Reader Asks about WELS-CLC (sic), Church Growth, Manufacturing Disciples

The WELS' social media is so bad and I would hate for the CLC leadership to come to a fellowship with them without recognizing how terrible the leadership at MLC is with discipline. I very much think you would be the best Dean of Students there to get things in order so they quit leading children astray.

***

GJ - The author asked about Church Growth, making disciples, Matthew 18, and the inevitable WELS-CLC merger.

First of all, both groups are in such rapid decline that they will need to work out some kind of arrangement. The Tiefel cousins, James and Paul, would love that, because both men teach the same false doctrine.

But a WELS-CLC (sic) merger would be as effective as the KMart-Sears combo, two dying turkeys linked together in a swan dive.

Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

This passage not only refers to the young but also to those who are still new in the Christian Faith. The obnoxious abuse of students at the prep, college, and seminary level is an abomination. WELS uses it to drive out anyone who might object to anything in Holy Mother Sect. The system of abuse also hardens and blinds those who go along by participating or by saying nothing.

Parents have their part in this - 

• Our little prince or princess can do no wrong.
• Our child is essential for the school team, so discipline would hurt the school.
• We were worse in college.
• I'm a WELS "name" so my kid gets high grades, no matter what.

These parental attitudes are found in all schools, because so many parents want to be pals, not mother and father. Teachers also let students bulldoze them, knowing that to do otherwise would have parents and the administration on their necks. We have become a nation of spineless, whimpering followers who will do more than produce another generation.

I had some remarkable college students locally, products of homeschooling. One had never been in a formal classroom before. Another came in with 40 college credits. Those students are self-disciplined, respectful, and mature. Most college students just out of public high school are still working at a junior high level in emotional maturity and academics. In synodical schools the deficits are covered up but show so well in the lackluster leadership years later. 

In WELS, the culture of alcoholism has a profound corrupting effect on everything, from rampant immorality in the church workers to DUI cover-ups of the same. A DUI ticket means a transfer and a new job. Drunks do not discipline drunks.

Manufacturing Disciples - The Great Divide

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

WELS-CLC-ELS leaders favor the Babtist reading of this passage, because they study with Babtists at Fuller and Pietists at Trinity Divinity. The non-Lutheran (or really - the Anti-Lutheran) Protestants are death on the Sacraments. This is a Sacramental passage, not a Church Growth passage. The Fullerites cannot conceive anything happening without the plans, goals, and Management by Objective methods of their deluded followers.

The Fuller drones see this as Law rather than a Gospel admonition, as Little Ichabod once observed with remarkable sagacity. The Church must make disciples who make disciples who make disciples, as Kent Hunter (LCMS) and Joel Gerlach (WELS) said fatuously.  Kent even added this bit of wisdom - Sheep have sheep - shepherds don't. 

How far Lutherdom has fallen from the Means of Grace. The Word begets new creations, and people have the privilege and honor of teaching that effective Word.

Church Growth and manufacturing disciples are velcroed together. Those who deny "making disciples" - as I did in both sects - are driven out as scoundrels, bounders, and black sheep who have black sheep who have black sheep. Clearly, the abusive (not conservative) sects see the Means of Grace as dangerous to their hedonistic goals.

Two other pastors who served in the Ohio Conference of the Michigan District, WELS, were driven out by the "conservative" John Seifert for criticizing "making disciples." He also sent out Death Squads to get rid of all signers of the Intrepid Lutherans, but somehow missed any discipline towards the Jeske-Patterson Crime Family and its vipers' nest of groups, associations, youth rallies, and joint meetings with ELCA.

The text itself

Their magic formula is the basic Greek word for disciple used as a verb, so that must mean "make disciples." Now that everyone is thoroughly New NIVed, the truth does not matter. Grammar cannot be taught in a sect where the clergy cannot even spell or form coherent sentences. The Gurgle clan seems to be 100% illiterate, the Bidens of bureaucracy, so that helped their upward journey and the downward spiral of WELS.

 

This is Ski's photo of Andy Stanley worship.
In fact, Ski said he and the eight WELS church workers
all worshiped there at the conference.
Does this rock nightclub ambiance remind anyone
of the ideal WELS venue? 

The text calls for "all nations" being the direct object of the verb. If one wants to use the word disciple as a verb, that is easy 

Go therefore, and disciple all nations, teaching and baptizing...

May I point out how Sacramental this is? OK, I will. The verb disciple involves a teacher-student relationship. Teaching and baptizing implies that the Word will convert those who listen attentively and sincerely. Holy Baptism is very important to entire families, adults and children alike. Nota bene - children are not excluded from the Great Commission, another problem to be fixed by a future edition of the New NIV. For the adults, baptism is the seal and promise of their relationship with the Good Shepherd. For children, baptism is the definite, visible beginning of their relationship with their Savior. That is why Babtists today dedicate their children, using the Gospel Promises of Holy Baptism. They know this makes a difference in the lives of children.

Fuller, following their sociologist McGavran, says - "make disciples of your own ethnic group, because people do not like to cross racial lines in church." So where is that in the Bible? Galatians is just the opposite, so ignore that. Here is where greed displays its fangs and claws. The goal is not to bring Jesus to the world, without regard to money or race, but to bring cash and luxurious living to the wolf-preacher.

Infant Baptism and Dedication

As the father of two little girls who were baptized as babies yet never talked, I can tell people, "They believed. They heard the Gospel and when people spoke of Jesus, they responded as all believing children do. One nurse even said that Erin astonished her with knowing facial expressions." When parents lose children young without infant baptism, they worry and try to preach the child into heaven. "They were young. They were innocent. They are angels now." Such terrible doubts and strange assurances replace the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Bethany had tantrums to get her way and laughed when I identified her scheme. Erin was jealous of other children in the hospital, so we had to assure her. 

Naturally, when we diminish the work of God we have to glorify the work of man. That is the true agenda of "making disciples." I asked a prominent Evangelical about lackluster congregations. His solution was to form cell groups to "make disciples." He forgot to mention he was teaching about marriage and cheating on his wife while he was making disciples. How many little ones in the faith fell away when their celebrity minister was sacked for adultery?

The guardians of the English language will not allow the Bible to use "teach" twice in two verses. But they love to say "making disciples who make disciples who make disciples." Too bad they never read the second verse thoroughly - teaching them to observe all I have commanded. They are quite selective in picking and choosing what they want to use - a little half-verse here, a little Management by Objective there, a little Gospel, a lot of Law, grace without the Means of Grace, salvation without the Word or faith.

Lacking in the Tents in the New Church Growth Circus Clowns

Wherever the Jeske-Patterson clones get a fat grant from Holy Mother Sect, they set up entertainment, not worship, passive not interactive, and they omit four things if at all possible:

1. The pulpit, because it suggests a Gospel sermon about the Word instead of a coaching session based on blowhard motivational speakers.
2. The pipe organ, because that is the best musical instrument for supporting liturgical worship and classical hymns with Christian content.
3. The baptismal font, because Jesus emphasized an infant and adult baptizing Church, convicting the world of its unbelief in Him (John 16).
4. The altar, because Holy Communion is the norm for Sunday services and all special Holy Days.

The Church Growth wolves will make sure they have:

• A sound system that will induce tremors in everyone's sternum.
• Soft drinks to take into church.
• Bags of treats to munch during the entertainment seeker service.
• A sleazy, half-baked, talentless rock band to attract the balding boomers and provide potential income when the group goes on the road. Don't judge. Jeske's Koine group demands $3,000 up front to appear.

Luther Paraphrasing Paul - Worth Reading and Remembering

Those who advance UOJ, forgiveness without faith,
should remember this, especially if they acknowledge in print
the importance of Luther's Galatians Commentary to the Book of Concord editors.

A reader sent this to me from an earlier Ichabod post and wrote about how powerful this one quotation was and is.

I responded that the Luther-ignorant will read this as "Luther's opinion"  and say, "I follow Jesus, not Luther." But this is an excellent restating of Paul's message.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Reading List in Theology at Concordia University - Mequon, Wisconsin

Both are available, linked as PDFs, on the left column - as are all the other Lulu books.

Here is the list of Martin Chemniz Press books on one page, plus the ordering link for printed copies.

Wowing the Doctor's Office with Roses

We brought roses to our favorite doctor yesterday. He was struck by the beauty and strength of the hybrid tea roses I selected - Mr. Lincoln, Veterans Honor, John Paul II, Peace, and a few others. Mr. Lincoln was in full bloom at the end of a long cane, so it looked like a dinner plate Dahlia. Veterans Honor was in the tangle of straw, raspberries, and weeds, with perfect blooms calling to be displayed.

The receptionist was so awestruck that she forgot to check Mrs. Ichabod in, which meant we waited extra. I usually talk to the doctor about gardening or theology.

The doctor asked for suggestions on better roses. He was disappointed in his KnockOut roses, so I will aim this at KnockOut roses, which are disease free and very productive.

The four major factors are:

• Buying red wiggler earthworms, to aerate, fertilize, and mix the soil. They contribute enormously in helping the microbes do their work in keeping plant nutrition in the top foot of soil.
• Placing shredded wood mulch promotes composting on the spot, feeds soil microbes, holds water evaporation and wind erosion to a minimum, and retards weed growth.
• Watering when necessary keeps the roses blooming.
• Pruning, pruning, pruning. KnockOuts are so productive that they quickly turn into a bush full of spent roses, which look rather sad. After our torrential rains, KnockOuts looked...knocked out. The solution for a large bush full of spent and soggy flowers is to cut it back by 50%. I did this several times this summer, starting in early spring, and have 6 foot roses with 35 flowers on each one. Roses are hormonal. They want to be become parents and go to seed, slow down. When pruned, a rose bush will recognize its Creation-driven urge to grow buds and bloom.

• 

The worst ideas are using:

1. Pesticides. Even "safe" oil spray, will kill all the pests and the beneficial bugs - including hundreds of spiders. That is doubly bad in killing hard-working bugs on the spot but also in removing the food that sparks beneficial bugs into attacking and thriving as plant protectors.
2. Inorganic fertilizer. - The big rose gardens and Queen Elizabeth abhor inorganic aids. Chemical fertilizer harms roses by slowing down the soil microbes and creatures that make plants productive. Most of the potent chemicals simply sink into the water table, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown - as Lord Byron would say.
3. Fungicides and herbicides. They attack the soil creatures without being beneficial in the long run for the roses.. KnockOuts do not need fungicides at all, and my two years straight of growing roses here have proven that some blackspot (a fungus) will come and go without anything more needed than pruning away the bad places. KOs will not blackspot.
4. The rototiller. Colonial farmers did well in breaking up the forest soil to convert the earth to farming, but osterizing the surface is now counter-productive. 

Love, bless, protect, and foster all beneficial creatures:

• Beneficial bug plants will serve to keep the best creatures in the yard to do their duty when wounded roses call out for help. 
• Sunflowers, coreopsis, cone flowers, and daisies will harbor parasitoid bugs, who will lay eggs on, near, or in the pests.
• Spiders will rest in the wood mulch and among the bushes to devour insects. 
• Toads will populate a yard where logs on the ground, flat pans of water, and organic insects will make them feel at home. 
• Birds will attack pests with tireless energy to feed their young. If given bird baths and natural food (sunflowers, berries, seedy plants) they will flourish, remain, and earn their keep. 
• Wild areas, such as tall grass, piles of leaves, and stick or wood piles will harbor beneficial insects like the beetles than roam at night and kill pests, returning to their peaceful homes in the leaves and clutter to raise their young to do the same.

Man Makes Gardening Difficult - But God Makes It Easy

A chemical gardener will have an array of stinky chemicals to make gardening difficult, expensive, and frustrating. No problem - if one chemical fails, try another and another and another. 

All the timing and signals are arranged and designed by God in advance, and the benefits  organized down to the microbe level. One does not need to know how the parasitoid insects work in order to energize them. However, observing and identifying them will motivate any gardener to plan around them and gain from their obsessive work on our behalf.

John Parlow Shows How To Be a Big, Boomin' Success in WELS - Attend a Babtist Seminary for a Drive-by DMin.Copying Sermons Is Another Good Plan

2009 post - now being viewed by multiple readers.

Michael Ray
Gender: Male
Industry: Communications or Media
Occupation: Film Reviewer
Location: Colorado
About Me
Michael is an artist with a background in directing and acting. He holds an MDiv. from Denver Seminary and a B.A. in English and a minor in Theatre from Colorado Christian University. He's been a musician, preacher, artist, puppeteer, editor, and writer.

Favorite Music
The Cars Fountains of Wayne The Strokes U2 REM and anything 80s pop.
Favorite Books
Authors: Steinbeck Baum Lewis Tolkien N.T. Wright.

---


Quiz: Which one is a Babtist?

Preview free - or buy - the DMin paper.

Church and Chicanery Bigshot John Parlow, who worshiped with Ski at Northpoint Babtist in Atlanta, picked up a DMin at Denver Seminary. Here is his thesis, linked:

Dramatic sketches in weekend messages to increase cognitive retention of the main point and suggested application
by John M Parlow

Type: Thesis/dissertation : Manuscript Archival Material; English
Publisher: 2007.
Editions: 2 Editions
Dissertation: Thesis (D.Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2007.
OCLC: 183071617

Find a church where Denver graduates are serving:

St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church
2066 Lawrence Dr.
De Pere, WI 54115
920-336-2485


Note below how the Conservative Babtist Seminary dumped its name to market its product more effectively.

Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary. The school changed its name again in 1998 to Denver Seminary to reflect its growing appeal to a wide-spectrum of evangelical students, most of whom were no longer from the Conservative Baptists Association. This book gives a comprehensive overview of Denver Seminary’s history as it developed from a small denominational school to a major evangelical seminary under Grounds leadership. This statement was first used by Grounds to stake out Denver Seminary’s theological position in the midst of conflict between moderately conservative and ultra-conservative factions of the Conservative Baptist Association that eventually led the ultra-conservative faction to withdraw from the CBA and found the Conservative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Craig Williford, 2000-present Denver Seminary is accredited by Association of Theological Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the prestigious Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP). Denver Seminary’s flagship training and mentoring program, started by former president Clyde McDowell, has distinguished the seminary from similar evangelical schools and led to a significant increase in student enrollment since it was launched in 1998. Denver Seminary Magazine, published quarterly since 1981, addresses current topics in the church and ministry and is distributed primarily to Denver Seminary alumni and other financial supporters.



Michael Ray has nothin' on Busta Gut,official trademark of Church and Chicanery.

WELS - Something Wrong with Their Hazing Culture

The author is referring to this post, comparing West Point hazing with WELS.

 I attended a Catholic high school and a Catholic high school  -- no hazing.  I attended Concordia Seminary and never heard of this kind of thing.  To say there is something wrong in WELS is an understatement.

Free Mulch Found Next Door

Most plants love mulch - some cats love dogs.

We used a few bags of cyprus mulch to finish the main rose bed. The eight KnockOut roses had about 280 blooms altogether, decorating the front yard. The hybrid tea roses were blooming shyly, a few blooms for each rose, providing quite a selection in roses, color, and fragrance.

Every few days I cut more roses for neighbors and friends, which keeps all the bushes in production and looking great. I leave the blooms on the KnockOuts a little longer, for color, and they are also good for bouquets.

The recently trimmed crepe myrtle showed off its first new bloom, more like a tiny pink feather for now.

My other concern was the blueberry patch. Lowe's did not have acidic peat moss for digging in the blueberries, so I settled for peat compost, a combination of peat and horse manure. Blueberries like acid, but Almost Eden advised me that mulching with pine needles would help. He followed the same recipe to show customers that mulching alone was sufficient, if not the ultimate.

Our neighbor has pine trees, so they have needles galore and pine cones too. Our helper took the wheelbarrow over and filled it with mulch, just as I nabbed the same amount in grass clippings from our landscaper neighbor. The grass went for the sunny garden, and leaves will provide another blanket for the soil creatures.

The pine needles now fill the blueberry row with a potent aroma of Pinesol. I never used pine before, so I was startled that dried pine needles retained so much fragrance.

Vines
English Ivy
Most of our vines are doing well. The English Ivy on the front porch is completely neglected, not even trimmed. One little stem has grown under the door. One of our first concerns when moving was filtering light through the picture window. Our special wooden shelves are there, and sunlight would eventually eat away at them. I put on a plastic window treatment that would eliminate most of the rays and let sunlight through.

The vine began framing and decorating the window, even though the growing area is the little front porch - no soil except on the far side. This spring a bird sat on the vine and pecked away at its rival mirrored in the semi-opaque glass, every day. He had to be a male seeking dominance for his lady love.

The nectar and pollen are bound to attract insects,
hummingbird baby food.

Trumpet Vine
The three Trumpet Vines have begun to grow. I laughed at a column I saw on the Net, making Trumpet Vine sound like The Kudzu Vine That Swallowed Atlanta. The vines arrived looking like dried sticks, but I soaked them in rainwater for several hours and planted them. One is climbing on the Wright fence. One is climbing the maple in the front yard. The third one was planted in the shade of a tree in the backyard, mostly neglected. I made a point of watering the first two, which also enjoy sunlight. The third vine is doing almost as well, without much water or sunlight.

Norma Boeckler has a Trumpet Vine, with beautiful orange blooms, very attractive to hummingbirds, whose little ones grow on insects - not sugarwater. No, I am not condemning those who support the hummingbird feeder industry. For good results, plants for the nestlings and shelter for the parents should be considered.

Boston Ivy is wonderful, full employment for the groundskeepers.

Boston Ivy
The hated and loved Boston (Japanese) Ivy, which adorns so much of the Ivy League, sits in the sun and grows like crazy when planted in the shade, trying to reach the sun. Since it really is wild grape, Boston Ivy provides fruit for birds. I do not mind inheriting it, but I am leery of starting a plant that groundskeepers curse later.

Honeysuckle gets compost this fall.
It will grow over the dead tree stump, which is fairly tall.
When our landscaper friend was cutting up the dead tree, which had fallen over,
I said, "Woodman spare that tree. I want a vine trellis for free."

Honeysuckle Vine
Like most vines, Honeysuckle has a romantic image and steely roots. I was trying to dig some for a friend to grow. It was more like a tangle of cable, one big tenacious unit. I patted it back down - later, maybe after the rain.

Passion Flower Vine - Maypop
Mine was chewed by slugs and never made it past Baltic Avenue. I may try again next year, but not likely.

Cow Vetch

The fence is colorful when the Cow Vetch blooms.

Cow Vetch
This homely name is owned by a member of the bean family. Its seeds are loved by budgies but hated by those who consider it an aggressive pest. On its own, Cow Vetch climbed my back fence and flowered. Later a group of birds were eating the seed sown by the vine.

Morning Glory, like Cow Vetch,
wins by sowing seed.

Morning Glory
This vine entered the backyard, unbidden. Mr. Gardener tells me it was growing when he moved nextdoor 35 years ago. Last year, during fall cleanup, he put all his extra Morning Glory vines in my compost. When I saw the pile of vines there, I thought, "Yes,  I have them too."

WELS Respionse about Hazing

The point of WELS hazing is total conformity to the sect,
continuing an atmosphere of deceit and fear.

Good morning Pastor Jackson, 

I just read the comments from Grumps concerning MLS hazing. Hazing and 
initiation rituals have been present in many educational institutions. I never 
cared for any of it. I have found the rationalization to be extremely lame. The 
defenders of it sometimes try to draw an analogy to military boot camp. Besides 
being a logical fallacy, it is also an insult to the military and the purpose of 
boot camp. Recently, it became public that the West Point pillow fights got 
dirty and some cadets were injured. Military academies tend to keep a closer 
watch on this. Forty five years ago, freshman initiation was common at the 
public high school that I attended. Two upperclassmen tried to drag me to the 
boys' room for a head dunking in a porcelain bowl. They stopped suddenly in the 
hallway. I looked up and saw the stern face of the vice principal. Somehow I 
made it through high school just fine without being initiated. 

When I went to a professional school, all of the fraternities had their hell 
week for the pledges. Most of the fraternity houses were a considerable distance 
away. Those of us in the dormitories saw no advantage to belonging to one. I 
thought of them as a collegiate version of the Freemasons. They pitched their 
access to gouges as an advantage to exam answers so the student did not have to 
study. As a college instructor, you are aware of how lazy students can get at 
times. There is no substitute for hard work and knowing the material. 

Still, there is something different about WELS hazing. It is not nearly as 
innocuous as West Point pillow fights or pledges wearing pots and pans for a 
week. When you intimidate and degrade initiates, you can have the goods on them. 
You have pointed out how various WELS conventions are like a meeting of a good 
old boys' club. Likewise, the references made by called workers to classmates. 
There certainly is more there than just sharing the required classes. Even 
though the claim is made that GA no longer exists, this type of activity simply 
does not disappear by executive decision. WELS leadership has a long history of 
being less than honest with the laity. 

***

GJ - GA now exists as HB, just change two initials and carry on the abuse.

If you go through the proper channels,
the clergy will take you - the victim - to court.
"We don't want your opinion, only your approval."

Blowhards of the Great Apostasy - They Surface to Point Their Claws at Hooves at Other Heretics

Gerhard Forde, ELCA, is much admired by ELCA and apostate Protestants
of all stripes and sects. The LCMS is quite enthralled with his leavings.

Every so often an individual will post something worthwhile on SpenerQuest, a group website devoted to praising Walther and one another. The gravitational pull is so great that Rolf Preus left the LCMS, got removed from the Little Sect on the Prairie, organized the Rolf Synod, saw the Rolf Synod depart from him, and rejoined the LCMS. No one has posted about how many synods he has been affiliated with, but perhaps they lost count, as I did.

Robert C. Baker did some presaging in his June 24, 2015, post on the LQ thread, "Reformation500 speaker admits a legacy," which was about the news that Billy Graham's grandson, Tullian Tchividjian, had resigned in June as senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, following an admission of adultery after he alleged he found out his wife was having an affair. 

In his post, Baker stated:

---

quote:

"Behold, the fruits of the false teaching of Gerhard Forde, the subjectivist, experiential, Law-Gospel reductionist, existentialist ELCA faux-Lutheran, so beloved by some LCMS university and seminary faculty.

"Reading Tchividjian is like unto reading Forde: paraphrases abound."

Today Robert Baker saw exactly what I perceived in the Tullian Tchividjian scandal - the heir of D. James Kennedy and grandson of Billy Graham having an affair, divorcing his wife, and quoting the liberal Lutherans along the way.

Gerhard Forde contributed to this set, a best seller in ELCA, its standard seminary
textbook at one point, though ELCA hastened to deny this fact.
This epic collection of buffoonery rejects the Trinity, the Atonement,
the divinity of Christ, and everything else.

The foil is Gerhard Forde, the ELCA apostate that the Left raves almost as much as WELS clergy carry on about Valleskey - for the same reason. Forde contributed to the heinous Christian Dogmatics, edited by Braaten and Jenson, a double-volume set that mocks every article of the Apostles Creed. That made Forde an ELCA "confessional Lutheran" and hero of sorts. I found a blog praising him, authored by a Fuller DMin - another co-inky-dink, as you will see.

In another corner of the LCMS, some are discussing soft Antinomianism. I am not sure if this is the Dairy Queen version of Antinomianism or just another attempt to be cute. But - on that thread, listing various things Lutherans wrongly reject, I added - "Some Lutherans reject justification by faith." My comment was erased.

The greatest accolade is silence and shunning. They will not argue. Tis much easier to ignore, erase, and shun. But that only makes it more obvious that the target has been hit. Robert Preus repudiated UOJ. Response? Silence, even with the quotations provided and cited.

Bedfellows of Antinomianism
The heart of Antinomianism is making the Law obsolete. UOJ is the source for this in Lutherdom, and this UOJ is taught with great fervor in ELCA, LCMS, WELS, ELS, the CLC (sic), and the shards and shreds of the Olde Synodical Conference.

Their key verse is from Galatians - the Law is a tutor that leads us to Christ. Then we no longer need the Law, and the Law is obsolete - so they imagine.

These UOJ apostates proclaim the entire world forgiven and saved, apart from faith, the Word, the Means of Grace. They also claim Luther as their champion, when nothing Luther wrote supports this cowardly form of Universalism.

The effect on any concept of right and wrong is clear. If everyone is forgiven and one only needs to know this, all sins are already forgiven in advance. Thus the chatter about Law and Gospel, the Confessions, and justification are really a sad, sick form of self-justification.

Although Baker is completely right about Forde influencing Tchividjian for the worse, he is saying this on a website devoted to the same dogma as Forde and Tchividjian.

WELS ELCA Antinomianism
When I began to read about Tchividjian and his unrepentant responses to his adultery, I noticed the same UOJ style responses that permeate WELS.

"As long as we know we are sinners, we know that we were already forgiven and saved 2000 years ago." That self-justification can long a long way in excusing any behavior, including the adultery of a District President for decades (with everyone knowing about it).

This WELS selfie features one or two obscene gestures
plus several devil's horns.
Lots of fun - Scott Barefoot observes.

The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015. Luke 17:11-19. Jesus Heals the Ten Lepers

The Thankful Leper, by Norma Boeckler

The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn # 292                 Lord Jesus Christ                

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 # 192               Awake My Heart             

Walk in the Spirit Means Walk in the Word

The Communion Hymn # 480            Lord of the Worlds             

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 #341                             Crown Him with Many Crowns                

KJV Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy blessed word and Thy holy baptism hast mercifully cleansed all who believe from the fearful leprosy of sin, and daily dost grant us Thy gracious help in all our need: We beseech Thee so to enlighten our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may never forget these Thy blessings, but ever live in Thy fear, and, trusting fully in Thy grace, with thankful hearts continually praise and glorify Thee; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Walk in the Spirit Means Walk in the Word

KJV Luke 17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

Luther:

1. St. Luke excels the other Evangelists in that he not only describes Christ’s work and doctrine like they, but also observes the order of his journeys and circuits. His Gospel to the thirteenth chapter shows how Christ began at Capernaum to preach and do wonders, whither he moved from Nazareth and where he made his home, so that Capernaum is called his city in the Gospel. From there he went out everywhere, into cities and villages, preaching and working miracles. After he had accomplished all his work and had preached over the whole country, he prepared to go up to Jerusalem. This journey to Jerusalem he describes from the end of the ninth chapter to the close of his Gospel, how Christ during this journey preached and worked miracles. For this is Christ’s last journey, and was finished in his last year at the close of his life. This is what he means here when he says: “And it came to pass, as they were on the way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee.” That is to say, this miracle he performed during his last journey to Jerusalem.

The Gospel for today is an illustration of the Epistle lesson. Sometimes they seem to go off in different directions, but in truth - the entire Word of God is one sermon, one truth, one revelation.

To walk in the Spirit, as Paul advises means to walk in the Word. Here are some falsehoods about the Biblical use of the Spirit -

• It does not mean acting on impulse, which is the theme of this age. Any action is excused by "I was in the moment." The Word teaches us to govern our impulses and emotions.
• It does not mean that our dreams are revelations from God, new verses or chapters to add to the Bible. This is quite manipulative, and it often works in the oddest way in groups. If everyone accepts the "dream revelation," it is from God. But often it is ignored. But saying it is "from God" lays a burden on everyone.
• Human decisions are not necessarily directly from God. One pastor said, "I cannot argue with the circuit pastor, because the Holy Spirit appointed him. That would be arguing with God." A decision has to be measured by the Word, not by spiritual salesmanship.
• It is not faithful to the Holy Spirit to separate His work from the Word. To say that a faithful sermon is not effective is the same as saying the Word of God can be dead and of no value. I even heard one false teacher say, "If the sermon is faithful and the ushers are not friendly, the worship service was a failure." Imagine the Holy Spirit dependent upon friendly ushers.
• If a faithful pastor seems to get nowhere in 20 years, he is not a failure. Nor is the Word a failure. As Luther observed, the next man may experience the harvest from all the work. Paul said we cannot judge - we can only be faithful and let God judge.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 

In this Gospel lesson we have the contrast between wanting what God provides and walking away without appreciation. The ten lepers are pitiful and in need of divine help. They have enough faith in Christ to call out to Him and ask for His help, and their prayer is granted. But only one is thankful.

Once again, the details are different and interesting. Jesus sends the lepers to show themselves to the priests, for cleansing. It is the Word of Christ that heals them, but not at that moment. Showing themselves to the priests for cleansing would mean that these known lepers would testify to the power of the Word by appearing whole and healthy again.

The priests did not heal them - that would be clear. Jesus healed them. As Luther says, faith receives the good things from God. Those good things are offered every day and with miraculous abundance. Without faith we fail to see them, and therefore we are blind to God's constant work and special benefits.

Luther:

5. In the first place it is a characteristic of faith to presume to trust God’s grace, and it forms a bright vision and refuge in God, doubting nothing it thinks God will have regard for his faith, and not forsake it. For where there is no such vision and confidence, there is no true faith, and there is also no true prayer nor any seeking after God. But where it exists it makes man bold and anxious freely to bring his troubles unto God, and earnestly to pray for help.

6. Therefore it is not enough for you to believe there is a God, and pray many words as the wretched custom now is. But observe here in the leper how faith is constituted, how without any teacher at all it teaches us how our prayers may be truly fruitful. You here observe how they had a good opinion of and a comforting assurance in Christ, and firmly thought he would be gracious to them. This thought made them bold and anxious to bring their troubles to him, and to cry for help with great earnestness and a loud voice. For if they had not previously possessed this fancy and expectation, they would undoubtedly have remained at home, or would not have gone forth to meet him, nor would they with raised voices have cried to him, but their doubt would have advised them thus: What shall we do?

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Whenever I study justification by faith, the relationship with the fruits of faith arise, as they are detailed in Galatians 5.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The Epistle of James confuses people who do not stop to think what his point is, and Roman Catholics center their works-righteousness on that small epistle. Another way of expressing James is to say that genuine faith always has works that follow. St. Paul and Luther taught the same.

The one leper is an example of the relative few that appreciate God's miraculous interventions and daily abundance. Certainly America is a good example of God's abundance and the increase of that because of Christian influence, sharing, and appreciation.

Fireweed versus corn provided a good example in my garden. One plant began to grow as tall as sweet corn and eventually reached 8 feet in height. It drew from the rich soil. It gained from the mulch, sunlight, and extra watering.  The stalk was so strong that I had to cut it with rose clippers. But this weed did not bear useful fruit. Instead, it provided for its own future by creating hundreds of seeds to spread around the yard and neighborhood.

In contrast, the sweet corn produced ears packed with oil, sugar-turning-to-starch, and nutrition. They were good enough for the squirrels to harvest and they all disappeared in the brief time we were gone. Fireweed did not feed any higher creatures, but the corn did. We even had some corn and shared it with our helper's family.

 

Luther:

10. The second characteristic of faith is that it does not desire to know, nor first to be assured whether it is worthy of grace and will be heard, like the doubters, who grasp after God and tempt him. Just as a blind man runs against a wall, so they also plunge against God, and would first gladly feel and be assured that he can not escape out of their hands. The Epistle to the Hebrews says, <581101> 11:1: “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” This clearly means faith holds fast to what it does not see, feel or experience, either in body or soul, but as it has firm trust in God it commits itself to and relies upon it without any doubt but its hope will be realized. Thus it will also certainly be realized, and the feeling and experience will come to it unsought and unsolicited, even in and through such hope or faith...

12. The third characteristic of faith is, that it allows of no merit, will not purchase the grace of God with works, like the doubters and hypocrites do, but brings with it pure unworthiness, clings to and depends wholly on the mere unmerited favor of God, for faith will not tolerate works and merit in its company, so entirely does it surrender, venture and raise itself into the goodness for which it hopes, that for its sake it cannot consider either good works or merit. Yea, it sees that this goodness is so great, that all good works compared with it are nothing but sin. Therefore it finds only unworthiness in self, that it is more worthy of wrath than of grace; and it does this without any dissimulation, for he sees how in reality and in truth it cannot be otherwise 13. These lepers here prove this clearly, who hope for the grace of Christ without the least merit. What good had they ever done to him before? They had never seen him, how then could they have served him? Besides they were lepers, whom he could justly have avoided according to the law, Leviticus 13:1, and kept himself free from them as was just and right.

Luther:

17. Behold, so powerful is faith, to obtain all it wants of God, that God considers it done before the asking. Of this Isaiah says, 65:24: “And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Not as though faith or we were worthy of it, but in order that he might show his unspeakable goodness and willing grace, thereby to stir us to believe in him, and comfortingly look to him for every good thing, with joyful and unwavering consciences, which do not stumble after him nor tempt him. So now you also see that Christ hears these lepers before they call, and before they cry out he is prepared to do all their hearts desire. “Go,” he says, I will not add a word, for it has succeeded in your case farther, no promise or consent is necessary; take what you ask and go.

So in the Scriptures we find what Luther explains so well - faith trusts in God and acknowledges what God has done and is doing for us all the time. It is not just the expected but what would never be imagined. That is how we recognize that it comes from God and not from our work.