The Theology of the Cross: Reflections on His Cross and Ours
by Daniel M. Deutschlander
Are you living under the theology of the cross or the theology of glory? This new book looks at Christian doctrine and reminds readers that all biblical doctrine relates to Scripture's central teaching that God sent his Son to save lost sinners. However, it also deals with the seeming paradox between the theology of the cross and the theology of glory. Sinful people tend to overlook the cross and its demands. As a result they take their eyes off Jesus and turn their attention to themselves. It is a rich study of a weighty theological issue and a worthy addition to a professional or personal library.
For further comment on this volume, from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Professor James Korthals, click HERE.
Paper cover, 292 pages
CC15N0746, $17.99
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GJ - I do not have this book yet, but I know Deutschlander is one of the most respected teachers in WELS. Readers may recall that Ski skipped the Deutschlander presentation to WELS pastors in Atlanta in order to worship with the Babtists and John Parlow. Deutschlander, at the late Northwestern College, had no use for the Church Growth Movement.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Deutschlander's New Book: The Theology of the Cro...":
I was able to page through a preview of this book at a bookstore, and it seems quite interesting. I happened upon a section entitled "Lutheran Worship reflects the theology of the cross, not the theology of glory" (or similar). Looks like this will be good reading.
The public school students had to take "remedial" doctrine class at MLC, and Deutschlander taught it. But contrary to the 000-level numbering, the class was likely the most rigorous, focused, and confessional class I have taken while in attendance at any Lutheran college. Many future WELS pastors who "escaped" by attending parochial school audited the class anyway. Hopefully some of it rubbed off on them.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deutschlander's New Book: The Theology of the Cross
Sound Advice from Freddy Finkelstein
Church and Chicanery Board Member;
Administrator (top dog) of Parish Services, WELS.
Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Want To See More FIC Articles about St. Andrews La...":
Concerning lay effort addressing the Confessional Crisis that WELS appears to be facing, I wrote the following awhile back as a followup to discussion in a different blog entry. The discussion moved on by the time I completed it, so I didn't post it. I post it here for the benefit of laymen wondering what they can do. Maybe others have additional advice:
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So, how should the laity get involved? By shooting off angry letters to Synod Headquarters, or to DPs outside their Districts? Maybe... By feverishly blogging? Maybe... Frankly, I think the most effective way for us to fight these battles is from the ground up, beginning in our own congregations.
First, calmly and dispassionately inform your congregations' Boards of Elders of the issues. Chances are, they don't have a clue. Inform them directly, not through your Pastor. Personally give them the materials and point them to the sources so that they can form their own unfiltered opinions. They are the one's responsible for considering these issues within the congregation, and they are the one's that need to work with the Pastor to address them as they occur among our Brothers outside the congregation.
Second, understand that in the next three years there will be two Synodical Conventions and a District Convention, and these issues may well be on the agenda or otherwise come up in discussion. Encourage your congregations to thoughtfully choose Convention delegates – instead of automatically choose an arbitrary retiree just because he's got the time. Many of us will need to use Vacation time to cover these Conventions. Don't wait to be asked, let it be known ahead of time that you would like to be considered as a delegate and that you are willing to set aside time to do so.
Third, keep the torch lit – that is, continue to engage in discussion with your Pastors and with competent laymen in your congregations regarding these issues. Assume that you won't be the one going to Convention, and that someone else from your congregation will need to understand the gravity of these issues in order to participate effectively at Convention.
Fourth, inform your lay contacts in neighboring congregations and in our Sister synods (like, the ELS, ELFK, LBK, and others – like our very conservative African brothers) that it appears that WELS
...is tolerating “ministerial associations” with the heterodox (Willow Creek Association, and others),
...is celebrating the formation of “emergent-church congregations” in its publications and appears to be eagerly underwriting “rock'n roll churches,” which elevate anthropocentric elements like ambiance and human emotion over the Marks of the Church, mistakenly treat worship as Means of Grace, supplant the Means of Grace with the means of man and of Natural Law, and turn the Divine Service into an outreach event rather than maintain it as the wholesome christocentric setting for Christian worship that it has been for the past two millenia,
...is struggling with outside Church Growth organizations like “Church and Change” that are essentially operating as a parallel church within WELS, mouthing Confessional unity while essentially preaching Pietism and conspicuously divesting themselves of Lutheran identity --- from dropping the term “Lutheran” in their church names to engaging in virtually unrecognizable church practices,
...that our practice of the doctrine concerning the roles of men and women is diverging from our confession as, frequently, our women are taking speaking positions in the Chancel during the Divine Service (as Lectors and "Worship Ministers"), are engaging in ministerial roles authoritatively teaching in mixed-gender settings, and increasingly seem to be taking on roles of positional authority in congregations,
...etcetera...
WELS must address these issues, and at this point, it must do so directly and publicly. Pressure from our congregations and from our Brothers in other synods – i.e., their support – may well produce the action from leadership that is needed.
Finally, don't get “too big for your britches.” That is to say, remember that we are laymen, not pastors, and not theologians. Be respectful and maintain a teachable spirit. That isn't to say, however, that we don't have every right to expect and to insist on satisfactory answers from our Pastors and Theologians, nor to have a firm hand in directing Congregational and Synodical action.
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Understand, that the CG Church Changers are probably already preparing to defend themselves and take the offensive. They definitely have the advantage in terms of their internal communication network and seem to be entrenched in key political positions. Do nothing, and Dr. Jackson is right – conservative and confessional Lutherans in WELS will be steamrolled.
Freddy Finkelstein
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Sound Advice from Freddy Finkelstein":
The sky is falling...the sky is falling....
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GJ - Typical Church and Change mockery from Anonymous.
Does anyone remember how WELS pastors clucked their tongues at how Missouri changed while denying it? How Missouri let their prep schools go? How Missouri watered down their pastoral training? Worked with the LCA, ALC and Roman Catholics? And Missouri went from denial to defending to cries of "Legalist"?
I remember.
Marva Dawn - Thou Hast Conquered...WELS
Move over, Marva - WELS is already doing it.
From St. Andrew's Latte:
"As Staff Minister of Worship, Kristen is responsible for planning and implementing all worship opportunities at St. Andrew. She also oversees the large corps of worship volunteers who serve in many and varied capacities each week. Music is the largest part of the worship ministry at St. Andrew, but the worship ministry also includes lay readers, dramatic and visual arts, hospitality ministries and audio/visual tech support. Kristen works closely with Pastor Hunter to study and understand biblical worship principles and practices, evaluate current worship practices at St. Andrew, and define future directions for St. Andrew’s worship ministry."
Kristen graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Communication and Theology. While at WLC she worked for two years in the Campus Ministry Office planning and implementing daily chapel services, organizing various musical groups for worship, and learning from Campus Pastor Nathan Strobel. She is currently pursuing Staff Ministry certification from Martin Luther College.
Kristen grew up in the Pacific Northwest and always intended to return there after college, but God had other plans for her. He has planted her firmly in the family of faith at St. Andrew and for this she is truly and deeply grateful. When she’s not writing services or running rehearsals, Kristen spends her time reading science fiction and classic literature, playing piano, writing music, taking long walks in good weather, staying connected with friends and family, and generally enjoying life.
“The best part of my job is knowing that my work directly impacts the spiritual lives of those who worship here and enables them to connect with God. I say this with a full and complete understanding (and appreciation!) of the fact that the actual work is done by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace – but it is a great privilege and a great joy to be an instrument in ‘administering God’s grace’ in the form of worship gatherings. The second most rewarding aspect of my work is assisting all sorts of members of the congregation in bringing their gifts to God and to each other as joyful offerings. How exciting it is to see brothers and sisters in Christ – of all ages! – learning and working together to serve God and His people. The interpersonal connections made and the spiritual lessons learned through this ministry are invaluable blessings from our gracious God.”
The Minister of Worship can be contacted online.
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GJ - A pastor is defined as one who "administers the Means of Grace." Perhaps at this point some people will see that my warnings about Church and Chicanery were far too subtle, too mild, and too tentative.
When the Episcopalians instituted women's ordination, they held actual ordination services. WELS goes ahead without bothering with the formalities. Everything is possible when all things are adiaphora.
Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Joe Krohn, Rock and Roller--Previously Retired for...":
JW said..."Some insight on me before I elaborate…I’m a PK (Pastor’s Kid) from Mequon but not from the Seminary. That narrows down my identity significantly. I’ve been WELS educated from Kindergarten to Undergrad."
Uhhh, GJ, there is a Pastor Stanley Weinrich in Mequon. I think there is a pretty good chance this is his son. It's not Krohn. You have just discredited yourself and this whole blog by not addressing this. A previous poster brought this to your attention.
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GJ - I don't think this post proves anything. It is anonymous. It has no blogger ID attached to it. It could be from anyone. If people do not use their real names, I feel free to speculate.
Joe Krohn has posted anonymously or semi-anonymously. He is free to say on his blog whether he is this person or not.
This blog focuses on Lutheran doctrine, not on critics who hide behind "Anonymous."
I understand why genuine Lutherans use another name, because the vindictiveness and spite of the Church and Changers is boundless. Look at how they treat the Office of the Synod President, which they think is their collective doormat.
If you want proper identification, use it in your posts. If not, switch to de-caff.
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He doesn't even know how to use sic.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
What it tells me and others is that you are sloppy in your research and that maybe there are other glaring errors in your 'blog'.(sic)
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
I thought you cared about truth and accuracy. I think you just want to make trouble.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
Agreed. I'm a faithful reader of Bailing Water and to see you rip from there to post on your own blog is kind of sad. You do this often so I suppose I shouldn’t be too upset.
If you want to give your thoughts on a Bailing Water post use the comment section on Bailing Water.
This is kind of like stealing a sermon from Mark Driscoll, adding your own thoughts, and then preaching it in your church. You would never do that! (I also read this blog very often)
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GJ - I am endlessly amused by the feigned outrage of anonymous Enthusiasts, perhaps from the same person. Who knows? They love Babtist doctrine so much they dare not speak their name.
Ripping suggests stealing without attribution, a habit among such Church and Chicanery leaders as Paul Kelm, John Parlow, and Matt Doebler. How many WELS pastors admit their model for pastoral work is Mars Hill, North Point Community (really Babtist), and Willow Creek?
I copy from Bailing Water with attribution to give that fine blog greater recognition. The third editor has been unfailingly fair in giving everyone a chance to discuss their ideas. BW is the only blog I quote on a regular basis.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
No kidding. It's OK for Ichabod to copy and paste to his hearts (sic) content, but not for anyone else. He reminds me of the spoiled brat that can dish it out but can't take it.
BTW GAGmeister..."free to speculate". I think that pretty much sums up this blog(sic). There is no care in presenting truth as evidenced by this episode concerning Krohn. Clearly you try to stir things up. Paul warns against people like you.
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GJ - The difference between plagiarism and scholarship is the citation. I try to show what is copied verbatim and exactly where it came from. That courtesy is seldom repaid by the Enthusiasts, but that is what I expect from dishonest bottom-dwellers, clouds without rain, Lutherans in Name Only, Babtist wannabees.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
Wow, I haven't heard the term PK (pastor's kid) in a long time.
I am not a pastor's kid, but I sure met a lot of them during my time in elementary and prep school.
Now, first I want to say that there are MANY fine children of pastors and teachers out there...
However, there certainly are enough that go "above and beyond the call of duty" to show how they can break the rules.
Lay members of the congregation are very hesistant (sic) to bring this to the attention of called workers, and problems usually go unaddressed. In prep school where many of the dorming students were PKs (or TKs, teacher kids) special allowances would sometimes be made based on the relative connections of their parentage. Lay kids when caught are usually given the standard punishment with stern admonishments from called workers. The called workers' kids? It usually varies much more...
Is their (sic) nepotism everywhere? Oh, you bet there is.
[GJ - Spell-check confirms this is indeed a product of the WELS educational system.]
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Some Poor Feller Lost His Faith in Ichabod":
LOL, I deserved that one!
Mr. "Sic" Anony Mouse
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GJ - A sense of humor! That's a switch.
Want To See More FIC Articles about St. Andrews Latte WELS?
Do Nothing About It.
Church and Change loves it, funds it with your offering money,
and promotes it with your offering money.
My initial response to the St. Andrews article, copied below: "This is another hit below the belt from Church and Change operatives at The Love Shack."
If a significant number of WELS/ELS pastors actually committed themselves in writing, to object about the article, it would be the last one like that. The Little Sect on the Prairie is in fellowship with WELS. Silence means agreement, and they have been silent forever and a day.
The laity need to voice their objections, too. One way is through church council resolutions. An article like this makes anyone in the Christian faith look foolish and self-centered. More importantly, St. Andrews Latter diminishes and adulterates the Gospel in the name of making it attractive.
One person alone is going to accomplish nothing. I remember how the closet conservatives would urge me to write about this or that. They never could get themselves to second the motion.
That is why farces like the Stolzenburg-Kuske Pilgrim Community Church are now a mini-denomination within WELS--and the ELS!--today.
Closet conservatives - you bought and paid for this situation with your silence, your cowering before the apostates, and your coveting of a better call.
Comment on St. Andrews Latte Lutheran
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
People had to leave their comfort zone (no Starbucks in the Judean desert) and make an effort to hear a counter-cultural character preaching a seeker-challenging message. Similarly, when our Lord began his ministry, his first message was, The kingdom of heaven is near. Repent, and believe the good news. Hunter’s approach, on the other hand, is similar to that of what is frequently called the “emerging church,” or sometimes the “emergent church.” The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recently published an article about one of these in Milwaukee. The “attendees” (there are no members, of course) who were interviewed clearly expressed the drawing-power of such a church: it’s all about me. It fits my expectations for what I want and how I will feel fulfilled. No need for repentance, for self-sacrifice, or for submitting to one another in love. “I must decrease that he might increase” might be a pious-sounding motto they would place underneath a picture of surfer Jesus, but it would be absolutely meaningless.
Someday someone will ask these people, “What did you go to Waunakee to see? Couches and a coffee pot? If not, what did you go out to see? A projection screen? No, a projection screen is in movie palaces.” What they did see and hear was someone saying, “We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church.” Like what, Randy? The worship of God that millions, perhaps billions of people of every tribe, nation, and language have found edifying for two millennia? Have you thought you might be producing a generation of post-modern proof passage biblicists who will have an excellent grasp of “this is what this passage means to me,” but not a clue about what the passage means? Why do you have an altar at all in this worship facility, when sacrifice seems to play little or no part in your message, and when, I bet, the sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood is never communicated to the faithful from that altar?
Women Teaching Men in WELS
Q: Is it within scriptural parameters for a woman to teach parenting classes based on Scripture to a church group of both men and women?
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A: When it comes to the authoritative teaching of the Word in mixed groups of men and women, the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:12 clearly points out that God asks spiritually mature men to carry out that kind of teaching of his Word. "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man." (An even better translation of that verse would read, "I do not permit a woman to teach in such a way as to have authority over a man.") The authoritative teaching of the Word that takes place in a Bible class (including a scriptural parenting class), is not the sharing of opinions. It is teaching with authority what our God has for us to believe and live. Those leading us will be saying to us repeatedly: "This is what the Lord says." I cannot imagine a parenting class in a Lutheran church that did not have at its heart an authoritative sharing of law and gospel as it applies to our calling as Christian fathers and mothers.
However, I have also taught such classes in which, for one of the sessions, I had a female pediatric nurse from the congregation come in to share issues of infant growth and development. I do not believe such sharing of medical expertise violates the principle of head and helper. Everyone in attendance could tell the difference between a session like that, and the typical sessions of that class in which the Word was being studied and shared.
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And yet, the Staph Minister at Gunga Don Patterson's Church brags:
"Holy Word Lutheran Church has offered the “Becoming a Love & Logic Parent” seminar approximately every 6 months since March of 2004. We have a team of individuals who help to both coordinate and teach each seminar. That team is made up of an elder and his wife (parents of three teen-agers), a member who is married to a man with terminal cancer (parents of two boys – a teen-ager and a son in elementary school), and Cindy and me (parents of three children – 8 yrs, 6 yrs, and 2 yrs). In addition to the seminars we have given at Holy Word, Cindy and I have also taught the class at Cross of Christ in Universal City, TX, at Lord of Life in Friendswood, TX, and at Christ the Rock in Round Rock, TX."
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GJ - WELS has promoted women teaching men and women usurping authority for over 20 years. At St. Paul in Columbus, Mike Nitz set up the same situation for Sunday mornings. I was blasted at the conference for asking about it. Mike pretended not to know.
For those who have never dredged the Fuller and Willow Creek websites, here is a clue. Most of the WELS leadership has been trained at one or the other beehive, many at both. And there is Trinity in Deerfield, alma mater of Larry Oh! (Our Staph Infection) and many others. At Fuller and Willow Creek, they "deal with" people who have trouble with the ordination of women. At Willow Creek in particular, the men who join have to promise to accept spiritual leadership from women. "Blessed are they who make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom."
So Willow Creek WELS/LCMS congregations, like St. Mark De Pere, have already pledged this repudiation of the Pastoral Epistles.
Meanwhile, Gunga Don's Holy Word is slipping it in, just as Nitz did decades ago.
Luther: Dear Christians One and All Rejoice
From Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants, Truth page 36-38:
"This, Luther's first congregational hymn, appeared in print in 1524. It is almost autobiographical in nature, for the first stanzas reveal the guilt and frustration Luther felt, especially in the monastery. What is true of Luther is true of every human being - all are sinners, as this hymn shows. Yet there is reason to rejoice. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on our flesh and bone, to live, die, and rise from death for our justification. The exuberant original tune is agile enough to reflect the joy of the redeemed sinner."
Prelude: Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice
Christopher A. Loemker
Publisher: Concordia Publishing House (2003)
"Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice"
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
1. Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice,
With exultation springing,
And, with united heart and voice
And holy rapture singing,
Proclaim the wonders God hath done,
How His right arm the victory won;
Right dearly it hath cost Him.
2. Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay,
Death brooded darkly o'er me,
Sin was my torment night and day,
In sin my mother bore me;
Yea, deep and deeper still I fell,
Life had become a living hell,
So firmly sin possessed me.
3. My own good works availed me naught,
No merit they attaining;
Free will against God's judgment fought,
Dead to all good remaining.
My fears increased till sheer despair
Left naught but death to be my share;
The pangs of hell I suffered.
4. But God beheld my wretched state
Before the world's foundation,
And, mindful of His mercies great,
He planned my soul's salvation.
A father's heart He turned to me,
Sought my redemption fervently:
He gave His dearest Treasure.
5. He spoke to His beloved Son:
'Tis time to have compassion.
Then go, bright Jewel of My crown,
And bring to man salvation;
From sin and sorrow set him free,
Slay bitter death for him that he
May live with Thee forever.
6. This Son obeyed His Father's will,
Was born of virgin mother,
And God's good pleasure to fulfill,
He came to be my Brother.
No garb of pomp or power He wore,
A servant's form, like mine, He bore,
To lead the devil captive.
7.To me He spake: Hold fast to Me,
I am thy Rock and Castle;
Thy Ransom I Myself will be,
For thee I strive and wrestle;
For I am with thee, I am thine,
And evermore thou shalt be Mine;
The Foe shall not divide us.
8. The Foe shall shed My precious blood,
Me of My life bereaving.
All this I suffer for thy good;
Be steadfast and believing.
Life shall from death the victory win,
My innocence shall bear thy sin;
So art thou blest forever.
9. Now to My Father I depart,
The Holy Spirit sending
And, heavenly wisdom to impart,
My help to thee extending.
He shall in trouble comfort thee,
Teach thee to know and follow Me,
And in all truth shall guide thee.
10. What I have done and taught, teach thou,
My ways forsake thou never;
So shall My kingdom flourish now
And God be praised forever.
Take heed lest men with base alloy
The heavenly treasure should destroy;
This counsel I bequeath thee.
Hymn 387
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Rom. 3: 28
Author: Martin Luther, 1523
Translated by: Richard Massie, 1854, alt.
Titled: "Nun freut euch, liebe Christen g'mein"
Tune: "Nun freut euch"
1st Published in: Etlich' christliche Lieder
Town: Wittenberg, 1524
Bailing Water Comments on the Coffee Cup WELS Church
Freddy Finkelstein said...
To quote from the article, "In the front of the room is a simple altar and a screen where Hunter’s prerecorded sermons are projected."
As I have stated on this blog before, I am all in favor of creating opportunities for evangelism. I am all in favor of a congregation calling qualified and competent (i.e. approved) individuals to lead and engage in such efforts, and I am the first to admit that, to this end, there is room for creativity. But that is not what is described in this article. This is intended to be Church -- the article identifies it as such. What's more, it is "Church" where the sermon, and thus Law and Gospel, has become ambiance -- noise projected on a screen -- and what follows seems to be an interruption to the activity people have otherwise assembled for. Such a concept strikes me as neither evangelism nor Church, but an annoyance and distraction from what people would rather be doing -- drinking coffee and having conversation.
The article further states, "We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church."
My question: "Which is what? The Liturgy? Hymns? Sound theology? The Gospel?"
My Answer: I doubt it. I suspect, rather, that it is the thing intimated in the following sentence. The Law. "We’re trying to provide a casual atmosphere where you’re free to talk about what this means to you and how it applies to your life." Coming from pop-church Evangelicalism, this is code for "honoring God by living a God pleasing life." Merit-mongering Law. Even if the thrust of the Law is not the intent here, the expression is totally ambiguous. Which "this" and "it" is being referred to? What the Bible says, or what turned people away from the Church? Both? Either way, what is described is not "Church" -- at least not in any Confessional sense that I know of.
Talking about what the Bible says is a normal desire for every person who has received the gift of Faith. We do it every Sunday, and multiple times a week, at our congregation -- in the context of Adult Sunday School or Bible Study. Many of us laymen engage in further, personal discussion, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Nothing new here. However, "what this means to you" carries no weight whatsoever, unless one is a Pietist. Seriously. This is what the ecclesiolae does -- read Timotheus Verinus (Loescher) or The History of Pietism (Schmid), both recently published by NPH, for details. Koester's Law and Gospel should be considered important, as well. The "what this means to you" approach comes straight from the modern Church Growth playbook, a reprisal of 18/19th Century Pietism, which reduces the Preaching Office to inoffensive good-buddy-ism, and elevates the Priesthood of All Believers to equal station in the Church. Wasn't this matter settled by Walther in 1862, at the convention of the Norwegian Synod -- which was then struggling with the question of lay-involvement in the congregation's ministry, resulting from the leftovers of European Pietism? Further, such discussion ensues entirely outside the context of the Divine Service. It may be part of what Christians do, but it is not "Church."
One thing I appreciate about my own Pastor, and about many Pastors in the WELS I have heard speak, is straightforward and Biblical answers to questions that people have about religion, the Bible, and Christianity. Perhaps that is all that is occurring at St. Andrew's coffee-shop location, and the article was simply poorly articulated. If the coffee-shop thing was described as nothing but a venue for evangelism, I would probably have nothing negative to say. But it doesn't. It is described as "Church," and as an alternative to the Sunday Divine Service. The article describes the Divine Service at St. Andrew's parent location as "a more traditional liturgical style." If the article accurately describes the congregation's sentiments, I predict, "Not for long." Alternative sentiments will come home to roost: alternatives to wholesome Lutheran rites and hymnody (which is non-Lutheran rites and hymnody), alternatives to Lutheran catholicity (which is anti-catholic), and alternatives to Lutheran Confessionalism (which is non- or anti-Confessionalism). Why will they come home to roost? Because it takes intellectual energy to become and remain Confessional and Biblical (which is why sound catechesis is so important -- which also seems to be something that is slipping among us). It only takes emotional drive to embrace the alternatives.
Such is my opinion, so far.
Freddy Finkelstein
January 13, 2009 9:42 PM
Anonymous said...
Great post Freddy. I enjoy your insight. You commented on a quote in the article and I too found it interesting but in a different light.
"We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church."
I can’t, and won’t, speak for the folks referenced in the article but I can relate to this. Some insight on me before I elaborate…I’m a PK (Pastor’s Kid) from Mequon but not from the Seminary. That narrows down my identity significantly. I’ve been WELS educated from Kindergarten to Undergrad. Went to church every Sunday. Said my prayers, learned the differences between what I believed and what other “religions” believed. I was a very good, conservative, WELS member.
As I got older, by the grace of God, I kept going to church. Through no engagement of the Church and Change, Church Growth stuff, I started asking myself on Sunday mornings “What am I doing here?”, “Why am I doing this?”, “Am I really worshipping God right now?”, “Why do I believe what I’m saying right now?”. This was very troubling. I shouldn’t have been asking those questions…I’m WELS…I can recite the Creeds from memory!
I went back to the Bible and my Catechism to try and figure out what was going on. Sadly I realized that I was just playing church. I was going through the motions. Not only was I doing that but people that I was close to, some who were un-churched, began to notice this. What a terrible witness I was!
I was pushing people away because they saw me only going through the motions, yet I was the one telling them that they need to start coming to church! I then looked around and realized I wasn’t the only one “playing church” and I saw little to no effort from the pastors or from anyone else in the church to fix this. Nobody was engaged in what they believed. Everyone was content in “confessing” what they believed by coming to church and reading what was placed in front of them. They were content in being a number in that church and they were not engaged.
I once heard a Pastor say to his congregation “If you want to come here to go through the motions and fill our seats to just be a number, please leave. There are plenty of congregations out there that want you as a number and who don’t care if you just recite what they tell you.”. That was it for me. I had to admit that I was just being a number. I realized I had to get into a church where there is Law and Gospel and where I had to become involved and active.
That is what people are looking for. Confessions are not enough anymore. People want to be at a place where they hear God’s Word and see Jesus and not just people reciting things at the same time. Are they rejecting liturgy? I don’t think so. I think we just ruined it for everyone else but ourselves. Are they rejecting doctrine? No, they want more, but they need to see it in action before they can buy into it! Does that mean we have to take a different approach? It appears by your post that you are open to it. My position is that we have must. Anything that isn’t unbiblical must be fair game.
Freddy, in my opinion, that is what is turning people away and what they are looking for. I don’t think it has to do with the Law as you suggest. I attend a rather “contemporary” WELS church now and have almost been in tears because of the Law. I also know that I have not described you in my comments about being content as a number. There is enormous value in being Confessional but we (the WELS) have seriously screwed it up. Many churches do a great job at reciting it but not a good job of living it so we have to change our approach.
JW
January 14, 2009 12:16 PM
Anonymous said...
"Many churches do a great job at reciting it but not a good job of living it so we have to change our approach."
This is a perfect one sentence summary of what Spener taught. For those who are too busy rocking for Jesus or sipping your coffee to know who Spener was, he was the founder of Pietism, the movement that almost completely destroyed the Lutheran church by turning people away from the Means of Grace and focusing people on living for Jesus.
January 14, 2009 1:50 PM
Benjamin Tomczak said...
It's a tightrope we will walk for our whole lives, that is, between Christ for us and our lives for Christ. Because we're called to see and do both.
Paul spent chapters 1-3 of Ephesians talking about Christ for us, and then chapters 4-6 talking about what that means for us. 1 Corinthians is filled with how we live for Christ, in the midst of Paul's repeated proclamations of Christ crucified and those things of first importance (Him for me)!
Yet, as you say, it's so easy to blitz past the means of grace and Christ for us and just focus on me for Christ, WWJD, being purpose-driven, etc., that we can or have, as Pietism does, leave the objective means of grace behind.
Or, we fall off the other side of the tightrope (or the donkey, if you prefer Luther's picture from "Bondage of the Will"), and totally ignore the role of works in our life (as James had to deal with), forgetting that it is indeed necessary for the Christian to live his Christian confession.
We see Paul deal with it masterfully in 2 Corinthians 5: "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again....God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (5:15 and 21).
Our life for Jesus is eternally intertwined, based upon, and compelled by Him for me, heard only in the Word, offered only through the objective means of grace -- the Gospel proclaimed, poured, and eaten. Fed on the Bread of Life, there is only one God-pleasing way for us to burn off this energy -- serving Him!
A couple other fine examples of balancing the objective proclamation of Christ for us with the inevitable result of fruits of faith:
"In view of God's mercy...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1).
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
Pr. Benjamin Tomczak
January 14, 2009 3:06 PM
Anonymous said...
Whenever the discussions move toward the topic of sanctification, I get a little nervous. I really have a hard time discussing the third use of the Law. But maybe that's just me.
If you have a few moments, do a Yahoo search for "Hitting for the Cycle" by Don Matzat. It's a short article and worth the read. I've found this summary of Lutheranism helpful (and in layman's terms).
Rob
January 14, 2009 4:22 PM
Freddy Finkelstein said...
JW,
Thanks for sharing. Up until the final couple paragraphs, your story very much reminds me of that of a good friend of mine from my own congregation – a competent Lutheran of balanced temperament, in my opinion, and a reliable leader in our congregation. He, like you, is congenital WELS (although not a PK) and was educated in WELS schools. As with myself, and many Christians I know, early in adulthood he finally began to ask himself the same questions that you indicate: “Why am I doing this?”, “What does this mean?”, “Why do I believe this?” etc. He studied and thought, and realized that if he believed what he confessed to believe (and he did believe it), then there needed to be conscious connection between his actions (and especially those in the context of worship) and his public Confession. At first, being himself an accomplished Jazz musician, he headed the direction of contemporary worship and other forms of popular expression, being under the youthful impression that, despite its irreverence, overt emotionalism is the proper and genuine way that one externalizes internal convictions. It took him several years, but he came to understand that he was wrong. Convictions are present in one's conscience, and one's public confession, not his emotional fervor, is the voice of his conscience. Today, my friend rejects contemporary forms, and points to his prior interest in such forms as a maturity problem. He also refers to these same contemporary forms as a problem for our Synod, as something that is drawing our people further away from our common Confession, away from Unity under that confession, and is causing confusion between Faith and Works. He finally points out, from his own personal experience, that it is very difficult for musicians to admit this, that most choose to school themselves in strictly popular forms, are enamoured with the celebrity of pop-performers, and view themselves as more than merely worship accompanists, or as co-worshipers in the congregation. In his experience (and I concur, with my “praise-band” experience as a former pop-church Evangelical), musicians – and especially guitarists and vocalists – see themselves as co-pastors, with their own message to bring to the congregation, and their own means of motivating worshipers to action.
You indicate the difficulty of associating Rites in the context of the Divine Service with living out the Christian faith, specifically, I gather, in corporate recitation of the confession and creeds, the responsories, and probably also the singing of “traditional” hymns. You also quote a pastor who stated, “There are plenty of congregations out there that want you as a number and who don’t care if you just recite what they tell you.” What we recite in the context of the Divine Service is not “just what our church tells us to recite.” Thinking so is a mistake of ignorance – a catechesis problem. What we recite is what we believe. Further, it is what we agree to as a matter of Christian conscience. Moreover, it is the basis of our visible Unity not only as individual congregations, and not only as a Synod, but is our weekly declaration of Unity within the Body of Christ, the Church Universal. I have come to discover that this Unity is the essence of liturgical worship and the seat of our catholicity. Contemporary worship forms, on the other hand, are not expressions of unity, but a visible rejection of unity in favor of individuality; they are not expressions of our catholicity, but of sectarianism. In a Confessional sense, from the standpoint of our catholicity, contemporary forms, far from being relevant, are in fact irrelevant.
This final point is important. It must be realized that our Confessions, the Augsburg Confession especially, stand as our answer to the enemies of the Gospel and of pure doctrine. When the Romans accused the Lutherans of being outside the Church – that is, of being sectarian – Luther, Melanchthon and company, vigorously defended against this accusation, saying we are not outside the Church – we are catholic: “We have not abolished the Mass, we celebrate it weekly, and more often if the people want,” “We embrace the Rites of the Church,” “Nothing is done among us that has not been done since the earliest of times,” etc. (my paraphrases). Catholicity is more than what we say, it is expressed in Churchly practice. When we reject the Confessions, when we fail to consider them, when we act and speak carelessly with respect to what separates us from the Gospel's enemies and what binds us in Unity with each other and the whole Church, we rob ourselves of our defense against the accusations of Rome and all of Scripture's enemies. We automatically exchange our catholicity for sectarianism. This was Richard Neuhaus' point – he hated Church Growth for driving Lutheranism outside of the Church into sectarianism.
One may ask, “How can I make a conscious connection between the words I speak and sing during the Divine Service, and what I believe?” This is an important question. I know very well that many of the individuals I worship next to on Sundays speak and sing the words as if the object is to form the sounds with their mouths in unison with others, without a thought to their content. This is rote practice. It is thoughtless. It is worthless and empty. It is wrong. Yet the solution is very simple. One needs only to think the words as they are said or sung. Make the words your own, and give expression to them as you join with others thinking, “These are my words, this is my confession, this is what I believe, this is what my Christian brothers believe, this is what the Church teaches and has always rightly taught, and I want everyone to hear it!” This is how one connects wholesome Christian ritual with Christian conscience – they pay attention, they think about what they are saying or singing, and give it due expression as word and song proceeds from their conscience. I discovered this for myself. My friend, above, discovered it for himself. No one told us these things – so we were rather surprised to discover one day that we had both landed on the same conclusion. Such a solution, though simple, is a matter of catechesis, for most folks, I would imagine. Pastors must teach these things.
I think these final two paragraphs, above, cover your statement that, “there is enormous value in Confessionalism” -- that is, rather than merely being valuable, Confessions and Confessionalism are necessary. But to the other points in your final two paragraphs, I'll submit that the reason for restlessness, for the desire among the laity for more and to do more, isn't dissatisfaction with liturgical worship, per se, or with Confessionalism at all (and I think you admit this), but is really that teaching among us hasn't caught up with the intellectual capabilities of the modern American. Our own demographic is shifting. We're not principally agrarian or blue collar workers, anymore. We are educated professionals, many of us with multiple advanced degrees. Even those without advanced education are forced, more and more, to engage society on increasingly sophisticated terms. Teaching that is well suited for those without education, does more than leave the rest of us feeling unfed – it is offensive to us. Another member of my congregation, a very competent student of the Scriptures, commented on this very thing recently. Himself having grown a little restless, he has spent some time investigating other WELS churches in the area, only to come back to us simply aghast, deeply offended that he could not find a single congregation outside of ours, where he did not feel as if he was being spoken to as a semi-literate child. Add to this the fact that this gentleman does not have a college degree, and one should see the point.
Anyway, I'll make this the end of another long-winded response. Just know that I have thought what you thought, and others I personally know have thought the same things, as well.
Freddy Finkelstein
January 14, 2009 5:17 PM
Freddy Finkelstein said...
Rob,
I checked out the article you referenced. An enjoyable and quick read! To quote from that article,
"He continues to run the bases and his understanding of sin deepens. He grows in the knowledge of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. His Faith increases and good works freely flow from his life. Much to his amazement, as he reads the Bible, he discovers that this is exactly what God wants for him.
"As he grows, he learns to love the worship of the Church. He discovers that various elements of the liturgy deal with either the Law, Gospel, Faith, or Good Works.
"The traditional hymnody of the Church enhances his experience of Christian growth. He sings with enthusiasm 'Alas, My God, My Sins are Great,' 'Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness,' 'My Faith Looks Up to Thee,' and 'May We Thy Precepts Lord Fulfill.' In so doing, he is running the bases again and growing."
In many ways, this is what my friend, above, meant when he referred to his flirtation with Contemporary Worship as a "maturity problem." Partly age and experience, mostly just immature faith.
Freddy Finkelstein
January 14, 2009 10:11 PM
“The most important thing is determining what it is going to take to reach people that aren’t coming to us,” says Hunter. “Anything that isn’t unbiblical is fair game. Let’s just try it! It’s up to our churches to step up and see what we can do to get the gospel out there.”
http://coffee hour is now church time
I thought readers might find this article interesting. Instead of going to the coffee house. Rev. Randy is bringing the coffee house to church. After the sermon the folks gather for a little coffee clutch.
If you look closely you don't find any mention of holding up the sacraments.
posted by John at 6:26 PM on Jan 13, 2009
Joe Krohn, Rock and Roller--
Previously Retired for the Second Time--Unburdens Hisself
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wandani at St. Marcus - Epicenter of Church and Ch...":
This has the ring of 'playing church' ... from Bailing Water:
" Anonymous said...
Great post Freddy. I enjoy your insight. You commented on a quote in the article and I too found it interesting but in a different light.
"We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church."
I can’t, and won’t, speak for the folks referenced in the article but I can relate to this. Some insight on me before I elaborate…I’m a PK (Pastor’s Kid) from Mequon but not from the Seminary. That narrows down my identity significantly. I’ve been WELS educated from Kindergarten to Undergrad. Went to church every Sunday. Said my prayers, learned the differences between what I believed and what other “religions” believed. I was a very good, conservative, WELS member.
As I got older, by the grace of God, I kept going to church. Through no engagement of the Church and Change, Church Growth stuff, I started asking myself on Sunday mornings “What am I doing here?”, “Why am I doing this?”, “Am I really worshipping God right now?”, “Why do I believe what I’m saying right now?”. This was very troubling. I shouldn’t have been asking those questions…I’m WELS…I can recite the Creeds from memory!
I went back to the Bible and my Catechism to try and figure out what was going on. Sadly I realized that I was just playing church. I was going through the motions. Not only was I doing that but people that I was close to, some who were un-churched, began to notice this. What a terrible witness I was!
I was pushing people away because they saw me only going through the motions, yet I was the one telling them that they need to start coming to church! I then looked around and realized I wasn’t the only one “playing church” and I saw little to no effort from the pastors or from anyone else in the church to fix this. Nobody was engaged in what they believed. Everyone was content in “confessing” what they believed by coming to church and reading what was placed in front of them. They were content in being a number in that church and they were not engaged.
I once heard a Pastor say to his congregation “If you want to come here to go through the motions and fill our seats to just be a number, please leave. There are plenty of congregations out there that want you as a number and who don’t care if you just recite what they tell you.”. That was it for me. I had to admit that I was just being a number. I realized I had to get into a church where there is Law and Gospel and where I had to become involved and active.
That is what people are looking for. Confessions are not enough anymore. People want to be at a place where they hear God’s Word and see Jesus and not just people reciting things at the same time. Are they rejecting liturgy? I don’t think so. I think we just ruined it for everyone else but ourselves. Are they rejecting doctrine? No, they want more, but they need to see it in action before they can buy into it! Does that mean we have to take a different approach? It appears by your post that you are open to it. My position is that we have must. (sic) Anything that isn’t unbiblical must be fair game.
Freddy, in my opinion, that is what is turning people away and what they are looking for. I don’t think it has to do with the Law as you suggest. I attend a rather “contemporary” WELS church now and have almost been in tears because of the Law. I also know that I have not described you in my comments about being content as a number. There is enormous value in being Confessional but we (the WELS) have seriously screwed it up. Many churches do a great job at reciting it but not a good job of living it so we have to change our approach.
JW (aka Joe Krohn, aka Joe the Bass Player, author of the notorious blog - An Apology for a 'Rock and Roll' Lutheran Church
Who Promotes Church and Change in FIC?
Celebrating blessings
Growing up the oldest of three in St. Paul, Minn., John Braun admits that at one time he thought about being a psychologist or a surgeon rather than being a pastor. But it was an encounter during a summer job in high school that led him to reconsider his calling in life. “This guy that I worked with, I don’t even think he was Lutheran, asked me, ‘Why is it that you don’t want to be a pastor?’ And the only reasons I could come up with were that I wanted more money and more prestige. I decided those weren’t very good reasons.” The rest they say is history.
Braun has spent his 36-year ministry in many different capacities. He has served as a parish pastor, a college professor at Northwestern College, the vice president for publishing services at Northwestern Publishing House, and now, added to that, the executive editor of Forward in Christ.
A self-described workaholic, Braun confesses that even in his free time he often can be found writing. However he does manage to get away from time to time, traveling with his wife of 37 years, Sandy. “We love the beach, the rhythmic rush of the waves, and the sunshine,” says Braun.
***
GJ - Is the editor of FIC an agent for Church and Change? Just read the disgusting article below, published as "news" in the January FIC.
The models for St. Andrews are Mars Hill and North Point. Doebler--at Rock and Roll WELS Church--is cribbing Mars Hill material. Ski--CORE--posed giddily with Andy Stanley of North Point, at the Babtist conference held in Atlanta. Gunga Don Patterson (on the FIC team) took a group to Exponential, where Brother Stetzer was featured as one of many false teachers.
Is Braun a Church and Change agitator? Just look at the authors each issue. The majority are from the Church Growth benches of WELS.
WELS could balance its budget by no longer spending money to promote the doctrines of Fuller Seminary, Trinity Divinity School, Willow Creek, Mars Hill, and North Point.
WELS Gone Wild: FIC Promoting the Easy Chair, Coffee Shop Church
Congregation finds new way to share the gospel
One leadership, one vision, one plan for ministry, and one staff—but two church buildings. This is the new approach that St. Andrew, which now has sites in both Middleton and Waunakee, Wis., is trying to reach out to more people.
“[This multi-site approach] grew out of a vision that we gathered about three years ago now,” says Randy Hunter, pastor at St. Andrew. “We said, ‘We’re blessed with a new, beautiful facility, but we just know there are people that would never come here. So let’s get out of the building, go into the communities, and see if we can reach them in other ways.’ ”
After a two-year study, the congregation decided a satellite ministry might work. They also thought about different ways in which to present the gospel and came up with an approach that Hunter refers to as “casual about church; serious about God.”
“We studied our culture: its movement away from church and its movement toward community and the desire to get together at a café or a Starbucks,” says Hunter. “Our goal was to recreate that atmosphere and bring the gospel to it.”
St. Andrew looked at possibilities for its new satellite location, such as storefronts in area strip malls, but instead was able to acquire an existing church building.
The only problem was the interior didn’t match their “casual about church” approach. So the congregation hired a popular coffeehouse designer—coincidentally someone who didn’t attend church—and asked him to design the kind of place where he’d feel comfortable coming to hear about Jesus.
Hunter says the result looks and feels like a café, complete with chairs, couches, coffee tables, and coffee machines in the back. In the front of the room is a simple altar and a screen where Hunter’s prerecorded sermons are projected.
“After the sermon, the worship leader invites everyone to take a break, refresh their coffee, and get settled down in their chair or couch for a Bible study on the sermon text,” says Hunter. “If you think about what it would be like to have some people over to worship Jesus in your living room—that’s the atmosphere.”
Hunter says that approximately 50 to 60 people attend each week, many of whom had not been attending any church. “Several families are very interested in growing in the faith with us and partnering with us,” says Hunter. “We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church. We’re trying to provide a casual atmosphere where you’re free to talk about what this means to you and how it applies to your life. We get the chance to give the same teaching that we do in any church, but just in a different setting.”
Hunter says this new venture is a great addition to St. Andrew’s services in Middleton, which features a more traditional liturgical style. The congregation has a thriving music ministry—more than 150 musicians and soloists perform throughout the year. The congregation also reaches out to Middleton and surrounding communities through its school, where more than 60 percent of the students are nonmembers.
“The most important thing is determining what it is going to take to reach people that aren’t coming to us,” says Hunter. “Anything that isn’t unbiblical is fair game. Let’s just try it! It’s up to our churches to step up and see what we can do to get the gospel out there.”
For more information, visit www.st-andrew-online.org.
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Volume 96, number 1, 01-1-2009, category: news
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Mark Freier Style Weddings For Hire:
Please contact Pastor Hunter to schedule a wedding, register for the Pre-Marriage workshop or to receive our handbook about wedding at St. Andrew. You may check the St. Andrew Calendar to see if a date is open.
Introduction and Important Time Lines
As soon as you're engaged:
•Register for one of two Pre-Marriage workshops each year (winter or summer)
•Call the church office to check on dates available for your wedding
•Check with our pastor on his availability.
One year to six-months before your wedding:
•Fill out the Wedding Planning sheet
•Participate in the Pre-Marriage workshop
•Meet with your assito plan the music for your service
Some reminders...
Do I have to be a member to be married at St. Andrew? Absolutely not! If you're looking for a place to grow in Christ, a people to support your Christian home and opportunities to explore your faith and serve other people, we're happy to serve you. To be honest, though, if you're looking for a "wedding mill" to take your money, marry you, and leave you alone; please keep looking! There are plenty in town; we're not one of them. You do not need to be a member, but we do have three requirements.
•That you participate in a Pre-Marriage Workshop.
•That you participate in our basic Bible doctrine course called Keys to Faith. We offer these sessions on Sunday mornings during the Education Hour. You don't have to join our congregation and there's no pressure to do so; just a requirement that you take the class.
•That you not be living together; or if you are, that you separate before your wedding. Somewhere along the line someone may have given you the impression that it's no big deal and everyone does it. It is a big deal (God has a commandment against it). And, no, not everyone does it. Of course you love each other, but that suggests you do what's best for each other. That would not include sin. Our God is gracious and forgiving. Jesus died for all sin, including sexual intimacy before marriage. That's the point: Jesus died for our sins so we don't want to continue in them. We understand not everyone will listen to what Jesus says about this; but we'd be less than faithful to Him if and less than loving to you if we didn't tell you what he says. We want to help you start your marriage with his blessing.
A rehearsal is usually necessary. Because a wedding service is a worship service, it deserves our best attention an preparation. Most couples hold the rehearsal the evening before their wedding. It usually takes about 45 minutes.
The Marriage License is given to the pastor at the rehearsal. This document is absolutely necessary for him to perform the ceremony.
Use of the Church
Our seating capacity is about 300; the center aisle is about 60 feet (you won't want a 30 foot train!). There is no charge to use our facility for your wedding. However, several brothers and sisters in faith will help you worship (musician(s), AV technician, wedding coordinator and janitor). We ask you to give an honorarium to them to thank them for serving you. These amounts typically total about $200.
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This is how The Hope is presented by the vendor:
The Hope
The Story of God’s Promise for All People
a powerful chronological overview of God’s redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation
Now available in numerous languages
ChristianAnswers’ top video recommendation for effective evangelism
[Click for order section]
Watch this movie here, in its entirety, or by chapter
Click here to view The HOPE on-line—our evangelism Web site with streaming video
About the mission of this film…
Click here to view a 4-minute video about why The HOPE was produced and how it can be used effectively. GO…
More Information
Movie Review
(Christian Spotlight)
Article:
”How to teach the Bible chronologically—and why”
(EffectiveEvangelism.com)
View short clips
Windows Media
Clip A / B / C
(more clips coming)
RealVideo
Clip A - Dialup / 256k
Clip B - Dialup / 256k
Clip C - Dialup / 256k
There is a source of hope and help for you and me, a book unlike any other in all the world. It is the most quoted, the most published, most translated book in human history.
Known as the Bible, this book was written by more than 40 people from various walks of life, living over a period of 1500 years. Yet, as if the authors were guided by an unseen hand, there emerges from its pages one story of eternal proportions, centered around one extraordinary character… One who will deliver the world from death.
Created in cooperation with motion picture producers and distributors around the world, this unique motion picture provides a powerful, dramatic summary of this incredible story… a story many have called the greatest story ever told.
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Just imagine having a presentation of the biblical story you could be proud to show to your unsaved friends. One that connects with the deep questions in every human heart: Why am I here? Is there a God? What happens when I die? And then the presents the Bible as an authoritative, credible source for answers to those questions.
“…the most powerful presentation of the gospel on video that we have ever seen…with “zero embarrassment” factor…”
—Ken James, Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Even the most media sophisticated viewer will be impressed by The Hope’s dramatic interpretations, lifelike special effects, moving soundtrack and compelling story.
The HOPE is a dramatic motion picture presentation of God’s redemptive story as revealed in 36 Biblical events from Creation through the Second Coming of Christ. It includes some of the most beautiful cinematic presentations of the Bible ever filmed. With a high priority on quality, The HOPE was produced on 35mm film (same as hollywood movies). It contains numerous digital effects. Nearly 4 years in the making, The HOPE was produced by mature and respected Christians who have produced effective evangelism films for over 20 years - used of God to lead thousands to Christ.
DESCRIPTION
Ever wondered why so few people seem to understand the Gospel these days? For many, the problem is that they have simply never had the whole story clearly explained from the beginning — and so they are left confused.
Today, soul-winners world-wide are rediscovering the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel chronologically — starting in Genesis. That is what this movie does. The approach is wise and effective. More souls are being won as a result!
Special effects are used to show the creation of the universe and man, revealing the basic attributes and character of God. The story then proceeds to telling of the fall of the angels, the fall of man, the entrance of sin into the world, the penalty of sin being death, the impending judgment and the promised deliver. Then the foundation of God’s redemptive purpose is laid through the calling of Abraham, the establishment of Israel and the sacrificial system requiring the shedding of blood of the unblemished lamb for the forgiveness of sins.
Check out these OTHER great resources
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus
Chronological teaching method
(book, multiple languages)
God’s Story
(movie)
(video, VCD, CD, tape, multiple languages)
Are You Going to Heaven?
(movie)
Jesus
(movie)
Discovering the Bible
(movies)
Finally, the promised deliver is born, His life, love and ministry are displayed and His death and resurrection are portrayed. The church is then established and sent through time to bring God’s story to all mankind so that everyone might have a chance to respond.
The film ends with an effective summary review and a challenge to respond to Christ.
The dramatic biblical scenes and special effects of this epic effort are tied together by three on-screen storytellers. At times, these storytellers appear in front of the biblical scenes they are describing. At other times, the drama powerfully conveys the story without the support of a storyteller.
The use of storytellers in The HOPE serves two critical functions. First, they provide an effective overview, commentary, and continuity necessary to cover 36 biblical events in less than 80 minutes. Secondly, because The HOPE was produced with digital technology, storytellers can be easily changed to create foreign language versions. In this way, the biblical story becomes very culturally relevant to the viewers because they see and hear the story from someone of their own culture in their own language.
Discover the POWER of Chronological Story Telling
Missionaries world-wide are rediscovering the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel by utilizing the same chronological Bible story telling presentation used by Jesus on the Emmaus road. In fact, no matter how primitive or sophisticated a society may be, the best way to communicate truths such as the Gospel is still through the avenue of story telling.
New Tribes Mission is an example of an organization that moved from the traditional missionary approach of topical teaching to much more successful chronological Bible story telling. They now deliver the Gospel beginning with the foundational stories that present: The Creator God, humankind’s creation and fall, and people’s need to trust God’s provision of a substitutionary sacrifice.
Teachers begin in the Old Testament using Bible stories that point to the lost condition of all people, and of God’s promise that one day, a Savior would come to provide salvation for all humankind. After several months, the teaching of the New Testament stories of Jesus begin. At that point, even previously unreached people-groups easily recognize Jesus as the promised Savior from God.
Missionaries who switched to “chronological Bible story telling” report that instead of waiting many years for their first convert among unreached people groups, they now see an 80% conversion rate in only a few months—with evidence of changed lives!
TEACHES THE WHOLE STORY - A Biblically Based, Field Proven Approach to Evangelism
Many people in our modern post-Christian culture do not have a worldview through which they can truly understand a Gospel presentation that moves quickly toward a decision for Jesus. To effectively present the gospel, we must start at the beginning in Genesis and build a foundation of key Biblical truths. This is best accomplished by simply sharing the story of the Bible in chronological context. See article: “How to teach the Bible chronologically”
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The Vision
Watch this 4 minute video to learn more about why The HOPE was produced and how it can be effectively used. GOThe HOPE is a powerful personal ministry tool to help the body of Christ share God’s redemptive story with people from every tongue, tribe and nation.
Show it in tiny Indian village on a portable DVD player or laptop computer. In suburban America, groups of churches can mass distribute The HOPE as an evangelistic tract on DVD or VHS. Keep DVD copies in your pocket to give to unbelieving business acquaintances and friends. The possibilities are endless!
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AN EFFECTIVE DISCIPLESHIP TOOL
To help disciple believers to a deeper level in their newfound faith, The HOPE was created in teachable units so that classes can be built around each. There are four major sections comprised of 12 chapters and 36 biblical events. Four discussions can be built around the four sections. At a deeper level, a 12 unit Sunday school program or Bible study can be built around the 12 chapters. Finally, at a more detailed level, 36 classes could be built around the 36 biblical events.
BACKGROUND
In the early stages of developing the concept for The HOPE, the producer went to many of the ministries using the renowned JESUS Film and asked them, “Do you see the need for a media tool in addition to The JESUS Film, and if so, what should it look like?” They began to see a common response. They all wanted something that:
1.had the production quality to reach even the most media sophisticated cultures,
2.was about an hour
3.was sensitive to the culture in which they were ministering, and
4.told the whole story, creation through Christ.
This input shaped the concept for The HOPE.
Many Christian ministries were consulted during the design and editing stage of The HOPE, including AD2000 & Beyond, New Tribes Missions, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Youth for Christ International, The JESUS Film Project, and Eden Communications.
“In a time when instant solutions are sought, it is gratifying to see a project like The HOPE which takes the time to use the fabric of scripture to prepare the human heart for true understanding of the Gospel.”
— Don Pederson, Chairman, New Tribes Missions Research & Planning
“Who says that technology can’t be redeemed as The HOPE proclaims the excellencies of His Name in CD-ROM, DVD, video, print, film, cassette, Web and other formats! The accessibility of this tool using all kinds of these Buck Rogers communications gadgets brands The HOPE as the Gospel Project of the 21st Century.”
— Bill Stearns, Contributing Editor, World Christian Magazine and Co-author, Run With the Vision
Show The HOPE in a single showing or in sections (over a period of days, weeks or months), or both
SECTION ONE - 15:09 min.
Introduction - 3:11
1.The Universal Question - Is There a Purpose?
2.The Voice - Recorded for All Time in a Book
Chapter 1 - In the Beginning - 4:51
3.The Story Begins with God - His Attributes
4.Creation - A Reflection of Gods Power & Nature
Chapter 2 - The Choice - 3:07
5.The Tree of Life and The Tree of Knowledge
6.The Rebellion of Satan and The Creation of Hell
Chapter 3 - The Deadly Disease - 4:00
7.The Deception & Fall of Man
8.A Deadly Spiritual Disease Enters the World
9.The First Promise of a Deliverer
SECTION TWO - 22:31 min.
Chapter 4 - Prelude to the Promise - 3:26
10.God Was Grieved - The Great Flood
11.The Beginning of the Nations - The Tower of Babel
Chapter 5 - Blessed to be a Blessing - 5:45
12.The Calling of Abraham
13.Abraham Offers His Son - God Provides a Substitute
Chapter 6 - People of the Promise - 8:22
14.Isaac, Jacob & Joseph - The Promise Lives
15.God Prepares Moses to Lead the Hebrew People
16.God Brings the Hebrew People Out of Slavery
Chapter 7 - Called to Walk in the Ways of God - 4:58
17.God Gives the Hebrew People the Law
18.The Need for a Deliverer
SECTION THREE - 16:12 min.
Chapter 8 - The Promised One - 9:17
19.The Birth of the Promised Deliverer
20.Jesus as a Child
21.The Baptism of Jesus
22.The Temptation of Jesus
Chapter 9 - The Ministry of Jesus - 6:55
23.Jesus Calls His Disciples
24.The Ministry of Jesus
25.Jesus Offends the Religious Leaders
26.Jesus States His Mission
SECTION FOUR - 24:11 min.
Chapter 10 - God’s Love and Justice Intersect - 13:00
27.Jesus Confronts the Religious Leaders
28.Jesus Final Hours with His Disciples
29.The “Trial” of Jesus
30.The Crucifixion of Jesus
Chapter 11 - He Has Risen - 4:00
31.The Burial of Jesus
32.The Resurrection of Jesus
33.Post-Resurrection Appearances
Chapter 12 - The Church - Yesterday, Today, and Forever - 3:29
34.The Coming of The Spirit
35.His Followers Through the Ages
Conclusion and Summary - 3:42
36.His Invitation to You
Your copy of The Hope INCLUDES non-commercial public showing rights! (not including TV broadcast). Produced by our friends at Mars Hill Productions, in cooperation with numerous Christian experts and ministries.
Item Price each
The HOPE
DVD
English-language version
DVD Region 1-8 NTSC - plays on American DVD players and on DVD players of ALL other regions, too!
English-language version
US$1499
Weight: 0.25 pounds
The HOPE - DVD Ministry Packs
English-language version
These deep discount packs are designed for Christian’s who wish to give copies away as a ministry.
Pack of 5 DVD copies of The HOPE
You cannot resell these videos. The packaging is clearly marked “Not for Resale”.
DVD Region 1-8 - plays on American DVD players and on NTSC DVD players of ALL other regions, too!