Last Year Was Special

One donut to rule the world,
and in the cafe bind them.

One thing I learned in playing chess was this - the opening moves determine the rest of the game.

Early in 2016 my wife and I decided that the extra job at Walmart was counter-productive. Not knowing what was ahead, I decided to trust the shaky teaching business and get more book publishing done.

Teaching was volatile, but the time invested in publishing meant that a lot of titles were published or re-edited for Amazon and Kindle e-books. Three more new titles are on the way:

1. Creation Gardening
2. The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine
3. To Be Announced.

We are grateful to God for the chance to move near our grandchildren and their parents, seven years ago. We are also thankful for the faithful Lutherans who care about sound doctrine and appreciate the Means of Grace.

Toward the end end of 2016, some things were clear -

• My author's page at Amazon had a lot more titles on it.
• Interest in traditional Lutheran doctrine and practice was growing.
• People really wanted more titles to read.
• Almost all my time is spent in teaching theology, which is both fulfilling and enjoyable.

The Grateful Dead, no longer producing - for which I am grateful - taught me one thing. Instead of jealously guarding their so-called music, they gave it away to any and all, assuming the fans would still buy their work. Publishing against apostasy is not the road to riches, but the lure of financial rewards diminishes with age. 

My classmates have said in their Facebook posts, "I don't need one more thing in my house. Do me a favor and take something with you each time." So I do that with books. Most of my library has been given away, including my most favorite titles, so others can enjoy them. In the same spirit, some of the best Lutheran books were given to me to distribute, and they energized the reading of a number of laity who really appreciated them.

As planned, Thy Strong Word serves as a library of Lutheran doctrine for many laity. The errors of Church Growth and Universal Objective Justification are laid out - with a vast collection of sound and foul doctrinal quotations. At the time I thought, "Why not share my explorations of Lutheran theology with a thousand or so of the most informative quotations, listed with the citations, for easy kelming and sharing?" That is exactly what people have enjoyed and used.

I use Kindle Unlimited, which means anyone with a $10 a month subscription can download all the Martin Chemnitz Press titles for free.

"Two things I regret. One - wearing this Presbyterian get-up.
Two - Brett starting that Ustream worship service."

Lutheran laity have been the mainstay of everything. Brett Meyer and his extended family got the Ustream services going, long ago, and we are still far ahead of most congregations. ELDONA asked me about how to set up services in 2016, and I was glad to point out what worked best for us. 

The best insights and questions come from Lutheran laity. I hear positive things from laity all the time, and I answer almost immediately. Many insights and questions are worked into book and blog publishing. 

The jabbering, hostile hordes of UOJ Stormtroopers are silent now. They do not even use my public email address to send their pointless insults, which make such good fodder for posts. I miss the fetid, alcohol-driven ravings of the Fox Valley WELS circuit - really.

I seldom hear from clergy at all. One is in Australia, our dear friend Dr. Lito Cruz. A couple of men are Lutheran pastors in the USA. On Facebook I have about 500 LCMS friends, which suggests they enjoy reading my posts. Opponents have unfriended me (sob) and I have eliminated synod-minders, who think it is their job to toss stink-bombs.

Irony - the former LCMS Synod President is still my Facebook friend, but the great reformer, the current SP, Matt the Fat, unfriended me faster than a New York minute. The bloggers who helped him defeat Kieschnick and get re-elected are now forbidden to write about Lutheran doctrine - lest the LCMS kick them out. 

The threat of expelling pastors for discussing LCMS doctrine and practice - without permission from His Holiness - would have prevented Matthew Harrison Hisself, failed doctoral candidate from ever becoming the Synod President.

God willing, the apostates will keep handing me material to publish, since everyone else is afraid to go beyond correcting each other about the proper colors for a given liturgical season.

The future of Lutherdom in America.

The future is now in Canada.