Thursday, June 2, 2011

Patterson and Glende Became Facebook Friends in May


What do they have in common, besides anonymous comments sent to this blog?

Church and Change!

Going to false doctrine conferences!

Imagining that Babtists have something to teach Lutherans!

Do not forget - Glende and Patterson both excommunicated members for doing what WELS demands, that someone go to them and tell what their objections are.

---

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Patterson and Glende Became Facebook Friends in Ma...":

Scott...you really need to get your nose in the Icha-slang Lexicon...It is left 'boot' of fellowship. BTW...it didn't even hurt...I knew it was coming and made sure I had the Word of God in between me and the boot...kind of like when I was a kid and there was a spanking coming...I'd stick a little extra padding in one of my back pockets and make sure I turned my cheek in the direction of the spanking :O Hope the new job works out well for you!!

Paul Paul the Unlearned
Goes Medieval on Our Free, World-wide Gospel Broadcasts.
The Usual Thugs Join In for Ascension Day.


Pope Paul the Unlearned loves to chant, "Anathema sit! Anathema sit!"





Paul T. McCain (Ptmccain)
Member
Username: Ptmccain

Post Number: 90
Registered: 4-2009

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 1:38 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


My point simply in mentioning Jackson's sectarianism is simply to demonstrate that there is no point in paying any attention to what the man does, or says.

He craves attention by which he attempts to spread his heretical views of the Gospel.

And, ironically, he has set himself up as a cult-like leader of his little "internet church" sect.


Michael Bryant (Mike)
Senior Member
Username: Mike

Post Number: 2341
Registered: 1-2005

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 1:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


"He craves attention by which he attempts to spread his heretical views of the Gospel."

And we don't help matters by comparing what he is reported to do to entirely dissimilar (reported) actions by a few within our fellowship. The fact that he is only known to truly influence those within his internet church sect is evidence (to me anyway) that there aren't waves of LCMS'ers flocking to him to "hear the truth". If 5% of our membership has even HEARD of him, I would be truly astounded! Joel Osteen is a bigger problem - but we don't need Koinonia to correct his followers either.


Mike Gehlhausen (Mikeg)
Senior Member
Username: Mikeg

Post Number: 5023
Registered: 10-2003

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 2:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


Mike B.,

You wrote:

"And we don't help matters by comparing what he is reported to do to entirely dissimilar (reported) actions by a few within our fellowship. The fact that he is only known to truly influence those within his internet church sect is evidence (to me anyway) that there aren't waves of LCMS'ers flocking to him to "hear the truth". If 5% of our membership has even HEARD of him, I would be truly astounded! Joel Osteen is a bigger problem - but we don't need Koinonia to correct his followers either."

And I have yet to understand whether he consecrates bread and wine and then ships it to members for their use -- which is similar to what elders have been said to do in some congregations -- or whether he tells his members that his consecration over the Internet is effective.

If he does claim the latter, he might be interested in this LCMS CTCR opinion.

"DVD Consecration" - A response to a request from a district president [February 2006]

***

GJ - I am not especially honored that Paul McCain is ranting about me again. He was so obnoxious on the ALPB Online Forum that he was suspended. He disappeared after that from ALPB. I am not sure whether they kicked him out or he left again. He quit that forum before for "mental health" reasons, as he wrote.

One reader told me he sent McCain a friendly email and got an abusive, angry reply back. The reader was stunned, to say the least.

Every so often McCain starts posting about me, so I am glad he has found a group worthy of him.

These so-called conservative Lutherans are upset that I discuss justification by faith, which makes me a heretic in their blinded eyes. That means Luther and Gausewitz were heretics too. Pope Paul McCain is selling a justification by faith (no UOJ) catechism at CPH right now. It even uses the KJV, so McCain is a heretic too, by Lutherqueasy standards.

McCain agrees with Herman Otten, his secret political buddy, but Paul does not get along with Herman either. I used to think Paul got along with ELCA best, but that blew up. Now we can see that the Cascione group is his natural home.

I need advice from the LCMS Bored of Doctrine? That is funny. One of the Enthusiasts makes a false assumption, then says, "If you are sending out the consecrated elements with a DVD, you need to read this from us." Maybe you Enthusiasts should start with your own Enthusiasts, including Rolf Preus, Jack Cascione, and Pope Paul McCain.

People asked for an independent church, and Brett Meyer was kind enough to move us from teleconference calls to free Internet video services. The LQ sorority does not need to watch anything or read anything. Thousands have used the video services, according to Ustream. The last 11 months of the blog have recorded 500,000 page-reads.

The Bethany blog is just for sermons. I have seen them being read all over the world, especially in the Third World. I am not sure why, but the map indicates that response.

Today, Ichabod had 2400 page-reads. I do not think most people regard that response as a cult.

We agree with the Scriptures, appreciate the KJV most of all, and are in complete agreement with the Book of Concord. That disqualifies us as a cult.

I am not draining away your Thrivent or Schwan dollars, so I am no threat.

But people are wise to the UOJ fraud now, and that is a threat to the sob-sisters of LQ. I
am nothing and have no power. They are convicted by the Word of God.

---



Still Blank:

Since I was 'drawing a Blank' during my last post, I thought I would finish the sentance (sic) I apparently deleted in process: "He even posted a fine letter I wrote to a fellow church member (that apparently shared it with him)."

Pr. Kirchner, indeed I did give permission for the letter to be shared, so in that respect, I have no problem with it being there... I just did not expect it.

Timothy Drawing a Blank, Complains about Being Quoted When He Encourgaged Sharing His Magnum Dopus




Timothy Blank (Timothyblank)
Intermediate Member
Username: Timothyblank

Post Number: 425
Registered: 11-2004

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 5:54 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


Wow, Mr. Jackson has added my name to his list of violations of the 8th commandment. A "UOJ stormtrooper" and a "fool." He even posted a fine letter I wrote to a fel (sic) (that apparently shared it with him):
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/201 1/01/blank-clc-uoj.html

Timothy


Donald Kirchner (Kirchner)
Senior Member
Username: Kirchner

Post Number: 2914
Registered: 11-2001

Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 8:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


...that apparently shared it with him...

You should mention that you did add a postscript to your letter: "You are free to share what I have written with whomever you wish."

***

GJ - I wonder why it is a sin to publish something that should be shared with "whomever you wish." I was discussing this issue when I was in the CLC (sic).

Another question is - what is this enormous list of Eighth Commandment violations? Someone who makes an accusation like that--on a public (if seldom read) forum like LutherQueasy--should back it up with facts. Otherwise we might think Bland is another sob sister.

I can tell the readers this - he has never written me directly or sat down and held my hand while telling me my faults. (I am glad for that.)

According to Bored, Randy Hunter Looks in a Mirror
And Sees God



bored has left a new comment on your post "Another Strawy Epistle:Perish Services Pleads for ...":

What does snow and the Church Growth Movement have in common? Both are made up of flakes.

Did anyone else get the fullness of what Hunter is saying here? According to him, God made churches with their strengths AND weaknesses because God doesn't like to be bored. And here I would've thought sinful man was responsible for the weaknesses in churches. hm...

Randy, I'm remarkably bored by you because you seek to make God from an image of yourself--and call me crazy, but if we're going to remake God according to the strictures of contemporary populism I just don't think you are quite qualified.

By the by: The Latte Lutheran churches aren't just filled with young hipsters who only have themselves to blame if they lose their faith while sipping the double-whip false doctrine of Enthusiasm. I happen to know that in Hunter's congregation there are several cognitively vulnerable children--whose eternal souls are in the hands of Pastor Randy and their idiot parents.

Let us pray for these.

The Ascension of Our Lord




Mid-Week Lenten Vespers


Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Time – Ascension.

The Hymn #558 4.44
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 4 p. 123
The Lection Passion Harmony, TLH

The Sermon Hymn #245 4.6

The Sermon – Faith Conquers Fear

The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45

The Hymn #189 4.7


KJV Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

KJV Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

ASCENSION
O Jesus Christ, Thou almighty Son of God, who art no longer in humiliation here on earth, but sittest at the right hand of Thy Father, Lord over all things: We beseech Thee, send us Thy Holy Spirit; give Thy Church pious pastors, preserve Thy word, control and restrain the devil and all who would oppress us: mightily uphold Thy kingdom, until all Thine enemies shall have been put under Thy feet, that we may hold the victory over sin, death, and the devil, through Thee, who livest and reignest with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen,

Faith Conquers Fear

The New Testament seems to emphasize the failings of the disciples. I doubt whether any other historical account shows the initial followers of a great leader to be so obvious in their faults.

I could list many of them, but they are best summed up in two phrases – fear and lack of faith.

One is an emotion. The other is not.

Fear is our emotional response to what we sense at the moment, based on our experience and assumptions. Loud noises are frightening. So is complete silence.

We were in Milwaukee on day, on the Lake. The lake’s surface was as smooth as glass, not a wave in sight, rare for any of the Great Lakes. If we had known better, we would have been afraid. The temperature dropped 40 degrees in about one hour. That was another bad sign, which we ignored. I remembered that hour, because I was reading in the car. At first I had the window down to cool off the car. While I was waiting I got so cold that I rolled up the window.

The calmness and temperature drop preceded a gigantic storm that we missed by arriving at home. Waves dashed against homes high up on the cliffs. If we had known more at the time, looked at a barometer (not found in Dodge Aspens), we would have headed for home more quickly.

The disciples were certainly intelligent enough. And they had plenty of experience. However, their senses told them things based on the wrong assumptions. What they thought they knew was wrong, because their emotions grabbed their human knowledge and ignored the presence and teaching of the Son of God.

As Luther wrote in one of his sermons about the Sea of Galilee, when fear grips us, faith goes out the window.

Faith is not an emotion, not a virtue. I realize how some Lutherans get confused, because our Arminian (Decision Theology) culture treats faith as an intellectual choice or virtue.

God’s Word creates and sustains faith, so faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit, a product of the Holy Spirit when the Word teaches us the Gospel Promises.

In contrast, the Word as God’s Law can teach us fear and respect toward God. “To this man will I look, who trembles at the Word of God.”

The Ten Commandments teach us first to fear God as the infinite power revealed in His Word. Those who juggle with the Word of God and try to teach Jesus to speak correctly, their way, are without fear of God. They know the Name of God has great power, and they abuse that power to oppress and deceive people. Their hardness of heart reveals how they treat the Word of God, which makes them flintier as they continue to abuse it.

At a bakers’ convention I met many wealthy bakers’ families. For instance, one baker had dozens of outlets in one city. He mentioned that he ordered 200 bags of flour at a time, in 100 pound bags. That equals 20 tons of flour in each order. So they were rich. His wife looked liked a baked lizard from sunning herself all the time, in tropical climes. The sun is so powerful that it can turn skin into leather. The woman probably did not notice that, but adored her deep, deep tan.

People glory in their hardness of heart, too. They only proves how blinded they are. They can mouth the words of Scripture but cannot teach its meaning, except to distort it.

So we can see how patiently and lovingly Jesus built up the faith of His disciples. Many times He rebuked them for their lack of faith, their fear, but He built up their faith by showing them how much they could trust in Him.
Although the resurrection itself was a great and glorious miracle, the Ascension was a special confirmation of Jesus’ power as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Before their eyes, the disciples and the 500 saw and heard the risen Christ. Moreover, the disciples saw Him ascend into heaven.

That is why conservative Lutherans and all liturgical believers mark the Day of Ascension. It is the triumph of divine revelation over human knowledge and experience. The liberal skeptics hide their unbelief in the actual resurrection of Christ, not to mention all His divine attributes. Ascension is just too much for them. They openly confess it to be impossible. They rarely observe this day.

The Ascension of Jesus had to be just as powerful in the preaching of the risen Christ as the empty grave itself. And it is a powerful antidote to fear, our emotional response to uncertainty and to guilt over sin.

Fear about material needs is based upon not trusting the most basic attribute of God – that He cares for our earthly needs. We cannot help being fearful when the headlines are screaming and the people around us are suffering. A few years ago, we all assumed a certain degree of prosperity and security. That has been taken away, but God still guides the universe. Similar crises have happened in the past, due to man’s greed and deception, war and foolish leadership.

Jesus sent out the apostles without jobs of any kind. There is no mention of how they get along. They were even warned to carry swords, because of physical danger. But God provided.

The other part of fear relates to guilt. The fear is lack of faith in God’s goodness and mercy. The Gospel Promises remove that fear, banish it especially when we are reading the Gospel and dwelling upon it.

This week I recalled a Chinese missionary I met when I was in grade school. He had to take a long journey in a wild land. The China of the warlords was a dangerous place. His government guardian gave him protection. The man who went with him was the official executioner, with a large sword. The missionary was no longer afraid.

Luther uses similar comparisons when he preaches about the attacks of Satan upon our emotions, because the devil attacks where we are weakest. God’s Word is a powerful weapon against anything Satan can say because all power has been handed over to Christ against Satan. One “little” Word of God can fell him.

And it does not depend on our power, goodness, or virtue. It is God’s own Son who is the valiant warrior against Satan. He is both the Hero and the innocent Lamb of God, dying for our sins.

This is too great for us to grasp, but the Word of God is engrafted into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, so the Gospel grows in us, encourages this faith in God’s mercy, and produces Gospel fruits.

Quotations

ASCENSION DAY

"The efficacy of the Word, unlike that of the seed, always has a result. The man to whom the Word of God comes, and who repels it, is not as he was before. Where long and persistently refused, hardening at last comes, Exodus 8:15; 9:12; John 12:40; Hebrews 4:1, and the Word becomes a 'savor of death unto death,' 2 Corinthians 2:16. Every word heard or read, every privilege and opportunity enjoyed, leaves its impress either for good or for evil. It is not so properly the Word, as man's abuse of the Word; not so much the efficacy of the Word, as the sin taking occasion of the efficacy that produces this result, Romans 7:8."
Henry Eyster Jacobs, Elements of Religion, p. 155.

"Since the Word of God is this weapon [sword], it behooves us to make use of it at all times and to this end become acquainted with it both by means of public preaching and by earnest Bible study at home. Cursory reading must be supplemented by careful memorizing of proof-texts and strong passages. Only in this way sall we be able to make the proper use of the Word of God as a true
weapon of offense at all times."
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the New Testament, 2 vols., II, p. 292.

"Such is the nature of faith that it feels nothing at all, but merely follows the words which it hears, and clings to them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 194.

"Now, it is true, the preaching of faith is very lovely and winsome, but coupled also with subtle and potential risk, particularly for the fleshly heart. For preaching about faith is preaching about grace. Thus when in the first article of the Creed I preach that God created heaven and earth, or in the second article that God sent His only Son to earth, allowing Him to suffer and die, and so on, this is all the work of God, granted and bestowed on us by grace. When one now preaches about this goodness and grace of God, coarse and fleshly hearts object and willfully distort the grace of God, as St. Jude says, into lasciviousness.
Sermons of Martin Luther, The House Postils, 3 vols., II, p. 113.

"Now the Christian Creed indicates that the Lord's ascension is in no way our doing, but an article we are to believe. All festivals in the church are celebrated by Christians for the sake of faith, that it might be served by preaching. Just as it is not my work nor that of anyone else that God's Son is conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, so also it is not my doing that Christ rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and has sent the Holy Spirit."
Sermons of Martin Luther, The House Postils, 3 vols., II, p. 113.

"If one preaches about the comfort of faith, people become rude and malicious. But if one does not preach the comfort of faith, poor consciences are struck with fear and terror."
Sermons of Martin Luther, The House Postils, 3 vols., II, p. 114.

"I would much rather have people say that I preach too sweetly and that it hinders people from doing good works (even though my preaching does not do that), than that I failed to preach faith in Christ, and there was no help or consolation for timid, fearful consciences."
Sermons of Martin Luther, The House Postils, 3 vols., II, p. 115.

Another Strawy Epistle:
Perish Services Pleads for Business,
Third Time in Nine Months



From: Elton C. Stroh <ecstroh@frontier.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 8:48 PM
Subject: Time for Crossroads?
To: Undisclosed Recipients <ecstroh@frontier.com>



Dear brother in Christ:

I am pleased to announce the launching of a new Crossroads Consulting Ministry web site www.timeforcrossroads.com .

After visiting the site, let me know if you have questions.  Perhaps this would be a good time to begin a conversation.

Elton

Pastor Elton C. Stroh
Executive Director  |  Crossroads Consulting Ministry




Crossroads Consulting Ministry is directed by Pastor Elton C. Stroh. Pastor Stroh served as a WELS parish pastor for 24 years during which, under God, he launched a new congregation, served as senior pastor in a turnaround congregation, and was privileged to serve in a number of district and synodical positions. Most recently he served as a church consultant and directed WELS Parish Assistance – a consulting ministry that became a blessing to about 500 congregations with the assistance of both full- and part-time lead consultants and well over 100 associate consultants. Pastor Stroh also conducted the Turnaround Churches in the WELS research project.
 

Crossroads Consulting Ministry offers both a comprehensive and streamlined ministry planning process, both of which are custom designed around the needs and desires of client congregations. Each planning process includes the following: (1) analysis of current reality, (2) development of short- and long-range ministry goals, and (3) strategic implementation. Special services are also provided as requested. Examples of these services include developing multi-site ministries, coaching/mentoring, leadership development, organizational realignment, organizing staff for maximum effectiveness, teambuilding, and assisting with conflict management.      

Staff Profiles
Randy Hunter - Pastor
Kristen Koepsell - Minister of Worship
David Hochmuth - Minister of Spiritual Growth
Elton Stroh - Pastor/Crossroads Consulting

Randy Hunter - Pastor


Family: Married to Karen (Janke) for 24 years. Three children, Philip, Paige and Jack.
Education: B.A. from Northwestern College ('81), M.Div. from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ('85)
Hobbies: Sailing, raquetball, walking with Karen, reading, writing
Quote: What do churches and snowflakes have in common? It's not the color. It's not always the beauty. It's that both are one-of-a-kind.
If you've visited a few churches you know all about it. The music, style, people, architecture, strengths and weaknesses are different from one to the next. God made it that way...He loves variety. At St. Andrew we're glad for that. It helps keeps "church" from becoming what it should never be: boring.
One thing, though, that never changes: God. He is. He just is. In His Word we find the unchanging solid things for life. It's a place to stand, a place of retreat and a place from which to launch. That, too, keeps church alive.
We invite you to discover both with us: God's changing church and God's changeless truths. We're curious also about your response. See, we've discovered people are like snowflakes, too!
Contact Pastor Hunter

Kristen Koepsell - Minister of Worship

Kristen Koepsell
As Staff Minister of Worship, Kristen is responsible for planning and implementing all worship opportunities at St. Andrew. She also oversees the large corps of worship volunteers who serve in many and varied capacities each week. Music is the largest part of the worship ministry at St. Andrew, but the worship ministry also includes lay readers, dramatic and visual arts, hospitality ministries and audio/visual tech support. Kristen works with Pastor Hunter to study biblical worship principles and practices, evaluate current worship practices at St. Andrew, and define future directions for St. Andrew's worship ministry.
Kristen has been involved in worship ministry since she began singing in church with her Sunday school class at four years old, and greatly enjoys carrying on that part of her family's legacy. She graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Communication and Theology, and is currently pursuing Staff Ministry certification from Martin Luther College. When she's not writing services or running rehearsals, Kristen spends her time reading (her favorites being science fiction, classic literature and contemporary non-fiction), playing piano, writing music, running, and staying connected with friends and family.
Contact Kristen Koepsell

David Hochmuth - Minister of Spiritual Growth

David Hochmuth
As Minister of Spiritual Growth, Dave oversees many aspects of the congregation having to do with education and service to others. Prior to entering fulltime ministry, Dave was a civil engineer for 26 years. Having spent a significant portion of his life as a layperson, Dave understands the challenges of people trying to juggle multiple priorities and still keep Jesus as the central focus of their lives. He also brings to his ministry a love for God’s Word and sharing its truths with others.
By way of biographical information, Dave was born in Tucson, Arizona, and grew up in Santa Clara, California. The first time through college he attended the University of California - Davis, graduating with a degree in engineering. He then attended graduate school at Colorado State in Ft. Collins, Colorado, graduating with a Master's degree in civil engineering. In 2003, he reentered college in the Staff Ministry certification program at Martin Lutheran College, New Ulm, Minnesota. He completed his certification in 2006.
In 1989, Dave married Mary Held, a graduate of then Dr. Martin Luther College. Mary currently serves as a teacher at Westside Christian School. After their marriage, God blessed the Hochmuths with three children: Esther, Sarah, and Andrew. They moved to Cross Plains, Wisconsin, to begin serving St. Andrew in 2007.
Contact Dave Hochmuth

Elton Stroh – Pastor/Crossroads Consulting

As Executive Director of Crossroads Consulting Ministry, Elton invests much of his time assisting WELS congregations with ministry planning and responding to other requests. Trained and experienced lead consultants (including Pastor Hunter), as well as associate consultants assist with this ministry on a part-time basis. Prior to launching Crossroads, Elton served as a parish pastor and directed WELS Parish Assistance – a consulting ministry that became a blessing to about 500 congregations. He also conducted the Turnaround Churches in the WELS research project.

Elton received a B.A. degree from Northwestern College ('74), a M.Div. degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ('78), and is currently enrolled in a D.Min. program (leadership and ministry management). He is married to Gail, a horticulturist employed at The Bruce Company. Both were raised on farms and enjoy the outdoors. Elton and Gail have two married children, a fantastic daughter- and son-in-law, and eight grandchildren. One family resides in Pewaukee and the other in Wauwatosa, which makes family gatherings fairly convenient.
Contact Pastor Stroh
Visit Crossroads Consulting’s web site

***

GJ - Elton, babee. I am trying to be hip. I know - it does not work well. The same is true for Lutherans who try to be Babtist.

Here is my problem. You identified two schools you attended as WELS. Next you mentioned a DMin program, Elton. But where is it? Most people name the school instead of hiding it. Fess up.


---

AC V said...

"Perhaps this would be a good time to begin a conversation."

Undisclosed Recipients: "Why did we get this spam?"

Objective Observers: "Hubris and need for an income."

Undisclosed Recipients: "We wish Crossroads would go away."

Objective Observers: "Perhaps this conversation should take place on the floor of the synod convention this summer."

June 2, 2011 7:24 AM
Delete
Blogger bored said...

What does snow and the Church Growth Movement have in common? Both are made up of flakes.

Did anyone else get the fullness of what Hunter is saying here? According to him, God made churches with their strengths AND weaknesses because God doesn't like to be bored. And here I would've thought sinful man was responsible for the weaknesses in churches. hm...

Randy, I'm remarkably bored by you because you seek to make God from an image of yourself--and call me crazy, but if we're going to remake God according to the strictures of contemporary populism I just don't think you are quite qualified.

By the by: The Latte Lutheran churches aren't just filled with young hipsters who only have themselves to blame if they lose their faith while sipping the double-whip false doctrine of Enthusiasm. I happen to know that in Hunter's congregation there are several cognitively vulnerable children--whose eternal souls are in the hands of Pastor Randy and their idiot parents.

Let us pray for these.

June 2, 2011 7:37 PM

WELS Statistics Are Hollow



Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "TS Asks Joe Krohn":
:


The whole CG paradigm is starting to make sense now. It's all about statistics, as we know. The reason CG pastors don't visit their flock is so they have fewer occasions to take people off the rolls.

The CG idea is to increase membership by adding people to the rolls even if they show minimal commitment, such as darkening the door of the church occasionally. The Lord's Supper is also observed less frequently so a person can skip it altogether for years and no one would notice, or at least that would be par for the course.

The CG pastors think, "Let the next pastor be the one to tell the church council the bad news." the CG pastor wants a raise, but his shrinking the congregation might get his salary docked. Also, they figure that they'll get a better call if people look at the congregational reports and see that their church has more and more members.

It took one CG pastor I knew 17 years to visit everyone in his congregation once, and it wasn't a large congregation by any standard. Also, when the elders finally figured out they couldn't contact someone, they sent persons letters over a period of two years warning them they were about to be taken off the rolls. Quite lenient.

What finally clued members in that something was wrong is when attendance started to drop, and the church had a hard time paying its bills. Then people started talking about how everyone had lost touch with people on the membership list. It was as though they were looking at the White Pages rather than the church membership list.

What this leads me to believe is that the WELS total membership stats are hollow. My first clue is that if you search WELS.net on the terms: WELS attendance statistics sunday worship, the last time anything is mentioned about attendance figures is 1995, and at that time they were declining ever since 1984. (Of course, besides for a few snippets, they hide the whole report from public view.)

The second clue is that Pr. Schroeder said, when reporting on the 2009 statistics, that in the last decade the only category that had a big drop was infant baptisms. So we are led to believe that the membership didn't drop, but it did become less fertile?! My theory is that the WELS shrunk in membership 1% per year same as the LCMS did, and the same as other churches are doing, but the CG method of not visiting members means that many have left the WELS and the pastors don't know it, and they don't want anyone else to know it for the aforementioned reasons.
-------
2009 WELS Statistical Report
http://www.wels.net/news-events/wels-statistics-released

Schroeder says, "Perhaps the most interesting thing to note is that over the past ten years, nearly all statistical categories have remained virtually unchanged, with one very clear exception. Infant baptisms have declined significantly from a decade ago, reflecting the fact that WELS families are having fewer children. This alone seems to account for our overall drop in total membership, as well as declining enrollment in some elementary and high school programs."
----------
2010 WELS Statistical Report
http://www.wels.net/news-events/synod-members-down-about-one-percent

The 2010 WELS Statistical Report has been released, and it shows the baptized membership in congregations across the synod is down by about 4,200, or about one percent, from 389,545 in 2009 to 385,321 in 2010.

***

GJ - The figures are beefed up on the plus side, also by neglect. The best number for actual membership is - how many are there on a Sunday.

Zorro - On the NNIV


I like those old newreels of land speed records being set on the Bonneville flats. At first, the speeding car is just a dot off in the distance. Then, all the sudden, it's tearing right on by. Then it's gone.

That reminds me of the current NNIV discussion within the WELS.

Translation committee members talked for maybe a three quarters of an hour at post-Easter pastoral conferences. Some articles were written in FIC. Now, onwards to adoption.

That didn't take long.

Pastors with even a shred of experience know it is wise to let people talk important matters out by allowing them time to express themselves. Common sense dicates that ought to be a matter of courtesy.

Manners, apparently, are dead as well as even more vital considerations.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

ELCA Departures Continue Full Speed


ALPB Online

May 22--Our Saviour's, Ackley, Iowa passed its 2nd vote to leave the ELCA 28-8 (82%).  They have voted to go NALC.   It's a small congregation, formed in 1964 as an ALC congregation.  They were my first calll (1987-1994).  Their present pastor has also been received into the NALC. 

In addition to Our Saviour's, in May three other ELCA congregations in Iowa went NALC (Trinity, Avoca; St. Paul's, Sheldon; and Waterloo Ridge, Dorchester), bringing the NALC in Iowa to 21 congregations.  Trinity and St. Paul's were Western Iowa Synod; Waterloo Ridge was Northeast Iowa Synod.  There are more congregations in the pipeline.  I think we could be at 30 NALC congregations in Iowa by fall.  The NALC total is now past 230 (hard for the website to keep up).  Over the last few weeks, it's been 9 congregations and 9 pastors per week.

Ken

***

GJ - The NALC is the bishops' synod. The older (and more like the ALC) LCMC has around 700 congregations. The two new groups are working together and seem to be similar in their doctrine, which includes women's ordination.

There are several other groups gaining from the exits, including the AALC and the LMS-USA.

Look for more ELCA seminaries to fail, a combination of reduced financial support and failing endowment funds. Those on death row already are: Chicago, Dubuque, Southern, and Berkeley.

Chicago and Dubuque could combine with Trinity in Columbus. Southern could be added to save face.

The two Pennsylvania seminaries, which were to merged in 1962, could combine eventually.

TS Asks Joe Krohn



twissted_sisster said...
"For me to hear as an Elder that some members who have not been in attendance for at least two years without contact is astounding in light of the example we have in Jesus as our shepherd."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
How many visits do you suppose Pr. Patterson made to those members-in-name-only? In reading his bio, it seems the pastor has spread himself a little thin. If his job was to 'save souls' as he put it, why didn't he start with those souls that were on the books but not attending? How can he justify running out to drum up more souls under the guise of evangelism when he's not shepherding those already in the fold? So instead of trimming the 'dead wood' of those no longer interested in being members, he gives you- a congregation elder- and your family the boot for asking too many questions and attempting to make him accountable to the divine call he accepted. Mr. Krohn, have you taken this matter up with anyone over your pastor's head? All of your points seem to be very valid and require answers. To simply dismiss them because he can not or will not address them seems odd for a pastor who surely wants to keep all members in the congregation. To squelch any more dissent from you, it's easier to cut you out of the loop than it is to respectfully take the time to answer and explain your questions and concerns. He is a real piece of work and obviously very proud of himself too. He seems like a genuine wolf in sheep's clothing. I'm just sayin'...

Joe Krohn on Duplicity in WELS



Zwinglians--all Enthusiasts--separate grace from the Means of Grace, the Holy Spirit from the Word and Sacraments.
WELS has abandoned Gausewitz for Zwingli.



Wednesday, June 1, 2011


Duplicity in the WELS

An open letter to the Intrepid Lutherans...

Last week Pastor Rydecki wrote this on Intrepid Lutherans when asked if he and the rest of the Intrepids believed in forgiveness before repentance; the question was posed in light of our rejection to being forgiven before birth/faith resulting in our excommunication from WELS:

Rev. Paul Rydecki said...
I'll speak for myself, but it's the same thing we've stated all along (especially last year when we discussed justification in depth). Forgiveness of sins was acquired for all people of all times by the suffering and death of Christ. God truly desires all men to receive this forgiveness. This forgiveness is distributed by God in the means of grace, and is received by faith, created by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace. The one who believes in Christ believes because the Holy Spirit worked faith in his heart through those means, and that one is said to have the forgiveness of sins. The one who does not believe in God's Son is alone at fault for his unbelief, and is counted among the wicked, and his sins are not forgiven him. We must follow Luther in distinguishing between forgiveness acquired and forgiveness distributed. Was forgiveness acquired before repentance? Yes. This is the completed work of redemption. Is forgiveness distributed before repentance? That's a confusing and bad question. Better: Is forgiveness distributed apart from the means of grace? No, it is most certainly not. This belongs to the Third Article of the Creed and to the work of the Holy Spirit, who richly and daily forgives sins to me and all believers in Christ.

In his last paragraph he asks two questions.  The first question is not so difficult that it needs a second question to clarify.  In fact the answer to both is an unequivocal NO!   If forgiveness needs the Means of Grace to be distributed than it can be assumed that the Means of Grace, namely the Word (the Law part) has done its work creating repentance which needs to be present for forgiveness to take place.  This type of unnecessary rhetoric is what convolutes the otherwise simple doctrine of Justification and forces people to forsake a childlike faith to understand it.  Stop making it all so esoteric.

All that aside, it is safe to say based on your confession, Pastor Rydecki, that you agree when I say that I was not forgiven of my sins before I was born since I had not heard the Word nor was I baptized (another form of the Means of Grace).  And yet I have been excommunicated for saying the same thing you said on your blog.

Pastor Patterson has publicly preached that we were all forgiven prior to birth.  I have provided a link to that sermon audio in a previous blog and am providing previous correspondences defending his confession and public teaching.

Here is a quote from a previous blog on LR:


May 26th he said:  "If I understand all of your recent emails correctly, you wish to remain members of Holy Word only if you can convince us of the errors of our ways in regard to my preaching that "we were forgiven by God in Christ before we believed that we are forgiven"


From an email exchange of 4-4-2011: "But you have to understand that forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, atonement - all describe the amazing grace of God given for this whole world irrespective our faith or repsonse. (sic) God loves us all and forgives us all long before we do anything at all -"


From an email exchange of 2-4-2011.  I could almost buy into this one, except when you hear what he preaches along with the more recent quotes, you can see he is equating justification with forgiveness as in universal absolution:  "That the Bible speaks of justification by faith I will not disagree (how could I) but unless he had already done all the work objectively- then we have no hope - he objectively justified the whole world 2 Corinthians 5:19 and only those who beleive (sic) receive the benefits -John 3:16." 


Somebody has some explaining to do.  Only one of you is correct and I am on the outside looking in.


I am crying 'foul!'

I Borrowed Money To Attend Notre Dame
So You Could Read about Squirrels?
All Time Favorite Posts Since June, 2010




Sep 23, 2010
 - 5,176 Pageviews












Dec 1, 2009, 5 comments -
 3,132 Pageviews












Jul 31, 2010, 3 comments -
2,183 Pageviews












Dec 21, 2010, 1 comment
 - 1,635 Pageviews












Nov 30, 2007, 7 comments -
 1,473 Pageviews












 -
948 Pageviews












Feb 27, 2009 - 
921 Pageviews












Dec 17, 2009, 24 comments
 - 721 Pageviews












May 22, 2011, 7 comments - 
592 Pageviews














Plus 1 Goes Live on This Blog

Google Plus One



It has taken some time but finally Google has rolled out their +1 button for websites, it was leaked early and it hasn’t been a well-kept secret but its already starting to cause concern among both bloggers, webmasters and SEOs on what it all means for them.  The obvious big point for bloggers is that it offers you one extra way that people can show their appreciation for your blog or article by voting it +1.

***

GJ - +1 is now a graphical button just below each post. I did not add it. Google Blogger did it for me. I am not sure how much difference it will make.

I hope people who use Twitter will Tweet their favorite posts. Congressman Weiner will probably not use the Tweet button, after confusing a private Tweet with a universal one. I doubt whether he has time for Ichabod anyway. He has important issues to address first.

Others can email their favorite posts. Those buttons are still below each post, where they were before.

Blog This! is handy for me when kelming other blogs, but it does not always work.

500,000 Page-Reads in Eleven Months:
The Blog No One Reads.

Chemnitz quoted Origen's statement above; I cannot imagine a WELS pastor copying either theologian.
Neither man graduated from Fuller Seminary.


I was hoping to reach 500,000 page-reads in a year, but the eager readers exceeded all my expectations.

I hope those who stop by for the latest news will also dwell on the sound doctrine graphics I have posted on the menu, left column.

I also hope people will learn the errors of the false doctrine posted in a separate menu listing.

When I began graduate school, I wanted to learn everything. That was not possible, of course, but it was fun trying. I was sorry that so much time was spent studying Barth and Tillich, plus some Rahner and other moderns. However, they made me appreciate our Reformation heritage.

At Notre Dame we had a great Protestant library, due to the purchase of an entire collection from a failed seminary. My courses emphasized comparative dogmatics, the contrast between various confessions of faith. The classes included students from Catholic, Lutheran, and Protestant traditions - the beginning of a book.

This blog is an extension of my studies, comparing Biblical Lutheran doctrine to the rest. I actually thought the Lutheran Church would value that kind of training and writing, but just the opposite is true in these last days of an insane, old world. The Lutheran Church appreciates Fuller Seminary to this day, although its wanton love is expressed in subtler terms, such as "learning from others" and "appreciating insights."

Nothing expresses this apostasy better than the popcorn and soda services promoted by the "conservative" synods, the omnipresent movie screen in the sanctuary, the music imported from the Singspiration hymnal and Soul Train.

Multiple African Safaris To Hunt Zebra and Kudu Deer Must Be Hard on the Congregational Budget

I had to put Patterson's face on the photo he published,
but his email name was Kudu Don when he called me a liar.



Anonymous said...
What point are you making? Our congregation is drowning in red ink...we are an "established" WELS congregation.... One of our members during a congregational forum asked about the possibility of obtaining "Schwann" funds. If the truth were known, probably at least one third of WELS congregations could be closed and merged with neighboring congregations, making a more viable congregation from two or more faltering churches. Of course, the overall number of pulpits would drop rather dramatically.,... But just because a congregation has been around for 30 years doesn't mean it is self sufficient.... Sad but true

St. Peter, Freedom, Cares
St. Paul, German Village, Cares
Jesus Cares
But Not This Board



rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Grumpy Lays It Out - Lapdog Laity":

For well over 100 years at my former WELS congregation, many of the laity were farmers. They had an honest business sense, especially in the congregational operations. As the number of nearby cash crop farms declined, the area began morphing into a bit of exurban. Those embracing the corporate business model began replacing the farmers and blue collar worker who formerly were in positions on the boards and council. Our family was a member there for 30 years. We asked for some reasonable accommodations for our special needs son in the LES. The Board of Education gave us a serious case of cognitive dissonance in the manner in which it was mishandled. Naturally, since they are in authority, they are infallible. This was a different type of board member than what we had ever encountered before with our four other children.

***

GJ - I think they were getting even with you for posting on Ichabod. WELS is especially petty and vindictive.

For those who wonder about the headline - StPeterCares and StPaulCares are URLs for two Shrinker parishes in WELS. Glende grew up in one and haunts the other.

Grumpy Lays It Out - Lapdog Laity


grumpylutheran (http://grumpylutheran.livejournal.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Save Us from the Bishops, Bureaucrats, Seminary Pr...":

You have those people that talk big OUTSIDE of council meetings or congregational forums, but once the meeting starts they sit there like little 5 year old boys being yelled at by a domineering authority figure....

That is how things get so out of hand...

Grumps

***

GJ - I agree with that, Grumpy. That has happened all over, thanks to our corporate mentality.

I remember Richard Starr saying they gave people videos to watch if they came into their Brazilian mission post.

A farmer asked, "A video? You give them a video? They ask about the Gospel and you give them a video?"

Farmers have to deal with reality. They are in business, yet deal with the government and the Creator.

The corporate mentality has become dominant.

When Grant's was being liquidated, the managers were gathered together. One asked a question. The person in charge said, "You are fired. Leave the room. Any more questions?" There were none.

WELS does that with pastors and laity alike.

Everything You Need To Know about Lutheran Doctrine -
In Five Minutes

Irrelevant but funny painting lesson.


  1. It's like baseball, where nothing happens without the ball. Nothing happens without the Word of God.
  2. Those who deny the efficacy of the Word in the Sacraments are opponents of the Word, but Lutherans who go along with this are traitors.
  3. God gives grace only through the Means of Grace; that includes forgiveness (justification).
  4. Faith justifies, while unbelief condemns.
  5. The Word brings the cross: when in doubt about this, ask Jesus.
  6. The entire world may be wrong, but that does not negate a single truth of the Scriptures.

Children's Book - Coming Soon


Norma Boeckler has completed her part of the children's book. One version will be full color, above.

Another version will be black and white, to serve as a coloring book for children.

The text will be simple and brief, easy to translate into the languages of foreign missions. I can work that out (with the Word document) with anyone interested.

This is not a business project.