Our Declaration

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Schmid's History of Pietism

I found a Hoenecke graphic being used by NPH for displaying this book online, so I offered to post the right picture when they fixed it. NPH said, "Fourth of July weekend. Feel free to scan the cover on your own." I did.

The History of Pietism, by Heinrich Schmid, translated by James L. Langebartels. Northwestern Publishing House. Click here to order. $40.50. 400 pages with index.

From the same translator - The Complete Timotheus Verinus, by Loescher - also about Pietism.

Potential audience: Any pastor or informed layman will gain from studying this book. If Pietism is a new topic, additional background reading may help, such as:

1. The Means of Grace in Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant.
   
2. Zwingli, Calvin, Pietism in Thy Strong Word.

Schmid compiled the great Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a book commonly used by ALC clergy. Click here. That particular book gave orthodox Lutheran quotations from a whole range of European authors, on each area of systematic theology. No UOJ can be found in the book.

Introduction
The introduction of Pietism describes how the princes took over control of the Lutheran Church after the Reformation. Although this caesaropapism was a problem, I have difficulty seeing this as a prime cause for Pietism's growth.

Another cause, also mentioned, was the tendency toward scholasticism, disputing minor philosophical points without mining the Scriptures. This problem prevails today, with Lutheran clergy arguing over non-essentials while ignoring the apostasy around them.

The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) disrupted Europe and added to the problems of the Lutheran Church. The Peace of Westphalia established the principle of the ruler's faith determining the Christian confession of all his subjects: Cuius regio, eius religio.

Spener
Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) created the movement called Pietism, which grew from two things done by its founder. One was the establishment of Colleges of Piety (collegia pietatis), cell groups or conventicles, to promote the Christian faith. The second was his piggy-back introduction to Arndt's True Christianity, Pia Desideria.

As Otto Heick wrote, Spener was the first union theologian. Schmid gives plenty of evidence of Spener's deliberate leadership in creating conventicles, which were almost identical to that urged by the Reformed leader Labadie. What Labadie suggested became Spener's program. "Thus the only means Spener taught for curing the conditions in the church had its root in the Reformed church!" (Schmid, p. 304)

August Hermann Francke
Francke (1663-1727) began the second generation of Pietism, greatly encouraged by Spener. The saddest pages of Schmid record how little the Scriptures were studied. Future ministers were not trained in exegesis at this time, so Francke's circle filled a void. They were also quite earnest in serving the needs of the poor, so Pietism at this stage still had a positive influence, although conflicts were growing.

Francke was appointed to teach at Halle University, which quickly became the center of Pietism in Europe. In the next generation, Halle became Unitarian. Many of the key Lutheran leaders in America came from Halle: Muhlenberg, Hoenecke, etc.

Valentin Ernst Löscher
Löscher (1673-1749) changed the doctrinal discussions by defending Lutheran orthodoxy against the errors of Pietism. His Timotheus Verinus is worth studying to see how Pietism degenerated.

Why Read This Book?
Pietism is not light reading. The book is more of an encyclopedia of the various early movements of Pietism and their leaders.
Those who pay attention to hymn authors will say "Ah!" when they see certain names. Since all the Lutheran groups in America were profoundly influenced by Pietism, all pastors should study this work and keep it as a reference.

Pastor Langebartels has done a fine job translating this book. He and NPH are to be commended for this effort in providing it in English.

I will write more for future adult study classes in Pietism. Use the Pietism label to find what has already been posted on Ichabod.

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Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Schmid's History of Pietism":

For what it is worth, I heartily recommend all three of the books mentioned by Dr. Jackson in this blog entry. NPH's first printing of Timotheus Verinus was 1998, but by the time this title came to my attention in 2003, it was unavailable. I understand that some folks petitioned NPH to reprint it, which they did in 2006, followed shortly thereafter by publication of Langebartel's translation of Schmid's work on Pietism.

I've read Timotheus Verinus, and scanned Schmid's Pietism -- though I haven't given Pietism a close read. Schmid's Doctrinal Theology, however, is what made me a Lutheran. Browsing a used bookstore many years ago -- still a pop-church Evangelical, though by then a bit disenfranchised -- I saw the title, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. I was intrigued, because I didn't realize there was a such a thing as Lutherans who were "Evangelical," but more importantly, that such were Evangelicals with a fully-worked-out system of theology (something that pop-church Evangelicals are still waiting for). I didn't realize the significance when I bought it, but that copy was the Second English edition -- the final English edition to be printed before Schmid's death. Beginning with the Third edition, the editors (Hay and Jacobs) began redacting content -- though, as the editors pointed out, most Lutherans probably wouldn't miss the redacted material. I think the Augsburg Publishing House reprint from back in the 1960's was from the Third or Fourth edition.

Anyway, Dr. Jackson, I look forward to your future posts regarding Schmid's Pietism. Will you be doing a video commentary, such as your overview series on the Book of Concord?

Freddy Finkelstein

***

GJ - That is a good idea, to do more on video with Pietism. Perhaps with Verinus, too.

The Fourth of July

The Fourth of July was enlivened by the resignation of Sarah Palin, who will now be free to travel and speak throughout the US, no longer held captive by the paradoxically large land mass and small population State of Alaska.

Palin's team lost to a man whose executive experience was nil, whose citizenship was debatable, and whose ideology was extreme Left. He even referred to "my Muslim faith" in an interview. Palin has inspired virulent hatred against every member of her family and constant attacks on her ability to govern, often by journalists who should have been glad she went back to Alaska.

Yesterday we finally got some relief from the Michael Jackson hagiographies. Palin owned all the news coverage by resigning when the senior journalists were partying at Martha's Vinyard and other luxury venues.

Our situation in America reminds me of Imperial Russia, when people overthrew the government of the Tsar because they suspected he was a agent of the Germans. This happened during WWI.

Queen Victoria is to blame. She married her first cousin and had a bunch of children who married into the royal families of Europe and afflicted some of them with hemophilia, a failure of the blood to clot properly. Her granddaughter married the future Tsar of Russia, and the heir presumptive, the only male child, had hemophilia.

There are two theories about the influence of Rasputin, the mad monk. One is that he stopped the Tsar's family from giving the British miracle drug, Aspirin, to their son. Aspirin would have made the disease far worse, so the boy got better. The other theory attributes special powers to Rasputin, who was famous for bewitching women.

Rasputin drank heavily and spouted a lot of information in taverns. Apparently German agents used his rants to inform their leaders. Increasingly, Russia suspected the Tsar. They also thought the Tsar's wife was having an affair with Rasputin.

Meanwhile, a paid German agent, Lenin, was shipped by the Germans into Russia with a pile of gold. The goal was to replace the Tsar with their agent and take Russia out of WWI. That plan worked too well, and Lenin became the new Tsar. His men murdered the Tsar's entire family, who were defenseless.

How many millions of Russians died from Lenin and Stalin? The truth is being acknowledged now. Mao murdered even more of his own people, but we seldom hear of the deliberate Chinese slaughter. Some estimate that 40 to 100 million Chinese were killed by Mao, to maintain his power.

The US government now controls the financial system and General Motors, itching to dominate medical care (14% of the GNP). The House of Representatives passed a bill, with GOP help, which will multiply all energy costs and reduce America to the economic status of Bosnia. I wonder when Americans will remember why we have an Independence Day. We turned away from the bad leadership of Bush-McCain to be held in bondage by the Anointed (by Oprah) One.



Anonymous has left another ignorant comment on your post "The Fourth of July":

Spoken like a true right-wing fanatic.

Proof please, of Lenin being an agent of the Kaiser?

***

GJ - Many history buffs have read To the Finland Station, about Lenin being smuggled into Russian by the Germans. Here is a summary from World Net Daily. Imperial Germany wanted to close down their second front. Lenin signed the treaty soon after taking power.

This well known episode should remind readers that complicated enterprises are state-sponsored, requiring large sums of money and special expertise.

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Kenneth J. Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "The Fourth of July":

The fact that the Germans put Lenin on a sealed train back to Russia to help destabilize the Kerensky Regime is something that every high schooler should know. No historians deny it as a fact of history.

What Is Wrong With Cell Groups?

Cell groups are to CG Pietism what yoga is to Hinduism.

DK has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

Dear Professor Jackson:

I've read a few things on Ichabod about 'cell groups'. You've state that they are a breeding ground for Enthusiasm. I've looked into it a little, via internet and by asking questions of a friend of mine, who belongs to a WELS cell group.

My friend states that cell groups are a way for a church to foster a community that knows and is accountable to each other. He points out that church members tend to see each other only on Sundays--which isn't in itself bad, but if you can build friendships with those you worship with (meeting for Bible study during the week, etc) the fellowship of believers is strengthened. Beyond that he would divulge little info about what a cell group actually does or is. His only attempt to clear up that vagueness was to invite me to attend a cell group session.

Having recently moved back to Milwaukee (an unfortunate vocational necessity) I'm coming in contact with all these new fads in the church and so I'm asking legitimate questions: If what my friend says is true, why are cell groups necessarily breeding grounds for Enthusiasm? Couldn't a Lutheran potluck be equal in that potential? Am I missing something of the root or essence of a cell group?

As for myself, I would never attend anything called a cell group, simply because I think it carries strange and/or Agnostic connotations... Communist agitators, Anarchistic bomb-throwers, Manichaeans, and Star Trek convention-goers make up cell groups--not Christians.

Anyhow,

I'd like to hear your two-guns-drawn approach to cell groups.

Thanks

DK

***

GJ - I will answer briefly, in my normal irenic style. At the Bethany services I will be teaching about Pietism for the next few weeks. I will have saved videos and also written materials on this blog, starting with a review of The History of Pietism, published by NPH.

Pietism is built upon Reformed doctrine and the lay-led cell group, which may be called Koinonia, Care, Share, Bible study or Affinity group. I went to a Koinonia conference in the LCA in the 1980s. The ALC promoted lay-led Bible study groups.

The Pietistic cell group is anti-church. They may attend the Sunday service, but the real worship is the cell meeting. They often foster a holier-than-thou attitude which leads to withdrawal from the congregation. Many Babtist churches have people who have never gone to church but never miss their Bible study, and the Bible study leaders are the worst of the lot.

The Pietistic cell group is anti-Means of Grace. Because their start was unionistic and Reformed, they place all their trust in prayer as THE Means of Grace. This emphasis makes it easy for Pentecostals to show them what real prayer is - praying in tongues. Lalalala. Church is for recruiting people for cell groups.

I told some adults about this at a Missouri congregation. One woman was angry with me because she attended a Lutheran cell group. When she asked about infant baptism and having me speak about it, the female leader said, "I am the leader and we will NOT discuss it." The angry woman realized I was correct, without even knowing the group.

The Pietistic cell group promotes false doctrine because the opinions of an attractive leader become normative for the group. Feelings trump Biblical doctrine.

The Pietistic cell group abuses people by binding them to the power structure. Like the Indian guru, the cell group leader can and does order the disciples around. Disciples are love-bombed into the group and horribly shunned if they depart from the cell. This combination is dangerous to the emotionally fragile, who are attracted to the false intimacy and fake love of the group. I described one such group to a former Lutheran who was a member. He said, "It's like you were there." I said, "They are pretty much all alike."

The Pietistic cell group promotes women teaching men and usurping authority, leading to women's ordination. Not the liberal apostates, but the Pentecostal apostates were first to ordain women. Cell groups assume women will lead men and teach men. St. Paul in German Village started one on Sunday with a married couple leading it, about 20 years ago. The husband stopped coming and his wife led a group of men and women. When one man questioned what was happening, the woman declared, "I AM the leader of this group!" I asked about this at a WELS conference and was roundly condemned for bringing it up. Nitz asked, disingenuously, "Is this still going on?" I said, "It's your church. You should know."

The "making disciples" fever comes from Pietism. That is why the Church Growth gurus must turn the efficacy-of-the-Word Great Commission into a command to form cell groups. Why? Because cell groups make disciples who make disciples who make disciples - according to ex-seminary professor Joel Gerlach, who studied at Fuller Seminary. Kent Hunter explains, in dumbest fashion, that sheep not shepherds have sheep. Ovine intimacy aside, Luke 15 has the shepherd (not the flock) looking everywhere for the lost sheep. From John 10 and Psalm 23 we know Jesus is the Ultimate Shepherd who finds us, carries us home on His shoulders, and rejoices with the angels.

Pietism has always been unionistic. If a Lutheran pastor wants to start cell groups, he will turn to the false teachers and their materials to promote them. He will be trained at Fuller, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield. Do I hear an Amen! Larry?

Pietism leads to Unitarianism. That happened first at Halle University, organized for Pietism. It happened again in the LCA-ALC-ELCA. As Krauth explained, the more Reformed a denomination is, the faster it becomes Unitarian. There are two routes. One is an emphasis on rationalism, typical of pure Calvinism. The other is an emphasis on emotions, which we find in Pietism, Pentecostalism, and revivalism.

High Anxiety? Do Not Click the Link

The Ledge on the Chicago Sears Tower.

Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants

Consultant: "You need a contemporary service and
some how-to sermons that speak to the felt needs of the prospects.
And you owe me $6,000. Make that $9,000."

Click here for Pastor Brian Wolfmueller on church consultants.

***

GJ - The Chicaneries are strangely silent since the take-down of their guru, Jim Aderman. Lie down with frogs, get up with warts.

"When was the last time you kissed a frog?...'Lifestyle Evangelism and Follow-up,' a Navigator video seminar for the church, makes a solid case for Christian frog kissing as a way of life."
James A. Aderman, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Summer, 1986 p. 2.

"A Look at Several WELS Small Group Ministries. 1. Fairview in Milwaukee (Pastor Jim Aderman) 2. Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison (Mr. Rolf Wegenke) 3. Emanuel in New London (Pastor Steve Witte)"
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19.

***

GJ - Notice the dates. Church and Chicaneries were introducing Pietistic gimmicks 32 years ago, and the synod leadership supported it. TELL began in 1977, with Ron Roth as the editor, with the stated intention of promoting the Church Growth Movement. Paul Calvin Kelm was the next editor and Robert Hartmann followed.

If you have nothing else to do, count how many times Aderman published in FIC (nee The Northwestern Lutheran). Click here for the search link.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

When my former congregation hired a consultant, they solidified my decision to leave. I did not even try to fight it. By then, I had realized that anything that I said would have little bearing on the direction that they were headed. This meant that the law based stewardship beatings would continue for a minimum of three years, which is the term of the contract. When you figure out what has happened, you realize that the leadership no longer believes in the efficacy of the Word.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

The church consultant program is by far the biggest farce in WELS. I, too, left a church which wanted to hire Calvin Kelm. A month after I took a call, they signed the $30,000 contract thus dividing the church, addressed the "perceived needs" of the people while avoiding any real issues, and now the church and school are both half their former size. Oh yes, they got the new sign and cleared some shrubs.

The same thing happened in the church where my wife's family attends. The $30,000 contract, a divided congregation, an oversized staff, shrinking attendance and school enrollment, and worship innovations which the majority of the people do not want. But they do have an upgraded sign and some new shrubs.

I have a hunch the real growth acommplished (sic - yup, Mequon grad) through the church consultant program is the bottom line at the local sign companies and nurseries across America. They must be making good money off WELS churches.

In fact, is it possibly "church growth" in WELS refers to growing the landscaping of the church? We may have misunderstood all along!

***

GJ - How ironic that Kelm (DMin, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis) is reprising his role as a consultant. SP Schroeder asked that no one new be hired. Bruce Becker and the Perish Services people would not listen. SP Schroeder also asked them not to hire someone who was polarizing, if they insisted on hiring someone. Lastly, the Synod President did not know about the call to Kelm until it was issued for public knowledge. These three facts were heatedly denied by the Shrinkers, so they were once again calling me a liar for telling the truth. My multiple sources stood by the story I posted - and I do make corrections.

Kelm is 65 in December. He has a well known reputation for publishing false doctrine of the most blatant kind. His required-for-graduation course at Wisconsin Lutheran College was a dedicated effort to promote Reformed doctrine and the Church Shrinkers one and all.

Why did Kelm get propped up and promoted so many times? Why is he still the keynote speaker at Mary Lou College (WELS) in New Ulm? He was also the Mission Festival speaker at the Sausage Factory each year (how often - I do not know). And he published his toxic waste in FIC/NWL. Obviously a group has been managing his career as a crypto-Calvinist.

Concordia Publishing House Book Sale

There are some good books on sale at CPH. Click here.

I noticed the essays honoring Robert Preus and one on the Book of Concord.

Discover the Efficacy of the Word

"Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide"
by Nikolaus Selnecker, 1532-1592
Translated by composite

1. Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide,
For round us falls the eventide;
Nor let Thy Word, that heavenly light,
For us be ever veiled in night.

2. In these last days of sore distress
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness
That pure we keep, till life is spent,
Thy holy Word and Sacrament.

3. Lord Jesus, help, Thy Church uphold,
For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold.
Oh, prosper well Thy Word of grace
And spread its truth in every place!

4. Oh, keep us in Thy Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Thy mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

5. O God, how sin's dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood's spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

6. The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o'er Thy Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Thy doctrine true.

7. And since the cause and glory, Lord,
Are Thine, not ours, to us afford
Thy help and strength and constancy.
With all our heart we trust in Thee.

8. A trusty weapon is Thy Word,
Thy Church's buckler, shield and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

9. Oh, grant that in Thy holy Word
We here may live and die, dear Lord;
And when our journey endeth here,
Receive us into glory there.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #292
Text: Luke 24:29
Author: Nikolaus Selnecker et al., 1611
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ"
Tune: "Ach bleib bei uns"
1st Published in: Geistliche Lieder
Town: Leipzig,1589

I really enjoy putting together the sermon and the service each Sunday. Lacking the requisite grants and a full-time staffer, I use BibleWorks, the Book of Concord, and Megatron (my database of quotations). My organist is Mr. Bose, who will play all the verses of any hymn I choose - no grumbling. The hymns I choose are often new to me, because I want to highlight the great Lutheran hymns of the past. Sad to say, most Lutherans favor Methodist hymns and pastors tend to tilt that way. My congregation is self-selecting. They like to sing the great hymns of the past, so they appreciate the doctrinal hymns as much as I do.

The sermon above was the favorite of a friend's mother. It was one of many I first heard upon joining WELS and using The Lutheran Hymnal. The LCA hymnals were Methodist to a fault and discriminated against Luther and Gerhardt.

Selnecker is an important person to know. He was wobbly during the Reformation, but Chemnitz strengthened the man's doctrinal understanding to the point where Selnecker became an editor of the Formula and Book of Concord, 1580.

If people believe in the efficacy of the Word, they will place study and teaching of the Word above all other activities. They will naturally shun those highly promoted methods which generate all kinds of activity and cost lots of money, but only succeed in scattering more weed seeds.

A little study of Luther - The Large Catechism, for example - and anyone will conclude that the last three decades in Lutherdom have been massive frauds. The explanation of the first three commandments are a condemnation of Church Growthism and a beautiful exposition of the efficacy of the Word.

Second Commandment:



54] But, the greatest abuse occurs in spiritual matters, which pertain to the conscience, when false preachers rise up and offer their lying vanities as God's Word.

55] Behold, all this is decking one's self out with God's name, or making a pretty show, or claiming to be right, whether it occur in gross, worldly business or in sublime, subtile matters of faith and doctrine. And among liars belong also blasphemers, not alone the very gross, well known to every one, who disgrace God's name without fear (these are not for us, but for the hangman to discipline); but also those who publicly traduce the truth and God's Word and consign it to the devil. Of this there is no need now to speak further.

56] Here, then, let us learn and take to heart the great importance of this commandment, that with all diligence we may guard against and dread every misuse of the holy name, as the greatest sin that can be outwardly committed. For to lie and deceive is in itself a great sin, but is greatly aggravated when we attempt to justify it, and seek to confirm it by invoking the name of God and using it as a cloak for shame, so that from a single lie a double lie, nay, manifold lies, result.

57] For this reason, too, God has added a solemn threat to this commandment, to wit: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. That is: It shall not be condoned to any one nor pass unpunished. For as little as He will leave it unavenged if any one turn his heart from Him, as little will He suffer His name to be employed for dressing up a lie. 58] Now, alas! it is a common calamity in all the world that there are as few who are not using the name of God for purposes of lying and all wickedness as there are those who with their heart trust alone in God.

59] For by nature we all have within us this beautiful virtue, to wit, that whoever has committed a wrong would like to cover up and adorn his disgrace, so that no one may see it or know it; and no one is so bold as to boast to all the world of the wickedness he has perpetrated; all wish to act by stealth and without any one being aware of what they do. Then, if any one be arraigned, the name of God is dragged into the affair and must make the villainy look like godliness, and the shame like honor. This is the common course of the world, which, like a great deluge, has flooded all lands. 60] Hence we have also as our reward what we seek and deserve: pestilences, wars, famines, conflagrations, floods, wayward wives, children, servants, and all sorts of defilement. Whence else should so much misery come? It is still a great mercy that the earth bears and supports us.

61] Therefore, above all things, our young people should have this commandment earnestly enforced upon them, and they should be trained to hold this and the First Commandment in high regard; and whenever they transgress, we must at once be after them with the rod, and hold the commandment before them, and constantly inculcate it, so as to bring them up not only with punishment, but also in the reverence and fear of God.

62] Thus you now understand what it is to take God's name in vain, that is (to recapitulate briefly), either simply for purposes of falsehood, and to allege God's name for something that is not so, or to curse, swear, conjure, and, in short, to practise whatever wickedness one may.

Third Commandment:
91] For the Word of God is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries, yea, the only one which we Christians know and have. For though we had the bones of all the saints or all holy and consecrated garments upon a heap, still that would help us nothing; for all that is a dead thing which can sanctify nobody. But God's Word is the treasure which sanctifies everything, and by which even all the saints themselves were sanctified. At whatever hour, then, God's Word is taught, preached, heard, read or meditated upon, there the person, day, and work are sanctified thereby, not because of the external work, but because of the Word, which makes saints of us all. 92] Therefore I constantly say that all our life and work must be ordered according to God's Word, if it is to be God-pleasing or holy. Where this is done, this commandment is in force and being fulfilled.

93] On the contrary, any observance or work that is practised without God's Word is unholy before God, no matter how brilliantly it may shine, even though it be covered with relics, such as the fictitious spiritual orders, which know nothing of God's Word and seek holiness in their own works.

94] Note, therefore, that the force and power of this commandment lies not in the resting, but in the sanctifying, so that to this day belongs a special holy exercise. For other works and occupations are not properly called holy exercises, unless the man himself be first holy. But here a work is to be done by which man is himself made holy, which is done (as we have heard) alone through God's Word. For this, then, fixed places, times, persons, and the entire external order of worship have been created and appointed, so that it may be publicly in operation.

95] Since, therefore, so much depends upon God's Word that without it no holy day can be sanctified, we must know that God insists upon a strict observance of this commandment, and will punish all who despise His Word and are not willing to hear and learn it, especially at the time appointed for the purpose.

96] Therefore not only those sin against this commandment who grossly misuse and desecrate the holy day, as those who on account of their greed or frivolity neglect to hear God's Word or lie in taverns and are dead drunk like swine; but also that other crowd, who listen to God's Word as to any other trifle, and only from custom come to preaching, and go away again, and at the end of the year know as little of it as at the beginning. 97] For hitherto the opinion prevailed that you had properly hallowed Sunday when you had heard a mass or the Gospel read; but no one cared for God's Word, as also no one taught it. Now, while we have God's Word, we nevertheless do not correct the abuse; we suffer ourselves to be preached to and admonished, but we listen without seriousness and care.

98] Know, therefore, that you must be concerned not only about hearing, but also about learning and retaining it in memory, and do not think that it is optional with you or of no great importance, but that it is God's commandment, who will require of you how you have heard, learned, and honored His Word.

99] Likewise those fastidious spirits are to be reproved who, when they have heard a sermon or two, find it tedious and dull, thinking that they know all that well enough, and need no more instruction. For just that is the sin which has been hitherto reckoned among mortal sins, and is called ajkhdia, i.e., torpor or satiety, a malignant, dangerous plague with which the devil bewitches and deceives the hearts of many, that he may surprise us and secretly withdraw God's Word from us.

100] For let me tell you this, even though you know it perfectly and be already master in all things, still you are daily in the dominion of the devil, who ceases neither day nor night to steal unawares upon you, to kindle in your heart unbelief and wicked thoughts against the foregoing and all the commandments. Therefore you must always have God's Word in your heart, upon your lips, and in your ears. But where the heart is idle, and the Word does not sound, he breaks in and has done the damage before we are aware. 101] On the other hand, such is the efficacy of the Word, whenever it is seriously contemplated, heard, and used, that it is bound never to be without fruit, but always awakens new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness, and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts. For these words are not inoperative or dead, but creative, living words. 102] And even though no other interest or necessity impel us, yet this ought to urge every one thereunto, because thereby the devil is put to Right and driven away, and, besides, this commandment is fulfilled, and [this exercise in the Word] is more pleasing to God than any work of hypocrisy, however brilliant.

Synod and Congregation - Based on the Word of God

One Lutheran said recently, referring to the Wauwatosa myth, "They claim orthodoxy can be taught from the Word of God alone."

I said, "It can, but it isn't. They start with all the traditional Holy Mother WELS assumptions and work back to their proofs."

Nevertheless, the Word of God is sufficient, clear, and effective in all Gospel work. God has appointed the Means of Grace so we know exactly where forgiveness is to be found. As Lenski said, fads and programs come and go - only the Word builds the Church.

Here are some positive suggestions about relying on the Word of God. At the very least, as someone wrote, at least the pastor will end up a believer:

1. The KJV is used consistently, because the NIV and similar monstrosities obliterate the Sacraments. The KVJ is ideal for public reading, to preserve the gold standard. If people want to read a modernized version, there are many KJV updates. The traditional KJV is directly linked to Luther, which is probably why the Shrinkers hate it so much.
   
2. The pastor has only three jobs: a) conduct the liturgy and preach an original sermon based on his study of the Word; b) teach the Word, especially to catechumens; c) visit the membership, especially the sick, shut-in, and spiritually inert.
   
3. All desired social activities in the congregation are run by those who want them, not organized and managed by the pastor: youth activities, ladies' groups, WWII discussion groups.
   
4. Cell groups are shut down because they are breeding grounds for Enthusiasm, fostering Pietistic superiority complexes and Pentecostal outbreaks. Do I hear an Amen?
   
5. Stewardship manipulation is dropped in favor of relying on the Gospel. A new building or renovation is not a Means of Grace, so commission-earning salesmen are not hired.
   
6. The Book of Concord becomes a regular focus of pastoral study and adult education. I favor starting with the Formula of Concord. The Large Catechism is also an excellent choice.
   
7. Schwaermer books are tossed from the church library and the pastoral study: Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, Driscoll, Groeschel, Beeson, Sweet, Valleskey.
   
8. Luther's sermons and his Small Catechism are regularly promoted and distributed throughout the congregation and among prospects. An entire set can be bought for about $40, less than the cost of one toxic CG seminar.
   
9. The Word is broadcast faithfully in as many ways as possible. For example, a web camera can send the service via the Internet for free through Ustream or other services. A blog allows sermons to be published easily and quickly for the entire world to read. (See the map on the Bethany blog. The dots appear all over the world.) No one needs a web design certificate to blog.
   
10. Pastors and laity start addressing false doctrine directly and boldly, facing down the false teachers, who keep demanding that they be addressed personally.
    
11. Congregations and pastors trust the Word alone to bring about God's will.
    

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Synod and Congregation - Based on the Word of God":

Sounds good, short of mandating the KJV. There are other translations out there, including the ESV. Older historic manuscripts were not available to the KJV translators back in a.D. 1611. Why not "An American Translation", or the NET that preceded "GOD'S WORD?" As for the N.T., Koine Greek was street Greek, not the beautiful, refined Greek of the bygone Classic era. In most parts of the U.S.A., KJV is not the street language, and in many parts it is a foreign language. While the Word itself is efficacious, must we throw in a barrier such as archaic language? Bible Translaters in foreign lands translate the Hebrew & Greek into the current language of the people, not some archaic form of it. While we should not feel a need to dummy-down the language of the KJV and TLH, is there anything wrong with supplementing it with a more understandable translation where available? Unless you want to form a subculture where words like "vouchsafe" jump off the lips of children with ease (and comprehension), is there anything wrong with modern language with the KJV?
-rde-

***

GJ - Lutherans might have updated the KJV, as the Baptists did, without squashing the Sacraments. I like the New KJV among all the popular new ones, but here are the problems, with the NIV displayed too:

KJV Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

NIV Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [GJ - Why teach all nations when we can be manufacturing disciples? Horrible translation.]

NKJ Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [Ditto]

--

KJV 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

NIV 1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Baptism is just an ordinance for the Reformed, who deny baptismal regeneration and the efficacy of the Word]

NKJ 1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Babtists like this rendering. As one Lutheran said, "The NKJV people know their audience."]

--

KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? [GJ - Communion is a bad word for the Reformed]

NKJ 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

--

KJV Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

NIV Acts 3:21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. [GJ - Stuck in heaven, obviating the Real Presence]

NKJ Acts 3:21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

***

GJ - Missouri and WELS got behind the NIV and mandated its use. WELS excommunicated pastors for favoring the KJV over the NIV. Try to find a WELS/LCMS publication without the NIV.

Missouri and WELS have cooperated about many different things, all of them wrong: following the Roman Catholic calendar, using the NIV, aping the Church Growth Movement.

A new Lutheran KJV would be good, but the Lutherans would rather plagiarize Fuller, Willow Creek, Driscoll, Sweet, Beeson, and Stanley.

The two foundations of the English language are Shakespeare and the KJV. But now everything has to be dumbed down for the kids, making them even dumberer.

Latin names are dropped from the liturgy - boy that brought in the kiddies.

Despising the Word of God - That Is the Energy Behind Church and Change

God uses false teachers to discipline the Church. When people tolerate despising the Word of God, punishment must necessarily follow.

What unites ELCA, WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie is false doctrine. All four groups have had considerable training in Church Growth from Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, and other alma-mater-sows of Enthusiasm.

For example, when I attended the Ad Fontes LCA conference many years ago, the late Father Neuhaus spoke (just before joining Rome). He gave a witty critique of the Church Growth Movement because it was so strong in the LCA already, more than 20 years ago. Clergy got up to defend such things as "user-friendly liturgies."

I knew Mac Minnick, an LCA missions executive, who was just as deep into Church Growth as Norm Berg. They knew each other, too! Norm brought up Mac Minnick to me at a WELS conference.

Missouri, WELS, and the ELS have spent the last few decades praising themselves for being such staunch Lutherans while genuflecting to Rome. I was leaving the Purple Palace after visiting with Paul McCain just as Kent Hunter (DMin, Fuller; ThD, Lutheran School of Theology, LCA) was entering. We spoke a few moments. He hastened to tell me he was addressing the Conference of Missiouri Pussycats gathered inside. Where was the protest from Barry, McCain, or the District Pussycats? There was none - 15 years ago.

A clergy member of the ELS Board of Doctrine went to Fuller. He sent a letter to the entire Little Sect on the Prairie, praising Fuller and Church Growth. I believe Orvick eventually extended him the Left Foot of Fellowship, but the ELS continued to kneel before WELS CG teachers. He-who-slept-on-the-Trigotta is their Church and Change pastor now.

The WELS/LCMS Church Shrinkers are so obvious that I collected their quotations and matched them with the eructations of Fuller and Willow Creek. Then I contrasted them with Lutheran orthodoxy. The results were impressive. I was condemned and shunned while they sold two of my books. What would someone with a real doctorate and scholarly publications know - compared to a graduate of The Sausage Factory?

Most telling - the clergy known as conservative or confessional joined in the shunning, which spoke volumes about their doctrinal standards.

When WELS forced all the clergy to pay $100 to hear Larry Olson, James Huebner, and Paul Calvin Kelm speak, at special seminars all over WELS - where was the protest? They all showed up. I allowed that I would go - if someone held a machine gun to my head. They went and bellyached, but they went. Now they are alarmed? Ha.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Despising the Word of God - That Is the Energy Beh...":

It's good I look up words I meet on Ichabod. For instance, I figured that "eructations of Fuller and Willow Creek" was a synonym for "erudition," but I see it means "belching."

***

GJ - If thou but suffer Ichabod to build up thy vocabulary, the rewards will be great. I thought eructation was fairly polite. Normally I would say flatulence. Or Dreck.

Pope Looks into Nuns' Habits: Sisters Urge Resistance

Nuns in the U.S. Are Facing Scrutiny by the Vatican
James Estrin/The New York Times

Mother Mary Clare Millea has been appointed by the Vatican to study the activities of some orders of nuns in the United States.

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: July 1, 2009

The Vatican is quietly conducting two sweeping investigations of American nuns, a development that has startled and dismayed nuns who fear they are the targets of a doctrinal inquisition.
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Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Sister Sandra M. Schneiders has urged fellow nuns not to participate in the study that is being conducted by the Vatican.

Nuns were the often-unsung workers who helped build the Roman Catholic Church in this country, planting schools and hospitals and keeping parishes humming. But for the last three decades, their numbers have been declining — to 60,000 today from 180,000 in 1965.

While some nuns say they are grateful that the Vatican is finally paying attention to their dwindling communities, many fear that the real motivation is to reel in American nuns who have reinterpreted their calling for the modern world.

In the last four decades since the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, many American nuns stopped wearing religious habits, left convents to live independently and went into new lines of work: academia and other professions, social and political advocacy and grass-roots organizations that serve the poor or promote spirituality. A few nuns have also been active in organizations that advocate changes in the church like ordaining women and married men as priests.

Over our dead bodies.

Retired?Farewell, FairviewChurch and Change Betrayed You

James Aderman, a founder of Church and Chicanery, has retired from the ministry, rather suddenly, in fact. He was at Fairview, Milwaukee, part of a Church Growth consortium.

He was a frequent contributor to The Northwestern Lutheran FIC.

Some data:

1. his congregation is dying, down maybe 50% from when he got there 20 years ago.
   
2. a large group of members did an "investigation" on his ministry, found him arrogant, out of touch, not doing his job.
   
3. they gave him the boot and he resigned, then changed it to a retirement.
   
4. another good sized group didn't like that he quit and withdrew their support.
   
5. last week all the teacher's Calls at the school were "terminated" and the school closed.
   
6. there is some justifiable concern about the church even surviving at all now.

Fairview welcomed me and my family into its family in 1987. Fairview has been home ever since. A place of acceptance, of love, of growth, of joy.

God's forgiveness in Jesus is treasured here. That's what makes Fairview a positive place - even when we face challenges.

It's that treasure that we seek to share with our community. What God has done for us, he has done for everyone. We'd like as many people as possible to know about that. To join God's family. To treasure God's forgiveness.

So we view ourselves as a family of disciple makers. Christians who live out their thankfulness for forgiveness in Jesus as we nurture each other and as we invite and welcome still more into our family.

Thank you for visiting our web site.

Pastor Jim Aderman

About Pastor Aderman: A Snapshot

Family
Married since 1972
Three daughters (an attorney, a social worker, a nurse)

Leadership (Past and Present)
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran, Englewood, FL
Member, Board for Parish Services, South Atlantic District
Director of Development, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee
Chairman, WELS Lutherans for Life-metro-Milwaukee
Pastor, Siloah Lutheran Church, Milwaukee
Member and chairman, Board of Directors, Wisconsin Lutheran High School
Pastor, Fairview Lutheran Church, Milwaukee
Founding member and vice chairman, Board of Directors, Calvary Academy, Milwaukee
Coordinator, WELS Southeastern Wisconsin District, Adult Discipleship Commission
Member and vice chairman, Church and Change
Chairman, Urban Pastors' Conference, Milwaukee
Circuit Pastor, Barnabas Circuit, Milwaukee

Author
Face the Facts, Northwestern Publishing House
Elijah, Northwestern Publishing House
Esther, Northwestern Publishing House
Editor, YouTHINK
Founding editor-in-chief, LivingBold (LivingBold.net)
Contributing editor, Forward in Christ magazine
Author for Partners magazine, WELS Leadership magazine, Forward in Christ magazine

Education
Bachelor of Arts, Northwestern College
Master of Divinity, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
Master of Journalism, Marquette University
Certificate of Website Design, University of Wisconsin-School of Continuing Education
Master of Practical Theology, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (in progress)


------------------- P O S I T I O N - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Anderson, Mrs Sandra L Palos - Palos Heights IL 06/30/2009
Kerr, Mrs Lisa A Fairview - Milwaukee WI 06/30/2009
Proeber, Mr Kenneth A Fairview - Milwaukee WI 06/30/2009
Sawall, Mr Robert L Fairview - Milwaukee WI 06/30/2009
Strand, Mrs Dawn C Fairview - Milwaukee WI 06/30/2009
Wheeler, Miss Ellen K Fairview - Milwaukee WI 06/30/2009

----------------------- C A L L - T E R M I N A T E D ----------------------
Butler, Mr Harmon R Jr Trinity - El Paso TX 06/20/2009


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WELS CMOs are 85% of what they pledged as the economy worsens.

Correction - The CMO performance at the end of May was just above 93%, not 85%. The economy is worsening - another 500,000 jobs were lost in June.

Schwan is lowering its gift by a very large margin.

The WELS budget will be far smaller than the disaster scenario already projected. So Plans A, B, and C were far too optimistic.

Line Up at the Trough

Let's recycle the Schwaermer funds.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Ignorance Explained":

Possible Grant Opportunity for Growthers et al.:

The Kern Family Foundation recently (01-06-2009) released $500,000 grants to the following seminaries:

Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA; Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Charlotte, NC Campus; Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, MO; Nazarene Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO; and Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Portland, OR.

http://www.kffdn.org/

Given that three staff members have ties to WLC (former president - Kriewall; former director and Parish Assistance consultant - Rahn; and alumni - Bode), your chances are good.

Happy grant writing!

Lutherans Against Liturgical Karaoke

Latte Lutheran Church, WELS. The ELS has one too. Doubtless the Little Sect's Doctrinal Board is investigating and finding many cloudy, incomplete, and insufficient areas of Scripture about this topic.

Lutherans Against Liturgical Karaoke

Description:
An underground movement against projection screens and plasma tvs used instead of print in Lutheran Divine Services.
Contact Info
Office:
http://www.reformationtoday.net/id6.html
Recent News
POINTS OF ARGUMENTATION AGAINST LITURGICAL KARAOKE SCREENS

(Some are serious, some are rhetorical, some are satire – use the gift of discernment).

1. They place an artificial distance between the worshiper and the Word

2. They are a visual distraction to the art and architecture of the cross and the altar

3. Luther said the church is a mouth-house, not a quill house (cf. Romans 10:17)

4. They enable easy departure from the historic liturgy

5. They give the impression that modern technology is necessary for the conduct of the liturgy. You are up the creek if the power goes out.

6. They enable the enlivened image of the beast to be worshiped world-wide by people who deny that Christ has come in the flesh

7. They communicate an atmosphere not of the sanctuary but of the living room, ball park, rock concert and the karaoke bar.

8. They are used to project images that are inappropriate and even un-Christian, simply for the sake of entertainment or schmaltz.

9. They take the hymnal out of the peoples' hands.

10. The require electricity to run. Computers are used to project the material. All of this contributes to greenhouse gases and global warming. Unnecessary use of electricity… [If you believe in "global warming."] Hymnals and bulletins are biodegradable.

11. They require proper copyright cataloging and related expenses and labor and thus time.

12. They make it seem as if faith comes by seeing not hearing (Romans 10:17).

13. They can take up space for other important things – flags, banners, altar, cross, pulpit, etc.

14. After demonizing the Television, why are churches so willingly to welcome them into the sanctuary? One more cultural capitulation to the expectations of the old Adam.

15. The Church got along fine without them for 2000 years

16. Even more proof-reading and staff required – waste of valuable staff hours on unnecessary format – more people involved in doing rather than on simply receiving the gospel gifts. Really bad typos can occur. Made up liturgies and hymns do not reflect the faith of the church catholic but the creative imagination of one person or committee or "worship team." Praise services are a one-way street of sacrifice - a protestant version of the sacrifice of the mass

17. They lend themselves to more of a Gnostic “virtual reality” (docetic) understanding rather than an incarnational perspective.

18. They were first promoted by churches of the revivalist tradition that do not emphasize the effectiveness of the Word of God nor the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the sacrament and thus their use does not arise from a natural, organic Lutheran understanding of theology or liturgical practice.

***

GJ - See The Finkelsteinery for reasons to keep the historic liturgy. Also, see The Church From Scratch, The CORE, Latte Lutheran, Victory of the Movie Screen, and many other living--albeit bad--examples.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lutherans Against Liturgical Karaoke":

FYI, the pastor of the ELS contribution to Church and Chicanery is a graduate of the WELS seminary.

***

GJ - Nathan Krause used to prop his Triglotta on his desk every day in class and sleep on it, resting his chin on top. I remember that well. The Little Sect said - "Just the man we need for a Church and Change position!"

Some Answers To Kieschnick Are Obvious

UOJ = Enthusiasm, and Satan drives through the gates in a haywagon.
Lutherans Against Those Who Abolish Augsburg and Apology XXIV

Description:
A network of those protesting against the recension of Article XXIV of the Augsburg Confession by the Missouri Synod and other Lutheran Church bodies in North America (or beyond if they want to join).

This group stands steadfast in confessing Augsburg Confession and Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV despite the toleration and promotion of so-called "contemporary" and "alternative" and "blended" worship practices borrowed from Reformed, Arminian, revivalistic, charismatic, and other non-Lutheran, non-liturgical sources, which bespeak a different confession, a different theology, and undermine the Lutheran Confessions.

AC, Article XXIV: Of the Mass.

1] Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among 2] us, and celebrated with the highest reverence. Nearly all the usual ceremonies are also preserved, save that the parts sung in Latin are interspersed here and there with German hymns, which have been added 3] to teach the people. For ceremonies are needed to this end alone that the unlearned 4] be taught [what they need to know of Christ]. And not only has Paul commanded to use in the church a language understood by the people 1 Cor. 14:2-9, but it has also been so ordained by man's law. 5] The people are accustomed to partake of the Sacrament together, if any be fit for it, and this also increases the reverence and devotion of public 6] worship. For none are admitted 7] except they be first examined. The people are also advised concerning the dignity and use of the Sacrament, how great consolation it brings anxious consciences, that they may learn to believe God, and to expect and ask of Him all that is good. 8] [In this connection they are also instructed regarding other and false teachings on the Sacrament.] This worship pleases God; such use of the Sacrament nourishes true devotion 9] toward God. It does not, therefore, appear that the Mass is more devoutly celebrated among our adversaries than among us.

Apology, Article XXIV (XII): Of the Mass.

At the outset we must again make the preliminary statement that we 1] do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord's Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things.

...78] The adversaries also refer us to philology. From the names of the Mass they derive arguments which do not require a long discussion. For even though the Mass be called a sacrifice, it does not follow that it must confer grace ex opere operato, or, when applied on behalf of others, merit for them the remission of sins, etc. 79] Leitourgiva, they say, signifies a sacrifice, and the Greeks call the Mass, liturgy. Why do they here omit the old appellation synaxis, which shows that the Mass was formerly the communion of many? But let us speak of the word liturgy. This word does not properly signify a, sacrifice, but rather the public ministry, and agrees aptly with our belief, namely, that one minister who consecrates tenders the body and blood of the Lord to the rest of the people, just as one minister who preaches tenders the Gospel to the people, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 4:1: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, i.e., of the Gospel and the Sacraments. And 2 Cor. 5:20: We are ambassadors for Christ, as 81] though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, Be ye reconciled to God. Thus the term leitourgiva agrees aptly with the ministry.


Hebrews 12:

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Contact Info
Office:
http://www.reformationtoday.net/id6.html

Kieschnick Invokes Roman Catholic Understanding of the Scriptures

A new icon for real, relevant, relational churches - Elvis.

From Norman Teigen's blog:

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
President Kieschnick of the LC-MS said this:
"...we in the LCMS are not in agreement, citing four of them:

"The administration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion, mainly the question of who should be invited or allowed to commune at the altar of our Lord in LCMS congregations.

"The service of women, mainly the question of in what roles and capacities Scripture allows or commends the participation and involvement of women in the church.
"Questions about proper forms of worship, mainly how much uniformity is necessary in the worship life of LCMS congregations, how much and what kind of diversity in forms of worship is acceptable.

"Inter-Christian relationships, mainly the question of how to remain a biblical, confessional, evangelical, Christian, Lutheran church body boldly confessing the truth in love, relating to other Christians and Christian churches while honoring our covenants of love to avoid unionism and syncretism."

Finally, I note, "In the years ahead our Synod will need to continue to work under Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions to achieve similar solidarity in these matters. Where Scripture speaks plainly and clearly to the question at hand, the matter is resolved. Where Scripture does not speak plainly, clearly, or at all to the question at hand, it behooves us as a group of rational, reasonable, Christian people to come to a godly and common-sense conclusion regarding how to proceed with mutual respect and non-offensive conduct."

[this seems like a very open and honest thing to say: NT]

***

GJ -Nothing becomes a pope more than papal statements, and Pope Kieschnick is one of the most effective. Even his victims like him.

He didn't want to wander into the zone of the Formula of Concord, where mentioning the adiaphora would have condemned him. Missouri is just as busy aping the Reformed as WELS is, but they also have a growing body of Roman and Eastern Orthodox clones, who are like popcorn kernels in hot oil. All of the sudden they POP--or pope--and become the priests they always were, in the words of Neuhaus. Meanwhile their friends cheer them on, hoping they too will POP or pope in the future.

Kieschnick is attacking the clarity of the Scriptures in this pious palaver. The Scriptures are quite clear about all doctrinal matters. When Rome lost to the Lutherans during the initial Reformation debates, they switched from using the Scriptures to attacking the clarity and sufficiency of the Scriptures, as Chemnitz noted in Examination.

If the Scriptures are not clear or sufficient, as Rome claims, then we need a pope to issue solemn declarations which oppose or supplant the Word.

Pope Kieschnick revealed his doctrinal apostasy when he was elected SP. He revealed, as if just told by the Holy Spirit, that Christ is the only way to heaven. Then he added, "Unless there are other ways we have not been told." Nevertheless, Cascione and Otten blessed him and wished him well.

[Kieschnick was quoted in Christian News, when he was just elected, and that was probably from a Missouri news release.]

Ambiguity is a great tool for popes. The conservatives took his statement one way. The apostates rejoiced in his adroit negation of the initial statement. Saying two things at once means Kieschnick does not believe either one.

The doctrinal boards of each synod should be dubbed the Apostasy Boards. They carefully examine the Scriptures and do the opposite.

Church and Chicaneries Might Try This - To Be Real, Relevant, Relational

Church skateboarding evangelism.

WELS - Stop Lying about Kokomo

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Joe Krohn's Free Blog":

One more thing...

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1518&cuTopic_topicID=45&cuItem_itemID=2835

Click on it or copy and paste.

Someone else needs to do some homework.

Joe Krohn



Q: What is the WELS teaching on objective justification? My friend and I have had a discussion, and he pointed me to the Kokomo articles, or theses, as an example of what WELS teaches. Being just a layman I was wondering if I should use these to teach others who may have the same question, as he did for me.
A: The teaching of objective justification is that God the Father declared the sins of the whole world forgiven because Christ had paid for all sin. To benefit from that payment and that declaration it is necessary that a person be brought to faith in Christ as his Savior (subjective justification) (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

The so-called Kokomo Statements should not be taken as representative of WELS teaching. Much that has been put out and circulated about the Kokomo Statements has been a misrepresentation of the WELS position. The Kokomo Statements were not drawn up by anyone in WELS as a presentation of our position. They were drawn up by opponents of the WELS position. Three of the statements are taken from WELS sources, but taken out of context, they caricature the WELS position and should not be taken as as an adequate presentation of WELS teaching. Anyone circulating the Kokomo Statements as a representation of the WELS position is not giving a fair and balanced presentation of WELS teaching.

A brief evaluation of the so-called Kokomo Statements is contained in a 1982 paper by Siegbert Becker, "Objective Justification," which is available from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary library. Papers on objective justification also appear in Vol. III of Our Great Heritage, available from Northwestern Publishing House.

***

GJ - I traveled to Kokomo and talked to both families who were kicked out of WELS for rejecting the Kokomo Statements, three of which were almost verbatim from J. P. Meyer's Ministers of Christ, NPH.

I reproduced the letter in Thy Strong Word.

Sig Becker endorsed the Kokomo Statements. Sausage Factory President Panning was in charge of the appeal process, and he supported the Kokomo Statements.

Whenever convenient, WELS denies the Kokomo Statements, but they are official policy. As one Lutheran said, "Didn't they bind the conscience of people who did not agree?"

Someone is obviously feeding Joe Krohn the official, deceitful line about UOJ in WELS. Would that be a stealth member of Church and Chicanery?

---

dk, in plain spoken fashion, addressed Joe. This is what he has left a new comment on your post "WELS - Stop Lying about Kokomo":

Hey Joe,

I have to ask you to think about this: If the WELS do not accept the Kokomo statements as official doctrine (as the WELS Q&A claims) how much more despicable are they for kicking out those two families!

"Um, hey... we don't believe these statements but since you're laymen and acting with authority we're going to kick you to the curb"

Howdy Joe: What do you make of that? Isn't that a pretty blaring contradiction? I'm not thumbing my nose at you, but you have to agree at the inconsistency, right?

What is the best construction that we (as Christian people) can put on this collection of facts?

Ignorance Explained

The kiddies learn to love Rock N Roll in the nursery department.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Let's Hear It for the Eighth Commandment...And Lov...":

I have a theory concerning the ignorance of WELS laity. There are several aspects which come into play here. I have known only a couple of WELS members who have read anything in the Lutheran Confessions beyond the Small Catechism. Most pastors will not take on the Book of Concord in an adult bible study setting. The active and involved members are often engaged in busy work. The congregational activities have become the new monasticism. Boards and committees suck up a lot of time and energy, like a powerful vacuum cleaner. Similar to the mainstream media, the information about the synod which reaches the laity is heavily filtered, spun, redacted, and edited.

Like the Mueller statement that there is no CG in the WELS, we should never believe anything until it has been officially denied. When non-official sources offer information which is both contrary and enlightening, such sources are instantly scorned and spat upon. There are also cultural factors. Many adults today have a short attention span. They may not read much and also may have a hard time with deductive reasoning. A lifetime of TV viewing tends to produce this. WELS leaders often have a fixation with authority, their authority. Many of them have a difficult time admitting to their errors and the errors of their peers. This has produced the stealth infallibility that is rampant in the WELS. I honestly believe that most of the WELS laity are trapped.

They are now being told that the financial problems in the synod are just the unfortunate consequence of a sour economy. It would be difficult for them to fathom the idea that this is nothing more than the chickens coming home to roost. The solution that is being given to them is to sacrifice and open up their wallets. After all, just look at all of the cutbacks that the synod is making. As has been stated so many times on this blog, the problem is false doctrine and the solution is biblical doctrine. Those who look to men and money are barking up the wrong trees.

***

GJ - We learn better what we teach. Pastors avoid teaching the Book of Concord so they do not know their own Confessions. They do not engage themselves in doctrinal discussions, so their intellectual tools grow rusty.

Laity - try asking for a study of the Formula of Concord in your congregation. The pastoral response will be educational. Some congregations do study the Confessions and that study bears fruit.

Church Growth produces more weed seeds.