Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "Those Who Cannot Do - Consult":
"Grace in Action" looks familiar. This is the theme of one of our local megachurches. They gave away a motorcycle on Father's Day a year or two ago. Although non-denom, I believe their pastor/coach was educated at Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN, whose theological statement says they are Calvinist and Anabaptist (?).
Perhaps the Lutheran synods are suffering from "Megachurch envy?"
Word and Sacrament shouldn't be that hard to implement, unless our "desires" and need to sell the church complicate matters. It's an earthly numbers game. Just remember who's financing it.
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GJ - Grace, Winona bought a number of my reference books for their seminary library, so I feel a certain kinship with them. My name is stamped in the books. I had such huge volumes as The Apocrypha and Pseudipigrapha of the Old Testament, and the multi-volume New Testament Apocrypha.
LI was about five years old. When the Grace people left with my books, and I had their cash, he waved and said, "Come back again!"
There are Calvinist Baptists and Arminian Babtists. Some themselves Cal-Arminian, which is as confusing and contradictory as Wisconsin Lutheran.
Pulpit Envy?
Yes, the Lutherans suffer from mega-church pulpit envy. They correctly conclude that the only way they can have huge congregations is to imitate the generic Pietists and Pentecostals with entertainment and cell groups.
In fact, they could have large congregations with the efficacious Word, but they do not trust the Word of God or teach the Gospel. ELCA is shattering, yet no congregation wants to link up with the Little Sect, Missouri, or WELS. Out of hundreds of congregations leaving? That should send a message to Harrison, Schroeder, and Pope John the Malefactor.
The ELS, according to a self-study, thinks it will be gone in 20 years.
An insurance man told me how this works. In a small agency (or church), everyone thinks he is a lot more important than he is. In those situations, a moderate success will actively drive away anyone who threatens his position, effectively crippling the agency.
Even the Missouri clergy suffer from this, but WELS and the ELS are toxic. They have in-bred so much mediocrity and indulged in so much brain-washing that the living Seed can find no purchase on the rocky ground of their hearts. Color WELS gone in about 30 years, depending on how you define optimism.
Daddy Warbucks, Schwan Effect
Lutherans want to go mega-church through their Daddy Warbucks. They are just like the animation that makes fun of them - they need piles of cash to get going. Notice how this is foremost with Jeske and Gurgle. Neither one knows how to make an honest living. They imagine that collecting money and glorying themselves will stun the little people into giving more.
In fact, it has long been shown that large gifts stunt giving among the regular members, the ones who cannot afford absolution for adultery and divorce. In Midland, Michigan, the Presbyterian congregation endowed by the Dow family has had to struggle to get people to give. Even the curtains are en-Dowed to pay for their cleaning. The whole idea there is, "Let Dow pay for it."
Therefore, when WELS got all that loot from Schwan's death, the Guilt Factory staff spent it lavishly on their salaries and benefits while effectively damping down regular giving. I saw one summary in a few words, "Expenses doubled while regular giving remained the same."
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grumpy has left a new comment on your post "Somebody Is Knocking My Alma Mater...Library":
Good Grief...
What is it with TV evangelicals and the airline industry ?
First the "Crystal Cathedral" dude and now this chick...
You would think they would be on especially good behavior when flying since they are closer to heaven...
Sometimes I think God blesses devout Christians by NOT making them super wealthy.
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GJ - Rev. Joel was not seated where he could hear his wife, he said. I used to sit with my wife on all flights, until we bought the land yacht.
Schuller had one big fight with a steward. I imagine both situations involved alcohol irritation and entitlement vanity.
I had my granddaughter pound on the motel lobby's desk and say, "Do you know who I am?" She was laughing so hard that the drama was lost. The manager loved it, because Josie was small enough to be held at that point.
