Other People's Money

Pastor Joe is thankful to WELS and Missouri for starting his Evangelical Covenant church. He thanked three WELS pastors--Miller, Voigt, and Freier--for their help in getting his church going. Yes, he also believes in using Other People's Money.

MEET PASTOR JOE

Hello!

I have been serving at Crossroads in a variety of roles since December 1999 and am happy to now be serving as Senior Pastor. As Crossroads Community Church moves into its sixteenth year of existence, we look back at the people who have led us, the founding families and the Pastors Rick Miller, Kelly Voigt and Mark Freier, and say thanks for getting us here.

Danny DiVito, that short, funny actor starred in a film called "Other People's Money." The theme of the movie, which I hope they show at Wildwood, is how to make a fortune on Other People's Money.

That is also the theme of Church and Change.

No one asked for a Popcorn Cathedral of Rock. A few rich people funded it for a time. Don't ask who or how much, because it is Other People's Money.

Jeske, Sorum, and Company are building a new Hope school, costing millions - with Other People's Money.

Jeske had his hand out for $250,000 for Time of Grace - and got it. Don't criticize: it is Other People's Money.

Parlow neeed a Lifecoach grant, so he got $50,000 for St. Mark Depere. That may sound silly, but it was from Other People's Money.

Rock and Roll Lutheran (in name only) got an Antioch grant for $20,000. They wanted $200,000. Perhaps they did not pray hard enough. The Catholic Church invented meatless Fridays, but Rock and Roll invented Lentless Sundays. If Buddy Holly's birthday falls on Easter this year, it is hard to figure which event will be celebrated.

Church and Chicaneries have a good scam going. Most of their money comes from faithful church members, who are guilt-tripped into buying Thrivent insurance or die hoping that their money is a Means of Grace. Where does all this loot go? Churches aimed at people who hate church. Their so-called evangelism theme is - We have an entertaining and exciting place for those who hate sermons, hate the cross (Willow Creek), hate traditional hymns, hate Creeds, and hate the liturgy. Read the Ski website for their message, which is anything but fidelity to the Word. Mockery of the Word is their theme.

And this is not new. Just as Ski's sermons are modeled after Craig Groeschel's, his website is a copy of CrossRoads in S. Lyons. I do not mean that the genius minds behind the CORE sat down to copy CrossRoads. It is just the same old Dreck decade after decade. Here are a few choice quotes from the WELS mission that is now Evangelical Covenant:

"Church music doesn't have to sound 'different.' It can sound just like the music people listen to every day. At Crossroads you won't find a pipe organ, but you will find great music appealing to a variety of tastes...Who says church has to be boring? In many of our services the Crossroads Drama Team makes us laugh or cry, and take a hard look at ourselves."
Crossroads Community Church,
Pastor Rick Miller (WELS),

"Would you be interested in a church that offers...Practical and Relevant Messages? Contemporary Music and Drama? Friendly People Who Are Interested in You? A Non-threatening Environment Where You Can Investigate a Relationship with God? Maybe Crossroads Is For You!...Targeted for September, '92, Sunday morning 'seeker' service designed to introduce Christianity in the most practical relevant way possible!"
Crossroads Community Church,
Pastor Rick Miller (WELS),

"PREPARING FOR HOLY COMMUNION. BECAUSE...I am very sorry for my sins...I trust only in Jesus as my Savior from sin...I receive from the Sacrament the forgiveness and strength I need to amend my life...I believe the words of my Lord that His Body and Blood are REALLY PRESENT in Holy Communion. Therefore I announce my desire to partake of the Lord's Supper:...
Crossroads Community Church,
Pastor Rick Miller (WELS),

"Since several brothers have asked about the status of Rick Miller, I provide the following information. Rick has asked for a release from his call at Huron Valley Lutheran High School in order to serve a group of people as their pastor and to help organize them as an independent Christian congregation. The group is composed of some former members of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Plymouth, of some former members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Livonia, and some people who have left LC-MS churches. The group has stated that it has a different philosophy and style of ministry, which includes drama, contemporary music and a thematic form of worship and liturgy, which allows for greater personal participation by its female members. The group has also stated that it would like to retain fellowship relations with our Wisconsin Synod."
District President Robert Mueller,
President's Report to the Conferences,
Fall, 1991
Note: the congregation has women lectors
p. 2f.

"As an independent group it does not plan to use the name 'Lutheran' in its title. It will be known as The Crossroads Christian Church...For the present, Rick Miller is still a pastoral member of the WELS...At that time [January 31, 1992, submission of a constitution] the fellowship question will be determined on the basis of the group's doctrinal statements and practices."
District President Robert Mueller,
President's Report to the Conferences,
Fall, 1991
p. 3.

"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.

"Crossroads Community Church. Comfortable Contemporary Creative Services Sunday Evenings 6 pm South Lyon High School Pontiac Trail and Eleven Mile (313) 591-4087
Newspaper ad Crossroads, Pastor Rick Miller (WELS)
See District President Mueller's report

"You may not have noticed, but Crossroads has changed its name!...Why the change [from Crossroads Christian Church]? First, we were told that the original name implied a denominational affiliation. Also, we believe that the 'community' label identifies us more closely with the philosophy of ministry at Willow Creek Community Church. We want to begin referring to ourselves more and more as a 'community' of fully devoted followers of Jesus."
Pastor Rick Miller, (WELS),
Crossroads Community Church,
News and Information for January, 1992,
p. 1.

"CROSSROADS CALLS SECOND PASTOR. On January 5th, Crossroads extended a call to Kelly Voigt, currently pastor of a mission church in Tallahassee...Kelly would be responsible for heading up outreach activities and the preparation needed before Seeker Services can begin. He would be the speaker for the Seeker Services, while Pastor Rick would continue delivering the New Community messages."
Pastor Rick Miller, (WELS),
Crossroads Community Church,
News and Information for February, 1992,
Seeker Services are endorsed by Pastor Robert Hartman,
Pastor Jim Huebner, in the evangelism seminar video tape.
p. 1.
See Indianapolis Star story on Dan Kelm.

"PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY AT CROSSROADS...Conduct seeker services... Provide small group leadership. At Crossroads, as people come to know Jesus they are encouraged to participate in groups of 8 to 10 people who meet weekly for 2 years of fellowship, holding one another accountable, discipleship training, encouragement and support. 1 Thess. 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."
Pastor Rick Miller, (WELS),
Crossroads Community Church,
1 Thessalonians 5:11.

"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.

Origin of the Seeker Service (see Crossroads Community): "When he challenged them to invent a service that would induce their friends to attend, they suggested including contemporary music, dramatic sketches and sermons about problems that are relevant to teen-agers--parents, peer pressure and homework."
WELS Evangelism Workshop IV,
LOCATING THE LOST,
Tom Valeo,
"Market Wise Pastor Strikes Deep Chords with Soft-Sell Pitch,"
Crain's Chicago Business, January 16, 1989
p. C-2.

"Several churches have found a creative and effective way of maintaining an active membership from year to year. Basically, they ask their members--each year--if they wish to continue as members for the coming year...Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Irvine, CA) also has a 'Covenant of Membership' card. On their 'Covenant Sunday' Pastor Jim Hale encourages persons to come forward in the service and place their card on the altar."
Win Arn,
Win Arn Growth Report, copyright, 1986
709 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101
818-449-4400
Same plan at Crossroads Community Church,

Luther on the Cross

"If, here upon earth, the body is unwilling, not capable of grace and Christ's leading, it must bear the Spirit, upon which Christ rides, who trains it and leads it along by the power of grace, received through Christ. The colt, ridden by Christ, upon which no one ever rode, is the willing spirit, whom no one before could make willing, tame or ready, save Christ by His grace. However, the sack carrier, the burden-bearer, the old Adam, is the flesh, which goes riderless without Christ; it must for this reason bear the cross and remain a beast of burden."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 53. First Sunday in Advent Matthew 21:1-9.

"But when our good work is followed by persecution, let us rejoice and firmly believe that it is pleasing to God; indeed, then let us be assured that it comes from God, for whatever is of God is bound to be crucified by the world. As long as it does not bring the cross, that is, as long as it does not bring shame and contempt as we patiently continue in it, it cannot be esteemed as a divine work since even the Son of God was not free from it--(suffering for the sake of the good He did) --but left us an example in this. He Himself tells us in Matthew 5:10, 12: 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake.. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.'"
Commentary on Romans, trans. J. Theodore Mueller, Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1976, p. 55. Matthew 5: 10, 12.; Romans 2:6-10

"On the other hand, we are outwardly oppressed with the cross and sufferings, and with the persecution and torments of the world and the devil, as with the weight of heavy stone upon us, subduing our old sinful nature and checking us against antagonizing the Spirit and committing other sins."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 145. Sixth Sunday after Trinity, Romans 6:6 John 16:20 –

"Such people, however, do not understand divine things, they think they will suddenly enter death with Christ, whom they have never learned to know except in words. Thus was Peter also disposed, but he stood before Christ like a rabbit before one beating a drum. Notice, how the old Adam lacks courage when under the cross! The new man, however, can indeed persevere through grace."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 85. Third Sunday after Easter John 16:16-23

"But wine is sharp and signifies the holy cross that immediately follows. A Christian need not look for his cross, it is always on his back. For he thinks as St. Paul says, 2 Timothy 3:12: 'All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.' This is the court-color in this kingdom. Whoever is ashamed of the color, does not belong to this king."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, V, p. 30. Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, Luke 10:23-37; 2 Timothy 3:12

"Observe, God and men proceed in contrary ways. Men set on first that which is best, afterward that which is worse. God first gives the cross and affliction, then honor and blessedness. This is because men seek to preserve the old man; on which account they instruct us to keep the Law by works, and offer promises great and sweet...But God first of all terrifies the conscience, sets on miserable wine, in fact nothing but water; then, however, He consoles us with the promises of the Gospel which endure forever."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, II, p. 69. Second Sunday after Epiphany, John 2:1-11.

"Not only is Christ hidden from the world, but a still harder thing is it that in such trials Christ conceals himself even from His church, and acts as if he had forgotten, aye, had entirely forsaken and rejected it,since He permits it to be oppressed under the cross and subjected to all the cruelty of the world, while its enemies boast, glory and rejoice over it, as we shall hear in the next Gospel."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 67. Second Sunday after Easter John 10:11-16.

"Not only is Christ hidden from the world, but a still harder thing is it that in such trials Christ conceals himself even from His church, and acts as if He had forgotten, aye, had entirely forsaken and rejected it,since He permits it to be oppressed under the cross and subjected to all the cruelty of the world, while its enemies boast, glory and rejoice over it, as we shall hear in the next Gospel."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 67. Second Sunday after Easter John 10:11-16.

"If we would be Christians, we must surely expect and count on having the devil, together with all his angels and the world, as our enemies. They all will bring misfortune and sorrow on us For where the Word of God is preached, accepted, or believed, and where it produces fruit, the dear, holy cross cannot be wanting."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 357. Large Catechism

"O Lord, look down from heaven, behold And let Thy pity waken; How few are we within Thy fold, Thy saints by men forsaken! True faith seems quenched on every hand, Men suffer not Thy Word to stand; Dark times have us overtaken. (2) With fraud which they themselves invent Thy truth they have confounded; Their hearts are not with one consent On Thy pure doctrine grounded. While they parade with outward show, They lead the people to and fro, In error's maze astounded. (3) May God root out all heresy And of false teachers rid us Who proudly say: 'Now, where is he That shall our speech forbid us? By right or might we shall prevail; What we determine cannot fail; We own no lord and master. (5) As silver tried by fire is pure From all adulteration So through God's Word shall men endure Each trial and temptation. Its light beams brighter through the cross, And purified from human dross, It shines thru every nation."
The Lutheran Hymnal, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941, Hymn #260. Psalm 12.

"But now, since the prince of this world and the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil, are directly opposed to one another, and the Holy Spirit is not willing that anyone should parade his own deeds and praise himself on account of them, the holy cross must soon follow. The world will not consent to be reprimanded for its blindness. Therefore one must willingly submit and suffer persecution. If we have the right kind of faith in our hearts, we must also open our mouths and confess righteousness and make known sin. Likewise we must condemn and punish the doings of this world and make it known that everything it undertakes, is damned."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p. 120. Fourth Sunday after Easter John 16:5-15.

"The deeper a person is sunk in sadness and emotional upheavals, the better he serves as an instrument of Satan. For our emotions are instruments through which he gets into us and works in us if we do not watch our step. It is easy to water where it is wet. Where the fence is dilapidated, it is easy to get across. So Satan has easy access where there is sadness. Therefore one must pray and associate with godly people."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1243. 1532

"This a true definition of marriage: Marriage is the God-appointed and legitimate union of man and woman in the hope of having children or at least for the purpose of avoiding fornication and sin and living to the glory of God. The ultimate purpose is to obey God, to find aid and counsel against sin; to call upon God; to seek, love, and educate children for the glory of God; to live with one's wife in the fear of God and to bear the cross; but if there are no children, nevertheless to live with one's wife in contentment; and to avoid all lewdness with others."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 884. Genesis 24:1-4.

"This is a true definition of marriage: Marriage is the God-appointed and legitimate union of man and woman in the hope of having children or at least for the purpose of avoiding fornication and sin and living to the glory of God. The ultimate purpose is to obey God, to find aid and counsel against sin; to call upon God; to seek, love, and educate children for the glory of God; to live with one's wife in the fear of God and to bear the cross; but if there are no children, nevertheless to live with one's wife in contentment; and to avoid all lewdness with others."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols. ed. Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 884. Genesis 24:1-4

"Human works and doctrines at all times yield much revenue and carnal gain, while the doctrines of God and the work of Christ bring the cross, poverty, ignominy, and all kinds of calamity, which the holiness of Herod cannot endure. Thus it happens always, that they who have ensnared and oppressed the poor with an erring conscience and with human doctrines, do not like to hear that poor, miserable consciences receive instruction, attain a right understanding, and seek the simple pure Word of God and faith."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, I, p. 376. Epiphany Matthew 2:1-12.

"The apostle says 'our,' 'our sins;' not his own sin, not the sins of unbelievers. Purification is not for, and cannot profit, him who does not believe. Nor did Christ effect the cleansing by our free-will, our reason or power, our works, our contrition or repentance, these all being worthless in the sight of God; he effects it by himself. And how? By taking our sins upon himself on the holy cross, as Isaiah 53:6 tells us."
Sermons of Martin Luther, ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 180. Hebrews 1:1-12; Hebrews 1:3;

"This, mark you, is the peace of the cross, the peace of God, peace of conscience, Christian peace, which gives us even external calm, which makes us satisfied with all men and unwilling to disturb any. Reason cannot understand how there can be pleasure in crosses, and peace in disquietude; it cannot find these. Such peace is the work of God, and none can understand it until it has been experienced."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p. 111. Fourth Sunday in Advent, Philippians 4:7.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Other People's Money":

Pastor Jackson, I disagree with your blog (especially the tone) on many occasions.

However, I am genuinely sorry about your wife's health concerns and I am truly thankful her tests came out well. I'm writing to let you know that, and to add that I am absolutely appalled by the last poster's comment ("will your wife be going in for more testing soon?")....

I assume you have genuine Christian sympathy for Pastor Stolzenburg (Columbus) upon the death of his wife earlier this week. She was a fine Christian lady.

God bless you and your family.

***

GJ - Which wife? Floyd Luther Stolzenburg did not have a Scriptural divorce, as he claimed, a false assertion repeated by WELS pastors. I was genuinely sorry for the trials he imposed on his previous congregations, his first wife, his children, and the marriages he destroyed. One of his conservative associates said, "He betrayed his wife, his children, his congregation, and his conservative friends." He did not leave Missouri voluntarily but was kicked out by his Missiouri District President, who described the reasons for Floyd's defenestration. Jack Preus confirmed the same, but WELS faked innocense.

If his second wife died of cancer, then I am very sorry for that. I knew her from St. Paul's in Germantown. I don't wish disease on anyone. Recently someone hoped for the day when I "finally died," expressing the thought that there would be universal relief. I don't recall any objections posted.

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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Other People's Money":

"The Catholic Church invented meatless Fridays, but Rock and Roll invented Lentless Sundays. If Buddy Holly's birthday falls on Easter this year, it is hard to figure which event will be celebrated."

Uhh...The Lutheran Church has celebrated "Lentless Sundays" for hundreds of years. That is why the 46 days of Lent are only counted as 40.

GJ - As in "Invocabit - The First Sunday in Lent," etc? Mouse is confusing the Easter-y quality of Sunday always being noted, even in Lent. Joe Krohn lamented his Rock and Roll Church not celebrating Lent. I am sure he will elaborate on it in great detail in his defensive blog. Does that mean the Rockers and Lil Rockers will not have to abstain from wearing metal piercings during the Holy Season? I am sure the Holy Father in Rome--or Austin--would be curious.

If you think I am kidding about the Lil Rockers, check out this link. That strikes me as something a shopping mall would do to be cute, but I objected to Bible Babes at another church.

Rock and Roll Mouse, performing in his subdued Lenten livery.


Lil Rockers from Doebler's and Patterson's Rock and Roll Church. Why indulge in satire when all I have to do is print the news?

Kenneth Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "Other People's Money":

"Most of their money comes from faithful church members, who are guilt-tripped into buying Thrivent insurance or die hoping that their money is a Means of Grace."

I laughed so hard at that sentence that I nearly spat my tea across the room! Funny and true! That whole paragraph was masterful.

Ski's Editor Has Been Discovered

Spelling does not count - at the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

Pricey executive assistant:
almost 11pm. been working since 9:30 this morning. calling it a night and leaving my computer in the office - could be rough withdrawl! (sic)
about 9 hours ago from TweetDeck

"How did the Texas cowboy speak?"

"With drawl."

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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Ski's Editor Has Been Discovered":

Greg, I love it when you show the world what a jerk you really are.

***

GJ - No, that's a feature starring the humorless Mouse. I know that a little joke will elicit another cowardly attack from Mouse, hiding in the tall grass, terrified of revealing his secret identity, anxious to indulge in puerile name-calling.

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Today's going to be great. Meeting with Wildwood Film Festival today. Pretty neat opportunity. Mark your calendars April 17 at The CORE
42 minutes ago from TweetDeck
pastorski

***

GJ -

There's a church in the valley leased by Wildwood
No lovelier spot in A-town
No place is so dear to my childhood
As the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

(Oh, come, come, come, come)

Come to the church leased by Wildwood
Oh, come to the church in A-town
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

How sweet on a clear Sabbath morning
To listen to a Rock and Roll band
Its tones so loudly are calling
To the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

(Oh, come, come, come, come)

Come to the church leased by Wildwood
Oh, come to the church in A-town,
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

There, close by the church in old A-town
Lies the doctrine I loved so well
We buried her beside the Willow Creek,
Cause we thought Schwaermer doctrine was swell.

(Oh, come, come, come, come)

Come to the church leased by Wildwood
Oh, come to the church in A-town.
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.

There, close by the side of Craig Groeschel,
Near Driscoll, Stetzer, Stanley, and Sweet,
When they bury the last Lutheran synod,
Church and Change will shout, "That's neat!"

(Oh, come, come, come, come)

Come to the church leased by Wildwood
Oh, come to the church in A-town
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock.


Stop by for the entertainment, coffee, and WiFi.
Stay for the Craig Groeschel sermons.


"I'm Doctrinal Pussycat Englebrecht, and I approved this message."

No Mid-Week Lenten Service Tonight - Update

My wife Chris is in the hospital having some cardio tests. Some have come out normal but we are awaiting others. The schedule is very iffy today, so I will not try to have a service.

Update -

Mrs. Ichabod is home. Her tests were negative (good news) and some additional treatment was provided.

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Anonymouse has left a new comment on your post "Other People's Money":

Easter is safe at Rock and Roll. Holly's BD is September 7th. There's some more crack research for ya....

The world was a better place yesterday. Will your wife be going in for more testing soon?

***

GJ - Mrs. Ichabod is moved by your concern, but no, she is fine and I will be blogging. I wonder, Ichabodians, will Mouse ever catch on to the use of the hyperbole, an exaggeration to make a point?

Plundering or Spoiling the Egyptians

Our pastor uses the term "plunder the Egyptians" a lot. I am not exactly sure what is meant by this, and since he has used it so long I am now embarrassed to ask what he means by the phrase whenever he mentions it.

I think it has something to do with using the secular world to achieve sacred objectives. In this case, using taxpayer money (even though the people sending their kids to WELS schools are usually tax payers) is sort of like plundering the Egyptians.

Back in ancient times when I was in WELS schools, it was a source of pride that WELS did NOT accept public money.

I guess maybe this has changed?
Our WELS teachers would often critically point out that Roman Catholic school children would often have "Vote Yes" stickers on their book bags for various proposals which would allow parochial schools access to public funds.

So I guess we are now supposed to plunder the Egyptians?

On their way out of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites boldly asked the Egyptians for their finest goods (plundering the Egyptians). In other words, they actually had to walk up to the Egyptians and ask them for things.

Ironically, our pastor does not believe in walking the neighborhood and canvassing potential members.

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GJ - The term was used by St. Augustine, but more recently by Larry Crab, one of the favorites of Fuller Seminary. David Valleskey, former president of The Sausage Factory, used the term "spoiling the Egyptians" to say we needed the gold and precious jewels of Fuller Seminary, his alma mater, in WELS.

I pointed out to Valleskey, when he gave the paper, that the Israelites stole the gold and jewels from the Egyptians, not their garbage. He scowled. Later he claimed I never talked to him about his essay.

So I imagine the pastor is simply echoing Valleskey. One of the ELS professors gave his Amen Halleluia chorus paper on Church Growth by quoting Valleskey quoting Crab. Nothing is new or original in the Church Growth Movement. Even Craig Groeschel admits cobbing from Andy Stanley, and everyone cool borrows heavily from both of them.

Valleskey's essay would been more accurate if it had been titled "Figs From Thistles," but that was what I called my response to his false doctrine.

Hope FloatsOn Big Foundation/Thrivent Bucks

Journal Online

Hope Christian Schools building $3.27 million K-8 school

By Alan J. Borsuk of the Journal Sentinel

HOPE Christian Schools, a network of three north side schools known for structured and demanding programs, is taking a big step forward with construction of a $3.27 million building.

The new building, at 3601 N. Port Washington Ave., will allow the HOPE Middle School to be restructured as a kindergarten through eighth-grade program. The school is now located in the Holton Youth Center at 510 E. Burleigh St.

HOPE is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and also includes a K-8 school at 2345 N. 25th St. and a high school at 3215 N. King Drive. Together, the schools have more than 500 students, almost all of them participants in Wisconsin's private school voucher program.

HOPE leaders said they aim to open in September in the new building, offering 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten and first and second grades along with middle school grades. The middle school currently has about 70 students. Plans call for the new school to have about 250 students in all grades within five years.

The two-story building under construction now will primarily consist of classrooms. Fund raising is under way for a $2.5 million second stage of construction that would add a gym, library, cafeteria and additional classrooms.

"With the support of our local and national partners, we will put thousands of children on the path to college and contribute to efforts to help Milwaukee build and maintain a viable work force," Andrew Neumann, president of the HOPE network, said in a statement.

Money for the first stage of the new building came from donors, including the Siebert Lutheran Foundation, the Elizabeth A. Brinn Foundation and PAVE, an organization that has helped schools, primarily in the voucher program, for more than 15 years. The effort also received a $1 million low-interest loan from an organization known as the Illinois Facilities Fund.

Among other major supporters of HOPE in recent years is Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its foundation.

The new building is being designed not only to be energy efficient - with some solar and geothermal power features - but to have those systems exposed and easily viewable so students can learn from them.

The HOPE network began in 2002 with about 50 students in the facility on N. 25th St.

The schools require students to wear uniforms, have strict codes of behavior and generally use educational materials that emphasize building skills. There is also a strong emphasis on Christian content during the school day.

In addition to its obvious meaning, HOPE is an acronym for Hold Onto the Promises Everywhere. "The promises" include fulfillment of religious as well as academic aspirations.

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Hope Schools

HOPE opened its doors in 2002 with one school and nearly 50 students. Today, HOPE operates three schools in Milwaukee’s central city – an elementary school (K5-8), a middle school (5-8) and a high school, serving close to 500 students and their families.

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GJ - The voucher program allows the government to control "private schools."

Resignation of Bruce Becker, WELS Perish Services

Bruce Becker, former head of Perish Services,
board member of Church and Chicanery.

Conference 09
Nov 5th - 7th
Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center

C&C events are a great place to network with people who have similar ministries, situations and problems. Come, learn and benefit from everyone's experience!


More information is coming soon! [March 2nd - Still no world on Stetzer as the speaker]

WELS Call List:

Resigned call

Becker, Rev Bruce H Board for Parish Ser - Milwaukee WI 03/15/2009

But re-signed at Time of Grace.


Mark Jeske had two employees on the board of Church and Chicanery, but lobbed Ski to A-Town. Now he has two employees on the board again.

"1,000 hits on our website, but where are they now?"

Over 1,000 hits on our website just last week! Thanks to everyone who made that possible. We are on the google map.
about 4 hours ago from TweetDeck
[GJ - Ichabod made it possible, but Ski refuses to be my friend on Facebook. Is that reaching out?]

From the pricey executive assistant:

looking back through "unChrisrtian" (sic) and this made me stop & think: "we have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for"
about 7 hours ago from TweetDeck.

@thompsonworld yeah, pretty sad isn't it? but what are we doing to fix it? God's Word is powerful but we sure do a lot to keep ppl from it
about 17 hours ago from Tweetie in reply to thompsonworld [GJ - Rejecting the efficacy of God's Word is one of the best ways to keep people from it.]

***

GJ - Church and Change was begun to oppose the Confessions, good spelling and grammar. Bailing Water comment: "Oh, and before anyone accuses me of slander for calling Becker a heretic, please remember that he just initiated a study to find find out what 'besides the Means of Grace' causes congregations to grow. That's heresy."

All Four Hoenecke Volumes Are Now in Print

Evangelical Lutheran Dogmatics
Volumes 1 & 2

by Adolf Hoenecke (1835-1908)

15N0745, 15N0736, 15N0749 (Four Volume Set)

What is it?

• originally written in German, they are two volumes in a collection of four that sets forth the doctrines of Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions in a thesis and antithesis format. They are the third and fourth volumes to be translated and published in English.

About the author

• served as the president of the Wisconsin Synod's seminary during its early years.
• the foremost theologian of the early Wisconsin Synod.
• one of America's foremost confessional Lutheran dogmaticians.
Features/Benefits

• published posthumously by his sons in 1909 and 1912, these volumes first served as important
dogmatics produced by German Lutherans in America.
• Hoenecke quotes from the Lutheran Confessions and the dogmaticians of the 17th century, but his conclusions rest firmly on Scripture. For this reason, his position is still valid today.
• Volume 1 studies the nature, development, and task of prolegomena. Topics addressed in prolegomena include Religion, Theology, Dogmatics (including the history of Lutheran dogmatics), Sacred Scripture as the source and basis of religion, theology, and dogmatics (inspiration, properties of Scripture, canon, articles of faith, symbolical books).
• Volume 2 studies Dogmatics proper 1) Theology in the narrow sense including: the knowledge of God, the existence of God, the essence and attributes of God, the trinity of God, the works of God: creation and providence, the angels 2) Anthropology - in general, the original state of mankind, the state of corruption (sin, guilt, needed punishment, the fall, original sin, hardening, temporal death, free will).
• stand alongside Francis Pieper's Christian Dogmatics as one of the best Lutheran dogmatics produced.
• has served as an important touchstone for the teaching of systematic theology at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin.
• available in Four Volume Set of Evangelical Dogmatics, by Adolf Hoenecke (15N0749).
Specifications

• 6” x 9”. Hardcover. 577 pages, and 513 pages.
• includes an index, subjects, Scripture passages, footnotes, and a works cited.
Other related NPH Products

• Evangelical Lutheran Dogmatics, Volume 3 (15N0698) by Adolf Hoenecke
• Evangelical Lutheran Dogmatics, Volume 4 (15N0626) by Adolf Hoenecke

Corky Koeplin's Paper, 1992 - Ipsissima Verba

REFLECTIONS, CONCERNS, AND QUESTIONS
ABOUT OUR BELOVED WELS – 1992

Why is it that after a fairly long life, thirty-nine years of which have been spent in the public ministry of our dear synod, three questions, somewhat similar in content, persistently come to mind?
1. “WELS, oh WELS, wherefore art thou my WELS?”
2. The song title: “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
3. “Oh foolish, WELS, who hath bewitched you?”

Why on earth do I feel at times like a traumatized lover, a Blue’s singer and an ancient Galatian? What is the cause, or are the causes, for a soul’s deep distress? Perhaps it isn’t at all strange to find comfort in the fact that I am not alone in my anxiety and concern. Multiple scores of brothers throughout the length and breadth of synod, covering the spectrum of ages and types of pastoral services, share all or most of these distressing concerns. These are good men; tried, true blue and tested in the crucible of devoted service to Christ and the synod. Some few are honored “em’s”; some seminary professors; some full-time or part-time synod or district administrators. The vast majority are evangelical parish pastors whose work and lives center squarely on the proclamation of the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They abhor legalism, eschew extremism, while craving balance and moderation in judgment. If someone insists on a label, try: “Progressive-Conservative.”

At the risk of missing a few key points, -- a “P-C” is:
A. pleased to be rooted in the Scriptural and the Lutheran Confessions and yet is not afraid to “try something new or different”;
B. in love with the King James version but uses a more modern English translation in both pulpit and readings;
C. happy to be Christian, Lutheran and WELS;
D. virtually a workaholic, but knows full well that whatever good results are strictly due to the gracious work of the Spirit and whatever “bad” results are due to human inadequacies, his;
E. not afraid to launch out into deep “at Thy word,” but prays fervently for an extra measure of uncommon sanctified sense so that the “new” does not get in the way of the Spirit’s work;
F. not hankering for, longing for, or pining after a return to the “good old days.” But, while recognizing that change and new are inevitable, wants to be certain that the changes are rooted in our WELS heritage and not because of some outside and strange shepherd-teacher or ecclesiastical heritage;
G. quick to recognize and say that non-WELS folk may indeed have some good ideas and sound methods which we may “sanitize,” adapt and adopt, but only if the terminology employed has not been co-opted by the heterodox so as to confuse the faithful rather than edify them.



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In short, these dear brothers are not fanatical “headhunters” nor do they subscribe in any form or fashion to some sort of a “conspiracy theory “that” someone” or “some group” is quietly and persistently trying to drag the WELS to “the left” into the 21st century. However, rejecting that nonsense does not still the anxious hearts either. What is it, rather than who is it, that “troubleth Israel/WELS”? Our concerns can perhaps be summed up into six major categories to whit:
1. A Synodical Drift.
2. The “Business” of the Church Supplanting the Work of the Church.
3. An Unhealthy Inroad of “Church Growth.”
4. A Top Heavy Administration.
5. A Denigration of the Holy Ministry.
6. A Dismantling of the Worker Training System.

Before we look at these items individually, one or two things should be said at the outset. We freely grant that many, if not most of the items listed fall into the category of “feelings,” “impressions,” “observations” and/or “perceptions.” All of the assertions can be flatly denied. But deniability does not obviate reality even if the reality may indeed be somewhat nebulous. Even as we are free to say that Christian brothers of good heart and intent will not and do not agree with our assessments, so also do we ask that the same characterizations be granted to those who respectfully disagree with the assumption that “all is well in the WELS.” Give us the courtesy of a brotherly and thoughtful hearing when we say, “there is – something – an ecclesiastical bug – if you will, that is threatening and attacking the body of corporate WELS and let’s get it now before we wind up in an intensive care ward. No, WELS is not “sick unto death!” By the same token, please grant that “Mother WELS” has more than a simple case of the sniffles.

1. “A SYNODICAL DRIFT”

Yea verily, this concern is perhaps the hardest one to quantify and the most difficult to articulate. Granted, it is a feeling, a perception. But it is also, in our judgment, real enough to be felt and perceived by a rising number of synodical historians, insiders, outsiders and watchers. Again, in our judgment, our beloved WELS is adrift in a sea of indecision. It does not seem to know where it’s going nor how to get there. It seems to lack a unifying focus as it once had in the years immediately following the breakup of the Synodical Conference. It was a mission church on fire for Christ, and from the humble parish pastor in Pumpkin Junction to the high echelon of leadership –‘ most every pastor zeroed in on getting the gospel of Jesus out to a dying and needy world. Say what you will, that driving passion is not present today. Instead we find rising numbers of parish pastors who, to an ever increasing degree, have pronounced a pox on the mail people who deliver rafts of directives, injunctions, appeals, updates (as opposed



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to down dates), and notices of workshops, seminars and skill sharpening sessions all streaming forth Niagara-like from “2929.” They’ve simply “withdrawn”; will do only those synodical “things” that they absolutely “have to,” – but without enthusiasm. Far too many of the foot soldiers of Jesus have said by their lack of gung ho response: “Hey, ‘synod,’ bug off! I’ll work my heart out and my head off in my local vineyard; just leave me alone! You solicit my support, but only if support begins and ends with $$$$ and evermore of them. My advice and counsel is not sought, and if by chance an honest question is raised, it is brushed aside as either being “false” or one raised out of ignorance in not seeing ‘the big picture.’ Hey, O.K. if I’m too ill-informed to get it, go fetch it without me. I pass.” Now apparently “someone” in 2929 may have sensed something of this because “Mission Vision 2,000+” appeared and was adopted with great fanfare at a reasonably recent synod convention. It paints pictures. It sets goals. It lays out plans. It has objectives. It contains numbers for every division, sub-division and unit of synod. It also, unfortunately and factually, falls far short of being the unifying force and rallying point that perhaps it was intended to be. The document is seriously, if not fatally flawed.

You cannot take a document born out of “dreams” (“If there were neither restraints of men and money, where/what would like to see our synod be, go and do next year, three years, five years, ten years from now? Dare to dream a little and let not your dreams be small.”) and then when reality and expectation do not come together, draw the conclusion that somehow we are “failing” as a synod because MV 2000+ says so!

While it is most certainly true that we are confident that not one of our pastoral brothers, synod-wide, does not freely confess from the heart that “the Spirit works;when and where He wills, and is solely responsible for the increase,” nonetheless, numbers, statistics, percentages, growth patterns (or lack thereof), and the ubiquitous bottom-line have SEEMINGLY been cited with alarming regularity. Numbers (not the biblical book), have SEEMINGLY achieved an unhealthy status in our circles.

One of the by-products of the bottom-line fetish has been that many of our parish pastoral brothers have been given yet another ticket for an unwanted, unnecessary, unasked for and unappreciated guilt trip. These distressed brothers have in turn adopted a defensive mode which has also resulted in a rising confrontational stance, “2929” versus “us.”

It is inevitable that this question arises: “Who Is Running the Synod?” We speak not concerning those matters where the Word has clearly spoken, but rather, “Who Is In Charge? Who Sets the Direction? Who Points the Direction Where We Should Be Going and What and How We Should Be Doing It?”



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Is it: a) the General President and the Praesidium?
b) the Coordinating Council?
c) the Board of Trustees?
d) the Conference of Presidents?
e) the Synod in Convention?
f) all of the above?
g) none the above?
h) a combination of the above?

At the present there seems to be a large amount of confusion as to who is supposed to do what. Are we run by a Board of Directors, titled in the WELS, the Coordinating Council? Are we run by the Board of Trustees? Is it a shared responsibility between these two boards?

Constitutionally the lines are clear. But in fact, the reality is a whole lot less clearly defined which has resulted in “The Drift.” How do the district presidents, full-time pastors, and part-time administrators fit into this equation? Again, constitutionally they seem to be restricted to “spiritual matters.” They seem to have little or no voice in practical policy and programs of synod. Is this wise? Is this truly in the best interest of the synodiacal “good and welfare?” The upshot of all this is that there is no clear, insistent clarion call to united action. The trumpet seems to be muted and that, to us, is distressing.


2. THE “BUSINESS” OF THE CHURCH SUPPLANTING
THE “WORK” OF THE CHRUCH
The second concern is like unto the first. Indeed, it is related. Since the mid-eighties it seems that more and more (all) of our WELS – work has fallen under a financial microscope. This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand , none of us are that obtuse not to recognize that money, offerings, the synod dollar, the financial resources the Lord places into our hand; call it what you will, is the “mother’s milk to church work.” Missionaries, professors, et al. need to be salaried/supported. Utilities, vendors of all sorts and description need to be satisfied with legal tender. Secondly, who will argue with good stewardship? Properly understood, the terms, like unto “careful money management,” “maximum results,” “accountability,” – even “more bang for the buck” take on an almost benign air. On the other hand, we do take some umbrage over money calling the shots; decisions which are financially driven; the financial tail wagging the mission dog. Now



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lest some feel that the terminology is both too judgmental or pejorative, kindly permit a brief demonstration to illustrate their aptness. I shall cite but four programs which started out on a pious and devoted “wish list,” captured the heart, interest and imagination of a God-fearing, Christ-believing Christian and are now up and running as part of a synodical budgetary program:
a) Brazil;
b) Taiwan #4;
c) Germany/Eastern Europe (Two year, two men to assist our brothers who formerly were in East Germany;
d) the seminary graduate to the CIR (Russia)

Now understand, NONE of these programs are bad, bad, bad,! On the contrary, they are good! We rejoice, thank and praise a gracious God that He moved the hearts of monetarily blessed Christians to see a special need and have the wherewithal to make something good happen. But that is not the point. These four world mission illustrations hopefully serve to demonstrate that in all innocence and honesty a pliosophical/theological inversion has occurred. We seemingly have gone from, “There’s the Lord’s work, let’s find the money to do it”; to: “There’s the Lord’s work, let’s check our bottom-line to see how much of it we can do.” There is a vast difference, not at all subtle, between the two approaches to “the Lord’s Work.” We know that the WELS cannot do it all. We know that our inability to do it all should not, must not, prevent us from doing all that we can. We know that it takes “someone” to exercise leadership and that “someone” must exercise “value judgments.”

What seems to be missing in these value judgments is the Faith Factor, an unquantifiable attitude of heart and mid-set. It will appear in no computer spread sheet. One cannot attach a number to it on an accountant’s ledger. But, in the Lord’s work, in the “business” of the church, it must be taken into account as “bottom-lines” are scrutinized and evaluated! Parish pastors, hopefully all pastors, know whereof we speak. In a congregation, when the pastor(s) and perhaps key leadership are convinced that a new project which will cost money is in the best interest of: the good and welfare of the kingdom; is the product of prayer, planning and analysis; is both the work and will of God, --but does not have the full cost of the project firmly in hand- four phrases will be sounded by someone in the voters’ assembly just as sure as crabgrass grows bigger and quicker than good lawn seed:
a) “we’ve got to be practical”;
b) “we’ve got to be realistic”;
c) “ we can’t afford it”;
d) “we’ve got to count the cost before we go into battle.”





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Confidently looking for and expecting the blessing of God is NOT “practical” nor “realistic.” It’s the faith factor! “Can’t afford it” is a matter of sanctified Christian judgment while, surely, it is a RARE WELS pastoral bird who ignores the biblical injunction concerning “cost counting.”

We are not aware of a single WELS parish that does NOT have a budget. Similarly there isn’t one around that constructs its budget on its bank or checkbook balance. Likewise the parish does not exist that first takes commitments and then, on the basis of what the commitment total is, - construct the budge. Neither does our synod. Congregations and the synod take into account those who are unwilling to commit/“pledge” (but have, will, and do bring gifts), incidental offerings, special gifts, wills, bequests, and the Faith Factor. We recognize our responsibility; we accept it; we set about, under God to do it.

Our God does, in a very real sense, ask us to “crawl out on a limb.” He, on the other hand, promises not to saw it off behind us. It seems too many of us that we today, in our synod, have business expertise, business, acumen, business efficiency, and business techniques. We also seem to have in abundance, practical thinkers who deal in realism and are great in cost counting and accounting. What seems to be in short supply is a mind-set, that risks, dares, and is sure that the faith factor is not dreamy idealism. Has the time come to find the answer to the questions: “Is the Lord’s business (WELS) business – a business?” “Is the Lord’s business the same as any other large multi-national corporation?” “Can we apply the same business principles which are good, tried and true on the “outside” to the WELS?”

Maybe all of the horror stories of the 30’s, those terrible times when our synod was in deep financial trouble, when professors and what few home missionaries we had waited for “short” checks, -- maybe we still bear the deep psychological scars which that near bankrupt condition placed upon our WELS soul. But we now ask, one-half a century later, and just that much closer to The Day, have we become not just “fiscally conservative,” but a timid and frightened synod, who if we can’t see it on our bottom- lines, if we can’t put our finger into the black and white numbers, -- we will not believe in a nebulous “faith factor”. What we respectfully ask is that the questions be addressed via a study of Scripture and perhaps settle the unsettling perception that we’ve somehow reversed how we carry out the Lord’s work, the business of the WELS.


3. “AN UNHEALTHY INFLUENCE OF CHURCH GROWTH”

It is precisely in the area of this concern that our “nervous needle” jumps off the


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meter. What on earth is happening in our WELS? Some seem to be “talking funny” and regional accents have nothing to do with it. Our once common theological language is undergoing a metamorphosis so that either we yearn for parenthetical explanation or a translator or both, to explain what is meant when these foreign-to-WELS-words are used. What manner of language is being used? For want of a better descriptive term, we’ll call it: “CG-speak.” Kindly permit a few examples:
a) Apparently we are not to shepherd God’s flock any longer, we are to “minister” to them.
b) Apparently it’s somewhat passé to teach our people “whatsoever I have commanded you,” we “disciple” them.
c) Instead of “leading people into the pleasant pastures of the word and giving them to drink of the Living Water,” we now are to “nurture” them.
d) People are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The biblical quote is less seen than the words “discipling” and “nurturing.”
e) Although we’ve been “saved to serve,” now we should think of a variety of “ministries,” such as “the ministry of leaf raking,” “the ministry of snow shoveling” and “the ministry of greeting.” Not to be overlooked is the wonderful fun ministry, “the ministry of valet parking.!”
f) Care should be taken that our services, in addition to being the usual edifying, should also be “user friendly.” Additional care should be taken to avoid the name, Lutheran, since it is “well known”(?) that the name, Lutheran is a “turnoff” (in sharp contrast to being “turned on” by “entertainment evangelism” and that marvelous “user friendly” service).

At this point, before proceeding, it perhaps would be wise to comment briefly on the Church Growth Movement itself before proceeding to “CG-speak.” We acknowledge that not everything is rotten about CGM. There are some few so-called “common sense” things (a misnomer), that many have done or are doing as an automatic. For example, is there a WELS pastor around who does not emphasize that the congregation’s ushers should look neat, clean, tidy and well dressed, as well as giving off an aura of friendly welcome as they distribute the worship folders of the day? What disturbs us is the origin, the authorship and the theological heritage of CGM. Although it is used by lawyers, to some of us the “poison fruit” terminology with reference to bodies of evidence, seems to not be fit, but apply in the case of CGM. Luther identified it as “the other of different spirit” at Marburg. He did not classify his opponent as a non-Christian antagonist; but Ulrich badly needed a theological attitude adjustment. The upshot of this is that WELS Lutherans do not leave




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“Wittenberg” and take excursions into “Geneva” to see what “good things” we can pick up, use and ingest. We feel that the warning label, “Poison Fruit,” should be printed in bold type and affixed to all things having to do with the CGM. We are aware that some may indeed say that first of all we are “too extreme” and secondly our COP has looked into it, commissioned our seminary to examine and dissect it and that our official WELS position is that the CGM is “wanting,” to say the least. We would simply counter by contending that a defense of our theological heritage is hardly “extremism” and that in our honorable effort to be “balanced” in our critique we MAY have given a measure of credibility of the CGM by “damning it faintly.”

Two other items need to be touched on at this point in time:
1) Why have some felt the need to use “CG-speak” in a variety of communications one to the other? Is it wise, is it in the best interests of the WELS to use terms and phrases which unfortunately have been co-opted by the heterodox, Reformed, Evangelicals and suchlike?
To illustrate: It may be biblically correct (there’s nothing “wrong” with the phrase), to refer to Mary, the mother of our Lord, as “The Blessed Virgin Mother.” But brothers, who in the WELS speaks like that? The term, like “catholic,” has been co-opted by the Romanists! These are “good” words; a good title, but it simply is neither wise nor expedient to use them. So also with “CG-speak.” Uncommon sanctified sense would seem to indicate that we avoid, discontinue use of, or at the very least, be extremely judicious in the sparing use of co-opted terms and phrases.
2) Are we way off the mark when we express concern over our WELS brothers taking in seminars, workshops, etc. etc. sponsored by and featuring CG speakers? What do we hope to learn from teachers who are not of our theological persuasion? Verily, we do turn out mature men of discernment from our seminary. But it’s hard to erase the biblical picture of the Apostle Peter, who only wanted to warm himself by the fire, and see what he could see and perhaps learn about the fate of his Lord. Although there wasn’t a fire-blister apparent on Peter, who will argue that “he got burned!” Is it “absurd” to think that maybe; just maybe, that if we persist in warming ourselves by the fires of false teachers in an effort to rid ourselves of the cutesy but terribly unfair label of “The Frozen Chosen”, a whole host of good WELS-folk are going to be badly burned and blistered?
Perhaps this section can be concluded by the one final set of not-so-nice questions.
a) However inadvertently and with the purest of intentions, have some subconsciously fallen victim to “a number fixation?” “Why can’t we of the WELS, who have the truth, grow, go and share?” “There’s got to be something wrong somewhere! We’re not doing something right! We’re not


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growing as we should or could!” It’s vexing to see the Elmbrooks and the Willow Creeks, almost in our backyards with their thousands per Sunday,- While we sit there with our couple hundred thousand WORLD WIDE!
b) Is it barely possible; Is it even worth a long second look; Is it unseemly even to ask the question;- that there has been a subtle shift from a “Theology of The Cross” (its proclamation) to a “Theology of Glory” (“results”)??? In the end, we feel strongly that the nose of the “CG camel” has stuck itself into our WELS tent and before that ungainly beast succeeds in making further inroads which may indeed destroy our heritage- habitat, we call for a theological whacking across the snout of the strange animal with a large 2x4 so that the CGM gets an unmistakable message: “CGM is neither welcomed, wanted or needed in the WELS!”


5. A TOP HEAVY ADMINISTRATION

Here we address the concern of not only the explosion of the number of people employed/called to “2929” but also what we sense as a shift in mind-set.
1. In 1985 when our synod reorganized itself organizationally, we added ca. 1 million dollars to our administrative costs.
2. We readily recognize that we must have a certain amount of administrative personnel to manage and coordinate a relatively complex entity called “the synod.”
3. Since the 1991 convention called for the formation for a CPR (Committee on Program Review), we will not address the concern of too many full time people producing too much of “a good things.”
4. Rather, we ask respectfully, are our administrative people resource people, people who serve the body of synod, or are they people who lead, formulate and set both policy and programs for the WELS?

In all candor, the reason for this last question is the unmistakable feeling/perception that we of the WELS are now working from the top down, that decisions are made and announced from headquarters to the trench. For those who would vigorously decent (sic) from that assessment, we would submit in meekness the following: Olympia Village, Oconomowoc. A few years ago everyone and anyone who had anything at all to do with synodical administration and/or budget planning was summoned to Olympia Village where it was announced that from henceforth, “Decision Package Budgeting” was in. “Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are new!” No one asked the troops. The new marching orders were given, period. We had the option-presumably, to love it or hate it. It really made no difference. THIS IS THE WAY IT SHALL BE DONE! All descended from Olympia with instruction sheets and manuals firmly in hand.



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Oconomowoc was not an administrative and therefore an internal matter. It was a precursor of things to come and with ever greater frequency. One not so little illustration: If “someone” has “nominated” members of our parish, (identified those who have been thought of being blessed with golden heels), they will be solicited by a LHTC worker for a special gift-with or without (obviously, preferably with), the parish pastor’s blessing. This has caused perceptive lay people to ask, along with aggrieved pastors, “Has synod abandoned its traditional raising of funds THROUGH the congregations or does it now try to raise its funds through a “heavy hitter’s list” nationwide? This is merely another symptom of not running a synod by consensus but by decree. From the bottom up may indeed be not only idealistic, impossible and totally impractical, but could someone please be more conscious leading by the velvet cords of love rather than a pronouncement? This leads us to yet another nettlesome concern: “pastor bashing.” We hastily acknowledge that we are aware of the fact that this is NOT an all pervasive, common or every day occurrence. But even if it happens on occasion with some degree of regularity, it bothers and disturbs our community. Phrases such as: “If only the pastors out there would...,” “There are some pastoral pockets of resistance out there which...” -should be purged from all speech and hearts. It does not bode well for the church to have synodical administration and pastors fall into a confrontational posture. Let’s unite to fight sin and Satan and not each other!


6. A DENIGRATION OF THE HOLY MINISTRY

Here we speak of EFFECT, not cause. Somewhere, somehow, we recently have seen the rise of the use of the use of words, “ministry” and “ministries.” We are now seemingly awash in a variety of ministers ministering to segments and/or special interest groups of God’s people via a plethora of ministries. You name it; we’ve got it-“just like the Big Boys” of the church world. Who says that WELS isn’t a “full service church,” (and that phrase could use some catechtical examination), we minister to every age group, sex marital status, and special interest under the sun. And well we should! But haven’t we in the past? Have we failed so miserably in olden days so as to call for a total revamping and remaking of our WELS corps of pastors? Yes, a case could well be made for the use of the words minister, ministry and ministries. But as we plunge forward in our enthusiasm for the training of, placement and use of a variety of staff ministers, could we ask whatever happened to THE ministry? Is it just one of scores? Less than a generation ago if the answer to the question were given, “Well, I’m the minister of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church,” most, if not all, rational people



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would know what I am and do! Want to try that today? Would not a more likely response to your humble question be, “Yes, that’s nice, but what do you do??” We feel that there is a swiftly approaching case of wholesale confusion “out there” while at the same time, there is,-albeit unconscious, a denigration of the Holy Ministry and its ministers. The ministry is being demeaned by the excessive use of the term to denote various service activities in the Church. Could we ask for a study of Scripture concerning these terms, titles and activities? Let’s review the Greek again and attempt to underscore what the Spirit meant to tell us when he used different words to describe differing aspects of serving in and service to the body of Christ?


7. A DISMANTLING OF OUR WORKER TRAINING SYSTEM

Indeed, we grant that some may vigorously take exception to the term, “dismantling.” But with all due deference and with a brief apology to the person who first coined the hoary phrase: “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, squawks like a duck-it ain’t a horse!” There were four. But then, the numbers weren’t right; “too much money for too few church worker candidates.” Tearfully, we closed Mobridge. And then there were three. “MLPS is too expensive! We’ve got too much plant for not enough students. A million plus extra is going into that school each year we run it. Let’s close it.” And soon there are to be two. But this triggers multiple moves. Move MLPS; merge it into NPS and bring forth one new prep school with a new name and say goodbye to an over 100 year old school. Move NWC to DMLC and merge it so that we have two schools, on terminal and one preparatory on the same campus.

Take a unique crown jewel out of our educational system, the only single purpose, single focus college in the U.S. if not the world and put the two student bodies on the same campus while building lasting friendships as future co-workers. Truly, we understand that closing a campus is not the same as getting out of the college training program for pastoral candidates altogether.

But please understand us when we say that it looks like a radical departure from the tried, true and traditional. It even looks like-forgive us- a piecemeal dismantling of our worker training system. Right here is the place where each of these concerns of our seem to be linked. One of the major reasons MLPS is getting its feet put to the fire is because is IS too much plant for too few students and it does cost a bundle. But, would the question have come


- 12 -
up if we would have had a constant set of significant percentage increases of the synodical portion of our congregations offering in the last ten years? Well, why isn’t the money rolling into “2929?” Could it possibly be because of a growing disaffection for the way things are or are not done; the way decisions roll down from the heights of Mayfair Road; the frustration pastors feel over not being able to implement every new program and project streaming forth out of headquarters; the inability of the pastors to deal with the guilt trips they’ve been given the feeling of pastors that we are ill trained and ill equipped to effectively serve Christ in a ministry that has passed us by?

Some closing thoughts about our worker training system and its current trauma.
1. In view of the wide variety of reaction to the special study committee’s report and recommendations to the districts, we feel that very few MAJOR decisions of long-range consequence be sought of the 1993 synod convention. There simply are too many unanswered questions and we are too far removed from a consensus agreement by an overwhelming majority to make moves which radically alter our workers training system for the next century.
2. We also feel that a substantial number of pastors, while recognizing that MLPS has performed well and admirably under some very difficult circumstances, may have come to also recognize that it is too large of a facility for too few students.
3. In light of the foregoing we would respectively ask that more study be given to alternatives such as proposed by at least one of our districts; sell the campus at “PDC”; move the school, so to speak, and merge it into ALA (thus fulfilling the fondest dreams of the founders of “The Academy”); but leave the colleges substantially untouched.

In conclusion, this isn’t the last word about “concerns,” it’s just the latest. We have tried to be moderate and evangelical in our judgments and statements. Where we’ve failed and some one of our brothers has been inadvertently and unintentionally wounded, please, please forgive. We’ve made every effort to be impersonal; it’s brothers talking shop; nothing more or less. Yes, obviously, there are a number of critical areas of concern and disagreement Therefore we earnestly pray that God will give us both direction and answers so that we can indeed walk forward together in Christ.

Celebrating His Pentecost Promise
Pastor Kurt F. Koeplin
Milwaukee, WI
August, 1992

Hoenecke Dogmatics Finished - And On Sale - Ten Months Before the Second Coming

Until the end of March, all the individual volumes will actually be on sale at 25% off rather than the normal 20% professional discounts--pastors won't be able to get 25% + 20%, but at least it's something!

Adolph Hoenecke (1835-1908) is one of America's foremost Lutheran dogmaticians. His examination of doctrine and practice always begins in Scripture. This is an English translation from the author's original language of German. The subject of Volume 4 continues with soteriology--the doctrine of salvation. It looks into the means by which salvation is made one's own--by the Word of God and the sacraments. It also explains the community of saved, that is, the church in general, and then the threefold difference among the members of the church. Also covered are the last things, explanations of the completion of salvation with the state after death, resurrection, final judgment, eternal damnation, and eternal life. Included in this volume are an outline for all four volumes, indexes, and a useful translator's forward by Joel D. Fredrich. Hardcover. Size, 6 x 9 inches. 412 pages. Published 1999.

Catalog Item Number: OL-150626

Regular Price: $40.50

Discounted Price: $30.38

Be sure to go to NPH.net rather than NPH.com (Nazarene Publishing House).

Here is the NPH link to one Hoenecke volume.

Hoenecke studied under Tholuck (a Pietistic Universalist) at Halle University. Hoenecke on General Justification is an interesting piece of the UOJ puzzle.

Remixed Video - Worth Watching

From the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock:The Glass-Bottomed Boat Spawned by Church and Change

may not be able to see it, but big things, great forward progress happened at The CORE this weekend. God continues to be glorified.
about 9 hours ago from TweetDeck

dreadful saturday afternoon - working with numbers again....makes my brain hurt!
11:26 AM Feb 28th from TweetDeck

***

GJ - The CORE in Appleton is run by a board member of Church and Change, Pastor Ski.

Everything The CORE does, including dropping "Lutheran" and "church", is from the Church and Change playbook, plagiarized from Fuller, Willow Creek, Andy Stanely, Craig Groeschel, Leonard Sweet, Ed Stetzer, and Werning/Hunter. Many of them plagiarize one another, so it is difficult to find the original author, apart from Old Scratch* himself. Nothing is from the Scriptures or the Book of Concord.

So if you read the material provided by Ski, you will see the content of the Parish Assistance program of WELS. That is why the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock is the glass-bottomed boat. Everyone gets to see what is really going on - the cutting edge of WELS, as they like to say. Another belch from Fuller, Trinity, and Willow Creek, as I like to say.

Reverent – pointing people to Jesus.

Relevant – meeting people where they’re at.

Relational – helping build relationships.

That is both the mission vision of one WELS church and the philosophy of The CORE. What a coincidence.

The WELS parish experts promote women ministers and rock music. What does The CORE offer? More of the same. The WELS parish experts absorb huge fees for providing what anyone can get from the Net for free. The CORE is duplicating, at an enormous cost, what several other Emergent Churches are already doing in A-Town.

*Be sure to study the http://www.churchfromscratch.net/. Oh, that is another Church and Change experiment, supported and defended by VP Patterson, funded in part by a foundation grant.

An Experiment:Pay As You Go

Your Parish Consultant will charge your church thousands of dollars for plans to make them sink beneath a load of debt.
Meanwhile, a woman minister will be installed, as an experiment.

Their version.

I realize that reminding people of an old concept will create immediate resistance. Trained by Church Growth experts for decades, I know that using the word experiment will accomplish the same thing.

The experiment is very simple:

1. Make do.
2. Do without.
3. Pay cash.

Overpaid consultants tell gullible congregational leaders that they will thrive if they spend a small fortune on a new building. Magic is the art of misdirecting the eyes. If they get busy spending millions on a parish hall, they will stop thinking about faithfulness to the Scriptures and the efficacy of the Means of Grace.

Parish Consultants study the local congregation in great detail and always come up with the same answers:

1. Contemporary music.
2. Women ministers.
3. Taj Mahal building plans.

They even have boiler-plate pages in their reports, which are funny and revealing, such as "when the bells stop ringing for the service..." That is a hoot when published for a WEF.

The Experiment
This costs next to nothing, so it will not be popular with those who live from grants, subsidies, and synodical life-support.

A. Rely on the historic, liturgical service, which glorifies God rather than the personality of the minister.
B. Teach the next generation to love the music and the content of the great hymns of the Christian faith.
C. Study the Word and the Confessions with material generated by the pastor rather than outsiders. This ensures that he will be renewed in his studies while providing an example for all the men in the congregation - to be spiritual leaders in their homes.
D. Limit pastoral duties to preaching, teaching, and visitation. Social activies should be managed by the laity. If they cannot generate interest - good - because social activities are not the mission of the true Church.

We had some building plans once, at another church. The members did not want to give up their 6% mortgage, so they decided to build for cash. Nothing was built until the cash was in the account. First we had a shell with windows. No money - no lights. We did not do electrical until the cash was raised, so classes were held in the debris, near the windows. Lights and electrical cost a lot, but we did without for a period of time. Once we had them installed, we waited to pay for the carpeting. The end result was a small addition which cost half the square foot amount estimated by an expert. And there was no debt load.

Robert Schuller was the founder of Church Growth and he crowed about his building plans, but nothing more has been added to his Crystal Cathedral in decades. In fact, his empire is shrinking fast. He fired his son from the airwaves, and his son quit the congregation as its pastor. Likewise, many other mega-churches have proved to be One Hit Wonders, unable to outlast their founders. Some of the worst foreclosures are coming due now - on congregations which borrowed on the pastors' ego instead of the member's ability and willingness to pay.

"Build it and they will come" is a sad perversion of the Means of Grace. Magicians call it misdirection of the eyes. With a sleight of hand, they pull a rabbit out of a hat.

Run and Hide the Congregation's Checkbook:WELS Parish Services

Parish Services = Church and Change.
The latest cause promoted and defended by Church and Change
is Pastor Ski's Popcorn Cathedral of Rock in downtown Appleton.

The March issue of FIC has a full-page ad:

WELS Parish Assistance

Turning Problems Into Opportunities
[GJ - Turning churches into Fuller franchises]

1. Analyzing your Ministry
   [GJ - Promoting women ministers and rock music]
   
2. Strengthening your School
   [GJ - From the enemies of the school system]
   
3. Planning your Future
   [GJ - Future insolvency, with an expensive building project]
   
4. Involving more Members -
   [GJ - The ones we favor: the crypto-Babtists]
   
5. Developing Leadership -
   [GJ - Empowering the crypto-Babtists]
   
6. Managing Change -
   [GJ - Crushing the opposition to our program]
   
7. Launching new Programs -
   [GJ - Making more money for our overpaid consultants]

WE CAN HELP
+Parish Assistance - A Ministry of WELS Parish Services

The Corky Koelpin Essay

The triangles going up into the mouth of the fish represent
all the synod, Thrivent, and and grant money
consumed by Church and Chicanery.
The triangles leaving the fish represent the toxic waste
spread by their leaders, all over the synod.

I find it strange that Issues in WELS expressed its feelings by posting an essay by a dead man, a pastor who wrote perceptively 15 years ago. Here is the link:

http://www.issuesinwels.org/RecReading07/IIWKoeplin.doc <==Dead link. Ask around: the essay is still being circulated. If someone has a Word document of the essay, I will post it verbatim.

Corky Koeplin, as he was known, was senior pastor of a large WELS church, Atonement in Milwaukee where all the synodical staff were members. He wrote this essay, had a stroke, and then died. The synod staff said he wrote it while brain damaged from the stroke, but he published it before the stroke. Someone sent it to me anonymously, so I had Christian News print it. One of my "friends" called me up to scream at me that the essay was only to be circulated "among the brothers," that this was stated on the cover sheet. The anonymous sender omitted the cover sheet. I thought it odd that the person phoning, who decried the changes in the synod, was so distraught that the synodical crisis was laid out so clearly and so publicly by one of the senior pastors.

Odder still is having pastors publishing the essay now, an indictment of the whole Issues in WELS bunch. They have been silent for 15 years. The best essay on the website is Corky's. The rest are mushy, wimpy, and poorly written.

To summarize the Koeplin essay, using his own categories.

1. A Synodical Drift.

2. The “Business” of the Church Supplanting the Work of the Church.

3. An Unhealthy Inroad of “Church Growth.”

4. A Top Heavy Administration.

5. A Denigration of the Holy Ministry.

6. A Dismantling of the Worker Training System.


Oh yes, Corky noticed they were taking apart the WELS school system 15 years ago. But wait, didn't Issues in WELS just point out the problem, as if the school crisis suddenly breached the surface, like Moby Dick?

Marcus Manthey shouts from the crow's nest, "Thar she blows! We are doomed."

The Silent Generation circulated the Corky essay covertly in 1992, angry that I had it published for everyone to see. The pastors did nothing. They said nothing. Meanwhile, they let the synod leaders behave just as Pope Pius IX did about the topic of infallibility. Every Catholic prelate had to submit to Pope Pius' infallibility. If they did not, they were punished. If they were slow to repent, they were still punished. No one was spared. Many Catholic prelates were hounded and even feared for their lives. Fear is a wonderfully motivating emotion. Some think that the infallibility decree alone had a tremendous, negative effect on European politics, making it far more secular and anti-Christian. The infallibility of the synod has had the same effect on WELS.

Looking at Corky's categories, I notice that they are more true today than in 1992. The synod, first under Naumann and then under Mischke, allowed the anti-Lutherans to take over the doctrinal leadership of the denomination. This will become clear later. Perhaps someone will write a dissertation. The evidence is abundant. They started with TELL magazine, which Synodical President Naumann endorsed. The first editor was Ron Roth. The second was Paul Kelm. The third was Robert Hartman. The theme of TELL was to promote the Church Growth Movement in WELS.
"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.

"When was the last time you kissed a frog?...'Lifestyle Evangelism and Follow-up,' a Navigator video seminar for the church, makes a solid case for Christian frog kissing as a way of life."
James A. Aderman, TELL, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Summer, 1986, p. 2.

"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." (Robert Hartman)

"Our decision not to use the name Lutheran in the name of the congregation seems to have caused some concern. We point you to the Lutheran confessions which clearly state that a name is an adiaphoron. So only when not using the name is a denial of what the name stands for is there a problem. We reject the inferences that have been drawn that have been drawn [sic] that it is our intention to deny the biblical teach [sic] (ibid. conservative Lutheran teaching). Put in very practical terms our question is: Can we reach more of the unchurched if we can begin with sin and grace, guilt and forgiveness, rather than having to deal with lodge, scouts, the vagaries of ELCA, etc. at the beginning."
WELS Michigan District Vice-president Paul Kuske, Letter to the Ohio Conference, Pilgrim Community Church, sponsored from Grove City by Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church Fall Conference, Gibsonia, 1989.[44] [emphasis in original]

"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 Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio. Stolzenburg worked closely with Kuske in creating Pilgrim Community Church, a flop.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Corky wrote an essay 15 years ago, naming Church Growth as the main culprit in the drift of the synod. The synod's own wrecking team (Roth, Kelm, Hartman) gloated in 1992 that they had been busy promoting Church Growth for 15 years. This is the happy 30th Anniversary of Church Growth in WELS. The results are in:
1. The synod is completely broke, even with Marvin Schwan money, Thrivent gifts, and the loot from the Tetzels gathering Irrevocable Gift Trusts. Note well the first word in IGTs.
2. Two preps have been closed - Mobridge and Prairie. Northwestern College has been absorbed by Dr. Martin Luther College, its unique pastoral track ended. The pre-sem students all take the same courses as the teachers at MLC.
3. Michigan Lutheran Seminary will soon be closed by the synod, making that 3 out of 4 preps killed, but Martin Luther Prep is already losing synodical support and may close in two more years or so.
4. Closing the last two preps will finish off Martin Luther College.
5. Seminary enrollments seem to be down and will be heading downward fast with the loss of the preps. Church workers come mostly from the prep schools.
6. WELS membership has been going down ever since the Church Growth Movement was started. The solution for the declining membership has always been, "We need more Church Growth methods!"

Luther says this about false teachers:

False Doctrine Tolerated

"And such false teachers have the good fortune that all their folly is tolerated, even though the people realize how these act the fool, and rather rudely at that. They have success with it all, and people bear with them. But no patience is to be exercised toward true teachers! Their words and their works are watched with the intent of entrapping them, as complained of in Psalm 17:9 and elsewhere. When only apparently a mote is found, it is exaggerated to a very great beam. No toleration is granted. There is only judgment, condemnation and scorn. Hence the office of preaching is a grievous one. He who has not for his sole motive the benefit of his neighbor and the glory of God cannot continue therein. The true teacher must labor, and permit others to have the honor and profit of his efforts, while he receives injury and derision for his reward."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 110f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. Psalm 17:9.

God Punishes Ingratitude by Allowing False Teachers

"In the second place such teachers are disposed to bring the people into downright bondage and to bind their conscience by forcing laws upon them and teaching works-righteousness. The effect is that fear impels them to do what has been pounded into them, as if they were bondslaves, while their teachers command fear and attention. But the true teachers, they who give us freedom of conscience and create us lords, we soon forget, even despise. The dominion of false teachers is willingly tolerated and patiently endured; indeed, it is given high repute. All those conditions are punishments sent by God upon them who do not receive the Gospel with love and gratitude."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9. John 5:43.

False Teachers Flay Disciples to Bone

"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

Avarice in False Teachers

"Fourth, false apostles forcibly take more than is given them. They seize whatever and whenever they can, thus enhancing their insatiable avarice. This, too, is excused in them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

They Lord It Over Us

"Fifth, these deceitful teachers, not satisfied with having acquired our property, must exalt themselves above us and lord it over us...We bow our knees before them, worship them and kiss their feet. And we suffer it all, yes, with fearful reverence regard it as just and right. And it is just and right, for why did we not honor the Gospel by accepting and preserving it?"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.

We Are Dogs and Foot-Rags

"Sixth, our false apostles justly reward us by smiting us in the face. That is, they consider us inferior to dogs; they abuse us, and treat us as foot-rags."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 112. Second Sunday in Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.