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

Use this area to offer a short teaser of your email's content. Text here will show in the preview area of some email clients. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 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 ---

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. 

Tim Glende Has Run Out of Material

Ski and Glende fed their muzzles at the Mark Driscoll worship conference.
They also studied under Babtist Andy Stanley and the yahoos at
Granger Community Church, where they ran into a former member of Jeske's congregation.

Glende's bi-monthly copycat blog:
Groveling for Money
How do you spell hypocrisy? We spell it G-r-e-g J-a-c-k-s-o-n. Dr. Gregory L. Jackson on his blog Ichabod the Glory Has Departed now has a PayPal contribution button. This is from the man who criticizes incessantly the requests for funds from legitimate ministries. For someone who attacks others for asking for funds, it's laughable, if not absurd, for this fake pastor and his fake church to be asking for handouts via the web.

***

GJ - Glende's style is remarkably like Paul McCain's, but all the UOJ fanatics write the same way, blundering from one self-inflicted wound to another.

Lito Cruz, PhD, asked me to set up PayPal because it is difficult, slow, and expensive to send money from one country to another. Sometimes people send me money to buy a group of books. With PayPal, the sending is easy and fast. Mail is already much slower under Obama, and it will surely get even slower in the future.

We are very tiny and inconsequential. "No one reads Ichabod," but the phoney blogger takes note of many different posts. The rotten apples of Appleton are constantly  reading this blog. Note the Fox Valley light glowing on the map and the real-time counts on Feedjit.

WELS Director of Communications, Joel Hochmuth - instantly forgiven by WELS.

Glende defended SP Schroeder's snow-job on the Joel Hochmuth arrest, but deception is the basic Church and Change modus operandi. WELS finally made the national news - for having its Director of Communications arrested and charged with the distribution of man-boy rape photos and videos. WELS assured the admitted felon that he was forgiven, and Hochmuth pleaded not-guilty (UOJ plea).

Glende and Ski have quite the scheme going in Fox Valley. They are spending enormous sums of money to have an evening Emergent Church service in the same building as another Emergent Church service. Their only purpose is to skim members from local WELS congregations and to plagiarize Craig Groeschel's clownish sermons. They are "passionate about sharing Jesus" so they excommunicate anyone who questions their lies and plagiarism.

How much money have they spent? Do they report the source for all that loot and a line item budget for how it is spent?

Soon they will need a bail bondsman rather than a PayPal.

Ichabod readers and Jeske fans alike need to see the hate-filled venom from the Church and Changers, the UOJ "everyone-is-forgiven" tribe.

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LPC has left a new comment on your post "Tim Glende Has Run Out of Material":

There is a universe of difference for the minister asking for money and scaring people that if they do not give, God's work will go under and that God will take them, ala Oral Roberts.

In Dr. Greg's case, it is the people who like to give without him soliciting.

The warped logic of UOJers leaves me most times speechless.

LPC

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Febreeze has left a new comment on your post "Tim Glende Has Run Out of Material":

I posted this on their website and I'm posting it here because I'm not sure if it will be published:

"The WELS wouldn't dare give me free books (shipping included) and be readily available to discuss Justification with me from an honest view of the Scriptures and Confessions.

I've tried to discuss UOJ with WELS pastors before. In one case he never responded to my email (what great pastoral care for an honestly concerned layman). In other cases they just used out of context Scripture passages and S. Becker quotes.

Trust me, I've had to do the research on my own to see who was right. From one side all I heard is that Greg Jackson is a heretic who is the Devil himself and on the other I hear that the entire world has been justified when Christ died and/or rose from the dead (which is a teaching that is contrary to what I've been taught Rom. 16:17).

I've come to the conclusion that UOJ is a false teaching."

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Tim Glende grew up in this Masonic congregation.

Synodical Conference Road Signs

This may look like satire,
but it is a true picture of the Synodical Conference today.

WELS Church and Change Basics. Milwaukee Members Are Waking Up to Reality

District VP Don Patterson denied he was Church and Change,
but he went to this conference and gave a presentation at another.
When Changer John Lawrenz wrote on the C and C list-serve,
Patterson cooed, "Pure gold."

Here is the PDF for the 2009 conference. Don't worry. If they remove it, I saved it and can reproduce it as a Word document, PNGs, or both. It is safe to say that most of the speakers are Church and Change Fellow Travelers. A few may be useful idiots. You will hear people deny their connections. If so, why have they worked so hard with these heretics?

Notice the URL for the brochure -

http://www.churchandchange.org/home/2384/2384/file/C&C%20program_color.pdf

As of today, the website is still active and working, but the links are hidden from view. But WELS innocents have been told there is no Church and Change. The appearance is - everything is gone. The reality is just the opposite.

Lookee here - the 2007 Church and Change conference is also preserved. Here is the URL:

http://www.churchandchange.org/home/2384/2384/files/CanCprogram.Web.pdf

I saved that one too.

Ski and Glende excommunicated a member for asking questions about all this. Here he is again.

Leonard Sweet is a New Age Methodist,
but WELS and Missouri devour his Dreck.

Oh! Oh! Here is a question about Leonard Sweet speaking in 2005. I have copied this far down on the page, because someone may de-rez this on the Net.

WELS Church and Change, Purpose

Church and Change is a growing group of WELS Christians who desire to think and work like the Apostle Paul who said, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."  The Church and Change group is interested in practicing and promoting innovation in ministry methods throughout the WELS especially at the "grass roots" level.

Some in WELS live and breathe music.  Some history.  Some church libraries, or mission festivals, or prison ministry, or limiting abortion.  Good! God uses all effort by his people to his glory.  Church and Change is group of committed WELS Christians who live and breathe innovation in ministry across all spectrums.  Church and Change folk are committed to Lutheran Theology as explained in the Lutheran Confessions.  However, they are thinking about, working with, and pioneering different ways to reach more people, more often, with the gospel so the Holy Spirit can do His thing.  [GJ - Just one question. What moron wrote this paragraph?]

Innovation in methodology is yesterday's news in the WELS.  Pastors, teachers, synod administrators, worker training leaders, home and world missionaries, worship leaders, computer buffs, and countless local laymen and laywomen, have been tweaking (and/or radically changing) ministry methods for years.  In every WELS generation God has raised up men and women, for reasons known only to Him, who are interested in pushing the envelope of "gospel delivery systems."  And this, long before concepts like "English" or "radio ministry" or "Parish Assistance," or "paradigm" or "long distance learning" entered WELS thinking or culture.

The goal of Church and Change is to provide a gathering point, a "home room" for WELS innovators.  Perhaps this is the same need felt by the WELS Church Librarians which led them to gather for support, encouragement, and well -- good old fashioned fellowship - one of the greatest assets in the WELS.  Do WELS administrators and WELS laypeople know about each other's efforts at innovation? The purpose of Church and Change includes inviting WELS innovators to communicate with one another, and work together where possible to avoid duplication of effort which wastes God's resources.

The world is changing rapidly.  Who are the innovators of today who will help us "make the leap from German to English" in this generation?  Hopefully, Church and Change can encourage the process of helping WELS ministries keep pace with our rapidly changing culture in America, and around the shrinking globe.

If you are currently serving as an innovator in your WELS ministry, please join us.  Encourage us.  Pray for us.  Let us know what you are learning these days.  We will happily do the same for you.

The Secret History of Church and Change: No Names Given


In 1995, a group of about 10-12 men [GJ - who?] gathered at Wisconsin Lutheran College to discuss current methods of sharing Jesus which were commonly being used in the WELS at that time.  Many at the first meeting felt that those methods of sharing Jesus were not “keeping up with” the rate of change in society.  The message of the Bible was not, therefore, penetrating society very well. [GJ - Cuz the Word cannot do it without Schwaermer help.]

John Parlow, Willow Creek Ministerium member,
attended Drive 08's Babtist Worship conference,
with Ski, Glende, Jim Buske - 8 WELS workers in all.

"Dr?" Steve Witte - Gordon Conwell quickie degree, so
he could be president of the Asian porta-seminary.

 In 1998 two men [GJ - who?] who had attended the first meeting planned a Church and Change conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin.  The next year there was a second conference in Green Bay.  About 20 people attended each year. [GJ - Witte and Parlow, doubtless, the rotten apples in Appleton]



In May 2001, WELS Parish Services applied for and received a Forward in Christ grant to conduct a three-year pilot program to address the issues surfaced by the previous two Church and Change conferences.  The three-year pilot program was designed to be a grassroots gathering of individuals who were pioneering new innovative methods of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with a changing culture. [GJ - You suckers paid to get Church and Change going, so they could network for synod, Thrivent, and foundation grants.]

Three annual conferences were planned and held beginning in 2001.  At the first conference, approximately 50 WELS members attended.  The attendance grew to 150 in the second year and 180 in the third year.  By the third year, the attendees included more than just individuals who were actively pioneering new and innovative methods for sharing Jesus.  Many in attendance wanted to learn about how to better share the gospel with the changing culture in which they served.  In addition to the three annual conferences a variety of other workshops and gatherings were held dealing with specific ministry issues such as leadership, worship, and women’s ministry.

At the final conference of the three-year pilot, held in November 2003, the conference participants enthusiastically encouraged the organizers to continue Church and Change.  A steering committee was subsequently formed from among the participants to address the future direction of Church and Change.

From November 2003 until the present the steering committee has met and drafted a proposal that addresses the future of Church and Change. 

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Ron Ash, Katy Perry, and Tim Glende
are transforming the world with their new methods.

Church and Change Board of Directors - Ski bailed out officially, but was on the board earlier. Bruce Becker was on the board but left officially when this blog uncovered his dual role as head of WELS Parish Services/Church and Change board member. Chairman Ron Ash just happened to be followed at St. Peter's Freedom by Changers Glende and Ski.

Pastor Ron Ash	Chairman
Jeff Davis	Vice Chairman
Barry Spencer	Treasurer
Sarah Owens	Secretary
Pastor John Huebner
Brian Arthur Lampe

 

Jeff Davis will help talk your congregation into a ruinous building program,
which he will help fund with law-motivated guilt giving.
Asking about his huge fees will getcha excommunicated at Holy Word, Austin Texas.

GJ - Note how Jeske-centric this board is, with three staff members from St. Marcus - 1. Ski (formerly, taking Bishop Katie, also at St. Marcus, up to Appleton with him), 2. Barry Spencer, and 3. Brian Arthur Lampe, who is a self-appointed pastor with his own ministry business.

The board is also Appleton-based, with Ron Ash (formerly at St. Peter, Freedom) as chairman, Witte and Parlow as founders.

Tracing members and moolah is a good way to see where the power and influence are. At Willowcreek's Liberal College, three members of the board are from a non-WELS congregation - CrossWalk, Luveen, Arizona (Jeff Gunn, Church and Changer). When I published that fact, WLC changed it list of board members to hide parish affiliation. I never heard of a college having three members from the same church running the place.

DP Buchholz will someday discipline Jeff Gunn and kick CrossWalk out of WELS before it actually joins WELS. It part of a 30-year plan. Right now they are on double secret probation.

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Bailing Water has plenty of information about what has been going on.

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Paul Calvin Kelm refused to answer his own fellow clergy
when they objected to the Leonard Sweet conference.
Likewise, Ski and Glende block email from anyone who fails to genuflect to them.
"Write a letter," SP Schroeder says.

WELS Q and A

CSC: WELS Topical Q&A: The Church and Its Ministry: Music/Worship: Church and Change conference

Most Recently Posted Ask a Question
Q:	I recently was sent this copy and I am wondering if this is a WELS sponsered event. I found it a little strange to say the least, especially in some of the noted items such as "Insightful interviews with former WELS members" and the keynote speaker being Leonard Sweet. I know I received a brochure for the WELS Worhip Conference in MN this summer, so I'm wondering what this is, and what is the "Church and Change Steering Committee?" Is there a link on the synod website for the listserv this brochure speaks of?Here is the copy: 2005 Church and Change Conference November 9-11 Madison, Wisconsin The 2005 Church and Change Conference will challenge, inspire, and encourage you as a Christian and as a leader of Christians. But then, when several hundred creative WELS pacesetters gather around God's Word and share their ideas, that's what we expect would happen. We are excited to announce that world-class Christian researcher and communicator Dr. Leonard Sweet will be the keynote speaker for this year's conference. He will address the general session all day on Thursday, November 10. More information about Dr. Sweet can be found at http://www.leonardsweet.com/biocv.html In addition to Dr. Sweet, we are putting together 15-18 workshops that will cover subjects such as: * New approaches to children's and youth ministry. * Starting a contemporary worship service. * New and effective approaches to apologetics (defending what we believe). * Insightful interviews with former WELS members. * Women's ministries. * Small groups. * Preaching in today's world. * And much more... The conference steering committee is interested in hearing about workshop topics you feel are beneficial for this year's conference. Please share your suggestions with Barry Spencer at spebar@tds.net. New to this year's conference will be a Church and Change Exhibit Hall. This room will feature the latest in ministry resources! This conference is for innovative Christian leaders like yourself. Please keep it in your prayers! Mark your calendar now! Invite your friends. And stay tuned to our Church and Change listserv for information updates in the coming weeks and months.
A:	The Church and Change conference is put on by leaders of a number of WELS congregations, but it is not sponsored by WELS. Church and Change people have, however, reported to our Conference of Presidents in regard to their activities and WELS does send one of its administrators to attend the conference. The Conference of Presidents has in the past urged discretion on the part of all WELS affiliated organizations who use speakers from outside our doctrinal fellowship. We do not have a web link to connect you to information on the speaker. --- Bailing Water discussion on Church and Change, plagiarism. Waves of Nausea

Fiftieth Anniversary

Why Are Lutherans Pounding the Law?

The Martin Luther College "sermon" brought a flurry of responses, but I also saw a Facebook notice about a church sign. "Do all you can and leave the rest to God." That was LCMS, St. Peter in St. Louis.

The quick answer is, "Flogging people with the Law is the easiest approach. It requires little thought."

Those who know neither Luther nor the Concordists are ignorant of the Gospel. They are like the legendary blind men who encountered an elephant and perceived a wall, a rope, a snake, and a tree trunk - based on feeling it. Naturally, they argued fiercely about their findings.

I noticed from an official write-up that Ft. Wayne had more discoveries about justification by faith. By all means, introduce new variants to add confusion to the poorly educated. Debate. Write papers. Stand up and say, "I found your presentation helpful."

Here is a simple solution.

1. Use the Men in Black light and erase all memory of seminary notes and lectures, current books, and patriarchs of the ancient sect (which may reach back 170 years).
2. Yea, even Lenski, for a time. One thing leads to another. Next you will want other crutches.
3. Work through the early parts of the Augsburg Confession.
4. Read all of the Large Catechism, which is not that long.
5. Study the Formula of Concord, one little part at a time.
6. Read out loud one Luther sermon per week.
7. Avoid all meetings, especially synodical hot air contests.
8. Visit members and prospects each day.
9. Take one day off per week with no parish work, just to be with the family.

That should break the endless loop of grabbing for fads, motivational talks, gimmicks, and other time-wasters.

I have come to the conclusion that the Olde Synodical seminaries should be closed or turned into combined five-year angel factories. Face the demographics. Many schools are going to close in the near future and student debt is already a catastrophe. Boomers wrecked what benefited them, so they should admit their self-centeredness and fix the problem.

One Lutheran told me today they pay $18,000 a year for medical insurance, more for disability and pension, plus a salary, plus a car allowance. That is in a church with 60 attending, one pastor. Does anyone think that budget can be maintained? Add school loans, false teaching leaders, and it is an expensive disaster.

ELCA has been working with the Olde Synodical Conference using fads and business models. They deserve the fate that awaits those with no faith. However, with the Gospel, with faith, they would receive the benefits promised - and the cross.