Sunday, September 8, 2013

Intrepid Lutherans - Blogging Is Fellowship, Cry the Church and Change Thugs,
While They Plan Their Next Change or Die! Conference
With ELCA and Thrivent and Jeske, Oh My!

Jeske, on the Thrivent Board of Elders,
Bankrolls These Two Lavender Pimps,
And Runs WELS as a Hobby.

Blog Fellowship - Let's Blog About It!


 Thoughts from Thunder Mountain
["Huachuca" - A Chiricahua Apache word meaning "thunder."]

 Blog Fellowship - Let's Blog About It!

http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2013/09/blog-fellowship-lets-blog-about-it.html?showComment=1378521874388#c4920213477759160523


 "Blog"
{From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia}

A blog (a contraction of the words web log) is a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed in reverse chronological order (the most recent post appears first). Until 2009 blogs were usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group, and often covered a single subject. More recently "multi-author blogs" (MABs) have developed, with posts written by large numbers of authors and professionally edited. MABs from newspapers, other media outlets, universities, think tanks, interest groups and similar institutions account for an increasing quantity of blog traffic. The rise of Twitter and other "microblogging" systems helps integrate MABs and single-author blogs into societal newstreams. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

 The emergence and growth of blogs in the late 1990s coincided with the advent of web publishing tools that facilitated the posting of content by non-technical users. (Previously, a knowledge of such technologies as HTML and FTP had been required to publish content on the Web.)

A majority are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via GUI widgets on the blogs, and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. In that sense, blogging can be seen as a form of social networking. Indeed, bloggers do not only produce content to post on their blogs, but also build social relations with their readers and other bloggers. There are high-readership blogs which do not allow comments, such as Daring Fireball.

Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries; others function more as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (art blogs), photographs (photoblogs), videos (video blogs or "vlogs"), music (MP3 blogs), and audio (podcasts). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts. In education, blogs can be used as instructional resources. These blogs are referred to as edublogs.

On 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence. On 13 October 2012, there were around 77 million Tumblr and 56.6 million WordPress blogs in existence worldwide. According to critics and other bloggers, Blogger is the most popular blogging service used today.

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Some of our brother Pastors and lay people have serious concerns about the propriety of this blog, that is, whether or not the fact that both WELS and non-WELS Pastors work together as editors constitutes a kind of fellowship in the Biblical and doctrinal sense, and therefore might be seen as unionistic and thus improper. I hope I have characterized the concern property. If not, I'm sure there will be someone willing to correct me. 

To be fully honest with you, I must admit that when I first heard this concern I thought it was rather silly and nonsensical, and thus I pretty much ignored these ideas. However, they have been repeated now for over three years, and by some of our synod leaders. Which leaders is not important - you'll just have to take my word for it. But it now occurs to me that perhaps it is time for a more in-depth discussion of this concern. Simply put, is there such a thing as "blog fellowship," akin to Church Fellowship or Altar and Pulpit Fellowship; to wit, an amendment to the Galesburg Rule would be needed: "WELS blogs for WELS Pastors only!" (ditto for ELS, LCMS, CLC, ELDoNA, ACLC, etc....)   

For my part, very obviously, I do not believe there is such a thing as blog fellowship, nor do I believe that anyone should have any perception of such fellowship simply because I, a WELS Pastor, am an associate editor/moderator along with a non-WELS Pastor. 

[By-the-way, and as an aside, perceptions are queer birds, and probably fodder for a discussion of their own. When does a perception become slander? When does a perception become reality? Is perception enough to initiate church discipline? If so, why, and when and how much perception is necessary, and on who's part? Are those who hold a perception - however erroneous - just as guilty as those who may perpetuate said perception, if not more so? Is perception of a improper fellowship putting the best construction on a brother's actions and motives? As I said, another discussion for another time, but perhaps a very important one.]

I maintain that among the millions of blogs on the internet, that there is more than one where WELS and non-WELS (other that ELS) Pastors work together on various duties related to these blogs. In addition, I know of no concerns being raised about such blogs, either by rank-in-file Pastors in the WELS or WELS leaders, at least not to the extent as such complaints have been raised to me about IL. But, on both counts I invite correction.  

Now, I know there are many of my brother Pastors out there who read this blog but do not want to comment on it publicly out of concern they may be seen as supporters of IL, or, if nothing else, at the very least of giving a kind of tacit support and approval for this blog. Let's all agree that anyone who writes in with a comment on this topic shall be totally free from such aspersions, unless they themselves actually say something positive about IL in their comment; and even then it will not be held against them. There, I think that's fair.

So, with the definition above in mind; just what is a blog, theologically speaking? Is it a "ministry?" Is it "church?" Is it a kind of fellowship? If so, what kind, and why? If not, why not? May Pastors - or lay people, for that matter - who are not in doctrinal fellowship, work together on a blog that deals with religious and spiritual questions, and provides a forum for doctrinal discussions? Why or why not? Are perceptions of fellowship enough to prohibit such working together? In addition, is a blog the same as a theological periodical, or is it different? If it is the same, why? If not, why not? Should the same standards be applied to both, or not; why or why not?

Come on, let's talk about this, shall we? It is clearly on the minds of many. Let's get it out in the open and discuss it like humble Christians striving for peaceful, thoughtful, and constructive dialog!

I will be very disappointed if we don't get a lot of comments - especially from those who criticize me for my part in IL. I really do want to hear from you, and are very interested in what you have to say. All I ask is that you say it to me here on IL so we can discuss it openly in spirit of brotherly debate. Thank you!

Deo Vindice!

Pastor Spencer

6 COMMENTS:

Vernon Knepprath said...
Pastor Spencer,

There seems to exist a double standard. A public blog with pastors outside the WELS is fellowship, but a public conference on ministry with pastors outside the WELS is not? Questionable fellowship pratices (to put it generously) by WELS pastors have gone on with ELCA clergy (female pastors among them) in a very public way in 'Change or Die' Conferences, and when I raised concerns about these practices locally in my church, I was immediately judged by some WELS pastors as being judgemental of those 'Change or Die' WELS pastors. "This was not fellowship", they told me. IL is singled out for condemnation by leaders in the synod, while no public condemnations were made toward such events as 'Change or Die'. To be clear, WELS pastors were discussing matters of ministry with ELCA pastors in a public forum, in what many would 'perceive' as a show of fellowship and unity, and synod leadership is publicly mute on the issue. As I said, this seems like a double standard to me, and I can't fathom how it can be justified with those who practice it.
Mr. Joseph Jewell said...
"Blog fellowship" is clearly nonsense on its face, and a red herring besides, especially in this era of free conferences and the like. I have most often seen and heard it used as the "trump card" excuse for discrediting or ignoring the substance of any concerns raised. It is a blunt weapon used as a tool to shut down and silence discussion, nothing more (cf. the treatment of the young laymen and students involved in Ecclesia Augustana [http://ecclesiaaugustana.blogspot.com/2013/03/rusch-encouraged-to-take-your-name-down.html] by MLC authorities).

Furthermore, discipline in the name of this novel form of "fellowship" is only, ever, applied to those perceived as too "confessional" or conservative. One is free to pursue as many projects as one desires with more liberal or emergent Christians. It is, furthermore, hard to read this as anything other than part of a growing trend. What is the synodical embrace of NIV2011, after all, if not a re-alignment of the WELS away from those who treat the words of the Bible as the inspired Word of God (ELS, LCMS, southern Baptists, conservative evangelicals--all of whom quite easily rejected the NIV2011 as a substandard paraphrase, while we collectively wrung our hands and convinced ourselves we could swallow it) and towards those who do not?

Why all the concern over "blog fellowship" and none over "translation fellowship"? I am much more scandalized and ashamed by the fact that so many WELS leaders are so enthusiastic for a Bible that has been universally rejected by our confessional Lutheran brethren and cousins than I am about any level of blogging activity.
Tim Niedfeldt said...
I would agree wholeheartedly with Joe and Vernon, thanks for saving me some typing.

Blog fellowship is not Church. Synod is not even church. Synod is administration (and not that good of administration at that.) Taken to the extreme one could then express dismay at RSS feed fellowship if some article rolls by from a non fellowship source. Where does that nonsense stop. I am willing to entertain any Southeastern Wisconsin synod official over a cup of coffee and a Skillet at any greek family restaurant to discuss a sound rationale for how Blog fellowship should be enforced yet Time of Grace can do whatever the heck they want with anyone they want.

Tim Niedfeldt

PS: As a software developer, if I design a Mobile app with a product feed from CPH would that be Web Service fellowship? Would I be able to develop Open Source Lutheran software? ;)
Rev. Paul A. Rydecki said...
No worries, Father Spencer! Those of us outside the WELS will continue to tolerate comments from WELS members. :)

And we certainly won't consider it to be any form of fellowship. Just a platform to discuss crazy stuff like the Lutheran doctrine confessed in the Book of Concord.
Joel A. Dusek said...
Rev. Spencer,

It is unfortunate that more WELS (and other sympathetic) pastors and laity don't participate in the conversation. My two favorite Lutheran blogs are IL and the BJS at steadfastlutherans.com. On BJS, run by confessional LCMS pastors, there exists robust debate and discussion of issues, as well as apologetics, sermons, and other confessional content. However, getting WELS folks to participate here seems to be like pulling teeth. I can't explain this, except to presume that the concepts of "WELS for WELS only", and "Our Beloved Synod" extend into the blogosphere. The Cult of WELS will not participate in things antithetical to the Cult.

The "blog fellowship" idea seems to be a particular tactic of those within WELS who don't want there to be any discussion or deviation from the WELS line. I do not believe this to be a new concept, but "blog fellowship" is a new way of slinging the arrow of "divisiveness". WELS is OK with debate but only at approved conferences, conventions, and symposia under the control of the bureaucracy. I believe that the academicians at the Seminary are the unofficially approved personnel to settle debates and once the debate is settled, none shall dissent; as we saw with the NIV2011, that includes the Synod President. Recall that the Seminary actually held a Symposium directed specifically at their "perceptions" of Intrepid Lutherans, although it was thinly disguised as a general talks on concepts of blog fellowship. Anything that deviates from the WELS approved methodology and debate processes is accused of being "divisive" and "not putting the best construction on everything", the dual hammers of 1 Corinthians 12 and the 8th Commandment. Dissent and disagreement, no matter how well presented, are not tolerated.

I don't know if there's a fix for this, as the problem is not with the blog, but the concept of dissent. It is likely an obstacle that simply needs to be powered through, confessional Lutherans must simply hold fast, not be intimidated, and continue the discussions. I am thankful for the information on IL (even Mr. Lindee's long articles!) and encourage everyone from laity to Synod President and even the eggheads at the Seminary to join the discussion, even if one doesn't agree.

Spenglergeist!
Joel A. Dusek said...
On a technical note, posting comments from mobile devices, such a iPhones, does not seems to be possible. Comments can be entered but not edited and when attempting to publish the security codes do not appear or are not accepted. Is there an admin option on the Blogger to allow posts from mobile?

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Classic Ichabod -


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Ten Talents For Christ / Change Or Die Conference, 2013.
Don't Fail To Miss It

Jeske made the PDF impossible to copy this year.
Ichabod effect? I think so.
Whachall afraid of, Shrinkers?


Ten Talents For Christ / Change Or Die Conference:


April 18th, 2013  :   Change or Die IV

Rumble at The Harley-Davidson Museum  ®
400 W. Canal St.  Milwaukee, WI
1:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are free, but you must register here in advance
Email any questions to Deb at: deb@siebertfoundation.org
Click on the links for our Inspirational Speakers and Agenda




'via Blog this'

The previous story has lots of detail about this circus and the clowns therein:

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-change-or-die-gathering-for-2012.html

Classic Ichabod:



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.
---

Febreeze has left a new comment on your post "New Change or Die! Gathering for 2012":

I wonder if any of these are growing liturgical churches.

***

GJ - I remember when WELS had a gathering of mission congregations. One pastor was truly confessional and put up a cartoon about someone saying on a couch, "I can't stop going to Church Growth conferences." He got a severe dressing down soon after. His congregation was growing from LCMS defections. He said to me, "I hope my members all die before they find out how WELS is lying to them."

I am guessing the latest Jeske extravaganza is Thrivent-funded. It has that aroma: WELS, LCMS, ELCA.

---

David Becker has left a new comment on your post "New Change or Die! Gathering for 2012":

When I first saw this, I thought it was a parody or something that was made up, but I checked the link and it is indeed an actual event. Intrepid Lutherans reported it too.

***

GJ - David, you laugh out loud when you read Ichabod? All I need to do is report the WELS and Missouri news for LOLs and ROTFLs. They denounce ELCA for abortion and homosexual pastors while working with ELCA congregations. And I am the bad guy. LOL.

PS - This conference is connected with Ten Talents for Christ. Intrepid research and spelling:


The address of "Ten Talents for Christ" listed on their website is:

2323 N. Mayfair Rd., Suite 104

Coincidentally, that's right down the road from the synod office, and it's in the very same building as WELS Kingdom Workers:

2323 N. Mayfair Rd., Suite 400.


The Registered Agent with the State of Wisconsin of Ten Talents for Christ Inc is one -

Danae S Oldenberg, who it appears is an agent for Thrivent and who's (sic) office appears to be 2323 N Mayfair Road Suite 104.

Ten Talents for Christ Inc has not filed paper work with the state of Wisconsin to be recognized as a Charitable 501(c)3 Organization yet, but is a NonStock, Non-Profit Corporation.

Was not able to find out Board of Directors.

The above is all from Public Records available in Wisconsin.

***

GJ - I tolja it smelled like Thrivent. Big grant for the schwaermerpalooza, I promise.

4 comments:

Febreeze said...
I wonder if any of these are growing liturgical churches.
David Becker said...
When I first saw this, I thought it was a parody or something that was made up, but I checked the link and it is indeed an actual event. Intrepid Lutherans reported it too.
christfocused said...
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dana%C3%A9-oldenburg/4/0/a34

Ten Talents for Christ
2011 – Present (1 year) Milwaukee, WI
Connecting people and organizations with needs to people and organizations with resources by providing opportunities to give.

Ten Talents Calendar:
Feb. 23rd 2012
Change or Die III
Contact: Brenda Kuske
414-935-5601, brenda.kuske@thrivent.com
Description: Stories of Growing Lutheran Ministries

Sept. 16 2012
Time of Grace Fundraiser
Danae Oldenburg
414-935-5604, info@tentalentsforchrist.com
David Becker said...
Last week, I sent Christian News an article titled “WELS Divided on Mark Jeske” and several other analytical articles on Pastor Jeske. None of them were printed in the February 6 CN, but that may have been because I encouraged Pastor/Editor Otten to forward the material to Pastor Jeske/Time of Grace Ministries for a response (if they had any) and therefore they may still be in a future edition of CN. If they are never printed in CN, I might possibly forward them to you. I am also considering writing an article titled “Paul McCain Denounces Gregory Jackson as ‘False Teacher,’ ‘Cult Leader.’” CN could print a picture of you with the caption “Cult Leader.” That would be laugh out loud funny. I think that I write some laugh out loud funny stuff too—the style of humor is just a bit different from yours.

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. Matthew 6:24-34.
Behold the Birds of the Air, the Flowers of the Field

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/norma-boecklers-new-book-treasury-of.html


The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2012


Pastor Gregory L. Jackson




The Hymn #396   O For a Faith                                                            4:18 
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       
The Gospel              
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #657                Beautiful Savior                                4:24

Loving Mammon Means Hating God

The Communion Hymn # 305:1-5                       Soul, Adorn Thyself             4:23
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #23    Hallelujah! Let Praises Ring                                        4:77

KJV Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  5 For every man shall bear his own burden.  6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all Thy benefits: that Thou hast given us life and graciously sustained us unto this day: We beseech Thee, take not Thy blessing from us; preserve us from covetousness, that we may serve Thee only, love and abide in Thee, and not defile ourselves by idolatrous love of mammon, but hope and trust only in Thy grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/norma-boecklers-new-book-treasury-of.html

Loving Mammon Means Hating God


KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mounts sets up a comparison that is impossible to ignore, and yet this comparison is constantly ignored, especially in the visible church, which copies the unbelieving world at its worst.

Mammon is not just money but means having an overabundance of wealth and the desire to place one’s security and happiness in that wealth. One person explained it not long ago as someone flying to a destination and being unhappy about not going by private jet instead. Commercial flights are so bothersome. Or having a billion dollars and wishing for several billion dollars, since that is so much better and secures all the happiness one might wish for.

Wealth itself is not condemned in the Bible, although the socialists think so (as long as this lesson does not apply to them). Lydia used her position as a wealthy merchant of the purple dye to help the early church.

There is no question that the unbelieving world worships mammon rather than God. This offends many Christians today, but it is to be expected. Since the True God offends unbelievers, the powers of this age keep believers from having a voice or influence in public affairs. Every form of unbelief is treated with great respect because unbelievers honor unbelievers – they all have the same god – mammon.

Luther himself was faithful to this lesson. He was given a monastery to live in, so he turned it into a motel for visitors. Everyone was welcome, including his enemies. They were welcome at his table, too. Katy had to cope with all the work and even acquired two farms so she could support this enterprise. Luther never took money for his best-selling books and gave away gifts that came to him. Once he gave a gift of gold to newly-weds, who needed it more than he did – Katy was not so sure (Bainton – Here I Stand).

In contrast, the Lutheran Church of today worships mammon. Congregations joke that their new pastor should be independently wealthy - and someone who tithes. Great honor and seriousness surround someone with a lot of money, even when people know it was gained dishonestly through greed and deception. Instead of faith bringing all forgiveness to an individual, money without faith absolves from any and all sin.

To show that money does not accomplish anything by itself, God has displayed for our edification – many congregations die away with great wealth in land and cash, having no members left - or in most cases, no Gospel left at all. The most notorious for promoting false doctrine have monetary wealth in abundance, which attracts the greedy who often rob the endowment for themselves.

But individual cases are overlooked or forgotten. The Lutheran synods of today are great examples of worshiping mammon and hating God. Oddly enough they are united by a common need from long ago. Lutherans were suspicious of insurance companies and insurance itself, so they created their own lodges (AAL and LB and Lutheran Mutual) to provide insurance benefits to members only. Catholics and Masons have the same type of lodge insurance.

The two biggest lodge or fraternal companies merged (due to financial problems) and became Thrivent. Now Thrivent rules ELCA, WELS, LCMS, and ELS with money.

When WELS was challenged for participating in the Snowbird Leadership Conference with ELCA, the official explanation was, “They were going to spend the money, so we did not want them to get our share of it.” In other words, mammon, the delusion that money buys happiness, made them work, worship, and study with ELCA. This was not the virginal ELCA with no history, but Chilstrom’s ELCA that was working hard to ordain and marry homosexuals, as he revealed in a recent article.

Participation by WELS and LCMS meant an endorsement of all that ELCA stood for, but greed and deception rule over the mammon synods. LCMS and WELS together bear false witness against ELCA 24/7, participating in all the ELCA agenda items while pretending to oppose them.

One cannot love God and Thrivent together. A synod cannot love God and Thrivent equally, because that synod will love one and hate the other.

What does it take to buy a synod’s loyalty? LCMS Synd President Matt Harrison said that Missouri got $50 to 60 million a year from Thrivent. I am guessing twice as much (at least) for ELCA and smaller amounts for the ELS and WELS.

What they do not count is what they might have if they stopped relying on selling themselves out for mammon. I have worked with a pan-Lutheran and “independent” Lutheran periodical that were both critical of Thrivent loot – until they got their own grants. Then they were silent.

This silence is the whole problem today. The Christian Church is a mouth church, as Luther said, or a mouth and ear faith, as he described in the healing of the deaf mute. When people silence themselves for fear of offending mammon, they hate God and distrust Him, because they think, “If mammon gets angry with me, I will be denied what I need, but God will understand.” Thus they hate God and honor mammon.

The Gospel is spoken and heard. If no one will teach the Gospel, then no one will hear the Gospel. This ends the creation and sustaining of faith, so the fruits of the Spirit (alternately of the Gospel, of the Word) are no longer in production.

God converts with the Word, not with love, not with money.

God has shown throughout history that those churches and individuals with the least money and power have been the most productive of Gospel blessings for others.

Loehe was confined to a small parish because his supervisors did not want to give him the kind of influence he deserved. What did he do, deprived of money and influence? He started five foreign missions and founded two Lutheran seminaries in America. He did not do this alone, but his influence and Christian leadership combined to initiate all these things that benefited many people.

Passavant, in America, went through a confessional crisis and became a Book of Concord Lutheran. He collected money from all over and used it to help hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and synods get their start. He was not Swedish but became the patron saint of the Augustana Synod. He emphasized sound doctrine and applying the Word of the Gospel. He was also more like a denomination by himself – he even ran the original Lutheran magazine, which he used to fight the anti-Confessional liberals (the Church Growthers of the day). But he bypassed the mammon of a large congregation and income to help Lutherans who needed his support, encouragement and fund-raising abilitities.

Likewise, the Lutheran hospitals and orphanages and similar institutions came from a man whose parish was so poor that he traveled around to raise money to keep it going. From the travels he was inspired to imitate the Catholic nuns and Mennonites to establish deaconess training, which influence Florence Nightingale and modern nursing. That man was Fliedner - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Fliedner

So thank Fliedner’s poverty next time you meet a nurse in a hospital.

Wichern is another pioneer in Christian good works arising from tremendous needs. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Hinrich_Wichern

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/norma-boecklers-new-book-treasury-of.html

Luther is criticized for teaching faith, against works, but these critics have not read Luther. Here is the connection:

5. We find very few, who do not sin against the Gospel. The Lord passes a severe judgment and it is terrible to hear that he should say this of us, and yet no one will confess, yea, no one will suffer it to be said that we hate and despise God and that we are his enemies. There is no one, when asked if he loves God and cleaves to him? would not reply, yes, I love God. But see how the text closes, that we all hate and despise God, and love mammon and cleave to it. But God suffers us to do this until his time; he watches the time and some day he will strike into our midst with all violence, before we can turn around. It is impossible for one, who loves gold and earthly possessions and cleaves to them, not to hate God. For God here contrasts these two as enemies to one another, and concludes, if you love and cleave to one of these two, then you must hate and despise the other. Therefore, however nicely and genteely one lives here upon earth and cleaves to riches, it cannot be otherwise than that he must hate God; and on the other hand, whoever does not cleave to gold and worldly goods, loves God. This is certainly true.

6. But who are they that love God, and cleave not to gold and worldly possessions? Take a good look at the whole world, also the Christians, and see if they despise gold and riches.
It requires an effort to hear the Gospel and to live according to it. God be praised, we have the Gospel; that no one can deny, but what do we do with it? We are concerned only about learning and knowing it, and nothing more; we think it is enough to know it, and do not care whether we ever live according to it. However, on the other hand, one is very anxious when he leaves lying in the window or in the room a dollar or two, yea, even a dime, then he worries and fears lest the money be stolen; but the same person can do without the Gospel through a whole year. And such characters still wish to be considered as Evangelical.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

This is quite an introduction to the Creation comparison Jesus is about to offer. That must have been especially startling to people of that age, when clothing was quite valuable by itself and food was a major consideration each day. But this leads into a picture of Creation that no one can deny.

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

No one can deny this. The birds have almost no storage. Blue jays do a little of this, but it has been shown that a lot of their work actually builds oak forests, since they bury far more than they care to eat. They must be programmed by the Creator to do this.

Each bird wakes up in the morning without a clue about where the next meal will come from. It is possible to gather some birds together with feeders, which is fun to watch. But birds do not favor the snack food of feeders. Humming birds like insects more than sugar water and other birds keep their feeder food down to about 15% of what they eat.

But these birds cheerfully sing with nothing in the bank while we worry and fret with so much – and many safeguards besides.

Likewise the wildflowers bloom with great beauty even though they show this glory for a day and fade away soon after.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

This style of arguing from the lesser to the greater is part of Jewish teaching. The comparison is impossible to miss. God takes care of everyone, especially those of the household of faith. If we can see Him taking care of His Creation so well, how can He not care for our bodily needs?

It is in this area alone where so many lose faith, so Jesus addresses us all this way – o ye of little faith. This is put into one scathing address – You Littlefaiths.

Compound words are fun, and Greek can form them easily. We use them and forget they were compound words until we look at them closely. My favorite from Pilgrim’s Progress is Hategood. The name says it all.

Littlefaith is important because it is a rebuke based upon the principal teaching of the Scriptures – to have faith in God, whose Son died for our sins and rose from the dead.

If we sincerely believe that God removes our sin by His declaration of the Gospel, which causes and increases faith, then we should not doubt His ability and desire to care for our bodily needs.

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31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.


The admonition to “seek first the Kingdom and its righteousness” can be translated as “seek first the Kingdom and the forgiveness of the Gospel”. I favor my own paraphrase because the Word is clear but people take “righteousness” to be a creation of man rather than one from God.

The righteousness from outside of us, from Christ, is the forgiveness of sin, justification by faith.
I went over the basics of UOJ with some Evangelical college students. I described how people believe they are born forgiven and saved, having no sin. I asked how they would respond to that. One said, “If you told me you believed that, I would start praying for you.”

Another person walked in on the discussion and said, “What? You don’t believe that?” I said, “No, but Universalists do.” The students were just shocked that anyone could get such ideas from the plain Word of God. But of course, being born forgiven and saved, and Edward Preuss wrote, was a philosophy alien to Christianity but appealing in an age turning from Pietism to Rationalism. When people are united by works-salvation, they soon explain away the rest.

28. As if the Lord would say: You have never yet seen a bird with a sickle, with which it harvested and gathered into barns; yea, the birds do not labor like we; and still they are nourished. By this the Lord does not however teach that we are to be idle; but he tries by this example to take all anxiety from us. For a bird cannot do the work of a farmer as we do; yet, it is not free from labor, but it does the work for which it was created, namely, it bears its young, feeds them and sings to our Lord God a little song for the privilege of doing this. Had God imposed more labor upon it, then it would have done more. Early in the morning it rises, sits upon a twig and sings a song it has learned, while it knows not where to obtain its food, and yet it is not worried as to where to get its breakfast. Later, when it is hungry, it flies away and seeks a grain of corn, where God stored one away for it, of which it never thought while singing, when it had cause enough to be anxious about its food. Ay, shame on you now, that the little birds are more pious and believing than you; they are happy and sing with joy and know not whether they have anything to eat.

29. This parable is constantly taught to our great and burning shame, that we cannot do as much as the birds. A Christian should be ashamed before a little bird that knows an art it never acquired from a teacher. When in the spring of the year, while the birds sing the most beautifully, you say to one:

How canst thou sing so joyfully, thou hast not yet any grain in thy barn! It would thus mock you. It is a powerful example and should truly give offense to us and stir us to trust God more than we do. Therefore he concludes with a penetrating passage, and asks: “Are not ye of much more value than they?”

30. Is it not a great shame that the Lord makes and presents to us the birds as our teachers, that we should first learn from them? Shame on thee, thou loathsome, infamous unbelief! The birds do what they are required to do; but we not. In Genesis 1:28 we have a command that we are to be lords over all God’s creatures; and the birds are here our lords in teaching us wisdom. Away with godless unbelief! God makes us to be fools and places the birds before us, to be our teachers and rule us, in that they only point out how we serve mammon and forsake the true and faithful God. Now follows the other example of the flowers in the field, by which the Lord encourages us not to worry about our raiment; and it reads thus: “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious concerning raiment?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”

31. As if to say, your life is not yours, nor is your body, you cannot make it one cubit longer or shorter; neither be anxious as to how you are to clothe yourself. Behold the flowers of the field how they are adorned and clothed, neither do they anything to that end; they neither spin nor work, yet they are beautifully clothed.