The Right Reverend Bishop James Heiser and Rolf Preus - in Christian News . March 6, 2017 Issue

 This is a screenshot of the CN article,
showing that I am no longer a pastor
and no longer a PhD. Wishful thinking, UOJists.

---

 I asked Heiser why he wanted to associate with Rolf,
well known for his UOJ fanaticism.
Heiser said, "Oh, we'll get rid of him."

If you wonder why the LCMS is so badly led, check out the Rolf Preus Justification essay from the Steadfast Lutherans conference. They are the lobby organized to keep Matt the Fatt in office as the Synod President.

Rolf writes the same nonsense each time, so I cannot understand why he ever writes another essay.

For those who have never heard David Scaer's rambling, illogical declarations, delivered as pearls of wisdom, study this essay. Scaer could have ghosted it for Rolf, and CFW Walther, BA, could have ghosted it for both of them.

The title is "Justification" but the topic is "Objective Justification," or candidly  "Justification without Faith."

Rolf began by quoting the Augsburg Confession

Our churches also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works but are freely justified for Christ’s sake through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by his death made satisfaction for our sins.  This faith God imputes for righteousness in his sight (Rom. 3-4).

 WELS does the same thing as Rolf, using the topic Justification
to promote their idiosyncratic Universal Objective Justification.
See the Bivens' plagiarism of the Zarling paper.
They claim that Universal Forgiveness is the
Chief Article of the Christian Faith.

One would never know from the disorganized, haphazard string of declarations that Luther taught Justification by Faith and that Article III is named - The Righteousness of Faith.

Lacking the courage to say "the entire world has been pronounced forgiven," Rolf sets up an army of straw men. His arguments assume everyone is already in the UOJ camp, already nodding their heads in agreement. The Steadfast crowd is not very bright or studious. Therefore, in Rolf's little LCMS-ELS-ELDONA-LCMS world, faith is faith in Universal Absolution without faith.

 This is Rolf's argument, though he cloaks its nonsense
with various evasions and little rabbit punches.
The LCMS does not officially teach UOJ.

Rolf is an Enthusiast, like all the UOJ Stormtroopers -

In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary.

Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, #9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. Tappert, p. 313. 

Rolf, Pope John the Malefactor, Jay Webber, Jon-Boy Buchholz, and Walther agree with this Enthusiasm, that something happened - at an uncertain time, the Atonement?, the Resurrection?, the angelic message to the shepherds? - and the entire world was absolved of its sin, all people declared forgiven and therefore saved.

And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i.e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word. 

Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312. 

Rolf, like his counterparts, has no grasp of Biblical principles, especially God's binding of the Spirit to the Word. Walther had a poor grasp of the Scriptures, and he borrowed his false Justification position from Bishop Martin Stephan, who never graduated from any university (like Moldstad when he was hired as NT professor at Bethany Seminary).

Stephan only became pastor due to the special permissions given the Dresden congregation to serve the Bohemian Pietists, which he was.

Turning away from Dr. Luther, Rolf gives us another does of Martin Stephan, STD, proving that UOJ - like the bishop's venereal disease - is highly contagious.

Missing from Rolf's tirade is any appreciation for Romans 4, Galatians, the faith of Jesus, and the work we are commended by the Concordists to read - Luther's Galatians Lectures.

Throw Away the High-Priced Butter and 
Buy Our Low-Cost Margarine

 No matter how hard he tries, Rolf cannot make UOJ
into Justification by Faith, even with flavor gems
from the Augsburg Confession.

You Are Wrong, Taylor - Someone Out There Is Publishing Luther's Sermons

 Planet of the Apes reference.

The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Doctrine of the Word is in the art department at the moment.

Meanwhile, two of the eight volumes of Luther's Sermons (Lenker edition) are in Word files already.

As they are entered into Word, some volunteers for proof-reading will be appreciated. It would be best to have one per volume if possible. I will work on some too.

Volunteers will get a free set or so when it is printed.

If you want to help, send a message to greg.jackson.edlp@gmail.com - with the subject heading of Luther's Sermons.

Getting the sermons into Word files (how ironic) is fairly simple, but checking them over is a labor of love.

 Original Planet of the Apes scene, with Taylor
crying and yelling at those who blew it all up.

The Family Tree - Oren Paris II, III, IV - And Ecclesia College - The Paris Family College

 Oren Paris II founded the tiny school that became a tiny college - Ecclesia College -
in Springdale, Arkansas. Its accreditation is limited to a Bible group.

 The son of Oren II is Oren III, who is president of Ecclesia College.
He has an undergraduate degree from EC
and another bachelor's from the U. of Arkansas, nearby.
He recently completed a D.Min. from Laurel Online University,
so they call him Dr. Paris.
His son is Oren IV.

Inside Higher Education - Boards may hold off on terminating a president until guilt is proven, he said. But it’s often best for everyone if presidents take a leave of absence, at the very least.

“Some boards are more strict about this than others,” Chabotar said. “I just think best practice is if somebody is indicted, they’re put on a leave of absence.”

Ecclesia is also rare in that it does not report its financials publicly and it is closely related to a single family. That can raise questions about institutional oversight.

 Oren II died in 2012, but his widow Inez remains on the board and on the Ecclesia College payroll.

 Angie Paris Snyder is Oren III's sister.
Angie and her husband run the online version of Ecclesia College.
Angie has an undergraduate degree from...Ecclesia College.

 Twila Paris, Oren III's sister, is famous for her
Evangelical singing career.
She runs the Ecclesia Prep program for small children,
one of those group home-schooling coops.

Not pictured - Starla Paris Novak is another one of Oren III's sisters. Her husband Mike has many roles, especially raising money. He has a bachelor's degree from Liberty University and is listed on the faculty of Ecclesia College.


Inside Higher Education -

Paris issued a statement Jan. 5 after Neal’s guilty plea stating that no one associated with Ecclesia College had provided money to legislators.
“We have never been a party to any agreements to funnel money to any state Legislature,” the statement said. “At the end of the day, I am secure in the knowledge that there has been no wrongdoing either on my part or the school’s part, and any rumors, innuendo or any future news reports that say otherwise are simply untruthful.”

But the indictment clearly names Paris. It notes that he received more than $300,000 in compensation from the nonprofit corporation that operates the college located in Springdale between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2016, and that his family members and their spouses have received more than $1 million in compensation from it during that same time period. The kickback scheme’s purpose was for Paris to enrich himself, his family and the college by paying bribes to Woods and Neal through Shelton in exchange for the legislators securing money for the college, according to the indictment.

 It's good that Inez supports her son, Oren III,
but how many colleges are controlled by an entire family,
not one of them qualified to teach college or manage higher education, unless one counts Oren's recent online D.Min.

Cari Paris, married to Oren III, as pictgured on LinkedIn.
She is also on the faculty list of Ecclesia College,
with a bachelor's degree from Evangel College.

Indictment reveals details of alleged Ecclesia kickback scheme

 Oren Paris III

Indictment reveals details of alleged Ecclesia kickback scheme:

"The director of Ecclesia’s Office of Communications, Angie Snyder (Oren's sister), did not return a request for additional comment or interview Friday. But talk of Paris’s involvement in a kickback scheme has been circulating for months, particularly after former Republican State Representative Micah Neal pleaded guilty in January to taking $38,000 in bribes for steering money from the state’s General Improvement Fund to two nonprofit organizations based in Fayetteville and Springdale. Ecclesia College is located in Springdale.

Paris issued a statement Jan. 5 after Neal’s guilty plea stating that no one associated with Ecclesia College had provided money to legislators.
“We have never been a party to any agreements to funnel money to any state Legislature,” the statement said. “At the end of the day, I am secure in the knowledge that there has been no wrongdoing either on my part or the school’s part, and any rumors, innuendo or any future news reports that say otherwise are simply untruthful.”

But the indictment clearly names Paris. It notes that he received more than $300,000 in compensation from the nonprofit corporation that operates the college located in Springdale between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2016, and that his family members and their spouses have received more than $1 million in compensation from it during that same time period. The kickback scheme’s purpose was for Paris to enrich himself, his family and the college by paying bribes to Woods and Neal through Shelton in exchange for the legislators securing money for the college, according to the indictment.

The scheme was designed for Woods and Neal to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting bribes in exchange for using their official positions as legislators to steer money, the indictment says. It says that Shelton was intended to make money by keeping a portion of bribe funds before passing them on and that an unnamed businessman was intended to make money by paying bribes to legislators in exchange for money being directed to other organizations.

The indictment outlines a long involvement between the college president, Paris, and the state senator, Woods. It details plans by Paris in January 2013 to call Woods to talk about maximizing the college’s participation in the Arkansas General Improvement Fund. That fund receives money whenever the state runs a budget surplus. The money is then typically routed to economic development districts across the state to be used on local projects.

In April 2013 Paris sent a text message to Woods with talking points intended to convince lawmakers to support Ecclesia.
“Good selling point to conservative legislators is that [the college] produces graduates that are conservative voters,” the text message said, according to the indictment. “All state and secular colleges produce vast majority liberal voters.”

Woods replied that he agreed, the indictment said."

 Angie Paris Snyder is Oren Paris III's sister
and runs the online program with her husband,
both unqualified for the work.

'via Blog this'

New Addition to The Lost Dutchman's Goldmine: Luther's Biblical Doctrine of the Word Now in the Art Department (Norma Boeckler)

Appendix – Modern Problems Solved by Luther’s Biblical Doctrine

Fear of Church Leaders

Those who fear synod presidents, district presidents, and wealthy laity should follow the example of Luther and trust the Word of God above all things.

Isaiah 66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? ² For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Receptionism

The bizarre dogma that the elements of Holy Communion are not the Body and Blood of Christ - until they are received by the communicant - is easily repudiated. The Holy Spirit in the Word consecrates the bread and wine. The recipient receives what the Word promises, the Body and Blood of Christ.

Entertainment Evangelism

The concept of drawing people to church through entertainment methods was promoted by a Fuller Seminary graduate, LCA Pastor Walt Kallestad. He eventually rejected his own approach and saw his congregation absorbed by the Pentecostal Dream City parish. Luther had the Reformation congregations actively participate in the Means of Grace by listening to Biblical sermons and singing Scriptural, doctrinal hymns. They confessed their faith through the Creeds and used a liturgy cleansed of its Roman Catholic errors.

Methods

Just as the Apostle Paul rejected methods[1] (Greek word – methodia – deceit) Ephesians 4:14 and 6:11, Luther abhorred human scheming, tricks, and deceit. They do not belong in worship or teaching the Word, as JP Meyer wrote so eloquently.[2] Unlike many of the great and wise today, Luther was content to read the Scriptures as they were, with child-like faith.

Unionism and Cell Groups

The feverish quest for various confessions of faith working together is not a sign of strength, but weakness, the panic ignited by the steady collapse of once great institutions, congregations, and schools. Luther had no use for those who rejected the plain Word of God and sought no compromise with them.[3] Akin to this ecumenism - where the leaders love every denomination except their own - is the Pietistic promotion of the cell, prayer, care, koinonia, or small group – the names multiply. The Pietists then and now consider their cell groups to be the only True Church and they despise the Means of Grace.

Unfaithful Pastors

The church bodies should remove adulterous pastors from the ministry instead of shielding them. This corrupting leaven leavens the whole lump. Luther had no use for unfaithful husbands, let alone adulterous ministers.

Lazy Pastors and Professors

Luther revealed contempt for those who were not studious in the Word. His four-fold discipline is apt for all parties concerned, whether they have tenure at the college or seminary, or a plum call in a congregation:

1.    Deprive them of food.

2.    Drive them out of town.

3.    Bait them with dogs.

4.    Pelt them with manure.[4]

One famous suggestion from Luther was to have pastors preach only 30 minutes if they could not preach an entire hour. Pastors should be writing expository sermons, explaining the text verse by verse, instead of copying the drivel sold or given away on the Internet. The college and seminary professors should be engaged in study of the Word rather than searching for academic security.

---

[1] "Faithfulness is the standard by which God judges those he calls into the public ministry. That faithfulness may or may not be 'effective' in terms of visible results; results are up to God, not us. But part of faithfulness ought to include striving to be as 'effective' as we can be in the methods that we use to take the Means of Grace to people." Lawrence Otto Olson, D. Min., Fuller Seminary, "A Response to Gregory L. Jackson, Ph.D.," Christian News, 3-28-94, p. 23.

[2] "Paul... is speaking about methods of preaching the Gospel. He means to say that you can introduce methods into your Gospel work which on the surface do not appear as shameful, but which in reality disgrace the Gospel. He is harking back to 2:17, where he spoke about kapeleuein, about 'selling' the Gospel. To use a coarse illustration: Some ministers in their eagerness to bring the Gospel to the people, resort to entertainment to attract the crowds, in order to get an opportunity to preach to them. If you would tell such ministers that they are ashamed of the Gospel and that by their methods they disgrace it, because they manifest a lack of trust in its efficacy, they would resent the charge. Are they not doing all in order to promote the Gospel? The disgrace their methods bring upon it does not appear on the surface; that is why Paul speaks of secret things of shame." John P. Meyer, Ministers of Christ, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1963, pp. 62f. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 2:17.

[3] "Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last Confession, where he writes 419 thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other] saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands, which I am not going to change]." Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII, Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575.

[4] “And what need is there of many words? If I were to recount all the profit and fruit which God's Word produces, whence would I get enough paper and time? The devil is called the master of a thousand arts. But what shall we call God's Word, which drives away and brings to naught this master of a thousand arts with all his arts and power? It must indeed be the master of more than a hundred thousand arts. 13] And shall we frivolously despise such power, profit, strength, and fruit-we, especially, who claim to be pastors and preachers? If so, we should not only have nothing given us to eat, but be driven out, being baited with dogs, and pelted with dung, because we not only need all this every day as we need our daily bread, but must also daily use it against the daily and unabated attacks and lurking of the devil, the master of a thousand arts.”

Large Catechism, The Ten Commandments, Introduction. Concordia Triglotta.