Two More Scandals To Cover

I have two more stories to cover, and then I will get back to Walther mythology.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Two More Scandals To Cover":

So is the non-sale of the old Love Shack, making the WELS property heavy, one of the two scandals you allude to?

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GJ - No, it is hard to keep up.

Intrepid Lutherans on the Application of Jeff Gunn's Emergent Church Stealth WELS Congregation To Join the Sect

WELS disciplined Jeff Gunn by electing him to the WLC board of directors.
He has also been a featured speaker, like all the Jeske Church and Changers.

Intrepid Lutherans:

At a recent conference of WELS Pastors, a committee of Pastors, teachers, and laymen, who were asked to give their recommendations on the application of a church group for membership in the WELS, presented their preliminary report. It contained the following paragraph:


"Of particular concern to this committee, however, is that in many of the sermons we reviewed, the message of the Gospel, while present, did not predominate. Many of these sermons were designed to be practical in nature, but the practice (i.e. sanctification) of the believer was not always clearly connected with the motivation (i.e. justification) of the believer. We find this observation to be a serious concern, because if the Gospel does not predominate during the course of the sermon, there are not enough places in the rest of [the] worship format to make up for that deficit. For a congregation that has defined their target group as the unchurched, this concern is also that much more magnified."


It should be noted that this was not a "charge," or "accusation;" not something that was possibly or even probably true, but an actual "finding," that is, a "conclusion;" in other words, an observable and demonstrable fact, found to be true by fellow Pastors, teachers, and laymen.


What was even more fascinating to this observer was that this particular item, out of four areas of concern, generated the least amount of comment from the other Pastors present. Indeed, while I may have missed a comment or two during the discussion, I can't remember a single other Pastor bringing up this issue.


When I "wondered" this to a fellow Pastor, he suggested that the other Pastors didn't want to comment because they perhaps saw themselves and their own sermons in that finding of that committee! Thus, they were loathe to point a finger at a brother Pastor when they themselves perhaps felt a modicum of guilt on the subject.


This led to me back to Father Martin once again, to see what he had to say on the matter. Of course, he had a lot to say. I have chosen just a couple of sections from only one of his writings that speaks about exactly what Lutheran preachers should be preaching. Please, read on. 


Of The Office of Preaching
by Martin Luther (1483-1546)


SECTION II. PREACHERS OF THE WORD TO PREACH NOTHING BUT THE WORD.


4. So much for the call into the office. But Christ is not speaking of that here; for something more is required, namely, that no rival or supplementary doctrine be introduced, nor another word be taught than Christ has taught. Christ says in Mt. 23:2-4: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say and do not. Yea, they bind heavy burdens too grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger." Although these of whom Christ here speaks were regularly appointed, yet they were thieves and murderers; for they taught variations from Christ's teaching. Christ reproves them in another place, in Matthew 15:3, where he holds up before them their traditions and tells them how, through their own inventions, they have transgressed the commandments of God, yea, totally abolished them. We have also many prophets who were regularly appointed and still were misled, like Balaam, of whom we read in Num. 22; also Nathan, described in 2 Sam 7:3. Similarly many bishops have erred.


5. Here Christ says: He who would enter by the door must be ready to speak the Word concerning Christ and his word must center in Christ. Let it be called "coming" when one preaches aright; the approaching is spiritual, and through the Word--upon the ears of his hearers, the preacher comes at last into the sheepfold--the heart of believers. Christ says that the shepherd must enter by the door; that is, preach nothing but Christ, for Christ is the door into the sheepfold.


6. But where there are intruders, who make their own door, their own hole to crawl through, their own addition different from that which Christ taught, they are thieves. Of these Paul says to the Romans (16:17-18): "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent." Paul does not speak of opposing or antagonistic doctrines, but of those placed beside the true doctrine; they are additions, making divisions. Paul calls it a rival doctrine, an addition, an occasion of stumbling, an offense and a byway, when one establishes the conscience upon his own goodness or deeds.


7. Now, the Gospel is sensitive, complete and pre-eminent: it must be intolerant of additions and rival teachings. The doctrine of earning entrance into heaven by virtue of fastings, prayers and penance is a branch road, which the Gospel will not tolerate. But our Church authorities endorse these things,hence they are thieves and murderers; for they do violence to our consciences, which is slaying and destroying the sheep. How is this accomplished? If only I am directed into a branch or parallel road, then my soul is turned from God upon that road, where I must perish. Thus this road is the cause of my death. The conscience and heart of man must be founded upon one single Word or they will come to grief. "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field" (Is 40:6).


8. The doctrines of men, however admirable, fall to the ground, and with them the conscience that has built upon them. There is no help nor remedy. But the Word of God is eternal and must endure forever; no devil can overthrow it. The foundation is laid upon which the conscience may be established forever. The words of men must perish and everything that cleaves to them. Those who enter not by the door--that is, those who do not speak the true and pure Word of God, without any addition--do not lay the right foundation; they destroy and torture and slaughter the sheep. Therefore, Christ says further in this Gospel: "But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his Voice."


SECTION III. A TRUE PREACHER SHOULD FIRST USE THE LAW ARIGHT AND THEN PREACH THE GOSPEL.


9. The porter here is the preacher who rightly teaches the Law--shows that the Law exists and must reveal to us our helplessness; that the works of the Law do not help us, and yet they are insistent. He then opens to the shepherd, that is, to Christ the Lord, and lets him alone feed the sheep. For the office of the Law is at an end; it has accomplished its mission of revealing to the heart its sins until it is completely humbled. Then Christ comes and makes a lamb out of the sheep--feeds it with his Gospel and directs it how to regain cheer for the heart so hopelessly troubled and crushed by the Law.


10. The lamb then hears Christ's voice and follows it. It has the choicest of pastures, and knows the voice of the shepherd. But the voice of a stranger it never hears and never follows. Just as soon as one preaches to it about works, it is worried and its heart cannot receive the teaching with joy. It knows very well that nothing is accomplished by means of works; for one may do as much as he will, still he carries a heavy spirit and he thinks he has not done enough, nor done rightly. But when the Gospel comes--the voice of the shepherd--it says: God gave to the world his only Son, that all who believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Then is the heart happy; it feeds upon these words and finds them good. The lamb has found its satisfying pasture; it wants none other. Yea, when it is given other pasture, it flees from it and will not feed therein. This pasture always attracts the sheep, and the sheep also find it. God says in the prophecy of Isaiah: "So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish all in the things whereto, I sent it" (Is 55:11).


The portions of the sermon above are taken from volume III of, The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1907 in English by Lutherans In All Lands (Minneapolis, MN), in a series titled The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 12. The original title of this sermon appears below (preached by Luther in 1522 and 1523). This e-text was scanned and edited by Shane Rosenthal for Reformation Ink ; it is in the public domain and it may be copied and distributed without restriction. Original pagination from the Baker edition has been kept intact for purposes of reference.




So, my friends - how is the preaching at your church; or, brother Pastors - how are your sermons? Do they focus on the Word of Christ, and especially the Gospel? Is the law used properly; that is, to drive people to repentance and to Christ's work and mercy? Is the Gospel there, clearly and predominately, to comfort despairing souls, and lead believers into lives of thanks and praise? Or are they mostly "how to" sermons - how to live a better, easier, more prosperous, more tranquil, more pleasant life? Or do they perhaps focus a great deal on what's wrong with all the "other" churches, including some in our own fellowship; or what's wrong with the world; or how pure, noble, and untainted "we" are, etc....? Indeed, what IS going on out there with preaching these days?


Members - ask yourselves the simple question: Does the Gospel predominate in the sermons I hear? Also, ask your Pastors if they begin their sermon work in the original languages of the Bible, and how much time and effort and planning they put in to their sermons. Pastors - ask yourselves the same questions.


Again, and as always, comments and questions are invited and encouraged.


Pastor Spencer


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Whom do you ape?
Luther or Rick Warren

Catholic Diocese May Soon Own the Crystal Cathedral. Does Mark Jeske Get the Message?

"I'll save you from the papists with a Thrivent grant!"

http://news.yahoo.com/catholic-diocese-ups-offer-calif-megachurch-003919863.html;_ylc=X3oDMTNrNTEzcGZtBF9TAzc2NjQ4MTEEYWN0A21haWxfY2IEY3QDYQRpbnRsA3VzBGxhbmcDZW4tVVMEcGtnA2JjYzU4NTljLWI0YmEtMzRhOS1iYjU0LTMwYjc2MDAyZmY5ZARzZWMDbWl0X3NoYXJlBHNsawNtYWlsBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

Saying mass in the Crystal Cathedral would be ironic. Schuller rightly claims to have started the Church Growth Movement, so perfectly aped by WELS, Missouri, ELCA, and even the Church of Rome.

Phoenix has a St. Timothy Community Church - Catholic! They used to be proud to say they belonged to the pope. Now they want to sneak people into the Kingdom of God, just like WELS and The CORE.

Schuller's masonry evangelism has been adopted by Cornerstone, a joint WELS-LCMS business started by CGM leader St. Ron Roth.  Notice how well it worked for Schuller. The mortgage on his gigantic church drove the ministry into bankruptcy. Schuller made sure his relatives and buddies were paid like royalty.

Mark Jeske is really the Synod President of WELS. The other Mark - what's his name - is just a figurehead who carries out the orders of Jeske's Church and Change team. Therefore, WELS members are still paying staff members ludicrous amounts of money to advance Jeske's agenda.

Gospel Means Nothing But Preaching the Grace of God through Christ

Johnie 5's doctrinal cousin.

AC V has left a new comment on your post "The Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity: The Healing...":

"Gospel means nothing but a preaching and proclaiming of the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, merited and won by his death. And, historically and etymologically speaking, it is really not that which is contained in books and is put together in letters, but rather an oral proclamation, a living word, and a voice which resounds through the entire world and is publicly proclaimed so that it may be heard everywhere." - Martin Luther, in his exposition of 1 Peter. "What Luther Says" Vol. 2 p. 562.

Bad Vestments: AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO!!

Bad Vestments: AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO!!:


This congregation was Augustana Synod, the mother church of all the Augustana congregations in the West.

Like Time of Grace's St. Marcus and Huebner's Grace Cathedral, the parish no longer has a history, just a future with great visionary leaders.
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VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Jefferts Schori, Bede Parry, Charles Bennison, Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky & RCC

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Jefferts Schori, Bede Parry, Charles Bennison, Joe Paterno, Jerry Sandusky & RCC:

GJ - Proof that the "conservative Lutherans" and ELCA are not alone in this behavior, corruption at the very top.

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A support group for clergy sex abuse victims, SNAP, released a detailed, typed, two page admission by the "outed" predator priest Parry who was named for the first time in a civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit. The alleged abuse took place in western Missouri in the 1980s.
The two page confession by Parry says that four men who are now Catholic prelates knew of - but kept silent about - his crimes. The confession names at least ten other Catholic and Episcopal officials in California, Nevada and Minnesota who were all told of Parry's crimes, including the nation's highest ranking Episcopal figure, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Washington National Cathedral: the Problem-Ridden Consecration Of Mariann Budde. Not from The Onion. Not an Ichabod Satire.

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Washington National Cathedral: the Problem-Ridden Consecration of Mariann Budde:

Washington National Cathedral: the Problem-Ridden Consecration of Mariann Budde

by Sarah Frances Ives
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org 
November 12, 2011







The first service at the Washington National Cathedral following the August 23, 


2011, earthquake was a cacophony of odd errors and uncomfortable mistakes. The many problems created a service who as one participant said "was not up to Episcopal standards." That statement puts it mildly with misspoken words, a malfunctioning pipe organ, poorly practiced musical groups, squealing microphones and a flustered Mariann Edgar Budde.

The service focused on bringing together many diverse musical elements with the opening processional done by a three-man group of Native Americans called Southwest Eagle Dancers. The lengthy constant drumming and chanting created a distinct tension as listeners wondered what religious tradition they were from. Clergy processed in to the syncopated drums and no singing. 

Before the Episcopal Church bishops and Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori walked in, the sounds of the pipe organ began the introduction and first verse of "I bind unto myself today." After the second verse, the organ dropped out and the singing stopped and an eerie silence filled the Cathedral only relieved by the sound of walking feet. Everyone began to look at each other as the silence grew to over one minute. The organ started with verse three, played about four measures and abruptly broke off. Another long and uncomfortable silence began during which time the bishops continued their tense procession for another two minutes. Then the next sound heard to the congregation with its many empty seats was a tinny, electric keyboard. The hymn finished with this bizarre musical accompaniment that was too quiet for the hymn. Everyone was murmuring in speculation about what happened but no answers were given.

Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori began the service with the declarations of the election of Budde (who was ordained by John Shelby Spong.) During the Litany for Ordination, the prayer was being read "For Katharine, our presiding Bishop, and for all bishops, priests, and deacons that they may be filled with your love..." when something seemed to fall upon the pipe organ keys hitting simultaneously about three octaves of notes, creating a tremendously large sound of dissonance, overwhelming all spoken words and creating a sound like something from a horror movie. Everyone quickly stopped speaking and looked at one another aghast. A woman sitting in the row behind me said, "What is the Spirit doing?"

The service continued with the disruptive pattern of first a paragraph or two in English and then in Spanish, with this constant change throughout the service hindering any focusing on worship and the meaning of the day.

But the service became more and more confused. Dr. Paul Budde, husband to Mariann, read a long poem called "Coleman's Bed" by David Whyte, not an accessible poem that seemed entirely out of place in a liturgical service. One line reads, "Ghost then, to where others, in this place, have come before, under the hazel, by the ruined chapel, below the cave where Coleman slept." What was this? The only connection seemed to be odd ruins with the mangled liturgy at this point in a Cathedral whose entire ceiling was covered by netting in case more things dropped down on the congregation. 

But wait, the worst was still yet to come. The Rev. Linda Kaufman, a close friend of Mariann, gave the sermon. Kaufman started off with a reference to her own "beautiful and elegant wife" and the advice she had received about this sermon. This preacher went to describe Mariann in seminary as rich, thin, very liberal and driving a Volvo. Kaufman went on to make jokes about her weight and described herself several times as "fat" and she was surprised that the thin Mariann would be her friend. To make jokes about fat people was inappropriate to the maximum but Kaufman did this several times. Instead of the scriptures, Kaufman preached about the poem and told Mariann in a loudly yelling voice "to be hospitable, even to the stranger to you." She offered no ideas about what this meant and left the image hanging out there of the wealthy Mariann Budde having an easy financial time of life. And this was Budde's friend?

But the service continued with Jefferts Schori reading the liturgy in a long, low monotone. Everything went very slowly. During the actual consecration, "Therefore, Father, make Mariann a bishop in your church" the pipe organ decided to make more unexpected dissonant sounds, though these notes were quieter but still noticeable.

Following the consecration the newly consecrated Budde stood up to applause dressed in her new orange, purple and blue vestments. She was asked to speak and in a shaky voice gave a testimony to the great work of "John and Karen Dixon" apparently mixing together the names of Bishop John Bryson Chane and Bishop Jane Dixon. 

Everyone in the congregation waited for someone from the House of Bishops to help her but they did not. Finally after a minute of this extremely shocking mistake, members of the congregation yelled out to Budde that she had her names wrong. She stopped and finally understood what was said but embarrassment reigned everywhere. She had recently dismissed Chane as Interim Dean of the Cathedral and it is widely believed that Jane Dixon organized to help Budde win the election. 

So who did she want to thank in her heart? Probably Jane Dixon. Budde said, "I should probably stop now." After this mistake, Budde faded away and went to sit down for the offertory. She sat down next to Jefferts Schori and talked throughout the offertory with the Presiding Bishop (who seemed through her body language to be trying to discourage Budde's continued private loquaciousness). But Budde continued and the congregation tried to recover from the failed tribute to John Chane, who looked shaken by this.

Even after all of this, none of the rest of the service went well with the liturgy continuing as a few words in English, a few words in Spanish. This pattern successfully added to the already broken and confused environment. The communion music between singers and a piano pulled apart several times, and the microphones squealed throughout the service.

The receptions were poorly attended. What was there to celebrate after this long day of mistakes, gaffes, dissonant organ interventions and a group of noticeably discomposed group of Episcopal bishops?

Who knows what will happen next at the Washington National Cathedral? Stay tuned.

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Sarah Frances Ives is a frequent contributor to Virtueonline

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VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Episcopal Church Bishops Admit Their Church is in Decline

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - Episcopal Church Bishops Admit Their Church is in Decline:

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When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law

At Holy Word, Austin, WELS, Joe Krohn questioned the need to give
$45,000 to the unionistic Cornerstone business.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "The Previous Two Posts Illustrate the Purpose of I...":

An acquaintance of mine used to be a regular contributor to Planned Parenthood. When he stopped giving, he began getting weekly phone calls from them nagging him for money. That has an eerie parallel from when the congregations needed only weekly offerings to operate. Now, there are stewardship drives, electronic giving solicitations and the contact with the planned giving counselor. Congregational financial planning makes use of pledges instead of giving from the heart.

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GJ - WELS should audit all the congregations that jumped into expensive remodeling programs, paying Cornerstone huge fees for encouraging them to embrace such debt.

WELS should then audit the books of Cornerstone. I imagine that will not happen. Is Cornerstone a registered charity or a business? Do they answer to anybody except the spirit of Ron Roth?

And for what has this been done? Masonry evangelism is a farce - always has been.

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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law":

I asked that question at Holy Word when they were still in diaprax mode. I can say with authority that they are a business for profit.

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GJ - Riddle.

How do you find out whether any fellowship principles were violated?

Answer - There are none left, so no fellowship principles were violated.

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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law":

Come now...fellowship is the new entry to ever growing list of adiophora...

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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law":

The contracting was rationalized this way: It is no different than hiring a business to come in and do any kind of building or grounds project.

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GJ - Oddly enough, the same excuse was used to to have Floyd Luther Stolzenburg serve as a fake pastor, "evangelism <s>Church Growth</s> consultant." Although Floyd was not a WELS member and openly loathed the synod, DP Mueller and VP Kuske bowed before him, begging him to enlighten their benighted sect.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law":

$45,000 for a consultation fee for just one congregation? That is close to the average annual full time wages in Southeastern Wisconsin. Consulting sure beats working for a living. After my former WELS congregation contracted with Cornerstone, one of the members naively asked if Mr. Davis was actually going to do any work for the capital appeal. She did not understand that the members would be the ones who would get their hands dirty, without any compensation at all.

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GJ - Another joke is this - they use boilerplate for their materials, so the congregations keep paying for the same old verbiage with a few local items added to make it look personal.

When my vicarage congregation used Lutheran Laymen's League, an agency within the LCA, they paid the consultant a weekly sum plus his local costs (lodging, food) for a specific amount of time. He worked 50 hours or more each week. This was the largest Lutheran church in Canada, with 3,000 members.

His salary was good but not outrageous. It was fee-based rather than a commission. I walked into my office one night to find him ironing his clothes on his own ironing board.

The overhead for the entire campaign was quite modest. He was not there to force the congregation into a wild building program. They actually put off their much-needed building, years before, to build the seminary schoolrooms first. That cost them about $250,000 in extra building expense.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "When the Money Fails, Use the Whip of the Law":

Estimated Madison, WI (near Lake Mills, Cornerstone headquarters) median household income in 2009: $49,595 (it was $41,941 in 2000)

Estimated Madison, WI per capita income in 2009: $28,129

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Madison-Wisconsin.html#ixzz1dmPTgzAU

The Previous Two Posts Illustrate the Purpose of Ichabod

Typical Olde Synodical Conference leader.

ChurchMouse has an excellent post about conditions in England, which are no different in America, except England is a few years ahead of us in decline.

Ryan MacPherson has posted a study on the population decline of the Little Sect on the Prairie.

We have been witnessing a social collapse and an institutional collapse at the same time, during the last 50 years.

My diagnosis is this - very few have stood up for anything in that period of time. People have bartered for a temporary peace in exchange for their souls.

• The Olde Synodical Conference has been utterly bewitched by the Church Growth Movement, or simply using that as a cover to advance their favorite false doctrines.
• Planned Parenthood and the Olde Synodical Conference address problems the same way.
  Illigitimate children? Need more Plannted Parenthood!
  Illigitimacy increases because of Planned Parenthood programs and ideology? More Planned Parenthoo needed!
  Membership decline? Promote the Church Growth Movement and fund it lavishly with offerings.
  Membership decline worsens? Install even more radical CGM programs.
• The "conservative" pastors who have objected to the downward social and doctrinal trends are almost zero. A few criticize from the safety of retirement and their pension fund allotment. How brave! How convenient!
• The WELS pastors who were happy to use the horrid NIV for 25 years are now objecting to the New NIV, which they helped fund by buying all those classic NIV Bibles for their members and themselves.
• Political bobbing and weaving has characterized secular and church politics alike.

What upper-middle class teens get up to in the UK « Churchmouse Campanologist

What upper-middle class teens get up to in the UK « Churchmouse Campanologist:

GJ - This post is especially worth reading.

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The Littler Sect on the Prairie - A Study

Ryan C. MacPherson, PhD (Notre Dame):
Bethany Lutheran College.

http://www.ryancmacpherson.com/publication-list/26-research-papers/105-becoming-less-fruitful.html

Becoming Less Fruitful:

A Demographic History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, 1928-2008

A Research Report Submitted by Ryan C. MacPherson, Ph.D. to the President of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod

February 25, 2010

Executive Summary:

Total baptized membership peaked in 1995 at 22,371. Membership increases have resulted primarily from the surplus of births over deaths. Persistent “back door” losses have exceeded evangelism gains.

“Net evangelism” has been negative: the synod’s membership would not have grown were it not for a high birth rate that offset both deaths and “net evangelism” losses.

A sudden and sustained drop in the birth rate during the 1960s has resulted in a birth rate that today is less than 50% of its pre-1960 average.

Meanwhile, the death rate has increased since the early 1990s as the population ages. Baptized membership has declined 12% since its 1995 peak and may plausibly be projected to continue declining, likely at an accelerating rate, unless: the birth rate increases, tending back toward its pre-1960 level; and/or “net evangelism” becomes positive (new members exceed “back door” losses). Recent and impending membership declines present financial implications that likely will reinforce current trends toward bi-vocational ministry and intensify current failures to place vicars and seminary graduates; unless one or both factors identified in Item 7, above, are reversed, similar pressure to “downsize” could impact missions, Lutheran elementary schools, and Bethany Lutheran College.

A higher birth rate may be encouraged by addressing one or more of the factors that have conditioned a sustained drop in the birth rate—and the attitudes behind them: delayed marriage; divorce; birth control. Efforts to increase “net evangelism” may prudently be focused on these two issues: How can pastors and the people assisting them draw new members into the church through the Means of Grace? How can pastors and the people assisting them guard existing members against the devil, the world, and their own sinful fleshes that would separate them from the Means of Grace?

***

GJ - The study is clear and well written, unlike most in this genre. The ELS is in rapid decline. Doubtless the Missouri and Wisconsin sects are too, based on the same realities.

Dr. MacPhearson cited an interesting effect from massive student loans - delay of marriage and children. Formerly, only those who could afford college participated in higher education. Now the typical student graduates with a large debt and finds marriage or children a  large burden to bear on top of student loans.

Population decline means the schools will no longer have enough to stay open. File that under Bazingo.

I presume this is the self-study that predicted the ELS will be little more than a footnote in history books in 20 years.

The Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity: The Healing of the Official's Son. John 4:46-54

By Norma Boeckler

The Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity, 2011

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn # 1            O Day of Rest and Gladness            1:89

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn # 261 Lord Keep Us Steadfast            1:93     

The Powerful, Effective Word

The Communion Hymn #413 I Walk in Danger              1:67 

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 49                    Almighty God             1:81

KJV Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

KJV John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity

Almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy Son hast promised us the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and everlasting life: We beseech Thee, do Thou by Thy Holy Spirit so quicken our hearts that we in daily prayer may seek our help in Christ against all temptations, and, constantly believing His promise, obtain that for which we pray, and at last be saved, through Thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Powerful, Effective Word

Lenski:

He came, therefore, again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. He took up the work where he had left it. The second miracle in Galilee was wrought at the same place where the first had been done. The first had prepared the ground, the second builds on that. And there was a certain royal official, whose son was sick at Capernaum. The report of Jesus’ arrival spread rapidly also to the larger city of Capernaum.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. John's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 347.

The Gospel of John emphasizes the miracles of Jesus and their connection with the Word. The miracles verify the divine power of Jesus, and the spoken Word of Jesus accomplishes each one (as seen in the first three Gospels as well).

The miracles were often public and difficult for anyone to deny. The public nature shows how God chose to let everyone know about His Son, the Messiah. The very first miracle was the changing of water into wine, by the command of Jesus.

The character of each miracle teaches a different lesson. The water turned into wine showed Jesus touching nothing, so no one could accuse Him of using tricks. Even today many things that appear miraculous are just tricks. One magician made pages turn by blowing toward a book and moving away. The slow-motion camera showed him sending a puff of wind, getting up and away, and being “shocked” by the page turning.

The trick begins by making people think they are going to see something. They see the illusion and the trickster acts shocked, amazed, and joyful. Some mind-reading tricks are blatantly obvious.

I made smoke come out of my fingers by putting a sticky substance on them. When I pulled my fingers apart, filaments formed, which looked like smoke from a distance. The audience is told, “You will see smoke,” and they see smoke.

Therefore, in the water turned into wine, Jesus did not touch anything but had the people at the wedding do things which made each part of the miracle impervious to attack. And many people participated in the final results.

More than one trick involves changing the color of water, but that does not make it wine. The guests all enjoy the wine and even complained that the best wine was served last.

John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

Royal official’s son:

This miracle shows how public Jesus’ ministry was, involving the crowds but also the elite. The Word and work of Jesus went out to all classes of people, to all groups, so no one had an excuse.

The nobleman worked for the tetrarch or local king. He was literally a royal official. Therefore, whatever happened reached the entire royal household. That created believers in Christ but it also began the opposition.

People in power react quickly to extinguish any threat to their comfort, security, and peace of mind. One historian pointed out that these people had to be ruthless, because anything short of that quality meant an end to the reign of that person.

America’s freedom is derived from a series of bad kings in England. The more they tried to hang onto their power, the more Parliament reduced their power and rebelled against them (the Stuarts, starting with King James I). The turmoil led to people moving to America for religious freedom, which was defined in the US Constitution. The irony is that we owe our freedom to kings who dishonestly tried to make England Roman Catholic again.

Although we can pass over this man’s title easily, the word has great significance. Because he was connected with the local king, he had contacts with all the leaders of society – ruling families, servants, and soldiers.

John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

In most cases, Jesus was there for the miracle. Jesus even offered to visit the centurion’s household to heal that servant.

KJV Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

The royal official’s son was at the point of death. He believed in Jesus and trusted that He would heal his son. In this case, Jesus did not offer to visit the son. Instead, he seemed to be rebuking the sorrowing man.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Here the problem with our current use of “you.” Following the German “du”, thou was always 2^nd person singular. But “you” can be singular or plural. Greek always distinguishes between the two, both in the pronoun and the verb ending.

Then Jesus said to him, “Unless y’all see miracles and wonders, y’all will not believe.” (Jackson Living Bible)

The rebuke is aimed at everyone around. The problem was that people believed as long as they saw great wonders, but their faith stopped there. As soon as any difficulty came up, even in teaching, they walked away for these were “hard sayings.” In fact, many Gospel narratives include hard sayings, which make people erupt in accusations against God’s Word. These are tests of faith, because God is offering His whole counsel, not just what pleases us at the moment.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

The royal official clearly had no concept of the unlimited power of the Word, but his continued request shows his continued faith.

Jesus never turned down a request made to Him. The scoffers like to accuse Him of harshness and coldness. But responding 100% of the time is not harsh, not cold. He healed and He taught at the same time. 

We can see the man’s faith in his response to the next statement

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

At first the official believed in the power of Jesus when the Savior was physically present. After the rebuke to the crowd and Jesus’ assurance, he believed in the power of the Word.

John 16:8 reveals that the power of the Holy Spirit in the Word is to rebuke us for our unbelief – that we do not completely trust in Christ.

Just to prove that the Holy Spirit still needs to work among us with the Word, many ministers and laity think that convicting the world of sin means – gambling, drinking, dancing, doing drugs, and criticizing the synod.

And yet, Jesus defined sin quite clearly - KJV John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

However, because of their hardness of heart, many have turned faith in Christ into a heresy, a sin.

The royal official trusted in Jesus so completely that he headed toward home. He believed Jesus’ Word would heal his deathly ill son. That is complete trust.

Lenski:

In other words: “It is not at all necessary for me to go to Capernaum to save thy child’s life, not necessary that I should thus prolong thy suspense and anxiety—right here and now I grant thy prayer and give thee thy little son’s life.” Thus Jesus now corrects the man’s poor notion about hurrying to the child’s side and he does it with one stroke. The power to heal lies in the person of Jesus—where else could it lie? It is a matter of his will and his word, not one of inches or miles. Jesus gives the man only his word and even that in the tersest form, “Thy son lives”—not a syllable more. On him who speaks this little word, and on the little word this person speaks, the man is thus bidden to rest his faith. On paper, and as we read it from the printed page, it does seem little—too little; yet as there spoken by Jesus it was mighty, it bore all the power of Jesus’ will, a divine pledge, an unconditional assurance, an absolute promise. As such it struck upon the man’s heart full of faith-kindling power.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. John's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 351

As Lenski observed, Jesus was especially gracious. Instead of letting the man travel back home in anguish, depending on the arrival of Jesus – a trip that would have been slowed by crowds eager to find out, his son was immediately released from death.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

These verses show that the boy recovered the moment Jesus spoke the Word of Promise to the father.

The son lived and the entire household believe – adults, children, and servants, and their babies. The Scriptures never deprive babies of faith. They also believe in Christ. Their faith is the ideal. They do not stop to puzzle, “How can such things be?”

The Power of Word of Forgiveness

This is one of many miracles teaching the power of the Word. There could be many fewer miracles of healing. Many more took place without being recorded. Some were simply summarized in groups.

This Gospel helps us see what it means to say, “The Word pronounces forgiveness upon believers. The Word consecrates the elements.”

All the objections are rationalistic objections. Or they come from doubt.

That is why we look at the Word of God as a whole, not just from a fragment of one verse. The apostles did not preach on a fragment. The epistles were not read in half-verses.

This what every believer needs to know about this lesson. How do I know that my sins are forgiven? There are so many and so many types. Some seem to be too terrible to be forgiven.

The answer comes from this miracle of healing. The boy was dying in a distant city. Jesus said, “Your son is healed,” and he was healed.

Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven,” and they are forgiven all believers.

Repentance is important, and the Law begins that work. But the Law does not pronounce forgiveness. The Gospel shows us the Father’s grace.

And the Holy Spirit says, in effect, “You do not believe this? You doubt the overwhelming grace of God. You doubt the completeness of the crucified and risen Christ?

And in a positive sense, believing is forgiveness. Not the faith of theologians who quibble and fight, the faith of little children, who trust and love Jesus with unqualified joy.

How could Jesus heal a deathly ill boy from a distance?

Any child will answer, “Because He is God.”

How can the Word consecrate the elements and forgive our sins? Because it is the will of the holy, Triune God.

Quotations on Forgiveness

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Forgiveness; November 8, 1998

"If the question is put, 'Why did God ordain so many means of grace when one suffices to confer upon the sinner His grace and forgiveness?' we quote the reply of Luther who writes (Smalcald Articles, IV: 'The Gospel not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid against sin, for God is superabundantly rich in His grace. First through the spoken Word, by which the forgiveness of sins is preached in the whole world, which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Secondly through Baptism. Thirdly through the holy Sacrament of the Altar. Fourthly through the power of the keys and also through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, Matthew 18:20.'"

John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics, A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 447.

"For now we are only half pure and holy, so that the Holy Ghost has ever [some reason why] to continue His work in us through the Word, and daily to dispense forgiveness, until we attain to that life where there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of godliness and righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body."

The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #58, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693. Tappert, p. 418.        

Dr. Luther, Large Catechism: "Again: With this Word you can strengthen your conscience and say: If a hundred thousand devils, together with all fanatics, should rush forward, crying, How can bread and wine be the body and blood of Christ? I know that all spirits and scholars together are not as wise as is the Divine Majesty in His little finger. Now, here stands the Word of Christ: 'Take, eat; this is My body. Drink ye all of this'...Here we abide, and would like to see those who will constitute themselves His masters, and make it different from what He has spoken."

Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 22, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 979. Tappert, p. 573.      

"The objection that absolution is God's prerogative (Mark 2:7) is beside the mark, since the minister forgives sins not in his own name, but in God's name."

Th. Engelder, et. al., Popular Symbolics, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 113.  

"Wherever the means of grace are present, there the Lord Himself is present, and where the Lord rules there is victory. The true doctrine of justification is intimately bound up with the true doctrine of the means of grace. In order to keep the doctrine of justification in all its purity, one must ever maintain that the forgiveness of sins which Christ earned for mankind can never be appropriated by man through any other means than the Word and the Sacrament. Therefore, Walther said, the correct doctrine on justification stands or falls with the correct doctrine concerning the means of grace."

Edwin E. Pieplow, "The Means of Grace," The Abiding Word, ed., Theodore Laetsch, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1946, II, p. 327.

V. Mueller Catechism:

"Although the work of redemption was accomplished on the cross and forgiveness of sin acquired, yet it cannot come to us in any other way than through the Word. For what would we otherwise know about it that such a thing was accomplished or was to be given to us if it were not presented by preaching, or the oral Word?"

Eduard Preuss, "The Means of Grace," The Justification of the Sinner before God, trans., Julius A. Friedrich, Chicago: F. Allerman, 1934, p. 59.         

"If we call Sacraments rites which have the command of God, and to which the promise of grace has been added, it is easy to decide what are properly Sacraments...Therefore Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Absolution, which is the Sacrament of Repentance, are truly Sacraments. For these rites have God's command and the promise of grace, which is peculiar to the New Testament. For when we are baptized, when we eat the Lord's body, when we are absolved, our hearts must be firmly assured that God truly forgives us for Christ's sake. And God, at the same time, by the Word and by the rite, moves hearts to believe and conceive faith, just as Paul says, Romans 10:17: 'Faith cometh by hearing.' But just as the Word enters the ear in order to strike our heart, so the rite itself strikes the eye, in order to move the heart. The effect of the Word and of the rite is the same..."

[Luther, Bab Captivity, 3 sacraments] Article XIII, Number/Use Sacraments, Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 309. Tappert, p. 211.  

"These are the last and mad times of a world grown old."

Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 50.   

"Contrition is altogether necessary in those who truly and earnestly repent. For there can be no true repentance in those who, persuaded of their own holiness, dream that they are without sin, or who disregard, minimize, excuse, cloak, and defend their sins, despise or ridicule the divine threats, do not care about the wrath of God, are not moved by His judgment and displeasure, and therefore persevere and continue in sins against their conscience, delight in sins, and seek and seize occasions for sinning and for whatever they intentionally heap up without the fear of God--in them, I say, there can be no true repentance...."

Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 581.     

"We have now sowed a little of the Word, and this the devil cannot stand, for he never sleeps; the worms and the beetles will come and infect it. Yet so it must be, Christ will prove His Word, and examine who have received it and who not. Therefore let us remain on the right road to the kingdom of Christ, and not go about with works and urge and force the works of the law, but only with the words of the Gospel which comfort the conscience: Be happy, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven."

 Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 201.      

"Regret, the little black dog of a belated repentance, does not stop barking and biting the conscience, even though you know your sins are forgiven."

 What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1214. Genesis 37:18-20. 

"But the sinners who confess their sins, and are repentant, who wish they had not so angered God, who find all their concern and sorrow in the fact that they have offended God and have not kept His Commandments and, therefore, pray for grace--these sinners shall find grace."

 What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 694.          

"Also the objection that there is no need of offering and confirming to Christians one and the same forgiveness of sins in several ways betrays an astonishing ignorance. Both Scripture and experience teach that men who feel the weight of their sins find nothing harder to believe than the forgiveness of their sins. Hence repetition of the assurance of the forgiveness of sins in various ways through the means of grace meets a practical need of Christians."

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans., Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953, III, p. 114.

Comment from the Martin Chemnitz Press Blog

Jocep has left a new comment on your post "Going Digital":

I greatly appreciate your materials on M.Chemnitz Press. I am a former Anglican (bishop) who by God's grace has been led to the pure doctrine of Gospel as believed and confessed in the Book of Concord.

Shock - Schmeling Quotes Leyser! Why Does He Tolerate UOJ, Church Growth, And Other Wauwatosa Maladies?

AC V has left a new comment on your post "Who Is Polycarp Leyser? The Founder of a Dynasty o...":

"Lutherans have far more in common with Romanists than with Calvinists." - Polykarp Leyser

Gayling R. Schmeling in a paper entitled "Polykarp Leyser (1552-1610): A Theological Bridge Between Chemnitz and Gerhard" cites that quote by Leyser in the context of these comments:

"... there was a movement toward a new iconoclasm among the Reformed. They rejected the Lutheran use of the high altars, the Flügelaltar, crucifix, and so forth. The Calvinists said that the Bible spoke of none of these things and that they were idolatry. The Lutherans responded that such things were not forbidden in Scripture and that they were good teaching tools for the people. These things were the laymen’s Bible in a time when literacy was by no means universal. The altar pictures, the stained glass windows, and the crucifix portrayed the way of salvation.

Whenever the Calvinists gained control in a territory, they removed the beautiful altars and
replaced them with communion tables. They threw out the altar pictures and crucifixes and whitewashed the sanctuary. They whitewashed the sanctuary as the Turks had whitewashed Hagia Sophia, so their sanctuaries looked more like a mosque than a church. Polykarp Leyser complained that 'wherever these Calvinists gain the upper hand, they remove all pictures, paintings, crucifixes from churches and altars … as has already happened in France, the Low Countries, and other places where churches now look like horse stables.' The Reformed said that the altar paintings and crucifixes were nothing but papal idolatries, but how could they say that about the altars of Lucas Cranach and other evangelical painters?"

Leyser has this zinger: “If our Calvinist friends really are such pure Christians with such tender consciences that they cannot tolerate any pictures in church, why do they not object to the images that are imprinted on the red gulden or silver thalers which they carry in their pockets? I have never seen them throw any of these away.”

Schmeling concludes: "This famous dictum of Leyser (i.e. "Lutherans have far more in common with Romanists than with Calvinists.") was the common opinion of orthodox Lutherans during the lengthy conflict with the Reformed in the early seventeenth century."

Is that the common opinion in WELS Lutheranism today? Well, you know the answer.

Schmeling's paper:

http://www.blts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/GRS-Leyser.pdf 

***

GJ - The last I knew of the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie (Bethany Seminary), the Book of Concord was prominent in the classroom. How does one reconcile knowing about P. Leyser and overlooking the doctrinal crimes of ELS-WELS?

Once again it is the Penn State syndrome - knowing but doing nothing, which is the same as enabling the criminal.

The ELS once stood up to the Missouri Synod, publicly accusing its sister synod in the Olde Synodical Conference of apostasy. That was when they had leaders like Ylvisaker instead of yes-men like Schmeling and Moldstad.

They know they will pass from memory in 20 years, thanks to their own self-study. Why not go out with a bang instead of a whimpering "amen" to WELS' heresies?

Gaylin said at the ELS convention, "If Wayne Mueller become president of WELS, we should break fellowship with them." George Orvick made a face. That was long ago, and Schmeling is calmer now. Comatose.

Exploring Bentonville, Arkansas, Home Of The Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art (VIDEO)

Exploring Bentonville, Arkansas, Home Of The Crystal Bridges Museum Of American Art (VIDEO):




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