Third Sunday in Advent

David Chytraeus was an important, but often overlooked, editor of the Book of Concord.


The Third Sunday in Advent

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time

The Hymn # 102 adeste fidelis
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 Corinthians 4:1-5
The Gospel Matthew 11:2-10
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 109 Bethlehem

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

The Hymn #66 Chesterfield
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 #87 Antioch

KJV 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

KJV Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Third Sunday In Advent
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst suffer Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to become man, and to come into the world, that He might destroy the works of the devil, deliver us poor offenders from sin and death, and give us everlasting life: We beseech Thee so to rule and govern our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may seek no other refuge than His word, and thus avoid all offense to which, by nature, we are inclined, in order that we may always be found among the faithful followers of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

KJV 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.


This advent epistle teaches us about the pastoral office in light of the coming of Christ. The season of Advent focuses on the birth of our Savior, but also our need to be always be ready for His return.

Someone may think, “Now he is only going to talk about pastors.” But let’s look at what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through Paul. He uses two parallel phrases, which help us, since one is equal to the other. The two phrases are “ministers of Christ” and “stewards of the mysteries of God.” We seldom use the term minister in the sense of the Scriptures. It did not mean “an ordained clergyperson” then, but a household servant. A minister of Christ is someone who serves Jesus the Lord and Savior. If someone comes to our home and US West is repairing a phone, no one thinks to say to the repairman, “Are you the head of the household?” The repairman does only what he is told to do. He may do a good job or a bad job, but he is not the owner of the house. He has a work order and fulfills what that order tells him to do.

God teaches us through Paul that the apostle himself had exactly the same role. He was a servant of Christ, not a tyrant over the believers. The phrase he used is the same we would use for accounting or an audit. “What am I?” says Paul. “Consider me a household servant of Jesus the Messiah.”

This is important, because the apostle’s role is defined as serving Christ. Paul had a responsibility toward all the congregations he served. Not everyone is called to serve in the role of preaching, as Luther wrote:

"All Christians serve God but all are not in office."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 65. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5.

The current trend among Lutheran synods would have us believe otherwise.

In the broadest sense, every Christian has AN office. If a man is married and has children, his calling is to serve his wife and children according to the Scriptures. His office is not the same as that of a wife and a mother. Then too, the children also have an office or place in life, one appointed by God. The duties are clearly taught in the Small Catechism.

Luther often called pastoral work: “the preaching office” or Predigtamt. The person called by the Holy Spirit through the congregation has the responsibility to preach the Word of God faithfully. Someone may substitute for him, but he still has the responsibility. The pastor may sign a check (generally not a good idea) or help with the books (also to be avoided) but he is not the treasurer. That is not his office.

This does not keep the members from learning about Christian doctrine, debating Christian doctrine (with the proper attitude toward the norms of the Word and the Confessions), or sharing in the teaching that takes place. But they do not have the office, that is, the responsibility. The responsibility of the preaching office means absolute subordination of pastor to Christ. The phrase we use from The Lutheran Liturgy is: “called and ordained servant of the Word.” It can be seen as a restricting burden or as a joy. Lutheran ministers know that every result of the Word is God’s will, whether apparently good or bad. (We cannot and should not judge.) If he sees preaching as preaching his own personal opinions, or whatever research has shown to be effective, then he is not a servant of the Word and will be damned for his error and for the souls he has destroyed.

"Thus this text also strongly opposes all human doctrine; for since the Word of God is the light in a dark and gloomy place, the conclusion follows that all besides it is darkness. For if there were another light besides the Word, Peter would not have spoken as he did. Therefore look not to how gifted with reason they are who teach any other doctrine--however grandly they set it forth. If you cannot trace God's Word in it, then doubt not that it is mere darkness. And let it not disturb you at all that they say they have the Holy Spirit. How can they have God's Spirit if they do not have His Word? Wherefore they do nothing else but call darkness light and make the light darkness, as the prophet Isaiah says, in Isaiah 5:20."
Martin Luther, Commentary on Peter and Jude, ed. John N. Lenker, Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1990, p. 248. 2 Peter 1:19.

If the same man told a cleaning crew to clean his house and they painted it purple and pink instead, he would be furious. Yet God tells him to teach the truth and a mere man substitutes his own ideas.

"Paul does not speak of opposing or antagonistic doctrines, but of those placed beside the true doctrine; they are additions, making divisions. Paul calls it a rival doctrine, an addition, an occasion of stumbling, an offense and a byway, when on establishes the conscience upon his own goodness or deeds. Now the Gospel is sensitive, complete and pre-eminent: it must be intolerant of additions and rival teachings."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 376. Romans 16:16-17.

The parallel phrase used by Paul is “stewards of the mysteries of God.” Once again, steward is a fine secular word never found in today’s English in the same way. A steward was a household manager.

KJV Luke 16:3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

In that parable we can see that the household manager is supposed to do his job to benefit his lord, or he will be fired. He is being fired, in fact, so he makes friends with the men who owe his master money, so they will hire him. His master sees how clever he is and commends him. It is a strange parable, but we can see in the portrayal of the Lord/steward relationship that the steward is absolutely accountable to the master.

So the term “steward” is fairly obvious. But what are the “mysteries of God.” Some people have tried to create false parallels. This has nothing to do with the mystery religions of paganism. Also, the term mystery is not the same as sacrament. That is, the term is not limited to “sacrament.”

Mysteries apply to everything revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is a mystery revealed by God, not something we deduce by math or science or prove with logic. That is why we rely on the Word to convert people rather than reason and logic. A person without faith cannot see or understand the mysteries of God. That is why it is so important that the underling of Christ, the pastor, be a faithful household manager of these mysteries.

Can a pastor say to God, “While you were gone, I decided that evolution was better than Creation, a flow of ice better than the Flood. The 10 Commandments are a burden. I declared them obsolete. I am all Gospel. We are all Gospel. I will give Holy Communion, the sacrament you established through the death of Your Son, to anyone who strolls into my church, whether they believe it or not. God, I have a vision for my congregation. One day it will have 8,000 communicants. 8 THOUSAND. And our parking valet ministry will be known throughout the world.”

You are saying to yourselves, “He is making that up to prove a point.” No, I am stating the open and public confession of a WELS pastor who had the support of the district president, vice president, and the friendship of synodical leaders, even the mission board chairman. No effort was spared to protect his position and keep him in the pulpit. Finally, the members had to say, “You must retract your errors.” He said, “I will resign first.” The congregation responded, “Resignation accepted.” He was not a faithful steward. Nor were the synod officials. The members finally accepted their office, which is to discern the spirits, to judge between sound doctrine and evil doctrine.

Oh well, they got away with it for a long time. And everyone has forgotten. Except One.

"On that day every false teacher will wish that he had never been born and will curse the day when he was inducted into the sacred office of the ministry. On that day we shall see that false teaching is not the trifling and harmless matter that people in our day think it is."
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 88.

So much is said by Paul about this very subject. He could not be judged by any man. He was not above it all. Ultimately what a minister has done can only be judged by God. Man looks at huge buildings, huge parking lots, and huge budgets, and says, “They are doing well.” God looks at the heart. We cannot do that. We can see certain outward characteristics. For instance, the most successful pastor, in the worldly sense, in Columbus, Ohio, was in the paper. A painter wanted the good reverend to pay for the painting of his mansion. The Pentecostal minister and his father held down the painter and beat him up, according to the news account. That suggests a lack of humility and honesty. But perhaps he will repent before he dies.

On the other hand, someone may be completely orthodox for many years and yet fall away from the faith before dying. Many temptations come along. Probably the obvious sins come after a loss of faith, but the obvious sins end the call. That is why we should not be hasty to judge. Liberals grow into the historic faith and we know many people trained properly fall away completely. I know a pastor who hated all the radical liberal tendencies of the Lutheran Church in America. He joined the LCMS. Then later he joined the United Church of Christ, a group that makes the LCA look staid and hidebound.

At the end, everyone will have his due praise from God. That is another unfair aspect of the Christian faith. The person who believes in Christ alone for his salvation does not have his sins held against him. They are wiped from the account books by the atoning death of Christ. The believers places all his trust in the great exchange made by Christ, who became sin (while without sin Himself) to give us His righteousness. The believer receives this blessing each and every day. His sins are forgiven and forgotten. God moves all believers to do good works to glorify His name. The motivation to follow God’s will and to do God’s will comes from God alone, yet God will praise believers for being His servants and doing His will, even though tainted by sin. The sin is set aside and the good works are rewarded. That is not fair. God is not fair. He is gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

The last verse is a great comfort for those believers who sacrifice a great deal, or endure great hardships, or patiently take on thankless jobs (such as being a mother). Nothing that belongs to God is highly regarded by the world. And yet God will praise these things in the end. He knows and he will reward people. And God will show how little He values what the world esteems. Many Christian paupers will suddenly find the treasure laid up in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt.

"When the time comes that the worldly shall gnash their teeth, they shall witness all the elect and angels saying to God: 'This man has been a faithful minister and teacher. He has proclaimed the saving Word of God to a world of castaways. On yonder earth he was despised, persecuted, and maligned, but he shines now as a star with imperishable luster.'"
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 402. Daniel 12:3.

This does not apply to pastors alone, but to all believers who have endured hardships because of the Word and have faithfully served in whatever office God has given them.

Quotations


"The second charge raised by Calvinists and Synergists against the Formula of Concord is its failure to harmonize 'logically' what they term 'contradictory doctrines': sola gratia and universalis gratia,--a stricture which must be characterized as flowing from rationalistic premises, mistaking a divine mystery for a real contradiction, and in reality directed against the clear Word of God itself."
F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, 065 p. 205.

"Thus the Lutheran Church not only admits, but zealously guards, the mystery contained in the doctrine of grace and election. It distinguishes between God in as far as He is know and not known; in as far as He has revealed Himself, and in as far as He is still hidden to us, but as we shall learn to know Him hereafter. The truths which may be known concerning God are contained in the Gospel, revealed in the Bible. The things still hidden from us include the unsearchable judgments of God, His wonderful ways with men, and, in particular, the question why some are saved while others are lost. God has not seen fit to reveal these mysteries."
F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, p. 206.

"For Scripture never calls either Baptism or the Lord's Supper mysteries or sacraments. Therefore this is an unwritten (agraphos) appellation."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1986, II, p. 29.

"The sins which militate against the Third Commandment are the profanation of the Sabbath through neglect and contempt of the ministry, through Judaic and superstitious observance of the Sabbath, or through a shifting of the ministry into the kingdom of this world. The faithfulness of those who teach is the virtue by which the ministers of the Church, aware of their modest skill in Christian doctrine, carefully and zealousy discharge and steadfastly protect all the duties of the faithful dispenser of the mysteries of God in teaching, debating, comforting and setting their hearers an example of true devotion and of all the virtues. The other extreme are faithlessness, heedless teaching or negligence in office, or deserting the ministry because of excessive anxiety or concern over one's own weakness."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 71f.

"So when we see a bishop assuming more than this text gives him warrant for, we may safely regard him as a wolf, and an apostle of the devil, and avoid him as such. Unquestionably he must be Antichrist who in ecclesiastical government exceeds the authority here prescribed."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 65 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

"All Christians serve God but all are not in office."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 65. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5.

"To make himself clearly understood in this matter of service, or ministry, Paul carefully adds to the word 'ministers' the explanatory one 'stewards,' which can be understood in no other way than as referring to the office of the ministry."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 66.

"Thus we arrive at the apostle's meaning in the assertion that a minister of Christ is a steward in the mysteries of God. He should regard himself and insist that others regard him as one who administers to the household of God nothing but Christ and the things of Christ. In other words, he should preach the pure Gospel, the true faith, that Christ alone is our life, our way, our wisdom, power, glory, salvation; and that all we can accomplish of ourselves is but death, error, foolishness, weakness, shame and condemnation. Whosoever preaches otherwise should be regarded by none as a servant of Christ or a steward of the divine treasurer; he should be avoided as a messenger of the devil."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VI, p. 73. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5,

"Christ, in the saying we have quoted from Matthew (24:45), tells us further, the servant of the household should be not only faithful, but also wise, able to discern between the mysteries of God and the mysteries of the devil, that he may safely guard and keep himself and those committed to his care. For, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, false apostles sometimes fashion themselves into true apostles of Christ, even as the devil transforms himself into an angel of light."
Sermons of Martin Luther, VI, p. 77.



"Hollazius (992) thus sums up the doctrine: 'The Word of God is the most efficacious means of salvation, for its power and efficacy are not only objective, but also effective; not consisting in moral suasion, but in supernatural operation, not external and coming to it when used by men, but intrinsic in the Word; not accidental, but necessary, by a divinely ordained necessity, and therefore not separable, but perpetual, inherent in the Word itself extra usum, as the first act. This efficacy is truly divine, producing the same effect as the Holy Spirit, who is perpetually united with the Word, which (effect) the Spirit influences together with the Word, by the divine power which belongs to the Holy Spirit originally and independently, but to the divine Word communicatively and dependently, on account of its mysterious, intimate, and individual union with the Spirit.'"
Heinrich Schmid, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philadelphia: United Lutheran Publication House, 1899, p. 507.

Very Bad Computer Viruses

Computer owners have to pay for this kind of spot removal.

I had a horrible virus attack my new computer. I tried to fix it manually but that failed. My browser was taken over, so I could not even look for solutions from that computer.

I bought Norton 360, and that began defeating the virus while it was being installed. I never heard from it again.

The newest source is Facebook, but I do not know which virus it is.

If you want to check out information about computer viruses, look up Norton Symantec on viruses. Here is the link:

http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/threatexplorer/threats.jsp?src=symsug_us

Norton on Facebook problems:

http://searchg.symantec.com/search?q=facebook&charset=utf-8&proxystylesheet=symc_en_US&client=symc_en_US&hitsceil=100&site=symc_en_US&output=xml_no_dtd&context=ent

Words Anathema to Church and Chicanery: Schmauk's The Confessional Principle

Ski, Parlow, and the Drive 08 Apostates

From Bailing Water:

Freddy Finkelstein said...
Rev. Tomczak,

No problem -- I've been busy myself this week, on the road again for business. Catching a red-eye back home this evening, I'll mention and recommend a book that I have been reading here at the airport (which I mentioned on this blog some months ago): The Confessional Principle and the Confessions of the Lutheran Church, by Schmauk and Benze. Published in 1911 (and recently reprinted by CPH), it is a follow-on of C.P. Krauth's Conservative Reformation. Old, yet surprisingly contemporary in application, here are some quotes:

"Change in itself is not progress, and the right of every individual to think as he pleases is not, it itself, the attainment of [Christian] liberty...";

"the currents of knowledge are flowing away from a fixed faith, and are beating against a fixed Confession...";

"The enemies of the Church's doctrine and Confession are often her own most brilliant and thoughtful sons... the Mother sees her own offspring repudiate their material birthright, even when -- at times -- they are proud to bear her face and name...";

"...the Source of [our] Witness [is] the Word, and the standard of [our] Witness, the Confessions, are central...";

"...it is impossible to maintain uncritically the dogma of Biblical infallibility, in the same breath with a loose, critical and destructive dogma of confessional fallibility. The quill that bristles against the Confessions, cannot successfully spread its shelter over their Source." (from the Introduction and Preface).

Freddy Finkelstein

December 13, 2008 1:17 AM

Jeske - Thank You for Hiding Your Lutheran Background

I just make it up as I go along. I am a master of divinity.

Do they change my litter box in heaven? Ask Mark Jeske. He knows.

Words of Wisdom, Reproduced by The Church From Scratch

Q: Will there be marriage in heaven?
Pastor Jeske: Jesus did say we would like angels in one respect: we will neither marry nor be given in marriage. This is both a thrilling and, to some, disappointing feature of life in heaven. God will have a new relationship design for us. I think it will be like one big family reunion. We'll just be in love with everybody. Nobody will ever again be a threat to us. You'll never to lock the doors of your house again. Nobody's going to rip you off. Everybody you meet will be your friend. I think that feeling of being surrounded by human love, in addition to being surrounded by God's love, will be a more than adequate replacement for the exclusive love that husbands and wives enjoy now.

Now- could two people WHO were extremely fond of each other on earth choose to live in close proximity, even in the same dwelling in heaven? Well, why not? But Jesus wants us to know that people who re-marry on earth will not have to torture themselves with to (sic) pick one or other to live with in heaven.

Q: I love to eat. Heaven to me will include food. What do you think?
Pastor Jeske: I've read all kinds of amazing stuff from otherwise clear-minded, sober commentators who somehow assume that we're not really going to eat anymore. That is just mind-boggling to me. Is there something inherently gross and disgusting about food? Of course not! The Bible is full of stories about the joy of eating together- the great feast, the wedding banquet. Why must we regard these wonderful prophecies as only figurative? Good Bible interpretation always means taking the words in their simplest possible meaning, unless the contact tells you that is has to be a more limited or metaphorical meaning. Jesus himself, in his resurrected body, ate food. Why could that food not have been digested in his divine, resurrected body? God may surprise us with something different, but am planning to eat food in heaven.

Q: What will we do there - sit on clouds and sing eternal praises?
Pastor Jeske: To me that's one of the most pathetic images of heavenly life, so injurious to our faith that it must haven been designed by Satan's P.R. team. Heaven will not be boring! I think we will have jobs. On your best days, you kind of like work, don't you? Wouldn't it be wonderful if every day were like that? That's what God is designing for you. There will be jobs of service, in which we will joyfully do things for each other. Those of you who are good organizers of people and events will keep doing that and you will love your work. You will find work that clicks with your ability and passion, and you will love it. We'll also have creativity. I fully anticipate Johann Sebastian Bach will be writing music again, telling of the great works of God. Great literature will continue to be produced. There will always be great storytellers and great musicians.

***

GJ - Helpful hint to Mark: Never leave the cap off the glue bottle when writing these things. The fumes are toxic and intoxicating.

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Jeske - Thank You for Hiding Your Lutheran Backgro...":

You idiots! He wasn't saying singing praises is boring! If you knew Mark Jeske at all, he LOVES to sing praises. His favorites would be anything by JSBach. He was talking about lounging around on the clouds. Get to know the man a little, rather than taking his words in the un-kindess (sic) possible manner.

***

GJ - I have noticed a lot of Lutheran blogs where their favorite musicians are Bach, ScreamNPuke, GangstaDude, and Bork. Which name does not belong?

From what I have read about the Muzak at St. Marcus, it is more like white boys trying to be cool Black dudes. Bach was creative but also faithful to the original music.

WELS Rock and Roller Busts a Whine,Subsidized by WELS Offering Money:$22,000! Thank you, Don Patterson

The Cradle Roll at

Doebler's Stealth Church

Tex Longhorn

Snear 'N Snare

Busta Move

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Radloff Preaching at Church From Scratch - Doebler...":

Greg, Jim Radloff retired earlier this year. He is no longer in Grenada. If Joyce were a pastor, it would have said 'pastors'. They are not implying anything. What better way to honor God and your help meet by including her in your ministry. In a way aren't we all 'ministers'? For a man with your intellect, education and talent as a writer it is a tragedy that you stoop to these antics continually on this blog. How is this building the body? You call WELS the church shrinkers and yet how big is your parish? Where is your parish? A virtual online church with just you? It looks like your church as already shrunk.I will continue to pray for your peace and I would encourage all who visit this blog to do the same. Have a very blessed Christmas.
Joe Krohn, former member of Gunn's stealth congregation, current member of Doebler's Rock and Roll Church, semi-stealthy blogger at:

http://randrchurch.blogspot.com/:
An Apology for a 'Rock and Roll' Lutheran Church.

Blogger Profile:
Joe Krohn
Gender: Male
Location: Cedar Park : Texas : United States
About Me
I am a member of Christ the Rock in Round Rock, Texas and part of the worship team. I started this blog to temper the legalistic opinion of some of our brothers and sisters in our Lutheran fellowship.

GJ - Denomination? Confession of faith? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone?

***

GJ - Joe is a regular poster to Ichabod. His grasp of English is equaled by his knowledge of Lutheran doctrine. Pastor and Mrs. Jim Radloff is the traditional caption. Joe probably knows how quickly WELS is moving toward women's ordination, which is just a confirmation that women are teaching men and in authority over men in WELS.

Aren't we all ministers? No.

A Lutheran minister is called to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments.

The Church and Chicanery crowd thinks a big apostate church is far better than a smaller faithful congregation. Just look at the crazed grins on the faces of the WELS pastors at Drive 08. Does it matter to them that their hero Andy Stanley is opposed to infant baptism, baptismal regeneration, and the efficacy of the Word? Not at all.

I don't have to hide my name on my blog or in my comments. I do appreciate the messages from Krohn. They are often wrong factually and consistently wrong doctrinally. No wonder they make his hide bristle.

I am surprised anyone reads this blog. I am shocked that a few people have survived the onslaught of false doctrine--from WELS/LMCS/ELS/CLCs--and still want to hear the Word of God.

VP Don Patterson Network: Church and Chicanery Gone Wild

"While hunting in Africa, I shot an zebra in my pajamas. How a zebra got into my pajamas I'll never know."
Read - Texas Clone Wars for more details about this odious network.


District VP Patterson hunts in darkest Africa with Synodical Council member Robert Timmerman (above). Patterson is also the council president at Holy Word. Why does Holy Word need a synodical subsidy when they have money for African safaris?
No wonder WELS is broke!
Missionary Harold Johne, whose son-in-law Marc Schroeder was booted from WELS, also hunts with Patterson.
Marc is 100% Church Growth.


Patterson vicared for DP Vilas Glaeske.


Jim Radloff was the first pastor of Holy Word.


Matt Doebler, Rock and Roll Church, their anonymous blog.

Pastor Don Patterson: "We reach out together with Christ the Rock, Round Rock, Texas. This new preaching station is an outreach of Holy Word, Austin. The group received Synod funding of $22,000 to assist in this outreach. Their hope and plan is to organize a congregation with an Early Childhood Development Center and a Lutheran elementary school. Presently the group numbers thirty-six communicants and forty-nine souls of whom five joined the group by Adult Confirmation. Presently there are four others enrolled in the BIC class. Average attendance has been 55 with an average of fifteen in Bible Class and eight in Sunday school. A Soccer Bible Camp in the target area of Round Rock had a regular attendance of 105 with 60% being non-members. A Parenting Seminar had thirty-five in attendance, 90% non-members."


Patterson is good friends with CrossWalk pastor Jeff Gunn. Pastor Gunn was busy as a bee, left alone in his hive, while DP Janke was kicking pastors out of WELS.

Vicar Hall of FamePatterson's church is 30 years old, but he gets free vicars from a synodical grant aimed at needy congregations. Free vicars cover for him when he jets to Africa or to Church Growth conferences.

Mike Geiger


Nathan Buege and family and date.


Caleb Schoeneck


Robert Guenther: The Main Thing is the Main Thing. Seriously. He changed his website name to http://www.themainthing.us. On the front page:
Helping You Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing


Steve Prahl, son of the Western Wisconsin DP, Herb Prahl (above), vicared at Holy Word.


Andy Mueller, son of former WELS VP Wayne Mueller, is the brother of Adam, who is very active in Church and Chicanery.

Pastor Geoff Cortright


Vicar Mark Tiefel's father is a professor at The Sausage Factory in Mequon. Did Mark preside at Holy Word when Patterson took the staff to hear Brother Stetzer at the Exponential?

Other Connections

Pastor John Stelljes, Maitland, is a young Church and Changer, fresh out of the Sausage Factory. He went to the Exponential Stetzer conference. John's father is a member of Holy Word.

Pastor Ben Golish, Maitland, Florida went to the Exponential conference where Stetzer spoke.


Jim Mattek used to be a pastor. He is now CEO of Wisconsin Lutheran Child and Family Services. Patterson is on the board of directors. One person thinks the key to Church and Chicanery is WLCFS.


Mark Jeske's non-Lutheran Time of Grace was funded by Church and Change donors. Patterson promotes Time of Grace on his website.


Paul Kelm, DMin (Concordia St. Louis), has always been the most obvious proponent of Reformed doctrine in WELS. Church and Changers arranged a secretive call back to The Love Shack, their main hive.


Parlow went to the Baptist conference called Drive 08, led by Andy Stanley. Parlow's congregation seems to be original hive for Church and Change.
The four Church and Chicanery epicenters are:

1. Mark Jeske,
2. Don Patterson, and
3. John Parlow.
4. The Love Shack.

***

What Have We Learned Today?
VP Don Patterson keeps his name off the website of Church and Change, but he gave the Bible study at a previous conference. The connections above point to Church and Change and influential members of the synod.

Getting rid of Enthusiasm in WELS is possible, if the efficacious Word is used, but the network has grown so thoroughly under the watchful eyes of DPs like Glaeske and Seifert, that getting rid of it will be hard work, if it is even attempted.

When The Sausage Factory asks for papers from Paul Kelm and Don Patterson about how to improve seminary education, you know the fix is in. Did Kelm and Patterson suggest even more Church Growth idiocy? Is that possible after having two seminary presidents in a row with CGM tatoos?

No one at Mequon has done anything about this for decades. Why should they? Their deluded students treat joining the LCMS as a catastrophe. At the same time their noodles are filled with Fuller and Willow Creek doctrine - contrary to the Christian faith and the Lutheran Confessions. Read this paper, which treats a WELS/LCMS split in typical hysterical fashion without acknowledging that Church Growth has taken over the congregation.

---



Little Rockers at Christ the Rock Lutheran Church.


Busta Gut started his career at a variety of Emerging Churches.
Koine will sing at Rock and Roll on April 5th.
Koine is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir of Church and Change.

According to the BHM report..http://www.welssc.org/Reports/2007/2007-10%20DMB.pdf
Doebler's administrative assistant got a pay raise to 48k...(nice) with the syond cuts Rock and Roll gets a raise... As bad as AIG.


Another research report from Team Ichabod:

The COP met at Holy Word in January.. They love Patterson and Rock and Roll Doebler..


http://www.welssc.org/Reports/2009/2009-01%20DP%20Report.pdf

And look what layman, fellow Patterson Zebra hunter, Timmerman says about worship. "Are not most areas of worship adiaphora?"

http://www.welssc.org/Reports/2009/2009-01%20SC%20Report%20Page%202.pdf.

and DP Glaeske, Patterson, and now Gurgel nod their heads in approval..

Patterson still wants free vicars and he wants a free staff minister..

http://www.welssc.org/Reports/2009/2009-01%20DMB%20Report.pdf

Doebler has his hand out too.

---

Here is a report, modified from another team member:

VP Don Patterson has affluent members, so one must wonder why he has his hand out for more synod money.

Robert Timmerman owns a business called Fine Lumber (http://www.www.finelumber.com/). He was the congregational president but is probably an Elder now. He has served on the national WELS Synodical Council. He has funded safaris for Kudu Don Patterson and Missionary Johne (father-in-law of Marc Schroeder, who was booted from WELS and joined Missouri with his congregation).

Ron Stelljes is now the congregational president at Holy Word. They sold their luxurious house to Holy Word so Patterson could have it as his parsonage. Their son John is in Floria.

-Treasurer Lew Rabenberg is a professor at The University of Texas at Austin. His wife is an attorney.
-Financial Secretary Allan Gebert is a self-employed CPA. His oldest son, Zack, currently is studying to be a pastor.
-Elder Bill Starke works at IBM as an engineer.
-Elder Gary Franke works for the Round Rock Express, the local AAA baseball club.
-Elder Nathan Steinke works for Intel as an engineer.
-Property and Maintenance Committee member Tim Moll owns some kind of electrical/lighting company. He provided all of the lighting to the new church built around 2002.
-Property and Maintenance Committee member Clint Rogas has a son (Clint, Jr.) who used to be a highly-paid technical consultant. He gave it up to study for the ministry and now has a congregation in Michigan.
-Staff Minister Chad White used to work for Motorola, but he gave that
up to become a staff minister.

The Elders at Christ the Rock in Round Rock:
-Andy Alff is a geologist, and his wife has been a teacher at Holy Word School for years.
-Tony Previti and Mark Smith both work for Dell Computer. Mark's wife, Kelly, is the daughter of Staff Minister Bob Hill. Her brother, Ryan Hill, used to be the principal at Holy Word until he took a call up to Michigan.
-Joe Krohn, the Rock and Roll blogger, is a friend to Patterson (isn't everyone in Church and Chicanery?). Joe probably provided the anonymous and smug comment that the COP approved of Rock and Roll Church, that they got another grant.

***

GJ - I have to wonder why Holy Word in Austin needs to take away mission subsidy money from others when the members are well established in the professions and in business.

Even stranger is wasting all that money flying the Conference of Pussycats into Texas so they can agree to do nothing. I have already seen Patterson's network go into a series of denials and huff-huff emails. Doubtless even more happens when the subsidy money is threatened.

There is your offering money at work. Read the links and weep.

Kingdom Workers = Jeff Davis, Board Member, Church and Change on their board. Isn't that sweet? And no one knows who the secret supporters are. No wonder WELS has discussed a synodical split and who gets the loot.

PS - Corrections are always welcome, as long as they are signed with a real name.

---

A correction or addition just came in, but I forgot the researcher's name already:

Holy Word member Mr. Paul Mattek http://paulstherapeuticfurniture.com/pauls.htm , lay rep on the Board for Home Missions (BHM).

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1332&contentID=87291&shortcutID=29637

They are the ones who give out free vicars and staff ministers.

***

GJ - When the COP met with Rock and Roll at Holy Word in Austin, did anyone think they would drop-kick Patterson into Barton Springs Pool?

One observer cannot understand how Kudu Don went over to the dark side. His own congregation is "normal," and so are the ones he helped start in the area. But now he is behind Rock and Roll, Church and Chicanery.

In Columbus, Floyd Luther Stolzenburg got to the money man. I heard that businessman tell Marc Schroeder (son of Salty) to get rid of the liturgy and creeds.
Given Timmerman's lack of understanding of Lutheran theology, the same thing could have happened at Holy Word in Austin.

---



Holy Word in Austin and Christ the Rock in Round Rock
need synod subsidies.
They must know how to po-mouth...or network.

From our research department, based on published information:

Austin is in Travis County (http://www.traviscad.org), and Round Rock is in Williamson County (http://www.wcad.org).

Paul Mattek's home is at http://www.traviscad.org/travisdetail.php?theKey=142144 . It's valued at a little over half a million dollars.

Looking under Robert Timmerman in Travis County, you'll see he owns three properties. His business location is worth $350K. The other two homes are worth a total of $650K. He's got some kind of ranch property in the Texas Hill Country as well.

Ron Stelljes is in the Williamson County listing for only $180K. The researcher thinks it is undervalued.

Tim Moll's home is 2/3 of a million dollars.

Bill Starke - $280K.
Lew Rabenberg - $254K.

Allan Gebert - $195K.

Nathan Steinke - $182K.

Gary Franke - $170K.

Andy Alff - $170K.

I found a "Joey Krohn" at
http://www.traviscad.org/travisdetail.php?theKey=584345 , and he's got a home listed at $276K.

And Pastor Doebler's home looks to be worth about $165K.

It looks like Holy Word sold the parsonage to Pastor Patterson on Nov 30, 2006. It's appraised at over $200K. You can get this information from the "Datasheet" PDF link on http://www.wcad.org/appraisal/publicaccess/PropertyDetail.aspx?PropertyID=162930

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why Is the Patterson Network On Synod Welfare?":

You also neglected to unearth Patterson's own ranch that he owns out in the Hill Country.

***

GJ - Doebler, at Rock and Roll Lutheran Church has a assistant, who requires a salary of $48k! Patterson, who gets free trips to Africa with Timmerman, needs a free vicar. Timmerman in his report that the synod is in decline. Doubtless it is - after 30 years of Church Shrinkers in charge. The Shrinkers have skimmed all the budget money for themselves while telling the real mission pastors, "Too bad, so sad, we don't have enough money for your mission."

The amount of money wasted in WELS is simply phenomenal. Estimate the lease and overhead for the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock in A-Town. Add the salaries and benefits of a pastor and a pricey executive assistant. That is a staggering amount of money for a "mission" no one wanted, for a white elephant theatre, for two people Tweeting about how hard they work: one service a week during Lent, a half-hour service followed by a three-hour party, with an official launch date based a rock band and a performance platform being built. The Sunday evening services allow local WELS members to attend to make the "mission" look like it has real attendance.

The CORE's two blogs, from two full-time people, are D.O.A.

Rick Gunn has a similar deal in CrossRoads Lutheran in Phoenix, with a staffer at $50k. That hand is outstretched for grant money too. And yet, there are experienced, faithful pastors who would be glad to receive that much compensation.

Most pastors have an unpaid staffer, named Frau Pfarrer (the pastor's wife). The vast majority of wives are lucky to get a little income as the church secretary or school teacher. I wonder what these wives think about Church and Chicanery missions needing $50k staffers when there is so little to do and even less is being done.

I proved to a local professional that a little blogging would bring in new customers. She and her husband did a little more with the blog I set up for them. They landed a new customer just like that, for free. The Internet is a phenomenal method for broadcasting the Word for little or no cost. I find the Shrinkers are ga-ga for useless overhead but numb to the efficacious Word.

Look at the silly website for The CORE. A lot of elaborate eye-candy techniques are designed for people with short attention spans. But nothing has been done in publishing good content since it was launched with a three-hour party. Given the need for three days to recover from a three-hour party, a website could easily have dozens of worthwhile items on it by now. But, WELS members should be glad, the offensive new material is published at a glacial pace. Twitter uses up so much time and energy, dontcha know.

---

Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Why Is the Patterson Network On Synod Welfare?":

You will be judged by your own standards, Ichabod.

***

GJ - Actually, WELS is being judged by its own standards, by its own members. They are appalled at: the COP protecting false teachers: throwing money at wasteful self-indulgent, non-missions; and soft-pedaling the Stetzer gig at Church and Chicanery's conference.

Obama Administration - A Busman's Holiday for ELCA

Beyond the Briefs--Obama’s cabinet another step out of the closet Gay and Lesbian Times ^ 12-11-08 Robert DeKoven

Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2008 7:38:05 PM by SJackson

President-elect Barack Obama’s choices for his cabinet are crucial to our community, because the executive branch of government has far more to do with our everyday rights than do the judicial and legislative branches.

Hillary Clinton as secretary of state is a welcome friend for gays and lesbians worldwide. Given Clinton’s support of GLBT rights in the U.S. Senate, she can be expected to condemn practices in other countries that deny us basic human rights. International human rights deeply concern us all, and Clinton will bring practices in countries such as Iran, where people are hanged for being gay, to the forefront of the world’s attention. Similarly, she will point to progressive countries, such as Canada, where we have full equality, as persuasive models for what the U.S. must do. This will further influence the U.S. Supreme Court, which already increasingly looks to world consensus in deciding upon legislation that affects us, such as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as hate crimes and marriage equality legislation.

Eric Holder, Obama’s pick for attorney general, is also likely to be an ally on our issues. He is literally the “holder” of gay civil rights for the next four years, and it’s highly probable that his first act will be to champion a federal law giving the U.S. attorney general the power to prosecute federal hate crimes in instances where the perpetrator has either crossed state lines or has used a tool of interstate commerce (the Internet, a car) to commit one.

Holder will also be influential in helping to select federal judges. (During the last eight years, the right wing used the attorney general’s office to screen out pro-gay judges.) He’ll also be responsible for hiring 94 local U.S. attorneys, attorneys who can shape policy in amazing ways. For example, a local U.S. attorney could decide to prosecute groups that work to deny rights to gays and lesbians.

Further, he is likely to opine that states must issue federal benefits to children of same-sex couples, at least to the extent that state laws recognize domestic partnerships and civil unions. (Ideally, he would go even further and hold that the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states and the federal government to refuse recognition of same-sex marriage, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.)

Obama’s choices for his cabinet are crucial to our community.Obama’s choice of Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security is significant for us too. Napolitano, the current governor of Arizona, is supportive of gay rights and, as secretary of homeland security, can instruct her immigration staff to grant asylum to gay and lesbian refugees who flee persecution in their native countries. Former Attorney General Janet Reno initiated this concept, but right-wing immigration attorneys in the Bush administration argued to send GLBT people seeking asylum back to their countries of origin, as long as there were remote places where they could hide. (Imagine sending Jews back to Nazi Germany to live in the hills!) Napolitano will also have the power to remove the homophobic immigration judges DHS hired under Bush, and this will affect other areas of immigration law too. For instance, it will affect whether we can bring our spouses to the U.S., as straights can, without fear they will be sent back.

Other of Obama’s picks for cabinet may also have a significant affect on the GLBT community, especially in terms of the visibility they bring to it. If Mary Beth Maxwell, for instance, becomes labor secretary, she will be the first openly lesbian cabinet member in history. Robert DeKoven is a professor at California Western School of Law.

Read and Weep Quotations - Part 18

The DNA of Church Growth is pretty clear from these quotations, but what do you expect with a Church From Scratch (Doebler's Rock and Roll)? Paste http://www.churchfromscratch.net// in your browser and see what you get.

"In the light of church growth principles as they are promulgated in many mission schools these days, the question naturally arises as to whether or not our approach to world mission work is in need of reassessment or improvement."
Ernst H. Wendland, "Church Growth Theology," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, April, 1981, 78, p. 108.

"Recently we had opportunity to read a book written by Dr. George W. Peters, Professor of World Missions at Dallas Theological Seminary, who is also a leading spokesman for the Evangelicals." [Note: Peters is Who's Who in Church Growth]
Ernst H. Wendland, "Missiology--and the Two Billion," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, January, 1974 71, p. 14.

"THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AS A RESEARCH INSTRUMENT, PART OF REV. DAVID LUECKE'S INVESTIGATION INTO THE NEED FOR PASTOR DEVELOPMENT. HIS HYPOTHESIS, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY THE RESEARCH FINDINGS, WAS THAT PASTORAL EFFECTIVENESS RELATIVE TO CONGREGATIONAL GROWTH WAS PREDICTABLE FROM THE ATTITUDES OF THE MINISTERS...THIS TOOL HAS BEEN PREPARED AS A CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING DEVICE TO HELP MINISTERS ASSESS THEIR OWN NEEDS FOR CONTINUED TRAINING IN CHURCH GROWTH AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVELY FOCUSED AREAS. Fuller Evangelistic Association, Copyright, 1981, MINISTERIAL ATTITUDES DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE,
Sent to congregations using the Spiritual Renewal Consultant program, headed by Rev. Paul Kelm, 1990, p. 1.

"Marketing churches to reach people is consistent with biblical principles and doesn't mean the message needs to be watered down or compromised, according to researcher George Barna...Church growth is primarily accomplished by word of mouth. Barna advised clergy to see themselves as cheerleaders rather than leaders, as laypeople carry out the practical marketing of the church."
News From Around the World,
The Northwestern Lutheran, November 15, 1991 p. 395.

"Types of Groups...This table relies on information from Eddie Gibbs. I Believe in Church Growth, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982, pp. 275-279." School of Outreach IV, Notebook, WELS Evangelism Commission p. 51. Eddie Gibbs is (Who's Who in Church Growth) "How do we get there (Resources)...1. Book (3 ring binder): Facing the Facts for Church Growth by Diane Barber and Kent R. Hunter, a step by step manual for understanding 'all you ever wanted to know and more' about the nature of graphs...This is a very good resource...Order from the Church Growth Center."
School of Outreach IV, Notebook, WELS Evangelism Commission p. B-5. Kent Hunter is (Who's Who in Church Growth)

"PRINCIPLES OF GROWING CHURCHES - APPLIED TO THE LARGE CHURCH. 1. Church growth begins with a desire, commitment, and expectation for growth on the part of the pastor and lay leadership. The pastor and congregation must want to grow and be willing to sacrifice for growth. The congregation has a mission statement."
School of Outreach IV, Notebook, The Large Church, WELS Evangelism Commission p. 45.

"Every congregation of the WELS was provided a TRACT CATALOG reviewing tracts from CTM, ATS, ACTS and IBS at the 'Getting Everyone Involved' District Evangelism Worships held in '89." [Note: George Barna, Who's Who in Church Growth, is on the board of ACTS. Faith, Prayer and Tract League, recommended on the same page, offers decision theology: Grand Rapids, 1-616-453-7695]
WELS Notebook, School of Outreach IV, p. 223.

"RESOURCES AVAILABLE...CALLING IN LOVE; A HANDBOOK FOR THE TELEPHONE OUTREACH. Order from Church Growth, Inc...Monrovia, CA, 1-800-423-4844...Evaluation: It offers almost everything you will need to know when it comes to using the telephone for outreach."
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV, LOCATING THE LOST, p. 53.

"THE EXPANDED PHONE'S FOR YOU! by Norman W. Whan. Order from Church Growth Development International...Cost $229." [The original version, which was copied verbatim by WELS mission congregations, had a deceptive dialogue script for phoning and brochures which suggested joining the church "to meet new friends, develop self-confidence..."]
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV, LOCATING THE LOST, p. 55.

"The role of worship seen by the Church Growth movement is not the same role of worship understood by the Lutheran Confessions. This must be said from the beginning in order to be fair to both the Lutheran Confessions and the modern Church Growth movement. My paper is indebted to Dr. David Leucke on this point and I am confident that his Evangelical Style and Lutheran Substance will be an invaluable aid to this discussion. Leucke has offered an indepth review of what principles can be identified in the newer, faster growing churches which have been studied by the Church Growth movement."
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV, LOCATING THE LOST, Larry A. Peters, "Lutheran Worship and Church Growth," LCMS Commission on Worship, p. E-1.

"Some in the Church Growth movement have challenged Lutherans to give up their 'style' while keeping their 'substance.'...How can we utilize the Church Growth movement to help us reach out with the Gospel without changing the basic definition of what it means to be Lutheran?"
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV, LOCATING THE LOST, Larry A. Peters, "Lutheran Worship and Church Growth," LCMS Commission on Worship, p. E-2.

"Neither things I shared with you nor any of my writings, published or not, substantiate the implications that I am an advocate of Church Growth theology. I did attend a Pasadena forum on Church Growth featuring Win Arn and others...I therefore request a public apology from you for making an unfounded accusation against me based on the fact that I attended a Church Growth conference. My attendance is no greater proof (by association) of my alleged Church Growth advocacy than your attendace at and degree from Notre Dame is proof of your acceptance of Roman Catholic heresy!"
Rev. Norman W. Berg, WELS, former mission board chairman Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 3-27-96,

"What do people mean when they talk about effective church growth principles? Do we make God's kingdom come? 'God's kingdom certainly comes by itself,' Luther wrote. Ours is to sow the seed. We hamper the kingdom if we sow carelessly or if we do not sow at all. But we do not make it grow."
Mark Braun, The Growing Seed, What Do People Mean When They Talk about Effective Church Growth Principles? The Northwestern Lutheran, September 1, 1991, p. 300. Mark 4:26-29.

"Types of Home Groups, by Karen Hurston (Church Growth Assoc.), from material by Bob Fulton." WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 10.

"Incidentally, during my mission counselor days in California during the 80's, I did take a course at Fuller from Carl George and Peter Wagner. I am grateful for the opportunity to have done so because it helped me to see through the lousy theology espoused by David Luecke in "Evangelical Style and Lutheran Substance" a book, by the way, which has been roundly criticized in WELS circles as your own columns have noted."
Rev. Joel C. Gerlach (WELS) to Pastor Herman Otten, no date. [Gerlach taught at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary]

"TELL has served the church faithfully for 15 years. Three editors have served; Ronald Roth (1977-84), Paul Kelm (1985-88), and the undersigned since 1989...The lead article in the first issue of TELL was titled 'Church Growth - Worthwhile for WELS.'...The author of this article in April 1988 issue of TELL concludes, 'It's obvious by now that I believe we in WELS can profit greatly from the writings of the church-growth leaders.' ... TELL as a separate publication ends with this issue. Nevertheless, the focus of The Evangelism Life Line will continue for years to come as an integral part of the new Board for Parish Services journal - PARISH LEADERSHIP.
Rev. Robert Hartman TELL (WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.

"'Church growth.' I've seen people cringe when they hear those words. I think I know why. They react negatively because they feel 'church growth' implies an obsessive fixation with numbers and statistics."
Pastor James Huebner, Spiritual Renewal Consultant, Notebook, School of Outreach IV, Seventeen Ways to Keep Your Church from Growing, p. 178.

"We can't do a thing to make his Word more effective. But surely we can detract from its effectiveness by careless errors and poor judgment. It just makes good sense to utilize all of our God-given talents, to scour the field for appropriate ideas, concepts, and material (sic), to implement programs, methods, and techniques so that we do not detract from the effectiveness of the gospel we proclaim. Church growth articles, books, seminars, and conferences can offer such ideas and programs."
Pastor James Huebner, Spiritual Renewal Consultant, Notebook, School of Outreach IV, Seventeen Ways to Keep Your Church from Growing, p. 178. "Church growth theory suggests the need for seven fellowship groups for every 100 members."
Pastor Paul E. Kelm, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 4.

"Non-Christians usually become good prospects for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: "I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP - John Seifert.]
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 4.

"In an article on the small group movement, J. A. Gorman notes that 'both the Church Growth Institute of Fuller Seminary and the American Institute of Church Growth became centers for influencing the use of this means for evangelizing." (Christian Education, Moody Press, 1991, pp. 509, 510)
Prof. David Kuske, "Home Bible Study Groups in the 1990s," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1994. p. 126.

"Several of our brothers have been warning us to be careful about the leaven of The Church Growth Movement and the insidious Reformed doctrine contained within. Not a few of us have heard their warning and have thought to counter the danger by saying we will weed out the erroneous material and use only that which is proper and beneficial to the Lord's work in our congregations. Fellow-shepherds, there is some evidence to show that that is exactly what the devils wants us to think. That seems to be used to lull us and our members into sleep, and without our intending it, the soul-harming false doctrines creep in undetected, under the guise of religious printed materials and programs."
Michigan District President Robert Mueller, (WELS), "President's Report to the Conferences, Spring, 1991, p. 2.

"There is no Church Growth Movement Program in our synod. Our church body is opposed to the false theology of the Church Growth Movement. We have no programs inside or outside the budget with that name. Nor do we have any programs with a different name which utilize Church Growth theology."
Wayne D. Mueller, Administrator for the BPS, WELS, "A Response to 'Saving Souls vs. New Programs,'" The Northwestern Lutheran, November 1, 1991, February 1, 1992 p. 50.

"There may be pastors or congregations which use methodology which church growth people use. This does not mean they have adopted the theology of the Church Growth Movement. Our Lutheran Confessions allow complete freedom among our churches in methodology that does not conflict with the gospel."
Wayne D. Mueller, Administrator, Parish Services, "A Response to 'Saving Souls' vs.'New Programs,'" The Northwestern Lutheran, February 1, 1992 p. 50.

"...and in the process we got a look at the inside of his study. [WELS pastor David Reichel, Mandan, ND] He's got all the standard reference works you'd expect to find in a confessional Lutheran pastor's office. But the handiest shelf, right at chest level, was reserved for a long row of binders from annual seminars at Fuller."
Source: Pastor Paul Naumann, CLC. April 1, 1996, e-mail.

"Please stop exaggerating the amount of study that I have done at Fuller. After four years of study at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, which involved sixty-two different courses and a year of vicarage, I graduated in 1983. From 1987 to 1989 I took four courses where I was in a classroom with a Fuller instructor. That is the extent of my Fuller coursework...In addition, I have taken two courses at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and one at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Because of Fuller's liberal (would you expect anything else?) policy on transfer of credit, and because of two independent studies I undertook, I could complete the degree by simply writing a dissertation."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"You may reply that by 'Fuller-trained' you mean anyone who has attended a worshop presented by the Charles E. Fuller Institute of Evangelism and Church Growth, an agency which is independent of the Seminary. If that is the case, your attribution of 'Fuller-trained' is still simply not true. It would surprise me if even half of the two dozen people on your 'WELS/ELS Who's Who' list have attended a Fuller workshop; I personally know of only five who have."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

"Donald C. McGavran died at home home in Altadena, California, on July 10, 1990. He was 92 years old. Dr. McGavran is widely recognized as the founder of the church growth movement, a movement which has sought to put the social sciences at the service of theology in order to foster the growth of the church. In August of 1989 I borrowed a bicycle and pedaled several miles uphill up from Pasadena to Altadena. I found Dr. McGavran in his front yard with a hose in hand, watering flowers."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Professor, Martin Luther College (WELS), p. 1.

"The church growth movement has made inroads into nearly every denomination in America. Once considered only the turf of conservative evangelicals, you will now find church growth practioners in the United Methodist Church, in the Presbyterian Church in the USA, and among the Episcopalians. The LCMS has more pastors enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary, the seedbed of the movement, than are enrolled in the graduate programs at their Fort Wayne and St. Louis seminaries combined, and most of them include church growth as part of their studies."
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "See How It Grows: Perspectives on Growth and the Church," EVANGELISM, February, 1991, Parish Consultant for the WELS Board of Parish Services and his district's Coordinator of Evangelism. p. 1.

"When Frederick Horn faced that situation, the Holy Spirit moved him to accept the call, and for the last few years he has served as the [lay] Minister of Discipleship for Grace Lutheran in downtown Milwaukee." (Pastor James Huebner Fuller alumnus)
Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary,, "Another Kind of Minister, There's a lot to do in a church, and a staff minister can do a lot of it," The Northwestern Lutheran, March, 1994, p. 9. Olson is director of staff ministry at MLC.

"In the autumn of 1985 and the winter of 1985-1986, a truly momentous step was taken by the five Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) congregations in the metropolitan area of Columbus, Ohio. The five pastors and lay representatives of those churches organized and incorporated Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., the first Church Growth institute in the WELS."
David G. Peters, "Lutheran Parish Resources: Pilot Program in Church Growth," Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, April 27, 1987 p. 1.

"Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc. (LPR) is dedicated to the concepts of the Church Growth movement only insofar as they agree with the Scriptures and as taught by the WELS--that is, Church Growth with Lutheran theology rather than Evangelical, and without the typical Church Growth emphasis on quantitative measurement of growth. Kent R. Hunter's definition of 'Church Growth' justifies the use of this term in describing LPR: 'Church Growth: That science which investigates the nature, function and health of Christian churches as they relate specifically to the effective implementation of God's commission to make disciples of all peoples (Matt. 28:19). Church Growth is simultaneously a theological conviction and an applied science,....' Foundations for Church Growth, p. 187.
David G. Peters, "Lutheran Parish Resources: Pilot Program in Church Growth," Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, April 27, 1987 p. 1.

"Please display this [Team Evangelism, Church Growth] prominently. The WELS is more committed to the church growth movement than LCMS."
Note from Robert Preus to Herman Otten, Church Growth Institute P. O. Box 4404, Lynchburg, VA 24502 1-800-553-GROW

"Resources mentioned in this 'Bulletin' are available from CHURCH GROWTH, 709 E. Colorado Blvd. #150, Pasadena, CA 91101. Or call 1-800-423-4844." Pastor Jim Radloff, Mission Counsellor Newsletter, Austin, Texas, May, 1988 "Types of Home Groups, by Karen Hurston (Church Growth Assoc.), from material by Bob Fulton. Copied with the permission of Charles Arn."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, Oct., '91, 2929 Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53222 p. 11.

"The dynamics of assimilation into active church membership have very little to do with theological issues. Rather, a new members' class should focus primarily on relational issues of involvement and belonging." (Defining an Assimilated Member, by Charles Arn, copied with permission from EVANGELISM, 12800 North Lake Shore Drive, Mequon, WI, 53092. Annual subscription rate for EVANGELISM is $12...Charles Arn is Vice President of Church Growth, Inc. in Monrovia, Ca.)
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor WELS Mission Counselors' Newsletter, Oct., '91, 2929 Mayfair Road, Milwaukee, WI 53222 p. 150.

"Not that Word and Sacrament are ineffective in incorporating new souls into our fellowship. Not at all! But according to some serious Church Growth studies, as many as one-third of the people gained for protestant church membership today do not feel they really belong."
David N. Rutschow The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 3.

"A number of experts on church growth principles added muscle to the conference. Among the experts were George Barna, George Gallup Jr., Lyle Schaller, and Tom Sine--icons in the church growth movement...Of the four church growth experts mentioned above, I have heard three of them speak at some length." [On opposing page, letter about Church Growth which Wayne Mueller answered]
James P. Schaefer The Northwestern Lutheran, October 15, 1991, p. 363.

"I share the judgment of Prof. David Valleskey that one 'can probably pick up a few helpful hints' from the church growth folks." [On opposing page, letter which Wayne Mueller answered]
James P. Schaefer The Northwestern Lutheran, October 15, 1991, p. 363. e May 15, 1991 NWL Valleskey article

"For several years I've been a Pete Wagner fan. Although I don't see eye to eye with him on many important theological points (he approves of faith healing and speaking in tongues as long as it promotes church growth and he comes from a Billy Graham decision for conversion doctrinal background), he is the most eloquent spokesman of the Church Growth Movement. A prolific author on mission/evangelism/church growth subjects, Wagner is also an excellent teacher and a crystal clear writer."
Reuel J. Schulz The Evangelism Life Line (WELS) Winter, 1980,

"We have discovered that the Early Church was an institution that unknowingly saw its world through Church Growth eyes. We have some benefits they did not have in that we can look back today and analyze their successes and failures."
Floyd L. Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio

"As you read, pick out the principles of Church Growth in this "FOCUS ON A GREAT CHURCH" (Acts 11:19-30)...11:26 tells us this studies the Word 'in great numbers.' How can we improve our numbers?"
Floyd L. Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio January, 1986

"CHURCH GROWTH. This program was basically the beginning of L.P.R. at St. Paul's. Certainly a church growth consciousness exists in all of the congregations which was not there four years ago. It is also evident that most of the congregations are not really willing to make church growth a major priority of their ministry. Some new people who visit our churches are turned off by the comments of church members. It would seem that many members will 'tolerate' growth if it does not upset the church's traditions."
Floyd Stolzenburg, Consultant's Annual Report, 1-12-89 Lutheran Parish Resources

"This downplaying of the importance of the means of grace on the part of many in the Church Growth Movement would seem to stem from several factors." [That is like saying that many Lutherans downplay the infallibility of the pope.]
David J. Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement: An Evaluation," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p. 105. Holidaysburg, 10-15-90

"Yet this writer is confident we won't go astray in adopting a 'spoiling the Egyptians' approach to the various Church Growth Movement sociological principles and the research that produced them."
David J. Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement: An Evaluation," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p. 116. Exodus 12:36.

"Useful Ideas for My Ministry from the Church Growth Movement...The Church Growth Movement--Strengths and Weaknesses...The Church Growth Movement--An Evaluation...Church Growth Sounds Good, But...Dangers of the Church Growth Movement...Friendship Evangelism...Rationale for Friendship Evangelism..."
Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A
"Assignments:...2. Prepare a term paper on the subject of evangelism and/or church growth."
Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p. 3.

"David Hubbard, president Fuller Seminary: 'Not all of us have the gift of evangelism. I admire people who can lead others to Jesus Christ right on the spot...."
Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p. 52.

"Introduction to the Church Growth Movement by Lutheran authors, Hunter, Kent R., Foundations for Church Growth (New Haven, MO: Leader Publishing Co., 1983) - the author, an LC-MS clergyman who has now set up his own church growth consulting service, performs the valuable service in this 204 page book of presenting an introduction to church growth goals and terminology. Werning, Waldo, Vision and Strategy for Church Growth, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1977) - Werning, active for years in LC-MS stewardship work, explains the foundations, presuppositions and principles of church growth and then shows how a congregation can benefit from making use of certain church growth principles - of the two books listed in this category, Werning's is the more practical."
Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p. 6.

Bob: "..I'd like to share with you a book I came across the other day. It's interesting, easy to read, and may be the answer to our problem..." [Could this be the Bible, The Book of Concord, What Luther Says?] "Its title is Your Church Can Grow, and it's filled with all sorts of practical hints that could help us turn things around here." Author: "Bob didn't realize it at the time, but in his browsing he had stumbled upon one of many similar books written from the perspective of the church growth movement, books with such titles as How to Grow a Church, Ten Steps for Church Growth, Church Growth: Strategies that Work, and Leading Your Church to Growth."
Prof. David Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement, Just Gathering People or Building the Church?" The Northwestern Lutheran, May 5, 1991, p. 184.

Lutheran members of the North American Society for Church Growth: Harold S. Drageger, Grace Lutheran, Visalia, CA; Bradley Hoefs, King of Kings Lutheran, Omaha, NE; Kent Hunter, Church Growth Center, Corunna, IN; Elmer Matthias, Emeritus Concordia St. Louis, MO; Dale Olson, Cross of Hope Lutheran, Ramsey, MN; Waldo J. Werning, Stewardship Growth Center, Ft. Wayne, IN; Gregory L. Jackson, Columbus, OH. Doris M. Wagner, Fuller Theological Seminary, December 10, 1991

"A half-hour film entitled 'See You Sunday' shows the problem and solution in a credible case history. Anguish and humor accompany the efforts of Church and Diane Bradley to keep their newly-won friends from dropping out of the church. This is one film in a series of six available from: Church Growth 709 E. Colorado Blvd. #150 Pasadena, CA 91101. It rents for $42.00. "On the Subject of Incorporating Members,"
The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 8.

"For the Love of Pete is an excellent overview of the entire friendship witnessing process and is recommended for use with the workshop or as a follow-up too...from Church Growth, Pasadena, California." School of Outreach IV, Notebook, WELS Evangelism Commission p. B-5. n is in (Who's Who in Church Growth) "Some active in the Church Growth movement have allowed that Lutheran worship is at best a neutral factor; and more often, a hindrance to the growth and outreach of a Lutheran congregation."
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV, LOCATING THE LOST, Larry A. Peters, "Lutheran Worship and Church Growth," LCMS Commission on Worship, p. E-4.

"The publication TELL ('The Evangelism Life Line') has been inaugurated to promote the cause of church growth."
Ernst H. Wendland, "Church Growth Theology," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, April, 1981, 78, p. 105.

"There are other church growth programs which have been developed along more conservative lines. Here we are thinking of adaptations of McGavran's principles such as developed by Waldo J. Werning of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. In his study entitled "Vision and Strategy for Church Growth" Werning has modified some of McGavran's extreme positions. Using some of his own adaptations Werning has conducted many seminars and workshops in applying church growth principles to a local congregational setting in America." [Werning is Who's Who in Church Growth]
Ernst H. Wendland, "Church Growth Theology," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, April, 1981, 78, p. 117.

"Dr. Donald McGavran, Dean Emeritus and Senior Professor of Mission at the Institute of Church Growth, Pasadena, California, is very much concerned about the Two Billion. He severely censures the leaders of the World Council of Churches as having 'betrayed the Two Billion.'
Ernst H. Wendland, "Missiology--and the Two Billion," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, January, 1974 71, p. 9.

"I would not say this publicly, but I will tell privately that I received a phone call from a WELS pastor who said that some claim that there are several WELS pastors in your Circuit who are into church management and some kind of church growth (and possibly even funded by some agencies) and that some believe that you are trying to get at them and a few others in WELS, and that is why you are writing the articles. Whatever the facts are, your entering into this fray, it seems to me, will not open up channels for God to use your very good talents in WELS in profitable ways."
Waldo J. Werning, Letter to Gregory Jackson, August 23, 1989 (Letter stamped in red: CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL)