Unlike the synod franchise units, the Church of the Augsburg Confession celebrates the Reformation year around.
Critics says, "But you are only one tiny congregation. You are nothing. No one reads your blog. You broadcast from a rented room."
Their talk is a thrilling reminder that they have not opened the Bible in recent decades. Otherwise they would remember that Jesus was born in a rented room, so that cannot be all bad.
Besides that, the Church of the Augsburg Confession is not limited to one congregation. Congregations belong, by their teaching and practice if they:
- Teach justification by faith and reject Pietism's UOJ.
- Treat the sacraments as the Visible Word.
- Use the historic liturgy and scorn the Pentecostal jazz hams.
- Choose Lutheran hymns predominately for the worship service.
- Offer sermons rather than coaching talks.
- Dress appropriately instead of wearing clothes fit for changing the crankcase oil.
If people either love or loathe the entertainment-style seeker services promoted by Jeske, Valleskey,
Tiefel, and Mark Schroeder, they should visit a local Pentecostal church. Really. I am not kidding. Everyone should visit a Pentecostal congregation every so often.
This is what they will find at the Pentecostal church, so they should either feel at home or suffer an attack of acid reflux:
- A gourmet coffee bar in the nave.
- ATMs for i-donations in the hallway - near the coffee bar.
- A stage instead of a chancel. A cheap shower curtain used as a backdrop. It may fall over.
- A pit band set up on the stage, because they are the main show - the Worship Team.
- No pulpit. Likely no cross.
- Enormous screens in the front and back of the auditorium.
- A minister wearing a suit, but perhaps a Hawaiian shirt and jeans.
- Women teaching and preaching.
- No baptismal area (probably hidden away).
- No altar or something so tiny no would would suspect it is one.
Homework done? Now you will see that the congregational model promoted and funded by the LCMS, WELS, ELS, and CLC (sic) is modern Pentecostal.