Daniel Gorman on WELS

The DP got rid of St. John in Milwaukee.
WELS followed the same pattern with the Protest'ants,
expelling them arbitrarily.

 Daniel Gorman said...

The allegations are more credible because this is not first time the AzCa District has suspended a sitting pastor and asked his congregation to rescind his call without ever publicly revealing the reason for his suspension. Six years ago, the Arizona-California District of WELS suspended Pastor Berg and rescinded fellowship with his church. The nominal cause of Pastor Berg's suspension was finally revealed publicly in December 2010 in the blog "Intrepid Lutherans":

"Daniel,

I am very familiar with Father Berg's case. I was a good friend of his while he was in WELS, and still consider myself such today.

If ever there was a case that needed to be overturned, his was it, in my opinion. I encouraged him to appeal, but he decided not to.

A couple of corrections to your points, however:

- While it is true that the "trial" was held in "secret" so to speak, others besides Fr. Berg and the officials were present, at least as I understand it. Still, I felt strongly at the time, and still do, that the entire matter should have been conducted at an open conference, held for this purpose only.

- There was a reason given. Fr. Berg was found not to be in agreement with the WELS on the doctrine of Church & Ministry. However, I do not believe this was or is the case, nor to I believe this was the real reason for his suspension from the WELS. There was much more involved, most of it - interestingly enough for we who run Intrepid Lutherans, revolving around the "Motley Magpie."

- The "judgment" was officially made by the AZ-CA District Presidium, albeit strongly encouraged by then DP Janke. All three men bear responsibility for this action, as does the entire District and the synod as well.

This is but one of the many "warts" on the WELS nose, of which there are many in every church body. It would probably not be possible to go back and deal with them all, but some, such as this one, should perhaps be looked at again at some point in the near future. Again, in my opinion.

Pastor Spencer"

Question: Is the WELS Circuit Pastor Spencer referenced in the lawyers' letter the same Pastor Spencer who lamented WELS's handling of the Berg affair?

The letters paint a very damning picture of an AzCa District that lords it over its holy churches. Are the two letters bogus or factually inaccurate? If so, why hasn't the AzCa District posted a rebuttal on its public website?

Did the AzCa District suspend a sitting WELS pastor and ask his churches to rescind their holy call to him because he failed to grow his churches? Did a circuit of the AzCa District hire a lawyer to threaten churches with the loss of their tax exemption? These are questions that the AzCa District must answer publicly!

July 28, 2012 1:35 PM

---

Daniel Gorman said...

The breaking of church fellowship is never a private affair. It is of vital interest to all Christians. I have requested that WELS give a public accounting of the Poetter suspension and that WELS publicly address the issues raised by the two letters posted on Rev. Jackson's blog.

WELS never publicly released the reason for Pastor Berg's suspension even though a public accounting was requested on WELS Q&A. Whatever information is conveyed by WELS in a private e-mail may not be publicly disclosed without WELS's permission. I told WELS I wanted a public response or none at all. If WELS does provide a public response, I will post a link.

July 28, 2012 9:36 PM

SP Schroeder to Pastor Nathan Bickel

Ichabod - Am I the Loose Canon? Or Is WELS the unrepentant Loose [Universalism] Canon? [I think so]

This (past) week I've received two emails from WELS president Rev. Mark Schroeder. I gain the impression that he is taking exception to my public remarks here on Ichabod.  But, how could that be since [I understand] WELS has apparently cursed Ichabod and spreads that same anathema to whomever WELS pastor or member should access your website! Perhaps, though, President Schroeder arbitrarily and capriciously, in universalism fashion, absolved himself from such a bureaucratic pronouncement ban.

The SP Schroeder First Email:

The first email was of a vague and general nature. Basically, it stated that I should go to the horse's mouth if I have “concerns” or “criticisms" of the WELS presidential leadership and the synod's doctrinal stance. Also, he seemed to be speaking for my congregation's pastor, [who has basically shunned me] - saying that if I had any "questions" or “concerns” of “his preaching” or “other actions” that I should speak in private with him. And, Rev. Mark Schroeder ended the email with him urging me to phone him.

My Email Response:

I then responded with the following email follow-up:

Rev. President Mark Schroeder,

I found your recent email to me [yesterday - found, below] to be of a general nature. Could you spell out that which (apparently) concerns you? Please be specific.

Sincerely,

Nathan M. Bickel - emeritus pastor

SP Schroeder's 2nd Email Reply [Response] to my sole email:

So, I received in my email box the synodical president's reply. And, that too, was of a general nature. This time again, he urged me to phone him. He still was unspecific and vague, but, he did mention that I have "voiced criticisms and concerns" about him, ["synodical 'leaders'"]. Also, that I had "voiced criticisms and concerns" about "synodical matters (including doctrine)." He then urged me to call him so that if I would critically speak anymore in public, that I would have some "factual information." [Aka - the official synodical party line] He then concocted an analogy of a church member directly speaking to his pastor of any concerns and applied that to himself and me, as a synodical member.

Ichabod - You just published my comment about how it is a one way street with WELS synodical bureaucratic officials and their lock-in-step pastors. Here, is the link for anyone to read:

“Some People Appreciate the News:”

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/some-peole-appreciate-news.html

I’m convinced that WELS bureaucracy and bow down pastors feel free to disseminate their false doctrine and encourage it in public. But, woe to any peon of synod [membership] who publicly mentions what is being preached and taught by them in public. To synod officials and to certain synod pastors, it is a one-way street. They want their cake; and they want to eat it too. They want the liberty of publicly teaching, preaching, and promulgating their universal objective justification anti-Scriptural; anti-Confessions; and anti-Lutheran false doctrine. But, woe to anyone who stands in their way calling them to account. That person is then anathema and is to be taken in private and slapped up by their secretive closed door work-over.

No - Ichabod, I am not foolish enough to be taken to the WELS bureaucratic shed and forced to whip myself, each time by shouting at myself: "Bad! Nathan!” “Bad! Nathan!” I will not allow anyone from WELS to scold or hound me - especially when those with whom I highlighted, have not admitted and repented of the errors of their universalism false teaching ways!

Rather, than deal with what I've called attention [to] on Ichabod, I gain the impression that WELS (as represented by its synodical president) isn't repentant of its doctrinal error. No, - instead I will be chosen to be a (smoke-screen) boogeyman for them to exploit and stereotype as a loose canon, - all the while WELS leadership, its publications and (certain) pastors continue spreading false teaching contrary to Scripture; the Book of Concord and Luther; - all contrary to the clear teaching of Holy Writ which concisely states that a human soul is justified by God's grace through faith! [Ephesians 2:8-9] Instead, sadly, they make Christ’s Atonement to be everything and scratch [out] the Holy Spirit’s beginning to end work in the human soul’s regenerating process. [John 3:1-21 in context] Then, as a fall-out result, the false teaching brings into the church all sorts of negative and destructive implications:

"UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusiasm: Church Growth and Pentecostal:"

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/uoj-questions-answered-enthusiasm.html

Finally -

Just to make it easier for the web reader; - they [you] may access some of my published articles here on Ichabod by typing in my name in the search box. Here, following, is an example where I offer 3 specific occasions at my Bethel Lutheran Bay County, Michigan WELS congregation, the false teaching of universal objective justification. I could provide some other examples, but why make this article any longer?

"Pastor Nathan Bickel on UOJ in WELS. Aaron Frey Still Preaching in WELS. How Far Will He Go?”

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/pastor-nathan-bickel-on-uoj-in-wels.html

Also:

"Pastor Nathan Bickel on UOJ:"

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/pastor-nathan-bickel-on-uoj.html

In conclusion, there are many articles and comments here on Ichabod [other than my own] which are rich in value. Thanks, again, Ichabod and those commenting for trumpeting the error of UOJ - universal objective justification!

Nathan M. Bickel – emeritus pastor

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org

P.S. --  A note to those who may feel intimidated by a pastor, teacher or bureaucratic church official over your voiced concern of false teaching:

Never allow someone to defraud [cheat] you of your opinion when you have in good conscience voiced that concern, based upon the teaching of Scripture. And, beware of those who “say” they subscribe to Scripture and the church’s confessions. Listen closely to what they preach and teach; and watch what they practice and promulgate.

More Hilarity From Team Glende. He Should Stick to Groeschel and Stanley

Naughty or nice?
The CORE's new entertainment center.
DJ not included.

Gregory L. Jackson in his blog, The Glory Has Departed, continues to spread his error regarding justification.

Followers of Jackson seem to forget that Greg came from the LCA, now a part of the ELCA which accepts gay clergy. He received his theological education at Yale (a liberal, Bible-denying school) and Notre Dame (the famous Roman Catholic Jesuit school). Jackson really cannot boast about his theological education, because he wasn't trained as a confessional Lutheran. [GJ - No kidding. I spent a semester at The Sausage Factory - almost ruined me.]

Jackson continues to regurgitate the errors of R.C.H. Lenski and the old Ohio Synod (a predecessor church body of the ELCA). If Jackson's followers swallow everything this false prophet publishes on the web, they will eventually put their trust in themselves and their own faith for salvation, and not Christ and his vicarious satisfaction.

Not one of my professors taught this.
Glende, Ski, Parlow, Bishop Katy and other WELS workers
eagerly worshiped with Stanley, a closeted Babtist.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

WHO WENT THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW?

Pastor Ski - St. Marcus - Milwaukee

Pastor John Parlow - St. Mark - Depere

Pastor Jim Buske - Lighthouse Youth Center - Milwaukee

HOW LONG WERE WE THERE?

May 3rd - May 7th

WHERE WAS THE CONFERENCE?

North Point Church, Alpharetta, GA

What is Drive ’08?  That’s a great question.  Drive is a two day conference for church leaders.  During these two days church leaders from the three North Point campuses will share what they have learned over the last twelve years about creating and maintaining awesome ministry environments.  The entire conference has been designed around questions from churches all over the world.  

Over the two days Andy Stanley (Lead Pastor at North Point) will address the attendees in three main sessions.  There will be five break-out sessions that will revolve around questions asked by the attendees.  These sessions allow those in attendance to get pretty specific on certain areas of ministry as well as get great feedback.  

I invite you to check out my blog while I’m gone.  I’ll try to  update the blog daily and share what I’ve learned.  Please feel free to share your comments.

I’ll see you all when I get back!

The final Main Session with Andy Stanley was just phenomenal.  We began with awesome worship.   

Is that Andy Stanley, the closeted Babtist, with Ski, the closeted Lutheran?
They worshiped together, so they are in fellowship.

***

GJ - Where can I start with the boatload of ignorance on Glende's blog?

• Glende grew up in an old ALC congregation - open communion, Masonic Lodge, Church Growth, and a known adulterer serving as a Church Growth expert.
• I left the LCA and was never a part of ELCA. In fact, I published against the merger when WELS was busy working with the LCA and ALC. WELS still is a partner with ELCA.
• WELS has homosexual and bi-sexual pastors. Ask SP Schroeder. He is "helpless" to do anything about it. Write a letter.
• Glende cannot grasp what academic studies are, so why bother informing him?
• Notre Dame never has been Jesuit. Quoting Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon!"
• Glende is one with WELS in denying justification by faith. The Luther quotes enrage him because he hates the Word of God. 

UOJ Is Bad for Everyone - Except the False Teachers Who Live From It

Like his pal Valleskey, Bivens teach Church Growth and UOJ.
Both admitted going to Fuller Seminary; both denied going to Fuller Seminary  -
a notoriously liberal training school.

AC V has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusia...":

If you want a PRACTICAL application of the dangers of UOJ, read this the following article, "Making Peace with a Monster" and look for this:

"Some people may say the Colorado shooting victims need to learn how to forgive the gunman to move on.

Franscell doesn't buy that. The survivors who fared the best, he found, didn't grant pardons.

'They don't absolve their would-be killers and they haven't stopped crying, even decades later,' he says."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/26/us/mass-murder-survivors/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Granting a "pardon" to one who has sinned and is not repentant does not help the sinner either.

But that's not what UOJ WELS teaches. Compare and contrast these passages from Scripture and the Confessions with what Seminary professor Forrest Bivens wrote in the April issue of the WELS Forward in Christ:

Scripture:

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. - John 20:23

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret... - 2 Corinthians 7:10

Confessions:

And Is. 28:21: The Lord shall be wrath that He may do His work, His strange work, and bring to pass His act, His strange act. He calls it the strange work of the Lord when He terrifies, because to quicken and console is God's own work. [Other works, as, to terrify and to kill, are not God's own works, for God only quickens.] But He terrifies, he says, for this reason, namely, that there may be a place for consolation and quickening, because hearts that are secure and do not feel the wrath of God loathe consolation. In this manner Scripture is accustomed to join these two, the terrors and the consolation, in order to teach that in repentance there are these chief members, contrition, and faith that consoles and justifies. Neither do we see how the nature of repentance can be presented more clearly and simply. [We know with certainty that God thus works in His Christians, in the Church.)

For the two chief works of God in men are these, to terrify, and to justify and quicken those who have been terrified. Into these two works all Scripture has been distributed. The one part is the Law, which shows, reproves, and condemns sins. The other part is the Gospel, i.e., the promise of grace bestowed in Christ... - Defense of the Augsburg Confession, XII:51-53, Of Repentance.

Now, what does WELS teach? Answer, Forrest Bivens, April Forward in Christ:

Especially to those who have wronged us yet have given no evidence of contrition before God or reliance on Jesus as their sin-bearer, we may say: 'I fully and freely forgive you, sinner to sinner.... You have my forgiveness, given cheerfully in love.' Our responsibility is to forgive others fully, unconditionally." (p.9)

***

GJ - Has anyone seen a more vindictive and unforgiving bunch than the UOJ Stormtroopers? The three characters above were glad to kick out a long-time faithful member for asking questions.

WELS and the ELS think nothing about threatening to expel congregations for disagreeing with them.

Some People Appreciate the News

Historic St. John Lutheran Church, Milwaukee.
The mother church of WELS was kicked out out of the synod
by a vindictive Church Growth DP.

Daryl Meyer said...

Well, the other Ichabod might be a kook, but I wouldn't have found out about yesterday's concert had it not been posted on his blog. I still have goose bumps from singing the bass line to TLH 467 with all 2325 pipes blasting. What a wonderful service!

Lutheran history - and Milwaukee history.

If I had real estate like this available, I would make it the flagship,
not the leper.

---

Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Glende Rouses Himself about a Supposed Dispute, Wh...":

Ichabod -

You said under the one [altar] pic:

"Historic St. John Lutheran Church, Milwaukee. The mother church of WELS was kicked out out of the synod by a vindictive Church Growth DP."

When I read your captioned words under the pic, I thought of the following:

I think that church bureaucracy does not consider itself vindictive for any of its words and / or actions towards member churches and WELS members. But, I think that when any of its bureaucracy and kowtowing pastors are cited as promulgating public teaching and preaching contrary to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, - those individuals, (doing the citing) providing specific examples, are deemed (by church bureaucracy), [as] unloving and intolerant for the public rebuke.

It is further my perception that the church bureaucracy and those who dutifully follow in line, consider themselves as the pure and holy ones and that all who may disagree, (with them) are considered, the erring and unloving. So, then, the modus operandi is to call those who disagree, aside; lean on them and attempt to intimidate them with church bureaucracy’s version of the 8th Commandment and meaning thereof. And, all in the process, it is easily overlooked that unscriptural public preaching and teaching, often merits public notice and rebuke.

Furthermore, to address the old argument that is often offered: "Why don't you personally go and talk to that individual who you assert is errantly preaching and teaching?" So, - how does one effectively communicate such, when errant teaching and preaching has continued for some time and when the one preaching and teaching cannot be reached [is not hearing and / or has written one off]? How long does one wait and be patient, while he witnesses the proliferation of public errant [unscriptural] preaching and teaching within one’s particular Christian congregation?

Finally, there are no easy answers. And it is a simplistic solution to say that one is to privately speak with an individual or individuals who will then likely tell him, that he is either half baked; has inaccurate information; or that he is without theological understanding; while they, in the same breath, will tell that person that they subscribe to the same Scripture and Confessions [while at the same time] they ignore that subscription with their continued errant practice of teaching and preaching.

Frankly, I would hope and pray that more Lutheran church members, - (and, also, those of other Christian denominations) would feel freer to publicly rebuke those who preach and teach contrary to Scripture. Those who continue to errantly do so should not be politely afforded the darkness covering of anonymity and behind the scenes conversations, (with those citing them) while they continue to publicly teach and preach the errant Word.

Nathan M. Bickel - Bay City, MI

www.thechristianmessage.org

www.moralmatters.org 

Glende Rouses Himself about a Supposed Dispute, Which He Has Publicized

Glende's anonymous blog called attention to the Arizona situation, where two congregations are being kicked out of the synod for standing by their pastor - and daring to disagree with the officials.

I posted a "supposed" letter about a "supposed" dispute, so why the fuss? 

People use Ichabod to publish the news. If the documents are fake or Photoshopped, the named writers (unlike the cowering blog writer) can disavow them. No one has.

Here is the original post.

DP John Seifert kicked Prince of Peace out of WELS because they supported their ecumenical pastor. I said at the time that they should have replied, "We are no more ecumenical than WELS."

One WELS pastor conceded that if standards were upheld for all the pastors, half of them would be gone. That would be scary for the entire Fox Valley circuit, where plagiarism is common and defended by the DP.

---

Daniel Gorman said...

The suspension of St. Paul's pastor from the WELS is a matter of public record. However, contrary to LC, Ten Commandments, 279-286, the Az-Ca District of WELS has not revealed the evidence against Pr. Poetter and the reason for the breach in fellowship.

The two letters published by Rev. Jackson are of vital interest to all Christians. The Chairman of St. Paul addresses his letter "To All Concerned Individuals". Shouldn't we all be concerned when a powerful WELS district lords it over a small church in Arizona (AC, XXVIII, 76)?

***

GJ - The law firm's letter is revealing.

Luther's Great Commentary on Galatians - New Graphics

Pastor Nathan Bickel on UOJ

Icahabod:  Regarding your excellent recent posting:

“UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusiasm: Church Growth and Pentecostal:”

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/uoj-questions-answered-enthusiasm.html

Dr. Jackson -

Thank you for posting in this one article; Warren's comment and question, - and, especially, your excellent answer.

In this one article, you have presented the clear difference between the error of “universal objective justification” teaching, and that of Scripture.

Those of your opponents who call themselves [true] Christian Lutherans cannot successfully dispute you, on the basis of Scripture, the Book of Concord or Luther. Instead, I believe, they lash out at you behind the scenes, incorrectly accusing you of breaking the 8th Commandment, - when in reality, they should be welcoming your public rebuke. If they cannot bear your website pics, humor and style, it is their loss. That attitude only demonstrates [then] a lack of creativity on their part and a lack of loving tolerance, as every Christian has his own personality and gifts, - and, his own communication style.

Those who would dispute you, (but, apparently don't publicly do so, online - at least on Ichabod), are publicly teaching and preaching their damnable universal objective justification and then become upset when they are publicly called to account for their error. If you and they were living in times past, I have no doubt that you would have joined the likes of Jon Huss, burning at the stake. [Thank the good Lord for our American right of free speech, as put forth in the 1^st Amendment of the Bill of Rights! That, by the grace of God, helps to counteract the monopoly of error]

Furthermore, I think you stand in good tradition. Didn't Stephen proclaim the following about those who are were hard core and those who eschewed the truth?

Acts 7:51 - "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." - KJV

Yet, even when you have come online with your public rebukes, those warnings and presentations of rich Christian and Lutheran tradition, go unheeded. Instead you are accused of not talking to those [dissenters] in private about your weighty concerns. The same people, who fume about your public pronouncements against their false teaching of universal objective justification, etc. - continue to publicly teach and preach their false doctrine. Yet, they would like to impose upon you a double standard to suit themselves, - and hide their proliferation of false teaching. [Essentially, they would like you to clam up and only communicate with them in secret while they happily continue their public error, unopposed. Can you imagine Luther meeting in private with the Pope?]

Ichabod – I understand what you are uncovering and exposing. I can identify that which you point out. I have experienced [heard / seen] this false teaching of universalism in my own congregation and have even documented some of it, in some Ichabod postings you have published. Here’s just one:

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/07/pastor-nathan-bickel-on-uoj-in-wels.html

Finally, I think that the reason that those in Lutheran high places cannot receive Ichabod's rebukes is that they have closed themselves off from rebuke, by their very own [incorrect] teaching. Recently in our WELS Bethel Bay County, Michigan congregation there was the Romans 12 Bible study about the gifts. The official WELS Bible study only categorized the gift of exhortation to mean encouragement. It did not include that the very same gift could also, include exhortation in form of rebuke, - such as Paul telling Peter to his face about his error [Galatians 2:11] and the thief on the cross entreating the other thief, demonstrating his faith by his (rebuking) exhortation. [Luke 23:39-43]

Ichabod - Continue to highlight what you've been highlighting. I see your endeavors as the grace of God, giving every opportunity to those in error. Whether you are received or not, makes little difference. Keep on speaking in the tradition of Luther, opposing Scriptural error!

Nathan M. Bickel - pastor emeritus – Bay City, MI

http://www.thechristianmessage.org/

http://moralmatters.org/

 

This could be taken for being anti-Confessional, if pixelated (isolated).
The next quotation below shows what he is saying.
This particular saying is a remedy against those who say they subscribe,
but do not teach according to the Confessions.

 

Upset About ELCA 2012 National Youth Gathering - ELCA Today. Betcha Thrivent Was There with Its Blessing.

Upset About ELCA 2012 National Youth Gathering - ELCA Today:


An adult chaperone who went to the 2012 ELCA nation youth gathering sent this letter to her church council after returning from the event that was held last week.  (note that I disagree with the person's assessment of the message given by Rev. Bolz-Weber - read my thoughts here) This letter appeared on the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau (ALPB) forum (see here - post #73 - refreshing page may be need).

Dear Church Council and Pastors,

I want to share my thoughts with you as a parent and chaperone on the recent trip to New Orleans.

First of all, I have to say that I love our kids! I spent a week with wonderful children, full of energy and enthusiasm and hunger for giving of themselves. Out of the whole experience the overwhelming majority of them lifted up the service project as their favorite part of the trip.





On Thursday, we worshiped with our Synod in the morning and then spent the afternoon learning about discipleship and doing a scavenger hunt to find places or items that would represent the 7 faith practices: Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Study, Giving, Encouraging, and Serving. These were positive experiences where the Bible was lifted up.





Most of the kids' favorite speaker at the dome was Nadia. I agree with them. Her message was theologically very solid. Aside from a slam to the parents who were concerned prior to the youth gathering, she was entertaining and had a great message.



 [GJ - Seriously? So you wonder why ELCA is messed up? You are funding it.]

Unfortunately, I have very little more that is positive to say about the gathering. I am alarmed at the direction in which the national church is moving.

a. The Bibles that the kids received have microscopically small font. They are portable but not usable.

b. There was no Biblical foundation for devotions. Zero. No verse to be found. Highs and lows, excerpts from speakers at the dome and prayer were they only aspects of "Final 15".

c. At every level, at the mass events in the dome, there was a reference to homosexuality. Every speaker, every skit. Frequently this was tied to anti-bullying.

d.. There were frequent anti-American references and more than one pro-Occupy Wall Street reference. Other political themes had to do with immigration-reform, anti-war, social justice.

e.. Half of the songs were secular.


f. Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world" was more emphasized than any Bible verse - even the theme verse from Ephesians took 2nd place to Gandhi. Seriously. 4 varieties of the quote were available to purchase as t-shirts.

g. On the service day the video about justice told our kids that justice means "doing what is in your heart that you know is right." Secular Humanism another frequent theme of the gathering.

I found myself dreading the dome experience. What kind of emotional manipulation with horrible theology would we be exposing our kids to tonight? There was a very clear open agenda that the national synod is using to indoctrinate the youth. I just wish it was using a Biblical foundation and not a political and social one.

I don't want my year old to miss out on the fun of a large youth group experience, but my husband and I will not be sending her to the Gathering in Detroit in 2015. Nor will I ever attend another ELCA gathering.

Please let me know if you would like to see any of my notes from the gathering, or if you would like to talk to me and the other adult leaders. I am not the only one that was horrified.

Sincerely,

(name withheld)


'via Blog this'

---

California wrote:

The posting of the letter to the ELCA congregation from one of the adult chaperons who attended the ELCA National Youth Gathering is typical of parental objections expressed and ignored when decades ago LCMS National Youth Gathering feature Pete Seeger (communist folk singer) as a performer at the event.   Before being "departed" from WELS in 1977, I had voluntarily left an LCMS congregation in 1964, when the political philosophy of the left was influencing youth in the churches in south SF Bay area. 

Some parents were wondering why their teens were returning from youth retreats led by a pastor who oversaw the retreats in the neighboring Santa Cruz Mountains, with ideas not too different from the UC Berkeley radicals of those 1960's times. 

Another  LCMS pastor was running up and down the SF Peninsula giving presentations about anti-communism at any LCMS gatherings who would invite him.  His message was not anti communism, but warning about anti-communists.  He was listed in a report from the California Committee on Unamerican Activities as a supporter of the communist front organization, "Committee to Insure Justice for Morton Sobell".  That can be documented.  I have a hard copy of the report.   Nobody seemed to take such activity seriously.  

Eventually that pastor was placed as pastor for the LCMS UC Berkeley Campus chapel which served students .   When the time came when I could no longer in good conscience invite anyone to attend church or participate in church activities for fear of what leftist political propaganda they would be exposed to in the name of religion, I left the LCMS to go to the new WELS mission congregation in the area where there were some good years until other issues  surfaced in WELS which resulted in involuntary departure after 12 years.   

ELCA isn't the first offender to politically brainwash youth.  LCMS was right there beside them way back half a century ago.

Crystal Bridges - An Allegory for Biblical, Doctrinal Studies

Thomas Cole - The Course of Empire - Destruction

I volunteered with Chris to help out at Crystal Bridges. We had already visited there several times with friends.

This week we attended a lecture on art. Next I took a guided tour, one masterpiece per room, of the museum. Not knowing where the Thomas Cole Course of Empire paintings were, I found another enormous gallery for the traveling exhibit. When a museum is the ultimate collection of American art, the paintings come to the museum.

Visiting the museum is not at all like studying the paintings and the various eras of art. I saw Kindred Spirits quite a few times - and it gave me goose bumps again on the tour yesterday. The guide gave us the history behind the painting and connected it to the artists and patrons of the era.

This was Cole's last painting before he died at the age of 47.

The paintings themselves are so much more vivid that any graphic can indicate. In The Good Shepherd, the flock of sheep is clearly visible, down by the water and green pasture. The barren area is the foreground is also much clearer.

To understand and appreciate art, more is needed than a walk-through and a knowledge of the captions beside the masterworks.

Biblical, doctrinal studies are not different. Many clergy want no more than to gather the credentials they need at seminary and repeat them forever, always careful to please the synod and copy the current fads.

No one becomes a Doctrinal Pussycat by bucking apostasy or opposing false teachers. I remember Steve Spencer bragging that Jon Buchholz was shutting down Jeff Gunn's CrossWalk by cutting off the extra funds, etc. TWO committees were investigating and studying the issues, and that went on for four (4) years at least. The results were:

1. Jeff Gunn was appointed to the board of Wisconsin Lutheran College, one of three from CrossWalk.
2. Jeff Gunn was featured as a speaker at the Jeske youth conference, which was promoted by Doctrinal Pussycat Jon Buchholz.
3. Jeff Gunn and his Babtist congregation were welcomed into WELS, all criticism in the final (modified) report stifled.

In art and Biblical, doctrinal studies, anyone can become an expert. This fact is more true of the Christian faith than artistic endeavors. The Holy Spirit teaches us when we study the Word of God, as long as we make the Word primary, without filtering it through synodical slogans and warnings.


For a DP, the Bible is a way to make money and go on world trips at the expense of others. For the political pastors, in the majority, it is a way to make career advances and protect one's security. For many laity, it is a chance to be used as a synod minder and enjoy those fake-prestige positions on synodical committees. The laity know or soon find out that questioning one thing will mean immediate expulsion.

Thomas Cole, The Cross at the End of the Journey,
Pilgrim's Progress

AC V - Quoting the Apology of the Augsburg Confession. Of Repentance.

AC V has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusia...":

To clarify:

"The very voice of the Gospel is this, that by faith we obtain the remission of sins. [This word is not our word, but the voice and word of Jesus Christ, our Savior.]"

- The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, Art. XII:2, Of Repentance.

UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusiasm: Church Growth and Pentecostal

I don't want to further burden you, which is why I asked for you to point me to something already available online so that you wouldn't have to "repeat yourself" just for me. I was trained in UOJ at CTSFW and have been taught that, as long as one avoids such nonsense as "the damned in hell are saints," UOJ gives comfort in providing an "objective" focus for one's faith in Christ on the "finished work" of our redemption, rather than to focus "subjectively" upon our own personal faith in Christ. --Warren

Dear Dr. Jackson: Here is how I have understood UOJ: Eph. 2:8 says "For by grace are ye saved, through faith..." and therefore the grace of God (UOJ) precedes the gift of faith which receives Subjective Justification, "grace" referring to UOJ rather than to the gift of saving faith through the Means of Grace. I have understood a parallel between the Justification controversy and the Election controversy, in that Election is determined by grace and not "in view of faith," and Justification is also because of grace, with faith being the gift of God which receives justification, and not a good work meriting justification. --Warren

I can understand the point that OJ can be used to minimize the necessity for saving faith, but is there a danger that faith can become a "good work" if OJ is denied, by stressing something "in the believer" rather than divine monergism?  Does OJ take on the appearance of the Reformed "Preservation of the Saints" and "one saved, always saved" as the basis for the believer's assurance of salvation by stressing something "outside of the believer"?

For that matter, what is the PRACTICAL difference between OJ and speaking of Christ having "atoned for the sins of the world" or "reconciled the world to God"? 

Thank you for your understanding of these matters!  --Warren

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GJ - I have been repeating material from Luther, Chemnitz, and the Book of Concord for some time, so I am happy to have basic questions raised. 

Intellectually-lazy MDivs like Rolf Preus, Jack Cascione, Jay Webber, and Jon Buchholz have perpetuated the notion that there is a nice, tame, Lutheran version of UOJ - far better than J. P. Meyer and the Kokomo Statements. But all versions are the same, no matter what name they claim - General, Objective, Universal, or Universal Objective.

The foundational error of UOJ is confusing the atonement with justification by faith, so the advocates find all kinds of ways to cloak their error.

They pounce on atonement passages, whether in the Bible or Luther or the Confessions and declare, "Aha - we have proven UOJ from the fact that the sins of the entire world are forgiven."

The atonement and justification are distinct and different. Merging their meaning explains why the UOJ Enthusiasts say such things as "the sins of Sodom were forgiven" and "I was saved 2000 years ago." Both statements are pathetic testimony to the poor state of Lutheran education.

The universal scope of the atonement is not disputed, because Christ indeed paid for the sins of the world. He redeemed the world, and that is the Gospel message, the reconciliation.

Justification by faith is quite simple. The atonement is the Gospel, so the Holy Spirit distributes this treasure through the Word and Sacraments. Those who receive this treasure in faith are declared forgiven of their sins and saved. Apart from faith, there is no forgiveness.

The atonement is universal, but justification is individual. The truth of the atonement does not depend on a single person believing it to be true, as Luther often said. However, no one in the Bible or the Confessions is forgiven apart from faith in this atonement.

The UOJ Stormtroopers are lying when they attack justification by faith, because orthodox Lutherans do not teach faith in their own faith, or faith as a virtue, but faith in the atoning death of Christ.

But what does UOJ claim?  

Their shriveled little fake Gospel teaches faith in the dogma of universal absolution, a cancer so dangerous that it has killed most of Lutheran doctrine today. 

False Doctrine Is a Devouring Cancer

I am a cancer survivor. Fortunately (tragically for UOJ), it was a basal cell carcinoma growing on my forehead. I was shocked to read a diagnosis of my condition in my insurance textbook. I hoped it would go away on its own. (First stage - denial!) No one knew it because it was so inconsequential looking. I told Mrs. I. and showed her the proof. I could press the area with tissue and get a tiny show of blood, just a little pink, any day and any time. There are three treatments - surgery, chemo, and radiation. A snip at the doctor's showed I was right, and a specialist cut it out. Mrs. I almost fainted when reading the report. The little BCC was already showing signs of ambition, digging in, and taking over. 

NKJ 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

UOJ Is Wrong Because

This universal absolution of Hottentots, polytheists, atheists, and cannibals is wrong. UOJ contradicts the Bible and Confessions by:

• Separating the Holy Spirit from the Word, mocking the Spirit.
• Denigrating the efficacy of the Word, hence the Consecration of the elements by the Word.
• Denying the true Gospel and substituting a system of man-made law.
• Obscuring and rejecting the Means of Grace.
• Teaching decision theology - you must make a decision for UOJ.
• Paving the way for Church Growth, Pentecostalism, Romanism, and many other symptoms of not trusting the Word. 

Robert Preus clearly repudiated UOJ, after clearly advocating it. Both of his positions can be proven, but the UOJ minions have decided to go silent on his final work, Justification and Rome, where their Helen of Troy is tossed under the bus in no uncertain terms.

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusia...":

UOJists teach that faith doesn't do anything but receive what was already divinely declared to be true before they believed. They find comfort in this confession because they believe faith is a work of man and therefore because it is only a withered and outstretched beggars hand they avoid synergism - their faith, their work, contributing to their forgiveness and salvation. By this UOJ confession on faith they expose themselves as non-Christians because they've rejected the Holy Spirit's faith which is not from man but solely from God, graciously worked through the Means of Grace, Word and Sacrament. By the Holy Spirit's faith a man dies to sin, is born again in Christ, no longer under the Law but under Grace, receives the adoption of Sons, is forgiven, saved eternally and all this is instantaneous. UOJists recoil at the changes that faith in Christ bring about divinely and graciously because they already declared those who continue in their rejection of Christ, who are under the Law and dead in sins, to be under God's grace, mercy and forgiveness and not under God's wrath and condemnation as Scripture clearly teaches and the faithful Lutheran Confessions confirm.

UOJists have 0, none, zilch, nada, nothing within their new false gospel that is true and defensible by Scripture. They have separated themselves from Christ, forgiveness and salvation. By God's grace and mercy individuals within the Lutheran Synods hold to or will hold to the one true Gospel and faith in Christ.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "UOJ Questions Answered: Enthusiasm Breeds Enthusia...":

Brett, to wit:

"For, as Dr. Luther writes in the Preface to St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans: Thus faith is a divine work in us, that changes us and regenerates us of God, and puts to death the old Adam, makes us entirely different men in heart, spirit, mind, and all powers, and brings with it [confers] the Holy Ghost. Oh, it is a living, busy, active, powerful thing that we have in faith, so that it is impossible for it not to do good without ceasing."

- Formula of Concord Solid Declaration, IV:10, Good Works.

AC V - Why Go To Church?

AC V has left a new comment on your post "From the Apple-Dumbling Gang:Yale Is Roman Catholi...":

Brett,

In Emmanuel's newsletter, notice the man-centered article entitled "Why Go to Church" (p.3ff). The closest we get to hearing the real purpose of why we "go to church" is on p.5:

"1) Jesus promises to be there in church with us, bringing his blessings with his presence."

That statement begs the question: "What are the blessings that Jesus brings us?" The article answers by saying things like "God has told his Christians to grow in grace and knowledge of him, and to keep the faith. This is done through the Word of God, especially as it is publicly preached by a true and faithful pastor, who expounds texts from the Bible to God's people and applies the Scriptures to their lives" (p.4).

But what is lacking (because of a UOJ mindset) is an answer like that of Luther in his explanation of why we go to church:

"We further believe that in this Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin, which is wrought through the holy Sacraments and Absolution, moreover, through all manner of consolatory promises of the entire Gospel. Therefore, whatever is to be preached concerning the Sacraments belongs here, and, in short, the whole Gospel and all the offices of Christianity, which also must be preached and taught without ceasing. For although the grace of God is secured through Christ, and sanctification is wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God in the unity of the Christian Church, yet on account of our flesh which we bear about with us we are never without sin. Everything, therefore, in the Christian Church is ordered to the end that we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. Thus, although we have sins, the [grace of the] Holy Ghost does not allow them to injure us, because we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but [continuous, uninterrupted] forgiveness of sin, both in that God forgives us, and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other. But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification] (Large Catechism, Apostles Creed, Art. III:55-56).

In Emmanuel's article "Why Go to Church" there is no mention of "to receive forgiveness of sins" because according to UOJ, you've already got it!

Here's a good explanation of why we "go to church":

http://www.ctsfw.edu/Document.Doc?id=275

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Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "AC V - Why Go To Church?":

I agree AC V. Tour any (W)ELS church website that posts their sermons. There is only a tiny number of them which mention the faith of the Holy Spirit and fewer yet who identify it as the righteousness of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the adoption of sons.

The Lutheran synods have pulled a fast one on the laity. They've separated faith from forgiveness. UOJ declares the whole unbelieving world forgiven - children of God (even while they are the children of the devil). UOJ's faith in forgiveness already declared is salvation since they've adopted the Methodistic synergism of "you just have to believe you've already been forgiven" to benefit (be saved) from the divine declaration.

Little wonder they can continue to finance the bloody murder of innocent babies through their Thrivent funds.

Misdirection of the Mind

alf-hislop (http://alf-hislop.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Ninevah the Great Has Fallen - But WELS Will Suppo...":

The preoccupation with the NIV11 illustrates a classic WELS mind set: cultivate the impression that you deeply care and serve our Lord while distracting observers from seeing that really little or nothing of good is being accomplished. While some people call such behavior shamming, most members either do not see through it, or if they do, remain too polite to criticize it.

Time wasting goes hand in hand with expensive boondoggles like the CORE. The waste will continue until members say, “Enough is enough, get busy following the examples of Christ’s disciples.”

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Misdirection of the Mind":

Wasting time seems to be the claim to fame for some WELS congregations. It goes hand in hand with the false impression that the leaders really care. The agenda is already in place. A good example of this would be when a congregation is "considering" an expansion. There are endless forums and meetings that are optional for the members, but consume huge amounts of time and are nothing more than a sham democracy. Like the present NNIV "study", it also serves the purpose of drawing out the vocal opposition so that they can have their backs rubbed and be dealt with more harshly later on.

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GJ -

Many remember the busy-work invented to close Northwestern College and merge it into Dr. Martin Luther College. I remember a survey that went out - showing that people were against the amalgamation. But nothing stopped the constant promotion. And there was only one idea to be discussed in the sunshine of democratic process - the amalgamation at New Ulm. The word "merger" was not allowed. It had to be "amalgamation" or the speaker was sharply rebuked.

NWC alumni (all pastors) were told they could not discuss or vote on the amalgamation.

The best example was the Michigan District meeting, which I attended with LI. We brought an ice chest full of Coke for the anti-amalgamation troops. The chairman of the discussion was pro-amalgamation and the delegates were allowed to vote on approving the merger - four resolutions, all defeated. Does that remind anyone of the NNIV resolutions - do you want your NNIV now or next year?

DP Robert Mueller went to WELS convention and spoke in favor of the amalgamation. Those who opposed it were not allowed to speak - not even the presidents of Northwestern College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

The delegates voted down the merger but it was reported falsely as a narrow win for merger. So much for voting.

Next the districts had to ratify the decision. SP Gurgle told Michigan that they had no choice. The contracts had been signed and they could not stop it.

Some claim that $30 million was blown on the whole plan, which consisted of merging the two schools  at New Ulm, closing Prairie and merging it at Watertown, and spending money on various buildings. Gurgle promised Michigan, "If it goes over $8 million, we will pull the plug."

The same juggernaut was originally launched to buy Prairie, a failed Roman Catholic school in a non-Lutheran area. WELS called for an emergency session and bought the school like it was the IPO of Facebook. They spent millions on Prairie and turned it into a prison.

Lawrenz to Witte: "Be thou continually promoting
the WELS Costa Nostra,
Church and Change."

I offered my idea at the time - why not move everything to one campus, Mequon, and sell off the other properties: New Ulm, Watertown, Prairie. John Lawrenz, one of the leaders of Church and Change, said, "Mequon is sacred ground. No one has even considered it." John was in charge of the committee studying the proposals, but it was clear that only one idea was worth discussing.

Lawrenz, as the president of MLS, announced, "We are willing to accept any role the synod gives us." That was during a big rush to close MLS. WELS rewarded John with various promotions and world trips.

Pope Pius IX worked his magic the same way. Anyone who opposed his infallibility was punished severely, even after recanting. All those who promoted papal infallibility were rewarded, even sainted.