Apparently the code I put in will allow people to watch the service from Ichabod. Let me know next Sunday if that works for you. Once the service is over, the link does not continue to work. I saved the file to YouTube, so I will look that up and try to embed it here.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - The antidote trusts the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Service
The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity
The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time
The Hymn # 246 Nicea
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 1 Thess 4:13-18
The Gospel Luke Matthew 24:15-28
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #200 Duke Street
Eternal Life
The Hymn #313 by Luther Gott sei gelobst
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 #657 Schoenster Herr Jesu
KJV 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
KJV Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, we most heartily thank Thee that by Thy word Thou hast brought us out of the darkness of Papacy into the light of Thy grace: We beseech Thee, mercifully help us to walk in that light, guard us from all error and false doctrine, and grant that we may not, as the Jews, become ungrateful and despise and persecute Thy word, but receive it with all our heart, govern our lives according to it, and put all our trust in Thy grace through the merit of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Eternal Life
The Christian faith gives to people what Christ live and died to give the world. When people believe in Christ, they trust the Word of God, especially the Promises. Through Christ these Promises are carried to believers. The Word conveys Christ. This leaves no doubt about how to receive the blessings of the Christian faith.
People are intrigued by Christ. Even non-believers write books about Him, as if we need one more book by a non-believer about Christ. Their intensity is proof that the Holy Spirit is working on them through the Word. Some scoffers, like Simon Greenleaf, become firm believers by studying the Word in order to find fault with it. Others, like Albert Schweitzer, become hardened in their unbelief. One book I would never buy is Isaac Asimov’s book about the Bible. He was a life-long atheist and even promoted his views as president of the Humanist Society. Reading Asimov’s book would be like studying astronomy with an astrologist.
Every so often a Christian intellectual will equate academic achievement with eternal life. One Lutheran told me Albert Einstein, the nuclear physicist, had to be in heaven, because he was such a great man. He missed the point entirely – trust in Christ means receiving the Promises – the Promise of forgiveness, the Promise of eternal life. All human endeavors are measured by achievement, but the Gospel pays no attention to that. Imagine how comforting the Gospel would be to someone confined to the hospital for 20 years, to another disabled by blindness. We know children have enormous intellectual ability and psychological intuition – look at how they outfox their parents – but they are not achievers. Jesus pointed to children as example of faith, not achievement. “Unless you believe as a child, you will not enter the Kingdom of God.”
What are the great barriers to the Christian faith? They are adult issues. How can Jesus walk on water? If they have that straight, it is, “How can Peter walk on water?” Or, the two biggest adult questions, “How can water do such things in baptism?” and “How can Jesus be present in both natures in Holy Communion?”
Trust in the Word of God means that these adult barriers are gone. Nevertheless, God has placed enough stumbling blocks in the Scriptures so that Christians are always studying the same passages to figure them out. The famous parable that ends with a man being thrown into Hell for having the wrong robe on – that sounds too much like casual Friday. That one is not easily understood the first few times. Hymn #370 explains it well. We only enjoy the Great Feast (eternal life) when we wear the robe of Christ’s righteousness. If we try to be there on our own merit, the wrong robe, we are thrown out.
Man’s righteousness makes us either proud or despairing. Either way we lose our grasp of God’s grace. I visited a Lutheran who said he loved the ELCA minister who based eternal life on “I love Jesus and I am a good man.” As I talked to this man, I saw how proud and haughty he was. He found the right church, one where he never needed to revise his high opinion of himself. This very attitude makes people immune to God’s Word as they pick what they want to follow.
Thessalonians
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to remind them of what he already taught them:
KJV 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
There was confusion about eternal life and the end of time. As he always did, Paul reminded his audience that Jesus rose from the dead. That is still considered the greatest victory. Those who base salvation on works will say, “I know he is in heaven, because he was a good person.” They are eager to lay claim to heaven, but they miss the means.
Conspiracies and fraud are often laid bare a short time after they reach their highest influence. The resurrection of Christ energized apostolic preaching because they knew it happened and the apostles saw the risen Christ. Paul made the resurrection the foundation of his preaching because it confirmed the meaning of the crucifixion. Jesus died for the sins of the world, but He was justified in the Spirit, raised from the dead as innocent of sin.
Therefore, we base justification on this great message of reconciliation. The word really means exchange. Jesus gives us His righteousness while taking away our sinfulness.
Animals appreciate this. They do not approach their master when they think they are in a state of sin. They run away and hide. Even cats, with their apparent lack of conscience and humility, do that. Our older Precious (sheltie) would not come when I called her name because she was punished once after I called her. I had to use her pet name, Preshy. When I called that name, she arrived but waited near me, with one paw raised. She was ready to get out of Dodge in case she was in trouble again. I often had to give her absolution several ways before she relaxed – “Good girl, it’s OK.”
People run from God because they are afraid of condemnation. They have to hear the Gospel to know that God has come to them to give them forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Until they trust in the Gospel, God is a fearsome judge. They only see that one aspect of God, even though the Scriptures emphasize God’s mercy.
All the admonitions to pray in the Bible are accompanied by the Promises of God.
Paul’s message of comfort in this brief passage is also accompanied by the Promises. (I like that term, which is used in the Book of Concord as a synonym for the Gospel.)
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Eternal Life Quotations
"For the papalists understand the word 'justify' according to the manner of the Latin composition as meaning 'to make righteous' through a donated or infused quality of inherent righteousness, from which works of righteousness proceed. The Lutherans, however, accept the word 'justify' in the Hebrew manner of speaking; therefore they define justification as the absolution from sins, or the remission of sins, through imputation of the righteousness of Christ, through adoption and inheritance of eternal life, and that only for the sake of Christ, who is apprehended by faith."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971, I, p. 467.
"And, in short, the meritum condigni is the Helen for which the Tridentine chapter concerning the growth of justification contends. For they imagine that the quality, or habit, of love is infused not that we may possess salvation to life eternal through this first grace but that, assisted by that grace, we may be able to merit eternal life for ourselves by our own good works. For concerning the meritum condigni Gabriel speaks thus: 'The soul shaped by grace worthily (de condigno) merits eternal life.'" [Kramer note - Scholastics taught that the good works of the unregenerate had only meritum congrui; the good works of the regenerate rewarded as meritum condigni, merit worthy with being rewarded with eternal life.]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, 1971, I, p. 541.
"How is a person justified before God? This occurs solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that is, freely, not because of any works or merits of one's own but only because of the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and propitiation on our behalf. By this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins and became righteous; that is, God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness was imputed to man for Christ's sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life when he believes with certainty that God gives him these blessings for the sake of His Son."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith, (1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p. 105.
"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life. It is free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because of Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith, (1568), 1994. p. 106.
"Scripture therefore uses these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How these should be applied or transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith, (1568), 1994. p. 107.
"The second argument is that 'God desires all men to be saved' (1 Timothy 2:4), and He gave His Son for us men and created man for eternal life. Likewise: All things exist for man, and he himself exists for God that he may enjoy Him, etc. These points and others like them can be refuted as easily as the first one. For these verses must always be understood as pertaining to the elect only, as the apostle says in 2 Timothy 2:10 'everything for the sake of the elect.' For in an absolute sense Christ did not die for all, because He says: 'This is My blood which is poured out for you' and 'for many'--He does not say: for all--'for the forgiveness of sins.' (Mark 14:24; Matthew 26:28) Martin Luther, Luther's Works, 25 p. 375. 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Timothy 2:4; Mark 14:24; Matthew 26:28 "His gifts and works in His Church must effect inexpressible results, taking souls from the jaws of the devil and translating them into eternal life and glory."
Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 220.
"In this epistle lesson Paul gives Christians instruction concerning the Christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a death--a grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the risen man and the newness of life should be found in us."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 141.
"Therefore, whoever would have a joyful conscience that does not fear sin, death, hell, nor the wrath of God, dare not reject this Mediator, Christ. For He is the fountain that overflows with grace, that gives temporal and eternal life."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols V, p. 331.
"Therefore, do not speak to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life, God's grace, and all heavenly treasures."
Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p. 1411f.
"In all simplicity and without any disputing, children believe that God is gracious and that there is an eternal life. Oh, what a blessing comes to the children who die at this time! Such a death would, of course, cause me extreme sorrow, because a part of my body and the mother's body would die. These natural affections do not cease in the pious, as those who are without feeling and are hardened imagine, for such affections are the work of divine creation. Children live with all sincerity in faith, without the interference of reason, as Ambrose says: There is lack of reason but not of faith."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 142.
"To be converted to God means to believe in Christ, to believe that He is our Mediator and that we have eternal life through Him."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p. 343. Acts 26:20.
"The Church has no word of its own. Whatever is not taken from Scripture is not the 'Word of the Church,' but what Luther bluntly calls 'prattle.' Also other books can exert a divine power and efficacy, but always only inasmuch as they have absorbed God's Word. Of Scripture Luther says: 'No book teaches anything concerning eternal life except this one alone' (St. Louis edition XIV:434)."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols., trans. Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950, I, p. 315.
"But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: 'He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you.' Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is given." Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV, Justification, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159. Romans 3:31; John 16:15.
"But Christ was given for this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you. Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience, etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is received through faith...Then we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference, does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded by God, but imagines that men are born and die by chance. Then we experience that we do not believe that God forgives and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the remission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy Ghost, so that now we are able to think aright."
Augsburg Confession, Article III, #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159.
"This power {the Keys} is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments, according to their calling, either to many or to individuals. For thereby are granted, not bodily, but eternal things, as eternal righteousness, the Holy Ghost, eternal life. These things cannot come but by the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, as Paul says, Romans 1:16: The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Therefore, since the power of the Church grants eternal things, and is exercised only by the ministry of the Word, it does not interfere with civil government; no more than the art of singing interferes with civil government."
Augsburg Confession, Article XXVIII, #8, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 85. Romans 1:16
"This righteousness is offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments, and is applied, appropriated, and received through faith, whence believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, sonship, and heirship of eternal life." Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III 16 Righteousness Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 921.
"Also they teach that at the Consummation of the World Christ will appear for judgment, and will raise up all the dead; He will give to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end."
Augsburg Confession, Article XVII, Of Christ's Return to Judgment, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 51.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Another Diocese Leaves the Grasp of PB Jefferts-Schori: No Parallel in Lutherland
QUINCY: Diocese Votes to Leave TEC for the Province of the Southern Cone
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
November 7, 2008
Peoria, Illinois: The Diocese voted to leave TEC today
The voting was 41 to 14 in the clergy and 54 to 12 among the laity.
More later.
Diocese of Quincy votes to re-align
Forward in Faith
November 8, 2008
The annual Synod of the Diocese of Quincy, Illinois tonight voted overwhelmingly to remove The Episcopal Church from the accession clause of the diocesan constitution and to join the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone.
The vote to leave The Episcopal Church was carried by 41 votes to 14 by the clergy and by 54 votes to12 by the laity. The decision to join the Province of the Southern Cone on a temporary basis was approved by 46 votes to 4 by the clergy order and by 55 votes to 8 by the lay members of the Synod.
END
PEORIA: Quincy members vote to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone
By Joe Bjordal,
November 07, 2008
[Episcopal News Service, Quincy, Illinois]
A majority of delegates to the 131st annual synod of the Diocese of Quincy voted on November 7 to leave the Episcopal Church and realign the diocese under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, which covers the southern portion of South America.
The action was carried out by the passing of two resolutions. The first formally annulled accession to "the constitution and canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America."
The resolution stated that the General Convention and leaders of the Episcopal Church "have failed to uphold the teaching and authority of Holy Scripture, have challenged or belittled core doctrines of the Christian faith, have refused to conform to the agreed teaching and discipline of the Anglican faith, have refused to conform to the agreed teaching and discipline of the Anglican Communion, and have rejected the godly counsel of the leaders of the Communion."
Members of Quincy's leadership, including former diocesan bishop Keith Ackerman, who retired on November 1, have been at odds with the wider church over such theological issues as the church's attitude toward homosexuality.
The vote on the resolution to leave the Episcopal Church was taken by orders. Members of the clergy voted 41 to 14 in favor of the resolution. Lay delegates voted 54 to 12 in favor of the resolution.
The second resolution stated that the Diocese of Quincy "wishes to accept the gracious invitation extended by the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone in November, 2007, to offer membership to extra-provincial dioceses on an emergency basis."
On the resolution to join the Southern Cone, clergy voted 46 to 4 in favor. Lay delegates voted 55 to 8 to approve the resolution.
Immediately following the vote, delegates were read a letter from Archbishop Gregory Venables, primate, or national bishop, of the Southern Cone, welcoming the Diocese of Quincy into his jurisdiction.
In the letter, Venables announced that he has appointed the Rev. Canon Ed den Blaauwen, a member of Quincy's governing standing committee, as Vicar General of the diocese, in the absence of a sitting bishop.
The Southern Cone includes the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. It also includes former members of the San Joaquin and Pittsburgh dioceses of the Episcopal Church.
Episcopal News Service will update developments as warranted. A full story covering the convention will be posted on November 8.
---Joe Bjordal is Episcopal Life Media correspondent for Provinces V and VI.
***
GJ - For those who graduated from prep school - this is another group of congregations voting to leave The Apostate Episcopal Church.
If conservatives do not show more spine in the old Synodical Conference (ELS, WELS, LCMS) the next Synod President will be Leonard Sweet's second wife.
One Reason Why Augsburg Fortress Cannot Sell Books - ELCA Cannot Spell Augsburg
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
November 7, 2008
Augsburg Fortress Publishers Announces Changes in Business Model
08-186-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA),
Minneapolis, announced Nov. 7 significant changes in its business
operations. The publisher will focus its ministry on its "two
most important callings"-- group-use materials for congregations,
such as faith formation and worship materials, and textbooks and
monographs for higher education, said Beth A. Lewis, Augsburg
Fortress president and chief executive officer.
Based on a year of analysis of market and business research,
a strategic plan for the publisher's new direction was presented
and unanimously approved at a regular meeting of the board of
trustees for Augsburg Fortress Oct. 24-25 in Minneapolis.
The new business plan will result in some personnel changes.
Thirteen positions will be added to the company's information
technology, marketing and sales operations. Fifty-five positions
will be eliminated, Lewis said. The company has 242 full- and
part-time staff. Laid-off employees will remain on the payroll
through at least 2008 and some well into 2009, and the publisher
is providing outplacement services, Lewis said.
The ELCA publisher's new priorities will result in some
changes in traditional offerings, Lewis said:
+ A new Web site will feature improved navigation and search
capabilities. The http://www.augsburgfortress.org site will be
relaunched Dec. 1.
+ Augsburg Fortress will not accept or sell new titles in its
consumer-oriented book line, though it will continue to market
stocks on hand.
+ It will close nine bookstores by April 30, 2009. A store at
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., is not owned by Augsburg
Fortress. The company will continue to rent space there and
market group-use resources to congregations. Augsburg Fortress'
Canadian bookstores will remain open.
+ Augsburg Fortress will no longer provide bookstore operations
at synod assemblies and most large ELCA churchwide events, such
as ELCA Youth Gatherings and Women of the ELCA Triennial
Gatherings. It will continue to provide a bookstore at ELCA
churchwide assemblies. Lewis explained that the publisher will
work in partnership with synods and offer services to teach
members about new resources and faith formation teaching
techniques. "This adds value for synods and for us," Lewis said.
+ Giving envelopes and worship supplies, such as communion wafers
and cups, and candles, will still be available. Items that don't
sell well will be dropped.
The company's refined priorities began with discussions, in
executive session, at the board of trustees' spring 2008 meeting,
Lewis said. "We questioned whether we should be in all markets or
whether denominational publishing is viable," she said. The board
encouraged the publisher's leadership team to start with a blank
sheet of paper and rethink the company's priorities for the
future, she said.
"Augsburg Fortress is undergoing important strategic changes
to focus our ministry and business -- and some are very painful
on a personal level as we say good-bye to wonderful colleagues.
We are confident that, while difficult, these changes are
necessary and will enable Augsburg Fortress to be a strong and
responsive organization for the future," Lewis said.
***
GJ - Mrs. Ichabod and I met Beth Lewis at the national communication conference of the LCA, in the good old days. At one point Fortress was the leading publisher of books used in the Notre Dame theology program (PhD, not DMin). A few years later they were publishing books by women Jewish rabbis and other oddball feminists. Their church materials went from liberal to atrocious. Ever since the merger in 1987 they have been revising their business model and hoping to make money again.
Here is the funny part. ELCA has a huge PR budget and lots of staff. They launched their new website with a notice giving this (below) as the address for Augsburg Fortress, the merger of the ALC and LCA publication houses.
"+ A new Web site will feature improved navigation and search capabilities. The http://www.augusburgfortress.org (sic) site will be relaunched Dec. 1."
Some of you are waiting for some gratuitous remark about a WELS apostate doing their proof-reading. No, I will not stoop that low...today.
Missouri Foreclosing on Their Own Church Properties
The story can be found on LutherQuest (sic)
The exact URL, as Bruce Church noted, is:
The exact URL is:
http://www.lutherquest.org/discus40/messages/13/78696.html?1226187191
Thirty years of the Church Growth Movement have been really...effective, haven't they?
I think the District Popes of the LCMS should sue Waldo Werning and Kent Hunter.
A Creed - American Thinker
Credo in Unam Nationem, Sub Deo
By Geoffrey P. Hunt
I believe in one nation, under God, indivisible, with freedom and justice for all.
I believe in the Constitution of the United States, a nation of laws not men.
I believe in the greatness of America, having no limit to what it may achieve.
I believe in America's manifest destiny and the obligation to use our resources and power to preserve and propagate liberty and democratic government around the world.
I believe the United States has the right and obligation to use military force, even preemptively, but judiciously, anywhere in the world whenever the vital interests of the United States and her allies are threatened.
I believe the United States is a nation without peer, whose sovereignty shall never be subjugated to nor compromised by any nation or nations anywhere on earth for national security, trade , economics or for any other purpose.
I believe in the sanctity of human life, including protections for the unborn and the infirm.
I believe in the right of consenting adults to make lifestyle choices, provided I am neither required to pay for such choices nor required to accept corruption of traditional family institutions in name or form, as a condition for accepting such choices. [GJ - I disagree completely with this, I copied this creed verbatim. It is in society's interest to preserve the family unit and natural law. Perversion is not a right: it is the fad that helped destroy the Roman Republic.]
I believe in free market capitalism.
I believe that private citizens and private enterprises can spend their own money more wisely than the government.
I believe taxes should support only those necessary and minimally essential government functions, not to underwrite an ever—expanding role of government intruding into our private lives nor enlarging the welfare state.
I believe tax burdens should be fairly distributed and proportional; no economic class should disproportionately subsidize another.
I believe tax policies should not confiscate the rewards of achievement; instead taxes should encourage entrepreneurship, inspire upward mobility and motivate wealth creation.
I believe in equal opportunities and if measured objectively I can accept unequal outcomes.
I believe in the self—esteem of achievement, not in patronizing generosity.
I believe in personal accountability where I am responsible for my own actions and where I will not blame the shortcomings and disappointments of this life on someone else.
I believe in freedom of expression, the competition of ideas in an open marketplace free from intimidation, prejudice, suppression and retaliation.
I believe in leaders who respect differences of opinion and reject the politics of hate, distortion and personal destruction.
I believe in leaders who are intellectually honest with me and who value my intelligence and common sense as much as their own.
I believe in leaders who are authentic and can make a personal connection with me despite our differences in personal taste and economic station in life.
I believe in leaders who appeal to my hopes instead of reinforcing my fears.
I believe in leaders who identify with my dreams and aspirations instead of reminding me of my failures, misjudgments and infirmities.
I believe in American democracy where voting is a valued privilege, not a right afforded to every inhabitant, regardless of citizenship, criminality, or inability to fill out a ballot.
I believe in voting as a sacred duty where on that day all qualified American citizens are equal with power and authority to judge and choose.
I believe in the unique American ideology of liberty, freedom of thought, assembly, speech and worship; of political power used to protect private property and promote economic self—determination.
I believe the unique American ideology transcends and binds the racial, ethnic and religious diversity in America and offers hope for millions of oppressed people around the globe.
I believe in Almighty God who shed His grace on this great nation, from the beginning, and who pours His blessings upon us and our descendents, now and forever,
Amen.
Geoffrey P. Hunt is an executive in the electronics industry.
on "Credo in Unam Nationem, Sub Deo"
Friday, November 7, 2008
Thirty Years of Fuller Training
For LCMS--->Stetzer Worship
Welcome to Missional Journey
...thoughts on Missional churches, missional people and how a church planting movement might be fostered in the Texas District, LCMS.
Some have been gleaned from others who are writing, speaking and living with church planting everyday. Some are my own thoughts from my own experience with church planters and missional churches. Your comments and reactions are welcomed.
God's Blessings as you continue on your own missional journey.
Paul Krentz
Mission Facilitator
Texas District, LCMS
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Facilitating Church Planting Movements #4 - Factors for Higher Attendance in new church plants
Stetzer has done significant research into factors that contribute to higher attendance in new church plants. Here is what he found
Factors for Higher Attendance
• Meet in a school for first year
• Meet in a school or theater in subsequent years
• Conduct special children's' events (e.g. fall festival)
• Mailing invitations to services, programs, events
• Conducting regular new member classes
• Use a membership covenant signed by new members
• Plant at least 1 daughter churches within 3 years of initial church plant
• Having a proactive stewardship development plan enabling the church to become financially self-sufficient
• Having multiple staff members (can be volunteer or part-time) rather than a single staff member at beginning of church plant
• Financial compensation for planter (from a variety of sources)
• Planter receiving health insurance, whereby majority of premiums were paid by church plant, sponsoring church, and/or denomination
• Conducting block-party as outreach event (in neighborhoods)
• Working full time over part-time or half-time as church planter
• being assessed prior to planting the church as the church planter
• Having the church planter's expectation realized
What Stetzer says does not work: You do not get a church planting movement by creating non-reproducible models. i.e. - you can't reproduce a plant in which you invest $500,000. The denomination can't do it and the planted church can't do it. Planters and churches reproduce in the way that they were produced! If the investment is too high – expectations for next plant are so high that reality can never match (Ed Stetzer has planted 5 churches and never received more than $20,000 from the denomination)
Probably no church plant has all of the factors that Stetzer has found contribute to higher attendance. Some of them are out of the control of the planter or planting congregation. But, many can be done no matter what kind of plant is being pursued.
In the Texas District, LCMS we have been saying that the right person, the right place and the right plan need to be in place in order to receive funds from the Board of Mission Administration. Stetzer's list affirms those three criteria.
Posted by Paul Krentz at 4:02 PM
2 comments:
pastorp said...
As I read the "higher attendance" insights, I was genuinely amazed at how perfectly they lined up with our own personal experiences at Water's Edge (mission plant in Frisco). Paul, you're right, this dude knows what he's talking about!
September 28, 2007 3:32 PM
Paul Krentz said...
I'm glad Ed Stetzer has been researching and writing. People like you know intuitively what needs to be done. Stetzer's research affirms it. The good news is that his work also helps those who don't have that intuition to benefit from his work and not have to reinvent the wheel every time a new mission starts
September 29, 2007 8:00 PM
Only a Futurist Could Claim This
From his own bio page:
Voted "One of the 50 Most Influential Christians in America" (2006, 2207)
These are but a sampling of responses to Len's three-ring mission: as a historian of American culture; as a futurist/semiotician who "sees things the rest of us do not see, and dreams possibilities that are beyond most of our imagining;" and as a preacher and writer who communicates the gospel powerfully to a postmodem age by bridging the worlds of academe and popular culture.
Pass the Smelling Salts
Methodist New Ager Leonard Sweet has been featured at a number of LCMS gatherings, including a recent youth conference and a gig at Our Lady of Sorrows Seminary, St. Louis. Sweet is a favorite at The Love Shack (WELS) too. Both synods also pay big money to hear Babtist Ed Stetzer. So there is doctrinal agreement - hatred of Luther's doctrine.
The Great Salt Gathering
Featured Speaker Information
LCMS President, Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick will lead the gathering worship service and will be a featured speaker multiple days, LCMS C-N-H District President Bob Newton will be a featured speaker and will lead scheduled Bible studies, and theologian Leonard Sweet will be a featured speaker and address the entire assembly at the banquet.
Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, President, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
The Rev. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick was elected to his third three-year term as president of the 2.45-million-member Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in July 2007, an office in which he has served his Lord and Church since September 2001.
Just prior to becoming LCMS president, Kieschnick had been president of the Synod’s Texas District for 10 years. He also served that district as a circuit counselor from 1978-81 and as director of public relations from 1977-86. Prior to his Texas District presidency, Kieschnick was director of development of the Lutheran Foundation of Texas from 1986-88 and then served as its executive director from 1988-91. From 1998 until his election as LCMS president, Kieschnick chaired the LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations, and served on the executive committee of the LCMS Council of Presidents.
Born in Houston on January 29, 1943, Kieschnick attended Texas A&M University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1964. He is a 1970 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, IL, obtained his Master of Divinity degree in 1977 from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1996 from Concordia University, Austin, TX.
After his ordination in 1970, Kieschnick served as pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Biloxi, MS, until 1973; pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Beaumont, TX, 1973-81; and mission developer and pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, Georgetown, TX, 1981-86.
Rev. Robert Newton, California-Nevada-Hawaii District President
A 1977 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Robert served as an evangelistic missionary to the Kankanaey people in the Philippines from 1977-83. He and his family lived in a remote mountain area of northern Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago. The ministry involved planting new congregations and outstations along with training men to serve as pastors, elders, and evangelists.
The Newtons returned to the States in July of 1983 in order for Robert to pursue graduate studies at the School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA. While there, he assisted the Pacific Southwest District in developing a cross-cultural leadership training program. He completed his doctorate in education in 1993 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.
Robert served as professor of world missions at Concordia Theological Seminary from 1985 until 1998. For the 1996-97 academic year he was on sabbatical with his family serving the Gutnius Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea under the Board for Mission Services. In 1998 he accepted a call as senior pastor to First Immanuel Lutheran Church, an urban, multi-cultural congregation in San Jose, CA and continued in that ministry until being elected president of the CNH District in 2003.
Robert and his wife, Priscilla, grew up together in Napa, California and have been married since 1971. They have six children (Matthew and wife Sheila, Rachel and husband Adam, Alicia and husband, Eric, and David) and five grandchildren, (Jessica, Patrick, Timothy, Jack and Kiahna).
Leonard Sweet, “theologian, author, and futurist” [GJ - WELS Church and Change Keynote Speaker, until the sect woke up]
Currently the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew Theological School (Madison, NJ), and Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University (Portland, OR), Leonard Sweet is the author of more than one hundred articles, 600 published sermons and thirty books, most recently The Gospel According to Starbucks (2007).
Sweet's web-based preaching resource UWikiletics.com is the first open-source preaching resource on the web. Founder and President of SpiritVenture Ministries, Sweet is a frequent speaker and conversation partner at conferences both in the US and around the globe. In both 2006 and 2007 he was voted "One of the 50 Most Influential Christians in America" (Uwww.thechurchreport.com). His current projects include a preaching text entitled Giving Blood, The Leadership Myth (with Joe Myers), Pay Attention: Every Bush is Burning, and later in 2007, Outstorming The Perfect Storm. His weekly free podcast is called "Napkin Scribbles," and a longer subscription-based weekly podcast is available from WiredParish.com.
---
Continuing Education in False Doctrine, Our Lady of Sorrows Seminary, St. Louis
MAY 2, 2007 (WEDNESDAY)
Day of Homiletical Reflection
Main Presenter: Dr. Leonard Sweet
***
GJ - Sweet was president of the school which trained Jeremiah Wright, Obama's previous preacher, famous for "God d____ America!"
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Trying Out For a Gig
At Rock and Roll Church (WELS)
Put another dime in the offering plate, baby!
***
GJ - Book him, Matt. He has no talent, but he is loud.
Maybe This Is Why the Church and Change People Want To Oust SP Schroeder
Q: I have one grandfather that was an LCMS minister and another was a WELS minister. I understand the history of their division and I accept the need. What I fear there is a trend in WELS to follow the same rout as LCMS. In the desire to increase church attendance many WELS congregations are not making a solid doctrinal stand. Law and Gospel are still present but one must look for it. Do these same concerns exist at our seminaries and synod offices?
---------------------------------------
A: Thank you for your concern about the centrality of Law and Gospel in our preaching and teaching. God has promised that his church will endure until Jesus returns again, but he has made no promises that individual church bodies or synods will always be blessed with the pure doctrine. That is why the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:2 are such an important reminder for our synod: "Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel which I preached to you and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you will have believed in vain." In other words, our synod and its congregations will need to be vigilant in holding on to the truth of Scripture and careful to preach solid Law and Gospel boldly and consistently .
I assure you that I share these concerns, and I know that our seminary faculty would say the same. As we face declining numbers in worship and in church membership, we will want to avoid the temptation to resort to methods or "quick fixes" which rely on something other than the means of grace, which alone can bring people to know their Savior and through which the Holy Spirit will work. All efforts to increase church attendance and membership need to be carefully evaluated in the light of God's Word, not on the basis of "what works." If we water down the message of Law and Gospel, if we change the message to a generic message that simply tells people what they want to hear (instead of what they need to hear), we will eventually have no gospel message left. We may fill churches, but the danger is that those churches will be filled with people whose true spiritual needs -- the call to repentance and the assurance of full forgiveness in Christ -- will not be met.
Please keep our synod, its congregations, and its pastors in your prayers as we address these important matters. Thank you for your concern.
In Christ,
Mark Schroeder, WELS president [email: mark.schroeder@sab.wels.net]
Schuller Fires Schuller as Prime Preacher on HOP - ELCA's Kallestad To Preach
Schullers Part Ways at Crystal Cathedral's 'Hour of Power'
Son will remain senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral.
Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service | posted 10/27/2008 04:35PM
On upcoming broadcasts of the Hour of Power from the glistening Crystal Cathedral in Southern California, the face that will appear in the pulpit won't always be that of Robert A. Schuller, the son of founder Robert H. Schuller.
The elder Schuller, 82, announced Sunday (Oct. 26) that differences between them about the future of the ministry have led to a decision to expand the platform of the broadcast.
"It is no secret to any of you that my son, Robert, and I have been struggling as we each have different ideas as to the direction and the vision for this ministry as we move into the future," the elder Schuller wrote in an announcement made at a church meeting Saturday and posted on its website the next day.
He added that the disagreement was placing the ministry in "jeopardy" and that the two men would "part ways in the Hour of Power television ministry to each pursue our own unique God-ordained visions."
Church spokesman John Charles said the decision about the younger Schuller, 54, was a board decision.
"He's still senior pastor of Crystal Cathedral, the local congregation," Charles said of the younger Schuller. "He's just no longer the single pastor on the Hour of Power."
Charles said the younger Schuller had differed with the board, chaired by his father, about whether there should be more faces in the Hour of Power pulpit.
Already, that is changing, with Walt Kallestad, pastor of Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Ariz., preaching Sunday.
The elder Schuller said he hopes other ministers who, like, Kallestad, have taken part in his ministry's Institute for Successful Church Leadership, will be guest ministers. Other possibilities included Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, and Kirbyjon Caldwell, senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston.
Susan DeLay, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek, confirmed that Hybels had been invited but said he has no upcoming plans to speak at the Crystal Cathedral. Caldwell's plans could not be immediately determined.
The elder Schuller said he would continue to host the weekly service and preach occasionally.
Charles said Monday the younger Schuller and other Crystal Cathedral representatives were not commenting on the situation.
The church posted a statement from the regional body of its denomination, the Reformed Church in America, which Charles said is likely to play a greater role in the church's future.
"Our next goal is to see both Robert A. and Robert H. given any assistance they may need to continue to be passionate about their individual visions and remain harmonious in their relationships, not just as father and son, but also as co-laborers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ," the statement reads.
"They are not just television icons; they are precious individuals loved by God and millions of people around the globe and they deserve our utmost respect and support."
***
GJ - Kallestad is an ELCA pastor in Glendale, Arizona. I attended his service once. Community of Joy avoids the Lutheran name, to keep the prospects from thinking Kallestad is gay.
Kallestad earned a DMin from Fuller Seminary, just like WELS' Larry Olson.
Coup Against SP Schroeder Being Organized at The Love Shack
with the elected Synod President. The WELS laity and pastors are.
The Church Shrinkage Movement leaders (aka Church and Change) are organizing a coup to get rid of Synod President Mark Schroeder, my sources tell me.
Blatant antagonism from Rev. Bruce Becker (Bored Member, Church and Change) was obvious in the calling of Paul Kelm to The Love Shack. No entity was supposed to call anyone, due to budget restraints. SP Schroeder advised against calling and especially against calling any polarizing figure. No one is more polarizing than copycat Kelm.
Church and Change cheerleaders tried to pretend SP Schroeder knew about the call before it appeared on the call list. Repeated contacts with him, from people I know, have shown that he did not know. Church and Change would lie? Shocker.
Church and Change arranged for Babtist Ed Stetzer to be the main speaker for their confab in 2009. Stetzer twittered this fact in July, bragged about in in August, and posted the date and information on his website. The COP discussed it, and furrowed their massy brows, but did nothing. Then Church and Change denied there was a conference and a date with Ed Stetzer. They wouldn't be lying again, would they? That would be so-o-o-o out of character for them.
Pastors and laity will have to support sound doctrine if they want to get rid of this cancer called the Church Growth Movement, Church and Change, Becoming Missional, Purpose Driven, or whatever fleece they want to hide under.
For the last 20 years confessional Lutheran pastors (if they can be called that) have been content to throw their own under the bus. If they remain gutless, motionless, and speechless, The Love Shack will win and WELS will become another Unitarian sect in a few years.
The WELS Church Shrinkage leaders have been: Ron Roth, Hartman, Valleskey and Bivens, Paul Kelm, Hagedorn, Wayne Mueller, Bruce Becker, Larry Olson (DMin, Fuller), James Huebner, and many more. Some of the newer ones to emerge are Mark Jeske, Don Patterson, Ski, Stelljes, Doebler, Gunn, Rick Johnson, and Borgwardt. Martin Spriggs was a WELS pastor addicted to Willow Creek. Now he is charge of technology at The Love Shack.
There are plenty more Shrinkers: just connect the bread crumbs to the ones listed above.
What do the Shrinkers love and promote?
- Willow Creek Community Church.
- Andy Stanley's Baptist Northpoint Church.
- Management by Objective.
- Marketing the Gospel.
- Fuller Seminary (Olson's DMin, the seat of learning for all the world and American mission board people. Valleskey's and Bivens' alma mater.)
- Waldo Werning, embalmed or not.
- Kent Hunter, DMin, Fuller Seminary.
- Leonard Sweet.
- Hiding the name Lutheran.
- Hiding the sacraments.
- Rock and roll music.
- Cell groups.
- The ordination of women.
Church and Change 2007 Beehive Report
devoured by Church and Change buddies
(free vicars for Patterson, grant for Doebler, etc).
The triangles leaving the fish's rear end
symbolize Church and Change pooping on the synod
at every opportunity, fouling the water.
The faint-hearted Tendrils paper lavished praise on the fabulous worship services of the Church Shrinkers.
One of my sources described the experience of two WELS members who actually attended the 2007 conference. Here is the summary:
1) Sheer volume of blatant Church Growth.
2) Church Growth being covered with comments like, "Oh yeah, we think Law and Gospel is important, but..."
3) They weren't even good at Church Growth. The services were sloppy, the preaching sucked, the praise bands sucked.
The layman said that you could close your eyes and say "non-denominational" one time fast and you were immediately transported into a magical land of apostasy.
Things may not be good in the WELS, but some congregations have their head on straight and are speaking out against Church Growth.
CGM Alive and Purring in WELS - WELS AnswerMan
WELS Q and A
Q: On your recent WELS Web site homepage, you highlighted www.crossroadschicago.org, the Web site of a new WELS mission. When I researched the site, I discovered that the Church Growth Movement is alive and well in WELS. I could not find any reference to WELS anywhere on the site, and the copyright is by Crossroads "Christian" Church. If I didn't know better, I would think I was looking at a Disciples of Christ website! In its statement of faith, which is vague and subject to a great deal of misinterpretation, it states that Crossroads is "a Christian community with roots in the Lutheran tradition." That's the language of the ecumenical movement! What's happening to my WELS? As WELS members, are we now ashamed of the word "Lutheran"? Are we becoming just like the vague and generic evangelical churches that offer a generic gospel so as not to offend anyone? Tell me what's going on in the WELS. This isn't confessional Lutheranism at all!
-----------------------------------
A: The best answer to your question will come by directly contacting your brothers and sisters at Crossroads Christian Church.
What I know about the congregation is that it was founded recently by some very dedicated and solidly Lutheran young people who are interested in outreach with the gospel, especially to others their age. They perceived that the name Lutheran would dissuade many from even looking to their Bible-based message. In the Chicago area "Lutheran" means liberal, homosexual-supporting, pro-abortion, women voters, denial of biblical inspiration, and false ecumenism.
Of course, to you and me Lutheran means something entirely different. But the fact that this group of Christians called a fine, young, conservative WELS pastor to be their shepherd speaks to me more loudly than their choice of names.
After you speak with them directly, you will have to judge which is the greater risk: Using the name Lutheran in an area where Lutheranism denotes all the things we deplore, or not using the name Lutheran and risking the suspicion of their brothers in other parts of the country that they have joined the Disciples of Christ.
***
GJ - How many unwarranted assumptions are in this answer? I stopped counting. I hope all the conservative Lutheran congregations have erased "Lutheran" from their websites, or prospects will expect the clergyperson to come dancing out in lavender hose and rainbow stoles.
I believe this is an old Q and A because the Chicago stealth congregation was featured in the stealth magazine some time ago, before SP Schroeder was elected. The answer sounds pure Wayne Mueller.
I wonder how many Church Shrinkers met with pastors and laity first before savaging them behind their backs - for the crime of criticizing Fuller doctrine. I think the grand total of Matthew 18 meetings is zero.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
NPH - You Should Read Babtist Andy Stanley
Northwestern Publishing House:
"Fields of Gold, A Place Beyond Your Deepest Fears; Andy Stanley; Tyndale; Hard Cover; Practical Life/ Finance; For pastors, adults, young adults; $13.99; Babtist, conservative: The author presents a fine case for determining giving practices. Christians need to be trained in trusting God enough to be able to support His work with his offerings. The author bases his reasons on Scripture and presents some stories from his experiences. It is an easy read with much food for thought. Pastors would find some good ideas for commitment/stewardship sermons."
Bush-Clinton Era Over
The first Bush was elected Vice-President in 1980. For 28 years we have had either a Bush or a Clinton at the top. McCain was Bush's pick for president. When McCain was finished financially, Bush introduced McCain to his top supporters and gave McCain access to his mailing lists.
McCain never hid his contempt for conservatives, but they were willing to vote for him to prevent a bomber's friend from becoming president. Many think McCain would have won except for the manufactured financial meltdown. Revulsion was almost universal about the immediate response of President Bush, Treasury Secretary (Goldman Sachs vet) Paulson, and Congress - to bailout the criminals who created the mortgage crisis.
This rush to give financial incompetents and crooks $700 billion+ was far too much to be accepted by voters who were fighting to save their homes, to keep their credit available, and to maintain an income with so many industries failing.
The financial crisis will deepen with the new Congress and President. We need another Reagan.
Church and Change Evangelism Workshop
3 / 7 / 2009-Evangelism Workshop-Coordinated by Share Grace Consortium ...
http://www.churchandchange.org/site/search1.asp?sec_id=2384&search_assoc=&zoom_query=2009+conference&zoom_page=1&zoom_per_page=10&zoom_cat=-1&zoom_and=0&zoom_sort=0
These are the congregations in Share Grace.
I did a search and found this on the Church and Change calendar, so it is safe to say the congregations are friendly with Church and Change. One of them, Jim Aderman, has been deep into Church Growth for many years.
Funny, the Ed Stetzer Babtist Conference for 2009 is not listed anywhere on the site, even though Stetzer listed it on his schedule (as WELS Church and Change no less), blogged about it (I Like Lutherans) and twittered when he got the contract.
The cloaking device must still be on at Church and Change headquarters, a secure, undisclosed location.
Church and Change -
Stealthy to the C.O.R.E
Pastor of St. Peter, Appleton
Ski: "Solid Rock Ministry? That's too hard to say. Let's try C.O.R.E."
Welcome Pastor Ski & Family!!
Pastor James Skorzewski (you are encouraged and free to call him Pastor Ski for the sake of ease) accepted the call to serve as the pastor of our daughter congregation and he and his family have now officially relocated to the Appleton area. Pastor Ski and his wife Janinne have been married for 13 years and have 3 children; Abbie (11), Megan (9), both of whom are in our Christian Elementary School, and Jackson (21 months). We are excited to have them here in the area and wish them all God’s blessings as they serve the Lord here in Appleton and as Pastor Ski begins his ministry at The CORE (this is the new church’s official name).
Pastor Ski will be installed in the 10:30 a.m. service here at St. Peter on November 16th. The service will take place in the gymnasium and there will be light refreshments served before and after the service allowing everyone the opportunity to meet Pastor Ski and his family. The service will be similar in style to what the daughter congregation might be like. Make plans to be there on that day to welcome Pastor Ski to the area and wish him God’s blessings on his outreach efforts at The CORE.
The CORE has no members (other than Pastor Ski’s family) to officially welcome them, so to welcome them to our area, we are going to collect canned goods and other food to help stock their food pantry as well as any household paper products (paper towels, etc.) that can be used by them in their new home. There will also be a box out for the next few weeks to collect monetary gifts which we will put towards a gift card to a local grocery store. Please mark the bags for this with the words "SKI FAMILY". Once again, welcome Pastor Ski and family.
MEANING of the name "The CORE"
The new daughter congregation will be called "The CORE". The idea behind that is first and foremost that Christ is at the core of everything we do as a church and should be at the core of everything we do as Christians. At The CORE we will help you strengthen your most important core, your spiritual core. The letters are also significant:
C = connected to others and Christ
O = overhauling your life with the Gospel
R = reconciled to God through Christ
E = engaged in the world with the Gospel
Ultimately that is what we are about – connecting people in a personal relationship with their Savior and other Christians which inevitably transforms their lives because of the power of the Gospel and then encouraging people to share that.
http://www.stpetercares.com/home/2440/2440/docs/Church%20Newsletter%20-%20November%202008.doc?sec_id=2440
***
GJ - Rev. Ron Ash is the pastor of the sponsoring WELS congregation, St. Peter in Appleton, Wisconsin. Someone said they already had 40 WELS congregations in the area, so C.O.R.E. must be meeting a vital mission need. Or maybe they just got a juicy grant from one of their Church and Change connections, like Bored Member Bruce Becker, head of WELS Perish Services. At any rate, Jeske's church has one less mouth to feed during a drought of donations. Ditto, St. Mark, Depere (Paul Kelm call to The Love Shack).
Overheard at a WELS' pastoral conference - "Ichabod is finally lerning how to spell."
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
And God Said - "I Think It Would Be Really Cool"
The Joe Biden of the Wisconsin Sect, about Rock and Roll worship:
Skorzewski said. "It's like God just said, 'I think it would be really cool if you went this way.' "
Other Change and Changers in the same story:
I.
"You have to get the difference between the way the evangelicals and Lutherans look at theology," said James Tiefel, dean of chapel and a professor of worship and homiletics at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. "The evangelicals will say that a human being has to make a decision to become a Christian. And so the way you get him to make that decision becomes very important. You have to find a way to raise his emotions or convince his intellect. Lutherans will say the Holy Spirit works through the word (Scripture) to create a Christian."
There has been some experimentation with full-blown praise bands in WELS churches for at least 10 years, but it is not widespread, Tiefel said. [Young Tiefel worked for VP Patterson, at WELS expense.]
II.
One of the noteworthy WELS examples nationally is St. Mark Lutheran Church in De Pere. About 80% of the music that its praise band plays comes from top-selling contemporary Christian music. The church, which has a $150,000 audio-visual system with two big video screens, has nearly 2,000 members and needs to expand beyond the new facility it built a few years ago, said Phil Boileau, its minister of music and family.
A growing number of WELS churches nationally are making at least some use of contemporary music and instruments beyond the organ, according to Tiefel and the Rev. Bryan Gerlach, administrator for the WELS Commission on Worship. At least 150 have gotten instruction at Gerlach's School of Worship Enrichment.
III.
Wayne Mueller, first vice president of synod mission and ministry for WELS, estimates that 25% of the denomination's 1,263 congregations offer some type of regular alternative worship.
IV.
From 15 people at the first Sunday night services, attendance now averages about 150, with many more for special services, said the Rev. Jim Skorzewski, who conducts the alternative services and assists Senior Pastor Mark Jeske in shepherding the diverse, growing congregation. Many are 18 to 35. Sunday's service drew about 300 worshippers.
St. Marcus has grown from about 500 members four years ago to about 800, Davidson said. The home of Jeske's "Time of Grace" television and radio ministry, the church has a 280-pupil school with a waiting list, a gospel choir, bible study groups for men and women, a bible-based Wandani Youth Outreach program and other groups for various age ranges.
***
Skorzewski, Rev James R St Peter - Appleton WI 08/11/2008
To start daughter congregation, Solid Rock Ministries
Bored* Member, Church and Change
From His Blog
What is Drive ’08? That’s a great question. Drive is a two day conference for church leaders. During these two days church leaders from the three North Point campuses will share what they have learned over the last twelve years about creating and maintaining awesome ministry environments. The entire conference has been designed around questions from churches all over the world.
Over the two days Andy Stanley (Lead Pastor at North Point) will address the attendees in three main sessions. There will be five break-out sessions that will revolve around questions asked by the attendees. These sessions allow those in attendance to get pretty specific on certain areas of ministry as well as get great feedback.
I invite you to check out my blog while I’m gone. I’ll try to update the blog daily and share what I’ve learned. Please feel free to share your comments.
I’ll see you all when I get back!
Blessings,
ski
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
WHO WENT THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW?
Pastor Ski - St. Marcus - Milwaukee
Pastor John Parlow - St. Mark - Depere
Pastor Jim Buske - Lighthouse Youth Center - Milwaukee. Another stealth operation. Find the word Lutheran, I dare ya'. Funded by Kingdom Workers, which has a Church and Change mole on its board.
HOW LONG WERE WE THERE?
May 3rd - May 7th
WHERE WAS THE CONFERENCE?
North Point Church, Alpharetta, GA [Psst - It's really Babtist.]
FAVORITE PART OF THE CONFERENCE:
Final Main Session with Andy Stanley [Psst - He's really Babtist.]
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*Bored with Lutheran worship, bored with Lutheran doctrine, he drops everything to go spend days with a Babtist minister. The Bored Members of Church and Change must have made a deal. Ski's bunch (Buske, Parlow) went to hear Babtist Andy Stanley. Patterson's group (Doebler, Stelljes, etc) sat at the feet of Babtist Ed Stetzer.
Stetzer has the biggest unionistic congregation of all. He only preaches to preachers of all denominations. And they are dumb enough to pay him for the honor of being his diciples (as he spells the word).
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
All Saints Sermon
All Saints’ Sunday
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time
The Hymn # 462 St. Thomas
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 Rev. 7:2-17
The Gospel Luke Matthew 5:1-12
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #463 Sine nomine
Thee, By Faith, Before the World Confessed
The Hymn #311 by Hus Jesus Christ, unser Heiland
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #656 Great White Host
KJV Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
KJV Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Veit Dietrich Collect
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst deliver Thy Son for our offenses, and didst raise Him again for our justification: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that He may rule and govern us according to Thy will; graciously keep us in the true faith; defend us from all sins, and after this life raise us unto eternal life, through the same, Thy beloved Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Thee, By Faith, Before the World Confessed
The Reformed often create a series of sermons on heroes of the Bible, focusing on various Biblical figures and how we should be like them. Good men, like the late D. James Kennedy, sometimes stray into the realm of the stars portraying the Gospel. That is not quite as bad as sermons in a deck of cards, but it comes close.
Roman Catholics stress the saints, the Virgin Mary above all others. Another focus of their preaching and teaching is the Mass. For them, the Mass is everything. I am not sure if I can convey the different spirit among Catholics. Some of it is expressed in paying for Masses (and prayers) to be said for the dead. Another part of it is the demand for daily communing (as the height of piety). Or, it may be that the local Roman Catholic Church is seen as a sacrament offered to the community. The pope offers Mass on his trips because Roman Catholics view this as demoralizing all others, especially Protestants, because they do not have the Mass. This supposedly displays the visible domination of the Roman Catholic Church over all others, which are defective, even the Eastern Orthodox.
One Roman Catholic mother expressed it best when her daughter came from a Lutheran service. The daughter said, “We went to a worship service. How can you complain about that?” The mother said, “You did not go to Mass.” The daughter might have been excused if she went to both, but not just to the Lutheran service. Roman Catholics teach the sacrament as the ultimate good in worship and piety, while Lutherans teach the pure Word as the ultimate good, with Holy Communion serving as the Visible Word.
The new Romanizing tendency among Lutheran clergy is usually focused on the Mass and often on Mary as well. The word Mass itself is not bad. Luther used it. The Book of Concord used it. The Romanizing tendency turns away from what the Visible Word offers to an obsession about details and methods of celebrating, down to how the hands should be held.
The old LCA services became very high church by the 1980s. When I saw a pastor wearing white gloves holding the liturgical book for the LCA president, while he was reading or chanting, I thought, “Good grief.” But the same LCA president, James Crumley, must have said the same thing a few years later, when he celebrated Holy Communion at the Ad Fontes conference. The female pastor next to him adopted a strange posture of adoring the True Body, her hands folded, her body bent forward a bit, her face frozen in a smitten look. Crumley kept looking at her, somewhat alarmed and irritated. Who knows what they do now in ELCA? Who even wants to know?
The Biblical focus on Holy Communion is upon the teaching of the Savior, the pure Word of God, not the power of the incense, the style of the liturgical garments, and exact movements to be made.
Likewise, All Saints Day does not make saints an object of worship… or a series of moral lessons about heroes and success stories. In fact, many of the most famous figures of the Bible had glaring flaws, which only the Bible could get away with revealing. Every synodical history shows its leaders walking 6 feet off the ground, confessing the sin of not buying enough Girl Scout cookies, or in some cases, buying Girl Scout cookies.
We could look at the first half of this lesson and assign all kinds of meaning to each number and tribe. But it appears to show us plainly that the Gospel is universal in scope, that great numbers of saints will be in heaven.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Notice that four groups are together: every nation, kindred, people, and tongue. The Bible uses groups of four to show us something universal in scope. The Gospel went to the Jews first, as Paul preached, and then to the Gentiles, after the Jews excommunicated the apostles and kept them from preaching in the synagogues. The Jews had three great opportunities to believe in Christ:
1. When the prophets preached the coming of the Messiah, all those who believed in Him were forgiven their sins.
2. When Jesus preached the Gospel, after John alerted the nation, all those who believed in Him were saved.
3. After the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the apostles preached the Gospel in Jerusalem and the synagogues, until they were driven out and killed.
It was the persecution of the Jewish Christians that pushed the earliest believers onto the Roman highway system (50,000 miles or more of paved roads) and the seas, to reach the four corners of the world. The apostles were sent by Jesus and they gladly went, but persecution drove the Gospel into new areas with great speed. The growth of the Gospel was miraculous. The Roman Empire persecuted Christianity as an illegal religion, but within a few centuries, Christianity reached the highest levels of Roman government. Think about that. The most powerful and long lasting empire of the world tried to erase the Christian faith through the sword, but Constantine the Emperor was directly involved in the Nicene Creed being formulated. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word, conquered Rome.
Revelation was probably written during one of the persecutions of the Roman empire. One tradition says that John was exiled to the island of Patmos for refusing to participate in emperor worship. Once the empire was established under Caesar Augustus, the first emperor, the rulers took on more power until they demanded dead emperors be worshiped as gods. Before Augustus, Rome was a Republic. Emperor worship was silly enough that one emperor on his deathbed said, “I think I am becoming a God. Puto ut deus fio.”
Nevertheless, when a Roman soldier said put incense on the altar to the emperors, many people did, just to avoid trouble, whether they believed in it or not. It was an easy concession to make. But those who did not give in faced death, prison, or exile. Soldiers demanded Scriptures and tore them up. Imagine that. The early Christians did not have to own a building, but they had to have the Scriptures, which were more costly and valuable to them than real estate. Tearing up or burning the Bible was almost equal to destroying a congregation. Nevertheless, the Word of God was preserved and the Church grew faster, the more it was persecuted.
In this light we can see why Revelation is filled with so many passages glorifying God and offering comfort to those who remain faithful. Revelation is a poetic book, with wonderful yet simple phrases.
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
An expert on Lutheran hymns called Revelation the hymnal of the New Testament. It is easy to find hymns based upon Revelation texts, including the all-time favorite of all denominations, “Holy, holy, holy,” a hymn that praises God rather than man.
KJV Revelation 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
KJV Isaiah 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Revelation also reflects all the prophecy books of the Old Testament and much of the New Testament as well. Few people realize this.
Imagine how grief stricken and alarmed the early Christians were. We forget that these people heard the Gospel, often from eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Christ, yet they saw the apostles jailed and murdered, their own friends imprisoned and killed. When we know the person killed for the faith, it makes us wonder if God really watches over the Church. I had a class at Ft. Wayne where one of the students was from the Union of South Africa, during the worst turmoil, when Winnie Mandela and her cohorts put car tires around the necks of their victims and burned them with gasoline. The African pastor said, “I am likely to be burned to death when I go back. I am identified with the Whites for being here and for being a pastor.” We said, “Why go back?” He said, “My members are there. I must go back.”
Now people are a little more aware that there is a vast genocide going on against Christians in Africa, Muslim battling against Christians.
Death and suffering were acute realities for the people who first read the book of Revelation.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Martyr
Our name for those who died because of their faith is “martyr.” It comes from the Greek word for “witness.” The martyrs testified to their faith in Christ and died because of it. But the lesson does not emphasize their great effort, but being washed “in the blood of the Lamb.” They are in heaven because their sins were forgiven through the atoning death of Christ. The visible Church tends to praise people rather than God. I remember one old pastor who finally got up at a convention and shouted, “I am so tired of people being praised and thanked. We should thank and praised God alone!” The people at the convention were embarrassed by his outburst and went on praising each other into heaven.
The Book of Revelation is great comfort to us because it takes us away from us and directs our sight upon the living Christ, the Lamb upon the Throne. That must be an odd image for non-believers, but we know what it means. The innocent lamb was slaughtered for the sins of the world. Now He is triumphant on the Throne in heaven.
I read this hymn onto a tape for Erin Joy, our daughter, who is with her sister Bethany in heaven.
I am Jesus little lamb, ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name.
Day by day at home, away, Jesus is my Staff and Stay,
When I hunger Jesus feeds me, into pleasant pastures leads me;
When I thirst He bids me go where the quiet waters flow.
Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd’s lamb?
And when my short life is ended, by His angel host attended,
He shall fold me to His breast, there within His arms to rest.
The Lutheran Hymnal, #648
Although we do not have to face the persecution and terror of the early Church, the Scriptures given to comfort them in their suffering help us in our pain today. I know many people whose lives are completely dictated by their physical limitations and pain. I think all of them would be glad to have 10% of the health we take for granted each day, when we do not bother ourselves to thank God for all He has given us. However, because they have so little of what the world values (and yet takes for granted) they focus upon God and His promises.
God has given us one great promise through Christ. It is not based upon our feelings, work, the correct attitude toward God, or anything else that can be found in us, apart from God’s work through the Holy Spirit. God has given this one great promise to us in many forms, in many different words, with many different additional promises and blessings. This is the form of the promise found in this lesson:
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
So often we fall into the frame of mind where we identify earning God’s promises with work. But Jesus answered the work problem quite clearly.
KJV John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Quotations
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne.
Behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.
James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891, "The Present Crisis"
We find this attitude of tolerance quite frequently among unionists. It is often used to assuage a troubled conscience, one's own as well as that of others; for the unionist declares that every one may continue to hold his own private convictions and merely needs to respect and tolerate those of another. This attitude is totally wrong, for it disregards two important factors: (a) in tolerating divergent doctrines one either denies the perspicuity and clarity of the Scriptures, or one grants to error the right to exist alongside of truth, or one evidences indifference over against Biblical truth by surrendering its absolute validity;and (b) in allowing two opposite views concerning one doctrine to exist side by side, one has entered upon an inclined plane which of necessity leads ever further into complete doctrinal indifference, as may plainly be seen from the most calamitous case on record, viz., the Prussian Union.
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity,
Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 20.
Here we discover the first mark of unionism: A difference in doctrine which hitherto has been regarded as divisive, is suddenly made to lose its divisive significance.
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19.
The second mark of unionism, therefore, is this: Differences in doctrine are made to lose their divisive significance with a view to uniting hitherto separate churches.
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19.
The third mark of unionism, therefore, is this: A formula of unification is found which each of two hitherto separate churches may accept but which each of them interprets differently. An external bond is found for internally divided groups.
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity,
Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 19.
"When a theologian is asked to yield and make concessions in order that peace may at last be established in the Church, but refuses to do so even in a single point of doctrine, such an action looks to human reason like intolerable stubbornness, yea, like downright malice. That is the reason why such theologians are loved and praised by few men during their lifetime. Most men rather revile them as disturbers of the peace, yea, as destroyers of the kingdom of God. They are regarded as men worthy of contempt. But in the end it becomes manifest that this very determined, inexorable tenacity in clinging to the pure teaching of the divine Word by no means tears down the Church; on the contrary, it is just this which, in the midst of greatest dissension, builds up the Church and ultimately brings about genuine peace. Therefore, woe to the Church which has no men of this stripe, men who stand as watchmen on the walls of Zion, sound the alarm whenever a foe threatens to rush the walls, and rally to the banner of Jesus Christ for a holy war!"
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 28.
"Unionism is characterized by these marks: It fails to confess the whole truth of the divine Word; it fails to reject and denounce every opposing error; it assigns error equal right with truth and creates the impression of church fellowship and of unity of faith where they do not exist." (Wisconsin Synod,
Prayer Fellowship, Tract No. 10, 1954)
Francis Pieper, The Difference Between Orthodox And Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 64.
"When the time comes that the worldly shall gnash their teeth, they shall witness all the elect and angels saying to God: 'This man has been a faithful minister and teacher. He has proclaimed the saving Word of God to a world of castaways. On yonder earth he was despised, persecuted, and maligned, but he shines now as a star with imperishable luster."
C. F. W. Walther, The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel, trans., W. H. T. Dau, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1928, p. 402. Daniel 12:3.
"Thus in heterodox churches, in order to defend false doctrine, God's Word must continually be denied. It is rightly said: 'It cost nine lies to maintain one lie.' Whoever allows himself such liberties with the Word of God, let him beware, lest the devil also make this clear Word doubtful for him in the hour of death: 'The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' 1 John 1:7"
Francis Pieper, The Difference between Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 40. 1 John 1:7.
Closing of the Book of Concord
We have no intention of yielding aught of the eternal, immutable truth of God for the sake of temporal peace, tranquility, and unity (which, moreover, is not in our power to do). Nor would such peace and unity, since it is devised against the truth and for its suppression, have any permanency. Still less are we inclined to adorn and conceal a corruption of the pure doctrine and manifest, condemned errors. But we entertain heartfelt pleasure and love for, and are on our part sincerely inclined and anxious to advance, that unity according to our utmost power, by which His glory remains to God uninjured, nothing of the divine truth of the Holy Gospel is surrendered, no room is given to the least error, poor sinners are brought to true, genuine repentance, raised up by faith, confirmed in new obedience, and thus justified and eternally saved alone through the sole merit of Christ. Triglotta, p. 1095
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