Coming to a Lutheran Church Near You

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Coming to a Lutheran Church Near You":

"Coming to a Lutheran Church Near You" - Do you mean the dancing or the staff minister leading the service?

WELS Staff Ministry program
http://www.staffministry.net/directory.php

- Susan Bondow Minister of Music St. Peter Appleton, WI (Page 2)
- Ann Conley Staff Ministry Student Shepherd of the HIlls West Bend, WI (Page 2)
- Susan Fink Staff Ministry graduate (interned spring '03) St. Peters Mishicot, WI (Page 3)
- Vicki L. Hartig Time of Grace Ministries (Page 4)
- Diane Kumm Grace Lutheran Church Charlotte, NC (Page 5)
- Judith Metzger Outreach Coordinator/Campus Ministry Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel & Student Center Madison, WI (Page 6)
- Kristine Metzger Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, WI (Page 6)
- Marilyn Miller Deaconess in Staff Ministry Abiding Word Houston, TX (Page 7)
- Amanda Miller Apostles San Jose, CA (Page 7)
- Chrystal Moldenhauer Staff Minister/Chaplaincy Assistant The Lutheran Home Association (Page 7)
- Juliane A Naumann Staff Ministry graduate (Page 7)
- Lisa M Ohland Director of Family Ministry St. Peter's Mishicot, WI (Page 7)
- Sarah Owens Deaconess Wisconsin Lutheran Institutional Ministries Inc. (Page 7)
- Rebecca Palacios Deaconess of Hispanic Outreach St. Mark's Watertown, WI (Page 8)
- Jacqueline Phoenix St. John Antigua, West (Page 8)
- Sheila Pottorff Staff Ministry Student Martin Luther College (Page 8)
- Janeen Roska Minister of Music St Lucas Milwaukee, WI (Page 8)
- Connie Sauer Deaconess/Parish Nurse (Page 8)
- Jennifer Schuessler Deaconess St. Paul Amherst, NH (Page 9)
- Michelle L Weihing Staff Ministry intern Christ our Redeemer/Christo Nuestro Redentor El Paso, TX (Page 10)
- Donna M Wolle Staff Ministry intern St Paul's (Page 11)

Sunday Thread for the WELS Convention

Fluffy extends the Left Foot of Fellowship.

Feel free to post about the WELS convention.

Pietism, Hymns, and Francke

August Herman Francke, 1663 - 1727, was the second generation leader of Pietism, at Halle University.

Lutheran Pietism began with Spener. Several distinctive characteristics were established by Spener and often taken to extremes:

1. A de-emphasis upon orthodox doctrine. While many in his generation were overly contentious about philosophical points, Spener was a union theologian who had few problems with Reformed doctrine.
2. Lay-led cell groups or conventicles were the key method of Pietism, and they spawned all kinds of doctrinal aberrations.
3. Looking for results made Lutheran Pietists focus on methods rather than relying on the Word to be effective.

Here is a Pietistic hymn, which displays the some aspects of the movement:

"Since I thought I was a Christian
And knew how to speak about it,
I needed the church and altar,
I sang and gave to the poor.
I had no terrible vices,
And yet it was only hypocrisy"
Quoted by John Pless

The Muhlenberg tradition (General Synod, General Council, ULCA - the biggest component of the LCA) was born in Pietism and soon promoted revivalism. Pless has this interesting statement about the General synod hymnal:

"Schmucker's pietism makes it possible for him to adapt the new measures of revivalism for Lutheran use. This adaptation can be seen clearly in the General Synod's Hymns Selected and Original of 1828. This hymnal stands in the pietistic tradition with hymns arranged topically not according to the liturgical year or catechetical themes but the being and characteristics of God and the ordo salutas. It is especially telling that in the section designated "The Means of Grace" six hymns are included on prayer, nineteen on the spiritual pleasures of worship in God's house, five on Baptism, and fourteen on the Lord's Supper. None of the great sacramental hymns of Lutheranism are included in this collection. " (ibid)

Lutherans follow the Scriptures in emphasizing the Word and Sacraments, while Pietistic hymns and services emphasize prayer and experiences of joy. As Pless noted, this leads to worship as performance for God rather than receiving grace through His chosen instruments of grace.

Francke

Francke began with lecturing on the Bible, when that practice was greatly neglected. Spener contacted him and Francke expanded the outreach of Pietism. Halle University was established to promote the movement.

Francke established an orphanage and his charitable work expanded, influencing many to come to Halle and see his work. Halle also became the center of the Danish missionary efforts in India.
Pietism was really the start of world missionary work, so many of the unionists of today talk about world missions as a way of promoting Pietism without naming their favorite movement.

Missouri, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic) missionary types see Pietism and Fuller as essential for their work. Since outreach is primary, false doctrine is not a concern for them. Unionism breeds doctrinal apathy, and doctrinal apathy fosters unionism. How can it be wrong when it feels so good?

Francke's son-in-law, Freylinghausen, edited Pietism's hymnal. A hymn is not bad simply because a Pietist wrote it. Some hymns from that era are excellent and worth singing in Lutheran services. However, Pietistic worship has always moved away from the liturgy, creeds, orthodox preaching, and Means of Grace hymns to favor prayer and personal experience.

As mentioned above, Lutheran Pietism in America degenerated into revivalism and actual union congregations where Lutheran and Reformed doctrine, catechisms, and communion existed side by side. There are many historic cases in WELS where this existed for decades. No one in those congregations thought anything wrong with having Lutheran communion one Sunday and Reformed communion the next. But many today see nothing wrong with training a man at Fuller Seminary and making him the president of Mequon for "spoiling the Egyptians."

Unlike today's Lutheran Pietists, Francke was enormously successful in his efforts. However, Halle Pietism, by emphasizing works at the expense of doctrine, quickly degenerated into a Unitarian school of apostasy, where it continued to exert a vast influence over Lutherans through double-justification.

At this point there are two sources clearly identified for the double-justification scheme of UOJ and Subjective Justification. One is Burk, the son-in-law and collaborator of Bengel, the Wuerttemberg Pietist. The other is the Pietist Knapp at Halle, senior to Tholuck, who trained Hoenecke.

PS - Note this about the Franckean Synod, named after Francke:

"Franckean Synod.

Organized May 25, 1837, in Minden, New York, by a number of men of W Conf. of Hartwick* Syn. The Franckean Syn. did not only fail to adopt the AC but also failed to declare its belief in some fundamental doctrines of the Bible, e.g., the Trinity and the deity of Christ. It held aloof from all other Luth. syns. until it was admitted to the General* Synod of the Ev. Luth. Ch. in the US 1864. Its admission contributed to the disruption of the Gen. Syn. and the founding of the General* Council of the Ev. Luth. Ch. in N. Am. The Franckean Syn., Hartwick Syn., and the New York and New Jersey Syn. merged to form the New York Syn. of the Gen. Syn. 1908. See also Slavery and Lutheranism in America; United Lutheran Church in America, The, Synods of, 15." LCMS website

Next lesson on Pietism - Zinzendorf and Wesley.

Watch Video Promoted by Church and Change Founder Witte

This video is currently featured on the Beautiful Savior websty, Pastor Steve Witte, Church and Change founder; DMin, Gordon Conwell. Gordon Conwell is a double-Babtist merger. Seeing the C and C picture? Babtist Stetzer, Babtist Witte. Babtist Stanley, Babtist Ski.

07/20/09             WISCONSIN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD              7:09 am

                    P A S T O R  - C A L L  - R E P O R T
                      07/14/2009  through  07/20/2009


-----------------  N O  - D E C I S I O N S -  R E P O R T E D  ----------------
   Witte, Rev Steven L    -    Asia Lutheran Seminary Board     -    05/29/2009
        Vice President

Hillside Christian Church
For your convenience, we've listed some of the most commonly asked questions. If you have others, please don't hesitate to give us a call at 806-457-4900.

Q: What type of church is Hillside Christian Church?

A: Hillside is a non-denominational church that desires to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Q: Do you have services for my children and teens?

A: Children and students best learn spiritual truth in ways appropriate and relevant to their age and life stage. We have designed environments for all age groups from birth through High School. Please click on Hillside Kidz or Hillside Students for more information.

Q: How often do you have communion? Who is welcome to participate?

A: We serve communion every week. Anyone who has given their life to Jesus Christ is welcome to participate in Communion whether you are a member, regular attender, or guest at Hillside Christian Church.

BELIEFS

God is Creator and Ruler of the universe. There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is Holy and Righteous. The only way to have an authentic relationship with God is through Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 145:21; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14.

Jesus Christ was with God in the very beginning, and God created the universe through Him. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, took on flesh and blood, and made His dwelling among us. His physical death on the cross saves us from our sin. His bodily resurrection changed the course of history and created the path to eternal life with God.

Colossians 1:15-20; Matthew 1:18-2; John 1:1-4, 14:6, 3:16; I Corinthians 15:1-8.

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He makes us aware of our need to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He lives in every Christian from the moment that person gives his or her life to Christ. He gives us guidance and leadership on a daily basis so we can obey God’s Word and do what is right. He gives each of us spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving the Body of Christ. We seek to live under His control in all situations.

John 16:8-9; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14, 3:16, 4:30, 5:18; Galatians 5:16,25, I Corinthians 12,13.

We believe that man, created by God, willfully sinned, and as a result, is lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23, 5:8.

Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. Every person has sinned, but every person also can be forgiven and saved by Christ. This salvation is available for any person who puts his or her trust in Christ as Savior. Those trusting Christ should ask Him for forgiveness of sin, believe in Him, confess their faith in Him, and be baptized. We show our faith publicly through baptism.

Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:13-17.

We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and the final authority for all matters of faith. The Bible is God’s Word to all people.

Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105,160.

The church is the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of leading others to faith in Christ and teaching followers of Christ to obey and serve Him. Involvement in a local church is critical to individual growth, fellowship, and support for life’s day-to-day challenges.

Matthew 28:19-20; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 2:19.