 |
| Former DP John Seifert (middle) posed with Scott Barefoot, who sent himself as a minister to gays and organized People of Grace with Pastor Richard Starr. But do not join the Intrepids! Oh no! |
According to my source (Grey Goose) Michigan DP John Seifert did not seem energetic in his support for Michigan Lutheran Seminary.
I find little difference between LCMS District Popes, WELS District Popes, and ELCA bishops. All have seized the power to kick pastors out of the ministry without cause (except the pastors' valid criticisms of the synod). All three synodical types seem to think their job is to be loyal to and worshipful toward the organization. "I love the (fill in the blank) synod" is a good career motto. Expressing a few reservations is good - tossing red meat to the base - but those reservations mean nothing.
Michigan DP Robert Mueller, a tireless bungler, saw his district vote down four different resolutions in favor of amalgamation (DMLC taking over NWC). He did everything possible to get a positive vote. Then he spoke at the national convention in favor of amalgamation. The pastors stopped speaking to him. They even left the room when he entered. So he declined to run. He got a free trip to Russia, supposedly as a missionary. Ha. Now Gurgel is going to do "mission work" overseas. Ah, that sounds so much better than a long, synod-paid vacation.
Another synod cipher stepped in when Mueller declined to run. I mean, Seifert stepped in. He worships the Wisconsin Synod, as all the officials do.
Seifert was such a loyal circuit pastor that he never noticed Bivens (same circuit) defending Church Growth and bragging about going to Fuller Seminary. Seifert heard it in his own driveway, but he forgot the episode twice. Bivens forgot too, because he could not imagine why I thought he went to Fuller Seminary. Good career move, Frosty.
When initial efforts were being made to close down MLS, John Lawrenz, then the president of the school, said this, "We are willing to accept any role the synod gives us." He waved the white flag at his own school, at the district meeting! Soon he was president of DMLC for one month, head of Worker Training, and seminary professor. For some reason he was soon out of Mequon and teaching in Russia and Asia. Obviously, pulling the plug on his own school was not a bad career move.
