Wayback Machine Discovers First Draft of WELS PR Announcements

WELS Congregational Services hosted the first overt WELS National Conference on Church Growth Leadership in Chicago, Jan. 21–23, 2020. Approximately 800 people, representing about 350 WELS congregations, met to hear five plenary speakers and attend a selection of breakdown sessions.

Rev. Jonathan Hein, coordinator of WELS Congregational Services, says, “The focus of the conference was that we want to do all we can with the gospel to serve Christ’s mission. ‘Doing all we can with the gospel’ requires leaders to focus on two things.  First, we look at Fuller Seminary tactics. Is the way we are carrying out gospel ministry starting to smart?”

He continues, “But underneath Calvinist tactics is congregational culture. The group—the collective—needs to have the right synod-thought habits and Holy Mother WELS attitudes. That was what the plenaries were all about.”

Attendee Mr. Wes Schappert, a lay leader at Resurrection, Maumee, Ohio, says he appreciated the emphasis on personal evangelism. He says, “The point was simple, people sharing Jesus with others—people free from the curse of KJV and TLH, sharing what lives in their heart so that others may know WELS.”

The first day of the conference started with three paradoxical presentations focusing on how lay leaders and called workers discourage one another about local ministry, finding our voice as a synod-centered church, and encouraging both men and women to use their gifts to serve Holy Mother WELS. The evening concluded with an opening worship service with communion, bringing together WELS members from around the Upper Midwest as the embarked on learning and growing together as leaders of the church.

On day two, attendees could attend five breakdown sessions, picked from 20 available sessions on a wide variety of topics. Hein said many attendees were interested in workshops that focused on reaching and retaining younger generations as well as personal evangelism. Additional topics ranged from ministry in rural areas to worship to apologetics. No one attended the Book of Concord breakdown session. "I thought they ended those flights."

On the second evening, surviving attendees were treated to a preview on the worst ever hymnal, to be released by Northwestern Publishing House by Advent 2021. The new hymnal will maintain the name Christian Worship and compromise a suite of resources including a comprehensive psalter, musical arrangements for rock band instrumentation, and an easy-to-use service folder builder, plus free Groeschel sermons. Worship services and devotions at the conference included liturgical and hymn arrangements from the upcoming new hymnal. Learn about the new hymnal at christianworship.com. Low-cost copies will be available soon after Advent 2021, on Alibris, eBay, and numerous thrift stores around the country.

Men and women working together to experience each other's roles - we could find no better example than Plenary Speaker Adam Mueller.

The final day of the conference concluded with two more plenary speakers. Rev. Dave Rosenau, St. Mark, Leesburg, Fla., spoke about the importance of reaching people one-by-one using God’s Word, and Rev. Adam Mueller, Redeemer, Tucson, Ariz., presented on the need to commit to cross-dressing.

Attendee Mr. Scott Krause, a member at St. Luke, Watertown, Wis., says, “I found the conference to be a great boost to my faith in the good Lord and what he has done for me. It was totally Christ- centered. My main takeaway was that I need to focus on a daily basis to love and reach out to my friends, family, and neighbors with the good news of the gospel.”

Following the success, cash-flow, and overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees, the conference planning committee is exploring options for a second WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership, likely sometime in 2022, focusing on why so many are leaving the synod. Watch for information in upcoming editions of the Willow Creek newsletter, WELS Together e-newsletter, wels.net, Fuller alumni bulletin, and Forward in Christ.

Registrations exceeded expectorations for the first WELS National Conference on Lutheran Church Growth Leadership. If you didn’t make it to Chicago for the conference, all five plenary presentations and many of the breakout sessions will be available to view online over the next few months at lutheranleadership.com.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

 There is no better place to find out who you are - and to catch up with ELCA than Martin Luther College in New Ulm.

Conference of Presidents Met for Winter 2020 Meeting in the Sunny Carribean, Thanks to Thrivent

2020/01/20/in Together

The Conference of Presidents (COP) met for its winter meeting on Jan. 6-9. The COP meeting addressed many topics, including:

• The COP approved proposals to amend the synod’s bylaws dealing with disciplinary procedures carried out by the districts. These proposed changes are intended to clarify the terms, timing, and process to be followed when discipline becomes necessary - 1)  teaching Justification by Faith, 2) questioning Church Growth, 3) badmouthing the Packers. The proposed amendments will be reviewed by the synod’s Constitution Committee and will ultimately be presented to the 2021 synod convention.
• Asia Lutheran Seminary has enrolled several American students who will soon graduate. To prepare these students for serving in stateside ministry, the COP approved Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary’s plan to provide these graduates with a year of stateside vicar experience and with two semesters of additional instruction at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis. GA hazing is included at no extra cost.
• The COP issued a divine call to Prof. John Hartwig to serve as a civilian chaplain in Europe and to Mr. James Sievert to serve as a part-time assistant consultant for the Commission on Lutheran Schools.
• The COP has asked for a review of the Ministry of Christian Giving’s major gifts program to ensure that the Ministry of Christian Giving is best positioned and structured to carry out its work. In short, we are always broke and the Schwan gravy train is low on loot.
• The COP received the news, - with thanks to Trump - that Congregation Mission Offerings (CMO) for 2019 were $330,000 higher than what congregations had committed. CMO subscriptions for 2020 are now being gathered, with the prayer that congregations will be able to increase their subscriptions to provide additional support for WELS missions and ministry. Looking ahead to 2021, the COP will prepare an encouragement video highlighting the blessings that Congregation Mission Offerings have made possible - deluxe salaries and benefits, trips to exotic locations, and lawsuit settlements.
• The COP approved a proposal that congregations will be encouraged to designate one Sunday in 2021 as a “WELS Mission and Ministry Sunday” as a way of highlighting the work we do together. Informational and worship materials will be provided by Thrivent at no extra cost.
• Each of the 12 districts will be asked to consider the proposed change to the WELS Pension Plan at this summer’s district conventions. Informational materials will be provided well in advance, and each district will be given a detailed overview of the proposed changes. Districts will be asked whether or not they approve of the changes. Depending on the results of those votes, the Synodical Council will determine how and when to proceed with the process. Like the DMLC-NWC merger, we will make the ultimate decision, but you get to discuss it and fund it.
• The COP has overseen a restatement of the synod’s doctrinal position on the roles of men and women, entitled “Male and Female in God’s World.” The restatement does not reflect a change in our teaching; rather, it was intended to clarify and update the current doctrinal statement. The restatement will be reviewed by pastor and teacher conferences. In addition, an accompanying Bible study is available for use in congregations. The districts will be asked to provide reaction and input before a final draft is presented to the synod convention in 2021.
• The COP has also developed a “Statement on Human Sexuality,” which presents a biblical perspective on the transgender issue, written by one of our MLC School of Ministry graduates - Sammy.

Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder

"How you gonna keep them locked in their roles,
After they've seen New Ulm?"

Not Exactly an Undercurrent of WELS Homosexuality

Martin Luther College students loved, loved, loved this video,
and Wisconsin Lutheran College students defended it.
Nothing to see here, move on.

Arrested and convicted, then convicted again.
But he was caught before - but still hired by WELS.
Nothing to see here, move on.

The Undercurrent of Homosexuality

http://pollutedwels.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-undercurrent-of-homosexuality.html

One anonymous brother recounts his experience with initiation at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary:

During our senior year of MLC, we (the seniors in pastor track) visited the seminary. Getting of the bus we were greeted by "our brothers" as we passed through the arch of seminary students we were all groped. Literally someone had grabbed my goods and at the end of that was a fat man in a speedo who bear hugged us. I complained in a letter. Never heard back. 

I had the same experience, except it was in the parking lot behind the dorm, not under the arch.

At MLC, there was a "tradition" in the mens' dorms that if it was your birthday, a group of about 15 or 20 guys would dog-pile on top of you, all of them completely naked. There were also naked, drunken parades through the dorm hallways, accompanied by guitars and drums.

The Seminary Chorus had a custom of guys surreptitiously groping each other during performances and concerts. Professor Tiefel once commended one of the members of the choir for his wide smile during a performance. After being told that the smile was a result of being groped throughout the concert, Tiefel just laughed. I quit the choir not long afterwards.

It always seemed to me that the worst offenders in this regard were guys who had been sent away to prep school at the age of fourteen. A psychologist could probably pinpoint the reasons why, but the experience seems to warp many of them in disgusting ways. In any case, just beneath the surface of these traditions and initiation rites in the WELS system is a strong and sinister undercurrent of homosexuality. 

I'm not saying that a large number of WELS pastors are homosexual, but I'm sure there are some who have been led into temptation by these activities. And even for those who haven't, it isn't a healthy thing to make light of sin.

---

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a student at MLC and I've never experienced any of these naked dog piles or anything of that sort. How long ago did these things happen?

July 17, 2014 at 3:59 PM

Matthias Flach said...

I'm glad to hear that, Anonymous. Maybe some of the Northwestern influence is finally wearing off.

July 17, 2014 at 4:29 PM

Joel Lillo said...

Yeah, I attended four years of prep, four years of NWC, and three years of Seminary and NEVER experienced anything remotely like that. Either you're relating lies or you just had an out of the ordinary experience at our schools. If you did experience, a sincere apology on behalf of those who acted that way.

July 17, 2014 at 4:29 PM

Der Schwarz Schaf said...

Oh dear MLC student! I feel very sorry for you. There is only one thing worse in the WELS than being abused at Prep and/or College and/or Sem, and that is NOT being abused. That means you are not worth the effort. You have the wrong blood lines, or are of the wrong ethnic stock, or from Bethany, or one of the Concordias, or came from somewhere outside the WELS strain. Or maybe you're just considered such a dunce, lightweight, nobody, nothing, that the leading students don't even realize you exist. Such happens all the time. If none of these gross and disgusting things happen to you, you will never go anywhere in the synod. If you're a Pastor, you'll be able to count the number of Calls you get in your entire ministry on half of one hand - if that! Indeed, you'll probably be given a dead church impossible to turn around, and you'll end up working for Thrivent or Schwans the rest of your days. So, if I were you, on your birthday, I'd stick my head out of my dorm room and yell, "Dog pile on ________ !" Then strip and await your fate. If no one shows up, you'd better head for St. Louis or Ft. Wayne.

Rüsten sie sich als Männer!

July 17, 2014 at 4:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Der Schwarz Schaf,

You are one sick puppy. I feel sorry for you.

July 17, 2014 at 4:41 PM

Matthias Flach said...

Joel, on a previous post, a third person testified to the same groping ceremony at the Seminary. That's three independent accounts verifying it. I am absolutely not relating lies.

Anonymous 4:41, Der Schwarz Schaf isn't the sick puppy, it's the guys in the system who are doing this stuff. Everything Der Schaf said is true--pecking order among pastors is determined by your involvement in these abuses. Do you know how many GA popes are now DPs and professors?

July 17, 2014 at 4:46 PM

Anonymous said...

This is really starting to sound like a gripefest for people "burned by the system."
I'm beginning to get the sneaking suspicion that Matthias is actually Greg Jackson. He's covering the same material (except UOJ) and has all the same hang-ups.
Why he would start a whole new blog is puzzling, though.

July 17, 2014 at 4:52 PM

[GJ - Blame the people assaulted by perverts in your beloved schools of illiteracy, then blame me because someone is telling the truth. And do this anonymousely, the way weak little cowards do. 

I sign my posts. I never post anonymously.]

OCP said...

I'm with Joel on this one. I also went to 4 years of Prep, 4 years of NWC and 3 years at Sem and never had anything like this either. I've heard enough sources that I don't think people are making it up, but I hope it was a few isolated incidents, or classes. From my experience, this type of thing is not normal - and it is shameful. And while I don't have a big Synod name, I'm not exactly an outcast either - not a dunce, not a lightweight, received calls every 4-7 years through my whole ministry, never been at a "dead church impossible to turn around," so I don't buy Der Schwartz Schaf's explanation either.

One class, or one era of classes, who thought this was funny. It's not, and shouldn't happen. If a current MLC student says it hasn't, hopefully that's a good sign.

OCP

 Matthias Flach said...

Anonymous 5:52, I haven't been burned by the system, but I have been groped by the system. Is that better or worse?

By the way, I'm not Greg Jackson. I don't know how to prove it to you, but I'm not. Did it ever occur to you that we bring up some of the same problems because they actually are real problems?

Or are you under the impression that the WELS doesn't have any real problems?

"By their fruits ye shall know them."

 Jeffery Clark said...

To Anonymous July 17, 2014 at 3:59 PM:

I have to concur with what Der Schwarz Schaf said. When I was at MLC, these things happened, but only if you were considered worthwhile.

People outside of the mainstream were ignored and never targeted, mostly because these men know what they are doing is wrong. Older and second career students are generally left alone since they have been "outside" of the WELS system at some point simply by taking a job, even if they are unmarried and forced to live in the dorms, as I was - because, as Der Schwarz Schaf said, they will go nowhere in the synod. If, by some chance you start to gain influence on campus and start to make some ripples in the water, they might start paying attention to you, but it is only to get dirt on you, since you've probably already been targeted for removal by the Profs who approve of these things and love to "cull the herd" of those deemed to be "not WELS enough."

What is sad is that they think that they are doing these things in secret, but it was painfully obvious to anyone who had their eyes open and thought for themselves.

 Anonymous said...

This video at 45:50 shows who fits in. Brother called to same congregation. Rev father seems overly impressed, why the whole clan is. How about, 59:09 same location as brother in GJ blogs favorite picture. To hear the audience response is disturbing. And Schroeder's comment.

http://www.mlc-wels.edu/today/features/current/commencement-recap

July 17, 2014 at 9:10 PM

 Matthias Flach said...

This comment was left by Ben Wink on Conformity over Confession, but it fits this thread too:

There was a form of hazing at MLC back when I was there. Of course it was called "freshmen welcoming" or some such nonsense if memory serves. The sophomores were called the Lords and the Ladies, the freshmen were assigned to one of them. The female students would be doused in random condiments at the crack of dawn, covered in flour, and other bits of nonsense. The men would be forced up early and would scream down the hallways "We won't shut up, til you get up!" The same condiment nonsense also happened, some were told to perform disgusting fake sexual acts on the sprinter statue, or were told to have pretend sexual intercourse with trees and benches. And you had to obey these morons in order to get through. Some lords made their "subjects" dress in women's clothing. A friend of mine was told to hit on a pretty girl by a "lord". He did so and this girl's insecure boyfriend knocked my friend down and proceeded to kick him really hard in the ribs several times over. The kicking boyfriend is in one of our WELS congregations right now. Late at night we were told to go to the woods as they were going to burn a large letter M for MLC I guess. All of these students of German descent, in the woods, wearing the school colors of red, black, and white, having some bizarre burning ritual? You don't have to see Triumph of the Will in order to get weirded out from that experience. I understand when you join a fraternity there is some stupid hoops to jump through. But this is a school of ministry and my faith and my student loan more than covered my entrance duties for New Ulm. I shouldn't have to perform fake fellatio on inanimate objects because some putz who is now in a pulpit somewhere ordered me to do so in order to "welcome" me.

July 18, 2014 at 5:40 AM

 Anonymous said...

Yep, Ben Wink....Back in grade school in the late 80's we had a recent DMLC grad as our teacher. She told us how the freshmen would have to lay down in a circle and pretend they were a pancake and the upperclassmen would pour flour & syrup and other things all over them. I'm sure she wouldn't have told us 10 year olds about the "other" things that went on.

 Anonymous said...

I wanted to serve, hence why I continued on. However, I did not make it through. Apparently bishops can ask vicars to do illegal things and when this vicar reported it. He was asked to resign and then not allowed back. [from another thread]+

 Der Schwarz Schaf said...

Ein kranker welpe here!

Since we're playing "True Confessions," why not also talk of the "grassers" at [D]MLC in the state part nearby. I saw fairly open copious coupling, and not fake coitus either. Many a young Christian woman and probably a few men have left that school in great and real fear of losing their virginity. "Buffalo Girls" do like to "come out" at night! And, to be fair, this is NOT about the fact that these same things happen abundantly at nearly all colleges. The point is that they should not be condoned, covered-up, and yes, coveted, by generations of students, parents, and profs. Perhaps Herr Jackson is on to something with his concerns over the WELS version of Justification. Maybe this is done BECAUSE everything is already forgiven, so that these demented dimwits can go along their merry way without any concern for souls - theirs or anyone else's.

Wie schade!

 Anonymous said...

A few musings on this post (related anyway).

a) Whenever I hear someone is thinking of sending their troubled/trouble making teenager to prep (MLS or MLPS). It is NOT a reformatory. If you have a 2 parent household with 3 kids, that is a 2 to 3 ratio. If they are a dorm student, it is more like a 3 (maybe) tutors to 100+ teenagers. Think about that. Where will they get more supervision?

b) I have heard that hazing is now gone, and the ZEX year no longer exists. Good for that if true. Why would you put 13/14 year olds, away from home for the first time in their lives, through a hazing ritual when they are supposed to be encouraged to want to enter the public ministry?
With today's helicopter parents, email, texting, video, etc, I can see where old time hazing would be a law suit waiting to happen.

c) Why are pastor/teacher kids usually the worst? Are they trying to prove something, or is it because the hammer will not come down as hard on them if they are caught. Not all PKs/TKs are bad...some were fine people, but the grand majority of the trouble came from that group.

d) Is it latent sadomasochistic homosexuality that causes some to want to always grope same gender genital areas? Ironically those participating in often through out taunts of "gay" if they are told it is not cool. Hmmm...methinks they protest too much.

It's good that some traditions die out.

July 18, 2014 at 7:16 PM

 Anonymous said...

To borrow a quote from Star Wars... Only the Sith speak in absolutes. Please note Lillo's comments. Congrats to Lillo if he didn't attend a grasser or COS meeting partaking in the Boot. Here's to sister Joel he's with us tonight... He eats it, he beats he even mistreats... Here's to sister Joel he's with us tonight. Sound familiar?

The stories on GA sound about right too.

Boorish behavior isn't it?

July 20, 2014 at 1:27 PM

 Anonymous said...

How about Alec Guinness' quote from the original Star Wars, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious." Seems fitting for a GJ photoshop.

Kudu Don Patterson Takes a Selfie at Martin Luther College

MLC did not identify the young lady in the photo op,
because it is all about Kudu Don Patterson - 24/7.

Mark Jeske is the sun that illuminates the Church and Changers.

No one slays sound doctrine more effectively than Bwana.

Drag a dollar bill on a string through a WELS ministers' meeting,
and future DPs will follow it out the door.

How Do I Talk to MLC Staff Who Know about the Summer Love-Fests Among the WELS Teachers during "Summer School?"Alternately - How Do I Keep My Best Friend from Reading Ichabod?

Evangelism Day January 22, 2014
WORSHIP SERVICE: 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.
All assemble in the chapel.

Large Group Electives: 9:30 – 10:25 a.m., 10:35 – 11:30 a.m., and 1:50 – 2:45 p.m.
Large Group Elective 1: Making the Unknown Known: Reaching Out to the Hmong People:
Ben Schaefer and Nau Lee

All around us in America are different ethnic groups with diverse histories, cultures and religious
backgrounds. The Hmong people are one such group that God has brought to our country. How can we
share the word of Christ with them? What do we need to know to share the good news, which is brand
new to most Hmong people? The apostle Paul made the “Unknown God” known to the Athenians by the Spirit’s power—and our Lord gives us the same opportunity with the Hmong people. We will discuss some history and culture of the Hmong people, and highlight the work among the Hmong of Manitowoc.

Trinity Hmong Lutheran Church is one of the newest congregations in WELS, but it exists as part of the longest running Hmong ministry in our synod. Future pastors, teachers, and congregational leaders will see the beauty of these unique people in Christ and learn some lessons for cross-cultural outreach in a Midwestern parish.

Large Group Elective 2: Helping college students share their faith with other college students:
Ken Brokmeier
Your best friend from high school did not come to MLC but instead is at a public university. They (sic) have contacted you wondering what to say because their (sic) current roommate has made the request to bring their (sic) boyfriend/girlfriend back to the room on their (sic) next date (sic - missing word) spend the night in the room. How do you tell them (sic) “No?”

You begin dating someone who is not WELS (someone from work). At what point do you
bring up the subject of Jesus/religion and how do you do so? We will plan to discuss these and other
examples as we turn to God’s Word to discover how to share our faith with other college students.

Large Group Elective 3: Reaching Out with the Gospel to Muslims: Pieter Reid

There are more and more Muslims in both large cities and also smaller towns across America. What is my attitude toward them? “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). “God so loved the world…” and “God so loved the Muslim world…” Both statements are true. How do I develop the attitude of Jesus? I need to distinguish between the threat of Islam and showing care and concern for the soul of the individual Muslim. As a future congregational leader, teacher, or pastor, how can I not only encourage outreach, but also cross-cultural outreach and outreach to Muslims?

Images Smuggled from the WELS Change or Die! Early Learning Center

The Joel Hochmuth men's bathroom.

St. Patrick's Day at Martin Luther College of Booze

Febreze has left a new comment on your post "St. Patrick's Breastplate - The Hymn or Prayer Att...":

I hate to judge one's actions but I think my following comment is a reflection of some MLC student's actions:

St. Patrick's Day. I doubt many MLC students even know what this day entails. Yet this weekend they are most likely out getting drunk and partying like pagans. Is this supposed to be a reflection of those "serious about ministry?" Should those students studying for the Biblical ministry, which they adhere to, be thrown into the same basket as pagans? It is happening with every COS/DEX. There is more secularization happening. Do they not take Scripture seriously when it states to "not be unequally yoked with unbelievers?" Do they not take Scripture seriously when it says to not be cast into drunkenness? Yet this happens with every COS/DEX. This even happens on weekends when these events aren't hosted by the pastoral or educational Ministry.

I find it most disturbing when COS/DEX at MLC hosts these drunken parties in the same context of pagan ritual drunkenness. If anything they should be in chapel thanking the Father, through Christ, for St. Patrick. This is all but forgotten in today's society. And if it's forgotten in today's society than we can be certain it's forgotten in WELS' society. Where has the 3rd use of the Law gone? Where has brother correcting brother gone? These sons and daughters of Christ are running rampant in MLC campus. Those who are studying for the Ministry are running rampant with drunkenness and sin. It's more than original sin...it's willful sin on a repeated occasion. But they will be promoted and defended because they show a fake "zeal" for the Gospel -- whether or not their willful sins show otherwise.

MLC students: rethink the Ministry. Are you serious? Read Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. Are you serious? Repent and receive the remission of sins. Go forth and continue study in this renewed Light. But don't, by all means, continue this study with willful sins.

***

GJ - There is a strange concept of hedonism being proof that one is not a Pietist. Although no sect is more Pietistic than WELS, this term is always tossed around.

Alcohol addiction is slow to develop. It can take 20 years to become a physical addiction. WELS clergy DUI accidents are not rare, not even among the faculty. What an example - an alcoholic serves liquor at the WELS worship conference - real cute until some innocent people are turned into tiger meat.

A WELS member created this graphic,
to go with this video, still published on Facebook.
What would Hochmuth say?

----

Febreze has left a new comment on your post "St. Patrick's Day at Martin Luther College of Booz...":

Lol, in regards to the VP graphic. He (Schone) is a joke. Wandering around in his Hawaiian shirt and promoting Beckerism ad nauseam. Things will not change at that school as long as the faculty stands in line with the philosophy of education (UOJ or excommunication (hell), women in the Ministry, no adherence to the Book of Concord, etc.) Once they actually came around with a somewhat decent chapel they ruin it with their Mars Hill philosophy -- adding a $40,000 projector screen (with one more coming once they get the money I hear).

When I attended that school (within the past year) I heard from students that they "didn't give **** about the Book of Concord." (yes, that's an actual quote ya'll) "I don't care about that...just Scripture." My inside response is, "Okay, go to your nearest non-denominational church then." This is what is being taught there folks. These people come out of there with no idea about what the Lutheran confessions are. The most they come out of there with is a vague Biblical overview. With this overview they have an interpretation of Scripture that imitates the sects in order to bring in more money, I mean, I'm sorry -- more people. It's not going to change unless the faculty is thrown out and a confessional one is brought in. And if there are confessionals there...then why aren't they standing up? The silence means acceptance. God knows what's happening on the seminary level. Oh wait, Ichabod has cited that extensively...

---

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "St. Patrick's Day at Martin Luther College of Booz...":

WELS identify People as Giving Units.

Do Not Try To Remain a Lutheran at WELS' Martin Luther College. Larry Olson as a Professor of Doctrine

MLC Student:
I am with you on the NNIV. The NIV was barely usable, and even then we had to do some teaching around some of it. Your statement about having commissions and meetings until we are forced to agree is exactly right on. I am tired of being hit over the head with forced changes. I'd also add in "or until you get sick of it, or until you make enough of an issue that we can kick you out for causing strife." 


The only reason why I can see some in the WELS supporting it is to get rid of the Confessions. With the NNIV, defending most of the doctrines of the Lutheran Church will be impossible. Keep hitting on this, and hit hard.

As for Larry Olson teaching doctrine... I can't imagine a worse class to be in. At least in Lyle Lange's classes we got SOME decent stuff and had to have a copy of the Confessions, but looking at the book list, Larry doesn't even know what the Confessions are.

***

GJ - They hired Larry Olson because of his DMin at Fuller Seminary, not in spite of it.

Likewise, Paul Calvin Kelm's class at Wisconsin Lutheran College was nothing but Arminian doctrine and Church Growth.

---

1580 has left a new comment on your post "Do Not Try To Remain a Lutheran at WELS' Martin L...":

I heard from a friend that took Lyle's Doctrine I class that the BoC isn't required...but his For God so Loved the World book is.

The Heavy Hand of WELS Discipline: Jeff Gunn Keynote Speaker, Featured on WELS.net. Have Mercy, DP Buchholz!

Jeff Gunn has been the poster boy for Church and Change. That cancer supposedly went away, but managed to metastasize and split into many entities before being pronounced excised, removed, stomped. Who do I see, seated at the board of Thrivent Inter-Religious Fraternal Insurance? Mark and Avoid Jeske, the head of Church and Change.

About three years ago, DP Buchholz was "doing something about Jeff Gunn" and Jeff's aping of Emergent Churches. Since that time Gunn has been elected to the board of Willowcreek's Liberal College and appointed as keynote speaker at this shindig.

Savage discipline indeed.

Jeff's congregation has not been accepted into any denomination, but the Daddy Warbucks are behind him. That is the most important denomination - C-notes and larger. In WELS, false doctrine is rewarded. Discussing sound doctrine is punished with excommunication.

I noticed, before barfing, that Mark Paustian was another speaker at this conference. Paustian is another Changer who denies being a Changer.

Don Patterson denies being a Changer, even though he is an active participant and leader of the cancerous growth. He even attended the "final" meeting, Regaining Momentum. He must have gone to support it, because he did not report back to me about how awful it was.

The conference worked well. Schroeder did an Al Barry, doing nothing against the apostates for a full term, so the assembly of nincompoops re-elected him, while the ever-useful Intrepids announced that as a great victory for them.

Confidential to the Intrepids - Do not celebrate losses as victories.

---

Brett Meyer sent this link from FIC, which shows SP Schroeder's doctrinal leadership:

Love makes leadership contagious Jesus is the humble, loving servant-leader that claims us as his disciples and inspires us to follow his example. Emotion is contagious. If you don’t believe it, try this little experiment. Smile at others. Researchers say that of all emotional signals, smiles are the most contagious; they have an almost irresistible power to make others smile in return.

But which emotions are more contagious than others? Would you say, for instance, that love is more contagious than hatred, or hatred than love? Yale University did a study a number of years ago that tried to determine which emotions were more contagious. What they discovered is actually pretty interesting: “Emotions may spread like viruses, but not all emotions spread with the same ease. A study at Yale University School of Management found that among working groups, cheerfulness and warmth spread most easily, while irritability is less contagious and depression spreads hardly at all” (Primal Leadership—Realizing the Importance of Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee, p. 10).

etc. etc. blech

---

AC V has left a new comment on your post "The Heavy Hand of WELS Discipline: Jeff Gunn Keyno...":

This quote from Gunn is creepy: "Go out and make some non-Christian friends."

That's just plain weird. I make friends with people because I have common interests, not because I have an ulterior motive to convert them.

WELS Area High Schools Push MLC

"I should pay $100,000 so you and your pals can produce gay videos?"


rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "More About Mary Lou College":

From what I have observed, Mr. Baker's comments seem appropriate. Our youngest daughter is a junior at an area Lutheran high school. This means that they get a meeting with the guidance director. They really push MLC on these unsuspecting students and their parents. Please consider the following scenario: The area Lutheran high schools were there to provide a Christian alternative to the allegedly evil, secular public high schools. They were never intended to be prep schools. Yet, the prep schools have fallen out of vogue. The ALHS is now supposed to fill the void. The ALHS is supported by federation congregations. Yet, many have a "development director", whose purpose is to recruit from the community. At the junior level religion class, they are getting exams with fill in the blank questions from the Small Catechism. One would think that they would be on to the Large Catechism or anything else from the BOC. Like most of the WELS, the BOC has been relegated to the status of an ancient relic.

***

GJ - Wayne Mueller and SP Gurgle rocketed the tuition up for preps and the colleges. That provided cash flow for a failing synod. More than one person said they lost a generation of students from such genius leadership, and that was after St. Marvin of Schwan blessed them with millions and millions to mismanage.

Before, a student could go to a synod prep or college and consider a church vocation, because the tuition was not burdensome. Now it is.

People have to wonder if synod schools are really an alternative. They are not high quality in education, whether measured by doctrinal teaching or basic educational skills (like spelling).

Message from Homeland Security, TSA

Scandal in ELCA College Is Routine At Martin Luther College (WELS): MLC Does Gay and Drag Videos

At MLC we uploaded our gay video to YouTube and did a drag queen video besides.
We are ahead of ELCA on diversity.


Wartburg Annual Drag Queen Contest

ELCA College Holds Annual Drag Show 10/12/2010

 

Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa is an ELCA school. On March 20, 2010, they hosted Wartburg College's 5th Annual Drag Show. "The show brings in professional drag queens and kings from around the state of Iowa and also features students, faculty, and staff performers." (see here)

The Drag Show takes place on campus at Neumann Auditorium (see here) and is sponsored by Wartburg Alliance, which describes itself as ". . . a student-run organization that seeks to generate awareness about LGBT issues and advocate for more inclusive environments on campus, locally, and nationally." (see here)

A blogger in attendance during this year’s drag show said the star performer was Serena Michaels, otherwise known as Miss Gay Iowa 2010. (read here)

Here are links to pictures from the event -

-  Picture 1

-  Picture 2

-  Picture 3

-  Picture 4

-  Picture 5

-  Picture 6

An ELCA college hosting drag shows for their student body, as well as inviting the attendance of the local community, should not be a surprise. When the parent denomination is rewriting God’s Word and encouraging people to remain in sin, how can one expect the schools they run to uphold Christian values?

Wartburg College student programming - God’s money - your tithes, gifts and tuition at work.