Remember the Minister of the Means of Grace at Latte Lutheran? She Is Not Certified Yet - In Another Staph Position

Randy Hunter and Elton Stroh flopped big-time at Latte Lutheran,
so Elton is still there with Hunter, and Hunter is a Changer hero.

Kristen Koepsell:

Staff Minister Kristen Koepsell graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Communication and Theology, and is currently pursuing Staff Ministry certification from Martin Luther College. She served as Staff Minister for Worship at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Middleton, WI, from 2003 until 2012.  As Coordinator of Music and Elementary Education & Fellowship at Cross of Christ, Kristen accompanies worship services, directs the adult choir, and mentors other musicians of all ages in using their gifts in worship. She also oversees Sunday school and Youth Ministries for grades Kindergarten through 6^th.

Kristen likes to spend her free time keeping up with friends and family scattered about the country; reading (esp. sci-fi and classic literature) and writing; listening to, playing, and writing music; resale/thrift/consignment shopping, and pursuing both spiritual and physical fitness.

Email Kristen Koepsell at kristen.kopesell@cocboise.org.

The WELS magazine published a gushing article about this fiasco.

---

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Mark Jeske - Koine - Church and Change Workshop

Kristen Koepsell

As Staff Minister of Worship at St. Andrew Church, Kristen is responsible for planning and implementing all worship opportunities. She also oversees the large corps of worship volunteers who serve in many and varied capacities each week. Music is the largest part of the worship ministry at St. Andrew, but the worship ministry also includes lay readers, dramatic and visual arts, hospitality ministries and audio/visual tech support. Kristen works with Pastor Hunter to study biblical worship principles and practices, evaluate current worship practices at St. Andrew, and define future directions for St. Andrew's worship ministry.

Kristen has been involved in worship ministry since she began singing in church with her Sunday school class at four years old, and greatly enjoys carrying on that part of her family's legacy. She graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Communication and Theology, and is currently pursuing Staff Ministry certification from Martin Luther College. When she's not writing services or running rehearsals, Kristen spends her time reading (her favorites being science fiction, classic literature and contemporary non-fiction), playing piano, writing music, running, and staying connected with friends and family.

Classic Ichabod - Randy Hunter - Whose Latte Church Curdled in Record Time. WELS Wants Him To Teach You Leadership on Saturday

Thursday, June 2, 2011

According to Bored, Randy Hunter Looks in a Mirror
And Sees God

bored has left a new comment on your post "Another Strawy Epistle:Perish Services Pleads for ...":

What does snow and the Church Growth Movement have in common? Both are made up of flakes.

Did anyone else get the fullness of what Hunter is saying here? According to him, God made churches with their strengths AND weaknesses because God doesn't like to be bored. And here I would've thought sinful man was responsible for the weaknesses in churches. hm...

Randy, I'm remarkably bored by you because you seek to make God from an image of yourself--and call me crazy, but if we're going to remake God according to the strictures of contemporary populism I just don't think you are quite qualified.

By the by: The Latte Lutheran churches aren't just filled with young hipsters who only have themselves to blame if they lose their faith while sipping the double-whip false doctrine of Enthusiasm. I happen to know that in Hunter's congregation there are several cognitively vulnerable children--whose eternal souls are in the hands of Pastor Randy and their idiot parents.

Let us pray for these.

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Thursday, June 2, 2011

Another Strawy Epistle:
Perish Services Pleads for Business,
Third Time in Nine Months

From: Elton C. Stroh <ecstroh@frontier.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 8:48 PM
Subject: Time for Crossroads?
To: Undisclosed Recipients <ecstroh@frontier.com>

Dear brother in Christ:

I am pleased to announce the launching of a new Crossroads Consulting Ministry web sitewww.timeforcrossroads.com .

After visiting the site, let me know if you have questions.  Perhaps this would be a good time to begin a conversation.

Elton

Pastor Elton C. Stroh

Executive Director  |  Crossroads Consulting Ministry

608-837-3819  |  elton.stroh@timeforcrossroads.com  |  timeforcrossroads.com

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Crossroads Consulting Ministry is directed by Pastor Elton C. Stroh. Pastor Stroh served as a WELS parish pastor for 24 years during which, under God, he launched a new congregation, served as senior pastor in a turnaround congregation, and was privileged to serve in a number of district and synodical positions. Most recently he served as a church consultant and directed WELS Parish Assistance – a consulting ministry that became a blessing to about 500 congregations with the assistance of both full- and part-time lead consultants and well over 100 associate consultants. Pastor Stroh also conducted the Turnaround Churches in the WELS research project.
  

Crossroads Consulting Ministry offers both a comprehensive and streamlined ministry planning process, both of which are custom designed around the needs and desires of client congregations. Each planning process includes the following: (1) analysis of current reality, (2) development of short- and long-range ministry goals, and (3) strategic implementation. Special services are also provided as requested. Examples of these services include developing multi-site ministries, coaching/mentoring, leadership development, organizational realignment, organizing staff for maximum effectiveness, teambuilding, and assisting with conflict management.      

Randy Hunter - Pastor
Kristen Koepsell - Minister of Worship
David Hochmuth - Minister of Spiritual Growth
Elton Stroh - Pastor/Crossroads Consulting

Randy Hunter - Pastor

Family: Married to Karen (Janke) for 24 years. Three children, Philip, Paige and Jack.
Education: B.A. from Northwestern College ('81), M.Div. from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ('85)
Hobbies: Sailing, raquetball, walking with Karen, reading, writing
Quote: What do churches and snowflakes have in common? It's not the color. It's not always the beauty. It's that both are one-of-a-kind.
If you've visited a few churches you know all about it. The music, style, people, architecture, strengths and weaknesses are different from one to the next. God made it that way...He loves variety. At St. Andrew we're glad for that. It helps keeps "church" from becoming what it should never be: boring.
One thing, though, that never changes: God. He is. He just is. In His Word we find the unchanging solid things for life. It's a place to stand, a place of retreat and a place from which to launch. That, too, keeps church alive.
We invite you to discover both with us: God's changing church and God's changeless truths. We're curious also about your response. See, we've discovered people are like snowflakes, too!
Contact Pastor Hunter

Kristen Koepsell - Minister of Worship

As Staff Minister of Worship, Kristen is responsible for planning and implementing all worship opportunities at St. Andrew. She also oversees the large corps of worship volunteers who serve in many and varied capacities each week. Music is the largest part of the worship ministry at St. Andrew, but the worship ministry also includes lay readers, dramatic and visual arts, hospitality ministries and audio/visual tech support. Kristen works with Pastor Hunter to study biblical worship principles and practices, evaluate current worship practices at St. Andrew, and define future directions for St. Andrew's worship ministry.
Kristen has been involved in worship ministry since she began singing in church with her Sunday school class at four years old, and greatly enjoys carrying on that part of her family's legacy. She graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Communication and Theology, and is currently pursuing Staff Ministry certification from Martin Luther College. When she's not writing services or running rehearsals, Kristen spends her time reading (her favorites being science fiction, classic literature and contemporary non-fiction), playing piano, writing music, running, and staying connected with friends and family.
Contact Kristen Koepsell

David Hochmuth - Minister of Spiritual Growth

As Minister of Spiritual Growth, Dave oversees many aspects of the congregation having to do with education and service to others. Prior to entering fulltime ministry, Dave was a civil engineer for 26 years. Having spent a significant portion of his life as a layperson, Dave understands the challenges of people trying to juggle multiple priorities and still keep Jesus as the central focus of their lives. He also brings to his ministry a love for God’s Word and sharing its truths with others.
By way of biographical information, Dave was born in Tucson, Arizona, and grew up in Santa Clara, California. The first time through college he attended the University of California - Davis, graduating with a degree in engineering. He then attended graduate school at Colorado State in Ft. Collins, Colorado, graduating with a Master's degree in civil engineering. In 2003, he reentered college in the Staff Ministry certification program at Martin Lutheran College, New Ulm, Minnesota. He completed his certification in 2006.
In 1989, Dave married Mary Held, a graduate of then Dr. Martin Luther College. Mary currently serves as a teacher at Westside Christian School. After their marriage, God blessed the Hochmuths with three children: Esther, Sarah, and Andrew. They moved to Cross Plains, Wisconsin, to begin serving St. Andrew in 2007.
Contact Dave Hochmuth

Elton Stroh – Pastor/Crossroads Consulting

As Executive Director of Crossroads Consulting Ministry, Elton invests much of his time assisting WELS congregations with ministry planning and responding to other requests. Trained and experienced lead consultants (including Pastor Hunter), as well as associate consultants assist with this ministry on a part-time basis. Prior to launching Crossroads, Elton served as a parish pastor and directed WELS Parish Assistance – a consulting ministry that became a blessing to about 500 congregations. He also conducted the Turnaround Churches in the WELS research project.

Elton received a B.A. degree from Northwestern College ('74), a M.Div. degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary ('78), and is currently enrolled in a D.Min. program (leadership and ministry management). He is married to Gail, a horticulturist employed at The Bruce Company. Both were raised on farms and enjoy the outdoors. Elton and Gail have two married children, a fantastic daughter- and son-in-law, and eight grandchildren. One family resides in Pewaukee and the other in Wauwatosa, which makes family gatherings fairly convenient.
Contact Pastor Stroh
Visit Crossroads Consulting’s web site

***

GJ - Elton, babee. I am trying to be hip. I know - it does not work well. The same is true for Lutherans who try to be Babtist.

Here is my problem. You identified two schools you attended as WELS. Next you mentioned a DMin program, Elton. But where is it? Most people name the school instead of hiding it. Fess up.

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AC V said...

"Perhaps this would be a good time to begin a conversation."

Undisclosed Recipients: "Why did we get this spam?"

Objective Observers: "Hubris and need for an income."

Undisclosed Recipients: "We wish Crossroads would go away."

Objective Observers: "Perhaps this conversation should take place on the floor of the synod convention this summer."

June 2, 2011 7:24 AM
Delete
Blogger bored said...

What does snow and the Church Growth Movement have in common? Both are made up of flakes.

Did anyone else get the fullness of what Hunter is saying here? According to him, God made churches with their strengths AND weaknesses because God doesn't like to be bored. And here I would've thought sinful man was responsible for the weaknesses in churches. hm...

Randy, I'm remarkably bored by you because you seek to make God from an image of yourself--and call me crazy, but if we're going to remake God according to the strictures of contemporary populism I just don't think you are quite qualified.

By the by: The Latte Lutheran churches aren't just filled with young hipsters who only have themselves to blame if they lose their faith while sipping the double-whip false doctrine of Enthusiasm. I happen to know that in Hunter's congregation there are several cognitively vulnerable children--whose eternal souls are in the hands of Pastor Randy and their idiot parents.

Let us pray for these.

June 2, 2011 7:37 PM

Randy Hunter, the Failed Latte Church Leader, Will Teach All of WELS about What?Paul Kelm Speaks from Retirement - Harder To Get Rid of Than Ski

Wisconsin Lutheran College - Center for Christian Leadership:

Center for Christian Leadership

Leadership Conference 2013
WLC's Second Annual Leadership Conference

Epic fail - thanks to the morons behind this leadership conference.

WELS favors safe sects.
It's Luther they can't stand.

LEADLIVE

• Sponsored by the Center for Christian Leadership at Wisconsin Lutheran College, in cooperation with the Commission on Congregational Counseling of the WELS.
• Saturday, May 4, 2013, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Raabe Theatre of Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, and simulcast via the internet to participating congregations.
• Opening presentation by Dr. Richard Gurgel of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary on the theological rationale for sharing best practices in ministry.
• Five sessions - each with 30 minutes of presentation, 25 minutes of application to their congregation's ministry by participants, and the introduction of a book to assist leaders in follow-through. The five sessions will be:
  • DEVELOPING LEADERS by St. Andrew in Middleton, Wisconsin. Pastor Randy Hunter and a key lay leader. [Hahahahahahahaha.]
  • CREATING MISSION MINDEDNESS by Immanuel in Greenville, Wisconsin. Pastor David Scharf and two key lay leaders.
  • SMALL GROUP MINISTRY by St. Paul in Muskego, Wisconsin. Pastor Peter Panitzke and a key staff leader. [Not Peter Pan! Give us a break!]
  • RECRUITING AND ENGAGING VOLUNTEERSby Hope in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Pastor Jason Ewart and a key lay leader.
  • GETTING THINGS DONE by Faith in Sharpsburg, GA. Pastor Jonathan Schroeder and a key lay leader. [Cell groups - that's a real Lutheran Pietist.]
• The goal of the conference is to provide church leaders practical examples and tools that they can adapt to their own ministry context in the most user-friendly format possible. A secondary goal is to demonstrate the ability of technology to facilitate leadership development and ministry enhancement for the future. [They can get that free from Ichabod and Bethany Lutheran - without all the Fuller/Willowcreek nonsense.]
• Congregations participating via simulcast will be provided step-by-step technological instructions and a test date in advance.
• Cost: $60 per "live" participant at the college, which includes continental breakfast and lunch; $150 per congregation participating via simulcast with as many leaders as possible.

'via Blog this'

Luther is definitely the bogey-man in WELS - always do the opposite.
The worship comment makes perfect sense for idiots who reject the Means of  Grace.

Ecclesia Augustana: Musings on Contemporary Worship

Even better - close a congregation and be invited
to teach everyone about coffee and couch evangelism
with a lady pastor. Randy Hunter knows how to do this.

Ecclesia Augustana: Musings on Contemporary Worship:

Monday, April 22, 2013

Musings on Contemporary Worship

Last year at school we had Koiné come and lead chapel for us. It was held in the gym partly because that's the only place where the lights and sound equipment would work and partly because lots of area grade schools came. It was... interesting. The "service" consisted of confession and absolution, Bible passages being read, and lots of singing by Koine. It was more or less consistent with the stereotypical form of "contemporary worship." To me, it felt more like a concert than a worship service. Apparently the grade school kids felt the same way since they clapped throughout the service.

Why am I bringing this up? It exemplifies one of my concerns with contemporary worship. In contemporary worship, the service revolves around us and our feelings. The grade school kids clapped because it didn't seem like a church service to them. I mean, we don't get up and clap after the organist finishes a rousing hymn in church, do we?  But if you were in a gym with a band playing? Well clapping only seems normal, because the atmosphere is not one of worship. Koiné uses hymns, which is better than praise songs for sure, but the atmosphere still resembles that of a concert.

The informal quality of contemporary service is coupled by the lack of depth often found in its music.  I recently found a video on YouTube that shows just how shallow the lyrics in praise songs are. These praise songs always seem to be centered around being "lost in the moment" or "feeling God" in some shape or form. There also seems to be something on fire in every song. These songs often have little or no theological depth. Many of them are simply designed to be catchy, making you feel good, saved, and spiritual; they are simple enough so they can be sung without thinking about what is being sung. There's not much to think about when you say "hallelujah" over and over and over again. The reason these churches use contemporary worship is so they can get the people on a rush. Why do we feel the need to do the same when the doctrine behind it is so wrong?

Another thing to consider is the fact that when we use contemporary worship, it signifies a solidarity with the practice of the Reformed and Sacramentarian sects.  Doctrine and practice are linked, so we should make sure we don't send mixes signals by lauding Lutheran doctrine and counteracting it with sectarian practice.  We aren't in fellowship with sectarian churches, so we shouldn't worship like them. Actions speak louder than words. If we look like a Baptist church, what's to stop people from thinking that we believe what Baptists churches believes?  Also, if we use these practices long enough, they are bound to infect our doctrine. Lex orandi, lex credendi, after all.  While the slippery slope analogy can be dubious, Scripture does warn us that a little yeast leavens the whole lump.  If we think it's okay to mimic false teachers in one area, we shouldn't fancy ourselves immune from mimicking them in other areas as well.

Contemporary worship is not something we can define as "doing the same thing, but in a different way."  Don't get me wrong; I like variety in worship. I'm just opposed to letting the way we worship or the things we see in worship become contrary to what God says.  So, in conclusion, I suggest that we should just stay away from contemporary worship altogether.

The First VP of WELS, Fuller Seminary trained,
has a coffee shop in his hive-church.

'via Blog this'

Posted by Bryan Lidtke at 4:23 PM 

Classic Ichabod: How Does Someone Become an Expert in WELS? - Answer: Close a Congregation after Wasting a Ton of Money

WELS introduced the first known female "administering the Means of Grace" -
her own description of the job at Latte Church.
Is this the epiclesis at Latte Church?

Randy Hunter was recently featured on Evangelism Day
at Martin Luther College (WELS)
after closing his Latte Church.
Follow Randy closely - and do the opposite.

Closed - even with coffee, couches, and a praise band.
Elton Stroh could not save this congregation!

Change or Die 2012

Stories from Lutheran Ministries that Are Growing

Thursday, February 23

The Harley Davidson Museum Conference Facility

Agenda

1:00 p.m.               Registration

1:30                       Welcome, Introductions, Thanks, Instructions                       ….Rev. Mark Jeske

1:45                       The Story of St. Andrew’s, Middleton and Waunakee    ….Rev. Randy Hunter

Coffee is the new Gospel. You have to have a coffee shop at your church.
Ask WELS VP James Huebner,
alumnus of Fuller Seminary.

Being Read at the Moment - Don't Know Why - Lots of Laughs

Shaking, sweating, rapid-fire speech, 

Anonymous said...
I know this comment doesn't fit under this thread but this is really too ironic not to mention. Mr. Jackson has detailed on his blog how great it is that the St. Andrew's Waunakee campus is closing and how it is evidence of God's judgement. ("God will not be mocked." by AC V) Mr. Jackson only gets 15 people from around the world to watch his service online. Yet he views a satellite campus ministering to a specific community with low attendance as evidence of God's judgement and a source of mockery. Which is it Mr. Jackson? Are numbers evidence of God's judgement or not?

I'm guessing your answer is the same as always. It's OK to do whatever you want as long as it fits your distorted view of God's Word.

I'm guessing it's too late for Mr. Jackson but hopefully some of his few followers will see what a danger it is to mock a ministry for a lack of growth.

March 15, 2012 3:48 PM

***

GJ - I enjoyed posting the Randy Hunter pages, before they disappear faster than a Glende blog or Kilcrease comment. This blog has a strange effect on other websites, making pages vanish faster than Rick Johnson's offering figures - not to mention his veneration of Leonard Sweet.

If I may repeat myself, the posts came from the urging of WELS members and pastors. They know they can deal with issues safely here. When they obey orders to talk to pastors about false doctrine and lupine practices, they are excommunicated. Ask the Kokomomo families, Rick Techlin, and the Krohn family.

Here are some self-justifications from the flop-sweat Church and Change team.

Look at the staff at the dual single parish:
Randy Hunter - Pastor
Kristen Koepsell - Minister of Worship
David Hochmuth - Minister of Spiritual Growth
Elton Stroh - Pastor/Crossroads Consulting
Newlin Schafer - Pastor

Five people could not do all the work! It was wearing them out:

• ordering the coffee and filters, 
• plumping up the couch cushions, 
• debating which false teacher to plagiarize for the next sermon,
• applying for more loot from Thrivent, Schwan, the synod, and the ladies' groups.

They did not bear their cross patiently.

Once again, I have to ask - how much money was wasted on the coffee and lounger fad before they took their initial group of 50 people down to 25?

I really thought Elton Stroh would turn them around. He is the turnaround specialist. He even posted what might happen (with his help), inventing charts that made blinded eyes sparkle and larcenous hearts thump.

Team Glende really misses the point. We began Internet services for members, at their request. It cost a donated $100 camera, available broadband, and a better computer.

I saw a figure at Ustream that thousands of views had been enjoyed already. I am not sure if that means all the people reading the files or all the views live. It does not matter, because we are still operating and not closing anything down. In fact, more publishing is already in the works.

The printed sermons are published many ways:

1. Two blogs.
2. Various Facebook pages.
3. Twitter.
4. Via email from members to their friends.
5. Printed and shared by members with others. 

A normal page-read day is about 2,000 for one blog alone. I do not think the Latte Church ever held 2,000+ households. The newsletter says 25 people at its inglorious end.

I am not sure what the other figures are. I hear from various people. One couple in Virginia uses the sermon each Sunday. They do not use Ustream, but they read the sermon along with other orthodox Lutheran material. I only know this because the Virginia couple wrote to me about this. They asked me to get the sermon done faster so it would be ready for them, Eastern Liberal Time.

But the numbers do not matter. This tiny congregation serves others without synod subsidies, Thrivent groups, or foundation loot.

Randy Hunter and his band of clowns were not faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. That matters.


KJV 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the
mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

One day Hunter may appreciate the irony of posting this on his congregational website.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Closed Latte Church Fan Shows Signs of Over-Caffei...":

they took their initial group of 50 people down to 25

They probably counted the six-piece band, plus Hunter even though he was only a prerecorded apparition on a PP screen.

From the St. Andrew newsletter: "Could we have tried other strategies and done more? Of course, but that's true of all endeavors."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for in-house Crossroads Consulting, is it?

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Closed Latte Church Fan Shows Signs of Over-Caffei...":

The mockery is of the hypocrisy of an organization such as Crossroads Consulting that promises "growth" and yet even it - an in-house ministry with the chief architect consultant Elton Stroh - can't save the Waunakee "ministry."

The mockery is of WELS FiCl that highlights this ministry as cutting edge and "outside the box" thinking that every fuddy-duddy WELS congregation ought to be doing.

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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Closed Latte Church Fan Shows Signs of Over-Caffei...":

I hope that's not his boat...

***

GJ - Old Northwestern College meme, "That's not a booooat. That's a ship."

Ripped from the Pages of FICKLE. The Latte Church That Couldn't

CONGREGATION FINDS NEW WAY TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
One leadership, one vision, one plan for ministry, and one staff—but two church buildings. This is the new approach that St. Andrew, which now has sites in both Middleton and Waunakee, Wis., is trying to reach out to more people.

“[This multi-site approach] grew out of a vision that we gathered about three years ago now,” says Randy Hunter, pastor at St. Andrew. “We said, ‘We’re blessed with a new, beautiful facility, but we just know there are people that would never come here. So let’s get out of the building, go into the communities, and see if we can reach them in other ways.’ ”

After a two-year study, the congregation decided a satellite ministry might work. They also thought about different ways in which to present the gospel and came up with an approach that Hunter refers to as “casual about church; serious about God.”

“We studied our culture: its movement away from church and its movement toward community and the desire to get together at a café or a Starbucks,” says Hunter. “Our goal was to recreate that atmosphere and bring the gospel to it.”

St. Andrew looked at possibilities for its new satellite location, such as storefronts in area strip malls, but instead was able to acquire an existing church building.

How much synod and grant money has been wasted on this farce,
while others were struggling?

Hunter says that approximately 50 to 60 people attend each week, many of whom had not been attending any church. “Several families are very interested in growing in the faith with us and partnering with us,” says Hunter. “We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church. We’re trying to provide a casual atmosphere where you’re free to talk about what this means to you and how it applies to your life. We get the chance to give the same teaching that we do in any church, but just in a different setting.”

Hunter says this new venture is a great addition to St. Andrew’s services in Middleton, which features a more traditional liturgical style. The congregation has a thriving music ministry—more than 150 musicians and soloists perform throughout the year. The congregation also reaches out to Middleton and surrounding communities through its school, where more than 60 percent of the students are nonmembers.

“The most important thing is determining what it is going to take to reach people that aren’t coming to us,” says Hunter. “Anything that isn’t unbiblical is fair game. Let’s just try it! It’s up to our churches to step up and see what we can do to get the gospel out there.”

For more information, visit www.st-andrew-online.org.

The only problem was the interior didn’t match their “casual about church” approach. So the congregation hired a popular coffeehouse designer—coincidentally someone who didn’t attend church—and asked him to design the kind of place where he’d feel comfortable coming to hear about Jesus.

Slurp, slurp. Mmm. Need more fake cream in the latte.
How could this flop?

Hunter says the result looks and feels like a café, complete with chairs, couches, coffee tables, and coffee machines in the back. In the front of the room is a simple altar and a screen where Hunter’s prerecorded sermons are projected.

Their logo was a cross in a cup of coffee.
A WELS member changed the motto to fit the congregation's blasphemies.
Where were the leaders of the Milwaukee Sect?
The ELS?
Mequon? MLC?
Bethany Lutheran Seminary?

“After the sermon, the worship leader invites everyone to take a break, refresh their coffee, and get settled down in their chair or couch for a Bible study on the sermon text,” says Hunter. “If you think about what it would be like to have some people over to worship Jesus in your living room—that’s the atmosphere.”

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Ripped from the Pages of FICKLE. The Latte Church ...":

FAILURE:

"see if we can reach them in other ways"

"thought about different ways in which to present the gospel"

"casual about church; serious about God"

"We’re trying to keep it from becoming the thing that turned a lot of people away from church"

"casual atmosphere where you’re free to talk about what this means to you"

"Anything that isn’t unbiblical is fair game"

"looks and feels like a café"

"simple altar"

"screen where...prerecorded sermons are projected"

"worship Jesus in your living room—that’s the atmosphere."

Remember This When the Next List of Expert Speakers Comes Out at Martin Luther College

AC V has left a new comment on your post "Melancholy News from Latte Church":

Other reasons don't all carry the same weight, but contribute to the same conclusion:

Worship attendance has been steadily declining since we began five years ago, and for the past six months has been about 25. In our vision five years ago we anticipated a flourishing congregation of over 100 people by now.

http://www.st-andrew-online.org/ViewArticle.aspx?id=436

Or: God will not be mocked.

Like Whac-a-Mole, unfortunately Latte Lutheran will pop up someplace else in WELS.

---

Ministry change

March 14, 2012

At their February 28 meeting, the St. Andrew Planning Council decided to end our ministry through our Waunakee location. Despite five years of hard work, we are not reaching more people with the gospel of Jesus or bringing new people into our family of faith.  

Other reasons don't all carry the same weight, but contribute to the same conclusion:

• Worship attendance has been steadily declining since we began five years ago, and for the past six months has been about 25. In our vision five years ago we anticipated a flourishing congregation of over 100 people by now.
• We are not reaching new people in the community.
• Our called workers devote significant energy to this work. This is not a bad thing, but if it's not bearing fruit, it's not the best use of those resources.
• Our volunteers are being spreading thin (music, AV techs, hospitality, etc.).
• Ministry teams and team leaders are also spread thin between the two sites.
• We will be able to focus our God-given resources (both people and capital) toward other ministries.

We have learned from our Waunakee experience should we ever pursue another satellite ministry. A few lessons learned include: call a pastor dedicated only to the satellite ministry to spend a year or two developing the ministry through small groups in homes; find a facility that is more visible; develop a family and children's ministry along with a worship ministry from day one; separate the distance between the sites, and more. 

We are grateful for the hard work of so many willing followers of Christ. We pursued a ministry opportunity for five years with strength and dedication. Many people worked very hard from the beginning until now. The Spirit blessed those who served and those who were served. 

Services will be suspended in Waunakee following the Easter Sunday service. 

The Planning Council will propose in the 2012 –2013 Annual Plan for Ministry that the property be sold and those resources used elsewhere for our ministry. We will work with the Food Pantry to help them through this transition and keep them informed of the process.

Could we have tried other strategies and done more? Of course, but that's true of all endeavors. It was a difficult decision -- agonized over and prayed over-- but one which the Lord of the Church led the leaders he put in place here to make. 

Please feel free to contact members of our Executive Team, Pastor Schafer or Pastor Hunter if you wish to discuss this further.  They would be happy to listen to your thoughts and speak with you about this. 

Orv Jordahl, President, ojordahl@gmail.com
Todd Weston, Vice-President, tkhmweston@hotmail.com
Brad Hougaard, Secretary, hougaard@charter.net
Mark Solvrud, Treasurer, mlsolverud@nglic.com
Pastor Hunter, randy.hunter@st-andrew-online.org, (608) 831-8540
Pastor Schafer, newlin.schafter@st-andrew-online.org, (608) 831-8540

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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Remember This When the Next List of Expert Speaker...":

What a pathetic lament. I remember the day when a WELS pastor would open the doors and turn on the lights for 2 or 3 for a Monday Vespers because they could not make it on Sundays. Even the Lord would have not destroyed S&G for the sake of 10 righteous. All I see in this article is how MEN tried to make this ministry work. Strategy this, develop that, market this, better location blah, blah, blah. When are these guys gonna realize what the success and true marks of the church are? It sounds like a failed business venture for crying out loud.

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AC V has left a new comment on your post "Remember This When the Next List of Expert Speaker...":

Will FiCL do a follow-up story on Latte Lutheran on how it FAILED! By their own admission:

1) We are not reaching new people in the community. I thought that was the whole point of this radical non-Lutheran approach to worship/outreach! I thought they had done their research and found out that they fill a niche that no one else was filling. Didn't they find that the community was just bursting at the seams with de-churched people who were turned off by traditional church?

2) Our called workers devote significant energy to this work. This is not a bad thing, but if it's not bearing fruit, it's not the best use of those resources. Is the message here: "bottom line is the bottom line?"

3) Our volunteers are being spreading (sic) thin (music, AV techs, hospitality, etc.). Ministry teams and team leaders are also spread thin between the two sites. An organist and preacher would be enough for 25 people I would think. That's the inherent pitfall of this philosophy of ministry: it is a black hole that sucks the life out of your parish resources, i.e. money and manpower.

4) We will be able to focus our God-given resources (both people and capital) toward other ministries. Simply re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic.





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Adolph Hoenecke has left a new comment on your post "Remember This When the Next List of Expert Speaker...":

Must suppress unholy glee! Must suppress unholy glee!

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GJ - Suppression efforts - epic fail.