Joe Krohn Did Not Open Pandora's Box - It Opens Itself

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Epilogue 

We made one final attempt to get an answer from DP Pastor Vilas Glaeske on September 11, 2011 concerning our question. As of this writing we have not heard back.

Our response:

"Thank you for your kind wishes, Pastor Glaeske.

Your statement about the appeal process as ‘an internal procedure for WELS members’ we find paradoxical…since technically we were excommunicated and are no longer members of WELS as of 8-28-2011 and/or even before that. So the acceptance of fellowship and/or Holy Communion from another Confessional Lutheran Church body is really moot.

So our question still stands. I believe you have been caught by the gravity of truth as your question caught us.

As you most undoubtedly know, we have made this matter quite public. We would grant you anonymity as to the best of our ability; even by your conditions, if you would answer the question regardless….

Do you believe that all men were forgiven of their sins before they were born; before receiving Baptism or hearing the Word of God? There are Lutheran pastors including some in the WELS that refute this teaching.

In Christ,

Joe and Lisa Krohn"

I'll blog a little bit more about our view of the WELS and its 'confessionalism' through the portals of our experiences, but then it will be time to move on...shaking the dust as it were...

Build It and They--The Tetzels--Will Come

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "The Lutheran Clergy Have Lost the Gospel":

At least Lenin was more honest when he called yes-men "useful idiots". There is a masonry evangelism program at a WELS congregation that I am very familiar with. Even before the expansion was put into place, the yes-men and yes-women were sought out and placed into positions as facilitators for the congregational forums. The whole process was well scripted.

The yes folks were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that a multi-million dollar expansion was needed to save souls. This allowed the puppet masters to pull the heart strings and also to instill guilt into those who opposed expansion. The CG promoters were insulated from accountability. Even when Cornerstone Ministries was brought in to fleece the members, few members could see the man behind the curtain. Stealth plans are often needed to hide the rotten fruit of apostasy.


***

GJ - The pastor retaliated against the Schutz family by refusing to let their son be a student in the school. However, no one even asked the teacher about the situation.

DP Glaeske's Letter Means: "Abandon Ship!"

bored has left a new comment on your post "Another Doctrinal Pussycat Lawyers Up":

I'm almost in disbelief. I almost thought that the letter by Glaeske was satire written by Dr. Jackson to exemplify the Satanic behavior of that little corner of the WELS. If only we were that lucky.

As of today, I am going to actively seek, not to merely forget the WELS, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy the Wisconsin Lutheran Synod. Up until I read Glaeske's letter I thought there was some hope for this body of churches, and thus have encouraged good pastors to stand up and fight. But there is no hope for that synod--there is no chance that the organization will do anything but slide further and further into apostasy.

Glaeske's methods remind me of the racist voting officials in the Jim Crow South, who'd charge Blacks a poll tax, but then throw out their ballots. Or like the Nazi's who'd take protection-money from Jews, only to send them to the gas chamber on bribery charges. This is not Hyperbole, folks. If this were not so serious I'd have photoshopped a picture Vilas the Vile doing something silly, but as it is, I have serious doubts if the man is even a Christian. Some might castigate me for doubting that, but it all seriousness, what about Glaeske's letter recommends his "faith"? All I see are thistles.

Thank Goodness for Joe and Lisa, who are prepared to give a reason for the hope they have. But how many faiths has Glaeske (and Patterson, his flying monkey) destroyed by similar tactics? I'm telling ya, this fool didn't just wake up one day and decide to write a dastardly letter. His Father has been training him tirelessly.

To the faithful Pastors in the WELS, among the many who (I imagine) secretly check in on Ichabod: If you take you Faith and your Call seriously then you know the proper response is looking you square in the face. GET YOUR CHURCHES OUT OF THE WELS before you and your congregations begin rotting. How can you sit by and watch this spiritual larceny take place? How can you stay silent with a good conscience? How can you remain in the WELS? Your so-called faithful leader, Mark Schroeder either lacks a spine, or has no concern for the WELS. If he were a good leader he'd love the Synod enough to be controversial, to drive a wedge between good and bad. If he were a man, Schroeder would've spent the last term braiding a whip out of cords. In reality, he's been using those cords to braid friendship bracelets for the Pietists.

These pastors who withhold the Means of Grace from the Krohns are guilty of misusing the Ministry of the Keys---but they hide behind the rubrics of the WELS to claim the opposite. Hopefully Glaeske and Patterson repent, because I don't think God is fooled by the semantic games of the WELS.

This head-fake excommunication is not uncommon. My Grandmother, Bette Trask was denied the Sacrament by Klemet Preus (LCMS) for objecting to his divorce and remarriage (while remaining a Pastor). She wasn't officially excommunicated...Oh no! Just blacklisted and turned away from the altar of every church in the area. Do these Pastors really think they will be spared judgment based on a man-made technicality? Gee, it's almost a psychosis.

The Lutheran Clergy Have Lost the Gospel

CFW Walther came from cell group Pietism.

One WELS veteran was correct in stating that his sect will never improve. The same can be said for the Little Sect on the Prairie and the Missouri Synod. ELCA has become the high-church version of the United Church of Christ, where all religions are the same, so Christians can worship with pagans, rejoicing. How little that matters to the Syn Conference ministry partners of ELCA

The micro-mini sects are simply worse versions of the Syn Conference.

Each sect has a program or plan to fix things - or rather - to take everyone's mind away from the real problem. The Lutheran clergy no longer teach the Gospel, justification by faith. Instead they have a program of works, starting with Pietistic cell groups and working downward from there.

Luther's sermons on faith and works make this plain. His Biblical emphasis upon justification by faith means that one cannot find spiritual fruit on a corrupt tree.

KJV Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Luther's sermons do not try to reform people with the Law. Nor does he dwell on carnal sins. He continually emphasizes the foundational sin of unbelief, relating that to many different aspects of daily life. For instance, fear of economic misfortune comes from lack of faith in God.

One of Luther's insights is the reverse side of the cross. Most people see the cross as a terrible burden to be avoided - and the clergy are especially good at that. The cross is not poverty or disease, but the difficulties associated with teaching and believing the Word of God. The reverse side of the cross is God not allowing unbelievers to see the spiritual fruit of believers. The unbelievers spend all their time and energy mocking every fault and problem they find in believers. Although they are a great burden, especially within the extended family, the greatest burden is their own, since they blind themselves to the fruit of the Gospel they despise so fervently.

Once that makes sense, District Pope behavior is the necessary outcome of their apostasy. Innocent clergy and laity think that citing Scripture and the Confessions will improve and explain matters for synodical leaders. That infuriates the DPs, motivating them to get revenge. Their response is typical. DPs viciously slander whoever dares to challenge them with the Word of God, which is bitter in their mouths. The primates get even - 50 times over, just to prove to the rest that no one questions the District Pope.

Synodical popes and professors are the result of the same process, so they are no different.

When I bring up doctrinal issues, the rebuttal is, "You are a bad person." Great efforts have been made to make sure that I am silenced in all Lutheran media. Trinity Lutheran Church in Bridgeton, Missouri, where I had been a member, told Christian News that they would not give Otten a dime while he published my articles. I was writing that justification without faith was wrong, and that was unforgivable in their eyes.

The so-called conservative Lutherans on the Net have given themselves hernias denouncing our little congregation, which they should commend - for broadcasting free books, free sermons, free worship services, free collections of quotations, and free research.

VP Don Patterson refused to discuss justification and the WELS-LCMS Tetzels from Cornerstone with Joe and Lisa Krohn. He was eager to promote UOJ when they were out of the way.

Patterson's cronies silenced Joe at the voters meeting, where he wanted to ask one question. The Doctrinal Pussycat, long regarded as a "conservative" leader in WELS, refused to answer a simple question.

As so many have seen, the same process has been used with the Krohn family, Rick Techlin, the Kokomo families, and California's family. WELS kicked out a whole group of clergy and congregations during the Protest'ant era, including their own seminary president.

Has anyone else wondered why WELS and Missouri are hotter than Georgia asphalt for cell groups? The Lutheran Pharisees want to impose their law on everyone, and cell groups are good for accomplishing that goal. The clergy say, "We must have cell groups for spiritual growth." They never mention the Means of Grace, except as an afterthought.

The cell groups must use certain materials, which brainwash the victims into accepting a heavy burden of remedies. The phony acceptance and love of the cell group maneuvers people into conforming with the master plan. If people get in the way, a truly successful pastor will eliminate the obstacles. Eventually he will have a gaggle of yes-men to act as his Rothweilers at all meetings. In return, he turns a blind eye to anything they do, because they were born forgiven. See Marvin Schwan as a well known example of this covenant for covens.

The Syn Conference is riddled with evil because the organization is the evil fruit of a corrupt tree. The WELS Church and Changers saw they could attack the Gospel behind the shield of the Wauwatosa Enthusiasm, the Caliban of Lutherdom. In Missouri, the conservative Pietists are organized against the liberal Pietists, never dreaming they are branches of the same corrupt tree of Enthusiasm.

KJV Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed [GJ - literally damned to Hell].

Ironies abound. In the name of the Gospel, all Lutherans [ELCA, WELS, LCMS, ELS, Micro-Minis] teach Universalism. Everyone, they imagine, is already forgiven. In their delusion they call Enthusiasm "grace." Amazing. They burn with indignation against anyone who prefers Luther and the Apostle Paul to their Moses, George De Benneville, and Walther. They respond to the real Luther-ans [dash used for emphasis] by excommunicating them.

The Lutheran leaders of today remind me of the "blessed" Council of Trent, where the theologians stomped their shepherd's crooks and chanted, "Anathema sit! Anathema sit! Anathema sit!" That was their response to justification by faith.

"Anathema sit! Anathema sit! Anathema sit!"

"Anathema sit! Anathema sit! Anathema sit!"

Favicon Installed

This is the large version of the favicon.

The favicon is a little image that appears in the browser, designed for that site. Google Blogger has made that easy to install, so I designed one for Ichabod, a small image of Martin Chemnitz, senior editor of the Book of Concord, major contributor to the Formula of Concord.

Page-views, for Monday and Tuesday, were 2500 and 2100.

Another Doctrinal Pussycat Lawyers Up

Joe Krohn:

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Fair Thee WELS 911 If you have been following along, the correspondences in this post need little explanation.

The longer I live I tend to believe less and less that there are coincidences in this world. I do believe and appreciate irony more and more. The Bible is chocked full of it. The final word came down from the DP on...wait for it...9-11.

Our response to DP Glaeske on September 9, 2011:

"Pastor,

I see where this is going and it is deplorable. It is not truly meet, right and salutary for you, Holy Word and WELS since you are acting in their interest to treat us in this fashion. You are culpable since you will not address the issue.

We were never allowed discussion regarding the chief article of faith, namely Justification. We felt Pastor Patterson was in error by preaching that all are forgiven prior to birth; prior to Baptism; prior to hearing the Word of God. During one meeting I asked how this applied to Abraham. I was told that it was the wrong question to ask. You excommunicate us (This is really what it is since we were told to repent of our sin and denied Holy Communion; sin being a breaking of God’s Law of which we were never told which commandment.); and then discuss the issue, your side only, with the whole congregation; you run us down behind our backs and then you have the gall to excuse your dishonest behavior by saying we are not in fellowship if we joined another church when in fact it was YOU that broke fellowship; excommunicated us in the first place! You are criticizing us for the logical consequence of YOUR actions when we were quite willing to talk and repeatedly asked to talk about Justification; not just with the pastors but also with the elders.

We watched the internet stream of the recent WELS 2011 Convention. Pastor Glaeske, you were the only leader who stood up and really opposed the NNIV. (Ironically, the NNIV creates more ambiguity regarding justification by faith.) I praised God and said ‘good on him’. If you are unwilling to address this issue and blame us in the process, then you are condoning the preaching of Objective Justification as Holy Word is teaching it and I would say then that WELS has gone too far, ‘pitching their tent toward Sodom’.

We were extended the right hand of fellowship and have received Holy Communion at a church that is not in fellowship with the WELS. We longed for the means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. What choice did we have? This has been dragging on since before the 21st of May! I have answered your question. Now I have one for you that I would like an answer. Do you believe that all men were forgiven of their sins before they were born; before receiving Baptism or hearing the Word of God? There are Lutheran pastors including some in the WELS that refute this teaching.

Please afford us an answer.

In Christ, Joe and Lisa Krohn"

Pastor Glaeske on September 11, 2011:

"Dear Joe and Lisa,

I wish you both well. The appeal process is an internal procedure for WELS members to redress grievances and would have been available to you had you not chosen to align yourselves with a church not in our fellowship. Consequently I choose not to answer the question you pose at the end of your e-mail.

God grant you peace and joy in serving your Savior in your new church home.

In His service,

Vilas R. Glaeske, President South Central District - WELS"

From where I sit, there is no need for me to make a distress call...on the other hand...there are those who can.

From my Catechism; the one I have been quoting from the last two posts:

371.Why is the ministry of the Keys called the peculiar authority of the Church?

The Church and only the Church has the authority to use the Keys.

372.How is the Church to use the Keys?

The Church is to proclaim the Gospel of full forgiveness of sins and declare the kingdom of heaven opened. (Where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation.) 2 Cor. 5:19, Luke 24:47, Rom. 8:1, Rom. 4:8)

---

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Another Doctrinal Pussycat Lawyers Up":

I guess that some folks refuse to answer questions which make them feel uncomfortable. What a waste of a potentially good breakfast. There are several individuals who have have egg all over their faces.

Polity Issues Useful for Dodging the Real Problems

narrow-minded has left a new comment on your post "Join Me in the CFW Walther Sainthood Project":

The LCMS Walther venerators are a hoot. Some act as if Christ is not present in Word and Sacrament if received in a parish not utilizing congregational polity. Yet, they pass Resolution 8-08A in 2010, making the LCMS hierarchical. How many LCMS clergy/laity have left for the "utopia" of Rome/Constantinople?

Is episcopal polity perfect? Certainly not, as we have seen from many church bodies; but polity is adiaphorous. Our sin can screw up any form of church governance.

Instead of falling prostrate at the mention of Walther's name, and spitting at the mention of Loehe/Grabau, perhaps Missouri should study Scripture (after getting a decent translation) and the BOC.

None of these guys were perfect, and even the pietist Walther would be condemning the LCMS for what they are doing today. He chewed them out for the suggestion of singing Methodist hymns. Of course, even TLH contains a vast repertoire of Wesley and Watts hymns.

***

GJ - 

There is such a gap between the historical and mythical Walther that anyone can justly accuse the LCMS and its Concordia Hysterical Institute of fraud, deceit, and perjury. Walther was a scheming, lying demon who followed a known multiple-adulterer to America and suddenly discovered, to his own advantage, that this same Bishop Stephan was fooling around with several women. Schocking!

Honest clergy would admit that the real issues in the Scriptures are the efficacy of the Word, the Means of Grace, and justification by faith. The vast majority bicker congregational versus episcopal government when all the Lutheran sects are papal - teaching the sect's indefectibility, the Bible's lack of clarity and efficacy, the Synod Pope's infallibility, the necessity of works, and the glories of <s>Mary</s> Walther.

Intrepids, Iver Johnson, Christian Worship

Stand back. This Spanx body stocking is going to explode!

The latest Intrepid post by Lindee cited the ruminations of Iver Johnson, one of the main editors of the Booze and Broads Edition of Christian Worship. Iver was carrying on an affair with the church secretary for 10 years when he was finally caught. He promptly divorced his wife of 50 years and married the secretary. His lovely second wife came to his funeral, but his ex-wife did not.

Iver Johnson, Richard Stadler, and Michael Albrecht served as the pastors of a former WELS congregation. Stadler and his new wife would sit in the same pew with Stadler's first wife and her new husband. Iver also sat there with his new bride. These WELS pastors were playing Open Marriage while Stadler was featured as the main speaker at WELS youth conferences, including the one in Columbus, Ohio. Of course, it is difficult to object to the pastoral Open Marriage game when the Daddy Warbucks are doing the same thing. And how can the synodical leaders object to Daddy Warbucks Open Marriage when their favorite pastors leaders are doing the same thing?

Eastcoast says:
WELS “claims” that “synod (and district) is church,” they practice just the opposite. When is comes to maintaining doctrine and practice both synod and district leaders, from Synod President on down, proclaim over and over again that “there’s nothing we can do about ______________(fill in the blank).” On the other hand, LCMS officials, CPs, DPs, and SPs, toss guys out whenever they feel like it and threaten congregations like Otten’s all the time. So much for the supposed difference between Missouri and Wisconsin on Church & Ministry. It always was a bogus issue!

Ichabod Given Advanced Status at University

The University of Phoenix selected me for a program where only a few faculty were allowed to participate. Academic supervisors had to nominate faculty for the program. Each professor had to complete an intensive four-week program to qualify for the status. I finished the program and was given the title Certified Advanced Facilitator.

I will be allowed to participate in a forum limited to those who have also completed the  same requirements. Fortunately, there were no dangerous initiation rites required...or even expected.

WELS Secret Initiation Rite - GA - Still Active at The Sausage Factory:Six Just Finished

Dateline: Mequon.

The secret, abusive initiation rite called GA has just finished.

WELS synod-minders deny that GA is still being carried out. Silly, stupid, and dangerous sorority tricks are losing ground, due to successful lawsuits and unsuccessful trips to ICU.

Baby Blue Eyes, I hate to tell you, but GA just finished at Mequon, with six hand-picked newbies going through it.

Doubtless the original goal of abusing all the freshmen was trimmed, because some people just cannot keep a secret. Also, a smaller size allowed first-year students to claim, "I was there and I saw no GA initiation. I did not take off all my clothes outside, swim in raw sewage, or do all those other cool things to help me fit in."

And they would be telling the truth, as far as that went. All the students know the truth. News travels faster at WLS than it does at Ft. Leavenworth, the future home for some of their more distinguished graduates.

Eugene Nida's Dynamic Equivalence, The Bull That Sired Moo and the NNIV

Remembering Eugene Nida

Bible translators discuss the legacy of the scholar who promoted dynamic equivalence theory. Morgan Feddes | posted 9/01/2011 10:23AM

Eugene A. Nida's work in dynamic equivalence translation led to the development of such translations as the New Living Translation and The Message. It is a "meaning-based" approach to biblical translation and focuses on translating "thought-for-thought" rather than "word-for-word."

Nida's career in translation spanned the globe, as he traveled to more than 85 countries throughout his life. He served as executive secretary of translations for the American Bible Society from 1946 until his retirement in 1980, and he was involved with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) from its founding in 1942, first attending and then teaching there each summer until 1953.

Throughout his career, Nida emphasized the need for multiple translations, as well as a desire to understand and spread the meaning of the Bible. "What is really needed is for people to take the message seriously and share it with other people, focused primarily on what this message has meant to me," he said in a 2002 interview with Christianity Today. "So many Christians love to argue about the Bible rather than take it seriously as a message that is important for their own lives."

Here Bible translation executives reflect on his ministry and legacy: Bob Creson, President of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA: "We stand on the shoulders of giants like Dr. Eugene Nida … Bible translation was hugely influenced by [the dynamic equivalence approach] and [Nida] was very influential to our organizations in helping to develop this approach to translation that continues to be used today, giving people opportunities to hear the good news of the gospel in a language and form they relate to best."

Freddy Boswell, CEO/Executive Director of SIL International: "Nida's influence over Bible translation programs in the 20th century, it is very safe to say, is more than that of any other single person. We at SIL are greatly indebted to so much of his foundational work, which he never stopped building upon. … He was phenomenal, moving to Brussels later in his life so he could continue to speak English, Spanish, and French on a daily basis and interact with the young translation scholars of Europe on a regular basis. He felt that Europe was a place where so much of the translation frontier work was being done … particularly at universities, and he wanted to be near that. He modeled for all of us lifelong learning. He modeled continued improvement [and] academic discovery. He was just amazing in that way."

Philip Stine, former director for publishing, marketing and translation services for United Bible Societies, and author of the biography Let the Words Be Written: The Lasting Influence of Eugene A. Nida (2004, Society of Biblical Literature): "Dr. Nida will be best remembered for the revolution he brought about in the field of Bible translation in the mid-twentieth century. The resulting impact on the growth and development of the Church continues to be felt as millions of people in hundreds of languages around the world have access to the Bible because of the approach he developed and promoted."

---

Some sources on the topic.

---

Christianity Today frowned on the Babtist resolution against the NNIV  - 90% opposed the NNIV and asked that it not even be sold in their bookstores.

---

God used Nida - yes, to punish everyone for tolerating apostasy.

---

Holman versus NNIV

Billionaire Murdoch would be most pleased if y'all would buy his NNIV:
so would the Sausage Factory and their SpokesPerson Mark Schroeder.

ELCA 911

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
September 12, 2011

ELCA members commemorate Sept. 11 with ecumenical, interfaith partners

     CHICAGO (ELCA) - As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) commemorated the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, many gathered for prayer and remembrance with ecumenical and interfaith partners.

     "My prayer is that we dedicate ourselves to a common mission of reconciliation and restoration, focusing on the larger issues of peace, justice and interfaith encounter," said ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson in a pastoral letter to the church in anticipation of the anniversary.

     "Our local communities can be places of healing. Let us show the world that dialogue is possible and that there is room for voices that represent faith without rushing to judgment and closing off discussion," he said.
     Services at St. Peter Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Manhattan, commemorated the anniversary with faith groups in their surrounding community.

     "In the aftermath of the attacks, we noticed quite a bit of collaboration among of houses of worship in midtown Manhattan," said the Rev. Kaji R. Spellman, a pastor of St. Peter.

     The congregation observed the anniversary yesterday with Muslim, Jewish and other Christian neighbors.
     "We felt that we could not spend the day without each other. We don't understand acknowledging the anniversary without our partners in faith," she said.

     At the conclusion of St. Peter's 11:00 a.m. worship service, members of the congregation moved in a silent procession to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, where they were joined by people and clergy of Admiral Family Circle Islamic Community and the Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood. They were also joined by members of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, Christ Church United Methodist, Temple Shaaray Tefila and Central Synagogue. A brief interfaith service of readings, prayers and hymns followed.

     The Rev. Amandus J. Derr, a pastor of St. Peter, recalls the time after the terrorist attacks in New York.

     "In the immediate time and several days after the attack, St. Peter was packed with thousands of people every day who gathered for prayer and Eucharist," he said.

     The church is near a main subway route, where commuters traveled from the north near the World Trade Center. "We ended up with a lot of people who were evacuating that day," he said.

     An image that remains with Derr is "seeing people coming from the World Trade Center enter the church covered with dust. Many of them washed themselves in our baptismal font, which is a deep pool large enough for full immersions," he said. At the end of the day, "I remember seeing a layer of white ash that rested on top of the baptismal font. It symbolized what we were living with then."

Commemoration at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
     Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Manhattan, hosted a "Prayer and Remembrance" organized by Lutheran Social Services of New York. Members of the ELCA, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the public gathered to remember lives lost, acknowledge survivors who are moving forward and celebrate the response efforts of both denominations in New York.

     "I felt great warmth, especially in seeing the relationships of collaboration and shared service that the ELCA and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod displayed while responding to Sept. 11," said the Rev. Kevin A. Massey, program director for Lutheran Disaster Response.

     "We gathered at Holy Trinity to commemorate 10 years passing. The lost are remembered. The tears often flow anew. While time assuages some of the sting of the pain, the ache remains. We will always miss those whose absence leaves a space in our souls," he said.

     The commemoration included speakers and participants from the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod including Hanson, the Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, executive director of ELCA Congregational and Synodical Mission, and the Rev. David Benke, president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Atlantic District.

     The Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, participated and noted that the service was patterned after a worship service that took place at Holy Trinity shortly after the attacks.

     "The service was very moving," said Rimbo. "It provided a time to remember and reflect what happened 10 years ago here."

     "The service propelled us to move into the future together. While we will never forget what happened, there is new life as God's people move forward," he said, adding that the anniversary is a turning-point and gateway to engage in new opportunities for service.

Join Me in the CFW Walther Sainthood Project

How many synod leaders have been guilty of multiple kidnapping, betraying the secrecy of the confessional, mob organization, and grand larceny?
Matthew 18 and the Eighth Commandment are rules for suckers, not for leaders, Walther would say.

Missourians are so protective of Walther than Loehe is not allowed a little publicity and thanks, because that would detract from the all-surpassing wisdom of the Kidnapper.

The Olde Synodical Conference is gearing up for Walther's birthday. Protestants make fun of Roman Catholicism's sainthood business, but they allow more than one saint in their pantheon. Missouri does not.

I am publicly pushing for Walther to be declared a saint, a honest way of dealing with this business. However, I will play the role of the Devil's Advocate, an actual title in the Catholic sainthood business. The DA gets to bring up all those unsavory details that might impede the declaration, although I suspect it is a formality in many cases, such as the odious Mother Theresa, an unbelieving demon from hell, who tortured the very people she used to raise millions for the Antichrist.

October 25, 2011 is Walther's 200th birthday, so Ichabod will feature him. I am copying quotations into Word for the Justification book. I will post them and link them together.

May is the Month of Mary for Catholics, so October is the Month of Walther for the Syn Conference, with several weeks to warm up for that holiday of holy days.

Who needs the Reformation? Walther had all the answers. All we need to do is return to his consecrated and consecrating essays. If he overturned justification by faith, it needed overturning. If he alienated Lutherans leaders by calling them all false teachers, they deserved it - just for appearing to disagree with him. If he kidnapped minor children from his father's parsonage, they wanted to be kidnapped.

Walther saves a lot of time. Instead of studying Luther or the Scriptures, Syn Conference leaders only need to mention His Holiness and the sheepfold begins to heave, sigh, and bleat with pleasure. There are two possibilities - either no one has ever studied his life and doctrine. Or - they have studied his life and doctrine, so they have added him to the Trinity to cover up his moral failings and his doctrinal poison.

Walther secretly organized a mob against Bishop Stephan, stole his land, threatened his life via the mob, deposed him, robbed him, and kidnapped him.
First Installment - Devils Advocate in Sainthood Case
Second Installment - Bishop Stephan a Pietist, Leader of Conventicles or Cell Groups 
Third Installment - Zinzendorf and Bishop Stephan

The Debt Train Keeps Moving Along

Bruce Church has left a new comment on your post "Bored Has a Message for the Krohn Family":

The European situation is worse than I thought. For example, one large French bank is worth only a tenth of what it was worth in 2007, the German populace is dead set against helping Greece anymore, and the German govt may fall if it does, and Greece is actually collecting real estate taxes through electrical bills, forcing people to pay quick or else have their power cut off. The electrical workers union is highly overpaid, and the most radical union, and thus hates helping the government in this way. It has already caused rolling blackouts to protest government actions back in June:

June blackouts:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=13882352

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/world/europe/13germany.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world

To observers outside Germany, the stern chancellor appears strong, but unwilling to act decisively. Inside Germany she sits atop a fractious and increasingly unreliable coalition of three parties — her Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union of Bavaria and the pro-business Free Democrats.

France, as a presidential republic with a majority party in Parliament, has fewer domestic political problems than Germany, with its federal system and negotiated coalitions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/12/us-eurozone-idUSTRE78B24R20110912

The storm on Monday forced SocGen, the hardest-hit French lender in recent weeks, to announce further drastic measures it denied only last week were under consideration, speeding up asset disposals and deepening cost cuts to free up 4 billion euros in fresh capital.

The bank's market value has shrunk from 110 billion euros in mid-2007 to just 12 billion on Monday. The bank's chief executive said there were no discussions regarding possible state intervention.

Seibert added that if Athens did not meet its fiscal commitments to the EU, ECB and IMF, that would automatically lead to nonpayment of the next tranche of aid.

Greece's deputy finance minister said the government had cash to operate until next month, highlighting the urgent need for the next emergency loan.

Greek power workers threatened to sabotage the new property tax announced by the government on Sunday as a last-ditch effort to please foreign creditors. Authorities plan to collect the tax through electricity bills to ensure swift payment.

The ECB disclosed that it bought another 14 billion euros in euro zone government bonds last week, the biggest amount in three weeks, under a controversial policy to hold down troubled peripheral countries' borrowing costs.

The central bank holds a total of 143 billion euros in Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Irish bonds under its securities market program, which drove Stark -- a traditional German central banking hawk -- to resign.

WELS Cannot See the Writing on the Wall

Joe Krohn:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Mene, Mene, Tekel u-Pharsin

First the fine print from the SC District constitution Article XXIV, Section 3;"The review shall be conducted, therefore, to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural."  Did you catch that?  In other words, there would be no investigation into an alleged teaching of false doctrine, but only a determination that there was no malfeasance regarding the disciplinary action in light of Scripture.  And there was just that and I have proof of it!  It has seen the light of day here on LR!  By the 3rd of September, the date of Holy Word's letter re: Appeal, 105 days had elapsed.  How many of the readers of this blog would abstain from Word and Sacrament for that long on purpose?  But this would be a condition of the appeal.  We were seeing the handwriting on the wall.

On Monday, September 5, 2011 we responded:

"Dear Pastor Glaeske,

Thank you for your response.

We understand Article XXIV; Sections 3-6 from the Constitution that you have provided and we do affirm our need for the District Board of Appeals to assist us in this matter.

To your second point; it has no bearing on this case so we will not discuss it.  Holy Word Lutheran Church broke fellowship with us for a doctrinal reason.  This is the issue and not what we have been doing with our worship life since May 21, 2011.  Furthermore, had there not been a breaking of fellowship, there would be no need to inquire of this.  Our point of contention from the very beginning is Holy Word’s correct teaching of Objective Justification.  We do not think it represents Scripture accurately, nor the WELS.  We exhort you and the Board of Appeals to examine the proper teaching of the chief article of faith, namely Justification, and to determine if Holy Word is in error.

In His Grace,

Joe and Lisa Krohn"

We heard back from the District President on September 8, 2011.

 "Dear Joe and Lisa,

 I agree that where you have been worshiping may be none of my business.

However, if you have joined a congregation outside of our fellowship, you are no longer in a position to appeal for relief from the district panel of review. If you have been communing in a congregation outside of our fellowship, by so doing you have identified yourself with that congregation and are no longer in a position to appeal.

 So, my question does become relevant relative to your appeal. 

Please forward your answer.

Pastor Glaeske"

More from Luther's Small Catechism (NPH 1956) Originally edited by Gausewitz; Pages 190-212 re: Means of Grace; Ministry of the Keys.


"324.  What is meant by the Means of Grace?

By the Means of Grace are meant those things by which God offers and gives His gifts of forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. 2 Tim. 3:15, Acts 2:38

What is the Ministry of the Keys?
The Ministry of the Keys is the peculiar authority of the Church, given by Christ to His Church on earth, to forgive the sins of penitent sinners unto them, but to retain the sins of the impenitient as long as they do not repent.

Where is this written?
Thus writes the holy Evangelist John, chapter twentieth:  The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost!  Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

373.  Who has forgiveness of sins through the Gospel?

All penitent sinners.  Luke 18:9-14

374.  Who has no forgiveness?  

The impenitent has no forgiveness because by his very impenitence he rejects the Gospel, and thus his sins are retained as long as he does not repent. Prob. 13:13, John3:18, John 8:24"

To teach mans justification and forgiveness of sins aside from justifying faith; before birth; that the world has been saved and all has been forgiven, you just need to believe it, goes against the Bible and the Book of Concord.

Bored Has a Message for the Krohn Family

bored has left a new comment on your post "WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Can...":

After seeing this thing play out with Joe and his family I just have to make a comment:

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What I think is particularly interesting is how James 2 plays into all this, and it makes me wonder how the UOJ storm troopers might react. Here they are, saying that ALL people are justified apart from faith and apart from works--so much so that they withhold Grace from someone for saying different. Yet the book of James is a cell-group favorite. UOJers use the book of James to prod people towards legalism, even though James, in an aside, destroys UOJ in verse 2:24. They interpret James incorrectly, but then forget that incorrect interpretation when they move into the book of Romans. It sorta shows the schizophrenic nature of the WELS theological premise. On one hand they are antinomialists and on the other they are legalists. Liberally legalistic and legalistically permissive? One week they withhold grace from someone who says justification comes from faith, but the next week plant seeds of doubt by making people wonder if their works reflect real faith? EEEEEVIL.

I think Joe, you'll get the same schizophrenia from the WELS chain of command--no matter how high you go. It's inherent in their doctrine. I think at this point you should only try to make the biggest waves as possible. You ain't gunna change the WELS muckidy mucks--no sir--but the bigger the waves, the more laymen will study. The WELS (and the LCMS too) is a nasty little sect--a kidnapper of souls, like their father Walther, the child kidnapper. It's a doomed organization. I hate to say it, but the House always wins. Unless the remaining good pastors throw down their cards and leave the table the dealer will clean 'em out. (That metaphor could use some work...)

GJ - Part II in this saga is also important. That begins when WELS starts to insist that Joe and Lisa return to the same nest of vipers that expelled them without cause. Here is a new approach to pastoral visitation. Patterson, who deftly avoided dealing with any issue--except to excommunicate--has sent Gurgle, the ex-SP, to visit with the prodigals. First there was a rush to expel them. Now they want to embrace the prodigals?

If someone suffers from a serious case of Stockholm Syndrome, he will like the person who kept him captive and abused him over a period of time. WELS takes advantage of this. They call it "playing mind games."

Wikipedia
In psychology, Stockholm syndrome is a term used to describe a real paradoxical psychologicalphenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.^[1][2] The FBI’s Hostage Barricade Database System shows that roughly 27% of victims show evidence of Stockholm syndrome.^[3] The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm, in which bank employees were held hostage from August 23 to August 28, 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their captors, and even defended them after they were freed from their six-day ordeal.

It all starts with GA, the secret initiation rite at Mequon based upon earlier abusive ceremonies.

---

Bored Is Correct - Says California:
Bored is correct in his remarks re: the Krohn's appeal of their termination.  If a congregation terminates  individual congregation members who protest what is recognized  by synod and/or synod leaders, appealing to have the termination reversed is an exercise in futility.  For unless the congregation itself is in agreement with the contention of the "terminated" (whatever it may be),  the appeal process only kicks the issue up the ladder of organizational entity.   With WELS doctrine of church and ministry, synod is "church", with congregations comprising the aggregate church.   Even if an individual were to prevail in appeal, and have membership reinstated, then the congregation which terminated the membership, would  necessity have to be excised from the synod in the name of synodical fellowship.   That won't happen if the pastor and congregation leaders maintain the positions (synod's positions) re: the issue of contention.   Should the jurisdiction hearing the appeal, demure about the Krohn's objections, the Krohn's reinstatement would automatically result in the congregations being at odds with the synod, and be subject to suspension itself.

All of the above is why I didn't appeal my termination from the membership in a WELS congregation in 1977 (with different issues) Prior to that, one of the couples with similar issues,  protested the Wisconsin Lutheran High School's taking government grants which made headlines in Milwaukee and elsewhere.   That couple, Bill and Jane Kerner appealed their termination to no avail as synod representatives closed ranks even more tightly.  

Even if an appeal restored memberships of recently expelled members of a WELS congregation,  all the other issues re: WELS remain, including the most important one of all. It would mean being restored to a synod in which the NIV was the "official" unofficial source of their reason to exist, with potential for replacing that with with the even worse, NNEW.
 

WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Cannot Appeal

 

 

Joe Krohn posted on Monday, September 12, 2011:

Appeal?

On September 3, 2011, we submitted the following to the President of the South Central District of the WELS.  Although we had accepted the right hand of fellowship locally with an LC-MS church prior, nevertheless we were moved to challenge the decision of Holy Word as we have always held that they were teaching false doctrine and that if we did not appeal, we would be shirking our responsibilities to our Christian brothers and sisters.


"Dear Pastor Glaeske, 


Peace in Jesus. 


The Voting Assembly of Holy Word Lutheran Church made disposition of our membership/ fellowship upon the recommendation of the pastor, elders and council to terminate fellowship with us in their meeting of August 28, 2011 on the grounds that we reject the teaching of Objective Justification as the WELS teaches it; when in fact we have held to the belief that the way Pastor Patterson is preaching and teaching it, with full support of the elders and council is in error according to the Scriptures and even the Wisconsin Ev. Luth. Synod.  Pastor Patterson has maintained that per his sermon of January 30, 2011 that all men are forgiven of their sins, even before they were born; before hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17); before being convicted by the Holy Spirit through the Law and subsequent contrition and repentance also worked by the Holy Spirit through faith (also worked by the Holy Spirit) for the sake of Christ’s redemptive work.  (See Second and Third Articles of the Apostles Creed & Luther’s explanations) 


We feel that there is no need to ‘reinvent the wheel’ so to speak and that the letter of appeal that you received prematurely in June (as well as the copy sent to Holy Word) is still viable in this case. 


We add to the attached letter the following; that the behaviors of Pastor Patterson, the Elders and the Council President of Holy Word have acted in a deplorable fashion by: 


·         Conducting ‘bible classes’ designed to create a consensus against what we (the Krohns) believe to be the true teaching of justification as presented in the Bible and even in the WELS. 


·         Telling members publicly that they are not judging whether we have saving faith or not and then telling members privately that the Krohns have fallen away from the true faith and angrily so. 


·         By their letter of May 21, 2011, they refused to discuss the doctrine of justification with us going forward and insisted to only meet with us to discuss the subject of fellowship (which we refused since fellowship was not the issue); while the Council President, attorney Brad Johnston falsely declared in the Voters Meeting that we were offered to have a doctrinal discussion and that we refused.  This was a blatant misrepresentation of the facts. 


We pray for an expeditious and God pleasing conclusion as we appeal the decision by Holy Word Lutheran Church. 


In His Grace,

Joe and Lisa Krohn"

Here is the formal letter we submitted in June:

"June 18, 2011 


Pastor Vilas Glaeske 
District President
South Central District of the WELS 
C/O Grace Lutheran Church 
6788 Farm Road 115 
Scroggins, TX  75480 


RE:  Appeal to the Termination of Fellowship 

Dear Pastor Glaeske: 


I am writing to you as a matter of appeal in reference to our expulsion from Holy Word Lutheran Church, Austin Texas and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod on May 21, 2011.  We had taken issue with certain practices and teaching at Holy Word that were leading the church farther away from what is taught in the Bible and the Book of Concord.  These practices included abolishing Confession and Absolution in some worship services; selection of music not Biblically sound; calling and installing a female with proper title (Deaconess) which denotes an authority; public preaching and teaching of God’s Word by non-ordained men; poor stewardship of finances; questionable leadership practice and shepherding of the flock; a dropping of the name ‘Lutheran’ in the school name for the sake of marketing the school; and a closer look at the non-confessional practices happening at Holy Word’s sister congregation, Christ the Rock.  


Furthermore, Pastor Patterson is teaching an extreme doctrine of Objective Justification whereas the entire world has been forgiven their sins prior to faith by the work of the cross; even before they were born.  This is in direct conflict with the scriptures as confessed in the Third Article of the Apostles Creed where the work of the forgiveness of sins is ascribed to the Holy Ghost through faith and the hearing of the Word of God.  We were excommunicated for denying the doctrine of Objective Justification when in fact we were objecting to his understanding and teaching of the doctrine namely; that the forgiveness of sins takes place apart from the Means of Grace...


Page 1 


Pastor Vilas Glaeske

June 18, 2011

Page 2 


...The devil will war against Christ’s Church until the end of time and certainly these times are not pleasant.  But with God’s help we must stay vigilant for the truth in worship, practice, teaching and preaching.


In His Grace,


Joe and Lisa Krohn


CC:  Pastor Patterson, Elders of Holy Word"

Pastor Glaeske responded on September 5, 2011:

"Dear Joe and Lisa, 


Grace and Peace in Christ. 

Before I set the panel of review in place I want to be sure you understand what the panel will be charged to. 


The panel will only consider whether proper procedure has been followed in arriving at the decision reached by the congregation.

The District Constitution states:  ARTICLE XXIV

Section 3.  The constitution for the districts affirms that “in intracongregational matters the district shall have purely advisory authority” (Article “ IX, Section 2).  The review shall be conducted, therefore, to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural.

Section 4. The conduct of the review shall rest solely with the District Board of Appeals. The board shall have the right and power to examine all documentary evidence and to require such testimony that, in its judgment, is relevant.

Section 5. The district Board of Appeals shall submit its decision in writing to the appellant with a copy to the disciplining body, circuit pastor, and district president. The decision of the District Board of Appeals shall be the final disposition of the appeal.

Section 6. Within 30 days of the board’s decision, the complete records of the board shall be filed with the district president, who shall act, if necessary, in accordance with his responsibility for the district’s doctrine and practice. 


It is important that you understand this from the outset. I would like you to affirm this before the onset of the panel’s work. 

A second point that I would like you to affirm is that you have not joined a congregation of another fellowship, or have been communing in a congregation of another fellowship.  I would also like to have you answer in one way or another before the panel is put to work. 


I am praying that a brotherly solution can be reached. 


In His service, 


Vilas R. Glaeske,

President – South Central District, WELS"

From Luther's Small Catechism; Originally edited by C. Gausewitz; Copyright 1956 NPH:

'The Forgiveness of Sins (Pages 153-156)

254.  Which is the most precious gift that the Holy Ghost by the Gospel bestows on the Church?

The most precious gift is the Forgiveness of Sins or the righteousness of Christ, by which we are justified before God. (Justification)  Rom. 4:7-8, Rom. 1:16-17

260.  Why do we say that the Holy Ghost forgives sins, whereas we are made righteous before God through the redemption of Christ?

The Holy Ghost brings the righteousness of Christ to us by the Gospel and gives us the faith to believe it.  1 Cor. 12:3, 1 Cor. 6:11, Acts 2:38

261.  To whom does God forgive sins?

God forgives sins to me and all believers.  Acts 10:43, Rom. 3:21-28, Rom 10:4

262.  Where are sins forgiven?

Sins are forgiven in the Christian Church on Earth.

263.  Why do we say, In the Christian Church on earth?

We say this because Christ has given the Gospel to His Church on Earth; in the Gospel we have the forgiveness of sins."

To say there is forgiveness of sins (righteousness) and justification outside of the church apart from the Holy Spirit is heresy.  Christ's objective righteousness and justification is His to distribute through faith and we know that Christ is in His Church with the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament.

LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "WELS Is an Un-Appealing Sect: Those Kicked Out Can...": 

"to determine whether the process leading to the disciplinary action and the doctrinal basis of the disciplinary action were scriptural."

That's what you'd call 'fine print'. We knew we were dead meat right there. Then to add insult to injury, they slap you with joining another church in the meantime...as it drags on and on while they wait for you to 'reconsider your position' to kiss the ring.