Chilstrom Left a Trail of Destruction - First ELCA Bishop Dead

 Herb Chilstrom did not become an LCA bishop, one of his goals, but he became the first ELCA bishop.

 Chemnitz is next to Chilstrom in my good guys/bad guys graphics folder. Other than that, there is no connection at all.

The origin of ELCA as a factory for social justice warriors is well known. The key to being hip in the LCMS/LCA/ALC was loving the Social Gospel Movement, which rejected Christian doctrine in favor of reforming society through government regulation and federal laws. Pietism was a good starting point because the Pietists saw the congregation as a convenient place to organize the "real church" - the conventicles or cell groups. Those who value the Means of Grace and worship are not real Christians, according to the cell group denizens.

 Putting a lot of money in, to get a chance at grabbing some cheap toys - that sounds like the Church Growth Enthusiasts.

Pietism is also ecumenical, which is a great way to break down doctrinal barriers and doctrine itself. Just listen to the self-proclaimed growth experts and coaches of the LCMS-WELS. They loathe Luther and ape Barth/Kirschbaum. They have eviscerated their own synods and long to be like ELCA. But do not worry - they have a brilliant new program for healing the injuries caused by previous programs, vision statements, and pipe dreams.

The solution is not to go synod shopping, because they are alike in various ways. The Luther module in their training was replaced by the Peter Wagner Fuller module. Whose idea was that? Peter Wagner's! He got all the denominations to send their executives to Fuller, and the executives got their underlings to go. Soon the ambitious (but simpleton) pastors signed up for easy access to better synod positions.

A Methodist church is rebirthing itself by eliminating all the older members from membership. Roger Zehms, Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, and Paul Kuske started a mission with no Lutheran attributes (worship, name, etc) and warned Lutherans not to attend or join. Pilgrim Community Church closed faster than a snake-handlers parish in White Fish Bay, Wi. They featured a Plymouth Rock graphic with the wrong date on it. Calvinist outreach?

 The Lutheran Librarian is discovering treasures from the past - more than 150 ebook titles and many print copies coming out. Like Spindletop, the source was locked up until it was tapped.

The solution is widespread knowledge of Luther, the Confessions, and Biblical basics. Our little congregation pondered what we could do about the situation. The synods largely ignored the Reformation's 500th Anniversary, so we published 11 volumes of Luther's Sermons, print and Kindle, and then made merged PDFs to give them away for free. The next step is Word files for free distribution, editing, and translating - no fees, no corporate attorney will send a certified letter.

Luther's primary emphasis was the sermon. So what do the synodocrats do? Answer - they produce failing Calvinist programs to degrade the sermon to the point of plagiarized mockery. They are being honest with their underlings - only a dummy would copy the garbage being produced and devoured by the Fulleroids.

The sermon is a chance to teach a significant part of the Bible in the church year. Jesus converted people through preaching. So did the apostles. Martyrs died because they preached the Gospel to people ruled by leaders of darkness.

There are two verbs for teaching in the Great Commission, no verb for manufacturing disciples.

Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, and 30 other books can be found here - non-profit, public domain.

Preaching is primary. Supplemental teaching follows. Our little group gathered as many out of print Lutheran books as possible and posted them as free ebooks - thanks to Alec Satin. Now many of them are being offered at non-profit prices on Amazon.

Norma A. Boeckler is already working on Understanding Pilgrim's Progress, which is being written for the sessions on Wednesday at 7 PM.

Besides that we have the unceasing work of illustrating the Bible through Norma Boeckler. Who can determine how far those have traveled on the Net? One pastor denounced uncredited copying on a page where he featured Norma's art, uncredited. I kidded him about that - he did not know. Norma did not stop with art or her own books, but went on to help others produce their books.

 Do you want a packed Sunday School? Start a mission. This is our Philippine Mission, Pastor and Mrs. Jordan Palangyos.

A Philippine mission came to us, and they are in the second stage of the chapel - putting on the permanent roof. They are very interested in education and printing too. They now have their own printer (before the roof!). The Apostles started with publishing the Old Testament in Greek.

We have more opportunities, with Travis and Lauren Cartee are interested in producing the spoken Word on Youtube.

We also have a recent MDiv graduate, Zach Engleman. Scholars within our group discuss doctrinal topics via email.

Breaking News - WELS Takes in All-Gay Congregation - And ELCA Pastor. The Same Parish They Kicked Out. Martin Luther College Will Be So Pleased. SE Wisconsin WELS District

This is a win/win for Gay Pride Month.
Every day WELS is another step closer to ELCA,
under the leadership of SP Mark Schroeder.

The vindictive District President kicked Pastor Kevin Hastings out of WELS, but the congregation did not go along with the defenestration.

Hastings engaged in some silly vandalism, apologized, and paid for the damages.

So the DP kicked the congregation out of WELS.

The rest of the story is here - about Jeske clergy pals and two gay men taking over the property, grabbing the endowment, and locking out Pastor Hastings.

Here are more details from Tim Niedfeldt, a sorely missed layman who died when a truck driver hit him from behind. 

March, 2013 - The Jeske gang helped seize the church
and endowment and shut down services planned for Easter Sunday.

The late Tim Niedfelt wrote about the theft.

Basic Facts Here - About the Theft of St. John's in Milwaukee via the Jeske Mob

WELS Discussions

Paul Birsching

7 hrs

When I was quietly left out of the ministry after two years, I had just been through two of the toughest years of my life. I was young, and I figured I had made a lot of mistakes. I was asked to sit out a year, and, for my own health, I did. That I was never spoken to again is another story. After two years or service, I had hardly proven myself.

But there are many, many others out there with proven track records and 25 or 30 years of service, who have also been summarily dismissed from the WELS consciousness. These people labored long and faithfully, often with little encouragement and less compensation, and received not the rewards to which the laborer is entitled. What they did receive was nothing, absolutely nothing, no explanations, not compensations, no thanks for service rendered, only a cold shoulder.

For 27 years now, I have watched while others much more approved for ministry and arguably much more talented and faithful than I have receive ghastly treatment with no so much as a raised eyebrow. And yet, we now wonder why we can't seem to find enough qualified candidates to be pastors in the WELS.

In 1996, St. John's Congregation, Vliet Street, Milwaukee, one of the very earliest and most historically significant churches of the WELS, voted to leave the WELS. Kevin Hastings, then ten years into his ministry, decided to stay with the church and soldier on, often taking half his meager salary and even more often putting his own hands to do the repair work necessary to keep the doors open for worship. Kevin, unfortunately, was sent to a doomed congregation of aging members who could not attract younger members. Because of unfortunately liberal politics that surrounded St. John's with housing projects that served to surround the church with transients of a decidedly Southern Baptist bent, all efforts to grow St. John's from the community were fruitless.

I'm not here to tell you that St. John's deserved the WELS to step in and save it in some way. I do think that the fact of its leaving the WELS received not even a mention speaks to how the WELS is ready to forsake all things old in search of the new. Perhaps this explains why the WELS loses people out the back door faster than they can get them in through the front door.

What I am decided needs to be addressed, however, is how Kevin Hastings, faithful servant of God, deserved to be curtly dismissed of his duties via letter, deprived of his personal effects, and how certain WELS pastors could have been complicit in this matter. I would especially like to know how these pastors were involved when they don't even reside, in some cases, within 400 miles of Milwaukee. And I finally would like to know why WELS pastors and other members have been applauding a former WELS pastor, turn ELCA pastor, taking over the church which is now lead by openly gay men.

There is certainly a time to say nothing to besmirch the character of certain people which would break the eighth commandment. But, in this case, the character of the person with no fault, Kevin, had been besmirched, while those openly living in sin have been applauded.

There is a growing undercurrent of mistrust and disgust with things happening in the WELS and being swept under the table. We had better start addressing these wrongs, making confessions where applicable, and making serious attempts at rectifying them, because the volcano of unspoken unrest is about to explode. The time to be silent on such things is no more.

• 

  Steven E. Anderson "And I finally would like to know why WELS pastors and other members have been applauding a former WELS pastor, turn ELCA pastor, taking over the church which is now lead by openly gay men."
  
  I don't quite understand the connection between WELS and ELCA. Who is supporting homosexual leadership in which synod and church?

  7 hrs · Like
• 

  Paul Birsching St. Johns dwindled to a very few members. At some point, the leadership came out. Shortly thereafter they issued a dismissal by letter to Pastor Hastings. After this, they invited a former WELS pastor who, for various reasons, became ELCA. Since he...See More

  7 hrs · Like
• 

  Paul Birsching And the new pastor has personally slandered both Pastor Hastings and former Pastor Brenner to me with absolute lies.

• 

  Paul Birsching I'm sure that there are a lot of financial factors that are different today, Paul A. And I'm also sure that we lack the faith of our forebears, mostly because the media plays upon our fears and we listen. But fear had nothing to do with this particular instance. Nor did economics. If Kevin hadn't bent over backwards to keep the church going, it would have failed a long time ago. No, this was a dastardly deed, one which defies explanation. And, again, I'm not saying it was a good situation in any sense, but the WAY in which this was done and the WAY everyone looked the other way are quite disturbing. And also the way that so many have been duped into thinking that all is now well. A lot of people spend a lot of time talking hypothetically. Here is a real live case, and none of the hypothetical champions for the truth ever became real ones. Where are the dogmaticians on this one?

• 
  

The altar at Historic St. John, 8th and Vliet, Milwaukee.

***

GJ - I knew this was coming, about six months in advance, when Pastor Kevin Hastings told me this - His friend, one of the WELS pastor, told him to have an exit strategy. I advised him that WELS was going to steal the congregation. He should get an attorney pronto.

Hastings did not act until after the congregation was stolen and the two men had him locked out, with their hands on the endowment, one in the parsonage, his personal belongings stolen for the time being. Got a problem with this? Talk to our law firm.

The episode reminded me of the Menendez brothers, who shotgunned their parents to death and used the estate cash to pay for their criminal defense.

One WELS laymen wrote me lately that my blogging about this shameful episode  is the only record of anything happening.

The account above is another perspective, from someone I do not know and with whom I have had no contact.

Synod President Mark Schroeder did nothing and said nothing, as far as anyone can tell.

Mark Jeske has organized many Thrivent events, starring Mark Jeske, sharing the limelight with ELCA pastors. He is also on the board of Thrivent, so he has no qualms about financing abortion on demand through Planned Parenthood grants, no compunction about ELCA's pansexual views on ordination.

No one in the Synodical Conference should be shocked, because this is exactly how CFW Walther got his start in the papacy. Instead of meeting with Bishop Stephan about the man's adultery and syphilis, Walther organized a mob of his supporters only, came down to Perryville, threatened Stephan's life, robbed him of his gold, land, and books, and kidnapped him at gunpoint, forcing him over to Illinois. The Perryville-St. Louis mob profited greatly from these criminal acts, covered them up, and wrote themselves up as heroes.

---

The district has taken the congregation back into WELS. The current pastor is ELCA and the only two members are the gay men who took over the property and endowment.

Update On Luther Days Fake WELS/ELS Conference Twitter List - Following. A Reader Asked If Kegler Was Still Being Followed. Here Is the Current Line Up. Great Confessional Statement - WELS/ELS

 Lesbian activist, ELCA Pastor Emma Kegler is no longer being followed,
as far as I could see -
but guess who is?

Megan Rohrer - "The first trans pastor ordained in the Lutheran church. Also, a disabled writer + award winning filmaker (sic) and historian."
And -

Bishop Guy Erwin is the first openly gay bishop
in ELCA, with his partner Rob Flynn.

Luther Days is following:

• Lots of ELCA congregations, districts, and entities.
• ELCA's HIV/AIDS.
• NoCrapTheology (guess what the graphic is) - Roman Catholic.
• Several accounts that feature f-bombing - so literate, so classy.
• UniversityLuther - "University Lutheran Church intends to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all of God's people, regardless of race, situation, family status, sexuality,"
• NorthPoint - the Andy Stanley twitter account. NP is a favorite place for WELS training. Ask Ski.
• Zig Ziglar and another by his son.
• Reformed quotes.
• Reformed Pastor.
• Alice in luxury - click for billions - softcore close-up.
• Craig Groeschel - another Appleton and WELS favorite.
• Facts not fake. Easy money and softcore photos.
• Massages.
• Pastor Rick Johnson WELS Leonard Sweet fan.
• Various WELS Church and Changers.
• Rob Guenther - WELS CP and Love Letter Pastor Protector.
• Follow Back. Super Follow Back. Follow Back 500k, etc, etc. - Seems to be a way of inflating the list.
• Buddy Jesus.
• ReconcilingWrks - "ReconcilingWorks works for the full inclusion of Lutherans of all sexual orientations and gender identities in all aspects of the life of their Church."
• Old Paths Calvinist.
• ELCA Advocacy "Be a part of the ELCA advocacy effort by signing up for our network at..."
• MMrohrer - "The first trans pastor ordained in the Lutheran church. Also, a disabled writer + award winning filmaker (sic) and historian."
  
• Bishop Erwin - is the first openly gay bishop in ELCA, ordained in a hurry with no parish experience. 
• Holey Bible - "funny" new versions of Biblical verses.
• Sundans - links to porn.
• Edwards... - same old porn link from before. F bombs. Yuk photos.
• Pastor Ski - which means he allowed Natalie Pratt to follow him.
• Bill Limmer - Church and Changer.

This dancer was featured at at ELCA district meeting.
Luther Days is following most if not all ELCA districts and entities,
including "advocacy" and HIV/AIDS.

Another Example - WELS Vicar Driven Out. Happens He Objected to an Obnoxious Physical Attack. WELS Never Forgets, Never Forgives Dissent

Suppressed joy is revealed in posing with Scott Barefoot,
self-appointed sodomy expert.
Why these two? This illustrates a basic WELS problem -
their well protected Lavender Mafia.

Don't worry folks. The original poster erased this thread from WELS Discussions. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649010391990081/

Donald Tilbury uploaded a file.

12 hrs

Communication must have broke down because the conversations we talked about were concerning my bishop who wanted me to illegally marry a couple to which I said no.

Brenner.pdf

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Comments

Donald Tilbury This happened about 4 years ago. It took over 8 months to schedule a meeting in which I was basically told I was wrong for bringing it up.

Like · 12 hrs

Donald Tilbury Don't be a victim of the system. Don't feel like it was your fault. I know there are many more people out there that have been abused by the WELS. You have a voice. Don't feel guilty for doing the right thing.

Like · 12 hrs

Richie Draeger Donald, we are hearing only your side of the story. It seems it is much easier to cry victim than take responsibility.

Like · 1 · 12 hrs

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Donald Tilbury I understand that. I've waited quite a few years in order for the emotions to die down in order to bring this out. I've also asked MLC professors to ask why I was not allowed...they don't know.

Like · 12 hrs

Donald Tilbury I've also asked the ELS seminary president why as well...his response after asking President Wendland,"uh, this is unusual but he [President Wendland] didn't give me a reason. I don't know why you're not allowed to serve in the ministry."

Like · 12 hrs

Richie Draeger I'm sorry you had to go through that experience. However, what purpose does it serve to put (your personal business) on fb?

Like · 12 hrs

Donald Tilbury There are others out there that need support as well. How can you support your christian brother if you don't know they're suffering.

Like · 12 hrs

Richie Draeger Perhaps talk to those in your personal circle...perhaps your pastor at your congregation.

Like · 11 hrs

Donald Tilbury You know what they told me to do. "Keep quiet." "Don't talk about it." Find a different career.

Like · 11 hrs

Richie Draeger from the thread of emails you provided, it seems many people talked with you. It doesn't seem, from your emails that President Wendland made the decision unilaterally.

Like · 11 hrs

Richie Draeger But all that said, we're only hearing your side of the story. Both sides of it are needed to determine what happened.

Like · 11 hrs

Donald Tilbury Have you had your name dragged through the mud by pastors? Let me tell you some of things I've heard from laymen concerning my resignation told to them by pastors. "His medication (adderall) was for his depression. He posted evil things on Facebook abo...See More

Like · 11 hrs

Kevin Scheunemann I know nothing of this situation except the very vague posts here. One thing I observe is: lack of forgiveness and grace in Christ.

If the Pastor was failing the proper Matthew 18 instruction, for correction and admonishment with you, did you approach the pastor with proper Matthew 18 instruction for his error?

Like · 4 hrs

Jerod Butt Unless I am missing something, what are the "Matthew 18 instructions"?

1. Talk to the offendjng brother. (His emails clearly show such.)...See More

Like · 3 hrs

Kevin Scheunemann I was more curious about his local pastor when it came to this. Clearly, there was something going on the pastor did not like. If "mud" was being thrown around....did the local pastor point out error in private, then with witnesses, and if the corr...See More

Like · 3 hrs

Nick Haasch Concerned and polite suggestion: taking a person's words and actions in the kindest possible way, let us assume that the steps of Matthew 18 were followed (tangent: Mt. 18 gets brought up lightning fast anytime anything critical is said against the WEL...See More

Like · 2 · 2 hrs · Edited

Rik Krahn II "Tell it to the church" is not equivalent to "post it publicly to a semi-churchy Facebook page." This should not be here.

Like · 2 · 2 hrs

Nick Haasch As a side thought: I wonder if the internet has allowed us to be more free than we should be with how we handle 'telling it to the church'. It might be slower to write letters and inform various members of the local church, then the district president ...See More

Like · 1 · 2 hrs

Donald Tilbury You people do realize this happened over three years ago? Steps were followed. People either ignored it or told me to shut up about the situation.

Like · 2 hrs

Rik Krahn II I might have much more to say, but if this happened 3 years ago, what good is being done by dredging it up now? How is God glorified by you airing all this here?

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury How is God glorified by letting sin be ignored?

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury How is God glorified by ignoring problems?

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury How is God glorified by not fixing problems and preventing new ones from arising? How is God glorified by ignoring brothers in Christ?

Like · 1 hr

Rik Krahn II Your refusal to answer the question doesn't help your cause.

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury Shall I use a phrase like you? Because it's for the good of the ministry.

Like · 1 hr

Rik Krahn II Since you don't know me, or anything about me, I don't understand how you can know what phrase I would use. I also don't understand what good you think it does to attack me.

Here's what I do understand: I understand what it feels like to think you'...See More

Like · 1 hr · Edited

Donald Tilbury Yes, it is a wonderful verse. "Be still and know that I am God." God still uses people. He used Luther but luther didn't "sit down, shut up." He used people like Aaron and Moses. He used people like Peter and Paul to share his message. He used people t...See More

Like · 1 hr

Rik Krahn II I'm going to say this as lovingly as I can, so please accept it in that spirit: in what you've posted here, you're neither Luther, nor Aaron or Moses, nor Peter or Paul. You're lashing out to protect what you seem to think is a "right" to enter the pu...See More

Like · 1 hr

Fred Lingenfelder What a surprise! This is the 2nd Scripture reference cited in this matter. Here is a 3rd: 1Peter2:20ff.(NASB) For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor (grace) with God. (Continue to the end of the chapter.)

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury When did I say I wanted to enter the ministry after this? When did I say I wanted my situation fixed? I posted to let others know this happens. In no way would I want to go back to the WELS. Did I say I was Luther? No, did I use him as an example? Yes,

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury Matthew 5:23-24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."

Like · 1 hr

Rik Krahn II So you're doing this "to let others know this happens"? How is that in any way scriptural, or glorifying to God? Sinners sin, we don't need to publicize it, "to let others know it happens." If every time one of my members sinned against me, I took i...See More

Like · 1 hr

Donald Tilbury You have some valid points but I think the question still stands as to what good is a governing board if they do not process appeals?

Like · 59 mins

Donald Tilbury Another question for discussion is should the seminary provide an objective reason for not allowing people to continue in the ministry? The only reason I say this is because then opinion and personal bias of any sort would have to be more closely scrutinized before allowing a major decision to be made.

Like · 47 mins

Fred Lingenfelder There is no guarantee of being certified and receiving a call even if all coursework is completed satisfactorily, and there is no objective basis for such decision. It can be a "judgment call" with sadness by dedicated and godly administrators.

It would be helpful if that was made clear to all sem applicants.

Like · 23 mins

Jacqueline DeVore This truly does not seem to be the correct forum for this.

Like · 1 ·