The email was sent to WELS pastors.
Dear Pastors and friends in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church:
Some of you will know me from books which Professor Jeske reviewed in your theological journal or from some of the stewardship books and “building healthy churches” resources that have a strong Lutheran foundation. I have had the privilege of working with Jeff Davis and Rev. Dave Kehl in their exceptional and excellent money management and financial planning resource, Heart in Focus, as I was looking over their shoulders and was able to bring them to Dave Wetzler of ChurchSmart in St. Charles IL to publish those materials, which then NPH was able to co-publish. I am also happy to share with you that I have been able to give encouragement to the development department of Rev. Mark Jeske’s Time of Grace, which is very strongly supported by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Jeff Davis has been an encouragement for these “Turning Donors Into Disciples” workshops, and especially to offer to pastors and congregations of the Wisconsin Synod in Arizona at this time. As you can see from the attachment which tells of the great benefits, the responses and experiences that we had in the Ohio and South Wisconsin Districts shows that pastors and their church leaders saw this as a one-of-a-kind and unique resource to overcome the financial crisis and meltdown that churches and their members are facing at this time. If you answer yes to the two questions in the attached message, then I believe that you will be joining us at this February 19 workshop and we will welcome you with a great handshake. By the way, Dave Wetzler of ChurchSmart, who is the host of this workshop, is giving books and materials that equal the registration fee, so there will be no financial loss for your attendance.
You may register with me or ChurchSmart, and I would be happy to get emails to answer your questions.
Even at this late date, we are still looking for the possibility of a WELS congregation to make their facilities available for this non-fellowship educational event for Thursday morning, February 17, to give church leaders an opportunity to attend besides Saturday afternoon.
May God give you a grace-filled 2011 in Christ!
Yours in Christ’s service of biblical stewardship and building healthy churches,
Waldo Werning
WJW:ke
attachment
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Is your church experiencing a financial crisis where action is required now?
Does it lack the funds needed for your ministries, even salaries?
If you answered YES to any of these questions then
“Turning Donors Into Disciples”
FAITH-RAISING, NOT FUND-RAISING
is a workshop that you and other leaders should attend.
Where: Where: PHOENIX AREA, Christ Greenfield, 425 N. Greenfield Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234
When: Saturday, February 19, 1-5pm
Cost: $25 each or $100 for Groups of Five
Pastors and leaders at Wisconsin and Ohio “Stewardship of Giving” workshops tell how they were greatly benefited. District Stewardship leader Thomas Soltis tells that this “Christian Giving Resource” fills a necessary niche and is a stewardship goldmine that provides 12 basic “giving” books and materials for more than five years. He said that these programs will change the stewardship culture of churches from maintenance to grace-giving, from a focus on what the church wants to a focus on what God asks…It shows how the church can kill the budget virus and needs disease through first-fruit, generous giving and tithing through such programs as Consecrated Stewards.
A Milwaukee pastor joined others from Ohio and Wisconsin, writing, “We learned to lead by example to communicate productive ministry, not our budget, and to plan effective corporate stewardship and reach all members.” Other comments:
· “The Ministry/Mission Financial Proposal was an eye opener to take us on the road of faith-raising rather than fund-raising.”
· “We saw that personal money management and financial planning in the book and program, Heart in Focus, changes the stewardship culture in churches.”
Dr. Waldo Werning, author of “Turning Donors Into Disciples,” will be joined by other presenters that will help increase giving and finances in your church substantially.
The benefits of this workshop are too great to procrastinate. Please register now.
You may register online by emailing customerservice@churchs mart.com. You may gain more information by phoning David Wetzler at 800-253-4276 or at www.churchsmart.com, clicking the training button on “seminars”.
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The pioneer amputee who climbed Mt. Rainier was asked what he learned from his achievement. He quickly responded, "You can't do it alone."
Let us introduce ourselves, the ChurchSmart team, committed to bringing you excellent products at affordable prices.
Let us introduce ourselves, the ChurchSmart team, committed to bringing you excellent products at affordable prices.
- Dave Wetzler is the founder and owner of ChurchSmart Resources. He has served as a pastor (5 years), denominational executive (17 years), and since 1996 as a publisher and NCD Trainer. His education includes a B.A. in Bible and Theology and an M.A. in Management.
- Bob Rummel serves as Operations Manager. He has eleven years of editorial and Christian bookstore experience. His education includes a B.A. in English from Wheaton College.
- Christina Bowman is responsible for customer care. She is a recent graduate from Wheaton Academy, and since then has been a previous student at Kendall College in Chicago. She also serves as co-leader of the young adult women’s ministry at Medinah Baptist Church.
- Phil Newell operates the warehouse, providing timely shipping on all orders. At 22 years of age, Phil has the task of keeping the organization feeling young. He is a missionary kid from Indonesia who recently spent 4 years of study at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
- Bob Logan serves as the Director of Research and Development and will continue to develop new products and seek out the best resources available
to help you minister. He graduated from U.C.L.A. with a B.S. in chemistry, an M.Div. from Western Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon (pastoral studies), and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary (church growth).
- Barb Palmiter is responsible for customer care. She comes to us with 22 years of service in a Bible College. She has a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy, with a Biblical Studies emphasis, from the King's College.
- Jack Stephenson serves as our NCD National Ministry Coordinator. Jack assists in the development of new NCD training resources, trains NCD Coaches and Licensed Trainers and provides strategic planning assistance to denominations implementing NCD within their judicatories. Jack has a Doctorate in Church Growth and serves as the senior pastor at Anona United Methodist Church in Largo, FL.
GJ - Many have noticed that the people identified as Church Growth leaders are the same ones promoted by the Wisconsin Synod.
I have known Werning since colloquy days, when Kincaid Smith introduced me to him. Smith admitted in print that he resented my published criticisms of Church Growth.
I am current FB friends with Werning. I am always trying to convert people to Lutheran doctrine.
Werning told me he was trained at Fuller Seminary and later denied it, until I quoted from my Day-Timer. I said, "On this date I asked you, and you said you did study at Fuller." Soon after I heard from ELS Pastor Paul Schneider that Werning was trashing me. He said, "What did you say to him to make him so angry with you?"
Werning also made clear in various conversations that he worked closely with WELS and the Little Sect on the Prairie, all Church Growth leaders.
What enraged so many "conservative" Lutheran leaders is the evidence I published showing they were really second-rate Babtists grubbing for money in the name of "Growth." They never achieved any growth, except to transfer doctrinally inert members from other congregations of the same synod. That is the established policy of "missions" in WELS today - to start parasitic missions to siphon from WELS congregations.
I am sure Keith Free will put a stop to that. Ha!
Berg and Hagedorn before him were trained at Fulller, smitten by Fuller.
Did some pastor really dress in drag and preach at Free's congregation, posing as the woman at the well? I asked him and got no answer. If so, it had to be a memorable moment. "We are very strict in WELS. We do not let a woman preach (not obviously, anyway), so we do sermons in drag."
As readers can see from the previous published ad published by DP Buchholz for the Mark Jeske/Jeff Gunn show for teen cutters and stoners, doctrinal discipline in WELS is aimed only at those who question Holy Mother Synod.
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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Waldo Werning, LCMS, Reveals His Church Growth Net...":
(W)ELS is promoting Consecrated Stewards which is an LCMS effort with support from ELCA.
It's also a horrible prosperity gospel driven effort and a blatant offence to the Holy Spirit and His work through the Gospel purely taught.
http://consecratedstewards.blogspot.com/
The glory of the (W)ELS.
