Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Too Much Politeness - Too Many Concessions






Isn't worship with Babtist Andy Stanley a complete repudiation of Lutheran doctrine?
How about Groeschel (Methodist-Covenant) sermons dishonestly peddled as original?
Did Glende and Ski show any brotherly concern for fellow pastors in this endeavor?


http://livinthehylife.blogspot.com/2010/09/core-mission-church.html


The CORE a Mission Church?

A new comment was added to one of my previous postings today. I think it is useful to address the assertion of the commentator, as it is something that I have been considering myself regarding the CORE:
Anonymous Said . . .
St. Peter church never declared St. Paul's dead or dying. St. Paul has a wonderful Hmong ministry mission along with a traditional ministry, area churches including St. Peter supports their ministry by sending volunteers to help with Hmong Saturday school. The CORE and St. Paul service times are completely different as well so they are not competing.

The mission of The CORE was/is to reach out to young adults, the age group that was falling away from church or would be less likely to come into a traditional church setting (a St. Peter or a St. Paul) and on a Sunday evening when young adults would be more likely to come. What better way to reach out to them than be part of their neighborhood. Perhaps you didn't drive east two more blocks...The CORE is walking distance from the largest college in town. The fact they were able to lease a beautiful building and a location downtown near the largest group of young adults in the city is truly a blessing from God.
September 14, 2010 11:14 AM

Personally, I think that Pastor Ski had good intentions when he went into the CORE, much like the above commentator suggests. In fact, I am hard pressed to believe that any of the WELS Pastors who buy into the Church and Change (WELS version of Church Growth Ministry) mentality do so with evil intent. It probably starts with a comment from some naive teenager like myself (along the lines of "I hate going to church and hearing the same old thing every week"). Or maybe the pastor witnesses the "growth" of an evangelical church, and starts to believe there is something to it. Perhaps his son or daughter has started to read or listen to contemporary "theologians" and their way of doing things. It's really not that hard to imagine.

So what does the pastor do? He starts to become less rigid in his application of the liturgy. Maybe he decides to rearrange a portion here and add a segment there. Then he decides that, instead of an Old Testament and Epistle reading, it would be better to just have one longer, relevant reading in addition to the sermon text. Or maybe he decides that it's not necessary to read the gospel every single week. Maybe he begins to insert a "popular" contemporary worship band's musical stylings before or after the sermon, as it is pertinent to his message.

But it doesn't end there. As the title of this blog suggests, yeast has a way of spreading. Soon "small group ministries" are being promoted as "essential" to the church. Then an "Alternative Worship Experience" pops up, an event which is lay-led, praised for it's lack of pastor, organ, liturgy (and, though un-noted, the Sacraments). But this "service" is okay, because it's meant to reach out to the lost and draw them into regular corporate worship, not serve as a means to strengthen those who are already saved. However, eventually this contemporary worship service starts to replace regular Sunday worship. What's more, the "liturgical" Sunday worship services - particularly the sermons - start to become more and more law focused, with an emphasis on personal piety.

Each one of these "changes" probably seemed relevant and God-pleasing at the time, but in reality they are inching closer and closer to the age-old ideology of pietism. Pietism is nothing new in the Lutheran church - in today's world, it's just coming with a different flavor. Intrepid Lutherans recently posted a very pertinent essay regarding this very subject:


"The New White-Wine Pietists," by Craig Parton

The fact of the matter is, whether or not the "hip" and relevant Pastors who implement CG methodology have good intent, the results tend to be much the same in every circumstance: Me-centered worship lacking any real emphasis on the Means of Grace. I truly believe that Pastor "Ski" and the leaders at St. Peter's Freedom started the CORE with similar good intentions. They wanted to reach the lost of Appleton by providing the city with a Mission of sorts. Unfortunately, the CORE has turned out to be little more than a "cool" alternative for teens to Christ-centered worship at their home congregations. As the cliche saying goes: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Once error has been exposed, there is no excuse for those who persist in it, even if the error is "understandable." Let us hope that the relevant individuals have their hearts softened by the Holy Spirit in these matters.

Mousing over will make the text above appear, like magic.

***

GJ - The false teachers--who include the DP, Glende, Ski, Parlow, and more--do not have good intentions. They abuse the patience of others by seeing how much they can get away with. The pastors who have tried to deal with them (as required by WELS Rules #3411-4306) have found them rude, indifferent, and just plain nasty.

Does anyone think teens will be deceived into the Kingdom with Groeschel retread sermons wrapped in Stanley corporate business-think?

These middle-aged teens, posing with floozies, are the worst possible examples to the youth of Appleton:

1. Spend a fortune (but from whom?) on false doctrine conferences.
2. Rent a movie theater because that is the new fad.
3. Sheep steal.
4. Plagiarize.

Which one of those SORE values will help youth in the 21st century?

---

Daniel Baker has left a new comment on your post "Too Much Politeness - Too Many Concessions":

The point is that, good intentions or not (I am still hard pressed to believe that they set out to deceive the Elect, but it's not something worth arguing over), Ski, Glende, et al. are beyond the point of being given "the benefit of the doubt" and are now in persistent error. Thus, we need not "give it a chance," as it has proven by its fruit to be steeped in falsehood.

Paul McCain's Time Out on ALPB Forum



Paul McCain is a layman who gets paid a hefty salary to blog.
He is the Perez Hilton for CPH.


Apparently Paul McCain has been banned from the ALPB Forum for 30 days. I may have this wrong, since I do not have the origin post of doom. The thread suggests that is the case. I posted that he was warned recently.

He quit for a period of time, after being called on his behavior:

600px-Warning_icon.svg
Some time back I recommended folks give the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau's online forum a try. I now need to withdraw that recommendation. The ALPB forum is very poorly moderated, and when the ELCA moderator actually ever does attempt to exercise some modicum of control, it is generally to slap wrists with a ruler for not being nice, which apparently in the ELCA is a sin far more serious than doctrinal heresy and moral bankruptcy. The forum has reached the point where it is no better than sites like LutherQuest. There are two very liberal ELCA pastors on the board who dominate every conversation to the point of destroying any possibility of reasonable conversation, one in particular is permitted by the site's moderators to question incessantly every major article of the Christian faith. It is a mess. It is actually a bit like watching a train wreck, it is so awful you can't take your eyes from it, but…you really should. I have, and feel much the better for it.

***

GJ - I thought that was cute, because he is always acting tough with Marie Meyer and David Behnke on the forum. When he was Barry's assistant, he was mush - unless someone disagreed with him. Behnke could have been deposed by Barry for his earlier offence, but Barry/McCain took a powder and left it to Wally Schulz to do what was necessary, much later. At that point, with no SP to support him, Wally was fired from his radio job and voted out of office.

I would cry for "conservatives" in Missouri, but they have been sacrificing their own to Belial for decades. I was going to publish my amazement that McCain had so much time to post on ALPB and everywhere else - even in Australia.

Sweet and Ichabod Are the Litmus Tests





Paul Calvin Kelm hosted and boasted the Leonard Sweet conference, WELS Church and Change.
Mequon graduate DP Wille (LCMS) is hosting another Sweet conference.
Wille is buddies with Jeske, no surprise.


Rogue Lutheran gave me the link to this podcast by Ingrid Schleuter, CrossTalk. Click on the September 9th date and the listen link. I used Windows Media player.

I tried to get more information about Ingrid. She is a conservative Christian, perhaps LCMS. [GJ - Corrections will be made later.] This is the first podcast I have listened to. The program is well done and especially good for people who are more likely to listen than to read a lot of material.

WELS and Missouri have been bowing before Leonard Sweet for some time. When Church and Change was debating the Sweet invitation (and Kelm would not respond), the Chicago stealth mission pastor for WELS had already heard Sweet and loved him.

Once I linked a video that Concordia Seminary, St. Louis posted - featuring Sweet and their seminary president, who almost crawled into Sweet's lap to lick his face. It was disgusting. Strangest of all, Concordia was so proud of this performance that they had to share it with everyone.

While WELS and Missouri are celebrating how conservative they are - an old story with no evidence behind it - Sweet remains their cutting edge theologian. I hate the term cutting edge too, but trite synods love trite labels, and that one fits. Sweet is the ultimate leader of the circumcision party.

Sweet is the litmus test of Christianity. If a synod can sponsor him, welcome him, sit at his feet, promote his loathsome books, that synod is apostate. Has anyone in WELS or Missouri been disciplined for promoting this pagan?

SP Schroeder and SP Harrison will not do the most important part of their jobs - enforce doctrinal discipline with expulsions. Missouri and WELS expel pastors and teachers from time to time, but they will not take on the Sweetarians and their allies.

The SPs see their jobs as essentially political. People want and expect that. No hard choices. No real decisions.

Pause for a moment and imagine that I am invited to speak to an ELS or WELS conference, maybe even LCMS since they invite ELCA speakers without blushing. Of course that will never happen. But if it did, the uproar would be astonishing in its wrath. Why? Because I am against adulterous pastors? They do have a big lobby. Perhaps because I argue for the inerrancy and efficacy of the Scriptures? They tolerate that, except I apply it to too many situations. Or - I actually study the Confessions and teach them as the ruled norm? They claim the same thing, even if they do not know the Formula of Concord from the Book of Concord. The primary reason is that I have identified their opinions as utter rubbish, false doctrine, contrary to all their lofty claims and well-oiled PR campaigns. Not only that, millions of Lutherans have voted with their feet to say the same thing. That grinds away at the shredded remains of their conscience. They cannot argue doctrine with me, so they indulge themselves in back-biting, grape-viney behavior.

I am the enemy of the established synods - not Sweet. That is their conceit and their downfall. Final judgment is only a few years away from many of them. From the look of the waistlines - any minute now. When they die and answer for themselves, what can they say, "Lord, Lord, did we not build many buildings and name them after an adulterer?"

God has taken away from them the one thing they love - material growth. And yet they march like zombies after Sweet and lesser demagogues anyway.

Pastor Ski Will Explain Why He Posed with the Playboy Model, Katy Perry (fallen Gospel singer), And Other Mysteries



Wrong Rev. Groeschel. My bad.




FVL Schools Community Parents Night


Sex Ed – Taking on Taboos
September 30th
7:00 p.m.
Fox Valley Lutheran High School

Trinity, Neenah, Wisconsin

Talking openly about sex to their middle school or high school-age children is something many parents dread. But, today -- more than ever -- that conversation needs to take place and Christian parents are looking for the right things to say and the right way to say it. Pastor Ski will help parents and students break the sound barrier and look at this topic through the lens of God's Word. This presentation is designed for parents and students from grades 6 and up to attend TOGETHER. Younger parents are welcome to attend, but please leave the younger children at home for this sensitive topic. Audience questions are encouraged - please bring your cell phone to text or call in your questions! (Paper provided for non-cell phone users!)

Invite your neighbors and friends with children the age of your children -- How great would it be to have EVERYONE talking about this important topic from a Biblical perspective. Tickets available from the FVL School Office or the office of any FVL School.

Hey kids - learn how to spell check.
Don't plagiarize the way your guest speaker does - with the DP's approval.
And don't disgrace yourself by posing with low-life celebrity ....

---

http://www.theavenue91.com/en-us/partners/events/details.aspx?id=152

Fox Valley Lutheran Community Parent Night

Pastor Jim "Ski" Skorzewski, pastor of The Core in downtown Appleton presents "SEX ED - Taking on Taboos".

DESCRIPTION:

Talking openly about sex to their middle school or high school-age children is a topic many parents dread. But, today -- more than ever -- that conversation needs to take place. "SEX ED - Taking on Taboos" will help parents and teens tackle these taboo topics through the lens of God's Word.

COST:

Free

STARTS AT:

September 30th, 2010 at 7:00 PM

ENDS AT:

September 30th, 2010 at 8:30 PM

LOCATION:

Appleton, WI
For more information please contact...

http://www.fvlschools.org/

The WELS SORE Is Becoming the BORE



Portable altar.






Yeast Blog



electronicoptimist said...
Riddle me this Danny Boy: How does one fully listen to the message delivered by your 'prince of darkness (Ski)' while at the same time taking a head count, observing the cross, checking out the band (you were playing the role of 'Carny' the age-guesser after all), and noting the 'wall top wall flat screen tv's?

Seems to me that your 'observing with purpose' is merely a PC way of stating that you were on a religious witch hunt.

I get it though. Use a purchased set of artwork to go along with your series on Elijah and you are a plaigarist. Use contemporary stuff.. you aren't adhering to the old ways. Dress casually.. you aren't being respectful.

I encourage you to attend again.. this time listen to the message (focus) instead of playing insurance adjuster (estimating costs of the interior) or carny (I'll let you guess my weight afterward if that will make you feel better - I look like I could be Ski's brother so introduce yourself).

Daniel Baker said...

Do you have a problem reading, electronicoptimist?

I arrived at the event early to insure that I had time to fully observe everything. I listened intently to the sermon so I could provide an accurate representation of the content. I re-listened to the sermon on the internet to insure I didn't miss anything or misinterpret it. I even listened to some other sermons to make sure I didn't catch "Ski" on a bad day.

You need to take a step back and reassess the situation. This is not about being stuck in the old ways - unless, of course, you consider the message of Christ's gospel the "old ways," in which case that's the only Way I care to be in.

WELS church lady said...

In response to electronicoptimist:
That so-called "men's conference" was part of WELS Church And Change. This is an apostate organization and is frowned upon by SP
Schroeder and the other confessional leadership. The C&C invites New Age teachers and is all about the Emergent church. They care more about Leadership Network than they do about Confessional Lutheranism.

In Christ,
Rebecca Quam

Anonymous said...

Wow, the optimist must have a very low view of his pastors at Bethany. They "couldn't draw new members if they were handing out an autographed shroud of Turin." Youch. Plus he gives them a big "yawn." I kind of like Bethany's pastors, whenever they come to my church to preach.

It's just too bad that the theater-"church" he goes to now uses anything and everything to get people in the door, but then offers no gospel once they get there. After all, the law and gospel tend to turn unbelievers away, so we couldn't use that. And it's really too bad that he finds Lutheran worship a big "yawn"er. But then, the law and gospel are boring to the sinful nature, aren't they?

But of course, everything gets boring to people after a while, including amateur rock bands, shiny screens, and popcorn. Which probably explains why attendance at the CORE keeps dropping. I know, cause I drop in once in a while. Used to be you couldn't find a seat, or a parking spot. Now both are ample. Slowly but surely. The people who go there receive no gospel to attach them to the place. So when the newness of the methods wears off, they just stop coming.

Are people leaving other area WELS churches? Sure. That happens when law and gospel are preached faithfully. A lot of people turn away. But some come, and some stay. I believe most WELs churches (yawn) in the area are actually being blessed by outward growth, despite the CORE's obvious attempts at sheep stealing, except St. Matthew, which is just a wannabe CORE. (I agree with Daniel that most of the people at the CORE are already WELS members. And anyone with half a brain knows that's why the CORE really opened. If it wasn't, why would they have opened in a city that has like 20 WELS churches? Why not open it in a town with NO WELS churches, if you're not intending to take members from other WELS churches?) I know Riverview (yawn...boring law and gospel) is growing, so is Eternal Love, so is Mt. Olive, so is (yawn) Bethany. Even St. Paul's is turning around, even though St. Peter's declared it dead by opening the CORE right next door. Maybe the pastors in all those other churches aren't as inept as you think. I know mine aren't at Riverview. I know yours weren't at Bethany. I don't fall asleep during sermons that are full of law and gospel. If I did, I would be guilty of finding God and his Word boring.

You see, when the people stay in those churches, they actually have something lasting to hold on to, instead of just methods that always change, and eventually bore...no matter what they are. And when they go, those churches can still fall asleep at night, wake up in the morning, and keep proclaiming law and gospel... knowing they didn't sell out to false teachers and methods.

The Seminary Question




Patterson's Easter egg hunt encountered a storm.
He has had two calls to The Sausage Factory.
QED - the sem board is in bed with Church and Change.


Every so often, someone asks me, "What seminary should I attend?" Unless someone is independently wealthy, the two LCMS seminaries should be ruled out. They provide a hyper-expensive degree that is worth nothing outside of the Missouri Synod. The effective cost includes losing a full-time income for four years. Vicarage provides some income, but it is necessarily disruptive.

Missouri takes everyone's tuition money and misleads people with the false story of 600 vacancies, a lie told for at least 20 years. Once the students are maxed out on student loans they discover that Missouri will never allow them to serve.

Under the watchful eyes of Wayne Mueller and SP Gurgle, WELS managed to increase tuition while reducing student population to the breaking point. Mequon is ideal for non-thinking conformists who despise the Confessions and mock the Word of God, who run to Fuller Seminary and denounce Missouri for being unionistic. If someone has an IQ just above room temperature and a lot of relatives in Church and Change, Mequon is ideal. Otherwise, it is a waste of time and money.

I would suggest the Little Seminary on the Prairie, Mankato. I am not saying the professors are great. They hired Moldstad - lacking a college degree, and promoted him to pope. Schmeling was happy to exchange his soul for a position, so he is sem president. The good thing about the ELS is the lack of baggage. They are more equipped to accept someone who does not fit the synodical pedigree and that graduate could probably plan on being left alone in his parish - unlike WELS.

An ELS pastor can upgrade to the LCMS. That has happened many times. The son of the former seminary president, Petersen, left the ELS for a Missouri call. The Missouri Synod is often nicer to the ELS than they are to their own graduates. Maybe they like someone with experience and a non-confrontational degree. The ELS pastors are not very argumentative.

The ELS has a hate/hate relationship with WELS. They hate each other but hide it under various icky sayings, like "We cherish our fellowship." WELS used to push the ELS around about endorsing Church Growth and other Reformed doctrines, and the ELS complied. However, that is less likely to happen, with Wayne Mueller and Gurgle gone. WELS VP Huebner is a Fuller alumnus, so the farce continues - not that anyone would admit it. Huebner is not a big force at The Love Shack, since he has no salary and must still work for a living.

I am not saying Bethany, Mankato is great - just the least obnoxious for the best price.

The established synods are dedicated to keeping their man-made traditions alive. There may be opportunities as ELCA breaks apart. The percentage loss so far is not very high, but ELCA is losing enormous congregations with the property and splitting others 50/50, where the losers in the exit poll leave anyway.

Whatever is done, the theology student should learn one or two job skills. The ones who really love the Lutheran Confessions are often multi-talented, so that should not be a problem. However, one needs a diploma or certificates to back that up in the job search. I learned web design and Unix for various reasons, not for teaching. The certificates got me into teaching at the university level. I added a master's in adult education when I saw the offerings trending toward "a master's in the field of teaching." When it was time to teach the courses I already taught in MA program in education, the requirements were changed to a master's in education. Without that I would have been excluded from the courses I taught so many times before.

Anyone who is serious about theology should keep tent-making in mind, because the apostates work constantly to get rid of them. The emulsifying pastors, who pretend to be confessional--but are really lick-spittles--are eager to help their apostate pals clear the way for more vacancies.

---


Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "The Seminary Question":

Interesting post. Whenever I see something about the ELS in your blog, I read with great interest.

I think that the ELS tries very hard to do things right at Bethany Seminary. I have felt that there is a division at Bethany between the Seminary/Synod and Bethany College. The physical boundary between the two locations is the Elm St. hill.

The theological seminary at Bethany has its origins in the late 40s. The ELS sent men like my father and my late uncles to Concordia-St. Louis with a few going to Thiensville.

There was a sense of building an identity for the ELS which resulted in the formation of the Seminary in the late 1940s. The founding fathers of the ELS Seminary were Norman Madson, George Lillegard, and S,C. Ylvisaker. Lillegard was much more of a theologian than was Madson, Madson was, perhaps, a more dynamic personalty than was Lillegard.

The bright shining star for the ELS Seminary in its opening years was Robert Preus. Getting Robert Preus into the ELS was a major triumph. In later years Robert's son's decision to join the ELS was also a major public relations coup for the Synod. The decision of this son was not to work to his personal and professional benefit as your readers are well aware.

The dark side of the ELS is that far too many sons of the Synod have been cast aside over questionable practices and procedures.

You mention the son of the one of the Seminary presidents, and I want to note that the name ends in -sen and not -son.

I don't think that the blood-letting continues. There is a generational shift that is occurring within the ELS. The old ways aren't necessarily the best ways.

There appears to be a feeling of genuine fellowship and good brotherhood between the ELS and the WELS. Old traditional local culture is being reviewed and examined.

I am beginning to feel a bit more optimistic of the relations between the two synods. And, I am beginning to feel better enough about Missouri to even entertain the crazy idea that the old Synodical Conference could be restored.

***

GJ - I knew Jack and Robert Preus. I have met three of Robert's sons - Klement (took a class from him at Ft. Wayne); Peter (attended his installation, where Robert preached); Dan (met him at Concordia Historical Institute); Rolf (met him when Barry spoke reluctantly to LCMS conservatives).

I find it odd that Rolf is blamed for Pope John the Malefactor's dictatorial methods. As one classical Lutheran author said, there are three legitimate reasons for removing a pastor: 1) false doctrine; 2) scandalous behavior; and 3) refusal to carry out pastoral work. Pope John and Rolf agreed about UOJ. No one accused Rolf of scandalous behavior or refusal to do his work. Pope John threatened to the parish. If they did not remove Rolf, His Excellency would kick them out of the ELS. They buckled and licked the Shoes of the Fisherman, the Vicar of Christ, the latest incarnation of Peter.

Once Pope John was done, there was not much blood left to let. The ELS was almost drained dry, kosher-like. And this happened because WELS was forcing its idiocies on the ELS, and some ELS pastors and laity questioned it. Emulsifying pastors Schmeling and Webber helped out, of course.

I am not saying that because I liked Rolf or agreed with his UOJ opinions. Both are irrelevant. Pope John was wrong and the ELS was wrong to back him with a re-election.




---

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "The Seminary Question":

Yes, Elm St. does indeed become Division St. thanks for crediting me with a pun, but I am not as clever as Mr. Church is.

There was a time when the leadership of the ELS would not allow any of the College professors to teach at the Seminary, to cross over Division Street, as it were.

College professors were deemed to be ideologically unfit to perpetuate the party line as proclaimed by Synodical leaders.

The absurdity here is obvious. The ELS is just a little bit of a Synod. there just aren't that many bodies to fill the empty slots.

For a time, vacancies at the ELS seminary were filled by WELSian clones. Now, with a change in generational ELS leadership, Bethany College professors do teach in hue Sem.

Norman Teigen
ELS layman, Synod historian

Monday, September 13, 2010

Watch the End of This Ridiculous DRIVE 10 Video



Two guys to plagiarize if you are WELS:
Groeschel and Andy Stanley.






DRIVE-BYE 1 from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Seal of Approval






Come Let Us Plagiarize the Dolts,
Let Us Kneel Before the Schwaermer Idols





I followed Kudu Don Patterson, borrowed his bunny suit,
and now he is moving next door with a competing worship site.
Thanks a lot.
And thanks to ex-SP Gurgel, too.


From the Texas branch of the Ichabod News Service:

Pastor Doebler did a series of sermons called Game On! This was in Sept.-Nov. 09. North Point, you remember those guys, are the creaters of the Game On! sermons.

All Doebler's stuff is bad, just as bad as Ski only a little less brash.

Let me tell you what the pastor at Christ The Rock has been up to! Mark Driscoll wrote the Rebel's Guide To Joy Series. The pastor at Christ The Rock did a "series of sermons" titled The Rebel's Guide to Joy.

Driscoll - Rebel's Guide to Joy

Even worse is the Bible Information class given by this pastor. It is called, "Life In God's Family." This study is written by Woodrow Kroll. Kroll served as president of Practical Bible College in Binghamton, NY. In other words, this guy "ain't" Lutheran! He endorses cell groups and teaches Descision Theology! The Christ The Rock pastor also did a sermon series on The Role of John. One of Kroll's series books is about the role of John. Kroll also teaches Spiritual Conditioning.

Babtist Woodrow Kroll

Kroll Books

Our Christ The Rock pastor is friends with Ski, wears bluejeans, and hides his communion.(they call it communion devotion) As you can see, the name "Lutheran" is not in the church title. Did I mention that this same pastor was a speaker at a WELS Church And Change Conference?

---
Missio Dei Suburbia

Andy Stanley - Seriously?

From Ed Stetzer's blog:

Question: What do you think about preaching verse-by-verse messages through books of the Bible?

Andy Stanley: Guys that preach verse-by-verse through books of the Bible-- that is just cheating. It's cheating because that would be easy, first of all. That isn't how you grow people. No one in the Scripture modeled that. There's not one example of that.

I respect Andy a lot. That statement is biblically, theologically, historically, methodologically and culturally foolish.

***
GJ - Phone the ELS Board of Doctrine. "Hello? Anyone home?" Email the WELS Board of Doctrine?

Dear Cur, 


It has come to my attention that we are spending millions of dollars to break the law while spreading Babtist doctrine. Can anything be done? I would like my mission donations back. Thanks.


Innocent




Anyone can email a post using the envelope icon at the bottom of each post. I have never done that since I do not need to, but I am sure it works well. Let me know if you are having trouble with it.

WELS Official Never Reads Ichabod




"Please don't read the Ichabod."
Mr. Whipple! You are reading the Ichabod.



Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "A Post Worth Copying":

I spoke with a WELS official in the narthex after Baptismal service. He had a WELS pin in his lapel.

After a few moments of polite conversation I asked if he knew Greg Jackson. Yes, he did, was the reply but he never reads him on the Internet.

So, there you have it, GJ. You are not being read at WELS HQ.

What say you?

Norman Teigen

***

GJ - I have written proof that it is read at The Love Shack. That is all I need to say.

I imagine most of them read Ichabod, but it only hardens their flinty hearts. I started Ichabod for a few dozen people who might be interested. I was shocked when I reached 100-200 readers a day.

Page-reads per day are going to be higher than unique readers per day. The page-reads now average between 1000 and 2000 pages per day. What impresses me are the old posts which occupy a high standing as most-read. That varies with last month, last week, or all time. This is one from last week:


Jul 31, 2010, 3 comments
114 Pageviews
Sep 7, 2010, 6 comments
95 Pageviews
Sep 11, 2010, 1 comment
90 Pageviews
Sep 7, 2010, 1 comment
63 Pageviews
Nov 30, 2007, 5 comments
48 Pageviews


I know people in Appleton, Milwaukee, and Mankato read it every day.

At times I grow tired of talking Lutheran doctrine to Reformed-New Age church leaders, but then I get a personal email from a layman, who writes about how much he enjoys the blog. Or it may be from the daughter of a retired pastor, who is reputedly a daily communicant on the blog.

I have seen a total of 20,000 unique readers but I think the regular readership, on a daily basis, is more like 1,000+. Tags can bring in readers for one particular story, like the Muslim evangelist or a Hollywood celebrity. Ichabod is linked all over the blogosphere so Tim's link-killing software is a waste of money.

If I can help someone feel sane in "these last days of an insane, old world" (Chemnitz), then I am happy.

Is ELCA Different from the Rest of the Synods?


The lower the doctrinal IQ, the more they yak.


The short answer is - "No." ELCA is just farther along the Pietistic path, in the area known as mindless political activism, agitation in search of a cause.

The new LCMS President, Matthew Harrison, was installed last weekend. In looking for a group photo I found two of my Photoshops in Google images. Harrison must not be using the Google blocker that Tim Glende recommends so highly.

The vote for Harrison was close to 50%. The vote to continue working with ELCA was overwhelmingly in favor of it. Whatever Harrison's intentions, he will begin as a minority SP, working with DPs enabled by Kieschnick, all of them softened by decades of working under Bohlmann and Barry.

When Jack Preus was elected after a similar palace revolution, doors slammed shut when he entered a floor in the synod office building. He got the biggest liars to march out of the St. Louis seminary and to form their own micro-synod "with a portable seminary and a superfluity of mini-bishops," in the words of Neuhaus.

The Left is pan-denominational, with many causes, and they have worked together to ruin all the synods.

Appleton, Wisconsin has 20 WELS churches, yet a fortune has been spent on one new mission--The SORE--which is nothing more than an evening meeting for WELS youth and a few nostalgic Boomers.

If Appleton were turned into a Lutheran circuit, which Englebrecht would never allow, the other New Age circuits would take the lead. The energy driving this beast is Enthusiasm. When one head is nicked, three more grow in its place. No one has the nerve to chop off a head. The most action has been to move one set of devouring fangs to a new position on the body, sometimes for a raise. Oh cruel WELS discipline!

Likewise, Missouri has the same blasphemies paraded as evangelism in the shadow of the Purple Palace. They have had champagne for Easter communion (how festive!), women preaching and consecrating Holy Communion (even before WELS women), and the rest of the rot.

Someone pointed out on the ALPB discussion forum that the majority of an ELCA congregation can disagree with the recent convention decisions and still vote to remain in ELCA. People still find warmth and security in Holy Mother Synod rather than in sound doctrine, even when the senior pastor is working to take them out of their Babylonian Captivity.

The growth of church coffee houses and the disappearance
of Lutheran should be grounds for dismay.
Cheeseheads care more about the Packers than doctrine and practice.


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WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "Is ELCA Different from the Rest of the Synods?":

"Casual about church?" Christ IS the church! "The growth of church coffee houses?" This is a prime of example of emergent church, which by its own definition, is a new way of "doing church." "Grounds for dismay?" How about grounds for dismissal! St. Andrew, Christ The Rock, Victory of the Lamb, Core, and that new church in Oconomowoc are false churches.

Let me tell you what the pastor at Christ The Rock has been up to! Mark Driscoll wrote the Rebel's Guide To Joy Series. The pastor at Christ The Rock did a "series of sermons" titled The Rebel's Guide to Joy. Even worse is the Bible Information class given by this pastor. It is called, "Life In God's Family." This study is written by Woodrow Kroll. Kroll served as president of Practical Bible College in Binghamton, NY. In other words, this guy "ain't" Lutheran! He endorses cell groups and teaches Descision Theology! The Christ The Rock pastor also did a sermon series on The Role of John. One of Kroll's series books is about the role of John. Kroll also teaches Spiritual Conditioning.

Our Christ The Rock pastor is friends with Ski, wears bluejeans, and hides his communion.(they call it communion devotion) As you can see, the name "Lutheran" is not in the church title. Did I mention that this same pastor was a speaker at a WELS Church And Change Conference?

Where is the discipline? Is anyone reminded of what happened to Richard Stadler and Iver C. Johnson? Yes, these guys were given the left foot of fellowship. Stadler, Albrecht, and Johnson had a little problem with the inerrancy of the Scriptures. These guys, in an essay in 1991, claim that Adam was NOT the head of Eve. Orthodox Lutherans teach the "Order of Creation." These three pastors disputed the doctrine. Read page three of the essay.

WELS used to be strict, did not allow many many things, and was always good for haten' on the women folks. It is time for the WELS to start livin' up to its old reputation again!

In Christ,
from WELS church lady


Sunday, September 12, 2010

A Post Worth Copying

Light from Light

True worship is a work of God. True faith is an act of God.


http://vdma.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/intrepid-lutherans-on-plagiarism/

Intrepid Lutherans on Plagiarism

Recently, Intrepid Lutherans hosted a poll dealing with the topic of pastoral plagiarism. This poll asked the question: “Is it acceptable for a pastor to commit plagiarism?” Here are the results of their poll:
  • No. Plagiarism is fraudulent misrepresentation — 166 votes – 87%
  • Maybe, if everyone else is doing it — 1 vote – 1%
  • Maybe, if it’s not copyrighted — 9 votes – 5%
  • Maybe, if it helps spread the Gospel — 14 votes – 7%
This poll was then followed by a series of blog posts on Intrepid Lutherans. Each post is a worthwhile read:
It is good that Intrepid Lutherans attempted to tackle this issue. They made many good points, and appear to have brought some WELS pastors to repentance. There is rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. (Luke 15:7).
However, what about the WELS pastors who were confronted privately by other laity & pastors, and they refused to repent? What about a District President who appears to justify plagiarism by saying that “many WELS pastors” do it?
Plagiarism is a Sin. It is foolish to attempt to justify plagiarism because (allegedly) many WELS pastors routinely take credit for other people’s work. Church leaders who say this not only defend sin, they defame other WELS pastors who are children of God.
It is likewise foolish to attempt to justify plagiarism because one is allegedly spreading the gospel. Plagiarism is a sin, and the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23). The Gospel brings life, therefore, the Gospel is the antithesis of sin. Trying to excuse sin for the sake of the Gospel is damnable heresy. (Romans 6:15).
Why do so many religious leaders think that the rules do not apply to them? What causes such arrogant pride, that those whose full time vocation is to teach Law & Gospel and to conquer sin, would so brazenly engage in sin, and teach others to sin? Oh pastors, the rules do apply to you! Do you think that because you are pastors, God will be more lenient? No, those “who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1).
How long shall we wait for repentance? How many times should we call to repent? Should we wait a year for pastoral repentance? Should we wait a year and a half? Should we wait two years for repentance? Is it too much to expect that pastors would be forthright and honest? Is it too much to expect that WELS pastors would not teach others to sin by their bad example? Is it too much to expect that when confronted a WELS pastor would confess his sin and repent? Or should we expect unending deceit until Christ returns?
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. [Matthew 5:25-26].
Be clear that the judge spoken of by Christ in Matthew 5 is not the District President. When Christ demands an accounting of His shepherds and how they have cared for His flock, the District President will not be able to defend. District Presidents cannot save (Psalm 146:3), and God does not tolerate those who teach His children to sin.
… if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
… if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. [Matthew 18:6-7, 9].
The “wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Therefore, repent. Then “produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves,” We are WELS pastors who grow the church. For out of the very stones God can make true Christians. (Matthew 3:8-9).
It is good that Intrepid Lutherans were able to proclaim truth, and call some to repentance. However, what about the rest of the WELS? There needs to be repentance. And there also needs to be resignations from those church leaders who have engaged in sin and refused to repent, and also those who have defended and protected sin.