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| The Church Growth sect leaders must realize by now that they are fools. I have two true stories for today. The first one happened at Mequon (aka Mordor) where I was required to study Church Growth under the leadership of David Valleskey, Paul Kelm, Larry Olson, and other clowns. Kelm asked, as his ultimate question at the end of the week-long torture, "Now can you think of ANYONE who - looking at all we have to offer - would not join the Wisconsin Synod?!" The audience was completely quiet. I waited a few seconds and said, "Herb Chilstrom?" The entire room rocked with laughter, which kept starting over and over again. Earnest Paul Kelm was not happy at all. Chilstrom was the leader of ELCA, known for his delight in apostasy. Foolish Paul Kelm had a false premise - make the product irresistible and everyone will rush to grab it. Long before, when he tried starting a new mission, the people found out what WELS really taught and tossed Paul out, changing to an ALC/LCA affiliation. Thanks to Donald McGavran (Disciples of Christ, advocate for Planned Parenthood) and Peter Drucker (self-appointed corporation expert), Fuller Seminary tossed the Scriptures overboard and pursued Management by Marketing. When Fuller went public with their rejection of inerrancy, everyone was already indifferent to Biblical doctrine and greedy for big, booming success. Because these charlatans have no faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Savior, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker and healer of leprosy, who raised people from the dead, died on the cross, rose from the grave and ascended into heaven, they have nothing to offer except blindness and hardness of heart. Parking lots do not cause faith in the Savior. One WELS pastor declared they would have a world-class parking ministry (St. Paul German Village). He ended up an atheist, the final resting place or stage of Fuller parasites. The parish is almost gone. Entertainment and food do not lead to faith in the Son of God. The people followed Jesus into the desert because they had faith in Him. They only knew His divine power and His efficacious Word. He fed the multitude. Jesus summoned the fish, but only after His sermon, after Peter confessed his sinful nature, after Jesus commanded the impossible. Jesus taught His disciples to be fishers of men, not agents or thralls of Unstuck. Gimmicks and tricks are just that, devoid of divine efficacy. The men who rely on the superficial find out the meaning of defenestration, sooner or later.  I can offer a true story of how easy it is to lead people in the wrong direction with a few enticing words. One Sunday in Sturgis, Michigan, I had visitors in church, from the magicians convention taking place. The announcements at the end of the service went like this - "We are happy to have magicians here today, because of the big convention nearby. I have to report there was a serious accident there." The congregation became especially quiet and listened. "The woman in the sawing in-half-act was injured." Everyone gasped and listened even more closely. "She is at Sturgis Memorial Hospital..." This is the verifying statement, very effective. "In Room 101 and 102." The place came unglued! Yes, that really happened. I only dredged it up to remind people how a few words can lead people toward a mirage, a fantasy, a dream or horror. Why do the denominations - not just foolish Lutherans - throw millions of dollars at Fuller, Trinity Divinity, and other seminaries of ill repute?  |
