From the Forgiveness Without Faith Blog, Aka The Intrepids
Pastor Spencer,
I'm certainly glad to hear that the synod's presidium has not done anything to dissuade your efforts. I'm extremely troubled, though, to hear that you have been pressured and intimidated by more than one district president. That is truly a travesty.
The more I learn about our synod's structure, the more problems I see inherent within the office of district president, including:
1. District presidents seem to have near total autonomy within their districts, with few if any checks or balances. The synod presidium does not have the ability to step in when need be to correct an erring DP. Really, no one in the entire synod has the ability to correct an erring DP.
2. District presidents are charged with making difficult and sometimes controversial decisions in order to maintain confessional doctrine and practice, and yet district presidents must stand for re-election every few years, which would lead them not to do anything controversial.
3. District presidents should be, above all else, solid theologians. It doesn't seem that a popular vote is the best way to identify theologians within a district. Rather, a popular vote will tend to elect men for far more superficial reasons.
Mr. Adam Peeler
***
GJ - The Changers slowly moved all their guys into positions of power, and that includes the Doctrinal Pussycats. The synod politicians seem spineless and putty-brained, but that is their trick to delay, block, and obfuscate all issues that threaten the Changers. Watching Buchholz do nothing about Jeff Gunn, due to his "concern for the souls involved," is like staring at a glacier.
Look at all of Englebrecht's tricks in the Anything Goes district. He did everything possible to support Glende and Ski, even changing the CP and ducking the big meeting. CP must mean Circuit Plagiarist now.
One must listen to the double-talk and separate the real story from the smoke. For example, John Lawrenz, as the president of MLS, long ago, used all the talking points about WELS being tough on doctrine, implacable about fellowship, etc. At the same time he was a Church and Change leader and working against everything he promoted as the essence of WELS. The clearest example is serving as president of the school while declaring on the floor of the district convention that "We" (the school) are willing to serve in whatever capacity the synod declares. That meant he would gladly serve as the Judas goat in giving up prep school status.
I had already challenged Lawrenz about his authoring of cell group material for WELS. The Judas Iscariot speech clinched it. Lately he has been at the portable Asian seminary. He installed Steve Witt, a founder of Church and Change, as the new president. When Lawrenz chirps on the Church and Change list-serve, Kudu Don Patterson purrs - "Pure gold, John."
The Changers work at several levels in WELS. They own the Conference of Pussycats, both colleges, the Sausage Factory, FICL, and various para-church groups. They use these contacts to funnel money into Cornerstone, a joint LCMS-WELS scam that no one seems to notice or address. I would love to see a list of congregations they have broken down with their insane brick-and-mortar grow-ti-vation plans. Schuller is bankrupt: the template does not work in a dying sect.
I seldom say much about SP Schroeder, although he is a disappointment for many. Nevertheless, he is a figurehead, like all Synod Presidents. About 90% of the clout comes from the laity and pastors. If they choose to sit on their hands, look dumb, and do nothing, the SP can do nothing in terms of actual "doing."
What Schroeder fails to do is teach. He cannot be considered a Lutheran pastor or teacher, because he does not proclaim sound doctrine and repudiate false doctrine. His messages are generic Protestant, enough to calm the base without offending the Daddy Warbucks of Church and Change. Others take their cue from him - stay Methodist, remain irenic, ruffle not the feathers.
I continue to believe that any layman, pastor, or leader can have an enormous impact by studying the efficacious Word and applying it. The supposed bad impact is always going to be good, if we believe God is gracious, that all things work for the good for those who love Him.
We are not Lutherans until we can agree with Luther about the "holy, blessed cross" instead of saying, "But I wanted the chairmanship of the summer camping committee."
I have known many clergy who have emasculated themselves for the sake of the Kingdom (Matthew 19:12) - the Kingdom of Synod. They look like capons today - fat, stupid, and ready for Christmas dinner.
