Scott Jungen Writes

Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Challenge to the Intrepid Lutherans (sic)":

bored,
Thank you.
Daniel,

From looking at your Facebook picture, you are young enough to be my son. That doesn't mean I'm really old, or you're really young. What it does mean is I've been around the WELS long enough to know that there is plenty of evidence and source material to remove any apostate WELS pastor that we wanted to be removed. The problem is having the will to do it.

Although I'm not from a WELS "family" I have gone through the prep system and college and ministry. I know the pull of the "good-old boy" network and the "don't rock the boat" mentality. It is as hard or harder to fight than teenage peer pressure. It just takes someone to lead the fight.

Come back in a few years when you have a career, a wife and kids and a mortgage, then you'll understand more of what our pastors have to lose. This is not an excuse, just an honest explanation.

I too am hoping that IL would be the place for the work to begin. For me, the jury is still out on them. Only the Lord knows how it will end, but rest assured His will will be done.

As for Ichabod, just enjoy it for what it is. I don't believe Dr. Jackson is out to save anything. I believe he enjoys poking men with an inflated sense of their own self-worth. Be thankful for what it has done for you, like getting your nose into that Book of Concord. For me, it has "connected the dots" on issues I've had with the WELS for years. And I know I'm on my best spelling and sentence construction when I post here. I know the Jackson "mighty red clicker" is looking over me. And that's what a good teacher does.

Scott E. Jungen

WELS Methods

"Our DP will promise to meet with them and then just send a letter, blaming Ichabod.
The Intrepids agree with Dauntless Doug - it's Jackson's fault."


rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Conformity Is First, But Fidelity to the Word - W...":

The leaders in the WELS do not pull hair. But, getting them to listen to the legitimate concerns of the laity is like pulling teeth. Likewise, they do not hit with belts. They yield the 8 and 18 switch, which is quite tattered and worn from overuse. The most recent tactic is the de facto method of persona non grata. This occurs when one concerned is admonished to write a letter to the bishop. Then, the bishop acts as though he never received the letter.

The suggestion to leave is a setup. If you stay, you are then a trouble maker. If you leave, you have mental problems.

The intimidation in the WELS in very pervasive at the congregational level. Many older members may remember a time when the WELS was closer to true Confessional Lutheranism. But, many of the lifelong members have been sucked up by the whirlwind of activity and have lost their discernment. They can be counted on to conform to whatever rolls down from the Guilt Shack and funneled through their leadership. They see nothing wrong with hiring overpaid consultants to teach them how to fleece their fellow members more. They also have no problem wasting their time with the endless litany of workshops, seminars, and conferences on leadership, evangelism, and stewardship. They have become so mired in this muck that they are afraid to walk away from it all.
Shunning is powerful and members will talk behind their backs.

John 8:31,32:

31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Being faithful to the Word is liberating.

No Offense Taken

Daniel Baker has left a new comment on your post "Challenge to the Intrepid Lutherans (sic)":



I'm willing to give the leaders over at IL the benefit of the doubt, as they have not done anything that would make me think they are unworthy of that benefit.

They cannot just jump headlong into a slander-fest and start naming hundreds of names (Jeske, Glende, Ski, etc.) without first gathering source material and proper evidence. If they're going to do this, it has to be done right, or no one will take them seriously. We need more than just the couple dozen folks who have pledged their names to make any significant changes in the WELS. It will take a grass-roots effort, not the harping of 3 or 4 pastors (because if that worked, then Ichabod should have reformed WELS by now).

Based on the lack of results from this site, it is clear that the "make fun of them and post cutesy pictures" method doesn't work. Perhaps a more civil approach is in order. (I mean this as no offense to Pastor Jackson, as he opened my eyes to many of the issues in the WELS and got my nose in the Book of Concord. But I am sick of everyone around here tearing down IL instead of building them up, inviting our friends, etc.).

***

GJ - I won't ban you for thought-crimes. If I did that, the funniest comments would never see the light of day. I don't mean yours, Daniel.

But who are we to judge the efficacious Word of God? It is not my goal to reform anything, only to apply the Word of God and the Confessions. God will accomplish His will through His Word.

"We have to do things the right way" means "the right way according to the apostates." If the right way according to the apostates worked, then Paul Calvin Kelm would be mowing lawns and detailing cars, or making popcorn for the audience at NorthPoint in Atlanta. I know that pastors went to him years ago about his false doctrine. Again, various members of the Church and Change list the same thing with the same results - he refused to answer them. As long as y'all keep electing toothless officials who will not obey the Word of God, that will continue.

God punishes Christians with false teachers. That is the surest sign of His wrath, because He makes people pay ten times over for neglecting the Gospel and bowing to Satan. Luther wrote that.

Intrepid Lutherans (sic) Too Mellow To Take on False Teachers

The potheads have voted to make pot medicinal.
The Mafia approves.

bored has left a new comment on your post "Challenge to the Intrepid Lutherans (sic)":

To Pastor Rydecki. (another comment he will not print because of the names of Real False teachers)


You will never print a comment with Real names and real problems in it. I knew that when I sent the original comment. You will never try to deal with real problems. I'm pointing out something that everyone already knows. I'm just hoping against hope that you will man up and start real discernment today. Do you have any idea how good that would be for the WELS?

I tease you about your "so-called" fearlessness because you dance around the issue and never say anything directly. It is a parody of Intrepidity. You might acknowledge that there are problems ALL DAY LONG but if you never actually address real people and real problems you are Lukewarm.

Why can't you tell the WELS laity that errant pastors like Paul Kelm and Mark Jeske and Pastor Ski are slowly converting WELS members to Evangelicalism? (You won't publish this comment now because I included "real problems" and "real errant people".) By your silence you stand behind the theology of these men. By your silence you give unsuspecting laymen a confused message, leading them to suppose that Jeske, Ski, Glende, and others are speaking the same message as you.

THAT is why I speak harshly to you. Because I am depressed to see pastors who I suppose are orthodox (folks here at Intrepid) failing to stand up and risk themselves and their positions for the Truth. I'm saddened to see that people who claim they are conservatives (and I believe you in your claim) are frightened into inaction--failing to clearly identify the doctrinal bastardization that is going on right under their noses.

You are a thief. You steal the ability to discern from the least among us. And it's only because you have set yourself up as an Authority that I feel comfortable speaking this way to you. You've got a lot more at stake.
December 4, 2010 9:52 AM

Public Service Message from Congressman Charlie Rangel

Challenge to the Intrepid Lutherans (sic)

bored has left a new comment on your post " Dear Gregory Jackson, First, thank you. Perhaps...":

I recently left this comment at Intrepid (sic):


How about saying it's WRONG for the Wisconsin Synod to allowing the many errant pastors to continue preaching false doctrine unchallenged? (Pastor Glende)

How about saying it's WRONG to issue false teachers new calls in different parts of the Synod? ( Paul Kelm)

How about saying that it is WRONG to treat a public sin as if it were a private sin? (not daring to speak an errant pastor's name ever) (Pastor Jeske)

How about saying it is WRONG that the synod has for years perfected the art of hiding every wart? (Pastor Ski)

You WELS pastors that speak the "official language" are as out of touch as the Washington Ruling Class. The Synod is changing under your feet because you refuse to use plain and honest language to deal with problems. I give the WELS 10 years. That's being generous.

Conformity Is First, But Fidelity to the Word - Who Cares?

ALPB Forum
And like the majority minority you represent, you would also be in the minority in your sentiments. The ELCA cannot have it both ways: they cannot want us to stay, but also tell us to shut up, which is PRECISELY what they are doing. Or, more commonly, as was heard on more than one occasion at our synod assembly (affirmed numerous times by others in this forum), when one was critical of the direction the synod was going, there were mutterings from the floor, "well why don't you just leave then?"

Like it or not, that is the prevailing sentiment in the ELCA, no matter how you or Charles attempt to sidestep, ignore, deflect, or otherwise challenge the issue.

***

GJ - Before ELCA formed, it engaged in a fully democratic process.  (Wink. Wink.) The plans were all degenerating into the worst of all possible mergers. I heard someone on the bus at the Toronto LCA convention keep saying, "Yes, but I believe in the process." Diaprax works.

The beloved process yielded up a monstrosity that could only deliver homosexual ordination and marriage. Nothing else was possible with a system of quotas.

A new biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger discussed the absolute conformity demanded in Austria when he was growing up. Physical abuse of children was normal and expected, because conformity was demanded.

Arnie:
"My hair was pulled. I was hit with belts. So was the kid next door. It was just the way it was. Many of the children I've seen were broken by their parents, which was the German-Austrian mentality. They didn't want to create an individual. It was all about conforming. I was one who did not conform, and whose will could not be broken. Therefore, I became a rebel. Every time I got hit, and every time someone said, 'you can't do this,' I said, 'this is not going to be for much longer, because I'm going to move out of here. I want to be rich. I want to be somebody.'"

That is why WELS can enjoy the same mindless conformity as ELCA, without a legalistic system of quotas. Often I have marveled at how WELS manages to be a parallel version of ELCA - with similar results.

Everyone is supposed to speak directly to the person in WELS. When I did that, DP Robert Mueller asked, "Why don't you just leave?" That was his response about his setting up an adulterous false teacher and sponsoring him to be a WELS pastor. How dare anyone object? No one else did.

The Intrepid Lutherans (sic) were quick to show that they would not veer from the path of conformity, especially when a Brenner-by-marriage confronted them about departed from "the clear teaching of our synod". I could almost hear the flick of the bullwhip.

Additional UOJ Questions

Dear Gregory Jackson,

First, thank you. Perhaps my fears about you were misplaced.

I appreciate that you have taken the time to answer my questions. If I may be so bold to ask a few more for clarification sake. I do not wish to be led astray by anyone, not the WELS, ELS, LCMS, or any other denomination.

From your recent post:

GJ -If "Jesus took away the sin of the world" is taken to mean that God declared the world free of sin, the statement is completely wrong. Universal absolution is the basis for Universalism, even if it is the demi-semi-Universalism of UOJ. I believe Rydecki backed away from that after I published all the WELS UOJ essays."

Would it be proper to say that the sins of the world were forgiven, understanding that sin still exists in this world and that by living a life of sin, that is a life without faith, condemns one to hell?

"Jesus atoned for the sins of the world. Jesus paid for the sins of the world. Jesus redeemed the world. However, this grace comes to individuals only through the Means of Grace. To say they are "already forgiven" as Kokomo and the Brief Statement do, is fallacious and dangerous."

Clarification: People are only forgiven the moment they come to faith?

"To speak about justification apart from the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace is unBiblical."

My intention was never to be unScriptural. Justification means a person is pronounced not guilty of his sins. Correct?

If you would answer these questions, again, I would be thankful.

I wish you and your family well.

The Lord's blessings,

Sine Nomine

***

GJ - I tell the humorless that they were potty-trained at gunpoint and weaned on a pickle - and they give me a bad reputation. I appreciate it when people ask real questions instead of creating an excuse to repeat the synod grapevine talking points. I have repeated the questions in blue, to answer them individually.

Would it be proper to say that the sins of the world were forgiven, understanding that sin still exists in this world and that by living a life of sin, that is a life without faith, condemns one to hell?

Luther uses expressions like that to say that Christ is all forgiveness, etc. All those statements are reflections on the atonement. UOJ people merge that with justification to say the entire world is forgiven without faith. They take their extreme statements to additional lengths to prove how Waltherian or Wauwatosan or Norwegian they are, as if deriding faith is good. Everyone continues to sin, but believers are forgiven the moment they believe in Christ, and continuously forgiven through faith by abiding in Christ. Not believing in Christ means condemning oneself to Hell. Falling away from the faith has the same consequences, but worse in that apostates are far more blinded and hardened against the Word than the typical unbeliever.

Clarification: People are only forgiven the moment they come to faith?

God declares us forgiven only through faith receiving the Gospel treasure, which is distributed through the Holy Spirit in the Means of Grace. The treasure, which is the atonement, lies in one heap, as Luther wrote, until the Word and Sacraments are employed by the church.

My intention was never to be unScriptural. Justification means a person is pronounced not guilty of his sins. Correct?

I did not think you were being unScriptural, but many church leaders are. Sadly, the Lutheran leaders cannot speak "Lutheran" anymore. They are obsessed with maintaining the errors of the recent past, so they build additional manure piles on top of the old ones. The Brief Statement of 1932 is just one more man-made document. People pretend it is the final, ultimate statement of Lutheran doctrine, so any departure from it (forget the Book of Concord or John's Gospel) is treated as heresy. I am glad these knuckleheads call me a heretic, because I do believe something other than the Enthusiasm which blinds them.

Justification is a judicial act (forensic) - that God has pronounced an individual innocent of all sins. That happens with each and every one of the Means of Grace, but never apart from the Instruments (Means) of God's grace.

Sine Nomine - For All the Saints

WELS workers driving to Andy Stanley Babtist conference, Drive 10.


Hello,

Long time reader, first time mailer.

Having grown up WELS I never once thought that unbelievers were saints. My understanding had always been that the world was reconciled to God through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, that Jesus took away the sin of the world, that the guilt of the world was placed on Christ and therefore he suffered the punishment for the sins of the world.

My understanding is then that forgiveness was won for all people, but only those who come to faith through hearing the message (the Holy Spirit creating faith, making the dead alive) receive that forgiveness and are covered by Christ's righteousness and thereby have eternal life. All of this is done purely by God's grace alone, we learn this in Scripture alone, and we are justified by faith alone.

The reason for the mail is that recently there has been a lot of comments back and forth. I figured I'd get your take.

The WELS has problems. But for the sake of those still confessional, I'm not willing to bail out of it just yet. Perhaps this next generation of pastors and teachers can change things around.

Keep us in your prayers.

Thank you


p.s.
I confess, I have seen some of your tactics and lest I have made some typo and said something you do not agree with, for the sake of my family, I would not wish to have them embarrassed by a public rebuke. I understand that you have full rights to anything in this e-mail once it is yours and so I leave you simply with "Sine Nomine". Forgive me if that is offensive to you. Perhaps next time I may become emboldened.

***

GJ - I replaced his pen name with Sine Nomine (without a name, Latin) and added "For All the Saints," to remind everyone of Kokomo. It is also the name of the tune for a great hymn.

I do not mind the omission of names. This writer gave me his real name and said he did not want to use it in the post. I respect that.

I only found two typos, so I question whether he is WELS. Just kidding, Sine.

"Jesus took away the sin of the world" is ambiguous, given the confusion created by Becker, Buchholz, Zarling, and Deutschlander. That is the equivalent of saying, "You would have made it to Chicago, but you made only one wrong turn. Now you are in Detroit, South Side."

If "Jesus took away the sin of the world" is taken to mean that God declared the world free of sin, the statement is completely wrong. Universal absolution is the basis for Universalism, even if it is the demi-semi-Universalism of UOJ. I believe Rydecki backed away from that after I published all the WELS UOJ essays.

Jesus atoned for the sins of the world. Jesus paid for the sins of the world. Jesus redeemed the world. However, this grace comes to individuals only through the Means of Grace. To say they are "already forgiven" as Kokomo and the Brief Statement do, is fallacious and dangerous.

To speak about justification apart from the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace is unBiblical.

---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Sine Nomine - For All the Saints":

Sine states, "Perhaps this next generation of pastors and teachers can change things around."

It is to be hoped, but reality reveals a different future. The false gospel of UOJ is the bedrock of your future pastors. DP Buchholz, MLC Pres. Zarling, The entire South Central (W)ELS Clergy etc. etc. have made sure of that. Simply read the UOJ essays from (W)ELS theologians linked on the top left-hand side of Ichabod to find out what your future pastors have been taught.

The next generation of pastors and teachers will be even worse. Simply look at how the students from the various (W)ELS schools created, promoted and defended the homo-erotic MLC version of the Fire Island Pines video. That is your future. And the Emergent New Age administration of those schools who are in charge of these students and activities continue to condone and enable them.

Kelm, Becker, Jeske, Ski, Glende are simply the advanced New AGe Emergent scouts as the (W)ELS marches toward their future, your future.

---

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Sine Nomine - For All the Saints":

Mr. Meyer,
I agree with your assessment. False doctrine is now spreading throughout the WELS like cancer in its last stages. The spread of false doctrine rarely begins with the laity, at the grass roots level. When you pointed us to the products of the present worker training system, we see the proof as to why improvement at the synod wide level is nigh unto impossible.

Assumptions

The pyramids have not given up their secrets.
How were they constructed, and when?

Pyramid Power
History is fun, because more than 99% is lost for all time, as C. S. Lewis observed. We are even hazy about recent events, such as how JFK and FDR died, and whether Amelia Earhart died in the Pacific.

Assumptions determine conclusions, so all we need to do is start with the wrong assumptions and all the conclusions will be in error. For example, many books show broken down pyramids and caption them as "early pyramids, before they learned how to build one correctly." I was thinking, since we do not understand how they were built, the broken down ones may be examples of a later age trying to build them to recapture the golden era of monumental construction.

The old assumption was that pyramids were built from enormous carved stones, hauled up to gigantic heights. A new pyramid construction theory is gaining some traction, thanks to MIT, the NY Times, and a Frenchman. The Egyptians might have invented poured concrete, a building method used with great success by the Romans, who invented very little but borrowed a lot from their conquests. ( Old saying - "The Romans had the drains, but the Greeks had the brains.")

We do not even know when the Great Pyramid was built, although most experts cheerfully date it at 2000 BC. They call it the Pyramid of Cheops, so everyone assumes the pharaoh Cheops built it, limiting its date to his years. The Great Pyramid is a tomb, they claim, but no body was found buried there. Nevertheless, the monstrous pile of masonry was the tallest man-made construction in the world until the Eiffel Tower - unless we count other pyramids built in various locations, raising even more questions.

False Assumptions about Lutherdom

When people try to prove their conclusions by starting with their assumptions, I think of the pyramids. Universalism can be proven just as easily as justification by faith, depending on the assumptions. The Glories of My (fill in the blank) Holy Mother Synod can also be taught the same way.

UOJ Has Always Been Taught
Unfortunately for the glassy-eyed, UOJ is limited to the most recent era, as Sig Becker and others have admitted.

Missouri Has Always Taught UOJ
The Brief Statement of 1932 certainly teaches UOJ, but earlier statements did not and the 1905 catechism omitted that precious doctrine, teaching justification by faith instead.

Robert Preus always taught UOJ
If we burn all the copies of Justification and Rome, that might be true. But he repudiated UOJ in his last book, in spite of the best efforts of Dan and Rolf (editors).

Luther Taught UOJ
Fortunately, Luther knew the difference between the atonement and justification, so he never taught UOJ. In fact, even the most ardent UOJ fans have to admit that "justification" in the New Testament and the Book of Concord always means justification by faith.

Liberals Wrecked the Synodical Conference
That is true, except that UOJ was the bad liberal yeast of the Synodical Conference, based upon weak teaching of the efficacy of the Word.

When Synod Became Church, That Spelled the End
Soon after UOJ became Law in Missouri, the synod adopted mainline apostate Biblical teaching on everything. Labels do not have the destructive effect of Enthusiasm, and UOJ is pure Enthusiasm. So is Receptionism, which still clings to the Synod Conference like soap film. Brief Statement, 1932. Missouri a mainline sect - the 1940s.

They Could Not Wait for F. Pieper To Die
The sainthood and apotheosis of Walther was probably far more destructive than the death of Pieper. Missouri is not the most "God-glorifying church" in history, as Walther claimed, but the most navel-gazing. The Book of Concord teaches the Gospel, not the synod. The Synodical Conference still glorifies itself.

Local Lutherans quit denomination | The Columbus Dispatch

Local Lutherans quit denomination | The Columbus Dispatch: "Local Lutherans quit denomination
Friday, November 19, 2010 02:52 AM
BY MEREDITH HEAGNEY

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



An Upper Arlington-based church that was one of the 10 largest in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) officially has left the denomination after disagreements over homosexuality.

Most members of the 5,800-member Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, which has three campuses, were troubled by what they viewed as the liberal drift of the ELCA, the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S.

On Oct. 31, members voted 558-28 to leave the ELCA. It was a second vote, as required; the first vote passed in June."

Celebrate!

The tenth annual gathering of LCMC, "Celebrate Jesus Christ the Same Yesterday Today and Forever", took place at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, MN, October 3-6. This was indeed a time to celebrate as we thanked and praised God for ten years of His guiding LCMC, the milestone of over 500 congregations in the association, and a record breaking attendance of nearly 1100 members and guests.

***

GJ - ELCA's answer is to pass new rules making it even more difficult to leave. Meanwhile my old pal from New Testament at Yale is taking over the bankrupt Wartburg (ironic, no?) Seminary, founded by W. Loehe.

WELS DP Robert Mueller called me a "trouble-maker" because I challenged the LCA about abortion and homosexuality before I left the LCA in 1987. He said angrily, "You cause trouble every where you go."

It took some time, but 500+ congregations now agree with me.

---

John has left a new comment on your post "Local Lutherans quit denomination | The Columbus D...":

Rev. Jackson,

I attended a Lutheran Free Conference in St. Cloud, MN, on October 30th.

One of the presenters was a pastor of the LCMC. His presentation showed that the ONLY difference between the LCMC and the ELCA was the subject of homosexual clergy. It appeared that the LCMC and ELCA are in agreement on all other issues, including the ordination of women.

I live in the Twin Cities area and know that Calvary, Golden Valley is a huge congregation. The fact that it is LCMC means nothing more than that it is one of 500+ congregations that hold to all of the ELCA teachings other than practicing homosexual/lesbian pastors.

Where does the LCMC state that it stands against abortion?

***

GJ - I am not sure that is true, because of many Internet posts I have seen from the departing ELCA people. However, they probably do have a weak adherence to the Confessions, which means they are less hypocritical than Missouri, WELS, and micro-mini synods. I am not defending the LCMC but I am promoting anyone's exit from ELCA.

I will write more in a new post. I did say previously that maintaining women's ordination will lead them back to an ELCA-like position, no matter where they are now.

Getting Started with Bird Feeding

Cardinals by Norma Boeckler

One reader bought some suet and a suet-feeder from Duncraft. He heard, correctly, that birds will take some time to get used to a new feeder.

One method will speed up the process - scatter lots of food around the new feeder. Use the window sills, the ground, nearby bushes and trees. Foods include any nuts, bread products, seed, and fat. A bird watcher could also put out various kinds of fruit - raisins, grapes, oranges, apples, berries. I always take the fruit we are not going to eat and add it to the bird banquet.

An abundance of food will create a racket, attracting birds, who will remember the location as a source of nutrition and socializing, where local gossip can be exchanged. "Seen any cats lately?"
"Has Sassy ever caught anything?"

I have a large bag of oranges and some older apples. I will cut the oranges and nail them near our primary bird feeder. I may nail up apples too. I have often rolled them into the woods, content to let the raccoons find them.

Animals draw attention to food and water but they seldom make pigs of themselves. Squirrels do not eat the entire corn cob. Birds like the cedar waxwing will land in a hawthorn bush, but they only eat some of the berries at each visit.

A bird bath will be noisy with birds splashing and chirping. One way to make it even more attractive is to suspend a dripping container over it so a high-pitched dripping sound communicates to wildlife that flowing water is near. They will find it anyway, but the dripping container is often used to increase the effect.

Narrow Minded Editorial

Tweedle-Glende and Tweedle-Ski, supervised by The Mad Hatter


Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Comment and a Correction from Ichabod Hisself":

Whenever I hear, "We're going to take this material and put a Lutheran twist on it," I about grind my teeth to the gums. For example, I received an email yesterday from CTSFW promoting a few guys from "Focus on the Family" coming to visit next week. Lutherans must not be able to discern Scripture, BOC, and "Luther's Works," because we must invite pietistic Arminian Nazarenes to educate us in how to balance family and ministry. Will "Focus on the Family" invite CTSFW to their studio in Colorado to promote the proper distinction between Law and Gospel?

This reminds me of an Islam seminar I attended at CTSFW a few years ago. Although it was very informative, one of the featured speakers was a Calvinist. He made light of that fact and joked about it a few times during his presentation, as if we should all think it's cute. How many "Lutherans" there thought it was cute? I don't know, as I don't recall how many snickers I heard.

Are Baptists ashamed of being Baptists? Are Arminians ashamed of being Arminians? Do Rome and Constantinople tiptoe around everyone else? Does Canterbury run around and apologize for their apostasy? One can only conclude that since Pietism is the default religion of sinful man, Lutherans must cower in the woodwork, since orthodox Lutheranism is the only confession in Christendom that teaches Salvation solely by God's Grace, not Faith-plus-works.

Even if I only have to "make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior," I have just made a pietist contribution of my own a condition for my salvation. If the Coast Guard rescues my dog-paddling tookus from the middle of the sea after my ship has sunk, do I say, "Boy, I'm sure glad I made a decision to grab that raft?" It's all about the Means of Grace.

***

GJ - I invented a new doctrine to cover this - The Non-Reciprocity of the False Teachers. They want to tell Lutherans what is wrong with Lutheran doctrine and worship, and get plenty of money to do it, while selling books, tapes, and DVDs. They will not reciprocate in any way.

Ask Andy Stanley to sell a Lutheran book on baptismal regeneration and infant baptism! at his religious shopping center, Northpoint. Never! But WELS flocks to learn from him.

Throw in all the other false teachers adored by Missouri, WELS, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and yes - the horrid little CLC (sic). The same non-reciprocity applies.

Warning to readers--whether clergy, laity, or students--do not bring this up among peers. They will go crazier than bugs in a frying pan.

Too Much Estrogen in Luthertown - By Rogue Lutheran

"Too much estrogen in Luthertown
December 2, 2010 4:15 PM

I’m directing you to Ingrid Schleuter work titled A Trumpet Blast for Christian Men, 12-01-2010.

In the midst of the posing, effeminized, quasi-adolescent pastors who populate the “stages” of American seeker and emerging churches today, a sure blast from the trumpet from the godly pastors of old is a..."

Mother Teresa and the perils of mysticism — part 2 « Churchmouse Campanologist

Mother Teresa and the perils of mysticism — part 2 « Churchmouse Campanologist:

"Yesterday’s post introduced some disturbing insights into the late ‘holy’ nun, Mother Teresa, about whom little of a critical nature has been written.

Why that is, we do not entirely know.  However, as we saw yesterday, the woman suffered a continuing crisis of faith for most of her life, caused her own Sisters to suffer, hoarded vast sums of donations in a bank account and did little to care for the sick and needy."

Click the link for more...

Comment and a Correction from Ichabod Hisself

These are the best theologians money can buy. WELS and the Little Sect flock to them, pay them big bucks, and plagiarize their material.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Questions about Hell and Universalism":

Another tragic mistake is drawing from the wretched material of today's Enthusiasts and trying to "Lutheranize" it. Eventually, an error is bound to slip through even if you were moderately successful in your effort.

We are all a whole lot safer with the examples cited: John's Gospel, the Augsburg Confession, and Luther's Large Catechism, etc. Knowledge of false doctrine is important for the sake of apologetics only. Only the Holy Spirit can grant discernment through the study of the Word.

***

GJ - The comment above warns about the dangers of sanitizing false doctrine. The LCA pastors used to say about the latest fad, "How can we baptize this?" while grinning fatuously.

My correction comes from a serious error I have made. I wrote that there were two synods in WELS, Church and Change being the second, alternative administration. That was wrong.

Church and Change is the administration of WELS. Gurgle was the figurehead before, the candidate of the so-called conservatives, who finally ran him out before his buddies stole the silverware from the kitchen. Nothing else was left to take.

Schroeder is the figurehead of Church and Change now. They can complain about him while he leaves them alone. When the schools consolidate and close, he can take the blame.

Questions about Hell and Universalism

How can we know that hell and eternal punishment exist? Have you ever heard of a Universalist argument against eternal punishment?

Some say that most early Christian believed in universal salvation with maybe temporary punishment. I did notice one of their arguments was a rational standpoint like, "how can God be a God of love and eternally punish people". Universalists even go as so far as to say that the church changed the Bible to support hell...or that hell was a belief believed by the early civil leaders that influenced the church...so that the masses would have something to fear.

How would you defend the Biblical position regarding hell. When someone questions the authenticity of the Scriptures and how they came to be...I can have trouble and even doubt sometimes. How can I take comfort in knowing the Bible as we know it, is what God wants us to have for today and is not a scam?

***

GJ - The Universalists are all around us. Tholuck, the mentor of Hoenecke, was a Universalist. Getting something wrong in the Word, such as claiming absolution without faith, based on God's mercy, is always going to lead to error.

Karl Barth, the official theologian of Fuller Seminary, taught Universalism in the guise of "the restoration of all things." Barth probably did only a small portion of the work, letting his live-in mistress Charlotte Kirschbaum do the hard stuff. Barth was not only an open adulterer, but also an avowed Marxist.

Confidence in the Biblical message comes from abiding in the Word. When people spend their time with heretics and heresies--and I don't just mean with Church and Change--the truths are supplanted by the semi-truths.

Dow Chemical keeps their factories from burning and exploding (most of the time) by using a layer of nitrogen. The value of nitrogen is its ability to supplant oxygen and prevent fires. Since an explosion is a fast fire, nitrogen also prevents explosions.

Universalists want to insert their propositions into the thinking process. The Biblical message remains but it goes off track because of false assumptions. If God is merciful, then why not forgiven the sins of the entire world? If God is all love, how can He have Hell to punish people? We are all sinners, so why do some go to Hell and others not? We are all too good to punished for eternity. Whatever works.

John's Gospel is the best antidote because it unites and integrates the Gospel message--all four Gospels at once--in the words of Christ. That is why apostate scholars have declared war against John for the last century.

John and Paul also show a remarkable harmony in many different ways, using different words to express the same concepts.

Another antidote is to read the Confessions and Luther. I suggest the early parts of the Augsburg Confession and all of the Large Catechism.

Reading heretical material to find out what's wrong with it is akin to eating poison to see if it really works.

Sometimes we have to study both sides of the issue, but the delving in false doctrine too long is fraught with danger. The Shrinkers are proof that someone can engage in activity and believe he is doing good while slowly leaving the Christian faith altogether.

Famous ELS/WELS Doctrinal Discipline on Display at the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie

Forgotten, but not gone. Bruce Becker was already hired by Jeske when he was canned at The Guilt Factory.

The Future of Christian Media
Friday, November 05, 2010

Hear two staff members from the television series "Time of Grace with Pastor Mark Jeske"- Bruce Becker, Director of Operations, and Jake Wagner, Ambassador Program Manager, at 7 p.m., Monday, November 8 in Honsey Hall room 129. Sponsored by the Christ in Media Institute at Bethany Lutheran College.

Mother Teresa

Churchmouse Campanologist: "For many  years I have been of two minds about Bl. Mother Teresa.  What turned me off was a roundtable discussion I had with my friends at university — all of us Catholic at the time.  One said, ‘She doesn’t even dispense aspirin.  They’re just lying there on pallets.  The nuns step over them.’"

Read more at the link.

"Our Constitution forbade us to beg for more than we needed, but, when it came to begging, the millions of dollars accumulating in the bank were treated as if they did not exist."
GJ - That reminds me of $2 million in the bank account of WELS Lutherans for Life (Christian Life Resources) - for the babies.

First Mid-Week Advent Vespers Service

The Word of God Incarnate, by Norma Boeckler.




Vespers, Mid-Week Advent Service, 2010

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Time

The Hymn # 457 What a Friend 2.24
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 100 p. 144
The First Lection
The Second Lection
The Sermon Hymn # 552 Abide with Me 2.11

The Little Gospel

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Hymn #651 Be Still My Soul 2.17

KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

KJV John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

THE LITTLE GOSPEL

We call John 3:16 the Little Gospel because the entire message of the Bible is summed up in one verse. That by itself should tell us a lot about that message.

Luther said we should write John 3:16 in golden letters on our hearts. Most children who have believing parents will learn this verse and know it better than any other.

I am sure that most adults will say that no other verse is quite so clear and so comforting as this one verse.

Old Testament Continuity

First we should observe the continuity between the Old and New Testament in this famous passage.

The sermon takes us back to Moses and the Exodus, the strange miracle of rescuing the people from poisonous serpents by raising up a bronze figure of a snake.

KJV Numbers 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Everything in the Old Testament was a prelude to the New Testament, with many Gospel passages throughout the Law and the Prophets.

The Gospel of John is the fulfillment of all those figures found in the Exodus: the water flowing from the rock, the bread of life from heaven, and the bronze snake raised up.

Everyone knew the story of the bronze serpent being lifted up. Jesus said he would be lifted up in a similar way, only He would give life and salvation to everyone who believed.

When we think of it, this comparison is quite odd and nothing we would ever consider or invent, but Jesus used it himself.

According to God’s Word, healing came from looking upon this bronze serpent. Therefore, it was a type of early sacrament. We find many of them in the Old Testament.

The rainbow is a physical reminder of God’s promise not to flood the entire earth again.

Circumcision is the covenant.

All the features of worship were tied up with physical objects people could see and touch.

The priests did not wear Hawaiian shirts and jeans (or the Semitic equivalent) but elaborate robes.

Blood sacrifice, for centuries, prepared people for the sacrifice of the innocent Lamb of God.

The reason why many Jews become Christians is the perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament found in the New Testament. The more one knows Judaism, the more one understands liturgical worship, appointed lessons, and the hundreds of ways Jesus fulfilled all the OT promises.

Every aspect of OT worship pointed toward Christ. And still does.

How would we summarize the message of the entire Old Testament, the foundation of presenting Christ as it does?

The Old Testament says – Everything comes through God’s Word, from Creation to the strangest little miracle (the fleece, for example).

God asked His people just one little thing – Trust My Word.

That is it, in three words. The Ten Commandments are His Word. Trust that they are good commandments, intended for the best.

The blessings in the OT – they are all real. Trust in them, too.

And trust that all the promises about the Messiah are completely true and will come to pass.

The OT teaches faith in the Word.

The Little Gospel teaches faith in the Incarnate Word. Jesus Himself is all the Promises of the OT brought together and fulfilled. Everything happens through Him alone.
Jesus is not 1/3 of God, for the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in Him. God chose to give to the Son that special role in dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

People try to figure these things out and fail, because they are mysteries revealed by the Holy Spirit.

John 3:16 answers the one question of all religion, but the difference is – this is the only correct answers. All other answers are wrong because they vary from this or are completely opposed to it.

The answer is so simple that only a child-like faith can grasp it. Whoever believes in Christ will not die but have everlasting life – that is God’s love for the whole world, that He graciously gives salvation to all those who trust in the atoning death of His beloved Son.

The message of the NT is the same as the message of the OT – trust in the Word. The difference is that the implications of all the OT promises became realized in Jesus, the Word of God Incarnate.

ELCA Pastor Bruce Foster Has Something To Teach WELS Pastors Like Jenswold and Lindemann

Bruce Foster,
Pastor

Welcome to Shepherd of the Bay

This Web site is designed for members of Shepherd of the Bay, new people to the community and visitors to Door County. Exploring its contents, you will be able to learn a great deal about this congregation and its ministry.
For those of you who are not familiar with Shepherd of the Bay, here’s a belief statement of who we are.

***

GJ - ELCA pastor Bruce Foster wrote. It's funny how SP Schroeder got a communication through (not about defamation) and BF sent an immediate email. I have not heard from Jenswold and Lindemann. They are probably polishing their sermons on the Eighth Commandment.

Foster cited the Eighth Commandment when he passed on the defamation from the two WELS pastors named above. I am not sure why he specializes in Ichabod. Most of the time I ignore ELCA, because total apostasy is so predictable.

But he is a shining light to Jenswold and Lindemann. What he says is signed with his name on it. He identified his church, his synod, even his LCMS past. He also discussed what they said in his own peculiar way.

The typical WELS pastor will anonymously attack other clergy (and family members), passing on accusations as fact, even when the speaker does not know the target or any information about him. For example, one WELS pastor in Colorado announced to a member that I did not know any Greek. Let's say I do not know any Greek, even though I majored in Greek and Latin in college, translated a large portion of the NT on my own, and took Greek exegesis at Yale, NT doctoral studies at ND, and Romans in Greek at Mequon.  That pathetic excuse for a pastor did not know me or anything about me, yet he claimed to know facts that were more appropriate for his classmates who ponied their way through classes (using a translation under the desk - sometimes called jimmies for the KJV).

One example was quite amusing and public. A WELS synod VP attacked me in public by name, after I was gone from WELS. He spoke at a pastoral conference and went after me hammer and tong. One pastor went up to him and said, "Too bad Jackson is not here to defend himself." The same synod VP propositioned a young woman in his congregation and got the boot, lying to his family about why he suddenly left the ministry at the peak of his career. Not only that, he lied about the note I wrote in CN, even though the facts were public knowledge. Since then WELS has been even more secretive about its many clergy scandals.

Bruce Foster says I can quote his emails, but only if I quote the entire text. Oh really? When someone sends me a letter or an email, that communication is mine - not his. Bruce should read "I Shot an Arrow into the Air," an edifying little poem most children learn.

Foster denied knowing who Jenswold was when I followed up with him. I expect another long, sarcastic email from him tomorrow. I find it strange he is such buddies with a WELS pastor or two. I wonder how that happened. He is really a cut above both of them, which is not so difficult with Wisconsin clergy.

The real slander-meister in Columbus was District VP Paul Kuske. I am not saying the others were Prince Charming - not at all. But no one got any lower than Kuske. I know that from many remarks passed on from church members and others who heard from DP Mueller's hatchet man.

I never attacked Kuske's daughters, so I do not know why he attacked mine. The Glende blogs are a good example of the continuing influence of Kuske. I have to add - those who listened to Kuske wanted to hang on every poisoned word, just as maggots are attracted to rotting flesh.

Yes, Kuske set up Floyd Luther Stolzenburg as a fake pastor in Columbus, Roger Zehms as another fake pastor. Both men were divorced when they came to Franklin County, Ohio, benighted by its lack of Church Growth insights. The third divorced CG pastor was Marc Schroeder, now LCMS, his second wife the daughter of Professor Johne (Sausage Factory emeritus).

The WELS theory was this. If they could cover me with enough slime, their Church Growth Movement could move ahead full speed, and their adulterous pastors would remain unharmed by the truth.

When WELS was done promoting Stolzenburg as their pastor, the Little Sect on the Prairie took over - led by John Shep and Jay Webber, Thoughts of Faith. (Isn't that an odd name for someone who believes in justification without faith?) Shep joined ELCA after being tossed out of the ELS. Kovaciny did his little bit, too, supporting Floyd and CG with all his might. Jay is the Halle Professor of UOJ at the Intrepid Lutherans blog.

Now the readers have the DNA of WELS factual analysis. I will be sure to announce any written, published apologies from Jenswold, Lindemann, and SP Schroeder.

PS - BF sent me another grumpy email, after all those compliments I gave him. Of course, I cannot see how anyone could be an ELCA pastor - unless he is working hard to take his congregation away from the Lavender Mafia.

More Snottiness from the Sanctimonious - Most of the Satire Comes from Anonymous Comments

Concernedlutheran has left a new comment on your post "A Roman Catholic Wrote about the Thanksgiving Serv...":

Thank you for your polite rebuke.

I have another question for you: Is the goal of this blog to bash and tear down the false ideas out there? Or is it to reach out with the Gospel, maybe even to help erring Christians?

I'm just curious. I have yet to see you politely and in true proper Christian love help redirect anyone who was apparently wrong on some matter.

And so I have a request: Would you mind during this Christmas season to refrain from tearing others down, but rather build others up? If you are speaking the truth, please try speaking the truth in love, hm?

***

GJ - The double question is a favorite logical fallacy for those who failed Critical Thinking 101. Is the goal of the anonymous comment producer to provide satire for me to publish, or is it to help an erring soul - me?

Some people write an anonymous comment with OpenID and remove even that identifier, all in a minute or so. When someone routinely uses OpenID, the link will normally say, "This person chooses not to disclose information." However, the second type of comment will not even say say that much. Perhaps that person is erasing the account altogether. I could guess who is doing those, but who cares?

Concerned Lutheran just registered today. Could this be Nick's long-suffering girl-friend, jumping in to bail him out? I am sure we will never know.

The trouble with real people posting is their habits (pot) and bad spelling (most WELS people) become a part of the Internet's vast store of knowledge.

---

LPC has left a new comment on your post "A Roman Catholic Wrote about the Thanksgiving Serv...":

Pr. Greg,

I was just about to go to your sermon broadcast when I read this. I have been needing to hear the Word myself and then I read the testimony of this RC lady.

This post from the lady illustrates my point of what I posted at Extra Nos...

http://extranos.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-we-need-dr-ichabod.html

Thanks for posting the lady's communication with you.

I believe I am not being unfair when I say that those who do not appreciate the humor sometimes found here need to mature in the field of Christian polemics/apologetics. They should stop being childish and man up with proper facts and arguments.

Those who get offended with the style found here will also get offended when they read Luther. The problem is that they do not read him, instead they read the work of Holy Men from their Mother Synod. Hence, they think Ichabod's style is offensive because they have not read Luther who in some of his works followed the same style.

LPC

David R. Barnhart: UPDATE 11/30/10 CONGREGATIONS VOTING TO LEAVE THE ELCA SINCE AUGUST 2009

David R. Barnhart: UPDATE 11/30/10 CONGREGATIONS VOTING TO LEAVE THE ELCA SINCE AUGUST 2009:




"The congregations listed below represent a net loss of baptized members for the ELCA of at least 228,845 since August 2009. Add to this number the membership of approximately 40 churches missing from our list, the tens of thousands who left to start new congregations, and the multiplied thousands who have left the ELCA on their own, and the numbers are staggering.

AWM’s list as of November 30, 2010 shows 307 congregations that successfully have taken their second vote to leave the ELCA, as well as 111 congregations that have successfully taken their first vote and now await taking the second vote.

At this point our list lacks the names of around 40 congregatons that have taken their first and/or second vote. If you know of congregations not listed here, please advise us at: wordabide@aol.com"

A Roman Catholic Wrote about the Thanksgiving Service

Faith is also multiplied by the Word of God. By Norma Boeckler.

"I watched your sermon in it's entirety and it was wonderful. I see were you did mention the children with Down's Syndrome and I love the part about the child being born blind, and how we would give up one of our eyes in order for them to see... None of us are promised tomorrow, but we are promised eternal life with Christ Jesus, as promised to us when he died on the cross for our sins. I often imagine what his Mother must have felt watching her son going through that and being tortured and ridiculed and spit at, mocked and just tormented as he was. It must have been so sad and painful for her, as any mother and father seeing their child suffer. You went through this too with your baby. Anyway, I just thought I would tell you that I really enjoyed the sermon and the singing too. Where was that, at the Church that you are a pastor at?? Wonderful and I felt it was just a blessing to me. Thank you Gregory God Bless you always, dear."

***

GJ - I get a lot of messages like this. I copied this to show people what happens when the Word is broadcast and saved for others. This FB friend knows someone who was in my junior high classes. I lose friends when I post pro-life statements, but this person was happy to have me write about Down's Syndrome, because her brother has it. She asked me for the link, which happens from time to time. Others find it on their own.

The humorless fail to realize that the purpose of polemics is to identify and destroy false ideas, false doctrine in this case. Since reading this blog is not mandatory, nor required for MLC/WLC graduation, it is surprising that students feel compelled to admonish me anonymously about writing polemics - something associated with Luther, Chemnitz, and Walther.

The college students seem especially immune to doing any homework on their own. They demand I prove something when books have been written about that topic and made available to them. Thy Strong Word is in the MLC library. The rough draft of the justification book is available free as a PDF from Lulu.com. And yet poor Nick is tired of this or that about UOJ. I believe he was still on a trike when I began reading about it.

Fuller Theological Seminary alums: Richard Foster « Churchmouse Campanologist

Fuller Theological Seminary alums: Richard Foster « Churchmouse Campanologist: "Richard Foster is one of today’s leaders of spiritual formation.  Much has been written about the various forms of ‘Christian’ meditation, which have been sweeping America over the past several years.

From small acorns do mighty oaks grow.  Who would have imagined that a small non-profit started in 1988 and called Renovaré would have shaken so many Protestant denominations to their foundations?

Richard Foster is a Quaker — a member of the Religious Society of Friends — who put Renovaré and spiritual formation into play.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, and his Doctorate of Pastoral Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary."

The complete article is at the headline link, as agreed in the recent out-of-court settlement with Church Mouse.

Students Who Not Idiots

More students "who not idiots."

Nick has left a new comment on your post "Martin Luther College":

Hello again Dr. Jackson,

Thank you for your quick response.
I never meant to imply that the students who not idiots (sic). What they did was foolish and reflected poorly on themselves and on the school, but most importantly on Christ of whom all Christians are ambassadors.

As for UOJ, I've been following the dialogue for some time now and see the clear words of Scripture and can't argue against them.

I think you have a tendency to put words in to the mouths of WELS Lutherans.

Did Jesus take away the sins of the world? Certinaly. Scripture affirms this. (John 1:29)

Forgivness of sins-what else is that but do not have those sins held against you.

So if God's not holding sins against you, then he declares you not guilty. You are justified based not on your own works, but on the works of Christ, his active and passive obedience. (Isaiah 53)

Now this full and free declaration was made to the whole world. Does this mean all people are automatically saved?
No. Does this make sense logically, not exactly. I think this is where you get tripped up. You assume that since we affirm in the Scriptural teaching that the whole world had fallen short of God's glory and was justified freely by his grace (Romans 3) than clearly all must be saved.
Yet Jesus laments: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together,as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."
People cannot accept the Holy Spirit. That Scripture clearly teaches. (I Cor. 12:3)
Yet they can reject the Holy Spirit and that saving message , thus spitting on that full and free declaration and choosing to continue in a life of sin.
So who is saved?
Those who believe by faith alone.
John 3:16 "...whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life."

We simply must let the clear words of Scripture stand. Just because a doctrine doesn't make sense logically doesn't mean it is false. If so, then please explain the Trinity to me.
We simply take it on faith.
Is this not what Luther taught, that we go to Scripture alone to find the answers? That we are saved by God's grace alone and this only comes to us by faith alone? Exactly.

God bless.

***

GJ - I agree with Robert Preus' last book, Justification and Rome - which his UOJ fans cannot comprehend.

I also agree with Luther, the Book of Concord, and the Scriptures.

UOJ is warmed-over Calvinism, mediated by Halle Pietism.

WELS Support of Lutheran World Relief Denied

From a source, somewhat edited for clarity:
"SP Schroeder is positive that WELS is no longer associated with Lutheran World Relief. It is true that the Wisconsin Synod was involved with that entity some years ago, but pulled out even before he became SP."

There you go, readers, another factoid from Ichi-leaks, your 24/7 news-gathering service.

WELS is now only in fellowship with:

1. ELCA and the Salvation Army through Thrivent's pro-abortion and gay-friendly insurance company.
   
2. Babtists Andy Stanley and Ed Stetzer, Methodist Leonard Sweet, Pentecostal C. Peter Wagner via Fuller.
   
3. Driscoll, Groeschel, Beeson, and a host of others.
   
   

Cardinal Rules: Going Galt at the Bird Feeder

Cardinals got me to purchase a serious bird-feeder, a squirrel proof bird-feeder from Duncraft. Bruce Church had a pair of cardinals feeding at his home in Michigan. I thought that was ideal. Cameras never capture the amused look of a male cardinal feeding. They cock their heads and seem quite pleased with themselves.

Two factors have increased business at the feeder, which is a few feet from my computer, just outside the window.

The first is cold weather, reducing easy access to the bug population while increasing energy needs.

The second is using single variety of seed. All the blended seeds promise a lot, but they use a lot of filler like millet. I threw the blend on the ground where it was eaten, sunflower seeds first. When I replaced the blend with safflower seeds alone, the feeding soon became constant.

Many use safflower because squirrels are not keen about raiding a feeder for that particular seed. The seed is rather expensive, so I was looking for a large bag of black oil sunflower seed. Walmart in Jane, Missouri had a 25 pound bag. Another bird watcher was looking over prices when I was. Safflower was over $1 a pound in seven-pound bags. Black oil sunflower was about 28 cents a pound in the large bag.

I am using the rest of my mixed seed for the planter near the front door and the window sills of the bedroom. The squirrels are welcome there, and the small birds alternate with them. When I scatter seed in the sheltered, dry rocks near the front door, small birds glean whatever they find.

Conversion to 100% Sunflower Seed
The least expensive and most popular option is sunflower seed. No other seed has so much nutrition, a combination of protein, oil, and minerals. I will use that for all locations soon, with the assumption that squirrels will stop by the low security zones (window sills, flower box, rocks). The bird-feeder has a bad reputation in the squirrel community. They do not even try it now.

Sassy
Our three-legged Sassy watches out of one bedroom window, where I put the seed on the sill. She goes on full alert when the squirrel is inches away, eating seed. She is blase about birds. We are regulars at the doggy bark park, where she is famous for shagging balls while alleged retrievers sit around and look dumb. Some retrievers wait several seconds to start and amble toward the ball, but Sassy tears off immediately, her back bent with the effort.

Sassy is quite the hero now. Everyone loves to watch her catch high pop fly-balls. The strangest trick is pulling it out of the air as she runs to catch the ball falling away from me. Planting herself under it and catching like a pro is impressive enough, but no one can figure out the running catch, since she cannot watch the arc of the ball. When the ball is deflected off a tree branch in our yard, she adjusts and catches it.

Sassy relishes her fame and munches on the ball extra times. She hands it back into my hands or rolls it to the feet of her latest friend. That is one of her signs of approval, letting someone else throw her ball. Recently we were ready to go home when a little girl showed up with her dog and mom. Little Annabelle threw the ball for Sassy until our wonder-dog was trying to rest on the way to the car.

The evolutionists like to say certain traits are bred into dogs like German shepherds and Australian cattle dogs - she is both. But Who instilled those traits in the original DNA?

One moment Sassy will sing the cattle dog blues with me. The next she will bay like a German shepherd. It is as if she is taking books out of the Sterling Library at Yale.

Sassy was looking at her favorite throwing and chewing ball at the bark park. Chris is in the middle.
Norma Boeckler, our artist-in-residence is on the right.

Fox Valley Endorsement - Anything Goes District President Confirms His Love of Ichabod

DP Englebrecht confirmed that he reads Ichabod, because his letter (left when he skipped the meeting) blamed Ichabod and me by name for the conflict in his district.

I never said he read this blog with comprehension or edification.

But he does read it all the time.

The Appleton light is always glowing on Feedjit.

Page reads are up by 25% since June. Can you top those numbers, boys?

Confidential to Tim - I linked your anonymous blog.

Yes, The Lutheran Hymnal Rocks - Joe Krohn Confirms It

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "WELS Feminist Hymnal and Creed":

That old hymnal had more pluses than minuses when you compare it to CW. It was a self contained organizer and planner for worship and a great template for those who may have wanted to do something a little different. My biggest pet peeve besides the feminist leaning language was the omission of what scripture text the hymn was based on. The notes in CW in this regard to me at least are useless.

I've heard the comment as well from other church musicians that the harmonizations are weird in many cases. When I was taking music theory in college, old hymns were typically used to teach basic harmony; i.e. voice leading in regards to chord changes.

Joe

---

California wrote:

"Re: Comment from "Luther Rocks", Joe says when he was in college old hymns were typically used to teach basic harmony in college music theory classes. It brought to mind that when my daughter who was a music major at San Diego State University in the late 1970's, she was surprised when the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal with which she grew up, was used in a music theory class by a professor who considered it the best example available for study of harmony."

***

GJ - Oh my, Christian Worship went downhill from The Lutheran Hymnal? I thought the deep, deep insights from James Tiefel would be such an improvement. I remember him making fun of the "vermicular" hymns in the 1941 one, which the entire Synodical Conference once used.

That is the trouble with same sect's hymnals. They reflect the weirdness and political alliances of a few mediocrities.

The WELS hymnal slavishly copied the format and texts of ELCA's old Liberal Book of Weirdness. But the confessional Little Sect on the Prairie...slavishly copied the texts of the LBW. Everyone is copying the Roman Catholic three-year readings cycle.

In the 1960s, all the Lutherans in America were using liturgical services - either the Service Book and Hymnal or The Lutheran Hymnal. Now we have chaos, mediocrity, and plenty of excuses for rolling out the movie screen in church.

Coming Soon - Thy Strong Word - Martin Chemnitz Press

Thy Strong Word may be available as soon as this weekend.

The final Word file for the English-only version of Thy Strong Word is finished. Some additional touches are needed, but it should be available this weekend, God willing.

The Greek and Hebrew passages have been removed.

Perhaps the original version, flaws and all, will be uploaded to Lulu fairly soon. I no longer have any copies of the original, but some are floating around on the used market. There was a printing problem with duplicated pages. Those were "fixed" but the fixes tended to come loose, as one person told me.

The upcoming library liquidation sale is intended to finance TSW and the promotion of Justification by Faith.

The opposition to Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure was nothing compared to the blackout imposed on Thy Strong Word. I told Brett Meyer that it seemed all that work on TSW was for naught. His response was, "Silly pastor."

Although Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant has sold 5,000+ copies, TSW is influencing people to turn against the theology of Church Shrinkage and UOJ. Skirmishes continue about guilt-free Hottentot saints in Hell.

The latest dust-up has been out in the open, for once. The Intrepid Lutherans introduced up the problem, backed down, parried the question, and started over again. I have to take Dramamine whenever I read their blog, because my head goes back and forth more quickly than it did at Wimbledon last year.

Justification by Faith will be in good shape just after Christmas. Good news in that department - a subsequent edition will include extra material on the topic, making the volume a useful resource for future debates. Some original research is being finished by a Lutheran, and I hope to have some exegetical essays from a Missouri pastor who never was refuted or disciplined for opposing UOJ.

All my books will continue to be available as free PDF downloads. And they can be shared with as many people as you wish.

Justification will be an e-book. Perhaps TSW will be too. There is a $200 cost for each one being produced as an e-book. Hip techies tell me that is the way most are going to read them as books.

Grumpy Cheers Up

ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson: "Give me ten men, give me stout-hearted men.
Loved, loved, loved Party in the MLC.
Seriously, Grumpy, we cannot keep our own colleges open."


grumpy has left a new comment on your post "Martin Luther College":

I would agree in the common sense of combining those schools, and yes, WISCONSIN would be the likely location given that it is the WISCONSIN Lutheran Synod.

It might be a benefit to enrollment as well as for the quality of education to have a single school that has colleges of education, arts and science, divinity, maybe business and health sciences also. Those planning secondary teaching careers could actually get a strong major in their chosen field of concentration. Those in divinity school might be able to pick up a few basic accounting and business classes (some pastors are woefully ignorant of anything dealing with simple finances and bookkeeping).

However, when common sense comes up against tradition and nostalgia in the WELS, 9 times out of 10 common sense loses.

Just saying....

What Will LCMS, WELS, ELS Look Like in 2017?

Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Corporate News - Thrivent Financial for Lutherans ...":

The Arminian-wannabes in the mainline Lutheran synods are probably right at home with the Salvation Army. The Ablaze movement is proof of that, as the Means of Grace take a back seat to that "critical moment," which is just decision theology worded in a way so as to not offend us old, grumpy Lutherans.

The old saying, "Birds of a feather...," is quite applicable to Pietists. Perhaps Missouri and WELS should openly allow their parishioners to be Freemasons, since they also do nice things for the community.

And let's not forget being in fellowship with church bodies that are LWF members while we condemn LWF. Sorry, you better scratch this remark, as I was told that membership doesn't equal fellowship. LWF says differently, though: "LWF member churches...are united in pulpit and altar fellowship."