A retiring General Motors worker made a good point about all the organizations wanting the Type A personality - dominant, goal-oriented, hostile, aggressive. Jack Welch at GE encouraged that with his use of the Six Sigma system. This worker, one of the best read people I have known, added, "Those Type A people are the ones who have ruined so many businesses. They plunge ahead, never listen to anyone, and pursue their goals."
That prophet pointed this out before the mortgage companies, banks, and rating agencies tanked.
The parallels with church organizations are obvious. For example, The Love Shack filled up with people who were sworn to uphold certain goals. No one was allowed to continue if he doubted the wisdom of Fuller, Willow Creek, and Management By Objective. The synod got itself talked into ridiculous goals, because they were "fresh and exciting," according to H. Hagedorn. Nothing sensible could be done because that would have violated the Mission Vision goals which the Type A Church Shrinkers forced on the synod.
Anyone who objected to wild spending or delusional goals was denounced as "negative" and "not a team player." Instead of mission creep, WELS suffered from delusion creep. One delusion fed another. One Schwaermer church after another was pursued as having all the answers, because they also chanted the mantras of Management By Objective. Money was seen as The Means of Grace - sow abundantly (spend lavishly) that ye may reap lavishly (get promoted).
Web designers have a joke:
How do you know when a website is finished?
Answer - The funds are all spent!
Living on a real budget has a sobering effect on spending. When churches have no money, they rely on the Word. When they have abundant grants, they whine for even more money, because "we need it to do God's work." The students at Martin Luther College could not worship properly because they suffered from having a chapel-auditorium. Ditto Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Louis. Did the lovely Copper-top Chapel at The Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie aid them in denouncing Church Growth?
The apostates in WELS are takers, not givers. They want the faithful to fund their playpens so they can concentrate on God's work - grantsmanship. Church and Change conferences teach grant writing. Chicaneries hire grant writers.
ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the National Council of Churches.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Type A Personality Ruins Organizations
More WELS By the Numbers
The Wisconsin Synod is shutting down mission congregations, terminating world mission calls, and cutting positions at prep schools (two left) and the college.
Perish Services is facing the chopping block.
Congregations are starting to eliminate positions too, and there was already a shortage of calls.
In the midst of all this, The Appleton group spent (my estimate) $5,000 of someone's money to attend a Babtist worship gathering, but they revealed another set of four who also attended. Let's say $10,000 was spent.
By the way, Andy Stanley charged as much for Drive 09 as I paid for a business conference.
The Church Shrinkers are the ones who spent WELS into the financial hole, only to have WELS discover that a deep recession was sinking the entire world in an equity meltdown.
ELCA and Missouri will be facing similar catastrophic cuts but they probably have more cash available.
The WELS Shrinkers borrowed designated funds and further depleted the WELS coffers.
There are two budgets proposed for the WELS convention. One will take $1 million from education and give it to missions.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More WELS By the Numbers":
Don't members see how they are being played or used?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More WELS By the Numbers":
To Anon of 6:41 PM -
I do.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
I was not at the conference. I know some of the attendees and I am confident that there was not a violation of fellowship.
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JR has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
Well, since "Anonymous" knows some of the attendees and s/he is confident that there was not a violation of fellowship, then that settles it! Let's shut this site down now; it obviously isn't needed. GJ has been barking up the wrong tree.
Forgive me if that doesn't provide compelling evidence.
Cantate, The Fourth Sunday after Easter
Cantate, The Fourth Sunday after Easter
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time
The Hymn #197 Where wilt thou go 1:2
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual James 1:16-21
The Gospel John 16:5-15
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 192 Awake, My Heart 1:22
Holy Spirit Convicts Us – Of Unbelief
The Hymn #195 Christ Jesus Lay 1:46
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #187 Christ Is Arisen 1:45
Fourth Sunday After Easter
Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst through Thy Son promise us Thy Holy Spirit, that He should convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: We beseech Thee, enlighten our hearts, that we may confess our sins, through faith in Christ obtain everlasting righteousness, and in all our trials and temptations retain this consolation, that Christ is Lord over the devil and death, and all things, and that He will graciously deliver us out of all our afflictions, and make us forever partakers of eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
KJV John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Holy Spirit Convicts Us – Of Unbelief
The Epistle and the Gospel both teach a lesson so significant that either one should embarrass Lutherans into teaching the original message of Christ instead of trying to market a produce.
Epistle of James lesson
There are two gems in this short lesson. Both teach the same unified message of truth, but in different words. James has been called weak on the Gospel and more law-oriented than any other epistle. The Gospel message is subtle but not watered down. The language is different from the Pauline epistles.
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth,
The non-Biblical language of the non-Lutherans will always makes us think in terms alien to that of the Scriptures. Y’all hear things like, “I won souls for Christ,” or “We need disciples because disciples are soul-winners.” And – “I decided to dedicate my life to reaching 1 million souls for Christ.”
The effectiveness of God’s Word is based upon God’s will alone. God has determined what He will do, and that will be only through His Word. This verse says that He gave birth to us, that He did this according to His own will. This verse glorifies God alone and proves once again that the Word alone is effective in accomplishing God’s will.
For those who wonder how we fit in – God has given us the privilege of handling His Word so we see its power and how God accomplishes His will. God gave birth to us through His Word. Human involvement is not mentioned because this is a reminder of God’s work, which we always want to turn into our work. One reader said to me, “I don’t think that…” I responded by saying it is not for us to judge. God does His work through His Word. When we stop to judge whether that is effective, we are tempted to start trusting in our own wisdom.
Many have said to themselves, “This is alienating people. Look how angry they are. I should be gentle and never rebuke false doctrine.” They are correct in saying this always works best – at first. But it is like leading sheep to pasture to fatten them for the wolves, without protecting them from the wolves. The disturbances people are facing now are all God’s judgment for the failures of the past. The price must be paid, and it will be worse if few learn from it.
On a national scale, someone mentioned that our last three presidents (Clinton, Bush, O.) have had major problems with illegal drugs. Is it any wonder the country is awash in the violence and corruption caused by the illegal trade?
On a synodical scale, since this audience is Lutheran, the old institutions are failing rapidly. Well established pastors are facing unemployment right now, and schools are closing (right now at the parochial level). God is punishing people for loving false doctrine and wolf-preaching. As Luther said, the people who resent giving Christ a penny will be forced to give the wolves a dollar, because they are always flailing their disciples for more.
And it revolves around these simple passages. First of all, without any possibility of contradiction, God alone gives birth to us through His Word alone. The only possible conclusion is to offer the Word in abundance and to teach the Word with perfect clarity – as it is and not tamed or watered down by human wisdom.
I used to read the Luther sermon set (the cheapest theology set in the world, available for almost nothing) and say, “There he goes again, ranting about the pope.”
Now that I see how the Antichrist has invaded the Lutheran Church, with the help of Lutherans, in the name of peace and harmony, I no longer resent those passages. Rome and Constantinople teach that Christ did not do enough when He died on the cross for our sins. Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox teach that we must appease God with our good works to earn a chance for heaven, after being tortured in Purgatory for centuries.
People adore and worship visible institutions, but did those institutions give birth to Christians? No, the Word alone can do this and continues to do this. However, people abandon the Word for the institution and prop up the institution by abandoning the Word alone.
NKJ James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Our temptation is always to say – Stop being bad – staying with the Law alone. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. This verse is quite different. It says, Stop sinning and believe in the Gospel which is grafted onto your body and able to save your soul.
Most gardeners work with grafted plants all the time. Our favorite flower is the rose, and almost every rose has at least one graft. The wild rose roots below are grafted onto the hybrid rose above. This gives the plant the vigor of the wild rose and the beauty of the hybrid. We never say, “This is a Peace/wild rose,” or “This is a Queen E./wild rose.” We say, “This is a Peace rose.” And “That is a Queen Elisabeth, created (in a manner of speaking) by a Lutheran creationist.”
Faith alone has the power to fight against sin. The Law rebukes and damns us. The Law crushes our pride and breaks our bones. But the Law alone stirs up wrath and increases temptation. The Gospel is alive and grows in us. Receive with meekness is another way, a concrete way to say – Believe in the Gospel, which alone saves your soul. Sin and pride go together quite well. Faith and meekness are also companions. When we see what God has done and can do, we are meek rather than proud. Believing in Christ displaces the temptation to sin, just as sin displaces Christ.
Gospel Lesson
Why is this text so important? This passage tells us in one verse what the Holy Spirit will do. The world is filled with books about the working of the Holy Spirit. Everyone seems to have an opinion without consulting the Holy Spirit Himself. The Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit. To use the analogy of one pope, the Gospel has two natures, the human nature of the author and the divine nature of the Holy Spirit, and yet it is without error or contradiction. We should listen to these simple words with complete confidence that God is speaking to us through the Fourth Gospel, accurately transmitting the words of Christ about the future work of the Holy Spirit.
Also, if we have problems with the text, we should ask that the Holy Spirit inform our reason with faith in the Scriptures, and not judge the Word of God with our human reason.
These are the key verses:
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
“Reprove” the world is a little old-fashioned. We are more likely to say “convict” the world. It is more than simply accusing or indicting the world. The Holy Spirit will bring judgment against the world for its unbelief.
I would like to digress on this topic a little. Notice that God Himself is judging on the basis of unbelief. Many false teachers and their fellow-travelers will say, “I do not believe all of the Scriptures, and I interpret them my way, but that is fine, because I am doing good work. Christians do not have the time and energy to agree on doctrine. It is better for them to work together and be tolerant of minor differences in belief.” This feeble excuse is nonsense. Man may say it does not matter if people deny baptismal grace, or the Real Presence, or the efficacy of the Word, but God does not tolerate and overlook doctrinal indifference. How can someone baptize a baby one week and pay money to learn from those who deny infant baptism the next? There are two stories being told by the same person – which one is true? If the Baptists can teach Lutherans about evangelism and the Gospel, then the Baptists are also correct about babies not having faith, about Holy Baptism being an ordinance for adults who “make a decision for Christ.” Two approaches to the Word are incompatible and at odds with each other.
The passage destroys any notion that the main issue in God’s judgment is whether we are good people. This plea is common among those who have no belief. For instance, in a Biography show about the Rat Pack, the head of the Atlantic City mafia was defended because “he was the nicest guy you would ever want to meet.” To be in the Mafia, he had to be a killer who also ordered the murder of opponents. Similarly, Frank Sinatra was also defended as someone who was kind and gentle, although he would “throw you out the window and over the roof if you were on his bad side.” Today we often hear that false teachers are “nice guys.” As more than one pastor has said, “He is not a false teacher; he is a nice guy.” The opposite of false teacher is “orthodox teacher” and not “nice guy.”
Knowing that our flesh is weak, Satan tempts us to judge on the basis of appearances rather than substance. In the short run, appearances always win. Being nice and compromising will always be more charming than rebuking false doctrine.
The movement called Pietism was very devious in getting people to measure others in terms of outward characteristics rather than upon what they believed and taught. We live in a country and an age largely defined this way and not according to God’s Word. The Pietists say, “We have to overlook his attacks against God’s Word because he works hard and he is a nice guy.” The proper attitude is, “We will overlook his human frailty because he believes in the Word and teaches only in harmony with it.”
Not surprisingly, the self-styled nice guys make sure that the orthodox are driven away, silenced, and shunned as lepers for being “unloving, divisive, and judgmental.” But here in this text, God does the judging and His judgment is final, even if man messes around for a period of time.
When the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, because it does not believe, God is saying, “Give away billions of dollars. Work among the poor. Establish quotas. Endow foundations. All of this is sin without faith in Christ. The more upright you are in your own eyes, the more sinful you will be, even if the entire world admires you. However, if you believe in Christ, your sins will be erased and forgotten. Then everything done in faith will glorify God.”
The campaign against faith has been stepped up lately. In the secular world, all faith (Judaism included) is interpreted as hatred, insensitivity, and narrow-mindedness. In the visible Church, the same attitude prevails. Someone who persistently argues for the Word of God will find himself shunned as an unloving bigot.
Notice what a difference there is. In the eyes of the unbelieving world, excessive public charity is the only virtue, especially when it is trumpeted around through paid flacks. (Note to English user: flak is a hostile response, based upon the acronym for the German anti-aircraft “kanon.” A flack is a public relations professional.) The news media will never take notice of the woman who drives a school bus, cares for her mother with old age dementia, takes care of her children, and helps others. Nor should we expect unbelievers to honor what God honors. We should only smile that the most virtuous public servants of this age—Ted Turner and Jane Fonda—could barely remain on the same stage with each other, even though it was the love of their lives when they first married. Be silent with your doubts. No pair has done more for the United Nations, the Viet Cong, and cellulite than Ted and Jane. Ted lost his faith when his sister died of lupus, so he tells us. God’s Word teaches us that all of his public charity is a sin because it is done without faith. Ted pledged a billion dollars to the United Nations, then saw his empire become almost worthless, so his pledge dwindled to far less money.
Faith is not such a small thing, because God teaches us that only faith matters. Faith receives the power of God in His Gospel promises. Those promises are fruitful in the life of the believer. We do not need to measure or plan, only to enjoy the abundance of the Means of Grace.
Once a visitor said I was the strangest gardener he had ever seen at work. He said to a visitor, “He plants all kinds of seed altogether all over the place.” I admit to sowing seed according to Mark 4 rather than Martha Stewart. And yes, I carve a shallow row and throw all kinds of seed together. But what were the results. I had hundreds of sunflowers blooming outside the chapel, zinnias in bloom all over the yard, scarlet runner beans climbing the pool fence, followed by warty gourds. This is exactly how a believer bear fruit in his daily life. In spite of all the problems that arise, faith in Christ yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Fruit does not mean apple or orange in the Bible, but “yield”. A plant fruits when the flower gives way to the seed or seed pod. The fruit may be grain, vegetables, or rose hips. The Gospel promises always produce a yield that we can anticipate in some way but never determine for ourselves. We can be confident in the results coming along, but never in how God will apportion them or when He will distribute them. Missionaries have worked in pagan lands to convert one single person to Christ in a lifetime of work. Who are we to speed up results by telling unbelievers, as one Fuller professor of missions did, “You may not be able to believe or accept the atonement of Christ. And that’s ok.” (Why pay a supposed Christian to reinforce unbelief by teaching unbelief as a virtue?)
Therefore, when the Holy Spirit convicts someone of unbelief, (Law preaching), He is paving the way for the Gospel. This is what happened to the wife of the founder of Fuller Seminary. Mrs. Fuller was a proud, virtuous Unitarian. Her friend used the Word of God to slay her unbelief and plant faith in the Gospel. It happened all at once and it still gives me goose-bumps. If only the Lutheran graduates of Fuller Seminary could state their confidence in the Word alone as beautifully as Grace Fuller did.
"Mrs. Barnhill looked at me and said, with such a loving look in her gray eyes, 'Oh, Grace, Christ said, 'No man cometh unto the Father but by Me,' and, my dear, you have no way of approach to a holy God unless you come through Christ, His Son, as your Saviour.' "The Scripture which she quoted," Mrs. Fuller continues, "was the Sword of the Spirit, and at that moment Unitarianism was killed forever in my heart. I saw the light like a flash and believed at that moment, though I said nothing. She had quoted God's Word, the Spirit had used it, and, believing, I instantly became a new creation in Christ Jesus. She might have talked and even argued with me about it, but instead she just used the Word."
J. Elwin Wright, The Old Fashioned Revival Hour and the Broadcasters, Boston: The Fellowship Press, 1940, p. 54. [Old man Fuller founded the seminary. His son turned liberal while studying under Karl Barth. And now the school is as Unitarian as Grace Fuller was before her conversion.]
The second phrase seems to be strange and needs some study. I have to admit that I look this passage up every year, so I understand what Luther saw in the text. The Holy Spirit speaks very plainly and clearly to us, but there are just enough difficulties to make us study the text and become very sure of the Word in time, as long as we approach the Scriptures with humility and a willingness to learn.
Second phrase:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Conviction still governs this phrase. In other words, the Holy Spirit is saying, “You thought THAT was righteousness. No, I tell you, THIS is righteousness.” So what is this righteousness – that Jesus is going to the Father and will be seen no more. As Luther explains, this phrase is a reference to the resurrection and ascension of Christ. The preaching of the resurrection of Christ was the foundation of the apostolic Church. The eyewitnesses of the crucifixion and burial of Christ said, “No, He is dead.” The apostles were those who witnessed the risen Christ. They said, “We have seen Him risen from the dead. He is the Savior and the true Son of God.” In this sense the resurrection of Christ was for us and not for Him. His empty tomb proclaimed to them and still teaches us that death has no dominion over the believer. So we see the complete meaning of Romans 4:24-25, which is often misinterpreted today by advocates of Kokomo justification (forgiveness without faith; the world absolved of sin without the Means of Grace):
KJV Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
“If we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” The righteousness of God is imputed or charged to our account if we believe in Him and His resurrection. There is a common test for this today. Most mainline or liberal theologians do not believe in the resurrection, deny its importance, and desire to teach us their wisdom. They do not receive forgiveness because they do not believe and work hard to murder souls through their false doctrine.
In contrast, whenever the resurrection of Christ is taught, people believe in Him and receive the declaration of forgiveness. Therefore, Jesus is raised for our justification.
The third phrase may also stump people a little - 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
We seem to hear two messages. One is that Satan is the prince of this world.
KJV Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Satan is called the Prince of this world three times in John. He does rule over this world, but he is also condemned and defeated. A defeated and cornered army group can still fight back and do enormous damage. In fact, that has often happened at the end of a war, when the fighting gets more furious simply because the end is near.
Satan was defeated through the cross and resurrection of Christ, but he still has some time to work his will on earth before the end. To use an expression from Revelation, he is tethered, like a horse, on a short rope, but dangerous still. I knocked on a door when a guard dog was tied to a chain. I didn’t worry. The chain obviously did not reach where I was. The dog snarled madly nearby. But he also knew how to stretch the confining chain enough to connect with my leg. He was limited in his work but not harmless. In case you are worried – the dog did not get rabies from biting me.
So we should take Satan, not as all powerful but still as ready and willing to capture a few more souls before his work is done. The fury and success of his work now should warn and comfort us. It is a warning that he will leave no believer alone. It is a comfort because his time is drawing to a close.
The Holy Spirit works to teach us these lessons in a clear, plain manner, so that anyone with an elementary reading ability can study the Gospel of John. At the same time, the Gospel is so profound that any scholar can spend a lifetime with the Gospel and never complete his learning from the Word.
KJV John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luther Quotations
[Some people think righteous means doing good works and reconciling God] "But now comes the Holy Spirit and says: No so. You err and are mistaken. Your judgment is wrong. Therefore there must be another judgment. You should judge thus: Everything your reason concludes is erroneous and false, and you are a fool and a simpleton."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 119. John 16:5-15.
"But now, since the prince of this world and the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil, are directly opposed to one another, and the Holy Spirit is not willing that anyone should parade his own deeds and praise himself on account of them, the holy cross must soon follow. The world will not consent to be reprimanded for its blindness. Therefore one must willingly submit and suffer persecution. If we have the right kind of faith in our hearts, we must also open our mouths and confess righteousness and make known sin. Likewise we must condemn and punish the doings of this world and make it known that everything it undertakes, is damned."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 120. John 16:5-15.
"However, here the Lord speaks quite differently, and says: 'The Holy Spirit will convict the world in respect of sin, because they believe not on me.' Unbelief only is mentioned here as sin, and faith is praised as suppressing and extinguishing the other sins, even the sins in the saints. Faith is so strong and overpowering that no sin dare put it under any obligation. Although sins are present in pious and believing persons, they are not imputed to them, nor shall their sins condemn them."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 127. John 16:5-15.
"Godly and believing persons know their sins; they bear all their punishment patiently, and are resigned to God's judgment without the least murmur; therefore, they are punished only bodily, and here in time, and their pain and suffering have an end. Unbelievers, however, since they are not conscious of their sins and transgressions, cannot bear God's punishment patiently, but they resent it and wish their life and works to go unpunished, yea, uncensured. Hence, their punishment and suffering are in body and soul, here in time, and last forever beyond this life."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 131. John 16:5-15.
"This is the province of the work, which the Holy Spirit is to begin in the kingdom of Christ. It is the teaching office of the apostles, which is to be of such a character that it must convict the world, as it finds it outside of Christ, and nobody is to be excepted, great, small, learned, wise, holy, of high or low condition, etc. This means in short, to bear the world's anger and to begin strife, and to be struck in the mouth for it. For the world, which rules on earth, will not and cannot endure its course to be disapproved; therefore persecution must arise, and one party must yield to the other, the weakest to the stronger. But, as the office of the apostles is to be only a teaching office, it cannot use world power and the world retains its external kingdom and power against the apostles. But, on the other hand, the apostles' office of conviction of the world shall likewise not be suppressed, because it is the office and work of the Holy Spirit, but shall overcome all and triumph; as Christ promised to them: 'I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand.' Luke 21:15"
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 136. John 16:5-15.
"It breaks in not piecemeal on certain works and actions, but reduces to nothing and condemns everything that reason and worldly wisdom propose. In short, He convicts and censures them in and for the very things they do not wish to be convicted in, but rather praised and lauded, as teaching and doing well and right."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 138. John 16:5-15.
"For the heart is ever hostile to the law and resists it with inward disobedience."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 140. John 16:5-15.
"Therefore the Holy Spirit rightly and justly convicts, as sinful and condemned, all who have not faith in Christ. For where this is wanting, other sins in abundance must follow: God is despised and hated, and the entire first table is treated with disobedience."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 141. John 16:5-15.
"Lo, how the dragon's-tail of the devil and all hell must follow unbelief! The reason is, that he who does not believe in Christ, has already turned away from God and quite separated himself from Him."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., III, p. 142. John 16:5-15.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Lil Mike at The CORE
"This is just a little video i (sic) put together showqin (sic) me recording sum (sic) tracks in my bedroom" [GJ - After spelling lessons from Ski? The absence of a period is in the original.]
Lil Mike in MySpace
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lil Mike at The CORE":
A preppie pretending to be urban,
in a movie theater pretending to be a church,
in front of Babtists pretending to be Lutherans.
+Diet O. Worms
Thank God McCain Set the Pope Straight and Witnessed about Missouri's Rock-Ribbed Orthodoxy!
LCMS leaders attend ecumenical meeting with pope
"Christ, Our Hope for Unity" was the theme for an April 18 prayer service led by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Joseph Parish, a German Roman Catholic congregation in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, N.Y., with some 350 ecumenical guests in attendance.
Among the 30 Lutherans invited to attend this "ecumenical meeting" with the pope, as it was referred to in the invitation, were Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick and Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger, one of the LCMS participants in the U.S. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue and executive director of the Synod's Commission on Theology and Church Relations. Also attending were local LCMS pastors and officials in New York City.
Representatives from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) included Dr. Lowell G. Almen, Lutheran co-chair of the U.S. Lutheran–Roman Catholic Dialogue, and Dr. Donald McCoid, director of the church body's Ecumenical Office.
The service was led liturgically by Benedict XVI, who delivered the "Address." All worship assignments were carried out exclusively by Roman Catholics. After the benediction, greetings were exchanged with the pope by 15 of the ecumenical guests -- 11 were chosen from among national leadership participants, and four were from New York, including Dr. David Benke, president of the LCMS Atlantic District. In his response to Benke's greeting, the pope specifically requested, "Please greet all in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for me."
Nafzger said the Synod's local and national leaders appreciated being invited to the ecumenical event.
"Especially meaningful," he added, "was the inclusion in the worship program of the following quotation from the pope's 2005 address at the World Youth Day: 'Among Christians, fraternity is not just a vague sentiment ... it is grounded in the supernatural reality of the one Baptism which makes us all members of the one Body of Christ.'"
Posted April 25, 2008
***
GJ - As we know from McCain's blog, Father Neuhaus pulled the right strings and got Missouri in touch with a real pope. To this day, according to Paul, the Antichrist just shakes his head about the obstinate Lutheran orthodoxy of the LCMS.
We all join the pope, in shaking our heads.
At least McCain-Barry disciplined Benke, putting him on ice forever and a day.
Mrs. Ichabod just interrupted my reverie.
"They did nothing to Benke. Read the part about Benke in there."
I see. Benke participated.
Nevermind.
WELS and the Little Sect are a lot tougher. They make the Church of Rome leaders come to them - such as teaching at Wisconsin Lutheran College, marching in a religious procession at Bethany Lutheran Seminary, etc.
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follow @tomplay for more updates on the platform. @pastorski and @kstrandlund are still in ATL through Wednesday
1:54 PM May 5th from web
Friday, May 8, 2009
What Are We Learning About Babtist Drive Conferences and WELS?
Thanks to Bishop Katie's Tweet, we know that four unnamed WELS pastors joined Ski, Glenda, Buske and her at Drive 09. Sfunny how those four names never came up in the Tweets. A staff member at Northpoint/Buckhead--Carlos Whittaker--was and is a constant on their Tweets, but those mysterious four WELS pastors are not even mentioned in the chatter.
The Drive Conferencess are primarily worship/entertainment events. At 09 they had a communionn service. At 08 Ski said he worshiped with the Babtists and loved it. In fact, it was more of "we worshiped with them." -
"The final Main Session with Andy Stanley was just phenomenal. We began with awesome worship."
Like the fabled Don Patterson pilgrimage to Exponential last year (with a bevy of WELS workers) this trip looked carefully organized, down to their cover stories. Tim Glende was going to a "pastor conference" without any details in the church bulletin about where it was or what denomination led the confab.
Some think the Anything Goes Northern Wisconsin District is loose, but Patterson-Glaeske are no different in the Southern Central Babtist District (aka The Safari Subsidy District).
Exactly how long can WELS preserve the illusion that it is a Lutheran church body?
Pente-Babtist Input, Pente-Babtist Output
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wisdom of Drive 09: Orchestrated Spontaneous Danci...":
This is nothing new really. WELS let 3 missionaries go in the Tiawan field back in about 1992 because they became Petecostal/Charismatic. And how did that start you ask? By flirting around with them in the first place and not clearly maintaining a distance and avoiding them.
Does anyone remember the place in the Bible where God told Lot and his family to flee from Sodom and Gomorrah? Don't even look back they were told, but guess what, it was too aluring for Lot's wife. Just one look, is all it took.
Keep sneaking a peek straying friends and get swept away with all of the rest who are falling to seducing spirits.
Tico
***
GJ - The Sausage Factory faculty was asked about tongue-speaking when this was developing. Wobbly to a man, they responded that tongue-speaking was OK. I was told never to mention Taiwan - that was a forbidden subject - in the ELS too.
Four Horsemen and a Bean-Counter
Benny has left a new comment on your post "Wisdom of Drive 09: Orchestrated Spontaneous Danci...":
Wanted: bean counter at St. Marcus
http://epic.cuir.uwm.edu/entech/jobs/index.php?cmd=viewposting&id=3632
Donor Records Coordinator
Posted by: St. Marcus
Date Posted: 04/21/09
Deadline to Apply: May 8, 2009
Job Description:
The position first and foremost serves as a member of development and finance teams for the overall purpose of cultivation, solicitation and recognition of St. Marcus’ various constituencies. The role of this position is to provide information, support, and services to advance the fundraising and community support building mission of the organization.
The position administers the St. Marcus constituent database, to maintain detailed records, and to process donations and gift acknowledgments in a timely manner. Supports COO, Financial Services Manager and Director of Development by generating constituent reports to support all department operations/fundraising programs and reconciliation with finance department.
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Wisdom of Drive 09: Orchestrated Spontaneous Dancing, "Balling" During Communion
 |
| Gay Activist Andy Stanley and Ski, who was recently given lavish funds from WELS, 2012. |
http://twitter.com/Aflynt
RT @loswhit
: Yup. That was pretty much one of the dopest times
of communion I've had. Wow. Powerful. #drive09 // for real y'all... Dope
His blog:
4. I went to the Drive’09 Conference this week. It was aaaaamazing! I loved connecting with friends. It was solidly biblical, off-the-chain creative, and intensely practical. I loved communion on night one, the Breakskate group, and a breakout session with Dian, Andy’s assistant. It was just more confirmation that I am on the team that I need to be on at Access.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The Spontaneous Dance at DRIVE '09
Before one of the sessions at Drive there were people in the audience that were strategically sitting and spontaneously starting dancing. This is how they taught the dance to the staff and volunteers involved. It was awesome.
http://micahanderica.blogspot.com/2009/05/spontaneous-dance-at-drive.htmlBefore one of the sessions at Drive there were people in the audience that were strategically sitting and spontaneously starting dancing. This is how they taught the dance to the staff and volunteers involved. It was awesome.
Snapshots of Drive 09
http://www.kriegs.org/page25/page25.php
Just experienced Drive Conference '09, Day 1. And, yes, experienced is the right verb. Wow. Excellence at every level. Typography (modern, sans serif, all caps), color scheme (aqua, black, white)(even taffy and mints in the lobby were matched), smooth admin, teaching (it's Andy Stanley. And even he was more honest and vulnerable than usual), media (informative, hilarious, and looked good), music, and really, experiential worship (I was balling (sic) during communion as they led you through the Last Supper, crucifixion, and resurrection with a full orchestra). It reminded me of why I am doing what I do.
I will include my random notes from Andy's first talk. But some takeaways for me included the fact that despite the fact that I am in charge of media at a small church..media is just a tool. I need to be strengthening my spiritual man if I am going to be able to feed and lead others. I love, love, love media stuff so much that sometimes I think I focus too much on technique (learning the next effect in photoshop or motion or whatever) and don't continue to nourish my soul so I have things to say. My wife wisely pointed out tonight that perhaps this is due to the fact that the technique is tangible. If I create a cool graphic, I can immediately see it. Ministry, building something spiritual, is much more slippery and often takes years to see fruit bud above ground. It brought to mind and inspired me to re-read Eugene Peterson's Under the Unpredictable Plant...which is what half of Andy's message was tonite....uncertainty.
Anyways, enough drivel. Here are the notes. :)
FLEXIBILITY
no one knows what to do. not even the president. he’s just a person.
i will always be uncertain. i’m certain of it. (made us repeat 3x)
uncertainty
a leader is sometimes the only person who has an idea
i don’t have all the answers, but i’m going to pray hard and lead hard.
all the stories that happen in the Scriptures deal with uncertainty
Jesus’ death was very uncertain
God, what are you doing?!
I’m redeeming the world. Be quiet.
You don’t grow spiritually when things are going incredibly
When do you learn? During your greatest challenge and God showed up
We should THRIVE on uncertainty
This is where God does His greatest work
CLARITY
we can afford to be uncertain. we can’t be unclear.
what has God called us to do?
clarity around vision is key
andy (now the leader of a large church) struggled to get things going at first. when they were meeting in a high school gym, a couple said to andy: “this is a great thing here. when you get things going, we’ll come back.”
we don’t need you when we get things going. we need you now...he told them...and admitted bitterness still to this day if he doesn't watch it
andy felt God say to him....would you have done this if the noncomittals didn’t come? would you still WANT to do this? yes.
what do you want to do? what are we doing? what has God called to do locally?
in spite of the uncertainty, this is what God has called us to do
tell your people...this is what we are doing
inside “steve jobs mind
steve jobs: we create computers that are simple to operate
clarity will allow you to stay focused
plans change. vision remains the same.
plan is how. vision is what.
plans change ALL the time.
since the plan isn’t working out, it doesn’t mean the vision is bad
it’s very dangerous to attach God’s name to your PLAN
you can get more done in times of uncertainty
this is the time to rethink stuff b/c people are flexible b/c of the economy
leverage uncertainty for the vision
clarity. flexibility.
clarity. flexibility.
clarity. flexibility.
lead confidently but don’t fake it.
express confidently
i don’t know right now. but we’re gonna figure it out.
i don’t know for sure. but this is the direction i believe God is pointing us
seek counsel
leadership is not about making decisions on your own. it’s about owning decisions once they are made.
you’ve got to pray like crazy
pray for clarity. pray for vision.
north point’s vision: create a church for unchurched people
when you lead in the face of uncertainty, you need grace
Lord, would you take us back to that time and place when we were just starting out and everything was uncertain? When we had no resources, no people, just a call.
 |
| WELS bought a twice-failed bar in downtown Appleton for Ski and Glende. The latest version of the bar was The Pulse. So now it is The CORE. |
Anthem Church
Our aim in attending this conference is to introduce you to the North Point model, which will give our team a point of reference for future ministry at Anthem. We hope that by the end of the conference, you will walk away with an “Ah-ha” moment of how you can implement what you learn at Drive here at Anthem. Drive is the opportunity for “buy-in” of the vision of both North Point and Anthem. Hopefully this conference will inspire individuals to enlarge their vision of personal commitment and strategic service. This conference is going to be an incredible experience and a great learning opportunity for Anthem!
AnthemChurch The group is heading back from #drive09. It was an incredible conference this year!
12:21 PM May 6th from Tweetie We are here at #drive09 ready for session one. http://yfrog.com/2856204850j
4:23 PM May 4th from Tweetie What a great conclusion 2 "Text" yesterday! Also a crew is about 2 take off 4 @driveconference. So excited! Updates 2 come. #driveconference
3:55 AM May 4th from Tweetie A fun surprise at #anthemchurch today! Thanks @jgmoyer. http://yfrog.com/0bld9ij
6:50 AM May 3rd from Tweetie It's going to be an awesome day at @anthemchurch. @stephencope & @jgmoyers are leading us in worship and it's the final part of "Text".
2:02 AM May 3rd from Tweetie An awesome new video about Anthem and NP partners on the facebook page. http://tinyurl.com/dc6zxm
7:05 PM Apr 30th from web Has enjoyed the "text" reading schedule this week. Psalm 53 today.
6:59 PM Apr 30th from Tweetie RT The countdown to @Driveconference has officially begun. (via @BuckheadChurch)
3:48 AM Apr 29th from Tweetie R U involved? http://tinyurl.com/c6gfcu/p...
8:45 PM Apr 27th from web An awesome set at a partner church. RT Run thru @athenschurch http://twitpic.com/41ao7 (via @mKOS)
7:52 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie The upstreet hallway this morning at #anthhemchurch. Yes that is a car! http://twitpic.com/41ew1
7:48 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie The production team at #anthemchurch rocks. Here is their view this morning. http://twitpic.com/41est
7:46 AM Apr 26th from Tweetie Watching live worship at Buckhead Church. Check it out. Global Night of Worship. http://blog.buckheadchurch....
4:54 PM Apr 23rd from web RT @blainehogan Blue Like Jazz the movie needs your help. http://tinyurl.com/BLJthemovie
8:27 AM Apr 23rd from Tweetie RT @Jlferrini: loves SUNDAY's! Worship@Anthem was AMAZING!So happy 2have shared that wTrae & Cami!My text from God is call'n. Got 2read it!
7:34 PM Apr 19th from Tweetie Check out this Anthem Update - http://eepurl.com/0lK
12:28 PM Apr 17th from MailChimp Are U a fan of Anthem Church on facebook? Check out the new & improved fan page. http://tinyurl.com/cqg5j7
5:27 AM Apr 16th from web RT: Please join us live in person or on the web for the Global Night of Worship. April 23, 7 pm. #Buckheadchurch (via @BuckheadChurch)
8:32 PM Apr 13th from Tweetie If God was on twitter, would you read his tweets? "text" a new series starting this Sunday at #anthemchurch
James Laing's Blog
Got back yesterday from the Drive Conference at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. Had a great time or learning, worship and FUN!
Andy Stanley taught in the three main sessions. A few takeaways:
1. "Uncertainty is permanent and is why we need leaders. Leaders can afford to be uncertain but not unclear."
2. "It's very dangerous to attach God's name to your plans because they always change whereas vision does not."
3. "Leadership is not about making decisions on your own, it's about owning decisions you make."
4. "To be a great leader, you must be a great listener because you are probbably not the smartest person in your organization. You are just the leader."
5. "Leaders are attracted to environments where their ideas and opinions are heard. Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say."
6. "In a seniority structure, title and position, rather than insight or creativity, determine who sits at the decision-making table. Eventually, a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge."
7. "Fairness ended in the garden of Eden. When you shoot for fairness you become unjust. Shoot for what is right."
8. "Vision: A mental picture of what could be, fueled by the passion of what should be."
9. "If doing Church is hard, it's because it is. But it's worth it."
I have worked in churches where the senior leaders always sat at the decision making table. Even though these leaders had a passion for young families they didn't have a clue about how to create environments for young families. What they created was an environment that repelled young families. The results of a fair, seniority seniority structure. This could have been overcome if they invited those with insight into young families to sit at the decision table.
How have you seen the seniority structure played out in your organization?
[GJ - Recently read - Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger]
Small Group Pastors
Your Leadership Matters!
05.07.09Andy Stanley: Thoughts on LeadershipPosted in Andy Stanley, Catalyst, Drive Conference, Small Group Leaders, Small Group Ministry, leadership, pastors tagged Andy Stanley, leadership, Small Group Leaders, Small group pastors at 4:00 pm by centralcouples
Andy Stanley has been one of those leaders that has made a HUGE impact upon my life! Recently at the CatWest and Drive ‘09 Conference, Andy made some statements about leadership that I thought I would pass along. Great stuff and thought provoking…as always!
“Is this an easy, obvious, strategic step toward community?”
This is the question asked when North Point determines whether or not to add something new to their ministry! Great filter for simple church!
“As leaders, we gravitate to voices we want to hear.”
How are you being intentional in allowing other voices to speak into your leadership?
“You have got to create a mechanism to listen to the right people.”
What mechanism do you use to ensure that you are listening to the RIGHT people?
“What and who you listen to will determine what you do.”
Who are the top three people that you listen too? Why do you listen to them?
“The more sense of input that people have, the less the push back.”
Love this one…Ownership…Ownership…Ownership! Do your leaders feel as if they have ownership in the ministry?
“Leaders are attracted to environments where ideas and opinions are heard.”
How are you intentionally allowing your leaders to give input?
“If you want great leaders, you need to create systems for listening to great leaders.”
Ask some of your veteran leaders how they know that you value their input.
“Leaders want more than assignments. They want input into the decision-making process.”
Are you in a ministry that wants YOUR input or are you just doing assignments? Are your leaders empowered to do the work of the ministry?
“Leaders want to influence their own destinies.”
Love it! They also want to feel that they matter in things of eternity! How do you continually show them that their leadership matters?
“Leaders who refuse to listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing important to say.”
Oh, so true!
“Eventually a seniority structure leaves the seniors in charge.”
Do you feel valued in your ministry and do your leaders feel valued as a leader?
“Your structure has to change or your structure will impede information flow.”
I always try to ask, “Do my leaders know what is going on and do they own it?” If it is a surprise or they get caught off guard all the time, then the flow of information has a kink in it and needs to be adjusted!
“I don’t want anyone to live with the frustration that I used to live with in the lower levels of the organization.”
Good stuff! Put yourself in the leader’s shoes.
“You want the best thinkers and the most strategic people at the table with you.”
Who are your best thinkers and most strategic people? Are they at the table with you? If not, why? Are you secure in your ability to lead?
“You need to listen deep in your organization. That doesn’t mean you have to meet with everyone in the organization.”
Andy said he meets with 150 volunteers occasionally to get input. Listen to the people who are in the trenches and on the frontlines. They have a very different perspective than that at Headquarters.
“Resist the urge to lead every meeting you attend.”
Share your leadership! Sit and listen sometimes. It will let you know how you are leading and if vision is sticking.
“The people we don’t want to hear from are the people we often need to hear from most.”
Who do you not want to hear from? Schedule a One on One with them and see what they are thinking! Huge insights!
Again, these are some random thoughts from what Andy said at Drive ’09 and some of what he shared at Catalyst West Coast. Let me know what you are thinking and how you have structured systems to allow for great leadership! I would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks again Andy!
Mark Batterson
Our Pastor of Discipleship, Heather Zempel, just sent me a link to the videos from the Drive Conference hosted by Northpoint in Atlanta. I was totally bummed that I didn't get to go this year, but they have made the videos of the sessions available online. Here's a link.
This is totally aside, but do any other pastors out there wish Andy Stanley was their friend :) There you have it. I just came out and said it :) Man, I love the way that guy leads and preaches.
By the way, I'm definitely going to drive next year! I'll probably fly there. But I'm definitely going drive. Get it? I'm not going to drive to drive. I'm going to fly to drive.
Drive could do a fun take on the Abbott and Costello Who's On First schtick. Or not.
Online Drive for Drive Addicts
I have been to DRIVE two different times at Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. That conference has been a huge turning point each time in my own life and ministry. I have learned a ton of things about church leadership from Andy Stanley and the Northpoint folks over the years.
They have just recently announced a new conference for people who can’t make it to the DRIVE conference in GA. DRIVE-IN is a series of online web events on several days this spring starting this Wednesday, January 21st at 9 a.m. EST. Click HERE for more details.
It can be a really cool thing for our church to get all on the same page about how to create a church for people who don’t like church–in our culture! Jump in, log on, and drive-in.
Groove Is King
DRIVE Conference at North Point Community Church
THe Drive conference hosted by North Point Community Church is an amazing conference. I play at it every year, and always walk away recharged. Andy Stanley and the other speakers always leave you with something to chew on.
Here is the link to it: Look for me. I'll be playing drums!
Why Ape the Babtists?
Baroque sacred architecture
The Frauenkirche is regarded as the symbol of protestant church construction. The evangelical concept of faith and church service has been translated here into architectural form. The Frauenkirche is a remarkable example of sacred baroque architecture both due to its overall outer appearance as well as to its interior arrangement with the centrally located pulpit, baptismal font, altar and organ. When the bells again ring out, signalling that the church is open to visitors, free access is available to both the nave and the lower church everyone.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Watch the Lutherans Let the Pope Usurp the Reformation Festival of 2017
Reformation Jubilee in 2017 Must Have Clear Ecumenical Dimension
Hanover Bishop Kässmann: Bible Is Reformation Focal Point
AUGSBURG/GENEVA, 27 March 2009 (LWI) - The bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover Dr. Margot Kässmann has issued a strong plea to "give the jubilee of the Reformation a clear ecumenical dimension."
On 26 March in one of the main presentations at the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) consultation "Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches: Transformative Perspectives and Practices Today," the bishop insisted that, despite their disagreements and their specific identities, the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches have more things in common than things that separate them.
"In a secular society, a common witness of Christians is of eminent importance," Kässmann told consultation participants. The closer the church is in its presentations to the public, the theologian asserted, the better it is listened to as a church.
With regard to the 2017 Reformation jubilee, Kässmann feels it is extremely important that the event is used as an opportunity for critical reflection. "I am convinced [that] the churches of the Reformation in Germany, as well as Lutheran churches worldwide, are strong enough not to blind out the dark sides of their great founder," Kässmann explained.
"The Bible is the focal point of reference for the Reformation," the theologian insisted. For this reason, she hoped that during preparations for the Reformation jubilee fresh orientation from the Bible will be sought out. She also hoped that Christians, in Europe especially, will once again find a common language. (254 words)
More than 120 theologians from across the globe are taking part in the consultation "Theology in the Life of Lutheran Churches: Transformative Perspectives and Practices Today" in Augsburg, Germany, from 25 to 31 March under the auspices of the LWF Department for Theology and Studies, in collaboration with the Institute of Protestant Theology of the University of Augsburg.
More information on the consultation is available at www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/DTS/DTS-TLC_Augsburg.html
Fundies In Their Undies
About 30 years ago, I needed to buy basic church supplies in a small town, so I went to the nearest Bible book and gift store. They always had prominently displayed such recent Evangelical best-sellers as Fascinating Woman (if that was the title). One book caught on, perhaps by that name.
We called the genre - Fundies In Their Undies.
They bowdlerized such current classics as Everything You Wanted To Know about Sex But Were Afraid To Ask, which would have been deemed NSFW - Not Safe For WELS.
Fireproof is simply a new version of the old genre, and another neat way to get the congregation into Babtist theology.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fundies In Their Undies":
Am I missing something? How does this book grow my faith? Does fireproofing my marriage prepare me for the next life?
***
GJ - The Book of Concord will fireproof your soul for the next life.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fundies In Their Undies":
"The Book of Concord will fireproof your soul for the next life."
You do mean Scripture, of course. It's nice to see you placing man's writing over God's.
***
GJ - I wrote it that way to elicit another dollop of sanctimony. Nothing in my statement put the Book of Concord above the Scriptures. Anyone who appreciates the Confessions can grasp that. The Pietists jump at every opportunity to scorn anything that might get in the way of their ecumenical Enthusiasm.
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Kenneth Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "Fundies In Their Undies":
I saw that awful "Fireproof" movie in an LCMS church I later left. "Fireproof" shows the concept of female headship in the home that is a cornerstone of American Evangelicalism. A Christian husband's sole duty is to follow all the orders and instructions of his wife at all times. If he violates this precept he is a manifest and impenetent sinner headed to hell.
Will WELS-LCMS-ELS Denounce This?
And Keep Working with ELCA?
Yes!
ELCA NEWS SERVICE May 6, 2009
Lutheran Seminarians Support Task Force Recommendation
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In an open letter to the 65 synod bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lutheran seminarians expressed their support for a recommendation that would allow Lutherans in committed same-gender relationships to be included on professional church rosters.
On Feb. 19 the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality released a report and recommendation for a process to consider changes to ministry policies that could make it possible for Lutherans who are in "publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gendered relationships" to serve as ELCA associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained ministers. The task force also released that day a proposed social statement for the church -- "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust."
The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly -- the highest legislative authority of the 4.7 million-member church -- will consider both documents Aug. 17-23 in Minneapolis.
To date more than 160 members of the ELCA studying at Lutheran and non-Lutheran seminaries have signed on to "An Open Letter from Lutheran Seminarians to the Bishops of the ELCA." Four members of the ELCA attending Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, wrote the letter.
"We applaud the ELCA's commitment to the dialogue on sexuality and its affirmation of sexuality as a gift and trust from God," the letter stated. "After careful consideration of the issue at hand and its influence on the life of the church, we stand in solidarity, affirming the recommendation for structured flexibility within the rostering requirements of the ELCA."
In the letter seminarians asked synod bishops to "represent our voice faithfully in your involvement in the deliberation process leading" to the churchwide assembly. "Joining with you as people invested in the life, health and ministry of the ELCA, we appeal to your commitment to the gospel and the mission of the church."
In preparation for ministry, "we both see and experience the harm of the current policy and its denial of the gifts present in the whole Body of Christ. Because of the current policy, gay and lesbian persons ignore calls to ministry, candidates feel compelled to lie about their sexuality, mentors are forced out of the church, and candidates leave the ELCA for more inclusive denominations. The tragedy of these events is weakening the integrity of the church," the letter stated.
The Lutheran seminarians said it is in the "best interest" of the ELCA to affirm the recommendation of the task force at the assembly. "The life of the church depends upon the full recognition and inclusion of ministerial gifts engendered by the Spirit." - - -
"An Open Letter from Lutheran Seminarians to the Bishops of the ELCA" is available at http://elcaseminarianresponse.weebly.com/ on the Internet.
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ELCA Seminarians:
While we acknowledge and respect the bound consciences of those who disagree, we have faith and hope that resting in God we can respond with love to the contemporary challenges facing the church and society. We therefore stand firm in our belief that it is in the best interest of the ELCA’s ministry to affirm the recommendations of the Task Force at the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.
Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are
From the church bulletin, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Freedom, Wisconsin:
Pastor Tim will be gone from Monday – Wednesday, May 4-6th. If an emergency arises, please contact Pastor Christenson @ 733-7225 or his cell 585-6998.
Absent is any mention of Drive 09. An innocent reader would think the "pastor conference" was Wisconsin Synod.
From the Twittering of Glende, Ski, Buske and Katy, we know that all four were in Atlanta at the Drive 09 Babtist conference with Andy Stanley, that they are such buds with the Babtist staff that the four invited Carlos Whittaker out to lunch even before they got there.
We also know from Katie that a total of seven WELS pastors (see below) were there in Atlanta, including four WELS pastors never mentioned in the Tweets of the A-town Musketeers-plus-Buske. Ichabod readers, I warned you more WELS workers were there. The blabbering Tweets came from the cubs, who know they are protected by the stealthy senior wolves of Church and Change.
Background
The recently retired pastor of St. Peter in Freedom, Ron Ash, has been chairman of Church and Change, the folks who ran the synod into the ground before Gurgel beat a hasty exit to a secure and undisclosed location.
Tim Glende grew up at St. Paul, German Village (Columbus, Ohio), where Floyd Luther Stolzenburg introduced the loathsome Church Growth Movement. Pastors Mike Nitz and Robert Schumann both promoted CG at St. Paul. Needless to say, the congregation shrank from the work of the Church Shrinkers. Schumann is openly allergic to religion these days, like many CG burn-outs.
As Wayne Mueller claimed in FIC The Northwestern Lutheran, the Church Growth Movement never existed in WELS. But no one was allowed to question the Church Growth Movement in WELS, especially in Columbus. VP Kuske worked closely with Stolzenburg and promoted Floyd for a church job after Floyd and Roger Zehms wore out their welcome as leaders of the "first Church Growth agency in WELS." Of course, The Love Shack was first Church Growth agency of WELS, with predictable results.
Dishonesty breeds even more dishonesty, stealth, sneaking around, dissembling. I do not blame the young cubbies of Church and Change as much as the senior wolves who have abused them with bad training in the WELS school system, horrible examples at so-called evangelism days at MLC, and easy money from synod subsidies, grants, and Thrivent bail-outs.
Katie Tweeted: "Grateful for the last 3 days I spent with 7 kingdom minded WELS pastors. Love their hearts for lost ppl." But Ski spoke to the alleged evangelism conference for the Anything Goes District (Northern Wisconsin) this year and last. The delight of Katie seems to contrast the Babtist WELS pastors, "who have hearts for lost people," with the traditional WELS pastors who implicitly rely on the efficacious Gospel in the Means of Grace.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
Finally someone is pointing out the duplicity that is done in the name of God. Man devises and promotes such dishonesty -- not God.
Why should these people be deemed trustworthy when it comes to your soul?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
We have not heard much from the Wolf Pack today.
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GJ - I think they are waking up or sobering up. See below.
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
The Ichabod zombies are hilarious. Brett the scorned layperson, Worms from A-town, Kreuter the former St. Marcus member, and Jackson the zombie leader have all had their hands slapped by the man and now are seeking revenge. GJ wants so bad to connect the Church and Change dots that he dreams up stuff and the zombies fall for it. I don't think GJ could connect the dots if his life depended on it.
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GJ - Dreaming up must mean quoting their websites and Tweets.
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JR has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
My father didn't give me enough attention. I wasn't breast-fed. My pastor doesn't return my calls. I was passed over for a promotion at work. My ex-girlfriend is getting married. Obama is stealing my tax dollars.
OK, there. Now will you actually answer the allegations instead of resorting to petty attacks that do nothing to reinforce your position? Or is this what amounts to "strategery" among the C&C crowd these days?
I'll ask as simply as I know how:
1) Is there any question that Ski and others were at this Drive conference?
2) How is the attendance of WELS pastors at a pastoral conference attended and organized by others with whom we clearly are not in fellowship okay?
3) If you agree that going to the Drive conference was okay, why was it hidden from the congregation under the guise of a "pastoral conference" that would give the members the impression that it was a WELS event?
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JR has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
I'm confused then. You seem to be advocating two viewpoints in conflict. Pastor Glende said he was at a "pastoral conference," yet the conference was "not about fellowship." Either Pastor Glende is lying to us or you are lying to yourself.
"I am not going to change your opinion and you will not change mine." There's another classic C&C talking point at work-- it's all adiaphora, isn't it? That's classic Parlow.
I'd be interested in hearing what Ski and the others learned at this Drive conference that was so markedly different from the last Drive conference that justifies the expense incurred in light of these tough economic times. Couldn't that money have been better spent giving it to World Missions or some other synod need?
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JR has left a new comment on your post "Lo, How Honest the Church and Change Pastors Are":
You said, "I know that it [attending Drive '09] is not about fellowship." (emphasis mine)
I'm curious to know how you "know" this. Are you one of the attendees? Were you at the conference?
Obviously, I was not at the conference. But when I hear the phrase "pastoral conference," I can't help but think of fellowship.
You have a different perspective. If this conference wasn't about fellowship, what was it about?
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GJ - Judging from Ski's gushing remarks about Drive 08, and Tweets from various participants, this was definitely a worship conference where all the participants joined in ecumenical worship. Ski said he worshiped with the Babtists last year, and I believe him. Why would 2009 be different?
WELS Drive 09 Veterans Reflect Upon Their Experiences with the Babtists
Bishop Katie Tweets
Finally headed home to a-town. Grateful for the last 3 days I spent with 7 kingdom minded WELS pastors. Love their hearts for lost ppl.
28 minutes ago from Tweetie RT @loswhit DRIVE HANGOVER. // I feel ya on that. All worth it though.
about 4 hours ago from Tweetie Hangin in the airport just waitin to leave the ATL
about 4 hours ago from Tweetie RT @glende78 Driving to airport with Ski @ the wheel is an adventure. you've been warned! // driving anywhere w/ @pastorski is an adventure
about 5 hours ago from Tweetie Trying not to make a mess http://twitpic.com/4oeo1
about 10 hours ago from Tweetie "A word to the wise ain’t necessary, it is the stupid ones who need all the advice."- Bill Cosby (via @tommytrc)
about 12 hours ago from Tweetie "Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog."- Mark Twain (via @tommytrc)
about 12 hours ago from Tweetie RT @micahfoster "Sometimes I'm like P-Diddy." - @loswhit #drive09 //. Dude. Whatssaid in the room stays in the room. LOL (via @loswhit)
about 15 hours ago from Tweetie Last day of #drive09. So much to process. Definitely being pushed and challenged by what seem like such simple ideas.
about 18 hours ago from Tweetie Conference done for the day. Brain way overloaded. #drive09
5:13 PM May 5th from Tweetie @Tomplay looks awesome Tom! sorry I haven't gotten any pics yet. i'll try to take one tonight.
1:29 PM May 5th from TweetDeck in reply to TomplayUp and ready for day two of #drive09. First up: connecting adults into small groups.
5:29 AM May 5th from Tweetie What a night. Still trying to process @andystanley 's talk at Drive. Headed to bed and hoping I get to stay there till morning.
10:25 PM May 4th from Tweetie @Jschmidt56 one day closer to a break. Hang in there!
10:22 PM May 4th from Tweetie in reply to Jschmidt56Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. (via @tommytrc)
8:44 PM May 4th from Tweetie Hangin in the ATL with some great people. Yes they're out there. So awesome to be a part of the awesome things God is doing right now.
8:04 PM May 4th from Tweetie @toddfields one word: phenomenal! God is great!
8:03 PM May 4th from Tweetie in reply to toddfieldsJust talked with @loswhit. He's as real in person as he is on the web. That's good stuff. Love authentic people!
6:58 PM May 4th from Tweetie "it is well with my soul"!!
6:57 PM May 4th from Tweetie @tonymorganlive breakout one starts 8:30
4:07 PM May 4th from Tweetie in reply to tonymorganlive
Dinner at the Golden Corral. Got to have a salad. Probably the healthiest food I'll get for 3 days. I'm a happy girl now.
3:33 PM May 4th from Tweetie Walk in 2 register. tell the guy we r from The CORE. He (clay) says I've been praying 4 u. pulls a card from his pocket with r name on it.
2:16 PM May 4th from Tweetie Ready to take on the next three days after a nap and clean clothes. Does wonders!
1:41 PM May 4th from Tweetie @loswhit I'm there #drive09
10:10 AM May 4th from Tweetie in reply to loswhit
Ski Tweets
@Tomplay Looing (sic) gr8 Tom. Thanks again 4 being there. Can't wait 2 c it 2morrow.
about 16 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to Tomplay@Tomplay looks Awesome! Can't wait to get back to see it.
3:21 PM May 5th from twitterrific in reply to Tomplay@Tomplay wow! Looking gr8 Tom. Thanks 4 everything u r doing.
12:04 PM May 5th from twitterrific in reply to Tomplay@loswhit I'm here in the ATL 4 Drive 09
1:01 PM May 4th from twitterrific in reply to loswhit
Tim Glende Tweets
Driving to airport with Ski @ the wheel is an adventure. you've been warned!
about 7 hours ago from txt God is so good! Can't wait for tomorrow.
7:07 PM May 5th from txt Remember if you had all the answers, you would always know what to do!
9:08 AM May 5th from web The 5 Seasons is a great place to debrief at the end of a great day in Atlanta.
7:12 PM May 4th from txt Just had chili slaw dogs for lunch. If you are ever in Atlanta make sure you hit the Varsity.
8:53 AM May 4th from txt is waiting for the plane to unload. never knew 5 feet made so much of a difference!
6:23 AM May 4th from mobile web Hanging out @ Buske's in Milwaukee.
Drive Conference Tweets
DriveConference: Day Two is over. Sad to see that our time together will end tomorrow. But wait. There's always Drive 2010 @ special rate $199. #drive09
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