Look at the Pile of Committees, Commissions, and Task Forces We Have Marshalled To Fix Our Previous Genius Efforts! The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) at Work!

Conrad Bergendoff - Dreams and schemes are never enough.

Anything written about the Wisconsin Sect's demise is equally true about the Missouri Sect. The tales of woe are quite similar because they both idolize their own synods. The Big Five are failing rapidly, thanks in part to Big Brother Thrivent watching over them, coaxing them with money, and keeping the Drucker Business Model in mind. 

If anyone asked me "Who is destroying the denominations?" I would say, "Their Father Below - Satan - is doing the work of an army of laborers, sowing weed seed, proclaiming their glorious future under his dark reign."

The Lutheran Church in America (born 1962, reborn as ELCA in 1987) was fashioned after General Motors' business model. Franklin Clark Fry demanded central power because "the Swedes are demanding it." No one could blame Fry when the Swedes were the problem. That reminds me, that Conrad Bergendoff (Augustana Synod - I had many talks with him) - always wanted the local seminary, Augustana College Seminary, to be located near his beloved University of Chicago, where he earned his PhD. That dream turned into a slo-mo nightmare as the combination semiary - LSTC - went steadily downhill and limped away to a rental spot from the Roman Catholics. Likewise, his other dream - uniting the Gettysburg and Philadelphia seminaries - went sour with the United Lutheran Seminary - wracked with division from the start. If you read the ULS link conveniently place in the previous sentence, you will be appalled and dismayed. Even the liberal bishops of ELCA were disgusted by the famous Vote.

The One Thing Needful, is stated by the Savior - 

KJV Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The passage is directly related to the True Vine of John 15, which is the source of fruitfulness. The modernists and activists worship the outcome of fruitfulness but not the source. That is why WELS and Missouri are just as toxic as ELCA - imagining that results are proof of their claims.

An alternative view - alien to the modernist activists - is dwelling on the Scriptures, teaching the Word of God as it is, without shading, trimming, or butchering.

This is the real Bible, not unlike Luther's German Bible.

This is The Big Five Bible - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic), plus the money-making Bogus Beck Bible from Christian News.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday - "He simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. He performed miracles. And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise."

 

Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday ->Complete Epistle Sermon Here

16. What follows concerning Christ, now that we understand the meaning or “form of God” and “form of a servant,” is surely plain. In fact, Paul himself tells us what he means by “form of a servant.” First: He makes the explanation that Christ disrobed, or divested himself; that is, appeared to lay aside his divinity in that he divested himself of its benefit and glory. Not that he did, or could, divest himself of his divine nature; but that he laid aside the form of divine majesty — did not act as the God he truly was.

Nor did he divest himself of the divine form to the extent of making it unfelt and invisible; in that case there would have been no divine form left.

He simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. He performed miracles. And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise. Luke 23:43. And in the garden, similarly, he repelled the multitude by a word. John 18:6.

Hence Paul does not say that Christ was divested by some outside power; he says Christ “made himself” of no repute. Just so the wise man does not in a literal way lay aside wisdom and the appearance of wisdom, but discards them for the purpose of serving the simple-minded who might fittingly serve him. Such man makes himself of no reputation when he divests himself of his wisdom and the appearance of wisdom.

17. Second: Christ assumed the form of a servant, even while remaining God and having the form of God; he was God, and his divine words and works were spoken and wrought for our benefit. As a servant, he served us with these. He did not require us to serve him in compensation for them, as in the capacity of a Lord he had a just right to do. He sought not honor or profit thereby, but our benefit and salvation. It was a willing service and gratuitously performed, for the good of men. It was a service unspeakably great, because of the ineffable greatness of the minister and servant — God eternal, whom all angels and creatures serve. He who is not by this example heartily constrained to serve his fellows, is justly condemned. He is harder than stone, darker than hell and utterly without excuse.

18. Third: “Being made in the likeness of men.” Born of Mary, Christ’s nature became human. But even in that humanity he might have exalted himself above all men and served none. But he forbore and became as other men. And by “likeness of men” we must understand just ordinary humanity without special privilege whatever. Now, without special privilege there is no disparity among men. Understand, then, Paul says in effect: Christ was made as any other man who has neither riches, honor, power nor advantage above his fellows; for many inherit power, honor and property by birth. So lowly did Christ become, and with such humility did he conduct himself, that no mortal is too lowly to be his equal, even servants and the poor. At the same time, Christ was sound, without bodily infirmities, as man in his natural condition might be expected to be.

19. Fourth. “And being found in fashion as a man.” That is, he followed the customs and habits of men, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking, walking and standing, hungering and thirsting, enduring cold and heat, knowing labor and weariness, needing clothing and shelter, feeling the necessity of prayer, and having the same experience as any other man in his relation to God and the world. He had power to avoid these conditions; as God he might have demeaned and borne himself quite differently. But in becoming man, as above stated, he fared as a human being, and be accepted the necessities of ordinary mortals while all the time he manifested the divine form which expressed his true self.

20. Fifth: “He humbled himself,” or debased himself. In addition to manifesting his servant form in becoming man and faring as an ordinary human being, he went farther and made himself lower than any man. He abased himself to serve all men with the supreme service — the gift of his life in our behalf.

21. Sixth: He not only made himself subject to men, but also to sin, death and the devil, and bore it all for us. He accepted the most ignominious death, the death on the cross, dying not as a man but as a worm (Psalm 22:6); yes, as an arch-knave, a knave above all knaves, in that he lost even what favor, recognition and honor were due to the assumed servant form in which he had revealed himself, and perished altogether.

22. Seventh: All this Christ surely did not do because we were worthy of it.

Who could be worthy such service from such a one? Obedience to the Father moved him. Here Paul with one word unlocks heaven and permits us to look into the unfathomable abyss of divine majesty and to behold the ineffable love of the Fatherly heart toward us — his gracious will for us.

He shows us how from eternity it has been God’s pleasure that Christ, the glorious one who has wrought all this, should do it for us. What human heart would not melt at the joy-inspiring thought? Who would not love, praise and thank God and in return for his goodness, not only be ready to serve the world, but gladly to embrace the extremity of humility? Who would not so do when he is aware that God himself has such precious regard for him, and points to the obedience of his Son as the pouring out and evidence of his Fatherly will. Oh, the significance of the words Paul here uses! such words as he uses in no other place! He must certainly have burned with joy and cheer. To gain such a glimpse of God — surely this must be coming to the Father through Christ. Here is truly illustrated the truth that no one comes to Christ except the Father draw him; and with what power, what delicious sweetness, the Father allures! How many are the preachers of the faith who imagine they know it all, when they have received not even an odor or taste of these things! How soon are they become masters who have never been disciples! Not having tasted God’s love, they cannot impart it; hence they remain unprofitable babblers. “Wherefore also God highly exalted him.”

23. As Christ was cast to the lowest depths and subjected to all devils, in obeying God and serving us, so has God exalted him Lord over all angels and creatures, and over death and hell. Christ now has completely divested himself of the servant form — laid it aside. Henceforth he exists in the divine form, glorified, proclaimed, confessed, honored and recognized as God.

While it is not wholly apparent to us that “all things are put in subjection” to Christ, as Paul says (1 Corinthians 15:27), the trouble is merely with our perception of the fact. It is true that Christ is thus exalted in person and seated on high in the fullness of power and might, executing everywhere his will; though few believe the order of events is for the sake of Christ.

Freely the events order themselves, and the Lord sits enthroned free from all restrictions. But our eyes are as yet blinded. We do not perceive him there nor recognize that all things obey his will. The last day, however, will reveal it. Then we shall comprehend present mysteries; how Christ laid aside his divine form, was made man, and so on; how he also laid aside the form of a servant and resumed the divine likeness; how as God he appeared in glory; and how he is now Lord of life and death, and the King of Glory.

This must suffice on the text. For how we, too, should come down from our eminence and serve others has been sufficiently treated of in other postils. Remember, God desires us to serve one another with body, property, honor, spirit and soul, even as his Son served us.

Wisconsin Sect - Studying Everything Except One Thing Needful

 

Groups addressing same old same old

Any number of groups have been carrying out their assignments to address various issues that are important to our called workers, congregations, accountants, and members. Here is an update on those groups and their assignments.

The Ministry Recruitment task force - already described exhaustively in a previous issue of Together - is set to have even fewer ministers
Chaired by Rev. Paul Prange, this task force was formed as a result of a resolution passed by the 2023 synod convention due to the significant shortage of pastors, teachers, and staff ministers. Its assignment is to look at all factors that impact the recruitment of called workers and bring recommendations for a synodwide effort to recruit and train more called workers. It will bring its recommendations to the 2025 synod convention.

Task force on critical theories about going with the flow
Chaired by Rev. Snowden Sims, this task force was assigned to evaluate the topic of critical theories and provide guidance to WELS called workers and members on how to understand and address these philosophies in light of Scripture. The task force will submit its recommendations to the Conference of Presidents, which will then produce and distribute a pastoral brief on the subject.

Theology curriculum task force celebrating the worst ever NIV
The theology curriculum task force is currently in an 18-month development of the components necessary for future content writers to create new instructional materials for WELS schools to use for the instruction of God’s Word. The task force wants the new curriculum to hold fast to our purposes of sharing God’s Word in its truth and purity with the next generation and meet the needs of increasingly diverse classrooms. One of its goals is to provide a curriculum that is primarily digital in format, which will make it possible to update the curriculum on an ongoing basis. The task force chairman is Mr. Jim Rademan. Mrs. Melanie Giddings is the curriculum coordinator.

Long-range committee Peter Drucker (tm) strategic planning task force
Chaired by Rev. Jonathan Hein, this task force is developing a new synod long-range strategic plan that will guide all areas of synodical mission and ministry. The six-year plan, entitled “Christ through us” (the theme of the 2025 synod convention), will be presented to the synod convention in 2025.

175th anniversary planning committee for the 200th, if we make it.
Chaired by Prof. Joel Otto, the committee has already begun to make plans for the celebration of the synod’s 175th anniversary in 2025. The theme for that celebration will be the same as the theme for the 2025 convention (“Christ through us”). Plans include a book that provides a pictorial history of the synod, video vignettes, an interactive online history of WELS, and a synodwide celebration Sunday in the fall of 2025.

Gender, sexuality, identity
A standing committee (not a perpetual task force), chaired by Rev. Greg Lyon, is developing resources for pastors, congregations, parents, and young people to help them deal with transgender and same-sex attraction issues that are becoming more common in our society and culture. We are trying to cut back on the gay activities and fun in prep school, GA, and college events. If pastors cross-dress with their elders at a church picnic, we will honor the pastor for his flexibility, wardrobe choices, and makeup.

Man/woman roles
The Conference of Presidents is continuing its work to develop its 15th pastoral brief on man/woman roles. The brief will be distributed as soon as it is completed.

Please remember these groups as they work to address important issues Mequonly, biblically, and evangelically.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

Chick Peas? Chick Peas! What Are You Going To Do with Chick Peas!?

 

Don't let's tell everyone - Ducreux!

The Walmart pharm tech asked about my grocery chart and said, "Chick Peas? Chick Peas! What are you going to do with Chick Peas!?

Healthline Summary of Chick Peas aka Cicero Beans

Chickpeas also provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as a decent amount of fiber and protein. A 1-cup (164-gram) serving of cooked chickpeas offers (1Trusted Source):

• Calories: 269
• Protein: 14.5 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Carbs: 45 grams
• Fiber: 12.5 grams
• Manganese: 74% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Folate (vitamin B9): 71% of the DV
• Copper: 64% of the DV
• Iron: 26% of the DV
• Zinc: 23% of the DV
• Phosphorus: 22% of the DV
• Magnesium: 19% of the DV
• Thiamine: 16% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
• Selenium: 11% of the DV
• Potassium: 10% of the DV

I have not looked over all the beans and lentils, but I found this bean (WM generic) was relatively low in salt and loaded with nutrition, protein, and fiber - very satisfying.

A mix of unprocessed, frozen, and fresh food will provide most of the medicine a store can provide. 

In contrast, prescription drugs address symptoms and may relieve them - a gamble. Prescription drugs can be quite dangerous. Over the counter remedies are shockingly expensive and very close to useless. Some over the counter brands are dangerous and expensive, such as promoting huge amounts of protein, loads of sugar and milk, plus ingredients to provide bogus energy.

These are super foods that outshine others in promoting health:

Cruciferous plants - the ones your mother forced on you when you wanted Coco-Puffs and chocolate milk instead -

• Kale - "beats them all."
• Broccoli - "another top contender"
• Brussels Sprouts - "baby cabbages, can be delicious"
• Cabbage - "German vitamins"
• Collards. "not just for poor people anymore."

Blueberries are the superfood of fruits, low in sugar, delicious, great for stew and old-fashioned oatmeal.

Mushrooms are anti-cancer, no calories, no fat, and a subtle addition to many foods, yea even oatmeal and stew.

The total grocery bill will collapse from the lack of dollars spent. If a single item like blueberries seems high, do not measure them in dollars but in Quarter Pound Meals. I see that QPM at $9.95 here, but I never go there anymore. One large box of blueberries - $6.00.  The QPM is comprised of grease, salt, greasy salty cheese, and greasy salty french fries, with some protein. The cola adds salt and sugar or fakey sugar. 

This is mean, but I have to do it. 

1. Add up all the fastfood meals and coffee shop drinks/desserts for one week. 
2. Keep the grocery store receipt and compare with no pizza, no soda pop, no cheese and milk products, candy, prepared desserts and processed meals. 
3. Consider - the Walton family did not grow rich on leafy greens, beans, fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Dr. Greger's website provides essay and videos - for free - on more topics that anyone can name. 

Rain Is Coming And the Daffodils Are Finishing Their Display

 

Digger, aka Charlie Sue, loves her dog friends along the south and north fences, plus the pug near the north fence. Charlie has raced Dustmop so often that I can easily get them running along the fence as I yell, "Race, race!" She has coached the Doggie Day Care bunch to run back and forth too. She is a Patterdale Terrier, a prankster and speed demon.

This year's daffodil harvest has been splendid, even with echoes of "You don't need more flowers."

Everyone enjoys daffodils, but they are not widely planted around here. Recently I put several daffodils into tall party cups for each of the homes on our cul-de-sac. Flowers on altar also move to the neighbors. Our Laotian neighbor loved getting the daffodils, so I urged her to take home one or more of the scented hyacinths. Yesterday, cutting the last of the flowers led me into harvesting the last white hyacinth, which traveled across the street. 

The daffodils wanted to finish up, but I cut their dying flowers off to let the bulbs get more energy for next year, instead of letting the flowers go to seed.

Now I am checking rose bushes to see which ones are thriving and which died during our brief winter cycles. Snow packed winters are far more friendly to roses, but Arkansans are not looking for blankets of snow - or any snow.

Hostas are emerging from the ground - all over. When we transfer hostas from the front yard to the backyard, they leave some roots behind and start more. The front hostas are getting much more colorful, and the brightest ones do not like a lot of sun.

It is time to fill up the hummingbird feeders, this time along the Doggie Day Care fence. I added some Cinnabon bushes along the north fence last fall and hope to have a combination of Clethra (Cinnabon) and sugar water. Humming birds expect food and love to probe the tiny Clethra flowers wit their tiny beaks.

Another feature - cow squares. They are like chicken wire, heavy duty and easy to place. They are perfect tools for growing climbing plants. That started with my honeysuckle vine and will continue with such amenities as cucumbers and climbing beans.

Long ago I coveted a member's dog who dug up moles. When I got Charlie Sue I soon learned that her instincts were indeed powerful in finding small underground animals. That has given her the muscles of a wrestler and astonishing speed. She yaks all the time at her dog friends and the children playing on the trampoline. Inside, she is quiet but intent on training the staff.

 Clethra, or sugar spice, or Cinnabon bush.
Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds love it.

Protestia - Presbyterians Consider Even More Tolerance - Echoes of United Lutheran Seminary

 

Presbyterian Denomination Considers Barring Ordination of Clergy Who Aren’t LGBTQ-Affirming+ Make it Non-Negotiable

"The scant number of remnant congregations within the PCUSA may soon dip even further after it was revealed the .... denomination is taking up the legislation this summer in Salt Lake City at its upcoming 226th General Assembly that would prohibit the ordination of clergy candidates who aren’t LGBTQ-affirming." 

ELCA's United Lutheran Seminary - Office of the President

The Rev. Dr. R. Guy Erwin was appointed president of United Lutheran Seminary and Ministerium of Pennsylvania Chair and Professor of Reformation Studies on August 1, 2020. Prior to this appointment, he was fourth bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Therea Latini was previously serving as a Presbyterian professor at ELCA's Luther Seminary.

From The American Conservative:

"ELCA is so “committed to unity among people of different views of sexuality” that one of its seminaries has been thrown into a spasm of angst over the fact that its president once held mainstream Christian views that she has long since repudiated. More recently, the seminary board chairman resigned over the controversy, which is spreading:

A joint letter from the Lutheran Students of Harvard Divinity School and the Union Theological Seminary noted that many Lutheran students at those two institutions finish their pre-ordination studies at United Lutheran (and previously did so at one of the two seminaries that merged). The letter said that this tradition has been “jeopardized by the past statements of President Latini and the recent, deceptive actions of the ULS board.”

So now they believe that Theresa Latini’s cooties will have retroactively infected them. Wow. Progressive Donatism in our time."

***

Sponsored by the Women's Ordination Conference

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Palm Sunday Epistle - "And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise. Luke 23:43. And in the garden, similarly, he repelled the multitude by a word. John 18:6."

 

Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday ->Complete Epistle Sermon Here

15. Unquestionably, then, Paul proclaims Christ true God. Had he been mere man, what would have been the occasion for saying that he became like a man and was found in the fashion of other men? and that he assumed the form of a servant though he was in form divine? Where would be the sense in my saying to you, “You are like a man, are made in the fashion of a man, and take upon yourself the form of a servant”? You would think I was mocking you, and might appropriately reply: “I am glad you regard me as a man; I was wondering if I were an ox or a wolf. Are you mad or foolish?” Would not that be the natural rejoinder to such a foolish statement? Now, Paul not being foolish, nor being guilty of foolish speech, there truly must have been something exalted and divine about Christ. For when the apostle declares that he was made like unto other men, though the fact of his being human is undisputed, he simply means that the man Christ was God, and could, even in his humanity, have borne himself as divine. But this is precisely what he did not do; he refrained: he disrobed himself of his divinity and bore himself as a mere man like others.

16. What follows concerning Christ, now that we understand the meaning or “form of God” and “form of a servant,” is surely plain. In fact, Paul himself tells us what he means by “form of a servant.” First: He makes the explanation that Christ disrobed, or divested himself; that is, appeared to lay aside his divinity in that he divested himself of its benefit and glory. Not that he did, or could, divest himself of his divine nature; but that he laid aside the form of divine majesty — did not act as the God he truly was.

Nor did he divest himself of the divine form to the extent of making it unfelt and invisible; in that case there would have been no divine form left.

He simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. He performed miracles. And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise. Luke 23:43. And in the garden, similarly, he repelled the multitude by a word. John 18:6.

Hence Paul does not say that Christ was divested by some outside power; he says Christ “made himself” of no repute. Just so the wise man does not in a literal way lay aside wisdom and the appearance of wisdom, but discards them for the purpose of serving the simple-minded who might fittingly serve him. Such man makes himself of no reputation when he divests himself of his wisdom and the appearance of wisdom.

Finished One OT Class, Started a New One, And Started Reformation Seminary's First Lecture

 

The first session went well. I realize now that I need to unplug the office camera, which picks up sound for unwanted feedback.

Also, I did not realize that discussions were silent automatically and need to be changed for the audience to talk.

I decided the best way to create the segments is during the day. Let me know if you agree.

Inaugural Post - Reformation Seminary, March 21, 2024. Lecture at 7 PM Central. Music at 6:30 PM.

 

Zoom link -> https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85187471604?pwd=ciuMQhDJEfpE0wgXeKLYsTgDJ8lvbi.1

YouTube link will be here, after conversion -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl5NYptONwA

I mentioned having more Biblical doctrine lessons. One person said, "Why not a seminary?" I thought about and said, "We have to save Zoom webinars, so that has to work." 

Nothing was easier than a conversion to YouTube, so here I am with the first session. I am going to have an outline each time, posted in advance. I will limit my talk to 30 minutes, and we can have discussions after. 

We have not fixed dates and times yet, but that will develop. Ichabod will be the primary post, which will be copied on Reformation Seminary, making the lectures orderly rather than lost in all the other posts.

Foundational Concept of the Bible - 

The Efficacy of the Word - The Holy Spirit at Work in the Word and Sacraments

1. Dogmatics books tend to multiply themselves and promote battles.

2. Genesis 1 and John 1 are examples of efficacy, John explaining Genesis.

3. A. Hoenecke - The Word never without the Spirit, the Spirit never without the Word - that is sound doctrine. His Dogmatics were much more like the German Reformation.

4. The Reformation does not include Zwingli-Calvin, the changes in England, or anywhere else. The Reformation itself was established by Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz.

a. Luther was the foundation, the result of many years of monastic work and teachers.

b. Melanchthon served as his opposite in temperament, the same in Biblical doctrine.

c. Martin Chemnitz studied under both and solidified their work through the Book of Concord, Examination of the Council of Trent, etc.

Efficacy

Effectual, powerful: energes

1 Corinthians 16:9 (KJV) For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and many adversaries.

Philemon 1:6 (KJV) That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) For the word of God quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Operations, working: energema

1 Corinthians 12:6 (KJV) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

To show forth, work: energew

Matthew 14:2 (KJV) And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

Mark 6:14 (KJV) And king Herod heard ; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

Romans 7:5 (KJV) For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

1 Corinthians 12:6 (KJV) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:11 (KJV) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

2 Corinthians 1:6 (KJV) And whether we be afflicted, for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, for your consolation and salvation.

2 Corinthians 4:12 (KJV) So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Galatians 2:8 (KJV) (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

Galatians 3:5 (KJV) He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Galatians 5:6 (KJV) For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Ephesians 1:11 (KJV) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Ephesians 1:20 (KJV) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set at his own right hand in the heavenly ,

Ephesians 2:2 (KJV) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 3:20‑21 (KJV) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, {21} Unto him glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

LCMS Leads the Way in Closing Colleges

Could they improve by teaching the Gospel instead of this drivel?

The list of departing LCMS colleges is growing:

1. Ann Arbor - Best compliment - better than Mequon with a 50% president.
2. Mequon - Goner from the start - the Catholics dumped it.
3. Texas - Freedom! Adios!
4. Portland - HotChalk disaster.
5. Valparaiso - LCMS in the past. 
6. Concordia NY - sold to a happy buyer.
7. Selma - closed.

Someone opined that the college student census is figured to drop in a few more years. 

ELCA began the college closings soon after its conception in 1987 with 5.3 members and a current count of 2.9 million today (Wickedpedia). Not a single manager has said, "We have nowhere to go but up!"

ELCA cleverly kept the seminary names (most of the time) but reduced floor space and faculty all over.

1. LSTC - had to sell the building and move into Roman Catholic rental space.
2. Luther - had to start selling off land to stay afloat.
3. Southern - is allied with a college.
4. Trinity - once the seminary of Lenski, Loy, Leupold, lost big in a huge lawsuit.
5. Pacific - land sold for a Muslim college, now renting space down below.
6. Wartburg - seems to have obtained more funds.
7. United was created out of Gettysburg and Philadelphia.

How Do the the Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) Justify the ELCA's Position on the Weakest of the Weak, the Poorest of the Poor?

 

The biggest - or foulest charade - has been the supposed distance between the Walther synods (LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC) and the ELCA. Thrivent unifies the worst of them all.

Abortion is an attack on the weakest of the weak, the poorest of the poor - the unborn. There is no excuse for this among Christian churches. Thrivent is just as much for this genocide as ELCA. 

How can God bless church bodies that work together against the unborn? Our indifference to this horrible crime is the ultimate display of apostasy - falling away from the Scriptures and God's Creation by the Word. 

The synodical managers (they are not leaders) think that money makes the world go around. They dedicate their lives, their fortunes, their sacred honor to -- wait, that is a contradiction. They dedicate their lives to their comforts, their luxuries, and their positions of honor. They want no interference with that singular goal. That is why they lick the boots of Thrivent, pleading that the financial demands are not too burdensome. 

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Long ago, I noted from a Kurt Marquart article that the synods were being handed a huge sum of money from AAL (one of the two insurance companies merging). We lived downhill from Martin Luther College, WELS, so I looked for the materials on this AAL Church Membership Initiative.

"To the reader: This binder contains a summary of activities and findings of the Church Membership Initiative funded by AAL. A meeting in February, 1993 at Orlando involving congregational participants and church executives was phase three. This summary focuses on the findings of phases one and two. As is the nature of such studies, emphasis is on research and statistical analysis. Such studies do provide helpful indicators. Such an approach, however, cannot directly reflect spiritual reality, which must remain with the judgment of those dispensing the means of grace. Phase four--utilization of information coming out of the first three phases--is open ended for whatever church body [ELCA, WELS, LCMS] will determine such use to be."
Rev. Wayne Borgwardt, WELS, Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993. Five copies at Martin Luther College (WELS). BV 4523 .C48 1993 c.5

"In 1970 there were 500,000 more baptized members of Lutheran congregations than was the case in 1990. The Church Membership Initiative project was undertaken to understand and address this decline... [GJ - This is still the saddest or funniest example of Thrivent helping out and making everything worse.]

Contact:

• Rev. Mary Ann Moller-Gunderson, Executive Director, Division for Congregational Ministries, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 8765 W Higgins Road, Chicago, IL, 60631, 312-380-2570; 
• Rev. Lyle Muller, Executive Director, Board for Evangelism Services, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 1333 S Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO, 63122-7295, 314-965-9000; 
• Rev. Wayne Borgwardt, Administrator for Worker Training, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, 2929 N Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53222, 414-256-3236; 
• Mr. Douglas Olson, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919, 414-734-5721." 

Church Membership Initiative, Narrative Summary of Findings, 1993, Aid Association for Lutherans, 4321 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI, 54919-0001, June 30, 1993.

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There is a direct connection between AAL and LB erasing "Lutheran" during their merger, so they could say Thrivent! and forget about the past. The Big Five have revealed their incompetence to be Christian organizations who have no compassion for the unborn, no ability to proclaim the Means of Grace, only results from their Father Below.