Commentary on WELS Shindig

 

 Nobody rocks DMin stripes and a stole like Larry Oh!

Quote:

Oddly enough, Larry was the only one of those speakers that... actually has a Bible passage in his description!

That should provide a bellwether for that group of hot air merchants: "Dr." Larry is considered conservative in comparison because he dared to have a Bible verse instead of lines and lines of self-aggrandizement like the rest!

Let Us Pause To Honor the WELS Framework of Fellowship

WELS pontificates - "They are outside the framework of church fellowship." But of course, WELS ardently worships at the same throne.

I was talking to a member about all the honored greats of Church Growth who imploded, plus a few other scoundrels. WELS and Missouri share them - but the Little Sect on the Prairie is pure (yuk, yuk). Just ask the ELS.

Mark and Avoid Jeske is a regular Robert Schulller, liberal Calvinist, tireless self-promoter, anxious to include every confession of faith, except Justification by Faith.
He has his hands in Thrivent and the Seibert Foundation, The Core, Church and Church (now in stealth mode), and various other entities.

Starting at the top left - Craig Groeschel was being copied verbatim at the Glende-Ski Popcorn Cathedral of Love. The lawyer who proved this and objected to it was excommunicated. The DP supported Glende and Ski.

Top middle - Mark Driscoll - who said bodies would be piled up when he was done. Ski, Glende, and Bishop Katie went to absorb the magic.

Next row down, left - Donald McGavran, Disciples of Christ, founder of Church Growth, promoter of Planned Parenthood in writing.

Aging hippy with the moustache - Leonard Sweet - adored in WELS and the LCMS St. Louis Apostasiorium. Maybe he was really profound, but he sounded like one of those weed addicts who never stop talking.

The cheerful chubby is Ed Stetzer, who is currently very big at Wheaton College and Trinity Divinity in Deerfield. The Deerfield branch of Pietism was used so much by WELS staff that their Love Shack was mentioned twice in one annual report. Trinity Divinity has been disgraced by the behavior of Bill Hybels (below) and Ravi Zacharias. WELS gave pastors money to learn from His Holiness Hybels (but offered me a scholarship there).

The big white-haired portrait is C. Peter Wagner, aka Pete Wagner, also popular in WELS, though his Pentecostal ravings should have frightened most people away. He fell for the creepy guy who was "raising people from the dead" in Florida. He was the hot-shot promoter for McGavran, or as WELS might say, the Larry Olson for the Founder of Church Growth.

At the bottom is Andy Stanley, gay activist Babtist, son of the equally appalling Charles Stanley. Glende, Ski, Bishop Katie (and others) attended at least one Andie Stanley money-maker. Ski blogged about it - lavishing praise on Andy Stanley and worshiping with him. The blog was out in public for a long time. I copied parts of it, because I knew they would destroy the evidence and deny it. 

WELS pastors and staff, plus LCMS dolts of the same persuasion, can always be found with Enthusiasts. They are now so deluded that they continue on the same path, looking for more reasons their faithless Law speeches are driving people away or into their lupine jaws.

Let us not forget Archbishop Weakland, who was invited - with his priests - to offer public lectures at Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS), a fact later denied by the college and WELS. The lectures were publicized (also denied by WELS). It was not a private luncheon, as WELS declared, which is even more bizarre than lectures. Weakland was also under fire for his relationship with a man and his misuse of church funds, but that was no problem for WELS.

Archbishop Rembert Weakland

One WELS Church Growth expert sold Cho books at a WELS gathering, and Cho was promoted at the Kelm conference I was forced to attend.

I do not remember if Hill's name was mentioned in awe - as so many phonies are in WELS - but he was a major influence for Robert Schuller, who received an award for supporting Hill's dogma. Pete Wagner talked crazy like this too. Luther warned that when the Means of Grace are set aside, many foul errors will rush in. 

 WELS has a special hatred for the Book of Concord. They are Quia Marias, pretending to love a confession they despise and corrupt. The ELS is the same but quieter.

Cross-dressing Andy Mueller, son of Wayne, is a big deal at Church and Change Your Gender, the WELS Church Growth cult that went invisible.

May They Live a Hundred Years and Look Upon Their Accomplishments: The Cutting Edge Bled the Synodical Conference to Death

The class portraits of the seminary in Mordor are useful for identifying who drank beer together. Fortunately, the worst of them published their wisdom and gloried in taking over the Wisconsin sect. Their Church and Change organization was out in the open, on the Internet, and they had conferences not attended by Kudu Don Patterson.

There were many others, like Valleskey and his pal Bivens, all the leaders in American and world missions. Missouri and the Little Sect on the Prairie have their counterparts. C. Peter Wagner listed five LCMS leaders in his Who's Who in Church Growth. The Little Sect always wags its chihuahua tail when WELS speaks or offers a treat.

I hope they all live 100 years and look upon the wreckage of their doctrinal and pastoral felonies. Waldo Werning was named in the Who's Who list of Church Growth heroes, and they all worked with him too - and Otten. The typical Shrinker bragged about going to Fuller Summer - as Valleskey, Bivens, and Werning did - and denied it when convenient.

The one thing they prize is money and visible, measurable success - not the Gospel. They hate the Gospel and glory in teaching against the Chief Article of Christianity - Justification by Faith. For that reason, God has taken away their previous success - when they actually taught the Chief Article - and handed them over to their Father Below.

Matt the Fatt, Mirthless Mark, and Pope John the Malefactor are not leaders - but followers. They protect the apostates, who reward them with undeserved salaries and benefits, chiefly the benefit of the doubt. They could not possibly be shielding felons among their church workers, could they? Let's hope they stay in office another 20 years, so people pay a fortune for their maladministrations, their promotion of Church Growth and ELCA dogma - UOJ.

Fancy this - the LCMS-ELS-WELS have sent their leaders to Fuller and Willow Creek for decades, just like ELCA. And now they are all Barthians, because Fuller is Barthian. Has any synod broken the news that Fuller is pulling back, canceling building plans and ending their local cancer nodes? They are going down together, with ELCA just a little bit in the lead.

 Barth's children had two mommies, because Barth moved his mistress, Charlotte Kirschbaum, into his home and lived with her alone in the summers. Everyone knew, just like the Walther circle and their promiscuous Bishop Stephan. Barth/Kirschbaum are the two most prominent theologians for Protestants, Catholics, and Fuller Seminary.

 Hybels is another favorite among the apostates - the founder of Willow Creek, the trainer of Lutheran pastors of all stripes, and the target of many women whom he pursued. As Lenski noted, spiritual adultery and similar problems go together. 

Lawrence Otto Olson, DMin Fuller Seminary - His Book List Consists of - Two Non-Lutheran Ministers: David Valleskey (Fuller) and John Maxwell (Methodist)

Strange bedfellows - does an extreme makeover from Adam Mueller include makeup, a dress, and darling shoes?

 Imagine this life-changing event, actually speaking to the man who ruined Protestant Christianity and becoming a part of this great movement.

 I heard John Maxwell speak. What a bag of wind he is, mouthing platitudes from the big business of motivational speaking. He certifies Maxwellian zombies to be just like him, but Olson lacks the spark. Larry did motivate the student body to pray for him - to take the call to India.

 I heard Maxwell live - a $500 value!, they said.

 Oh, John, really? I need to make a pilgrimage to your Hall of Prophecy.

 Schone - best dressed on campus.

Schone, Jeffrey L John F. Brug Digging for Insights

Hein shares results of demographic survey – WELS

Over 1,400 people have read this early post about WELS promoting the Fuller Church Growth programs.

Hein shares results of demographic survey – WELS:



"Hein shares results of demographic survey

2017/08/02/in Together
Rev. Jonathan Hein, director of the WELS Commission on Congregational Counseling, has overseen a comprehensive demographic survey of WELS over the past two years, and he shared key findings with delegates on Wednesday afternoon.

After peaking in 1990 at more than 420,000 souls, WELS’ baptized membership has decreased by 14 percent. Communicant membership is down 9 percent. Four items were identified as contributing factors to this decline:

Families today are having fewer children.
The number of WELS members dying and going to heaven is increasing as the overall population ages.
It has grown increasingly difficult to retain members, especially younger members. Since 1986, WELS lost between 240,000-260,000 members through removal/excommunication or from those members joining other Christian churches. These are sometimes referred to as “back door losses.”
Fewer people are living in rural areas, and this is impacting more than 100 churches who now face the “50/60 challenge”—fewer than 50 people worship each week and the average age worshiping is above 60 years old.
As Hein notes, “When you hear numbers like this, it can be easy to grow discouraged. Don’t. Christ is still risen. He still sits on his throne, ruling over everything for the benefit of his church. Through Word and sacrament, he still abides with us.”

Last fall, Hein and the other members of the Congregational Services team met and discussed how to meet these challenges. “Obviously, some of the factors contributing to WELS’ statistical decline are beyond our control—for example, the rising death rate,” says Hein. “However, there are other areas where, by God’s grace and with his aid, we might be able to increase our gospel efforts—evangelism, decreasing back door losses, etc. Congregational Services has put together a five-year strategy that we pray helps congregations as they strive to meet these challenges.”

Highlights of that five-year strategy include:

Creating a present-day mission emphasis—The Commission on Evangelism is developing a comprehensive evangelism curriculum that congregations can use to offer annual evangelism training and encouragement. Hein reminds us, “The results of increased evangelism efforts are entirely up to the Holy Spirit. However, if he would bless those efforts, it could make a substantial impact.”
Better capitalizing on WELS’ historic strengths—WELS maintains one of the largest private school systems in the country. The greatest growth in the past 20 years has been in early childhood ministries, which often attract unchurched families. Only a few congregations have seen these families become members of their churches, though. The common factor among these congregations is a “harvest strategy” that includes regular contact with parents and a process of witnessing. The Commissions on Lutheran Schools and Evangelism have jointly developed a program titled “Telling the Next Generation: Utilizing Our Schools for Outreach” that helps congregations develop a zealous harvest strategy.
Producing resources for Millennial outreach and retention—Several WELS organizations have been studying Millennials and their worldviews. Congregational Services would like to bring those groups together to compile a “best practices” list in reaching this demographic. This task force would develop resources to help congregations retain its young adults and to reach other Millennials within the community.
“This project is a central focus for our synod going forward,” says WELS President Mark Schroeder. “You’ll hear more about specific ideas and overall progress as the plan rolls out. Remember, we have the unchanging gospel . . . and that’s at the core of everything we do.”

 Devoting his meager talents to Church Growth,
Larry Olson has created a cadre of women ministers.
Fuller Seminary disciplines those who oppose the
ordination of women. Co-inky-dink?

Hein agrees. He says, “One of the catch-phrases we use in the Commission on Congregational Counseling goes like this: ‘If we are doing all we can with the gospel, numbers don’t matter.’ The challenges before us provide us with an opportunity to examine if we are indeed ‘doing all we can with the gospel.’ Let us view the challenges facing WELS as an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the mission Christ has given us, to trust in the power of his Word and sacraments, and to rejoice in the privilege that God has given us to play a role in his saving work.”


Read Hein’s full report, titled “A demographic study of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,” available online. Look for additional details in the November WELS Connection."

New membership booklet - be sure to read this first.

'via Blog this'

Students Comment on Lawrence Otto Olson, DMin, Fuller Seminary, Lots of Recent Views

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1049988
The doctoral stripes on the sleeves are for PhDs, not for drive-by DMins.
The brocade stole worn with an academic gown - that must be WELS stylin'.

RATING: ALL	CLASS: ALL	COMMENT
08/20/2015 POOR 1HELPFULNESS 1CLARITY 1EASINESS	THE2001For Credit: YesAttendance: N/ATextbook Use: Essential to passingGrade Received: N/A	I have never taken a class with Olson, but I have heard terrible things. He focuses on the Law and belittling students. While I recognize the importance of the Law, Olson uses it to chastise students and never builds them up with the Gospel. He is the very opposite of Christ like. He is nothing more than a bully on a power trip. 0 people found this useful1 person did not find this useful report this rating

 

         

• User Comments and Ratings
• Professor Feedback

DATE

CLASS

RATING

COMMENT

4/24/13

REL3001

Poor Quality

Easiness2

Helpfulness1

Clarity1

Rater Interest2

Grade ReceivedN/A

If you can avoid this professor, do so at all costs. He's rude, inconsiderate, boring, and doesn't know how to teach. Takes your money if you don't bring your book. Expects us to write papers at a level such that  (sic) of an English scholar, which few of us actually are. This is not a grammar course, Olson, its (sic) religion. [This is WELS. We duzn't hafta write English.]

Report this rating

11/10/08

REL3001

Poor Quality

Easiness5

Helpfulness1

Clarity1

Rater Interest1

Grade ReceivedN/A

No interest in topic; boring lectures; unable to teach.

Report this rating

11/7/07

REL1201

Poor Quality

Easiness2

Helpfulness2

Clarity1

Rater Interest3

Grade ReceivedN/A

No Comments

Report this rating

000

Fulleroids Are Everywhere Now. Steve Spencer Raises a Feeble Voice of Protest

Kudzu vine was promoted by the government as the solution to
many problems, but the plant can hardly be killed,
so it swallows up entire regions.
This remarkable Photoshop shows WELS being engulfed by Fuller kudzu while suffering from the Larry Olson staph infection crisis.

The news article on Fuller Seminary shows that the school is closing down some traditional campuses, but expanding in the online business. The statistics are not clearly reported, but the total enrollment remains appalling - 6,500.

A Fulleroid is a pain in the neck who has attended Fuller Seminary or its clones. The Lutheran Fulleroids like Waldo Werning first denied being there, but there was a group of Lutherans who joined the Fuller Church Growth group. Wagner also recognized five LCMS leaders for being among the Who's Who in Church Growth.

Fuller and UOJ go together like
ketchup and French Fries.

Here is more choice material for those who like to do their research on Fuller, WELS, LCMS, and Church Growth.

The current numbers at Fuller Seminary only hint at the influence of the school, its faculty, its programs, and its toxic books. The Evangelicals have been swamped by the rationalistic, Pietistic, and Pentecostal effluence of Church Growth. The mainline leaders and Roman Catholic leaders have studied there and made their missions people subordinate themselves to the program.

Because there are so many, they make sure their pals are hired and promoted to serve their Father Below. The LCMS Michigan District changed its Evangelism committee's name to "Evangelism and Church Growth." That is like calling a department of government "Commerce and Marxist Leninism" - a bit of a compromise. No one would wonder which one dominates - commerce or Communism.

These snake oil salesmen fashioned careers
out of promoting Church Growth.
The toothless, spineless pastors went along with it.
Mark and Avoid Jeske is the biggest winner among the Fulleroids.

The Fulleroid numbers also guarantee that anyone objecting to their business model is extended the Left Foot of Fellowship. Herman Otten is a good guy because he sells Valleskey's Church Growth textbook.

Valleskey and his buddy Frosty Bivens are typical of the WELS double-talk approach to everything. They brag about going to Fuller Seminary, but when asked directly, they deny it and call those who label them Fulleroid as "liars." Who is doing the lying?

I could not recommend any "Lutheran" seminary for future Lutheran pastors, because they all teach apostasy, whether the raunchier style of ELCA's failing schools, or the subtler approach of the two Concordias, Mordor, and Bethany.

Werning went ballistic when I quoted him saying that
he went to Fuller Seminary. Valleskey ran away.
Bivens bragged about being a Fulleroid to his WELS entire circuit,
but called me a liar for quoting him.

One of the Fulleroid passions is to get people away from the Biblical model of shepherd, whose Latin name is pastor. They want positive messages from a rancher. "Don't be a shepherd," they say as they browbeat easily-influenced students. "Be ranchers. Aim for bigness."

Decades ago, Kent Hunter (Fuller DMin, like Larry Olson) wrote, "Shepherds do not have sheep. Sheep have sheep." So that is one of the distinctive characteristics of Fulleroids - not that Kent or Larry did much shepherding or ranching. Both left the parish to be hot air merchants.

Essential to this movement is avoiding any confrontation. Talking to Hunter, as one person said, is like trying to pick up a bar of soap on the shower floor. They want to avoid an argument, a position. They flatter and remain positive, as if John 10 teaches - "I am the Jolly Rancher."

They have their reward. They worship growth but their own institutions are crumbling around them, because of their influence, their dogma, their corruption, avarice, and coveting. The one thing they crave will never belong to them and they will die in their sins.

One Lutheran observer said, "That is why the District Presidents are alcoholics. They have to be, to live with the evil they do."

 "Dr. Ben Dover will examine you now,
but the treatment will be very expensive."

PS - The eternally disappointing Steve Spencer, founder of the Intrepid Lutherans - and the first to run away - finally came out in the open against the Change or Die! programs of Mark Jeske, his bro in the WELS ministry.

And he did it in the current issue of Christian News! Like all surviving WELS pastors, he did not criticize WELS, or any WELS leader, or any WELS dogma. Instead he questioned the Siebert Foundation for running the annual circus of solidarity between the ELCA, the LCMS, and WELS.

Is that Steve Witte, a WELS founder of Church and Change,
joining ELCA woman minister in teaching Church Growth?
Did Mark and Avoid Jeske organize this travesty?
But of course he did.