WELS Northern WI District Doctrinal Issues
June 11, 2010 by Rick
The WELS Northern Wisconsin District Convention will be held in Appleton, WI at Fox Valley Lutheran High School from June 13-15, 2010 A.D. The District President (equivalent to a Bishop) will be chosen at this convention, as will the District Presidium and numerous Circuit Pastors. It is imperative that the Northern Wisconsin District choose its leaders wisely.
The Northern Wisconsin District needs leaders who will pay more than lip service to the means of grace, and who will promote and use the means of grace to change hearts. The means of grace is the gospel in word and sacrament, and the first means of grace is God’s Word.
There are serious theological divisions in the Northern Wisconsin District, and there needs to be some serious theological discussion of God’s word to deal with these divisions. From my perspective, there are at least four specific and serious doctrinal problems in the WELS Northern Wisconsin District:
The first problem is exceptionalism. This is the belief that the WELS cannot be wrong. It is a numbness that causes us to ignore the symptoms of unhealthy doctrine and practice. Those who hold to this false and unhealthy belief sometimes express contempt toward those who raise concerns about doctrine and practice in the WELS. Their opinion is: “How dare you question your WELS pastor!”
However, Paul warns us that even among the leaders of the church
men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. [Acts 20:30-31].
Does this warning not apply to the WELS? If such stringent warnings were necessary in an age of living Apostles, then how much more do these warnings apply to us today?
The second problem is a lack of trust in the means of grace (Word and sacraments). This is the belief that from our perspective, God needs our services in order to grow the church. It is also a denial of God’s promises and omnipotence. One example of this false doctrine can be found in the WELS produced songbook, Let All the People Praise You. The first verse of the song “Ready Lord” states: “… show me Lord, the service you will need.” I cannot count how many times my own congregation has sung that verse.
However, Paul says that God
is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. [Acts 17:25].
The problem here is not an inadvertent error. The problem is a persistent adherence to an error even after the error has been pointed out. Those who claim to believe God’s Word should repent of saying that God needs our services, and cease this blasphemy against the Almighty. God says: “If I were hungry, I would not tell you.” (Psalm 50:12).
The third problem is a belief in post-conversion works-righteousness/decision theology. This is the belief that Christians (after conversion) can not only choose to listen to God’s Word, but can also choose to understand and believe God’s Word. This also encompasses the idea that once God has “saved” us, it is now up to us to keep ourselves in the faith. This theology causes at least four problems: First, sermons to Christians become motivational speeches instead of proclamations of the life-giving Word of God. Second, it creates two “gospels,” one for believers and one for unbelievers. Third, it causes us to view God’s Word as a tool we use to improve ourselves, instead of as a life-line that we cling to in desperation and faith. And fourth, it causes people to base their faith and salvation on their daily choices instead of on the firm promise of God.
In contradistinction to the belief that Christians can choose to believe God’s Word, Paul told the early believers:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead … For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this [faith & grace is] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God [Ephesians 1:17-20, 2:8].
God’s Word alone creates faith, and causes it to grow.
The fourth problem is a variation of unionism. Unionism is the belief that doctrine is not that important. This unhealthy belief reveals itself in the form of a church council president who tells WELS members that if they have doctrinal disagreements with their pastor, then they should be quiet, or join another WELS congregation. Those who hold to this unhealthy belief view doctrinal discussions as divisive and a waste of time. However, the biblical solution is to discuss and study God’s Word until the issues are resolved.
For example, in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke wrote that
the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. [17:11].
Also, in the Revelation Jesus said,
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. [3:15-17, 19].
Most of the above listed unhealthy doctrines are not proclaimed proudly from the rooftops for all to see, but rather they are hidden and are mostly revealed by poor practices which are the primary symptoms of unhealthy doctrine. Beliefs always affect what we do. (James 2:18).
No doctor merely looks at a patient and says, “Well, I can see that you have cancer.” Rather he looks at symptoms, and probes, and seeks to discover the true sickness, and then he applies the cure. The cure is the proclamation of the pure clear Word of God. When will the shepherds apply the cure? (Ezekiel 34:1-6). Unfortunately, some of the shepherds and over-shepherds are sick, and they resent the cure.
It is vitally important that the Northern Wisconsin District choose its leaders wisely. The leaders of the districts are called to apply the Word of God. This is their job. This is their calling. The Northern Wisconsin District needs leadership that, instead of squelching discussion and quashing dissent, will commit itself to promoting open discussion and the study of God’s word.
God’s Word is not a tool we use to make ourselves better, but rather it is a life-line that we must cling to in desperation and faith. Therefore, dear delegates to the WELS district conventions, please pray and vote wisely. We need, we need the clear pure truth of God’s Word!
Kyrie eleison.
4 comments:
Who gave this guy, a not so timid Lutheran, such boldness and the right to declare what's good and right, evil and wrong?
I'll answer my own question.
Christ declared in Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Martin Luther said, "But let us go on and show from the priestly offices (as they [the papists] call them) that all Christians are priests in equal degree."
"As St. Paul says in Gal. 3:28, you must pay no attention to distinctions when you want to look at Christians. You must not say: “This is a man or a woman; this is a servant or a master; this person is old or young.” They are all alike and only a spiritual people. Therefore they are all priests. All may proclaim God’s Word, except that, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 14:34, women should not speak in the congregation. They should let the men preach, because God commands them to be obedient to their husbands. God does not interfere with the arrangement. But he makes no distinction in the matter of authority."
"Mostly the functions of a priest are these: to teach, to preach and proclaim the Word of God, to baptize, to consecrate or administer the Eucharist, to bind and loose sins, to pray for others, to sacrifice, and to judge of all doctrine and spirits. Certainly these are splendid and royal duties. But the first and foremost of all on which everything else depends, is the teaching of the Word of God. For we teach with the Word, we consecrate with the Word, we bind and absolve sins by the Word, we baptize with the Word, we sacrifice with the Word, we judge all things by the Word. Therefore when we grant the Word to anyone, we cannot deny anything to him pertaining to the exercise of his priesthood."
"Now you might say: “What kind of situation will arise if it is true that we are all priests and should all preach [1 Peter 2:5]? Should no distinction be made among the people, and should the women, too, be priests?” Answer: In the New Testament no priest has to be tonsured. Not that this is evil in itself, for one surely has the right to have the head shaved clean. But one should not make a distinction between those who do so and the common Christian. Faith cannot tolerate this. Thus those who are now called priests would all be laymen like the others, and only a few officiants would be elected by the congregation to do the preaching. Thus there is only an external difference because of the office to which one is called by the congregation. Before God, however, there is no distinction, and only a few are selected from the whole group to administer the office in the stead of the congregation. They all have the office, but nobody has any more authority than the other person has. Therefore nobody should come forward of his own accord and preach in the congregation. No, one person must be chosen from the whole group and appointed."
"But in the New Testament the Holy Spirit, speaking through St. Paul, ordained that women should be silent in the churches and assemblies [I Cor. 14:34], and said that this is the Lord’s commandment. Yet he knew that previously Joel [2:28 f.] had proclaimed that God would pour out his Spirit also on handmaidens. Furthermore, the four daughters of Philip prophesied (Acts 21[:9]). But in the congregations or churches where there is a ministry women are to be silent and not preach [I Tim. 2:12]. Otherwise they may pray, sing, praise, and say “Amen,” and read at home, teach one another, exhort, comfort, and interpret the Scriptures as best they can."
It is my considered opinion that this letter could be directed to delegates in every District of the WELS. There are some very fine leaders out in the Districts. For example, the AZ-CA District is blessed with an excellent DP, and many good CPs. However, the same cannot be said in all Districts. If there are going to be good changes, the delegates - Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen must act. I pray they do!
However, Paul warns us that even among the leaders of the church
men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. [Acts 20:30-31].
WELS has vindicated Paul time and again while members refuse to get it.
Hi Brett! "Women are to remain silent in congregational assemblies." Let's say tha a certain 'church lady' attended the recent SCD convention. The guest speaker, who is always 'prepared to answer', asks for commentary at various microphones. A male delegate or called worker defends WLC and states that people should not refer to the school as Willow Creek College. The lady remained silent; however, should she have testified against false teachings?
In Christ,
from WELS church lady
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