Monday, November 23, 2009

Losing Momentum - Dom Patterson Point Man Leaves WELS Synodical Council





VP Don Patterson has affluent members, so one must wonder why he has his hand out for more synod money.

Robert Timmerman owns a business called Fine Lumber (http://www.www.finelumber.com/). He was the congregational president but is probably an Elder now. He has served on the national WELS Synodical Council. He has funded safaris for Kudu Don Patterson and Missionary Johne (father-in-law of Marc Schroeder, who was booted from WELS and joined Missouri with his congregation).


***

GJ - In case anyone doubts the Church and Chicanery side of Dom Perignon Patterson - he attended the latest conventicle meeting. Judging by their extended bargain ticket offer, it was more of a conventicle than a convention.

Dom Patterson also gathered a group of WELS workers to attend the Exponential Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Timmerman offered this insight about Lutheran worship - "mostly adiaphora."

The official story is that Timmerman left the SC because he did not agree with the direction of the synod, as evidenced by the last convention. I refuse to believe the unofficial version.

More will develop, soon, I am sure.



Obama's Nice Guy Act Gets Him Nowhere on the World Stage




Showboating in his Muslim robes, Obama continues to favor Islam.


German periodical buries Obama as another Jimmie Carter.


Persecution of Christians in China Has Resulted in 100 Million Christians






Here is the link. Some of us remember this history. I have been hearing claims about the growth of Christianity in China. Active persecution is welcomed as cross-bearing there. Here, Lutheran pastors are afraid of not getting their choice committee assignments.

Yale University had its own Yale-in-China program. Years ago, Yale Divinity was known for its world missions program. Some may remember the line in Hawaii, by Mitchener, when the boy was sent to Yale to become a missionary.

I knew the world missions professor at YDS. When asked, he always said that Christianity was so superior to all other religions that it would be a shame to keep it from others. That may seem weak to many, but most world religion professors are ardent atheists.




Yale Divinity's Day Missions Library


Goodbye, Columbus




Wizard of Oz: "A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others." 

Mark Jeske, "fifth generation WELS," was prepared to move into the Columbus, Ohio media market. Unfortunately for him, the Columbus WELS pastors are united in blocking him. I do not know what effect this will have on Jeske's media empire, perhaps none. But it is significant that Pastor Snowden Sims, now at St. Paul German Village, is part of the group opposing Jeske. Sims' home church is St. Marcus, Milwaukee.



---

More shrinkage, thanks to the Church Shrinkage Movement in WELS:

------------------- P O S I T I O N  -  E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Buch, Mr Nathan M - St John's - Dowagiac MI - 06/30/2010
Monday, Mr Andrew J - St John - Newark DE - 06/30/2010
Treder, Miss Amanda C - St John's - Dowagiac MI - 06/30/2010

------------------- P O S I T I O N -  E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Ehrenberg, Miss Amanda B - St Thomas Luth School - Goodyear AZ- 11/06/2009
Virant, Mrs Jodi L - Gloria Dei - Grand Blanc MI - 11/30/2009
Nommensen, Mr Bradley A - Immanuel - Waupaca WI - 05/31/2010
Nottling, Miss Rachel A - Peace - Otsego MI - 06/30/2010

----------------------- C A L L T E R M I N A T E D ----------------------
Pappenfuss, Mr Paul E - New Salem - Sebewaing MI - 06/30/2010

------------------ P O S I T I O N  - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Thompson, Rev Donald L - Shepherd Of The Palms - Jupiter FL - 12/31/2009

------------------- P O S I T I O N  - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Baumann, Rev John C - Mt Olive Chinese Ch - Saint Paul MN - 09/16/2009
Balge, Rev Jonathan R - MLC - New Ulm MN - 06/30/2010

------------------------ C A L L S - A C C E P T E D -----------------------
Witte, Rev Steven L - Asia Lutheran Seminary Board - 07/24/2009 - Vice President.

***
GJ - Isn't Witte one of the prime architects of Church and Change? Did he not get a DMin from Gordon Conwell? Wasn't he a leader of the Appleton Dumbling Gang? He must be thankful that Engelbrecht is DP for the Anything Goes District of WELS.

Music Industry Updates




Miley Cyrus, survivor.

Ichabod readers include a large number of Rock N Roll fans, judging by all the posts defending Party in the MLC, the video where athletes lip-thynced to a Miley Cyrus song. I feel obliged to keep them updated, especially on the topics they favor.

Miley was interviewed about her lyric, "a Jay Z song was on," a line sung three times in a row. Here is a shocker, fans. She has never heard a Jay Z song and could not name a single one. She even added, "I don't write the songs. I just sing them." She was clearly irritated, as any great talent would be.

Her bus cavalcade managed to have an accident while driving down the road in daylight. The driver of one bus was killed. We entertainment writers refuse to label that an act of God, Who in His mercy would surely have aimed at the most irritating member of the troop.

Adam Lambert, doubtless inspired by the famous Party videos, decided to outdo Party in the MLC during his routine at the American Music Awards. Whenever I hear there is an awards show on TV, I go in the next room and open a book. I missed his/her performance, but my media peers have covered it extensively. Lambert did a Michael Jackson, a Madonna, and then some. I hestiate to criticize his makeup, behavior, and dancing, because readers will jump in and say, "He was just doing an innocent parody of Party in the MLC, which was just an innocent parody of Party in the FIP, which was just an innocent parody of Party in the USA."


Even Rolling Stone was appalled. Get the message yet, MLC?
---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Music Industry Updates":

Thanks be to God if they, finally, DID get it - with the taking down of the video; that's the impression you're here giving.

But various other reports conflict that this video ever was taken down. What is the actual situation here ?

Again, had public sorrow been made clear, for offense given, which it never was, all could have had opportunity to exercise forgiveness.

So has public sorrow for public offense ever been given ? Not that I am aware.

Please correct me if I am wrong, giving proof. .

Thanks !

***

GJ - The only sorrow expressed is that I posted the video from You Tube, where it had 64,000+ views, half of that number from Fire Island. The latest MLC response, in WLC's The Thword, was petulant and resentful.

Still posted on You Tube: The video of Martin Luther fighting with the Sprinter statue is far more obnoxious than "Party in the MLC." The posted video has "Luther" flinging the Scriptures into the air so he could chase the "Sprinter." Perhaps WELS has too much invested in their friend to give him up. If the Sprinter really came to life, a lot of Shrinkers would be very sorrowful.



Run, Changers - I just saw the Sprinter move. Run for your lives!


Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat



As many know, the Wisconsin Synod is concentrated in the State of Wisconsin. The state is was also the hub of Church and Change. The three Doctrinal Pussycats were in the mainstream of unionistic Pietism when Mischke and Gurgle were infallible Synodical Popes. Paul Calvin Kelm and Wayne Mueller made sure the Fuller Seminary agenda ruled and rocked.

The Love Shack enjoyed controlling the synod convention and calling it the highest level of governance, the ultimate legislature. The Holy Spirit spoke through Mission Vision directives! Moreover, when Voss tried to speak in favor of keeping Northwestern College, he was not even allowed the floor. SPs let the staff dominate all discussions, and the drones always lined up to give themselves even more staff and money while starving the schools. Besides, the vote to have DMLC annex NWC actually failed at the convention. As told to me by someone who knew, the votes were flipped. The count was accurate, just turned around so amalgamation won.

But now, the same people--who hid behind their manufactured conventions--are howling about the results of the last two meetings. Church and Change even had to name their last meeting Regaining Momentum. Meanwhile, they are taking on more water than the Titanic.

The worst Doctrinal Pussycats are the State of Wisconsin leaders:
  1. Rev. Douglas Engelbrecht, Northern Wisconsin District, home of the Appleton Dumbling Gang and The CORE.





  2. Rev. David Rutschow, Southeastern Wisconsin District, protector of the Mark Jeske empire.







  • Rev. Herbert Prahl, Western Wisconsin District: his son vicared for Dom Patterson.






  • ---

    Here is the Synodical Council, unwieldy and unLutheran, with a few exceptions:

    Rev. Mark Schroeder, president and chairman
    Mr. Dale Anderson, South Atlantic District.
    Mr. Rodger Anderson, North Atlantic.
    Mr. Kurt Austad, Nebraska District.
    Mr. Warren Ehlke, Pacific Northwest District.
    Rev. Douglas Engelbrecht, Conference of Presidents. Ski's best friend, besides Andy Stanley.
    Rev. Jonathan Schroeder, pastor-at-large.
    Mr. James Moeller, teacher-at-large.
    Mr. Seth Hansen, Dakota-Montana District.
    Mr. Philip Hempel, Michigan District.
    Mr. Ron Hillmann, Northern Wisconsin District.
    Mr. Paul Holzhueter, Minnesota District.
    Rev. Philip Koelpin, chairman of WELS Board for World Missions.
    Rev. Peter Naumann, Conference of Presidents.
    Rev. David Rutschow, Conference of Presidents. Human shield for Jeske.
    Mr. Tom Schlittenhart, Arizona-California District.
    Mr. Timothy Snyder, Southeastern Wisconsin District.
    Rev. Philip Hirsch, chairman of WELS Board for Ministerial Education.
    Mr. John Tappe, Western Wisconsin District.
    Mr. Robert Timmermann, Central Southern Babtist District - Safari leader for Dom Patterson. According to Timmerman, worship is mostly adiaphora. Rock on, Robert.
    Rev. Earle Treptow, pastor-at-large.
    Rev. Charles Westra, chairman of WELS Board for Home Missions - most unlikely trained in Church Growth. His governance coincides with the SPcy of Mark Schroeder.

    ---

    +Diet O. Worms has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    "Dom" Patterson -- as in Dom Deluise?

    ***

    GJ - Dom is a title of respect, but some may also associate it with Dom Perignon champagne, living high on the hog.


    ---

    Phil has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    To say that someone is "most likely" involved in something sinful is slander. I don't know Pastor Westra, but if he is the orthodox Lutheran pastor Anon 10:32 says he is, you have tarnished his good name.

    Keep reporting the stuff you know is true and publicly committed (through MLC and I've read the Book of Concord? whaaat?) but stay away from the "educated guesses".

    ***

    GJ - I think it is a sin to post an accusation anonymously, but I am a legalist, according to David Valleskey who never did go to Fuller Seminary.

    The Bored of Home Missions (bored of Lutheran doctrine and worship) has promoted Fuller's Church Growth agenda ever since Norm Berg, maybe before. They systematically looted WELS offering money to send missionaries, domestic and foreign, to Fuller and Willow Creek, all the while pretending to uphold "fellowship principles." There they high-fived LCMS, ELS, and ELCA pastors going for the same purpose. And they worked together, feverishly, on CG projects funded by skimming Thrivent funds.

    This post is based on knowledge, reading, library research, speaking to people, and getting letters from people directly involved.
    ---

    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    Greg, much of what you say about home missions is true, but there's a reason Westra's chairmanship coincides chronologically with Pres. Schroeder's election. To blame the new man for past errors would be v e t y (sic) shoddy research, and just poor math.

    ***

    GJ - That is good news. My comments about the past are unimpeachable, and I have never heard WELS issue a correction, an apology, or even an "Excuse us." Note my correction about Pastor Westra above. How many bloggers take the time to update or correct a post? I even adjusted the Timmerman listing. I appreciate all discussions where more precise information comes out.

    Sunday, November 22, 2009

    Fortieth Wedding Anniversary




    Greg and Chris Jackson, aka Ichabod and Mrs. Ichabod.

    Please Don't Squeeze the Darwin




    Ladies, please don't squeeze the Darwin.


    Rare Charles Darwin book found on toilet bookshelf
     
    AP on Yahoo ^ | 11/22/09




    LONDON – An auction house says it is selling a rare first edition of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" found in a family's guest lavatory in southern England.

    Christie's auction house said Sunday the book — one of around 1,250 copies first printed in 1859 — had been on a toilet bookshelf at a family's home in Oxford.

    The book will be auctioned on Tuesday, the 150th anniversary of the publication of the famous work. Christie's said the book is likely to sell for 60,000 pounds ($99,000).

    The Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Trinity




    The Lost Sheep by Norma Boeckler


    The Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Trinity

    Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

    Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time


    The Hymn # 281 The Savior Calls 1:29
    The Confession of Sins
    The Absolution
    The Introit p. 16
    The Gloria Patri
    The Kyrie p. 17
    The Gloria in Excelsis
    The Salutation and Collect p. 19
    The Epistle and Gradual
    The Gospel
    Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
    Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
    The Nicene Creed p. 22
    The Sermon Hymn # 436 1:33

    Warning for the Indolent

    The Hymn # 329 – Luther – From Depths of Woe 1:27
    The Preface p. 24
    The Sanctus p. 26
    The Lord's Prayer p. 27
    The Words of Institution
    The Agnus Dei p. 28
    The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
    The Benediction p. 31
    The Hymn # 339 All Hail the Power 1:57

    KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

    KJV Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

    Prayer by Veit Dietrich
    O gracious God, merciful Father, who dost bountifully forgive and show mercy unto all who truly repent of their sins: We heartily beseech Thee, dear Father, forgive us all our sins, and grant us Thy grace, that all we who call upon Thy name, each day abstain from all unrighteousness and sin, and turn unto Thee with all our hearts, that by the power of Thy Spirit we may daily be found in sincere faith and obedience, bringing forth fruits of true repentance: grant us also that, seeking and calling upon Thee in faith and confidence, we may find Thee a merciful God and Father, and be assured of Thy gracious help and blessing in every need of body and soul, until at length, by Thy grace, we obtain eternal salvation; through Thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

    Warning for the Indolent

    Many people are led astray because they do not follow the basic principle of “Scripture interprets Scripture.” Or they fail to challenge those who ignore this basic rule.

    Some skeptics are going to say, “Where is this rule written?” The rule is derived from our knowledge that the Bible is the Book of the Holy Spirit, one truth expressed without error or contradiction. For that reason, the Lutheran reformers were reluctant to speak about “doctrines” revealed in the Word of God when there is really just one doctrine. Notice that dividing the revealed Word into multiple doctrines has made it easy for people to pick and choose, or to say one doctrine is more important that the other.

    I was talking to a student at a Disciples of Christ/ Unitarian seminary about her studies. She bragged that both denominations worked together at the same school, not realizing that such mergers are a sure sign of institutional failure. I asked her how she could tell the Unitarians apart from the Disciples. That left her unfazed, so I asked about whether she believed in the Virgin Birth of Christ and His bodily resurrection. She said a few dismissive words and added, “Those are not important doctrines anyway.”

    Dividing up one unified truth and dismissing parts of that revelation as “unimportant” are both essential to apostasy. Few seem to realize that Protestant departures from Luther were based upon jealousy. His books overwhelmed Europe during the Reformation. Zwingli was the first significant person to depart from Luther. Zwingli began the process that led to Calvin – as well as the Radical Reformation of the Mennonites and Amish. Zwingli had very little theological training as a Roman Catholic priest, so his Protestantism consisted of a rationalistic break with Luther. Zwingli rejected the efficacy of the Word and the Sacraments. Since Zwingli said baptism did not accomplish anything, the radicals said only a baptism after conversion – believer’s baptism – was valid. Zwingli died on the battlefield and Calvin later filled the void in Switzerland, repeating Zwingli’s errors.

    All Zwingli had to do was place reason above the Word, to judge the Scriptures according to his human logic, and the process began. It is a basic method of interpreting the Bible and will always yield bad results. Just as bad, and often linked with rationalism, is emotionalism – judging it correct if it feels correct. (Our cattle dog Sassy grins in the midst of mischief, as if to say, “How can it be wrong when it feels so right?”)

    And yet this is portrayed as harmless. If a wrecking crew showed up at a skyscraper and said, “We are only taking out the first storey,” people would be alarmed. Yet someone attacks the foundation of the Christian faith (the efficacy of the Word) and no one seems to stir. If someone is alarmed, it is denounced as legalism, fanaticism, hating every synod, etc.

    This digression is important in understanding the parable for today’s Gospel lesson. Some passages in the Bible suggest an immediate return of Christ, so lunkheads have used those passages to say, “The Bible is wrong. Jesus has not returned.” Others, a little more subtle, have argued, “The delay of Jesus’ return was a problem already in the New Testament church.”

    When people raise basic questions like this, I go to the plain words of Jesus. My niece heard that Hell and Satan did not exist, so I asked, “Did Jesus speak about both?” She said, “Yes.” I did not need to say another word, because children grasp these things immediately. My niece looked at her mother and said, “See?”

    So it is with this concept of delay. As 2 Peter teaches, God’s time is not like our own. A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day.

    Secondly, although Jesus did speak of an immediate return, these additional passages also reflect the reality of waiting.

    KJV Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

    KJV Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

    KJV Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

    KJV Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

    The Mark 13 passage is closely related to the disciples’ failing to stay awake (watch and stay awake are two ways to translate the same Greek verb, which is the root for the name Gregory).

    KJV Mark 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

    If God said that people could party until the return of Christ in 2050, they would. During that time there would be chaos, because everyone would enjoy carnal security.

    But, as they say, a watched man watches himself better. Knowing that Christ can return at any moment, Christians are always on the alert, being watchful and praying.

    This parable is a warning against carnal security, a useful term I found in Lenski. The term describes people who take the Gospel for granted and award themselves prizes for various historical accomplishments, all irrelevant:
    1. I was a charter member of this church.
    2. I am fifth generation in this synod.
    3. My father was a DP.
    4. I serve on 5 committees and 8 sub-committees.

    In the parable, there are five wise virgins and five foolish ones. They are waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom, who is Christ. The wedding is the end of time, which can be interpreted as our death or as the return of Christ, Judgment Day.
    I remember one sermon where a tall, athletic man attended with his son. That was his last chance to hear the Gospel – he died suddenly that week.

    Christ is always the groom in the Bible, and the Church is the Bride of Christ.

    The wise virgins were prepared for the delay, but the foolish ones were not. One reader told me they used oil candles at their church. One day they ran out of oil and the candles were unlit. That would have been a good time to use this parable in the sermon.

    When the Groom came, the foolish virgins wanted to obtain oil from the wise ones. The wise ones said, “Then we would not have enough.” The foolish ones had to go off to find some at a late hour, returning to find the door locked to them.

    11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

    We are supposed to imagine that Jesus would never say “no” to anyone, or judge and condemn anything wrong.

    Nevertheless, the Scriptures divide people into two categories only – believers and unbelievers. There is no “nice guy” category to excuse false teachers.

    This parable is taught by Jesus Himself to show us how people fall into unbelief over time, due to a lack of watchfulness.

    The virgins were eager to be at the wedding, so they all had faith. However, half of them were not prepared for anything except the immediate.

    As the Parable of the Sower shows, the living Gospel seed is choked by the cares of the world. God creates faith in our hearts by the Word, but He also warns us to nurture that faith through the Means of Grace (John 15). Deadwood will be pruned away and discarded.

    Salvation depends upon faith, because through faith we receive the forgiveness of sin. The purpose of the visible and invisible Word is to convey Christ to us, to bring His benefits and blessings to us.

    Those who spend a lifetime of deceit will often linger, as Paul Tillich and Pope Pius XII did, filled with dread. At that point they are so blinded and hardened that they cannot see what true repentance means. A deathbed conversion is possible but unlikely for someone devoted to serving his Father Below.

    “Let us in” is not sufficient. The invitations for the marriage feast of the Lamb were sent again and again, the humblest gathered to fill the halls. The great, noble, learned, and foolish are too busy, too important, or too hedonistic to accept the gracious invitation. Only at the end, when the feast begins, do they realize their error. Like those who mocked the building of Noah’s Ark, they want a reserved seat once reality dawns on them – too late.

    Three Votes for Obama's Cuban Health Care To Pass




    The US Senate phone system broke down Saturday as people tried to get through to them. Obviously, that takes a lot of traffic since the system is designed to be heavy-duty.

    The first vote in the Senate was to start debate. That passed with all GOP Senators voting no. The Arkansas and Louisiana Senators could have killed the bill by voting no on opening debate. I believe one "no" could have done that. The Arkansas Democrat is up for re-election in 2010. Color Mrs. Lincoln gone. She is married to a physician.

    The second vote is crucial, after debate begins on November 30. That is the vote to stop debate. Under Senate rules, that takes 60 votes too. Lieberman has threatened to filibuster because of his doubts. Another Senator has indicated the same thing. If they cannot close debate, the bill is killed for the moment.

    The third vote is the easy one, if debate is closed. That would pass with 51 votes, letting the vulnerable Democrat Senators vote "no" to save themselves at election time.

    Finally, a Senate bill, once passed, would go to reconciliation and a final version would be prepared for Obama to sign into law. I have heard that the Cuban Health Care Plan would not start until 2012, but I am certain that the worst aspects would begin at once.

    This would be a good time to contact US Senators.


    The Child Is the Father of the Man - Poet




    Formal wear, Wisconsin.


    Here is an old doctrinal bulletin, from paleo-Ichabod days:

    FROM KEVIN HASTINGS

    Dear Greg,

    A person can easily understand how a fellowship principle can be broken on occasion in weakness, ignorance, or the suddenness of a moment. That is not the case at Wisconsin Lutheran College at all. I believe it started with the Annie Herring concert about seven years ago when she not only sang, but then led the assembly in prayer. Many squawked, but there was never any public renunciation of the folly of inviting her to perform.



    Since then WLC has gone political and sensational. Cal Thomas, Congressman Neumann (WELS), Mayor Norquist, Charlton Heston, etc. While we might agree with what these men stand for, the church is not their forum. Is WLC church? Gurgel once claimed WLC wasn't WELS in the sense that the synod doesn't run the school. That was a simplistic excuse for avoiding decisive action.



    Dr. Greenfield, who arranges these things must commune at some WELS church (St. John's in Wauwatosa is my guess). One wonders if he's a member in good standing after all this. WELS is grossly guilty of the same unionism it chided LC-MS for in the thirties. Didn't mind being in bed with her, but didn't like another sneaking in on the other side. Now WELS and ELS are going through the same thing, apparently with numerous partners, spiritual and political. At least you see a (lost?) fight in Missouri.



    Wisconsin remains one happy family, which is what happens when you venerate an institution. The WLC situation is not an isolated 'problem'. It exists and flourishes amid the highest concentration of churches, pastors, and teachers in the synod. It is no isolated cult in a wilderness. Its guilt becomes the guilt of all as they support it. Besides, I seem to read "Wisconsin" and "Lutheran" in its name - now whom could that be a part of?



    Pastor Kevin Hastings

    St. John Lutheran (independent), Milwaukee

    Saturday, November 21, 2009

    Not Exactly One in Doctrine - But One in Speling Spelling






    I've visited churches belonging to all of these, with the exception of Protes'tant, but I am well aquainted (sic) with several Protes'tant families. I also know one AFLC church and its pastor quite well, but because their denomination is so decentralized, I hesitate to say I know the denomination because I know one church.

    I have visited at around 100 LCMS/LCC) churches in three countries, all the way from Hong Kong and the West Coast to the East Coast, the South, both the cities and rural Midwest, and the Great Plains. I have a good idea what Missouri is like. Missouri varies greatly depending on where you are. In some places, closed communion is not normal and not expected. In some places, churches are expected not to interfere with couples living together outside of marriage. I've communed with both a Protes'ant and an ELCA friend of mine together at the same time at an LCMS church. I've listened to a band perform "Carry On Wayward Son" for the offeratory (sic). I've taken communion from a woman distributing it. Once I even saw the deaconess do the litury (sic) and preach the sermon because the pastor wasn't there.

    I am only well acquainted with one LCMS church that still practices male-only sufferage (sic), but I stopped going there because the pastor is a millenalist (sic). Still, otherwise he was quite orthodox, even devoting one sermon (the 5 year anniversary of the Benke incident) to condemning that act of unionism.

    I've attended conservative political action meetings in the Missouri Synod. The last one I attended featured a speaker that held pastors had the right to excommunicate by personal fiat. Not a single pastor or layman there challeged (sic) him on that point, but one old-Missourian retired district president left the meeting in protest.

    How much of the Missouri Synod are you familar (sic) with. How well do your experiences really match your claim?

    I'm of the view that WELS, ELS, CLC, and Protes'tant pastors are more conservative than the vast majority of LCMS pastors. All four of these all practice male-only sufferage (sic). Church Growth has only made baby steps in the ELS and its intrusion into the WELS has met widespread opposition.

    Username: Random_layman
    Full Name: Jojakim Dettmann
    E-mail Address: lutherquest@gmail.com
    Last Logged In: November 21, 2009
    Registered: May 03, 2006
    Total Posts: 1462
    Status: Senior Member
    Denomination: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
    Positions Held (elder, pastor, layman, teacher, etc.): layman

    ***

    GJ - Obviously he has not read this blog or FIC or paid attention to Growthism in WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie.

    Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page




    Lucky for me, Rock N Roll is near the Rock N River Family Aquatic Center.
    They can do immersions there - on D-Day, Dedication Day.



     I went to the Holy Word website (Kudu Don Patterson) and found Vicar Tiefel's photo missing. I thought they had a new, free vicar by now. Tiefel was still listed as the vicar, but his very large photo was erased. Not to worry - I have a copy I kelmed a few months ago.


    Since I was in the neighborhood, I dropped by the Church from Scratch.net websty. Only one page was posted. Whiney sermon about having a cold and needing a $200,000 grant - gone. Photo of the lovely and highly paid assistant - gone. Sermons carefully copied from Schwaermer - gone. Little Rockers - my favorite - gone.

    Perhaps they are revamping the ultra-cool website, to see if they can bump attendance higher than 30.

    They already canned Joe Krohn, lead rocker and ex-blogger for Rock and Roll worship entertainment.

    Everyone knows the only means of grace for Chicaneries is - money. As Luther warned, the very thing you demand from God will be denied by God.

    Church and Change is now in epic fail mode. They will keep trying, but the ambitious ones tied their wagons to a star, forgetting it was a meteorite plunging to earth.

    ---

    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":

    What ever happened at the C and C conference earlier this month? How many showed up?

    ---

    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":

    All the gang was there: Kelm, Parlow, Becker, Ski, Patterson, et al. They held a special conclave to see if they could stem the WELS' slide back into Confessional Lutheranism.





     
    ---

    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rock and Roll Lutheran Church - One Web Page":

    Does anybody know what their plan is to regain their momentum? How many participants did they have? I hope somebody was taking names so they know to whom the left foot should be given. Were they really so bolden as to come out and say they want to keep WELS from being a confessional Lutheran church body? Pastor Jackson, have you heard from an eyewitness who was actually there at their conference?

    ***

    GJ - Church and Change does not forward attendance sheets to me. Someone reported on the main thugs being there. I urged confessional Lutherans to attend. Apostates infiltrate every conservative meeting, but they are very suspicious about who attends theirs.

    Chicaneries do not mention the word "confessional." They use these words instead - "legalistic, hateful, bigoted, hidebound, old-fashioned, Christian-bashing, narrow-minded."


    Sweden's First Lesbian Bishop




    Sweden's first lesbian bishop consecrated in Uppsala

    Sweden's first lesbian bishop consecrated in Uppsala


    Click here for source.

    Published: 9 Nov 09 07:43 CET
    Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23148/20091109/
    Dictionary tool Double click on a word to get a translation
    The Church of Sweden on Sunday ordained a female pastor as the country's first openly homosexual bishop, just weeks after approving gay marriages.

    Eva Brunne, 55, was consecrated as the Bishop of Stockholm in a ceremony at Uppsala cathedral, just north of the Swedish capital, the Church of Sweden said in a statement.

    Along with Brunne, another female pastor, Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund, was ordained to take over as Bishop of Härnösand in northern Sweden.

    The ceremony marked the first time in the history of the Swedish church that two women had been consecrated as bishops at the same time.

    Brunne is in a civil union partnership with another woman. Together they are the guardians of a three-year-old child.

    The Church of Sweden, which was the state church until 2000, had backed the parliament's adoption of the gay marriage law, which took effect on May 1. But its synod only approved church weddings on October 22.

    Sweden, already a pioneer in giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children, becomes one of the first countries in the world to allow gays to marry in a major Church.

    Around three-quarters of Swedes are members of the Lutheran Church.

    Global Warming Fraud - From Scientists?






    Here is the link.

    Global Warming Bombshell

    November 20, 2009 Posted by John at 11:17 PM
     
    The biggest news story of the day is one that has barely begun to break and will continue to reverberate for months or years to come. Someone hacked into a computer at the University of East Anglia's Hadley Climatic Research Centre, one of the main centers of anthropogenic global warming research. The hacker downloaded 62 megabytes of data from the server, consisting of around 1,000 emails and a variety of other documents. He uploaded them to an FTP server, where they were available to the public, apparently, for only a few hours. The event is described here.

    Before the documents disappeared from that location, several people had downloaded them and posted them in other locations. I downloaded all of the material earlier today and have begun to review it. The emails are stunning. They are authored by many of the leading figures in the global warming movement: Michael Mann, James Hansen, Phil Jones, Keith Briffa, Stephen Schneider, and others. They are remarkably candid; these individuals talk to each other with the knowledge that they are among friends.
     

    Friday, November 20, 2009

    Typical UOJ Argumentation





    Knapp would be proud of this comment, but not Luther.


    DRB has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Stormtroopers Illustrating How They Get Their ...":

    Since the well has been adequately poisoned, there should be no harm in my encouraging anyone confused about this topic to spend time carefully reading the source documents themselves. Here are a few passages from the Scriptures and Lutheran confessions that have been cited in support of the position that God in Christ reconciled (past tense) the world (not just part of the world) to himself, exhorting sinners to be reconciled to him (no Universalism here) -- 2 Cor. 5:19-20. I already pointed out Luther's agreement in a comment on a post from a few days ago.

    These LCMS Theses on Justification succinctly distinguish objective justification from subjective justification and give the sedes doctrinae for the good news that God absolved the world by the work of his Son:

    'In normal Biblical and ecclesiastical usage the terms "justify" and "justification" refer to the ("subjective") justification of the individual sinner through faith (Rom. 4:5, 5:1, etc.; AC IV, 3; FC SD III, 25). But because theologically justification is the same thing as the forgiveness of sins (Rom. 4:1-8; Ap IV, 76; FC Ep III, 7), it is Biblically and confessionally correct to refer to the great sin-cancelling, atoning work of the Redeemer as the "objective" or "universal" justification of the whole sinful human race. (John 1:29; Rom. 5:6-18; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col 2:14-15; 1 Tim. 3:16; Ap IV, 103-105; LC V, 31, 32, 36, 37; FC SD III, 57)'

    That is the position of the Lutheran confessions (e.g., Ap IV, 103-105; FC SD III, 57), not a later development. More important, it is the position of the apostle, as can be seen from 2 Cor. 5:19-20, unless one either follows the Calvinists in changing the meaning of the word "world" or follows the synergists in changing the meaning of the word "reconciled."

    ***

    GJ - In a rare departure, the author of this comment has left his name - David R. Bickel. He is apparently this scientist, since the bio links to his religious website.

    I am not impressed with the LCMS Theses. I addressed them at length in Thy Strong Word. Someone claimed that Robert Preus was involved in writing them or wrote them. If so, that was at the zenith (or nadir) of Church Growth at his seminary. The two go together. His Justification and Rome teaches the opposite of the comment posted above.

    The comment struck me as typical Missouri. As Egbert Schaller wrote, Walther was not a Biblical theologian. He gave Missouri a heritage of propositional theology - offering theses and citing Biblical or Book of Concord sources for them. There is no better way to engage in circular reasoning. Valleskey did the same thing in his odious CG essay in the Wisconsin Schwaermerschrift.

    I am glad a scientist is studying theology. I only hope that his investigates more thoroughly. The double-justification scheme is from Knapp, not the Book of Concord.

    No one is obliged to believe in the publication of a Midwestern Lutheran sect. As Mudslide wrote in a brilliant essay, Lutherans seem to celebrate Reformation anniversaries with a new travesty. The LCMS justification theses were that.

    I prefer the Book of Concord:

    "These treasures are offered us by the Holy Ghost in the promise of the holy Gospel; and faith alone is the only means by which we lay hold upon, accept, and apply, and appropriate them to ourselves. This faith is a gift of God, by which we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the Word of the Gospel, and trust in Him, that for the sake of His obedience alone we have the forgiveness of sins by grace, are regarded as godly and righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved." Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III. #10. Of the Righteousness of Faith before God. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 919. Tappert, p. 541. Heiser, p. 250.



    More On Leadership





    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Leadership Includes the Laity and Pastors":

    you wrote
    "Someone posted a few comments critical of Synod President Mark Schroeder's leadership of WELS. With the possible exception of Church and Change, most WELS members and pastors are favorably impressed with the SP's performance.
    I thought the critical comments missed the mark completely."

    Maybe conservatives are critical of Schroeder because they see a person who truly has been given authority but who is not decisive or strong. Do you think it would better to oust the C&C crowd quietly,or do you think it is better to publicly address public error? I vote for the second.

    Laypeople (who aren't leaders) are being led astray by them, so wouldn't it be good if they were officially rebuked? That's why I see Schroeder as another game player. And I have not heard any decisive words from the man. Just hints; hints are not good enough when people's souls are on the line.

    ***

    GJ - I would like to urge people to use their time and energy constructively. Applying the Word means doing that at every opportunity and never flinching. We do flinch, of course, but we have to return to the battle again and again. Sadly, WELS and Missouri leaders decided that one battle per lifetime was enough. WELS did the split with Missouri, and Missouri kicked some of their liars out. After that, Holy Mother Synod could do no wrong.

    I suggest writing SP Schroeder about what he is doing right and wrong, showing your own support for Biblical, Confessional principles.

    However, the local congregation and circuit are just as important. I had to force the Columbus circuit to meet, even though regular circuit meetings were required by the constitution. Who was in that circuit? The District VP!

    If the circuit meetings do not regularly address doctrinal concerns, the rot will spread quickly, as it has already. Fixing will take as long as the rotting, so get to work. Twenty years ago, only elderly ladies had the spine to contact me and talk about these doctrinal concerns. Now men with young families are actively engaged in these issues.

    Martin Chemnitz insisted on regular meetings of his diocese when he was made a bishop. The diocese also insisted on him earning a PhD in theology. His leadership and superb education did not make his life easy. Jack Preus' biography of Chemnitz is good to read in these "last days of an old, insane world."

    The Lutheran Church fell into schism when Luther died in 1546. The Book of Concord was published in 1580. Do the math: it took 34 years to repair the damage, and that was done by the greatest theologians of the age - the Concordists. Even then, the struggle continued as men were urged to sign this new confession of faith. Romanticizing the Reformation is dangerous. It was much more dangerous and difficult than today.

    ---

    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More On Leadership":

    We're workin' father, we're working. We just get frustrated.
    Your advice is like gold: Write SP Schroeder "about what he's doing right and wrong", I will do that. But my fear is that he's got 1000 emails to read daily, and most of them involving bureaucratic trivialities from people he knows personally. Why would a stranger writing pique his interest?
    I want him to be bold (and I have personal connections that tell me he IS the man for the job) but I wonder if the political pressures of his position (being in the WELS) would castrate the strongest of men. We have many examples in history of men being rendered impotent simply because they continue on within the established framework.

    Never-the-less I will write Schroeder and encourage him to be fearless.

    ***

    GJ - I imagine there are a lot of emails to read. Personal letters can be more effective than emails because they are so rare. Face-to-face comments are worthwhile, too.

    More needs to be done at the local level. That may be as basic as getting an adult class going on the Book of Concord, or providing copies of the Book of Concord for the congregation to use. I am not sure which books are in print for studying the Book of Concord. People need to become familiar with the text itself. I used to read the Large Catechism, printed in a solo volume by the ALC, whenever I had the chance.

    Since everyone wants a new translation again, why not get a bunch of New KJVs to use in the congregation, along with KJVs? The KJV is the most precise translation and the New KJV is the next best. Why do Lutherans have to settle for the worst? The two are closely related. If a KJV reading seems too opaque, the New KJV will provide the modern words. If the New KJV goes Reformed ("make disciples), the KJV offers the original language.

    A lot of dirty tricks are going on in all the synods. ELCA Bishop Kenneth Sauer was no pal of mine, but he was so alienated by the extreme trends in his synod that he now urges people to leave ELCA with their congregations. For a master politician and ELCA loyalist to make such a break is remarkable. But look at how ELCA started - the ex-LCMS liars were given a lot of power. The final meetings to approve the merger were chaired by lawyers who accepted no opposition. Everything was a steamroller. ELCA ACORNed itself. Sauer participated in that debacle and found himself spit out after decades of labor for the liberals.

    Jerry Kieschnick is leading Missouri as far away from the Lutheran Confessions as possible. I was predicting years ago that he would shut down Ft. Wayne in the name of merging the schools and saving money. Now they are discussing shutting both schools. Good riddance, I say. Ft. Wayne could keep its charter and land by pretending to be another school for Missouri. It was a Missouri college before it was a seminary. Jack Preus moved people around to scatter the liberals. When he was done, Seminex was a pimple instead of a 400-student school.

    Members of WELS are frustrated? I imagine they are. Let me give one little example of how things are handled by apostates. As many readers know, I get raging, insulting anonymous comments on a regular basis, especially when I dare to expose Church and Chicaneries and their heroes. Below is a summary of one incident that I researched from multiple sources and published.

    1. Church and Change board member and Perish Services boss Bruce Becker kept angling for another consultant for his empire.
    2. Due to budget fears, SP Schroeder urged that board not to call another Perish Assistant. If they did, he cautioned them not to hire a polarizing figure.
    3. The board did not listen to the Synod President, so he stopped meeting with them.
    4. As the economy went into a five spiral crash, the board went ahead and hired Paul Calvin Kelm, the worst possible candidate. For some reason, St. Mark Willow Creek let him go!
    5. Calling anyone was one slap in the face. It also burdened the synod with an unnecessary expense. You may recall that no First VP was hired to replace Wayne Mueller, even though Schroeder could have insisted on that and used a friendly face to help him with his work.
    6. Calling Kelm was another slap in the face.
    7. The dirtiest trick (almost) was keeping this information from the SP until he read it in the call list.
    8. Next the Chicaneries insisted that Schroeder knew about the Kelm call. That was tantamount to calling him a liar.
    9. I knew these facts from various people, who relayed them to me. Finally, I was called a liar for publishing something known around the synod.
    10. Multiply this many times over, and that has been the experience of SP Schroeder. Every issue of FIC is another ad for Church and Change false doctrine. I imagine that is frustrating too.
    Many Chicanery leaders are no longer lodged as parasites at The Love Shack. Paul Calvin Kelm will celebrate his 65th birthday by leaving syodical employment. Becker quit soon after hiring Kelm. Wayne Mueller and Kruschel vamoosed earlier. Stroh is leaving. Perish Services has been neutered and subordinated, the perfect end for an insubordinate gang. Eventually a Lutheran approach will emerge, if this trend continues, and faithful workers will feel free to do their jobs according to the Word instead of bowing to Fuller, Willow Creek, and Mars Hill.

    In Mark Jeske's eyes, squozen shut, I see the panic of a man running around trying to prop up his empire with more foundation grants and Thrivent loot. That is why he needed Missouri RSO status. Bad news will arrive for at least another year. America has $1 trillion in bad commercial mortgages coming due. Like home mortgages, the bad loans are divided among a zillion investors. Many huge commercial projects are now in foreclosure. Banks are using "extend and pretend" to keep bad loans from becoming liabilities. This latest crisis will hit foundations and insurance companies for some time to come. Schwan is cutting back severely. So is Thrivent.

    I expect Jeske to take his Church and Change gang out in the future. It is nothing more than an extension of his maladroit leadership. Several--like Ski, Gunn, and Doebler--are pastors only because of huge subsidies. They may be making tents too - intentional ministry, if you will. Every region seems to have its Church and Change experiment. Why has this happened? The local pastors and members have tolerated the intolerable. All they need to do is confront the miscreants and aim them back to the Word and the Confessions. The extent of the rot must frustrate anyone trying to deal with it. Defunding error is the second step.


    UOJ Sermons




    One cannot be a Lutheran and an Enthusiast.

    People should read a few UOJ sermons to see how absurd they are.

    Here is one from Atonement in Plano, Texas.

    Pastor Gabb says everyone is forgiven. The statement of beliefs repeats this notion. The inept analogy in the sermon is having money put in the bank account of every single person in the world. S'funny how he misses a good analogy from the Book of Concord and Luther - treasure distributed by the Means of Grace. This congregation is teaching Universalism.

    For example, if I told you that I put $25,000 into your bank account, I wouldn’t say, "If you believe I put $25,000 into your bank account, then it’s there. But if you don’t believe it, then it’s not there." Whether the money is in your bank or not is not based on whether you choose to believe it or not. I’ve complet-ed the transaction without your cooperation.

    And so Jesus completed the work of salvation without our co-operation. Jesus said to more than one person whom we read about in the Bible, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mt 9.2). He didn’t say to those people, "If you believe that I paid for your sins then I paid for your sins." Justification is complete. You don’t have do anything to complete what Jesus started or cooperate with Jesus in some way to be forgiven.

    On the other hand, it’s also true that we are "justified by faith," that is, the forgiveness is yours through faith in Jesus but does not benefit someone who does not believe in Jesus.

    The name on the church says Atonement, but the pastor does not understand the Atonement. Texas is like that. Patterson's church is named Holy Word but he is smitten by Enthusiasm.

    Here is Pastor Gabb on faith. Like most UOJ advocates, he contradicts his "everyone forgiven" sermon by repeating that people are sinful. Valleskey does the same thing in his wretched Church Growth textbook. Somehow Gabb talked about "Taking Care of Your Faith" without ever mentioning the Means of Grace. That is like talking about getting to the other side of the Mississippi without ever giving directions to the bridge across it.

    (V 21-24). The word ‘justify’ means to declare someone inno-cent, not guilty. You are justified, not guilty of sin (Rom 8.33; 2 Cor 5.19). WE ARE JUSTIFIED means there is no charge of sin against us. When someone is accused of a crime and the judge declares that person to be justified, the accused is free to leave the judge’s courtroom, free to walk out the door and the judge will not stop that person and say, "I’m not done with you yet; your trial isn’t over yet." No, the judge is done; the trial is over; there is no crime, no offense. And so it is with God. There is no trial awaiting us because there is no sin that can or should condemn us. We are justified, free to walk out of this life through the door into eternal life in heaven.

    Pastor Gabb worked faith into the sermon, but in the context of his UOJ pronouncements, that really meant little. The words in blue, above, are the typical UOJ court language. Everyone in the world was pronounced innocent, the moment Christ died on the cross, or the moment He rose from the dead. Perhaps the next WELS convention will vote on the Moment of Justification. Recently someone wrote me that Jesus declared everyone in the world forgiven the moment He left the tomb. I have not found that anywhere on my Bible software (BibleWorks) and I have the NIV.

    Faith is an appendage to Kokomo Justification, because they spend all their time on Universal Justification and cannot reconcile that with the Biblical doctrine. However, they try to weld the two together with disastrous results.

    In my experience in reading such material, UOJ has always been accompanied by silence on the efficacy of the Word and almost total neglect of the Means of Grace. The troubles of WELS and the Lutheran Church in general can be attributed to their neglect of this excellent summary statement:

    "The doctrine of the means of grace is a peculiar glory of Lutheran theology. To this central teaching it owes its sanity and strong appeal, its freedom from sectarian tendencies and morbid fanaticism, its coherence and practicalness, and its adaptation to men of every race and every degree of culture. The Lutheran Confessions bring out with great clearness the thought of the Reformers upon this subject."
    "Grace, Means of," The Concordia Cyclopedia, L. Fuerbringer, Th. Engelder, P. E. Kretzmann, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1927, J-101 p. 299.


    Passing Information To Me





    Someone asked me about some sermons on justification. One way to be specific while staying under the radar is to send a comment, marked - "Do not post this." I get that in my email right away. I do not know who sends comments unless they identify themselves. I reject the comment and no one else can read it.

    Therefore, answering the question asked in a recent comment, I do need more information.


    Fifty Congregations Have Already Voted To Leave ELCA



    ELCA Home age


    ELCA NEWS SERVICE
    October 29, 2009

    Some ELCA Congregations Vote to Leave or Redirect Funds, Find It's Not Easy
    09-241-JB
      
    CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), leaders and members have responded in a variety of ways to changes in the church's ministry polices, a decision made by voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Some members agreed with the decision. Some were opposed. Some weren't sure how to react.
     
    Since the assembly, some ELCA congregations have taken votes to leave the denomination or redirect funds away from the ELCA. Leaders and members in a few such congregations report it's not always easy to make such choices, and there can be unintended consequences.
     
    The 2009 assembly, which met Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis, adopted proposals to change ELCA ministry policies. One change makes it possible for Lutherans in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
     
    For some ELCA leaders and members, the assembly directive was inconsistent with their understanding of biblical authority. They often repeat the assertion that "the ELCA has left them."
     
    The assembly also adopted by exactly a two-thirds majority a social statement on human sexuality. The statement addressed a wide range of matters related to human sexuality, but a portion of it addressed same-gender relationships, causing disagreement among the voting members.
      
    Through Oct. 27, the ELCA Office of the Secretary reports an estimated 50 of the ELCA's 10,396 congregations have taken first votes to leave the denomination or have scheduled them, nearly all because of the assembly's actions on sexuality. Five such votes have failed. The estimate is based on reports from synod bishops, said David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary.


    ***

    GJ - ELCA's Gospel Reductionism (everyone is saved) is exactly the same as UOJ, with slightly different wording and identical results. All the Pietistic excuses for The CORE can be used to promote "a ministry to, by, and for homosexuals."



    Thursday, November 19, 2009

    New Blog Link





    I added a blog link on the left side of the first page:

    http://extranos.blogspot.com/

    The author is LP, who has posted many good insights about UOJ. Some readers are doing extra research about UOJ, so that makes it more convenient for people to be in touch.

    I am going to try to get copies of the Vernon Harley (LCMS pastor) essays on UOJ posted in some way. I lost my copies.


    Leadership Includes the Laity and Pastors




    No zebras were harmed during this particular shooting.


    Someone posted a few comments critical of Synod President Mark Schroeder's leadership of WELS. With the possible exception of Church and Change, most WELS members and pastors are favorably impressed with the SP's performance.

    I thought the critical comments missed the mark completely. As one 19th century Lutheran sociologist (Stuckenberg) wrote, "Authority is not taken. It is given." Too many individuals and congregations have handed over all authority to their synod and a handful of leaders.

    A few individuals I know through this blog have done the opposite. Without having any titles, they have contacted various Lutheran leaders and asked them about doctrinal issues. People with some authority have also taken action instead of waiting for one person to do everything for them.

    Many have provided information for all Lutherans through the information they have sent me for publication, often after many hours of research. The posts with the highest number of comments are usually those supplied by a vast network of informed Lutherans.

    Freddy Finkelstein started his own blog. I hear many encouraging comments about ff's blog and Brett Meyer's posts on Icabod.

    The faithful teaching of the Word and our study of the Confessions will yield God's results in God's time. It will also bring the cross.

    One couple I know from long ago said, a few years back, "Gurgel doesn't want to hear from us again." They made a point of expressing their disapproval of his unionism. The ex-SP left office because he was urged to do so, encouraged by the downside of refusing to leave. Likewise, the previous Arizona-California DP was advised to leave office, and he did.

    Seminary Deflation - Seabury Did It - Concordias Discussing It




    Here is one compromise - High Mass on a surfboard resting above a plastic bag-covered garbage can - the fusion of tradition and trash. I find it revolting, but I am old school.


    Northwestern Acquires Seabury Seminary Buildings, Land


    Use of residential and classroom facilities will continue.
    By Charles R. Loebbaka
    EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University has purchased the buildings and land owned by Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, officials from the University and Seminary announced today (July 17). Some of the buildings are on land already owned by Northwestern that had been leased to Seabury; the remainder of the land is adjacent to the Northwestern-owned property.

    The property encompasses the block bounded by Sheridan Road on the east, Orrington Avenue on the west, Haven Street on the north and Garrett Place on the south, with the exception of two houses that are not currently owned by Northwestern or Seabury. Northwestern already owns more than half of the land. All of the land purchased already is exempt from property taxes.

    Northwestern has no plans to propose changes in zoning, which governs the use of the buildings, said Eugene S. Sunshine, Northwestern’s senior vice president for business and finance. Those buildings that are currently used for classrooms, offices and other academic purposes will continue to be used in that manner. Buildings used for residential and related purposes will continue to be used for those purposes, Sunshine said.

    Northwestern students have been living in one of the residence halls on the property since last March when Seabury leased a portion of one of its residential buildings to the University. That use will continue next fall, and Northwestern students eventually will occupy the other residence hall as well.

    Northwestern will lease back a portion of the administrative building and residential buildings to Seabury, which is changing from a residential-based seminary with full-time students to offering degrees and courses through short residential and online courses.

    “With this agreement, we’re doing several important things,” said the Very Reverend Gary Hall, Seabury’s president and dean. “We’re positioning ourselves for a new mission as the People’s Seminary, meeting the demands of a changing world and church, providing flexible education to all -- clergy, church professionals, lay community and congregations. In addition, the sale allows us to eliminate our debt, balance our budget so that we will enter our new life with adequate resources to fund our ministries,” he said.

    “We’re very pleased to have worked out this arrangement with Seabury for acquisition of the property and its continued use for the same purposes,” Sunshine said. “This will provide the University with contiguous space needed for academic and residential uses without having to acquire land that is currently on the property tax rolls.”
     
    ***

    GJ - The mainline seminaries are tumbling, in spite of their enormous endowments and gender bender inclusiveness. They should be packed from admitting men and women into the ministry, straights and gays into the preaching office. Instead, just the opposite is happening. Church and Change take note. People are abandoning the most with-it denomination of all. They are headed for traditional, yea even liturgical services. They want to worship God instead of self.


    UOJ Stormtroopers
    Illustrating How They Get Their Theory
    From the Scriptures And The Book of Concord




    UOJ Twister



    1. Put you hand on everyone in the world is forgiven.
    2. Good, now emphasize that everyone in Hell is a guilt-free saint.
    3. Next - explain how each person has to make a decision about this eternal truth.
    4. Now for the big stretch - Luther taught this! Watch it, watch it, watch it, you are going to fall.
    ---

    L P has left a new comment on your post "Scaery Rationalism - Typical Non-Biblical UOJ Argu...":

    DK, You cannot conduct a sane discussion with UOJers. For UOJers, UOJ is true, end of story. In my field, if you offer no proof for your theorem, this is called hand waving. Also you cannot get away and say "this is obvious or trivial". LPC

    ---

    L P has left a new comment on your post "Scaery Rationalism - Typical Non-Biblical UOJ Argu...":

    DK,

    but I can't shake the feeling that this is a circular argument.

    Yes indeed DK, in UOJ, you believe you are already righteous and so you are. Try suggesting that to a UOJer and see if you do not get bullied to submission.

    I was a babstistcostal before, we had the same type of reasoning from the stable of Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagin, the prosperity preachers.

    Believe that you are already healed, prosperous etc and so you are and if you are not, it is your fault, you just did not exercise your faith enough.

    This is the reason why UOJ to me, after a while, sounded similar to the Word-Faith Prosperity preachers.

    LPC