The Age of Apostasy Means that LINO Lutherans Are Persecuting Faithful Lutherans in Their Own Synods

The overly-anticipated WELS convention will not accomplish anything worthwhile. The leaders carefully avoid the real issues. Someone who addresses the doctrinal issues is a trouble-maker and soon to be ejected.

Nothing positive is going to happen without genuine contrition. How can that happen when people are born already justified?

The nastiness is on display with the parallel excommunications of Rich Techlin and Joe Krohn. When two other families were excommunicated in Kokomo, many years ago, the sect could control the information. WELS kicked out those families for questioning UOJ, then accused them of inventing the Kokomo Statements, a "parody of justification," WELS said.

That part was true. The Kokomo families copied three statements from J. P. Meyer's Ministers of Christ plus one from an earlier debate on the topic. The four statement were indeed a parody of justification, but they were the WELSian parody, not the families'.

Panning recently updated the J. P. Meyer book. He supported the excommunication of the two Kokomo families. There are so many co-inky-dinks in WELS.

But, with blogs, people can read the material and the emails for themselves. Large documents can be shared instantly with Dropbox, another innovation.

The Holy of Holies, the WELS Essay Files, can be examined and compared with the Book of Concord.

In one historical film, the Scotsman was asked what it would take to have peace with England. He said, "Stop at every cottage. Apologize to every man you have robbed and beaten, every woman you have raped." That suggestion was ignored.

That would be a good start for WELS leaders, who obstructed justice in the murder of Pastor Tabor's life and supported Al Just for murdering his wife. Both men were adulterers, but that is not a sin among WELS church workers.

The abuse of members is so widespread that half the people passing by the WELS display at the state fair in Wisconsin said, "Never again!"

I hear from all over. The shunning begins as soon as someone asks questions about WELS doctrine and practice.

Faith is good, according to the Bible and Luther, but not according to WELS.

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.

The Owner of the New NIV Translation May Face Criminal Charges:What Will Wheaton Do?

James Murdoch could face criminal charges on both sides of the Atlantic

As phone hacking scandal leaves News Corp open to prosecution, James Murdoch looks less likely to inherit empire

Look at How WELS Treats Its Friends

The Arab term is Haboobs, dust storms that blind and choke.


Light from Light

As background to this post, please see the previous posts: “Terminated from WELS Fellowship” and “Receiving Holy Communion in the WELS.”


On April 11, 2011 St. Peter congregation terminated my fellowship with the WELS as a persistent errorist, and also removed my brother from membership in the congregation.  (Minutes from April 11, 2011 meeting.  As part of this citation, I need to say that my dad gave me the minutes from this meeting.  This needs to be said because other members of St. Peter have expressed concern that Pastor Glende will call them in to question them about where I got a copy of these minutes, and I want to spare them additional church discipline).

Since my fellowship with the WELS was terminated wrongfully, I appealed.  On June 23, 2011, I received the following letter:

June 17, 2011
Dear Mr. Techlin,
We thank you for the material you provided to our Board of Appeals and for the time you spent with us.  After prayerfully considering the evidence in the matter of your appeal, we, the members of the Northern Wisconsin District Board of Appeals have determined that St. Peter Lutheran congregation had Scriptural reasons for removing you from membership and, in doing so, acted in the spirit of Christian love.  We are therefore, denying your appeal.
We commend you to the care of our gracious God, trusting that he will be at work in you “… to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).
Sincerely,
Pastor David Wenzel
NWD Board of Appeals

It is hard to accept this because the Board of Appeals offered no reasons to support their decision.  Left unanswered are the following questions:

• What are the “Scriptural reasons” for my termination of fellowship?
• Of what false doctrine am I guilty?
• Of what do I need to repent before I can commune?

In order to commune, am I supposed to say that God needs our service?  Am I supposed to say that Christians can choose to believe God’s Word?  Am I supposed to say that the deceit and false doctrine involved with plagiarizing false teachers is not a sin?

How can an ambush termination of fellowship be construed as acting “in the spirit of Christian love”?  Where am I supposed to receive the Lord’s Supper?  What denomination am I supposed to join?  Am I supposed to become an unaffiliated lone Lutheran Christian who never communes?  Or should I join a denomination that actually serves the Lord’s Supper more than twice a month, and just forget about agreeing with anyone on doctrine?

The Board of Appeals was supposed to determine “whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural.”  (WELS Constitution, Section 8.50; Appeals by Laypersons.  Emphasis added).  However, the Board of Appeals told me they were not going to consider the doctrine.  They told me that the District Presidium was in charge of doctrine, not them.  So whatever the District President said the doctrine was, the Board of Appeals was going to agree with him.  Therefore, since my doctrinal disagreement was not only with Pastors Glende and Skorzewski, but also with District President Engelbrecht, by the rules of this appeal, I had no chance to win on the doctrine.

Furthermore, I have no idea how the Board of Appeals ruled against me on procedure.  I had no notice that St. Peter congregation was going to terminate my fellowship with the WELS.  I had no opportunity to speak on my own behalf and defend myself.  I had no opportunity to face my accusers and answer their charges directly.  They still have not told me of what false doctrine I am supposed to be guilty.  Procedurally, I was treated worse than our secular society treats accused criminals.

As part of the appeal, I was still not allowed to face my accusers, and no pastors were allowed to help me or speak on my behalf, even though I had numerous WELS pastors who were willing to help.

All the accusations made against me were made behind my back, and I was given no chance to understand the charges or to directly confront my accusers face to face.  This is not how a church should operate.

This fact remains:  I caught Pastor Glende red-handed in the sin of plagiarism: he was plagiarizing false teachers.  I documented the evidence, and followed every procedure that was required of me.  As a result, Pastor Glende received no discipline, and I had my fellowship in the WELS terminated as a persistent errorist (without an allegation of a specific error).  Again I ask: what is my doctrinal error?
For now, I belong to no earthly congregation.  Still, I am grateful to the WELS pastors who have told me that they will continue to commune me until District President Engelbrecht satisfactorily explains to them why I am guilty of false doctrine and why I should be excluded from their fellowship.

Shepherds are supposed to defend the sheep, not kill them.  (John 10:1-19).

Comments on the Light from Light blog:

1. on July 8, 2011 at 11:01 pm Scott E. Jungen

   Rick,
   As tempting as it is to say what I want, I won’t. The Lord’s blessing to you.
   Scott E. Jungen
   
   
2. on July 9, 2011 at 12:24 am Daniel Baker

   I am very sad to hear this, Rick. I am still behind you 100%. If there is any way in which I can be of assistance to you, please let me know.
   
   
3. on July 9, 2011 at 11:26 am Aaron Palmer

   There is no justice in this, not even basic fairness. I’ve actually spent most of my career as a historian studying justice and law (often its abuses). Even the 1740 South Carolina Slave Code stated the following: “Natural justice forbids that any person of what condition soever be condemned unheard.” Yet this congregation and this district appeals board have done so, violating a principle that even slave owners felt compelled to write into law. I am ashamed of my synod and most especially the wolves in sheep’s clothing who have perpetrated this travesty.
   Lord’s blessings to your and your family in these difficult times. I wish I had the power to do more than just offer encouragement.
   Dr. Aaron Palmer
   
   
4. on July 9, 2011 at 11:44 am Joe Krohn

   Dear Rick…May the Lord go with you as well. You are in our prayers. This is all so troublesome. Your situation will need to be dealt with. The dispute can not go on between you, the pastors who are communing you and the leadership of the district in which you reside. In Christ, Joe
   
   
5. on July 9, 2011 at 12:08 pm Tony Kubek Jr

   Dear Rick,
   Those holding positions in our circuit, the Northern Wisconsin District and the synod level have abdicated their responsibility to preserve doctrinal purity. They have lost their credibility among some they are to serve. As enablers, those who allow the issues surrounding your situation to continue unresolved should be held accountable.
   Tony Kubek Jr

***

GJ - People criticize me for satirical Photoshops when WELS is an on-going tableau of satire, or rather mockery. The Wisconsin Sect mocks the Word of God, mocks the clarity of the Word, mocks the efficacy of the Word, mocks the Means of Grace, mocks justification by faith, and mocks the Book of Concord. Needless to say, the weed patch is only producing weed seed, when anything is produced at all.

Tell them about your adulterous sugar-daddies.

Brett Meyer - Conservatism in WELSIs Like Celibacy in the Catholic Priesthood

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "In the Spirit of Martin Luther Zwingli: Paul Wendl...":

What's going on in the (W)ELS? In January Jeff Gunn was listed on the (W)ELS M.O.G. Teen Rally website as a scheduled speaker. Following the Ichapost Jeff Gunn's name was replaced with a "?". Today, the "?" is replaced with Jeff Gunn's name. I thought DP Buchholz disapproved of Gunn's New Age Emergent church, practices and teachings! Yet Crosswalk talks about working together with Emmanuel, Tempe on their website, is listed as an active church in the (W)ELS directory and is teaching (W)ELS kids at the teen rally.

July 8, 2011:
Friday, July 22, 2011 -- Wear Rally Shirts Today!
7pm Large Group Presentation -- "MOG -- Me-Our-Group" by Pastor Jeff Gunn
8:15 pm Concert by Crosswalk

http://www.welsteenrally.com/Schedule

January 18, 2011
Here's the link to the Ichapost that details Jeff Gunn's involvement in the (W)ELS M.O.G.
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/01/wels-to-proclaim-to-youth-at-mark-jeske.html

DP Buchholz' Emmanuel Lutheran Church Newsletter promoting the (W)ELS Teen Rally where Jeff Gunn is again scheduled to speak, and his emergent church band is scheduled to play for the (W)ELS children.

http://www.elctempe.org/home/180001623/180001623/2011-01%20January.pdf

Conservatism in the (W)ELS is something akin to celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church.

***

GJ - That is why I hold convention actions in such low esteem. Instead of starting in their own bailey-wicks, these crusaders start at the bottom (the convention) to wage a fruitless battle in order to say, "We tried. Maybe next time."

The CLC (sic) president accused me of showing contempt for his sect's resolutions. Not so - I was doing my best to hide my contempt.

WELS caved on UOJ and Church Shrinkage, parish by parish, circuit by circuit, while Gausewitz was still being taught. That is the only way the battles can be won.

In the Spirit of Martin Luther Zwingli: Paul Wendland, Sausage Factory Prez, To Preach at The CORE

Sunday Night Service - ? (Guest Preacher Paul Wendland)

Sun, October 30, 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Calendar	The CORE Sermon Series
Created by	thecore777@gmail.com

---

Paul Wendland

President



Student Directory

• Class of 2010 (4)
• Class of 2011 (41)
• Class of 2012 (35)
• Class of 2013 (38)
• Class of 2014 (29)

Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
11831 North Seminary Drive, Mequon, Wisconsin, 53092-1546
T: 262 242-8100 F: 262 242-8110
email the seminary

One Eponymous Archon (https://me.yahoo.com/oneeponymousarchon) has left a new comment on your post "Brief Confession 1932 Contradicts Itself, Just Lik...":

Dear Dr. Jackson,

You are so very right about church conventions. The old saying, “You cannot legislate morality,” is also true when stated in this manner with regard to Lutheran Church bodies - “You cannot legislate confessionalism.” When I was in Missouri that was tried and it failed. Some may remember “A Statement” from the New Orleans convention. There were many very good and fine doctrinal statements in it, but it was never enforced, and thus Missouri is no better off now that it was then – in fact, of course it is much worse.

I have come to the painful but inevitable conclusion that democracy and confessionalism are mutually exclusive. As long as “majority” rules in church polity, even so-called conservative Lutheran church bodies will be held captive by the masses of poorly educated, doctrinally weak, and fearful laity and Pastors. Frankly, I don’t know what system is best for the governing of a church body, especially in these latter days when so many are afraid for their jobs at the expense of theological integrity.

I have seen both resolutions to the WELS convention regarding Time of Grace. The first is very weak and nearly unintelligible, and the second is a disgustingly fawning piece of dung. The synod should be absolutely ashamed of itself for not being able to deal with this heretic, Jeske, many years ago. But then again, there are many other heretics who have thrived in WELS for decades without being dealt with, so no big surprise there. I’m just very happy to no longer be a member of this worthless, crypto-Arminian synod. But then again, I’m just –

One Eponymoous Archon

***

GJ - Heretics are rewarded. People love wolf-preaching, as Luther observed. Anyone with a browser, a search engine, and a modem can figure out that Glende and Ski are blatant, unapologetic plagiarists. The result? The DP ducks meetings and supports the Terrible Twos in excommunicating a member who brought this out into the open.

That method was repeated in Austin, Texas, where Glende FB Friend Patterson removed Joe and Lisa Krohn for the crime of asking questions about Cornerstone's $45k windfall and UOJ.

No one inside the synods will identify and denounce false doctrine. The leaders are so busy managing their Thrivent business thatt they cannot be bothered with sound doctrine.

The only "sin" that sticks with Jeske seems to be his synod-straddling. The real issue is false doctrine. But - "Touch not the Lord's anointed!" - which really means "Do not disturb the Daddy Warbucks!"

Brief Confession 1932 Contradicts Itself, Just Like the Syn Conference

AC V has left a new comment on your post "With Robert Schuller Kicked Off the Board, His Chu...":

"For the same reason also the churches at home should never forget that there is no other way of winning souls for the Church and keeping them with it than the faithful and diligent use of the divinely ordained means of grace. Whatever activities do not either directly apply the Word of God or subserve such application we condemn as 'new methods,' unchurchly activities, which do not build, but harm the Church."

- A Brief Statement of the
Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod; Of the Means of Grace. 1932

***

GJ - This is a good section and worth remembering, but the UOJ declaration in the Brief Statement simply obliterates its value. The CLC (sic) quoted this too, but let Paul Tiefel and his pal Dave Koenig promote every falsehood while openly dissing Luther's sound doctrine. Tiefel and Koenig had this wretched little newsletter called While It Is Day. When people objected, the lying CLC president said, "It is no longer being published."

That may sound familiar to WELS members, because they believed Gurgle saying the same thing about Church and Change, a lie repeated by C and C under SP Schroeder. It's over; it's gone - except for the resolution supporting Mark and Avoid Jeske. And - except for the website listing all the officers. And the website content. And all the illegitimate inbred children spawned by Church and Change: the women's ordination conference (promoted by Schroeder), Jugs of Clay, DisGrace in Action, Men of No Faith, etc. etc.

That is why I have so little regard for convention actions. People put 99% of their energy into promoting or defeating meaningless statements. Meanwhile, the apostates make merry the Garden of Good and Evil.

Otten Outraged at Publicity for Loehe Conference, Promotes Another St. Walther Hagiography

Loehe was directed involved in five world mission efforts.


Let's give each man his due and treat him fairly according to history.

Loehe began the Missouri Synod, inviting the Perry County thugs to join his organization.

Later, Missouri demonized and officially forgot Loehe, even though he founded the practical seminary at Ft. Wayne. Missouri forgot their Bishop Stephan origins, too, probably the most tawdry origin of a Lutheran group in America.

Walther and Loehe were both Pietists. That era seems to have been divided between rationalists and Pietists, with the Pietists promoting world missions in a remarkable way. The Roman Catholics were also quite active in world missions. I remember CLC (sic)  pastor Dave Koenig devoting an entire service to his rank about how bad the Lutherans were, how wonderful the papists and Arminians were. His sect said, "Just the man we need back in world missions!"

Loehe may have been too conciliatory, but Walther was contentious and divisive.

Loehe, who was never the subject of arrest warrants (unlike Walther), supported world missions in five countries and the deaconess movement as well.

The Ft. Wayne seminary was founded with help from Loehe and the leadership of Sihler.

Passavant also had a remarkable, positive influence on American Lutherans. He was a phenomenon in establishing charities, schools, hospitals, and missions. Abandoning the Church Growth Movement of the 19th century--revivalism--he insisted on the Lutheran Confessions.

Passavant was a great friend to the Swedish Augustana Synod and influenced them away from their origins in Pietism and revivalism.

New Children's Book Being Published:Art by Norma Boeckler

By Norma Boeckler

I will have the new children's book uploaded to Lulu.com today. I will have a draft available in PDF form, free for downloading. It is not the final version, but this is the easiest way for people to look at the concept and offer their ideas and corrections.

The picture book is full color.

WELS Found Its Role Model - The Circumcellions

An early form of the secret GA initiation rite was enjoyed by the Circumcellions.

Definition:

The word itself means "guys who hang around villages," rather unglamorously. The Circumcellions were a Christian suicide cult of the fourth and fifth centuries. Their religious practice consisted of delivering random beatings to strangers along the road, with the purpose of goading the strangers into killing them. If that didn't work, they just threw themselves off a cliff instead.

"Since they were destined to be martyrs, the Circumcellions didn't trouble themselves with such virtues as chastity and poverty. Frequently drunk, they cavorted with women and often robbed those victims who failed to assist their martyrdom with a sufficiently violent counterattack. Frequently, their enthusiasm outstripped their common sense."

***

GJ - A WELS pastor sent me this, but he is not looking for credit. He thought the parallels were astounding.

---
bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "WELS Found Its Role Model - The Circumcellions":

So true, but not only about initiation. It's their whole mindset. WELS is the true heir of Walther since they continued to innovate their doctrine into the 1960s, and after that innovated worship and evangelism with their CG stuff more than anyone else. From Walther's day down to the present, they all knew their innovations were un-Lutheran, but it seemed they thought they were more spiritual if they could provoke a fight with Lutherans of some stripe, just like Stephan did with the state church and with civil authorities:

Circumcellions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcellions

Mary Lou College Should Hire Him For a Few Years:Same Universalism. Thrivent Boss

ELCA's longest-tenured college president, 
F. Gregory Campbell, to retire

  
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. F. Gregory Campbell, president of Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis., will retire in August 2012, the college announced. Campbell, who has served nearly 24 years, is the longest-tenured president of a college or university affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
 
"When I arrived at Carthage in 1987, I thought, 'This is a school with great potential,'" said Campbell. "There is even greater potential today."
  
"He (Campbell) imagined a great college, rolled up his sleeves, and provided the leadership necessary to realize that vision," said Debra Waller, chair of the Carthage Board of Trustees. "This was more than a job to him. He had found his calling. What sparkles today is the reward for many years of hard work, courageous decisions and an enduring love for the college and its students."
 
Under Campbell's leadership, full-time student enrollment has grown from 800 to 2,500, and total enrollment now exceeds 3,400 students. The number of faculty has doubled in the last 25 years, the college reported. In the past decade, Carthage has invested more than $130 million in new construction, renovations and technological acquisition. It has operated with budget surpluses every year since 1988, the college said.

---

http://www.cciw.org/news/2011/6/29/Gen._0629111248.aspx

Mr. Campbell has served as an officer of virtually every state, national or church organization of which Carthage is a member. Currently he is a trustee of Thrivent Mutual Funds and the Thrivent Variable Products funds.

WELS Site Has a Dry Sense of Humor. God Devastates Non-WELS Neighbors.This Is Not From The Onion Satire Website

 

Members of three North Dakota congregations, Redeemer in Mandan, Our Savior in Bismarck, and Grace Lutheran, a preaching station in Minot, have been affected by widespread flooding in June. While the extent of the damage is not yet fully known, Rev. Ryan Wolfe, who is serving the congregations, said that 10 families from Redeemer have been displaced from their homes. The church buildings and parsonages have not been damaged.

WELS Christian Aid & Relief is providing $5,000 to assist families in congregations with their cleanup efforts. The assistance will go towards pumps, generators, temporary lodging and food.
Wolfe says his congregations came together to help one another, setting up lists of those who needed assistance and those who could help, and coordinating efforts to support each other and try to keep homes and families safe.

Amid the seemingly unstoppable waters, God showed his power to protect. “One of the families was right on the edge of the mandatory evacuation zone [in Minot], so they moved all their stuff out of their basement, all of their stuff out of the first floor. They moved it all as high as they could go and they left and had no idea what they would find when they got back,” Wolfe says.

“When they came back, they had neighbors all around them who had water problems and water everywhere. They got into their house and they didn’t have a drop of water. Praise God for blessings like that.”

Wolfe began serving the congregation in Mandan in April; he is also serving as vacancy pastor to Bismarck and Minot, which share a pastor, until a new pastor is installed in July.