Bad Sentence Construction, Worse Theology

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Church and Change Cannibals:Outreach Means Po...":

I agree with many of your reports of symptoms but I must add, certainly not all. Nevertheless I fundamentally disagree with your diagnosis of the cause. If Lenski's Ohio synod doctrine of election intuitu fidei with its concomitant limited atonement were the solution, then there'd still be an Ohio Synod today instead of generic ELCA congregations and a miserable excuse for a seminary in Columbus. Furthermore, while some theological clods make statements naively implying receptionism, the fact is one can, and MUST not go beyond Scripture to determine an exact time of the real presence. The correct doctrine is that the real presence is effected by the Words of Christ, repeated by the pastor, and that nevertheless, there is no sacrament apart from the sacramental use, which includes 1. Consecration, 2. Distribution, and 3. Reception. Lutherans have always confessed this and therefore refused to accept private masses with no communicants as the papacy promoted.

Theology is a refined enough matter, that it is not to be "fought" with mere "slogans" and clodhopper formulations. Hab vorsicht mit deinen theologischen formulären. In so doing the true statements you make will be much more "effective" (even though you seem to reject "effectiveness" out of hand).

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GJ - The thesis falls apart with the author's lack of knowledge about Lenski. They replaced him at the seminary, deliberately, with a liberal who taught the opposite. That paved the way for ELCA's merger. They also formed a committee to silence Lenski on inerrancy, so the old ALC began in 1930 with a compromised statement. That also greased the skids for ELCA.

Receptionists have two mottoes defining their error -
1. "We don't know the exact moment the elements are the Body and Blood of Christ." I agree that the Enthusiasts do not know and will never know. See Teigen's excellent book on the topic. The Synodical Conference was in error and remains in error by dancing around the issue.
2. "The elements become the Body and Blood when received by the communicant." I heard that from a WELS pastor. Normally I discuss things like that, but my jaw dropped open and stayed open. Before that, I had trouble believing anyone defended or taught Receptionism. Even Gawa, in WELS, admitted the old Synodical Conference was wrong. However, the compromising dance "We don't know" is not the answer.

I read a lot of "repeat after me" WELS slogans from the Sausage Factory in the post above.

Another red herring is the intuitu fidei charge against Lenski. He is the only American Lutheran to produce a complete New Testament commentary, very well written, with an extensive knowledge of Lutheran dogmatics. I do not think Lenski is perfect, but he overshadows anyone else in America. The Book of Concord is my ruled norm, not Walther, Lenski, Valleskey.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Bad Sentence Construction, Worse Theology":

So do you approve of bells to signify the exact moment that you claim to know?

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GJ - My, my - a Straw Man fallacy enclosed in sarcasm - that sounds so Mequonisch.

I approve of B. Teigen's fine book.

And I approve this - from Luther's Large Catechism:

"On the other hand, such is the efficacy of the Word, whenever it is seriously contemplated, heard, and used, that it is bound never to be without fruit, but always awakens new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness, and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts. For these words are not inoperative or dead, but creative, living words."
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Bad Sentence Construction, Worse Theology":

Confessing orthodox Lutheran, thank you for the full elaboration of the initial anonymous poster. You are right, it is only in our limited human thinking that we try to take apart the one divine action of the Sacrament of the Altar, and begin all sorts of worthless logomachia. (Yet it is true, there are numbskulls on both sides of the issue that can't master the simplicity of Holy Scripture and the Lutheran doctrine as presented in the Bool (sic!) of COncord (sic). This is nothing new of course. Cf. the "Hamburger Streit") Thanks again.

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GJ - I like that - both sides of the issue. Therefore, a compromise that will appeal to two sides at once is best. But see below the conclusion of the Formula of Concord.

"We have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquility, and unity (which, moreover, is not in our power to do). Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ." (Closing of Formula of Concord, Triglotta, p. 1095)
Cited in Francis Pieper, The Difference Between Orthodox And Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 65.


In fact, the Enthusiasm of the Synodical Conference, which emerged from Pietism, created the war and division. The Enthusiasts still insist on their own interpretation. Their answer in the ELS was to silence B. Teigen's position and treat him badly.

WELS Church and Change Cannibals:Outreach Means Poaching WELS Members

Training for The CORE's expensive staff includes two Drive conferences, a Dirt conference, Mark Driscoll in Seattle (above), Granger Community Church, Catalyst (Stanley and Groeschel), and who knows what else.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fox Valley Fed Up":

I think the best thing for WELS members in the Fox Valley to do is shun the churches and pastors who are in bed with the C&C crowd. Also, those of you who are in non C&C infested congregations should ask your pastors about the state of the district. Why, for example, is CORE being allowed to poach member from real WELS churches in the area? (I know for a fact that CORE is actively poaching members). Is CORE even really a WELS parish? Ask these kinds of questions, and don't stop asking until you get answers. Ask them do do something about it. Raise the issue at council and voters' meetings. Put the pressure on them. The best hope is that the voices raised against C&C in the Fox Valley will get too loud even for the derelict DP to ignore.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fox Valley Fed Up":

"In May 2001, WELS Perish Services applied for and received a Forward in Christ grant to conduct a three-year pilot program to address the issues surfaced by the previous two Church and Change conferences."

A three-year pilot is now permanent. This shows how deceitful the leaders are. Their efforts nearly bankrupted the synod, and still they continue. They cannot be trusted except to destroy what has been built up over generations.

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GJ - The real problem is doctrinal, but the obvious problems grow out of that false doctrine. WELS (like the ELS and Missouri) laid the doctrinal foundation for Shrinkage by publishing faked studies about how wonderful it was. That was just the third stage of Enthusiasm. The previous two manifestations were Receptionism and Forgiveness Without Faith.

How long has St. Mark Depere been a member of the Willow Creek Association. The Jeske connection with the LCMS is far less obnoxious than a Lutheran congregation establishing open unionism with the Reformed. And nothing has been done by anyone. But they would march with pitchforks and torches if I preached at a local WELS church.

Ski, as I recall, was rendered kosher before he even started, giving a presentation on evangelism to the Northern District. The entire program was Church and Change, in fact. He returned a year later to give another presentation to that venue. I understand he invited the WELS youth of the district to his congregation. Is that outreach or cannibalism?

Fox Valley Lutherans ought to investigate how much money has been misspent on this venture and the source of these funds. The CORE reported to St. Peter Freedom an outlay of $250,000 and a net gain of 9 members. That may even more expensive than Schwan's Ukraine Church, at a cost per member. If those 9 new people are just transfers....

This Might Sound Familiar

From the Brothers of John the Steadfast:

(Editor’s Note by Pastor Rossow: Carol Wysocki is a lay-woman from the Chicago area. After enduring the saga detailed below she began doing countless hours of research into the loss of the traditional Lutheran church. She has as business background and has noticed that a lot of warmed-over corporate trends are being followed in the church. We are hoping that she will be able to take the time and expand on each of the significant points below so that we and others can benefit from her study on how LCMS leaders, pastors and layman are hi-jacking the historically strong Biblical and confessional church and turning it into a feminized, trendy community determined by market forces and cultural preference.)

Here is the saga of my recent experience in a LCMS church. I was the victim of a “bait and switch” in the Northern Illinois District. I thought I was joining a LCMS church and I ended up in a Willow Creek style clone church. Thank you for the opportunity to warn or alert other unsuspecting Lutherans.

I was catechized back in the day when LCMS pastors did not hold back on teaching difficult doctrines to their catechumens: like syncretism, ecumenism, and unionism. I was taught properly. I remember the material. I drifted away from the church, and I put myself in the “unchurched” classification for a long time. In 2003, I commenced a five-year period of confinement taking take care of an aged parent. It was during that period with a lot of discretionary time that I renewed my mind and read the Scriptures.

When released of my caregiver responsibilities I attempted to reconnect to the church and checked into the local LCMS parish. The LCMS is still generally reputed to be a faithful denomination. I chose the brand, not the church. I was not acquainted with anyone in that church or either pastor. My time there lasted about 15 months and my experience began in the June 2008.

Upon completion of my re-education class in Lutheran doctrine in December 2008, I was made to pledge to join a Bible study or Small Group. I chose Bible study. The small group idea did not appeal to me. Small groups are not consistent with my recollection of LCMS church practices. From that time forward I would see a lot of things not consistent with my childhood experiences in the LCMS church.

Traditional worship was familiar to me except for the big Jumbotron screen in the front of the sanctuary and an empty pulpit. The biggest inconsistency with what I knew of the “old” LCMS was the semon content delivered to the congregants. I kept waiting for the pastors to proclaim the full gospel and never once did I hear any mention of sin, repentance, justification, heaven, or the certainty of God’s future judgment. Instead the senior pastor would regularly deliver a “sermonette” with sentimental platitudes and a superficial exposition of the NT reading. I began to notice there are not a lot of men attending worship, and my own husband of 37 yrs. would never sit through a “relational”, “nurturing” feminized sermon.

Sermons accompanied with ‘fill in the blank’ outlines are passed out to worshippers. There are almost always three big fill in the blank statements like: 
”God will bless me if I _______ and ________.” and 
”To overcome your fears, you must _______ and _____.” It is not my experience to have a pastor say, “Can I get an Amen?” for affirmation of a statement that he made during sermons or do hand holding prayers.

(In the second and concluding post of this telling saga we will hear how the sermons are focused on good works, how Chuck Colson, George Barna and other non-Lutherans are the “mentors” of the congregation, and the “contemporary service” that has very few young people attending and other bothersome characteristics in this parish that has rejected our grandfathers’ church.)

Inappropriate Channel

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fox Valley Fed Up":

Yup, the old "appropriate channels" where the complaint ends up in the circular file. That's why we need inappropriate channels like Ichabod.

WELS Pastor Jeske on LCMS Home Page

WELS members paid for Jeske's group, Church and Change,

to be established.

His switch to Missouri may be their reward:

LCMS Websty

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Pastor Jeske on LCMS Home Page":

As a WELS pastor, it's nonsense like this that has me seriously considering leaving the synod. They keep telling me that issues like this are being addressed, but I see no evidence that anything is actually being done.

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GJ - I am told his DP is standing in the way of any action. One must also consider the vast number of pastors and teachers trained in Church Shrinkage, all paid for through the mission offerings.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Pastor Jeske on LCMS Home Page":

Pastor Jackson wrote: "all paid for through the mission offerings". Is that an assumption? My gut feeling is that some of the money for C&C and Fuller educations came out of the general operating fund and gifts that could have went towards the ministerial school system and tuition there.

Also, I bet the pastors who went to Fuller and similar seminaries would never actually think of rolling up their sleeves and going to a mission in a third world country, so why should they dip into the missions till?

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GJ - I meant "missions" in the generic sense, anything given to the synod, not to mention Thrivent and Schwan money.

I know mission pastors were given free rides to "study" at Willow Creek, back in the 1980s. I doubt whether that money came from the officials' own pockets. Funny, I was never offered a Willow Creek scholarship.

Did Larry Oh, Fuller Bivens, David Valleskey, et al. pay the whole cost for their Fuller/Willow Creek/Trinity Deerfield educations? I doubt it.

Fox Valley Fed Up

Pastors who choose Gerhardt hymns to sing should also stand up against Reformed doctrine, as he did.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

Dr. Jackson never said anything about Fox Valley pastors "starting a revolt." He used the phrase "fed up," which, according to laymen in the Valley, is correct.

I am a layman at Riverview Lutheran in Appleton. I care not only about my own congregation, but about my neighboring churches, and I've been concerned about this whole CORE thing from the get-go. I listen to whatever information I can get my hands (ears?) on. My pastors and the other pastors around don't share much at all with laypeople about this whole thing, but you still hear things now and again...from people I consider very reliable.

St. Peter Freedom had a level-headed pastor come and go within five months, fed up with "deceit" (HIS WORD), in the St. Peter/CORE conglomeration, and insisting that he feels sorry for the members of those churches, who hear nothing more than recycled Baptist theology every week. I'd call that pretty fed up.

While most pastors in the area still remain silent (there are a lot of wimps up here), there are at least 5 pastors in the area who, for now at least, are still voicing objections "through appropriate channels." Apparently they are doing so louder and louder, to their district leadership and synod leadership. If their voices are ignored much longer, though, "fed up" will become a "revolt."

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GJ - The CORE is really the Rosetta Stone of Church and Change. Ski and Bishop Katie knew each other from St. Marcus, Milwaukee. Ski was a board member of Church and Change, but he is no longer listed. Bruce Becker, of Perish Services fame, was also a board member, but is no longer listed. Becker joined Mark and Avoid Jeske as soon as he realized his PS job would soon be PM...post-mortem.

The CORE is the essence of Church and Change - spending tons of money, running off to Schwaermer conferences every few weeks, hiding the evidence when it surfaces, shamelessly copying the most blatant false teachers. The entire operation is a sham, aimed only at entertaining the Fox Valley WELS members who will go to evening services, but scared skitless about having regular Sunday or Advent services.

The claim - "Ski will do anything--short of sin--to reach the unchurched."

The reality - "Ski will do anything except rely on the pure Word of God, so he reaches no one but the WELS Pietists."

Here is the history of Church and Change, oddly missing some key names, so y'all can see how you were suckered with your own offering money:

From the Church and Change websty history:

History of Church and Change

In 1995, a group of about 10-12 men gathered at Wisconsin Lutheran College to discuss current methods of sharing Jesus which were commonly being used in the WELS at that time.  Many at the first meeting felt that those methods of sharing Jesus were not “keeping up with” the rate of change in society.  The message of the Bible was not, therefore, penetrating society very well.

In 1998 two men who had attended the first meeting planned a Church and Change conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  The next year there was a second conference in Green Bay.  About 20 people attended each year.

In May 2001, WELS Perish Services applied for and received a Forward in Christ grant to conduct a three-year pilot program to address the issues surfaced by the previous two Church and Change conferences.  The three-year pilot program was designed to be a grassroots gathering of individuals who were pioneering new innovative methods of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with a changing culture.

Three annual conferences were planned and held beginning in 2001.  At the first conference, approximately 50 WELS members attended.  The attendance grew to 150 in the second year and 180 in the third year.  By the third year, the attendees included more than just individuals who were actively pioneering new and innovative methods for sharing Jesus.  Many in attendance wanted to learn about how to better share the gospel with the changing culture in which they served.  In addition to the three annual conferences a variety of other workshops and gatherings were held dealing with specific ministry issues such as leadership, worship, and women’s ministry.

At the final conference of the three-year pilot, held in November 2003, the conference participants enthusiastically encouraged the organizers to continue Church and Change.  A steering committee was subsequently formed from among the participants to address the future direction of Church and Change.

From November 2003 until the present the steering committee has met and drafted a proposal that addresses the future of Church and Change. 

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GJ - Church and Change made a lot of progress. Mark Jeske is now featured on the LCMS websty, and Time of Generic Grace is a Missouri Synod Registered Service Organization. He has done this without mentioning on the air that he is Lutheran. In that respect, Jeske is honest and above board - he is not Lutheran. DNA does not a Lutheran make.

Climate Changers Act Just Like Church and Changers

Have you ever kissed a frog? asked Jim Aderman

Yes I have, said FIC contributing editor Jim Aderman.

Here is the link for the story below:

 

This is a handout photo of Toronto blogger Steve McIntyre.

Photograph by: Canwest News Service, Canwest News Service

Steve McIntyre, 62, is a Toronto retiree. He plays squash, dabbles with numbers and insists he never set out to stir up any trouble.

So why does his name appear again and again - in the most unflattering ways - in hundreds of e-mails written by the world's most influential climate change scientists, that were mysteriously taken from a computer in Britain last month and published on the Internet?

In these private messages, McIntyre is called everything from a "bozo" and a "moron" to a "playground bully."

"In my opinion," said one e-mail written by Benjamin Santer, a senior climatologist with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, "Stephen McIntyre is the self-appointed Joe McCarthy of climate science."

Tree-ring Fraud Detailed Here

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GJ - I have spared the readers most of the comments from anonymous changers, who are clearly WELS members and pastors. The name-calling above is quite mild and restrained compared to the language of the Chicaneries.

Deceitfulness does not like to be uncovered, so the climate changer frauds act just like the Church and Changers. They insist on getting of anyone in their way, so they pile more lies on top of their deceit.

For example, David Valleskey appeared to say something good about me in his odious "Figs From Thistles" essay published in the Quarterly. But he told a WELS pastor that he wrote that essay "against that legalist in Ohio." He did not call me a legalist in his essay, nor did he say anything against my hundreds of published articles. But his buddy DP Marcus Nitz soon jumped on my case like a hobo on a hotdog.

I could give many more examples of this behavior, with even worse cases in the notorious CLC (sic).

The key to the Climategate scandal (also called Climaquiddick) is not due to hacking the computer files. The evidence points to someone carefully sifting through the data and emails and leaking them. Someone on the inside probably grew tired of the scientific fraud, deceit, and slander.

The Chicanery problem is - they do not know who the leakers are. Various people send me information all the time. At first I had to do all my own legwork (so to speak) going through blogs, websites, and Google searches. Later, people began sending me links to look at. More recently, boatloads of material starting coming my way, high quality intell, from here and there. Now it is difficult to keep up with the information sent.

The Chicaneries can continue to call me names. I hope the student newspapers complain again about Ichabod. Traffic doubles when they get their lavender hose in a bunch.

The Shrinkers did not want me in a synod, so I am independent. They did not want Christian News publishing the truth, so I have a bigger audience now. Plenty of younger Lutherans are active in fighting the false doctrine of the WELS-LCMS apostates.

According to Christ, apostasy will come close to prevailing. "When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith?"

Who has declared war against faith itself - the UOJ Stormtroopers of Church Growth!

He must not publish in CN again!

Handicapping the Easter Bunny Zebra Hunter - Kudu Don Patterson

Vilas Glaeske is the current Doctrinal Pussycat in the Central Southern Babtist District.

Yet  - Patterson dodged a bullet and got another free vicar

in the midst of the Second Great Depression.

Glaeske also called each free vicar back to their district.

Lions, tigers, and bears - beware if they vote in a Lutheran

If Glaeske retires as DP, Patterson may well become the next DP. For years Patterson has enjoyed African safaris and free vicars at his church. When those Patterson free vicars graduated from the Sausage Factory in Mequon, Glaeske gave them calls back to Central Southern Babtist.

In short, Patterson has a built-in network, thanks to the "conservative" Glaeske.

Likewise, the weathervane Engelbrecht is against Church and Change when he is away from them, but actively supporting them for so-called district evangelism events and wild hair projects like The CORE. Why is Ski openly kelming Groeschel? Do the Emerging Church leaders channel Luther or even quote him?

District Popes are enablers of Church and Change. They are like state governors, in the secular world - where politics are a little more honest. DPs have plenty of clout to promote Enthusiasm and to quash Confessionalism.

Patterson is on the board of WLCFS, a key node in the Church and Change network.

Patterson has been called to serve as a Mequon professor more than once.

Recently, he and Paul Calvin Kelm gave papers to the Mequon faculty on how to improve seminary education. And you think WELS has no sense of humor?

Here are some imaginary quotes (imaginary, as in satire):

Kelm: "We need to train our boys in how to copy Schwaermer sermons and entertainment services. Too much time is spent on learning dead orthodoxy."

Patterson: "The seminary should host an annual trip to Exponential. I took a bunch of church workers there, and they were impressed."

Kelm: "Maybe I am just sensitive about my middle name, but I think Mequon should stop criticizing Calvin. A waste of time."

Patterson: "I don't want y'all teaching grantsmanship. Leave my money connections alone."

Kelm: "As my mentor, David Valleskey, wrote - we can spoil the Egyptians instead of criticizing the Reformed. No more Christian bashing in class. We can learn from them."

Patterson: "Pure gold, Paul. Pure gold."

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Handicapping the Easter Bunny Zebra Hunter - Kudu ...":

Greg, c'mon if you checked yor facts, you'd see that Patterson isn't on the board of WLCFS and hasn't been for over a year. Ceck it out for yourself at www.wlcfs.org.

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GJ - Totally awesome. I looked up the Board of Directors. According to the logic of the above comment, Patterson ceases to have any connections if he is no longer on the board. I see. Very astute, for someone who just fell off the beet wagon. And Bruce Becker is no longer a leader in Church and Change because he is not listed on the board.

WLCFS is a node in the Church Shrinkage Network. I noticed that Mattek has been demoted from CEO to Director of Ministry. It appears a Missouri guy is in charge. The bios are brief, almost absent, so I will await corrections with bated breath.

Your Thrivent Policy Money At Work - Flip Gaydar Switch To "On"

Thrivent is outted on a Gay Lesbian Trannie Bisexual website.

Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the MLC"

Episcopal Clergy in Los Angeles

Friday, December 04, 2009

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Clergy and laypeople voting to replace two retiring assistant bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles will choose Friday from a pool that includes two openly gay candidates.

The selection of one or both of the gay candidates at the diocese's annual convention would mark the first election of a bishop in a same-sex relationship since Bishop V. Gene Robinson was chosen in New Hampshire in 2003. Robinson lives with his longtime male partner.

Robinson's win six years ago led dozens of conservative parishes and four dioceses to vote to leave the 2.1-million member U.S. denomination and pushed the 77 million-member Anglican fellowship to the brink of schism.

There are six candidates in this week's election, including the Rev. John L. Kirkley of San Francisco and the Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool of Baltimore, who are openly gay.

It is hard to know, however, what further impact the selection of a second gay bishop would have on the faith.

The majority of Anglicans outside the United States are theological conservatives.

Within the United States, breakaway traditionalists have formed the Anglican Church in North America as a rival to the Episcopal Church.

Episcopalians have made clear to the rest of the Anglican family that they will not roll back their support for same-sex couples.

Last July, the Episcopal General Convention, the church's top policy-making body, effectively lifted a moratorium on electing another gay bishop. The temporary ban had been requested by Anglican leaders seeking to prevent a permanent break in the communion.

The Los Angeles diocese has 70,000 members and covers six Southern California counties.

Most of the candidates have viewed and approved the "Party in the MLC" video.

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mjleyrer has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

How do we know that most of them have seen and approved Party in the MLC?


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GJ - Because the candidates are gay, Mr. Leyrer.

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mjleyrer has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

So... you have no real real proof that they have seen and approved it? You're just assuming they did?


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GJ - I added that line to the actual story, to prank the humorless defenders of "Party in the MLC," similar to installing the gaydar dish on Old Main at Martin Luther College.


I got the idea about adding the sentence from people who accused me of making up the fact that Jeske preached at a joint service with the LCMS. Even though the link was embedded in the article I quoted verbatim, some accused me of making up one sentence because they did not find it in another source, which I never mentioned or linked.

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dk has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

Dr. Jackson is a called and ordained Pastor, a theologian, and by all appearances, a very knowledgeable gardener. (I read his book but haven't seen his garden)

Beyond that, Dr. Jackson is an honest man. He hasn't hidden anything about himself and his thoughts--he hasn't attempted to hide his dismay and anger at the 'teachers' who falsely represent God's Truth. Of course someone should be angry at false teachers.(and he's pretty good with satire too)

If you invest the time it takes to LEARN, and read what he's written, you will find that his argument against Objective Justification is solid--

the idea the God justifies anyone, without the Means of Grace, before faith, is completely unScriptural.

Jackson bears witness to the truth by proclaiming over and over: (paraphrase) The Means of Grace are called the Means of Grace because they are the means by which grace comes to a person: The Word and Sacrament are solely responsible for creating faith in the heart of a person, and faith justifies.

Professor (Dr.) (Pastor) Jackson deserves your respect for the hard work he's done. If you doubt Jackson's orthodoxy, honor him AND yourself by arguing with Scripture and the Confessions. You may learn something.

Do the work. If he's wrong, rebut. But if you won't do the work it might be a better use of your time to read Daily Kos.

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I. J. Reilly has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

Mr.Jackson may be ordained, but he is not currently called... unless he called himself like he gives communion to himself.

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GJ - Reilly (fake name) has spoken with the wisdom of WELS, where they "ordain" teachers and "call" kindergarten teachers. Does he know me or my situation? No, but that never stops the Chicaneries from beating their gums. They do not trust the Word of God, but they want everyone to listen with bated breath while they explain the word of man.

I was called to serve Bethany a long time ago, and that has been continuous since that time, 1998. I would like to see the Shrinkers start a congregation without synodical support, multi-million dollar loans, Thrivent grants, foundation loot, and special consultants.

Ah, that is where we have gained the upper hand. Without failed pastors to advise us, our little flock has broadcast the Word around the world. Our overhead is low. Didja ever hear of tent-making, Fake Reilly? I read about it in Shakespeare or the Bible. I would love to see one Chicanery working a real job and preaching twice a week during Advent and Lent.

Ski has spent well over $250,000 and has empty time sheets in all categories, including his quarterly blog offerings. But he goes to more Schwaermer conferences than his mentor, Andy Stanley. But all is not lost. I hear the Fox Valley pastors are fed up with the spreading cancer there. Stay tuned.

Doebler has one web page, after getting a $20,000 grant from Antioch. How much for a second web page? Or maybe there is a back door? Whatcha hiding?

Randy Hunter has a woman pastor working for him, according to the Book of Concord definition. Is the ELS upset? Is his WELS district? Is anyone?

Being legitimate in the eyes of a man-made synod does not equal being faithful in the Word and Confessions.

How many Reformed groups require their mission people to teach the Biblical Means of Grace? Zero. But how many "conservative" Lutheran synods demand that their mission people teach Enthusiasm? All of them.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

Anonymous at 8:43pm,

"As Staff Minister of Worship, Kristen is responsible for planning and implementing all worship opportunities at St. Andrew."
http://www.st-andrew-online.org/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=5563&sec_id=2361

Kristen is a Pastor having received and accepted a divine call to serve in the WELS' St. Andrew Lutheran Church as Minister of Worship.

Here she is listed as Minister of Worship. http://www.st-andrew-online.org/site/cpage.asp?sec_id=2361&cpage_id=5431#Staff

Definition of Minister
noun 1. a person authorized to conduct religious worship; member of the clergy; pastor.
2. a person authorized to administer sacraments, as at Mass.
3. a person appointed by or under the authority of a sovereign or head of a government to some high office of state, esp. to that of head of an administrative department: the minister of finance.
4. a diplomatic representative accredited by one government to another and ranking next below an ambassador. Compare envoy 1 (def. 1).
5. a person acting as the agent or instrument of another.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/minister

It's a false claim to say that Kristen is not a Pastor.

 

History of St. Andrew

St. Andrew has been a part of the Middleton community since 1975.  Westside Christian opened its doors in 2001.  To learn more about our history....

Staff

Pastor Randy Hunter

Minister of Worship, Kristen Koepsell

Minister of Spiritual Growth, David Hochmuth

Vicar, Alex Groth

Elders

Leaders

“The best part of my job is knowing that my work directly impacts the spiritual lives of those who worship here and enables them to connect with God. I say this with a full and complete understanding (and appreciation!) of the fact that the actual work is done by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace – but it is a great privilege and a great joy to be an instrument in ‘administering God’s grace’ in the form of worship gatherings."

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Episcopal Candidates for Bishop Love "Party in the...":

Does this lady help with communion?
It is not permitted or Scriptural! Tell me what I am reading ain't so.
President Schroeder, We have a problem!!! Somebody fix it. This is where my part ends, cause women can't usurp athority.

In Christ,
from WELS church lady

Mark Steyn's Summary of the Global Warming Hoax

Click here for a good layman's summary of the global warming hoax. Note that the obscene references in the column, from the global warming scientists own comments, are edited for decency. Global warmists have worse issues with vocabulary than the Changers in WELS.

Here is the Wikipedia bio on Steyn.

See Finkelstein for more insights on the topic.

Three Faces of Enthusiasm

Words have definite meanings, although sometimes a tiger can be a lion cheetah.

I was wondering about a layman's question, when he mentioned justification by grace, as if faith did not belong. I realized today that UOJ Stormtroopers may have consciously avoided "by faith" to emphasize their toxic opinion that the entire world is absolved from sin without faith. ELCA, Seminex, and the Universalists agree that global forgiveness is pure grace. Justification by faith does not exclude grace, but UOJers reject, distort, and condemn faith.

UOJ gurus are Enthusiasts because they separate the Holy Spirit from the Word, something thoroughly condemned by the Book of Concord. Enthusiasm has many faces:

1. Receptionism is Enthusiasm because its advocates claim "we do not know when the elements are the Body and Blood of Christ." In other words, the Word does not consecrate. The Holy Spirit wanders away from the Word, as Calvin taught, and leaves everyone puzzled.
   
2. Church Growthism is Enthusiasm, because proponents argue that their man-made programs can make up for the deficiencies of the Word, as long as they are "done right." Questions? Send your check to...
   
3. UOJ is Enthusiasm because grace is given to the entire world, so they think, without the Word of God.
   

From Thy Strong Word:

J-701

“And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i. e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word."

Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312. Heiser, p. 147.

J-702

"All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. Just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures?"

Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #5-6. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312f. Heiser, p. 147.

J-703

"In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary."

Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, #9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. Tappert, p. 313. Heiser, p. 147.

J-704

"Also, we reject and condemn the error of the Enthusiasts, who imagine that God without means, without the hearing of God's Word, also without the use of the holy Sacraments, draws men to Himself, and enlightens, justifies, and saves them."

Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article II, Free Will, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 789. Tappert, p. 471. Heiser, p. 219.

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"The Lutheran Confessions take a decisive stand against 'enthusiasts,' who teach that the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of men without the Word and Sacraments (SA-III VIII 3-13; LC II 34-62; FC Ep II 13)."

John T. Mueller, "Grace, Means of," Lutheran Cyclopedia, Erwin L. Lueker, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1975, p. 344.  

"On the contrary, with the Anabaptists and the Reformed Church in general, the Mennonites are Enthusiasts, lay great stress on the immediate working of the Holy Ghost, who is said to 'guide the saints into all truth.' In his Geschichte der Mennonitengemeinden John Horsch, a prominent Mennonite, states that the Holy Spirit is the 'inner word,' who enables Christians to understand the Scriptures. Without the inner word, or the light, the Scripture is a dead letter and a dark lantern."

            The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 260.         

Luther: "True, the enthusiasts confess that Christ died on the cross and saved us; but they repudiate that by which we obtain Him; that is, the means, the way, the bridge, the approach to Him they destroy...They lock up the treasure which they should place before us and lead me a fool's chase; they refuse to admit me to it; they refuse to transmit it; they deny me its possession and use." (III, 1692)

The. Engelder, W. Arndt, Th. Graebner, F. E. Mayer, Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 5.         

"A denial of the efficacy and sufficiency of the means of grace is contained in the theological systems of all religious enthusiasts."

Edwin E. Pieplow, "The Means of Grace," The Abiding Word, ed., Theodore Laetsch, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1946, II, p. 343.   

"And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i. e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word."

Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, 3-5, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312.  

"The practical result of the separation of the divine power from the divine Word of Scripture is the rejection of the Bible as the only source and norm of faith (norma normans). This is proved by the very fact that the enthusiasts have invariably placed the 'inner word' (verbum internum), or the 'spirit,' above Holy Scripture (verbum externum), assigning to the latter an inferior place in the realm of divine revelation. To the enthusiasts the Bible is only a norma normata, or a rule of faith subject to the 'inner word,' that is, to their own notions and figments of reason."

John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics, A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 135.      

"The Christian doctrine of the means of grace is abolished by all 'enthusiasts,' all who assume a revealing and effective operation of the Holy Spirit without and alongside the divinely ordained means of grace."

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 127. 

"To remain properly humble while firmly rejecting all erroneous teachings regarding the means of grace, we should remind ourselves how even Christians who teach and, as a rule, also believe, the correct doctrine of the means of grace, in their personal practice very often lose sight of the means of grace. This is done whenever they base the certainty of grace, or of the forgiveness of sin, on their feeling of grace or the gratia infusa, instead of on God's promise in the objective means of grace. All of us are by nature 'enthusiasts.'"

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 131.       

"Our opponents hold that saving faith must be founded on Christ Himself, not on the means of grace. This reasoning, common to the Reformed, the 'enthusiasts' of all shades, and modern 'experience' theologians, assumes that faith can and should be based on Christ to the exclusion of the means of grace."

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 152.

"The Lutheran theologians, in general, had reason to illustrate very particularly the doctrine of the operation of the Word of God, in order to oppose the Enthusiasts and Mystics, who held that the Holy Spirit operated rather irrespectively of the Word than through it; and to oppose also the Calvinists, who, led by their doctrine of predestination, would not grant that the Word possessed this power per se, but only in such cases where God chose...."

Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, trans., Charles A. Hay, Henry E. Jacobs, Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1889, p. 511.      J-701

“And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i. e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word."
Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312. Heiser, p. 147.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Three Faces of Enthusiasm":

One of the frequent claims on this blog is that the enthusiasts separate the Holy Spirit from the Word. That the HS can not work independent of the Word. If the Word can not be separated, then how was the thief on the cross saved? There is only one recording of this scene in Luke. Jesus tells the thief he is saved and yet you do not see the sequence of unbelief, receiving the Word by the Holy Spirit, repentance, forgiveness and granting of saving faith etc...as you all seem to have figured out. To put it another way...how do you know that the Holy Spirit has not given faith to an infant that dies before it is born?


***

GJ - As Luther pointed out, Jesus always converted through the spoken Word. The fulness of the godhead dwelt in Him, so there is no separation between the Word of Christ and the Holy Spirit. The thief on the cross was converted from hearing the Word from our Savior. Jesus absolved him and promised him eternal life.

Baptists like to use the thief on the cross against the efficacy of Holy Baptism. The Bible does not teach the absolute necessity of baptism, but it does teach the absolute necessity of faith in Christ. God gave us the sacraments of baptism and communion to unite the power of His Word with visible elements.

There is no better example of the Gospel than infant baptism. The naked, weak baby has nothing to offer God but receives faith in the Gospel Promises. The parents, congregation, and extended family know, "This is when he became a believer" by this specific divine act.

Mid-Week Service

Peacock by Norma Boeckler. Every tuft and feather - created through Christ.

Advent Mid-Week Service, December 3, 2009

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM, Central Standard Time

The Hymn # 554 Now Rest Beneath – Gerhard 3.67
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 100 p. 144
The First Lection
The Second Lection
The Sermon Hymn # 55 Come, Thou Precious 3.17

All Things Made by Him

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Hymn #52 Almighty Father 3.70

KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

All Things Made by Him

The Bible is a small book, especially small when we consider that it begins with Creation and finishes with the end of history.

Many individual works by men like Chemnitz and Gerhard are larger than the entire Bible.

I am making this point to say that nothing in the text should be ignored or taken for granted.

Unlike most books that we should race through, because they have little to say, the Bible should be studied phrase by phrase.

John 1:1 is a good example. It is no accident that “the Word” is used three times. Nor is an accident that only two books in the Bible start the same way – “In the beginning.”

“In the beginning” reminds us of Genesis and unites the Gospel of John with Genesis. Many of the major themes of John reflect Genesis, including Creation and Abraham.

Throughout the Bible, the three-ness of the One God is emphasized by groups of three. Instead of human formulas, we have many different ways of expressing God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

If we line out the opening of John as poetry, the message is even more compelling, clear, and profound:

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

All three references to the Word are to Christ, and yet Christ is not 1/3 of God.

KJV Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
The Bible exalts Christ from the beginning, because Christ earned our forgiveness on the cross. Therefore, from Genesis 3 the saving role of the Son of God is the clear Gospel message of the Scriptures. Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, yet the Messiah was promised to them, Gen 3:15.

Forgiveness and salvation are closely connected with Creation.

Genesis 1 and John 1 together show that every single thing in the universe has been created by Him as the Creating Word. To make this clear, John reveals that “apart from Him” nothing was created.

We take this for granted, but we should not. We think of human life as created through Christ, but also all life, from the lowest forms. All elements. All the stars, planets, galaxies. Everything is created by Him and through Him.

The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel to create faith in us, and that divinely created faith receives the Gospel Promise of forgiveness and salvation, making us “New Creations.”

If we became Christians by making a decision, we would be called “New Decisions” in the Bible. Instead, we are called New Creations (creatures).

KJV 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

KJV Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Busta Gut's All Growed Up

Subject: [church_and_change] event technology
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 2009 4:57:46
From: hungry_jimmy
To:



Hey everyone,

I'm interested in starting a database of WELS event technicians. We techs are being called upon more and more to serve our Lord in worship services, concerts, plays/musicals, etc. For starters, I'm thinking to include those who have worked in live sound reinforcement, live video production (broadcast or projection), presentation software, stage lighting, worship space conversions (setup/takedown in gymnasiums etc.) and pretty much any stagecraft.

I have not seen any other WELS forum in which to gather event technicians together, so here it is. Let me know if you have any ideas on how to do this or how we might support each other, even with training. I have created a group on Facebook, but am keeping it hidden and dormant until the right time.

If you are an event technician, even if only volunteering occasionally at your church, then please make yourselves known.

About me: I live near Phoenix, Arizona, and I've worked well over 1000 events as a live sound reinforcement tech (day job). In the WELS, I've run sound for a Church & Change concert, a few Camp Phillip Family Fests, the Wisc Luth Chapel & Student Center campus ministry in Madison WI, Corban Creek Band 2005 Farewell Tour Northwest/Midwest USA, CrossWalk Church in Phoenix AZ, Koine's 2009 Arizona mini-tour, and others. I have an A.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology and spent my first 3 years of college at MLC in a double major of Elementary Ed and Secondary Science.

Alrighty, God's blessings to you. Maybe I'll see some of you in December if it works out to come up to WI to run sound for Koine's string of Christmas shows. (I have a job interview here in Phoenix and don't know what will happen yet.) Feel free to call me. We LSR guys need to stick together!

~jimmy holub
608.347.8525

Mid-Week Service Tonight at 7 PM Central

Our mid-week Advent service will be at 7 PM Central time tonight.

Group Consensus Manipulation

Church and Change has used this process all along, in cahoots with their apostate brethren and cistern. Now that they control the colleges and the Sausage Factory, they can bide their time.

The merger producing the ELCA (1987) was packed with "gathering input from all corners" and taking "every concern seriously." And yet, the end result of all this consensus building was the worst possible combination of Seminexers, ALCats (who started Lutherans Concerned), and papal LCA priestcraft.

When I questioned the ELCA merger, I was "the only one" who had such doubts. Several denominations have formed since then, comprised of thousands of laity and not a few pastors, all from ELCA, where everyone was united, I was told.

When I dissented from the Church Growth agenda of WELS in the 1980s, DP Mueller said I was "the only one in WELS who objected to Church Growth." Later he admitted that Kelm was removed as head of evangelism for the same reasons I cited about CG in general. But DP Mueller had two stories for every occasion, a true weather vane, double-minded and unstable in all his ways (James 1:8).

WELS pastors are especially quick to tell two opposing stories, often blending two opposing doctrines into one. For instance, Frosty Bivens could coo about reading Synodical Conference materials--"much fine gold"--and brag about attending Fuller Seminary before denying he attended Fuller.

DP Candidate Dom Perignon Patterson had reservations about Church and Change...although he led a session there! His reservations plagued his conscience so much that he purred "pure gold" as John Lawrenz explained the need for Emerging Church methods on Asians. That was on the Church and Change listserve! (I was denied membership on that spirit-anointed listserve, but I get their posts anyway.)

And where was DP-in-Waiting Patterson last month? He was at the Church and Change conference with the usual suspects.

Worst Video Still Posted

MLC statues "The Sprinter" and "Luther" square off

Statues of "The Sprinter" and "Martin Luther" at Martin Luther College come to life and battle it out across the campus.

The plot:

1. Someone zaps the Sprinter and the Martin Luther statues, making them come alive.
   
2. Luther sees the Sprinter, flings his Bible away in a fury, and begins chasing the Sprinter.
   
3. Both engage in violent, badly faked fighting in the snow, bare-chested.
   
4. The statues chase around the Martin Luther campus, outside and in.
   
5. The statues are sissy-kicking each other, to the sound of Kung-Fu Fighting.
   
6. Two students decide to shoot them, but the bullets do not harm the statues.
   
7. Luther says "Oh God!" and hugs the Sprinter. The Sprinter hugs Luther.

Why name a college after Dr. Martin Luther, featuring a dignified statue of him pointing at the Word of God, and then post a video of him tossing the Scriptures away and fighting, only to get weepy and violate his own Small Catechism.

When the Northwestern College alumni let Gurgle-Mueller take their college away, they had the Sprinter statue moved to New Ulm, loathe to leave their marble friend behind.

This graphic can be found on Google Images. The statues have knocked themselves out fighting and are lying on the cold campus concrete.
Funny? You betcha.

***

GJ - This video represents the dominant spirit of the college, as represented by the anti-Confessional Larry Olson, whose reputation rests upon a DMin from Fuller Seminary and one parish, which is doing so poorly that it is borrowing money to move away. Before Larry Oh!--Our Staph Infection--came Ted Hartwig of Two Isaiahs (liberal criticism of the Bible) fame. Ted hisself defended the unionist, feminist creeds in Contemptuous Worship - in the Quarterly and in The Northwestern Lutheran (proto-FIC). So Ted was their heresiarch at MLC, "severely punished," and yet emerged as the expert on feminist Biblical language. And boy, the NARAL and ERA and NOW harpies rushed to join WELS after that, burning their hellish bras in solidarity with Ted's bold stance.

Mrs. Ichabod just reminded me that Dorothy Sonntag left WELS for ELCA. My bad. That was apparently the only feminist result of Ted's creeds and Tiefel's hymnal. At least they got rid of that odious word Lutheran in the main title of their joint project with the ELS.

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mjleyrer has left a new comment on your post "Worst Video Still Posted":

Hey guy above my comment, I'm sorry did anyone ask you to critique how Lutheran MLC was? Do you have some super awesome Lutheran radar that detects the amount of Lutheranism on any given Lutheran campus?

Need I remind you that LUTHERANISM is a branch of CHRISTIANITY? Yeah, Christ, remember that guy? The one who died for our sins? Oh, wait. You're right Luther did that.

Maybe there not the best Lutheran's but their fine Christians. So go take your malicious, ignorant, bull-crap slander somewhere else.

And Jacko, give it up man. Digging up videos on MLC is like digging up dirt on the prom date that turned you down. I.E. PATHETIC.

***

GJ - If I were one of the MLC vidiots, I was ask the Leyrer dude to stop defending me. Seriously.

My date married me 40 years ago, but thanks for your concern.

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Fox Mulder has left a new comment on your post "Worst Video Still Posted":

Congrats mjleyrer you accomplished nothing just now. Please, that kind of comment does nothing here. Please remain respectful or (sic - of?) Pastor Jackson. Otherwise you just give him more material to rant about. <== Fox knows how to feign respect.

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mjleyrer has left a new comment on your post "Worst Video Still Posted":

Trust me Jacko, I am not one who is always on the MLC side, but when you come in here being all "BLAH BLAH BLAH MLC IS DUMB LOOK AT THIS STUPID VIDEO LOLZ!!!" I can't help but shut your ignoramus down. You probably have not set foot on the campus in how long? Okay. And you know how many students up there? Right. And you know what about what's going on there? Wow. Even my text is echoing in the VOID of your knowledge of MLC.

Jacko, you gotta stop getting owned by 20 year old kids who aren't even pastor track. It's getting embarrassing.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Clueless in the MLC":

In response to mjleyrer,

Do you know who Dr. Jackson cares about? You! Do you know which synod has some of the most warm hearted and Gospel centerd people that GJ knows? Your's! Required reading highly endorsed by Pastor GJ, The Theology Of The Cross.(Written by a Confessional Lutheran Prof.)

Who has WELS Pastor friends calling him on the phone?(chatting and catching upon things) Answer...Gregory L Jackson. Confessional pastors speak loudly and the CGers will eat them up.

All the followers of this blog are WELS/ELS. Also, a few conservative LCMS friends. Remember, a well seasoned WELS gentleman sent GJ the video (2 weeks after it was put out and admired by the subculture types) Some of the people I most respect graduated from MLC. I could never fill their shoes.

In Christ,
from WELS church lady

***

GJ - Ichabod, American citizen, born Lutheran (Moline Lutheran Hospital) - doing the job administrators won't do.

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The MLC videographyer might feel like Nathan Lane in The Producers,

saying to Lehrer, "Don't help me!"