Church Growth is the fear that made Milwaukee famous. Yes, WELS was scared witless about losing members, and they imagined the Babtists could bail them out.
WELS Pastor Time Glende, who took over for Ron Ash at St. Peter, Freedom, Wisconsin, confessed that he was using Craig Groeschel material 24/7 because he was afraid of the congregation dying.
Ski, his buddy or co-pastor, is also using Groeschel 24/7. Them Mequon grads really know their stuff, don't they?
After Lillo had served a WELS congregation in the area for many years, Ash took over as a retirement pastor in the same congregation. That sounds like the congregation really boomed under the leadership of a Shrinker (Lillo), just as another one did under the Head Shrinker (Ash at St. Peter).
My question is - Has anyone looked at the circuit's statistics over the last decades, to see its explosion in numbers? That would be important, because these guys are always touted as the great experts. Ski speaks all the time - in the Jeske Synod meetings, at Mary Lou College,at Church and Change conventions, and at Northern Wisconsin meetings.
I am glad the anonymous Appleton blogger keeps drawing attention to his tender CG toes, because everyone is looking at Fox Valley now, to see the wonders performed by Church and Change.
After looking at the statistics, why not put the circuit through colloquy and see if any Lutheran pastors are left? That should include the notoriously inept praesidium, headed by Doug the Unready.
Fox Valley Leaders
DMin John Parlow, Denver Babtist Seminary.
DMin Steve Witte, Gordon Conwell Babtist Seminary. In a fierce disciplinary action, WELS promoted this founder of Church and Change to a full-time position on the WELS Asian board for world missions. Harsh? You betcha.
DMin Paul Calvin Kelm, Concordia Church Growth BM Program, St. Louis. Not to be outdone by the Witte persecution, WELS gave Kelm two calls at the same time so he could choose which one he wanted. Brutal.
Ski and Glende
These two WELS pastors have set a record in attending anti-Lutheran conferences, with Tweets leaking out about Drive conferences (Andy Stanley - Babtist), Mars Hill (Mark Driscoll), Catalyst (Stanley and Craig Groeschel), and Granger Community Church.
