The Right Reverend Bishop James Heiser and Rolf Preus - in Christian News . March 6, 2017 Issue

 This is a screenshot of the CN article,
showing that I am no longer a pastor
and no longer a PhD. Wishful thinking, UOJists.

---

 I asked Heiser why he wanted to associate with Rolf,
well known for his UOJ fanaticism.
Heiser said, "Oh, we'll get rid of him."

If you wonder why the LCMS is so badly led, check out the Rolf Preus Justification essay from the Steadfast Lutherans conference. They are the lobby organized to keep Matt the Fatt in office as the Synod President.

Rolf writes the same nonsense each time, so I cannot understand why he ever writes another essay.

For those who have never heard David Scaer's rambling, illogical declarations, delivered as pearls of wisdom, study this essay. Scaer could have ghosted it for Rolf, and CFW Walther, BA, could have ghosted it for both of them.

The title is "Justification" but the topic is "Objective Justification," or candidly  "Justification without Faith."

Rolf began by quoting the Augsburg Confession

Our churches also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works but are freely justified for Christ’s sake through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by his death made satisfaction for our sins.  This faith God imputes for righteousness in his sight (Rom. 3-4).

 WELS does the same thing as Rolf, using the topic Justification
to promote their idiosyncratic Universal Objective Justification.
See the Bivens' plagiarism of the Zarling paper.
They claim that Universal Forgiveness is the
Chief Article of the Christian Faith.

One would never know from the disorganized, haphazard string of declarations that Luther taught Justification by Faith and that Article III is named - The Righteousness of Faith.

Lacking the courage to say "the entire world has been pronounced forgiven," Rolf sets up an army of straw men. His arguments assume everyone is already in the UOJ camp, already nodding their heads in agreement. The Steadfast crowd is not very bright or studious. Therefore, in Rolf's little LCMS-ELS-ELDONA-LCMS world, faith is faith in Universal Absolution without faith.

 This is Rolf's argument, though he cloaks its nonsense
with various evasions and little rabbit punches.
The LCMS does not officially teach UOJ.

Rolf is an Enthusiast, like all the UOJ Stormtroopers -

In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary.

Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, #9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. Tappert, p. 313. 

Rolf, Pope John the Malefactor, Jay Webber, Jon-Boy Buchholz, and Walther agree with this Enthusiasm, that something happened - at an uncertain time, the Atonement?, the Resurrection?, the angelic message to the shepherds? - and the entire world was absolved of its sin, all people declared forgiven and therefore saved.

And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i.e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word. 

Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312. 

Rolf, like his counterparts, has no grasp of Biblical principles, especially God's binding of the Spirit to the Word. Walther had a poor grasp of the Scriptures, and he borrowed his false Justification position from Bishop Martin Stephan, who never graduated from any university (like Moldstad when he was hired as NT professor at Bethany Seminary).

Stephan only became pastor due to the special permissions given the Dresden congregation to serve the Bohemian Pietists, which he was.

Turning away from Dr. Luther, Rolf gives us another does of Martin Stephan, STD, proving that UOJ - like the bishop's venereal disease - is highly contagious.

Missing from Rolf's tirade is any appreciation for Romans 4, Galatians, the faith of Jesus, and the work we are commended by the Concordists to read - Luther's Galatians Lectures.

Throw Away the High-Priced Butter and 
Buy Our Low-Cost Margarine

 No matter how hard he tries, Rolf cannot make UOJ
into Justification by Faith, even with flavor gems
from the Augsburg Confession.

You Are Wrong, Taylor - Someone Out There Is Publishing Luther's Sermons

 Planet of the Apes reference.

The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Doctrine of the Word is in the art department at the moment.

Meanwhile, two of the eight volumes of Luther's Sermons (Lenker edition) are in Word files already.

As they are entered into Word, some volunteers for proof-reading will be appreciated. It would be best to have one per volume if possible. I will work on some too.

Volunteers will get a free set or so when it is printed.

If you want to help, send a message to greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com - with the subject heading of Luther's Sermons.

Getting the sermons into Word files (how ironic) is fairly simple, but checking them over is a labor of love.

 Original Planet of the Apes scene, with Taylor
crying and yelling at those who blew it all up.

The Family Tree - Oren Paris II, III, IV - And Ecclesia College - The Paris Family College

 Oren Paris II founded the tiny school that became a tiny college - Ecclesia College -
in Springdale, Arkansas. Its accreditation is limited to a Bible group.

 The son of Oren II is Oren III, who is president of Ecclesia College.
He has an undergraduate degree from EC
and another bachelor's from the U. of Arkansas, nearby.
He recently completed a D.Min. from Laurel Online University,
so they call him Dr. Paris.
His son is Oren IV.

Inside Higher Education - Boards may hold off on terminating a president until guilt is proven, he said. But it’s often best for everyone if presidents take a leave of absence, at the very least.

“Some boards are more strict about this than others,” Chabotar said. “I just think best practice is if somebody is indicted, they’re put on a leave of absence.”

Ecclesia is also rare in that it does not report its financials publicly and it is closely related to a single family. That can raise questions about institutional oversight.

 Oren II died in 2012, but his widow Inez remains on the board and on the Ecclesia College payroll.

 Angie Paris Snyder is Oren III's sister.
Angie and her husband run the online version of Ecclesia College.
Angie has an undergraduate degree from...Ecclesia College.

 Twila Paris, Oren III's sister, is famous for her
Evangelical singing career.
She runs the Ecclesia Prep program for small children,
one of those group home-schooling coops.

Not pictured - Starla Paris Novak is another one of Oren III's sisters. Her husband Mike has many roles, especially raising money. He has a bachelor's degree from Liberty University and is listed on the faculty of Ecclesia College.


Inside Higher Education -

Paris issued a statement Jan. 5 after Neal’s guilty plea stating that no one associated with Ecclesia College had provided money to legislators.
“We have never been a party to any agreements to funnel money to any state Legislature,” the statement said. “At the end of the day, I am secure in the knowledge that there has been no wrongdoing either on my part or the school’s part, and any rumors, innuendo or any future news reports that say otherwise are simply untruthful.”

But the indictment clearly names Paris. It notes that he received more than $300,000 in compensation from the nonprofit corporation that operates the college located in Springdale between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2016, and that his family members and their spouses have received more than $1 million in compensation from it during that same time period. The kickback scheme’s purpose was for Paris to enrich himself, his family and the college by paying bribes to Woods and Neal through Shelton in exchange for the legislators securing money for the college, according to the indictment.

 It's good that Inez supports her son, Oren III,
but how many colleges are controlled by an entire family,
not one of them qualified to teach college or manage higher education, unless one counts Oren's recent online D.Min.

Cari Paris, married to Oren III, as pictgured on LinkedIn.
She is also on the faculty list of Ecclesia College,
with a bachelor's degree from Evangel College.

Indictment reveals details of alleged Ecclesia kickback scheme

 Oren Paris III

Indictment reveals details of alleged Ecclesia kickback scheme:

"The director of Ecclesia’s Office of Communications, Angie Snyder (Oren's sister), did not return a request for additional comment or interview Friday. But talk of Paris’s involvement in a kickback scheme has been circulating for months, particularly after former Republican State Representative Micah Neal pleaded guilty in January to taking $38,000 in bribes for steering money from the state’s General Improvement Fund to two nonprofit organizations based in Fayetteville and Springdale. Ecclesia College is located in Springdale.

Paris issued a statement Jan. 5 after Neal’s guilty plea stating that no one associated with Ecclesia College had provided money to legislators.
“We have never been a party to any agreements to funnel money to any state Legislature,” the statement said. “At the end of the day, I am secure in the knowledge that there has been no wrongdoing either on my part or the school’s part, and any rumors, innuendo or any future news reports that say otherwise are simply untruthful.”

But the indictment clearly names Paris. It notes that he received more than $300,000 in compensation from the nonprofit corporation that operates the college located in Springdale between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2016, and that his family members and their spouses have received more than $1 million in compensation from it during that same time period. The kickback scheme’s purpose was for Paris to enrich himself, his family and the college by paying bribes to Woods and Neal through Shelton in exchange for the legislators securing money for the college, according to the indictment.

The scheme was designed for Woods and Neal to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting bribes in exchange for using their official positions as legislators to steer money, the indictment says. It says that Shelton was intended to make money by keeping a portion of bribe funds before passing them on and that an unnamed businessman was intended to make money by paying bribes to legislators in exchange for money being directed to other organizations.

The indictment outlines a long involvement between the college president, Paris, and the state senator, Woods. It details plans by Paris in January 2013 to call Woods to talk about maximizing the college’s participation in the Arkansas General Improvement Fund. That fund receives money whenever the state runs a budget surplus. The money is then typically routed to economic development districts across the state to be used on local projects.

In April 2013 Paris sent a text message to Woods with talking points intended to convince lawmakers to support Ecclesia.
“Good selling point to conservative legislators is that [the college] produces graduates that are conservative voters,” the text message said, according to the indictment. “All state and secular colleges produce vast majority liberal voters.”

Woods replied that he agreed, the indictment said."

 Angie Paris Snyder is Oren Paris III's sister
and runs the online program with her husband,
both unqualified for the work.

'via Blog this'

New Addition to The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Doctrine of the Word Now in the Art Department (Norma Boeckler)

Appendix – Modern Problems Solved by Luther’s Biblical Doctrine

Fear of Church Leaders

Those who fear synod presidents, district presidents, and wealthy laity should follow the example of Luther and trust the Word of God above all things.

Isaiah 66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? ² For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Receptionism

The bizarre dogma that the elements of Holy Communion are not the Body and Blood of Christ - until they are received by the communicant - is easily repudiated. The Holy Spirit in the Word consecrates the bread and wine. The recipient receives what the Word promises, the Body and Blood of Christ.

Entertainment Evangelism

The concept of drawing people to church through entertainment methods was promoted by a Fuller Seminary graduate, LCA Pastor Walt Kallestad. He eventually rejected his own approach and saw his congregation absorbed by the Pentecostal Dream City parish. Luther had the Reformation congregations actively participate in the Means of Grace by listening to Biblical sermons and singing Scriptural, doctrinal hymns. They confessed their faith through the Creeds and used a liturgy cleansed of its Roman Catholic errors.

Methods

Just as the Apostle Paul rejected methods[1] (Greek word – methodia – deceit) Ephesians 4:14 and 6:11, Luther abhorred human scheming, tricks, and deceit. They do not belong in worship or teaching the Word, as JP Meyer wrote so eloquently.[2] Unlike many of the great and wise today, Luther was content to read the Scriptures as they were, with child-like faith.

Unionism and Cell Groups

The feverish quest for various confessions of faith working together is not a sign of strength, but weakness, the panic ignited by the steady collapse of once great institutions, congregations, and schools. Luther had no use for those who rejected the plain Word of God and sought no compromise with them.[3] Akin to this ecumenism - where the leaders love every denomination except their own - is the Pietistic promotion of the cell, prayer, care, koinonia, or small group – the names multiply. The Pietists then and now consider their cell groups to be the only True Church and they despise the Means of Grace.

Unfaithful Pastors

The church bodies should remove adulterous pastors from the ministry instead of shielding them. This corrupting leaven leavens the whole lump. Luther had no use for unfaithful husbands, let alone adulterous ministers.

Lazy Pastors and Professors

Luther revealed contempt for those who were not studious in the Word. His four-fold discipline is apt for all parties concerned, whether they have tenure at the college or seminary, or a plum call in a congregation:

1.    Deprive them of food.

2.    Drive them out of town.

3.    Bait them with dogs.

4.    Pelt them with manure.[4]

One famous suggestion from Luther was to have pastors preach only 30 minutes if they could not preach an entire hour. Pastors should be writing expository sermons, explaining the text verse by verse, instead of copying the drivel sold or given away on the Internet. The college and seminary professors should be engaged in study of the Word rather than searching for academic security.

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[1] "Faithfulness is the standard by which God judges those he calls into the public ministry. That faithfulness may or may not be 'effective' in terms of visible results; results are up to God, not us. But part of faithfulness ought to include striving to be as 'effective' as we can be in the methods that we use to take the Means of Grace to people." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

[2] "Paul... is speaking about methods of preaching the Gospel. He means to say that you can introduce methods into your Gospel work which on the surface do not appear as shameful, but which in reality disgrace the Gospel. He is harking back to 2:17, where he spoke about kapeleuein, about 'selling' the Gospel. To use a coarse illustration: Some ministers in their eagerness to bring the Gospel to the people, resort to entertainment to attract the crowds, in order to get an opportunity to preach to them. If you would tell such ministers that they are ashamed of the Gospel and that by their methods they disgrace it, because they manifest a lack of trust in its efficacy, they would resent the charge. Are they not doing all in order to promote the Gospel? The disgrace their methods bring upon it does not appear on the surface; that is why Paul speaks of secret things of shame." John P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, pp. 62f. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 2:17.

[3] "Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last Confession, where he writes 419 thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other] saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands, which I am not going to change]." Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575.

[4] “And what need is there of many words? If I were to recount all the profit and fruit which God's Word produces, whence would I get enough paper and time? The devil is called the master of a thousand arts. But what shall we call God's Word, which drives away and brings to naught this master of a thousand arts with all his arts and power? It must indeed be the master of more than a hundred thousand arts. 13] And shall we frivolously despise such power, profit, strength, and fruit-we, especially, who claim to be pastors and preachers? If so, we should not only have nothing given us to eat, but be driven out, being baited with dogs, and pelted with dung, because we not only need all this every day as we need our daily bread, but must also daily use it against the daily and unabated attacks and lurking of the devil, the master of a thousand arts.”

Large Catechism, The Ten Commandments, Introduction. Concordia Triglotta.

Book Ministry Links

From someone currently employed in electrical generation.

I found these links:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/carl-manthey-zorn/a-last-apostolic-word/ebook/product-17477144.html

I was thinking of Zorn after reading some of the Psalms commentary.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/carl-manthey-zorn/eunice-letters-of-a-fatherly-friend-to-a-young-christian-mother/ebook/product-17471716.html

http://www.lulu.com/shop/carl-manthey-zorn/handbook-for-the-beginners-home-study-in-the-word-of-god/ebook/product-17497262.html

http://www.lulu.com/shop/carl-manthey-zorn/the-whole-christian-doctrine-in-genesis-1-5/ebook/product-17427878.html

http://www.scholia.net/crumbs_sequential.html

Hope you are all doing well and perhaps you may find these useful.  Scholia- not Scalia- and Lulu have many good books that are free.

Jackson e-books are also free on Lulu and basically free Amazon, as I think you already know.

A vast array of Lutheran resources can be found here.

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-of-concord-selections-martin.html

The Book Ministry Continues

This is one of many editions of the GNT.

I have packed a box of books with Luther's Sermons (Lenker edition) and a Greek New Testament.

The GNT came from JD, because he knew I would find someone who needed one - and I did. The same person is proofing the new Luther's Sermons and needs the printed edition to check what I am putting into Word from the blog, which suffers from OCR oddities. I got those sermons from an odd site that seems to give away tons of material in exchange for ads.

Tonight I will experiment with vol 2 of the Lenker series, putting each book volume into a separate Word file. I hope to get them into four volumes with good font size. I really dislike editions of anything that force the font size down to get more onto the pages. For some of us, that makes reading them impossible.

How would you react to giant, fat bunnies
taking over your town. Our garage was almost like that.

This reminds me of raising bunnies. We had one and someone said, "I hear you have a rabbit. Would you like another?" Soon we had babies and even more gift rabbits. We became a lagomorph Distribution Center. Soon we were reading about rabbits and their beneficial contributions to the garden, their value as meat, and the way their population controlled the predators - not vice verse.

We read about famous rabbit movies, such as the terrifying Night of the Lepus, with the future Bones (Star Trek) in it. We had many jokes about this hobby and how I got maneuvered into caring for the rabbits because I wanted their high nitrogen output. We actually bred red wiggler earthworms under the cages.

Where was I? Oh yes, Greek. We are having a great time in the Greek class. It makes me think about providing more classes on Ustream. I am thinking about it because that way I can choose to teach what I want. The online university system is frustrating to me because of the utter lack of communication, except for happy talk PR releases.

Future book plans include:

1. Luther's Sermons - very soon.
2. Another Luther book. I can think of two others as well.
3. A new Lutheran dictionary planned, based on quotations and Icha-slang. 

 Clancy loves to pose for his staff - Liz.

The closing of St Michael’s Lutheran Church - The Philadelphia Sunday Sun

St. Michael's, 288 years old, closed.
All the King's horses and all the King's men,
Couldn't put St. Michael's together again.

The closing of St Michael’s Lutheran Church - The Philadelphia Sunday Sun: "

September 9, 2016 Category: Local Posted by: Philadelphia Sun Staff
After a 288 year long history, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6671 Germantown Ave, will hold its final worship services on September 11, 2016.  The financial weight upon the congregation became too great. It will be a great loss for the community as St Michael’s is known for its public outreach and has often been referred to as “the small church with a big heart.”

During its regular worship time 11 AM, September 11, 2016, members and close associates will gather one last time for an intimate service of the Word, Holy Communion and remembrances of what St Michael’s has meant to them.

At 3 PM, the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA will host a final celebration of St Michael’s Lutheran Church and officiate the closing of the church.  Bishop Claire Schenot Burkat will preside over the service, delivering the sermon and celebrating the Eucharist. The Rev. Dr. Philip D.W. Krey, retired president of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) and former member of St Michael’s, will assist.

The Reverend Andrena Ingram, St Michael’s most recent pastor for nearly a decade, along with members of St Michael’s will participate in the tribute to their beloved church.

A community wide flea market will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2016, 9 AM to 2 PM, as a way of bringing neighbors and friends together for a day of fun and mutual support.

“Pastor,” as Rev. Ingram is known to many, carried the torch for St Michael’s mission to be “an open and diverse community of believers, grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing that gift in our church, our community and in our world.”

A sign on the gate to the church reads “Come As You Are.”  And those who came were often from the fringe – those with addiction, mental and physical challenges, who identify as LBGTQ, those living with HIV, and those struggling to find their way.  All did “come as they are” and were essential to what made St. Michael’s.

Pastor is openly HIV positive and a recovering addict. She has been an accessible presence in the community and source of spiritual resource to many who had long stopped attending church.

Under Reverend Ingram’s leadership, St Michael’s along with St Peter’s Lafayette Hill and Whole Foods, Inc., provided a weekly home-cooked meal and fellowship to 80-100 guests each Saturday since 2010 through the Community Meal Ministry.

Other outreach efforts included partnering with the Eleanor C Emlen local public school, support to Silver Springs Martin Luther School for children with special needs, anti-violence activities, and HIV prevention.

All are welcome to attend the closing services on September 11th and come by the flea market on Saturday, September 10th to extend their appreciation for St. Michael’s.

The Southeastern Synod will take over responsibility for the buildings and grounds after September 11, 2016.  No plans have been announced regarding how the property will be used."



'via Blog this'

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https://ltsp.edu/bishop-guy-erwin-to-speak-at-the-final-commencement-of-the-lutheran-theological-seminary-at-philadelphia/

Bishop Guy Erwin to speak at the Final Commencement of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

Bishop Guy Erwin, of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will be the keynote speaker at the 153rd and final commencement of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. LTSP and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg will combine to become United Lutheran Seminary in July 2017.

Until his election as bishop in 2013, Erwin was the Gerhard and Olga Belgum Professor of Lutheran Confessional Theology at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, at the same time serving as part-time interim pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Canoga Park, California. He has served as the ELCA representative to the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches since 2004.

As well as serving as interim pastor for two ELCA congregations in California, Erwin served as minister for worship and education at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in North Hollywood, California. Prior to moving to California in 2000, he was lecturer in church history and historical theology at Yale Divinity School from 1993 to 1999. He served as parish associate at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, Connecticut, from 1986 to 2000. Bishop Erwin has also served on a variety of boards and committees for ELCA-related institutions and other non-profit agencies.

Bishop Erwin earned a doctorate and two master’s degrees at Yale University and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. He engaged in seminary studies at Yale Divinity School and the universities of Tubingen and Leipzig in Germany.

Ordained in May 2011, Erwin is the ELCA’s first synod bishop who is gay and partnered. He lives in Los Angeles and is married to Rob Flynn, a member of the ELCA. The first Native American bishop elected to office in the ELCA, Erwin is part Osage Indian and active in the Osage Nation of Oklahoma.

Filed under: News by John Kahler

- See more at: https://ltsp.edu/bishop-guy-erwin-to-speak-at-the-final-commencement-of-the-lutheran-theological-seminary-at-philadelphia/#sthash.i2ftDNWm.dpuf

ELCA Facts - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We Lost 1.6 Million Members and 700 Congregations

Mark Hanson turned ELCA 100% lavender,
and Liz Eaton kicked him to the curb.

Mark and Avoid Jeske: "These are my Thrivent people.
Give them rich grants -
after I get mine."

One scary looking dude.
Sleeveless clergy oreo shirt?
Tackier than Georgia asphalt in July.

ELCA Facts - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: "ELCA Facts
ELCA facts

As of December 31, 2015, there were 3,668,034 baptized members in the ELCA. There were 9,320 congregations organized in 65 synods in nine geographic regions.

The ELCA is a diverse church body, becoming more so every day. This church is committed to growing in diversity and strengthening its global, ecumenical and interfaith relationships around the world.

ELCA congregations are led by gifted men and women who have been called by God to serve their community. The ELCA calls both women and men to serve as pastors and lay rostered leaders. Here are some facts about ELCA leaders:

As of September 15, 2015, there were 17,777 leaders on the ELCA roster including 966 associates in ministry, 59 deaconesses, 200 diaconal ministers and 16,435 ordained clergy. In 2015, 25 percent of clergy on the ELCA roster were women. In the ELCA’s eight seminaries, the numbers of women and men preparing for ministry are about equal.

About 86 percent of ordained women and 83 percent of ordained men are actively serving in congregations.

The ELCA offers opportunities for Lutheran education at every level and considers education as an important part of our calling. We offer quality education at every level through our institutions. In addition to the eight ELCA seminaries and two seminary extension centers, there are 26 colleges and universities, 50 or more lifelong learning programs, 14 high schools, 296 elementary schools, 1,573 early childhood programs, 145 camp and retreat centers serving 450,000 annually. "

'via Blog this'

The First Sunday in Lent - Invocavit, 2017.

Invocavit Sunday, The First Sunday in Lent, 2017

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn #148                      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 #146               Lamb of God                         

Working with Him

The Hymn #153                 Stricken Smitten                   

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 #154     Alas and Did My Savior              

KJV 2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

KJV Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

First Sunday In Lent

Lord God, heavenly Father, inasmuch as the adversary doth continually afflict us, and as a roaring lion doth walk about, seeking to devour us: We beseech Thee for the sake of the suffering and death of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, to help us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and to strengthen our hearts by Thy word, that our enemy may not prevail over us, but that we may evermore abide in Thy grace, and be preserved unto everlasting life; through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Working with Him

KJV 2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

The opponents of Justification by Faith want to call Chief Article of Christianity "synergism." Today's lesson includes that language in Greek, so it is worth exploring.

In fact, synergism literally means "working with" and is related to the NT word for efficacy. The "syn" means with, and the "erg" means working.

In theology, synergism is a specific term that means God does something and we must do something in return - make a decision. That comes up often in Baptism and related groups. One book on dinosaurs ended this way, "Now that you know the truth about dinosaurs and Creation, it is time to make a decision for Christ." The first part is based on rationalism, the second part is based on man's will. That is the essence of synergism.

Notice that the advocates of Univesal Objective Justification are the real synergists - false teachers. Both CFW Walther and JP Meyer taught that people must make a decision for Universal Forgiveness without Faith, which they call Objective Justification or (rarely) General Justification.

"Accepting" is the language often used in making a decision for Christ. As the Disciples of Christ (adult baptism only, sacraments as ordinances) asked of members joining - "Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?"

The word "accept" suggests making a decision, and most people take the word that way. However, the New Testament uses several forms of "receive" in the precise translations like the KJV - and receive is used as a synonym for faith or trust. John 1 - as many as received Him = as many as believed in Him.

Paul is not teaching false doctrine here because he is talking about how believers represdent the Gospel in their daily lives. Once God has converted someone through the Word, God is at work in that individual. The Holy Spirit dwells in that person and moves that person to desire the Gospel and to enjoy the Gospel Promises, which always bear fruit. The first three fruits named are Love, Joy, and Peace.

Most of Luther's sermons have sections on how the Gospel is applied in our lives in works of love for our neighbor. Luther's Biblical doctrine of the Word means that he always considered the Holy Spirit and the Word of God together. When speaking of the Spirit, he also meant the Word. When speaking of the Word, he also meant the Spirit. In short. God only works through the Word and never apart from the Word. That Biblical view is not taught - and is often taught against - by many today.

If someone thinks that friendly ushers are essential in making the sermon "effective" - then that person is an Enthusiast and opponent of sound doctrine. Sound doctrine really means "healthy doctrine" so false doctrine is always sick, ailing, and contagious.  If anyone thinks the flu is bad this year and contagious, that is nothing compared to the contagion of unhealthy doctrine. The worse it is, the more people clamor for it.

The definite effect of the Word is to work God's will and prosper God's will. That is why the apathetic and the false-doctrine loving members become alarmed at a Biblical sermon. In a typical synod, they phone the district president or circuit pastor and say with great passion that their congregation is being ruined. "The minister means well but..."

Intolerance of sound doctrine and the thirst for gimmicks have combined to hollow out all the Lutheran organizations.

Luther:
1. This lesson is an admonition to the Corinthians calculated to stimulate them in the performance of the duties they already recognize. The words are easily enough said, but execution is difficult and practice rare. For Paul gives a strange description of the Christian life, and the color and characteristics with which he exhibits it render it decidedly unprepossessing. First he says: “And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

2. He calls the Corinthians co-workers, as in 1 Corinthians 3:9, where he puts it: “We are God’s fellow-workers; ye are God’s husbandry, God’s building.” That is, we labor upon you with the external Word — teaching and admonishing; but God, working inwardly through the Spirit, gives the blessing and the success. He permits not our labor with the outward Word to be in vain. Therefore, God is the true Master, performing inwardly the supreme work, while we aid outwardly, serving him through the ministry.

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 

Although this is no longer acceptable, the fact remains that we become apathetic and cold toward the Gospel when we neglect the Means of Grace. At various times it was assumed that people normally heard the Gospel every Sunday, received Holy Communion regularly, and were trained in the Word of God. Now a large congregation is known for having 25% attendance year around, with the building and kitchen designed for Easter Sunday. 

But as anyone can tell from 25% interest in college football or Pinterest or any other topic, knowledge and involvement decreases over time and often lapses away. All this comes from no longer thinking we go to church to receive God's grace and spiritual wisdom, not to give to God or to make ourselves respectable. 

The external Word, a term often used by Luther, means the preached Word. Hearing the Gospel pronounced means a renewal of the knowledge of sins removed and forgotten. Rather than dwelling on the past, the believer knows everything has been forgiven and forgotten through faith in Him, which is true healing.

3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 

When the clergy engage in crimes, they scandalize their own members and the unbelievers at the same time. This has happened with so many institutions that I have lost count - congregations, colleges, entire networks of congregations.  

The freedom of the Gospel has often led people into hedonism, offending many within and without. The current saying is "I know I am a sinner, so I know I am forgiven." That can be using the Gospel as a pillow on which to fall asleep. After an entire series of "We don't have to," nothing much is left.

Superficial knowledge of Christianity is enough to make excuses for almost anything, from the worst kind of legalistic abuse to anything goes, and often they are blended - where the rules apply to everyone but the rule giver, the new Moses.

For instance, one gimmick is that we have to be the kind of people that attract people to church, which repudiates the Spirit at work in the Word and puts a burden on people instead. What is Gospel becomes Law and it must be done.

One idea was to take a plate of cookies to the new neighbors and use a church bulletin underneath the cookies, so it can be discovered, as if most people use bulletins instead of paper towels.

4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

Paul listed the paradoxes of serving as their Apostle, also applying it to them, so they can see he was not talking about popularity and success but the combination of blessings and challenges with the Gospel.

When people are told they will get the cotton candy of life, they are scandalized when they find their trust in the Gospel is met with obstinate opposition from others, including friends and family. One man was free to go to a Lutheran church until he became thirsty for knowledge about sound doctrine. Once that happened, his wife said "absolutely no Lutheran church." He said how odd it was that Lutheran apathy was fine, but studying Lutheran doctrine was a complete marriage deal-breaker.

Most people assume that a pastor doing extra work in Lutheran doctrine would be good, pleasing, and deserving of positive attention. Just the opposite is true. Nothing attracts more opposition among the Lutheran leaders than interest in Luther's teaching and sermons. That embarrasses clergy friends as well, and they drift away.

Laity have had the same experiences, within the family, among friends, and also with clergy friends. This shows, in both cases, how effective the Word is. The Word comforts and provides peace, but it also arouses the opposition inherent in apathy and antagonism toward the Gospel. One member said, "You know the member who opposes every single the pastor proposes and gives him constant grief? I used to be that person."

Tumult and hardships often awaken people to the truth in the midst of such conflicts. Nothing excites curiosity as much as determined opposition. The assaults against the Gospel were so great and so frequent that I said, "I must find out where this comes from." And I am still energized by that opposition, which continues unabated.

 Concordia Publishing House, LCMS

The Reformation spread when the opposition was greatest. Luther had to be kidnapped to save his life after the Diet of Worms ("Here I Stand" - now honored by socks at CPH). At the Diet of Augsburg, 1530, he could not be present, lest he be murdered, so he sat in a castle and wrote letters instead.

Fifty years after the Augsburg Confession and Apology, the Lutherans were so divided that they needed a new confession, getting back to the original Gospel. That gathered and trained a group of true geniuses, post-Luther, and renewed the Lutheran Reformation. 

The Word of God grows in hardship and persecution.

7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 

The Gospel moved forward in the Apostolic era by the Word of Truth, the preaching of the message of God's grace Christ.  Anyone could make people sorry for their sins, but the only remedy and medicine for that is Justification by Faith. Coming from a Law background, Paul was the leading proponent and example of forgiveness among all people, starting with the Jews and continuing with the Gentiles.The Word is the power of God, the dynamo of God - because the Holy Spirit generates energy that opens hearts to Christ and pronounces forgiveness upon believers. The Hoplites were the armored soldiers, and righteousness (forgiveness) is the armor of all those who teach the truth. The combination is compelling to consider, since the Gospel is foolishness to so many. Instead of that, it is really the 

1. Word of Truth
2. The Power of God
3. The Armor of Righteousness.

This three-fold description reminds us of the Trinity at work, that this is God's labor, which members and pastors are privileged to share.


8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Here is a list of the paradoxes of the Christian faith - 

• Honored among believers, dishonored in general.
• Paul was denounced by the false teachers but faithful to God.
• False teachers accused Paul of lying, but the Holy Spirit led him in the truth.
• His true nature was unknown to others, but known to God.
• His life was always in danger, and yet he survived many times to preach more.
• Sorrowful (was he severely depressed? - some indications are there) and yet he rejoiced in his work for and through Christ.
• He struggled and supported himself in order to make others rich with the Means of Grace, forgiveness, and the blessings of knowing Jesus.
• He left no estate, no house, no wealth, yet the spiritual knowledge he gained - that Jesus placed upon him - meant he gained the world. As Luther says, the believer has heaven and earth.

This lesson is a powerful message of encouragement to hold onto the Gospel and expect difficulties, opposition, and all manner of disagreeable behavior. In the midst of this, blessings break through and blessings are shared.

 Concordia Publishing House puts the Reformation
on a dog t-shirt.

 CPH Dog collar.
What does this say to people?