flash, which is great software for web design. Regent has quite a program in digital media, movie and TV production, and screen-writing.

*I make a point of always saying Merry Christmas to anyone to tries to dodge the name of the season. I enjoyed a little moment of fun when I said "Merry Christmas" to two atheists who spent a lot of class-time making their dubious points. They were pained to hear those odious words. The demons believe, but their hides bristle.

Blog of the Week


Issues, Etc. decided the Ichabod quotation of Luther qualified it for the coveted Blog of the Week Award.

That was December 5th.

But "no one reads Ichabod."

Monday, January 5, 2009

Ohio State Chokes Again



Ohio State solidified its reputation for losing The Big One
at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, January 5th.


The Buckeyes seemed to outplay the Longhorns throughout the game, establishing a fine lead with 2 minutes left to play. First they blew a 2 point attempt after their touchdown. Next they let the Longhorns gallop down the field for a touchdown and extra point, losing by 3 points.

To Study or Not To Study:
That Is the Question



Oh no, not Reformed doctrine again!


Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Fellowship Principles - Loose Bowels":

Valleskey said that the Reformed "downplay the Means of Grace?" They don't "downplay the Means," they reject the Means! That's why they have a doctrine called Immediate Grace -- they insist that God works immediately, not mediately. For them, the "so-called Means of Grace" are merely an "attending circumstance," as Walther, in Lecture 16 of Law and Gospel and Pieper, in Vol 3 of his Dogmatics, point out at length. The perspectives of the Reformed are perspectives which despise and reject the Means of Grace, not merely downplay them. That is why borrowing from the Reformed is tantamount to vicious attack on Lutheran theology!

Which brings me to my second point. You state, "One WELS pastor said correctly that many WELS pastors know their Biblical languages quite well, but they are hopeless when it comes to theology." Sadly, based on experience, I must concur. I've read Walther. I've read Pieper. I've read some works of Chemnitz. I've read Krauth. I've read parts of Hoenecke. I've also read parts of Hodge, Nevin, and most of Grudem. Often I find that, when I attempt to engage WELS pastors that I meet in discussion over theological works -- Lutheran works in particular -- many scoff and reply, "I didn't take that elective at Seminary." While I applaud their skill in languages, I am dismayed that they don't read theology! This certainly isn't the case in every instance -- I've met a couple who did take the comparative religion elective, and met one who has read Lutheran theological works at length -- but I have been left without a good conversation often enough that it leaves me with a feeling of concern, and frankly, of diminished respect.

Freddy Finkelstein

---

Benjamin Tomczak has left a new comment on your post "Fellowship Principles - Loose Bowels":

Freddy ~

I'm sad to hear about your concern and your diminishing respect. I concur that I'm disappointed when it appears (or doesn't just appear, but is actually the case) that pastors aren't interested in growing in theological depth and knowledge. We preach to our people that "Jesus loves me, this I know, and this is all I want to know," is not and can not be the motto for the Christian life. As Walther says in his Law and Gospel (merely paraphrasing 2 Peter 3), the Christian, converted by the Spirit, wants nothing else but to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and understand more and more of the Scriptures. You'd think that would automatically go double for the shepherds of the flock.

Sadly, we're sinful too (not an excuse, but a reason). It's easy to get overwhelmed with so many other tasks, to let ourselves get overwhelmed, to create extra tasks, and let our own personal study sort of slip to the side. (It is of course also easy to schmear, or not dig as deeply as we should when prepping for classes.) I don't know how many days I've had "Dog Log" (as we called it at Sem) reading on my To-Do list and it keeps slipping down because it seems hard (and I feel guilty) just spending an hour in the middle of the afternoon reading without it being for a specific purpose for that day -- Sunday's Bible class or sermon, responding to a counseling situation, a member's question, a situation at hand, etc. Again, not a good excuse, but a reason.

But we have to make time for growing in our theological depth and understanding. We need to understand the controversies we're facing, the controversies that have come before (and will come again), and understand where we came from. Besides, most of those guys (Luther, Chemnitz, Walther, et al., said it all so much better than I ever could, why reinvent the wheel?). And we have to not just make time for it, but we have to avoid the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) anti-intellectualism that creeps into our brotherly relationships. It's not bad to be smart, to be well-read, to have your nose in a book once in a while, to have a more than one page bibliography. Especially when it's about diving deeper into the Holy Word of God, growing in faith and knowledge for yourself and for your people, so that you are, as Peter said, always prepared to give an answer.

Thanks for your warning! It spurs me on to keep reading, reading, reading.

Pr. Benjamin Tomczak

PS
I've found that nothing gets me reading more, thinking more, studying more, than getting assigned a conference paper (a close second is my midweek and Sunday Bible classes -- I'm trying to make more time in my sermon prep for checking the Fathers for neat quotes, interesting insights, etc.). It helped me get into a lot of Luther that I haven't yet read. I'm hoping that we might perhaps consider breaking our conference into two conferences soon so that perhaps we have the opportunity to do some more research type work.

On second thought, could we move to add about one or two more days to the week with the phones unhooked, no special services, no member visits and no crying children -- just read, read, read, study, study, study?!?!?

---

RandomDan has left a new comment on your post "Fellowship Principles - Loose Bowels":

Speaking of loose fellowship principles, the church workers out there reading this might want to take a gander at who else we are now in fellowship with via the Willow Creek Association.

St. Edna Catholic Church

Welcome to the Archdiocese of Chicago!


***

GJ - Ben, I studied doctrine and the Scriptures with dying children in the house, with constant medical crises. That tends to concentrate the mind on important matters. A pastor only needs to preach, teach, and visit. All the social activities are adiaphora and best left to the congregation. Being the Social Director of The Love Boat is a Fuller idea, to generate "happy campers," as one CG guru said at a conference I attended.

A WELS conference paper is not the best way to study. Quite the contrary. WELS pastors expect a conference paper to repeat what they heard before, to skirt all issues, and to avoid offending anyone except God.

The best way to study doctrine is to read Luther, Chemnitz, and the Book of Concord, then address doctrinal issues in the congregation, circuit, and conference. The firestorm resulting will send anyone back to the sources to see what went wrong.

Columbus, Ohio was my Harvard and Yale, to paraphrase Melville, because all the pastors promoted false doctrine, open communion, etc. We also had three divorced pastors out of six - all with Scriptural divorces, they said. I am grateful to them for making me study Luther and the Confessions. When my wife became disabled, I read thousands of pages of Luther to her, the sermons plus Galatians plus some commentaries plus Luther's Family Devotions and some other items. That is the best kind of study, both Biblical and doctrinal. Luther is forgotten today. He refused to have any fellowship with those who denied the Real Presence.

Norm Teigen Speaks



They even parade for Norm in Minnesota.


Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Snarling at the Wrong Thing":

My radar goes off when you mention the ELS. I question the believability of at least part of your post because there is no ELS congregation in Cottage Grove MN. I don't know who was on the ELS Doctrinal Committee in the past and had never heard of the Fuller connection. Who might that have been who was a raving Fuller graduate?

Norman Teigen
ELS layman
(I am not an official spokesperson for the ELS but I did today receive an official 'King of Grace' golf shirt for my service at the school. I presume that the gift of this golf shirt certifies my membership in the previously mentioned Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The golf shirt does not imply certification as a spokesman for the ELS, however.}

***

GJ - OK, I had the wrong state, but the right city. I am sure everyone in the Little Sect on the Prairie knows about Nathan Krause, Church and Chicanery, and Cottage Grove. The ELS Bad Boy posted blog material about the parish website some time ago.

The person on the doctrinal board? I recall he was in Naples, Florida. I think he joined ELCA next. The letter came from an ELS source. I lost track of the letter and asked for another copy. My source (not Webber - he's too coy) refused. Jay gave me the newspaper article about Dan Kelm and his Willow Creek services. Mrs. Ichabod got a clean copy and I sent it to Christian News. That was and still remains typical ELS behavior - circulate a newspaper article, cluck tongues loudly (when the pope is not in the vicinity), and do nothing.

No one wants the Left Foot of Fellowship.

The ELS pastors always brag about how confessional they are, but really, they could not together knock the skin off a pudding, let alone fight false doctrine. Getting upset about doctrine makes one late for dinner.

Fellowship Principles - Loose Bowels




Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "CEO Delivers Another One-Two Punch to Satan, Spell...":

I don't mean to add to what appears to be growing despair, but there are some facts that need to be faced. One of them is a loosening of Fellowship terminology that has been coming from Milwaukee over the past few years. Although I am not an avid reader of WLQ (as I am of ELS-LSQ and CLC-JOT, since they are free and online), every now and then I will borrow a copy of WLQ from my pastor, to see what's going on. Overall, I must say, I am quite pleased with the quality of our theologians. Some disappointments, however, include what appears to be a broadening permissivity in WLQ toward expressions of Fellowship with those of heterodox confession. This has resulted in distinctions such as “Christian Fellowship” and “Church Fellowship.”

Reading with cow eyes, I have understood these distinctions as merely descriptive of the relative imperfection with which Fellowship principles may be carried out between individuals, as opposed to when organizations are directly involved. In other words, I have understood them not as separate prescriptive principles, but as descriptive of how the single principal of Biblical Fellowship (unit concept) may at times be carried out as a practical matter in distinct contexts. Given that this may have been the intention at first, I am no longer under the impression that these terms are being treated merely as descriptive, but rather that they are being regarded as prescriptive -- as separate principles. I'm not the only one who has noticed this, either. Theologians of the LCMS have picked up on it too, and have commented on it in public. In a recent interview with Dr. Martin Noland (LCMS) on Issues, Etc., for example, he pointed out this very thing. Here is the link: http://www.issuesetc.org/podcast/Show121121508H1.mp3 -- fast-forward to minute 37:00, and begin listening there (actually, I thought the whole interview was quite interesting).

I've also heard additional terms like “Confessional Fellowship” thrown in the mix, along with distinctions like “Christian Brother” versus “Confessional Brother.” Under classic and orthodox Lutheran teaching, all of those with faith do indeed share Unity in the “Brotherhood of the Saints“ -- the Una Sancta. But this Unity, which is a product of our faith in Christ's promises, is invisible. Recognizing an individual as a “Christian Brother,” however, moves one to the realm of the Visible Church, and the Biblical criteria for such recognition is not a measure of that individual's faith (since faith is invisible to us), nor is it appreciation for orthodox aspects of an openly heterodox confession, but agreement in all matters of doctrine and practice. With all of the imperfections that we must admit exist in such agreement, recognizing individuals of openly heterodox confession as “Christian Brothers” has never been considered consistent with the Biblical doctrine of Fellowship, nor has organizational association with them -- until recently, it seems. Do a search on WELS Q&A for “Confessional Brother” and “Christian Brother,” for example, and you'll be surprised how these terms are being used, now.

The fact is, for Church Growth to make any headway over the past two/three decades, whether officially or unofficially, a loosening of application in Fellowship standards has had to occur. While the laity has slept, while the laity has trusted the Ministerium to keep pure our doctrine and practice, it seems that the job hasn't been getting done (then again, in all charity, maybe the attacks have grown so withering that those doing the job have lost ground). There simply is no way that individual laymen, pastors and theologians, or entire congregations, could otherwise enter into open association with the heterodox the way that CG Church Changers are doing today (and I am thinking especially of the association between St. Mark's DePere and WCA, at the moment). Whether WELS is changing it's position on Fellowship, or whether the clarity of that teaching has been muddied as Church Changers and other restless Lutherans throw challenges at it (and exploit opportunities produced from the resulting lack clarity and lack of decisive and consistent application), it seems evident that our terminology is catching up with the reality of our practice. Whether intentional or not, with all of the new categories of fellowship represented by this new terminology, the seeming result is a framework for recognizing “levels of fellowship” of some sort.

So, is this the reason for the “deafening silence” we hear coming from Synodical leadership? There may well be other explanations, but lack of clarity will always result in lack of grounds for action, and thus lack of decisiveness – and lack of decisive action against CG and the Church Changers seems to have been the problem all along.

I've heard it said, “Fellowship is the immune system of the Church.” It appears we in the WELS are currently suffering from immune deficiency. This is a definite problem.

Freddy Finkelstein

***

GJ - Paul Tiefel, CLC cousin of James Tiefel, was always anxious to prove that anti-Lutherans were good tonic for Lutherans (not that he knew what Lutheran doctrine was). His clownish side-kick David Koenig always praised Roman Catholic and Reformed missions, so the CLC sent Koenig back into the world missionary field. Lutherans seem to be the only denomination to spend millions of dollars to promote another denomination's doctrine. How dumb is that?

Here are some funny Koenig stories. That is why you are reading this blog, for the inside stuff. Koenig was always doing research with WELS CG guys to prove I was wrong. He was in touch with Larry Olson and David Valleskey. I knew that because Koenig loved to write ugly, hateful letters filled with scrawled writing and weirdness. He said in one letter that he checked with Valleskey and Valleskey admitted he did attend Fuller Seminary, a fact the seminary president denied more than three times, and not just in front of a charcoal fire. So I published that fact and named my source. So then Koenig was furious with me that Valleskey was furious with him for telling the truth. That is Church Growth in a nutshell.

In Columbus, Ohio, the WELS Church Growth gurus (Paul Kuske, Floyd Luther Stolzenburg) insisted among the laity that criticism of false doctrine was "Christian-bashing." Since the bashing term was modified from the lingo of homosexual activists, it seemed especially irksome.

Valleskey told Guy Purdue that his famous Figs from Thistles--or was it Spoiling the Egyptians?--article was written against "that legalist Greg Jackson." Oddly, Valleskey went out of his way to flatter me by name in the WLQ article. Naturally, I smelled a skunk. Echoes of Romans 16: "By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people" (NIV, so the WELS pastors can follow it).

I cannot comment on the quality of the WLQ articles. I thought of the tabloid as kindling once they let Valleskey claim that the Reformed "downplay the Means of Grace." Their Hebrew teacher-football coach-dogmatician Brug solemnly declared that there is nothing in the New Testament against women's ordination. So why shouldn't women consecrate the elements of Holy Communion?

One WELS pastor said correctly that many WELS pastors know their Biblical languages quite well, but they are hopeless when it comes to theology.

Kelm Anecdote




When Paul Kelm was promoting Reformed doctrine at Wisconsin Lutheran College, his course was required for graduation.

One student asked to be excused from the course.

The response was, many years after I was out of WELS, "Have you been talking to Greg Jackson?"

The family thought this was hilarious since they came to their conclusion on their own.

The MLC keynote speaker job, noted below, is meant to send a message - just like the gig at The Love Shack. The apostates are lining up to shove their Reformed doctrine in everyone's face. WELS funded Church and Change. Sow the wind - reap the whirlwind.

Church and Chicanery's Peter Pan - Chaplain




Police Chaplain

Chaplain Peter Panitzke began his volunteer service with the Muskego Police Department in January of 2006. As chaplain he rides along with the patrol officers as often as possible. He provides spiritual care to members of the department and individuals the department serves.

Chaplain Panitzke received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin in 1978 and the Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin in 1982. He is currently completing course work for the Master of Sacred Theology degree, also from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He began his pastoral ministry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of St. Peter’s, Missouri where he served for sixteen years. In 1998 he was called to serve St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Muskego. At St. Paul’s he is the ministerial team leader and pastor for outreach.

Email: ppanitzke@stpaulmuskego.org


***

Panitzke:
Tonight at eight you shoulda seen
A chauffeur pull up in a rented limousine!
My neighbors burned! They like to die!
When I tell them who is gettin' in and goin' out is I!
If they could see me now,
That little gang of mine,
I'm eating fancy chow
And drinking fancy wine.
I'd like those stumble bums to see for a fact
The kind of top drawer, first rate chums I attract.
All I can say is "Wow-ee!
Looka where I am.
Tonight I landed, pow!
Right in a pot of jam.
What a set up! Holy cow!
They'd never believe it,
If my friends could see me now!
If they could see me now,
My little dusty group,
Traipsin' 'round this million dollar chicken coop.
I'd hear those thrift shop cats say:
"Brother, get him!
Draped in a squad filled with three kinds of cops."
All I can say is, "Wow!
Wait till the riff an' raff
See just exactly how
He sign this autograph."
What a build up! Holy cow!
They'd never believe it,
If my friends could see me now!
If they could see me now
Alone with Captain V.,
Who's waiting on me like he was a maître d'
I'd hear my buddies saying:
"Crazy, what gives?
Tonight he's living like
The other half lives!"
To think the highest brow,
Which I must say is he,
Should pick the lowest brow,
Which there's no doubt is me!
What a step up! Holy cow!
They'd never believe it,
If my friends could see me now!
What a step up! Holy cow!
They'd never believe it...
They'd never believe it,
If my friends could see me now
Hi, guys it's me, Panitzke!

***

WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, 1992: authors are - James Woodworth, Disciples of Christ; "Net Results," March, 1991; Roger K. Guy, Disciples of Christ; Arnell P. C. Arn, American Baptist Church; Jane Easter Bahls, Presbyterian; C. Jeff Woods, freelance writer and minister; Lyle Schaller, United Methodist; Pastor Paul Kelm; Pastor Jim Mumm, WELS; Pastor Peter Panitzke, WELS; Pastor Randall Cutter and Mark Freier, WELS; First Congretional Church, Winchester, MA."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, '92, 2929 Mayfair Road Milwaukee, WI 53222. [GJ - Note how many WELS pastors listed here have left the Lutheran Church.]

Group Ministry - Small (Church and Chicanery Conference)
Pastor Peter Panitzke

[Better known as Peter Pan, this guy will teach congregations how to set up Pietistic cell groups, the essential method and doctrine of Fooler Seminary, Willow Crick, and various clones.]

Two 40 day programs with daily devotions and small group sessions.

Email: ppanitzke@stpaulmuskego.org

Willow Creek Association Pastor Paul Kelm - Keynote Speaker at Martin Luther (sic) College



Pastor Paul Kelm (DMin, Church Growth, Concordia, St. Louis) joined the Willow Creek Association while at St. Mark, Depere. He is now at The Love Shack.


Speechless.


Martin Luther College

Evangelism Day 2009
last modified 2008-12-30 08:08 AM
Wednesday, January 21, MLC will conduct its fourth annual Evangelism Day

You are invited to attend the opening worship service and the key‐note address for MLC’s Evangelism Day, January 21, 2009.

Evangelism Day is dedicated to equipping MLC students to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, both in their personal lives and when they serve in the public ministry.This year the focus of the day will be evangelism as a way of life.

The opening service and the key‐note address will be held in the Chapel in the Wittenberg Collegiate Center. The opening service will begin at 8:30 a.m. The speaker will be the Rev. Tim Soukup, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas. The key‐note address will be repeated three times: 9:30 ‐ 10:25 a.m., 10:35‐11:30 a.m., and 1:50 ‐2:45 a.m. Rev. Paul Kelm, a church consultant for the parish assistance program of the WELS, will speak on Outreach + Evangelism = Mission.

You are welcome to attend these events. While you are on campus, lunch is available at the college cafeteria at a modest cost.


***

GJ - There is the proof of WELS prostrate before Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. St. Mark, Depere, Wisconsin, is openly in union with the Willow Creek Association. Here is the link:

Willow Creek Association Find a Church

"While we do not oversee the ministry expressions of individual churches, WCA Membership is intended solely for churches that hold an orthodox understanding of biblical Christianity. All WCA Member Churches have affirmed the central doctrines of the Bible reflected in the WCA Statement of Faith and also presented in the historic creeds of the Christian faith. WCA Membership is open to churches of any size or denomination that are marked by a deep commitment to furthering the cause of Christ." Willow Creek Association

Willow Creek and St. Mark, Depere Statement of Faith
  • The Bible is God's unique revelation to people. It is the inspired, infallible Word of God, and the supreme and final authority on all matters upon which it teaches. No other writings are vested with such divine authority.
  • There is only one God, creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally as three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each fully God yet each personally distinct from the other.
  • All people are created in God's image and matter deeply to Him. Central to the message of the Bible is that God loves people, and invites them to live in communion with Himself and in community with each other.
  • Apart from Jesus Christ, all people are spiritually lost and, because of sin, deserve the judgment of God. However, God gives salvation and eternal life to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ and in His sacrifice on his or her behalf. Salvation cannot be earned through personal goodness or human effort. It is a gift that must be received by humble repentance and faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
  • Jesus Christ, second Person of the Trinity, was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless human life, willingly took upon Himself all of our sins, died and rose again bodily, and is at the right hand of the Father as our advocate and mediator. Some day, He will return to consummate history and to fulfill the eternal plan of God.
  • The Holy Spirit, third Person of the Trinity, convicts the world of sin and draws people to Christ. He also indwells all believers. He is available to empower them to lead Christ-like lives, and gives them spiritual gifts with which to serve the church and reach out to a lost and needy world.
  • Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. At the final judgment, unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation. Believers will be received into God's loving presence and rewarded for their faithfulness to Him in this life.
  • All believers are members of the body of Christ, the one true church universal. Spiritual unity is to be expressed among Christians by acceptance and love of one another across ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, national, generational, gender, and denominational lines.
  • The local church is a congregation of believers who gather for worship, prayer, instruction, encouragement, mutual accountability, and community with each other.
  • Through it, believers invest time, energy, and resources to fulfill the Great Commission — reaching lost people and growing them into fully devoted followers of Christ.

    Evangelism Day is another romp for the Church and Chicanery People.


  • ---

    QUOTATIONS BY AND ABOUT PASTOR PAUL KELM (WELS)



    "TELL has served the church faithfully for 15 years. Three editors have served; Ronald Roth (1977-84), Paul Kelm (1985-88), and the undersigned since 1989...The lead article in the first issue of TELL was titled 'Church Growth - Worthwhile for WELS.'...The author of this article in April 1988 issue of TELL concludes, 'It's obvious by now that I believe we in WELS can profit greatly from the writings of the church-growth leaders.' ... TELL as a separate publication ends with this issue. Nevertheless, the focus of The Evangelism Life Line will continue for years to come as an integral part of the new Board for Parish Services journal - PARISH LEADERSHIP.

    Rev. Robert Hartman TELL (WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.



    "The Network of WELS Small Group Leaders. 1. Information on active/interested small group leaders. 2. The Resource Sharing Network led by Divine Savior in Indianapolis, Indiana [Pastor Dan Kelm]." WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19. Finding the Receptive: People in Transition, by James Witt - "The Bible illustrates the people-in-transition receptivity principle very well. Converts such as Naaman, a leper; Ruth, a widow; the woman at the well, a five-time divorcee; the thief on the cross, a convict near death; were all people who in a period of transition were receptive to hearing the Gospel. The Receptivity-Rating Scale shown at left... Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism Appendix III,



    "MOTIVATING AND ORGANIZING THE CONGREGATION AROUND THE GREAT COMMISSION" [This is the Donald Abdon view of relating all church structures to evangelism, as noted in Valleskey's PT notes.]

    Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism



    "Don't let the world paint us into a corner of antiquarianism on subjects like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 13.



    "Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is logically defensible, once one makes reason ministerial to God and His Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic tools. In fact, lend your copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education have become his curse. Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or Lunatic' argument for the deity of Christ, you'll find yourself using it."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 14. "PLANNING, long-range or short-range, should be S-M-A-R-T...specific...measurable...accepted...realistic...timed...." Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism p. 3.



    "A last word on sound doctrine is in place. Sound doctrine must be distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The liturgy, translation of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the church are not equatable with sound doctrine." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3. "Doctrines in controversy and applications to those doctrines are a disciple's meat. They are swallowed only after patient doses of discipling milk. The art of mission work is to preserve that sequence despite a prospect's desire to chew what he can't swallow."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.



    "Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: "I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.]

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 4.



    "Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When Good People Sound it. Normally, people respond to other people before they respond to doctrine."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 7.



    WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, 1992: authors are - James Woodworth, Disciples of Christ; "Net Results," March, 1991; Roger K. Guy, Disciples of Christ; Arnell P. C. Arn, American Baptist Church; Jane Easter Bahls, Presbyterian; C. Jeff Woods, freelance writer and minister; Lyle Schaller, United Methodist; Pastor Paul Kelm; Pastor Jim Mumm, WELS; Pastor Peter Panitzke, WELS; Pastor Randall Cutter and Mark Freier, WELS; First Congretional Church, Winchester, MA."

    Pastor Jim Radloff, editor, WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, '92, 2929 Mayfair Road Milwaukee, WI 53222



    "The mistaken announcement by a reporter from another Lutheran body was clearly repudiated in the March 15, 1992 issues of The Northwestern Lutheran. Yet you boldly state that the WELS continues to be a part of this project, in which it never participated. Dr. Jackson, I ask you to repent of your slanderous lie and retract it publicly. Galatians 6:1-2 leads me to ask this of you, for the sake of your spiritual life. Titus 3:10 urges me to ask this of you for the sake of the church. cc: District President Robert Mueller, Vice President Paul Kuske, Vice President Gerald Schroer, Rev. David Grundmeier, Rev. Gary Baumler."

    Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.



    "Your September 21 article in Christian News perpetuates a lie, slanders leaders of your church and risks spiritual offense to weak brothers and sisters. You describe a conference on leadership in which fellowship lines were clearly drawn and at which testimony to the truths which separate Lutherans was publicly given as 'a joint ministry conference with a liberal agenda.' Then you add, 'Months later, the three groups [ELCA, LCMS, WELS] joyfully announced a joint religious radio show, Joy, also funded by Lutheran insurance money. WELS participated in 'Joy' from the beginning and continues to be a part of the project.'"

    Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS), Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.



    "Small churches need not be small thinkers, but small-thinking churches will always remain small. Churches and people seldom go/grow beyond their expectations."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 6.



    "Small thinking churches typically budget to remain small."

    Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p. 7.



    "Evangelism upside-down is starting with the subjective issues of perceived reality and working back to God's objective truths of ultimate reality - sin and grace. It's offering the attendant blessings of salvation as the 'hook' to gain an audience for God's plan of salvation." [felt needs used to sell the Gospel]

    Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 4.



    "Upside-down evangelism may begin with different diagnostic questions. What do you want out of life? lets the other person pick the path for witness. How do you feel about where our society is heading? uncovers fears and needs without becoming too personal. What makes people happy (or unhappy) do you think? allows someone to express preceived [sic] needs in the third person."

    Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



    "Upside-down evangelism doesn't begin with personal sin and guilt, but rather with the consequences of sin. Societal consequences (for which each day's newspaper provides evidence) are the 'perceived need' door to understanding the alienation of life and people from God."

    Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



    "It's just easier for many people to work backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact, upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross." [This is Moravian Pietism, as shown by Walther's Law and Gospel.] Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.

    "Upside-down evangelism follows the path of least resistance to the God of gracious acceptance."

    Paul Kelm The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.



    "Lifestyle evangelism is the merger of visual and verbal witness, by the people Jesus intended, in the way that He modeled. It's the primary element in a church's strategy to win the lost." [Other endorsements from Rev. Burton Bundy, Church of the Lutheran Brethren, and Dr. Erwin Kolb, LCMS] Rev. Paul Kelm, Evangelism, WELS

    Your Invitation! Kent Hunter, (D.Min., Fuller; S.T.D., LSTC) Church Growth Center, Corunna, Indiana 46730 Phone 219-281-2452 Invitation for Heart to Heart Workshop,



    "When planning the service, Rev. Kelm and the worship committee decided immediately that there wouldn't be any organ music and that the usual Lutheran liturgy wouldn't be used."

    Carol Elrod, "Pastor Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1990 printed in CN



    "The role model for this carefully choreographed and rehearsed service, referred to by Rev. Kelm as a 'seeker service,' is Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill., near Chicago, an independent congregation formed 14 years ago...Rev. Kelm said he viewed a videotape of a service at the Chicago-area church before planning the first seeker service for Divine Savior, which is affiliated with the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod."

    Carol Elrod, "Pastor Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1990 Reprinted in CN



    "Our synod now has a fulltime executive secretary for evangelism. He's the Rev. Paul Kelm; and we need him. We need him to be our evangelism advocate."

    Rev. Ron Roth, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985 p. 2.



    "Church growth theory suggests the need for seven fellowship groups for every 100 members."

    Pastor Paul E. Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 4.


    ---

    WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE

    Milwaukee, WI



    THE 211: The Christian Faith and Life (3 credits)

    Pastor Paul Kelm, Home Phone 784-0492 (Consultation by appointment)





    I. COURSE DESCRIPTION



    A biblical study of the Christian’s relationship with God~ self and others, with a particular focus on the ministry and fellowship of Christians gathered to be Christ’s church.





    II. COURSE OBJECTIVES



    A. That students develop a more personal relationship with their God through Bible

    study, reflection and discussion.



    B. That students develop a clearer understanding of themselves and their gifts, as well as Christian skills for coping with life and using their gifts.



    C. That students become familiar with the nature and mission of Christ’s Church,

    together with the challenges and opportunities confronting contemporary churches.



    D. That students evaluate several significant issues and functions of confessional Lutheran churches.





    III. COURSE METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS



    A. Three distinct areas outline the content of the course: Skills of Christian Living, Is sues of Personal Christianity and Principles of Church Leadership. Sometimes students will be asked to prepare for class discussion, especially by thoughtful study of a chapter of the Bible during the “issues of personal Christianity” subjects. Most classes will be guided by a handout prepared by the instructor. Lecture, question and answer, focused discussion and small-group interaction will be the methodology employed. Students are invited to raise related issues for discussion.



    B. Each student will develop a Bible study, based on a specific chapter of the Bible and for a specific audience. Chapter and audience options are listed later in this syllabus. Bible studies will be graded according to the following criteria: 1) How well did this study bring out the main truths of the chapter in a detailed outline or narrative that both explained and illustrated these truths? 2) Is this study relevant to the audience selected? 3) Does this study involve the audience in the study through effective questions, discussion starters, action involvement, etc.? 4) How clear and practical are the applications of the chapter’s truths to life? 5) Does this study clearly relate Jesus Christ to the chapter and to the Christian’s life? 6) How creative and engaging is this study? Bible studies are to be turned in no later than September 23.





    C. Each student will deliver an oral book review of six minutes in class. Book choices are listed later in this syllabus. The book review should include: the title of the book and a brief introduction of the author; a clear statement of the major premise/point/purpose of the book; at least four significant secondary or supporting arguments the author raises: an explanation of what value the book has to a Christian life and/or a church leader: a theological evaluation of the book (Is it biblically accurate and doctrinally correct?). Finally, the book review must convince the instructor that you actually read the book. The book review is due on or before Wednesday, October 21.



    D. Students will complete an interview, analysis and summary project in teams of two. Options are listed later in this syllabus. Students must register their choice of project with the instructor by Wednesday, September 30, and must submit the written summary - no less than four typed, double-spaced pages with interview sheets attached - by Wednesday, November 18.



    E. A research paper on one issue or aspect of congregational life and ministry is due on or before Wednesday, December 9. This paper must be not less than five typed, double-spaced pages of original composition. Two copies must be submitted, one of which will be returned. The paper should combine research, evaluation and the clear presentation of a thesis or strategy. Research should include interviews, essays, articles and books. At least five different sources must be cited in the bibliography. A list of suggested subjects is included in this syllabus. However, students may choose their own subject, with the approval of the instructor. The subject matter of each student’s research paper must be established with the instructor by Wednesday, November 4.



    F. There will be no exams.



    G. Texts for this course are available in the bookstore and include:

    THE HOLY BIBLE



    IV. EVALUATION AND GRADE



    Completion of all course requirements assures a C. Grading above a C will be based on the level of thoroughness, thought and clarity in each area of course requirement. The grade will be compiled with approximately 20% weight attributed to each of five areas: the Bible study, the book review, the team interview project, the research paper, and class contribution. Failure to complete all of the course requirements will result in an F. Late submission of any required assignment will lower the final grade by as much as one-half of a grade point (A to AB, AR to B, etc.) for each week or portion thereof overdue.



    Because class preparation and discussion rather than examinations are an essential means of evaluation as well as education, each unacceptable absence from class will lower the final grade by as much as one-half of a grade point.



    Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will mean failure of this class, and may result in expulsion from the college. Academic integrity means that you will not attempt to use one paper for two classes without prior agreement with both professors.









    V. ATTENDANCE POLICY



    Attendance at each class period is expected.



    Absence from class must be excused with the instructor, in person. prior to the class to be missed where anticipated or in the following class when unanticipated.



    Illness, family crisis and participation on in college-sponsored extra-curricular events are acceptable excuses. Issues of personal discipline and responsibilities to other educators or employers are not in themselves acceptable excuses for absence.



    Habitual absence or dishonesty in reporting absence can result in a failing grade. Repeated late arrival is a disruption of the class and an expression of poor sell-discipline. Without prior explanation, repeated late arrival will be treated as an absence.





    VI. COURSE OUTLINE





    Week One:





    Week Two:



    Week Three:





    Week Four:





    Week Five:



    A. Instruction and overview

    B. SKILLS: Personal Bible Study



    B. SKILLS: Christian Prayer Life



    A. SKILLS: Christian Encouragement B. SKILLS: Christian Conflict Resolution



    A. SKILLS: Christian Values Choices

    B. SKILLS: Christian Witness



    A. SKILLS: Apologetics

    B. SKILLS: Christian Decision Making





    Week Six:

    A. ISSUES: Repentance. Psalm 51

    B. ISSUES: Sell-Image. Psalm 139





    Week Seven:





    Week Eight:

    ISSUES:Sanctification. Romans 6-7

    B. ISSUES: Character Formation. H Peter 1



    A. ISSUES: Christian Hope. Romans 8

    B. ISSUES: Christian Sexuality. I Corinthians 6:9 - 7:18









    Week Nine: A. ISSUES: Christian Giving II Corinthians 8 and 9

    (B. ISSUES: Being Sure John 3)







    Week Ten:



    A. Book Reviews B. Book Reviews




















    Week Eleven: A. LEADERSHIP: What’s A Leader?

    B. LEADERSHIP: Understanding Ministry



    Week Twelve: A. LEADERSHIP: Mission and Vision

    B. LEADERSHIP: Analyzing a Church



    Week Thirteen: A. LEADERSHIP: Philosophy of Ministry

    B. LEADERSHIP: Organizing Ministry



    Week Fourteen: A. Interview and Summary Sharing

    B. LEADERSHIP: Involving Members in Ministry



    Week Fifteen: A. LEADERSHIP: Small Group Ministry

    B. LEADERSHIP: Leading Change





    VII. OPTIONS FOR THE BIBLE STUDY ASSIGNMENT:



    Audience Options:

    high school-aged youth; college students: young adult singles; married couples; families with children aged 4-10; and adult Bible class at your church; young mothers; business men and women; a men’s Bible class; a women’s Bible class; seniors.



    Assume that the class for which you are preparing your study consists of ten people, is lay-led, and runs for 45 minutes.

    Bible Chapter Options:

    Genesis 3: Genesis 15; Exodus 3; Numbers 14: Deuteronomy 6; Joshua 24;

    II Samuel 7; Nehemiah 9; Psalm 40; Ecclesiastes 9; Isaiah 40; ‘Jeremiah. 31;

    Ezekiel 3; Hosea 11; Matthew 13; Luke 10; John 6; Galatians 3;

    Ephesians 2; Philippians 3; Colossians 3; 1 Thessalonians 4: I

    Timothy 6; Hebrews 12: James 1; I Peter 4; I John 4; Revelation 22.

    Viii. BOCK REVIEW OPTIONS



    Generating Hope by Jimmy Long (InterVarsity Press)

    The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren (Zondervan)

    The Contemporary Christian by John Stott (InterVarsity Press)

    Renewal for The 21st Century Church by Waldo Werning (Concordia)

    The Body by Charles Colson

    A Church For The 21st Century by Leith Anderson (Bethany House)

    Inside Out by Larry Crabb (NavPress)

    Entertainment Evangelism by Walt Kallestad (Abingdon)

    Effective Church Leadership by Kennon Callahan (Harper and Row)

    Church Without Walls by Jim Petersen (NavPress)

    Getting Together by Em Griffin (InterVarsity Press)










    Christ Esteem by Don Matzat (Harvest House)

    Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (Olive Nelson)

    Fit Bodies Fat Minds by Os Guinness (Baker).

    The Once and Future Church by Loren Mead (The Alban Institute)

    Why Nobody Learns Much. of Anvtbinng At Church and How To Fix jt

    by Thomas Schultz (Group)

    Three Generations by Gary Mcintosh (Fleming Revell)

    Effective Church Leadership: A Practical Sou,rce Book by Lee Harris

    It’s A Different World by Lyle Schaller (Abingdon)

    Reflections ot a Contrarion by Lyle Schaller (Abingdon)

    Strategies For Change by Lyle Schalller (Abingdon)

    A Primer on Postmodernism by Stanley Grenz (Eerdmans)

    Gentle Persuasion by Joseph Aldrich

    User Friendly Churches by George Barna (Regal Books)

    Darwin On Trial by Philip Johnson

    Connecting by Paul Stanley and J. Robert Clinton (NavPress)





    XI. OPTIONS FOR INTERVIEW AND ANALYSTS



    1. Interview 15 or more students at an urban university to determine religious attitudes and beliefs, with a view toward analyzing how to do evangelism with young adults. Teams will develop a questionnaire, interview students face-to-face, summarize conclusions and suggest implications for evangelism.





    2. Interview 12 or more high school juniors or seniors who no longer attend church, though they were confirmed, to determine why they dropped out and how the church might better serve them. Teams will get names from churches or pastors, develop a questionnaire (for personal or phone interview), conduct interviews, and draw conclusions re why dropout occurs and how the church can better prevent it.

    3. Attend a voters meeting in 3 different churches, then interview the pastor and two

    key lay leaders from each church to determine what is effective and what is ineffective in the decision-making process of churches. The written summary will be based on the interviews and personal observation.



    4. Conduct a door-to-door canvass until 12 or more unchurched people have been located for interviews to determine what about the church turns unchurched people off. Teams will develop an interview or questionnaire format (while open-ended questioning should be included; multiple choice questions will assure some meaningful response), conduct the canvass and interviews, summarize and prioritize reasons why the unchurched remain so, and draw conclusions for the church’s mission today.



    5. Interview 12 or more elderly church members, 4 in nursing homes, 4 in senior

    apartments and 4 in their own homes, to determine what are their spiritual

    perspectives and personal needs and how the church can better serve its elderly.

    Teams will develop a basic interview format (personal or phone), gather the names of elderly members from one or more pastors, conduct interviews, compare responses and summarize.









    6. Interview 12 or more new members (joined within the last year) from at least 3 churches. 4 transfers from sister churches, 4 who had been members of a different Christian church and 4 who were new to Christianity, to determine how well they have been assimilated into their churches and what facilitates assimilation of new members. Teams will, gather names and addresses and phone numbers from three or more pastors, develop an interview format, conduct interviews, compare responses from the three groups, summarize conclusions and draft suggestions for churches,



    7. Interview 12 or more young, single members of at least 3 churches, with a balance of male and female as well as those who are members of the congregation in which they grew up and those who’ve recently joined a different church, to determine the level of involvement of young singles and what they believe would make the church more effective at involving young singles. Teams will gather names and addresses or phone numbers from three or more pastors, develop an interview format, conduct interviews, summarize and compare responses, and develop suggestions for the church.



    8. Interview 10 or more Christian business leaders or professionals to determine what are the challenges facing Christian leaders in the business world, what are the ways in which they witness their faith, how can they best serve their churches, and how they balance the responsibilities to family, work; church and community. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of business leaders - both male and female, draw up an interview format, conduct the interviews, compare and summarize responses, and draw conclusions for future Christian business leaders and for the church.



    9. Interview 10 or more Christian public school teachers to determine what are the challenges to Christianity they’ve encountered, the ways in which they witness their faith, and what they believe the church can do to reach the non-Christian children they teach. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of teachers, draw up an interview format, conduct the interviews, and summarize findings.



    10. Interview 10 or more home missionaries to determine the challenges in church planting, the strategies that have been successful, and the kind of support or assistance that the church can best provide. Teams will gather the names and phone numbers of missionaries, develop an interview format, compile and compare responses, and draft conclusions for the church.



    11. Interview 8 or more Christian psychologists or social workers to determine their assessment of the most significant problems facing families, children and adults, as well as what they believe the church could do to more effectively prepare people for these problems. Teams will gather the names and addresses or phone numbers of Christian psychologists or social workers, develop the interview format, conduct the interviews, and summarize findings.



    12. Students may propose additional interview, analysis and summary projects, but must have instructor approval before proceeding.



    NOTE: WLC students are NOT to be included in the people you interview.









    X. SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR RESEARCH PAPER







    1. “Staff Ministry” what’s the future?

    2. The Parish Nurse: real holistic health.

    3. The Lutheran Deaconess - past and future.

    4. Why do para-church agencies develop and are they a good idea?

    5 Family Ministry: who’s doing what, how?

    6. The annual stewardship program - what it is and if it works.

    7. Programmatic approaches to evangelism - pros and cons.

    8. Keys to cross~cu1tural ministry.

    9. Ministry among the urban poor - how are we doing?

    10. Peer counseling programs in the church - possibilities and pitfalls.

    11.Prison Ministry: Describe several working models.

    12. The “Mega-Church’ is bigger better?

    13 Lutheran confirmation should it be changed?

    14. Campus ministry: can a regular congregation do it?

    15. Church-planting strategies: what’s new and what works?

    16. Special ministries for the handicapped - what and how.

    17. 12-Step programs in the church - pros and cons.

    18. Deferred giving: is this the answer to the church s financial crunch?

    19. Why the Sunday school is in decline and what should be done about it.

    20. Tuition in the Lutheran Elementary School - trends and implications.

    21. “Seeker Service” - definition and evaluation.

    22. Assimilation and retention - principles and methods.

    23. The Church Growth Movement: can we lean anything from it?

    24. Does the church have a place in cyber- space?

    25. Religious publishing: Should the market drive decisions?

    26. Religious broadcasting - issues and trends that affect the future.

    27. Christian day care - issues and questions confronting congregations who are

    considering it

    28. Legal issues and concerns confronting churches in a litigious and secular society.

    29. Conflict in the church: avoiding it and resolving it.

    30. YOUR IDEA. with instructor’s approval

    Snarling at the Wrong Thing




    Snarling is for anyone questioning Holy Mother WELS.
    Grinning is for Martin Marty, Archbishop Weakland, Leonard Sweet, Ed Stetzer, and Andy Stanley.


    Someone asked why the Synodical President is not doing anything. He is, and that is why the Church and Chicanery people want to get rid of him at the next convention.

    Under Mischke, Gurgel, and Wayne Mueller, the Church Growth Movement was encouraged and expanded in every direction. The Little Sect on the Prairie, under Orvick, could not say "Amen!" enough times. They imported the worst CG people (Hartman) to brainwash their pastors.

    As someone commented, the pastors never addressed the doctrinal issues at the circuit or conference level. I did so at every level, prompting hissy fits from: Roger Kovaciny, Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Paul Kuske, Doctrinal Pussycat Robert Mueller, Wally Oelhafen, Fred Adrian, Paul Kelm, David Valleskey, James Tiefel (not to mention cousin Paul Tiefel), and a few others. John Seifert wanted to be DP too much to do anything about real issues. He worried about his neighbor ELS pastor's unionism but repeatedly "forgot" that Frosty Bivens went to Fuller and supported CG.

    The so-called conservatives are too tired from throwing each other under the bus to anything about apostates. Besides, finding an ELS or WELS pastor with a drop of martyr's blood in his veins would be a miracle today. If one or two can be found, they should be put in a museum.

    ELS Pastor Jay Webber got his chasuble in a bunch over WELS women consecrating Holy Communion. He ordered a WELS pastor to do something about it. Webber is on the doctrinal board of the ELS, so that means he is completely safe. Has he objected to the Church and Change congregation at Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, in his own synod? Webber had no trouble working with Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, via Kovaciny (both Church Growth gurus, by their own estimations)- to collect money for the Ukraine rent-a-church project, courtesy of St. Marvin of Schwan.

    One member of the ELS doctrinal board was a raving Fuller graduate, years ago. He sent a letter around about the value of studying at Fuller. Imagine, Orvick picked that character to deal with doctrinal issues. What a joke.

    Aaron Frey participated in the timid Tendrils paper, which threw a few spitballs at Church Growth, while praising CG congregation for their great shows. But Frey is also an active and willing participant in WELS Church and Change, as shown on Ichabod not long ago. Having Frey help out was like asking Obama to criticize Bill Ayres.

    I see very little chance of WELS, the ELS, or the CoLC surviving as Lutheran denominations. The Boomer pastors are too lazy and self-satisfied to address doctrinal matters. Twenty years ago, the LCA pastors wanted "to retire in peace." Now it is the turn of the WELS/ELS Boomers to collect their pensions. As one reader said, "The WELS pastors all call you a liar, but they keep reading Ichabod."

    Am I lying when I quote them? Am I lying when I publish their hideous web information?

    The slander alarm goes off so easily and so quickly when WELS pastors are avoiding the doctrinal issues. They have no hesitation in answering a doctrinal issue with a personal attack, and they never seem to identify the falsehoods they denounce so earnestly.

    There is doctrinal discipline in the synods. The synod officials defenestrate anyone who threatens their apostasy. The bunny-like pastors quiver and quake when they hear the stomp of hob-nailed boots coming toward them. Instead, the officials should quake in fear. The officials do not pay the pastors - they soak up offerings from the pastors. The officials tour the world on offering money. Nice work. No wonder they do anything they can to keep it.

    Sunday, January 4, 2009

    CEO Delivers Another One-Two Punch to Satan, Spelling, and Grammar




    Church and Chicanery's Ski with Southern Babtist Andy Stanley. Ski is a featured speaker at this warm-up up for Brother Stetzer in November.



    Brian Lampe, CEO of CEO Ministries.


    From: Brian Lampe
    To: church_and_change@yahoogroups.com
    Sent: Sunday, January 4, 2009 4:24:40 PM
    Subject: [church_and_change] Your (sic) invited!



    Generation of Reformation '09 Christian Rally

    March 21st 2009

    Best Western Suites Brookfield, WI

    $45.00 per person includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, beverages, and materials

    We are excited to announce the fifth annual Christ Empowered Opportunities Christian Rally. This workshop is designed with men and women in mind, we invite all believers young and wiser to join in the festivities on Saturday March 21st 2009 [incoherent, run-on sentence]. This year’s theme is “Generation of Reformation" You will hear an (sic) amazing message’s (sic) from Pastor Mark Jeske, Luke Thompson, Tracey Lampe, Pastor Ski from “The Core” , David Timm, Pastor Borgwardt, and Mike Nichols. Our workshops are tailored to meet and build the need’s (sic) of all Christians. What God offers us through our WELS churches is the greatest most powerful source that will impact our lives, Christ Jesus! Today is the day to break history of the restraints placed on past and today’s generations by Satan and reform our way of life through a more intimate relationship through our Savior Christ! [GJ - Say what?] We pray that God move your heart to attend our workshop, so that we can encourage and build one another in the faith that was given to us by the sacrifice of God’s own Son Jesus! You can download our flyer at CEO-ministries. com or call 414-915-3211

    God Bless you

    Brian Arthur Lampe

    ---

    "Brian Arthur Lampe delivers a one-two punch to the devil and his schemes with his high powered, enthusiastic, energetic life-applying Biblical motivational speaking. We are on a quest for authentic God. By including Brian Arthur Lampe, you will have more than just a rally or a Bible study. You and your congregation will be providing men, women, and youth with an encouraging process that teaches them how to live lives of authentic Christianity as modeled by Jesus Christ and directed by the Word of God."

    Christian Speaker Network describes Brian's denomination as Christian. I would add that he is an Enthusiast.

    ---

    Please contact us at Brianandtracey@tds.net for more information

    The CEO Team
    Brian Arthur Lampe : Founder / President

    Christopher David Lampe : Director of Marketing

    John J. Wonders : Director of Technology

    Monty Hunt

    Mike Nichols

    Eric Gunther

    ---

    Events
    October 12th, 2008 ALPINE LANES BOWLING MUSKEGO
    12:00 P.M-3:00 P.M. $15.00 Includes you two games of bowling, pizza, pop, and shoe rental! Click HERE for more details.

    November 7th, 2008 ST. MARCUS D4L STUDENT LOCK-IN
    Marcus Ridge Cinema, 5200 S. Moorland Rd., New Berlin, WI 53151
    11:00 P.M-5:30 A.M November 7th 2008
    Registration forms must signed and mailed to St Marcus (Lock In) 2215 N Palmer before October 31, 2008. The registration form can be downloaded here.

    October 5th, 2009 SPRECHER BREWERY EVENT
    CEO Ministries celebrates its fifth year! Please join us at the Sprecher Brewery as we get a behind the scenes private brewery tour, which includes pizza, garlic bread, hosted bar, cards and most importantly fellowship, for $20.00.

    5:00 P.M- 8:00 P.M
    Sprecher Brewery
    701 W. Glendale Ave.
    Glendale, WI 53209.

    Click HERE for more details.

    June 24th-27th, 2009 CEO Youth Rally “Generation of Reformation”
    The Christ Empowered Opportunities 2009 Generation of Reformation conference will be exciting and packed with enthusiasm. All topics will be pertinent to the WELS beliefs. It is our goal to use creative and effective tools to help our teens apply God’s Word to their lives for powerful personal change in Christ. Warrens, WI.


    I am trying to figure out C.E.O. Ministries. Here is a promo from WELS' Church and Change (the outfit "shut down" by WELS):

    Parent's Ministry - CEO
    Brian and Tracy Lampe


    Your baby is now a teenager, going through all of the teenage rites of passage. Between school, friends, God, and a social life, their lives seem to be a foreign country to you. The little boy or girl that once told you everything now has to be hounded to give you even a snippet of thought. Yet there are three things you should know about what is going on in your Christian teen's head that will make your relationship a little better…
    Click the link to find out!

    CEO also has programs for:
    Men's Ministry
    Students Ministry
    Couples Ministry
    Corporate Ministry
    Email: Brian@CEO-Ministries.com
    Website: www.ceo-ministries.com/parents.html

    They are endorsed by WELS. Their March activity is linked from the WELS.net website.

    It's also listed on Section Q, which is from CLR (formerly WELS Lutherans for Life).

    John J. Wonders designed their former website. He describes himself as a "Clydesdale in training."

    There is a link to Victory of the Lamb Lutheran Church, where women are invited to attend the Bible Babes group.

    At St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Muskego:

    Check Us Out;

    Whether you are a committed Christian or investigating Christianity we invite you to check us out this Sunday at our student center. Doors open at 9:00am. Food and beverages are served between 9:30-10:30a.m. and Brian Arthur Lampe turns it up a notch or two for Jesus!

    St. Paul's does a lot with Prayer Warriors, which is a Reformed mania. The Church and Change, Church Growth people like to emphasize prayer in a typical heretical way.

    Here is a profile for Brian Arthur Lampe:

    Driver
    UPS
    (Religious Institutions industry)

    September 2006 — Present (1 year 6 months)

    Owner
    CEO Ministries
    (Religious Institutions industry)

    September 2006 — Present (1 year 6 months)

    Brian Arthur Lampe’s Education
    Wisconsin Lutheran
    1984 — 1987

    Saturday, January 3, 2009

    Second Sunday after Christmas



    Word and Sacrament, by Norma Boeckler


    The Second Sunday after Christmas

    Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

    Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

    The Hymn # 131
    The Confession of Sins
    The Absolution
    The Introit p. 16
    The Gloria Patri
    The Kyrie p. 17
    The Gloria in Excelsis
    The Salutation and Collect p. 19
    The Epistle and Gradual 1 Peter 4:12-19
    The Gospel Matthew 2:1-23
    Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
    Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
    The Nicene Creed p. 22
    The Sermon Hymn # 128

    The Star and the True Light

    The Hymn #305
    The Preface p. 24
    The Sanctus p. 26
    The Lord's Prayer p. 27
    The Words of Institution
    The Agnus Dei p. 28
    The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
    The Benediction p. 31
    The Hymn #127

    KJV 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

    KJV Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

    13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

    Veit Dietrich Collect
    Lord God, heavenly Father, who hast given us the light of Thy holy word, the guiding star, which leadeth us to the Christ-child: Send, we beseech Thee, Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive this light and make use of it unto our salvation, and that we, like the wise men, when they were seeking the star, may not be afraid because of any hardship or peril, but put all our trust in Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, as our only Savior; devote our earthly possessions to the advancement of Thy kingdom, and in all things serve Him, Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

    [Note – a friend asked about why the holidays were being changed, renamed, etc. The Vatican decides and all the Lutherans go along with Rome. Eastern Orthodoxy is a bit independent. I combined the Gospel for this Sunday and for the Day of Epiphany, which has always been January 6th. The three-year reading cycle is from Rome, too.]

    The Star and the True Light

    The Day of Epiphany begins the series of lessons showing how Christ was revealed to the world, first through the Wise Men.

    Skepticism and Ecumenism
    The Star of Bethlehem was once considered the most obvious myth of Christmas. The scoffers scoffed by saying that it was a pious invention. Tracking down a good candidate for the Star hurt the reputation of Kepler among scientists. Later, they realized he was right. When I was checking over the common acceptance of the Star, I found a website when the author was very grouchy about the popularity of planetarium shows about the Star.

    The widespread rejection of the Christian faith, especially among nominal Christian leaders, is a good example of mounting evidence (about a host of historical, Biblical issues) having no effect on scoffers. If anything, the evidence hardens their hearts against the Word even more.

    From a believer’s perspective, the Star is another example of God working through all the elements of the universe to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies. All the nations of the world and all the stars and planets are subject to His will. I do not look at astronomical calculations as proof of the Bible being true. I am glad they have caught up in some areas. The facts do not convert – the Gospel does.

    Someone could certainly claim that the Star was not a miracle at all, that the planets do merge in the sky every so often, and comets go wandering by. Stars explode to make a bright but temporary supernova. We know there were several candidates in the sky, each one of them there in time for the birth of Christ.

    The birth of Christ was the greatest miracle of all time, God becoming flesh, the divine and human united in One Person, Jesus.

    Rejection of miracles in the Bible is really a rejection of Christ, who is the central miracle of the Scriptures. Those who believe the Gospel is true also know that the secondary revelations of the Word are also trustworthy.

    In any given era, the scoffers attack at the weak points. In the last 50 years, the theme has been, “Why can’t we all just get along? Why can’t we drop these doctrinal distinctions?” They call this the Ecumenical Movement, which has a history and certain important figures.

    First came the attack on the text of the New Testament, in the 19th century. Now a committee votes on every verse of the New Testament, but that came about from Tischendorf, Wescott and Hort turning the New Testament into their personal sandbox. They invented rules and decided which rules applied to each verse. A shorter passage was better than a longer one. Why? They decided. I know that some people tell longer stories over a period of time and finally shorten them. Others embroider stories until they become more and more ornate. President Johnson was famous for that, as he retold his story about earning a Silver Star, which was a fable. Either way, how does length decide faithfulness to the truth? Nevermind, scholars fell in love with determining the text, rejecting what the Greek church had always preserved.

    Evolution took hold in Christianity at about the same time. Evolution allowed people to doubt the Creation while believing in Christ – so they thought. No intellectual wanted to defend Creation by the Word when everyone was lionizing Darwin.

    Now we have the Ecumenical Movement in the form of Church Growth, the Emerging or the Emergent Church. The Willow Creek Association includes all denominations (for a price), including ELCA, WELS, and Missouri. They have to believe the same things to belong. I noticed a bevy of ELCA Willow Creek congregations in Minnesota, all of them talking about “Core Values,” in a vague way, but carefully hiding their affiliation. On some websites I could not tell at all. Maybe they were ELCA, or maybe they were the offshoot from ELCA, which also ordains women.

    The best way to step away from the Bible in a stealthy and furtive manner is to drop confessions of faith and doctrinal statements. They can be watered down, if necessary. But to say, “We confess this truth and reject that falsehood,” – unacceptable for the ecumenists. Those who reject the confessions soon jettison the Scriptures as well.

    "The modern radical spirit which would sweep away the Formula of Concord as a Confession of the Church, will not, in the end, be curbed, until it has swept away the Augsburg Confession, and the ancient Confessions of the Church--yea, not until it has crossed the borders of Scripture itself, and swept out of the Word whatsoever is not in accord with its own critical mode of thinking. The far-sighted rationalist theologian and Dresden court preacher, Ammon, grasped the logic of a mere spirit of progress, when he said: 'Experience teaches us that those who reject a Creed, will speedily reject the Scriptures themselves.'"
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: General Council Publication Board, 1911, p. 685. Trinity

    The best definition of an ecumenist (or unionist) is – Someone who loves every denomination except his own. The Lutheran Church Growth people always mock Lutheran doctrine and worship.

    It’s hard to say whether doctrinal indifference or ecumenism come first. One is the cause of the other. Historically, all union efforts have ended in fewer people hearing the Word, fewer members, and a complete loss of the articles of faith. The United Church of Christ is a product of many different union movements. They are dying fast and completely apostate in doctrine, accepting all religions as equal.

    The Star of Bethlehem
    The Star is important for many reasons. We can see that God willed that great intellectual leaders from the East should see the Messiah and report back to their people. The Word spread miraculously because God provided for that in the earliest days. Among Jews it was in the prophecies of the Old Testament and the Seder Meal.

    Matthew 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

    The Wise Men saw the Word Incarnate and returned home to teach about Him. Jesus revealed Himself in the Temple when He was still a young boy. Jewish scholars saw their Scriptures fulfilled as Jesus spoke. Certainly the Word Incarnate was effective in the Temple.

    The Wise Men’s treacherous journey is testimony to longing for a Savior in those days of darkness. Ancient religions were too gross or bloodthirsty to discuss the details. Nothing was too degraded for them. People had fallen away from the truth as the earth repopulated after the Flood. Then too, religious leaders found it easy to terrorize their followers or to give them exactly what they wanted. The world was in darkness.

    Darkness and Light
    The greater the darkness, the more a tiny of light will shine forth. The Star promised a greater light to come. The followers of Satan, various religions, all want to borrow light as a symbol of their teaching.

    Followers of the occult use light, the rainbow, and anything else they can borrow to make their falsehood look good.
    Nevertheless, the Bible portrays Christ as the one true Light of the Word.

    KJV John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

    KJV John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

    God’s wisdom is shown in that He:
    1. Revealed His Son to the lowly shepherds first, then to Wise Men from the East.
    2. Kept the Wise Men safe and sent Jesus into Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy.
    3. Established Jesus as the Messiah among His own people, then spread the Gospel to all nations.
    4. Announced His Son’s birth so that the entire world would take notice of the Star of Bethlehem, a phenomenon noted in the Chinese records.

    Notice that the Wise Men worshiped Jesus, not the Holy Family, not Jesus and Mary, when they found Him. The Bible is sparse in details and those details are telling. There is no mention of venerating Mary. She is indeed honored above all women in history, but the Bible did not elevate her to Jesus’ status and even beyond (as the one who pleaded for mercy, commanding her Son).

    Some would like to downplay the Wise Men, who are found only in Matthew. But the passage about them and the Star in Matthew is very significant. In a very small book like Matthew, the space given to the Star and the Wise Men means that the Holy Spirit wants us to learn a lesson. God led them to Jesus through the Star. How did they know? There are various explanations for it. Some say that the pseudo-science of astrology made them think that a King was coming to Israel. We cannot tell why they traveled on a difficult journey, but they traveled in faith. They believed they would find the Savior of the world.
    They went to a bloodthirsty king, Herod, but God kept them safe. Herod had the chance to see the Savior and believe in Him. Instead, he used to knowledge to try to kill the Savior. Those are two different and very significant reactions to the Word of God Incarnate.

    Why can’t more people believe in Jesus? They probably need more miracles. God gave Herod a miracle in the sky, the Wise Men to show how important the Star was, and Jewish experts to explain the meaning of the Star.

    Many would say, “With that much happening, I would certainly believe. My faith would never falter and never grow weak if I saw the Star of Bethlehem and the Wise Men.” But the true Church produces a miracle every time Holy Communion is celebrated. The Body and Blood of Christ are given with the common elements of bread and wine, given for the forgiveness of sin. Both are miracles. Holy Communion is a miracle. Forgiveness is a miracle.

    These wonderful testimonies from the Gospels strengthen our faith, and so do the Sacraments.

    God created and managed many different events to strengthen the faith of those who would literally face wild animals in defense of the Gospel. God’s abundance of mercy is shown in the heavenly choirs, the Star of Bethlehem, the Wise Men, the flight into Egypt, and the later miracles. Many individual miracles are so great that the ability to do one of them today would create world-wide headlines. More importantly, the disciples and the people knew that Jesus converted them through the spoken Word. They knew that better than anything else. Although they were weak and frail, impulsive and wrong so many times, those early followers were strengthened by the Word and remained fruitful for abiding in that Word.

    Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.


    Schmauk Quotations
    "Shall we permit this to be done! in the name of Christian unity! and by a latitudinarianism that is our own heritage, which rises ever anew from the embers of the past to find such veiled support and strength in the citadel of Zion that Confessionalism is told to whisper low in Jerusalem lest she be heard on the streets of Gath."
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 941.

    "Is the Lord's Supper the place to display my toleration, my Christian sympathy, or my fellowship with another Christian, when that is the very point in which most of all we differ; and in which the difference means for me everything--means for me, the reception of the Savior's atonement? Is this the point to be selected for the display of Christian union, when in fact it is the very point in which Christian union does not exist?"
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 905f.

    "The modern radical spirit which would sweep away the Formula of Concord as a Confession of the Church, will not, in the end, be curbed, until it has swept away the Augsburg Confession, and the ancient Confessions of the Church--yea, not until it has crossed the borders of Scripture itself, and swept out of the Word whatsoever is not in accord with its own critical mode of thinking. The far-sighted rationalist theologian and Dresden court preacher, Ammon, grasped the logic of a mere spirit of progress, when he said: 'Experience teaches us that those who reject a Creed, will speedily reject the Scriptures themselves.'"
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: General Council Publication Board, 1911, p. 685. Trinity

    "The real question is not what do you subscribe, but what do you believe and publicly teach, and what are you transmitting to those who come after? If it is the complete Lutheran faith and practice, the name and number of the standards is less important. If it is not, the burden of proof rests upon you to show that your more incomplete standard does not indicate an incomplete Lutheran faith."
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 890.

    [Selnecker, who wrote "Ach bleib bei uns" (TLH #292) was bitterly attacked and severely persecuted by the Reformed, deposed when Augustus died, reduced to poverty, and not allowed to remain in Leipzig as a private citizen.]
    Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: General Council Publication Board, 1911, p. 310ff.