Crucial Differences

Anonymous said...to Tim Glende 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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GJ - Glende actually let a comment go through that was not from his UOJ buddies.

Unlike the UOJ fanatics, I quote verbatim the opponents and give historical background for their false doctrine. Thus everyone can see both sides and read the words with their eyes. I do not have to filter the information for them. That is how Bishop James Heiser saw the falsehood of UOJ, by reading their favorite quotations, patiently gathered by the Megatron research team.

We are giving away 50 copies of Luther versus the UOJ Pietists: Justification by Faith, because people are contributing toward the cost of printing. I am happy to give away Lutheran books. We have done that in every place we lived and shipped them various places as well.

The UOJ proponents act as if their peculiar opinions are the pure Gospel, but those are the same "Lutherans" who chase after every denomination and fad for the way to be successful. If they really believed in their precious UOJ, they would not be sitting at the feet of McGavran, C. Peter Wagner, Driscoll, Sweet, Stetzer, Andy Stanley, and a host of others.

Tim Glende is hotter than Georgia asphalt for UOJ, but he had to be trained by Stanley (Stealth Babtist), Driscoll (Emergent), and others while plagiarizing Craig Groeschel's sermons and lying about it. That is one of many contradictions coming from that bunch. The more they follow their abusive sect, the less they want to read Luther, Chemnitz, or Melanchthon. They are the real Lutherans, they claim, but they openly despise the Book of Concord.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Crucial Differences":

If they really believed in their precious UOJ, they would not be sitting at the feet of McGavran, C. Peter Wagner, Driscoll, Sweet, Stetzer, Andy Stanley, and a host of others.

I think it's because they really do believe in the false gospel of Universal Objective Justification that they have become the lickspittle of the worlds false teachers. UOJ is a new and different way to become righteous before God and thereby reject the Holy Spirit's faith, blaspheming Him when they call His faith and empty and withered beggars hand. Laying their whole trust in righteousness and the forgiveness of sins before and without faith they are simply chaff being sifted by the wind and every change in doctrine.

It would be better if they would go off and devour each other but they slither around trying to devour the worlds men, women and children too. Hochmuthians.

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GJ - I will concede that reading, Brett. UOJ means they do not believe anything, so everything is justified. It is universal justification, after all. But do not question them. They save the wrath of God for that sin.

But they telling people they are the real, spiffy, best, brightest Lutherans. Their act is quite different. What's the word for that? Hypocrisy.

WELS Church and Change - Still Operating

Lutherans pay me to explain this to them,
and they love it.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "WELS Church and Change Basics. Milwaukee Members A...":

The C and C apostates always push the envelope. Then, when they are called out on the carpet for their misdeeds, they act clueless. They knew what Leonard Sweet stood for, but they invited him anyway. At my former congregation, I plunged a dagger into the heart when I confronted the congregation president about the connection that Jeff Davis has with C and C. This was after I informed him that they had invited Ed Stetzer to speak at a C and C conference.

Jeff Davis, Cornerstone,
Church and Change board.

The president claimed that when he talked to Mr. Davis about it, he was told that Stetzer was "dis-invited" due to the controversy that was created. So, Stetzer was invited to speak. But, the C and C'ers claimed afterward that he never was invited. So, with this level of dishonesty, why would you pay Cornerstone big bucks to show you how to fleece the members of your congregation? The president also defended Stetzer by stating that old Ed had actually written a paper that was critical of the Emergent Church movement. My humble opinion would be that Stetzer more closely resembles a "Crypto Emergent" and the C and C guys use tactics very close to the Crypto Calvinists.

Ed Stetzer, on the right, is a typical, angry, Emergent Church promoter.

WELS - "We love Stetzer. He has a Fuller drive-by degree
and he cannot spell either."

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GJ - I kept the Stetzer invitation in the news. Finally the Conference of Pussycats told Church and Change to withdraw the invitation - something that never happened with Leonard Sweet or Martin Marty. The radicals depend on things blowing over. They hate seeing the story pursued.

The first step was denying that Church and Change invited Stetzer, so I reproduced the link and the wording of Stetzer's Tweet and blog. In both places he bragged about being hired by Church and Change and a Missouri Synod group. Stetzer had both events on his web calendar as well. That invitation happened after Kudu Don Patterson took a group of WELS workers to Exponential in Orlando, Florida. Stetzer was a featured speaker there. I am sure that was a co-inky-dink that the invitation happened AFTER the Exponential Conference.

That is the fun thing about narcissists on the Net - they leave footprints everywhere. Stetzer even made fun of conservative Lutherans while boasting about being hired by them.

After the invitation was withdrawn (which meant paying a kill fee), the Changers said it was a lie that Stetzer was ever invited. I get contacts from WELS pastors who have heard I was lying about something. So I sent him the link to the Twitter and blog.

The ending of WELS Church and Change this time is just as much of a lie as it was under Gurgle, who claimed the same thing. At that time an innocent told me that Gurgle ordered it shut down. I said, "Then why are they registering people for their next C and C conference on the WELS.net website?" Response - "They are?" I provided the link. Like I said, narcissists on the Net leave their footprints everywhere.

Under SP Schroeder, Church and Change says they are shut down, but they leave their website and documents available for those who know. Mark Schroeder promotes and protects the Church and Changers, who have changed the color of their fleece but not their agenda.

KJV Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

WELS Church and Change.
Time of Grace.
Men of His Word.
Grace in Action.
WELS Prayer Network.
Jars of Clay.
Cornerstone.
Youth Conference.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

Aardvark Alley: + Matthias Loy +

Aardvark Alley: + Matthias Loy +:

  + Matthias Loy +

26 January AD 1915; transferred to 28 January*

Matthias Loy (1828-1915) was born on 17 March to Matthias and Christina Loy, a pair of German immigrants. The family lived in near-poverty in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg. He was the fourth of seven children. Matthias, Senior was a lapsed Catholic who apparently held only nominal religious beliefs for most of his life. Christina came from pietistic Lutheran stock in Württemberg. She did what she could to give the family some semblance of a Christian education and made sure that all but the eldest child were baptized as infants. Even her first-born son eventually was confirmed into the Lutheran Church.

When Matthias was six years old, the family moved to Hogestown, Pennsylvania. He lived with his family until he was fourteen. They then apprenticed him to Baab and Hummel Printers of Harrisburg. During the next six years, he worked for them while attending school. Mr. Hummel brought Matthias to the attention of Harrisburg minister C. W. Schäffer. Pastor Schäffer urged Matthias to consider a pastoral vocation. To this end, he studied studied Greek and Latin under the Harrisburg Academy's principal. This led to enrollment as a full student at the Academy. He hoped to enter the Gettysburg Theological Seminary, perhaps the epicenter of Lutheran liberalism in America.

Illness led Loy's doctor to encourage the young man to move farther west. Matthias found an employment opportunity with the United Brethren Publishing House in Circleville, Ohio. There he would become printer for the Brethren's semimonthly German paper. Loy came to Circleville in 1847 and quickly met the Lutheran pastor. This good soul suggested that Matthias waste no more time getting on with his pastoral education and suggested that he enroll at the Theological Seminary in Columbus. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio was much more conservative and confessional than the Lutherans he had left behind in Pennsylvania.

With the promise of financial aid through the Lutheran pastor, Loy sought and received release from his printer's contract and left for Columbus. Of Matthias's time there, C. George Fry writes, "It was at this institution that he received the only two years of formal higher education deemed necessary to be a pastor. In 1849, after a two year 'cram course' that included academy, college, and seminary, Loy was graduated and installed as a minister in Delaware, Ohio."

According to Fry, these two men, along with Charles Porterfield Krauth, "must be seen as a common effort to preserve traditional Lutheran theology from the corrosive effects of 'the acids of modernity' in the last half of the nineteenth century. These three titans — Walther in the West, Krauth in the East, and Loy in the middle — could be compared to three anchors holding fast the ship of Lutheran Confessionalism during the ferocious storms of the Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy."

In 1860, the Joint Synod of Ohio elected Loy President. Four years later, he was appointed editor of the Lutheran Standard. After sixteen years in the ministry, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio called Loy as professor of theology. He resigned as president of the Ohio Synod in 1878 he resigned as President of the Ohio Synod. Around this time he also returned the call to become English-language professor of theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Wilhelm Friedrich Lehmann, Loy's successor as synodical president, died in 1880 and Loy returned to that office, succeeding him also as President of Capital University. He started the Columbus Theological Magazine in 1881. Loy retired as professor emeritus in 1902 and died on 26 January 1915.

Loy was finally surrounded by orthodox Lutheran theology and he made the most of his time at the seminary. As a student, he began reading Der Lutheraner, edited by C. F. W. Walther. This led to a long relationship with Dr. Walther, a friendship that grew so great that even their eventual disagreements over predestination and the fracturing of the Synodical Conference couldn't destroy.

Loy was instrumental in the formation of theSynodical Conference. However, at the Ohio Synod meeting at Wheeling in 1881, the synod withdrew from the Conference. This came about over sharp differences in understanding Predestination. Many Ohio Synod pastors taught that God predestined people according to His foreknowledge of whether they would come to faith while the Missouri Synod condemned this as false doctrine.

During his life, Loy wrote several books. Of special note is his seminal work The Augsburg Confession: An Introduction to Its Study and an Exposition of Its Contents.

He also wrote at least twenty hymns, including An Awe-full Mystery Is Here, The Law of God Is Good and Wise, The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace, and Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever. His hymn translations included All Mankind Fell in Adam's Fall, The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us, Let Me Be Thine Forever, and Thy Table I Approach.

*Since his death date (26 January) and birth date (17 March) both conflict with long-standing festivals on the sanctorial calendar (Titus and Pádraig respectively) and since 27 January belongs to John Chrysostom, I moved Loy's commemoration the first open date, 28 January.

'via Blog this'

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GJ - The Delaware congregation in Ohio was just north of us in Columbus. I knew the retired minister of that congregation, a fine man, who studied under Lenski.

Regurgitated WELS Church and Change - E12

Rambach was an early proponent of UOJ.

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

In my opinion, E12 is a the (W)ELS COP's gateway drug into full blown New Age Emergent CGM use. It will be immediately addicting as it scratches the "I don't want to be a barrier to the Word" itch. An itch planted by the unfaithful in the Synod.

"The bottom line is if you don’t have worship or outreach leaders, that’s ok. Provide names of potential leaders, and E12 will begin to train them."

Q: Will you be promoting any specific “style” of worship? Traditional? Contemporary? A: There will be many options within the liturgical framework for congregations to choose. For example, congregations may choose to use the version of Psalm 118 found on page 108 in Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, with organ and brass accompaniment. However, other versions of Psalm 118 will be suggested as well, to be sung to piano, guitar, etc. https://connect.wels.net/AOM/ps/ccc/General%20Documents/E12/e12%20-%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions.pdf

"Rev. Jonathan Hein, CCC chairman and pastor at Beautiful Savior, Summerville, S.C., says that while the program contains worship and outreach components, other major goals are to provide leadership training as well as to model a planning process that will help congregations conduct future outreach events. “Our goal is not only to give samples of what you can do but then also to help congregations do it again in the future,” he says."

"Programs like E12 fit in well with the CCC’s mission: to provide short-term assessment and advice to congregations seeking to find ways to improve their ministry. “People are going to see a lot of things like E12 from the CCC—real practical, nuts-and-bolts information that will immediately make an impact in your congregation,” says Hein.

Formed in 2010 by the Conference of Presidents, the CCC is one of seven commissions in the Congregation and Ministry Support Group. It currently has no director but is run by a group of six pastors." ELS is participating also. http://www.evangelicallutheransynod.org/synod-office/news/news/jan12

For a list of Who's Who in the (W)ELS Institute for Worship and Outreach: http://worshipandoutreach.org/category/institute-role/member

Note how their About page answers the question, "Is the Divine Service meant to feed Christ's sheep with His Word and Sacraments or is it an Evangelism tool for reaching the lost and gaining new members?"

"The Institute for Worship and Outreach is a group of WELS pastors who have become convinced, on the basis of study and ministry experiences, that worship forms and outreach methods can and must intersect confessionally and evangelically in efforts to proclaim the gospel of Jesus. With this perspective, they have come together to assist and encourage pastors as they strive for excellence in public worship and mission outreach.”

“2.While personal, educational, social, and service-oriented outreach efforts can and do attract people to our churches and its message, it remains a truism that most seekers will measure our churches and receive first contact with our proclamation of the gospel in public worship.”

3.Many people in our neighborhoods and communities are searching for the truth about life with God and are more interested in our message than in the customs that surround it. Many others, however, approach our church looking to fulfill personal needs that the gospel may not address. Every pastor struggles to minister to these people on their terms so that the Spirit may have an opportunity through the means of grace to touch their hearts and lead them to desire more of the message of Jesus.”

4.Since public worship invariably includes music and the arts, pastors without experience or skill in these areas feel the challenges more acutely, and not every pastor is able to rely on skilled church musicians to assist in this ministry. The worship inadequacies he may sense as he serves his own members are exacerbated when worship becomes a critical component in an outreach strategy.

6. The Spirit grows the Church through the means of grace, but every pastor searches for ways and means to invite and attract people to his church so the gospel might be heard and the sacraments administered.

Oversight The Institute is to be considered an arm of the Conference of Presidents and receives funding with the advice and consent of that body. http://worshipandoutreach.org/about

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Regurgitated WELS Church and Change - E12":

W. E. L. S. spells ENTHUSIASM

You can do this!
January 21, 2012
Congregations conduct surveys in preparation for Schools of Worship Enrichment (SoWE). Three items from these surveys regularly receive the lowest scores - no matter the type of congregation, no matter how rich their musical resources.

•My congregation’s singing is strong and enthusiastic.
•We use enough musical variety for the psalms, hymns, and liturgical songs.
•Our congregation seems to carry out its part of the liturgy (order of service) with enthusiasm.
Read the Rest »

Rev. Bryan Gerlach
Bryan Gerlach serves as the Director of the WELS Commission on Worship.

http://worshipandoutreach.org 

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Regurgitated WELS Church and Change - E12":

Missionaries Who Need Music in Minutes
December 20, 2011
A local Atlanta newscast regularly boasts that it will provide “all the headlines and tomorrow’s forecast in the first five minutes.” I don’t know if you need your news freeze-dried and shrink-wrapped like that, but I do still hear that busy missionaries don’t really have the time to spend seven hours or more a week working with sequencers, sound modules and MIDI files in an effort to have some decent music for the weekend worship service.

Read the Rest »

Rev. Michael Schultz
Michael Schultz serves as pastor of Sola Fide Lutheran Church and School in Lawrenceville, GA. In addition to his congregational duties, Schultz has worked for the synod on Christian Worship: Supplement.

http://worshipandoutreach.org

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Regurgitated WELS Church and Change - E12":

Brett, you make a good point. The WELS Commission on Worship is just like the "contemporary worship" advocates when it emphasizes "excellence" in liturgical worship. By doing so, the CoW gives the impression that how the liturgy is performed is more important than what the liturgy delivers, namely, the forgiveness of sins.

All in all, I guess I'd rather have "excellent" liturgy than "excellent" Praise Band worship, which is questionable as to whether it actually delivers the forgiveness of sins.

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GJ - "Excellence" is a favorite Huebner word, which he applies lovingly to his own work. As a Fuller alumnus he knows how to cast Shrinker-speak into words that appeal to everyone at once. "Error loves amibiguities."

The only appropriate word is "faithful." Pastors are not supposed to be found excited, enthusiastic, entertaining, appealing, or successful. They are to be found "faithful ministers of the mysteries of God."

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Regurgitated WELS Church and Change - E12":

The constant chatter about striving for excellence goes hand in hand with their loss of faith in the efficacy of the Word. A sure sign like a digit turning black in the cold winter. The irony is that they wind up serving putrid garbage instead of the pure Word which is the only excellence given by God through the Means of Grace for life here and Life eternally.

May they choke on the putrid refuse they force upon others.

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GJ - Yes indeed. First VP Huebner mocks the efficacy of the Word and writes about excellence in worship.
He was another advocate for Floyd Luther Stolzenburg in Columbus. Those Huebners have a thing for murder and adultery.