Church and Change Odor Clings To New WELS.NET Site

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "New WELS.net Website - Another Embarrassment":

They may have failed to post the Lutheran Confessions, which we hope will be rectified, but they did not fail to provide links to Kelms attack on the Lutheran Church. Kelm comes out swinging with, "It may be difficult to agree on the line between tradition and traditionalism, but you can recognize the musty smell of religion better suited to a museum than a marketplace."

http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/december-2005/freedom-from-formalism

New WELS.net Website - Another Embarrassment

Your technology guy, Martin Spriggs, is a Willow Creek fan, a graduate of Mequon.

This blog emphasizes apostasy in all denominations, but especially among the Lutherans. Those who want happy-chatter can go to those websites. The complainers probably pick up Jeremiah and ask, "Why all the jeremiads?" (Note for Mequon grads - jeremiad is a word based on Jeremiah's dire prophecies.)

The new WELS.net website has gone Saddleback/Willowcreek/Core in its treatment of doctrine. Perhaps the attention of members and pastors will remedy the situation.

http://wels.net/what-we-believe/statements-beliefs/what-lutherans-teach

UOJ is toned down but still there. The only Confessions are the Three Ecumenical Creeds. This may be a tacit admission of WELS ignoring the Book of Concord. Maybe the page is not done yet.

Schwaermer testimonies are found here:

http://wels.net/what-we-believe/own-words

Here is more material to ponder:

http://wels.net/what-we-believe/statements-beliefs

The Lutheran Confessions are the WELS statements - no I am not kidding. And yet there is a claim that WELS is not a sect. Nothing says Upper Midwest Sect better than skipping the ruled norm (Book of Concord) for a recent production by that sect - This We Believe.

If you want to know the truth, skip the minor details written by the greatest theologians of the Christian Church--Luther, Melanchthon, Chemnitz, Chytraeus, Andreae, etc.--and memorize the ruminations of a few Doctrinal Pussycats in WELS. That will keep the innocent from wandering off the reservation and attending theological training at such false teaching beehives as: Granger Community Church, Mars Hill, Andy Stanley's Northpoint [sh- Babtist] Community Church, Groeschel's Life TV, The Simple Church, Fuller Seminary, Trinity  Deerfield, Gordon Conwell, Denver Seminary, Willow Creek...

What? The WELS leaders are studying there already? I meant - This We Believe will help them form excuses for studying at those citadels of false doctrine.

Archbishop R. Weakland, additional proof that WLC has no gaydar.

Wisconsin Lutheran College Paper Defends "Party in the MLC" Video On Its Front Page! - As Wise As Doves, As Innocent As Serpents

The Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS when raising funds) student newspaper, "The Sword," ran a Front Page! editorial / story on the MLC video, quoted in part:

But once the video left the context of the MLC campus, it came under unforeseen criticism from some who failed to see the humor in the video.

The most pronounced critic of the video was independent Lutheran pastor and blogger Gregory Jackson. Posts from Jackson, as well as comments left by the blog's readers, labeled the actions of the MLC students featured in the video unbecoming to future WELS pastors and teachers.

These claims were based on the video from which the creators of "Party in the MLC" took their inspiration--a previous YouTube video known as "Party in the FIP." Set to the tune of "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus, "Party in the FIP" shows a group of men performing choreographed routines on a beach while lip-synching the lyrics of the song."

"Party in the MLC" is a parody of the video, using the same soundtrack and many of the same routines.

The controversy over MLC students parodying "Party in the FIP" is derived from the lifestyle associated with "the FIP."

But makers of the "Party in the MLC" agree with other viewers that none of the actions in the "Party in the FIP" video would be considered blatant homosexuality. They also admit no previous knowledge of the reputation of Fire Island Pines. Ben Reichel, MLC student and video contributor, revealed, "We didn't find out until two or three days after we posted it that that's what it stood for. After we learned that we were kind of taken aback."

After learning of the offense caused by the video, the students decided to remove the video "out of Christian love" for those who found the video inappropriate. The decision to remove the video was a personal decision made by the creators of the video.

Reichel stated, "We all got together as a group --the guys who were in the video--and we realized that this caused way too much commotion and way too much negativity, and we all decided together that we were going to take it down."

After meeting amongst (sic) themselves, the students sought the advice of college administration. Reichel continued, "We went and talked to the administration here at MLC--the president and vice-president--and we got their thoughts on it too. But we knew before we even talked to them that we were going to take it down."

Matt Rothe, classmate of Reichel and video contributor, along with the rest of the students involved with the video, are ready to put "Party in the MLC" and the attention it has received in the past; "The group of guys who made this video only wished for good to come out of this video, and I must express firmly we wish for no more negative attention from it."

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GJ - The WLC student newspaper has a lot of facts wrong. They did not make any effort to seek clarification. They are now drawing even more attention to the video and revealing that the students were not at all repentant, just resentful they got caught.

First of all, a WELS layman was furious over the video, which was posted on You Tube for all the world to see. Many people provide information to this blog so the rest of Lutherdom can see it. This layman was unable to watch more than a minute of it. I posted the video so people could see for themselves, as he wished.

The MLC students jumped in to defend the video right away, and now WLC has joined them. Their defense is to attack me, but the video stands on its own as a dubious production, whether I like it or not.

The defense of the video was so ridiculous that I did a little more research and found the original, "Party in the FIP." They knew what they were copying, and they acknowledged it rather quietly in the notes. Apparently the original went viral right away, thanks to various homosexual websites.

College students know how to use Google. Where else would they copy their homework from? Kelm, Parlow, and Limmer have shown that slavish copying is a good career move in WELS. To plead ignorance about Fire Island Pines is a bit absurd. All of the sudden these guys just fell off the haywagon when they landed in Metropolitan New Ulm.

And they thought the FIP video was straight? They should be on SNL, in a skit about their lack of gaydar.

This is the WLC student paper claim, after conferring with the students:

"Party in the MLC" is a parody of the video, using the same soundtrack and many of the same routines.

The controversy over MLC students parodying "Party in the FIP" is derived from the lifestyle associated with "the FIP."

Answers.com defines parody as "A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule." The students had no idea what the FIP video was all about and were "taken aback" when they learned. Once again, why did they parody what they knew nothing about? 


Why did they make the MLC version gayer than lavender hose, complete with a Michael Jackson move (only worse) in a public park? Cover stories should be a little more consistent to be convincing.

Like most WELS damage control operations, this one is full of contradictions. I also see the handiwork of various administrative officials, spinning the removal of the video as an act of love rather than repentance. After all, the only one who sinned was this humorless blogger and his dour readers. They want to quiet this down with a front page editorial?

When I found the additional information about the original video, which took me a few seconds on Google, I posted some of it on Ichabod. I did not post a lot of the links from Google because of the content of those sites. I needed eyebleach. So please, do not task our patience with how the students were "taken aback."

There is now a You Tube video posted - mourning the loss of the MLC version, again with LOL comments from MLC students. Another video copies both versions, supposedly: Party in the USA/ SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT/ FIP and MLC.

I have linked the FIP video here, in case someone wants to see what was copied by future WELS pastors and teachers. They can draw their own conclusions about the "WELS School of Ministry."

As I wrote before, Fuller Bivens and SP Schroeder both unloaded on the recent decisions of ELCA and The Episcopal Church USA, the two apostate groups enjoying a non-geographical merger.

Doubtless the parents would like to know more about the position of MLC and WLC. The schools seem to contradict what the leader of the synod has said. The editorial used the term "lifestyle." That speaks volumes about the attitude of Wisconsin Lutheran College, called "Our Valpo," the home of Church and Change.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Lutheran College Paper Defends "Party in...":

This reminds me of the time when you, Pastor Jackson, submitted a picture and an article to Christian News. I think this was before Al Gore invented the Internet. The photo showed Ralph Bohlmann, Carl Mischke, and Herb Chilstrom all sitting together at the Snowbird conference. The principal of our LES said to me, "it's not what you think it is". Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?

China's Empty City - Government Planning Gone Wild: Ichabod Coulda Told Them - Didn't Work For Schwan Funds Either

Watch the Umemployment Time Lapse

The link is here.

Under-employment would double the statistic.

ELCA Budget Cuts: Many Staff Eliminated

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 16, 2009

ELCA Churchwide Budget Reduced, Staff Positions Eliminated
09-258-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) acted Nov. 15 to reduce the 2010 churchwide current fund spending authorization by nearly $7.7 million, 10 percent less than the budget authorized by the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. The council's action eliminated 40.75 full-time equivalent positions, of which six were vacant.

The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. It met here Nov. 13-15.

The action reduced the current fund spending authorization for 2010 to $69,022,800. The 2009 assembly authorized $18.7 million in World Hunger spending for 2010, which was unchanged.

***

GJ - ELCA took Church Growth all the way up to the top. Norm Berg, WELS, bragged about knowing Mac Minnick (ELCA). I guess CG did not work for ELCA either.

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 16, 2009

Reinstatement Process Revision Adopted by ELCA Church Council
09-261-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a revision to the reinstatement process for former clergy and other professional leaders who were removed from the church's official rosters for disciplinary reasons or resigned in lieu of discipline -- solely because they were in a lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationship.
The change, adopted Nov. 15, applies to former ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers.

WELS Pietism: What Would Miley Say?Crocodile Tears of Sadness

Luther to George Major:

"It is by your silence and cloaking that you cast suspicion upon yourself. If you believe as you declare in my presence, then speak so also in the church, in public lectures, in sermons, and in private conversations, and strengthen your brethren, and lead the erring back to the right path, and contradict the contumacious spirits; otherwise your confession is sham pure and simple, and worth nothing. Whoever really regards his doctrine, faith, and confession as true, right, and certain cannot remain in the same stall with such as teach, or adhere to, false doctrine; nor can he keep on giving friendly words to Satan and his minions. A teacher who remains silent when errors are taught, and nevertheless pretends to be a true teacher, is worse than an open fanatic and by his hypocrisy does greater damage than a heretic. Nor can he be trusted. He is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a servant of his belly, and ready to despise and to sacrifice doctrine, Word, faith, Sacrament, churches, and schools. He is either a secret bedfellow of the enemies, or a skeptic and a weathervane, waiting to see whether Christ or the devil will prove victorious; or he has no convictions of his own whatever, and is not worthy to be called a pupil, let alone a teacher; nor does he want to offend anybody, or say a word in favor of Christ, or hurt the devil and the world.”

            F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 94.  

Fox Mulder has left a new comment on your post ""Party in the MLC" Mourned by Fans and MLC Student...":

Brett,

This was not a WELS endorsed video. It was made by students at a college and not meant for public view. Now, I'm not saying that it was right or wrong, just that it has died and so to must any comments. Again, we are called to imitate God who forgave all sins and removed them from his mind. "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."

How can we continue bringing this up and think that we are showing love?

Fox Mulder has left a new comment on your post "New Pastor Left St. Peter Freedom Because of Churc...":

I feel as if Christ would weep would he read anything on this BLOG. Regardless of doctrine, regardless of teaching, regardless of any comments, he wants people in heaven. He loves people and as we are to imitate him we must also show love. This BLOG doesn't.

Brett Meyer wrote,
"I would argue that this blog mocks false doctrine, false practice and unrepentant false teachers. To go easy on any of the above is to reject the supremacy of God's Word, pure doctrine, true practice and faithful teachers."

Yes, it mocks. Whatever you think going easy rejects, you reject love. We must strive to show love in all circumstances. You would rather beat dead horses and men who want to preach the Gospel.

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This video is worse than the other one and still showing. One excuse is, "The students have graduated already," as if the WELS KGB could not have them withdraw it and apologize.

This abomination starts with the Luther statue flinging the Bible away to chase the other statue. Toward the end, one of the statues uses God's name in vain, but hey, all in good fun.

The MLC student posts about this video are adoring. "LOL GO MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE!

(My mom works there!) ^.^"

The first stage of Pietism is full of rules and methods about inculcating outward signs of the faith, but deliberately unconcerned about doctrine. They imagine that love converts, not the Word. Legalism reigns - hence Sabbath laws and dry counties.

Later, Pietists become Antinominian universalists. Note well that Knapp offered double-justification, while Tholuck and Schleiermacher both dropped the second justification to become universalists.