Maybe Someone Has Some Experience in This Issue

Timothy Buelow has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Still Rules at the WELS Love Sha...":

Dear WELS church lady,
When Northwestern College and Dr. Martin Luther College were being amalgamated, Pastor Nathan Pope quoted his father, Rev, Reinhard Pope, as saying "The problem with those guys is they don't teach catechism class any more," meaning, they are out of touch with ordinary people, their level, and how to teach them the basics. Having worked at Bethesda Lutheran Home during my summers at Northwestern College, I can say, that at least on this one, Dr. Jackson, my old friend, hasn't had the privilege of teaching the retarded. Jesus Cares, as you write, is just such a program designed to reach the retarded. Teaching MUST be at their level. (The WELS Simplified Catechism is a wonderful starting point, as are some of the Sunday School Bible story materials Bethesda Lutheran Home used to send out and maybe still does.) If I arrange a Saturday program for the retarded in my city, and their parents come to that program, I too, will reach out to the parents on that day with "frivolous" programs like water balloon tosses, or whatever, to get them to feel at home so I can share the Gospel with them. Then on Sunday morning, I will conduct my proper Lutheran mass.

So thanks for your comment. I'm glad Greg published what you said. Before we properly question things, it's good to know the context.
Pastor Timothy Buelow
pastor@faithcarthage.org
www.faithcarthage.org

***

GJ - I love the patient, condescending tone used by WELS/ELS pastors when addressing the errors of the hoi polloi.

Around 1971, when some people were still new to two-wheelers, my wife and instituted a confirmation class for special needs students at the largest Lutheran church in Canada. There was no program, no materials, no supporting organization, just a need.

The class went well and the students recited the Apostles Creed from memory as part of their confirmation service. Afterward, one student with Downs Syndrome, knelt at the communion rail praying, because he was so happy and grateful.

As many know, our daughters suffered from a neurological degenerative condition from birth to death, so there was a period from 1974 to 1987 when we were always dealing with major medical issues and visiting with many parents who also had extremely rare health issues with their children.

WELS, in its infinite capacity for wisdom and compassion, has used our daughters' illness and death to attack me, including a recent rant on the fake (anonymous) Ichabod blog from Appleton. I do not recall any WELS or ELS pastor posting an objection to those gutter tactics, which they use to cover up for their adulterous pastors, murderous church workers, and false doctrine. I probably would have remembered it if someone had. In fact, WELS is not even ashamed of trotting out this canard whenever useful.

By the way, a WELS member pointed out the post on the official website. He objected to the way the material was presented, not to the education of retarded members nor to Jesus Cares in particular

An objection I shared with this reader was this implication - we need to address their felt needs to get them inside, a message more odious when voiced by a Church and Change leader.

Perhaps one day WELS/ELS leaders will start with the Word, emphasize the Word, and stick with that.

The article reminds me of the LCA evangelism expert who urged everyone to organize baseball teams because that is how his church grew.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Still Rules at the WELS Love Sha...":

Hi Dr. Jackson, You wrote about a C&Cer at Kokomo. That got me Googling and I found the WELS was covering their tracks on UOJ.

First, the WELS church behind the Kokomo scandal no longer exists. It was Faith Lutheran, which is ironic because UOJ is about justification without faith. Faith only makes a person conscious of every person's 30 AD justification, UOJers teach.

Second, I found that the C&C Adam Mueller moved a rural congregation, Peace, into Kokomo proper, so in effect the two churches were joined. Now, when one church moves into another church's location and merges, it usually takes the name of the church that didn't move, right? So they should have kept the name Faith and ditched the name Peace. But to cover their UOJ tracks, they chose the name Peace. Of course, someone might claim Faith closed first, but it would counter that's just part of the WELS mechanizations to rid itself of Faith Kokomo.

Third, Rev. Adam Mueller's taking the reins for the synod on this project is just another way C&C is trying to position itself as defender of Synodical Conference's old time religion orthodoxy, something I've sensed has been going on from statements C&Cers have made, i.e., claiming that the real reason they are being attacked is their belief in UOJ.
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http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2010/07/church-and-change-still-rules-at-wels.html

GJ - Sending a Church and Change leader to Kokomo must be the equivalent of shipping a gambler to Las Vegas. Does it get any better?
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http://www.churchandchange.org/home/2384/2384/files/CanCprogram.Web.pdf

From 2007: Adam Mueller serves Peace Lutheran Church in Kokomo, IN. He recently led his rural congregation
to relocate inside the city and is now spearheading aggressive outreach initiatives.
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http://welslocator.locatorsearch.com/

http://www.peacekokomo.com/

http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/sitelist/02/churches_list.asp?st=IN

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Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Still Rules at the WELS Love Sha...":

Church Lady, to my knowledge the Jesus Cares is just what it says, helping people with disabilites. I spent several years working with a young man with Down's Syndrome. To him, Jesus was "Ge-ge". He professed his faith by signing "Jesus loves me". He answered questions by pointing to pictures. Yet I knew the Word is powerful, and the Holy Spirit was strengthening his faith. The things described are perfect for a Jesus Cares service. However, when they become the worship service of your members without "Special Needs", then you have... C&C!
Scott

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Maybe Someone Has Some Experience in This Issue":

I found out from a source that "about five years ago Faith in Kokomo changed it's name to Peace." So Faith never closed before it changed its name.

***

GJ - That reminds me of a film, Bruce: "They didn't move the cemetery - they just moved the tombstones!"

WELS never repudiated their Kokomo Statements. They just blamed the Statements on the people they kicked out of WELS for not accepting them. One sardonic WELS member just wrote me -

There must be a typo in my Book of Concord.

Epitome, Article IX "Christ's Descent into Hell" includes the sentence, "It is enough to know that Christ went to hell, destroyed hell for all believers, and has redeemed them from the power of death, of the devil, and of the eternal damnation of the hellish jaws."

Seems to me the church fathers accidentally included "for all believers" when what they obviously meant was, "for all."

You Are the Problem

bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Still Rules at the WELS Love Sha...":

What's bad about society and church nowadays is if a person is more interested in the intellectual side of Lutheranism, and doesn't get into rock and roll liturgy, yard games like the bean toss, water slide park-themed youth retreats, or baseball camp VBS, that person is thought to be depressed or have Asperger syndrome. In other words, attention deficit hyperactive adults have taken over church, school and society, and learning is disrespected. No longer is a person just a party-pooper, but now they search the DSM-IV Manual for your ailment, and prescriptions one might take.

***

GJ - Those who frown at Church and Change, Emerging Church, Purpose-Driven Church, Church Growth - they are lazy and legalistic. If only Glende, Ski, Mueller, Olson, Gunn, Borgwardt, and Hunter could set them free.

Seventh Sunday after Trinity

"I AM the way, and the truth, and the life."
By Norma Boeckler

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity


Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time


The Hymn #9 O Day of Rest 1:89
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
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #237 All Glory Be 1:12

Something Out of Nothing

The Communion Hymn #341 Crown Him 1:70
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 # 261 Lord Keep Us Steadfast 1:93

KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in the wilderness didst by Thy Son abundantly feed four thousand men besides women and children with seven loaves and a few small fishes: We beseech Thee, graciously abide among us with Thy blessing, and keep us from covetousness and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness, and in all things needful for body and soul, experience Thine ever-present help; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Something Out of Nothing
This miracle teaches us many things, especially about how God creates something out of nothing, not just in the distant past, but even today.

If we study the Word carefully, we are protected against the nonsense which is taught and believed because people are unprepared.

As I mentioned before, this miracle is dismissed by moderns a number of different ways. One is that the Gospel writer is confused, writing up the same miracle twice, with two different numbers for the crowds.

In the New Testament era, writing and manuscripts were rare, so people had superb memories based on their lack of recording techniques. I am trying to imagine how the Evangelist could write up the “same” miracle twice and not identify his mistake.

It is clear that miraculous abundance accompanied Jesus. The Word of God shows Jesus creating the best wine from water at the wedding, miraculous catches of fish, and feedings of the multitude.

The rationalists have an explanation for this miracle. The rationalists have the crowd sharing their food, so this was a miracle of sharing. True, the boy with the food is not mentioned here, but the modernists blend things together and make their Biblical studies a creative writing seminar.

We can determine that no one was hiding food because they were with Jesus for three days. All the food was gone. In the desert, burning up calories, that was dangerous. Fainting along the way home was a real threat. Since the brain runs on blood sugar, a lack of food can lead to irrational behavior, which hastens death.

First of all we see the impossibility of food appearing from the crowd itself, and it is nowhere to be found where they are. Outside of a village, we could imagine some source of food, although I remember being admonished for ordering 30 sandwiches at once from a fast food place, because I did not warn them. Imagine 4,000 families and their need for food, outside any village or city. But they were in the desert.

Second, the text shows that Jesus had compassion on the crowd before anyone even asked for food.

2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

This alone should remind us of God answering prayers before we even ask, especially concerning our material needs. That is always paramount for us, but God teaches us throughout the Word that He provides for all people, believers and unbelievers alike.

The ministry of the Word suppresses the Old Adam in us, so that many pitfalls of natural man are taken away, in spite of the fact that we are still sinful. The result of a God-pleasing life is going to be far more peaceful and balanced that someone who follows impulses of the moment. The celebrities, who are admired one moment, are arrested or put in addiction rehab the next. They mourn or brag about the millions they have squandered.

God is merciful and compassionate.

KJV Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

When Jesus announced His determination to help everyone, the disciples answered as true rationalists.

4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

Everyone knows that is impossible. There is nothing in the desert to provide for the multitude. I still read about people who imagine they can saw open a cactus and eat the pulp like watermelon, with water gushing out of the barrel cactus.

The disciples are offering the same objections we hear all the time, since our default attitude is rationalism. “This is impossible.”

Nothing is impossible with God, Who creates something out of nothing, through the Word.

Creation by the Word teaches us why this is so. The entire universe was called into being by the Word of God. All things were made through Him and nothing was made apart from Him. When God said, “Let there be light,” light came into existence, before the sun and stars were fashioned.

He spoke man into existence and filled the world with plants and animals to take care of man’s needs, including medicine – from the digitalis in foxglove to the penicillin mold living on bread. That ugly field weed is called deadly nightshade, related to the tomato, not good for animals to eat, but it contains belladonna, with medicinal properties used to treat stomach problems.

As believers, we do not need to ask how God arranged all this. We know it is true and that His gracious will only desires good for us.

What has already happened on a galactic scale in the past also happens on a smaller scale in the present.

No matter what we think or imagine, based on our knowledge and experience, God can and does accomplish miracles through the Word, for us personally, throughout our lives.

The most common, but overlooked miracle, is Holy Communion, where the Word consecrates the ordinary elements so that they are still bread and wine but also the body and blood of Jesus Christ. And there remains the greatest miracle, represented and offered by Holy Communion - the forgiveness of sins, justification by faith.

“Your righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees,” and it does – when we are justified by faith.

There is the righteousness of man, which people trust and admire, and the righteousness of faith, which the world scorns and mocks. The righteousness of man is good for the moment and deadly in eternity. The righteousness of faith means bearing the cross, but gives us internal and eternal peace. There may be no outward peace for long stretches of time, but that does not matter when we know and experience “the peace that passes all understanding.

The declaration of forgiveness by the Word is even greater than Creation of the universe by the Word. The two go together, which is why we are called New Creations in the New Testament. (Often translated as new creatures, which hides the meaning a bit.)

One passage in the Bible informs us about other passages, because they all belong together in this singular doctrine of God. The Reformers preferred to use the singular term, so people did not thing there were rows and rows of “doctrines” where someone could chose one over the other, or emphasize one over the other.

Commonly, sectarians will emphasize one concept at the expense of all others. They may spend all their time on the return of Christ. Or they may have a new table of commandments to follow. Their lack of balance in showing the entire doctrine of God shows that they are cafeteria believers. They slide their tray along the line and pick out what they like and leave the rest, sometimes calling it the “whole Gospel.”

The abundance is this miracle is even greater than the original feeding, because so many fragments are leftover when people have completely filled themselves, after being famished.

When we worry about God’s grace in forgiving our sins, there is more than enough, a great abundance of His mercy. There is so much forgiveness in the Gospel that it overflows to many others around us.

When we are anxious about how He will take care of us, there is more than enough, and plenty to share as well.

Church and Change Still Rules at the WELS Love Shack

Adam Mueller, Larry Olson, Jeff Gunn - all are righteous dudes in the new, confessional WELS.

This is under Missions at the WELS website. I get the joke. Anyone else?

Each month the Jesus Cares service is preceded by a fun-filled fellowship event that lasts about a half an hour. One month we hosted an Easter egg hunt, and then illustrated in the Service at the Cross the beautiful truths of the resurrection. Another month we played bean-bag-toss and awarded a trophy to the winner. But, as we learned later, that trophy does not compare to the happy assurance we have through Jesus, our Ascended Lord. This past month members of Jesus Cares navigated their way through a human checker-board and were “kinged.” Later we joined to sing “Crown Him with Many Crowns” to Jesus Christ, our only King. Each month the fun “come-event” is designed to serve as a connected object lesson to the service that follows.

We’ve found that inviting people to the fellowship beforehand is well-received. Many have begun to invite those they know from their homes or workplaces. The relaxed fellowship setting allows us to develop relationships with the different people who come, and put into practice our Christian love. Still, no matter how fun the fellowship may be, it doesn’t compare with the excitement they show in the Service at the Cross. One young man’s reaction will forever be etched in my mind. When Vicar Italiano announced that Jesus forgives all their sins, he blurted out, “YES!” and started clapping. Yes, indeed – Jesus cares!

Pastor Adam Mueller
Peace Lutheran Church
Kokomo, Indiana

***

GJ - Sending a Church and Change leader to Kokomo must be the equivalent of shipping a gambler to Las Vegas. Does it get any better?

Love the gimmicks, Adam. Everyone should take note - the Word does not draw people. God's Word is weak, so it needs bean bag tossing and other VBS games to get people inside to learn they are already guilt-free saints.

The WELS promotion of this claptrap shows that it remains committed to Enthusiasm in all forms. But we know that from Fox Valley, where Ski and Glende play around while soaking up enormous subsidies.

Given the kiddie games, I would rather see people drawn to church by ultimate high church worship, extreme high church, as long as the Word is taught. That would be different in today's Emerging Church climate.

Oh WELS, you almost had us fooled. We thought you were going to turn serious, but it was all smoke and mirrors...again. Talk a little. Move a few people to new positions. Hint at what may happen in the future. You are getting sleepy, very sleepy. Look at this light. Poof. Now no one remembers what was said before.

Nauseating - More Like Ski and Glende or the "Youth Ministry" Guy?

"Ed Young's newly recorded solo rap for Hillsong 2010 -
takin' things in the Kingdom to a 'Hole 'Nutha Level!"
Youth Ministry satire.
"Troy says:
I was at Hillsong Conference, and that video was not a promo for the conference. It was a funny video that Ed Young made and showed for fun before he started his message."
July 18, 2010 at 8:53 am

Hillsong Conference

Hillsong Team

Brian Houston

Brian is the Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. He is passionate about the Cause of Christ, consumed with seeing people come into relationship with Jesus and committed to championing the cause of the local church - globally. His relevant presentation of the Gospel will inspire and motivate you to be all God has called you to be.

Bobbie Houston

Bobbie is the Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, along with her husband Brian. With a contagious zest for life, Bobbie passionately believes in the potential of all people and is devoted to the Cause of Christ. Her desire to see value placed on womanhood will greatly inspire you and give you a fresh perspective on the magnificence of God and His Church.

Joel Houston

Joel Houston is the Creative Director of Hillsong Church and a world renowned songwriter and worship leader. As well as overseeing the creative team, Joel also travels the globe with Hillsong United bringing a message of worship and justice to an emerging generation. Through this, he has birthed 'I heart'; a movement that inspires this generation to rise up and change the world around them.

Gary Clarke

Gary is passionate about seeing people's lives flourish as they are planted in the House of God. Gary believes in every Christian harnessing the blessing of God in their own lives, to create a platform from which they can influence and impact their world for the Cause of Christ. Gary has developed a brand of practical, thought-provoking biblical teaching that will inspire and challenge you to lead in every sphere of life.

Peter Wilson

Peter is one of the Executive Team at Hillsong Church London and works directly with the Senior Pastors Gary & Cathy Clarke. Peter leads and pastors the Creative side of the Church in London. With an absolute passion for the local Church, he strives to bring others to an understanding of who they are in Christ and who we are together as His body, the Church. He firmly believes that the Church is God’s answer to a world in need, that together we are His hands and feet and that side by side we are the visible representation of Jesus to humanity.

Guest Speakers

Ed Young Jr.
Ed Young Jr. is a pastor, author and speaker with a passion for communicating God's unchanging truth through culturally compelling and creative teaching methods.

Joel and Victoria Osteen

Senior Pastors of the largest and fastest growing church in the USA in Houston, Texas with more than 40,000 attendees. They are committed to serving and helping every person achieve their full potential. Having pioneered Lakewood's television program, they now bring a positive message of hope to over 100 million households throughout the world. We are thrilled to have Joel, Victoria and the whole Lakewood team with us for Hillsong Conference Europe in 2010 as well as The Night of Hope.

---

Pastor Tim Glende a.k.a. Pastor Tim
5 ways to describe you: Blessed by God. Loves his family. Passionate about sharing Jesus in the Valley. Hard worker. Obsessive about Ohio State Football – “Go Bucks!”.



***

GJ - The best comment came from a Black comic:

"Everyone wants to walk like us, talk like us, sing like us, rap like us, talk like us. Everybody wants to be Black until the police arrive."

Emerging Church Wedding - Why Fat White Guys Should Not Be Recorded Dancing

WELS Fox Valley Youth Ministry Revealed

WELS Politician Did Not Pay His Fees - Synod Treasurer Not Accused This Time

Daniel Bice

Neumann camp admits 'screw-up' in fee payment slip up

Wisconsin governor candidate failed to pay more than $25,000 in real estate transfer fees

Posted: July 12, 2010 |(114) Comments

2010 Governor's Race

Recent coverage of the 2010 race for governor

• 1973 cop killer up for parole (43)
• Neumann camp admits 'screw-up' in fee payment slip up (114)
• Barrett proposes nonpartisan redistricting (42)
• Major Walker contributor got no-bid contract (266)
• Wisconsin candidates' cost-cutting plans don't add up (60)

More coverage

2010 Election Candidates

County, municipal and judicial races

• Milwaukee
• Ozaukee
• Washington
• Waukesha
• Wisconsin
• View all

School board races

• Milwaukee
• Ozaukee
• Washington
• Waukesha
• View all

Go to spring election section

Mark Neumann vows to run state government like a business if he's elected governor.

But first the former Republican congressman must make sure he's running his businesses in line with the state.

Records show that Neumann failed to pay about $25,000 in real estate transfer fees when he moved millions of dollars' worth of properties from one corporate entity to another since May 2008.

Neumann, who personally signed and said he prepared most of the documents, claimed he was exempt from the transfer fee under state law. But his campaign acknowledged it had erred after No Quarter pointed out that his businesses didn't qualify for the exemption.

Fake Name, Fake Email - The Poor Guy Must Be Ashamed of His Own Words

I just wanted to tell you how embarrassed I am of you. I am embarrassed that you are Lutheran and that you call yourself Christian. Some of your favorite books are written by Martin Luther and other church fathers yet you speak of people the way you do. I see nothing but the breaking of the 8th commandment and certainly an unwillingness to forgive those you criticize. It is clear you are in this to slander people, not to guide back to God's word in a loving Christian manner. Matthew 18 certainly doesn't say post pictures and slander them...
Shame on you

***

GJ - Made my day.

All the Church and Change talking points are there. Funny, the Appleton blogger raves in the same way but creates toilet pictures with faces on them, directs personal insults at my readers, and begs them to turn away from the eev-ul Ichabod. So persuasive. So satirical. So Evangelical.

The Appleton blogger has not made a case for all the Schwaermer unionism going on in his circuit.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Fake Name, Fake Email - The Poor Guy Must Be Asham...":

If this fellow is going to flog you with the 8 and 18 switch, he ought to at least swing hard enough to break your flesh open. This was a really pathetic attempt to treat you in the typical WELS way of dealing with dissenters. Shame on him.

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WELS church lady has left a new comment on your post "Fake Name, Fake Email - The Poor Guy Must Be Asham...":

Good morning Pastor GJ. I have been away from home(and computer)for a few days. Our airconditioning unit went on the brink, so we were forced to spend two nights at a relative's home. Like Pastor GJ, my aunt is getting rid of several books. Perhaps Pastor GJ would be interested in Lucado or Sorge?(No?...I understand!) "Fake Name" might like reading works by non-Lutheran writers. Yes, this blog contains a lot of satire, yet it is FULL of Lutheran doctrine, Scripture, and historic writtings of Christianity. Pastor Jackson shares the Word when he posts his sermons for all to see. The Holy Spirit guides us. From this forum I was guided to Intrepid Lutherans. Blogs are a tool, so I moved to the second phase of speaking to pastors and laity in person. That was a scary thought six months ago.("Trust in the Lord") I have been on the receiving end of the 8 and 18 switch. That trick is so old, the pastors who administer it must be kidding themselves.

Hey, what about Mark Jeske partaking in the LCMS convention? I will put the worst construction on it. The Feedback of Forward In Christ A Lutheran Voice, would be an excellent place to shed light on the Jeske/LCMS madness. I will concede a bit, I sent my pre-schooler to a local Confessional LCMS school. Yet Jeske is hanging with the liberal wing of LCMS. It is no secret, I have prayed at the school and have participated in Chapel Services? Is this right or is this violating fellowship rules?

In Christ,
from WELS church lady



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California wrote:

Maybe the "awakened" in WELS will use the recess time for individually and publicly acting on documented information which will either result in involuntary departure one way or the other, or serious consideration about voluntary departure.

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Joseph Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "Fake Name, Fake Email - The Poor Guy Must Be Asham...":

WELS church lady, the fellowship principles in WELS are a joke, in the sense that they exist only on paper and are not enforced. I would pray with and take communion at a confessional LCMS church before I even step foot in a Church & Change congregation like The CORE, let alone pray with them or take communion from one of their pastors like Ski.

Some of you are being awfully judgmental.

Book Promises To Keep

LI went digital for his library.

A. I have books to publish on Lulu. I am going to prepare them instead of blogging, but I will report the progress and links on Ichabod. It is not that difficult or time consuming, thanks to my editor's work. Three are ready to go, I believe, and Thy Strong Word (English only) is being prepared.

B. I have promised some book reviews, so I will publish them before blogging.

C. I have some books to list for people collecting history, literature, children's books, etc, so blogging will be in fourth place.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Book Promises To Keep":

So you're saying now that you got Harrison elected, you can take a break from blogging, heh?

***

GJ - He was elected in spite of my support.

There is still work to be done - behold, UOJ Stormtroopers!

Time of Grace Board "Full of WELS Daddy Warbucks"

Quotation source - a WELS worker whose name is best forgotten.

From Daily Kos, quoting the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"Time of Grace Ministry is incorporated in Virginia. Both the idea and its implementation have come from the laymen, and officials of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, or WELS, have encouraged them.

Other board members include: Tom Baxter, Television Division chief of the U.S. Army Visual Information Center at the Pentagon; John E. Bauer, longtime chief academic officer of Wisconsin Lutheran College and current vice president for academic affairs; Steve Boettcher, president of Boettcher Productions, a five-time Emmy-winning television production firm in Hartland.

Also, Cliff Buelow, of the Milwaukee law firm of Davis & Kuelthau; Bruce Eberle, president of Eberle Communications Group, a national fund-raising firm in McLean, Va.; Arvid Schwartz of Green Isle, Minn., a farmer, former corporate treasurer, and chairman of the Wisconsin Lutheran College board; and John C. Zimdars, president of The Zimdars Co., Inc., a life insurance consulting firm in Madison.

The idea for the ministry came from Eberle, who sits on the Wisconsin Lutheran College board with Jeske, Buelow, Raabe, Schwartz and Zimdars."

From Daily Kos, with copious copying by them:

The board of directors

John Bauer is chief academic officer of Wisconsin Lutheran College for the past 20 years. Presently he is the Vice President for academic affairs and the Executive Director of CHARIS, the institute of the College.... He and his wife are members of Grace Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

Tom Baxter: As Chief of the Television Division of the US Army Visual Information Center at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Tom Baxter is the executive responsible for production and technical operations. His organization produces approximately 200 productions and special events annually....Tom currently serves as President of Christ Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sterling, Virginia.

Steve Boettcher is president of Boettcher Productions Inc., a five-time Emmy winning production company. Boettcher Productions has been creating quality television for nearly two decades, including Kid's Connection, a video ministry of the WELS Commission on Youth Discipleship (CYD). I did not find Boettcher Productions on the web, but found Boettcher-Trinklein Mediaworks. This is the same Steve Boettcher, so maybe he has recently teamed up with Trinklein.

Cliff Buelow, Secretary, TOG, is a shareholder in the Milwaukee law firm of Davis & Kuelthau. Here's his mug. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College where he serves as Vice Chairman. He has served on several other church-related boards and committees over the last 20 years. Cliff and his wife are members of St. Marcus Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

Bruce Eberle, Vice President, TOG, is the founder and president of the Eberle Communications Group, a national fund raising organization based in McLean, Virginia. Bruce serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College. He has previously served as President of God's Word to the Nations Bible Society, which produces bibles in contemporary English language, to appeal to normal people. He's also served on several commissions and boards of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. He gave the 1994 commencement address at Wisconsin Lutheran College where he received the 1994 Pro Gloria Dei Award. Incidentally, Eberle gave the college $500,000 in 1999.

Bruce also serves as a Trustee of Joe Gibbs Youth For Tomorrow New Life Foundation, a residential "group village" for at-risk teens.

Mark Jeske has served St. Marcus Evangelical Lutheran Church in the inner City of Milwaukee since 1980. Pastor Jeske is in his third term as a member of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is Second Vice-President, Southeastern Wisconsin District of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Daryl Raabe, President, TOG
In 1978, Daryl joined the family business, and saw it grow through 1988, when he was appointed President of Raabe Corporation. Interestingly, he left his company in 2002. From the Milwaukee Business Journal, 1/25/02:

***

GJ - Is this the reason for the total paralysis about Jeske? His star pupils, Ski and Katie, flitted off to one Schwaermer conference after another, worshiping with six other WELS workers at the Babtist Drive conference - and that included Tim Glende. Other notable stops for Katie or Ski or Glende included Dirt, Story, Granger, and all three at the Mark Driscoll beehive in Seattle.

When Will the DPs Learn

Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Plagiarists Lose So Much When Stealing a Sermon":

"The ministry is not entertainment and recruitment, but Word and Sacrament." Thank you for saying that. If only we could get a number of WELS pastors and DPs to believe and teach this simple truth. What a shame when all you get out of a "church" service is a cup of coffee.

Plagiarists Lose So Much When Stealing a Sermon

Norma Boeckler grows flowers, photographs them, and paints them.

I ran into a silly column written by a superficial person, so I decided to write a little instead of reading this fluff - "I Would Trade a Career for a Family of My Own."

Sermon writing must be a terrible burden today, because so many ministers steal theirs from the Net or rely on what the synod sends them.

The way to become a Lutheran guru today is to avoid higher education, avoid the parish, and blog as a pretend pastor - delivering advice and sharp rebukes to real pastors! Satire has become reality.

My week peaks at the idea of writing a sermon, especially when I have used the text many times. I recall being a newbie and wondering where to go. That got me reading What Luther Says, a wonderful gift from a member. Later I got the Luther Sermons set from Grand Rapids. Now I wonder where to stop. Luther has a sermon's worth of content in one quotation. The reason is simple - he lived in the Word and dwelt on some passages all day, so the work bore fruit. Being a genius helped, too. Luther may have had the highest IQ in history, based on his early development and later career.

The rest of us have to stumble along, but the effort is fulfilling.

As someone said long ago, "Where else can a man speak for 20 to 30 minutes without interruption and say anything he wants?" The pulpit is the only place. That old pagan Herman Melville opined in his brilliant chapter on the seafarers' chapel in Moby Dick that the pulpit steers the world.

The wife of a whaling captain had provided the chapel with a handsome pair of red worsted man-ropes for this ladder, which, being itself nicely headed, and stained with a mahogany color, the whole contrivance, considering what manner of chapel it was, seemed by no means in bad taste. Halting for an instant at the foot of the ladder, and with both hands grasping the ornamental knobs of the man-ropes, Father Mapple cast a look upwards, and then with a truly sailorlike but still reverential dexterity, hand over hand, mounted the steps as if ascending the main-top of his vessel.

The perpendicular parts of this side ladder, as is usually the case with swinging ones, were of cloth-covered rope, only the rounds were of wood, so that at every step there was a joint. At my first glimpse of the pulpit, it had not escaped me that however convenient for a ship, these joints in the present instance seemed unnecessary. For I was not prepared to see Father Mapple after gaining the height, slowly turn round, and stooping over the pulpit, deliberately drag up the ladder step by step, till the whole was deposited within, leaving him impregnable in his little Quebec.

I pondered some time without fully comprehending the reason for this. Father Mapple enjoyed such a wide reputation for sincerity and sanctity, that I could not suspect him of courting notoriety by any mere tricks of the stage. No, thought I, there must be some sober reason for this thing; furthermore, it must symbolize something unseen. Can it be, then, that by that act of physical isolation, he signifies his spiritual withdrawal for the time, from all outward worldly ties and connexions? Yes, for replenished with the meat and wine of the word, to the faithful man of God, this pulpit, I see, is a self- containing stronghold - a lofty Ehrenbreitstein, with a perennial well of water within the walls.

But the side ladder was not the only strange feature of the place, borrowed from the chaplain's former sea-farings. Between the marble cenotaphs on either hand of the pulpit, the wall which formed its back was adorned with a large painting representing a gallant ship beating against a terrible storm off a lee coast of black rocks and snowy breakers. But high above the flying scud and dark-rolling clouds, there floated a little isle of sunlight, from which beamed forth an angel's face; and this bright face shed a distinct spot of radiance upon the ship's tossed deck, something like that silver plate now inserted into the Victory's plank where Nelson fell. "Ah, noble ship," the angel seemed to say, "beat on, beat on, thou noble ship, and bear a hardy helm; for lo! the sun is breaking through; the clouds are rolling off - serenest azure is at hand."

Nor was the pulpit itself without a trace of the same sea-taste that had achieved the ladder and the picture. Its panelled front was in the likeness of a ship's bluff bows, and the Holy Bible rested on the projecting piece of scroll work, fashioned after a ship's fiddle-headed beak.

What could be more full of meaning? - for the pulpit is ever this earth's foremost part; all the rest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world. From thence it is the storm of God's quick wrath is first descried, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt. From thence it is the God of breezes fair or foul is first invoked for favorable winds. Yes, the world's a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow.

Studying the text means listening to God directly. Nothing is more concise than the Scriptures, and that Word is a consistent, unified truth, each passage shedding light on other passages.

Two helps (besides the Sermons of Luther) are enormously valuable. One is Lenski, who dealt with the entire New Testament and all doctrinal questions attached to those individual passages. The other is the Triglotta, where the greatest theologians after Luther (not to mention the Reformer himself) give witness to their faith. Chemnitz, the senior editor of the Formula and Book of Concord, was at the peak of his career.

How droll to think that someone would copy Groeschel instead of studying Chemnitz, passing off his copy-cat fraud as a sermon!

Maintaining Faith
The first advantage of giving a real sermon is maintaining the faith of the pastor and his family. If he sincerely believes the Word of God, that will bear fruit in his own home. If that is all he does in his entire lifetime, that is worthwhile. Many have done less, adulterating the Word, enjoying outward success while stepping into the mire of atheism.

KJV 1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Offering Truth
The second advantage is offering the truth to his congregation. Their numbers do not matter, except to People magazine. In a small, forgotten parish in the middle of nowhere, someone may hear the truth and believe, just before dying. How does anyone measure the value of that sermon?

Many times confusion will lead people to despair and doubt, so a good sermon is medicine against both maladies, an inoculation against future errors. We have shepherding dogs who love their owners and guard them far more than the CG pastor, who feeds the sheep to the wolves, identifying with the lupine set. Yet people love wolf-preaching, as Luther observed.

The Visible Word
The third advantage comes from the Sacraments. Baptizing babies is 100% certain sermonizing, the visible Word offered to the best, most trusting audience. We had non-Lutheran nurses who loved to tell our daughters about Jesus. One nurse said, "Your Erin looked at me like - I know that." The nurses were shaken a bit that these weak but intelligent girls, who could not speak, reflected that spiritual knowledge in their facial responses. We said, "Sure, they were baptized. They know all about their Savior."

Holy Communion is just as important, the visible Word imparting forgiveness individually, medicine for the soul. Sermons can feature Holy Communion or Holy Baptism, so people appreciate how God provides for us in the Means of Grace.

The ministry is not entertainment and recruitment, but Word and Sacrament. Clowning and entertaining are ways to say, "I do not trust the Word, which is too weak to be effective. It needs Fuller, Willow Creek and me to make it work."

Theologian in Training
A fourth advantage of sermon preparation is turning a seminary graduate into a theologian. If sermon preparation is paramount, if the Word is always on his lips, visitation and community relationships will always convey the Gospel to a secular world. People do not need one more Oprah.

The Cross
The cross will follow sermon preparation and remind the pastor how much Old Adam still resides in him. The last Beatitude seems taunting until many years later, when its truth becomes apparent. One member said to me, "I know all about the members who come to church just to grieve the pastor. I used to be one of them." At some point the Word reached that vexed and vexing layman.

Lutheran clergy can often be Satan's own handmaidens, plucking away members, using false doctrine and deception to drive home the sayings about the cross. Most likely the circuit pastor and DP are the worst of the lot. Jesus had the entire religious establishment against Him and He still converted a few like Nick at Night and Aramathea Joe. We can wish all day that the Lutheran Church might remember the Reformation better than the Inquisition, but there was a day when one man had only the Word and one prime human example to follow - Hus, who was burned at the stake.

The Reformation was built upon the sermon, the efficacious Word of God.

Missouri Synod VPs

First Vice-President

Rev. Herbert C. Mueller, Jr.
Elected with the majority vote on the first ballot of election for first vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
		Final Ballot Mueller 631 Diekelman 339 Preus 82 Schulz 81 Schrank 64

Second—Fifth Vice Presidents

Second Vice President John C. Wohlrabe, Jr. is elected with the majority vote on the second ballot of election for second vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Third Vice President Paul L. Maier is elected with the majority vote on the second ballot of election for third vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Fourth Vice President Daniel Preus is elected with the majority vote on the second ballot of election for fourth vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Fifth Vice President Scott R. Murray is elected with the majority vote on the third ballot of election for fifth vice-president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

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GJ - I am not sure how significant these offices are. The First VP is a full-time paid position. When Dan Preus was First VP under Kieschnick, he showed very little leadership and ducked the Benke case, just as Barry-McCain did previously.

Boards and resolution results can be found here in the coming days.

Do Not Want

Speaking strictly for myself, 1100 Facebook friends, and 60,000 unique readers - these are some things I do not want:

1. Third rate, heavily subsidized entertainment episodes performed in the name of reaching out in new ways.

2. User-friendly services. Make them work at things a little. No more cotton candy content and VBS songs.

3. Lutheran preachers who hate the name Lutheran until they start passing the hat at Lutheran conventions because of their - sob, sniffle - Lutheran outreach.

4. Conservative Lutherans who make up reasons why they need to work with ELCA. Let them go to Fire Island Pines and leave the rest of us alone.

5. Another defense of UOJ which consists of repeating the same talking points all the way back to C. F. W. Walther.

6. Humorless Pietists who dislike funny animal pictures.

The Jeske Question, As Time of Grace Sinuflects toward Missouri

rhs (http://rhs.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "It's Time for a Change in Leadership: Kieschnick F...":

Is Jeske a solution or another problem for LCMS?

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LPC has left a new comment on your post "Harrison Won, First Ballot, By a Whisker":

I take it that the Rev. Harrison is a fan of CF Dubya.

So more UOJ on the way?

LPC

***

GJ - I am mostly interested in the doctrinal issues, but political campaigns are like fresh popcorn cooked in coconut oil.

This one proved as ironic as I expected it to be. The Anti-Confessional Jeske was probably thought to be a real catch for Kieschnick's Missouri, but now Harrison is LCMS president.

Harrison's supporters ran a brilliant campaign, taking a relatively unknown parson to dominance on Facebook, including the mustache gimmick, which was clever indeed.One interesting aspect of this change is Harrison being a PhD candidate at Concordia St. Louis, the same school where Kelm got his DMin in Church Growth.

Harrison is the first theologian since Jack Preus to be president. Bohlmann had a PhD from Yale, but he was a one-book guy.

Harrison also knows and translates German, so the best theological literature is not hidden from him.

The question will be where he goes with this background. ELCA's all-out gay agenda makes it easy to part company with them, but will Missouri do that?

A synod-wide study of doctrine might go beyond the Waltherian talking points of modified Pietism and UOJ. Laymen are much more informed, thanks to the Internet.

The biggest change will come from applying the Word and studying the Confessions. The only leadership that matters is doctrinal leadership. Lutherans have been content with a Methodist form of the Lutheran Church - irenic, calm, gimmicky, liturgy optional, gay and feminist friendly. They have peered into the abyss and have seen where that leads.

Harrison Won, First Ballot, By a Whisker - Stigmata Revealed

Stigmata?


"Rev. Matthew C. Harrison was elected by the 2010 LCMS convention as its next president. Election was 54% for Harrison on the first ballot. Matt gave a very humble and gracious acceptance speech which I am sure we will be posting soon. Pray for our synod as we go forward from here..."

You read it first on Ichabod, the prediction, the results.

I got the results from Facebook, true, but I posted it fast.

Read my astonishing prediction here.

Steadfast Lutherans on the election.

President

Rev. Matthew C. Harrison
Elected with the majority vote on the ballot of election for president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
	Final Ballot Harrison 643 Kieschnick 527 Mueller 8 Fickenscher 5 Gard 1

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Necessary Roughness

LCMS Message of Reconciliation On the Ropes

Jul 13th, 2010

by Dan.

Back in January I attended the LCMS Model Theological Conference on Worship. We watched a presentation by Ted Kober on reconciliation and civil disagreement. It encouraged us to treat each other in Christian brotherly love as we sought to de-personalize disagreements and forgive each other when someone was harmed in our speech or other ways. It was a worthy start to a conference of such a contentious topic. I thought it was good that the message again was given at the beginning of the LCMS convention.

I watched a good deal of the LCMS in convention yesterday online. It seems that message of reconciliation is in jeopardy.

The debate rule adopted by the convention stipulated that people stepping up to the microphone in debate must alternate speakers that were for and against the proposal. There were at least 10 microphones on the floor where people could speak their mind. As the microphones filled up with people speaking against the proposals, the Chairman of the convention, the current Synodical President, kept polling the people at the microphone looking for a “pro” speaker. Finally a “pro” speaker would make it to the microphone, not to actually debate the proposals, but to call the question.

Now, one would think that an issue with so many “con” speakers and so few “pro” speakers would indicate a majority of votes against the proposals. But, no. The proposals passed by very small margins of victory. 51.4% of the convention voted to make vice presidents come from regions. The resolution to completely do away with the LCMS’s board structure won with 51.91% of the vote.

The convention has over 1000 voters in convention. Surely some of the over 500 apparent “pro” voters would want to convince others to vote with them! But, no. Almost nobody from the “pro” side would discuss their views, leaving the “con” side by rule to stand in lines at the microphone safely out of the discussion. This happened several times. It was as if the issues were decided and the votes were counted before the opening gavel.

One pastor used his microphone to plead that the “pro” side not call the question, but the “pro” speaker that followed him said, “with respect to my fellow brother, I call the question.” The President would rule the call in order, and they’d vote.

I couldn’t watch any more.

It’s one thing to have a debate, let people exhaust their powers of persuasion, and lose. It’s another thing to use the rules to suppress debate, especially in these matters of governance that so alter the way LCMS does things.

It was not the act of a chairman and Synodical President who seeks reconciliation with those who disagree with him.

An apology is in order, for those who stood in line and for Ted Kober.

Similar Posts:

• Walking Together – LCMS Church Governance Proposals
• Please Pray for the LCMS Convocation
• Need a Speaker or Teacher for Your Lutheran Youth Event?

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GJ - NR is exactly right. Conventions have become ways to control the agenda rather than debate the issues. Kieschnick's heavy-handedness won the battles but lost the war.

According to Roberts Rules, the chairman's job is limited to carrying out the will of the assembly. That ideal is seldom followed in church bodies and necessarily ends in the alienated leaving.

It's Time for a Change in Leadership: Kieschnick Followed the Gurgle Model - Preach Growth, Abandon Lutheran Doctrine, Go Broke

Desire for Change Apparent in the Convention and May Sweep all the Way to the Presidential Elections, by Pr. Rossow

By Pastor Tim Rossow
· Comments Comments Off

The 2010 LCMS convention apparently wants change. Some less substantial changes to the structure proposals passed by significant margins. The largest change, 8-08, the resolution to eliminate the numerous boards elected by the convention that report to their boards and replacing them with two commissions that report to the president of the synod, was passed by a slim 4% margin. This is a dramatic switch that marginalizes the congregations from the setting of direction for the synod.

The fact that the convention has decided that the synod has been failing for the last decade to the point that we need a total makeover of the synod suggests that they would also want to make a change at the top. The current president has been in office for nine years and has led the synod to this position of near financial ruin and disunity.

Tomorrows (sic) vote for president is getting interesting-er and interesting-er. Stay tuned for more news and commentary. We will try by mid-afternoon to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the voting results so far today.

Church and Change Pastor Jeske in front of a picture of...Jeske, at the LCMS convention.
Time of Grace is a Missouri Synod Media Ministry
according the the LCMS website, which was revised.
Jeske never had time for the ELS convention.

LCMS Votes for Kieschnick Plan

Lutheran Synod delegates votes to change denomination's governance

By Tim Townsend> Post-Dispatch Religion Writer> | Posted: Monday, July 12, 2010 2:46 pm |

HOUSTON - Delegates at the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod voted Monday to radically alter the structure and governance of their 2.5-million-member, St. Louis-based denomination.

After three days of debate, 2,000 delegates gathered at the 163-year-old church's triennial convention here voted 52 percent to 48 percent to streamline its operations by dismantling its several boards and commissions in favor of just two boards.

The seven old boards were governed by independent directors in consultation with the denomination's president. The functions of those boards will be folded into one national and one international board. The church's annual budget is about $85 million, and the new structure will save it about $1.4 million per year, according to its vice president for finance, Thomas Kuchta.

The change will mean an elimination of about 40 administrative jobs in the church's St. Louis headquarters, according to the Rev. Larry Stoterau, president of the church's pacific southwest district and chair of the committee in charge of the structure debate.

Critics of the change, and of the Kieschnick administration, have suggested in the months leading up to the convention, and in debates throughout the weekend that the massive structural changes amount to a centralization of power in the office of the president. The LCMS has a congregational structure where authority comes from a congregation, in contrast with church bodies with an episcopal structure where a hierarchy wields authority.

In an interview, Stoterau said the worries about centralization of power in the new structure are unfounded, and the real purpose is to eliminate redundancies in board responsibilities that waste church resources.

"This gives no more power to president than our constitution. gives him," he said. "This is a centralization of coordination. We're coordinating these ministries together to work cooperatively rather than in isolation."

Earlier Monday, the delegates rejected a proposal to increase the time between its regional district conventions and national convention from three years to four, which would have saved congregations - which pay for the conventions - an average of about $500,000 per year.

DP Jackson on Worship - Doing the Work the DPs Won't Do

bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "DP Jackson on Worship - Doing the Work the DPs Won...":

The picture of Choppa! ties in with the lawn mowing bit. I get it.

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Dear Pastors,

We are going to change Sunday worship a bit. To avoid fraud and deception, we will have "Lutheran" on all our church signs. Those who object are free to join a church body with a vague confession or none at all. Several come to mind.

The services in God's House are never aimed at entertainment, and we do not try to enlist new members at them. Therefore, all Seeker Services, Emerging Church models, and similar blasphemies will end immediately. See paragraph one if this displeases you.

The Lutheran worship service is the most Christ-centered and grace-filled of all denominations, for good reason. We believe, teach, and confess the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace.

The historic liturgy is the best way, the only way to express the Means of Grace. Before you start chanting "satis est," I agree that the liturgy can be expressed in various ways. However, anti-liturgy is always expressed in one way. I trust you know the difference.

Voluntary, inexpensive workshops will be held to demonstrate the historic liturgy.

By the way, men, I dress better to mow the lawn than some of you do on Sunday. I suggest that you either dress respectfully on Sunday or get a job that matches your Sunday uniform - mowing lawns.

We are cheating our children and grandchildren if we deprive them of Lutheran hymns. Our services should feature our hymns and help people appreciate the beauty and power of such authors as Gerhardt, Luther, Nicolai, Decius, Selnecker, Jacobs, and many others.

Do you know any non-Lutheran communion hymns? Non-Lutheran hymns for Holy Baptism? Hymns convey our confession of faith, which is why I am alarmed at the silly ditties and CCM garbage being tossed at congregations.

Hymn training needs to continue throughout the year. To support that I encourage you to sell your Fuller training manuals and use the money to buy music for your organist. Give him or her a raise. Recognize all church musicians each year during a service. Jubilate is a good Sunday for that.

In previous years, pastors have been promoted and given new calls for being caught in an affair with a church member. Instead of following that tradition, our jurisdiction is going to help prosecute those fellows.

We will promote and support pastors who are faithful to the Word and the Confessions, diligent in providing a Lutheran service with Lutheran sermons and Lutheran hymns. But, given God's abundant grace in the Means of Grace, it is likely that those who follow the new guidelines will want to enjoy their blessings in one location. This blog may inspire you.

Some of you will need to do some soul-searching, to determine if you are a Lutheran at all. If the answer is no, then it is unwise and dangerous for you to continue to pretend.

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raklatt (http://raklatt.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "DP Jackson on Worship - Doing the Work the DPs Won...":

This post is a great opportunity for the copy-and-pasters among the DP's.

Where you guys now?

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RINO from Soros or Soros RINO?

Republican in Name Only - RINO John McCain.

Some people say that Senator McCain is a RINO funded by Soros, but Eric Comstock pointed out that made him a Soros-RINO.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56177

McCain favored open borders during his presidential race and also promoted the fraudulent man-made global warming scheme.

In Phoenix he could not get a decent group together for a campaign stop. That says a lot GOP support in his home state.