Edwards Admits Affair, Denies Paternity

Father of the Year/Senator John Edwards has admitted to lying repeatedly about his affair with a Camilla Parker Bowles look-alike.

Although he recently met his mistress at a motel, where he was photographed with her and the baby, he denies being the father of the child.

So what does that qualify him for in the Wisconsin Sect? Take the poll at the bottom of the page.

1. Mission counselor?
2. District Pope?
3. Church Growth leader? (need not be a WELS member)
4. Marrying Sam (only if ex-WELS)?
5. Ordained male teacher?
6. Synod VP?
7. District VP?

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Blogger reports: Blog has been removed
Sorry, the blog at welsincrisis.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs. Bailing Water is on its third blogmaster. WELS welcomes a free and open discussion of everything wrong with...the ELS.

Luther Barely Beats Werning as Greatest Lutheran Theologian

Who is the most famous Lutheran theologian?

Martin Luther 25 (52%)

Martin Chemnitz 5 (10%)

C. F. W. Walther 3 (6%)

Waldo Werning 15 (31%)

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GJ - I rest my case about who is leading WELS.

Werning Tied with Chemnitz for Greatest Lutheran Theologian

Who is the greatest Lutheran theologian?

Martin Luther 21 (75%)

Martin Chemnitz 2 (7%)

C. F. W. Walther 3 (10%)

Waldo Werning 2 (7%)

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GJ - Werning is certainly one of the most influential (destructive). I will have to run another poll on the most influential, for weal or woe.

New Poll - Greatest Theologian

The Seed-Planting Church


by Dr. Waldo Werning (LCMS)


Proposing Biblical principles, this book shows how the church can be revitalized by God’s design. It displays a nurturing seed-planting model in place of a maintenance harvesting style of church. Dr. Kent Hunter (LCMS), The Church Doctor, writes, “Powerfully practical... will change your church from a bureaucracy to the movement God has called Christianity to be. I have already begun using this material in my work with churches.” 168 pages

The Seed-Planting Church #304
Price: $12.00


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The new poll near the bottom of the page asks, Who is the greatest theologian of the Lutheran Church? This is your chance to vote for Waldo Werning, who has worked closely with WELS, ELS, and LCMS Church Growth gurus.

Poll Results - How Does the True Christian Church Grow?

Smells and bells high-church. 2 (5%)

Blitz the community with marketing. 0 (0%)

Seeker Services and cell groups. 0 (0%)

Only through the Means of Grace. 38 (95%)


GJ - No comment needed.

Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student

WELS lay Student has left a new comment on your post "How does the true Church grow? New Poll.":

It is correct that the true church grows by the means of grace; however, there is something to be said about the delivery of the means of grace.

For example, let's say a vacation bible school teacher is going to give a devotion for a group of early primary grade children. The children, as most kids do, are running around in chaos. He simply starts reading the devotion, thinking in a "legalistic" only by means of grace mentality. He feels that they means of grace will calm them down and they will come to faith.

Ok, now I understand this is a scenario that goes against most people's common sense. However, I know it has happened. The point is that people do come to faith through the means of grace, but maximizing the conditions in which they are presented is common sense. Things like a large community "marketing"(for lack of a better word)and a more contemporary worship service can be applied in many cases to maximize the conditions.

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GJ - I posted this to show how Lutheran doctrine has degenerated. Obviously the wording or thinking has come from The Love Shack. If an idiotic idea is repeated often enough, others will agree with it and pass it on. I heard the same message from Frosty Bivens in John Seifert's driveway, about 20 years ago. He began by saying he went to Fuller Seminary and thought that their methods could be used to draw people to the church so the Means of Grace could be applied.

Bivens' comment and the one above show a lack of trust in the efficacy of God's Word, a complete trust in marketing.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student":

The comment by WELS lay student is just another example of those "yeah, but" apologies for the CGM. Lutheran doctrine truly has degenerated.

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Phil Rehberger has left a new comment on your post "Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student":

Isaiah 28:

5 In that day the LORD Almighty
will be a glorious crown,
a beautiful wreath
for the remnant of his people.

6 He will be a spirit of justice
to him who sits in judgment,
a source of strength
to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

7 And these also stagger from wine
and reel from beer:
Priests and prophets stagger from beer
and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
they stagger when seeing visions,
they stumble when rendering decisions.

8 All the tables are covered with vomit
and there is not a spot without filth.

9 "Who is it he is trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk,
to those just taken from the breast?

10 For it is:
Do and do, do and do,
rule on rule, rule on rule;
a little here, a little there."

11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues
God will speak to this people,

12 to whom he said,
"This is the resting place, let the weary rest";
and, "This is the place of repose"—
but they would not listen.

13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will become:
Do and do, do and do,
rule on rule, rule on rule;
a little here, a little there—
so that they will go and fall backward,
be injured and snared and captured.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Response to New Poll by WELS Lay Student":

Greg, I can't believe you criticized this WELS lay student. If you personally would read a devotion for a bunch of kids, wouldn't you make them sit still first and pay attention? If you were teaching a catechism class, would you make sure your students were attentive, rather than scribbling doodles in their notebooks? That's all this person was trying to say. He (or she) then applies the argument to the broader ministry of the congregation--don't we want to have conditions as ideal as possible so people pay attention to the Word that's spoken to them so it makes it from the ear to the heart? Where are you coming from on this?

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GJ - Follow the Big BUT of False Doctrine, please. And I quote:

The point is that people do come to faith through the means of grace, BUT maximizing the conditions in which they are presented is common sense. Things like a large community "marketing"(for lack of a better word)and a more contemporary worship service can be applied in many cases to maximize the conditions.

Kelm, Bivens, Huenbern, Olson, Valleskey have perfected the Big BUT of False Doctrine. First the correct doctrine is affirmed (usually in a smart-alecky way...we all know that the Word is efficacious). Then the Big BUT of False Doctrine is used to repudiate orthodox doctrine and replace it with Reformed nonsense.

Maximizing conditions is typical Reformed talk. We have to make the Word attractive, relevant, harmonious with human reason. I really groan when I read another example of "not preaching in German to an English-speaking audience." If only they would preach in German...if only they knew German...if only they would preach instead of lashing people with synodical law.

If people receive the true Gospel, they will not need a cattle prod to witness to their faith. If the pastor believes in the efficacy of the Word, he will not hesitate to sow the seed with abandon. Fullerites cannot even get the Sower parable right.

What would I do with noisy, difficult kids? I would settle them down with the Law. "You are not being respectful toward the Word of God." I got one marriage-scared man to marry the mother of his three children that way.

Mass marketing is a flop, Anonymous. The only way it works is when creating a liberal pan-Protestant congregation with no confessions and be-bop Seeker Services on Sunday.

How does the true Church grow? New Poll.

How does the true Christian Church grow?

1. Smells and bells high-church.
   
2. Blitz the community with marketing.
   
3. Seeker Services and cell groups.
   
4. Only through the Means of Grace.

Vote near the bottom of the page. So far, 100% of the votes are for the Means of Grace.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "How does the true Church grow? New Poll.":

Christ spells it out in the Great Commission. Unfortunately many in the ministry feel that they know better, and can dismiss it, not preach it, and not practice it as a church.

GJ - Isn't it interesting that the clearest possible farewell sermon has been turned into Law? Instead of Preach, Teach, and Baptize, we get - Manufacture Disciples or your church will not grow.

That is what happens when Lutherans get their marching orders from the Reformed and their Pentecostal sychophants.

Pastor-Friendly Poll

Which synod is the most pastor-friendly?

ELCA 8 (12%)

LCMS 28 (43%)

WELS 27 (41%)

ELS 2 (3%)


Change your vote

Votes so far: 65

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A person or persons unknown loaded the poll toward WELS at the tail end. The LCMS was clearly winning. Pope John and Gaylin Schmeling got their two votes in. ELCA? OK, I can accept ELCA as pastor-friendly if it is interpreted as anything goes.

LCMS Winning Poll

There is only one day left to vote in the poll on which synod is the most pastor-friendly.

The Missouri Synod is clearly winning. ELCA pastors leave Sodom for the LCMS. ELS pastors leave their tiny kingdom for their big sister, following the example of the sainted Preus brothers (Jack and Robert).

ELCA probably won some votes because they accept men, women, and the undecided. In the language of the Lavender Mafia: LBGTQ. The Q is for Questioning. That category probably fits most of the straight, male clergy. "I really like the design of the new hymnal. Omigosh. Am I gay?"

I cannot fathom why anyone would vote the Little Sect on the Prairie as the most pastor-friendly. Maybe some read the question as the most pasture-friendly.

Anyone who voted for WELS must have Stockholm Syndrome, which is rife in the Wisconsin Synod. Stockholm Syndrome is that disorder where people are kept captive and abused and yet sympathize with their captors. Mark Twain described it in Tom Sawyer, when the boys planned to kidnap women, who would fall in love with them.

Stockhold Syndrome is obvious when pastors say, "Every time I read Christian News I thank God I'm in the Wisconsin Synod." One WELS pastor sent me a book on abusive churches. I said, "This fits WELS perfectly."

WELS is united doctrinally. The old leadership is trained 100% at Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek Community Church. The same can be said for the LCMS. Kieschnick has a Fuller-trained administration and he is ecumenical to a fault.

New Poll: Which Synod Is the Most Pastor-Friendly?

Acknowledging the supremacy of the Voters' Assembly--as long as they agree with me--I have published a new scientific poll, at the bottom of the page.

I have only four choices available. Later I may do another one for some of the mini-micro sects.

Poll Results

When is clergy adultery allowed?

Always in WELS. 13 (31%)

Two strikes, you're out. (ELS). 2 (4%)

Not with women (ELCA). 19 (46%)

Everyone is already forgiven (UOJ). 7 (17%)

New Poll Launched Who Looks Like Whom?

Fans of Office Space will recognize Milton Waddams on the left. A fine actor made this character the funniest one in the movie. The bloke on above right is the author of Ichabod. The new poll is at the bottom of the page.