He was a Marxist and an open adulterer.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Universal Forgiveness Is the Theme of Karl Barth and ELCA: Lavender Mafia Approves It Too
He was a Marxist and an open adulterer.
The Lutheran Confessions - No Middle Ground
but Lutherans hardly read his works today.
Start with the Large Catechism.
"We have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquility, and unity (which, moreover, is not in our power to do). Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ." (Closing of Formula of Concord, Triglotta. p. 1095) Francis Pieper, The Difference Between Orthodox And Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 65. Tappert, p. 632. Heiser, p. 294. FC SD #94-96.XI,
Missouri, WELS, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and the mini-micro-sects all claim to have a quia subscription to the Book of Concord. The Lutheran Church is the only denomination with a common, world-wide, culture-transcending confession of faith. The Book of Concord is also the best Biblical commentary in one volume. The Triglotta provided an excellent history as well.
There is no middle ground for the Lutheran Confessions. They are either the ruled norm for all doctrine and practice or they are not. Many pastors and leaders pay lip service to the Confessions, but they are hardened in their hearts against this great treasure of spiritual wisdom.
All the DPs and CPs need to be examined for their position on the Book of Concord, not so they can merely repeat the time-worn words, the repeat-after-me phrases that got them through seminary.
The leaders of WELS, Missouri, ELS, and the CLC (sic) have gone over to generic Christianity. These apostates imagine that their indifference is the best approach, but a non-confessional Lutheran is really an Anti-confessional unLutheran.
What have the Anti-confessional leaders of WELS accomplished? I can list them easily in WELS, and the parallels in the other groups are similar:
1. They hide or eliminate the Sacraments.
2. They are ashamed of the name Lutheran and avoid it at all costs. They even avoid church.
3. They despise the historic, Biblical liturgy, and substitute entertainment for the Means of Grace.
4. They rely on Pietistic lay-led cell groups because they do not trust the Means of Grace.
5. They study and worship with unconfessional groups who openly mock the Lutheran Church, the Confessions, the liturgy, and the sermon.
6. They copy the sermons, graphics, and even the promotional notes of Groeschel and other non-Lutherans.
7. They work actively to punish and get rid of faithful Lutherans, laity and pastors alike.
8. They rely on their grapevine of slander, but they howl "Slander! Eighth Commandment! Matthew 18!" whenever someone identifies their false doctrine.
ELCA got to its current stage of degenerate apostasy by becoming Anti-confessional. Those changes also began with little steps, each one barely opposed.
Mark Jeske, Fifth Generation WELS, Is Now Missouri, More or Less
Mark Jeske is featured in a brochure about a Missouri Synod retreat, which I converted to a PNG above. If you left-click on it, you can read the type better. You can also enlarge the image from that point with the control mouse-wheel command.
In the brochure Jeske has no synod except the LCMS. Time of Grace is a Missouri Synod Real Sexy Organization. In order to get Real Sexy Organization status in the LCMS, certain rules have to be followed. The RSO status allows the group to solicit LCMS congregations and entities for funds. RSO is St. Louis for kosher.
The biggest laugh is his People's Commentary volume, from Concordia Publishing House. Gentle readers, as Shakespeare (Oxford) used to say, the actual publisher is always named. As far as I know, CPH is merely selling it. The sales organization is not the publisher, just the vendor. For further details, check with Paul McCain, who blogs for CPH from a spare bedroomin his house. If the brochure had said Northwestern Publishing House, people might have suspected Jeske was WELS.
Fuller begat Charis at Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Charis began Church and Change. Jeske, as a leading Changer, begat The CORE to get Ski and Katie out of Milwaukee. The CORE begat doctrinal confusion and division as Ski and Glende plagiarized Groeschel for all their sermons.
Jeske is coming out with a Time of Grace book. This, from CPH:
Pastor Mark Jeske brings the Word of God to viewers through his outreach media ministry Time of Grace. The Time of Grace weekly 30-minute program is broadcast on six continents to 660 million households. Pastor Jeske calls the little daily devotions in this book "Bible studies for busy people" in the hope that these short meditations will soothe the soul and give encouragement and hope for tomorrow.
The dominate theme of each devotion is grace - the amazing promise of Scripture that God chooses to love unlovely people. Note lines are provided for the reader to write thoughts and reflect on what was read.
Pastor Mark Jeske is an author, former missionary, accomplished instrumentalist, amateur historian, and senior pastor at St. Marcus Lutheran Church.
WELS members - make your check out to the LCMS South Wisconsin District! The DP is John Wille, a Mequon, NWC, and NW Prep graduate, just like Jeske.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
UOJ Posted with Gaps Filled In
by the failed SP Gurgle and his Church and Change Cohort Patterson.
UOJ and Emerging Church go together, hoof and claw.
bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Church - The Nate Bourman UOJ Paper":
The complete Bourman paper is now up. It includes the previously missing page 6 with lines 91-122 of text:
http://scdwels.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/justification-paper.pdf
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Leonard and Marion Newman, Part II, Midland Daily News
Midland Remembers: Part II of the Newman family story
NATHAN MORGAN
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:00 am
(Marion Cox lost her mother when she was 7 and spent the next two years living with her grandmother, Marie Thiede. Marie left a lasting impression on her little granddaughter. Attending Lutheran Day School and Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wis., Marion was only 17 when she enrolled in the Lutheran Teachers College in New Ulm, Minnesota. At the age of 18 she was given a call to teach school in Benton Harbor at St. Matthew's where she met her future husband, Leonard Newman. Her story continues.)
Taking classes for five years and doing two summer vicarages, Leonard Newman graduated and accepted his first call to Kenton, Ohio. Marion, Len and their two small children lived there for the next two years. Their daughter Christine was born in Kenton but when she was only two weeks old the family moved to Tawas City in the middle of winter.
The Newmans stayed in Tawas City for the next eight years. Although Len's salary was small, at last they had a steady income. The twins Elizabeth and Ruth were born in Tawas City and two years later, Kathleen. "I came with three and left with six. I couldn't afford to stay there any longer," Marion said.
In 1962 Len accepted a call to serve at Iva (today, part of Hemlock). It was here that Len's reputation of as a peacemaker in congregations that were having trouble became noticeable.
In 1966 he accepted a call to serve the congregation of St. Paul's in Sanford. Still serving the church at Iva, Len drove to Sanford on Sunday evenings to conduct worship services and one night he asked Marion to go with him. He said to Marionthat "it's so beautiful over there."
"I just went along to see how pretty Sanford was," she said. She was sold on the little town and the Newman family shortly moved to Sanford.
With their six children in school all day, Marion's teaching career received a jump start when she was asked to substitute teach at St. John's in Midland for two weeks because one of the teachers was ill. This turned into 17 years. In the meantime the congregation at St. Paul's in Sanford grew by leaps and bounds and something called the 400 Sunday became an annual affair. Each elder was given 10 members to call on and Pastor Newman personally contacted 100 members in one week.
Once asked about the zeal he displayed in contacting members and non-members alike to come to church he replied, "There won't be anybody in heaven that doesn't want to be there."
In 1961 Len and Marion decided to travel to Europe for a vacation. "People thought we were joking. People as poor as we were didn't go to Europe for a vacation," Marion said. The children were divided up among the relatives while Len and Marion toured Europe.
Then in 1965 they decided they really wanted to visit Russia. Aware of the history of the Volga Deutsche as the Germans were called who had settled in Russia by the Volga River, Len wanted to see the country first-hand where his ancestors had once lived. These were the years of the Cold War and Len and Marion were warned that they probably couldn't get a Visa. Having a passport wasn't sufficient for Russia. They had to have a visa approved by the Soviets.
They applied for a visa in the winter of 1964 — it was approved in July of 1965. "They dragged their feet," Marion said.
On their way to a month's stay in Russia they had to stop in Detroit to pick up their visas. Even there they ran into bureaucracy and forms had to be filled out. When Len handed the form in, it was refused. What was wrong with the form that had been filled out? The date had been left off.
Len and Marion finally left for Russia with their passports and visas firmly in hand. Rationing was still in effect behind the Iron Curtain. Prepaid ration books were needed for gas, oil, food and their hotel. If one didn't use their coupons up each day there was no refund.
The coffee was undrinkable. Marion asked for lemon with her tea and she was informed there were no lemons in the city of Moscow. Surrendering to the bureaucracy, Len and Marion used up their food ration stamps by buying a bottle of Russian champagne and then inviting others to share it with them during the evening hours.
They rented a small Russian car but getting gas was often a problem. A town of 40,000 people would have a total of two gas stations. For every 200 people there was one automobile. When Len and Marion asked where the next gas station was, they would be pointed in a direction, "But we never knew how far the gas station was from where we were at the time," Marion said.
Hitchhikers were a common sight along the Russian roads. "You would see a Russian mama carrying a baby standing by the side of the road with her thumb held out for a ride. We'd stop and then papa and two more children would come out from behind the trees to ride, too," Marion.
Travel continued to be a part of the couple's life. They went to Russia again in 1969 and added Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Hungary to their itinerary. In 1972 they traveled to Israel and Egypt, In 1981 they traveled to Africa where her brother Raymond was a missionary. In 1983, they took trip back to Israel and in 1986, South America.
In 1986 Len decided to build a home on the 240 acres of property they had owned since 1969. Using a chain saw, he began cutting down trees on their property and the log home went up little by little. Everything in the home was made from the trees on their property. Only the plumbing and electricity were put in by contractors.
Len retired from the public ministry in 1989 and passed away in 2003. Today Marion continues living in the home that Len built for them 20 years ago. She remains active in the Right To Life organization and People to People, even going to the extent of hosting some of the young foreign students. She remains close to her five daughters; her son Billy died in 2005. Her six grandchildren range in age from 14 to 38. The Newman family can be summed up in the words of Sir John Bowing: "A happy family is but an earlier heaven."
***
GJ - Thank you, Leonard and Marion Newman - great friends and faithful Lutherans.
Here is Part I.
And I'll Raise You a Thousand More
You who have dreams
If you act, they'll come true.
To turn your dreams to a fact
It's up to you.
If you have the soul and the spirit
Never fear it, you'll see it through.
Hearts can inspire
Other hearts with their fire,
For the strong obey
When a strong man shows them the way.
Give me some men who are stout-hearted men
Who will fight for the right they adore.
Start me with ten who are stout-hearted men
And I'll soon give you ten thousand more-ore.
Shoulder to shoulder, and bolder and bolder
They grow as they go to the fore.
Then there's nothing in the world
Can halt or mar a plan
When stout-hearted men
Can stick together - man - to man...
Oh...
Give me some men who are stout-hearted men
Who will fight for the right they adore.
Start me with ten who are stout-hearted men
And I'll soon give you ten thousand more-ore.
Shoulder to shoulder, and bolder and bolder
They grow as they go to the fore.
Then there's nothing in the world
Can halt or mar a plan.
When stout-hearted men
Can stick together - man - to man...
(Give me some men who are stout-hearted men) [fade]
Cantate, The Fourth Sunday after Easter
Cantate, The Fourth Sunday after Easter
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time
The Hymn # 199 Jesus Christ is Risen Today 1:83
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 262 A Mighty Fortress 1:86
Three-fold Work of the Word and Holy Spirit
The Communion Hymn #308 Invited Lord 1:63
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #187 Christ Is Arisen 1:45
Fourth Sunday After Easter
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst through Thy Son promise us Thy Holy Spirit, that He should convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: We beseech Thee, enlighten our hearts, that we may confess our sins, through faith in Christ obtain everlasting righteousness, and in all our trials and temptations retain this consolation, that Christ is Lord over the devil and death, and all things, and that He will graciously deliver us out of all our afflictions, and make us forever partakers of eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
KJV John 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Three-fold Work of the Word and Holy Spirit
In this parting sermon, Jesus promises once again to bind the Holy Spirit to His Means of Grace.
Naturally, the Bible is God’s revealed Word, so it is not a doctrinal textbook. That is why we do not have an orderly, library-like catalogue, but a unified revelation of truth, each part reflecting upon another part.
If we look at this part alone, we find all we need to know about the error of Enthusiasm, which separates the Holy Spirit from the Word.
Jesus sends the Holy Spirit.
First, we find Jesus saying that He will send the Holy Spirit.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
This can only mean one thing – By the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
The Word of God refers both to the Scriptures and to faithful teaching and preaching. Besides this, God uses the liturgy, Creeds, and hymns to teach His Word.
God has made sure that there will be faithful pastors to study His Word, preach and teach it. The condition of a call is that the minister do this. All Lutheran pastors (in the past, at least) were read the appropriate passages from the epistles about the work of a called shepherd. So, even if a denomination is on the far edge of apostasy, the minister is obliged to be faithful to God’s Word and not the denomination’s embrace of a recent fad, whether it is social activism, socialism, or homosexual ordination and marriages.
A Lutheran minister may not teach Reformed doctrine, even if it is all the rage. He may not teach Pentecostalism or Roman Catholicism in any form, overt, covert or demi-semi-covert. He is not allowed, according to his promises, to teach what is popular at the moment instead of the content of the Word and the Confessions. That also means he must be studious with the Word and sound doctrine, and eager to apply this faithfully, such as calling on the sick and shut-in, visiting mission prospects, and carrying out a regular visitation of members.
The cross is always found with the Word, so a pastor is also obliged to bear the cross and teach it as well. In Europe, they used to tell the laity – no cross, no crown.
Not trusting the Holy Spirit in the Word, but trusting man’s word instead – that is clearly blasphemy. That is saying to God, “Thank you for the church and the office of the ministry, but I have to follow what the marketing people say. Thou art good up to a point, but Thou goest too far.”
And yet that sentiment, so often expressed, is exactly the opposite of the Epistle for today –
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Three-fold Work of the Holy Spirit Through the Word
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
I have to confess – I look this text up in Lenski every year, because the formulation is different and I want to give it justice. That is the point of repeating the lessons, so the minister and members have a deeper knowledge of the same texts.
Some people are converted from reading the Scriptures, but the Church is mainly a mouth-church, as Luther said. People become believers chiefly through preaching and teaching. Babies also become believers through the spoken Word – at their baptisms.
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
All world religions and all false doctrine have this in common – they oppose sin with virtue. They identify sin with the law and think they can defeat sin with the law. The Emerging Churches also fall into that error, as if an x-ray that reveals a broken bone can also be used to heal that broken bone.
Jesus says sin is not having faith in Him. Most people have a concept of sin, but they do not know how to defeat temptation and sin until they hear the Gospel. The Gospel is forgiveness, and faith is justification.
Faith is not virtue but trust in God’s mercy, which is conveyed through the Gospel Promises. From faith and the Means of Grace will come the fruits of the Spirit. Another way to say this is – If you are diligent in hearing the Gospel and participating in Holy Communion, the Gospel will bear fruit in your life through the work of the Holy Spirit.
As one ancient writer said, “If the hem of the garment of Jesus can heal a woman, how much more will His body and blood heal us?”
The unforgiven person runs from God, but the person justified by faith loves God’s forgiveness in Christ. Although the Law has value apart from the Gospel (in guiding the nations of the world and showing us our sin) the Law cannot make us serve God willingly. That would be the equivalent of someone ordering everyone to be friendly. I sometimes see the photos of a little girl who has grown up now. She was the oldest of five children. When she went into the house and we were first-time visitors, she yelled at her brothers, “TRY to act normal.” That still makes us laugh, because the first-born sister’s attitude was, “You are not normal, but pretend for our guests.” That is how the law works on us.
However, the Gospel moves us to love God’s teaching and to obey God out of love rather than fear or compulsion. If the terrors of the Law kept people from sinning, then all the 12 step programs would work, and they do not.
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
How would this convict people of righteousness – Jesus going to the Father?
This is a summation of Jesus’ work. When He ascended as the risen Messiah, His public ministry was completed, so He sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost to rule and guide the Church.
The Holy Spirit teaches us through the Word –
1. Jesus is the Son of God
2. This innocent Lamb of God suffered and died for the sins of the world.
3. His righteousness is ours through faith.
4. His Ascension is another sign of His divinity, majesty, and Sonship.
Victory over death is victory over sin. How can we not see this when Jesus is triumphant over sin, death, and Satan. His victory is ours.
The preaching of the true Gospel is a proclamation of the alien righteousness of Jesus. Lutherans use that term “alien” to show that it is outside of us (Extra Nose – just like the blog), and not from our own strength, merit, or virtue.
Those who come from non-Lutheran or Pietistic backgrounds know that there is always an implied Law command within their distorted Gospel. You are justified by faith alone, but you must also do this or refrain from doing that. Forgiveness is made conditional and that defeats the Gospel, turning Jesus into Moses and Moses into the Savior. Some outcomes are:
1. You must witness or else.
2. You must be friendly.
3. You must redeem society.
Soon the “must” part of the mixed message becomes the only message.
And yet, this does not obliterate the Law. Only a believer can say, “God commands what is good for us.” Once we see Torah as teaching (the real meaning of Torah), the Old Testament is full of Gospel and Gospel preparation – even in those odd requirements of kosher and temple worship. Everything in the OT points toward the Lamb of God and His blood sacrifice for our sins.
Notice that even in this one verse (8), Jesus teaches Law (not believing in Him), Gospel (righteousness coming from Him), and assurance (Satan has lost his power, because of the Gospel). Each explanatory verse teaches us what those phrases mean, but they are a puzzle to unbelievers.
Unbelievers will say, “This is not something I can process with my logic.” That is the idea. The Gospel is a mystery revealed by the Holy Spirit.
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
This verse gives us assurance that Satan’s reign is over. “One little Word (of God) will fell him.
One of the fables of this world is that Satan has won or is winning, so why not join him, enjoy his extraordinary pay, and quit worrying.
In Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian is confronted by Satan. “Come back to me and work for me.”
Christian says, “I worked for you before. I do not like your wages.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. KJV Romans 6:23.
Satan’s temptation is to make us think he is winning when in fact he is losing. The closer we come to the end of history, the more he will rage and capture as many as he can. Already we see a vast harvest through gambling, porn, drugs, and infidelity.
Satan’s greatest weapon is our emotions. As Luther said, Satan does not want a drop of our blood. He wants us to suffer emotionally, to be depressed, to want to give up, to fall into despair and say, “What is the use any more?” We are weakest in our emotions, which are so volatile. A lack of sleep, bad nutrition, physical pain, and financial reverses can make us tumble like a house of cards, doubting the goodness of God. Overwork is such a problem that it goes back to the Exodus, when Moses was warned against trying to do too much on his own.
Here we can see how the pure grace of the Gospel defeats the old evil foe. Christ has already won the victory and condemned Satan. Easter is that year-around celebration of His conquest of sin, temptation, despair, and death.
---
Remember in your prayers - Norma Boeckler will have cataract surgery this week.
Gary Meyer will soon have double-knee replacement.
All You Need Is Love, Says ELCA Leader
I was shocked to read the Rev. John F. Wurst’s diatribe last Sunday against the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, or ELCA (Pastor’s view: “ELCA must repent for turning back on God,” April 25).
By: The Rev. Mark Osthus, For the News Tribune
In response: Attack on ELCA was pure baloney
I was shocked to read the Rev. John F. Wurst’s diatribe last Sunday against the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, or ELCA (Pastor’s view: “ELCA must repent for turning back on God,” April 25). What Wurst never mentioned in his commentary was that he is a pastor of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, or LCMS. The LCMS is a German immigrant church that has historically had a fine tradition of conservative values and quality scholarship. I have had many good and respectful conversations with LCMS clergy over the years without being subjected to the kind of vitriol that flowed from the Rev. Wurst.Martin Luther, after whom Lutheran churches are named, was a 16th-century reformer priest whose scholarship and genius gave much to the world in theology and philosophy. He was not perfect and had no problem identifying himself as a sinner. Many remember Luther’s famous words, “Sin boldly, but believe more boldly still.” However, there is a lesser known Luther quotation that is one of my favorites: “The most dangerous sin of all is the presumption of righteousness.” The simple truth is that God is righteous and humans are not. A presumptive attitude leads humans to dispense judgment in areas where only God has authority.
Why then did the Rev. Wurst seem to believe he had the right to encroach on what is rightfully God’s purview?
Martin Luther wrote some things that cannot be defended. But insofar as grace is concerned, we are hard-pressed to find anyone in the church’s history speak more eloquently. Christians live by grace alone, faith alone and Word alone. Luther warned against making an idol of the Bible, saying that it is the cradle that holds the Christ and that it is the Christ we worship and not the book.
We of the ELCA believe the Bible to be inspired, and that it is the rule and norm for our lives. When I read it I see love in abundance and room for all in God’s vast domain. I don’t recall Jesus saying one word about homosexuality or female preachers. He did, however, forgive sins and heal people. Then he commissioned all called by his grace to go into the world and proclaim the good news.
We live by faith and not certitude. When I meet Jesus in heaven, I will hope to have claimed too much for God’s grace rather than too little. In the meantime, I think that Christians have to trust the Spirit and let God be the judge. It seems to me that life is too short to seek sawdust in our neighbors’ eyes when we have a board in our own.
The Rev. Mark Osthus is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Proctor and dean of the Lake Superior Conference of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, or ELCA.
***GJ - Pietism and unionism have always argued this way. Naturally, the leaders of the past would be mortified to see their logic used this way. The son of Zinzendorf (the Pietism leader) founded his own community, which had to be shut down because of all the love there.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Rock Mom and Grannie on Mother's Day!
Because St. Peter Cares
He looks adorable but he is 47 years old,
smokes cigars, and prefers Jack Daniels to milk.
http://www.stpetercares.com
MOTHER’S DAY – Sunday, May 9th, the group Koine will be singing here in the 9:15 & 10:45 worship services. They also will be doing a concert the next morning @ 9 am here at St. Peter church for our kids. This concert is open to anyone else who would like to come as well. See the insert in this newsletter for more information on the group Koine.
NORTH OUTAGAMIE COUNTY CHAPTER of Thrivent – This chapter is looking for someone (needs to be a Thrivent employee) who would be willing to serve on the chapter board. This is an opportunity to help give away Thrivent’s money to people in need. Anyone who might consider this position is welcome to attend any of the monthly meetings and/or contact Luann Balkman at 920-734-5934 or email her @ luannbalkman@new.rr.com.
The Thrivent chapter has helped St. Peter with many different events over the years.
The following Bible studies are being held in various places and are open to anyone that would like to attend. Please call the person listed by the study with any questions.
Bible Study @ FVL – Wednesday’s @ 6:30 am – Donuts and coffee are provided but more importantly it is a great chance to feed your faith! For more details call Pastor Tim @ 7337225. This class will meet May 12 & 19th and will break for the summer. NO class on May 5th.
“Women’s Healthy Living” Bible Study – 9 am –Saturday’s at Joy Jochman’s home – call Joy @ 739-7472.
The “Living In Jesus” Bible Class is held every other Tuesday – 6:30 pm in the 1910 Centre – next study will be May 4th & the 18th and then will break for the summer months - call Audrey Zuberbier @ 731-5879.
A book by John Ortberg is being studied every other Tuesday starting at 10 am @ Bev Wichman’s home – next study is May 4 & 18th - call Bev.
***
GJ - From Wikipedia:
"Ortberg earned his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, and his M.Div. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has also studied at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. From 1985 to 1990 he served as senior pastor at Simi Valley Community Church, and then from 1990 to 1994 at Horizons Community Church. He then moved from California to Illinois to serve as a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church until 2003, when he assumed his current role at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, a multi-campus church in Northern California.[5]"
He touched ALL the bases to write a book worthy of study under Glende's leadership: Babtist at Wheaton, Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, and Presbyterian Church duties. It is multi-site, which makes it kosher for Emerging Church.
For something to be kosher for Emerging Church, it has to be multi-site.
What a relief. I thought maybe Glende would have the women studying something irrelevant and out of date, like the Confessions, or something written by a faithful Lutheran.
Some clever pastors use the sheep-dip method. Take a WELSian or Missourian and get him thoroughly brain-washed at Fuller or Willow Creek, preferably both. Then have him write a book. Next present it as an exciting book by a faithful Lutheran pastor, Rev. Smiley. If a discerning layman or woman sees through the charade, shout, "Are you calling him a false teacher?" Look angry. Frown. Scowl. Rustle papers. Look disgusted. Shun the evildoer.
ELCA Lost Faith in Moline:
And They Lost It Ugly
citing the Eighth Commandment, as usual.
One of the bishop's finger-puppets suggested
that Faith's pastor needed a long vacation.
Even the Leftist ELCA theologians are crying "Apostasy!"
Faith moves, stays
Posted Online: May 01, 2010, 12:00 am Bookmark and Share
Comment on this story | Print this story | Email this story
By Leon Lagerstam, leon@qconline.com
MOLINE --Faith Lutheran Church, 1611 41st St., Moline, recently voted for a second time to sever its relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The 195-to-51 vote on April 18 completed procedural requirements dictated by church constitution. An earlier vote passed in mid-January, but a second vote was required after a 90-day period.
Members also approved a new constitution and by-laws, that ''other than removing synodical references, didn't really change anything,'' spokesman Bruce Dalfonso said. ''We still have the same services, committees, programs, staff and mission mindedness.''
Meanwhile, a segment called ''Saving Faith'' has gone its own way.
In a statement earlier this week, Bishop Gary Wollersheim, of the ELCA's Northern Illinois Synod, said, ''we are saddened at Faith's decision to leave the ELCA, but through Christ's love, we respect the bound conscience of those persons, who, through study and prayer, have reached different conclusions.
''Despite our differences, we remain brothers and sisters in Christ,'' he wrote. ''The congregation of Faith and its leaders have been, and will continue to be, in my prayers.
Members who decided to remain in the ELCA formed a Synodically Authorized Worshipping Community under the leadership of the Rev. Joe Robb, the bishop said in the release. "This group, Saving Faith, offers the continued presence of an ELCA worshiping community for all those who desire one.''
That group has been meeting in the multi-purpose room at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1330 13th St., Moline.
The counterpart group, named ''Moving Forward With Faith,'' says it's time to do just that, Mr. Dalfonso said.''We're now in charge of our own church, and that means we will have to do a better job of managing it ourselves.''
The church is affiliated with an organization known as Lutheran Congregations In Missions for Christ, but that doesn't change the church's regular day-to-day operations, Mr. Dalfonso said.
Church leaders plan to launch a new stewardship drive soon, and are planning worship services, church education programs, vacation Bible school, confirmation classes, benevolence and 60th anniversary celebrations.
Kudu Don's Book
WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "Gurgle and Kudu Don Patterson Go Multi-Site: Anoth...":
Hi Pastor GJ! I have to get your mind on something else. Now let me see...I know.....Christmas. Any gift ideas? I found just the thing: "The New" Bible Discovery series from NPH.(see inside cover of May Forward In Christ A Lutheran Voice) For under fifteen dollars($13.50)I could send GJ Bible Basics: Finding Tools to Read and Interpret Scripture by Donald W. Patterson. Here is a brief description: "Are you afraid of the Bible? Or so you shy away from reading the Bible because it seems irrelevant or weird? Maybe you never learned how to read it. With this proper introduction, you'll have a renewed understanding of the most wonderful book on earth. Find help in understanding Scripture, and enjoy what it has to offer. 96 pages."
For that price I could send you two copies.(you can hardly wait)
In Christ,
from WELS church lady
***
GJ - That will really help, but I can get it free as a review copy. I am glad NPH has the time and money to publish the heresiarch.
Here are the inspired words of your District VP:
kududon@gmail.com [Yes, he calls himself Kudu Don.]
Subject: You are a fool.
12-10-2008
Hey, Greg,
I am not a part of Church and Change Leadership. I went to one conference a few years ago and had my own reservations. Also, Robert Timmerman does not serve as a church council pres at our church. You are lying on your blog.
Don
Call me sceptical, but Kudu Don went to the last Church and Change conference, in 2009, about a year after saying he was not part of the leadership. Should we believe him or our lying eyes?
Mrs. Ichabod said, when she heard the email read out loud, "I guess he made his own reservations again. He had them before."
He not only went to the Emerging Church pan-denominational Schwaermer-fest called Exponential - he organized a group of WELS workers to go together.
He and DP Glaeske are in charge of doctrinal discipline in Central South, WELS. Yet, he and Gurgle are taking the lead in promoting Emerging Church New Age philosophies.
Patterson and Glaeske have supported Rock N Roll
Church and Change and the WELS leaders waste prodigious amounts of time and money on duplicated, thoughtless, anti-Lutheran projects. It is bad enough that they hate Lutheran doctrine, but do they have to spread their hatred without anyone saying no?
Gurgle and Kudu Don Patterson Go Multi-Site: Another Latte Lutheran Church?
Pastor Gurgel's Message
Dear Fellow Believers, All praises be to God who continues to bless our efforts to move forward with the SPREAD the WORD project! Since the ministry expansion project began, I have received many questions. That is wonderful! The interest of you, our congregation members, and your commitment and desire to be involved is truly a blessing from the LORD.
This communication will be focused on providing answers to the questions that came up most frequently. In some cases we might not have definitive answers at this time. When this is the case, your leadership team has attempted to provide information as to what is being done to develop clarity and direction, eventually leading to answers.
If you would like to put your God-given talents and gifts to work on this project, please review the last few sections in this newsletter. You will find information about the teams that have been formed and who to contact to get involved.
As the leaders of Jesus' time said...."and pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:3-4), your church leaders and staff request the same from each of you. First and foremost we ask for your prayers that Christ will guide our actions and decisions regarding this ministry expansion project.
In HIM, Pastor Gurgle Gurgel Ichabod is so pervasive I can't even spell my own name right.
It has been stated that this expansion project will result in a second site for Holy Word Lutheran Church. What does this mean?
God willing and the crick don't rise and with the approval of the Voters of Holy Word, we are planning to develop an additional church site. This should not be confused with starting a mission church. Unlike a mission church, which is a separate church initially support by a founding church body, a second church site will actually be an extension of Holy Word at an additional location. Our existing church site and this new church site will make up one church, with one body of believers. We will have one budget, one leadership team and one staff.
There are several examples of WELS churches that have experienced this type of growth. Your leadership team is working to gain as much knowledge and insight from these churches, so that we might leverage their experience to help guide our project.
What are the benefits of being a multi-site church?
The most obvious benefit to having multiple church sites is that we will be able to reach more people with the message of Christ's love and salvation. More specifically, the new site will allow Holy Word to expand and spread the gospel in the fastest growing part of Texas, while remaining and growing at our current location. At each site we will be able to better focus our ministries and programs to meet the needs of the communities in which we reside. As we have added the Spanish speaking ministry at our current Holy Word site, we will find different needs at the new location which provide opportunities for us to become a part of the fabric of the local community, while sharing the Good News.
Will the services and programs be similar or different at each site?
The intent is to have One Church with Two Sites. It is important that there be similarities and programs that draw us all together as one church body; however, we want to recognize and embrace local cultures and needs in the communities of each church site.
We have formed a team that will make recommendations to the congregation on the structure of our initial services and programs at the two sites. Initial discussions have centered around having the services at the current Holy Word site continue to use the current, traditional format. Discussions regarding the new site have centered around having a more casual service, with piano and guitar music, no organ and more variations in the service format.
We will continue to be mindful to strive to strengthen Holy Word as one church while utilizing different formats and unique aspects of each location to bring God's Word to more people.
When will services begin at the second church site?
God willing, and with the approval of the Voters of Holy Word at the May 30, 2010 Voter's Meeting, we will begin services at a second site in the Pflugerville area on September 12, 2010. New beginnings are often associated with the commencement of a new school year. We believe offering people a new option for worship at a time when they are adjusting to change could be a blessing for many.
Why are we starting out with a temporary site now? To finance another safari for Kudu Don.
We have two primary reasons for using a temporary second site now. First, we want current and future worshippers and school-families to begin identifying with our second site as soon as possible. Second, we want to use worship services at a temporary site to help us identify the exact area for the second site and begin reaching out to people without a church home in that new area.
Who will preach and teach Sunday School at each site?
Pastor Patterson will be the primary preacher at both sites. There will be a time or two each month when Pastor Gurgel, a Vicar or our staff minister Chad White will preach. This is similar to how it is today at the current location.
There will be a site leader that is consistently located at each site and this individual will lead the liturgy. This site leader will be a consistent, familiar leader that members and visitor can expect to always be at a specific site location.
Our current thought is that adult Sunday School teachers will vary at each location. Pastor Patterson will likely rotate between the sites, teaching a series at one site for a period of time and then teaching a series at the other site for a period of time. We've also discussed the possibility of having a Wednesday night bible class taught by Pastor Patterson. The thought is that this would be a method to help support the One Church feel, allowing everyone to participate in a class and keeping everyone familiar with both locations. We would be very interested in getting your feedback about this option.
Will there be things that no longer happen at our current site?
It is possible that as a result of the expansion we will have to schedule certain events differently. At this time we are working to gather information from the congregation to help understand the number of people to expect at each location. As time goes on, it will become clearer as to how best to schedule programs and services to ensure God's Kingdom grows and that all (members and visitors) are blessed with hearing God's Word and having opportunities to unite with fellow believers.
It seems like our current staff are already stretched with their current responsibilities. How will this temporary second site be staffed?
Our current staff are faithfully expending themselves with their current responsibilities. Initially we are recommending an increase in support staff to assist our called workers. In the future, as God blesses our planned efforts with increased growth, Holy Word will need to add more called workers. During the planning and implementation parts of this expansion, our called workers are also relying heavily on church members who are assisting in the many aspects of this project.
Will Holy Word School have two sites also?
God willing, and with the approval of the Voters of Holy Word, we will open a new school location and close the current school location. This new location will be co-located with the new church site. Please note that the decision to proceed with this particular part of the long term plan will not be voted on at the May 30, 2010 Voter's Meeting. It will be brought forward for consideration and approval at a later date.
Why are we considering a new Holy Word School site?
The health and growth of the Holy Word School has always been a vital part of our church's ministry. In 2003 Holy Word engaged with Forward with Lutheran Schools (FWLS), a consulting ministry that existed to help WELS congregations advance the gospel of Jesus by starting and strengthening early childhood ministries. FWLS, in coordination with Holy Word's staff and Council, held several member focus group meetings to gather feedback and gain insight into future directions for Holy Word's school ministry. FWLS project leaders also conducted research to learn more about the surrounding area demographics and growth patterns. The outcome from this effort was a recommendation that Holy Word look to relocate the school to the Pflugerville/Round Rock area. It is believed that this move will maximize the number of souls we are able to reach through our school.
Why are we targeting to move the Holy Word School to the Pflugerville/Round Rock/Hutto area?
Currently 75% of our students come from the Round Rock, Pflugerville, and Hutto areas. We believe that by moving towards our target area we will be moving closer to where our current students reside. However, the plans to move the school to this area is not just to support our current student body. We believe that the growth in population of this target area will allow us to reach out to more families who are moving to eastern Round Rock, Pflugerville, and Hutto. In addition to positioning our school so that the majority of our current families are better served, we will also be better positioned for outreach in a high growth area. Finally this new location will also more easily allow for our school families to reach out and promote a school that is close to where they currently live.
If the existing school is closed, what will become of that facility?
There are numerous ways in which the current school site can be used to provide new relevant outreach into the surrounding community. Current possibilities being discussed include the development of an Early Childhood Program and expansion of our Spanish speaking ministry. The specific answer to this question will develop over time, as the project progresses. If you have suggestions and input, please pass them along to your church leaders and staff.
What are the key milestones & dates for this project?
We have three major milestones for this project.
God-willing and the crick don't rise and with the approval of the Voters of Holy word, our basic milestones are:
1. to begin worship services at the temporary second Holy Word Site in September 20102.
2. to purchase land for the permanent second Holy Word Site during 20113.
3. to begin operations of Holy Word School at the second site for the 2011-2012 school year.
How will this project be financed? You pay!
Holy Word is blessed with people who love to read, study and hear God's Word. Motivated by the Word they also have been eager to Spread the Word to others. Anchored in the Word they have also, personally, committed themselves in the past to monetarily supporting the Ministry of Holy Word Lutheran Church. Monetary challenges have often encouraged them to increase their support for the Lord's Ministry. The extent and timing of this effort to Spread the Word needs to be the subject of our personal and church prayers, asking God for his guidance and blessing.
Who is on the Leadership/Coordinating Team for this project and what are their roles?
Leaders from the current Church Council and standing committee were asked to serve on the Spread the Word Leadership/Coordinating Team. By forming the leadership team in this manner, these individuals will be well positioned to coordinate proposed expansion plans with what the Church Council and standing committees are currently doing. The overall coordinator for the project is Holy Word's Church Council President, Brad Johnston. The Church Council is also represented by Jason McLerran, the Assistant Treasurer. Nathan Steinke serves on this team from the Elders and Jonah Paul serves representing the Evangelism Committee. The Board of Education representative is John Harrington, Tim Moll is from the Property Committee and Jeff Slavin represents the Technology Committee. Pastor Gurle. Tarnation! I did it again. Gurgel serves as the Lead Advisor and Consultant to this Leadership/Coordinating Team, supporting our current staff, Pastor Patterson, staff minister Chad White and principal Kyle Raymond.
***
GJ - Fortunately I was able to get an early draft, along with the strike-outs.
Kudu Don and the ex-SP have imbibed deeply from the false doctrine of Emerging Churches. Does anyone doubt now that Gurgle was a Church and Change leader from the beginning? Patterson? Gurgle's numbskull brother Rich at the Sausage Factory?
Quoting my source:
"http://apprising.org/2010/01/06/multi-site-church/
http://multisitechurchrevolution.com/ --- Third, multi-site churches are all about ego
Neil Cole indicates that pastors of multi-site churches are primarily concerned with getting more butts in seats and bringing in more money in the offering plates."
Manufacturing Schwaermer Disciples Instead of Feeding the Sheep and Guarding the Sheep
Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Denigrating Faith Accompanies Rejection of the Mea...":
Another failed Synodical Pope, Gurgle, flogged his sect with regular editorials using the same theme. He denigrated the real treasure of the Church, the Means of Grace, so he could gather and waste the material treasure of the members.
The Lutheran clergy picked up the ball and ran with it. The command to make disciples led them to ignore a command Christ actually did make which was "feed my sheep" spoken in a Trinitarian declaration in John 21. Generally all activity is focused toward bringing in new members, new money. The churches do not operate on what God has given but on what they think God wants them to do in order to accomplish making disciples. The churches lead, God is to follow with His blessings. No great surprise when they've perverted the central doctrine. Likewise they abandon the sheep God did give them for whatever they think is at the end of the rainbow. Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Rick Warren, Mark Jeske they are at the end of the rainbow. LCMS Pres Kieschnick's quote above is much the same as you will hear all around the (W)ELS on any given Sunday. Not feeding the sheep gathered with God's pure Word and Sacraments but charging them to go and gather more any way they can. The seed, God's Word, is discarded because in vain they do worship God(me), teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9
In reference to the Lutherans "Making Disciples" here is Christ's command which is pure Efficacy of the Means of Grace Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: KJV
---
California wrote:
"Brett Meyer hit the nerve center which opened the gates to the rocky path for synods and congregations since they have all dispatched the KJV to the dust bin of history and took up using the contemporary translations of the day including NKJV which distort Matthew 28:19 among other things. It's been downhill all the way making man responsible for making disciples rather than exercising the means of grace and leaving the making of disciples to God. Even with an awakening beginning to stir in Lutheran Synods in reaction to the fruits of apostasy, it will be for naught unless the issue of Bible translations is revisited in view of the the influence of false prophets who prevailed in the late 19th Century to undermine the Word itself through Bible Translation of perverted manuscript evidence. It took awhile for the effects to be felt in U.S., but when it did, consequences are becoming obvious for even the complacent to see. Dealing with the symptoms is useful, but If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?"
Denigrating Faith Accompanies Rejection of the Means of Grace
in world religion class,
to show that pagan religion can be more than a little disgusting.
It is considered a great honor to feed the rats
and to have one run across the adherent's feet.
UOJ Stormtroopers claim they are "protecting the Gospel" when they promote forgiveness without the Word, when they attack anyone who dares to bring up the word faith. Luther warned that when the Means of Grace are rejected, all kinds of foul errors rush in.
The work of salvation belongs to God alone, and He has bound Himself to the Means of Grace. He preserves the true Church and sends out faithful ministers to proclaim the Gospel in the midst of error and apostasy. Wherever the Gospel is preached, faith springs up and receives the blessings of the Christian faith.
God does not work through programs and money, in spite of the claims made by church bureaucrats. They make it seem as if God desperately needs more buildings, more endowments, more cash flow, lest His work falter and fail. How often do the synodical drones urge people to trust in faithfulness to the Word? They may brag about "fifty years of grace" but they never let the doctrine of the Means of Grace penetrate their communications.
Congregations and pastors should find great comfort and assurance in every faithful sermon, every Holy Baptism, every service of Holy Communion. Those who sow with abundance with reap with abundance.
The recent article about Kieschnick's failing attempt to stay in office has this stink bomb embedded in it:
Kieschnick said. "That treasure is not intended to be hoarded. It's intended to be shared with the world."
The Synodical Pope has proven throughout His reign that He has no grasp of Lutheran theology. He is snidely using the typical wording of the Confessions. The positive - he supports the Church Growth Movement, which soaks up vast amounts of money. The negative - the treasure of the Means of Grace "is not intended to be hoarded." Who would guess that the Scriptures and the Confessions commend worship as that very place we receive the treasure distributed by the Holy Spirit through the Means of Grace?
Another failed Synodical Pope, Gurgle, flogged his sect with regular editorials using the same theme. He denigrated the real treasure of the Church, the Means of Grace, so he could gather and waste the material treasure of the members. While driving his own sect into insolvency, he organized a program of financial planning for the membership.
Meanwhile, Rock N Roll in Round Rock, Texas, is doing the same thing, devouring the wealth of widows and orphans while selling a Schwaermer financial planning seminar. Gurgle and Patterson raise their consecrated and consecrating hands in blessing. "Put us back into power so we can soak up the wisdom of false teachers, and kill a few helpless animals in Africa. But God cannot do it alone. He has no hands but yours, no checking account but yours."
Friday, April 30, 2010
All Things Bright and Beautiful - Libera Boys Choir
All Things Bright And Beautiful
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one;
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows for our play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day;
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Click on this link for this song of Creation.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tea for Two: Quiche-Niks on the Run;
Steadfast Blog
A comment claims she published what was sent.
Tea Party insurgence ripples through Missouri Synod election
By TIM TOWNSEND
c. 2010 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
ST. LOUIS (RNS) When the nominations for president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod were tallied and released earlier this month, a collective gasp went up from Lutherans who pay attention to things like presidential nominations.
It wasn't just that nine-year incumbent Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, 67, received 755 nominations, but that the Rev. Matthew Harrison, 48, received nearly double that amount: 1,332.
Harrison, executive director of the church's World Relief and Human Care office, has the support of a group called the Brothers of John the Steadfast whose mission is, in part, to "defend and promote the orthodox Christian faith which is taught in the Lutheran Confessions..."
The group's website (www.steadfastlutherans.org) is one of the voices in the conservative wing of the synod that's unhappy with Kieschnick, and the group's analysis said Kieschnick's 755 nominations were the lowest number ever received by a sitting president.
"The nomination numbers were encouraging," said the Rev. Timothy Rossow, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Naperville, Ill., who heads the Brothers of John the Steadfast.
Some observers say the movement reflected in Rossow's group is made up of as many as one-third of the denomination's 2.4 million members. Others say it's much smaller, though loud and influential.
Theological and doctrinal conservatives within the St. Louis-based Missouri Synod call themselves "confessional Lutherans." They are traditionalists who stress a strict adherence to the Book of Concord, the 16th-century work that defined the central doctrines of Lutheranism.
Confessionalists are critical of what they call Kieschnick's postmodern approach to the church. They say that for the last decade, Kieschnick has taken a nondenominational, evangelical megachurch approach, and in the process has diluted Martin Luther's theology.
"My vision for the LCMS is that the gift that God has given us --that we believe, teach and confess on the basis of holy Scripture -- is a treasure," Kieschnick said. "That treasure is not intended to be hoarded. It's intended to be shared with the world."
Dale Meyer, president of the Missouri Synod's Concordia Seminary, said Harrison "has more conservative supporters, who are active in the blogosphere."
"Rev. Harrison is seen as more confessional, adhering to the teachings and practices of the Lutheran confession," Meyer said.
"President Kieschnick is a very conservative person, but he is a little bit more influenced by the
evangelical stream in the church."
Church delegates will cast their votes at the synod's trienniel convention in Houston in July.
Missouri Synod presidents have no term limits. If re-elected, Kieschnick will serve his fourth three-year term. But in the current American political landscape, "incumbent" is a dirty word.
"The incumbency factor is out there with some people," Meyer said.
On steadfastlutherans.org, Harrison supporters are counting on people in the pews seeking a change at the top of the church.
"Another thing that I think helps us this year is the general climate in our country of being dismayed with incumbents," Neal Breitbarth wrote.
Rossow said Harrison's large number of nominations -- the most ever for a nonincumbent, according to steadfastlutherans.org -- reminded him of another grass-roots effort seeking change.
"There's definitely a sort of Tea Party feel to these numbers," he said.
"President Kieschnick tends to reflect a broader, wider tent that can also suggest tolerance and openness. It's openness for the sake of being open, and that's where the Tea Party groundswell against him may kick in."
One of the largest pieces of business for delegates in Houston will be a proposed sweeping restructuring of the entire denomination that would consolidate some of the church's boards and commissions. "This is not," Kieschnick said, "a consolidation of power."
But Rossow and others see the proposed restructuring as exactly that. The proposals, he said, "centralize power in the synod office. That's not necessarily bigger government, but it's certainly stronger government."
Like all important elections, the presidential contest in Houston this July will determine the immediate direction that Missouri Synod Lutherans will take.
"There's a strong grass-roots movement that the synod can do much better in its life all the way around," Harrison said. "There's a strong sense of desire for a change of course."
Not surprisingly, Kieschnick sees things differently.
The fact that so few churches cast ballots, he said, means that people are largely satisfied with the job he's done, and out of that sense of satisfaction, they simply figure not voting will ensure the status quo.
"I've been a part of this church long enough to know that if someone in office is doing a very poor job, we'd have more than 30 percent of them weighing in," he said. "Call it apathy or satisfaction, but they see no need to make a change."
(Tim Townsend writes for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch in St. Louis,
Mo.)
***
GJ - Quiche-nik is the Gurgle of the LCMS. He has pursued all the fads of the Church Growth Movement, spent everyone's money, and blessed the most outrageous and sacrilegious "evangelism efforts."
What Barry and McCain planted, Quiche-Nik watered, but Satan has given the increase. Look up all the LCMS congregations that are also members of the Willow Creek Association. Problem? Not for the Quiche-Niks. Land-o-Goshen! I found St. John in Ellisville. McCain and Barry had no problem with the congregation being members of two denominations at once. Neither does the current SP.
People used to claim that the conservatives took over the LCMS again. More accurately, the Reformed doctrine of Neo-Pietism took over WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie.
I have been following the challenger, Harrison, for some time. He seems to have had a lot more practical experience than Quiche-Nik or Bohlmann.
Cruz: UOJ Splits the Verses To Fake the Message
L P has left a new comment on your post "LPC on Shunning":
Dear All,
This quote from the BOC is astounding ...
It is certain that sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ, as Propitiator, Rom. 3, 25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation. Moreover, Paul adds: through faith. Therefore this Propitiator thus benefits us, when by faith we apprehend the mercy promised in Him, and set it against the wrath and judgment of God." "The wrath of God cannot be appeased if we set against it our own works, because Christ has been set forth as a Propitiator, so that, for His sake, the Father may become reconciled to us. But Christ is not apprehended as a Mediator except by faith. Therefore, by faith alone we obtain remission of sins when we comfort our hearts with confidence in the mercy promised for Christ's sake."
UOJers argue that Rom 3:24 is their verse. Yet the thorough examination of the verse along with Rom 3:25, shows that they ignore what the BoC says about justification through faith.
This setting aside on what the BoC says on Rom 3:25 is quite irresponsible.
What can be said but that there is coercion of the UOJ teaching upon the Sacred text and the BoC?
Church Lady,
I do have the Althaus book, I will go back to it. Thanks for the reminder.
LPC
***
GJ - The era of Pietism is being studied for its effect upon UOJ. I have found nothing promoting forgiveness without faith before the Pietistic era. Several are working on this.
---
F. Schleiermacher (haze maker in German)
Wickedpedia has a good summary about him: "Schleiermacher was born in Breslau in the Prussian Province of Silesia, the son of a Prussian army chaplain in the Reformed Church. He was educated in a Moravian school at Niesky in Upper Lusatia, and at Barby near Halle. However, pietistic Moravian theology failed to satisfy his increasing doubts, and his father reluctantly gave him permission to enter the University of Halle, which had already abandoned pietism and adopted the rationalist spirit of Friedrich August Wolf and Johann Salomo Semler. As a theology student Schleiermacher pursued an independent course of reading and neglected the study of the Old Testament and Oriental languages. However, he did attend the lectures of Semler, where he became acquainted with the techniques of historical criticism of the New Testament, and of Johann Augustus Eberhard, from whom he acquired a love of the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. At the same time he studied the writings of Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, and began to apply ideas from the Greek philosophers to a reconstruction of Kant's system."Marquart on Schleiermacher:
Not to be discounted in the acculturating distortion of “objective justification” is the pervasive influence of Schleiermacher and his multitude of followers. Hoenecke put it like this:
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GJ - WELS Church Lady went German theology on me, so I had to bring up Halle theologian Schleiermacher, the most important theologian for all of modern Protestant theology. UOJ led him into Universalism, just as it did for Tholuck (Hoenecke's professor at Halle). Knapp, as the last of the believers, laid the foundation. Tholuck and Schleiermacher built on it. Some people think UOJ did not survive the 20th century, except in the Syn Conference. But it did survive! - in Karl Barth (theologian of Fuller Seminary, thus CGM) and Paul Tillich - both shameless adulterers. UOJ has a mangy pedigree.
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