Friday, January 27, 2012

Under the Radar a Bit, But Not Completely Stealth.
WELS Program

E12 is another gimmick, not exactly secret.



Get this!  A friend of mine was put on this email list by pure chance.  He belongs to a conservative WELS church which is fighting against the systemic rot within the WELS.  Notice that the WELS only sends some information to some people.  (I highlighted the text to which I'm referring.)  Am I too cynical to suggest that whoever sends these emails is selectively sending the more Enthusiastic transmissions to the more Enthusiastic churches???  NO! I am being realistic.  The WELS continues to play Stalin-type games with their information--a key reason why the overwhelmingly conservative-leaning laity are continually losing ground in the fight against pentacostal-baptistalicious-happy-clappy-hipster-dufus-good-times-rock 'n roll Theology.

But do not worry.  The power of the Spirit in the Word is greater than the machinations of the WELsian idiots who are Enthusiastic.  The Truth will continue on.  The real challenge for the Orthodox WELS congregations lies in the necessity to leave the WELS should it become too goofy.  It is rapidly becoming too goofy.

(Don't transmit my name or moniker in any way:  My employer prohibits me from participating in WEB 2.0.  My job has nothing to do with theology but regardless they don't want me posting anywhere...)

----- Forwarded Message -----

Sent:
Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:38 PM
Subject: Fw: E12 Program-- For Ichabod- note how not everyone gets everything they are sending- I told them I would be the graphics guy- ha!


----- Original Message -----

Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 4:58 PM
Subject: E12 Program




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Commission for Congregational Counseling
Welcome to E12

Grace and peace to you, my Christian friends.

If you are receiving this, then you have been registered to participate in E12, a worship-outreach-leadership program that focuses on Easter Sunday 2012.
E12 is offered by the WELS Commission for Congregational Counseling (CCC).  The stated purpose of the CCC is “to assist WELS congregations to assess and evaluate ministry, review biblical teachings and principles that impact ministry, develop plans to adjust and expand ministry in appropriate ways, and carry out their plans over a period of time.”   The E12 program is designed to do just that.  


  • assist WELS congregations to assess and evaluate ministry…– E12 will help congregations look at the way they are approaching two key areas of ministry: worship and outreach.  These two important tasks are different, yet are united in that both proclaim the promise of God’s grace in Christ Jesus.   
  • review biblical teachings and principles that impact ministry...  – The E12 program will include articles and studies drawn from both God’s Word and the Lutheran Confessions for both personal and group study.
  • develop plans to adjust and expand ministry in appropriate ways… – E12 will provide a variety of resources and ideas which can be used to enhance your worship and outreach efforts.  E12 will also provide leadership training in these areas in order to better equip the saints for Kingdom work.  
  • carry out their plans over a period of time… - E12 will run for four months providing ongoing encouragement and resources, with the focal point being Easter Sunday 2012.   It will also provide modules to help churches to plan and duplicate their E12 efforts on their own in future years.    
At the time of this writing, there are individuals from close to 500 congregations receiving E12 materials.  There are over 2600 registered e-mail recipients: pastors, teachers, lay-leaders, etc.   If you know of an individual or congregation that would like to register for E12, they may still do so by sending an e-mail to welseaster12@gmail.comor by going to www.easter12.com.  

Please note, in the coming weeks, not everyone will receive every e-mailing.   So do not be alarmed if someone says they received something, but you did not.  Materials for worship planners will go only to them, outreach materials to outreach personnel, etc.  Pastors and church presidents will be copied on everything.  Thus, E12 is meant to illustrate how various areas of ministry can cooperate and coordinate with each other, all in service of the Gospel.   People with varied gifts and different responsibilities will be working toward one common goal – to proclaim the risen Lord boldly.    Every member of the congregation will have something to do (at the very least, pray) in these efforts.  We make these efforts, not because Christ needs them.  We make them, because Christ privileges and empowers us to do so.  It is an honor to be fellow workers with Christ and with one another in this great mission.

It is also an honor to serve you, Christian friends.   We on the CCC pray that through this program, Christ would bless you in all your Easter efforts.    

Copyright © 2012 Commission for Congregational Counseling, All rights reserved.
Thank you for registering to participate in the E12 program
Our mailing address is:
Commission for Congregational Counseling
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
2929 N Mayfair Road
Milwaukee, WI, WI 53222

Add us to your address book

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Under the Radar a Bit, But Not Completely Stealth....":


WAY too formulaic and Church Growth Method speak, i.e. "Do this = get that." If "Do this = get that" does not work for you, YOU are the problem.