Book of Concord Lessons

If you don't know who this is, you need to study the Book of Concord.

The Book of Concord lessons are now posted on this link, which is duplicated on the left side - video list.

Quotations, The First Sunday after Trinity

The First Sunday after Trinity

"But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you. Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is received through faith...Then we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference, does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded by God, but imagines that men are born and die by chance. Then we experience that we do not believe that God forgives and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the remission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy Ghost, so that now we are able to think aright.
Augsburg Confession, Article III, #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159.

"Therefore, do not speak to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life, God's grace, and all heavenly treasures."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1411f. Ephesians 6:10‑17.



"In matters concerning faith we must be invincible, unbending, and very stubborn; indeed, if possible, harder than adamant. But in matters concerning love we should be softer and more pliant than any reed and leaf and should gladly accommodate ourselves to everything."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 412f. Galatians 2:8.


"Doctrine is our only light. It alone enlightens and directs us and shows us the way to heaven. If it is shaken in one quarter (in une parte), it will necessarily be shaken in its entirety (in totum). Where that happens, love cannot help us at all."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 414. Galatians 5:10.

"The Christian doctrine of Purgatory was not finally worked out until the sixteenth century by the Council of Trent. Rejected by Protestants, it was an exclusively Catholic doctrine. After Trent, Bellarmine and Suarez, who were responsible for Purgatory, put forth several Biblical references in support of the newly approved doctrine." [references: 2 Macc. 12:41-46; Mt. 12:31-32; Lk. 16:19-26; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; the Corinthians passage played a crucial role in the development of Purgatory, p. 43]
Jacques Le Goff, The Birth of Purgatory, trans. Arthur Goldhammar, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984, p. 41f.

"All believers are like poor Lazarus; and every believer is a true Lazarus , for he is of the same faith, mind and will, as Lazarus. And whoever will not be a Lazarus, will surely have his portion with the rich glutton in the flames of hell. For we all must like Lazarus trust in God, surrender ourselves to Him to work in us according to His own good pleasure, and be ready to serve all men."
Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 24.

Troubling Signs at The CORE

Flopsweat drains installed to prevent flooding and mildew.

Another Craig Groeschel series.

Who taught homiletics at The Sausage Factory? Prof. Xerox?

Soon - Baggage, which may or not be a copy of Groeschel's Baggage series.

Youth in Asia

"I just think this sermon hit our mission on the head."

I meant - euthanasia.

No Comment - The Church Growth Movement in Russia

Here is the link

Support the project
The Ukrainian Bible Translation Project is wholly funded by donations from individuals and church congregations. Please help us bring God’s Word to Ukraine! Your donations are used to cover the cost of books and materials used during the translation process, and for basic living expenses for members of the translation team, some of whom do not have any other source of income.

Please contact us if you have questions about donating. Please let us know if you would like to be included on our list of donors.

Give online
One of the easiest ways to donate is using your credit card through PayPal. No PayPal account is required to donate, and any amount is greatly appreciated.


Give by mail
Send your donations to:

Roger Kovaciny
c/o Grace Bartel
4718 Regent St 94-A
Madison, WI 53705

Tax deductible donations
Donations via PayPal or to the above address are not tax-deductible at this time. To make a tax-deductible gift, please mail your check to:

Emmanuel Lutheran Church
1500 S Third Street
Columbus, OH 43207

Please enclose a note telling what it’s for, and also please notify us about the donation.

Donor List
This is a partial list of recent donors to the Ukrainian Bible Translation Project. A gift of any size makes a real difference in the lives of the members of translation team.

Anonymous
Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio
Pastor Floyd Stolzenburg, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Floyd Stolzenburg, Columbus, Ohio
Mr. Jim Hildebrand of Columbus, Ohio
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Kendall Wisconsin (Pastor Fred Fedke)
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Ontario Wisconsin (Pastor Fedke)
Pastor Paul Heiderich, Tomah, Wisconsin

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "No Comment - The Church Growth Movement in Russia":

Another Ukrainian Bible Translation Project is not needed. What is going on here?

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"The church has not wavered from its theology: The Bible is the inerrant word of God, and everything in it is to be taken literally. Stolzenburg's theology is uncompromising. 'What is written in the Bible stands.'" [Exception - The Sixth Commandment]
Sylvia Brooks, South Side Lutheran Church Goes Its Own Way, Columbus Dispatch, August, 9, 1998 p. 2C.

"I would also convey to you that I will continue to commune lodge members as long as I feel assured that they know and believe that their salvation is by faith."

"Please feel free to contact Pastors Kuske or Schumann or come and hear for yourself."

Floyd Luther Stolzenburg Letter to Emmanuel, 9-20-91, Lutheran Parish Resources letterhead "Serving the congregations of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod"

"In the midst of all the positive, exciting things Pastor Kovaciny had to say about the mission work being done in the Ukraine, he constantly mentioned the most pressing problem, a lack of space...As he spoke to us about the many needs, he mentioned the possibility of building achurch of the approximate square footage of our sanctuary (though not nearly as elaborate) for $50,000...Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibility, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "From the Mission Committee, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Kremnetz, Ukraine, Emmanuel Lutheran Church #899, August, 1999 1500 South Third Street, Columbus, Ohio 43207-1000

"EMMANUEL SAVES BIBLE SCHOOL! A SPECIAL MESSAGE was just received from Pastor Kovaciny to let us know that Emmanuel's Mission offerings have rescued their Bible School this summer!...[Pastor Kovaciny] writes to tell us about it. 'As we looked forward to an even more successful program this coming summer, we were told by our sponsoring organization that our Bible School budget had been cut by $8,000. It seems that some people in charge believe that we have been too successful and they need to put their funds toward programs in other areas which are lagging behind.' (Pastor Kovaciny)"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio June 1998

"From the Mission Committee...Good News from the Ukraine Reproduced at the bottom of this page is the masthead from the Ukrainian Lutheran, which has now been published by our mission in Ukraine for two years and grows in circulation with each issue."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November 1996

"We supplied funds for our missionaries in the Ukraine, and the Gideons." Sherry Huffman, Sunday School Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio February 1999 "...the Ukraine project of Thoughts of Faith (Pastor Kovaciny)" Use of mission funds.
Charlotte Proctor, treasurer Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

"All designated funds for Thoughts of Faith are spent on the program for which they are designated by the donor. Funds not designated by the donor are used to pay for administrative expenses. Thoughts of Faith would like to thank our congregation for our support towards this important work in spreading the gospel throughout the world."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

"Pastor Kovaciny, in an effort to respond to our request, set a copy of the third quarter treasurer's report of the Ukrainian congregation, signed by the treasurer and written in his own hand. We thought you might enjoy seeing it! You should be aware that our budget offering goes to pay for Pastor Kovaciny's salary and expenses through 'Thoughts of Faith,' the radio ministry which has been bringing the Gospel to the Ukraine for many years...."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio January, 1995

"Since the salary of Pastor Kovaciny and their basic expenses are paid through the 'Thoughts of Faith' ministry, we will continue to include the overall work in our regular budget."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1994

"Consultant, Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 1985-1991, as a consultant for this program, I worked with the training of pastors and lay people for effective ministry in leadership skills, Sunday School organization and teaching, youth ministry, outreach, stewardship and care ministry. I continue to work with supervision of some of these programs. Senior Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Florissant, Missouri, 1976-1985. (nothing said about being removed from the ministry) Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, St. Charles, Missouri, 1968-1976. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

"Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibilities, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio #899 for August, 1999 1500 South Third Street Columbus, Ohio 43207. $50,000 to be raised.

"A major part of LPR involvement currently centers around assistance with Beautiful Savior's establishment of a new experimental mission on the west side. Named 'Pilgrim Community Church' by the committee from Grove City, the new congregation will maintain solid Lutheran doctrine without an up front emphasis on the Lutheran name. All materials identify sponsorship by Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church." [note: in very, very small print] On the same page, artwork for the area Reformation service at St. Paul's: "STANDING WHERE LUTHER STOOD"

LPR UPDATE October, 1989.



"Initial services will be less formal than our traditional worship services. LPR Director Roger Zehms has been requested by Beautiful Savior to serve as pastor of the new mission with Floyd Stolzenburg serving as evangelist and music consultant. Please include this new approach project in your prayers."
LPR UPDATE October, 1989.



"Mr. Floyd Stolzenburg will serve under Rev Zehms providing such services as are appropriate for a person who is not 'CRM.' As a layperson Mr. Stolzenburg can under appropriate supervision do anything that a layman in your congregation can. -- We also reject any inference that Pastor Zehms will not be able to stand up to pressure from Mr. Stolzenburg, or from the donor who provides the funds for LPR. -- We also question the procedure in which the reason for Mr. Stolzenburg's resignation has been broadcast, even though the issues had been addressed by LPR." [Not true. People were told Floyd had a Scriptural divorce, that the divorce was the fault of his first wife.]
Pastor Paul Kuske Letter to the Ohio Conference Pilgrim Community Church, sponsored from Grove City by Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Fall Conference, Gibsonia, 1989


"Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc. (LPR) is dedicated to the concepts of the Church Growth movement only insofar as they agree with the Scriptures and as taught by the WELS--that is, Church Growth with Lutheran theology rather than Evangelical, and without the typical Church Growth emphasis on quantitative measurement of growth. Kent R. Hunter's definition of 'Church Growth' justifies the use of this term in describing LPR: 'Church Growth: That science which investigates the nature, function and health of Christian churches as they relate specifically to the effective implementation of God's commission to make disciples of all peoples (Matt. 28:19). Church Growth is simultaneously a theological conviction and an applied science,....' Foundations for Church Growth, p. 187.
David G. Peters, "Lutheran Parish Resources: Pilot Program in Church Growth," Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, April 27, 1987 p. 1.

Happy To Post a Correction

I have written about the Wisconsin Synod participating in religious activities with ELCA, through Thrivent funded events.

That policy changed with the new administration. I am pleased to issue a retraction. The past is not always normative. WELS is no longer doing that, so the synod will reap many benefits long-term.

The Snowbird leadership conference (Mischke) and the Joy Radio Show (Mischke) were two examples hard to deny, but they were denied. ELCA published a Snowbird photo of Mischke posing with the LCMS president and the ELCA Archbiship. ELCA also put out a news release about Joy being the first joint ministry of ELCA-WELS-LCMS.

Snowbird is where the three church bodies organized the Cross-Cultural Ministry project, also funded by insurance money. The WELS booklet for that wild hair project was so bad that synod leaders confiscated it.

The AAL Church Membership Initiative (1993) was a little tougher to track down, but I found the notebooks at the Mary Lou College library. That effort involved all three groups in a massive study about membership losses and how to prevent them. WELS executive Wayne Borgwardt worked with Rev. Mary Ann Moeler-Gunderson (ELCA, of course) and Rev. Lyle Mueller (LCMS). At one point ELCA's Martin Marty addressed them all in Orlando, Florida - site of Exponential - The Art of Movements, by the way. The BMers (Becoming Missional) are lining up like sacrificial lambs--or wolves--for that convention.

I recapitulated those painfully bad mistakes to show that WELS is finally going in a new direction. To continue that way, the membership needs to repudiate error and support sound doctrine.

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Anonymous has left another gratuitious comment on your post "Happy To Post a Correction":

Wow, will miracles never cease? Jackson offers a correction? Too bad you're several years late.

What about the hundreds of other half-truths and outright lies you've printed on this site?

***

Or name them all - for our amusement and edification.

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Anonymous has left a comment on your post "Happy To Post a Correction":

The Shrinkers are very unhappy also with Ichabod. Ichabod has uncovered them and their supporters. Ichabod has shown me and certainly many others for whom and what they are. Good job Mr. I.

Psssst---you know now a lot of WELS folks will feed you more info for Ichabod and that will make the wolves howl like hell.

***

GJ - I like it when the Shrinkers lie. They are easy to refute. They are not howling about mistakes - but about their intended victims learning the truth.

Did I quote them in error? Are the links not working? They should stop bragging so much.

Soul Wow: Satire Becomes Reality - An Actual Roman Catholic Ad

ForzaMigliozzi
April 02, 2009

Forget that ShamWow guy, Father Vic, from SoulWow shows what we really need to do to get clean from the inside out. Visit SoulWow.com and get that almost baptized feeling! Do it Today! This offer ...
Forget that ShamWow guy, Father Vic, from SoulWow shows what we really need to do to get clean from the inside out. Visit SoulWow.com and get that almost baptized feeling! Do it Today!

This offer is extended! Contact your local Roman Catholic Church today for times.

Go to Soulwow.com. Do it Today!

Agency: Forza Migliozzi, llc.
http://www.forzam.com

***

GJ - My PhotoShopped satire is here.

Open a Can of Whiskey Tango When You Attend Exponential - Endorsed by VP Patterson

A Little Leaven

Exponential 09 Conference to Feature a Speaker Whose Biggest Regret is Not Clubbing a Church Lady With a Baseball Bat

The Exponential 09 church planters conference has invited Gary Lamb of Revolution Church in Canton, GA to be one of the featured speakers. Gary Lamb is on the record saying that one of his biggest regrets is that he didn't club a church lady with a baseball bat, punch her husband in the face and set fire to the church organ.

Gary Lamb has no business being a pastor or a conference speaker. The LAST thing the church needs is Lamb teaching other pastors how to be like him.

Here is the relevant sound bite from the "sermon" where Gary Lamb shared this sick 'regret'.

Lamb's lust for murderous violence doesn't end here. Read what Lamb wrote on his blog to the person who stole one of his church's trailers.

To the people who stole our trailer:

First let me say, God loves you. Second let me say we forgive you. We really don’t want to forgive you, but God says we should so we do. Third of all I want you to know that I think you are scum bags. I think you are lowlife degenerates who need a good butt kicking. Matter of fact I feel so strongly about the fact that you need a good butt kicking that I am volunteering to do it. I hope you believe in God because you should get on your knees and cry out to Him like never before because if we find you, I can promise we will kick the crap out of you. It won’t be pretty, it won’t be over quickly, and it will be very painful. I know that doesn’t sound very nice but I feel pretty strongly that is what you need.



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Gary Lamb -Gary is the Founding Pastor and Lead Pastor of Revolution Church in Canton, Ga. Started on August 15th, 2004, RC has quickly become known for it's (sic) crazy passion to do whatever it takes to reach those who are disconnected from church. In it's (sic) 4 years of existence, RC has grown to over 1,000 people in weekly attendance, has launched a second campus, and over 70% of those in attendance were previously unchurched before attending Revolution for the first time. Prior to starting RC, Gary started a church in Ames, Iowa. He has a huge passion for church planters and works as consultant for a church planting group in Georgia and teaches church planters at the West Ridge School of Church Planting in Hiram, Ga.

***

GJ - Gary Lamb will speak at the Exponential Conference. Last year, VP Don Patterson--in his capacity as doctrinal supervisor and guru to The Sausage Factory--shepherded a group of WELS workers to the last confab in Orlando. There they listened to Babtist Ed Stetzer and hired him for Church and Change.

Whiskey Tango is code for White Trash.

Deep Cleansing Breath: Now Try To Read "Airport" Without Screaming in Pain

Hagedorn: "We'll get this puppy off the ground yet."

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Deep Cleansing Breath: Now Try To Read "Airport" W...":

The airport analogy is straight from Reggie McNeal. Can't the WELS ever be original?

http://www.pastorkenkelly.com/2008/12/reggie-mcneal-conference.html

Reggie has spoken at our church on several occasions. His talks always challenge me to re-think how we do church and how I live the Christian life. Today was no exception. His talk was based on his newest book The New Missional Renaissance which will be released late next month. Here are some takeaways.

* Henry Blackaby was right. We need to join God in what He's already doing. God is having a great time out there. The question is whether we want to play.
* 3 convergences that are creating a missional renaissance: the rise of an altruism economy, the desire for personal growth, and spiritual awakening.
* We're in a culture that wants to talk God and not church.
* Three shifts needed: from internal to external focus in ministry; from program-driven to people development; from church-based leadership to kingdom-focused leadership.
* The church needs to be like the connecting hub of an airport. The hub is not the destination. We've made the church the destination place instead of the hub that sends us into the world with the gospel.


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BHM: Project Airport

Our mission counselors and cross-cultural consultant planned Project Airport to assist our District Mission Boards to better serve their missions. Part of the reason for inviting every DMB member to attend was that many new men have been elected to their position who were not present for the original training (back in the previous century) in the Barnabas Project, a very useful and helpful tool for shepherds.

The airport theme was chosen because of so many parallels between equipping, supporting, maintaining and making improvements in airline service and in our service to our missions and missionaries.

As we planned, we began to realize the benefit of bringing together in one place (actually, two places: Denver and Chicago) not just DMB members, but also all those who are or can be involved in assisting our missions, missionaries, and congregations who have the potential to start new mission ministries. So we invited District Presidents, Synodical Council (SC) district representatives, the Board for Parish Services (BPS) Administrator, Commission on Adult Discipleship (CAD), Commission on Evangelism (CoE) and WELS Kingdom Workers (WKW) to attend. We really appreciated the gracious response to our invitations. All told, our WELS VP, 6 district presidents, our BPS Administrator, 4 SC men, 5 CAD, 12 CoE, and 64 DMB members attended the workshops. It was a well-rounded group that actively participated in the breakouts and seemed to appreciate the opportunity to grow and work together for the sake of our Lord Jesus and his kingdom.

Throughout both gatherings, we were enriched and uplifted with consistently inspiring devotions from the word of our God. The analogies to airplanes and airports were many, creative, and seemed exceedingly appropriate to our church as we followed the themes of “Trusting God’s outreach promises” (Cares), “Sometimes it’s hard to get off the ground” (Westra, Gauger), “It takes a lot of people for an airplane to fly”(Hagedorn), “The value of regular maintenance” (Geiger, Fisher), and “Working with God to set missions free to fly”(Birkholz). The singing was wonderful, both with and without accompaniment.

Pastor Hagedorn kept the fast-paced conference on its rather tight schedule. Ten different presenters led the workshops. The airport/airplane analogies continued. The workshops were presented according to five consecutive categories, each one building on the previous one:
• Outreach Orientation (awareness-possibilities upon taking off)
• Outreach Orientation (development/foundation—getting plane ready to fly)
• Awareness of our Culture and Community (aware of fellow passengers)
• Partnership and Connections (co-workers needed in order to fly)
• One on One Impact Training (pilot and crew)

Awareness

MC Schulz took off with quite a list of God’s grace at work among us through the many and varied examples of new mission starts and ministries associated with home missions and NA Outreach. CAD Administrator Kehl reviewed NAO with us and then led a breakout session encouraging us to consider ways to broaden its impact. You will notice the enthusiastic responses which were posted on newsprint around the conference room.

Foundation

Cross Cultural Consultant Kehl then led us in a lively session and breakout focused on the spiritual foundations which lead individuals and churches to be outreach oriented.

Culture
MC Schulz brought us into the 21st century culture, helping us to understand our world and giving us some great questions for us to consider as we work to share the news of Jesus with those who think differently than we (possible new passengers on our plane). Hispanic Consultant Roth helped us get into the shoes of today’s immigrants with a card game that got everyone confused, and Hmong Coordinator Piepenbrink helped us realize an Asian perspective on our BHM guiding principles for cross cultural ministries.

Partnership and Connections

CoE Administrator Hintz helped us realize the value of a good ground crew as he outlined a model outreach-minded congregation. Pastors Roth and Piepenbrink outlined their services. Pastor Warnecke from WKW's touched on the many ways they are available to serve our mission fields. MC Schulz offered a look at some of the new and innovative ways in which mission ministries are starting these days. We then were broken out into small groups to consider how and where each of our districts might start new ministries. After that, Mel explained how we can get money for all this, if there’s any available.

One on One Training

With the big picture concerning “flight plans” established the previous day, Tuesday helped us focus our attention on the “crew”: our missionaries and leaders. MC Schulz and John Tappe took us on an excellent guided tour of the Barnabas program, showing us how they use its many tools to encourage and assist the men on the front lines and how there is more than enough material on its pages to help every DMB member become a more able and helpful shepherd to those they serve. It should be mentioned that the two men had recently reviewed, edited, and updated the Barnabas manual.

MC Schuppe offered some useful helps on mentoring, gleaned from his personal experience and study, and MC Huebner led us through some coaching approaches (with assistance from Mrs. Christy Geiger’s materials) which seem to be bringing blessings to many. Districts were then asked to work together to decide on which kind of approach (shepherd/mentor/coach) or combination of approaches they might use to best serve their missions/missionaries.

Where, from here?

We noticed throughout the day and a half there was little of the “in and out” traffic and sidebar conversations one sometimes witnesses at conferences as attendees sometimes seem to be wishing they were elsewhere. We give our God thanks for the high level of the quality of the presentations and devotions and the attendees’ enthusiastic participation in breakouts and small groups. The blessings of district coworkers (evangelism, CAD, DMB, etc.) learning, thinking, and planning together seemed apparent. We heard desires expressed for more of this kind of thing.

We are today making all the tools, breakout group responses, information, devotions and PowerPoint presentations from Project Airport (including the newly updated Barnabas Project) available to the BHM members on a CD.

We trust that the information was and is helpful and encouraging to all who attended. It sometimes happens that one attends this kind of workshop, is exposed to some things, but then goes home and becomes so busy again that the notebook sits on the shelf.

Our expectation is that there are those who put what they learned to good use right away when they arrived home. We need to continue to find new ways to encourage our sister churches to seek to start new mission ministries. The tools we’ve just been given are invaluable for that purpose.

We also trust that the sights of every DMB were raised. We can continue to grow as shepherds, using the Barnabas Project materials. Perhaps some are choosing or will choose a mentoring or coaching approach. We are right now looking for those with whom we could work together on pilot projects, intentionally making use of the shepherding/mentoring/coaching approach. We will figure out a way to prioritize it in our schedules so we can work alongside you (if you should so desire). Just let us know.

May God continue to bless the after-effects (jetwash?) [flatulence!] of Project Airport!

MC’s Schulz, Schuppe, and Huebner and CCC Kehl

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GJ - Does anyone wonder why everything crashed? The pilots are Schwaermer, buzzing here and there, blowing money to introduce the same old Fuller babble as if Enthusiasm were invented in Milwaukee last week.

Another Reason To Cut the Technology Budget

Martin Spriggs was actually removed from the WELS ministry for his addiction to repeating Willow Creek sermons verbatim. What a rob that was. Now they give huge honkin' grants to do that.

Easter Sermons Are Easy

By Martin Spriggs:Bio on April 13, 2009

Ran across an interesting article about the average attention span of someone listening to a lecture (or sermon as the case may be). It’s called Kill lecture boredom through science from the Speaker Confessions blog. The results are based on a very small study of monitoring heart rates of students. While the results are not concrete enough to publish is a scholarly journal, I think we all might agree with them. He comes to two conclusions: 1) 20 to 30 minutes is the sweet spot amount of time for lectures, and 2) if you go longer, do something different every 20 minutes to regain people’s attention.

While most sermons hit that “sweet spot”, some would argue that the sermon is at the heart of a 60 minute period of time (the service) through which we are trying to hold the attention of the congregation. Throw in the fact that we hold services on a Sunday (read weekend) morning, many are sitting on uncomfortable pews, the under 5 year old crowd offers pretty stiff competition, etc. and you find a challenge worthy of the best public speakers.

All of us are fresh off Easter services, and I for one find it very easy to “tune in” to Easter sermons. Adrenaline is high. Hymns have a peppy contrast to those we’ve been singing over the last 6 weeks of Lent. Churches are full. Yet there are other times of the church year that I have to admit my heart rate drops pretty low by the end of a sermon.

Here are the tips the article offers. Some could be applied to the sermon. 1) Ask a question and look for a show of hands, 2) Give them a challenging problem to solve, 3) Show a short film, 4) Move to a new spot on the stage. Essentially, anything to help reset their attention cycles.

Obviously some of these same principles apply to Bible class and even when you are writing content for your website. If they are “tuned out” your breath is wasted. Maybe you have some good ideas to share?

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GJ - Did you get a buzz out of those ideas?

WELS Imprint has a few dozen posts. I have 2,600 - without a salary, benefits, or training at Willow Creek. Or Trinity Deerfield. Or Fuller Seminary.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Another Reason To Cut the Technology Budget":

And Martin Spriggs graduated at the top of his class.... At WELS the quality goes in before the product goes out. Do you believe it?

Awesome Vision

This may help you recover from the article.

New Vision an Awesome Calling

By Dr. Joel Nelson - Bio on February 16, 2009

WELS Commission on Youth Discipleship (CYD) recently adopted a new vision statement. The statement expresses the awesome calling CYD has as a Parish Services unit and the fervent desire it has for our entire church-body: Every congregation actively partnered with parents to nurture youth: their perspective, potential, and place in the body of Christ.

The word perspective recognizes that youth have points of view, opinions, ideas, and dreams from which the church can learn. The word potential recognizes that youth have abilities, talents, attitudes, and energy through which the church can benefit. The word place recognizes that youth must be valued, included, empowered, and engaged in ministry, making themselves and the church whole.

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GJ - Copying more would violate the Geneva Conventions about the use of torture on civilians. Nelson has a degree in education from Cardinal Stritch.

When will the word awesome be officially banned from the English language? Soon, I hope.

PS - Bruce Becker, Wayne Mueller, and Peter Kruschel still have their bios on the WELS website. Is Martin Spriggs waiting for their return?

When Mission Vision Statements Are Not Enough

Top Gunn Shrinking

45 caliber, 38 caliber, 22 caliber, BB Gunn, Spitball

Some facts conveniently overlooked or not known by Joe Krohn, who gets his misinformation from buddy Don Patterson:

1. CrossWalk was not allowed to join the district for many reasons.
   
2. The District Mission Board did not start CrossWalk. Some local churches did with a Board of Directors, just like Baumler's model C and C parish. The Perish Assistants at The Love Shack promote this business model.
   
3. Actually, a BoD for Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries, Inc. (check the Arizona State corporation commission web site) was formed from WELS members at Emmanuel, Tempe, and a couple of other WELS churches.
   
4. CrossWalk has a Board of Directors making the decisions once everyone--women and children combined--has a say.
   
5. CrossWalk has received all its money from Thrivent, wealthy WELS members, and grants.
   
6. Gunn was never a tent-maker, in spite of what FIC claimed.
   
7. The money for CrossWalk has dried up under the new district leadership, and Gunn is out of ammo.
   
8. One rumor is that he is headed for that garden of apostasy, Wisconsin Lutheran College, to head a real campus church.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Busta Gut Speaks His Mind":

Confidential to Greg - The point was it is God growing Crosswalk as they HAVE been faithful to the Word. I know you enjoy being the Lone Ranger of Lutheranism and all, but the hallmark of faithfulness to the Word isn't always non-growth. Sometimes you seem to wear it like a red badge of courage. :)

Joe Krohn, Rock N Roll Lutheran Church, Round Rock, Texas, Patterson Franchisee.

***

GJ - Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Joe. You tried to start a blog and you failed, so you coat-tail this one. You need to parrot my words. I am honored. But please try to read with comprehension and discernment. The only qualification is faithfulness to the Word, entirely lacking in your bunch of plagiarists, false teachers, and grant-grubbing frauds.

According to your measuring stick, Gunn is now a mere spitball in the war against the Means of Grace.

Meanwhile, Joe brags he can read minds: "I know you enjoy..."

---

Clueless Joe Krohn has left a new comment on your post "Top Gunn Shrinking":

Greg,

You're always good for some laughs when I have downtime at work and I have nothing better to do, so why not indulge you at least for today. You live for these moments. Especially when you get your whitie tighties in a bunch about all of us 'apostates'.

To your facts...

Crosswalk's membership in WELS is pending just like Christ the Rock's because of the model. It doesn't jive with the WELS constitution of governing. I'm not really sure how this can be construed as non-biblical.

The were no funds to start CW so laypeople did with the approval of the DMB. Again, where is this a sin?

From what I recall of non-profit incorporation, all churches are required to file articles of incorporation. The articles are typically signed by the officers of the church who are laypersons. I guess you have been out of the loop for awhile.

The BOD does form a consensus based on input from the congregation. Is this sinful?

I didn't think it was a sin to accept offerings from WELS members. As far as grants and other gifts, it depends on where you draw the line and how legalistic you want to be.

The original call as it was drawn up was to be half time minister and he was to get another job to supplement his income. This is referred to as a tent minister and not maker. It's based on the Paul model. I'm assuming you were being facetious, but just in case. Obviously the FIC article was written before the changes in ministry.

As far as money drying up and Jeff Gunn taking another call; well that remains to be seen.

Joe Krohn

***

GJ - Joe, a tent minister would minister to tents. Someone with WELS spelling acumen would say, "Past tents? Future tents?" Paul actually made tents to supplement his meager income, so a worker/pastor is called a tent-maker, a maker of tents, not a minister to tents. I will concede that illiterates in Church Growth may say--or even write--tent minister, but that does not keep the image evoked from being comical.

Please don't tentsup if I use a theological word correctly.

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Top Gunn Shrinking":

Would anyone else hire the Top Gunn? He comes with so much excess baggage.

***

Church and Chicaneries Have Minders Assigned To Clean Up CG Messes And Lob Stink Bombs

It's a sham, but WOW!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Chicaneries Have Minders Assigned To Cl...":

And what a mess CG makes! Handicapped to reasoning by cliché and trite remarks, they better serve the Devil than Christ as they run the ministries into the ground. Oblivious to the mess they make, they paste on Goody Two-Shoes smiles while they promote their pastoral and leadership services to the members. It works like a charm.

***

GJ - So true. And they have been and still are using paid synodical positions to promote the Church and Chicanery agenda.

If y'all don't know that agenda by now, you haven't been reading Ichabod or the websties of these soi-disant leaders.

Busta Gut Speaks His Mind

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Board Members Learned Secrecy an...":

Ken,

If you are basing your post on what you read here, then all you are doing is expanding the base of ignorance that grows on this blog like a fungus.

I was there at Crosswalk from the time Jeff Gunn received the call in early 2004. We met weekly on Sunday nights in the library at ALA in Bible study and fellowship often after attending our traditional Lutheran churches in the morning. So there were no canceled services.

You may not agree with the worship form at a church like Crosswalk, but making an off the cuff remark about it being pentecostal in nature further exposes your ignorance. It shows that you have never attended there. It is a rare occurrence if there is even clapping during the songs much less the rest of the service. Lutherans are funny that way. It's pretty low key. Jeff Gunn's sermons are solid in the Word and the Lutheran doctrine.

We did have a ramp up period during the summer of 2004 because there were some details to work out. We had some homework to do as we wanted it to be different and yet be faithful to Lutheran doctrine. We were being careful. We started in the library with 10-20 folks and the last I heard Crosswalk has 500+ on any given Sunday in worship. If you want to blame anyone or point the finger I guess it would have to be God because it is His fault.

That little rag tag group that met in the ALA library on Sunday evenings studying scripture and having pot-luck suppers are some of my fondest memories. We should all be so blessed.

Joe Krohn

***

GJ - I am always happy to see Joe sign his posts. "What is so rare as a day in June?" - A signed Church and Change comment.

Is CrossWalk Lutheran? Proof is missing.

The last I heard, Rock N Roll in Round Rock had 30 in attendance, after 3 years of grants, freebies, and copying sermons from false teachers. Two full-time staff members? Wowie wow. I want Mrs. Ichabod to get $50k to be my assistant. Where does she apply? Staph Ministry? Fuller? Trinity Deerfield. Mars Hills? GCC?

Confidential to Joe - it's not the numbers - but faithfulness to the Word. Paul the Tent-maker has something to say about that.

No, I Can Read the Book of Concord and Your Evil Websites

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Board Members Learned Secrecy an...":

Anon 7:54 am

Have Jackson call them evil because he can read hearts. Just ask him.

***

GJ - Obviously WELS is divided. Like the terrorists of 1993, who bombed the WTC the first time, the Chicaneries declared war on WELS and few paid attention.

These divisions are good because the Jeske-Patterson-Parlow-Kelm-Valleskey crowd do not like Lutheran worship, Lutheran confessions, or Lutheran theologians. I can tell what they love when Chicanery Board Member Ski, sponsored by Chicanery Board Member Ash, needs this training in one year to start The CORE:

1. Drive 08 - Stanley.
   
2. Drive 09 - Stanley.
   
3. Granger Community Church - Beeson.
   
4. Catalyst - Stanley and Groeschel.
   
5. Seattle - probably Driscoll of Mars Hill.
   

Church and Change Cats Always Meow For More

Church and Chicanery kitties.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Ichabod Stats Spike on June 9th":

The money changers, and the Church and Changers, (are they one in the same?) both need to be driven from the temple. The laity was being blamed even in the good economic times. When the offerings didn't line up with the expenses generated by grandiose expansion plans, and the subsequent cost overruns, the laity was blamed for being tight-fisted. Because of the subtle doctrine of leadership infallibility, it was never their fault. It is coming back to bite them.

Church and Change Board Members Learned Secrecy and Deception at Mequon

Stand by Your Klan

Cloaking of the Church and Chicanery Board:

1. Pastor Ron Ash (sponsor of The CORE) - bio and photo.
   
2. Fundraiser Jeff Davis (takes a percentage) - photo but no bio.
   
3. Sarah Owens - bio and photo.
   
4. Barry Spencer (St. Marcus) - bio and photo.
   
5. Pastor John Huebner - bio and photo.
   
6. Pastor James Skorzewski - Ski - (fomerly St. Marcus) - no bio and no photo.
   
7. UPS Driver Brian Arthur Lampe - no bio and no photo.
   
8. Pastor Bruce Becker (St. Marcus/Time of Grace) - no bio, no photo, no listing.

Half the Church and Change leaders have chosen to hide their identities on their own board member listing!

We can ascertain the substance of Church and Chicanery from their conferences featuring Leonard Sweet (WELS approved) and Ed Stetzer (Conference of Pussycats finally put their paws down and nixed Ed).

We can also determine their direction from Chairman Ron Ash sponsoring board member Ski to build the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock in Appleton - one block from a large, downtown WELS congregation.

Church and Chicanery leaders like VP Don Patterson deny their C and C membership, but take leadership roles in their meetings, participate in their secretive listserve, and gather WELS workers for Schwaermer gatherings like Exponential.

Some Exponential speakers are linked up with The CORE Twitters or training:
Mark Batterson,
Craig Groeschel (writes all of Ski's sermons for him, even does the graphics),
Ed Stetzer.

---

“We can’t just do nothing”

Even though no synod funds are available to start missions, the Arizona District Mission Board is continuing to forge ahead in the South Mountain/Laveen area of Phoenix.


Author: Gary Jeffers

“We can’t just do nothing!”

That’s what Arizona District Mission Board Chairman Dan Baumler said about the opportunity to do mission work in one of the fastest-growing and diverse areas of the country, the South Mountain/ Laveen area of Phoenix. Despite the recent funding difficulties that the Board for Home Missions is facing, Baumler is urging us to start a church here. The population of this area surrounding Arizona Lutheran Academy (ALA), Phoenix, our WELS area Lutheran high school, is projected to increase from 50,226 in the year 2000 to 147,270 in 2010.

The idea for a mission in the South Mountain/Laveen area originated in 2001. Members of ALA’s long-range planning committee asked the Arizona District Mission Board how they might start an exploratory mission in the community. The board suggested that a committee be formed to plan for an eventual start-up.

Interested individuals began meeting in September 2002. This South Mountain Exploratory Community Mission Committee surveyed the community and local churches. We also held meetings with the pastors of Emmanuel, Tempe, Ariz., a nearby WELS congregation, to solicit their support.

Even though there are no synod funds available to start missions, we are continuing to forge ahead. The goal is to raise $25,000 and call a “tent minister” who would receive a partial salary for his ministerial work and be employed part time in a secular position to help support himself.

As the Lord has blessed the efforts of this ministry according to his good and gracious will, the following milestones have been achieved:

• ministry plan completed and approved,
• initial budget written,
• orientation with potential core members (WELS members in target area), and
• Bible studies scheduled with potential core members.

Other blessings include
• a facility to meet in (ALA),
• a part-time job for a pastor,
• a great leadership team,
• a committed core group,
• $6,000 cash in hand, and
• WELS members of various congregations along with ALA students working together to further God’s kingdom.

More is needed—volunteers, offerings, prayers, a willing tent minister. We proceed confident of God’s continued blessings.

Gary Jeffers is a member of Grace, Glendale, Arizona, and chairman of the South Mountain Community Exploratory Mission Committee.

---

“We can’t just do nothing” part two

The Lord is blessing a local effort to start a church in the South Mountain/Laveen area of Phoenix.


Author: Gary Jeffers


As you may recall from the winter edition of Mission Connection, “We can’t just do nothing“ is what Arizona Mission Board Chairman Dan Baumler said about the opportunity to do mission work in one of the fastest growing and diverse areas of the country, the South Mountain/Laveen area of Phoenix. Despite recent funding difficulties facing Home Missions, Baumler urged us to gather people and start a church here.

The population of this area is projected to increase from 50,226 in the year 2000 to 147,270 in 2010. One sees evidence everywhere that the projection is solid. Future neighborhoods are being prepared. New houses are being finished every day.

Even though we had no synodical funds to assist us, we continued to forge ahead. We established a goal to raise $25,000 and to call a “tent minister“ before the end of 2003. A tent minister is a pastor who is willing to work a part-time job to help support himself financially while he reaches out with the gospel. As a result of the overwhelming support, generosity, and undeterred nature of WELS people in our area, the Lord has blessed these efforts. The monetary goal was exceeded, and a call was extended and accepted by Jeffrey Gunn early in 2004.

Gunn was installed in a service at Emmanuel, Tempe, and Baumler preached the sermon. Praise God for directing our people to share their gifts to support this mission and to show us that new openings can happen, even if the synod doesn’t have money for them.

Another significant blessing is that the Board for Home Missions favorably reviewed what has been accomplished, and they approved the Mission Establishment Phase for this endeavor without any promise of financial subsidy. Now a core group of WELS members living in the area meets for weekly Bible classes and fellowship. They recently named the mission “CrossWalk Lutheran Church.“ They have begun to formulate short- and long-range plans for their mission endeavors in this expanding part of Phoenix.

Please keep tent minister Jeffrey Gunn and all of us in this new mission in your prayers. Together we forge a new path in reaching the unchurched in South Phoenix.

Gary Jeffers is chairman of the board of directors for the development phase of CrossWalk Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona.




---

“We can’t just do nothing ” part three

New ministry in South Phoenix keeps growing. Weekly Bible classes and three summer worship services were well attended.


Author: Gary Jeffers

Blessings continue to abound for CrossWalk Lutheran Church in South Phoenix. As mentioned in previous editions of Mission Connection, this North American outreach ministry was formed by a group of WELS members who saw a need for outreach to the unchurched in the South Phoenix area.

The population of this diverse area surrounding Arizona Lutheran Academy, a WELS area Lutheran high school, is projected to increase from 50,226 in the year 2000 to 147,270 in 2010. Even though there are no synodical funds to support the effort, Pastor Jeff Gunn accepted the call as a tent minister. (A tent minister is best described as a pastor who is willing to work a part-time job to help support himself while he also does outreach ministry.)

Currently, weekly Bible classes are being held both at Arizona Lutheran Academy and at Gunn’s home. Because of the summer heat that sends many in Phoenix out of town and also because of the desire for excellence in our worship services, regular Sunday worship has been put on hold until after Labor Day. However, three preview services were held during the summer months in the gymnasium at Arizona Lutheran Academy. This gave the new mission time to become comfortable in its surroundings and to prepare for guests in fall. We also challenged each current member to invite 10 unchurched people to our official start-up in September. The first of the three preview services was held on June 20. It was an unadvertised service attended by 110 people—another blessing and surprise from the Lord!

Please keep CrossWalk’s members and Pastor Gunn in your prayers as we forge a new path in reaching the unchurched in South Phoenix.

Gary Jeffers is chairman of the board of directors of CrossWalk Lutheran Ministries, Phoenix, Arizona.

-------------------------------------
Volume Fall 2004, Category: BHM

***

GJ - Forward in Collusion ran a three-part series on Church and Chicanery hero Jeff Gunn. Why would anyone think the synodical magazine is in cahoots with the Shrinkers?

The three-part series managed to leave out a ton of facts about CrossWalk, such as plagiarizing false teacher's confessions, ditching the word Lutheran, pretending to be generic Babtist. What a success - crating a non-Lutheran congregation in a non-Lutheran town, then spreading the Staff Infection to others.

Meanwhile, the WELS DP extended the Left Foot of Fellowship to one pastor after another. One dared to criticize the Yoda of Church Growth in WELS. Horrors! Bonk, out. Ichabodians, did you know that one requirement for joining WELS is removing criticism of CG from a website? And you think there is no doctrinal discipline. Not in the Arizona-California-Las Vegas District.

---

Ken Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Board Members Learned Secrecy an...":

I realize that "tent ministers" time is limited but putting regular Sunday services on hold till after Labor Day seems a bit odd to me. Note the church growther emphasis on "excellence." These birds would rather cancel services than perhaps hold a simple service. This attitude borders on abandoning the flock. This guy would rather abandon Sunday services if they can't be a full blown church growth hootinanny (sic). What a contrast to the early church who would rather meet in the Roman catacombs than forsake the assembly of the saints. They feel if you can't get the proper penetecostal style emotional tone by having a large crowd then you might as well stay home and watch Joel Osteen on the idiot box! The angels must weep!

Another $1 to 1.5 Million Gone from WELS Budget

Church and Change really changed the synod while soaking up funds for their own pet projects. Now they are closing schools, organizing conferences to teach false doctrine, and making fun of traditional Lutherans.

WELS missionaries are coming home jobless and homeless in a bad economy, where calls were rare even before the mortgage meltdown. They have to share parsonages or homes with friends and relatives.

Meanwhile, congregations are shedding pastors and teachers.

WELS had to take $8 million from the budget, but the latest word is another shortage of $1 to 1.5 million.

The Shrinkers of the Gurgel-Mueller regime took the largest charitable gift in history and turned it into synodical bankruptcy.

And where did this genius SP Gurgel go - the man who dissolved the MilCraft estate and blew the Schwan fortune? He is working for Kudu Don Patterson, of course, conveniently on the staff so he can lobby as an active pastor instead of silencing himself as a failed SP.

Ichabod Stats Spike on June 9th

I was looking at the pages read statistic from Technorati and saw a huge spike on Tuesday of this week. I wondered if it was a mistake, so I checked Google Analytics - same spike.

Mrs. Ichabod opined, "The conventions!" She thinks the district conventions were checking on Ichabod posts - I assume in the privacy of their rooms.

The Michigan District convention was just over. The description I got was "grim," although SP Schroeder gave an uplifting message. Besides the MLS and missionary cuts, pastors are being eliminated from their positions in their congregations.

PS - Update. I found another reason for the spike. I ran the story on the Coptic cleric who evangelizes Muslims. That got the highest page reads of all time.

---

Anonymouse has left a new misspelled comment on your post "Ichabod Stats Spike on June 9th":

So your readership when (sic) from 5 to 10 on that day. Nice.

***

GJ - You wish. A WELS pastor reported, "Everyone reads Ichabod."

Perhaps they long for complete sentences, good grammar, and proper spelling.

Stand By Your Klan

WELS Church and Change is a secret, sadistic organization funded by the synod to take over the WELS. They cloak themselves in sanctimony while issuing their threats. One of them said to a DP, "One day you'll be dead and we'll take over." They are just like the Ku Klux Klan, but even less charming.

Stand By Your Klan

Apologies to Tammy Wynette

Sometimes it’s hard to be a Shrinker,
Giving all your love to just one cult.
You'll have bad times,
And they’ll have good times,
Doing things that you don't understand.
But if you love them, you'll forgive them,
Even though they’re hard to understand.
And if you love Change,
Oh be proud of Change,
'Cause after all it’s just the Klan.
Stand by your Klan,
Give them two arms twist so,
And something Calvinisto,
When Fuller’s cold and lonely.
Stand by your Klan,
And tell the world you love them,
Keep shoutin “Eighth Commandment!”
Stand by your Klan.
Stand by your Klan.
And show the world you love them,
Keep giving all the dough you can,
Stand by your Klan.

Ideas for the WELS Convention

A WELS layman phoned me and asked me to post ideas about the upcoming WELS convention. Being there is influence, so if conservative laity and pastors do not attend, they are not going to have any impact. A non-delegate has more time and energy to listen, buttonhole, and lobby than a delegate.

Here are my ideas:

1. Doctrinal studies are proposed. They need to be centered on the Book of Concord so Lutherans can find their identity outside of Pietism, Fuller, and Willow Creek.
   
2. The conflict between fake-fellowship and reality has to end. WELS has been working with ELCA on evangelism, worship, and leadership projects for decades. The influence has been one-way and detrimental. Besides, no one is fooled, even if WELS hides its romance with ELCA.
   
3. The unionists must be punished. The Crypto-Calvinists in the COP and at The Love Shack have persecuted Lutherans for 30 years. Now the loyalists of Willow Creek (Parlow) and Southern Babtism (Parlow, Ski, Glende) need to face the music.
   
4. The Love Shack staff is worse than useless. They have worked tirelessly to fund their friends, wreck the synod, and feather their own nests. Almost all of them should be fired, but especially the Mission Counselors and Perish Assistants.
   
5. The Doctrinal Pussycats all need replacement, starting with those who have served (themselves) the longest. They have enabled the Church and Chicanery agenda with such idiocies as giving Randy Hunter a vicar, providing a free vicar for Don Patterson, endorsing and supporting The CORE.

Some Realities

WELS spent millions on MLS in a bad location getting worse. Area high schools and the budget battles have drained its student population. Also, regionalism (State of Wisconsin WELS versus Michigan WELS) has worked its magic. I recall one Conference Chair sneering that MLS is "just a prep for Saginaw." This is worst time in the economy to turn MLS into another area Lutheran high school.

The scope of WELS world missionary work is staggering, stupefying, beyond reckless. No wonder calls are being terminated right and left. Drunk with Schwan money, WELS began cutting off the Apache mission, its first mission, to cover the globe. The money was not there and widespread support was lacking. They need to cover a few areas well instead of trying to be ELCA or Missouri in size.

Mary Lou College and The Sausage Factory are jokes, but I don't get the humor. They only prepare students to look to Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, Granger Community Church, Mars Hill, and Northpoint Babtist Church for answers. If the two faculties are so bereft of trust in God's Word, why don't they join a Schwaermer denomination instead of trying to convert WELS?

How appropriate, that Bruce Becker was finally de-funded from attacking God's Word, only to re-surface at Mequon for the WELS Prayer Institute hive training event.

Strong congregations create a strong church body. As Lenski said, "Programs come and go, but the Church is built on the Word of God alone."

The laity who want to give have seen their retirement funds decimated and their benevolence giving wasted on wild hair projects. Doctrinal and funding integrity will motivate people. Giving Don Patterson another free vicar will not.

Wayne Mueller and SP Gurgel got the synod to fracture giving, so every entity had to run around asking the same rich people for funds. That was a trend started in ELCA and Missouri. The Tetzels work for a commission, just like Jeff Davis. That strikes some as unethical and greedy.

"I'm back. Let us pray for all those things--besides the Means of Grace--that make the church grow."

---

Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "Ideas for the WELS Convention":

Here's an innocent question for which I don't know the answer. If the education budget for the WELS is $26.2 million (see links below), and the synodical subsidy for MLC is $4.5 million, LPS and MLS and get $3 million, and the seminary gets $2 million, where does the other $17 million go? I'll look for the answer in the comments.

The WELS Budget summary
http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1332&contentID=51100&shortcutID=18902

Excerpt:
Board for Ministerial Education
Total Budget= $26.2 million
Total administrative $=$3 million
Total FTEs=31.7

MLC synodical subsidy is 4.5 million
http://www.mlc-wels.edu/home/newsworthy/budupd20081125/image/image_view_fullscreen

Budget reduction of $8 million forces ministry cuts
http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1712&cxDatabase_databaseID=1&id=10890&magazine=Forward%20in%20Christ

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Shockeroo from James Radloff, Classmate of David ...":

During relatively recent years, WELS has closed and/or amalgamated three prep schools (there are no longer prep schools in Mobridge, New Ulm, or Prairie du Chien). It has also closed and/or amalgamated two colleges (there are no longer colleges in Milwaukee, which was a WELS junior college for training teachers, or in Watertown, which was the only WELS college devoted exclusively to training pastors. With each closure or amalgamation, the leadership assured the membership of the synod that the proposed closure or amalgamation would place WELS on a solid financial footing for its long term future. With each closure or amalgamation, the financial position of WELS eventually deteriorated enough so that another school needed to be closed "to save the synod." We have four more schools to go. If the pattern continues, in short time we will have no schools and a worse financial position than now. At that time, there will be only one thing left to do. That would be to sell the Synod Administration Building and return to a part time president who is also a parish pastor and have the bulk of the rest of the work of the synod carried out by elected or appointed volunteers. Then we will be back where we started before the current administrative expansion craze. The only difference is that we will have lost our worker training system. If the pattern of closing schools to save the synod continues, one can only sit back and ask of our leaders, "Do you really think it is worth it?"

Prank Call Gets $50,000 Damage Done To Holiday Inn Express

It's hard to get good help today.

Now I understand how McCain got nominated and Obama got elected.

Miss California

Not my blooper. Should be: You're fired.

TMZ

Carrie Prejean: They Asked Me to do Playboy
Posted Jun 10th 2009 6:00PM by TMZ Staff

We just got off the phone with deposed Miss California USA Carrie Prejean -- and she says the pageant was trying to whore her out to Playboy.

Prejean claims pageant honcho Keith Lewis actually asked her last month if she would take two gigs -- appearing on "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" and Playboy. Prejean says Lewis told her Playboy offered $140,000 for her to pose semi-nude. She rejected both offers.

A few minutes ago we talked to Lewis who said he was not pushing her to take either gig -- but merely passing the offers along. Lewis said Prejean had insisted they not turn anything down without running it by her.

Prejean -- who told us she was "shocked" at the news she was fired and learned about it only after we broke the story -- tells us she has been more than cooperative with pageant officials.

Prejean says, "What's behind this I think is a political debate. They don't agree with the stance that I took [on Prop 8]. Shanna [Moakler] is trying to bash me. They don't like me. From day one they wanted me out and they got what they wanted."

How Delicious - To Post Anonymously While Lobbing a Few More Stinkbombs

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Anonymous Name-calling":

I still have to wonder how tearing down others is beneficial to anything or anyone except the ego of the one doing the insulting.

Your response was pretty much what I should have expected I suppose... "My sin? But look at what THEY did! What about them?" And you're right. There is a great deal of sinfulness in the WELS and it's leaders. Turns out its a pretty universal problem.

In no way do I intend to have an air of superiority in my comments (in fact the very accusation seems to me to be the epitome of irony). Just trying to understand the benefits of this blog besides the tearing down of others. Based on your response I take it there are none. And apparently now I've become one of your "anonymous" targets.

***

GJ - Why labor at satire when people write it for me?

Alter Call: The Evangelical Agenda

Someone asked me about altars and the Evangelicals, reminding me how often that word is misspelled in my religion classes.

The apostates of 19th century Lutheranism featured altar calls, following the Evangelicals. Those Lutherans also looked down on the liturgy. The first Lutheran to teach at Yale Divinity came from the General Synod, where that was common.

Billy Graham featured altar calls in his crusades, but he did not have an altar.

A Roman Catholic Church is often all altar with almost no pulpit. They have little preaching, very weak preaching if they do.

Traditional Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians have prominent pulpits and altars reduced to card tables in some instances. They do not like the words Holy Communion so they have the Lord's Supper as infrequently as possible (another hallmark of Lutheran Pietists - three times a year).

A traditional Lutheran church has a balance between the altar and the pulpit, emphasizing the Means of Grace: the invisible Word of preaching and teaching, the visible Word of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

The Shrinker churches of Lutheran apostasy do not have a pulpit and also lack an altar. They have movies screens (The CORE, Victory) and performance stages (The CORE).

Church and Chicanery franchises--like all the followers of Driscoll, Stanley, Beeson, Groeschel, and Sweet--promise to alter lives, to transform people by being real, relational, and relevant. Ski is saying that all the WELS congregations in Fox Valley are unreal, not relational, and irrelevant. Perhaps St. Peter in Freedom is not, because Glende "gets it" and goes to Stanley and Driscoll conferences.

The Evangelicals are touchy about altars because they reject the Sacraments. When Lutherans are ashamed of the Sacraments, they also put away the altar. Someone who goes regularly to conferences led by an anti-infant baptism preacher would hardly feature a baptismal font in his movie theater.

One's theology of worship informs the architecture of the congregation.

Our family loves the old WELS churches with the ornate altars and prominent pulpits.

The glory has departed.

Shockeroo from James Radloff, Classmate of David Valleskey: Close Both Preps

MLS, before it had Harvard tuition (thanks to Gurgel and Wayne Mueller).

The Shrinkers have closed two preps out of four, but that is not enough. James Radloff, classmate of David Valleskey, has memorialized the synod to close the surviving preps.

You could have knocked me over with a pixel - that's how surprised I was.

Radloff edited the official mission counselors' newsletter for WELS, which always featured the worst false teachers and the most obnoxious false doctrine. I connected him with Valleskey because David did the same thing, a little more secretly - like a freight train going through a convent. But no one noticed.

Radloff is connected to the Patterson network. No surprise, again.

When I was first looking at WELS, John Lawrenz was president of MLS. He told me that the LCMS deliberately de-funded their preps until they were gone, in the name of missions.

Only a few years later, when WELS was trying hard to close MLS, Lawrenz said on the floor of the Michigan District convention, "We are willing to accept any role the synod gives us." People were shocked that the head of a school would be so willing to pull the rug, but DP Mueller did the same about closing NWC.

The Shrinkers have a demonic hatred for schools and an inordinate love for missions that promote Fuller doctrine.

Radloff's memorial makes sense, for those who know the players.



Lawrenz surfaced in a recent Church and Chicanery discussion. After he delivered his delphic comments, Patterson chimed in: "Pure gold, John. Thanks."

Dr. Luther Has Spoken, Seconded by Hoenecke

Adolph Hoenecke was a product of Halle University, so he was well aware of Pietism but did not escape its influence. Most Lutheran thought was filtered through Pietism in the 19th century. Its impact remains in UOJ, Church Shrinkage, and Whoopee Worship.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Anonymous Name-calling":

Permit me a clarification on my phrase "heavy lifting of dealing with sin..." We add these burdens to ourselves, perhaps to provide ourselves the satisfaction of adding to what He has already done. I stand corrected by the good doctor.


Luther's Table Talk, CCXXV:

... How could we perform a more easy service of God, without all labor or charge? There is no work on earth easier than the true service of God: he loads us with no heavy burdens, but only asks that we believe in him and preach of him. True, thou mayest be sure thou shalt be persecuted for this, but our sweet Saviour gives us a comfortable promise: "I will be with you in the time of trouble, and will help you out," etc., Luke xii. 7. I make no such promise to my servant when I set him to work, either to plough or to cart, as Christ to me, that he will help me in my need. We only fail in belief: if I had faith according as the Scripture requires of me, I alone would drive the Turk out of Constantinople, and the pope out of Rome; but it comes far short; I must rest satisfied with that which Christ spake to St Paul: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is strong in weakness."

+Diet O. Worms

***

GJ - Hoenecke said it well in his Dogmatics, not available in English from Northwestern Publishing House: Pietism confuses justification with sanctification and makes sanctification the cause of justification (my paraphrase from memory).

Ichabodians can look at all the errant congregations and programs in WELS, Missouri, the Little Sect, and the micro-mini synods. They will find the basics of Pietism enshrined.

"Aha! say the Smells-and-Bells pastors, "We emphasize pure worship."

Exactly so. They also avoid the pure Word and glory in their works as they sinuflect toward Rome.