Thrivent Uses Your Money To Send Candidates to ELCA Seminary

Janesville

Janesville couple 'Aware of the call'

By CATHERINE IDZERDA ( Contact )   Monday, Dec. 28, 2009

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Dave Nelsestuen

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Lisa Konzen

Dave Nelsestuen’s background includes expertise in the insurance and financial industries, organizational dynamics and team leadership.
Lisa Konzen’s background includes highly developed communication skills, experience with nonprofits and an understanding of families struggling with suffering and loss.
Here’s what they have in common: Both entered Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, at midlife.
Why start over again in such a difficult profession?
Both pastors and seminarians say it’s not about a job; it’s about a call.
“Some people are older before they became aware of the call in their lives,” said the Rev. Steven Ekblad of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Janesville. “But many times, they’ve always known the call was there, but couldn’t do it.”
Roped in, midlife
Nelsestuen, 53, and his wife, Mary, live in Janesville and have two grown daughters. For 32 years, he worked for the Lutheran Brotherhood, which later became Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
“I had a very successful career there,” Nelsestuen said. “But about six or seven years ago, I started getting restless.”
He had been active in his church, Faith Lutheran of Janesville, serving on committees and councils, taking classes and working with church-sponsored ministries and camps.
He was so involved people sometimes jokingly called him “Pastor Dave.”
A few years ago, he signed up for the Lay School of Ministry through the South Central Synod of the Lutheran Church.
He considered keeping his business and becoming a part-time lay minister.
At one point, a church official said, “Why don’t you go to seminary?”
This spring, he’ll graduate. He hopes to find work in southern Wisconsin or northern Illinois.
“I think everything that’s happened in my life was preparing me for this,” Nelsestuen said. “I think God’s had a rope around me for years, and now he’s pulling it in.”
Family first
Konzen, 43, of Janesville has been dealing with her “call” since she was a child.
“When I was little, I would bring home the misselette, scrounge up some grape juice and some of those ice cream cones with the flat bottoms for wafers and perform the mass for my Barbie dolls,” said Konzen, who was raised Roman Catholic.
She toyed with becoming a nun, but during her adolescence, she began to question the tenets of the Catholic faith and eventually left the church.
She attended a Baptist college, where she majored in English and minored in biblical languages.
“I had a strong sense of being called to do something,” Konzen said.
Instead of being called to ministry, she was called home to Janesville to care for her parents.
“Dad had diabetes, and for a long while, he had it under control,” Konzen said. “But then he had to have dialysis—that’s three times a week for three to four hours each time.”
During this time, she and her parents found a new spiritual home in the Lutheran church.
“I told my parents, ‘We’ll give this one try,’” Konzen said. “We landed at Good Shepard, and I finally felt like all the pieces had been put into place.”
Her father eventually ended up at Beloit Health and Rehab—as did her mother, after she had a heart attack.
“Taking care of him and Mom, I knew I was needed where I was,” Konzen said. “I didn’t see it as anything heroic. I got as much out of the relationship as they did.”
Her father died from pneumonia in June 2006, and her mother died three months later. She didn’t want to make any serious decisions while she was grieving for her parents.
She also was a little afraid—afraid of making the right choice, afraid of the challenges of a new life and afraid of life’s practicalities.
In September, Konzen started seminary.
“The fear doesn’t go away. It morphs into excitement,” Konzen said. “It’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be good.”
Both rookie and veteran
Becoming a new pastor in your 40s or 50s has some advantages.
“What’s powerful about this is that they’ve had a whole bunch of time to think through what matters and what doesn’t,” Ekblad said.
At the same time, pastors used to the pace of the business world will be startled to find how small changes in church routines can cause major upsets.
“You cannot let your feelings become the focus,” Ekblad said. “And you’ll be more effective if you don’t have an ego problem.”
The key to success?
“Try to get out of the way and let Christ’s light shine through you,” Ekblad said.

Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine - Part XII

Every time you hear the bells, another Missouri pastor popes.

Someone wrote that he has suspected LCMS William Weedon of being a closet papist. I thought so myself. The latest blog post suggests he is a Recessional Lutheran, working his way to Rome and hoping to take a bunch with him. His associates in blogging belong to the same smells-and-bells cult, redolent of incense, popery, and Mariolatry.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Weedon wrote recently about being obsessed with Mary.

The latest offering quotes Ratzinger verbatim.

"A Few Gems from Ratzinger on Liturgy

that I happen to think are bang on right:"

Would it be just a little more honest to attribute these bang on quotes to Pope Benedict XVI? I think so. I do not recall any pope being called Roncalli or Montini after elevation to the position of Antichrist.

Father Richard John Neuhaus was a "confessional Lutheran" until he joined Rome. Perhaps many LCMS pastors will walk the tightrope for years to come, but I doubt it.

Paul McCain, part of this circle, worked closely with Fenton until Fenton joined Eastern Orthodoxy and denounced justification by faith. Hearts across Missouri-land sunk as they bid a fond adieu to Fenton, their mentor in stratospherically high church practices.

McCain gushes over Weedon's deep, deep insights. McCain was thrilled that Father Neuhaus helped Missouri be in touch with the pope, who allegedly said, "Oh, those Missouri Lutherans." How many Missourians have poped since then? And how many priests have Martined?

The two-headed calf continues to beckon. Some go to Fuller. Others to Rome and Constantinople.

They never seem to consider the only path: the efficacious Word and the Confessions as a guide (not just a rabbit's foot).

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Dan @ Necessary Roughness has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

I would recommend reading more Weedon and listen to his guest appearances on Issues, Etc., get a better sampling.

Pr. Weedon considered Eastern Orthodoxy but returned from that, refusing to give up Justification and grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone.

There are those in the LCMS that hug so tightly to tradition for the sake of tradition itself and a belonging to the Holy Mother Church, but Pastor Weedon is not one of them. He uses rubrics, etc., to point people to Christ.


***

GJ - That may be true, Dan, but I think it is mischievous to quote the Antichrist favorably when so few know even a smattering of Luther.

I have read pages and pages of Roman theology, very well done in fact, where I agree completely, and then it all  collapses with the Satanic statements on the next page. That is why the Antichrist is so dangerous today. The current candidate is an excellent diplomat, a charming fellow, and very Holy Father-ish. Why quote the pope favorably and use his maiden name?

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William Weedon has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

Dear Pastor Jackson,

You will, I'm afraid, be waiting a very long time if you expect this pastor to "pope." I have absolutely zero positive reasons to turn Rome and countless negative reasons why doing so would be fool-hardy - the first and foremost of which being Rome's continual inability to distinguish law and gospel and thus continually confounding the doctrine of justification with sanctification. Beyond that there are the little matters of indulgences, purgatory, prayers to the saints, treasury of merits and so forth. I abominate all of these.

As for the bells, does your indictment then rest against the numerous generations of Lutherans in Saxony who used them after the Reformation???


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GJ - Adiaphora, Formula of Concord, SD

5] Namely, when under the title and pretext of external adiaphora such things are proposed as are in principle contrary to God's Word (although painted another color), these are not to be regarded as adiaphora, in which one is free to act as he will, but must be avoided as things prohibited by God. In like manner, too, such ceremonies should not be reckoned among the genuine free adiaphora, or matters of indifference, as make a show or feign the appearance, as though our religion and that of the Papists were not far apart, thus to avoid persecution, or as though the latter were not at least highly offensive to us; or when such ceremonies are designed for the purpose, and required and received in this sense, as though by and through them both contrary religions were reconciled and became one body; or when a reentering into the Papacy and a departure from the pure doctrine of the Gospel and true religion should occur or gradually follow therefrom [when there is danger lest we seem to have reentered the Papacy, and to have departed, or to be on the point of departing gradually, from the pure doctrine of the Gospel].

10] We believe, teach, and confess also that at the time of confession [when a confession of the heavenly truth is required], when the enemies of God's Word desire to suppress the pure doctrine of the holy Gospel, the entire congregation of God, yea, every Christian, but especially the ministers of the Word, as the leaders of the congregation of God [as those whom God has appointed to rule His Church], are bound by God's Word to confess freely and openly the [godly] doctrine, and what belongs to the whole of [pure] religion, not only in words, but also in works and with deeds; and that then, in this case, even in such [things truly and of themselves] adiaphora, they must not yield to the adversaries, or permit these [adiaphora] to be forced upon them by their enemies, whether by violence or cunning, to the detriment of the true worship of God and the introduction and sanction of idolatry. 11] For it is written, Gal. 5:1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bondage.

It is irrelevant whether pastors in Saxony used mass bells, as you mention on your blog. This is a time of confessional crisis, when Lutheran ministers are slinking around, edging into Romanism, and covertly instructing others to do the same. Lutheran pastors should avoid aping the papal priests, as the Book of Concord states so clearly above.

Nor does it matter whether you ever join the Church of Rome. You are giving false support to those who are looking for encouragement in their escape to the Gospel of Purgatory and papal infallibility.

The Book of Concord indictment applies to all the smells-and-bells Lutheran clergy who make Rome the gold standard of worship.

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Pr. Lehmann has left a new comment on your post "Ding-a-Ling: Mass Bells Are Breaking Up That Old G...":

On what basis do you make the charge that Pr. Weedon makes Rome the gold standard for worship?

As one who worshiped at Saint Paul's for a year, preached over 30 times from its pulpit, and has seen first hand the resources that Pr. Weedon uses to plan for worship, I can tell you with absolute certainty that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Do us all a favor and find something that you know about to talk about.

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GJ - Pastor Weedon's blog is self-indicting, regardless of what I post. He should retract it.

I know something about Roman Catholic doctrine.

Mark Jeske was never going to leave WELS, in one communication, and he was advertised on the front page of the LCMS website a few weeks later. That may not be the biggest switch of all time, but even Peter, our first pope, swore he would never deny Christ. Oaths are sometimes forgotten.

Let It Rot - How God Arranges Recycling

I got into Creation-centered gardening due to a lack of funds. I decided to garden in Midland, Michigan and went to the store. The inorganic products being sold, from fertilizer to bug spray, were going to add up to a lot of money, so I came home empty-handed. My church was blocks from Dow Chemical headquarters, so there is no little irony in my transformation.

I read all the gardening books at the Midland Public Library, then searched the children's books for all the books about nature. The children's books were often better, because they explained some of the most basic concepts better. I subscribed to the Rodale Press magazine and bought their books as well. One WELS gardening couple ended up with about 20 of those books. I won't mention their names, lest they be stretched on the rack to reveal all they know.

Although the infinite complexity of Creation is impressive, God's design for recycling is even more astonishing. A speaker on bird rescue reminded me of that when she mentioned the abundance of owls in Bella Vista. She brought a barred owl along to show us. In the big city of Bentonville, there are few owls because they view dead trees as litter. In Bella Vista, with so many ravines and tress, the dead trees are left alone. What man sees as litter, the creatures view as condos.

Dead trees provide living rooms for birds and mammals, but they also feed the soil as they rot into the ground. God uses rot to recycle. In fact, the lack of rotting spells trouble for certain areas of the world. Dung beetles were brought to Australia to deal with the sheep droppings from their vast ovine herds. In Alaska and Siberia, the cold prevents the rapid rotting we enjoy without noticing. In the desert, decomposition is slowed down by a lack of moisture.

Nitrogen is the basis for all protein, and God uses that building block for all kinds of tasty food. All we need for recycling those chemicals is moisture, soil, and shade. The creatures of rot start first. Molds break down cells to make them more receptive to decomposition (the receptivity axis in nature).

A good pile of moist organic material will heat up as bacteria attack those cells. Once the pile shrinks down and cools off, creatures will rush in to eat and be eaten. Sowbugs, pillbugs, centipedes, millipedes,--and ultimately earthworms--will work over the pile. Soil provides the home and the chemicals to advance the process. Soil will rot any piece of wood left in it, but it will also destroy harmful bacteria.

Fresh-dead wood, like sawdust, will absorb nitrogen and bind it for a period of time. That is why fresh sawdust on a garden can be detrimental. It will also attract every cat within a square mile. The binding and loosing keys are chemical, so that which the woods binds is also loosed when the chemical process is over. Thus old rotten wood is a superb soil conditioner and a great soil amendment. Woodsy gardeners will actually push every possible twig into the soil to aid this process.

Sawdust used to absorb fallout in a horse or cattle stall will have a booster built-in. The added nitrogen will make up for the binding quality of fresh wood rotting and speed up the rot. In addition, animal products add variety to the soil in the form of minerals.

Nitrogen is the key to the heating up and breaking down cycle. Plenty of nitrogen (grass clippings, chicken and rabbit manure) will heat up and break down fast. Low nitrogen materials (leaves, wood, cow manure) will break down more slowly. The ultimate compost pile will combine everything for diversity.

My yard renovation in Midland began with a professional cleaning up and taking away about 10 bags of organic material. I slapped my head when I realized that Midland citizens spent all their time giving away free soil remedies while paying for chemical fertilizers and insecticides.

I recycled all my grass clippings and leaves, borrowing more from the neighbors. I put rotten hay and ground up trees (utility company treat) around bushes. Our yard became party central for all the birds. They had bugs under every piece of litter and prowled the yard constantly for food. Spiders grew fat and fertile from fly-bys. I used no inorganics at all, but I had healthy crops and very little damage from insects.

Some of the smallest details are free and yield great results. Butterflies like mud, and so do birds. I realize that one creature is the enemy of the other, but I let God sort that out. Shallow water is good for birds and insects.

The good insects, which are legion, bring down the number of bad ones. For instance, a cottony maple scale insect invasion was halted by a lady-bug invasion feasting on it. Asparagus beetles became lunch for a preying mantis I hatched for that purpose. If a dog snags some fur on a bush while chasing a squirrel, a bird will treasure it as a soft lining for her nest.

Plants have companions and need them too. I will write about that later.