It Came from Fuller Seminary

Read this article and follow the link.

Fuller is the favorite seminary of ELCA, LCMS, WELS, and ELS pastors. The results are obvious.

Demographic Winter: Decline of the Human Family

This video is worth the time it takes to watch.

WELS 2009 Yearbook Published

Some people like to market the idea that I hate WELS and WELS hates me. One poor soul named Tiefel used to do that in the CLC. He was always trying to protect WELS from me. At the time, Martin Luther College made a point of welcoming me and telling me about their book give-aways at the library. The MLC library also bought my latest books from me.

NPH is selling Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant. I did not even know that until I looked for Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure, which was in print for about 15 years. Wally Oelhafen, Fred Adrian, and Roger Kovaciny hated the "Cure" chapter, when I gave it as a conference paper. Until then I had no cure for Liberalism. Thanks to them, I did.

I am happy to promote worthwhile books. Today our book is the new WELS Yearbook.

Some readers are thinking, "You must be daft."

Not at all. I am a firm believer in data-mining, collecting as much information as possible. The most interesting tidbits are found in the nooks and crannies of official documents and websites. For instance, as of last night, Wayne Mueller was still the First VP of WELS, according to WELS.net. And Janke was still the DP of the Arizona-California-Las Vegas District.

I have had great fun mining the Church and Change website, watching information disappear. Ski's bio disappeared, as soon as I took notice of him. No photo. Stealth! By Googling various names I was able to find how they fund each other's programs.

My best source runs rings around me in this department. I would like to give credit where it is due, but some people are shy.

The pastors probably order the Yearbook as a matter of routine. The laity should order it so they can voice their opinion about the direction of the synod. Phone calls and letters are effective because only 10% of the people who want to do something actually carry it out.

Liberals are very political. They line up supporters so they can appear to be dominant. They are not. They just make more noise.

Readers know the names and the basic information. Now they can write and phone. The pastors would rather pussyfoot. The COP? They have done nothing for 30 years.

I Know This Guy

A. Nony Mouse often writes to share his doctrinal ignorance.

From Bailing Water:

Anonymous said...
John,
Are you still stuck on these same three topics? I quit your blog a while ago because of its repetitious arguing in circles. Now, I stop back in and sure enough, its the same old, same old. I'm starting to suspect your readership turnover is large and you constantly rehash the same points to newcomers, who then eventually tire and leave.

If I could imagine God right now, I'd imagine him to be rolling his eyes at the stupidity of his children just like I did with mine when they were about 8-10 yrs. old.

"I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Cor. 1:10

December 4, 2008 11:18 PM

Anonymous said...
"If I could imagine God right now, I'd imagine him to be rolling his eyes at the stupidity of his children just like I did with mine when they were about 8-10 yrs. old."

And now you think you impress him?

December 5, 2008 7:46 AM


John said...
1 Cor. 1:10 ..December 4, 2008 11:18 PM


So you don't like to visit this blog yet you do. You don't want divisions yet you offer no suggestions..hmmm.. Can't we all just get along.

You quote 1 Cor. 1:10 and I will turn this on you. Why did the Church and Changers start their organization? I will contend that it was started to cause division by its very name as someone once said.

If you don't want to read what is discussed here don't come back. If you want to create dialogue on issues of concern and conscience by all means post here or start a blog.

If we use your logic about rehashing old issues we should not discuss the confessions are the thoughts of Martin Luther.

December 5, 2008 10:25 AM

[GJ - The complainer is probably Joe Krohn, 51, who has his own blog to defend UOJ, Church and Chicanery, and Doebler's Rock and Roll Church, where he is the bass player:

http://randrchurch.blogspot.com/

Tell us it ain't so, Joe.]

***

GJ - I often get comments like this. Recently, from Anonymous - Repent at once or I will never read your blog again. A few hours later - I see you still haven't repented. He promised me he would stop reading it.

The Church and Chicanery people like to invoke Jesus and Paul.

God said:

KJV Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

KJV Nehemiah 1:9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

Jesus said:

KJV Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

KJV John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

KJV John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Paul said:

KJV Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

KJV 1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

In Paul's farewell speech:

KJV Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Peter wrote:

KJV 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Every time their false doctrine is challenged, the Church and Chicanery people yell "Slander!" They declared war on Lutheran doctrine about 30 years ago, with the appointment of Ron Roth as editor of that pathetic little TELL magazine. I have no idea who made that decision, but obviously there were influential people who could get a Church Growth publication going at The Love Shack, with the endorsement of the Synodical Pope, Naumann. Roth was the first openly Church Growth staff member, but there had to be others.

The Church Growth people strutted and preened, as I have shown from my database many times. They brought up CG all the time in various periodicals. They got the world mission and American mission people trained at Fuller Seminary. They got Valleskey in at The Sausage Factory and Paul Kelm (his student helper at Apostles) as the new secretary of evangelism. So the Means of Grace were discarded in favor of marketing and making fun of Lutheran worship.

Missouri and ELCA and the ELS did the same things, but I will focus on WELS.

Not content to promote Enthusiasm, the WELS CG people got the synod to fund trouble-makers who went to congregations and forced CG on those parishes. Some are called Parish Assistants (trained at Fuller and Trinity). Some are called Mission Counselors. They all have the same mandate - install CG and get rid of Lutheran worship.

Under SP Gurgel--in reality--over SP Gurgel, Wayne Mueller installed all his CG buddies at The Love Shack. The CG people created the job of Administrator, Parish Services, for Wayne. When CG promoted Wayne to VP of the Synod, another CG guy became boss. If there are any doubts, note that the Parish Services Adminisrator is also a board member of Church and Chicanery. They brag about it on their website.

And this Parish Services Administrator, Bruce Becker, secretly and defiantly, had Paul Kelm come back to The Love Shack as a Parish Assistant. Church and Chicanery people immediately began denying that Kelm was called without the knowledge or approval of the Synodical Presient, Mark Schroeder.

Paul Kelm turned 64 this month. He has spent his entire career promoting false doctrine, mostly at The Love Shack.

Parlow Kelm's numbers at St. Mark, Depere:

By The Numbers
f.y.i.
Weekend attendance (October 19): 1231 (October 26): 1058 (November 9): 1141

To Date (July 1, 2008 - October 31, 2008) Actual expenses (year-to-date) - $573,912.63 / Actual contributions (year-to- date) - $583,816.05 (60% of total LES tuition collected)

Other items of interest: Received to date for 3-year pledges (June 1, 2007-May 31, 2010) for Building Fund - $915,480.68 (61% received) / Expenditures from Building Fund - $1,487,939.34/ Line of Credit with Thrivent - $581,000.00.

Stealthy Lutherans - What Is Their Real Confession of Faith?

Brett Meyer has left a new comment on your post "To Sing at the Ed Stetzer Church and Chicanery Con...":

Martin Luther to George Major:

"It is by your silence and cloaking that you cast suspicion upon yourself. If you believe as you declare in my presence, then speak so also to the church, in public lectures, in sermons, and in private conversations, and strengthen your brethren, and lead the erring back to the right path, and contradict the contumacious spirits; otherwise your confession is sham pure and simple, and worth nothing. Whoever really regards his doctrine, faith, and confession as true, right, and certain cannot remain in the same stall with such as teach, or adhere to, false doctrine; nor can he keep on giving friendly words to Satan and his minions. A teacher who remains silent when errors are taught, and nevertheless pretends to be a true teacher, is worse than an open fanatic and by his hypocrisy does greater damage than a heretic. Nor can he be trusted. He is a wolf and a fox, a hireling and a servant of his belly, and ready to despise and to sacrifice doctrine, Word, faith, Sacrament, churches, and schools. He is either a secret bedfellow of the enemies or a skeptic and a weathervane, waiting to see whether Christ or the devil will prove victorious; or he has no convictions of his own whatever, and is not worthy to be called a pupil, let alone a teacher; nor does he want to offend anybody, or say a word in favor of Christ, or hurt the devil and the world."
Martin Luther, quoted in Bente's Historical Introduction, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 94.

Reu:

"We find this attitude of tolerance quite frequently among unionists. It is often used to assuage a troubled conscience, one's own as well as that of others; for the unionist declares that every one may continue to hold his own private convictions and merely needs to respect and tolerate those of another. This attitude is totally wrong, for it disregards two important factors: (a) in tolerating divergent doctrines one either denies the perspicuity and clarity of the Scriptures, or one grants to error the right to exist alongside of truth, or one evidences indifference over against Biblical truth by surrendering its absolute validity; and (b) in allowing two opposite views concerning one doctrine to exist side by side, one has entered upon an inclined plane which of necessity leads ever further into complete doctrinal indifference, as may plainly be seen from the most calamitous case on record, viz., the Prussian Union."
M. Reu, In the Interest of Lutheran Unity, Columbus: The Lutheran Book Concern, 1940, p. 20.

In Christ,
Brett Meyer

***

Rachmaninov Had Big Hands - Funny and Clever

WELS DP, 2005: Try the Leonard Sweet Enema

DP Vilas Glaeske

Meanwhile, the VP of the district is Don Patterson,
key member of Church and Chicanery,
next in line to be DP.

Bwana Don Patterson traveled to Africa to stalk this man-eating zebra, which was terrifying villagers and bent on destroying the local hemp economy.
Mrs. Ichabod: "Zebras are vegetarians. It's like shooting a cow."
Nevermind.

REPORT OF THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT

Gethsemane Lutheran Church

18 April 2005

Madison:

Of far greater concern for me is the meeting of the Church and Change folks at Madison. Some of you may have received invitations to attend. I did not! Dr. Leonard Sweet is scheduled to be the "keynote speaker" for this gathering. If you want a real physic for your elimination problem go to his website and read up on him. Why anyone in our fellowship would invite this man to give the direction for a meeting held for our people is beyond my comprehension. They must have had to dial 666 to get ahold of him. We will have COP representation at this meeting. My concern is that the attending laity will not be able to pick out the good seeds from the pile of stuff that will be dumped on them and then they will go back to their congregation with arms waving over what great things they have learned. The former president of the North Atlantic District used to say that inviting such a person "is a dumb thing to do!" I would add that it is mighty dangerous as well. It is certainly not avoiding the false teachers.

Vilas Glaeske

***

GJ - Big talk? As they say in Texas, all hat and no cattle.

Has V. Glaeske looked around his own district? How about a peek at his own VP's activities?

VP Don Patterson took one of his staff members and his Church and Chicanery network to the pan-denominational Exponential conference. The best known speaker at that conference was Babtist Ed Stetzer. Plenty of WELS clergy were there. Glaeske could not make it to an Issue in WELS meeting, but his VP participated in a well organized stampede to hear Stetzer.

Where is Doebler's Rock and Roll stealth congregation? Texas.

Don Patterson's network is busy bringing Babtist Ed Stetzer to speak in 2009. "Dumb and dangerous!"

Apparently Patterson is back from his African safari. His Facebook photo of his zebra-hunting skills is shown above.

A Star Wars Moment: We Have Found the Enemy And We Are They

Darth Vader: "Luke, I am your father."

Luke: "No-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!"

Everyone is pretty tired of all the Church and Change chicanery. They operate in secret, write to each other in secret, post anonymously, and conspire to bring the worst false teachers to teach Lutherans about the Word of God.

It's all your fault.

You funded them.

Yes, synodical funds started Church and Change.

I heard that before, but I saw the document in the WELS District Pope report - Central Southern Babtist District, 2004. Synodical funding ran out then.

Of course, it just says "Funding ran out." Maybe they found a way to launder the funds first.

I am sure we will get a signed post soon on the whole issue.

Church and Chicanery are supposedly a 501C group now, so they also have public papers filed about their tax status. That would be interesting to find, too.

They do so much good - for Babtists, Methodists, ELCA, Fuller, and Willow Creek.

Anonymous Poster Denies Church and Change Is a Covert Organization

Our anonymous posters are ready to deny everything.

Bailing Water Comment:

Anonymous said...
Good Lord! Is there information in the Warren Report about Church and change too? So why can't it just be that C&C has not announced their conference agenda. Some pastors went to a conference. BPS added a consultant.

I am wondering why any organization has to say anything about its conference a year in advance. Have you ever put on a conference? Do you know how foolish that is? Spring would be a great time to start promoting their conference and all speakers should be lined up and ready to go. Just because you want them to acknowledge it now or have notions of conspiracy theories should not compel them to jump the gun.

A covert group of pastors? How do you know they were covert? I know two of those pastors and they are not covert. They'll tell you all about it. Its not very stealthy for a pastor to announce to his congregation that he'll be gone this week because he's going to this conference. Is there some sort of place where pastors are supposed to declare their intentions for conferences for synod approval and these pastors forgot to post their itineraries?

Your statement implies that Kelm's call is responsible for a large budget deficit. We know that Kelm is not responsible for a budget deficit. Its the pathetic offerings of the WELS masses that are responsible ultimately. Perhaps Kelm is single handedly responsible for the collapse in the financial markets that are preventing large donations to the synod. Kelm's fees will pay for himself if not more, unlike all the other WELS synod office free loaders who simply have to rely on the sub standard offerings of your local church.

Stop inventing conspiracies and stealth when in reality most are just going about their daily lives doing what they do and they take little notice of what goes on here. You can't actually do work in the kingdom if you sit around here worrying about what BW thinks. I would be very disappointed if any of them gave this forum the time of day. After writing that, I actually feel guilty now for giving it the time of day.

December 4, 2008 8:59 AM

Anonymous said...
One of the problems here is that all "outside WELS fellowship" speakers need to be approved by the District President and this was not done prior to booking Ed Stetzer. This is not speculation. This is fact.

December 4, 2008 1:25 PM

Anonymous said...
which District President is in charge of C&C. When did para-church organizations bring themselves under the authority of WELS DP's?

Anonymous said...
Any outside speakers need to be approved by the District President of whichever district the event will take place. If it is in Milwaukee then it is the Southeastern Wisconsin District. I don't know the name of that District President. You may wish to run the question through him...but he would be the one that would need to approve the speaker.

December 4, 2008 5:09 PM


John said...
8:59 am Anonymous..

1)"So why can't it just be that C&C has not announced their conference agenda." Ok I will give the Church and Change time to put out their agenda. It is just odd that a public question was directly asked of the organizer of this event and no answer has been given.

2)I know two of those pastors and they are not covert. They'll tell you all about it. Ok I will post their review. I wonder why they haven't published an article about this excursion in FIC.? I wonder if these congregations were excited to have their pastors march off to a Reformed conference?

3)We know that Kelm is not responsible for a budget deficit.
Yet did this call have full synodical support?

December 4, 2008 7:07 PM


***

GJ - I am sure Church and Chicanery paid a fee to Stetzer in order to book him. Stetzer only talks and publishes. He is not a pastor. He has no call. He has learned that he can make more money yakking than by doing the hard work of a parish pastor. Therefore, as a traveling consultant, he deserves big fees.

When someone spends so much time and money on a national conference, the dates and plans are announced in advance. They would definitely want to announce the speaker in advance, since the speaker is the drawing point.

Foolishly, Church and Chicanery tried to throw people back by saying, "How do you know we haven't canceled him?" Exactly. How would anyone know? The only trustworthy source about this was Stetzer himself, who:

1. Twittered his booking with WELS in August;
   
2. Blogged about speaking for Missouri and WELS;
   
3. Named WELS Church and Chicanery on his speaking list for 2009.

Oh, I am a genius? No, I just Googled "Stetzer WELS." And I found those items. I also knew that the Stetzer invitation was discussed by the COP, who did nothing, as usual. The Rock and Roll member Joe Krohn asked about the Stetzer invitation on the Church and Chicanery list (which someone copied me). Instead of answering, C and C attacked me. Their cowardice in avoiding the question made me laugh harder than usual.

It's a good thing WELS broke with Missouri over fellowship principles. Missouri was so lax. "No doctrinal discipline. Thank God we are so strict."

To Sing at the Ed Stetzer Church and Chicanery Conference

VP Don Patterson, stealthy member of the Church and Change networkfamous African zebra hunter.

O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold

by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

1. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold


And let Thy pity waken:

How few are we within Thy Fold,

Thy saints by men forsaken!

True faith seems quenched on every hand,

Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;

Dark times have us o'ertaken.

2. With fraud which they themselves invent

Thy truth they have confounded;

Their hearts are not with one consent

On Thy pure doctrine grounded.

While they parade with outward show,

They lead the people to and fro,

In error's maze astounded.

3. May God root out all heresy

And of false teachers rid us

Who proudly say: "Now, where is he

That shall our speech forbid us?

By right or might we shall prevail;

What we determine cannot fail;

We own no lord and master."

4. Therefore saith God, "I must arise,

The poor My help are needing;

To Me ascend My people's cries,

And I have heard their pleading.

For them My saving Word shall fight

And fearlessly and sharply smite,

The poor with might defending."

5. As silver tried by fire is pure

From all adulteration,

So through God's Word shall men endure

Each trial and temptation.

Its light beams brighter through the cross,

And, purified from human dross,

It shines through every nation.

6. Thy truth defend, O God, and stay

This evil generation;

And from the error of their way

Keep Thine own congregation.

The wicked everywhere abound

And would Thy little flock confound;

But Thou art our Salvation.


Hymn 260
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 12
Author: Martin Luther, 1523
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein"
Tune: "Ach Gott vom Himmel"
1st Published in: Enchiridion
Town: Erfurt, 1524

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "To Sing at the Ed Stetzer Church and Change Confer...":

Clearly you regard Martin Luther very highly. Perhaps then you'll remember that he also wrote the following:

We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.

***

GJ - That the first Eighth Commandment post I have seen today. As Luther wrote, and we confess, false teachers are not covered by the Eighth Commandment, which is about private sins. When people have published their error and attacked God's Word, obviously, they cannot be slandered by discussing their doctrinal errors.

Bailing Water Asks about Stetzer

Ron Ash to Bruce Becker: "When are going to announce Stetzer?
Stop bailing and answer me."

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Full disclosure ?

I am wondering why the Church and Change group is not proudly and loudly advertising their upcoming conference with Ed Stetzer as the keynote speaker.

http://www.churchandchange.org/

Ed Stetzer has revealed on his blog that he is in fact coming to this conference.

Last spring a covert group of WELS pastors swam down to the exponential conference in Orlando. http://www.exponentialconference.org/

Not long after that Ed Stetzer was contracted to speak at the WELS conference.

The Board for Parish Assistance issued several calls for a consultant and finally landed a whale, Rev. Paul Kelm. The synod now must make drastic cuts due to a large budget deficit. hmmm...

Rev. Bruce Becker is asked to clarify a recent statement: http://together.wels.net/2008/12/1/clarification

So that is what is happening. All is not well in the WELS.

Why England Is Ripe for a Bombay-style Attack

England is rapidly becoming a Muslim-controlled country, not by conquest but by surrender.

Mid-week Advent Vespers Service

Mid-Week Advent Vespers

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Phoenix Time

The Hymn #554 by Gerhardt O Welt ich muss
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 95 p. 143
The Lection John 15:1-10

The Sermon Hymn # 64 O Jesu Christ, mein’s
The Sermon
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45

The Hymn #52 Old Hundredth

KJV John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit

This is one of the clearest passages about the Means of Grace.

The Gospel of John supplements what we know from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Fourth Gospel assumes we know the content of the other Gospels. There are surprising lapses that most people do not realize until these omissions are pointed out. For instance, the Baptism of Jesus and the Last Supper are not actually described. The passages certainly address the meaning of both, but the actual narrative is not given. Why? Because the audience already had good descriptions of both events.
John gives us what we would not have otherwise. He was known for being in Ephesus, which was once a great capital of the Christian faith. They lost their first love (Revelation) and fell prey to the Muslim invaders.

KJV Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

So these “I AM” sermons or parables are exclusive to John’s Gospel and very significant as the words of Jesus Himself. If you look at a red letter edition of the Bible, there is relatively little red ink in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but plenty of red ink in John’s Gospel. The sermons are supported by the historical narrative of the first three Gospels. John corrects the impression of a one-year ministry by showing that Jesus’ public ministry lasted three years.

“I AM” passages are significant because that is the Name of God in Exodus. Moses asked who was sending him. The Angel of the Lord (the pre-Incarnation Christ) said, “Tell them IAM sent you.”

So whenever we read or hear the words of the I AM passages in John, we are looking back at the time of Moses and the Exodus, the Burning Bush, the Pillar of Fire. The entire Old Testament is Christ-centered.

The opponents yelled, “We have Abraham for our father.” Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” There He clearly identified Himself with the Angel of the Lord. There He called Himself God.

This passage in John emphasizes the Father-Son relationship but the Holy Spirit is not ignored. The divine effect of the Word is through the Holy Spirit, as we see throughout John’s Gospel. The Father-Son relationship in John 15:1-10 is explicit. The work of the Holy Spirit through the Word is implicit.

As far as I know, no one questioned the divine and immediate effect of the Word in those days. Anyone raised in Judaism knew that God’s Word was no different from His Will. It always produced results (Isaiah 55:1-10)

KJV Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The True Vine
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

This is a very plain description of caring for grapes (or roses). Deadwood hurts a bush or vine. God has created these plants so that pruning deadwood makes them come alive and send out more roots. Amateurs do not like to prune, but experienced gardeners know that pruning brings life.

Deadwood is pruned away and destroyed, because old plant material harbors disease. Productive branches are also pruned, to make them even more fruitful.
Plants flower and fruit. They fruit and set seed, bringing them to a more dormant state. If a productive plant is pruned, it will bear even more fruit.

When we grew edible pod peas, we had more and more as we picked them. The vines loved being picked, so they produced peas until we could not stand to think about them.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

The productive pruning Jesus addresses is absolution. When we hear the Law and Gospel, we realize our sinful state and our need for the Savior. Christ brings Himself to us through the Word and Sacrament. That produces the fruits of the Spirit.

KJV Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The Solution
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

These two verses answer the question everyone asks – How can we enjoy these promised blessings?

There is no program, nothing new, nothing required as a virtue or strength in man.

The Means of Grace will accomplish everything. The old motto is still true – “Apply yourself to the Word, and the Word to yourself.”

Notice the divine promise – He who abides in Me and I in him, he will be very fruitful. (My translation) There is even a Promise within the Promise. When we abide in Christ through the Word, He abides in us. The verb means literally – remains in us, stays with us. How can we be unchanged when Jesus stays with us?

The warning is also there – Without Me you can do nothing. We can do everything with Him (according to His purpose) and nothing without Him.

That makes the program clear.

Lenski said, many decades ago – Fads come and go. The Church is built only upon the Word of God.

When fads take away the Word, and place an emphasis on man, the individual is removed from the True Vine.

I can tell that from the mocking, sarcastic, and obscene comments I get on the blog (mostly blocked) about the Means of Grace. There the Word is having an effect – in hardening hearts. But since they keep coming back, some may be converted by the Word.

Results of Shunning the Word
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

I have said before, I have seen many people shipwreck themselves by abandoning the Word. Here is a clear presentation on eternal punishment for those who abandon the Word. Repentance is possible at any time before death. God will rush to welcome the Prodigal Son. As long as we live, it is never too late to have true sorrow for sin and faith in the Gospel Promises.

Even More Promises
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Here is the great Promise I mentioned on Sunday. After building our faith with Gospel Promises, Jesus also declares God will answer prayers. This is the clearest and best motivation to pray. Being fruitful in the faith glorifies God the Father.

The Smalcald Articles - Second Part - Article 1

Smacald Articles, First Part

In the News

Robert Fleischmann, Another Donald Trump

Reflections Village to be sold

Friday, November 23, 2007

The Business Journal of Milwaukee - by Rich Kirchen

Lutheran minister Robert Fleischmann's dream of creating an early 1900s-themed single-family subdivision in Richfield called Reflections Village ended in foreclosure.

However, a group of investors has emerged that plans to keep the dream alive for a "new urban" community designed to house the elderly and their families in separate homes.

Jon Spheeris, vice president of Prudential Absolute Realtors in Oconomowoc, said Fleischmann has accepted his group's offer and the group hopes to finalize financing with another bank. Fleischmann would use the proceeds, in turn, to pay off his bank loan.

"Our investors are people who embrace the idea because it's quite a unique project," Spheeris said.

Fleischmann, who has no experience as a developer, announced the project in October 2005. He used a bank loan for the $2.6 million purchase of the 114-acre property on state Highway 175 about one-half mile south of state Highway 167.

All that's there now is a sign for Reflections Village in an open field with a phone number for Spheeris.

First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc, sued Fleischmann and his company, Nostalgic Times LLC, in May for defaulting on the loan. On Nov. 9, the bank won a $3.1 million judgment for the unpaid principal, interest and fees in Washington County Circuit Court.

Judge James Muehlbauer ordered the property to be auctioned with the proceeds going to the bank, but Fleischmann said he expects a sale to be closed by mid-December.

An attorney for First Bank Financial Centre could not be reached for comment.

Fleischmann said he pre-sold 22 of the planned 140 lots on the site, but his timing was bad, as the market for new homes was already starting to decline in late 2005.

"The market started really changing -- that made it difficult," he said.

Fleischmann is an ordained minister and national director of Christian Life Resources, a Wauwatosa anti-abortion group that counsels families on topics ranging from childbirth to elder care.

Reflections Village was to include smaller lots averaging one-third of an acre and a "village square" with retail and other services.

Richfield town administrator Toby Cotter said town officials approved Fleischmann's plan and liked the concept as one solution for older Richfield residents seeking housing with smaller lots.

The fact that Fleischmann had no development experience was not a concern because he filed a letter of credit with the town, Cotter said.

"It really comes down to financial backing," Cotter said.

Cotter is hopeful the current housing slump does not delay or kill the project.

"It still looks like the right project in the right area," he said.

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Current National Director at Christian Life Resources
Past Manager/Proprietor at Nostalgic Times, LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
Pastor at Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
Education Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
Bethany Lutheran College

Christian Life Resources
(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Religious Institutions industry)

July 1988 — Present (20 years 6 months)

Manager/Proprietor
Nostalgic Times, LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Real Estate industry)

January 2004 — December 2007 (4 years)

Worked with the leadership in Richfield, WI to create zoning for Wisconsin's first walkable hamlet. (www.ReflectionsVillage.com)
Sold the land and project to developers in December 2007 but continue to be consulted as plans develop to break ground on the development.

Pastor
Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
(Non-Profit; Myself Only; Religious Institutions industry)

June 1983 — July 1988 (5 years 2 months)

Served as pastor of this mission congregation in Plymouth, WI that was about 45 members when I came and about 130 when I left.

Robert Fleischmann’s Interests:
I focus on social issues. I love sorting through difficult ethical issues and I thrive on being a problem-solver. I am interested in society's dangerous flirtation with eugenics and have studied the topic deeply and continue to do so. Personally I love technology, the imaginings of futurists, and my passionate hobby is landscaping.

From LinkedIn

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GJ - I have trouble imagining a generic parachurch agency being Word and Sacrament ministry, especially when its Lutheran identity is obliterated. Fleischmann is not alone is deciding that there is more money in Pietistic union projects than in being an ordinary pastor. All the Church and Change stealth projects are based on the idea that Lutheran doctrine and worship are marketing negatives.