"Did you ever notice the tactics used by those who are desperate? Not to minimize the importance of this, but the use of shabby translations is one of many measures employed by the rats on a sinking ship. The abhorrence of the KJV by WELS leadership most likely marked the beginning of the end of Confessional Lutheranism for the WELS. The venerable 1941 TLH was replaced starting in 1993. This was a year after Wayne Mueller’s official church growth denial and Corky Koeplin’s stern warning titled Whither WELS? in CN.
[GJ - I sent Corky's essay to CN, and Timid Tim excoriated me for doing so. It was supposed to be Top Secret, Eyes Only! - but the anonymous sender never told me.]
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| Let's just hope Scott Barefoot didn't pray with the LCMS leaders. |
Thank you for re-posting some articles from the Ichabod archives. It helps to connect the dots. It also shows the progression or more accurately, the regression, in the WELS. The abuse of members by the called workers can leave permanent scars. I have witnessed firsthand families who were members of the same congregation for several generations. Then, because of a pastor’s arrogance, they left and never came back.
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| This is a very good description of WELS, the CLC (sic), etc. |
These desperation tactics clearly exhibit that they are an exercise in futility. Plus, there is also a little bit of damage control going on by the WELS leadership. But it is not much. The leaders still must save face. They certainly will not be held accountable for hoodwinking the members. Imagine if a DP got in front of a congregation and apologized for promoting Enthusiasm. Pinch me, I am dreaming.
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| GJ - My introduction to WELS "Evangelism" was the Kelm-Valleskey workshop where Cho's work was praised to high heaven (before his embezzling was revealed, of course). I stood up to criticize the use of an occult phony like Cho. (I previously met Cho and shook hands with him. Do not criticize - I listened, read his atrocious books, and met him. That is called research. |
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| Here is a verbatim example of Cho using Asian occult methods. American leaders ate it up like chocolate ice cream with sprinkles. |
Even the membership numbers are deceiving. WELS baptized membership peaked at about 420,000. Today, it is about 354,000. That comes out to be slightly more than 84% of the peak. Those are official numbers based upon what congregations send to WELS HQ. I believe that congregations also submit attendance numbers. As head usher, I take a head count at every service and write it down on a spreadsheet in the ushers’ room. It is further broken down into a total number, number of visitors, and communion attendance. I count the offerings with the financial secretary. He just distributed the new offering envelopes for 2020. What is significant about that are the sets of offering envelopes that are never picked during the entire year. Some are members who are “still on the books” but have not been around, sometimes for several years.
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| Are these two skirt-chasers comparing notes? In WELS, Willow Creek was considered the place to study success methods. They gave scholarships to go there, even though many did not need to study womanizing. Hybels was forced out early. Didja know he insisted on feminist Bibles? |
These sordid details tell the true story of WELS membership. I understand the synod apologists will claim that as an aggregate number, membership in Christian denominations has declined everywhere in this country. There is no disputing this. But these apologists have just made the rather obvious point that the CGM never works, no matter who uses it, the WELS included. This is contrary to what was promised when the WELS leadership boasted about spoiling the Egyptians.
Here is a brief sample of what has been tried: Leadership training seminars (church growth training), participating in School Choice programs for the parochial schools, retaining the services of a consultant (like Cornerstone Ministries), a new hymnal, new Bible translations, worship supplements, “blended” worship services also known as contemptible worship, staff ministers (when proposed, they could not articulate what it was, but they wanted it).
Here is not what has been tried for true church growth: Promotion of the Means of Grace solely because of the Efficacy of the Word.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I will keep you and Mrs. Jackson in my prayers. God’s blessings for the new year.
In Christ,
WELS Layman"
Another WELS Layman Responded to This Post - This One is "WELS No More"
"Dear Pastor Jackson,
Another great post on Ichabod “WELS Layman on WELS Failed Methods” it was very much appreciated. At some point WELS must begin to notice that their members realize the truth and are leaving in droves. WELS has a culture of abuse, lying, and false doctrine, what a sad little denomination. I thought the recent meeting in Florida where they all (WELS-ELS-LCMS) jumped on the UOJ bandwagon was nothing more than defense of a very clear error in doctrine. Why would they make such a big deal of their doctrinal agreement of UOJ if they didn’t know people like me know it is not Biblical? Nobody reads Ichabod (sarcasm) and the UOJ they are selling is rotting on the shelf.
I try to read Ichabod every day if possible, and really appreciate the sermons on Sunday.
Thank you for all you do!
God bless you,"
