How About This, Sports Fans?

Anonymous said on Intrepid Lutherans

hm. Interesting. I certainly didn't mean to put you on the spot. That's a mighty coincidence. I still say you made a mighty fine point in that letter.

And that of course brings up the question: If that's what you believe about Objective Justification, (and there are certainly many who agree) then it's time to call an ol' Reformation-style Council so that we Orthodox Believers can reaffirm Justification as taught by the Lutheran Confessions--and condemn and repudiate the sectarian belief of Objective Justification.

And wouldn't that make the job of reforming the WELS easier? I mean, if we currently have an Enthusiastic Justification (one where people are justified apart from or before the Means of Grace) is it any surprise that Enthusiasm is popping up everywhere? And conversely, if we repudiate UOJ because it IS Enthusiasm the tone of the conversation will be set so that we can eliminate so many other heterodox practices.

If we fight for a major reform of the doctrine of Justification we will have all the tools at hand to teach the people to apply the idea that 'God only works through the means of Grace' to everything we as WELS churches do.

Tim Meyers

Proof Copy of The Story of Jesus in PicturesAvailab, Free Download

The Martin Chemnitz Press storefront at Lulu.com

The children's book is almost done. I have sent some proof copies to a few people. Anyone can download all the MCP books for free, from the link posted above. Lulu offers short-term discounts.

I posted the latest discount offer above.

I am especially interested in opinions about the new book. It has a lot of potential for mission work because it is the basic Biblical story in beautiful four-color pages.

The entire book is in color. Each painting by Norma Boeckler has a simple caption, aimed at explaining the context as simply as possible. A condensed version of the Biblical Gospel is found at the end. I am thinking of adding the Biblical citation for each picture, following the caption.

This represents a lot of labor for the artist, but Norma says this is her favorite form of art.

Right now it is available all over the world for free.

That says something for this little congregation, held in such contempt by the Lutheran leaders who have to peddle Thrivent insurance to stay in the black.

David Barnhardt Added To Blog List

I added the David Barnhardt blog to the blog list on the left (farther down). I may do more of Blog This! in the future, when I put a link up to feature stories.

Pastor Barnhardt and I were early refuseniks who did not go along with the ELCA merger. Barnhardt exposed what Herb Chilstrom was doing in Minnesota, which probably helped Chilstrom become ELCA Bishop.

This is the core of the story. The Minnesota district of the LCA had a program to treat young sex offenders. The entire family was assaulted with x-rated pornography for several days. Chilstrom refused to view the films, but defended the program, part of Lutheran Social Services.

Chilstrom's adopted son committed suicide. Some think that event was behind Herb's gay activism campaign. Long ago and far away, I had lunch with Herb at one of those clergy gatherings for pastors ordained a certain length of time. He was quite pleasant, interested in my dissertation about A. D. Mattson, his professor at Augustana Seminary in Rock Island.

The Minnesota radicals (Chilstrom, Hanson) leveraged the NWC-Jungkuntz potential of ELCA. David Preus and James Crumley--the ALC and LCA presidents at the time of merger--now regret the formation of ELCA. Big egos, big plans - big mistake.

Readers should pay attention to the LCMC and NALC as they form. Both groups have women's ordination established. Missouri and WELS wink at their own examples of women pastors. They will switch rather than fight.

---

Kansas Lutherans

Bishop Crumley made the statement to a gathering of over 500 clergy and laity last Saturday, Jan. 9, at a gathering sponsored by Orthodox Lutherans of South Carolina. You can read more about them here.

“I conclude that there is no evidence based on the text of Scripture which permits or mandates the change as stated in the new policy adopted at the assembly(churchwide). The action rather was unconstitutional and violated a part of the Confession of Faith. On that basis, the appropriate question is whether the ELCA is still without question a faithful and confessing church. I conclude that the ELCA has placed itself in a precarious position.”

Luther's Sermon on Matthew 7:15-21. Can Figs Grow from Thistles?

Christ's Warning of False Prophets A Sermon by Martin Luther; Taken from His Church Postil, 1522


Part I. The Foundation and Reason of This Warning 

1. As the Lord in the three previous chapters, the 5th, 6th, and 7th, explains the commandments of God, he finally concludes with these words, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should to you, do ye even so to them," v. 12. This is a Christian doctrine, and the sum and total of Christianity. Immediately follows this Gospel lesson, in which the Lord exercises the office of a good shepherd and teacher, and warns us to beware of false prophets. As though he would say, Now you have heard the truth, from henceforth therefore beware of other doctrines. For it is certain that false teachers and false prophets will arise wherever this Word is preached.

2. We must boldly consider the two kinds of doctrine, the true and good, and the false and erroneous, and that they will always accompany each other, for thus it has been from the beginning, and thus it will continue to the end of the world. Hence it will not do for us to creep along in silence, and resort to a safe and secure manner of life. The evil teachings of men and the doctrines of devils, and all our enemies oppose us without ceasing, and hence we dare not think that the issue is settled. We are not yet across the river. Therefore the Lord diligently warns us and says: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

II. The Warning Itself 
3. We should well consider this passage, for Christ our Lord here commands and gives all Christians the power to be judges of all doctrine, and he gives them power to judge what is right and what is not right. It is now well on a thousand years that this passage has been perverted by false Christians, so that we have had no power to judge, but had to accept what the Pope and the councils determined, without any judgment of our own.

4. Now this Gospel here overthrows the very foundation of popery and of all councils, for we are not bound to keep what the Pope commands and men decree. Therefore I say again, firmly grasp what this Gospel teaches, for the authority has never been given either to the Pope or councils, or anyone else, to sit and determine what is faith. For Christ says: "Beware of false prophets." Either the Gospel lies, or the Pope and the councils do. Christ says we have the right to judge all doctrines, and whatever is proposed for us to keep or to reject. Here the Lord does not speak to the Pope, but to all Christians. And as the doctrine is proclaimed to all: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do even so to them;" so likewise the words exclude no one: "Beware of false prophets." From which it clearly follows that I may indeed judge of the doctrine.

5. Hence I can say: Pope, you together with the councils have resolved, and now I have to decide whether I may accept it or not. Why? Because you will not stand and answer for me when I die, but I must see to it myself how I stand before God, so that I may be certain of my fate.

6. For you must be so certain in regard to the matter, that it is God's Word, as certain and more certain than you are that you are living, for on this alone your conscience must rest. Even though all men should come, yea, even the angels and all the world and pass a resolution, if you cannot grasp it and decide for yourself, you are lost; for you dare not base your decision on the Pope or anyone else; you must yourself be prepared so that you can say: this God says, and that he does not say; this is right, and that is wrong, otherwise it is not possible for you to stand.

7. For when you are about to die, and you rely on the Pope and the councils and say: The Pope said this, the councils have resolved that, the holy fathers Augustine and Ambrose have thus determined, then the devil can easily put a hole in your drum and insinuate: What if this were false? What if they had erred? And when such a temptation enters your mind, you are already overcome. For this reason you must act conscientiously, so that you can boldly and defiantly say: This is God's Word, on this I will risk body and life, and a thousand necks, if I had so many. This St. Peter also means when he says in his first Epistle 4:11: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." And St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 2:3-5: "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling; and my speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of men's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

8. Then they began to say: Yes, but how can we know what is God's Word, and what is right or wrong? This we must learn from the Pope and the councils. Very well then, let them conclude and say what they please, yet I will reply, you cannot put your confidence in that nor thus satisfy your conscience, for you must determine this matter yourself, for your very life depends upon it. Therefore God must speak to your heart: This is God's Word; otherwise you are undecided.

9. But our bishops, Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod insist upon it and rage so terribly, that a person must think them insane. They bring forth St. Augustine's declaration: I would not believe the Gospel, if the honor of the church did not move me; and think they have already won. Then you answer: What does it concern us whether St. Augustine or Jerome, St. Peter or St. Paul, or even the archangel Gabriel from heaven, who is still greater, said it; yet it will profit me nothing, for I must have God's Word, I will only hear what God says.

10. And God commands this Word to be told you through men, and especially has he permitted it to be proclaimed and written for you by the Apostles; for St. Peter and St. Paul do not preach their own word, but God's Word, as Paul himself testifies in 1 Thess. 2:13: "When ye received the Word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you who believe." Surely, a person can preach the Word to me, but no one is able to put it into my heart except God alone, who must speak to the heart, or all is vain; for when he is silent, the Word is not spoken. Hence no one shall draw me from the Word which God teaches me. Of this I must be as certain as two and three make five, for this is so certain, that if all the councils would say otherwise, I know they lie. Again, that a yard is longer than a half a yard is certain, even though all the world denied it, I still know that it cannot be otherwise. Who shall determine this for me? No one but the truth alone, which is entirely and wholly certain, that no one can deny it.

11. Therefore you must come so far as to say: This is true, no man shall persuade me differently. When you hear: Thou shalt not kill; and again: Thou shalt do to others as you would have them to do you; then you must know in the face of all councils, that this is the teaching of Christ, although all men said otherwise. So also this doctrine: You cannot help yourself, but Christ is you Savior, who has obtained for you the forgiveness of your sins; this you must know and confess in your heart that it is true; and if you are not conscious of it, then you have no faith, and the Word only hangs about your ears and swims on your tongue like foam on the water, as Hosea the prophet says, 10:7, "As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the waters." All this you must now believe, not as a word that Peter preached, but that God has commanded you to believe. All this I say therefore, in order that we may return to the Gospel and observe where the foundation has its source, that ye must be judges, and have the power to judge over all things that are offered you; hence I can and dare not build on any man, for I must answer for myself when death comes.

12. Consequently do not allow yourselves to be persuaded that you must believe what the Pope says or the councils decree. When you know God, then you have the proper rule of judgment, the measure and rule by which you can judge all doctrines of the fathers; namely, when you know that Christ is your Savior, who rules us sinners. So when one now comes and says: You must become a monk, and do so and so, if you want to be saved, for faith alone is not sufficient for salvation; then you can truly and assuredly say: You lie, your doctrine is false; for whoever believes in Christ shall be saved. Who teaches you this? Faith in your heart, which believes this alone and nothing else. Therefore no one can beware of false doctrine unless he be spiritual. For Paul says this in 1 Cor. 2:15: "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." So no one can judge false doctrine, but the spiritual man.

13. Hence it is very foolish for the councils to wish to determine and establish what a man must believe, when there is often not a single man present who ever tasted the least of the divine Spirit. So it was in the Council of Nice, when they undertook to enact laws for the spiritual orders that they should not marry, which was all false because it has no foundation in the Word of God. Then a single man arose, by the name of Paphnutius, and overthrew the whole affair and said: Not so, that is not Christian. Then the entire council, in which undoubtedly were many distinguished and learned individuals, were compelled to drop the resolution, and give way to this simple and honest man. For God is a great enemy to high titles and human wisdom, hence he allows them at times to be handled roughly, and puts them to shame in their speculations, that the truth of the proverb may appear: The learned are the most perverted.

14. Thus we are to remain free judges, to have the power to decide and judge, to accept or reject everything that Pope establishes and the councils determine. But when we accept anything, we should so accept it, that it harmonizes with our faith and the Scriptures; and not just because the Papists say it. This St. Paul teaches in Rom. 12:7, Whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith." For all prophesy based on works, that does not lead to Christ alone as our only comfort, precious as it may be, is not according to the proportion of faith; as for instance to rely upon the revelations of hobgoblins, the mass, pilgrimages, fastings, and the merits of the saints. Even here so many holy fathers have erred like Gregory, Augustine and others, in that they taken from us this right of judgment, for this torment and misery began far back in history, that we must believe the Pope and the councils. Hence you must be able to say: God said this, and that God has not said. As soon as you say: A man has said this, or the councils have determined that, then you are building on sand.

15. Hence there is no judge upon the earth in spiritual things concerning Christian doctrine, except the person who has in his heart the true faith, whether it be a man or woman, young or old, maid or servant, learned or unlearned. For God is no respecter of persons, since all are alike precious to him, who live according to this commandments, Acts 10:34, hence they alone have the right to judge.

16. But if one should come who knew the sense of the Word better than I, then I should close my mouth and keep still, and receive knowledge from him. This is what St. Paul desires in speaking to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 14:29-30: "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace." That is to say, if the hearer knows and understands more than the preacher, then the preacher should allow him the privilege to speak, and he should hold his peace. In the worldly government of course the rule holds, that the older is wiser than the younger, a learned man than a layman; but in spiritual things a child or a servant, a common woman or man can have the grace of God as well as an old person or a lord, a priest or the Pope. To sum up, let no learned person take from you the right to judge, for you have this right as well as he.

17. Now let me tell you who the false prophets of our times are. For no one can judge or know this unless he has the Spirit. But the brief summary is, though much may be said on the subject, it is the Pope with his entire government; for they all have taught what is opposed to God. A lengthy proof of this is not necessary, for you can observe this nearly everywhere you turn. Yet we will give a few examples. God commands in Exodus 20:12: The child shall honor father and mother and be subject unto them. But the Pope has approved the view that a monk or a nun is no longer under their father, and says: The child is now under spiritual dominion and in the service of God; God is more than father and mother; hence it is no longer bound to serve father and mother, and the father is bound to call it a nobleman by grace.

18. Well, when I ask, what is the service of God? they reply: Dear Sir: It is the ringing of bells; lighting of candles; putting on beautiful robes for the celebration of mass, and more such similar monkey tricks. Yes, indeed, you have surely hit the mark! But I say to honor father and mother and to keep God's commandments, that is to serve God. Therefore you must say here that Antichrist has taught such things, and boldly say and declare he lies. Do you not see here how God's commandment is opposed to the obedience of priors and abbots? God gave you father and mother that you should honor them, serve them and be subject to them. The Pope gives you another, whom you must honor more than the father God has given you. If this is keeping God's commandment, I do not know what it is.

19. And so it is further with the other commandments of God. Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not hate or be angry. This God has commanded. But the Pope teaches thus: A man must defend the property of the clergy and the treasures of the church, and if he cannot do it, he shall call to his aid the sword of the civil government to protect the papal chair and St. Peter's inheritance. Behold, thus these commandments are opposed to each other, which I hope every one easily understands. So also in regard to the married state.

20. God commanded, Gen. 2:24, that man and wife should be one flesh, and that no man should put them asunder. Now the Pope has given many commandments contrary to this. For instance, when a woman takes a husband who is not baptized, the marriage is to be dissolved.

21. Then again when those in spiritual orders marry, they are to dissolve their marriage, according to the demands of their order. Again, if any one falls into the sin of incest and marries either her friend or any of his friends, the Pope commands that they must stay together, yet both must live chaste together. Here he lets the two sexes lie naked in bed together, and neither shall have the right to require of the other the duties of married life. This is nothing else than putting the straw and fire together, and then forbidding them to burn.

22. God says further: Thou shalt not steal. But who steals more than the Pope and his servants? They are the greatest thieves, because they appropriate unto themselves daily all the treasures of the world.

23. Again, look at the first commandment, which says that we should trust in God alone, and call upon him alone. But their entire doctrine is nothing else than to lead us to trust in human works, and to command us to call upon the saints. Do you not see that such people are the real false prophets, of whom we must beware? For they abolish the commandment which God has given. Now follows the other part of this Gospel where Christ speaks thus: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

24. As I said before, no one knows others by their fruits, except he who is spiritually born again. Therefore, he who has not the Spirit, cannot have this knowledge. Let no on think that he can know this from the fruits unless he be spiritual. The fruit by which we are to know them is unbelief. One can know them to some extent by open sins, yet this judgment is deceptive, for Christians also fall.

25. Hence, the true fruit by which they are known is an inner fruit, here I must have the Holy Spirit and judge according to his guidance. The fleshly eye and reason are not sufficient. You may see two persons go the Lord's Supper, the one is a believer, the other not, and yet their external work is the same. What then makes the difference? Faith in the heart and unbelief, because the one regards it as a good work, the other not. In short, from external works you can decide nothing. Tauler also acknowledged that believers and unbelievers were often so similar in external appearance, that no one could distinguish them, no is reason able to judge unless we have the Spirit of God. Yea, the unbelievers often appear far more excellent in their works than believers, as it is written in Job 39:13: "Givest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?" Yet the peacock can fly and the ostrich cannot. So also the believer and unbeliever are indeed similar to each other in their external appearance, but in their hearts they are quite different. [Note: In a later sermon on this text, Luther wisely changed his interpretation of "By their fruits you shall know them." In this sermon he says in paragraph #24, " The fruit by which we are to know them is unbelief" and in paragraph

#25, "In short, from external works you can decide nothing." But in the latter sermon (early 1530's) he says, "So stick to the principle that bearing good fruit refers to the kind of life and good works that are in agreement with the Word and the commandment of God" (Luther's Works 21:261). This is a good change because faith or unbelief are invisible and cannot be observed whereas Christ's words, "You shall know them by their fruits" assume that we can tell who the false prophets are by observing something visible. Faith in the heart cannot be seen by us, but behavior, good works, and one's public confession of faith (my addition) can be seen, observed and evaluated . . . Pastor Bucher]

26. However, by the fruits of the Spirit true prophets are known, which fruits St. Paul mentions to the Galatians, 5:20: "Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Yet these fruits no one can see or know without the Holy Spirit. For this reason the decision and judgment of spiritual things should not be based on external things, as on the work and person, but on the inner condition of the heart. One knows another indeed by his fruits, but only in the Spirit. The fruits and good works do not make any one good or pious; but he must first be good and pious at heart. As the apples do not make the tree, for the tree must first be there before the fruit.

27. If I understand this, then I notice there is no work so bad that it will necessarily condemn a man, nor none so good that it will save him. But faith alone saves us and unbelief alone condemns us. For one to commit adultery, the deed does not condemn him, for the adultery only shows that he has fallen from the faith, this condemns him, otherwise it would not be possible. Nor does anything make one good in faith, but nothing makes one wicked but unbelief. Therefore our Lord also says, that the tree shall be cut down. He does not say that the fruit shall be cut down. Thus the works of love do not make me good, but faith alone, in which I do these works and bear this fruit.

28. Thus we must begin with faith. But the Pope begins with works, and commands persons to do good works that they may become good. Just as if I should say to the tree: If you want to be a good tree, then begin and bear apples. Just as though I could bear apples before I was an apple tree. But I must say: If you want to bear apples, then begin and be an apple tree. Hence the tree must be there before it can produce fruit.

29. From all this it follows now that there is no sin on earth except unbelief, as Christ says in John 16:8-9: "And the Holy Ghost, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, because they believe not on me."

***

GJ - Thank you for making this available to everyone on the Net.

There is a rumor out there that no Church and Changer has ever plagiarized Luther.

UOJ Study Would Threaten the Rat Temple

Sure, you do not like this boy sharing milk
with the rats at the Rat Temple in India.
Kokomo is no better. Y'all are just used to it.


rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Building Better Prisons":

If there were a serious study of UOJ within the WELS, the results may be disastrous for some. The Enthusiasm that is so rampant in the WELS may fall like a house of cards. There may be a lot of Fiefdoms that could topple. False teachers given the left foot of fellowship would strike terror in the hearts of those who cannot cope with earning an honest living.

***

GJ - UOJ is also a good way to maintain the priesthood. One must be initiated into the mysteries of UOJ and GA to keep the sheep sheepish.

UOJ allows for any doctrine and any behavior. It is the Pietistic version of Mormonism, ideal for dominating and destroying lives.

The WELS UOJ hero is J. P. Meyer, who taught a version of Decision Theology. NPH printed it in his Ministers of Christ.

Once people are taught unquestioning obedience to the power structure, anything can happen.

The Wisconsin Sect is just a version of the Church of Rome.

---

LPC said...

Pr. GJ,

The Wisconsin Sect is just a version of the Church of Rome.

This is what Richard Neuhaus deduced for the case of Missouri, that is why he went to Rome. He must have deduced, if his Synod was going to act like Rome anyway, why not go for the real McKoy. So he became a Roman priest.


LPC

*** GJ - You are right, Dr. Cruz. I used to correspond with Neuhaus, when he was still in the LCA. James Crumley, as LCA Bishop, curled up in the pope's lap. He sent a color booklet to each LCA pastor, copies of his correspondence with the Antichrist, photos of his face-time with the Holy Father! Yet, at Ad Fontes, Crumley seemed disturbed as he talked privately to Neuhaus. Crumley sat with me and Mrs. Ichabod at lunch, revealing at once that he knew I had joined WELS. Neuhaus joined Rome soon after.

Neuhaus found the Church of Rome inviting while his liberal pals in the LCA kept pounding him for turning conservative. Those labels are so twisted and confused that I will not even begin to unravel them.

Neuhaus went from Viet Nam radical to becoming a critic of the World Council of Churches. He was pro-life and against women's ordination. All those positions meant he did not belong in the LCA or ELCA. Rome honored him at once and the Antichrist had lunch with him.

I may rewrite my essay on Roman Catholic doctrines taught by Lutherans. Neuhaus correctly saw that Missouri was a bad imitation of Rome.

Lutherans should expect a significant increase of their clergy joining Rome or Eastern Orthodoxy. If my intuition is correct, the numbers and names will be shocking - to everyone except me.

No Substitute for Pastoral Care: Shepherds Are Not To Beat the Sheep into Submission

In two districts, both infamous for promoting Church and Change, members have been excommunicated. The pastors involved in this hideous action are DP Doug Englebrecht, Tim Glende, VP Don Patterson, and Ex-SP Gurgle. Patterson and Glende are Facebook friends, as of May, 2011.

Many people were concerned about Englebrecht's Anything Goes! district, so he responded by:

1. Ducking the promised meeting.
   
2. Blaming me for the problems he caused.
   
3. Excommunicating the member who followed WELSian Talmudic demands.

Joe and Lisa Krohn wanted to discuss their concerns about justification with Pastor Don Patterson. At the time Joe was an elder with the congregation. This is public knowledge via Joe's blog. Patterson responded by saying he would meet with them only to talk at them, not to listen to any concerns. Joe and Lisa were supposed to simply sit there silently as Patterson and his stooges told them off. For some reason, Joe and Lisa did not desire to volunteer for the Stalinistic Re-education Camp experience. Patterson hastily ordered their defenestration while cutting them off from all communication from Holy Word. Patterson has a free vicar each year, paid for by WELS, so he can run around the synod being a big-shot. Nevertheless, he is too important to do pastoral work at home when he is needed. Joe Krohn has an excellent and concise summary of the issue on his blog post. In case anyone wonders, I did not contribute anything to that post. In fact, I did not read it until it was published. Joe writes his own material, on his own, and I just kelm it.

Many pastors would be glad to have a lay leader so involved in Biblical, Lutheran doctrine - but not Patterson and Gurgle.

This reminds me of the great shame of WELS pastors today - they do not visit their own members, whether active, troubled about doctrinal issues, hospitalized, or shut-in.

One WELS member wrote me, "Our pastor and his wife are always at the gym but they do not visit the widow of our member, who was a WWII hero. She cannot get to church on her own, but she still supports it. I am happy to see the pastor and his wife working out, but could they give the Word a workout during the week too."

DP Buchholz says his pastors do not visit their members.

A layman from another area said his pastor was always looking for more income but could not involve himself in visitation.

This is a double-loss for the pastor. First of all, he is obligated by his divine call to visit members all the time. The immediate visits should be for the grieving, the shut-ins, the hospitalized, and those with spiritual concerns. A visit could save a marriage, or get a couple living in sin to get married, or enhance the teaching of the Gospel.

The second loss is worse for the pastor. He cannot look back upon his work with satisfaction. Committee meetings and synod posts are empty honors. It is good to look back over the decades and say, "Here and there, the Word took effect and brought forth the fruit of the Spirit."

---

grumpy has left a new comment on your post "No Substitute for Pastoral Care: Shepherds Are Not...":

Many pastors would be glad to have a lay leader so involved in Biblical, Lutheran doctrine

Not all the time...some (not all) pastors have pretty big egos, and when they see a non-degreed individual who knows as much (are almost as much) as they do through self-study, they get pretty nervous.

So while they might say they want people to be knowledgable in doctrine, so they can determine whether they sermon is doctrinally correct, this is not always the case.

Regarding non-visitation while having time to hit the gym...many pastors take the same approach British officials did in Britain's colonial empire....the seemingly modest salary of empire officials (which only would have provided a lower middle class existence back in merry old England) allowed them to live like princes in the colonies. However, they only gave a "half a day's work for half a day's pay"...

Again, I emphasize, SOME, not ALL...the problem is, for every one that does act like this it destroys the reputation of five that work hard for the Gospel.

Update on Joe and Lisa Krohn: Excommunicated in Christian Love By Church and Changers Patterson and Gurgle

Sunday, August 7, 2011
Latest Update on Membership/Fellowship

We received our formal certified letter from the Elders and Council of Holy Word regarding our membership. In their initial email of May 21, 2011, they inferred as to the uncertainty of our salvation when they stated, "Our highest goal is to see you in heaven some day." By saying such a thing, one could only deduce that they were readying us for excommunication; further compounded by the suspension of membership privileges including the Lord's Table. The reader must understand that we were correct in our assumptions to this point. Excommunication is punishment for manifest impenitence for breaking God's Law; the Ten Commandments. In essence the church is carrying out the Ministry of the Keys and damning someone to Hell. I was relieved to find that Holy Word has backed away from this posture since we have broken no law and in their letter to us are now referring to our situation as a "Termination of Fellowship". We were never bearing false witness.

I understand there is a Bible Study going on at HW on the subject of Objective Justification. I pray that it is a truthful study of God's Word and not a consensus forming session for the upcoming Voter's Meeting. Public error deserves public rebuke...and I did go to my brothers in private first; so there is no error against Matthew 18.

I'm in the process of a response to their letter. Both letters will be forthcoming in a future blog.

Regarding Objective Justification, here is some food for thought:

"We contend that to define justification as Meyer and most of the proponents of an alleged universal justification do is to use the term in a strange, unusual way, and it certainly is not the justification presented in Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions. That which took place prior to and apart from faith is the Vicarious Satisfaction of Christ, the Redemption. Justification, according to Scriptures and our Confessions, is by grace through faith. Truly Objective Justification is the forensic activity of God by which He through the Gospel creates faith in Christ’s redemptive work, clothes the sinner in Christ’s righteousness and so makes the sinner righteous in His sight and in His forum accounts this righteousness of Christ to faith as He did with Abraham. God declares His believers to be what He Himself has made them to be in His sight -- righteous and holy for Christ’s sake. These are the ones He has given “the status of saints.” Justification belongs where our Lutheran Catechism has it in the Third Article of the Creed."

- Vernon H. Harley
511 Tilden
Fairmont, MN 56031
January, 1986

And:

"...So to say that God justifies the ungodly does not mean that he has justified all people. The tense of the very (sic - verb) also speaks to that. Those who teach the extreme of UOJ want to say that God already justified all people. Past tense. This is a misunderstanding. Christ already died for all people. Christ already redeemed all people. Yes, true. Christ has offered a pure offering to the Father that has satisfied his wrath against sin. Yes, also that. Forgiveness has already been acquired by Christ for the world. Yes, but that forgiveness is in Christ and should not be spoken of with respect to those who are not in Christ. Christ is the Savior of the world in the same way that the bronze serpent was the Savior of the whole Israelites community. All who looked up at it were saved from the snake bites. All who look to Christ in faith are saved (forgiven, justified, etc.)...

...We ought not speak of people as being already justified before they are born. The Confessions equate Justification with Regeneration. Period. And the Scriptures do the same. Justification/The forgiveness of sins are Third Article doctrines, not Second Article doctrines. The confusion is this, that when some people say "God has justified the world," they mean, "Christ died for the sins of the world." But our sloppy use of the word "justify" has caused all sorts of problems. The latter is "redemption," not "justification." Some go so far as to say that God imputes the righteousness of Christ to all people. This directly contradicts the passage you quoted above that says that "to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited (imputed) as righteousness."

-A WELS pastor who has asked for anonymity

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity

The abundance of the Lord's Supper is related to the abundance of the miraculous feedings, accomplished by God's Word.
By Norma Boeckler.

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time


The Hymn #9 O Day of Rest 1:89
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 #237 All Glory Be 1:12
Faith instead of Reason
The Communion Hymn #341 Crown Him 1:70
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 # 261 Lord Keep Us Steadfast 1:93

KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in the wilderness didst by Thy Son abundantly feed four thousand men besides women and children with seven loaves and a few small fishes: We beseech Thee, graciously abide among us with Thy blessing, and keep us from covetousness and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness, and in all things needful for body and soul, experience Thine ever-present help; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Faith Instead of Reason
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

This Gospel teaches us many things about Christ and how He deals with us. The central lesson contrasts faith in God with human reason.

First we see that the crowds following Christ trusted and loved Him. They followed Him out into the desert to hear Him teach. When we see the term “wilderness” we think of dark forests and timberwolves, but the word used means “dry place,” which is another kind of wilderness.

Many parts of the US are now in a massive heat wave. It was 105 and humid here yesterday. Our dog Sassy Sue lost her usual bounce outside and slowly trotted back in after the birds were fed.
Jesus’ followers were with Him days, providing us implied details that defeat the rationalists, who try to wiggle out from under this miracle. They would love to have the people sharing their hidden food, shamed by the little boy who offered his. That would allow for everyone fed. But after three days, unless they had Army trucks following them, they would have no food left at all.

Desert living people know that calories are needed just as much in the heat as in the cold. Heating and cooling are both major tasks of the blood circulation system. When people hike into the hot Grand Canyon, they neglect food to sustain them. One man got down but could not climb up again. It was cool in the night but too dangerous to climb. He could see in the daytime but could not negotiate the trail up (one mile vertical in height) without food. He rested by a stream until people found him.

Nothing is said here about water for the crowd. They would not stop, rest, and eat in the blazing sun, but at an oasis. People think of the desert as blowing hills of sand, but there are always water sources here and there. One housing development was going up in Phoenix because they had a large aquifer present, part of an old ranch. No one could build new homes unless water was also provided in abundance and ground water replaced if removed by wells.

We know that these people believed in Christ or they would have turned back early, knowing their food supplies were limited and running out.

First Jesus expressed His compassion for the crowd, before anyone thought to ask Him about their perilous state.

Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

Jesus expressed His love and concern for those who loved His Word so much that they followed Him into the wilds to hear Him.

This reveals the nature of Christ, to show concern before anyone expressed a need. His disciples needed to know this, so it was said to them and brought to their remembrance later, recorded in Mark and Matthew.

God provides for us in two ways. First, He provides the necessities of life – food, clothing, and shelter. Secondlhy, he provides the spiritual necessities – forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. People worry about the first far more than the second, even though God provides for believers and unbelievers alike. The sun rises on the good and the evil, the just and the unjust (those justified by faith and the unbelievers).

KJV Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Jesus posed the question to expose the disciples’ attitude, and they responded with human reason.

Mark 8:4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

The disciples responded, “Impossible.”

Therefore, this Gospel miracle clearly exposes the contrast between faith and human reason. Those who rely on human reason repudiate faith, even when they mix faith and reason. True trust in God’s Word means we must repudiate human wisdom and not rely on that or experience – not even on our emotions.

They have called the 18th Century the Age of Reason, but ours is the Age of Emotion. All emotions are valid, the gurus tell us, and we must act on them and on our impulses. Impulses are sacred, sacramental even, they claim. To ignore our emotions and impulses will cause great illness and unhappiness. Thus the Old Adam is trained by the Old Adam to remain in its blind state, trusting man and fearing God.

God is so great and powerful that His Word sets aside all rules, reason, and human experience. An unbeliever fears God. A believer loves God, because He sees (in the Word) how this power is expressed in mercy and love rather than in judgment and condemnation.

I ask people, “Please read Luther’s sermons, to get away from your toxic past, where people taught Law and condemnation only to provide more Law and condemnation as a remedy. Luther teaches the true Gospel, receiving forgiveness through faith alone, apart from the works of the Law.”

This great contrast, which Jesus showed the disciples, was intended to reveal to them their shortcomings in understanding the difference between faith and reason. Another example was the miraculous catch of fish.

God does not teach us in giant steps but in small steps, leading us to a sincere faith in His Word, yet providing for our fallen state, our weaknesses and sinful nature. The Gospel is a leaven which slowly takes over the batch of dough, replacing trust in ourselves with trust in God.

People can summarize the horrible state of Christianity in this country with one word – reason. The wolves say, “We have statistics. We have examples. We have marketing studies. Trust us to reach people who have never before been reached.” All that is human reason, tickled by human emotion. It must be good because it appeals to so many people. How can they all be wrong?

God reveals what human wisdom and experience cannot. There are no stores to buy enough food in this wild area. When people drive into unpopulated areas today, the same experience is repeated, especially on holidays. Some roads seem to go on and on, without any signs of human habitation. I was driving the van, loaded with Team Jackson, as the tank registered empty. We saw the distant town (easy in the desert) and everyone hoped the E was an exaggeration. I spent 20 minutes thinking, “Every minute I am closer to a rescue, AAA, and a can of gasoline.” We made it.

“Who is a better farmer, miller, and baker than God?” Luther asked. No one can grow grain faster, turn it into four faster, or bake it into bread faster than God. Jesus showed that.

Mark 8:5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

Faster than anyone could see, God took the loaves and fishes and fed 4,000 families with them. This was a massive feeding and yet the leftovers were equally impressive. Given the same statistics today, even with enormous quantities of food, the leftovers would have been sparse because of the famished state of 12,000 people or more.

Lenski:
The number of the people fed on this occasion was “about four thousand.” Matthew adds that this number were men, leaving the women and the children uncounted. What a host to be fed with a little bread and a few fishes! In both miracles the numbers are merely historical; all efforts to give them a symbolical or allegorical meaning are beside the point. We also say that the effort to find a Gentile unity or even a gradation between the three miracles recorded in 7:24–8:10 is futile. How do we know that the deaf-mute was a Gentile? If there were Gentiles present among the 4,000, Mark does not even note the fact, much less attach peculiar significance to it.
When all were fully fed and the pieces gathered up, Jesus dismissed them, which means that he himself was leaving. Only three days did Jesus remain in this neighborhood. Only the dismissal is recorded, nothing is said about the effect produced upon the people, which certainly must have been profound.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 319.

Our Old Adam dismisses faith in God and says, “Let me figure this out.” The Gospel is clearly teaching us that God has compassion on us before we even begin to solve a problem.

Human thinking is not dismissed, because God has given us the ability to fight disease, build bridges, and run human affairs. However, human reason must be subordinated to the Word of God, which judges everything.

For instance, there are two responses to this world-wide Depression, brought on by greed and human wisdom.

One is – statistics show that eventually the economy will turn around as things get sorted out and ownership reverts to people with cash.

Another is from Psalm 37:25 - KJV Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

The first answer can cause even more anxiety because reason says, “This time it is different,” or “FDR kept the Depression going for 10 years, blaming Hoover the whole time.”

The second answer promotes and nurtures faith in God. I used to think, as a child, “But no one is righteous.” That would be just like saying, from the New Testament, “No one is a saint.” In both cases it means “believer.” Someone could translate the Psalm verse as:

I have been young and now am old, but I have never seen someone who is justified by faith abandoned by God, nor have I seen his children begging for food. (Jackson Living Bible)

When I first heard that verse again, during a time of need, the Word inspired faith in God. That is the purpose of every Gospel passage in the Bible, where we can find hundreds of blessings and promises in addition to message of salvation in Christ.

The miraculous feeding is also reflected in the following action – I share this verse with hundreds of students. Most of my students are younger and going through various financial trials. At one school, many (but not all) students are Christians. I also post this hymn for each class at that school:

"Commit Whatever Grieves Thee" by Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676
1. Commit whatever grieves thee
Into the gracious hands
Of Him who never leaves thee,
Who heaven and earth commands.
Who points the clouds their courses,
Whom winds and waves obey,
He will direct thy footsteps
And find for thee a way.
2. On Him place thy reliance
If thou wouldst be secure;
His work thou must consider
If thine is to endure.
By anxious sighs and grieving
And self-tormenting care
God is not moved to giving;
All must be gained by prayer.
3. Thy truth and grace, O Father,
Most surely see and know
Both what is good and evil
For mortal man below.
According to Thy counsel
Thou wilt Thy work pursue;
And what Thy wisdom chooseth
Thy might will always do.
4. Thy hand is never shortened,
All things must serve Thy might;
Thine every act is blessing,
Thy path is purest light.
Thy work no man can hinder,
Thy purpose none can stay,
Since Thou to bless Thy children
Wilt always find a way.
5. Though all the powers of evil
The will of God oppose,
His purpose will not falter,
His pleasure onward goes.
Whate'er God's will resolveth,
Whatever He intends.
Will always be accomplished
True to His aims and ends.
6. Then hope, my feeble spirit,
And be thou undismayed;
God helps in every trial
And makes thee unafraid.
Await His time with patience,
Then shall thine eyes behold
The sun of joy and gladness
His brightest beams unfold.
7. Arise, my soul, and banish
Thy anguish and thy care.
Away with thoughts that sadden
And heart and mind ensnare!
Thou art not lord and master
Of thine own destiny;
Enthroned in highest heaven,
God rules in equity.
8. Leave all to His direction;
In wisdom He doth reign,
And in a way most wondrous
His course He will maintain.
Soon He, His promise keeping,
With wonder-working skill,
Shall put away the sorrows
That now thy spirit fill.
9. A while His consolation
He may to thee deny,
And seem as though in trial
He far from thee would fly;
A while distress and anguish
May compass thee around,
Nor to thy supplication
An answering voice be found.
10. But if thou perseverest,
Thou shalt deliverance find.
Behold, all unexpected
He will thy soul unbind
And from the heavy burden
Thy heart will soon set free;
And thou wilt see the blessing
He had in mind for thee.
11. O faithful child of heaven,
How blessed shalt thou be!
With songs of glad thanksgiving
A crown awaiteth thee.
Into thy hand thy Maker
Will give the victor's palm.
And thou to thy Deliverer
Shalt sing a joyous psalm.
12. Give, Lord, this consummation
To all our heart's distress;
Our hands, our feet, e'er strengthen,
In death our spirits bless.
Thy truth and Thy protection
Grant evermore, we pray,
And in celestial glory
Shall end our destined way.

TLH #520.

Faith in God’s Word is faith in God. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to the Gospel and dwells in us, helping us all our spiritual struggles. This miracle shows us how God provides before we even think to ask, that compassion is central to the divine will.

God allows us to fall into uncertainty and perplexity because we would otherwise fall into completely apathy, if not hostility toward God. Before the Flood, the entire planet was like paradise. The fossil remains of the Flood show a Florida-like atmosphere and natural growth in Siberia and everywhere else. The reason was the mist that watered the planet until the seasons began after the global inundation.

We know that jewels and metals were out in the open and available in recent times. One man started a fire in America and lit the cliff on fire. The overhang was pure coal. In Jerome, Arizona, Indians picked up lumps of copper from the surface of Mingus Mountain. Yet when mankind had everything within arm’s reach, they became utterly godless and evil.

The struggles we endure are good for our spiritual strength, because they drive us to the Word of God and to faithful authors.

Mark 8:8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

The baskets were even larger than the “coffin-baskets” which were man-sized. Two terms were used, to distinguish them.

Everyone was completely full—and perhaps stuffing some extras in the pockets—but seven baskets were left. When people have been famished, they can eat a lot. This shows us the miraculous abundance provided by God.

This abundance is revealed in the Scriptures in the Means of God, which offends many clergy. The Gospel conveys Christ to us in the preached and taught Word, in the Sacraments of Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, and Absolution. When we speak the Gospel to brothers (NNIV and sisters) in Christ, that is also God’s grace. So we have enough and to share as well.

The same is true of our material needs. God gives us enough and plenty to share as well. We should look for opportunities to share with our neighbor, never expecting anything in return.



Quotations

"Since God has connected His most gracious promise of forgiveness with Baptism and the Lord's Supper, these also are true and efficacious means of grace, namely, by virtue of the divine promises that are attached to them."
John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics, A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1934, p. 444.

"Both Baptism and the Lord's Supper qualify as Means of Grace because of the simple fact that they are visible forms of the essential Gospel message announcing the forgiveness of sins."
Martin W. Lutz, "God the HS Acts Through the Lord's Supper," God The Holy Spirit Acts, ed., Eugene P. Kaulfield, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1972, p. 117.

"Today's Gospel paints to us the Lord in a way that we may fully know how we should esteem Him, namely, that He is merciful, meek and loving; that He gladly helps everybody and freely associates and deals with all people. And such a picture as this, faith really craves."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House 1983, IV, p. 203.

"Therefore the Scriptures present to us a double picture; one is that of fear or the overpowering picture of the severe wrath of God, before which no one can stand; but must despair unless he has faith. In contrast with this the picture of grace is presented to us in order that faith may behold it and obtain for itself an agreeable and comforting refuge in God with the hope that man cannot expect so much from God, that there is not still much more to be had from Him."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House 1983, IV, p. 203.

"Today's Gospel treats of the temporal and bodily blessings, teaches us the faith of the child, and it is a picture for the weak, in that they should look to God for everything good, and that they might thus later learn to trust God and depend on Him for spiritual blessings. For if we are instructed in the Gospel, how Christ feeds our stomachs, we can then conclude that He will also feed and clothe our souls. For if I cannot trust a person to sustain my body, much less can I trust him to sustain my soul forever."
Sermons of Martin Luther, , IV, p. 204.

"Therefore Christ asked His disciples that everyone might learn to know by experience what reason is, and acknowledge how reason and faith in no way agree. Here we learn to blindfold reason, when we begin to believe, and then give reason a permanent furlough."
Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 205.

"O God, I am Thy creature and Thy handiwork and Thou hast from the beginning created me. I will depend entirely on You who cares more for me, how I shall be sustained, then I do myself; Thou wilt indeed nourish me, feed, clothe and help me, where and when You know best."
Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 206.

"But when one inquires of reason for counsel it soon says: It is not possible. Yes, you must wait a long time until roasted ducks fly into your mouth, for reason sees nothing, grasps nothing, and nothing is present. Just so the apostles do also here who thought: Yes, who will provide food for so many, no one is able to do that; but had they seen a great pile of money and in addition tables laden with bread and meat, they would soon have discovered good counsel and been able to give good consolation; that would have gone to their thinking very reasonably."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House 1983, IV, p. 206.

"Therefore, beloved friends, let us once make a beginning to believe; for unbelief is the cause of all sin and vice, which now have taken the upper hand in all stations of life. How does it come to pass that everywhere there are so many foolish women and rogues, so many rank imposters, thieves, robbers, userers, murderers and sellers of indulgences? It all comes from unbelief."
Sermons of Martin Luther, IV, p. 208.

"Just so it is also at present: Where true pastors and preachers are so poorly supported that no one donates anything to them, and moreover what they have is snatched out of their mouths by a shameless and unthankful world, by princes, noblemen, townsmen and farmers, so that they with their poor wives and children must suffer need, and when they die leave behind them pitiable, rejected widows and orphans. By this very many good-hearted and very clever people are more and more discouraged from becoming pastors and preachers."
Sermons of Martin Luther,IV, p. 214.

"How does it happen that although all of us are certainly Christians, or at least want to be such, we do not take this attitude of unconcern and neither comfort ourselves with abundance and surplus nor are frightened by want and by worrying about it? For if we faithfully and devotedly cling to God's Word, there shall be no want. Christ takes care of us, and from this it must follow that we shall have something to eat."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 436. Mark 8:1-9

One Way To Prove Forgiveness Without Faith, Without the Means of Grace

Keep changing Bibles until a crooked billionaire comes up with one that says exactly what UOJ claims.

Any Denomination Would Love To Have This Many New Congregations, But These Are All Escapees from ELCA

"I know you are gloating, Brett, and it is not becoming."

George Erdner

• ALPB Contribution Leader
• 
• 

Re: The thread for info on churches voting to leave the ELCA & all follow-up.

« Reply #7956 on: Today at 07:51:45 PM »

 I'm having some trouble finding the new denominational affiliation of these churches that have left the ELCA. Does anyone have any idea where they ended up? I'm suspecting one of the church bodies other than NALC or LCMC, because those two are pretty good about keeping their websites up-to-date. 

Life Lutheran Church, Richmond, CA
Chinese Lutheran Church, San Francisco, CA
Bethel Lutheran Church, Santa Maria, CA
Advent Lutheran Church, Boca Raton, FL
Peace Lutheran Church, Port Charlotte, FL
Samuel Lutheran Church, Eagle Grove, IA
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Estherville, IA
Fertile Lutheran Church, Fertile, IA
Holmes Lutheran Church, Holmes, IA
Thai Mission, Rockville, MD
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Champion, MI
Christ Lutheran Church, Shingleton, MI
Peace Lutheran Church, St Joseph, MI
Trefoldighed Lutheran Church, Battle Lake, MN
New Hope of Lakewood Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN
Calvary Lutheran Church, Golden Valley, MN
St John’s Lutheran Church, Howard Lake, MN
Rejoice Lutheran Church Renewal Church, Northfield, MN
Salem Lutheran Church, Osakis, MN
Sauk Valley Lutheran Church, Osakis, MN
First Lutheran Church, Pillager, MN
Evanger Lutheran Church, Sargeant, MN
Bethel Lutheran Church, Scanlon, MN
Sychar Lutheran Church, Silver Bay, MN
Folden Lutheran Church, Vining, MN
First Lutheran Church, Dillon, MT
Zion Lutheran Church (Obetz), Columbus, OH
St Mark Lutheran Church, Graytown, OH
Calvary Lutheran Church, Irene, SD
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Long Valley, SD
Trinity Lutheran Church, Midland, SD
Grace Lutheran Church, Snyder, TX

Jelly-Tele-Tubbies in WELS

John Parlow, Mark Jeske, Paul Calvin Kelm, and Kudu Don Patterson are the Jelly-Tele-Tubbies.

Prep Schools Abuse Students? True Blue WELSians Object

grumpy has left a new comment on your post "Ex-Members Talking about an Abusive Sect - WELS":

You mean pink bellies, pole melvins, bottle drops, shagging, and all the other aspects of the "zex" year (no longer practiced I have been assured) could be considered abusive?

Fie the very thought !

That outsider Dr. Jackson seeks to destroy the only group of true Christians in the world...the WELS...

Well, there is the ELS, but aren't they just considered "Bethany Bombers" ?

WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "Huebner's Double-Talk Comes Through in His Fuller ...":

In response to former_wels_2011:

If you are serious about reaching Pastor Jackson, feel free to email me at rebecca.quam@yahoo.com. I can then forward your information to Pastor GJ's personal email so that he can email you in return.

An easier suggestion would be for you to leave a comment with your email and type "Do not publish this comment" in the message. All veils of secrecy were lifted once the Intrepid Lutherans blog was up and running.

In Christ,
Rebecca


***

GJ - I am easy to contact, and this person found me right away. My stated email is gregjackson1948@qwest.net. If someone writes to me there, I upgrade the individual to my mail email address.

Much of the content of this blog comes from people who contribute research, experience, and insights.

Gird Thy Loins for the ELCA Convention:Theme - Bottoms Up!

"We could not have reached this point without the support of Thrivent, WELS, Missouri, and the ELS.
We covet the MLC gay video."

Here is the link

As readers know, I am in statu comatosis about all church conventions. They are meaningless gatherings of boring people who think they will accomplish something with a debate and a vote.

The decisions have been made. The committee chairs and members have been chosen to render the correct rubber-stamp on everything debated.

The only possible good result for this convention would be waking up a few more souls. The exit ramps are already crowded with people and congregations leaving.

I wrote about this in 1987 and published the book-lenth manuscript with my name on it.

Lemme see. Thirteen plus eleven equals 24. I was decades ahead of the masses who are now leaving ELCA.

The ELS is dead in the water. WELS and Missouri are collapsing. The LCMC and NALC may be the alternatives chosen by those escaping their Walter-Meyer cults.

Ex-Members Talking about an Abusive Sect - WELS

I have spoken to two ex-WELS members in the last day. I am not going to add any personal details. But that is the setting for what follows.

People do not realize they are in an abusive cult because they are surrounded by those who constantly tell them that God is honored and pleased to have such a wonderful group of Christians - if only the rest were as good. An abusive cult will love-bomb people into the group but also hate them out. Someone who is ex-WELS is the worst of all reprobates, especially if that individual is onto the abuse and talking about it.

The two main components are the abuse (emotional, physical, sexual) and the foul doctrine. The evil doctrine allows and energizes the abuse. WELS teaches universal absolution without faith, which is handy for murdering one's spouse and using the youth group as sex slaves. But WELS also lays down its own law on everyone, and that law has no mercy, no forgiveness, and no fruits of the Spirit.

WELS has a long list of unrepentant, adulterous clergy and teachers. If they are in with the In Crowd, they are guilt-free. However, if a dissenter exhibits any mortal failing, the In Crowd will bury that person in verbal abuse, shun to a fare-thee-well, and excuse their behavior as discipline.

WELS has taken the verse "All men are liars" to a new level - Exponentially, one might say. Thus, they are pleased to brag about their dozens of rules about fellowship principles but will not admit they violate all of them - and have for decades. One proof of that is the shock in the voice of WELS members who do not realize they have been in bed with ELCA (and its forerunners) for many decades. "I never knew that!"

Support for the United Nations? Sure.

Pose with the head of ELCA at a leadership conference? Lie about it. "We had to take their money or someone else would have spent it."

Study at Fuller Seminary? Lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, brag, deny. By all means, promote the men who studied there and lied about studying at Fuller. Here is a good one: "I am glad I was there so I could witness against their false doctrine."

Have any of the Ten Commandments survived the brutal regime of WELS? No. False doctrine is promoted as "a gray area of Scripture." The Eighth Commandment applies to dissenters who talk about doctrine, murder, adultery, and child abuse.

Murder? - "That was a long time ago." I am quoting a pastor.

But the worst part of this abusive behavior is the members and church workers try to adjust for the false reality imposed on them. Either they go along with all of it, which is extremely dangerous for the soul, or they snap out of it and get expelled.

Missouri does some of this. The Little Sect on the Prairie re-elected Pope John the Malefactor for being abusive. The micro-mini sects specialize in abuse.

My prescription for healing is two-fold.

First, begin reading the Lenker set of Luther's Sermons to hear the true Gospel and the Reformer's brilliant practical applications.

Second, leave the sect behind whenever that is possible. Worship at home is better than going along with an abusive, false-teaching group. Reading a book on abusive churches will help people realize that they come in all flavors, all confessions.

An ex-WELS pastor told me it was all over for the Wisconsin sect when he read in Mark Schroeder's spin-report that WELS does not repent. Once a sect has reached that level of self-absolution and self-absorption, there is no help.

The Word can address all these problems, but not if no one will wield the Sword of the Spirit.

Huebner's Double-Talk Comes Through in His Fuller Energized Article

The Shrinkers consistently promote their own losers to positions of power, so they can leverage the damage.

Daniel Baker has left a new comment on your post "WELS First VP Advises the Confused about His Passi...":

"My Word will not return to me empty" - unless you mortals make it less effective by not employing Enthusiastic 'church growth' ideologies.

"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word" - but only if your mortals don't hinder it with lackluster methodologies!

The doublespeak employed by saying "we cannot make God's Word more effective" but then demonstrating how we can make it ineffective would be humorous if this weren't a serious article written by such a high-ranking member of the Synod.

*** - GJ

Three-fold Promise Destroys CG and UOJ

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:

1. It shall not return unto me void,
   
2. But it shall accomplish that which I please,
   
3. And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
   

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. KJV Isaiah 55:8-11