When Wayne Mueller denied Church Growth in WELS, everyone knew that was a confirmation. Lying in WELS means, "That is the way it will be, so stifle yourself."

"Pastor Jackson,

Recently, I came across a printout from an Ichabod post of approximately ten years ago. It consisted of various comments made by Church Growth adherents within the LCMS and WELS from the time frame of the late 1980's. Once again, I was appalled by how smug and secure they were that this was really going to make a difference within their respective synods. The chickens have come home to roost. The membership numbers continue to decline. There is no accountability to those who foisted it upon members. The methods are Kelmed from the business world. Even there, their effectiveness can be limited and will last only as long until the next grandiose plan comes along. Recently, it was posted on Ichabod some of the previous articles about the rotten to the CORE in Appleton. I had completely forgotten about the rotten to the CORE. It makes you wonder about Thrivent being in Appleton and if their was some loose connection between them and the rotten to the CORE. Just on the surface, the rotten to the CORE showed that Baby Boomers that want to act like millennials end up looking like total buffoons.

Meanwhile, more doctrinally sound material continues to be made available through Ichabod. An entire generation can now learn what sound doctrine is, at minimal expense. No more do they have to be concerned what the latest, trendy methods are. No more wasting time and money on conferences and seminars. There was something that really caught my eye from that old Ichabod post that I discovered. It had to do with that queasy unsettling feeling that you had after a member from the Columbus congregation offered to pay your way to a Church Growth conference. 

Concerning those pilgrimages to Rome, Luther said that you came back home "with a bad conscience, a ruined stomach, and an empty purse".

In Christ,

WELS Member"

 Note that Kelm, from the photo above, confirmed the saturation of Church Growth in WELS. DP-in-Waiting Mueller promoted it while teaching at Mordor, as head of Perish Services, and as Synod First VP.

 Christian News piously and erroneously prayed for me to teach their OJ - I never did. But like I said, OJists always lie - their dogma fuels Church Growth.

A Senior Ex-WELS Member Reviews Ichabod. Ichabod review of posting and readership

Ichabod review of posting and readership

"Re: Ichabod review of posting and readership.  

Thank you for another year of  informative reporting of the "state of organized Lutheranism" as well as other religious chaos.   For any who made noises about obviously planned and programmed undoing a whole synod more than 40 years ago, Ichabod has been a pillar reminder that the protests were not illusionary, unfounded, observations and concerns.   Expressed concerns have been borne out through ensuing years.  It was 42 years ago this month in 1978 the letter came re: membership in a WELS congregation being terminated, soon followed by voluntary exists of a few others.  

But where were the rest of the "others" who wouldn't or couldn't inform themselves?  A few in other geographical locations were expelled for protesting other departures from what a synod taught.  i.e. the issue of receiving government grants for a Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, WI,  followed by the notorious "Kokomo 4" declarations upheld by WELS. Few except those protesting wanted to know, for then they might have to look further for themselves and draw conclusions they didn't want to draw?  A couple generations pass and the "before" becomes transformed new synod. Define and describe that as loyalties require.  

You know also that appreciating the unique and outstanding gifts evident in "Ichabod", hasn't prevented this  reader from expressing disagreement or viewpoint now and then.

Respectful responses received have been greatly appreciated."

 Cited by Martin Chemnitz himself.

Soon - Eight Million Views

Seven Million Views in May, 2019

Now the counter reads - 7,826,416.

--

Favorite responses from readers - "When you finally die, everyone will be so happy."

"You are a coward."
Signed Anonymous

"Just because I am anonymous does not mean I am a coward."
Signed Anonymous

"No one reads Ichabod."
Various ELS and WELS pastors

"Most of the views are from news articles."

"Sure, you published Luther's Sermons, no wonder there are a lot of views." (I wish 99% were views of Luther's Sermons.)

"I ignore the content and enjoy the graphics."

"I enjoy the content and then look at the graphics."

 Six Million Post

Five million views - November, 2016.

Four million views in 2015.

Three million views in 2014.

Two million views in 2013.

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Trouble with the Link to the New Year's Service

Hi Friends and Members.

There were problems last night and this morning linking to the New Year's Eve worship.

This one always works from the main page of the blog 

Bethany Lutheran Worship on Ustream 

- https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

That link shows all the videos stored, each one labeled.

This one, below, is for last night. I have to test my links more.

https://video.ibm.com/recorded/125353469

I noticed just now it was a little balky but I got it started.

How the Colonies Became a Nation. The Second Amendment Protects the First Amendment

Today is the birthday of John Garand, the inventor of the greatest battlefield weapon ever (said General Patton).

Garand - Wiki
Jean Cantius Garand (/ˈɡærənd/; January 1, 1888 – February 16, 1974), also known as John C. Garand, was a Canadian-born designer of firearms who created the M1 Garand, a semi-automatic rifle that was widely used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps during both World War II and the Korean War.

Several events led to this post. 

1. Organized, subsidized attacks on Jews and Christians have risen to fill the airwaves.
2. One church protected itself by having a self-defense set up, which quickly ended one shooter's plan. Seven church members pulled weapons to stop the murderer. 
3. Reactions continue to be - What new laws can we pass?
4. The text for New Year's included Galatians 3:28.

The Galatians verse has been used and abused in various ways. Universities are now paying brigades of diversity executives to enforce selective tolerance. And you thought a degree in gender studies was a waste of money?

Freedom of religion (not freedom from religion) is the law of the land, but that was set aside - only recently - during the malignant reign of the previous president.

The Second Amendment protects the First Amendment, which is why I am a member of the National Rifle Association. Whenever tyrants take over, they confiscate weapons. They penalize people for merely owning the weapons.

The First Amendment needs to be enforced as much as Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution. Strangely, no one seems to know that declaration. I used it on a reporter when he asked me about my vote in Arizona. He said, "Foreign invasion?" I responded, "What do you call 5,000 people a day?" He had to agree, meekly.

One failure leads to the next. People come to the USA to be Americans. My wife's family came legally, as everyone should. When we became Landed Immigrants in Canada, we followed all their rules, and we benefited from that status (albeit, no land). We had all the rights except the right to vote.

When actual Constitutional rights (not invented ones) are violated, we all suffer from that repudiation.