Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Look at Adult Education in the Synods and Find the Agenda.
See the WELS Documented Blog for Proof

Not Madam Mueller, but WELS Pastor Adam Mueller,
where children are encouraged to put women's makeup
on the pastor and church council members.


From WELS Pastor Steve Spencer:

Notice that there are no meetings where a Pastor can learn: "How to return your congregation to every-Sunday communion;" "How to introduce the Lutheran Practice of Private Confession in your congregation;" "How to lower the age of First Communion for the spiritual benefit of your children;" "How clergy clothes aid in outreach;" "Why the Crucifix is still 'Lutheran';" "How to encourage your congregation in using the Sign of the Cross in their daily lives;" "Why Icons are more than mere decorations for the church building;" "What the Common Cup teaches us about Holy Communion;" "Kneeling is not just for Romans;" etc....... Sad, all these "fixes" for our churches and members, and very few are any different from what one would get from any sectarian church down the street. In fact, the sectarians do all this way better than we do. Meanwhile, the actual and real "fixes" - in the Means of Grace - are almost an afterthought within the church that should be the champion of these Means. We have lost our way. In our rush to ape the "successful" sectarians, we have pretty much turned our backs on our Lutheran and Apostolic heritage. And for this we expect God's blessings?! Read Malachi 1 - and weep.

Very wise observation, Pastor Spencer. As simple-minded a post this may be, it touches upon the shift WELS has taken. We may teach how important the Means of Grace are, but by our actions we don't rely upon it. I was saddened this past weekend as I saw the tweets and Facebook posts coming from your neck of the woods. Glowing reviews of a Christian leadership conference that trumpeted business tactics and statistics, rather than the Means of Grace. And I also noticed on the WELS Kingdom workers Facebook page how one WELS member who dared disagree with this way of thinking was soundly told how wrong he was. Anyone ready to have a discussion about this?

WD2


  1. Spencer's comment from January 13 at 7:16pm shows clearly he's a sacerdotalist.
    Reply
  2. For those who may not know what Sacerdotalism is, here's the definition: "Religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and humankind."

    Is that really what Pastor Spencer was emphasizing? I, for one, don't think so.


    WD2
    Reply
  3. Spencer is equating outward observance with a return to the means of grace. He's also promoting practices that have been rejected by confessional Lutherans, such as infant communion. A church can have a solid law and gospel, means of grace ministry without reverting back to the outward practices of Catholicism. Does Spencer believe that the means of grace are only valid when an ordained clergyman administers them? He used to refer to himself as "Father," just like a Catholic priest. Does he still do that? Does he still want people to call him that? Folks should be careful to realize that a faithful means of grace ministry, faithful to the Word and the Lutheran Confessions, does not automatically mean a return to Roman Catholic practices and emphases.
    Reply
  4. What I said was, "Meanwhile, the actual and real "fixes" - in the Means of Grace - are almost an afterthought within the church that should be the champion of these Means." I did not say what we need is to rely on the pastor as some kind of necessary go-between between the people and their God. Indeed, the Lutheran Confessions expressly reject this, as do I. The brave name-calling anonymous commentor obviously has no idea either what the Confessions teach or what a sacredotalist actually teaches. The other usual charge made in this connection is "Romanism," which is just as inaccurate, as all the practices I mentioned were already in place and the norm in the world-wide Christian Church long before the Roman Papacy and its false teachings took over a good portion of the visible church. Again, the Means of Grace really do work - maybe not always the way we silly humans want them to - but they always work the way God wants them to work, and isn't that the whole point of the church?!
Notice the name change in WELS, from Adult Education to Adult Discipleship.
These four blokes are only part of the Mark Jeske Mob.

According to Slick Brenner, Wayne Mueller was pushed out of teaching at the Sausage Factory because of his Reformed doctrine. (Ditto Joel Gerlach) So WELS gave Wayne a big raise and put him in charge of Perish Services (aka proven methods of killing Lutheran doctrine and worship). When Wayne was promoted again to First VP (hefty salary), he was replaced by Bruce Becker (drive-by DMin), who now works openly with Mark Jeske.

When Wayne Mueller took over Perish Services, he immediately changed two job titles: Youth Education became Youth Discipleship. Adult Education became Adult Discipleship. The word disciple is pivotal for the Church Shrinkage Movement, which hectors people to "make disciples who make disciples" instead of preaching the Gospel of justification by faith and administering the Sacraments. Church Shrinkage has always assumed the cell group model of Pietism, and WELS has trampled over the other sects in rushing into Fuller's world and chasing the mirages with a vengeance.

ELCA went from women's ordination to gay ordination
to women running all the schools. Here is the first woman to head a dying seminary.
WELS is eager to follow ELCA.


Adult Education
I decided to study adult education methods for a master's degree. What really matters is the content, and that has been heavily skewed to the left, ever since FDR's presidency. The Church Shrinkers work exactly like the Leftists in politics. They have the same methods and want to reverse everything with the same mindless passion.

I remember seeing the LCMS Michigan District's committee name - Evangelism and Church Growth. Aha, we do not want people to think of Evangelism being The Gospel, but Evangelism meaning the doctrinal content of Fuller Seminary pea-brains and hot-air merchants. The Fuller disciples do make Fuller disciples. The Lutherans (even ELCA) have spent millions at Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, and Trinity Divinity School.

Therefore, esteemed alumni of Fuller, WC, and Trinity have the same mocking attitude toward Lutheran doctrine and worship that their mentors exude. James Huebner (Wayne Muller.2) is another Fuller devotee who has mocked the efficacy of the Word in his sad, confused publications, but he is First VP anyway. And he often leads people down the dark pathways he has trod - Adult Discipleship.

Why are so many conferences held throughout WELS? There is a constant effort to drum the ideology of Mark Jeske, Paul Kelm, and Larry Olson into every remaining noggin in the sect. They should hurry, because WELS will not last much longer under the current leadership.

WELS is an interesting study because of its small size and lust for brain-dead conformity. Missouri pastors can always point to their alternative groups and lobbies, but they are traveling down the same well-greased road.

Missouri will end up like the Episcopal Church, lots of money in the vault, very few members in church.

"We love the diversity that agrees with our iron-fisted rule."
Episcopal and Lutheran motto.
Posted by Ichabod the Glory Has Departed at 8:14 AM
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