Rural-Living Robert Fleischmann Tosses Water on the ALS Boycott

Lutherans for High Lifestyle CEO spins gold at his non-profit organization.

Mark Jeske has his Time of Grace tentacles in everything, because he is the man behind Church and Change, the big cahoona on the Thrivent board.

Supposedly WELS Lutherans for Life was started to keep the pure away from the taint of the Missouri Synod. But now it is generic Christian Life Resources, using WELS as a base to make money from all denominations - preferring 50's and 100's, of course. 

When I was leaving the LCA, I pointed out that the entire organization was budgeted and programmed for failure. One of the pastors turned to a district staffmember and asked, "Is that true?" The staffer, who was in business all his life, said, "Yes, that is true." 

WELS is in the exact same position. While the Church and Changers are looting the congregations to feather their nests, the whole apparatus is burning down. Considering the extraordinary level of abuse in the synod, that is good. More than one pastor will say so, too - but not in print. 

Meanwhile, many will suffer from the incompetent doctrinal and moral leadership of the synod. 

The Frog in the Kettle book argues
that congregations and synods can be changed slowly -
boil the frog before he notices the difference.
WELS-LCMS-ELS members are cooked
instead of being boiling mad.

KJV 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

KJV 1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Burning Down the Sect": 

A friend of mine who has retired from OHSA once told me about the Interlocking Directorates Handbook.
A good description of it is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlocking_directorate

Since WELS is such a tiny sect, and the other players are small in number and tightly knit, postings here on Ichabod are usually sufficient to expose this network.

In the Austrian School of Economics, this can also be called the "Rothbardian Analysis", so named after Murray Rothbard. Old Murray had a way of finding out how unsavory characters were connected to each other and exposed it in his writings.

I would affectionately call the vetting process here on this blog the "Ichabodian Analysis".

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http://www.robertfleischmann.com/archives/140

I encourage caution to avoid quick judgment on those who boycott and those who do not. It was Jesus who sat down with the tax collectors and prostitutes of His time not to endorse sin but to build a relationship of genuine concern for the soul and then provide correction and direction.  Something to think about!

About Bob Fleischmann.

Born in Pleasanton, CA on October 5, 1956 and raised primarily in Lake Geneva, WI. I am the oldest of four sons to my parents, Bob and Helen Fleischmann who presently live next door to me in rural Wisconsin. I am an ordained Lutheran minister and I serve as the national director of Christian Life Resources.

***

GJ - I was getting mighty tired of the ice-water challenge when pro-life people began pointing out the unsavory nature of some ALS groups. That boils down to some ALS charities advocating use of fetal stem cell research.

Medical research has no qualms about mining the resources of aborted babies. The facts are probably far more horrible than anything we can imagine.

Fleischmann's blog states that boycotting will do no good and stem cell research keeps expanding.

I simply will not support any group that has a position condoning abortion on demand. That is reason enough to abandon ELCA, WELS, LCMS, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. Sure - Thrivent has been funding Planned Parent, but nobody cares if they send big and little checks here and there all over Lutherdom.

One way to test the credibility of a source is to examine trivial details unrelated to the issue. His blog solemnly declares -

"I am the oldest of four sons to my parents, Bob and Helen Fleischmann who presently live next door to me in rural Wisconsin."

These are the two rural homes of Robert Fleischmann and his parents.
Where are the cows, the sheep, and the outhouses? 

I looked over the tax returns of Christian Life Resources. They show a 50% decrease of income in the last few years (latest in 2012).

Norm Teigen on Christian Life Resources, Oct 14th, 2007:

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2007/10/norm-teigen-on-christian-life-resources.html

I see the Christian Life Resources as a self-perpetuating organization without any control from a responsible church body. Christian Life Resources endorses an organization called Church and Change. 

A pastor in my synod was accused of false doctrine for his stated intention of attending the Church and Change conference. The objectee also, apparently, said that the Wisconsin Synod has a false doctrine in its synod in Church and Change.

My suggestion is for the ELS to put Christian Life Resources and Church and Change under the microscope and advise the membership of its results.

Burning Down the Sect

WELS Martin Luther College faculty are hotter than Georgia asphalt
for UOJ and Church Growth.
Larry Olson, on the far left, teaches on the strength
of a drive-by DMin from Fuller Seminary.
Is this a $72,000 degree?

One long-time observer of WELS behavior has noticed that the synod exists to line the pockets of a few.

The ones who benefit from this system have a series of overlapping businesses that draw from the loyalty of the synod while making money from the synod.

One way they make money is by manning the boards and delivering grants to their buddies. Church and Change began with synod offering money, got their buddies into the juicy jobs at The Love Shack, and those people steered even more money their way.

The Planned Giving Counselors (estate grabbers) are licensed insurance salesmen who make commissions from their sales. Thrivent "sponsors" them. Is that funny?

Jeff Davis was on the Church and Change board,
rubbing elbows with Bruce Becker (WELS Perish Services)
and running his money-raising business with the late Ron Roth, CG Founder.

The WELS consultants charge huge fees to steer congregations into using Cornerstone, a WELS-LCMS business that charges commissions to raise money for costly building projects recommended by their fellow consultants.

WELS also has "education consultants" who charge huge fees, quite a racket.

The overlapping boards make sure that every synod entity is dominated by Church and Changers, who also end up on foundation committees as well. How convenient. WELS Kingdom Workers has millions to spend. Where does it go? Who decides?

Mark Jeske's question proves he left the Lutheran Church
a long time ago.

Mark Jeske has his Time of Grace tentacles in everything, because he is the man behind Church and Change, the big cahoona on the Thrivent board.


Supposedly WELS Lutherans for Life was started to keep the pure away from the taint of the Missouri Synod. But now it is generic Christian Life Resources, using WELS as a base to make money from all denominations - preferring 50's and 100's, of course.

Lutherans for High Lifestyle CEO spins gold at his non-profit organization.

When I was leaving the LCA, I pointed out that the entire organization was budgeted and programmed for failure. One of the pastors turned to a district staffmember and asked, "Is that true?" The staffer, who was in business all his life, said, "Yes, that is true."

WELS is in the exact same position. While the Church and Changers are looting the congregations to feather their nests, the whole apparatus is burning down. Considering the extraordinary level of abuse in the synod, that is good. More than one pastor will say so, too - but not in print.

Meanwhile, many will suffer from the incompetent doctrinal and moral leadership of the synod.

The Frog in the Kettle book argues
that congregations and synods can be changed slowly -
boil the frog before he notices the difference.
WELS-LCMS-ELS members are cooked
instead of being boiling mad.

KJV 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

KJV 1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

---

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Burning Down the Sect":

A friend of mine who has retired from OHSA once told me about the Interlocking Directorates Handbook.
A good description of it is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlocking_directorate

Since WELS is such a tiny sect, and the other players are small in number and tightly knit, postings here on Ichabod are usually sufficient to expose this network.

In the Austrian School of Economics, this can also be called the "Rothbardian Analysis", so named after Murray Rothbard. Old Murray had a way of finding out how unsavory characters were connected to each other and exposed it in his writings.

I would affectionately call the vetting process here on this blog the "Ichabodian Analysis".

19. Birth of the Perpetual Fundraising Industry «:

19. Birth of the Perpetual Fundraising Industry

BY GAYLE SULIK, ON OCTOBER 20TH, 2011

On the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (2010) GoComics published the comic strip Non Sequiter by Wiley Miller. It explains the “Birth of the Perpetual Fundraising Industry.” When approached by a dragonslayer, the dragon offers a rational explanation as to why sparing its life would be a win-win proposition. The dragon says:

“Look. You’re dead if you lose and out of a job if you win. So what I propose is a win-win that can be summed up in 3 words…Dragon-Slaying Research.”

'via Blog this'

Foxes Have Holes - No Mansions - But the Son of Man Has No Place To Lay His Head

According to the WELS directory, Robert Fleischmann lives at 5503 Beechwood Court.

Robert Fleischmann is another WELS pastor
whose large living is justified by
not serving a congregation.

Zillow estimates its value at $331,000 - a single family home on 1.8 acres. His home is near the spiffy new building in Richfield, Wisconsin.

Fleischmann's Sausage Factory class
was rich in Church Shrinkage leaders - Olson, Krause, Free, Birkholz, Pieper,
and look at how well they have done for themselves!

Support Your CEO

But it's for the babies.
All those beautiful offices - for the little ones.
Could this job be done from a small parish? Yes.

bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lazy Pastors Do Not Study, Do Not Visit, Do Not Pr...":

Part 1 of 2:

Charity Navigator says that out of every donation dollar, 8 cents goes to pay the CEO's salary which is $87,490. And while Fleischmann is raking in that grand salary, guess what!--the Christian Life Resources (CLR) charity is racking up a huge debt, and is a half million bucks in the hole, probably because they just moved to a very nice location in a brand new building in July 2008 right when the Great Recession started:

CLR location, front streetview: http://g.co/maps/d4wvh

Side view: http://g.co/maps/qz6qq

About Us - Our Office
http://www.christianliferesources.com/about-us.html

Charity Navigator gave Christian Life Resources one star! Also, if you register for free, you can compare similar charities as given in a list. I compared all four similar charities to CLR, and all four had net assets in the black, and only CLR was in the red.

Two charities had five stars and two had three stars for their overall rating, while CLR had one star, as noted above. Only 6% of all charities received a "Poor" one-star rating, and only 1% were rated worse and denied even a star.

If you thought charitably that CEO salary maybe led CLR to have a low rating, you're wrong. CEO compensation doesn't count in the star rating, and is only provided in the interest of full disclosure. Even in 2005 CLR had a one star rating.

bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lazy Pastors Do Not Study, Do Not Visit, Do Not Pr...":

Part 2 of 2:

Of the five compared charities, 3 had given Charity Navigator their Form 990 FYE for 2010, but CLR and one other charity has only their 2009 form in, according to Charity Navigator. This other charity watch site indicates that CLR hasn't filed a 2010 990 Form yet, to their knowledge:

http://seriousgivers.org/find-a-charity/

Here's the 2009 990 return for CLR:

http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/391/391601307/391601307_200912_990.pdf

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=484#118

6% received a one-star rating and only 1% received zero stars.

Here's what one star (*) out of five means:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/content.view/catid/2/cpid/43.htm

* Poor Fails to meet industry standards and performs well below most charities in its Cause.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=484#119

Why is the CEO's salary greater than the amount the charity spends on administrative expenses?

***

GJ - Don't forget the Gift Store. Yes, a business hiding in a charity.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lazy Pastors Do Not Study, Do Not Visit, Do Not Pr...":

Robert Flieschmann seems to live in this nice wooded court with palatial houses:

Satellite view:

Beechwood Ct, Hartford, WI
http://g.co/maps/6dexh

Nearest streetview of neighborhood:
http://g.co/maps/c66uu

Robert R Fleischmann Jr:
http://www.whitepages.com/name/Robert-Fleischmann/Wisconsin 

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http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9509

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Lazy Pastors Do Not Study, Do Not Visit, Do Not Pr...":

Guidestar has a free registration feature like Charity Navigator does. It allows one to see the latest IRS 990 Forms.

Guidestar doesn't really rate the charity using a star system like Charity Navigator does, nor does it really indicate whether it follows good NPO practices, but only gives "tools" to compare NPOs so the user can come to his or her own conclusions. By contrast, Charity Navigator has everything Guidestar lacks, and does everything Guidestar doesn't do, i.e., it actually rates the charities, and even shows all this at the free registration level. It seems Guidestar, even at the premium level, is just an informational database. Nevertheless, Christian Life Resources has shied away from giving either GuideStar or Charity Navigator complete and up-to-date information about itself:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9509

-------------

http://www.guidestar.org/rxg/analyze-nonprofit-data/index.aspx

Nonprofit Intelligence
If you're doing a quick search or need only a little information, use our basic search, available at no cost to all users.

Lazy Pastors Do Not Study, Do Not Visit, Do Not Preach

I marvel at how little the full-time ministers do. They must be like the royalty in Europe, who are always exhausted from the latest party, the most recent vacation.

The pastors have to study the Word in order to preach, so many of them plagiarize their sermons and skip the studying part (which they imagine is boring).

They do very little visiting.

Those are the three components of a healthy congregation. I gave that away without charging a consulting fee.

WELS had two "consultants" in Columbus, both divorced. They did their best to wreck the congregations.

Everyone wants to be a boss and earn the big money. WELS Lutherans for Life has a generic name, to make more money. Their payroll in 2010 was about $350,000, and they listed assets of $500,000. Few pastors make as much money as Bob Fleischmann (divorced and remarried). His Christian Life Resources gathers in $1 million a year, so he goes around raising money from congregations that will never see that kind of annual budget, from pastors who actually do Means of Grace work.

$1.3 million income for his generic charity.

Salaries used to be listed in the IRS forms, but they are not in the 2010 report for Fleischmann. His was quite hefty many years ago.