Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
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.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Final Verse
Church and Change Websty
IT'S ALL ABOUT US
The Church and Change group is interested in practicing and promoting innovation in ministry methods throughout the WELS especially at the "grass roots" level. There are a number of resources from which to choose. Sort through our Idea Exchange for the approaches to ministry that are at work in congregations. Select Articles that will stimulate your thinking about ministry. Click through our Link and Learn resource for websites that may offer your church some benefits.
The resources we offer here are intended to stimulate thinking about serving the Savior and His kingdom. Since these resources are not necessarily written from a conservative Lutheran perspective, sanctified discretion is required when evaluating these materials.
Thank you for visiting our site and we look forward to hearing from you.
Board of Directors
| Pastor Ron Ash | Chairman |
| Jeff Davis | Vice Chairman |
| Barry Spencer | Treasurer |
| Sarah Owens | Secretary |
| Pastor John Huebner | |
| Brian Arthur Lampe |
When Ski was officially on the board, three members of St. Marcus were on the board at the same time. I haven't seen such a monopoly since CrossWalk in Phoenix took over the board of Wisconsin Lutheran College - and hid the evidence of their infiltration.
Barry Spencer and Brian Arthur Lampe are members of St. Marcus. For some reason, photos and bios disappear from a CG websty when I publicize it.
WELS members - you are the suckers who paid for this apostate lobby to get started. The Church and Money Changers skim the cream from the offerings, the Thrivent grants, Schwan money, and foundation grants. Want to find a liberal? - check out a foundation board or advisory committee. Oh - there is Ski again...Siebert Foundation.
At your district conventions -
tie a hundred dollar bill to a piece of string,
drag it through the hall,
all the Church and Money Changers will follow you out the door.
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Marketing a Church a Target Community
Pastor Jeff Gunn
Pastor Gun is also a great resource for:
Non-Lutheran Churches - How to Build One From Scratch
Small Groups - Starting them Successfully
Contemporary Music - Doing it up
Outreach Methods - Getting Involved
Researching Alternative Ministry Methods and Models - How To Do It and Pull Workable Ideas From It
Controlling a WELS college without having a WELS congregation!
Email: jeff@crosswalkinlaveen.org
Website: www.crosswalkinlaveen.org/
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Congregation -Conference Breakout 103.... Growing Your Congregation’s Staph from Within
Fuller Seminary DMin Lawrence Olson - Larry Oh! - Our Staph Infection
The WELS Congregational Assistant Program (CAP) encourages and equips members, men and women alike, for a broader ministry within a congregation.
WELS Pastoral Studies Institute (PSI), which guides and assists men from a broad cultural spectrum through their pre-seminary and seminary training.
Email: OlsonLO@mlc-wels.edu
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Contemporary Worship - Conference Breakout 506....
Your Guide to Starting Your Own Alternative Worship Experience
Pastor James “Ski” Skorzewski and Staff Minister Brian Davison
Changes are taking place in the worship world. There still remains a strong interest in blended and contemporary worship among many in our midst. A number of WELS congregations have been conducting blended or contemporary services for years. This workshop will provide help and guidance from someone who has undertaken the process at St. Marcus in Milwaukee. Topics to be discussed include how to begin a blended/contemporary service in a small/traditional congregation so that everyone is blessed; recruiting musicians, vocalists, and technical persons; equipment needs; stage presence!; best rock music to use at the start; copyright matters; plagiarism tips; music/worship sources (websites, friends, etc…) ; use of contemporary liturgies; establishing a WELS network for those interested in helping each other with materials, ideas, and encouragement; and the awakening need for more joyful experiential worship in our midst.
If you are interested in getting your hands on this conference workshop PowerPoint or want more information, email the speaker by selecting the link below!
Email: brian.davison@stmarcus.com, james.skorzewski@stmarcus.com
Website: www.stmarcus.com
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Finance - Conference Breakout 107.... Creating a Conflict of Interest in Your Church and Synod
Jeffrey Davis
This workshop will share ideas and give examples for churches intent on creating cultures marked by strong financial stewardship and biblically guided generosity.
If you are interested in getting your hands on this conference workshop PowerPoint or want more information, email the speaker by selecting the link below!
Cornerstone Stewardship Ministry
206 E. Mills Dr.
Lake Mills, WI 53551
Phone: 920-648-7997
Email: jeff@joyfulgiving.net
Website: www.joyfulgiving.net
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Pietistic Cell Groups
Pastor Peter Panitzke
Two 40 day programs with daily devotions and small group sessions.
Email: ppanitzke@stpaulmuskego.org
Website: www.stpaulmuskego.org
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Jail Mininstry - From the Inside
DP Ed Werner, Vicar Scott Zerbe, ALA Teacher Al Just, Pastor W. Tabor (outside advisor) - OK, that is a little humor, and only a small selection of WELS jailbirds.
Looking to get involved in jail ministries? WELS Special Ministries Administrator, Pastor Carl Ziemer, knows all about it!
Give him a call.
Special Ministries
2929 N Mayfair Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53222
Phone: 414 256 3241
Website: www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?csm
Not Everyone Is Thrilled with Church and Change
while soliciting funds from his own current affiliation.
Jeske is the dark force behind Church and Change.
Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Junior Stormtrooper Lashes Out:The Uncle Fritz Def...":
Garrett,
I'm going to direct you to another blog, The Gadfly. It is hosted by Pastor Spencer, a WELS pastor in Arizona. He has written a section entitled, "A Dozen Don'ts and Dos for Orthodox Lutheran Pastors". I direct you to #3- "Don't assume any other Pastor is orthodox just because you roomed with him in prep or college, or he's married to your sister, or related in any way".
There are hard times ahead in the WELS. To think any other way is naive. It's not just you and your "uncle". I also face this challenge.
A month ago I went to the Church and Change website. Who's picture do I see as an officer? A guy with which I went to prep and college. I always thought he was a nice guy. But.... I don't believe in Church and Change and anything for which they stand. I have to come to terms that he might be a straying brother.
Twenty years ago I was a charter member of a WELS mission church. I consider the pastor a friend. Now he has removed the word Lutheran from its name. It is now a "stealth" church. Once again, this might get personal. Why? I recently happily threw my lot in with the people from Intrepid Lutherans. Might I have to confront friends and schoolmates on the opposite side of heated debate? Yes, and I pray for the strength to do it.
So Garrett, steel your yourself for the future. It could get ugly. As Luther wrote, "With might of ours can naught be done...".
Junior Stormtrooper Lashes Out:
The Uncle Fritz Defense
Needs money - definitely a Church and Changer.
Garrett has left a new comment on your post "Trashing Me Will Not Help Your Cause, O Cowardly C...":
Truthfully, being able to research many claims as true is what drew me to like your blog. Instead, I should have mentioned that It's (sic) a danger of generalizing.
A "Cowardly DP" would hardly describe my uncle (who is often quick to point me to the relevant scripture or other quotations explaining his actions). Nor would it assign proper justice to a former DP who was one of my home church's pastor and even taught my grade school Confirmation classes.
"God may continue to curse and punish WELS/ELS with false teachers and weak-kneed leaders." This comes to me as an exhortation- and directed towards the (W)ELS as a whole! As I mentioned, there is far too much to consider the entire WELS apostate. And, again, all the objects mentioned are generalizations.
If using words such as "apostate Doctrinal Pussycats" is supposed to narrow this accusation to a more select audience, it still fails on my ears (GJ - ?) under the context of the entire article.
I'm done...Anyone can deconstruct and hyperanalyze text wielding their own preconceptions. Although, at least you have a little fun with your writing. The one that made me grin was the JRR Tolkien Reference: "nasty little pocketses."
"Thus too, did Baldus say that such harsh words are like maggots on firewood that appear with a gentle touch: but have very harsh teeth, and gnaw away at the core of the firewood, resulting that the wood appears unhurt on the surface." -- Loci Theologici - Locus on Poverty (GJ - Incomplete citation, APA epic fail)
***
GJ - No one knows who this anonymous person is. Other blogs have higher standards and demand real names. But I like to let people post under pseudonyms for my own nefarious reasons.
Once again there are many unwarranted claims. Uncle Fritz (my fill-in-the-blank name for him) is not a doctrinal coward - based on what evidence?
The Uncle Fritz gambit is the primary reason why I fear WELS will not overcome its doctrinal errors.
"This cannot be true because my Uncle Fritz is a DP" or "My uncle Fritz taught at Mequon." Avuncular infallibility is the bedrock of all WELS arguments, and everyone has an uncle in WELS.
I am mildly sympathetic, because my first inclination is to be sympathetic toward those I know and appreciate.
However, any mention of the Conference of Pussycats is bound to elicit groans of despair.
Did they object to Kelm's Leonard Sweet Church and Change conference?
Did they object to Kelm's doctrine?
Did they sit there like bumps on a log while Gurgle and Mueller pillaged the synod and played Kevorkian with the schools?
Uncle Fritz' nephew objects to harsh words delivered smoothly, a fine description of WELS communication efforts, like the one above. One must never be so honest as to say, "This is wrong because..." and give actual reasons. Vague accusations are enough.
Here is a DP argument, theme and parts:
Theme - WELS is perfect.
Part 1 - Greg Jackson has criticized Holy Mother WELS.
Part 2 - Greg Jackson is a bad person.
The DPs have another argument, equally sound:
Theme - WELS is perfect.
Part 1 - You remind me of Greg Jackson.
Part 2 - Therefore, you are a bad person.
Anyone who objects to anything must go, hat in hand, to Lord High DP Hategood and present his criticisms in a weak and trembling voice. He will be lucky if the DP even shows up.
The DP will immediately--often through subordinates--address the problem by getting rid of the person who dared to arouse the wrath of the great and mighty Oz. WELS has trashed many divine calls this way while protecting the lowest of the low, like that adulterous murderer who miraculously got a call out of town and saw his files disappear in time for a police investigation. (Felony - obstruction of justice)
WELS has created its own solution-proof problem by shutting down all avenues of honest communication. PR substitutes for doctrinal rebuke. Apostates are punished with new calls. Adulterers are promoted and defended - if they have the right DNA or something better - access to loot.
Harsh? I like that word. I was diagnosed with cancer years ago. Do not celebrate too quickly. It was only a basal cell carcinoma. Nevertheless, there were only three options:
1. Burn it with radiation.
2. Burn it with very nasty chemicals.
3. Perform surgery and leave a scar.
Letting it grow was not an option since it was already eating a hole in my skull.
The Holy Spirit describes false doctrine as a cancer (or gangrene) that devours.
KJV 2 Timothy 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
NKJ 2 Timothy 2:17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort,
YLT 2 Timothy 2:17 and their word as a gangrene will have pasture, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,
That allows us to believe that false doctrine should receive harsh treatment. I could quote Luther all day on this topic, but those quotations bounce right off the flinty skulls of WELS clergy.
I have never heard the Doctrinal Pussycats describe anything in WELS as false doctrine. That would be "harsh." But I do know how they treat their own clergy, from many different examples. I am familiar with the crafts and assaults of Church and Change, an official agency tasked with promoting false doctrine, a cancer giving birth to many new growths, like the women's conference, The CORE, etc.
WELS will have to deal with the doctrinal problems or perish like the unionistic UCC. WELS will continue to exist, just like the UCC, but cease to matter - except as a minor lobbying agency for recent fads.
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