Caleb Schmiege Nominated for Worship, Homiletics, and Basic English at Mordor's Seminary. Post from 2013

Musician/Band

Sine Fide is a WELS worship band that exisits (sic) to provide alternative worship styles to enrich the church and reach those who don't know Christ.

Sine Fide

22 hours ago via mobile

Two chances to see us in the Madison area this week. Wednesday night at 6:30 at Eastside Lutheran, and Thursday night at 7 at St. Andrew in Middleton. Wednesday will be our full concert, Thursday will be selections from our concert with a hip, cool message from Pastor Randy Hunter.

Sine Fide hitting up the classic car show. Good way to end a great day of soccer camp. — with Caleb Schmiege, Peter Schlicht and Caleb Schultz.

---

Sine Fide

June 29, 2012

Another great week in Lannon. We added teo (sic) members of St.John's school, Maria and Hattie to two of our arrangements. It was great to see both of them excited about worship music like we are. We are enjoying a week off right now, but we have worship Saturday night, Sunday morning, and a concert on Monday night (Christ-Pewaukee, St. Paul's-Wisconsin Rapids, and Grace-Ridgeway, MN). We are almost to the halfway point of our tour and God is still blessing us through the churches and throught (sic) each other. \

How Lutherans Got Lost. Foundations for Calvinism in American Lutherdom

To take back our neighbor's garbage barrel, I opened the gate to Mrs. Gardener's backyard. Their two dogs, Chuckee and Skinny, greeted me and ran for the western horizon. I followed them for a time but lost sight of both, running toward the Interstate, spurred onward by my calls. I could imagine the voices on my way back, "You opened the gate and let them out?"

Lutherans let the basic Biblical principles escape, too.

Any casual reader can find all the historical inroads for Calvinism in the American Lutheran Church. One was the Prussian Union effort (promoted by Schleiermacher, Halle University grad). Another was the blend of Calvin and Luther in Pietism. Spener is rightly called
"the first union theologian" in Heick's book. (He was our friend and my professor at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.)

Besides all that, each branch of American Lutheranism can be traced back to Pietism, especially the CFW Walther circle who followed their cell group guru, Martin Stephan, obsequiously.

However, the most important part of this doctrinal decline is the failure to teach basic Biblical principles. Not knowing these truths well means the door is open to Calvinism and a host of other isms.

I. Efficacy of the Word

The efficacy of the Word, which means the Spirit and Word always work together and never apart from each other. This is taught with utmost clarity in Isaiah 55, but also throughout the Old and New Testament.

In contrast, Calvin repeatedly stated in his works (see Benjamin Milner) that the Spirit is sovereign and may or not be present in the Word and Sacrament.

 Sig Becker enjoyed adoration for his Objective Justification nonsense. The LCMS and WELS began with Justification by Faith, not OJ.

II. The Ministerial Use of Reason

The Bible is inerrant and infallible, but that definition loses all value when people teach that we must use our human reason, tradition, or both - to judge the Word of God. Sig Becker, who blindly followed Walther in many ways, wrote wisely about this in The Foolishness of God. The Bible is the master, the teacher, so we subordinate our reason and experience to the Scriptures - the ministerial use of reason.

Deviously, the Calvinists repeat the inerrancy language but teach the Word is dead and lifeless unless we use our reason to make it real, relational, and relevant (the slogan of The CORE, WELS).

This perverse approach has led modern theologians, led by Barth-Kirschbaum, to consider the language of the Bible as something to play with, admire, distort, change, and improve. Calvinists are the ultimate improvers, and Barth-Kirschbaum hated Luther.

III. The Means of Grace

Our world is hopelessly in love with the media, but forgetful of the media gratiae, Latin for the Means of Grace. Everyone speaks well of God's grace, as they should. However, the Calvinists have stolen the Means of Grace from Lutherans - or the Lutherans have given them up.

The Lutheran Reformers were quite emphatic and clear about invisible Word of teaching and preaching, the visible Word of the Sacraments being the only means or instruments of God's grace.

Lazy know-it-alls like Jack Cascione and Phil Hale think they are so cool in following the Calvinist line of thinking. Everyone is already forgiven (and saved)! Calvin loved to mock to efficacy of the Sacraments in his Institutes. But is it not mockery to teach everyone is born forgiven and then baptize babies, for forgiveness, washing, renewal, and rebirth?

And it is additional sacrilege and blasphemy to say everyone is already forgiven - just tell them so - and administer Holy Communion "for the forgiveness of sin!"

IV. Justification by Faith

So many clergy are poorly educated, mis-educated, and trained to hate the Scriptures and Luther. Not only the ELCA aspirants, but also the illiterate are "sent empty away" - from The Fort, Concordia St. Louis, Mordor in Mequon, the Little Seminary on the Prairie, and the almost empty CLC (sic) M.Div. program.

Because the nominal Lutherans have learned to play with the Scriptures - like Calvinists, they see and yet do not see the Chief Article in Genesis 15:6, Romans 4, Galatians, or anywhere else. They read about the Atonement and issue their rebel yell - "Objective Justification, all through the Bible!"

I could cite the academic world outside of the Stephan-Walther cult, but what really matters is the clear teaching of the Bible. We do not need to untangle the SynCon mythologies to understand the Scriptures.

The Book of Concord and Chemnitz are clear about Justification by Faith, as are Gerhard and Calov. When Robert Preus published devastating quotations against OJ, and people noticed, his son dropped Justification and Rome from his citations. Likewise, Rolf stopped chanting "Raised for our justification, Romans 4:25!" and "Behold the Lamb of God!"

V. The Traditional Text

We should not ignore the insidious effect of taking away the traditional text of the Bible in favor of the "scientific view." All the Lutheran groups promote the modern translations, which generate a lot of loot for them. They do not even bring up the King James Version or any Bible in that family (NKJV, KJV21, Third Millenium, etc) - because they adhere to the traditional text.

Is that not just like Calvin to play with the text, based on rules invented by Westcott, Hort, and Tischendorf? If one verse is shorter or longer than another, then it is preferred. Yes, I know that is a contradiction. My favorite is this one - The reading that is more difficult is the better one. Difficult? - more heretical!

Luther and his team of scholars produced the standard German Bible, to supplant lesser efforts. Luther established the German language from that Bible, and I still consult it for his reading of the text. One does not find Luther's Bible "making disciples" or laying down fog on the Sacraments.

So Tyndale modeled his translation on the Luther Bible and was burned at the stake by the King of England for his efforts. A future King of England published the standard English Bible, with Tyndale's work (Team Luther's in English) as the foundation. Translating is a special talent and few are capable of being great language students and translators.

Tyndale Wikipedia

Moynahan writes: "A complete analysis of the Authorised Version, known down the generations as 'the AV' or 'the King James' was made in 1998. It shows that Tyndale's words account for 84% of the New Testament and for 75.8% of the Old Testament books that he translated."^[57] Joan Bridgman makes the comment in the Contemporary Review that, "He [Tyndale] is the mainly unrecognised translator of the most influential book in the world.

Good News! 

Skinny caught up with me while I was moping on my way home. She joyously jumped me, bumped me, followed and ran ahead of me. I let her into her backyard and told her owner. He said,  "Don't worry. Chuckee will come back and sit on the front patio. She always does."

Biblical doctrine can come back too.

Feeding Those Fat Tummies at CPH and the Purple Palace

 Paul McCain, MDiv

"Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod President Matt Harrison has also favorably publicized this two-volume 944-page set, scheduled to be released on December 5. When Father Larry says that The Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns is not cheap, he’s not kidding. The listed cost is $179.95. The Kindle edition is not much cheaper, $162.44." CN, 11-11-2019, p. 7

***

GJ - The greed of Concordia Publishing House cannot be satisfied. Each new publication is vastly overpriced, but the Kindle is even more outrageous. People are downloading a file on Kindle, not buying gold and silver for their 401k plans.

I charge the non-profit rate of 99 cents for the typical book. If it is a multiple volume set, like the House Postils plus the Treasures, over 1,000 pages, the price is $2.99. EZ-pay is not available. Sorry.

If people believe in the efficacy of the Word of God, they will make it available in all forms as inexpensively as possible.

 Norma A. Boeckler graphic

Two Blog Hints - For Advanced Visibility - The Mark 4 Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly

The Lutheran Library and The Lutheran Librarian - Alec Satin's dual-threat to Lutheran apathics, apostastes, and anti-Creationists.

I have linked favorite blogs on the left column. They pick up graphics and links to the latest posts. The latest post is the top one, so there are advantages to being the latest to publish on one's blog.

The software always picks up the graphic at the top, if there is one. That is not necessary, but I have always favored at least one graphic for each post. A captioned and linked graphic leads to more visibility on Google Images and Google. As WELS people complained years ago, "No matter what synod graphic we look up, it links to Ichabod!" That complaint happened with a small college, too - making me wonder about their grasp of communications.

So the image is a triple benefit:

1. Graphics add interest to the post.
2. The graphic will lead back to the blog on searches.
3. The graphic, caption and link can connect to something important, such as another post, another item of interest for the blogger or reader.

  Pastor Jordan Palangyos and his PhD wife Amabel - his blog Lutheran Cowboys (for a good reason - find out).

Pastor Jordan Palangyos has already seized the moment in media, with his blog, Facebook pages, graphics, video, and now streaming video. He is literally reaching the world with free media, using Facebook as a platform. 

Pay Attention to the Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly

KJV Mark 4 

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

I am watching the garden go to sleep, one plant after another. The Feverfew is especially interesting. The cold weather never hurt it last winter, but when the cold hit zero degrees, the plant took on the dead or dormant look of most plants. But with a little more sun and freezing weather, it perked up again and turned green. The plant was preparing its roots for spring, just as the winter bulbs were developing roots and pushing their stems up to the surface of the soil.

Once I have sown Borage, or planted herbs, or dug in roses, I can sleep at night, without worrying. The plants will disappoint me at times, but they grow beyond all I can hope, think, or imagine. 

When pastors and laity worry about success, I tell them to broadcast the Word more. This media age means we can reach the world while spending almost no money. We can sleep at night, knowing the effective Word has the divine energy to grow and to accomplish God's will. The Word never returns empty, but always accomplishes His purpose and - most importantly - prospers His will. 

That is how I think about the future when falling asleep. The question is not whether I am successful, but whether I have sown the living Seed with abandon. 

Our next door neighbor, from a cult, began following our services and confessing Justification by Faith. She died a baptized Lutheran. Her husband banned her from having roses, so she shared them with a woman in hospice care, filling the home with fragrance and peace. That family - whom I never met - thanked me for the roses and what they contributed to their mother's last days.

The Word is very effective in fueling the hatred of some people, but also accomplishes such wonders that we could never imagine what was ahead. So many parishes offer synod worship, personality worship, history of the building worship, and programs worship, but they should exchange what is sterile and lifeless for what is imbued with divine power - The Word of God.

 Our entire backyard is a pond, deeper than before, from over six inches of rain last night. The water makes me think of Luther's pond analogy.

One Small Step for Amazon, One Giant Leap for Lutherdom

 This was the final goal, to have Luther's House Postils in color, merged into one place with the Treasures (quotations) from those volumes - on Kindle $2.95 - and on a free PDF.
At least it was the final goal, until Luther's Galatians came up as a new project.

Janie Sullivan and Norma A. Boeckler always humor me when I aim at publishing on the cutting edge of media. This was a big project, starting with:

1. Warren Malach asking for the three-volume Postils set, 
2. Alec Satin getting the basic text together, a major task,
3. Virginia Roberts helping with editing and the Treasures,
4. Norma A. Boeckler illustrating all four volumes in color and designing the covers,
5. Janie Sullivan drawing it together for print, Kindle, and free PDFs, and
6. HAL at Amazon finishing the work and approving.

As the educational expert from the Left Coast wrote, "The day may come when we will have much more suppression of materials. It is good to have them distributed in advance, in many places." (paraphrased) Various experiences led to making everything from here public domain and non-profit (not that much profit ever piled up). Alec Satin does this with free eBooks (Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry) and low cost printed books (Lutheran Librarian).

Some were not able to read all eight volumes of Luther's Sermons merged on Kindle (though Janie and others could), but I found this House Postils set plus the Treasures could be read easily as one unit on my version of Kindle. That means 1,000 pages of Luther's household sermons, plus some of the best passages from those sermons.

Why Spend Money To Publish and Make No Money on Kindle?

First of all, I am appalled at those who rob fellow Lutherans by charging outrageous prices for their Kindle versions. They could make a modest profit and facilitate an enormous interest in Luther and other great authors. We are publishing at the lowest price possible, sending books out at the author's price (no profit and a much lower price than Amazon's set amount) - and also for free. Yes, we gladly send out free books.

And if we want to read their own hateful bilge, like David Scaer's Surviving the Storm, we would not have to miss a meal to read it on Kindle. (Waldo Werning's niece asked WW before he died, "Are you training someone to take your place?") We have the answer - Yes, David Scaer - Waldo reborn - from The Fort, sometimes pronounced with the St. Louis Irish dialect.

The main reason for Kindle, now that I have had some fun - is the world-wide distribution. We heard from Africa, "Your PDF does not open on my cell phone." This made Mrs. Ichabod laugh, because we only have a flip phone. As digital devices get cheaper and more widely used in the Third World, Kindle is the natural bridge to those people.

Kindle Version - Treasures from Luther's House Postils - 99 cents.

The Treasures from Luther's House Postils - Full Color - Print, Kindle, and free PDF

Why print, Kindle, and free PDF the Treasures by itself?

This volume had to come at the end, after the three volumes of sermons were published. The quotations cite the page number and volume of each one of the selected passages from Luther. The idea is to provide a lot more reading of Luther rather than quips snatched out of the air and left without a source. ("I dunno. I heard that he said that.")

Secondly, some might want to own or give away the full color, illustrated printed quotations for only $3.95. The sermons are like phone books (remember those?). The Treasures are slender, in large print, and far less expensive to obtain in color.

The free PDF of the Treasures alone is easy to share with someone not familiar with Luther.

The free PDF of all the House Postils plus the Treasures is found here at this Dropbox link.

Between the Gems Mined from the Lenker Luther Sermons and the Treasures from the House Postils, a pastor or seminary student has a wealth of passages to quote. He might want to make Luther familiar to those otherwise assaulted by the wisdom of Fuller Seminary, Willow Crick, and the professors too lazy to earn a real doctorate.

Todd Wilken and His Doll - From 2017

Todd Wilken chuckled on his radio show that
Justification by Faith was "Calvinism."
Thus he does not know Luther's doctrine or Calvin's.
How does this qualify him to fill the airwaves with his words?

Reformation Gear | Celebrate the Reformation and order Yours Today!:


"Martin Luther’s morning and evening prayers are centerpieces of Lutheran devotion. This unique Martin Luther figure featuring Luther’s famous prayers is a fun way to keep these prayers on our lips, remember the Reformation and Luther’s role in it 500 years later.
Pastor Todd Wilken
Issues, Etc."

'via Blog this'

CPH - the mockers mock themselves.
They had to put these socks on clearance.

Most Popular at the Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry - Free

 Over 153 free titles at the Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry.

- Error of Modern Missouri              
- Devotional Readings From Luther's Texts
- Lutheran Treasury of Prayer           
- Intuitu Fidei    (Part of Error above)
- Luther Examined and Reexamined        
- Calvinist Infant Baptism  (Krauth)    
- Doctrine of Justification  (Loy)      
- New Testament Conversions (Gerberding)
- Table Talk Excerpts                   
- Schuh Small Catechism   

All Bethany Lutheran Media Ministries

   

The Path To Understanding Justification May Not Have Convinced Lutherquest (sic) or WELS

 The Path To Understanding Justification

"You may not have convinced LutherQuest or WELS with your book but you sure convinced me. Impossible to read OJ into those 'proof texts' once you understand the context." Layman

 Thirty plus books are on Amazon, a few of them about Justification by Faith, Church Growth, the efficacy of the Word, and Calvinism.

Greek Lesson - Mark 15:1ff

Parser - tells us the I.D. of the word

Lenski's Mark Commentary - download as a PDF

Mark 15

και ευθεως επι το πρωι συμβουλιον ποιησαντες οι αρχιερεις μετα των πρεσβυτερων και γραμματεων και ολον το συνεδριον δησαντες τον ιησουν απηνεγκαν και παρεδωκαν τω πιλατω

Threefold - binding, leading away, handing over

2 και επηρωτησεν αυτον ο πιλατος συ ει ο βασιλευς των ιουδαιων, ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω συ λεγεις

συ λεγεις  is more like - That is what you are saying. He already confirmed He is the Son of God. King fits, too, as the Son of David, but He does not have the look and attitude of a king.

3 και κατηγορουν αυτου οι αρχιερεις πολλα

4 ο δε πιλατος παλιν επηρωτησεν αυτον λεγων, ουκ αποκρινη ουδεν; ιδε! ποσα σου καταμαρτυρουσιν

5 ο δε ιησους ουκετι ουδεν απεκριθη ωστε θαυμαζειν τον πιλατον

6 κατα δε εορτην, απελυεν αυτοις ενα δεσμιον ονπερ ητουντο

7 ην δε ο λεγομενος βαραββας μετα των συστασιαστων δεδεμενος οιτινες εν τη στασει φονον πεποιηκεισαν

8 και αναβοησας, ο οχλος ηρξατο αιτεισθαι καθως αει εποιει αυτοις

9 ο δε πιλατος απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων, θελετε απολυσω υμιν τον βασιλεα των ιουδαιων

10 εγινωσκεν γαρ οτι δια φθονον παραδεδωκεισαν αυτον οι αρχιερεις

11 οι δε αρχιερεις ανεσεισαν τον οχλον ινα μαλλον τον βαραββαν απολυση αυτοις

agitated, move back and forth

12 ο δε πιλατος αποκριθεις παλιν ειπεν αυτοις τι ουν θελετε ποιησω ον λεγετε βασιλεα των ιουδαιων

13 οι δε παλιν εκραξαν - σταυρωσον αυτον

14 ο δε πιλατος ελεγεν αυτοις τι γαρ κακον εποιησεν, οι δε περισσοτερως εκραξαν σταυρωσον αυτον

15 ο δε πιλατος βουλομενος τω οχλω το ικανον ποιησαι απελυσεν αυτοις τον βαραββαν και παρεδωκεν τον ιησουν φραγελλωσας ινα σταυρωθη

make content

16 οι δε στρατιωται απηγαγον αυτον εσω της αυλης ο εστιν πραιτωριον, και συγκαλουσιν ολην την σπειραν

17 και ενδυουσιν αυτον πορφυραν και περιτιθεασιν αυτω πλεξαντες ακανθινον στεφανον

Marble and Dye

Porphyria - The King's Madness - Movie

18 και ηρξαντο ασπαζεσθαι αυτον χαιρε βασιλευ των ιουδαιων

19 και ετυπτον αυτου την κεφαλην καλαμω, και ενεπτυον αυτω, και τιθεντες τα γονατα προσεκυνουν αυτω

20 και οτε ενεπαιξαν αυτω, εξεδυσαν αυτον την πορφυραν, και ενεδυσαν αυτον τα ιματια τα ιδια και εξαγουσιν αυτον ινα σταυρωσωσιν αυτον

21 και αγγαρευουσιν παραγοντα τινα σιμωνα κυρηναιον ερχομενον απ αγρου τον πατερα αλεξανδρου και ρουφου ινα αρη τον σταυρον αυτου

22 και φερουσιν αυτον επι γολγοθα τοπον ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον κρανιου τοπος

Hermes, hermaneutics

cranium

23 και εδιδουν αυτω πιειν εσμυρνισμενον οινον ο δε ουκ ελαβεν

24 και σταυρωσαντες αυτον διεμεριζον τα ιματια αυτου βαλλοντες κληρον επ αυτα, τις τι αρη

25 ην δε ωρα τριτη και εσταυρωσαν αυτον

The Radical Left, The Objective Justification Fanatics, and the "Conservative" Synods Are Very Much Alike

 They can't preach or teach, but y'all keep re-electing them.
These Calvinist OJ Clowns - cuddling with ELCA - represents everything the typical Lutheran loathes and avoids - abortion on demand, pan-sexualism, denial of all Scriptural truths, mockery of Luther, elimination of Means of Grace worship.

The more Q team unravels the plans of the Left, the more obvious are the traits of the Objective Justification fanatics and the  "conservative" Lutheran leaders. That is why the faux-conservatives are so friendly with ELCA and so close behind them in expressing the same radicalism and pan-sexualism. The spineless leaders have surrendered to the feministica brigades.

Traits:

• Humorless, vindictive, and always angry.
• Raging against any imagined slight, never contrite.
• Anything goes - amoral and unethical, always lying - but so holy and righteous in attacking anyone to their right (most of America).
• Lazy, greedy, and not very bright.
• Unable to form a coherent argument, they endlessly repeat whatever is the agenda for the moment.
• Logic limited these fallacies - Personal Attack, Circular Reasoning, Popularity (everyone does it), Straw Man (constructing a deliberately false picture of the opposition), False Authority (Walther, Pieper, but not the Scriptures), Guilt by Association (wrong if quoted on Ichabod with the citation) etc.
• Networking by intimidation and bribes, manipulation and convenient memory loss.
• Who told you? See the logical fallacies above.

Helping the Search Engines by Using the Links (URLs)

 Our Bethany Media Ministries thrive on clicks.

One of the great inventions of this age is the relational database, which allows vast amounts of data being sorted and used.

Search engines base their results on popularity - though some people and entities pay money to squelch the results. The tech giants do their share of changing results too. Nevertheless, clicking on a link will improve results.

Some have noticed a lot of attention paid to linking news and worthwhile sources. I decided to gather our congregation's work and list them as media ministries. Since our Bethany Philippine Mission is working on books and video, they are being added to the list.