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| More Hoenecke, Less Jeske |
Friday, July 31, 2015
More of this & Less of that in the Synod
To begin with though, on our survey, we asked, "What would you like to see more of in the Synod" and "What would you like to see less of in the Synod".
We will start compiling those results on this page so everyone can see and discuss them.
What you would like to see more of in the Synod:
- Communion every Sunday every Service
- Pastors who seek out Private Confession & Absolution
- Pastors who catechize their flocks on the great benefit of Private Confession & Absolution
- More chanting as found in the Altar Book
- More prayer services (daily office) during the week
- More home visitation
- More organ, piano, cellos, trumpets, harps
- More a Capella singing in church and at home
- First communion offered to prepared catechumens when they are ready, not at 14 cause they're 14
- Local WELS pastors getting to know their local LCMS counterparts
- Pastors, not lay people, hitting the streets and neighborhoods knocking on doors
- Above all, fathers praying with their children and wives at home every day
- Actual confessionalism, actual unity, actual walking together
- Historic liturgy and use of the lectionary
What would you like to less of in the Synod:
- Illumines, Crosswalks, COREs, etc.
- Evangelical books, speakers
- Stop being afraid of being small or losing the young folks
- Baby boomers
- Pastors who aren't willing to consider denying communion to unprepared young people (and old people)
- Staff ministers
- "WELS" Evangelical rocking youth rallies
- Pastors who won't read the Confessions and de facto don't hold onto them with a quia subscription
- Contemporary songs
- Churches that want to look like non denominationals
AnonymousJuly 31, 2015 at 8:15 PM
Impressive lists. The image I have of WELS is pastors in t-shirts and jeans, Christian pop songs, no liturgy.
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| More Gausewitz, Less Glende |
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| More Luther, Less Joel Osteen |
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Millennials Want It: The Demand for a Confessional Lutheran Convention
Our latest survey results:
Over 90% of the respondents to our survey would like to attend a strictly Confessional Lutheran Millennial Convention. Furthermore, over 50% of those would travel over 500 miles to attend with an average of 5 or more attending from their congregation.
Young people today have been marketed to all their lives, and they can see past gimmicks and tricks. They don’t needchurch to pretend to be something it’s not – an entertainment venue, a relationship course, a nightclub. They find it refreshing to enter a building which openly proclaims itself as a worship space, to take part in ceremonies and rhythms which unashamedly focus on worship. They’ve swapped the salesman’s pitch for simple sacraments.
In an era of continuous rapid change, young people are seeking to feel grounded and connected to their past. In the midst of chaotic change and technology, there is a strong desire to be rooted and grounded in traditions of the past.
What do Millennials want to learn at a Confessional Lutheran Convention?
The top three items include:
1. Study of the Historical Lutheran Liturgy
2. Study the Book of Concord
3. Confessional Lutheran Meets Today’s Social Issues
Millennials are leaving churches in droves; why don’t we give them what they want?
1/3 of American adults under 30 state they have no religious affiliation and 88% of the religiously unaffiliated say they're not looking for a religion that is right for them.
LCMS offers it and it’s overwhelmingly popular; why doesn’t WELS?
Age Bracket of our Current Rallies:
1. WELS International Youth Rally – Around High School Age
2. ELS with the LYA Rally – Around High School Age
3. WELS Regional Youth Rallies – Start as young as 4th Grade
The need exists for an actual Millennial Convention for the 17-29 age group.
Currently Offered at our Rallies (We're NOT saying these are bad, but simply that they reach a different audience):
1. WELS International Youth Rally - Morning Devotions, Optional Breakout Sessions, Daily Excursions off Campus
2. ELS with the LYA Rally – Classes that include Pottery, Photography, Cartoon Drawing
Meanwhile the LCMS Higher Things offers 14 Worship services, 123 breakout sessions (68 unique), plus evening entertainment during their Tuesday to Friday Convention.
The need exists for a WELS Millennial Convention that offers multiple worship services with the Lord’s Supper; a chance to dig deep into the Book of Concord, Historical Liturgy, Adiaphora Traditions, Social Issues, & Bible translations.
Not Competing; but Complimenting
A Millennial Convention of this sort would NOT compete with what both the WELS and ELS already does, and is very successful at, but rather this would compliment it by filling in the missing gap and giving Millennials’ what they keep asking for.
Over 90% of the respondents to our survey would like to attend a strictly Confessional Lutheran Millennial Convention. Furthermore, over 50% of those would travel over 500 miles to attend with an average of 5 or more attending from their congregation.
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| Confessional Lutheran Millennial Convention |
In an era of continuous rapid change, young people are seeking to feel grounded and connected to their past. In the midst of chaotic change and technology, there is a strong desire to be rooted and grounded in traditions of the past.
What do Millennials want to learn at a Confessional Lutheran Convention?
The top three items include:
1. Study of the Historical Lutheran Liturgy
2. Study the Book of Concord
3. Confessional Lutheran Meets Today’s Social Issues
Millennials are leaving churches in droves; why don’t we give them what they want?
1/3 of American adults under 30 state they have no religious affiliation and 88% of the religiously unaffiliated say they're not looking for a religion that is right for them.
LCMS offers it and it’s overwhelmingly popular; why doesn’t WELS?
Age Bracket of our Current Rallies:
1. WELS International Youth Rally – Around High School Age
2. ELS with the LYA Rally – Around High School Age
3. WELS Regional Youth Rallies – Start as young as 4th Grade
The need exists for an actual Millennial Convention for the 17-29 age group.
Currently Offered at our Rallies (We're NOT saying these are bad, but simply that they reach a different audience):
1. WELS International Youth Rally - Morning Devotions, Optional Breakout Sessions, Daily Excursions off Campus
2. ELS with the LYA Rally – Classes that include Pottery, Photography, Cartoon Drawing
Meanwhile the LCMS Higher Things offers 14 Worship services, 123 breakout sessions (68 unique), plus evening entertainment during their Tuesday to Friday Convention.
The need exists for a WELS Millennial Convention that offers multiple worship services with the Lord’s Supper; a chance to dig deep into the Book of Concord, Historical Liturgy, Adiaphora Traditions, Social Issues, & Bible translations.
Not Competing; but Complimenting
A Millennial Convention of this sort would NOT compete with what both the WELS and ELS already does, and is very successful at, but rather this would compliment it by filling in the missing gap and giving Millennials’ what they keep asking for.
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| More pastors, fewer sausage factory clones. |
