Theses very close to Valleskey's Quarterly article (Spring, 1991,
p. 117). Questionnaire mentions CG
"underemphasizing the Means of Grace as the power of the Holy
Spirit." [That is like saying
that Lutherans underemphasize the Assumption of Mary.] David J. Valleskey, P.T.
418, The Church Growth Movement--An Evaluation, Summer Quarter, Wisconsin
Lutheran Seminary, June 23-July 11, 1986
"The instructor may find it best not to distribute the
Spiritual Gifts Analysis (pp. 33-49) until the end of the course, when the time
has come for class members to work through it." David J. Valleskey, Gifted
to Serve, Parish Services, WELS
"Useful Ideas for My Ministry from the Church Growth
Movement...The Church Growth Movement--Strengths and Weaknesses...The Church
Growth Movement--An Evaluation...Church Growth Sounds Good, But...Dangers of
the Church Growth Movement...Friendship Evangelism...Rationale for Friendship
Evangelism..." Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and
Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A
"The term 'spiritual breathing' originated with Dr. William
Bright in his booklet, 'Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the
Spirit-filled Life?'" David Valleskey, Forest Bivens New Life in Christ,
September, 1981 p. 1.
"3. Establish your
goals. a. definition: goals are
those things that are required for an organization to carry out its objectives
('How') 1) short-range targets 2) SMART,
Specific...Measureable...Acceptable...Realistic...Timed...." Prof. David
J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p.
101.
"This downplaying of the importance of the means of grace on
the part of many in the Church Growth Movement would seem to stem from several
factors." [That is like saying that many Lutherans downplay the
infallibility of the pope.] David J. Valleskey, "The Church Growth
Movement: An Evaluation,"
Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p. 105. Holidaysburg,
10-15-90
"There is a fourth option, which is the choice of this
writer. It is the same kind of approach
Lawrence Crabb, a Christian counselor, advocates over against the use of
secular counseling resources. He calls
it 'spoiling the Egyptians' (Exodus 12:36, KJV), after the action of Israel at
the time they left Egypt, when they took from the Egyptians what would stand
them in good stead on their journey." David J. Valleskey, "The Church
Growth Movement: An Evaluation,"
Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p. 115. Holidaysburg, Pa,
10-15-90. Exodus 12:36.
"Yet this writer is confident we won't go astray in adopting
a 'spoiling the Egyptians' approach to the various Church Growth Movement
sociological principles and the research that produced them." David J.
Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement:
An Evaluation," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p.
116. Exodus 12:36.
"The King James Version, however, rendered it 'teach all
nations.' This is a possible meaning of
the word (cf. Matthew 13:52, where the
same Greek word is used and is properly translated 'instructed')."
David J. Valleskey, We Believe--Therefore We Speak, The Theology and Practice
of Evangelism, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1995, p. 127 Matthew
28:18-20; Matthew 13:52
"Accordingly, when Christ says, Disciple (matheteusate) all
nations by baptizing them, matheteusate can mean nothing other than to make
disciples, to turn unbelievers into believers; for that is the Spirit-produced
effect of baptism." David J. Valleskey, We Believe--Therefore We Speak,
The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing
House, 1995, p. 127. Matthew 28:18-20
"Is the mission of the church to preach the gospel or to make
disciples? The two--preaching the gospel and making disciples--are closely
connected. Making disciples is the goal, or end result, our Lord had in
mind. He does not want any to perish,
but all to come to repentance and faith.
He wants all to be saved, to come to a heart knowledge of the
truth. Preaching the gospel (employing
the means of grace) is the means by which the Lord will achieve his goal of
making disciples and so of gathering in his elect before he returns."
David J. Valleskey, We Believe--Therefore We Speak, The Theology and Practice
of Evangelism, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1995, p. 134.
"It is true that only God the Holy Spirit can effect the end
result of making a disciple out of an unbeliever; all we can do is sow the
seed. But it is also true that our
Lord, by speaking specifically of making disciples in his commission to his
church, is encouraging it to keep that intended goal in mind when it does its
seed sowing." David J. Valleskey, We Believe--Therefore We Speak, The
Theology and Practice of Evangelism, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House,
1995, p. 135. Matthew 28:18-20
Bob: "..I'd like to
share with you a book I came across the other day. It's interesting, easy to
read, and may be the answer to our problem..." [Could this be the Bible,
The Book of Concord, What Luther Says?] "Its title is Your Church Can
Grow, and it's filled with all sorts of practical hints that could help us turn
things around here." Author:
"Bob didn't realize it at the time, but in his browsing he had
stumbled upon one of many similar books written from the perspective of the
church growth movement, books with such titles as How to Grow a Church, Ten
Steps for Church Growth, Church Growth:
Strategies that Work, and Leading Your Church to Growth." Prof.
David Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement, Just Gathering People or
Building the Church?" The Northwestern Lutheran, May 5, 1991, p. 184.
"So, what should the members of St. John evangelism committee
do with [C. Peter Wagner's] Your Church Can Grow?...They can probably pick up a
few helpful hints. They might, for
example, appreciate research which provides an insight into the way unchurched
people think." Prof. David Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement,
Just Gathering People or Building the Church?" The Northwestern Lutheran,
May 5, 1991, p. 185. See Oct 15 NWL Jeb Schaefer editorial
"But a cold heart can beat close to a correct mind. There are too
many churches with impeccable credentials for orthodox theology whose outreach
is almost nil. They are 'sound,' but
they are sound asleep." Leighton
Ford, The Christian Persuader.
Valleskey asks: "true to a certain degree of us?" Prof. David
J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p.
24.
"Assignments:...2. Prepare
a term paper on the subject of evangelism and/or church growth." Prof.
David J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT
358A p. 3.
"2. The distinction between a witness and an evangelist. a.
Some are evangelists (Eph. 4:11-12) 1) C. Peter Wagner: 'The average
church can realistically expect that approximately 10 per cent of its active
adult members will have been given the gift of evangelist' ("Your
Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow," Glendale: Gospel Light, 1979,
p. 176)...3) but don't expect everyone to have that gift - Wagner (op. cit.):
'It is a misunderstanding of biblical teaching, in my opinion, to try to
convince every Christian that he or she has to be sharing the faith constantly
as a part of their duty to the Master." Prof. David J. Valleskey, Class
Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p. 51.
"David Hubbard, president Fuller Seminary: 'Not all of us
have the gift of evangelism. I admire
people who can lead others to Jesus Christ right on the spot...." Prof. David
J. Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p.
52.
"a receptivity rating scale (adapted by Win and Charles Arn
in 'The Master's Plan for Making Disciples,' p. 91...." Prof. David J.
Valleskey, Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p.
58.
"Introduction to the Church Growth Movement by Lutheran
authors, Hunter, Kent R., Foundations for Church Growth (New Haven, MO: Leader
Publishing Co., 1983) - the author, an LC-MS clergyman who has now set up his
own church growth consulting service, performs the valuable service in this 204
page book of presenting an introduction to church growth goals and
terminology. Werning, Waldo, Vision and
Strategy for Church Growth, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1977) - Werning, active for
years in LC-MS stewardship work, explains the foundations, presuppositions and
principles of church growth and then shows how a congregation can benefit from
making use of certain church growth principles - of the two books listed in
this category, Werning's is the more practical." Prof. David J. Valleskey,
Class Notes, The Theology and Practice of Evangelism, PT 358A p. 6.
"In Christ, God has effected a universal justification, a
universal reconciliation, a universal ransom, a universal atonement. Different
terms, but all communicating the same message: God in Christ has declared the
whole world to be not guilty." David J. Valleskey, We Believe--Therefore We
Speak, Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1995, p. 71.
