Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Lame Doctrine of Law-Salesman Savaged Again Tonigh...":
I noticed WELS called workers neglecting their families to "do the Lord's work". It almost became a contest as to who could work the hardest and complain most about being tired. What an example to set!
I'm not saying to be neglectful of your call, but sometimes "doing the Lord's work" is spending a nice quiet night at home being a great Christian husband/wife, father/mother. Ya' know, the Building and Grounds committee really can get along without you!
I did not grow up in a parsonage. One of the saddest things I ever heard was a DMLC classmate and later co-worker, a PK, say, "Well, my dad was never home".
Besides the wandering vicar at my home congregation, I also noticed the bulletin. I couldn't tell if I was at a church or a social club. I knew more about the congregation's blood drive than I did about the Word preached. The excuse was "getting the church out into the community". I kind word said to a co-worker or helping a neighbor in time of need gets the church "out into the community", more than any blood drive. Besides, it costs less because you don't need a staff minister to coordinate it!
Scott E. Jungen
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GJ - Scott, you are right. I heard one WELS DP say he had nothing to do with raising his children. They never saw him. I am sure he was bragging since this was an installation or anniversary service.
The Shrinkers defame their opponents, claiming that faithful pastors are lazy, unimaginative, and frightened of change. There is no excuse for neglect of the Word or pastoral visitation, but let's face it - the Shrinkers are the laziest and most parasitic lunks on the block. They devour money faster than the government, with less to show for it.
Congregations have made a poor bargain by forcing the pastor's wife or teacher's spouse into the workplace, to subsidize the miserable salaries paid. A spouse income must be reckoned in view of net gain after taxes, babysitting expenses, impulse buying, and extra meals out. Other results can be marital infidelity and exhaustion.
The works-salesmen say that everyone must be busy to be happy. With almost all couples in the church working, they may need rest, worship, and study far more than forced activity.
Teaching requires a lot of preparation. Being the social director of the Love Boat does not. How many Lutheran pastors today are prepared to teach the Book of Concord, books of the Bible, Chemnitz, or Luther?
The pastor's and teacher's children will be blessed by living in a peaceful, harmonious, and studious household where they see both their parents. That is why the bulk of church workers used to come from parsonages and teacherages. Why does anyone think the preps are so necessary and the church worker homes are not?
No surprise - the children of church workers are no longer following the knee prints of their parents. My guess is - they grew tired of the neglect caused by the worship of being busy, or, they did not want to be abused by their own synods, the way their parents were.
The highest imagined compliment aimed at a church worker is - He works so hard, or, She is always at church or the school.
The highest compliment should be - faithful to the Word, trusting in its efficacy.
