Saturday, February 25, 2012

Thrivent Insurance Business:
Their Support of ELCA, WELS, LCMS in 2002.
Thrivent Is No Longer Lutheran, By Design

Mark Jeske is not just LCMS-WELS,
but also a financial supporter and co-worker with ELCA,
the Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity.
He now serves on the Board of Directors of Thrivent,
for great justice.


2002 Thrivent three-synod support:


Thrivent regularly donates large sums of money directly to Lutheran synods, as well as to their colleges, seminaries, and elementary schools. It often provides "matching funds" for local congregational fundraising efforts. In 2002,  


  • WELS received $7.8 million in grants and matching funds from Thrivent. 
  • The LCMS received $41.9 million that year, 
  • and the ELCA received $46.4 million. 
  • Another $2.1 million went to "Inter-Lutheran and Independent Causes."




Willow Creek Pastor, Andy Stanley Follower John Parlow was in this issue of the Thrivent magazine.



The CLC (sic) does not admit this, but they have congregations involved in Thrivent, too. They play the same game as their big sisters - denouncing what they do themselves. And that tiny fragment of legalism and corruption punishes people who point out that fact, such as Pastor Wehrwein being removed (on the spot) during a meeting about this particular issue, because Immanual in Mankato was loud and proud about their Thrivent participation.



I estimate that WELS, LCMS, ELS, and CLC (sic) members contribute heavily toward the $100 million a year that ELCA receives currently from Thrivent. That figure could be higher or lower. Exact numbers can be obtained from Thrivent in Appleton, where the Fox Valley WELS congregations embarrass all Christians.


---


Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Thrivent Insurance Business: Their Support of ELC...":

New World Order’s United Religions Initiative is supported by Thrivent and all Lutheran Synods.

Bishop William Swing wants a U.N. for religions

At 74, William Swing, born and reared in Huntington, W.Va., is hardly letting up. His latest endeavor is nothing less than uniting the religions of the world.

"I said, 'Sure,' and went to bed that night thinking the nations of the world have met every day for 50 years, yet the religions of the world have not spoken. So I figured if there is a United Nations, there has to be a United Religions."

Charles Gibbs, an Episcopal priest who serves as the initiative's executive director, said, "Even though I was born and raised in the Episcopal Church, I never believed Christianity was the only answer. Religions do a lot of good, and evoke the absolute best in people. But extremism happens when religions claim to have the unique path to the Ultimate."

http://www.uri.org/files/static_page_files/SF%20Chron%20Swing%20profile%2012.26.2010.pdf

The Lutheran Malaria Initiative is a partnership of Lutheran World Relief and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to mobilize U.S. Lutherans in the global effort to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. LMI is made possible through support from the United Nations Foundation.
http://www.lcms.org/page.aspx?pid=760

The United Nations worships Satan as their god – the god of this world. Those who work with the UN worship the same god.
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/12/green-bay-packers-gospel.html?showComment=1323235551306#c7196335469872944652

Comments from Brett Meyer.
And Also from Joe Krohn



Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Another UOJ Fan and Daily Ichabod Communicant":

Too funny. Mr. Pierce - Wayne Mueller outed the UOJists just as Hochmuth did with the (W)ELS and Christian News and others have done with the LCMS.

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/02/missing-pixelation-message-on-steadfast.html

http://waukesha.patch.com/articles/police-arrest-wels-communications-director-for-child-porn

http://christiannewsmo.blogspot.com/2010/10/lcms-professors-allowed-to-defend.html

http://meansofgrace.0catch.com/metrolutheran.htm


http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=2023

"A big part of the pansexual agenda within the LCMS is that the homosexual agenda is promoted by LCMS NID and Wheatridge."

http://www.roguelutheran.com/RL/Home/Entries/2011/4/13_LGBTQueer_Affair_at_Concordia_Chicago-Wheat_Ridge_(RSO)_and_the_LCMS_NID_Sowed_Tares___No_Big_Mystery_Here.html 

---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "A Right Stroh-y (Strawy) Epistle":

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

---

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Another UOJ Fan and Daily Ichabod Communicant":

The problem with Jim's analogy (not Jim, mind you) is a person doesn't go to the grocery store to stand in line to read those rags. The magazines happen to be there while you wait to check out because you came for something else. In fact, you don't even have to pick them up and read them.

---


A Right Stroh-y (Strawy) Epistle



AC V has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Becker Replaced Randy Hunter at Mark Jeske's...":

What pastor in his right mind would hire Crossroads Consulting Ministry (sic) to "help" his church grow when Sir Elton Stroh says this is the #1 "unanimous theme" of a "turnaround" church:

A new pastor (whose leadership, gifts, personality, energy, philosophy, and style set the pace)

Stroh asks, "Is it time for Crossroads at your church?"

The tag ought to read:

"Crossroads Consulting Ministry (sic) - setting the bar so high for pastors that they'll never meet up to parish and synod expectations."

http://www.timeforcrossroads.com/home/2361/3623/docs/Turnaround%20Churches.pdf

Dr. Lito Cruz Is Correct:
We Want the UOJ Enthusiasts
To Crawl Out of Their Thrivent Bunkers

An editor of the Book of Concord can teach the wayward UOJ crowd
about justification by faith.


LPC has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Becker Replaced Randy Hunter at Mark Jeske's...":

Let us face it despite the pleadings of McCain and Kilcrease for their fellow UOJers to stay away from solafideists such as Ichabod, UOJers can not help but read it.

This is the difference between Jackson and the McCain-Kilcrease style of operating: whereas the latter blatantly cajole their cult members to stay away from solafideists, Jackson never enjoined solafideists to stop reading UOJ blogs.

It looks like UOJ leaders are afraid their people one day might get hit by the truth.

Here is another thing, Team JBFA have no need to disallow or ban any commentator. I certainly do not moderate my blog, except for comments containing profanity. Team JBFA do not need a moderator to step in and save one of their "holy" men from challenging questions. Firstly because JBFAers have no "holy" men that need saving. Secondly they have been honed by their own study of the issues themselves, their position is not something they arrived at without much examination and deliberation. Lastly they were former UOJers themselves,* they've been there done that and spat the dummy and returned the T-shirt.

LPC



***

GJ - *Many Lutherans are like me in never knowing what the actual UOJ message was, so we did not believe in the UOJ dogma. There is not a speck of UOJ in the Gausewitz catechism, which was almost universally used in WELS and also used in Missouri and the ELS. I thought they meant OJ was the atonement, not the absolution of the world.

The UOJ Stormtroopers are upset that their Death Star is being attacked by little JFBA tie-fighters. The battle has brought out the hidden exegesis, pass-words, and secret signs of the UOJ lobby. Their stealth mode has been foiled.


Another UOJ Fan and Daily Ichabod Communicant


Jim Pierce has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Becker Replaced Randy Hunter at Mark Jeske's...":

Dr. Jackson,

One thing I sort of like about reading your blog is that it is very much like reading the National Enquirer in a check-out line when purchasing items. It's the sort of reading one is happy to glance at, but one is even more happy not to buy and take home. Thank you for showing Lutherans what a internet gossip rag looks like.


***

GJ - Jim, I appreciate the chance to show what UOJ Enthusiasts think and say. It reminded me of something I laughed about with the Shraders' sons. We thought it was funny to say, "I covet your prayers." One of the brothers said, "Why combine a sin with something pious?"

Your thankfulness, Jim, has the same ring. Yes, your thankfulness has a certain ring, as Gandalf would say.


Friday, February 24, 2012

Bruce Becker Replaced Randy Hunter at Mark Jeske's
Change or Die! ELCA-WELS-LCMS Romp

Thrivent is no longer a Lutheran company,
but it owns and manages ELCA, WELS, LCMS, and the ELS.
Whose agenda is followed? ELCA's  pan-religious, pan-sexual agenda.


The third Change or Die! conference, headed by Mark Jeske (WELS-LCMS) is over. I heard from one pastor:

Randy Hunter has dropped out – or was pushed – from participating in Change and Die. Mark Jeske has replaced him with (cue fanfare) Mr. Bruce Becker, former WELS pastor and synod administrator.

“I’m shocked – shocked – that heresy is going on here!” “Sir, here’s your false doctrine.” “Oh, thank you very much.”




Replacing Randy Hunter with Bruce Becker is like substituting a rat for a mouse. At least mice are cute and do less damage. Becker has been one of the architects of Church and Change - while enjoying a royal salary at The Love Shack.

Now that Jeske--the media hero for WELS and Missouri, approved and coddled by both--has had his third ministry conference with ELCA, we all know the confessional stance of SPs Harrison and Schroeder: none.

No.

---



Febreze has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Becker Replaced Randy Hunter at Mark Jeske's...":

I tried to post something along the lines of this on Intrepid Lutherans (only this comment was more thought out):

Hunter left the conference for one of two reasons (from my limited point of view).
1) He felt compelled by his own or
2) the CoP told/encouraged him to.

If it was situation number 1 I don't know why he would feel he would get in trouble seeing as Jeske has been able to participate (actually, he is able to lead it if I'm not mistaken) all these times without any repercussion. Jeske is still a WELS pastor in good standing. If it were number 2 the same thing still applies.

It troubles me to see faithful, orthodox pastors be shunned and given the cold shoulder while these types are promoted and defended in the WELS. Something needs to change and it's not the Liturgy.

Martin Luther College Graduate:
Stunned by Evangelism Day Church and Change Insights

Success Kid Comment

Bonuses given for being in the top 5% of the faculty,
out of 30,000 professors.

Synodical Conference History Is Wide Open for Viewing,
But the Myth-Makers Fill the Air with Falsehoods

Compare and contrast C. F. W. Walther


Someone on the Net claimed I was discussing some "secret history:" of the LCMS.

The only new wrinkle in Walther history is the Philip Stephan book, In Pursuit of Religious Freedom. That book fills in quite a few details about Stephan's life and the Walther-led mob action. Paul McCain railed against the book, which de facto verified its overall truthfulness.

The only fact I have introduced is Bishop Martin Stephan's syphilis. Someone else pointed me to LCMS research that verified Stephan's STD (not a doctoral degree, in this case). Anyone can look up the symptoms of syphilis, Stephan's symptoms, and the mob action to arrive at the same conclusions, without a post-mortem blood test.

Adultery
I was re-reading Zion on the Mississippi this week. Stephan continued his degenerate ways in St. Louis. Although he came over without his wife, many women were allowed to hang around him, including his main mistress and Walther's kidnapped niece (who died young). The paragraph gave me a shock.

Walther knew all about Stephan, but he let his young niece hang around the randy bishop? Zion gives plenty of evidence that Stephan's behavior was well known in Dresden, continued on the ocean voyage, and expanded in America.

Syphilitic Delusions - Last Stages
Zion described how bizarre Stephan's behavior became when they arrived in America. The author ascribed it to Stephan's new title, but the range of actions is more harmonious with the final stage of syphilis, when the pathogen attacks the brain in earnest. Stephan's plans and spending were grandiose, but the clergy (including the Walthers) approved his spending. The clergy withdrew money for themselves, too, although not at the rate of the Right Reverend Stephan.

The bishop's adultery was not new. The trip was delayed because of Stephan's house-arrest. The bishop's spending was approved by the clergy advisory group. The new factor was the spread of syphilis in their close-knit group, which included physicians. Young ladies with syphilis were enough to cause a riot, even though adultery did not raise eyebrows.

The Walther Mythology
The real scandal is the Walther mythology promoted by LCMS and Synodical Conference politicians. Since they know the truth, much of it residing in the Concordia Historical Institute, where McCain once enjoyed a sinecure, their crowing about Missouri history is a sham, a disgrace, and another layer of lies on top of many others.

But the facts are there, even in the official hagiographies. More will be published later.




Mission Creep - Or Business Creep - In Synodical Schools

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
Who me?
Yes you.
Not me!/Couldn't be!/Wasn't me!
Then who?


rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "WELS Building Early Child Center, New ULM":

In this aspect, elementary education, the WELS is guilty of mission creep. It used to be fairly inexpensive to operate an LES. All that a congregation needed was enough member families. Decades ago, family size was larger. The purpose of the LES was to provide a Christ-centered education the children of the member families. Yes, it was exclusive. This enabled a certain aspect of quality control about it. The school was funded entirely through what was considered congregational operations. Fundraisers were scarce and frowned upon. Parental responsibility and support were emphasized. Extra curricular athletics were not significant. The mission creep has occurred because the emphasis has shifted from serving member families to being missional via community outreach efforts and day care facilities. Yet, with all of this in place, WELS membership numbers continue to decline. Some would argue that there is a latency period between day care and adult membership that is a half of a generation long. This is logical sleight of hand and is only used to rationalize the entire fiasco of congregation operated day care.

***

GJ - I received a message from WELS that stated what a great business a parochial school was. Just get so many students at so much per year, and the congregation can hire a teacher. That was in the 1980s.

The use of the term "academy" is proof that WELS wants to make money from the business, so they get a bunch of kids together for day-care and keep the charges low. Ladies in the congregation make money and get expensive benefits. The state is involved because it is a public service, not a church operation. The parish has to subsidize the day-care, so the members have to donate funds for the ladies' jobs and the low tuition. And who are the kids? Most of them are non-members!

They call it a mission project, but it is really a jobs program to help non-Lutheran mothers have a job outside the home, to give members' wives a job outside the home.

Once the synods began seeing schools as a business, everything began to decline. As California has noted, the Wisconsin Synod went from avoiding government support to begging for it. The voucher system in Wisconsin has spawned school as a business, with Mark Jeske taking tax money, foundation money, and Thrivent money.

Voucher money is now a right, so officials must lobby for more tax money to keep their schools going.

At synodical schools, foreign students are called "walking bags of money." An American education is a passport to future influence, so they are willing to pay a bonus for the privilege.


Lutherans Playing with Plastic Jewelry While Ignoring the Treasures

Martin Chemnitz wrote more classics in the Christian faith
than most people could read in a lifetime.
The Formula of Concord is a good start.


One clever way to get people away from the treasures of the Christian faith is simply to ignore them. The Lutheran leaders have excelled in this skill for over 50 years, and the current ones are no better.

In the LCA, no one even mentioned Martin Chemnitz. He was never cited. I was confirmed in the 1960s, so there was still a lot of buzz about Luther's works being printed. College and seminary often referred to modern theologians: Bonhoeffer, Barth, and Tillich.

Roland Bainton's Here I Stand, A Life of Martin Luther,
was a best seller and remains in print.

Fortunately I had some excellent opportunities, from taking Reformation history in college to Radical Reformation in the doctoral program at Notre Dame. Roland Bainton was a constant the entire time, as a Luther scholar and a Radical Reformation scholar. I also had the chance to hear him lecture and to correspond with him. When Mrs. Ichabod and I did research together, going through theological manuals, we saw that Bainton published everywhere.

Jack Preus and his wife gave Chemnitz visibility.
The Two Natures of Christ is clear and inspiring.

Jack Preus began to make Martin Chemnitz a topic in Lutheran doctrine. He was not alone. My real introduction to Chemnitz was reading through Chemnitz' Examination of the Council of Trent to write Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant. The more I studied, the more I realized that the greatest theologians of Christendom were simply ignored - in favor of modern Marxists (Barth), serial adulterers (Tillich), and agnostics (Bonhoeffer).

Seminary education in the Olde Synodical Conference is pathetic. The faculty members are cheerleaders for their own buddies and the glories of their sect's history - told with deception and guile. Below are the authors people should read. I doubt whether anyone has enough years to exhaust the treasures from these men, so why spend time with the plastic jewelry?

Tyndale died in giving us the foundation for the KJV.
The moderns make money replacing his great work,
based on Luther's Bible.

The best translation of the Bible is the KJV, and it is the foundation of the English language. It is the only translation where the chief writer--Tyndale--was a student of Luther and Melanchthon.



Martin Luther's Sermons are the place to start, followed by his contributions to the Book of Concord, especially the Large Catechism. His Galatians commentary is one of the best books ever written, but so are other commentaries. Nothing is wrong with What Luther Says, although one should not be satisfied with brief quotations alone.


Although Chemnitz did not write all of the Formula of Concord, he was the senior editor, so I suggest becoming familiar with the entire work. Reading it will show how deceptive the synodocrats are today. The nostalgia salesmen like SP Harrison should mention that they are featuring Walther (four year degree in rationalism, devoted to Pietism) compared to men with doctorates in theology, the men who created harmony (Concordia) out of the splits in Lutherdom.

Setting an example for future dictators, Walther picked his own faction to teach the next generation, whose qualifications were normally the fact that they studied under Walther. Freud did the same thing to make sure his own sycophants preserved history (or mythology) his way.



Melanchthon is always neglected today. His doctrinal statements could be concise and brilliant, and his longer explanations models of clarity. How many seminary students - or laymen - read his Augsburg Confession and the Apology? The UOJ Stormtroopers never cite Melanchthon, because he always taught justification by faith.

Chytraeus and Andreae almost completely forgotten, but their work is available in English.



The best American Lutheran writers are not the Walther herd, but Krauth, Schmauk, and Jacobs. The Olde Synodical Conference likes to pile on the General Council leaders because they never kidnapped anyone, never pledged fealty to a known adulterer, never organized a mob to engage in grand theft. No, the General Council leaders do not deserve statues and shrines and votary candles, unlike C. F. W. Walther.



The decline in Lutheran doctrine will continue as long as pastors and members ignore their own spiritual treasures in favor of the plastic baubles paraded about today.


Thursday, February 23, 2012

WELS Building Early Child Center, New ULM


Same Price as Pewaukee Universalist Towers:
  

NEW ULM - Martin Luther College (MLC) will build a new Early Childhood Learning Center on the site of the current center in New Ulm, MLC officially announced, following an MLC Governing Board meeting over the weekend.

Dr. David Wendler, Vice President for Academics, summed up the significance of the project.

"One focus of MLC is early childhood education," said Wendler. "The construction of this new building will facilitate the instruction of young children in our community, the preparation of future early childhood teachers, and the continuing education of in-service early childhood teachers and caregivers."

The present building will be torn down June 1, and construction of the new facility will start July 1. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy Jan. 1, 2013.

During the construction phase, children currently enrolled at the center will be accommodated in classrooms on the main college campus, with access to self-contained green space and the college gymnasium.

The $2.8 million project will be funded through donations. MLC is launching a fund-raising campaign to ensure its completion.

MLC, run by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), trains early childhood, elementary and secondary teachers for service in both private and public schools. New teachers receive state certification.

Open to families with young children regardless of religious affiliation, the early childhood learning center helps meet community needs, while also as a training site for MLC's early childhood majors. The center seeks to provide quality education based on current research in the field.

Early childhood education is the fastest-growing area of service in WELS, say college leaders. The number of children enrolled in WELS preschools nationwide has doubled over the past ten years, from 6,241 to 12,327. The number of early childhood majors trained at the college has nearly doubled over just the past five years, from 62 to 112.

***

GJ - Anticipating another bazingo, I looked up all the teachers leaving their jobs at Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WELS, Milwaukee). According to this report, three are retiring and six more  have had their positions eliminated. But the WLHS Contact full-color slick magazine is hailing their work as gonzo successful. They are "making disciples," which anyone with an IQ above room temperature can guess. And their tax-supported (voucher) student population is growing. In fact, the voucher kids seem destined to take over the entire school in time.

However - live by taxes, die by taxes. The school has noted that the money given for the vouchers has been frozen while costs go up! Although the school budget is now 40% voucher lubricated, that only means a growing cash flow problem in the future.

The formerly successful alumni basketball game has fallen on hard times. As one graduate said, "It is not my school anymore." Academic standards have fallen.

But the school was never very Lutheran, so no loss in doctrinal standards is anticipated. When a group of graduates were asked about the Book of Concord, one said, "A manual for repairing jets?"

WELS is doing what the LCA did. They are hailing their school as being oh-so evangelistic and missional.


ELCA-WELS-LCMS Joint Religious Efforts:
Worse Than People Imagine

Mark Jeske sits on the board of directors,
for great justice.


LPC has left a new comment on your post "SP Harrison's Testimony before Congress...And Luth...":

Pr. Greg,

I think the point is the hypocrisy. Seems like this point you are making is being missed.

LC-MS ministers constantly bag ELCA (see McCain on how he bags them), yet officially in the upper level, their synods are in cahoots, with LC-MS receiving Thrivent money etc.

It is like someone receiving money from abortionists while he criticises abortionists themselves.

In short, the moral high ground is really and simply - just grandstanding.

I suspect that is what Lutherans got with SP Harrison.

LPC

---


"Dear Friends, AAL is committed to helping Lutherans and assisting Lutheran congregations. That has long been a primary purpose of the organization, as stated in AAL's articles of incorporation. In pursuing this intention, we've often gathered information that helps us to better serve Lutherans and their institutions." Richard L. Gunderson, Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, 414-734-5721, June 30, 1993.

"To the reader: This binder contains a summary of activities and findings of the Church Membership Initiative funded by AAL. A meeting in February, 1993 at Orlando involving congregational participants and church executives was phase three. This summary focuses on the findings of phases one and two. As is the nature of such studies, emphasis is on research and statistical analysis. Such studies do provide helpful indicators. Such an approach, however, cannot directly reflect spiritual reality, which must remain with the judgment of those dispensing the means of grace. Phase four--utilization of information coming out of the first three phases--is open ended for whatever church body [ELCA, WELS, LCMS] will determine such use to be."
Rev. Wayne Borgwardt [WELS], Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. Five copies at Martin Luther College (WELS). BV 4523 .C48 1993 c.5

"In 1970 there were 500,000 more baptized members of Lutheran congregations than was the case in 1990. The Church Membership Initiative project was undertaken to understand and address this decline... Contact:

  • Rev. Mary Ann Moller-Gunderson, Executive Director, Division for Congregational Ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 8765 W Higgins Road, Chicago, IL, 60631, 312-380-2570; 
  • Rev. Lyle Muller, Executive Director, Board for Evangelism Services, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 1333 S Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO, 63122-7295, 314-965-9000; 
  • Rev. Wayne Borgwardt, Administrator for Worker Training, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, 2929 N Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53222, 414-256-3236; 
  • Mr. Douglas Olson, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919, 414-734-5721." 
  • Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993.    


"The IMAGINE 2000+ A.D. symposium involved the gathering of 61 growing congregations to describe their ministry. The congregations were grouped with other congregations of similar size and ministry setting."
Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 12.

"Four people from each of 61 growing congregations gathered to share their congregational development experience, to react to the utility of toolbox items uncovered in Sections 2B and 2C above, and to exchange views with church body officials. Approximately 125 church body officials [ELCA, WELS, LCMS] and other guests observed these congregations and participated in the discussions."
Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 20.

"This does not mean that judicatory (ELCA synods, LCMS districts, WELS districts) and national expressions of the church bodies are not involved. They can play key roles in assisting congregations." Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 5.

"In-person interviews were held with ELCA, LCMS and WELS national office personnel who are responsible for evangelism, outreach, North American activities, and ministries to people of color." Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 5.

"Congregational growth, stability, and decline patterns were analyzed for all Lutheran congregations within each of three church bodies (ELCA, LCMS, WELS)."
Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. p. 9.

***

GJ - I used to publish all these examples of joint ELCA-LCMS-WELS ministries. They even had a joint worship program on the radio, called "Joy" or was it "The Joy of Sects"? I forget.

The WELS defense of the radio show was two-fold - "It's a lie!" That sounds familiar. Another defense was, "There was music on the program but no words sung."

WELS was very upset that I got the truth from ELCA on this. I even had an official denial on SP Mischke's letterhead (from a source).

After various verbatim examples published in Christian News, including the ELCA-LCMS-WELS leadership meeting at Snowbird, the blabber in the insurance magazines was suddenly stilled. It was like walking outside with locusts singing away, then becoming silent at once. Ominous.

All the while WELS and Missouri continue to look down their Pinocchio noses about the horrid sinfulness and unionism of ELCA. They praise God they are not unionistic like ELCA.

Many more projects happen on the local level too. The money goes into one pot. The three or more synods sit on local management boards and pass out the loot, some of it to themselves, of course.

Nothing has changed, although most of the unionism is hidden.

Change or Die missing.
Ten Talents for Christ - missing.
Ichabod effect - or server maintenance?


Mark Jeske has third Change or Die! conference coming up, with ELCA-WELS-LCMS jointly leading their three synods in jet-ski ministry hallucinations. [GJ - Note the URL for Ten Talents for Christ - Change or Die is not working at all. Has it been Kilcreased or is it just site maintencance? Aren't you glad I preserved the agenda?]



Change or Die 2012

Stories from Lutheran Ministries that Are Growing

Thursday, February 23
The Harley Davidson Museum Conference Facility

Agenda


1:00 p.m.               Registration
1:30                       Welcome, Introductions, Thanks, Instructions                       ….Rev. Mark Jeske
1:45                       The Story of St. Andrew’s, Middleton and Waunakee    ….Rev. Randy Hunter
2:15                       Discussion
3:30                       The Story of Hephatha, Milwaukee                  ..…..Rev. Mary Martha Kannass
3:00                       Discussion
3:15                       Break
3:30                       The Story of Faith, Milwaukee   …Revs. Richard Peterson and Richard Suerro
4:00                       Discussion
4:15                       The Story of Risen Savior, Milwaukee                                     .…Rev. Ken Fisher
4:45                       Discussion
5:00                       Roundtable Reflections (Cocktails)
5:30                       Dinner
6:30                       The Story of LINC Twin Cities                                                …..Mrs. Sue Hewitt
7:00                       Discussion
7:15                       The Story of Shepherd of the Hills, Pewaukee                       …..Rev. Tom Wink
7:45                       Discussion                                                                                   
8:00                       Wrap-Up

***

GJ - Hephatha, Milwaukee is ELCA. Here is one link from their ELCA partner.

Here is an ELCA news story mentioning Hephatha.

Randy Hunter is well known in WELS for the Latte Church - with the woman pastor "administering the Means of Grace."

Ken Fisher is the WELS expert on getting grant money, not that Jeske is slack on using Other People's Money.

LINC seems to be a front for ABCD, whatever that is or does.

Shepherd of the Hills is a Missouri Synod cell group congregation.

Faith, Milwaukee is another ELCA parish:

"Richard Suero student at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, and member of our Mission partner congregation, Faith/Santa Fe Lutheran Church in Milwaukee  (The pastor at Faith/Santa Fe is a “son of Augustana,*” Richard Peterson) the Grow-Hanson family ELCA missionaries in Senegal."

*Augustana is a Reconciled in Christ congregation.


***

The most disturbing question should be, "Why are Missouri and WELS so eager to show their unity with ELCA?"

The only answer can be - doctrinal indifference. UOJ is the perfect stance for unionistic work with any denomination, any religion.

Mama sow does not have separate spigots for each sect, so they can keep separate. Mama sow has one - because they are all working together. If it is so wonderful, why do Missouri and WELS lie about it? If ELCA is so horrible, why is this an ongoing issue?

Breaking News:
Luther Conceded He Was a Faith-ian



Compare and contrast Paul McCain, MDiv:

I have, over the years, talked to many Calvinists, in person and over the Internet. I always ask them, “Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are among God’s elect and are saved?” There are generally two reactions to that question: (1) A long and rather painful pause after which they say, “I hope I am. I do believe in Christ.” or (2) A quick, “Yes, I believe in Christ.” Now, let’s be honest here and admit that many Lutherans would answer in somewhat the same way. But here is the problem.


If our confidence that we are saved is based on our feeling that we have faith, we will flounder. The answer we must always give to the question of “Do you know you are saved?” is not, “Yes, because I have faith” but rather, “Yes, because Christ Jesus died for me” and of course, in my opinion, the very best answer of all is simply to point people to Luther’s explanation of the Creed and say, “Here, this puts it very well.”


Never look to your subjective feeling that there is faith in your heart. Always, always, always, look to Christ and what He has done for you and the whole world. Do not confuse faith in faith, with trust in Christ. There is a key difference.


We are Christians, not Faith-ians.

---

churchmousec (http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Breaking News: Luther Conceded He Was a Faith-ian":

And, defending the Calvinist corner ... ;)

True Calvinists know doctrinally, not emotionally, that they are saved through Christ's sacrifice on the Cross.

John MacArthur put it well in this sermon from 2003:
http://www.gty.org/resources/print/sermons/62-30

'Why do I feel sure of my salvation? Because I understand the work of God in Christ. It's not a matter of holding on to my assurance emotionally. I hold on to it doctrinally, it's facts revealed in Scripture, historical realities in the Bible. It's not a feeling. That is why there is such strength in that great eighth chapter of Romans. Listen to how Paul says this, Romans 8:38 ... Was he persuaded by the recollection of some emotional experience of the past? No. He was persuaded by the facts of the gospel that the love of Christ for His own was an eternal love, that sin was no longer an issue because it was completely paid for. We who know that relish assurance based upon sound doctrine. I am secure. I do believe in Christ. Therefore I enjoy my assurance for Christ has guaranteed it to me, having become the perfect substitute who paid the price for all my sins. This is just the heart and soul of our assurance.'

Sorry to read, Dr Jackson, that you have received such poor responses to your question. Perhaps you received responses from Remonstrants, who are not Calvinist in doctrine.

Churchmouse

***

GJ - Dear ChurchMouse,

Paul McCain's statements are a wonder. He does not know Lutheran doctrine at all but constantly fights against it, with a Roman Catholic employee as his UOJ expert. Like his blog-buddy Jack Cascione, he has a reputation for making things up as the basis for his arguments.

Therefore, I trust that McCain knows as little about Calvinism as he does about Lutheran doctrine.

The UOJ fanatics are not a studious bunch.

The Icha-boat Is Briefly Seen in "The Bodyguard," with Whitney Houston and Kevin Cosner

As seen in "The Bodyguard," with Whitney Houston and Kevin Cosner.

We watched the funeral of Whitney Houston, then felt obliged to watch "The Bodyguard," where she starred with Kevin Cosner.

In one scene there is a small riot. Kevin Cosner rescues her and they leave in the limousine.

I said, "Look. They are riding in the Icha-boat." I caught two glimpses of their car, and it was exactly like our model.

I did a little research and found they were using a stretch model of the Lincoln Town Car, which was in several other films.

A repairman said our model is called the limousine model, and it was reputedly the longest car made in America. We did not get the stretch version.

Another source claims the Town Car is so sturdy because the platform was designed for police cars.

Whitney Houston and Kevin Cosner

Pixelation Applications in WELS and Missouri

They open up a can of  8th Commandment
on anyone who questions their false doctrine.


rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Missing the Pixelation Message on Steadfast Luther...":

Pixelation of doctrine is not limited only to UOJ in the former Syn conference bodies. The inappropriate use of Matthew chapter 18 and the Eighth Commandment is also another stellar example of pixelation. I have even witnessed Romans chapter 13 used to rationalize unquestioning obedience to temporal powers.



Posted by rlschultz to Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed at February 23, 2012 10:00 AM 








SP Harrison's Testimony before Congress...
And Lutherans


Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "The LCMS Also Celebrates Its Unity with Rome. DP B...":


Here is something for your readers to chew upon: Benke's appearance at Yankee Stadium after 9/11 demonstrates syncretism in action. Harrison's words on the HHS matter demonstrate no such similar syncretism, but show instead his testimony to truth.


***


GJ - Paul McCain, Harrison's campaign manager, shows amazing patience with Benke's errors, considering Paul's constant ministry of condemnation, all over the Net.


I would be impressed with Harrison's testimony before Congress if his testimony before Lutherans were, "No more ELCA." [Notice the deft use of the subjunctive, contrary-to-fact.]


Ditto, SP Schroeder and Pope John the Malefactor.


The latest "conservative" Lutheran hymnals are loaded with ELCA copyright materials, but I fail to see how the ELCA content contributes in any way.


Can anyone sing ELCA's "This Is the Feast" without severe and lasting psychic pain? I would rather hear rap, and I hate rap.


Missing the Pixelation Message on Steadfast Lutherans

Robert Preus

I am glad to see that Steadfast Lutherans finally replaced their dreadful pixelated graphic of Robert Preus with this version, above. But I am sorry to say they missed the point about pixelation.

Ichabod readers are spoiled by an avalanche of high quality graphics. I search for them all the time and improve them whenever possible. Nothing is more fun than a large file in Photoshop. I took a bad version of Chemnitz from Cyberbrethren and removed the crease mark that ran down the middle of the scan, from the book being placed on the faceplate. Later my improved version began appearing on Cyberbrethren. I told another Photoshop fan, "Imagine him stealing what I stole. The nerve."

Anyone can find a good graphic of Robert Preus, plus quite a few inferior ones. Google Images will produce samples from Ichabod on almost any Lutheran figure or topic. Putting up a bad graphic shows a lack of experience in the field or a lack of effort. I can help. Just send an email. My photo of Moline High suffered the same crease problems, and now people are borrowing it.

This is the pixelation issue in Lutheran doctrine. When people take part of a verse, out of context, and make that their proof of UOJ, it is just like pixelation. They show us little squares of various hues, which they magnify to absurdity. But they refuse to deal with the verses in context.

They argue, as Rolf and Peter Preus recently did, that Romans 4:25 proves the entire world has been absolved of sin, without the Word, without the Means of Grace, without faith. That alone shows they do not comprehend Biblical, Lutheran doctrine. But even worse, they cannot even read the plain English of Romans without their UOJ filters on.

Here is the verse in context:

 KJV Romans 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Abraham is the example of justification by faith in Romans 4, the first of all justified by faith. We are justified (declared forgiven by God, which is the imputation or reckoning) if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. God creates the faith, and faith receives the Promise.

This is confirmed by the great statement at the center of the Lutheran Reformation and all Protestant thought.


KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God.

The UOJ Stormtroopers want us to believe them, but they do not believe the Word of God. They want us to trust them, but they read this beautiful passage and turn it into rationalistic Pietistic mush.

In fact, they are so blind that they cannot see what Robert Preus is clearly saying in Justification and Rome. Nor will they deal with it, point by point. Instead they repeat their talking points and banish the justification by faith adherents from their smarmy, self-congratulatory "Steadfast" blog.


---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "Missing the Pixelation Message on Steadfast Luther...":

(W)ELS' Wayne Mueller inadvertantly stabbed UOJ in the heart when he admitted that the Lutheran Synod's false gospel replaced the Chief Article of Christian faith declared in Scripture and faithfully confessed in the Lutheran Confessions:


"Appeal to the Lutheran symbols did not resolve the objective justification controversy. (Note Vernon Harley’s use of the Confessions to limit exegetical conclusions in his “Exegetical Study of Scripture Passages Generally Used to Teach ‘Objective’ or ‘Universal’ Justification” 1984, p8) 



“This is basically why they contend so strongly for ‘objective’ justification and go a step further than our Lutheran Confessions insisting that Objective Justification is the Chief article of the Christian Faith, while our Confessions give that honor to justification by grace through faith”"
Page 7
http://www.wlsessays.net/files/MuellerSymbols.pdf  



***


GJ - Wayne Mueller heavily promoted Church Growth in WELS, only to be replaced by James Huebner, a known alumnus of Fuller Seminary.


WELS pays Grace (Huebner's congregation) $10,000 a year for his valuable services. Who gets the dough? 


And who used to be pastor of Grace, yet is not even mentioned on the congregation's website?


Gausewitz! - a pastor who created a famous catechism without bothering to mention UOJ. And yet, the entire Synodical Conference respectected Gausewitz enough to vote him president.

The LCMS Also Celebrates Its Unity with Rome.
DP Benke, Paul McCain, and Roman Catholicism

Pope Paul the Unlearned is the world's largest chameleon.
He assumes the doctrinal background of anyone he is with.
Ancient Greeks: "A chameleon can turn any color...except white."


Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "ELCA, Catholic leaders celebrate their Christian u...":

Didn't LCMS Pastor Benke greet the Antichrist in the name of all LCMS clergy and laity calling him Holy Father?
http://reporter.lcms.org/pages/rpage.asp?NavID=13386

LCMS' CPH chief editor and close friend of LCMS President Harrison, Rev. Paul McCain declared that he held a common confession of Christ as Father Richard John Neuhaus, as a clergy convert who vowed that the Antichrist is Christ on earth and that all who confess Justification by Faith alone are anathema.

"I will miss Father Neuhaus, and I join with many others in expressing my appreciation for his life and work, both for what he did that I fervently agreed with, which was much, and that which I had to disagree with, which was substantial. In both cases, he challenged me to think, to reflect, to grow and to strive for excellence in our common confession of Christ." - Rev. McCain
http://cyberbrethren.com/2009/01/08/a-grief-observed-richard-john-neuhaus-1936-2009/#comments

World's smallest chameleon.

***

GJ - Neuhaus called himself a confessional Lutheran until he joined the Church of Rome as a priest - not exactly a shock to his readers.

The genius of Universal Objective Justification is the destruction of all creeds and confessions. A confession of faith becomes meaningless when someone thinks God "declared the entire world forgiven," as Rolf Preus recently repeated.

Neuhaus and McCain's father-in-law were Seminex leaders, as Richard Jungkuntz (UOJ, formerly WELS) was. They all have UOJ as their common "confession."

That also liberates DP Benke in his quest to be in communion with anything that moves, whether Rome or ELCA or Mecca.

The same UOJ makes it easy for Team Glende and the Patterson Safari Group to worship at every Schwaermer conference known to man.

These people specialize in repeating the claims of UOJ, but they are helpless when it comes to exegesis and Lutheran doctrine. Their UOJ obsession has them coming back to the same topic, so Universalism clearly defines their distant watercolor memories of seminary education.