Narrow-minded Lutheran has left a new comment on your post "More Details on LCMS Seminary Fraud":
Observations from the "Issues, Etc. " clip:
578 "non-calling" congregations today vs. 328 ten years ago: Okay, the rural population issues and health care costs are certainly valid points. While he admitted that many parishes are using emeritus pastors, what he did not say is that some parishes use vicars (yes, to administer the Sacraments with district approval). I wish I had numerical stats for this occurrence. Also, from the clip, many pastors are serving two congregations (and some even three). Yes, burnout is common. The overall observation is that no one wants to admit that the "numbers" are simply declining. I just read that the mean age of the Church of England (which will probably be all but gone in another generation) is 61.
199 congregations calling "sole pastors" today vs. 621 ten years ago: Wow! That's all one can say. At least he admitted that the "pastoral crisis" was "exaggerated."
Personal observations:
1. Although St. Paul said pastors are supposed to make their living by the Gospel, St. Paul himself also made it clear that he paid his own way. I think clergy or those aspiring to be pastors will have to accept the fact that they may have to also work in a secular vocation to supplement income. I believe this is the reality in this age. The cushy Concordia Plan ain't free.
2. As an aside, I was recently told that the Vicarage Program was instituted during the Great Depression to delay calls during those economically miserable times. I was also told that a recent vicarage candidate was denied a vicarage due to a scandalous life. What was his sin? Too much debt from student loans. This is almost funny, except that this guy and his family probably failed to see the humor.
3. Also not mentioned was the SMP Program. I can't readily find the stats on the number of SMP students vs. regular MDiv students, but I'm sure many parishes seeking an asst./assoc. pastor are going this route. Also note that the SMP students are not eligible for grants or Fed aid. I think the SMP is where the LCMS is headed. The "growthy" parishes will seek them, I believe. No Greek required. Since I have ranted in the past about the SMP and my dislike for it, I will abstain from further comment.
4. Although Herb Mueller claimed that there will be many pastors retiring in a few years when (if?) the economy recovers, I think the gaggle of calls will be short-lived. The percentage of the population that attends church is simply declining.
5. Yes, the mega-churches seem to be thriving, but when the "thrill" is gone and the people go seeking their next "high," they will also eventually fail. Those 3,000-plus churches are probably supported in the majority by a few families. Will they return to traditional church bodies? My money is on the negatory.
6. One of the LCMS sems will close [GJ - bazingo]. It is inevitable. There was scuttlebutt a few years ago about MDiv's starting their classes at the Concordia U level and finishing distance ed. Concordia U's, what a disaster, both theologically and financially. One can receive Evolution and homosexual tolerance brainwashing much cheaper elsewhere.
2 comments:
Thanks for the analysis, Narrow.
Church matters won't improve for a long time since the economy isn't suppose to improve through 2012, and some say a lot longer since no govt in the world has any money except Germany and China, both perennial trade surplus fiends. Any money those two countries spent would just serve to machine more products for Americans to buy, so all the money goes out of the US and doesn't circulate here, creating more jobs.
How Obama could put more Americans to work is line up all the unemployed to create a hands across America. Then when someone buys a product from China or little china (Germany) and it arrives in port, it could be handed all the way across the US to its destination without any extra carbon emissions.
What's a real interesting question is: many claim that spending on welfare and healthcare are the cause of the huge US government debt, but what does one say about Japan where there's almost no social welfare (as is the case in all Asian countries), and yet Japan has had staggering debt problems for over two decades now. Also, it doesn't have many kids, so the spending on education is not at fault.
Bruce, Japan has spent a bundle on government projects, which are similar to welfare - invented jobs for inflated schemes. One was building an airport on land that is sinking into a lake. They proved that a government cannot spend itself into recovery. Our economy would improve if we encouraged small business, discouraged regulation, drilled for oil, let babies live, and killed Obama-Care.
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