The Truth about LCMS Shrinking Enrollments

Enhance your pastoral career with a Fuller DMin degree -
quick and cheap.
"There's money to be made in shrinking the synod with Church Growth methods."

Lutheran Notes


Friday, June 20, 2008

Dr Jackson Was Right About Shrinking Enrollments at LCMS Seminaries

I was curious about what the enrollment was at Concordia Ft. Wayne and St. Louis these last few years. That's because from reading the LCMS news releases, I got the impression that enrollment was going down. However, when Dr. Jackson stated he assumed that the "fatal enrollment figures" would spell the end of Ft. Wayne eventually, Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer, the Director of Admissions at Ft. Wayne Concordia Theological Seminary chimed in with a comment that the new matriculations were up--as though the thrust of Dr. Jackson's argument were somehow wrong.

After doing some checking, Dr. Jackson is correct after all. While Ft. Wayne's first-year class in 2007 might have sustained a slight bump in numbers, as Stiegemayer noted, the overall trend is that both seminaries have shrinking enrollments. Morover, even in 2007 Ft. Wayne's total enrollment is down nine from the previous year, and down eighteen from four years previous (year 2003). So the slight bump in enrollment at Ft Wayne in 2007 in no way offset the trend of shrinking enrollments there.

The fact that Ft. Wayne's enrollment is down even though their matriculates are up in 2007 means either the graduating class was larger than the incoming class, or the overall dropout rate increased. Also, the fact that the number of pre-seminary students in the Concordia University System (CUS) is shrinking means seminary enrollments will continue to decrease in the foreseeable future. The LCMS synod's site said in 2007:

...the recent decline in the number of students enrolled in the pre-seminary programs at the CUS schools is not a positive trend for future seminary enrollment.
The pre-seminary enrollment in CUS schools in 2007 was 326, and in 2006 was 368, when the average from 2001-2005 was 424 students. That's nearly a hundred-student, or nearly one-quarter, drop.

Given the fact that pre-seminary and seminary enrollments are dropping, the fact that the LCMS seminaries cannot meet their financial aid goals--thereby saddling lots of unexpected federal student loan debt on seminarians, and the fact that LCMS seminaries charge students two to three times as much as other synods' seminaries do, means it is hard to justify the LCMS maintaining two seminaries at two separate campus with all the extra overhead and redundancy entailed.

Having said that, this whole situation also reminds me of another issue--the lack of transparency on the synodical level and how synodical officials keep their cards close to their chests. Rev. Stiegemeyer is a LCMS synodical official, and because he didn't like the fact that Dr. Jackson was telling the truth about the LCMS seminaries, he decided to insert a misleading statistic that was hard to verify or rebut. (One cannot easily find by Googling, or searching LCMS websites, the year-by-year enrollments of the seminaries, much less find the current year's enrollment.)

The lack of transparency that allows synodical insiders to abuse hard-to-verify-or-rebut statistics in order to lord it over outsiders reminds me of how the KFUO listenership was trumpeted to the synod via convention reports, but when Kieschnick didn't like what he heard on KFUO, all of a sudden KFUO's audience numbers were reported as being next to nil using unverifiable statistics. I have more on that at this post.

Below is data that I gleaned from the Web regarding seminary and pre-seminary enrollments. This compilation of data, and much more, should be easily found on one LCMS web page instead of scattered around the Web, but of course, that will never happen because it would be a step toward transparency in the LCMS.

Table: LCMS Seminary Enrollments According to the Accrediting Agency ATS & Change in Number of Students from 2003-4 Base (click image to enlarge table)


[GJ - The table is visible at the original blogsite or just click here.]



In the above table, I figured out the percent of pre-sem students who eventually attended seminary by taking one year's total of pre-sem students and comparing it to the number of pre-sem students who attended the seminary the next four years.


-------------------
Pastor Scott Stiegemeyer, Director of Admissions at Ft. Wayne Concordia Seminary
http://www.blogger.com/profile/16673629123931502344

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4731298128368779466&postID=3769893275290592817&isPopup=true&pli=1

Pastor Scott Stiegemeyer said...
"The fatal enrollment figures at Concordia (probably at both of them)..."

Wrong. Actually, in Sept 2007, CSL declined from about 120 the previous year to 98. CTS-FW increased from 68 the previous year to 80.

April 23, 2008 2:16 PM


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Date 15 Nov 2000 18:10:57
LCMS enrollment, church-work student numbers highest ever

Excerpt: The figure of 3,048 church-work students at the 10 Concordia University System schools is 131 (or 4.5 percent) higher than for the 1999-2000 school year, which was about 2 percent less than for 1998-99. The number of pre-seminary students is 422, up almost 22 percent from the 347 at this time last year.

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LCMS Colleges and Seminaries Post Record Enrollments, 8 Nov 2001

Excerpt: This school year, there are 3,043 total church-work students at the olleges and universities, five fewer than a year ago. The number of pre-seminary students at the schools stands at 446, up 44 [sic--should be just 4] from last year and 99 more than two years ago.

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CUS Enrollment Reaches Record Levels in 2003-04

Excerpt: The number of pre-seminary students decreased to 413 – a decrease of 18 compared to last fall [i.e. from 431], but an increase of 66 (19%) over 1999.

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[LCMSNews] Fall 2003 CUS, seminary enrollments, 30 Oct 2003

Excerpt: At the two seminaries, 882 men are enrolled in programs leading
to ordination, which is 56 more than last fall. The college and universities reported 413 pre-seminary students, compared with 431 a year ago.

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Tuesday, November 01, 2005
LCMS E-NEWS: Good News, Bad News

The number of students studying for church careers is down by 137, or 5 percent, since fall 2004, continuing a four-year trend. This year's 2,613 church-work students include 1,439 teachers, 426 pre-seminary, 404 directors of Christian education, 182 lay ministers, 57 directors of family life ministry, 38 directors of parish music, 34 directors of Christian outreach, and 33 deaconesses.

Meyer cites the shrinking pool of high-school students in general, combined with a reluctance on the part of today's young people to choose what are typically low-paying careers in a "church body that is divided by conflict."

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Graduate programs push `headcount` at Synod colleges to record, Dec. 4, 2006

excerpt: This year's 2,406 church-work students include 1,302 teachers (down 137), 368 pre-seminary (down 58), 420 directors of Christian education (up 16), 29 directors of Christian outreach (down 5), 27 deaconesses (down 6), 169 lay ministers (down 13), 31 directors of parish music (down 7), and 60 directors of family life ministry (up 3).

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12.3.2007 LCMS News

Excerpt: This year's 2,237 church-work students include 1,294 teachers (down 8), 356 directors of Christian education (down 64), 326 pre-seminary (down 42), 152 lay ministers (down 17), 35 directors of family life ministry (down 25), 33 directors of parish music (up 2), 21 deaconesses (down 6), 20 directors of Christian outreach (down 9).
------------------

Prospective Seminary Students, (LCMS bulletin) no date


Students Graduating from Concordia University System Schools

The LCMS seminaries have been blessed to receive approximately half of their students from the Concordia University System (CUS) schools in recent decades.

Most of these students graduate from a CUS school and enroll at one of the LCMS seminaries in the same year. The recent data for these students are:

(follow link for table)


Given this data, the recent decline in the number of students enrolled in the pre-seminary programs at the CUS schools is not a positive trend for future seminary enrollment. The data for this decline are:

(follow link for table)

A decline in the population of pre-seminary program students at the CUS schools will have a direct impact on enrollment at the two LCMS seminaries.

Second-Career Students

The recent downturn in the nation's economy and the rise in the amount of educational expenses that must be covered by the student(s) has resulted in a recent and significant decline in the number of second-career students who are seeking enrollment at the the two LCMS seminaries. The data for this decline are as follows:


(follow link for table)

Project Seminarian Support II: A Reference Document


Excerpt:
Financial Support Led to Significant Enrollment Increases
Annual increases in first year enrollments were accelerated at both seminaries in the first several years of the promised tuition support. At the end of the fifth year, total enrollment for the two institutions was up about 40% over levels at the start. But as adjustments were made in tuition coverage, or conditions affecting their impacts, there were in some years pull- back in new enrollment levels. Then, from 2003 to 2005, combined new student enrollment dropped 33%, back to approximate levels before the enhanced tuition support program began. The number of graduates from the two institutions combined, in 2006, was 172, significantly below the number of pastors currently retiring annually. The substantial increases in enrollments for the first several years and the enrollment declines in recent years with increases in net tuition costs indicate significant student sensitivity to changes in net tuition levels.

With increases in enrollments and tuition, financial challenges now exceed the seminaries' capacity to meet promised levels of tuition offsets as well as cover the institutions’ operating costs. By the end of 2003-04 year, both institutions had exhausted reserve resources. In the two years ended June 30 2005, current income at both institutions was insufficient to cover operating costs.

At present, both seminaries are dependent for financial support on a relatively small membership base. For example, in the case of Concordia St. Louis, financial support is received from just 6% of LCMS households.

Concordia St Louis is expanding its Development staff in an effort to cope with the funding challenges. This entails church visits and personal solicitations throughout the United States. A separate problem is that both seminaries are handicapped by the limited communication contacts with LCMS membership. Members' access to seminary and Synodical publications and readership of them also are relatively low. Thus, there is a serious awareness deficit among the presently non-contributing (LCMS) members.

***

GJ - Seminary tuition charges are criminal in light of the way pastors are treated. The divine call is meaningless to District Popes. The fact remains - Lutheran populations are shrinking overall. The Wisconsin sect is closing and merging congregations rapidly. An ELS veteran wonders how long the aging denomination will last with only two larger congregations.

One LCMS pastor wrote me that he would no longer recommend his denomination's seminaries or a vocation in the ministry.

St. Louis may pick up a few students like Paul Kelm, from WELS, who earned his DMin at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity

John Huss was burned at the stake in 1415 for opposing the Pope's doctrine.


FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

The Hymn #259 by Luther - Denby
The Invocation p. 15
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 Romans 8:18-23
The Gospel Luke 6:36-42
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #260 Ach Gott vom Himmel
The Sermon

Big (doctrine) and Little (everything else)

The Hymn #311 by Huss – Jesus Christus, unser Heiland
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 #27 – St. Thomas

Hymn notes – “Flung to the heedless winds” (#259, The Lutheran Hymnal) is Luther’s first hymn, inspired by the death of the first two Lutheran martyrs. Two young men were burned at the stake for their Lutheran doctrine. This beautiful hymn, easily sung, is omitted from all the new Lutheran hymnals.

Flung to the heedless winds,
Or on the waters cast,
The martyrs' ashes, watched,
Shall gathered be at last.

And from that scattered dust,
Around us and abroad,
Shall spring a plenteous seed,
Of witnesses for God.

The Father hath received,
Their latest living breath,
And vain is Satan's boast,
Of victory in their death.

Still, still, though dead, they speak,
And, trumpet tongued, proclaim,
To many a wakening land,
The one availing Name.

The Huss Hymn
The Huss hymn (#311) is singled out because the Czech reformer was burned at the stake for being the first to challenge the Church of Rome monopoly. His name means “goose” in his native language, so he died, saying, "You are roasting a poor Bohemian goose, but in 100 years there will arise a swan whom you will neither roast nor boil." Huss died in 1415; God raised up Martin Luther 100 years later. Significantly, Luther was accused of being a “Hussite,” and pleaded guilty. Frederick the Elector (http://www.luther.de/en/friedr.html) stood up to the Pope and kept Luther from being burned at the stake. Today’s Lutheran ministers cringe and cower if they are thought to associate with anyone confessional.

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/7.html

http://beck.library.emory.edu/luther/luther_site/luther_text.html

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Prayer
Lord God, heavenly Father, who art merciful, and through Christ didst promise us, that Thou wilt neither judge nor condemn us, but graciously forgive us all our sins, and abundantly provide for all our wants of body and soul: We pray Thee, that by Thy Holy Spirit Thou wilt establish in our hearts a confident faith in Thy mercy, and teach us also to be merciful to our neighbor, that we may not judge or condemn others, but willingly forgive all men, and, Judging only ourselves, lead blessed lives in Thy fear, through Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

Big (Doctrine) and Little (Everything Else)

This is an important Gospel lesson, because the words are currently being distorted to say exactly the opposite of what Christ taught and still teaches.

The Gospel is summarized well by Luther, who said we should bend and be flexible with the personal failings of others, but be completely inflexible about the doctrine of the Bible. Some—I hope, many—realize that this is turned around in current thought.

"In matters concerning faith we must be invincible, unbending, and very stubborn; indeed, if possible, harder than adamant. But in matters concerning love we should be softer and more pliant than any reed and leaf and should gladly accommodate ourselves to everything." Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 412f. Galatians 2:8.

Don’t be judgmental
“Don’t be judgmental” is the motto of the century. Few realize that it came from Carl Rogers, largely forgotten except in counseling and psychology, who bragged that he started a new religion. In fact, he was an apostate. He grew up in a strict Christian home, almost became a minister, and then earned a PhD in psychology at Columbia. He is known for Client-Centered Therapy, where there is no such thing as right or wrong. He popularized the concept of condemning someone who honored the values of right and wrong by snapping: “Don’t be judgmental,” which is the broadest possible judgment of all.

First of all, it would be impossible for God to set aside the Ten Commandments, which were revealed to Moses out of divine love. Natural law means - God commands what is good for us. The only way to set aside the Ten Commandments is to reject God, a popular move today. Decisions made on the basis of God’s Creation are no longer acceptable in this country or in everyday life.

Christ is talking about condemnation in the ordinary things of life. Examples are endless. People hold endless grudges about whether they receive this honor or another. Any minister knows how dangerous it is to mention charter members on an anniversary Sunday. The most unforgiving charter member will be overlooked and make everyone pay for it, forever.

Life is full of daily annoyances because everyone is fallible. Although people love to condemn Luther, his personal life was quite remarkable. He put up with Agricola, one of the most destructive and damaging of the early Reformation. He forgave Agricola (the Antinomian – there is no Law) time after time. One instance Agricola was plotting against the Reformation while staying at Luther’s home. Yet Luther was not stupid about what was happening. He said once, “My friends have done more damage that the Pope and the Turks put together.”

Luther’s behavior was the result of justification by faith and his adherence to the Ten Commandments. He went over the Catechism regularly and knew his sinfulness. At the same time, because he was declared righteous through faith in Christ, he forgave as freely as he was forgiven by God.

Families need to have the same Gospel forgiveness, practicing it daily. The biggest problems of the day are often trivial. Nothing is more damaging than the accumulation of bitterness and resentment over a bunch of nothings. Because mutual condemnation flies in the face of God’s wisdom, it is mutually destructive.

I attended family court in Canada where a young couple accused each other before the judge. Each one had wild accusations and equally loud denials about those accusations. The husband was a motivational speaker. I imagine he lived in a van down by the river. He asked to retrieve his prosthetic arm from his former home. Anyone who thinks a judge is going to straighten out such problems is crazy – by definition. The judge—as a fallible human being—can only guess.

Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

The first part of the lesson means that Gospel forgiveness will bear Gospel fruit. The opposite is true as well. Many who are very big deals in the visible church are miserable at home. One man received all the honors possible from his denomination and told a friend, “I am a complete failure. These are all empty honors.”

Gospel forgiveness means being contrition and faith in the atoning death of Christ. Justification by faith is the opposition of self-justification. One desert father (an early monk) said, “What a heavy burden we lay down when we give up self-justification. What a light burden we pick up when we accept justification by faith.”
The mark of contrition is humility. The marks of self-justification are pride, resentment, bitterness, and a desire for revenge. I have noticed that the need to get even is never met in the visible church. To use an example from the Church of Rome – when the scandal broke out in Boston over priestly abuse, only one priest was kicked out of the priesthood for good. No, he did not generate any court cases. He was not accused of anything as a priest. He did commit one horrible, unforgivable sin – he said Cardinal Law and the hierarchy were wrong.

Leaven (yeast) is used in two ways in the New Testament. One is the leaven of the Kingdom, which permeates one’s life through the Means of Grace. The other is the leaven of the Pharisees, which corrupts.

The good leaven cannot be stopped because it is living, like the Word. We used to store old leavened dough in the cooler at my father’s bakery. The old wives tale holds that dough is always improved by the addition of a previous batch. No one knew whether this was true. But we kept it and used it. The cooler had an old, beery smell from the dough kept there. When I went down to the basement to get it, the dough was always full of new air pockets from the living yeast cells. Yeast never stops working, so if it bad leaven, it corrupts just as thoroughly as good leaven lifts the dough.

Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

The second part of the lesson can be applied to daily life and to doctrine. We have too many blind guides who use the Scriptures as a magical device to conjure up benefits for themselves while denying its truths. Most denominational energy is spent on attacking the truth, defending error, and claiming, “Look at all our money” as the sign of genuine success. Nothing is more meaningless in God’s Kingdom as having money. Even in Jesus’ time, when cash was rare and valuable, money is dismissed as a little thing. The great things are doctrinal.

What we believe, teach, and confess is foundational for all our actions. Someone blind to the truths of God’s Word will lead people into a ditch. The concept is humorous to consider. People are wandering around in their blindness, so a blind person says, “I will show you the way,” and they all fall into the same ditch.

God created light before the sun and stars, so light has a meaning beyond a lack of darkness. That is why the occultists like to steal the word and use it for their darkness. My wife asked me why someone was looking at me so strangely during a meeting. I told her what this woman said with great pride, “I am surrounding you with light.” That can only come from an occult follower, a self-described witch, who confuses light and darkness.

We see so many examples of blind guides in church history. Zwingli and Calvin wanted to lead people away from Holy Baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments. In their explanations they took people away from the Two Natures of Christ. Their followers easily become Unitarians because the ability of the divine nature of Christ is denied in Holy Communion, the efficacy of the Word is denied in both sacraments. Thus the good yeast of the Means of Grace is replaced with the corrupt yeast of the Pharisees.

In this age a similar process has accelerated with the so-called conservative Lutherans embracing and teaching the doctrine of Zwingli and Calvin, saying to the blind, “We will be your guides.” The results are predictable but the blind guides say, “True we are in a free-fall, in every visible category, but we need more light from Zwingli and Calvin, Fuller and Willow Creek, Waldo Werning and Leonard Sweet.

The darkness of the blind guides make the light of the Gospel more brilliant. In God’s Word we have the wisdom of the Holy Spirit conveying the atoning death of Christ to us, especially in an individual way in Holy Communion.

Quotations

Love For Sound Doctrine Chapter 6, Thy Strong Word

Harkey: "We want love as much as orthodoxy, yes, a thousand times more than what some men call orthodoxy." F. Bente, American Lutheranism, 2 vols., The United Lutheran Church, Gen Synod, Gen Council, Un Syn in the South, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1919, II, p. 121.

"As a rule, it is assumed that only the genuine Lutherans indulged in unseemly polemical invective, and spoke and wrote in a bitter and spiteful tone. But the Melanchthonians were, to say the least, equally guilty...The 'peace-loving Melanchthon started a conflagration within his own church in order to obtain a temporal and temporary peace with the Romanists; while the loyal Lutherans, inasmuch as they fought for the preservation of genuine Lutheranism, stood for, and promoted, a truly honorable, godly, and lasting peace on the basis of eternal truth. And while the latter fought honestly and in the open, the Philippists have never fully cleared themselves from the charges of duplicity, dishonesty, and dissimulation." F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 104.

"The method of debate on the part of the papalists is far different now than it was at the time of Eck, Emser, and others like them. These men did not refuse to fight with us with the weapons of the Scripture. Pighius, however, has perceived that this arrangement has done the papal kingdom more harm than good. Therefore he has shown a different and shorter way by which, provided they stuck to it, they could obtain practically anything without trouble. It consists in this that they bring together every oratorical device and then declaim loudly about the shortness, the incompleteness, the insufficiency, ambiguity, and obscurity of the Scripture and strenuously fight for the necessity, authority, perfection, certainty, and clarity of the unwritten traditions." Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 71.

"When they are proved wrong from the Scriptures, they turn and accuse the Scriptures themselves, as if they were not correct and were without authority, both because they speak now one way, now another, and also because the truth cannot be found from Scripture by those who do not know the tradition; for (so they say) the truth was not given through epistles, but through the living voice, etc." [Irenaeus, Contra haereses, chapter 2] Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 82.

"Here are no learned, no rich, no mighty ones, for such people do not as a rule accept the Gospel. The Gospel is a heavenly treasure, which will not tolerate any other treasure, and will not agree with any earthly guest in the heart. Therefore whoever loves the one must let go the other, as Christ says, Matthew 6:24: 'You cannot serve God and mammon.'" Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 154. Christmas Day Luke 2:1-14; Matthew 6:24.

"In like manner we will also do to our princes and priests; when they attack our manner of life, we should suffer it and show love for hatred, good for evil; but when they attack our doctrine, God's honor is attacked, then love and patience should cease and we should not keep silent, but also say: I honor my Father, and you dishonor me; yet I do not inquire whether you dishonor me, for I do not seek my own honor." Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 176. Fifth Sunday in Lent John 8:46-59.

"To love God with all the soul is to devote your entire bodily life to him that you can say when the love of any creature, or any persecution threatens to overpower you: All this will I give up, before I will forsake my God; let men cast me away, murder or drown me, let what God's will is happen to me, I will gladly lose all, before I will forsake Thee, O Lord!" Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 25 Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, Luke 10:23-37

"Therefore, do not speak to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life, God's grace, and all heavenly treasures." Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1411f. Ephesians 6:10-17.

"In matters concerning faith we must be invincible, unbending, and very stubborn; indeed, if possible, harder than adamant. But in matters concerning love we should be softer and more pliant than any reed and leaf and should gladly accommodate ourselves to everything." Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 412f. Galatians 2:8.

"Doctrine is our only light. It alone enlightens and directs us and shows us the way to heaven. If it is shaken in one quarter (in une parte), it will necessarily be shaken in its entirety (in totum). Where that happens, love cannot help us at all." Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 414. Galatians 5:10.

"But this tender mercy is to be exercised only toward Christians and among Christians, for toward those who reject and persecute the Gospel we must act differently; here I am not permitted to let my love be merciful so as to tolerate and endure false doctrine. When faith and doctrine are concerned and endangered, neither love nor patience are in order. Then it is my duty to contend in earnest and not to yield a hairbreadth." Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 637f.

"It is self-evident that if the perfectio, or sufficientia, of Scripture be surrendered , the Scripture principle is given up. If a deficiency in the Bible must be supplied from some outside source, the Christian Church is eo ipso moved off its foundation, the Word of the Apostles and Prophets, and based on the Ego of the alleged supplementers." Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950, I, p. 319.

"We have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquility, and unity (which, moreover, is not in our power to do). Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ." (Closing of Formula of Concord, Trigl. p. 1095) Francis Pieper, The Difference Between Orthodox And Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 65.

"When a theologian is asked to yield and make concessions in order that peace may at last be established in the Church, but refuses to do so even in a single point of doctrine, such an action looks to human reason like intolerable stubbornness, yea, like downright malice. That is the reason why such theologians are loved and praised by few men during their lifetime. Most men rather revile them as disturbers of the peace, yea, as destroyers of the kingdom of God. They are regarded as men worthy of contempt. But in the end it becomes manifest that this very determined, inexorable tenacity in clinging to the pure teaching of the divine Word by no means tears down the Church; on the contrary, it is just this which, in the midst of greatest dissension, builds up the Church and ultimately brings about genuine peace. Therefore, woe to the Church which has no men of this stripe, men who stand as watchmen on the walls of Zion, C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 28.

WELS Pastor's Wife

You are supposed to get used to it, Mrs. Frog.

What is something you feel like you cannot say at church, or with other Christians?

Anonymous said...
I am a pastor's wife and these are a few things I really want to say, but can't right now:

TO MY CHURCH: Why do you all gossip about my husband and I? How can you possibly expect me to act normal when your gossip infects everything and makes me feel like whatever I say or do is up for scrutiny? The really fascinating part is that I’m still not sure what the gossip about is all entails. No one has ever fully told me outside that I’m not very friendly. For my husband, you are upset because he doesn't attend every town gathering and other superflous issues non-related to the call you gave him.

I want to say that I really did try in the beginning. I did so well in my husband’s first call. He had 2 rural churches and I knew everyone. I used to be an extrovert, now I flee this small town every chance I get because I’m surrounded by church members who watch my every move.

Oh and why is it that for the church & town’s 125th anniversary there an overabundance of volunteers—but when it comes to anything to do with the spiritual welfare of the church—there is NO ONE!! I just don’t get it and I pray I never do. I don’t want to be like any of you—I learned that much from you.

TO THE FORMER PRINCIPAL OF OUR SCHOOL: Why did you treat us like you did? Why did you gossip about us and make up complete fabricated stories? What did we ever do to you? We honestly moved here to this call with the highest of hopes. We really wanted to be close to you and your family. We wanted to support you, but we just weren't "cool" enough or something.

Oh and it was lovely when you moved and left us in the mess you made. I live everyday with the gossip you started. I live with the spiritual damage.

Of course, you are doing fine. You lasted 2 years in the call you took from here. Then you had issues with your mouth and your buddy the DP gave you a new call. You make mess after mess and they just move you. It must be nice to be married to the right woman and have the right friends in the WELS.

TO OUR DISTRICT PRESIDENT: I thought that we could trust you. I really did. I did not know at the time that you were friends with the principal--card buddies and best friends with his father-in-law.

We went to you in good faith. We needed the Gospel--encouragement, but all you gave us was the Law. You didn't want to hear what we had to say, after all the good principal had already filled you in on who we were. You listened to his gossip, refuse to repent and now I am a spiritual mess.

I tried to go to you after the fact per Matthew 18, but you ignored me with the exception of a short dismissive e-mail telling me I had to learn to appreciate where God had called us. You then again denied you listened to gossip as well as dropped the bomb that you had received other calls from “church members” similar to the principal's about me (which "duh" who did you think was spreading the gossip and getting people upset?).

When I asked who these people where and *what* the accusations where (as I wasn't sure)--you refused to address me again.

But I ask you--if you decided who I was and who my husband was not from our own words--but from the words of the principal--is that not gossip? *AND* if you cannot grasp the simple concept of what gossip is, what other doctrines are you off on? One really has to wonder.

Oh and thanks for telling me how you honor the call process. You told us that you don’t let anyone into your District w/out either knowing them or getting a good recommendation. I am guessing our former DP gave us the good recommendation as you didn’t know us. It is good to see you put your faith in God’s will versus your own human efforts—oh, wait—that is how it is *supposed* to be. Silly me.

I will forgive you one day, but it is hard to do it right now as you invade our e-mail regularly with your updates and District news. It’s always clear in these e-mails who like and who you don’t care for…this wound has never been allowed to heal…I know one day it will.

30/5/08 5:04 PM

--

Elle said...
OK. The pastor's wife wins. Ouch.

Why is it that some of the worst treatment of our ministers and their families comes from the Christians they serve? It's supposed to be the governments and individuals who are enemies of the gospel, not fellow Christians, who make ministry so difficult.

I guess it saves the devil work when we persecute our own.

31/5/08 9:48 PM

***

GJ - The posts above were published on Random Intolerance as a comment for the May 25th article. The District Pope is already getting even by now, I am sure.

We ran into the parents of a former WELS pastor. He was driven out of the ministry by similar tactics. They thought WELS was cult-like. The Wisconsin Synod is run for the benefit of a few families. The DPs have their buddies and undercut everyone else. An adulterous buddy who should not be in the ministry is promoted, but someone who mildly criticizes Holy Mother WELS is pounded like a tent stake.

--

GJ Postscript - This is just a hint at the abuse laid upon WELS, LCMS, and ELS church workers. The leaders despise the Word and the Means of Grace, so they despise those who bring the Word.

Congregations will always have those who hate the pastor or his wife or his children because they hate the Word. A mouse may be in a cookie jar without being a cookie, as Corrie Ten Boom said. The Age of Apostasy is upon us when the sanctified and sanctifying little popes do everything possible to destroy the lives of those who plunged into debt to become pastors.

Do not weep for adulterous pastors. They get promoted to mission supervisors. The wolves in charge call it professional courtesy.

WELS Blogs

Shepherd Study

Lutheran Science Institute

Angry Lutherans

Rick Johnson WELS Church Growth Guru

WELS Church Growth Movement in Brazil

Random Dan

The Shepherd's Voice

Most of these are anonymous, making readers wonder what the word "witness" means to these people. We know why they hide. They are afraid of retribution from Wayne Mueller's gang. Wayne is far more powerful than the Word of God, they think.

June Bride

Bishop Gene Robinson to 'marry' gay partner

By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent

Last Updated: 1:31PM BST 06/06/2008

Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual Anglican bishop, is about to "marry" his partner, further inflaming tensions in the church ahead of a series of critical meetings this summer.

ABBIE TRAYLER-SMITH
Bishop Gene Robinson wants his partner to have more rights in case he gets murdered.
The bishop, whose appointment has driven the worldwide church to the brink of collapse, is to have a civil union with his partner of 20 years, Mark Andrew.

They will have a private ceremony carried out by a lawyer in front of family and friends on Saturday, followed by a service of celebration in a church nearby in New Hampshire, northeast USA.

Bishop Robinson, who recently claimed he had always wanted to be a "June bride", said: "We're very excited about it. It won't look like a wedding, but it will be wonderful."

Mrs. Robinson - Simon and Garfunkel
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo)
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)

YouTube explains a few things to the Episcopalians.

Third Sunday after Trinity

Hummingbird, by Norma Boeckler

The Third Sunday after Trinity

Live Lutheran Worship Service, Sundays, 8 AM, Phoenix Time

The Hymn #231 by Luther - Nun bitten wir
The Invocation p. 15
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 1 Peter 5:6-11
The Gospel Luke 15:1-10
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #277 Vox dilecti
The Sermon

We Are the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep

The Hymn #313 by Luther – Gott sei gelobet
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 #436 - Belmont

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, we all like sheep have gone astray, having suffered ourselves to be led away from the right path by Satan and our own sinful flesh: We beseech Thee graciously to forgive us all our sins for the sake of Thy Son, Jesus Christ; and quicken our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may abide in Thy word, and in true repentance and a steadfast faith continue in Thy Church unto the end, and obtain eternal salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end Amen.
We Are the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep

People sometimes wonder why the religious leaders hated Jesus and wanted to kill Him. The answer is found in the opening of the Gospel lesson –

Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luther pointed out that Jesus angered the religious leaders by saying, “Your righteousness does not come from your works but from Me.”

The religious leaders clearly thought of themselves as righteous through their works. They condemned Jesus for eating with open sinners. The word used identifies these people as obvious sinners, such as tax collectors for the Roman occupation, criminals, prostitutes. How many have been driven away from God with these words – you can never be forgiven for what you did.

In that light, Jesus told the two parables which introduce the Parable of the Prodigal Son. In the Scriptures we always have a wealth of spiritual instruction. One parable about God seeking the lost might be enough, but the Holy Spirit has given us three in a row. If we cannot grasp the Lost Coin and Lost Sheep parables, we can at least comprehend the Prodigal Son.

But what Jesus did in these parables was to move the lesson from a lost animal (some worth to man) to a lost coin (great worth to man) to a lost soul (the greatest worth to God).

The economy in Jesus’ day was largely based upon sheep, so there are abundant references to sheep in Bible - to Jesus as the Shepherd, Good Shepherd, and the Lamb of God. Any animal owner would leave his flock and go searching for the lost one. Here we are expected to identify with God searching for that one lost sheep. The touching part of the parable is the ending. The owner goes home with his sheep on his shoulders (suggesting His strength and our weakness), rejoicing and telling His neighbors. This is an important lesson for all those who feel lost and alienated from God by His anger. His nature is not to push away the sinner but to bring him home rejoicing. God’s overwhelming character is mercy, love, and forgiveness.

This is also a parable for the Pharisee in all of us. Our natural tendency is to take pride in our works and to feel above others. Jesus’ parable has the sheep in safety left alone so the Savior can seek the lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

The message is subtle but impossible to miss. Most feel no need to repent and believe in Christ, but Heaven is filled with rejoicing when one person repents, not with 99 who need no repentance. Of course, that is impossible, that people need no repentance. However, that does not keep people from becoming hardened against repentance.

Once again I was asked today about books written by an apostate. His hatred is so great that he writes books full of false claims about the origin of the Bible. His minions forward his messages and disturb new Christians who are shaken by the confidence he places in his “facts.” I never heard of him before, so I googled his name and read a little more. I could tell right away that he was brought up in a Christian family. Those who fall away from the faith are the worst opponents.

God says in effect, “The God you imagine is the God I will be for you.” There are those who say they cannot believe in God the Father sending His Son to die for our sins. They refuse to see the God of mercy and love, so they always reject this god of wrath they have imagined. “God wrath remains on unbelievers,” as John’s Gospel teaches.

The purpose of the Scriptures is to be that one infallible guide and revelation of God’s will. Here Jesus teaches in the kindest way possible that the lost person is sought and found by God and retuned while still weak with sin to the rejoicing of God’s Kingdom. The angels rejoice.

That is why Christianity invaded and took over the Roman Empire from the bottom up. The first converts were mostly slaves and low-lifes, repentant criminals, former prostitutes and former homosexuals. Others were alcoholics and degenerates of various types. Public debauchery was common then. The stadiums were like our rock music concerts, where anything could happen and did happen. Those who get drawn in are thrilled at first but become despairing later. And God seeks them out.

God seeks the lost exclusively through the Word. Programs and methods come and go. Without the Word of God, no conversion can take place. If man waters down the Word to make it more appealing, the Spirit’s power is drowned out by man’s supposed wisdom. Recent examples in the Lutheran Church are too numerous to name more than the worst. For Christmas an LCMS minister mocked Holy Communion, portraying himself as an addled or drugged Jesus talking about His birthday. Sadly, that is the largest congregation in the LCMS and not to be touched by doctrinal discipline.

The same can be said about one of the largest in WELS, Green Bay, where the ministers have plagiarized the sermons of false teachers (almost word for word) and posted them on the church website as their own. Their concession to this crime (it is illegal to plagiarize) was to start giving credit to the false teachers who wrote the sermons. This avoids the issue of well prepared and creative ministers actually doing the work of proclaiming the Word after careful study and preparation.

The Word is conveyed in many different ways. People do not have to be anxious about how much or when they witness. The opportunities never stop. Nor do they have to wonder if they were effective. The Word is effective. Just try repeating the Word to Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness door-knockers. Every Word of God quoted will make them angry. Why? The Word hardens and blinds those who will not receive it. But anger is a good thing. If they become angry they may think over their errors. Better to lodge one verse in their heads than to argue them into the truth. They are prepared to argue. They are never prepared or strong enough to confront the Word of God in its purity and truth.

The Lost Coin
Everyone can identify with the lost object, whether it is a coin, a purse, a wallet, or a set of keys. Once I lost my keys and needed to drive to work. My wife Chris phoned the school. The receptionist laughed about me running all over the house looking for keys. Everyone has done that.

My biggest panic was looking for tickets to Disneyland. We were meeting the grandchildren and their parents in LA with the tickets. The morning we were to leave I began looking for the lost tickets. They were for all of us for a number of days. I cleaned. I straightened. I filed. I unfiled. I did everything possible. It was almost time to go, early in the morning. We were going to fly. I fell into my chair and confessed, “I lost the tickets.” Just then my eyes fell on the tickets, only a few inches away. I wonder if anyone has not had that experience, one way or another.

So Jesus taught:

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Once again there is an emphasis on the woman having 90% of her coins, but searching the house carefully until the lost coin is found. We have all been in that situation. And we love to tell our friends, even strangers, what a panic we fell into and how happy we were when we found the lost object.

And so all of Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents.

Repentance is sorrow for sin and faith in Christ. Depth of feeling is not the core of repentance. It is godly sorrow for sin – knowing we have broken God’s commandments. The Medieval Church taught people to pay for their sins, through their emotional outburst, their physical pain, and their money. That has made people think that repentance equals how hard they cry. Repentance means knowing we need a Savior and trusting in His work for us.

Holy Communion unites believers in receiving the visible Word of Christ’s Body and Blood.

Justification by Faith Quotations

"For neither you nor I could ever know anything of Christ, or believe on Him, and obtain Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Ghost through the preaching of the Gospel. The work is done and accomplished; for Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, etc. But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew of it, then it would be in vain and lost. That this treasure, therefore, might not lie buried, but be appropriated and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed, in which He gives the Holy Ghost to bring this treasure home and appropriate it to us. Therefore sanctifying is nothing else than bringing us to Christ to receive this good, to which could not
attain ourselves."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #38, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 689. Tappert, p. 415.

"But outside of this Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness [sanctification]. Therefore all who seek and wish to merit holiness [sanctification], not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves [from this Church]."
The Large Catechism, The Creed, Article III, #56, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 693. Tappert, p. 418.

"This faith, encouraging and consoling in these fears, receives remission of sins, justifies and quickens. For this consolation is a new and spiritual life [a new birth and a new life]. These things are plain and clear, and can be understood by the pious, and have testimonies of the Church [as is to be seen in the conversion of Paul and Augustine]. The adversaries nowhere can say how the Holy Ghost is given. They imagine that the Sacraments confer the Holy Ghost ex opere operato, without a good emotion in the recipient, as though, indeed, the gift of the Holy Ghost were an idle matter."
Article IV., Justification, Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 139. Tappert, p. 115.

"Now, that faith signifies, not only a knowledge of the history, but such faith as assents to the promise, Paul plainly testifies when says, Romans 4:16: 'Therefore it is of faith, to the end the promise might be sure.' For he judges that the promise cannot be received unless by faith. Wherefore he puts them together as things that belong to one another, and connects promise and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV, Justification, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 135. Tappert, p. 114. Romans 4:16.

"But as the Confutation condemns us for having assigned these two parts to repentance, we must show that [not we, but] Scripture expresses these as the chief parts in repentance and conversion. For Christ says, Matthew 11:28: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Here there are two members. The labor and the burden signify the contrition, anxiety, and terrors of sin and of death. To come to Christ is to believe that sins are remitted for Christ's sake; when we believe, our hearts are quickened by the Holy Ghost through the Word of Christ. Here, therefore, there are these two chief parts, contrition and faith."
Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XII (V), #44, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 263. Tappert, p. 187. Matthew 11:28.
"How is a person justified before God? This occurs solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that is, freely, not because of any works or merits of one's own but only because of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and propitiation on our behalf. By this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins and became righteous; that is, God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness was imputed to man for Christ's sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life when he believes with certainty that God gives him these blessings for the sake of His Son."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 105.

"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life. It is free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because of Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 106.

"Scripture therefore uses these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How these should be applied or transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 107.

Lutheran Humor

Founder and Former Host of Issues Etc.
on Christian News

“While the pre-millennialists, the Calvinists, the Arminians, the mystics, the prosperity teachers, the Pentecostals, and the Charismatics all have their theology widely promoted in over 3,000 Christian Bookstores around the nation, we who claim to have the pure Gospel, seemingly feel that our truth is neither worth promoting nor relevant to the popular issues being so widely discussed and debated.

Rather than promoting what we believe for the welfare of the wider church, we pick fights among ourselves, ignoring the Christian world and the issues debated…The only legitimate vehicle that exists whereby Missouri Synod Lutherans are enable to speak a word to various Christian issues is Christian News. For this reason, God bless Herman Otten”

(Rev. Don Matzat, LCMS pastor, St. Louis MO).

Don Matzat - evangelical pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in St. Louis, and former host of the radio show, Issues, Etc. At one time an outspoken a (sic) premillennialist and supportive of charismatic gifts, he has since repudiated those views. Much of his ministry focuses on countering the intrusion of worldly concepts into Christian counseling, particularly self-esteem, and he is a harsh critic of deliverance ministry. Titles: Christ Esteem; Inner Healing: Deliverance or Deception?; The Lord Told Me...I Think; Truly Transformed.

***

GJ - Matzat - the forgotten contributor to the Formula of Concord. Matzat never left Pentecostalism. In one book he bragged about the Holy Spirit talking to him in a dream and other such nonsense - all consistent with the false doctrine he supposedly left behind. And - he became Benke's advisor in the effort to clear the District Pope of unionism charges. How can anyone in WELS, Missouri, the ELS or CLC be charged with unionism? Every meeting is a Rainbow Coalition.

Matzat started Issues, Etc. and then left it suddenly.

Sign of the Times

Old Scratch (Satan) Does Mission Work for WELS

"How are you?" said one. "How are you?" said the other. "Well!" said the first. "Old Scratch has got his own at last, hey?" - An illustration from Dicken's Christmas Carol.

The Wisconsin Synod never stops plagiarizing from Fuller Seminary and Willow Creek. Their illiterate leaders have managed to insert Satan's nickname into another project. Scratch is an English nickname for Satan. And Jesus called Satan The Father of Lies. That is appropriate, coming from the Church Growth Movement.

Church from Scratch is the rib-tickling name of the WELS website.

Whose name is first to appear on the links page? Paul Kelm - he has written a paper on Christian freedom.

Here are some of the links listed:

General Ministry
http://www.wels.net/
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

http://www.churchandchange.org/
A WELS organization committed to address ministry in contemporary culture. Hosts great conferences and provides ministry ideas on the website.

http://www.crosswalkinlaveen.org/
God is doing some really neat things in the area of small groups, large gatherings, etc, through Crosswalk Lutheran Ministries in Phoenix, AZ.

Messiah Church in Nampa, ID has a neat statement of faith. [GJ - Ichabodians will note that the neat statement of faith was originally written by that anti-CGM pariah, me. But they have tweaked it so that their added words fall harshly on the unwaxed ear. "In an age of materialism, we believe that real treasure comes from our raith in the Savior." Is raith the future pluperfect subjunctive of faith?]

http://www.crossroadschicago.org/aboutus.html
Progressive ministry in the heart of Chicago; also has a great statement of faith.

www.apostlessj.org/Church/MinistriesActivities/ASV.html
Excellent example of a vision for a church plant/daughter congregation.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/
This is Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. From a Calvinistic background. The preaching is excellent and very law/gospel oriented, speaking powerfully to the culture around them. Mark Driscoll is the senior pastor

http://www.xenos.org/
This is Xenos Christian Fellowship in Columbus, OH. From an evangelical background. A congregation of thousands made up entirely of house churches. Very good mindset material and studies. Great on leadership/eldership.

***

GJ - I attended a Sunday service at Xenos in Columbus. The minister got in the pulpit and talked about himself for 40 minutes before God or the Scriptures were mentioned. The proper verb is mentioned, because the talk had nothing to do with worship, the Christian faith, God, or anything spiritual. The audience cooed and fluttered during the minister's preening, egomaniacal monologue. Not surprisingly, the minister at Community of Joy (Phoenix) gave the same kind of talk with the same results. Willow Creek had a more somber audience but the same baloney. They all sound alike.

Notice the trend, which is just as prominent in the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic). Apostate Lutherans covet non-Lutherans so passionately that they become anti-Lutheran in thought, word, and deed.

The authors of this bizarre website have bios that remind me of fingernails scratching a blackboard:

Matt Doebler
Matt has served as a parish pastor in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod for the last eight years. After graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1997, he was called to St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Collins, WI where he served for four years. In 2001, he accepted a call to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. In the spring of 2006, he accepted a call to assist in planting Christ the Rock Church in Round Rock, TX. He is the proud husband of Christine, a Pilates/fitness instructor who uses her contacts in the fitness world to make connections for Jesus. He is also the proud father of three great kids, Madeline, Samuel and Caleb. They are great assets to him in the ministries into which God has placed him. Matt has been trained as an equipper in the Christ Care program from Stephen Ministries. He and Chris have also participated in the Church Planters training from Acts 29 Network.

[GJ - Acts 29 is a unionistic group, which is seen as a threat to Southern Baptists. That makes sense, because WELS is a unionistic sect, known as a threat to Lutheran doctrine.]

Ken Knapp

Ken retired early from the paper/hydro industries to do more ministry. Historically, he's served in most of the offices of a local congregation. His greatest passion is for nurturing life-long discipleship, and thus he logically serves on the WELS Commission on Adult Discipleship (CAD). Ken envisions a church functioning in our culture with the passion and effectiveness of an "Acts 2" church. He is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, A Womb to Tomb Guide for Nurturing Faith in and through the Family through the CAD.

GJ - I can think of better, rhyming names for the newest apostasy book -

1. From Cell to Sell.
2. Have an Itch? - Try Old Scratch!
3. Faith without Belief - The Paul Kelm School of Evangelism.

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Comments on this topic, from Bailing Water:




Anonymous said...
It's incredible. One day, blog moderation is disabled, another day it is enabled. What a joke. Make up your mind and decide what it's going to be, because it gives the impression that you weed out comments that hurt your opinions.

June 6, 2008 12:00 AM


John said...
Hey mr. anonymous,

Why don't you start your own blog. You can set your own topics and moderation settings.

There are times when I'm out of town and can't moderate comments. There are also topics that bring out comments that are off topic and not necessary. I guess if you don't like what I'm doing don't come back. (moderation on)

June 6, 2008 12:15 AM


Anonymous said...
Yeah you tell him John. If you can't stand the heat stay out of John's kitchen. Wus

June 6, 2008 5:24 AM


Anonymous said...
I agree Go John!!...it is so funny to see these WELS bots get so irritated and defensive when the truth is pointed out.

June 6, 2008 8:51 AM


Comment deleted
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

June 6, 2008 9:13 AM


Anonymous said...
WELS has discovered a new sin - the sin of turning off the comments when out of town. Have you no shame, Bailing Water?

I had to vent a little.

Bespoke.

June 6, 2008 9:20 AM


Anonymous said...
Isn't that what the WELS does best- invent new sins so that Bailing Water can point them out?

WELS bot

June 6, 2008 10:29 AM


Anonymous said...
WELS bot,

How about we focus on the topic at hand.

What do you think of the church growth churches listed and their influence on the WELS?

June 6, 2008 10:47 AM


Anonymous said...
I think it is shameful. And I believe that the only answer is to give a firm and brotherly admonishment founded on scripture to show why these things are destructive. I believe this is what is being done by people who do not use blogs to do so.

WELS bot

June 6, 2008 11:02 AM


Anonymous said...
The WELS cannot err.
These churches are WELS.
These churches cannot err.

Whirr-buzz-click-click,
WELS bot #4738

June 6, 2008 11:13 AM


Anonymous said...
There are two things that bother me. If WELS is a confessional church - then it should confess. To leave out the name Lutheran in a church title is to try to have it both ways. Second, by leaving out the name Lutheran and using the names like:Crosswalk; Willow Creek, Cornerstone ,etc. you are giving a false impression to those twenty-somethings who assume it is a non-denominational church.

June 6, 2008 11:39 AM


Anonymous said...
Please tell me how the WELS allows this WELS pastor to claim support of these heterodox churches?

June 6, 2008 1:03 PM


Anonymous said...
This pastor from scratch goes unchecked because the WELS is steeped in Church growth methods.

June 6, 2008 10:24 PM

Beautiful America

Try this website for a stunning display of landmarks in our great country.

Hear New Age Methodist Leonard Sweet Speak at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Sweetened links:
Concordia Seminary Follow the link to iTunes U to hear Len speak.

Stand Firm

Monday, April 7, 2008
How the "Fates" of Pastor Todd Wilken and Leonard Sweet Are Related

Why is the LCMS offering the dais to Emerging Church and New Age advocate Leonard Sweet? Because we are now reaping what we have sown.

For the last several decades we have catered to whatever that particular decade’s name for “unbeliever” was, whether it was “seeker” or “postmodernist,” or some other name. In our zeal to save some, we’ve gradually, inextricably, changed our practice. As the decades slide by, few notice the almost imperceptible movement of the theologic tectonic plates, but they are ever moving, reshaping our doctrine.

In many churches, and in many districts, our practice has changed markedly. Now that change has altered our doctrine. We are seeing the result of that doctrinal shift. While the LCMS was once a confessional light in the world, we can no longer make that claim. We’re going the way of other synods before us. It is now fashionable to consort with undiscerning scholars, including those in the Emerging Church.

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
MAY 2, 2007 (WEDNESDAY)
Day of Homiletical Reflection
Main Presenter: Dr. Leonard Sweet





The Useful Idiots in a Missouri District
From Rev. Ed Krueger:

Rostered Workers, Laity Attend "Church in Mission" Conference in Reno

Clergy, teachers and laypersons from the four Western Districts of The Lutheran Church?Missouri Synod (California-Nevada-Hawaii, Rocky Mountain, Pacific Southwest and the Northwest District) attended a three-day conference in Reno, Nevada, this past week. The goal was to listen to several viewpoints and to discuss with one another the role of clergy and laity in our mission to the lost.

Presentations were made by Dr. Larry Rast, Associate Professor of Historical Theology, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN; Dr. Leonard Sweet, currently the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew University, Madison, NJ; and the Dr. Dale Meyer, former Lutheran Hour speaker, and President of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.

Of particular interest were the comments made by Leonard Sweet who said the church is in the "perfect storm." The three weather patterns affecting Christianity are:

Post-modernity: people have a different world view than a generation ago.
Post-Christendom: people are spiritually minded but don't look to the church for the answers to their spiritual quest.
Post-round: the world has flattened out through the internet.

His suggestions for the church in this perfect storm are:

Quit complaining about the weather.
This isn't the time to do crisis management.
People are still people in need of comfort and hope.
The church needs to take some risks.
We must steer into the wind and not seek a safe harbor.
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
Get "out of doors" where the action is.

Even More LCMS Sweet-Speak

Northwest District LCMS
Professional Church Worker Gathering
“The Great Salt Gathering”
Mark 9: 50b “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM REGISTRATION
1:00 PM – 1:15 PM Welcome & Announcements
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM Afternoon session 1 – Bob Newton
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM Break
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM Break-out Session 1 – on Bob’s
Presentation
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM Break
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Afternoon Session 2 – Bob Newton
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Dinner on your own
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Break-out Session 2 - TBD

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
8:15 AM – 8:30 AM Announcements
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM Bible Study – Bob Newton
9:15 AM – 9:30 AM Break
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Morning session - Leonard Sweet
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch on your own
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM Afternoon session - Leonard Sweet
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM Break
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM Break Out Session 2 – Table talk with
Leonard Sweet
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Afternoon Session – President Kieschnick
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Free Time
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM REGISTRATION
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Celebration All Workers Banquet (Speaker:
Leonard Sweet)


***

GJ - WELSians - do not puff up your chests in pride. Yes, the WELS Church and Change Sweet conference was strangled in the cradle. But while you were out celebrating, Church and Change got itself on the official WELS website and registered people for their next conference. And you were believing and telling people - "Church and Change is no more. Gurgel, the man with the gifts of leadership, ended it. Amen. So be it." And the Issues in WELS people genuflected at the Sig Becker altar. Meanwhile, the saints under the altar said, "How long?"

Review - The Lord's Supper in the Theology of Martin Chemnitz

Martin Chemnitz, 1522-1586,
is the second most neglected theologian in the Lutheran Church.
The most neglected is Luther.

Logia has made the Teigne book available for free. The sainted Bjarne Wollan Teigen is the father of Norm Teigen. Here is a look at the extended family. Teigen wrote extensively on the Book of Concord. Google his name for a list of titles. I would buy his books before most of the others. I like the Bente Introductions to the Book of Concord, too.

The Lutheran Church has imploded because its leaders have deliberately quashed all attempts to be faithful to the Book of Concord and the Scriptures. As one ex-Lutheran told me, "Yes, they look carefully at the Scriptures, so they can do the opposite."

One example of this behavior is the reception of Teigen's book in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, more commonly known as The Little Sect on the Prairie. The Little Sect has only two congregations of any size. ELSizens wonder if the sect will be around in 20 years.

The ELS once worked with the LCMS and stood up to the doctrinal errors of Missouri in an official pamphlet, long before Jack and Robert Preus began the move to split the old Synodical Conference. The Wisconsin sect, always pilloried by Missouri, finally had their chance to bully another group when WELS and the ELS broke with the LCMS. Wisconsin is tiny compared to Missouri. The ELS is roughly 10% the size of WELS, depending on whose statistics are disbelieved the most.

The ELS has been mistakenly viewed as a safe place for Missourians to land. In fact, Paul McCain, MDiv, said he saw the ELS that way when he was campaigning for Barry's election. McCain figured Bohlmann would have forced both of them out of the LCMS if Barry had lost the first contest.

Thanks to the WELS-ELS partnership, the Little Sect has become the finger-puppet of the Wisconsin faux-Lutherans. The ELS is run by three larger families who have worked out a way to stay in power without being doctrinally faithful or even apt to teach.

Bjarne's Book
The Chemnitz book is scholarly and very detailed. Each paragraph is filled with clear analysis about the history of every detail connected with the controversy. Teigen mastered all the historical data. This alone is a valuable contribution to Lutheran studies. Few have the time, ability, and resources to repeat his effort.

The Doctrinal Issue
Many in the old Synodical Conference (LCMS, WELS, ELS) taught that the elements of Holy Communion were not the Body and Blood of Christ until they were received by the communicant. This debate was raging in the ELS especially and discussed in Christian News in the late 1980's, when our family joined the Wisconsin sect.

Becker or Bjarne
The Teigen book made Wisconsin choose Sig Becker over Bjarne Teigen when the issue should have been, "What does God's Word say?" Becker was the WELS hero because he had a real doctorate and left Missouri, making them look good. Unfortunately, Becker was hopeless on two different issues - justification and the Lord's Supper. Both are connected and relate to the decline of the Lutheran Church in general, the ELS-WELS in particular.

Efficacy of the Word
The foundational issue in the Synodical Conference is its neglect and abandonment of the efficacy of the Word. In the Old Testament there is no difference between God's will and and God's Word. Isaiah 55:8-10 expresses this with great clarity. The efficacy of the Word is central to both Testaments. The Holy Spirit never works apart from the Word, the Word never apart from the Spirit. "That is sound doctrine," as Hoenecke wrote.

The ELS and WELS tried to end the debate about consecration by saying, "We are not sure when the elements are the Body and Blood of Christ." That is why so many articles were about the Moment of Consecration, an awkward term.

After the Consecration, are the elements on the altar the Body and Blood of Christ? The Teigen book's answer is clearly, "Yes, according to Chemnitz and the Book of Concord." The Wisconsin sect said, "We are not sure. Becker is the ruling norm on this issue."

Teigen, as a faithful theologian and good scholar, showed that the old, weird Synodical Conference position was wrong. The Wisconsin sect could not abide this, so they had Orvick and the ELS act as if they smelled a skunk. Their behavior toward Teigen and his family was disgraceful.

One of the clever techniques used by errorists was to howl about this conflict tearing up the church. Herman Otten, who published many articles on the topic, joined in the cries of pain. But doctrinal conflict is good, separating bad doctrine from sound doctrine.

But no, the era of compromise was established by Orvick. He was good at throwing a bone to one side and then to the other side. Pope John the Malefactor has carried on the tradition of obfuscating issues rather than addressing them. Thus the decline continues. Now that the efficacy of the Word has been permanently detached from all Lutheran doctrinal discussions, the Means of Grace are empty words and any foul error can rush in to dominate the next decade.

One Lutheran pastor asked me in Ft. Wayne about the issue, to see what I believed. I said, standing near copies of Thy Strong Word, "The efficacy of the Word means there is no issue. The Word consecrates the elements. They are the Body and Blood of Christ through the power of the Word."

Some Lessons To Be Learned
The Synodical Conference has been and continues to be damaged by hero-worship of the worst sort. So many human idols have been set up that no one can discuss a doctrinal issue without stepping on the toes of these plaster saints. Walther was weak on the efficacy of the Word, his Pietism leading him completely astray on justification. Walther's minion, Pieper, established UOJ with many bizarre statements that would have gotten a seminarian burned at the stake in better days. Sig Becker piled on the errors.

UOJ, consecration, and Church Growth have revealed the weakness of the Synodical Conference on the Biblical doctrine of the Word. Now the idolators make sure that no one can maneuver through the forest of plaster saints guarding their favorite false doctrine. The heresiarch Leonard Sweet spoke at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and the school's president listened in holy awe. Thus we have a video of the man who helped train bigot and race-baiter Jeremiah Wright sitting with the descendant of a Missouri leader and theologian.

The favorite hobby of the mini, micro, and nano sects is to deplore the doctrinal aberrations in the more established synods. Those errors are visiting and have already visited the tiniest and most works-righteous groups as well. The ELS would like everyone to believe they are the Synod of the Book of Concord. And yet, when one of their own professors wrote brilliantly about the Book of Concord, they put him into intellectual exile while falling at the feet of David Valleskey, whose only merit was his ability to deny or brag about his study at Fuller Seminary.

Voting Has Not Helped
Perhaps some feminists in the ELS are working for the right to vote. I would look around at what the men have voted into office, what the men have approved as doctrinal statements. I would not want to share in the blame.

A better way to select the ELS pope would be to toss a dart at a bedsheet covered with the names of qualified clergy (no felony arrests or DUIs). The ELS president-elect would not think of the office as his right but as a stroke of fortune. Other elections and appointments could be handled the same way, breaking the lock of a few families on the decisions of the synod, ending the tyranny of WELS.

The telescopic orthodoxy of WELS, seeing error at long distance but never at home, would have to end.

Lutherans Take Note

How lawsuits helped the Catholic church confront clergy sexual abuse

The author of this book is Timothy Lytton.

"The sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy is arguably the most acute crisis Catholicism has faced since the Reformation. The prevalence of clergy sexual abuse and its shocking cover-up by church officials have obscured the largely untold story of the tort system's remarkable success in bringing the scandal to light, focusing attention on the need for institutional reform, and spurring church leaders and public officials into action.

"Stories of the tort system as an engine of social justice are rare. Holding Bishops Accountable tells one such story by revealing how pleadings, discovery documents, and depositions fueled media coverage of the scandal. Timothy Lytton shows how the litigation strategy of plaintiffs' lawyers gave rise to a widespread belief that the real problem was not the actions of individual priests but rather the church's massive institutional failure. The book documents how church and government policymakers responded to the problem of clergy sexual abuse only under the pressure of private lawsuits.

"As Lytton deftly demonstrates, the lessons of clergy sexual abuse litigation give us reason to reconsider the case for tort reform and to look more closely at how tort litigation can enhance the performance of public and private policymaking institutions."

http://www.albanylaw.edu/lytton/

Posted by Norman Teigen

June 4, 1942 - Battle of Midway

“By any ordinary standard they were hopelessly outclassed. “They had no battleships, the enemy eleven. They had eight cruisers, the enemy twenty-three. They had three carriers (one of them crippled); the enemy had eight. Their shore defenses included guns from the turn of the century. “They knew little of war. None of the Navy pilots on one of their carriers had ever been in combat. Nor had any of the Army fliers. Of the Marines, 17 of 21 new pilots were just out of flight school - some with less than four hours’ flight time since then. Their enemy was brilliant, experienced and all-conquering. “They were tired, dead tired. The patrol plane crews, for instance, had been flying 15 hours a day, servicing their own planes, getting perhaps three hours’ sleep at night. “They had equipment problems. Some of their dive bombers couldn’t dive - the fabric came off the wings. Their torpedoes were slow and unreliable; the torpedo planes even worse. Yet they were up against the finest fighting plane in the world. “They took crushing losses - 15 out of 15 in one torpedo squadron … 21 out of 27 in a group of fighters … many, many more. “They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war. More than that, they added a new name - Midway - to that small list that inspires men by shining example. Like Marathon, the Armada, the Marne, a few others, Midway showed that every once in a while ‘what must be’ need not be at all. Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit - a magic blend of skill, faith and valor - that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory."

From Walter Lord's book Incredible Victory.

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MLS Veteran has left a new comment on your post "June 4, 1942 - Battle of Midway":

I read once that at the United States Naval War College they have tried to "war game" the Battle of Midway numerous times, using the same statistics as the actual battle, and the Japanese consistently win the battle.

Direct intervention on the part of God?

***

GJ - I was going to mention more details. The battle was a miracle. Everything went wrong for the Japanese. All the wrong decisions were made. One commentator said, "The Japanese seemed bewitched."

I think it was divinely guided, as all events are, but more obviously than most.

Another factor was this genius named Hector Bywater, a naval expert. He predicted that the confrontation between Japan and the West would take place at Midway. Bywater was murdered just before the war started, perhaps by Japanese agents.

Japanese naval strategy was dominated by British thinking because of previous associations, including the development of the new Dreadnought battleship after the Brits witnessed the Japanese whipping the Ruskies.

Bywater was still a battleship man, so that influenced the Japanese, even though they proved how carrier groups could project power much more effectively. Thus the Japanese were enchanted by Bywater theory when reality should have told them after Pearl Harbor that carriers were the primo and battlewagons secondo in war.

The Japanese used the carriers to protect the prized battleships, including their mega-disaster Yamato (beautiful but designed by the insane). Therefore, the carriers were vulnerable.

The innocent still think we were surprised by Pearl Harbor. We had already broken several codes and knew all about the attack. According to one book, we even knew each ship in the task force and followed the progress of the ships across the Pacific. Ships and their radios are quite noisy. The agent Tricycle (can't reveal why he was named that way) also warned the US. So did embassies of various sorts. FDR did nothing, so Pearl Harbor united the country against Japan. Germany declared war as well.

The American code-breaker who knew about Pearl also figured out Midway. Then they busted him and made him a pariah. We got the carriers to Midway without the Japanese knowing it.

Our men were incredibly brave at Midway. The movie is a classic, showing the scope of the battle in good detail.

Our soldiers are still the greatest in the world. I just had a Navy SEAL in class (three different classes). No one, except a few of his friends, knew he was one. He causally mentioned being in the Navy. The first time I taught him, he said he was a sniper in the Navy. I thought about that a while. No one shoots a rifle from a ship, unless it's a 16 inch battleship rifle. I got him to admit he was a SEAL. Another student was the first one to parachute into Afghanistan. He was a Ranger, but like the other student, just said he was "in the Army." Real heroes are modest.