WELS-ELS Pounded B. Teigen - ELS - for This Excellent Book on Chemnitz and the Lord's Supper. Free PDF Download

The Lord's Supper in the Theology of Martin Chemnitz - FREE!

Simply put, the book teaches the efficacy of the Word as revealed in the Scriptures, which the Synodical Conference opposed with their ridiculous and faithless Receptionism.

According to the genius class in the LCMS-ELS-WELS, the elements are not the Body and Blood of Christ until they are received. At that point they "become" the Body and Blood.

The level of stupidity and Biblical ignorance behind that Synodical Conference dogma is difficult to fathom. Yet WELS/ELS treated Teigen like dirt for publishing the truth.

Does anyone see a connection with Synodical Conference UOJ/Calvinism, Pentecostalism, and Church Growthism?

Text messages of ex-state lawmaker, ex-college president, consultant presented at corruption trial

Text messages of ex-state lawmaker, ex-college president, consultant presented at corruption trial:


"FAYETTEVILLE — Text messages among the three people accused in a kickback scheme show they coordinated efforts from February to October of 2014 to solicit more state grants from other lawmakers who were not a part of the plot, according to testimony Monday morning.

IRS Special Agent John Munns presented text messages along with emails and bank records in the trial of former state Sen. Jon Woods and consultant Randell Shelton Jr., formerly of Alma. The records show their text messages and transactions with Oren Paris III, then-president of a private Christian college receiving state grants.

The text messages show successful efforts to solicit state General Improvement Fund grants from lawmakers other than Woods and then-state Rep. Micah Neal, who is also charged in the conspiracy. Neal and Paris have pleaded guilty. Neal was the government’s first witness when the trial began, and Paris is expected to testify later this week."

 In other news at Ecclesia College - they are preparing a soccer field for their 100 students.

'via Blog this'

A Pastor Is Taking the Greek Class. Wednesdays, 7 PM Central Daylight Time

 Norma A. Boeckler

Hi Dr. Jackson,

The Greek class on Romans is great.  I'm back to proficient in the language.  I use for sermon prep starting with Gospel, then Epistle, and then the LXX for the Old Testament in that order, depending on the amount of time I have.  Not to mention Bible study prep.  But the Romans class is something I look forward to each week.  Thanks.  Also,  I usually go on a long walk on Sunday afternoons after preaching, teaching, and some visits.  I listen to your Sunday service on that walk.  Thanks for that too.

Blessings to you and Chris,

***

GJ - I look forward to the class, just as much as the students do. After all, it was our congregation's attorney, Glen Kotten, who asked me to teach it. Our volunteer editor for Luther's Sermons, asked me to offer more in Greek, so I picked Romans as the follow-up.

The idea is simple - we learn a language by hearing it and reading it. No one taught me the fine points of English grammar until high school, but we learned grammar intensively in high school Latin and college Greek. 

Roland Bainton taught me the basic method, which is reading the Gospel of John in the language to be learned. That actually works for Greek too - easy vocabulary, easy grammar. 

Many pastors are merely taught to recognize and look up one Greek word at a time. That is so limiting for Biblical studies that the schools involved should be sued for negligence. 

I have taught writing to hundreds of students. The ones who had no trouble with grammar were the readers. If they read all the time, they know instinctively what is correct.

Naming the grammar rules is guaranteed annual income for language teachers, but it fails to recognize one thing. I believe Krauth pointed it out. A shelf of literature books will teach grammar, but a shelf of grammar books will not teach anyone how to write.

So the Romans class is mostly English, using the Greek text. We are moving slowly.

 Luther's Sermons teach more theology and more Biblical knowledge than entire faculties. Perhaps that is why the Lutheran seminaries despise Luther - he gets in the way of their nefarious agenda. Many seminaries - one agenda.

Another Layman Responds to the Post about WELS Shrinkage

 Ski and Glende were trained at Michigan Lutheran Seminary, a WELS prep school with some unusual traits - only a few miles from the parish of Michigan District President John Seifert. Glende Cousin Paul Brug just turned down a call to MLS.

The previous post from another WELS layman.

Greg,

"Article in the May issue of FIC. Just what we have been discussing. At current trends in another 40 yrs WELS will have just a little over 200,000 members . I think that is a very conservative number. With Boomers dying out I think much more decline. The article goes on to say 300 churches will be closed by then. Once again I think that is too low a number. Just let you know what the Synod is printing in its own magazine."

The WELS knows what they are doing, after a decade of attending conferences and sitting on councils, I have a good idea too.  You have to understand that this is a business.  Their actions are driven self-preservation for self-preservation's sake (in whole or in part by various leaders).  They will, indeed they are in the process of reinventing themselves.  Oh, they say they are doing it for Christ, but make no mistake they're looking out for #1.  At the lowest levels they have good intentions, but they are misled.  They just don't know any better.  Christ the Tool is used to move them along the plan. 

The WELS will be around 100 years from now (if things maintain the status quo).  But, it won't resemble anything like the WELS we knew of the 20th century.  Right now, the synod is being transformed and guided along business principles.  "What's marketable guys?"  "How can we involve every warm body?"  These guys aren't stupid.  They're in it to win it.  Observe the consolidation of church school campuses; this seems indicate the route they are taking because it's a sustainable business model.  The thing is, what will it look like after 100 years?  I suspect it will have a new logo or two along the way, and a new name.  It could very well be possible that what the WELS becomes is nothing more than a Charter School organization rather than a church.

I am dead serious about this.  This is what happens when your mindset becomes focused on self preservation and an elevated sense of self importance for the Gospel ( We're doing is for Christ!!!!  We've got to!)  This will offend pastors who are engaged in this activity now, because they believe in their cause.  BUT...the real measure by which they will be judged is their legacy...which we'll never live long enough see-- thank God.  I believe the sight of it would break our hearts and make us weep.

Pie in sky?  Look at the ELCA.

 WELS soft-pedals its affinity for ELCA Universalism here,
but makes it obvious in JP Meyer.

 Here is the sand upon which the House of WELS is built.

***

GJ - I agree to some extent. WELS has a lot of money left to spend. Their endowment was $100 million, the last time I looked. They have the Jeske coven of millionaires, who are the real controlling element of the sect.

I have trouble believing people will patiently tolerate WELS. The abusive sect treats women and faithful pastors like dirt but they protect the worst pastors, teachers, and staff.

Time will take a toll on the cost of maintaining all their buildings, plus the reality that they cannot keep so many redundant colleges and schools going.

Anonymous answered:

I read your reply, and this is a good point:

"I agree to some extent. WELS has a lot of money left to spend. Their endowment was $100 million, the last time I looked. They have the Jeske coven of millionaires, who are the real controlling element of the sect."

But, the point I was driving at is they may not go the way of the ELCA necessarily, they may just reinvent themselves by way of their parochial school system.  They may be willing to let the churches go with a ready made sustainable strategy to keep the corporation alive.  My thinking is doctrine will come off in layers until the organization isn't recognizable anymore.  It would take a lot of time for this occur.  They could become an apostate church, but I think they may just go the corporate route.  Remember Blackberry?  Used to make phones, now they are a security company.  Or....the Salvation Army would be a great example as well.  That sort of thing.  The WELS may end up a charter school system with little salt and light left to offer, but they would continue to exist a business entity....if not a church.  This theory would no doubt draw howls of protest from the WELS of today, but when you look at what Jeske has been doing and the CORE....they layers are already lifting away.

 Glende and Ski sued the husband of the female staffer who objected to Ski's alcoholism, foul language, and display of Favre's .... on his phone.  SP Mark Schroeder arranged a new call via Kudu Don Patterson and the Anything Goes DP.

"There is nothing I can do about Ski."
We all know Schroeder moved heaven and earth, and consulted with his Father Below, to get Ski a fourth call in his fourth district.

Lay Commentator -

I woke up Saturday morning with it on my mind, and I just started writing, but wish I would have developed it more.  I kept thinking, this is what happens with this Objective Justification thing takes root.  Real justification becomes so impersonal.  With no emphasis on faith, the only thing left if sanctification.  The whole core site seems to be about sanctification:

"The CORE exists to transform lives for Christ through faith that is Real, Relevant, and Relational."

The core exists to transform?  Who's doing the work here?  ...and for whom?  This doesn't sound like any Lutheran doctrine, Methodist more like.  What kind of faith is real , relevant, and relational?  Sanctifying faith?

We deal with life's issues through the lens of God's Word. We come face to face with sin and the havoc it creates in our lives. We celebrate the forgiving, undeserved love of God "and how that changes our lives."

It's all about these guys; real big of them to give God some props at the end of the statement.  Whatever happened to: 

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." - Galatians 6:14

I am so weary of mission statements at church; a big reason I walked a way from the WELS.  Fortunately, I haven't seen any mission statements around OSL since I've been there.

Three Men and a Tool Shed

 One year ago, Chris took her first walk post-surgery. Her latest triumph is an A1C of 6 (perfect) at the diabetic specialist's office. Sassy has her own fur coat, but Mrs. Ichabod made her wear a sweater, because...cute.

Ranger Bob (a retired Army Ranger) opened up a storage shed on his property and found it mostly filled with things to jettison. He said, "Do you want a shed?" He and Mrs. Ichabod decided that the place between the Elderberry bushes was best, and I conceded.

He said, "My brother, Jerry, and I will take it apart and carry the parts over when the weather is better." Ranger Bob floated an idea. "We could carry it in one piece," so I volunteered to make it a fourth. Without contents or a floor, the aluminum structure was easy to carry, though I hoped for no videos appearing on the Net. The roof came over next, from two doors away.

Soon the roof was attached again, the shed resting on a bed of concrete tiles from the original site. Rebar will hold it down better, though it never took flight in our previous wind storms.

That is quite a gift, most would say. But no, Bob is coming over to seal the joints, paint the outside, and repaint the metal roof. He already cleaned the interior. He loves our pour-over coffee and his recent coffee-maker upgrade, so deals are often worked out over cups of fresh pour-over brew. Sassy loves him so much that she heads for his home on the corner, every time we are out, in hopes of being assailed as Fat Dog and Chow Hound while she gets some treats.

Sassy the Sweet
I posted about Sassy's mildly ornergy moments. Yesterday she barked at Mrs. Gardener's son-in-law, basically her happy to see you bark. They went inside, but the grandson came out to pet Sassy.

Sassy wants to kiss children, so her barks and rapid head movements spook them a little. He kept petting her methodically and talking to her. She reached over and gave him her special long, slow, loving licks. He loved that and began working over her ears. "You have a dog?" He did, and he knew how much they enjoy ear work.

Sassy Sasses Three Dogs, Leading to a Mass Escape
This morning Sassy went over to three dogs behind a fence to sass them. They erupted in ferocious barks and soon pushed the gate enough to come out to her.

I guessed they would have a quiet meet and greet, and so they did. Each dog was a bit hackled, cautious, but non-aggressive. So there I was with Sassy and three loose dogs - no sign of the owners.

I went into the front yard, pointed at the gate, and said, "Go back home. GIT!" The biggest one looked guiltier than Comey at a meeting of The Ethical Society. He walked in, hanging his head.

I made eye contact with the next. "Go HOME!" and pointed the way. He walked in. The youngest wanted to enjoy his freedom. I glared at that one and said, "Move it. NOW!" He did some small circles, so I raised my arm again and pointed the way. He trotted in, and I locked their gate. To save face, they barked ferociously -after being locked in like wandering lambs.

 Norma Boeckler photographed me and my supervisor at the dog park.

How Does the Synodical Conference - United in UOJ - Mange To Ignore Luther So Stubbornly?

Anita Engleman, Ichabod, Walther on his smartphone, Mrs. I, Zach Engleman - pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Zach:
I have been thinking of Genesis 15:6, where Abraham believed God and righteousness was imputed to him:
And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness. 

Abraham was righteous over 400 years before the giving of the Law at Sinai. The Israelites were delivered from Egypt before the Law was given also.

This is a very important teaching on the righteousness of faith, as Luther writes:
“With these words, Paul makes faith in God the supreme worship, the supreme allegiance, the supreme obedience, and the supreme sacrifice. Whoever is an orator, let him develop this topic. He will see that faith is something omnipotent, and that its power is inestimable and infinite; for it attributes glory to God, which is the highest thing that can be attributed to Him. To attribute glory to God is to believe in Him, to regard Him as truthful, wise, righteous, merciful, and almighty, in short, to acknowledge Him as the Author and Donor of every good. Reason does not do this, but faith does. It consummates the Deity; and if I may put it this way, it is the creator of the Deity, not in the substance of God but in us. For without faith, God loses His glory, wisdom, righteousness, truthfulness, mercy, etc., in us; in short, God has none of His majesty or glory where faith is absent. Nor does God require anything greater of man than that he attribute to Him His glory and His divinity; that is that he regard Him, not as an idol but as God, who has regard for him, listens to him, shows mercy to him, helps him, etc. When He has obtained this, God retains His divinity sound and unblemished; that is, He has whatever a believing heart is able to attribute to Him. To be able to attribute such glory to God is wisdom beyond wisdom, righteousness beyond righteousness, religion beyond religion, and sacrifice beyond sacrifice. From this it can be understood what great righteousness faith is and, by antithesis, what a great sin unbelief is.” [1]

[1] Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works: Lectures on Galatians. Volume 26. American Edition. Ed. Jaroslav Pelikan. Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, (1963), p. 227.