WELS Layman on WELS Failed Methods - Curated Graphics by Ichabod - Feel Free To Share

"Did you ever notice the tactics used by those who are desperate? Not to minimize the importance of this, but the use of shabby translations is one of many measures employed by the rats on a sinking ship. The abhorrence of the KJV by WELS leadership most likely marked the beginning of the end of Confessional Lutheranism for the WELS. The venerable 1941 TLH was replaced starting in 1993. This was a year after Wayne Mueller’s official church growth denial and Corky Koeplin’s stern warning titled Whither WELS? in CN. 

[GJ - I sent Corky's essay to CN, and Timid Tim excoriated me for doing so. It was supposed to be Top Secret, Eyes Only! - but the anonymous sender never told me.]

 Let's just hope Scott Barefoot didn't pray with the LCMS leaders.

Thank you for re-posting some articles from the Ichabod archives. It helps to connect the dots. It also shows the progression or more accurately, the regression, in the WELS. The abuse of members by the called workers can leave permanent scars. I have witnessed firsthand families who were members of the same congregation for several generations. Then, because of a pastor’s arrogance, they left and never came back.

 This is a very good description of WELS, the CLC (sic), etc.

These desperation tactics clearly exhibit that they are an exercise in futility. Plus, there is also a little bit of damage control going on by the WELS leadership. But it is not much. The leaders still must save face. They certainly will not be held accountable for hoodwinking the members. Imagine if a DP got in front of a congregation and apologized for promoting Enthusiasm. Pinch me, I am dreaming.

GJ - My introduction to WELS "Evangelism" was the Kelm-Valleskey workshop where Cho's work was praised to high heaven (before his embezzling was revealed, of course). I stood up to criticize the use of an occult phony like Cho. (I previously met Cho and shook hands with him. Do not criticize - I listened, read his atrocious books, and met him. That is called research.

 Here is a verbatim example of Cho using Asian occult methods. American leaders ate it up like chocolate ice cream with sprinkles.

Even the membership numbers are deceiving. WELS baptized membership peaked at about 420,000. Today, it is about 354,000. That comes out to be slightly more than 84% of the peak. Those are official numbers based upon what congregations send to WELS HQ. I believe that congregations also submit attendance numbers. As head usher, I take a head count at every service and write it down on a spreadsheet in the ushers’ room. It is further broken down into a total number, number of visitors, and communion attendance. I count the offerings with the financial secretary. He just distributed the new offering envelopes for 2020. What is significant about that are the sets of offering envelopes that are never picked during the entire year. Some are members who are “still on the books” but have not been around, sometimes for several years.

 Are these two skirt-chasers comparing notes? In WELS, Willow Creek was considered the place to study success methods. They gave scholarships to go there, even though many did not need to study womanizing. Hybels was forced out early. Didja know he insisted on feminist Bibles? 

These sordid details tell the true story of WELS membership. I understand the synod apologists will claim that as an aggregate number, membership in Christian denominations has declined everywhere in this country. There is no disputing this. But these apologists have just made the rather obvious point that the CGM never works, no matter who uses it, the WELS included. This is contrary to what was promised when the WELS leadership boasted about spoiling the Egyptians.

Here is a brief sample of what has been tried: Leadership training seminars (church growth training), participating in School Choice programs for the parochial schools, retaining the services of a consultant (like Cornerstone Ministries), a new hymnal, new Bible translations, worship supplements, “blended” worship services also known as contemptible worship, staff ministers (when proposed, they could not articulate what it was, but they wanted it).

Here is not what has been tried for true church growth: Promotion of the Means of Grace solely because of the Efficacy of the Word.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I will keep you and Mrs. Jackson in my prayers. God’s blessings for the new year.

In Christ,

WELS Layman"

Another WELS Layman Responded to This Post - This One is "WELS No More"

"Dear Pastor Jackson,

Another great post on Ichabod “WELS Layman on WELS Failed Methods” it was very much appreciated. At some point WELS must begin to notice that their members realize the truth and are leaving in droves. WELS has a culture of abuse, lying, and false doctrine, what a sad little denomination. I thought the recent meeting in Florida where they all (WELS-ELS-LCMS) jumped on the UOJ bandwagon was nothing more than defense of a very clear error in doctrine. Why would they make such a big deal of their doctrinal agreement of UOJ if they didn’t know people like me know it is not Biblical? Nobody reads Ichabod (sarcasm) and the UOJ they are selling is rotting on the shelf.    

I try to read Ichabod every day if possible, and really appreciate the sermons on Sunday.

Thank you for all you do!

God bless you,"

The Soldier's Psalm

Abuse in WELS/ELS - Common Characteristics with Secretive Cults and Sects - Old Post

This graphic illustrates typical LCMS-WELS-ELS deception.
Stephan was under house arrest for adultery and financial questions when he was allowed to leave with his sex cult.
Stephan was always a Pietist and so were the members of the Walther circle. Walther's mob robbed Stephan and kidnapped him, leaving him to die in Illinois.

More abuse information can be found on this link to the "Intrepid" Lutherans, who were dispersed by the WELS DPs. 


WELS controls the ELS, so one might as well consider the two dying sects together. The Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) is simply another, more corrupt, more immoral, more incestuous version of WELS. The LCMS follows to some extent, the worst abusers running the show while sub-groups try to exist on their own.

Clergy and laity driven out by the ELS, WELS, or CLC (sic) should consider themselves blessed, like the early Christians who escaped Jerusalem before the Roman armies surrounded the Holy City.

Those who go back to the abusers, hoping for approval, make a big mistake. They like to have their so-called Prodigals come back, as long as they are broken, subdued, and eager to worship Holy Mother Sect. The harshest critics make the best fuel for roasting the next set of dissenters.

If someone stays away, the long reach of the abusers never remains quiet. Relatives? Friends? Employers? New church body? They need to punish the escapees, just as the Mormons murdered those who tried to back.

ELS clergy call Mequon The Sausage Factory
for its identical products,
according to Jay Webber.

Secrecy and Spying
In an abusive sect, everything is a secret. I used to get so many secret letters in WELS that I had a rubber stamp made that said Burn This Letter! in red. No one wanted to be known for having a negative thought about WELS. Bill Gothard used the same tactic in his cult. Dealing with the facts is negativity, and negativity is from Satan.

Spying goes well with secrecy. Everything is everyone's business, so false friends make a practice of being buddies to keep track of someone who may stray from the plantation. They often encourage dissent and back away to let their target take the blame, the heat, and the Left Foot of Fellowship. Richard Jungkuntz did that to his fellow "martyr" Gehrke, and John Seifert practiced the technique on many pastors.

One layman told me how he was coaxed to bring his problems about Martin Luther College's feminist policies to various leaders. At two different meetings he was sandbagged by the person who urged him to come forward and complain. At the second one, he told the minister, "Are you going to stick with me and support me? Promise. I cannot take another experience like the last one." The second pastor promised all the way to the meeting, then turned on the fellow with savage, personal criticism.
Laity who have done to same to pastors.

If you want a friend in WELS, get a dog.

The people who do this think they are very clever, and they smirk because synod officials are behind them. However, they are really cowardly, wicked deceivers who eventually pay the price for their betrayal of the Word. Still, they leave a lot of broken, wounded victims behind.

"Do not tell on the brothers,
or they will beat you like a rented mule."

The Law and Anti-Law
The dominant UOJ dogma in WELS includes a heavy dose of Antinomianism and legalism. The Antinomianism is easy - "Everyone is forgiven all past, present, and future sins - without faith." Q.E.D. - the Ten Commandments are tossed out the window.

If a pastor is an adulterer, or homosexual, or alcoholic, that is fine, because he knows he is a sinner and knows he is already forgiven. The WELS clergy and their clones have a sheaf of excuses for false doctrine, including a "Luther quote" that justifies doing nothing about it.

If you register any kind of protest against any of this behavior, no matter how politely and deferentially it was offered up, with meek and contrite words, the response will be:

1. Silence. The letter or email is not even acknowledged.
2. Verbal abuse - "You did not sit down and exercise Matthew 18, explaining my sins to me."
3. False defense - "You have slandered me, violating the Eighth Commandment."
4. Personal attacks - "You never did fit in. You hated GA." (The secretive hazing ritual at Mequon features all kinds of deception, emotional and physical abuse, which helps to mold them into identical sausages, products of the Sausage Factory.)
5. Letter barrage - Various officials send nasty letters that quote some horrible thing expressed by mail and uses that to launch into tirades, clear threats, or implied punishments.
6. Whispering campaign - It soon becomes apparent that some people have spread anonymous ill reports among friends and church members. This escalates into slow, steady shunning and final ejection.
7. Absolution via family or Fuller. Certain families can do anything they want. Lacking the lucky DNA, someone can enjoy the same benefits by going to Fuller Seminary and loving it.
8. Let Herman do it - Although the sects hate Herman Otten and Christian News, both are handy for carrying out the work of shunning, which he is happy to advance.

The imaginary and unwritten laws are far more important than the Ten Commandments. This approach is incredibly useful in handling people. The moment toes are stepped on, the shrieking begins. For instance, I asked about women teaching men, women leading cell groups at St. Paul's, German Village. I was told (and this always comes from a friend, who is ordered to do so) that I violated a sacred principle. I identified the parish! I thought, "What a crock."

One college student got off the bus at Mequon and was sexually assaulted by one of the seminarians, who grabbed him...details to be assumed. I have the verbatim account and also verified it with the family. When he complained to seminary officials, he was told. "You are too sensitive." Although he went to seminary, they made sure he never finished. Likewise, the father of one homosexual made sure a pastor was driven out of the ministry for preaching against it - and you think ELCA is bad?

WELS Pastor Dave Wendt offered to gang rape a blogger,
because she is a liberal. Did he ever face charges for the threat?

Mark Jeske offered a lame, sanitized version of the threat
for his gullible readers.

Abusive Cults Have Their Own Language
Bill Gothard used "defrauding" and other mysterious terms to link the Bible to his special mindset. He manipulated people by making his desires innocent and wholesome while condemning them for objecting. Thirty-two women lodged complaints against him at the end and he was forced out - "Nobody knew," as Mark Schroeder is fond of saying.

Special words make people feel elite and above the crowd. Only some know the true meaning of GA (now called HB - get the joke? - no more GA). The in-crowd can reference GA and let that pass over the heads of laity.

The clergy, whose warped behavior often starts in prep school, have plenty of special terms, such as the physical abuse they hand out for anyone who "tells." The truth cannot be tolerated, so they gang up on anyone who tells the truth. If word of their abuse reaches the officials, the abuse is doubled. The school officials know and approve, because their job is to produce unthinking slaves to row the ship so they can enjoy the Captain's Quarters and the Officers' Mess.

Did anyone vote for Church and Change to take over WELS?
Here is one C and C founder installing another one.
Co-inky-dink?
When I posted this, one WELS official wanted to know, "Who told?"

WELS-ELS-CLC (sic)-LCMS: Cults Switch Dogma
Once upon a time, the Lutheran groups had the liturgy, creeds, sermons, hymns, and an interest in Luther's doctrine. They liked the KJV and used it at all services.

Now all of that has flipped, but no one has confessed how they changed it and turned vice into virtue. A few vintage WELS members recall the Gausewitz catechism (justification by faith) and the KJV being good. After all, the KJV is a revision of the Tyndale, and Tyndale modeled his translation after Luther's. Tyndale took the trouble of studying with Luther and Melanchthon.

Vintage Lutherans are left isolated, bewildered, scorned, and abused.

We met one cult member in the hospital. He was friends with Erin Joy. He said to me, "Erin has to learn she is not the center of the world." I said, "You tell her," and she grinned at me.

This cult member bragged to me that whenever they changed doctrine, which was fairly often, teachers were sent out to re-train the members.

Does that sound familiar? WELS has been trained in the New NIV for years now. Only one DP objected to the New NIV at the previous convention. The one following saw no objections at all. To avoid a ban on the NNIV, the convention blessed all translations. Mequon got its way and Mark Schroeder crumbled again. Or perhaps he was only pretending to object. That is good GA style. Play one side, the switch. Seifert and Buchholz are good at that.

Sorry, Baby Blue Eyes, he can and he will.

These Synods Have Handed Their Members Over to Bible Deceivers, Frauds, Enthusiasts. Behold! The "Modern Scientific Text" and "Dynamic Equivalence"

 They mock the Scriptures with their "anything but the King James Version" snide remarks and polemics.

 "Amen! Brother bishops, the ELDONUTS have the same progressive position on Bibles."

Check out the ESV errors here.

Readers may remember the fuss caused by LCMS' Kloha over the text of the Bible. I saw the cast of characters and the tired old tactics and thought, "Ho hum."

My ennui was not based upon lack of interest but upon the decades of wanton pollution promoted by ELCA-WELS-LCMS-ELS-ELDONUTs.

Note this well and keep it in mind for each of their pious pronouncements -

Their rejection of the traditional Biblical text began with their acceptance of the:

1. NIV (more ecumenical than the National Council of Churches)
2. New NIV (even worse than the old one)
3. RSV (who erased the Virgin Birth in Isaiah 7)
4. ESV (regurgitated RSV) 

What do these disasters and almost all modern versions have in common? Besides making millions for the denominations?

They rely on and boast about the lethal combination of text elimination from the three great frauds - Tischendorf, Wescott, Hort - and the continued modern corrupting of the text - plus the atheistic, impulsive, and ridiculous "dynamic equivalence" smoke and mirrors of the apostate Eugene Nida.

That combination of "modern scientific text" and "dynamic equivalence" means every new Bible translation (paraphrases, to be truthful) is a work of fiction and fraud.

They will only allow "modern scientific text" Bibles in the church, classroom, seminary, even the pulpit. Once that is established - and it was, decades ago - the King James Version is excommunicated. It is a secret probation, even a double secret probation - but oh, so effective. The person who reads from the KJV in a Bible study or class is like a bug slowly crawling across the picnic plate. "Flick it away!" And they do.

WELS began mocking the KJV, long before they adopted the old NIV, which was a joke by itself. Any pastor who objected to the NIV was kicked out on the spot.

LCMS is publishing the Mark commentary with the ending of Mark 16 treated like a lepers' colony, separate. Oh yes, the passage is there, but the very title of the prolix commentary gives away the status  of Mark 16:9ff. Now add to that the gold-plated price tag of $100 for the two-volume work covering the shortest of the four Gospels. Oh my.

The laity and most pastors have been kept in the dark. Our little group is gathering and sharing resources for a future volume on the Biblical text and translations.

The best translation is the King James Version, using the traditional text and the precision method of translation modeled by Team Luther and brought to English people by the martyr Tyndale.

The two most influential books in the English language are the King James Bible and Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. And which are the most neglected today? - so much that a Moby Dick rare printing is worth $3,000 on the market and a Pilgrim's Progress from the same source is worth $50.

Careful Use of the Catechism - From Luther

"I, too, am a theologian who has attained a fairly good practical knowledge and experience of Holy Scriptures through various dangers.  But I do not so glory in this gift as not to join my children daily in prayerfully reciting the Catechism, that is, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer and meditating on them with an attentive heart.  I do not merely pass over the words hurriedly, but I carefully observe what the individual word means… For God gave the Word that we should impress it on ourselves as Moses says (Deut 6.7), and practice it.  Without this practice our souls become rusty, as it were, and we lose ourselves. (from Luther's exposition of Psalm 126.)"

What Luther Says, Luther on the Small Catechism

The Feast of the Epiphany, 2020

 The next time the Day of Epiphany lands on Sunday is 2030.

The Feast of the Epiphany, 2020

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 10 AM Central Standard Time

The Hymn #126      Arise and Shine in Splendor                        

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 #128   Brightest and Best

The Star of Bethlehem

 
The Hymn #127        As With Gladness Men of Old

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 #646         Silent Night

• Lynda Roper, recovering from a fall.
• We are working on a complete set of my books online, separate from any publisher.
• Pastor and Mrs. Jim Shrader.
• Randy Anderson's leg (Andrea's father).
• Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
• Those looking for work and a better income.
• Our media ministries - Alec Satin, Norma Boeckler, Travis and Lauren Cartee, Pastor Jordan Palangyos.
• Understanding Pilgrim's Progress, Wednesdays, 7 PM..
• BethanyPhilippine Mission has enough to order materials and start on the permanent roof. Some additional items after are - steel doors, windows, seating.

EPIPHANY

Lord God, heavenly Father, who hast given us the light of Thy holy word, the guiding star, which leadeth us to the Christ-child: Send, we beseech Thee, Thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive this light and make use of it unto our salvation, and that we, like the wise men, when they were seeking the star, may not be afraid because of any hardship or peril, but put all our trust in Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, as our only Savior; devote our earthly possessions to the advancement of Thy kingdom, and in all things serve Him, Thine only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.                    

Isaiah 60 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. 6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.

Matthew 2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Background for the Gospel Sermon, Matthew 2:1-12
I posted a page of theories about the Star of Bethlehem. When Kepler presented it as historical fact, he was labeled a "mystic," which was the term the rationalists used for those who believed the Bible to be God's Word. Later the term Pietist was added, so the state churches of Europe were largely divided among the rationalists in control and the believers who chafed against the official, well paid clergy. They formed Bible study cell groups, which they considered the real church. America's Lutheran church bodies all came from this cell group Pietism. Because Pietism avoids doctrinal confessions, the loyalists move into rationalism easily, as they did at Halle University (Henry Muhlenberg, Adolph Hoenecke, and Walther's Bishop Martin Stephan, STD). 

We are in a similar situation, where the official clergy are highly paid rationalists who trust surveys, data, trends, and man-made solutions versus the deplorables who argue for the inerrancy of the Bible and Justification by Faith. LCMS-WELS moved easily from their Pietistic origin into an age of rationalism and are now stuck there, nothing of value growing from their sterile weed seeds.

I am fascinated by the Star of Bethlehem for many reasons, including hearing it dismissed as a fable when I was growing up. I had a decades-long interest in astronomy until our neighbor's need for yard illumination ended the fun. My 7 foot tall telescope attracted a lot of attention.

The Star is a scandalon - a faith death trap - for many. One astronomer was angry that planetariums were using Star of Bethlehem programs to attract enormous crowds every December. He did not address its truthfulness, just that awful pandering to the public. The facts remain exactly as they are. By looking at ancient records, scientists can determine that various events would have riveted the attention of those living at that time, for several reasons.

One is simple - in the night sky of a desert country with no artificial illumination worth mentioning, every star, planet, moon, and sky event is looked upon with the greatest interest and general knowledge. I dare people to identify the most obvious stars and planets today, especially with city-glow, clouds, and general lack of interest. We are astronomy illiterate today, and less than Hottentots - in comparison to the ancients.

Secondly - the ancients saw the future in the night sky and they assumed God or gods at work. Are not our planets named after Greek/Roman gods? My favorite recent gardening book is The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Luna-tic Farmer. We still say moonstruck and even have a popular Cher movie by that name. People are over the moon about grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

We experienced two times when people brought up sky events repeatedly. One was in Sturgis, Michigan (1970s), when Jupiter and Mars traveled in the night sky together for a long time. Everyone kept asking, "What is that?" as if Jupiter and Mars had been newly added. And "How do you know?" The other was the Hale-Bopp comet, which was impossible to miss (1997), which moved me to write a short story based on it. Everyone got wide-eyed when Hale-Bopp arrived and they asked asked, "Did you see the comet?"

The Calvinists rely on human reason to prove the Bible is true. The consequence of trust in human wisdom is a loss of faith when the evidence is factual rather than Scriptural. That is why it is so difficult to discuss doctrine with those who are trained to be loyal to synodical stars rather than the Word, which is ignored for contradicting what sect's celebrities have claimed. No one seems to notice the parallel with Pharisaical dogma.

When we start with the Biblical concept of the Holy Spirit teaching us the mysteries of the Faith (Creation, the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the Atonement, Resurrection, and Ascension) then we will find all kinds of corroboration in the Bible and in the world around us. For example, the Bible teaches a six-24 hour-day Creation and a day of rest. Various leaders have tried to lengthen the week by making it 10 days, but that has never worked. Why do we all use a seven-day week, world-wide?

America's laws are based upon "the laws of Nature and of Nature's God." 

The Declaration of Independence of 1776 established the premise that in America a people might assume the station "to which the laws of Nature and Nature's God entitle them.." Herein lay the security for men's individual rights - an immutable code of law, sanctioned by the Creator of man's rights, and designed to promote, preserve, and protect him and his fellows in the enjoyment of their rights.

Symbol and Truth - The Miracles

Matthew 2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

This lesson teaches us to trust in God, because He establishes the laws of the universe through Creation by the Logos, the Son, and has power over them. This miracle is a dreadful, frightening, and harsh message to most of the world, but a great comfort to believers, who see how much God can do and how far ahead in time He can arrange matters.

God reveals great miracles to us, and people ask for more details, ignoring the miracles in favor of inventing new details to satisfy their curiosity.

They debate where exactly the wise men came from and how long it took to arrive. Those details do not matter. If they did, God would provide them. If God tried to satisfy our curiosity with more explanations, the Bible would be a small library.

Two things seem quite natural about this story. One is that wise men would be looking for the Savior. He was predicted in the Greek Old Testament (and Hebrew) so an educated person had access to these Gospel Promises. Books were expensive, but people also memorized and shared knowledge that way. (Just as the stirrup reduced horsemanship, so the printed book reduced our cultivation of memory.) They knew they were living in a time of unrest, violence, degraded behavior. Religion was associated directly with sexual promiscuity (temple prostitutes) and all kinds of horrible practices.

The second matter is the knowledge and fascination with the night sky. Desert climes turn the night sky into a gigantic planetarium, where every event is brilliant against a clear, black sky. In contrast, in this community, most sky events are hidden behind clouds. Add illumination at night, and we seldom see the night sky as the ancients did. So people grow ignorant. As I mentioned above, when I had four astronomy magazines arriving per month, I was up to date on everything and looked for it. 

The ancients prized higher math and certainly used it in vast construction projects, like the pyramids (which are found all over the world). They predicted the stars and planets as well and saw in them the plans of God.

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 

If we combine the concepts of ancient astronomy and access to the Old Testament Promises, then the statement of the Wise Men makes perfect sense. They could also be driven by a need for the answers about forgiveness and salvation. The Greek literature cycle is built on the sin of human sacrifice and its guilt being transferred to each generation (Iphigenia). Many centuries later, Luther was profoundly troubled by the concept of sin, forgiveness, and the errors he was taught about works freeing one from guilt.

Going to the ruler of Israel and asking about the King was disturbing to Herod. This was the prevailing issue about Jesus, because Messiah - or Christ - means the king anointed with oil. The ancients anointed monarchs with oil and that continues to this day in English royalty (using whale oil). The custom is so ingrained in us that we use the verb to suggest anyone appointed to a high position (or self-appointed) - "Who anointed him as the greatest star in Hollywood?" Many of the terms associated with Jesus would raise the hackles of the rulers - Messiah, Christ, Son of David, and Lord. His popularity and divine powers were associated with good kings, filled with nobility, virtue, kindness, generosity, and mercy.

One thing is universal among people (even animals) - jealousy. Raise this the highest degree when someone is ruler, one who assumes another ruler means his own humiliation and death. The Wise Men want to worship this newborn ruler, which means even more and that was the ultimate accusation against him. Being the King was one threat but the greater one was, "He considers Himself to be the Son of God." (Gospel of John)

"We have seen His star in the East." One theory is that the conjunction of Jupiter the king-star and Uranus (symbolic of Israel) would have suggested a new king of Israel to professional star-gazers. Whatever the details, a spectacular event in the sky would be known and feared by the vast majority. A vast change was coming, and they simply feared the worst. If people are given some information, especially about their whole region, they easily concentrate on the worst possible aspects.

For believers, it could only be good news, because they trust everything is in God's hands. For unbelievers, such changes drive  fears and dread about what will happen, especially about what will happen to them.

We can see how God prepared everyone for Jesus the Savior. 

1. The Scriptures predicted Him for centuries, and those passages were fulfilled.
2. The Gospel Promises came to the palace, with the Wise Men asking about the new King. And they took that back to their land.
3. Jesus was presented at the Temple, and He was proclaimed the Messiah.
4. Jesus returned as a boy and spent time with the professors and priests, discussing religious matters with a marvelous, divine knowledge that left them in wonder and awe.
5. Later, when Jesus began His ministry, Temple priests and scholars came to John to ask about his role, and he witnessed to Jesus and warned everyone to repent. They took this message back - and John became a martyr, a witness in his death.
6. The ministry of Jesus led to many discussions and some believers among the Jewish leaders of the time.

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

The Wise Men precipitated the discussion of Jesus the Messiah. The scholars, professors, and graduate students agreed that the Anointed would be born in Bethlehem. The shepherds and Wise Men were guided to the spot.

One reason for Christmas pageants and carol services is to remind everyone of the Old Testament Promises of the Messiah. This particular one is intriguing, because centuries earlier the little town is Bethlehem is named as the birthplace for the Anointed, the Governor ruling over Israel. Centuries later, that town could have been erased by warfare or changed, no longer little. 

Luther:

65. Afterward when Christ did not appear with splendor and power they looked with contempt and disregard upon all this, believing that the wise men had been deceived. Hence Christ grew up among them entirely unknown, and no one knew finally whence he should come as stated, John 1:26.

There are disciples of Christ who indeed know the truth, but dare not confess it nor defend it, and are therefore lost as Christ says Matthew 10:32-83: “Everyone therefore who shall confess me before men him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

66. The second class of disciples are Herod and his people. Herod searched the Scriptures, believing that it was the truth, and that the coming of Christ was predicted therein, and that Christ had now been born, otherwise he would despise all this and not have been concerned about it. Hence it is certain that he held the Scriptures to be the Word of God which must be fulfilled, and that in Christ’s birth the work of God was revealed. Yet he at once determines to set himself intentionally and directly against God’s Word and work, and thinks he can bring to naught that which God has spoken and done, in spite of better knowledge. Therefore he searched the Scriptures, diligently to learn about Christ, but only for the purpose of bringing to naught and destroying all. He was concerned lest that which God, who cannot lie, spoke, would come to pass. Is not this incredibly foolish arrogance? Who would have thought that such intentions could have ever entered the human heart? And yet the world is always full of such people, and they are generally the rulers and upper classes.

67. The third class of disciples are the pious wise men who left their country, home and possessions, forsaking all in order to find Christ. They represent the people who fearlessly confess Christ and the truth; but Herod stands for those who persecute and destroy the former, though they still claim to serve God, and enter the house of God just as other pious persons do.

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

We can see that Herod is the kind of seeker who only wants to destroy what is in his way. Pretending to be friendly, he makes allies of the Wise Men, so he can worship the Messiah. What a joke that is. Many have displayed Christian piety to get what they want and earn the trust of others, but God knows what is in someone's heart and deals with them accordingly. The Wise Men completed their mission and were warned by an angel to escape the clutches of Herod.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

We saw this demonstrated at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, which should cause people to ask, "Why do so many miss this? It was plainly revealed." I favor the planetary conjunction simply because the planets are so named for being wanderers. They are not fixed in the night sky the way stars are, so they earned that name. And they do not repeat the same arrangements year after year. When I saw the spectacular planetary alignment on the way to a Lutheran service, no one cared what was above them in the night sky. A Harvard PhD lady pastor said, "My boyfriend was like that about the stars, so I dumped him." That will not happen for about 900 years, so I thought it was significant.

So the reality is, God provides these signs (the word used in the New Testament) or miracles to help us grasp how powerful and personal He is with us. We use signs with children, which they adopt as being very special. It can be a toy, a necklace, mom's old purse, something the father used or wore, such as a military honor. They are tangible and bring a message with them. The Gospels repeatedly say, literally, Jesus made a sign, or "performed a miracle" to show them His teaching came from God the Father.

Thus the Wise Men show how blind and hardened some can be, and they are the most terrified when facing the ultimate truths of life. On the other hand, we see how God has provided for all people, not only His own, but all races, for children and adults, in teaching faith in the Savior, in the most approachable and gracious way.

The Bridge - WELS - Little Drummer Boy - And More!

"The Bridge is our newest worship offering, designed with a casual, come-as-you-are worship atmosphere. Humor, video, lighting effects and contemporary Christian music combined with the pastor’s message help us all grow closer to Christ. Every Sunday a team of volunteers transforms the Trinity Gym into a modern worship environment complete with stage, large screen projectors, stage lights, and curtains."

The Bridge, WELS, Muskego, WELS

Theories about the Star of Bethlehem

Possible Explanations of the Star of Bethlehem

This page is entirely from the following link - 

http://www.observadores-cometas.com/Star_of_Bethlehem/English/Possible.htm

The are many possible explanations of the Star of Bethlehem which have received wide support over the years. The most widely accepted are variations on comets, novae and conjunctions, although a new candidate, which has to be taken seriously, is the idea of a planetary occultation. What are these candidates and what are their strengths and weaknesses in each case?

Planetary conjunctions

The idea that a planetary conjunction might have been the Star of Bethlehem is usually credited, erroneously, to Johannes Kepler. In fact, the planetary conjunction theory only dates back to the middle of the 19^th Century. Kepler only pointed out that a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn had occurred near the time of the Nativity whilst himself favouring the nova/supernova hypothesis. A planetary conjunction is when two (or more) planets approach each other in the sky, one passing due south of the other. Conjunctions can be quite spectacular and last for several nights although a really compact conjunction lasts for just a few hours.

It was in 1968 when Roger Sinnott wrote a highly influential article in Sky and Telescope pointing to the June 17^th 2 BC conjunction of Venus and Jupiter as having been particularly spectacular from Babylon that this theory took off. Sinnott’s work is still one of the finest ever carried out in this field and all the more laudable for having been done from planetary tables, without the assistance of a computer. Sinnottinvestigated conjunctions over a wide range of dates from 12 BC to 7 AD finding more than 200 conjunctions of the major planets. He also found no less than 20 compact groupings of three or four planets, of which only 4 would have been observable. After carefully filtering the events, Sinnott concluded that the 2 BC conjunction, in Leo, would have fitted the bill.

On June 17^th 2 BC, as seen from Babylon, Venus and Jupiter would have set 3 hours after sunset, with the two planets too close together to separate by eye, having closed considerably in the time since sunset. In fact, we now know that the disk of Venus actually passed in front of Jupiter, occulting it partially.

The problem with conjunction though is that they are too common. When the Magi have been waiting several hundred years for the birth of the Messiah, they would have seen all kinds of occultations and it is hard to believe that a single occultation, however spectacular, could have been the Star of Bethlehem, quite apart from the fact that this one happened several years too late.

A Triple Conjunction

Any pair of superior planets (that is, planets outside the Earth’s orbit) can give rise to a triple conjunction whereby, instead of a single pass, the planets meet and separate three times over a period of a few months. The more exterior a pair of planets are, the more frequent are triple conjunctions relative to normal conjunctions, although the more infrequently a conjunction of any kind will occur.

Jupiter and Saturn will enter conjunction about every 20 years. During the last millennium BC, however, no less than 7 triple conjunctions also took place – one every 140 years, on average – although the interval varied from 40 years (as between 861 and 821 BC and again between 563 and 523 BC) to 377 years (as between 523 BC and 146 BC). Over the millennium there were 43 “normal” conjunctions between the two planets and 7 “triple” conjunctions.

In December 1603 Johannes Kepler observed a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (a normal one), followed by a massing of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, when all three planets were close together in the sky. He calculated that a similar set of circumstances would have occurred in 7 BC. In fact, the 7 BC conjunction was a triple conjunction, although Jupiter and Saturn were never much less than a degree apart.

In 1976 David Hughes popularised this triple conjunction and suggested that it might explain the Star of Bethlehem, particularly as it happened in the constellation of Pisces, a constellation associated with the Jews. Sceptics point out that a far more spectacular triple conjunction (although in the constellation of Cancer) happened in 146/145 BC. Similarly, triple conjunctions were seen in Pisces in 861/860 BC and in 981/980 BC, during both of which the separation of Jupiter and Saturn was less than in 7 BC. Another important point is that the 7 BC triple conjunction was observed from Babylon, as was the massing of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars which followed, but the Babylonian records give no sign that they found the phenomenon of any special interest.

An occultation

A recent and interesting suggestion is that the Star of Bethlehem might have been an occultation. At first sight this seems unpromising. Between 20 BC and 1 AD the Moon passed in front of (occulted) the four main planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) 170 times. In other words, it is hardly a rare event. However, when we calculate which of them would have been visible from Babylon in a dark sky, the number reduces in to just 5 over the 20 years – somewhat better, although still hardly a rare event.

Recently, however, Michael Molnar of Rutgars University has drawn attention to an occultation of Jupiter by the Moon in 6 BC. This took place in the constellation of Aries and was similar to a later occultation of Venus which may be referred to in a coin known as the Antioch coin. This coin shows a Ram (Aries?), the Moon and a bright star, and what appears to be the track of a planet.

Molnar suggests that the 6 BC occultation was the Star of Bethlehem because of its astrological associations, Aries being the ruling star sign of Judea and Jupiter symbolising a king, with the occultation – the reappearance of the planet from behind the Moon – symbolising a royal birth.

I am sceptical because the March 17^th 6 BC occultation took place very close to the Sun and just after sunset. It is hard to believe that it would have been observable with the Sun just 3 degrees below the horizon and Jupiter 5 degrees above it. This theory though has been very well received by many astronomers and popular writers and may be more than just an interesting anecdote in the story of the Star of Bethlehem.

Comet(s)

A theory which has been popular for many years is that the Star of Bethlehem was a comet. There is no doubt that a bright comet is a very spectacular event and would be an impressive “star”, but scrutiny of the Chinese and Babylonian chronicles reveals no evidence of a bright comet. There is an event observed in 5 BC which may be an account of a comet, but there is no description of classical elements in Chinese reports such as the tail and the comet’s movement which make it doubtful that this was a comet. Similarly, the Chinese reports imply that the object was stationary – most uncometary in an object seen for two and a half months.

Such doubts do not stop many “stars” from being depicted as comets – this practice is particularly widespread in Spain where stylised comets which show a large star with a flowing curved tail (thus getting the best of both worlds), adorn Christmas trees and buildings everywhere.

Nova

If the object seen by the Chinese in 5 BC was not a comet, then it can only have been a nova (we know, from the lack of a radio source and a visible remnant that it was not a supernova, despite its long duration of visibility). The position (southern Aquila) is consistent with having been a nova, although a little further south of the plane of the Milky Way than is normal.

The date of its apparition (March 5 BC), coinciding with the best guess as to the date of the birth of Jesus, its position in the sky (in the east at dawn) and long duration of visibility (more than 70 days), make this a very plausible Star of Bethlehem. Again though, we would have to ask the question “why this nova?” given that the Magi must surely have observed dozens of novae over the centuries that the spent watching the sky. It is a little hard to see what would have made this event particularly significant to the Magi – apart from the fact that its date coincides, as far as we can guess, with the date of the Nativity.