Shrinkers Sermonize on Their Pietism

PETA endorsement


Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "What the Shrinkers Hate, Part II":

The enthusiasm of the (W)ELS would not have grown such deep and wide spread roots if they hadn't rejected the efficacy of Christ's Word.

From a UOJ/Pietistic [BM - my opinion] sermon given by a WELS Pastor on June 6, 2010 "I can go from door to door throughout the Seattle area telling everyone I meet about Jesus but it wouldn’t do even a fraction of the good that you are able to do by sharing your faith with your family and friends."

Sermon
http://www.htlc-wa.org/ministryinc/filedownload.aspx?master_sec_id=140004986&sec_id=140004986&libfolder=140047070&filename=Microsoft Word - 060610 Sermon.pdf

Sermon Website location
http://www.htlc-wa.org/site/cpage.asp?sec_id=140004986&cpage_id=140014787&secure=&dlyear=0&dlcat=0

Want another example?

***

GJ - Sure.

Not Legal - More On the WELS Video and Stolen Music

Quotes - find your own links. I won't list them.

The Gays: cultural driving force, socially active influencers, Miley Cyrus lovers. This week a guy named David Fudge and six of his apparently homosexual friends (uh, just parroting here) posted a video on YouTube entitled "Party in the FIP" and it's blowing up like whoa. Why? Entertainment value! Never has a Cyrus song, in this case "Party in the USA" been better used, in our estimation.

The video is, as the Times blog MediaDecoder put it, flamboyant. And as we know, flamboyance is bliss to watch.

And the Disney got involved, sort of, and in doing so did something impressive. They left the video alone, except when Rich Ross, president of Disney Channels Worldwide called Fudge (yeah, we know) to say he enjoyed the video.

Apparently Cyrus herself Tweeted about it as well, saying "I am OBSESSED with this video! Let's make one!"

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Miley Cyrus' hit song 'Party In The USA' was remade as 'Party In The F.I.P' starring guys dancing on the beach at gay and lesbian resort Fire Island Pines in New York. On Twitter, Miley said she is 'OBSESSED' with this video.

Disney did not seek legal action to have the video removed from YouTube. Creator David Fudge told New York Times: 'I assumed it would be taken down pretty much immediately, particularly because of the music rights issue.'

Disney Channel Worldwide president Rich Ross even called him: Fudge said: 'I was like, who? He just said that he loved it and wanted to tell us that. He was extremely nice.'

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Mainly we're posting this because it's a Friday afternoon and rainy (at least here in New York). We figure you need some entertainment to launch you into the weekend. But there is a legal angle to this music video. It might have spawned intellectual property litigation , if Disney -- and Miley Cyrus -- didn't have such a good sense of humor. Enjoy! (Feel free to discuss "fair use" issues in the music...

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Currently, a parody of a Miley Cyrus video is an Internet phenomenon. “Party in the FIP” is a take-off on Cyrus’ hit “Party in the USA,” which is on Hollywood Records, a Walt Disney Company. “FIP” refers to Fire Island Pines, a famously gay New York beach. The video features, in the words of MSNBC host Carlos Watson, “guys dancing on the beach in Speedos.”

In a segment on August 31, Watson said, “It appears that Disney is in on the joke, or at least they’re laughing at it too.” He turned to cohost Kerry Eleveld, of gay publication The Advocate. “What do you think about Disney, who doesn’t always seem to be the most progressive company in the world, seeming not only to be to be okay with it but making phone calls to the creator of it?”

“They might not be incredibly progressive,” Eleveld said, “but they’re smart business people. It never hurts to have gay men on your side.”

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-philbin/2009/08/31/gay-video-parody-miley-cyrus-disney-shrugs-msnbc-applauds#ixzz0rRvL5JTP

The company has apparently figured that out. Disney World theme park in Orlando, Fla. has been hosting “Gay Days” since 1991.And for Disney to wink at the use of tween-idol Cyrus’ material shows just how important the gay market is to the company.

As Reason Magazine’s Jesse Walker wrote in 2000, “In one of the most famous copyright cases of the '70s, it successfully halted sales of Air Pirates Funnies, a risqué underground comic by Dan O'Neill featuring the Disney characters, even though the comic was clearly a Mad-style parody.” Disney was also at the forefront of lobbying for the Bono Act of 1998, which extended U.S. copyright terms by two decades.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-philbin/2009/08/31/gay-video-parody-miley-cyrus-disney-shrugs-msnbc-applauds#ixzz0rRvirbGH

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The video, renamed Party In The F.I.P, centres (sic) around guys having fun at gay and lesbian resort Fire Island Pines in New York, dancing and miming to Cyrus' song.

The singer

admits she's "obsessed with this video," and Disney chiefs, who are usually quick to seek legal recourse against all copyright infringements are reportedly keen to get hold of the man behind the promo, so that he and Cyrus can hook up for publicity.

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Normally, this would be where Disney steps in with swift legal recourse for copyright infringement, but instead both Cyrus and Disney are eager to find the culprits of the gay dance video – “Party in the F.I.P.” – for publicity.

***

GJ - In brief, stealing music and remixing it is a legal issue. Of course, the burden is on Disney to have a video yanked.

Martin Luther College, owned and operated by WELS, is guilty of breaking the law. They sponsored the video contest, had the video shown to the student body, and did not even ask that the video be taken down - according to the video stars, who lie a lot - part of their training.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Not Legal - More On the WELS Video and Stolen Musi...":

A parody mocks a song or play, but knock-offs just dub the music and insert a new singer(s). The Fair Use Act covers parodies but not knock-offs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parody

A parody (pronounced /ˈpærədiː/; also called send-up or spoof), in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation.



***

GJ - The Martin Luther College gay video is not even a parody - it is almost a frame-by-frame copy of Party in the Fire Island Pines. Mike Fudge did not do a Michael Jackson move, but the MLC gays men did. That is the limit of their creativity.

As California wrote, this is just one symptom of much bigger problems.

Not Everyone Is Thrilled with Church and Change

Mark Jeske has already created his own trans-denominational synod,
while soliciting funds from his own current affiliation.
Jeske is the dark force behind Church and Change.


Scott E. Jungen has left a new comment on your post "Junior Stormtrooper Lashes Out:The Uncle Fritz Def...":

Garrett,

I'm going to direct you to another blog, The Gadfly. It is hosted by Pastor Spencer, a WELS pastor in Arizona. He has written a section entitled, "A Dozen Don'ts and Dos for Orthodox Lutheran Pastors". I direct you to #3- "Don't assume any other Pastor is orthodox just because you roomed with him in prep or college, or he's married to your sister, or related in any way".
There are hard times ahead in the WELS. To think any other way is naive. It's not just you and your "uncle". I also face this challenge.

A month ago I went to the Church and Change website. Who's picture do I see as an officer? A guy with which I went to prep and college. I always thought he was a nice guy. But.... I don't believe in Church and Change and anything for which they stand. I have to come to terms that he might be a straying brother.

Twenty years ago I was a charter member of a WELS mission church. I consider the pastor a friend. Now he has removed the word Lutheran from its name. It is now a "stealth" church. Once again, this might get personal. Why? I recently happily threw my lot in with the people from Intrepid Lutherans. Might I have to confront friends and schoolmates on the opposite side of heated debate? Yes, and I pray for the strength to do it.

So Garrett, steel your yourself for the future. It could get ugly. As Luther wrote, "With might of ours can naught be done...".

Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure - Ready for Lulu Publication

My editor has finished preparing Liberalism, the surprise best-seller at Northwestern Publishing House.

Sales dwindled at NPH, so they gave me the copyright when I requested it. When it first appeared at the ELS convention, all the books sold out at once. NPH did not expect its doctrinal books to sell well! The first few titles sold very well, from what I was told. I think Liberalism was the second one on the list.

Once listed on Lulu.com, people will be able to download the entire book for free as a PDF. They can also order one or more copies sent directly to their homes. If you order it sent to a church, ask for a plain brown wrapper.

Some people evidently tried to keep Liberalism from being published at all. They did prevent Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant from appearing, even though the book was on the official schedule for publishing. NPH made up for that by heavily promoting CLP, which sold like hotcakes. I printed CLP with the help of Christian News.

Does anyone wonder if the Shrinkers had a hand in meddling at NPH?

Wally O. and Fred Adrian had fits when my paper (the last chapter of Liberalism) was read at a WELS conference. Roger Kovaciny also had a fit. Later, Kovo claimed in CN that he helped start Church Growth in WELS.

The Church and Money Changers have been been the only thing growing in WELS since 1977. No one opposed them at the beginning, when Ron Roth and Paul Calvin Kelm and Hartmann began their evil TELL rag. More than a decade later, a few of us started the Orthodox Lutheran Forum. Pastors quit because it was too risky. Later, Issues in WELS began to combat the insanity of the Gurgle administration. They folded as soon as DP Free died.

The reason Shrinkers have tried to silence me and a few others is simple enough - they covet the money available from synod subsidies (free vicars!) and Thrivent grants (make something up!) and foundations (save the world!). Once people catch on to the millions of dollars wasted in fraud, high-living, and wild-hair projects, they will quit giving altogether.

There is a possible shock in store for synod drones. They never realized people would buy doctrinal books. Perhaps if so-called missions people tried Lutheran doctrine instead of Fuller fads, they would find more interest.

For years, WELS and Missouri have gazed at ELCA, like Gatsby staring at the mansion across the water, hoping and longing to participate in the glory of bigness. Now they have a chance to see where that ends, in an eight-door exit as people, pastors, and congregations scramble from ELCA. It's like the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

In this satire, people get to travel to see the end of time -
the end of the universe.

Where Ski and Bishop Katie Trained - Granger - Laying Off Workers

Granger Community Church wanted $1500 from me so I could visit and watch them "do church." Since they are anti-Confessional and unLutheran,
I kept the $1500 I didn't have anyway.


Mega-churches Laying Off Pastors
Last year, the 6,000-member Granger Community Church in Indiana laid off eight employees and cut the hours of 15 other staff members.

***

GJ - Katie's tweets showed that they met up with a former member of Jeske's St. Marcus in Milwaukee at Granger Community Church. Trained by Jeske to be Anti-Confessional, she was happy to join Granger and thrilled to see the Odd Couple there for training.

Baseball Brings a Family Together

Someone wrote:

Dear Gregory,
In Dec. 2009 you wrote a blog post entitled WELS - The CORE - Features Movies for Advent which was spot on. I enjoyed it.

Today, I was on Twitter and read a couple of Mariqueen Maandig's tweets and she is blatant in her satanism. Please see [omitted].

***

GJ - I read the recent MQ Tweets. The latest featured an ultra-violent, bloody, gory scene in which there are several dead or dying people. MQ seems to be consumed in flames as she continues to mouth words. She has a bullet wound in her head. A big pool of blood is on the floor, near a man who is apparently dead. This must be her new video, on pitchfork.com.

---

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers score big with families with Kids Crew

Ski Skorzewski and his family love baseball. "There's nothing like baseball" Skorzewski said.

"There's nothing like baseball" Skorzewski said.

When they lived in Milwaukee, they regularly attended Brewers games. So when they moved to Appleton two years ago, one of the first things they did was purchase season tickets to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, which plays at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.

Baseball is a great family activity, Skorzewski said.

"We spend a lot of time at the park," he said, noting that his family, which includes 12- and 10-year-old daughters and a 3-year-old son, is also hosting a player. "We really feel like the ballpark is our home."

The Skorzewskis have more reasons this season to feel a part of the team, thanks to the Timer Rattlers Kids Crew, a program geared toward kids ages 12 and under.

"It was created specifically for our younger fans that enjoy coming out to the ballpark," group sales representative Dayna Haddock said.

For a $20 yearly membership fee, kids can get an official Kids Crew backpack, membership card with lanyard, 10 free tickets to every Wednesday home game, a monthly e-newsletter from Fang, discount to the Snake Pit Team Store, exclusive invitation to Fang's Birthday in July, an opportunity to be the Kids Crew Lineup Card Kid and an opportunity to attend a pizza party or ice cream party with Fang and Timber Rattlers players.

"The Kids Crew was created to give young fans unique opportunities that most fans do not get a chance to experience," said Sarah Heth, director of corporate marketing and community relations.

The kids enjoy wearing their lanyards like the game day staff, Heth said.

"The kids seem to get a real kick out of looking official," she said. "We have seen a lot being worn around the ballpark … already."

Membership in the club is expected to grow once school is out, Haddock said.

"I think the response thus far is great," she said. "I believe we will get a lot more kids signed up when school is out for the summer and the weather gets a little warmer."

Skorzewski enrolled his two girls because it allows them to see more games with their own tickets.

"I think it's a good deal," he said. "It allows them to interact with other kids. It allows them to manage their passes. They know they have a certain amount of tickets."

Jen Foucault of Neenah is excited her children can participate in the Kids Crew.

"My husband and I both grew up in the Milwaukee area and as kids were both members of the Brewer Pepsi Fan Club for many years," the mother of a 7-year-old and 5-year-old twins said. "We both went to many games as kids and still remember going with our parents and siblings. Now the Rattlers have a similar program, and we hope our kids will also have the same great baseball memories that we do."

The Foucault family also enjoys baseball and love the Kids Crew package.

"It is a lot less expensive to take a family to a Rattler game than a Brewer game and even more of a value now with the kids club," she said. "Any unused tickets can be traded in for a grass seat for any game. You can't go wrong. Most are day games, and my oldest son is in school for a few, but I can still bring my 5-year-old twins, even if it's only for a few hours."

Haddock said Timber Rattlers games are great for families.

"We try to make it very affordable for families to enjoy a night out," she said.

The games are ideal for both baseball fans and non-baseball fans, she added.

"We provide in-game entertainment and also provide entertainment in other areas," Haddock said.

The most popular family day is Fridays, where kids 12 and under eat free, kids run the bases post-game and families can enjoy fireworks beginning June 11.

There are many changes at Time Warner Cable Field this year, including a new beach area, Haddock said.

"This is a great area for kids to bring their beach toys and play in the sand," she said, noting that the beach area is located in right field and "is a great place for families to play and still enjoy a great view of the game."

There are also more box seats and a new all-you-can-eat area. Inflatables have been added to the kid zone as well as a new jungle gym, Haddock said.

Families also can get involved with birthday party packages, special activities and game days.

Two free baseball camps will be available in June and August for kids ages 7 to 14. Reggy, the Purple Party Dude, a traveling mascot, will be at the Timber Rattlers games being held at Miller Park on May 7 and at Time Warner Cable Field on May 8 and 9. On June 25, the stadium will host its second annual peanut-free night.

"We will clear the ballpark of all peanut, peanut-dust products and give those fans with a peanut allergy a chance to enjoy a game without worry," said Haddock, noting that other activities that night include a Webkinz giveaway, an autograph signing by Iron Man and a fireworks show.

Fang celebrates his birthday July 16 with a bunch of his mascot friends. Star Wars characters will be in attendance June 12, and Spiderman will appear Aug. 6.

Starting June 11, fireworks will take place every Friday and Saturday night immediately following the game.

"I think the affordable prices and the fun atmosphere is the main factor in bringing families back season after season," Haddock said.

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Church and Change - Their Five Lies about the Book of Concord and Lutheran Doctrine

WELS Pastors Bill Limmer and John Parlow
plagiarized Hybel's email.
Now Limmer copies Babtist sermons
and asks for financial support.

WELS pastors supposedly have a quia subscription to the Book of Concord. Therefore, every single thing done by WELS' secret lodge, Church and Change, is a lie. All their work is founded upon anti-Lutheran doctrine, from the Babtists, Reformed, Pietists, and New Age occultists. They learned this apostasy at the Sausage Factory in Mequon. No one seems to notice.

Babtist graphic.

WELS Pastor Bill Limmer is asking money for his generic Time of Grace campus ministry. He just sent out a letter with an offering envelope. he also advertised his sermons: Five Lies of the Devil. They are also posted on his websty.

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The Point of Grace

Where Jesus meets all people

Pt. 3 Lies of the Devil - It's just sex

Journal Entry by Bill on May 10, 2010

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to God’s living room, I have been avoiding a message on the topic that we are going to be talking about today for about three years now. And before this is over some might be angry, mad, bothered to name a few. I came here thinking that so many co ...

1.

Pt. 4 Lies of the Devil - Faith is a private issue

Journal Entry by Bill on May 10, 2010

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to God’s living room, Think of a couple of significant events that have happened in your life. Share one or two of those with someone sitting next to you. One of the most significant events in our life is the day we spoke our first word. We probab ...

2.

Pt. 2 - Lies of the Devil - Just follow your heart

Journal Entry by Bill on May 10, 2010

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to God’s living room, About the time you were born a Swedish pop duo (D.H.T.) released a song “Listen to your heart.“ For those of who were hip and fly in the late 80’s and early 90’s the song gave us direction and guidance ...

3.

Pt. 1 Lies of the Devil - God will never give you more than you can handle

Journal Entry by Bill on May 10, 2010

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to God’s living room, He is sly, crafty, articulate and whispering in your ear. He is whispering lies in your ears - he is Satan. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks ...

4.

Heaven Beyond Imagination 2

Journal Entry by Bill on December 13, 2009

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome to God’s living room, I don’t know about you but I’m just sick. I’m sick of H1N1 or some other type of flu or even the obnoxious stuffing head cold: the struggles and trials of those who have broken bones to those who are blind ...

2223 E. Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53211 - Phone: 414-963-2047

Funny thing is - his latest series is copied from a Babtist church. Five Limmer sermons follow the same themes and texts as the five Babtist sermons.

NewSpring Babtist - Five Lies of the Devil.

The plagiarism of false teachers grew like kudzu vine
under the doctrinal leadership of Gurgle (left).
Ski (right) makes no bones about copying directly from Craig Groeschel.
The CORE is virtually a repeating mechanism for Groeschel.


The Five Lies of Church and Change:

1. Church and Change is Lutheran.

2. Church and Change is engaged in evangelism rather than sheep-stealing.

3. Church and Change pastors labor in the vineyard instead of lolling around at the conferences of false teachers.

4. Church and Change pastors write their sermons, studying the Scriptures and the Confessions, instead of copying and pasting them from false teachers.

5. Church and Change benefits the Wisconsin Synod and deserves financial support.

Murder Mystery Night 2010

Our third annual Murder Mystery Night was held at TPOG where Mike Westendorf was the victim! Who dunnit?!?

---

From NewSpring Babtist:

Satan. Beelzebub. Lucifer. The red scaly guy with a bifurcated tail, pitchfork in hand. Whatever image your mind conjures up when you think about the devil, the Bible is very clear about who he is and what he does.

He tempts (Mark 1:13). He accuses (Zechariah 3:1). He condems (John 13:2). Sometimes he puts evil thoughts into your head (John 13:2). He steals. And kills. And destroys (John 10:10). And he lies (John 8:44). He hates the truth. He schemes and whispers and manipulates, anything to convince you to believe what he says.

But you don't have to believe him. You can fight back. Beginning in August at NewSpring, join us for Five Lies of the Devil as we learn some common untruths the devil uses, and how to find the truth in every situation.

Week

Date

Title

Week 1

08/23/09

God Will Never Put More on Us Than We Can Handle

Preview | Audio | Video | For Further Study (pdf) | Groups Guide (pdf)

Week 2

08/30/09

NewSpring Just Wants Your Money

Preview | Audio | Video | For Further Study (pdf) | Groups Guide (pdf)

Week 3

09/06/09

Just Follow Your Heart

Preview | Audio | Video | For Further Study (pdf) | Groups Guide (pdf)

Week 4

09/13/09

My Faith is a Private Issue

Preview | Audio | Video | For Further Study (pdf) | Groups Guide (pdf)

Week 5

09/20/09

It's Just Sex

Preview | Audio | Video | For Further Study (pdf) | Groups Guide (pdf) | Relationship Questions (pdf).

Sour Note

Joe Krohn--member of Doebler's WELS Rock N Roll Church in Round Rock, Texas, and former member of Gunn's CrossWalk in Phoenix, Arizona--has euthanized his latest blog.

http://www.lutherrocks.blogspot.com had one basic message - Boycott Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed.

Nevertheless, Joe was a daily communicant at this blog. He chose a bust of Beethoven as his icon on the followers list.

He copied my use of Feedjit, so I looked at his numbers before erasing my tracks. He was lucky to get one reader a day.

Likewise, the Rock N Roll Church is fading. To boost attendance, they canned Joe as Rock-Meister.

He is no longer a follower on the fake blog or Bailing Water. Nevertheless, there must be room for another camp follower on Paul McCain's blog. Paul likes UOJ, Church Growth, and unionism just as much as Dom Perignon Patterson.

How Elton Stroh Got His Groovey Job Back

From the WELS Grapevine:

SP Schroeder met with WELS Kingdom Workers and asked them not to rebuild the Kingdom Workers and start a new version of Perish Assistants.

WKW defied the Synod President (and the recent convention) as a direct and deliberate attack.

That is the heart and soul of false doctrine embedded in the Wisconsin Synod.

Just as Church and Change turned into a second Love Shack, to pull off stunts staffers could not get away with in public, Kingdom Workers is using its cover to revive what should have been killed years ago.

Members and clergy can do what they have always done - nothing. Meanwhile, Church and Change is well-organized, funded with WELS money, and secretive in all its communications. The failed ex-SP Gurgle and his Sausage Factory brother are both in Church and Change. Dom Perignon Patterson, who denies being a Chicanery leader, attended the last Chicanery convention.

The Word of God has not been tried and found wanting. In WELS, it has hardly been tried at all.

Synodical Money Laundering

The proposed Kingdom Workers hiring of Elton Stroh is a great illustration of synodical money laundering.

I learned from studying the Lutheran Church in America budgets how this was done.

If a program was loathsome to the congregations, the LCA hid it completely. Funding the odious National Council of Churches was listed in one national budget brochure and papered over in the next, grouped under "Reaching Out with the Gospel." The NCC could be funded in wide variety of ways, with incremental grants: LCA budget, women's group budget, and World Hunger Appeal budget. But the buck does not stop there. Money was switched back and forth so many times that the plebians never knew how much the NCC received from the original pile of donations. Naturally, it was none of their business where the insurance companies' gifts were going.

Likewise, the Schwan Foundation gives to the LCMS, the Little Sect on the Prairie, and the Wisconsin Synod. The figures are available because tax-exempt foundations have to report their income and expenses. All three synods get Marvin Money in various categories, so that can be switched around too. They also have women's groups with money, separate mission entities, etc.

Elton Stroh and Paul Calvin Kelm were cut out of the synod budget but popped up later with invented positions provided by their Church Growth buddies. The lilliputian Wisconsin Lutheran College had a felt-need for two chaplains at once.

WELS Kingdom Workers felt a sudden need to increase staff and hire Stroh as "an administrator." Do not worry - the best friend of Church Growth in WELS--James Huebner--will make sure everything is on the up and up. After all, WELS paid for Olson, Huebner, and Kelm to study Church Growthism at Fuller Seminary. They sold their expertise (same template, literally) in various WELS congregations.

Synodical money laundering benefits the in-crowd, which is exclusively Reformed, as many verbatim quotations have already proven. The real crime is the enabling of this generational theft by the silence of the lambs, the meek pastors who hope a few crumbs drop from the banquet table.

Read the article below on the economy. There is a lot more recession to experience, and no one is facing the truth.

Stroh and Kelm - It Is All about the Money - Always Was

A foundation built of straw - Elton Stroh.

The following paragraph is from a WELS Kingdom Worker letter dated "February 2010" which was received today.

"Another historic development in 2010 will be the consideration of a new WKW program, The Center for Parish Renewal. If adopted, a call will be extended to Rev. Elton Stroh [Fuller alum, Church Growth] to serve as an administrator. WKW will be working with the WELS Conference of Presidents' Parish Assistance committee chaired by First Vice President Jim Huebner [Fuller alum, Church Growth] to assure complementary non-duplicating resources are available to congregations. Designated gifts to support this new program may be sent to WKW apart from mission project gifts."

WKW is going to grow by one staff member. Interesting when one considers the same letter also included the following:

"Due to the current economy and financial losses suffered by the Schwan Foundation, matching funds for national [WKW] projects will not be available in 2010. The generosity of the Foundation still provides for the operation of WKW. In 2009 WKW full-time staff salaries were reduced by 20%. Salaries are restored in 2010."

***

GJ - The WELS convention eviscerated Perish Services. Stroh and Kelm [Fuller alum, Church Growth] became unemployed at the end of December. Doubtless they got a few months of severance pay. They already have their new jobs lined up.

Remember when someone heatedly denied that Kelm and Stroh hit up Kingdom Workers for money?

What do the three men named here have in common? - Fuller alumni, Church Growth.

I am sure the ELS/WELS boards of doctrine will jump on this like hobos on a hot-dog.

No, not to thwart it - to support it.

PS - I heard that WELS started to grow for a few weeks, while Kelm and Stroh were unemployed.

Extra Nos - On Justification

My research team at Ichabod is ever diligent.

Extra Nos is an interesting blog linked on the left (but not the far Left).

LP has been writing about justification. Click here for the latest.

I appreciate how laymen write about justification. They lack all the filters about:

1. Who will be offended among my relatives?
2. Which professors' toes are being stepped on?
3. Will I still get that coveted committee assignment and mileage allowance?
4. Which of the 10,000 unwritten rules are being violated?

The Vulpine Circuit - A Skulk of Foxes

"It is by your silence and cloaking that you cast suspicion upon yourself. If you believe as you declare in my presence, then speak so also in the church, in public lectures, in sermons, and in private conversations, and strengthen your brethren, and lead the erring back to the right path, and contradict the contumacious spirits; otherwise your confession is sham pure and simple, and worth nothing. Whoever really regards his doctrine, faith, and confession as true, right, and certain cannot remain in the same stall with such as teach, or adhere to, false doctrine; nor can he keep on giving friendly words to Satan and his minions. A teacher who remains silent when errors are taught, and nevertheless pretends to be a true teacher, is worse than an open fanatic and by his hypocrisy does greater damage than a heretic. Nor can he be trusted. He is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a servant of his belly, and ready to despise and to sacrifice doctrine, Word, faith, Sacrament, churches, and schools. He is either a secret bedfellow of the enemies, or a skeptic and a weathervane, waiting to see whether Christ or the devil will prove victorious; or he has no convictions of his own whatever, and is not worthy to be called a pupil, let alone a teacher; nor does he want to offend anybody, or say a word in favor of Christ, or hurt the devil and the world.”
F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 94.

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GJ - For those who graduated from the Sausage Factory or the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie - the name for a group of foxes is a "skulk."

Kelm the Magnificent

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Willow Creek Wisconsin Lutheran College Hires Geez...":

Rev. Paul Calvin Kelm preaches more gospel in 5 minutes than Dr. Slander Jackson now in Arkansas? has his entire life. Hell has a deep hole for you, Gregory, and your ilk (infamous ed. of Christian News). Thanks be to God for Paul Kelm, DMin, Concordia Seminary!

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"This is God. Do you copy, Paul?"

"All the time, Boss."

Fools Smarter Than Christ

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Slinging Mud Anonymously":

“I'm ashamed that what should be a proper stand against false teachers in our synod has turned into a witch hunt that's dragging even good solid pastors through the mud.”

I am not ashamed. What I am ashamed of are the fools who deemed themselves smarter than Christ and refused to keep a careful watch on things.

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GJ - When a Lutheran pastor worships with Babtists, he despises the Word of God, which plants faith in the hearts of babies. He rejects the words of Christ, who taught us to believe as a child. Andy Stanley does not believe that babies have faith - he does not trust the Savior of the world.

When a Lutheran pastor is ashamed to provide regular services of Holy Communion, because it will interrupt the entertainment and be a barrier to unchurched Harry, he is mocking the Scriptures, which teach us - Do this in remembrance of Me.

When a Lutheran pastor asks for training from Schwaermer, he is saying, "I believe in the Real Presence, but that is not divisive when I can learn so much about how to do church."

When a Lutheran pastor thinks he has to make the Word of God attractive, reasonable, or appealing, he is blaspheming the Holy Spirit, Who works only through the Word and never apart from the Word.

The WELS Chicaneries and their counterparts in the ELS, Missouri, ELCA, and the CLC (sic) are worse than the Sodomites who only destroyed themselves. They are soul-murderers, slandering the Scriptures by substituting their spittle for the Word of God.

Not Sure If Your Ears Can Handel This Cacophony from St. Marcus

Christmas Day 2009 Thanks to everyone for doing such a great job!!! This selection is from Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration:

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Not Sure If Your Ears Can Handel This Cacophony fr...":

It's kinda like singing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Gilligan's Island." (Try it, it works both ways. I.e. sing "Gilligan's Island" to the tune of "Amazing Grace.")

However, criticizing musical style can be dangerous territory. I was once criticized after a Christmas service for having the congregation sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" to "English melody, adapt." (Christian Worship #66) rather than the tune by Lewis Redner (Chrisitian (sic) Worship #65).

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GJ - This video should be withdrawn as a favor to the public.

Singing "Amazing Grace" to the Gilligan's Island tune is appropriate. "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear" is typical Calvinism - Law/Law. Almost everyone can sing "Amazing Grace" without squirming, so it has become the pan-religious hymn of choice.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Not Sure If Your Ears Can Handel This Cacophony fr...":

"At first it was modern harmonies and then it was translation into English. And then they did away with the service conducted in German. Now this.

- M. Luther

Al Barry Resume

LCMS President Al Barry - How Little We Know!

The Concordia Historical Institute is less than candid about Al Barry's education.

"Born: 4 August 1931, Woodbine, Iowa
Died: 23 March 2001, Orlando, Florida
Alvin Barry attended Concordia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Illinois, finished his studies through the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Thiensville, in 1956, and was ordained the same year."

Barry also attended Bethany Seminary in Mankato (ELS) and a church basement seminary in Minneapolis. The church basement school may have been the Orthodox Lutheran Conference. I am not an expert in the mini-micro synods, which tend to splinter and scatter.

Barry vicared in the Wisconsin Synod. There is no Barry listed in the graduates of the Sausage Factory, yet he "finished his education there." Did Barry lack an MDiv? The honorary DD is listed, but no MDiv. College degree? Not listed.

His positions are listed as:

1. Pilgrim, Minneapolis (1956-1960).
2. St. John and Peace Lutheran Churches, Claremont, California (1960-62).
3. Trinity Lutheran Church, Trimont, Minnesota (1962-67).
4. Iowa District West executive positions (1967-82).
5. DP (1982-92).
6. Synod President (1992-2001).
   

We know more about Obama's educational background than we do about Al Barry. The CHI site is rather stingy with details about all the recent Synod Presidents. Note that the photo is a scan of a half-tone, really amateurish for a Missouri institution devoted to history. They cannot mail over a glossy of Barry? Perhaps they were all used up for target practice by the Kieschnick staff.


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PS - There is a Pilgrim Lutheran listed on the Net, but I am not sure if that is where Barry served. I could not find any synod affiliation at first, but I stumbled on a reference to LACE, which is WELS. The WELS acronym is built into the template, as one reader noted. I missed that. I was looking for distinctive content, and this website tended toward the generic. This could be the wrong church, but it is worth reading the websty to see how artfully the congregation has downplayed synodical affiliation and Lutheran doctrine. They have some very big money plans.

Check this out:

Ask the Pastor

Ask the Pastor

   Do you have a question about doctrine, values, denominations, world religions, church practices, the Bible, what brand of coffee we use at our coffee hours...

   Well this is your chance to have our pastor

Rev. Peter Leyrer

give you a well thought out, informative, theologically astute and plain English answer to that question that has been just nagging at you.

    Pastor Pete will be answering your questions
       during the sermon time of both services, on the first Sunday of each month. 

Just click on Pastor Petes nose to submit your question  

 If you have a question of a more personal nature or would like to make an appointment to talk with Pastor Pete please click here  

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Also, read More Fun Than Lutheran's (sic) Should Have. Am I right about Chicaneries being illiterate? Notice that the fun page is full of dumb, secular, power-of-positive-thinking quotations.