Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fans of the Video on Facebook":
I am a little confused...you clearly want WELS, ELS, LCMS, etc, members to leave their synods for whatever reasons, but what would you like them to do? Do you have a church that you'd like them to join instead, or would you rather them be unchurched and risk falling from their saving faith, which despite what you say is still sown and nurtured for the most part in said synods?
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GJ - Luther's approach was to apply the Word and let God do the work. That remains the only answer.
KJV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
The Pietists want to motion people over to their pure church body. I respect the confessional Lutherans who are applying the Word and using the Book of Concord where they are right now. I have contacts in most of the synods.
I like being independent. I don't have to deceive people about where I went to school - not that I would. I teach more WELS Lutherans daily than the faculty of the Sausage Factory. The difference is - I am a Lutheran.
The irony is this - the best way to teach WELS is from the outside. The Shrinker tentacles reach around every institution in the synod, as the graduation photos show. This blog provides a useful forum where people can discuss ideas and report news.
I get news, information, URLs, photos, and more from laity and pastors. The best photos come from those sources. I keep confidences, so I have a lot of sources.
8 comments:
As many of you might know, I am fairly new to this blog. It has helped me "connect the dots" about the WELS' problems. The greatest help for me has been in pointing to places I can look for myself. "Church and Change", go to their website, read and decide for yourself. "Core", go to their website,read and decide for yourself.
WELS folks, I believe Dr.Jackson has "hit the nail on the head" with one sentence. "Luther's approach was to apply the Word and let God do the work". If we are honest with ourselves, has the WELS done this? My answer is "no". Just look over the last thirty years at all the stragegies, programs, studies and on and on. What do we have to show for it? A smaller Synod with a huge financial problem. My key word is "we". I believe it's time in the WELS to get back to quietly and without "personal fanfare" preaching God's Word faithfully and let God do the work. Pastor Jeske, are you listening?
Sorry Scott, Jeske is busy operating his ego trips.
I think it is out of sheer boredom that we have alot of the "variations" we are seeing in WELS. Boredom from the born and bred type that, just like the Israelites, have grown to despise the prophet from their own town. Familiarity breeds contempt.
For the wait and see folks out there, don't look on with morbid fascination and become a pillar of salt in the debacle that is taking place.
Jungen said "Pastor Jeske, are you listening?"
Please explain. I'm curious if you have any original thoughts or experiences regarding Pastor Jeske or if you will be repeating the Jackson company line.
Anonymous,
To know me is to know that I've been accused of having many an original thought, perhaps too many! Don't worry, I don't just repeat any company line. My biggest concern with TOG is their connections with LCMS as an ROS. The Scriptural teachings on fellowship are there to protest us from us, since we all (me too!) had "itching ears". The WELS has not been in fellowship with the LCMS for close to fifty years. Then why is TOG having any type of relationship with LCMS? Money? Publicity? Who knows? Yes, my comment on Pastor Jeske listening just shows that sometimes I'm a wiseass. However, since he has so much time, money, employees, ego, tied up in TOG,do you think he'd really listen to a former WELS teacher?
Jungen said "However, since he has so much time, money, employees, ego, tied up in TOG,do you think he'd really listen to a former WELS teacher?"
You give the impression that Jeske owns Time of Grace. Is that true?
A good point. I do need to be more specific. I don't know if he owns it in a legal sense. However, he does in an "emotional" sense. Unfortunatly, look at the website. For $20 I can become a "Grace Partner". I can even use my credit card right there. That reminds me too much of what I call the "cult of personality" ministries, such as Baker, Oral Roberts, Schuler, etc. Pastor Jeske, I believe,is still a member of the WELS ministerium. Do you really think he'd be put on a congregation's call list? After 30 years (per the website's biography) do you think he'd leave TOG? I do not know the answers, anybody out there know?
Missouri bankrolls ToG. That's why they wanted to put their name on it. Jeske defended it as just the same as buying a Concordia Self Study Bible - you pay for a service. Except we're not in fellowship with them, which doesn't bother him a bit.
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