Sunday, March 29, 2009

Typical Church and Change Pastor's Response to Public False Doctrine Being Rebuked in Public



This is the Mission/Vision Statement of Church and Chicanery. Don't smirk. It has worked for them ever since 1977.


Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

You, of course, have been to the CORE and witnessed all of these misdeeds which would cause you to declare a lack of fellowship?

No?

Well then, GJ must have been there and seen this, and of course, his slanted view of all things Lutheran MUST be accurate...

Hmm, that's not the case either.

Well, SURELY you've spoken with the pastor, then, to understand where they (sic) stand doctrinally? I mean, it's not diificult (sic) to pick up the phone...It would seem you're in no place to criticize...maybe you should actually check things out before making such audacious statements, rather than taking someone elses (sic) word as fact. As someone who has actually been there, I assure you, they are assumptions only, and incorrect.

***

GJ - I found three errors in a few sentences. Yup, that's a Sausage Factory graduate.

But let's hear from Luther in the Book of Concord:

284] All this has been said regarding secret sins. But where the sin is quite public so that the judge and everybody know it, you can without any sin avoid him and let him go, because he has brought himself into disgrace, and you may also publicly testify concerning him. For when a matter is public in the light of day, there can be no slandering or false judging or testifying; as, when we now reprove the Pope with his doctrine, which is publicly set forth in books and proclaimed in all the world. For where the sin is public, the reproof also must be public, that every one may learn to guard against it.
(Luther, The Large Catechism, Book of Concord, The Ten Commandments)



Did this parson pick up the phone and call me? No. He sent a comment to be published anonymously. How brave!

Slander has been the name of the C and C game ever since the gang fell for Church Growth in the 1970s. Anyone who questions them is called, behind his back:

  1. Legalistic
  2. Brain-damaged.
  3. Senile.
  4. Lazy.
  5. Threatened by change.
  6. Unloving.
  7. Unbrotherly.
  8. Unconcerned about the lost.
  9. Slanderous - misusing their favorite weapon, the Eighth Commandment.
  10. In violation of Matthew 18 - another favorite weapon.

However, the anonymous pastor has no problem with a WELS pastor being trained at Babtist Stanley's worship services and copying the sermons of the pan-denominational Enthusiast Craig Groeschel. Ski has bragged openly about both, and so has his pricey executive assistant, who is working 18 hour days getting the soda fountain ready. Both of them were also at another beehive, Granger Community Church, where they saw a former member of St. Markus. GCC probably accepts transfers directly from St. Markus.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

If Ski wanted to put a stop to these "false assumptions," he could simply post his sermons on his website. Or at least have a website that lives up to his motto "Christ is at the core of everything we do."

Christ is pretty well hidden on the site behind jumbled graphics and a garbled layout. (More evidence that presentation, and not content, is his priority...and that even in presentation he is failing.)

These are not "false assumptions." I notice Pastor Jackson has Ski's instructors, materials, and resources well documented. That makes it fact, not assumption.

Ski's backward emphases are evidenced by his website, his emphasis on soda machines, bands, free wi-fi, and everything else that has nothing to do with Jesus.

A good pastor makes his witness plain in everything he does. He does not hide his beliefs in eight trite "We believe" statements buried on a website, and then place the responsibility on everyone else to call him or travel to Appleton, Wisconsin, to find out what he's teaching. How can we assume the best based on that website and his Baptist sermon themes and titles?

Again, if he wants to stop this, he can post his sermons and Bible classes (which are currently for "approved access only") and prove that Christ, and not Baptist doctrine, "is at the center of everything he does." Until then, I'll believe the evidence presented here.

"Christ is at the center of everything we do" is easy to say. If it's true, it should also be easy to prove. So let's see it.

***

GJ - Ski's earlier blog brags about his Babtist training, with loads of pictures, facts about some of the WELS pastors who also went. He also wrote about skipping Deutschlander at the WELS conference down there to attend Andy Stanley's beehive of Enthusiasm.

The link to Drive 08 on his blog disappeared, but the material is still there.

Ski at Drive 08.

He also went to the Catalyst One Day event, shared by his professor of missions Stanley and his homiletics professor Craig Groeschel.

Judica - The Fifth Sunday in Lent



The Trinity, by Norma Boeckler


Judica, The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

Mid-Week Lenten Services are Thursdays at 6 PM.

The Hymn #291 St. Anne 4.3
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 Hebrews 9:11-15
The Gospel John 8:46-59
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #40 Yigdal 4.94

Mediator of the New Testament

The Hymn #380 St. John 4.12
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 #456 Spohr 4.36

KJV Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

KJV John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

O almighty God, who of Thy great mercy didst cause Thy Son to be conceived by the Holy Ghost, and to become incarnate of the blessed virgin Mary according to the angel's annunciation: Grant us by Thy grace, that our sinful conception may be purified by His holy conception, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Mediator of the New Testament

Preface
I enjoyed the Gerhard volume on Baptism and Holy Communion. Johann Gerhard (not to be confused with the hymn writer Paul Gerhardt) was a brilliant and prolific Lutheran theologian. The extent of his work is difficult to imagine. He wrote 10,000 letters, published enormous volumes of Lutheran orthodoxy, and served the church in various capacities. Most of all, he was a Biblical theologian. This English version deals with every concern or question someone might have about Baptism and Communion. The original date was 1610, only 30 years after the Formula of Concord.

When we encounter a truly great theologian and Biblical teacher, we find that he sees the entire Bible as a testimony of one unified truth. Luther and Gerhard are quite similar in this regard. Gerhard is easy to follow and constantly relies on the Scriptures to show the foundation for his thoughts.
New Testament
This passage from Hebrews reminds us of how God prepared His people for the atoning sacrifice of His Son for centuries before Jesus died on the cross for our sins. In the Temple, the priest entered the holy of holies and performed a blood sacrifice for the sins of the people.

All the descriptions of blood sacrifices in the Old Testament prepared believers to understand the blood of Jesus poured out for the sins of the world.

KJV Exodus 30:10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.

KJV 2 Chronicles 29:23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

But we can also observe how God’s own example is far beyond what humans would imagine. In this case, when the Bible teaches about the atoning sacrifice, Christ is both the victim and the high priest who offers the sacrifice. Similarly, we believe in Jesus as the Good Shepherd, but He is both the Shepherd and the sacrificial lamb. I was trying to get this across in a confirmation class many years ago, and one student said about the Exodus, after many questions, “Everything points to Jesus.” He was responding to the fact that the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, the spotless lamb at the Passover, the water springing from the rock, the manna from heaven, and many other aspects of the Exodus prefigured the ministry of Jesus.

We can know everything about the Old Testament and not see this. On the road to Emmaus, the two disciples knew the Scriptures, but Jesus opened their eyes about the meaning of the Word.

KJV Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Someone can read all day about Old Testament blood sacrifice and not realize that all of the details point toward one moment in time when the Incarnate Word would be the blood sacrifice.

It has been an constant theme of the church, begun in the earliest times, and repeated by the orthodox Lutherans, that the blood and water which flowed from the wound of Jesus represented the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

"Whoever is baptized in Christ is baptized through His suffering and blood or, to state it more clearly, through Baptism he is bathed in the blood of Christ and is cleansed from sins. For this reason St. Paul calls Baptism a "washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5); and according to what Christians say and picture, the Sacraments flow from the wounds of Christ. And what they say and picture is right." [Plass footnote: "Thus Jerome (d. 420) sees the Sacrament symbolized by the blood and water that flowed from the side of the dead Christ (John 19:34). Similarly St. Augustine (d. 430). In Luther's days pictures and woodcuts presented the same view. See W 30, II, 527, note; SL 13a, 491f.]
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 46. to Duke George, 1533. John 19:34; Titus 3:5.

Gerhard too refers to baptism as being washed in the blood of Christ.

"Even though the water which is used for holy Baptism continues to retain its natural essence and natural attributes after Baptism, it is nevertheless not just lowly [plain] water, but it is formulated in God's Word and combined with God's Word. Thus it is a powerful means through which the Holy Trinity works powerfully; the Father takes on the one who is baptized as His dear child; the Son washes him of his sins with His blood; the Holy Spirit regenerates and renews him for everlasting life."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 56.

We cannot understand God’s forgiveness through our human reason alone. Only the Holy Spirit can show us the love, mercy, and grace of the Holy Trinity in forgiving our sins and declaration to us in so many ways that we can always return to the cross for forgiveness. Human forgiveness is limited and tends to run quite low. The farther our society goes away from the Word, the less evidence we see for forgiveness and patience. Because we resist the truth of the Scriptures, God teaches us the same lesson repeatedly and then helps us with the sacrament of Holy Communion.

The Scriptures teach the forgiveness of sin and that is foremost in every Gospel promise. It is a sign of the age of the Great Apostasy (falling away from the faith) that Christian leaders talk about blessings from God but not forgiveness of sin, because sin is negative and implies that people are sinners. That makes it so much easier to see that the greatest sin of the Bible is unbelief in the Word. When someone makes a conscious effort to talk about the Bible and about Jesus while ignoring the forgiveness of sin, he is promoting and teaching unbelief.

I was thinking about this problem while I was pulling weeds, mostly London rocket and mallow, although plump examples of goat’s head have appeared as well. Pulling weeds will always conjure up in my mind the expulsion of Adam and Even from the Garden.

KJV Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

When I encounter weeds too tough to pull out by hand, I think, “Oh Adam, Adam. Look at what you did.” The nature of original sin is such that all our actions and thoughts are tainted by and changed by the corruption of sin. That much must be believed before we can appreciate and be thankful for forgiveness through Christ. We have a constant need for forgiveness of our sin, because we cannot perfect ourselves and escape this nature.

The Israelites believed in their sin enough to have blood sacrifices for centuries. In fact, I understand that the tradition is still taught in the hope that the Temple will be built again. God has said to us in many different passages, in many different ways, but especially in Hebrews: Jesus is the high priest Who has offered up Himself as the blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world.

KJV Leviticus 4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

KJV Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The KJV uses atonement in this passage as a synonym for reconciliation. Holy Communion offers us the visible form of this Gospel promise:

"Accordingly, we say that by virtue of the institution, the holy Supper was established by Christ and was used by the believers chiefly to this end: that the promise of the gracious forgiveness of sins should be sealed and our faith should thus be strengthened. Then, too, we are incorporated in Christ and are thus sustained to eternal life; in addition, subsequently, other end results and benefits of the holy Supper come to pass. Yet, both of the fruits indicated above always remain the foremost."
Johann Gerhard, A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, 1610, ed. D. Berger, J. Heiser, Malone, Texas: Repristination Press, 2000, p. 369.

Quotations

Holy Communion

"And just as the Word has been given in order to excite this faith, so the Sacrament has been instituted in order that the outward appearance meeting the eyes might move the heart to believe [and strengthen faith]. For through these, namely, through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Ghost works."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV (XII), #70. The Mass. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 409. Tappert, p. 262. Heiser, p. 123.

"Our adversaries have no testimonies and no command from Scripture for defending the application of the ceremony for liberating the souls of the dead, although from this they derive infinite revenue. Nor, indeed, is it a light sin to establish such services in the Church without the command of God and without the example of Scripture, and to apply to the dead the Lord's Supper, which was instituted for commemoration and preaching among the living [for the purpose of strengthening the faith of those who use the ceremony]. This is to violate the Second Commandment, by abusing God's name."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV. #89. The Mass. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 413f. Tappert, p. 265f. Heiser, p. 124.

"Whoever denies the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper must pervert the words of Institution where Christ the Lord, speaking of that which He gives His Christians to eat, says: 'This is My body,' and, speaking of that which He gives them to drink, says: 'This is My blood.' [Also 1 Corinthians 10:16]
Francis Pieper, The Difference between Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 40. 1 Corinthians 10:16.

"If Reformed theology wishes to free itself from the confusion of self-contradiction and its other Christological errors, it must by all means eliminate its rationalistic principle that the finite is not capable of the infinite."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1951, II, p. p. 275.

"And all these are established by the words by which Christ has instituted it, and which every one who desires to be a Christian and go to the Sacrament should know. For it is not our intention to admit to it and to administer it to those who know not what they seek, or why they come."
Large Catechism, The Sacrament of the Altar. #2. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 753. Tappert, p. 447. Heiser, p. 210.

"For it is not founded upon the holiness of men, but upon the Word of God. And as no saint upon earth, yea, no angel in heaven, can make bread and wine to be the body and blood of Christ, so also can no one change or alter it, even though it be misused. For the Word by which it became a Sacrament and was instituted does not become false because of the person or his unbelief. For He does not say: If you believe or are worthy you receive My body and blood, but: Take, eat and drink; this is My body and blood."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #16-17. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 757. Tappert, p. 448. Heiser, p. 211.

"On this account it is indeed called a food of souls, which nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by Baptism we are first born anew; but (as we said before) there still remains, besides, the old vicious nature of flesh and blood in man, and there are so many hindrances and temptations of the devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes also stumble."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #23. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 757. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211f.

"Therefore it {communion} is given for a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back in such a battle, but become every stronger and stronger. For the new life must be so regulated that it continually increase and progress; but it must suffer much opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy that when he sees that we oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force, he prowls and moves about on all sides, tries all devices, and does not desist, until he finally wearies us, so that we either renounce our faith or yield hands and feet and become listless or impatient. Now to this end the consolation is here given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too heavy, that it may here obtain new power and refreshment."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #24-27. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 759. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211.

"For here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips of Christ forgiveness of sin, which contains and brings with it the grace of God and the Spirit with all His gifts, protection, shelter, and power against death and the devil and all misfortune."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #70. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 769. Tappert, p. 454. Heiser, p. 214.

"Therefore, if you cannot feel it {the works of the flesh, Galatians 5:199ff. above}, at least believe the Scriptures; they will not lie to you, and they know your flesh better than you yourself...Yet, as we have said, if you are quite dead to all sensibility, still believe the Scriptures, which pronounce sentence upon you. And, in short, the less you feel your sins and infirmities, the more reason have you to go to the Sacrament to seek help and a remedy."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #76-78. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 771. Tappert, p. 455. Heiser, p. 214.

"Calvin was dissatisfied with Zwingli's interpretation of the Lord's Supper, but his own interpretation was also wrong. He said that a person desiring to receive the body and blood of Christ could not get it under the bread and wine, but must by his faith mount up to heaven, where the Holy Spirit would negotiate a way for feeding him with the body and blood of Christ. These are mere vagaries, which originated in Calvin's fancy. But an incident like this shows that men will not believe that God bears us poor sinners such great love that He is willing to come to us."
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 185.

"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.

"For in Confession as in the Lord's Supper you have the additional advantage, that the Word is applied to your person alone. For in preaching it flies out into the whole congregation, and although it strikes you also, yet you are not so sure of it; but here it does not apply to anyone except you. Ought it not to fill your heart with joy to know a place where God is ready to speak to you personally? Yea, if we had a chance to hear an angel speak we would surely run to the ends of the earth."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p. 199.

"In addition there is this perversion, that whereas Christ instituted the use of His Supper for all who receive it, who take, eat, and drink, the papalist Mass transfers the use and benefit of the celebration of the Lord's Supper in our time to the onlookers, who do not communicate, yes, to those who are absent, and even to the dead."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 498.

"However, you will be sure as to whether the sacrament is efficacious in your heart, if you watch your conduct toward your neighbor. If you discover that the words and he symbol soften and move you to be friendly to your enemy, to take an interest in your neighbor's welfare, and to help him bear his suffering and affliction, then all is well. On the other hand, if you do not find it so, you continue uncertain even if you were to commune a hundred times a day with devotions so great as to move you to tears for very joy; for wonderful devotions like this, very sweet to experience, yet as dangerous as sweet, amount to nothing before God. Therefore we must above all be certain for ourselves, as Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:10: 'Give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure.'"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p. 211. 2 Peter 1:10.

"Hence it is manifest how unjustly and maliciously the Sacramentarian fanatics (Theodore Beza) deride the Lord Christ, St. Paul, and the entire Church in calling this oral partaking, and that of the unworthy, duos pilos caudae equinae et commentum, cuius vel ipsum Satanam pudeat, as also the doctrine concerning the majesty of Christ, excrementum Satanae, quo diabolus sibi ipsi et hominibus illudat, that is, they speak so horribly of it that a godly Christian man should be ashamed to translate it. [two hairs of a horse's tail and an invention of which even Satan himself would be ashamed; Satan's excrement, by which the devil amuses himself and deceives men].
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 67, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 997. Tappert, p. 581f. Heiser, p. 270.

"Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last Confession, where he writes thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other] saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands, which I am not going to change]."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575. Heiser, p. 267.

"Besides this, you will also have the devil about you, whom you will not entirely tread under foot, because our Lord Christ Himself could not entirely avoid him. Now, what is the devil? Nothing else than what the Scriptures call him, a liar and murderer. A liar, to lead the heart astray from the Word of God, and blind it, that you cannot feel your distress or come to Christ. A murderer, who cannot bear to see you live one single hour. If you could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are every moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the Sacrament as often as possible."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar. #80-82. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 771f. Tappert, p. 456. Heiser, p. 214.

"Here are examples, in some cases already alluded to by District Presidents: 1. Performing weddings, funerals and baptism without first consulting his successor or the pastor of the congregation; 2. Still striving to retain a leadership role in the congregation from which he retired. RX: The retiree is essentially and actually a lay member and must not serve in any pastoral role unless he is requested or directed so to do; 3. Giving counsel or advice to his successor, or the pastor where he is a member in retirement. RX: If the latter wants or seeks counsel or help, let him ask for it. 4. Giving comfort or support to malcontents who are not satisfied with the present pastor. RX: Be courteous and advise the dissatisfied individuals that you are not the pastor and that they need to bring their concerns to the shepherd of the flock."
Kurt Brink, Overcoming Pastoral Pitfalls, Albuquerque: 1992, p. 126.

"For Scripture never calls either Baptism or the Lord's Supper mysteries or sacraments. Therefore this is an unwritten (agraphos) appellation."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 29. Chapter Four.

"The purest and best part of the human race, the special nursery and flower of God's Church, is tender youth. Youth retains the gift of the Holy Spirit which it received in Baptism; it learns eagerly the true doctrine about God and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ; it calls Him God with a chaste mind and with a simple, pure faith; it thanks Him with a quick and joyful heart for the blessings received from Him; in its studies and the other parts of life, it carries out the duties commanded it; and it obeys God and parents reverently. Particularly God-pleasing, therefore, are the studies of one's earliest age: prayer, obedience and praises which honor God, regardless of how weak and stammering its voice may be."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 9. Chapter Four.

"On the contrary, with the Anabaptists and the Reformed Church in general, the Mennonites are Enthusiasts, lay great stress on the immediate working of the Holy Ghost, who is said to 'guide the saints into all truth.' In his Geschichte der Mennonitengemeinden John Horsch, a prominent Mennonite, states that the Holy Spirit is the 'inner word,' who enables Christians to understand the Scriptures. Without the inner word, or the light, the Scripture is a dead letter and a dark lantern."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 260. Chapter Four.

"Naturally, Universalists deny that the Sacraments are Means of Grace. Some Universalists observe three sacraments--consecration, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The act of consecration of children consists in the parents' pledging themselves to rear their children in the admonition of the Lord."
The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 409f.

"The Anabaptists, the mystics, and other fanatics spoke of Scripture only as the external word, a dead letter, and contemptuously pronounced those who adhered to Scripture as 'worshipers of the letter.' They separated the activity of the Spirit from Scripture, from the Word, and held that the Spirit operates immediately, producing an inner illumination, etc."
E. Hove, Christian Doctrine, Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1930, p. 27f.

(6) "For the joy Thine advent gave me, For Thy holy, precious Word; For Thy Baptism, which doth save me, For Thy blest Communion board; For Thy death, the bitter scorn, For Thy resurrection morn, Lord, I thank Thee and extol Thee, And in heaven I shall behold Thee." Thomas Kingo, 1689, cento, "Like the Golden Sun Ascending," The Lutheran Hymnal, trans., George T. Rygh, 1908 St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #207. Acts 2:32.

(1) "He that believes and is baptized Shall see the Lord's salvation; Baptized into the death of Christ, He is a new creation. Through Christ's redemption he shall stand Among the glorious heavenly band Of every tribe and nation. (2) "With one accord, O God, we pray: Grant us Thy Holy Spirit; Look Thou on our infirmity Through Jesus' blood and merit. Grant us to grow in grace each day That by this Sacrament we may Eternal life inherit." Thomas Kingo, 1689, "He That Believes and Is Baptized" The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #301. Mark 16:16.

"As distinguished from the Gospel, Sacraments are acts, we apply water in Baptism, and we eat and drink in the Lord's Supper. They are sacred acts, and must, as such, be distinguished from ordinary washing, eating and drinking...A Sacrament which offers God's blessings cannot be instituted by man or the Church, but by God alone."
Edward W. A. Koehler, A Short Explanation of Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism, Fort Wayne: Concordia Theological Seminary Press, 1946, p. 254.

"In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary."
Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, 9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. 2 Peter 1:21.

"Thus we do also in infant baptism. We bring the child in the conviction and hope that it believes, and we pray that God may grant it faith; but we do not baptize it upon that, but solely upon the command of God. Why so? Because we know that God does not lie. I and my neighbor and, in short, all men, may err and deceive, but the Word of God cannot err." [Ego et proximus meus et in summa omnes homines errare possunt et fallere, porro autem Verbum Dei nec potest errare nec fallere.]
Large Catechism, Infant Baptism, 57, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, J-9 p. 747.

"The same is true of other factions--the Anabaptists and similar sects. What else do they but slander baptism and the Lord's Supper when they pretend that the external [spoken] Word and outward sacraments do not benefit the soul, that the Spirit alone can do that?"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 208. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Chapter Four.

"Regarding the baptizer--who may be a woman even--and the baptized, we certainly can see nothing wonderful. The humanity in the case does not effect any great work; the work is wrought by Him who is God, Lord, and Spirit."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 218. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

"But the discerning Christian can with satisfaction boast on this wise: 'My baptism or my absolution is not of my own devising or ordaining, nor of another man's. It is of Christ my Lord."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 219. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

"It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to say with full confidence of heart: 'This trust have I toward God in Christ, that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God.' Likewise, when he performs other official duties in the Church--baptizes a child, absolves and comforts a sinner--it must be done in the same firm conviction that such is the command of Christ. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church without this glory, 'it is profitable for him,' as Christ says, (Matthew 18:6), 'that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.' For the devil's lies he preaches, and death is what he effects."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 227. 2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Matthew 18:6

"The first class of disciples are those who hear the Word but neither understand nor esteem it. And these are not the mean people of the world, but the greatest, wisest and the most saintly, in short they are the greatest part of mankind; for Christ does not speak here of those who persecute the Word nor of those who fail to give their ear to it, but of those who hear it and are students of it, who also wish to be called true Christian and to live in Christian fellowship with Christians and are partakers of baptism and the Lord's Supper. But they are of a carnal heart, and remain so, failing to appropriate the Word of God to themselves, it goes in one ear and out the other, just like the seed along the wayside did not fall into the earth, but remained lying on the ground..."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 J-209 II, p. 114. Luke 8:4-15 (par. Mark 4: Matthew 13:)

Saturday, March 28, 2009

"The Only Lutheran Left Standing" in TV




That is Mark Jeske, describing himself at Concordia LCMS, Mequon.

Pardon me, but does St. Markus have a product recall program that would ship Ski back to Milwaukee so they can repair his Lutheran doctrine?

No, St. Markus would have to sub-contract the work. The man who hired Bruce Becker is not going to make Ski a Lutheran.

ELCA Cans Black Woman Chaplain



"Our pastor: The Rev. Christine Thompson is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Ordained in 1995, Rev. Thompson served as pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Detroit, and as the Episcopal/Lutheran campus pastor at Wayne State University, also in Detroit, before accepting her current call as campus pastor at the Corner House. She has been serving at UW-Milwaukee since May 2007.

A native of Chicago, Rev. Thompson received her Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Rev. Thompson is a gifted preacher, teacher and vocalist. In 1997, she was a member of a delegation invited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the National Choir of Cuba in Havana and Santiago, Cuba. The group conducted workshops on African American worship and sacred music. In June 2005, on Pr. Thompson’s second trip to Tanzania, East Africa, she was a presenter at “Women As the Eyes of the Church,” a consultation on women’s work in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania/Mbulu. She also served as spiritual advisor to the group of southeast Michigan women who attended the conference. Pr. Thompson preached at Haydom Lutheran Church/Tanzania in the summer of 2005 and at St. Paul Lutheran Cathedral/ Namibia in the summer of 2006. She is regularly invited to preach ecumenically. She has preached revivals at Calvary Baptist church and Calvary Presbyterian church in Detroit, Michigan. She has been well received in Episcopal pulpits including, All Saints/Detroit and (sic - the sentence broke off there).

Rev. Thompson has served on many strategy teams as a facilitator and a writer.

She is a member of the writing team that produced, “Following The Way: A Strategy for Mission by African Americans for African Americans in the Southeast Michigan synod.

She is certified by World Impact school for cross-cultural church planting. She was certified as a Peer minister trainer in June 2006, and certified as a Bridgebuilder consultant in September 2006.

Rev. Thompson loves singing, reading and analyzing movies. She is the mother of two adult sons."


Closing of Lutheran campus ministry at UWM raises questions
By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Mar. 27, 2009

The abrupt closing of a longtime Lutheran campus ministry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - while leaving its sister program intact at Marquette University - has opened a painful schism in its sponsoring synod over questions of race, class, gender and the future of campus ministry in Milwaukee.

The Corner House at 3074 N. Maryland Ave., operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Milwaukee Synod, has been closed since mid-March after the board that oversees both campus ministries announced it was letting Corner House's pastor, the Rev. Christine Thompson, go.

Synod Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers said the decision by the Lutheran Campus Ministry-Greater Milwaukee board was strictly financial. He said the program would be insolvent by summer if it didn't make drastic cuts, and that a new ministry would emerge at the Corner House.

But critics say the less-than-transparent process and its outcome - UWM's urban ministry is shuttered midsemester and its African-American female pastor out of work, while its more-affluent counterpart remains open with a white male pastor - raise troubling questions.

The synod's decision to now consult anti-racism team members on the appointment of new campus ministry board members, they said, heightens their suspicions that biases might have played a role.

"We can't know what played into this, so we're left to make assumptions," said the Rev. Steve Jerbi, pastor at All Peoples Lutheran Church, which has worked with both campus ministries. "The process has left far more questions than it has answers."

The Synod Council's executive committee and the Lutheran Campus Ministry board will address those questions at a listening session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Adoration Lutheran church, 3840 W. Edgerton Ave. in Greenfield.

Even the location is controversial for some, who see it as too far removed from those committed to and served by the UWM ministry.

Thompson, whose contract ends March 31, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

At least two board members have resigned after the controversy. Pastor Viviane Thomas-Breitfeld stepped down as vice president of the campus ministry board after voting against Thompson's dismissal. Lay representative Catherine Alexander resigned from the Synod Council, which oversees the campus ministry board, citing the "vague and secretive processes used in reaching this decision."

The ELCA's Milwaukee Synod has ministered to students and staff at the two universities for decades - from a former brick duplex near UWM, named for its location at N. Maryland Ave. and E. Kenwood Blvd., and from offices in Marquette's Alumni Memorial Union.

Marquette's serves about 150 students a semester, according to its pastor, the Rev. Brad Brown.

The Corner House's outreach has waned in recent years as it struggled with staff turnover and the demands of an aging building, said a former interim pastor and a former board member.

But supporters said Thompson was making progress on programming since her arrival in 2007. They said the Corner House holds much potential and that the synod would support it financially if it considered it a priority.

"There is a great opportunity to use that ministry and facility to help young adults develop their faith, identify their spiritual journey, at a time in their lives when that is critical," said Venice Williams, executive director of Seed Folks youth ministry, who had begun collaborating with Thompson.

The campus ministry board has struggled. Founded in 2005 to oversee and provide financial management, including fund raising, for the ministries, its membership had dwindled from nine in January to four after Thomas-Breitfeld's departure this month.

Stumme-Diers said its decisions on the Corner House and Thompson were based on the report of a task force. Critics say they've been unable to see the report or know the identities of its three authors. Stumme-Diers told the Journal Sentinel that it would be available at Monday's meeting.

The bishop said biases did not play into the decisions regarding Corner House or Thompson, but that input by anti-racism team members in the creation of a new board is essential for a synod that is primarily urban.

"As a synod that takes seriously our anti-racism work, we want to include an anti-racist commitment to this (campus ministry board) leadership as we plan for the future," he said.

Stumme-Diers said he would work to place Thompson in a different ministry in the synod.

WHAT'S NEXT
There will be a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Adoration Lutheran church, 3840 W. Edgerton Ave. in Greenfield, to address concerns about the closing of a Lutheran campus ministry operation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

***

GJ - One WELS member said, "Send them Kelm." Catholics would call that the ultimate sacrifice.

If she can copy and paste, I would refer her to Point of Grace WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry.

Popcorn Cathedral of Rock:
Training Everywhere Except WELS



DP Englebrecht supports Ski but pretends not to like the Church and Chicaneries. Englebrecht's latest evangelism conference, like last year's, was all C and C. Ski spoke at both.



Tim Stevens is one of the ministers at Granger Community Church, and he has his own blog. So does my dog.



"Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last Confession, where he writes thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other] saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands, which I am not going to change]."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575. Heiser, p. 267.


Jennifruit Yup. It was a gr8 conference. Granger has pretty impressive facilities.
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck in reply to Jennifruit

@Jennifruit i do remember u vaguely. i was at GCC in Nov for a conference. only time but hope 2 get back. u have some amazing leaders there!
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to Jennifruit

@kstrandlund have you ever been to GCC? I grew up in South Bend, was in Milwaukee for WLC & after (total 15 yrs). Moved back here 2 yrs ago.about 12 hours ago from web in reply to kstrandlund

GCC = Granger Community Church, in the South Bend, Mishawaka area (Indiana).

Meet the staff at Granger.

@kstrandlund Hey Katie! Remember me from St. Marcus? You totally follow many of the staff members/pastors at my Church - Granger Community!
about 12 hours ago from web in reply to kstrandlund

is intrigued to see that @pastorski is following @timastevens. Small world! Ski was my Pastor in Milwaukee and Tim Stevens at current church
about 13 hours ago from web

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A WELS layman wrote: "This is that Leadership Conference ski and katie are twittering about lately...they both attended the one back in November at Granger Community Church. I am so hurt and offended...................

http://www.catalystoneday.com/"

What is it?
Why is it important?
How do you get it?
Once you have it, how do you keep it?

Hear Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel uncover the secrets to creating and sustaining momentum. Learn about creating systems, environments, and entire cultures that will set the right initiatives in motion and fuel progress. Whether you need fresh insight for your staff, your church, your business, or yourself, this is an exceptional, can’t-miss opportunity.

Make plans now to be part of Catalyst's newest offering: a One Day leadership experience packed with teaching and insight from two of the leading voices in the Church today. Connect with other influential leaders in your area. Gain fresh perspective. Challenge the process.

Catalyst One Day, part of the Catalyst Voices series, is an opportunity to hear the nuts and bolts of leadership, up-close with Andy and Craig. The event features dynamic worship with the North Point worship team, idea-inducing Q & A, and candid conversation between Andy and Craig. See you there!.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
At Catalyst One Day, you will:
Discover the key to creating and sustaining momentum in your organization
Identify and break through the barriers to momentum
Overcome personal leadership lids
Leverage the three triggers which ignite organizational momentum
Create a culture of continual improvement
Embrace a new approach to leading organizational change


***

GJ - Can everyone see where this is going? Education at WLC, membership at St. Marcus, new membership at a totally awesomely mega-church of Enthusiasm.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

The CORE is not WELS. They just say they are. I don't know why they say they are WELS.

I am supposedly WELS. I cannot be in fellowship with The CORE. I cannot believe WELS is allowing the CORE to operate calling themselves WELS. This has gone way way way too far. I no longer have a place to call my church.

The Synod Within the Synod



Ski sought out non-Lutherans Craig Groeschel (left) and Andy Stanley (center) before his mission to the theatre district began.



Ski published the WELS group training in Atlanta on his blog, but removed the link after it appeared on Ichabod. Here he is with Babtist Andy Stanley.


Three doofus Synod Presidents in a row--Naumann, Mischke, Gurgel--promoted the Church Growth Movement in lockstep with ELCA, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. ELCA had more than two parts then: ALC, LCA, AELC, Lavender Mafia. Thrivent was AAL and LB. Now all are one, driven by fear of the future and lack of trust in the Means of Grace.

They knew in 1978 that Lutherans were moving away from their former strongholds into the Sunbelt, that few of the children baptized in a parish would stay to be confirmed and married. I knew those statistics because I attended national LCA evangelism training time after time. The LCA taught exactly what the WELS was learning, in a manner of speaking.

For example, the LCA trained me in Management by Objective, by Peter Drucker. MBO is a business model I heard repeated within WELS, years later.

The LCA cast its covetous eyes on the Enthusiasts of the day: D. James Kennedy and others, making the LCA version far more mainline while denouncing the examples they copied so adroitly. The Wisconsin Sect sent all their leaders to be trained at Fuller, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield. Wally Oelhafen could recite the party line on Reformed doctrine while gushing about Church Growth. The Sausage Factory did the same thing, teaching Church Growth in one class while criticizing Reformed doctrine in another. One sausage gave me his "Lord, Liar, Lunatic" paper from Mequon, where he repeated the Josh McDowell sales pitch. I said, "Where did you learn this nonsense?" He clammed up.

So WELS has an alien synod growing from within, highly trained in all the anti-Lutheran dogma of the Enthusiasts. Try to do your Matthew 18 due diligence with their leaders. They will--like Ski, Kelm, and Bruce Becker--brush aside all criticisms. Like thistle growing in the field, they will not be moved.

The Reformed synod-within-the-synod will continue to work at total control. Younger pastors like Glende and Ski have grown up under Fuller leaders, always rewarded for "getting it." They will not relinquish their power with grace and humility.

VP Don Patterson has lined up ex-SP Gurgel as his vicar. That gives Gurgel a podium for politicking, so maybe people will forget his stewardship as DP and SP. Gurgel got his brother a teaching position at the Sausage Factory, so Patterson can tap the signals intelligence from Zion Hill in Mequon.

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Thoroughly Disgusted has left a new comment on your post "The Synod Within the Synod":

Are you really so arrogant to believe that Pastor Ski took down his blog simply because you posted copy and pasted it to yours? You call on others to repent but you ought to repent. You are constantly plotting and causing division among the church.

***

GJ - The reading comprehension skills of WELS liberals are awesomely bad. I wrote that Ski took away the link after I wrote about it. The content is still there. The blog is still there. I can ascetain the timing of the lost link but not the cause. Ski would have to sit down with me and explain why he removed the link but kept the content - and why.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Synod Within the Synod":

Pastor Jackson is not plotting and causing divisions. He is exposing errors, something which God's Word commands. He is an unofficial spokesman for those that have been shushed by circuit pastors and district presidents.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Snotty Apostates Are All the Same:
Notre Dame To Give Obamessiah a Doctorate and a Podium



The University of Notre Dame (literally Our Lady of the Lake) will give Obamessiah a doctorate and listen to him pontificate.


No president has been more anti-life than Obama. His record goes far beyond advocating abortion on demand. He supports using the tissue of unborn babies and has no qualms about letting accidental live births end in death.

The Church of Rome has been consistently pro-life, but the University of Notre Dame has decided to flatter Obama with an honorary doctorate and a chance to speak.

Notre Dame is the center ring for all Roman Catholics. Fans follow the football team with a passion exceded by no other college team. Although another school was supposed to become the official Catholic school, Notre Dame shouldered all others aside and achieved star status through Knute Rockne and the Fighting Irish. The Holy Cross fathers followed with an endless financial campaign that even left Joe Kennedy behind as roadkill. (He was on the board but did not give generously enough, so they booted him.)

Notre Dame invited Obama and will not un-invite him. Does that sound like Wisconsin Lutheran College and Martin Marty? Or Church and Change and Leonard Sweet? All apostates are the same. Whatever forbearance they are given by conservatives, they flaunt their degenerate positions by going far beyond what anyone expected or feared.

The University of Notre Dame has a tradition of inviting new presidents to speak at graduation. But this year's selection of President Barack Obama has been met by a barrage of criticism that has left some students fearing their commencement ceremony will turn into a circus.

Many Catholics are angered by Obama's planned appearance at the May 17 ceremony because of his decisions to provide federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and international family planning groups that provide abortions or educate about the procedure.

The consensus Thursday on the campus of the nation's largest Catholic university was that any president should be welcomed at Notre Dame.


Truly, the top prize in snottiness and lying belongs to Wisconsin Lutheran College, for hosting Archbishop Weakland and a group of priests in a series of lectures open to the public. WLC, scrofulous womb of Church and Change, tried to claim the talks were closed sessions - as if that mattered at all. They glided over the fact that Weakland paid off his boyfriend but got involved in a messy, public dispute over his affair anyway. The Holy Father, who never seemed bothered by any other apostate, was quick to scrape Weakland from the bottom of the Shoes of the Fisherman.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock



Craig Groeschel comes from the most left-wing denominations.


"Pastor Craig Groeschel began lifechurch.tv in a two car garage with 40 people. In 2001 MetroChurch merged with lifechurch.tv and lifechurch.tv had its first permanent campus. Since then it has grown to 12 campuses plus a second life campus. Pastor Craig still preaches to all of them by broadcasting through satelites." Squidoo

-

"Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv and is known for his creative and relevant Bible teaching..." [GJ - So that is why Ski's sermons are relevant.]

"Craig Groeschel (born December 2, 1967) is the founder and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, a church with thirteen locations in six states. He is married with six children and lives in Edmond, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City, where LifeChurch.tv is based.

Groeschel was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in southern Oklahoma. He attended Oklahoma City University, a private university in Oklahoma City affiliated with the United Methodist Church, on an athletic scholarship, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. Shortly thereafter, he met his wife Amy, and the two married in 1991. That same year, Groeschel entered the ministry as an associate pastor in the United Methodist Church. He attended Phillips Theological Seminary, which is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and secured a Master of Divinity degree. He was an associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City.

In 1996, Groeschel and a handful of people started Life Covenant Church in a two-car garage. Groeschel’s non-traditional style was successful and attendance of Life Covenant grew rapidly, eventually evolving into what is now the thirteen LifeChurch.tv campuses in six states (including Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Tennessee, and New York).

Craig was named the 5th most influential pastor in 2006 and LifeChurch.tv was named America’s Most Innovative Church in 2006 and 2007.[who?]

Groeschel has authored several books including Chazown: A Different Way to See Your Life and It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It." Wikipedia

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2. What is your biggest pet peeve as a leader?
Craig: "Small thinking." [GJ - Parlow says, "Dream big. Copy and paste."]


3. Who made the biggest influence in your life as a leader?
Craig: "My parents and wife made the biggest difference personally. Lyle Schaller has made the biggest difference in my life as a minister."

4. What books have changed your life?
Craig: "The Bible is the book that brought me to Christ. I am inspired by reading biographies of great Christian leaders and stories of martyrs. Business and leadership books that spoke to me were, "Good to Great,""The Purple Cow," "The E-Myth revisited."
The Leadership Blog

-

@iamdiddy Working on a sermon for Sunday - Painlkiller - The Pain of Loss - & answering emails.
about 3 hours ago from TweetDeck in reply to iamdiddy
Ski

Craig Groeschel (an Andy Stanley buddy)

Pain Killer
View this series. Series ID: 19
3 week series

Life can be full of pain sometimes. What do you do when life is really hard? How do you heal from hurt? Don't miss the "Painkiller". Pastor Craig will teach us Biblical ways to overcome the pain of loss and the pain of suffering and the pain of rejection.
Click below to explore this series.

Global Series Elements
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Open Video (NTSC) Series Open that can be used as an introductory video prior to the message, or weeks before.

Open Video (PAL) Series Open that can be used as an introductory video prior to the message, or weeks before.




READY TO DOWNLOAD? VISIT THE 'MY DOWNLOADS' AREA TO ACCESS YOUR ITEMS.


Week 1 The Pain of Loss






Global Series Elements
Name Description Type Preview Download

Lower Third Graphic This is an image file to be used as a supplement to video teaching for the series. These lower third graphics contain transparency and can be keyed over video as a background for names, titles, and verses (a live keyer or video editing software is required). Remove Item

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Open Video (PAL) Series Open that can be used as an introductory video prior to the message, or weeks before. Remove Item

READY TO DOWNLOAD? VISIT THE 'MY DOWNLOADS' AREA TO ACCESS YOUR ITEMS.

Week 1 The Pain of Loss
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Message (DVD) Message DVD that can be used for teaching. Remove Item

Message Outline Outline of a single message that can be used as talk notes for people to follow during the teaching.


Babtist Andy Stanley posed with Number One Fan Ski at Atlanta.



Groeschel, far left, spoke with Andy Stanley, middle - at the Catalyst conference. Ski attended, so no one should be surprised that he features Groeschel sermon series, themes, and titles. Church and Chicaneries are united in trusting the marketing methods of the Enthusiasts.


---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

"Pride goeth before a fall" applies to WELS, too. WELS is just too full of itself as evidenced by C&C, arrogant leaders, assumed humility, etc. They do no wrong. They have it all just right.

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Stay in WELS, Enjoy Groeschel's Sermons: At the Po...":

I remember years ago when you could go to any WELS church and other than a few cosmetic differences, every church preached the same message. Sadly that's just not true anymore. To change an old line...WELS is like a box of chocolates...You never know what you're going to get. Blame that on the leadership. They should have put a stop to the shenanigans many years ago. The genie is out of the bottle.

***

GJ - If a turtle is sitting on a fencepost, someone put him there. The leadership of WELS, starting around 1977 (Ron Roth and TELL) began promoting Church Growth's name and theology. After 10 years of cancerous growth, the leadership was fully prepared to thwart, via Sisera counseling, any attempt to criticize the Church Growth Movement. For the first decade, pastors and laity passively allowed the initial growth. In the 1980s, pastors and laity were eager to shun anyone who doubted the direction of Holy Mother WELS. The Little Sect on the Prairie, when it was not praising itself for being confessional, was goose-stepping along the same path and shouting "Amen!" to all Church Growth proposals.

Mid-week Lenten Service



I Am the True Vine, by Norma Boeckler.


Mid-Week Lenten Vespers


Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 6 PM Phoenix Time – Thursdays after tonight.

The Hymn #657 Schoenster Herr Jesu 4.24
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 4 p. 123
The Lection Passion Harmony, TLH

The Sermon Hymn #434 St. Savior 4.20

The Sermon – The True Vine

The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45

The Hymn #555 St. Anatolius 4.2

KJV John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Allowed? Or Promoted - False Doctrine Has Run The Love Shack Since 1977,
And Still Controls the Seminary



Like all Church Growth experts, Ron Roth extracts a big fee for his services as a stewardship educator. Lesson learned?
Let the buyer beware.


Someone stated, rather innocently, that Church Growth Deformed doctrine was allowed to expand in the Wisconsin sect for the last few decades.

Allowed is not the right word to use.

WELS made a deliberate, concerted effort--in conjunction with the LCMS, ELCA, and the Little Sect on the Prairie--to install the doctrines of Fuller, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield. This began in WELS in 1977, with Ron Roth as editor of TELL. The purpose of that sad little rag was to promote the Church Growth Movement. The Love Shack made that clear in the first issue. The Popes Speak (aka Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly) confirmed the purpose of TELL - to promote Church Growth.

Millions of dollars have been siphoned from the offerings of faithful members to promote an anti-Lutheran agenda. Even more millions have been spent from St. Marvin of Schwan and Thrivent Insurance. Offering money was skimmed to start Church and Change, a deliberate and open effort to network all the Church Shrinkers and provide conferences featuring false teachers like Leonard Sweet and Brother Ed Stetzer.

If members and pastors are too stolid to attend the Church and Chicanery love-fests, the Doctrinal Pussycats like Englebrecht have provided clones in the name of district evangelism. The Rev. Soda Jerk spoke at the last two in Fox Valley, and the DP supports him.

WELS/ELS members who send their kids to Martin Luther College, expecting a Lutheran education, will find that the annual mission festival features all the leaders of Church and Chicanery, including Paul Kelm as the keynote speaker. When Kelm speaks, the fix is in. Count on it.

The Doctrinal Pussycats have not been lax. No, they have been giving the Sisera treatment to anyone doubting the value of Church Shrinkage. They have done their jobs, so bless their flinty little hearts.

SP Schroeder is the only national leader to express doubt or curtail the cancer of the Church Growth Movement. Therefore, the unelected thugs of Church and Change are gathering their forces to toss out the elected president. Their stunts in the last year remind me of the divorced and dysfunctional pastors of Columbus, who enjoyed the support of Mueller and Kuske, the silence of their fellow-pastors:

  1. Featuring Latte Lutheran Church in FIC.
  2. Hiring Paul Kelm as a consultant.
  3. Making Kelm the keynote speaker at Martin Luther college this year.
  4. Hiring former SP Gurgel as Kudu Don Patterson's part-time vicar.
  5. Hiring Babtist Ed Stetzer as the November conference speaker, hiding the fact on the C and C website, and denying the truth to any and all who take these liars seriously.

Allowed is simply too weak of a word to use with Church Growth in the various Lutheran sects. Even the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) has followed after, wagging its little puppy-dog tail.

The apostate leaders have promoted the Church Growth Movement with all their might and all your funds. No wonder it dominates, and Confessionalism is told "to whisper low in Jerusalem lest she be heard on the streets of Gath." (Theodore E. Schmauk)

On Sunday Ski said or rather shouted (if you were there you know I’m serious) “Churches want to put out their hand to help people out of the mud, but that’s not what our Savior does. Our Savior climbs in the mud with you and pulls you up and helps you out. That’s what we’re about.” We are about that because we recognize that Christ has pulled us from the mud countless times and he calls us to reflect that love for His glory.

That means sometimes we’re going to be uncomfortable. We’re going to do things we never wanted to or thought we’d do. But there are people who are hurting. People who need Jesus. And the way in which we bring them the good news of the Gospel is by climbing into the mud and getting dirty. We can’t picky about who or when or where, we just have to do it.

When was the last time you jumped in the mud to help someone else out? Who in your life right now is in the mud and needs your help?

Katie's Blog at The Lutheran CORE Church.

The Quotable Finkelstein





Freddy Finkelstein at Bailing Water said...
Anon @ 03/23/2009-09:01AM,

My apologies for confusing/offending you – be assured that my intention is certainly not to drive you away from WELS. Obviously, writing on a WELS blog, to WELS Lutherans, one feels justified in making many assumptions regarding general understanding of Church Fellowship. I have debated Church Fellowship issues a number of times with laymen in our Synod, so perhaps I should have known better. Making assumptions does not seem to be possible any longer. Rather than turn this into an essay contest (after all, I don't want to gain the reputation for writing long blog posts...), I'll direct you to John Brug's Church Fellowship: Working Together for the Truth. It is a gentle introduction to the Scriptural teaching of Church Fellowship. Anon @ 03/22/2009-05:27PM recommended this work as well (although he did so in a way that make me wonder if I may have missed a point of application that Brug emphasizes – if so, I would ask him to point out which sections of Brug he has in mind...). I have read Brug's book, although I must admit it has been several years ago now, and I appreciate it for what it is – I keep several copies on my shelf to give away to friends, family, and new members of our congregation, as the topic comes up.

However, for discussion of Fellowship among Confessional Lutherans, I reach first for Seth Erlandsson's Church Fellowship: What does the Bible say? (also published by NPH). Although it is much shorter than Brug's book, it is also much more pointed, and has much more information that is interesting to a Confessional Lutheran. Indeed, I think that it has been mis-titled. It should have been, Church Fellowship: What does the Bible say, What do the Confessions say, and What is the testimony of the orthodox Lutheran teachers of the past? As a description of style, Rev. Erlandsson, who was writing to the Swedish Lutheran church, has been referred to by my pastor as, “A warrior in the heat of battle” – and this comes across rather directly.

In addition, I frequently refer to the NPH title, Essays on Church Fellowship. One particular essay in this collection, Egbert Schaller's "Concerning Christian Brotherhood and Christian Fellowship," which distinguishes the “Brotherhood,” which is invisible, from the visible recognition of Christian Brothers, is particularly enlightening. Here are a few quotes:

“It should not require extensive demonstration to establish active fellowship as an essential fruit of the Christian brotherhood. Fellowship is the confessional act of belonging together which Christians own one another” (pg. 159).

“The critical question is: What must be the basis of Christan fellowship? ...Let us begin by stating that, while the basis of the Christian brotherhood is regeneration and true faith, the basis for recognition and the practical exercise of Christian fellowship is not regeneration and faith. The reason obviously is that recognition must precede fellowshipping, and recognition must have as its object something that can be seen. Faith cannot be seen. Hence, it is impossible to recognize a brother by his faith, and equally impossible to fellowship with him on that basis... Personal faith cannot be the basis of Christian fellowship. Instead, Christian fellowship can be based only on profession of faith, by word and deed, which is something else again... This passage [referring to 1 John 4:1-3], in urging discrimination and recognition of the spirit that is in men, sets up the confession of a man as basis of recognition... We must now amplify the statement that confession is the basis for fellowship by saying that the deciding factor in establishing Christian fellowship is that of a common and correct confession” (pp. 160-161).

“Out of the confusion of those who have been unwilling or unable to analyze the scriptural doctrine of the communion of saints and the fellowship of believers, there has come a welter of confused attitudes, theories, principles, and practice in matters of fellowship. Symptomatic and not actually new is the proposal of selective fellowship..., a practical recognition of individual Christians or congregations, by word or deed, which ignores synodical affiliation. It argues for the right to call a man a brother and treat him as a brother when he is formally separated by synodical lines. ...Membership in a church body is confessionally decisive for conclusive action regarding fellowship. ...We are not concerned with whether or not [one] is a Christian. Christianity in others is a matter of faith with us, not of determination. But practical fellowship is purely a matter of outward confession” (pp. 162-163).

“Can anyone who does not recognize heterodox affiliations be said to practice in accordance with God's Word? Is not that a contradiction in terms? If a man, or a congregation, does these two things simultaneously: (a) Make a verbal confession that is correct; and (b) Make and uphold a second confession by affiliation with a heterodox church body – then those two confessions form one whole. And together they form one false confession. ...Fellowship practiced under such circumstances constitutes recognition of a confession which is thoroughly in conflict with divine truth” (pg. 164).

“We do not, in other words, feel bound to declare anyone a Christian, by word or act of fellowship, simply because we believe or hope he may be one. ...Only if we refrain from trying to see the invisible and content ourselves with careful weighing of the visible, audible evidence, can we truly establish fellowship with brethren and successfully avoid syncretistic affiliations” (pg. 166).

When I begin conversations regarding Church Fellowship with my Evangelical friends, I usually begin with these three references:

Mark and Avoid
"Now I beseach you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Romans 16:17-18)

Anyone, Anything
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9)

Full Agreement
"Now I beseach you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Generally, this is enough for someone with respect for the authority of Scripture to become very thoughtful (and in my experience, we have great opportunity on this basis to correct Evangelicals and guide them to purity in doctrine – they have an ingrained respect for God's Word and its authority). If necessary, I usually follow up with 2 John 9-11, Philippians 1:27-2:11 (which emphasizes not only unity, but that which perpetuates it, humility), and Ephesians 4:2-16 (which describes how Christians function as a unit).

Hope this helps,

Freddy Finkelstein

March 23, 2009 2:48 PM
Freddy Finkelstein said...
Anon @ 03/23/2009-11:32AM,

You state: “One also sees a politicking increasing in the synod over the years. The very nature of politicking implies a division in direction and possibly some doctrines.”

I agree. Of course, in any organization there is a political reality. In WELS, we pride ourselves on our humility, unity, and brotherliness, and rely on these attributes as we come together in Convention to make decisions and move forward together. We find politicking to be utterly distasteful, because, as you rightly point out, it is evidence of disunity. And this is as it should be, when disunity is not the reality.

But what is the reality, today? I suggest that disunity is manifest, and growing, and that as much as we hate to admit it, so is the politics. But what is the alternative? How will we be returned to a state of unity in doctrine and practice if solid pastors are not positioned for leadership?

Many good conservative pastors, in a spirit of peace and conciliation, and wishing to avoid confrontation, may play their own form of politics by “rushing toward the center,” while more liberal pastors, perhaps on the Church Growth end of the spectrum, remain immovable. And what is the result? Anyone who has studied Mathematics knows what the Gaussian or Normal distribution looks like – you know, the Bell Curve. Further, anyone who has studied Mathematics knows what happens when the data sampling from the right side of the Mean moves left toward the center – the Mean moves left with the data. Likewise, a machinist does not need to be a rocket scientist to know what happens when the metal on the right-hand side of a piece of bar stock is shaved off – the center of mass of the whole moves left. Church Growthers, who have their noses stuck in statistics tables every day, know this reality quite well. Thirty years ago, they began their efforts – perhaps with the best of evangelical intentions – while our good-hearted conservative pastors indulged them. And this has continued, as Church Growth supporters have continued to hold their ground, become more outspoken, and gained a strong following among the clergy and laity, and as our good-hearted conservative pastors have continued to indulge them for the sake of peace. Today, Church Growth perspectives have grown to such prominence and power in our Synod as to be virtually normative among the laity and clergy of this generation. Will our good-hearted conservative pastors continue to chase the Mean, as it continues to move left?

Of course, this raises a different question. What would a Confessional pastor do? Would he continue to indulge in order to maintain a peaceful political unity, or would he stand his ground regardless of the commotion it creates? If there are any Confessional pastors left in our Synod, I would expect that, very soon, the public discussion regarding many of these issues will become quite noticeable and rather animate.

If not, however, I have another political reality of which we must be cognizant. For as much as we layman may spout in public forum, or even privately among the brothers in our congregations, what we say ultimately has very little organizational impact. We are not members of Synod, proper. I was reminded of this as I read Manthey's paper, 15 Years Under the MOV over on Ichabod. The fact is, only pastors, male teachers, and congregations as corporate entities are members of synod. The only voice that laymen have is as representatives of their congregations during Convention. I'm not saying this is good or bad, it is just the reality. Therefore, we must choose our delegates very carefully, and educate them fully. Even so, not much will happen without Confessional leadership among the clergy.

Freddy Finkelstein

March 23, 2009 4:02 PM

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Work of the Lord Continues,
Even During Lent,
At the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock



looking for somewhere in/around Appleton to lease a fountain soda machine - any ideas?about 3 hours ago from TweetDeck
kstrandlund
Katie Strandlund



pastorski http://twitpic.com/2fadl - 1st CORE worship band practice. Can't wait 4 April 19th!

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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "The Work of the Lord Continues, Even During Lent,A...":

Spoken like a true Ichabodian who doesn't have their facts straight even when it's right under the nose. Look again at the band's start date and take the plank out of your eye while you are at it. You're not following the church calendar very well either. :)

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GJ - I give the Popcorn Cathedral free publicity, and I get nothing but ingratitude. This mission to the unwashed and unchurched has been devouring money for months, but there is no Lent at the Popcorn Cathedral. The rock band is not even ready for Easter Sunday. They have to get their ditties ready for the First Sunday after Easter. I am not sure what liturgical year they are following, but in the old system, that Sunday celebrates Doubting Thomas. We all wait with bated breath for Craig Groeschel's sermon that Sunday.

Every wonder why C and C congregations have such cool graphics and sermon themes? The highly-trained WELS pastors are copying the sermons of anti-Lutheran sects where there is no church year, hence no appointed texts. They copy the graphics for those themes and the content. Thus a vast and expensive system exists in Wisconsin Synod to feed anti-Lutheran material to congregations in the name of the Gospel!