Some of You Think Glende and Patterson Are Passionate about the Gospel, But They Seem Cold, Vindictive, and Spiteful.Justification Without Faith Is Not God-Pleasing

Glende grew up in this non-WELS parish, where Masons romped and Floyd Luther Stolzenburg taught Church Shrinkage.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Holy Word 'Fellowship' Update

After we were excommunicated put under pastoral discipline at Holy Word, we were cut off from all communications.  Since this happened so abruptly, we asked for some help as to what our recourse was.  On June 4th we wrote the leadership at Holy Word to send us a copy of their constitution and bylaws concerning excommunication and protocol.  We received a response on June 5th that if we wanted to 'properly' discuss fellowship, they were willing to meet with us.

On June 6th I responded:

"Gentlemen,

 I am well aware of what fellowship means.  The point is moot...we are broken.  I am giving you the courtesy of sending the Constitution/Bylaws.  I can get them from District or Synod if need be.  Your excommunication of my wife and me was only three days after receipt of my letter wanting to retain our membership.  This does not sound like proper protocol. However, I would be glad to visit with the three of you to discuss why you broke fellowship with us; namely the Doctrine of Justification.  You have to understand that your pastor is preaching forgiveness of sins apart from the Word and the Holy Spirit.  This is false doctrine according to the Bible and the Book of Concord."

I also included dialog I had with a WELS pastor in that response that refuted their teaching of Justification.  Later in the day on June 6th they responded similarly about only meeting face to face to discuss 'fellowship' only.  I again pressed the issue in an email that same day about opening up the discussion regarding the doctrine of Justification.  Late in the day on the 6th I responded that since they were not willing to send information regarding their treatment of us, I was only left with escalating the matter.  They did respond on June 7th with the now typical response 'willing to meet about fellowship'. 

On the 8th of June we responded:

"Gentlemen:

Since you will not afford us the opportunity a copy so that we may read the Constitution and Bylaws of Holy Word Lutheran Church concerning our excommunication; Whereas (1) We can only assume by your wordage of the email received of May 21, 2011 that you are acting on the general terms of the WELS boilerplate found here http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/february-1995/excommunication?page=0,0 especially when you question the assurance of our salvation; and Whereas (2) Scripture teaches that the forgiveness of sins is a work of the Holy Ghost through the Means of Grace; and Whereas (3) Pastor Patterson speaks of a  forgiveness of sins apart from the Holy Ghost and the Means of Grace i.e.: forgiveness before we are born, but not including the saints of the Old Testament; and Whereas (4) We have been excommunicated because we deny Objective Justification when in fact (as we have maintained) our rebuttal on 5-22-11, we claimed that we do not deny Objective Justification, but that we object to the manner in which Pastor Patterson preaches and teaches it; namely that all sinners have been forgiven whether they believe it or not; and Whereas (5) That another party at Holy Word has been excommunicated for seeking a ‘non-scriptural’ divorce when in fact she has maintained a stance of malicious abandonment of vows ... and be it finally RESOLVED; That we will appeal the excommunication of Joe and Lisa Krohn and that of (name withheld) at the district level as prescribed by the WELS constitution.

Kyrie eleison,
Joe and Lisa Krohn"

On June 20th we sent our letter of appeal to District President Pastor Vilas Glaeske.  He was quite charitable in notifying us on the 22nd that our case had not gone before the voting assembly at Holy Word and therefore he would be disorderly by getting involved at this point.  I did respond apologetically but that some blame rested with Holy Word for non-communication...and I would add that the WELS Constitution and Bylaws are not crystal clear on this.  Aren't the elected leaders of the church acting on behalf of the congregation? (Section 8.50)

On July 1st I sent this in email form to the leadership at Holy Word:

"Good Afternoon,

I pray that you will do us the courtesy of an expedient disposition of our membership concerning our excommunication of May 21, 2011 at the upcoming Voters meeting at Holy Word; that you refuse to discuss our contention that Pastor Patterson is preaching a false doctrine of a justification apart from a hearing of the Word and apart from the work of the Holy Ghost; that all men have been forgiven their sins before they ever receive faith; even before they are born.

You would be acting irresponsibly in a non-God pleasing fashion to delay any further.

Kyrie eleison,
Joe and Lisa Krohn"

We received this email yesterday from the president of the congregation:

 "Joe,

We will formalize this matter at our next Elders and Council meetings which will be held this month in anticipation of raising the issue at our next Voters Meeting.  We will provide you more details about the process in short order.

Brad.

J. Bradley Johnston
Austin, TX"

The last quarterly voters meeting at Holy Word was April 10, 2011.  No mention of any voters meeting has been mentioned on the Holy Word website for the months of June or July in the bulletin section (our only communication).  My prayer is for an expedient closure on the point of our fellowship/excommunication and that this will not drag into the next quarter (September/October) of 2011.