Grantsmanship is taught at Church and Chicanery Conferences.When Matt Doebler, at
Church From Old Scratch, whined about needing $200,000 from Antioch for a worship leader, some of us began doing some research.
The gimlet eyes of one jaded scholar, a doctor of divinity, were opened wide into shock and dismay as the numbers added up.
Most people think, "Oh, a little from Schwan, a little from Thrivent." Not at all.
Oceans of money come from:
- The Schwan Foundation,
- Antioch Foundation, Wisconsin,
- IHS and Salem Lutheran, both fueled by George Skestos,
- Siebert Foundation, where Church and Chicanery's Ski is nestled,
- Thrivent Lutheran Insurance.
Here are some highlights. Much more will be coming.
Redemption Ev Lutheran Church $19,000, Milwaukee. Siebert Foundation start-up funding for a youth center Ski was with this youth center. Jim Buske and Ski and Parlow were at Drive 08 together. There are lots of familiar names at this - http://www.lighthouseyouthcenter.com/index.html.
A Thrivent guy is president of the board, and Ski is on the board. Thus Lighthouse Stealth Youth Center has ties to two other funding sources at once. Ski is a Church and Chicanery board member. That puts Ski on three boards.
Living Word Ev Lutheran Church $20,000 Waukesha, WI. Start-up funding for a mission congregation Read the mission vision statement. John Borgwardt is the pastor. http://www.livingwordwaukesha.org/index.htm
Crossroads Christian Church $25,000 Chicago. Siebert Foundation start-up funding for mission congregation. Another Borgwardt - Mike - is the pastor. http://crossroadschicago.org/aboutus.html Crossroads is "missional," which is Fuller-speak for being Fuller-ish. Look for the Lutheran label with a microscope - there, I think I spotted it. WELS? Only by inference. The site features a bad version of We Still Believe.
St Mark Ev Lutheran Church--$66,000--De Pere WI. Siebert Foundation funding toward a peer counseling and life-coaching program. Did you read it here first? One staffmember was listed as a "life coach," but that was changed after the fact was published on Ichabod.
Mark Jeske's Time of Grace (unLutheran) Show - $250,000 from the Siebert Foundation.
All the Church and Chicanery people link to Time of Grace and quote His Eminence on such topics as eternal life.
More to come in the future. Our research department has to warm up Excel to add the figures for Schwan.
Otten is still reeling over Larry Burgdorf's salary - $440,000 plus $40,000 for benefits. Spending money is hard work.
