One reason for massive defections from mainline church bodies is abuse. There are many forms of abuse, and they all stem from corrupt doctrine.
Hazing in high school, college, and seminary is a good indication of an abusive sect. The whole idea is to divide the synod between the elite (no matter how dumb they are) and the slaves. The slaves do the work so the elite can enjoy their luxury trips around the world, their bonus pay, their extra help because they labor so long and hard for the Lord.
No one is allowed to question this system, because that is equal to debating with God. The Holy Spirit has complete control of the sect, so all decisions are godly, all dissent demonic. Ralph Bohlmann used to climax his venomous letters with "Satan must be laughing right now..."
Therefore, the sect pushes people out because they disagree while protecting the corrupt, the incompetent, and the adulterous. The formula is simple to comprehend. If the elite commit a crime, they are promoted. If the slaves do something wrong, they consigned to the lower depths of Hell and shunned. Doing something wrong includes truly bad things, like marital infidelity, but also includes questioning Holy Mother Synod.
Stay with me - it is not that complicated. The elite can question Holy Mother Synod all they want. They usually attack all the old traditional things that are holding back the Kingdom of God. While ELCA tried to cure all the injustice in the world through Marxism, abortion, and homosexuality, WELS-LCMS-ELS knew the answers were revealed at Fuller Seminary and its clones. Both sides, ELCA and the Syn Conference, managed with "Our way or the highway to Hell." No surprise - bullying worked.
ELCA and its previous bodies were abusive, but everyone overlooked it. Now the drama is public. ELCA pastors and congregations are communicating their experiences through the Internet. If the ELCA bishops could burn people at the stake today, they would be happy to do so.
I have tried to tell many innocent pastors and laity that these sects specialize in one thing - spying. Yes, the leaders pretend they are dumber than rocks about important issues. They do not know. They do not remember. They do not comprehend. But they make sure they know every detail that may concern them.
Several people have been accosted for the crime of knowing me--gasp--or reading this blog. That is pretty hilarious by itself, because the synod leaders read this blog and know me. They are the elites, so that is OK. My Facebook friend list of 1280+ includes a rainbow coalition, from Otten and Werning to Church Growth leaders of various sects and factions. One WELS DP is on my list. He has looked over the names and jumped on one person I know.
Here is an even better example. I friended someone I never met. He is no longer WELS. A staffer at the Guilt Factory published on this man's wall: "Are you the one leaking to Greg Jackson?" That was a public accusation, especially paranoid since the friend was not in WELS and we had no communication except "Happy Birthday."
WELS leaders will tell anyone with ears that I have no friends and no one pays attention to me. So why are they jumping on my distant and casual friends like a hobos on a hotdog? And why do they care what I write, if I have no credibility? A good friend, via the Net, says, "Because they are frightened."
One LCA pastor assured me that no one in the LCA read Christian News. I said, "Those leaders who know you are reading every word. That is their job."
For example, I was a microbe in the LCA when I left. I published a few things here and there, but I was not on any national or district committees - too nauseating. When I sat down for lunch with LCA President Crumley at the Ad Fontes meeting, he began by asking me about WELS colloquy and what it entailed.
Crumley did not even ask if he had the right person or "What are you up to, uh, Greg?" Someone would think, "This guy watches over 3 million members and thousands of pastors. He could not keep up with all the personal details." Yes, he could, if it mattered to him. The LCA was facing merger with the ALC at that time and did a great job of suppressing defections. There were almost no clergy or congregational exits.
WELS and ELS have also suppressed congregational exits by pushing people out, but they have not stopped massive losses by their abusive behavior. People slip away, one by one.
The damage continues. I hear from various people because they trust me to hear about their pain and to keep things to myself. Therefore, I keep background vague. I urge them to rely on the Word and to read the Gospel of John, not to expect anything from an abusive sect.
One pastor dismissed Tabor murdering his wife as piffle because "it happened a long time ago." I still hear from people deeply affected by Tabor's adulterous behavior and the synodical cover-up of the murder. A number of clergy and laity come to mind. That is an ongoing effect because of the felonies committed in the name of making Holy Mother Synod look innocent.
Old news? Fred Adrian was involved in a similar cover-up in Michigan, WELS. No murder, just a minor child, a member of his congregation. He is back serving as a pastor.
Someone suggested that I attend the WELS-ELS-LCMS trifecta in May. I responded that I was not interested, not as long as the abuse continued.
I know - write a letter. I did.
I sent three certified letters to WELS clergy, and all three signed the receipt card. That included reform candidate SP Schroeder. No one answered or acknowledged the letter. A previous email, sent a long time ago, was never acknowledged.
Months later, after receiving my certified letter, Schroeder wrote:
---
Greg,
I did write to you I regard to the matter in the email I mentioned. This was some time prior to your sending of the certified letter. Since the certified letter was not addressed to me but sent as a “CC”, and since I had encouraged you to contact these men directly and you were doing so, I did not respond directly to your letter.
Regardless, I apologize if this appeared to be a lack of response. It was not intended to be.
Thanks.
Rev. Mark Schroeder
WELS President
***
GJ - That was the extent of his response, except for his previous advice - "Write a letter."
See how that works?
