Got Grants?

Enthusiasm:

J-701

“And in those things which concern the spoken, outward Word, we must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one, except through or with the preceding outward Word, in order that we may [thus] be protected against the enthusiasts, i. e., spirits who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word, and accordingly judge Scripture or the spoken Word, and explain and stretch it at their pleasure, as Muenzer did, and many still do at the present day, who wish to be acute judges between the Spirit and the letter, and yet know not what they say or declare. For [indeed] the Papacy also is nothing but sheer enthusiasm, by which the Pope boasts that all rights exist in the shrine of his heart, and whatever he decides and commands with [in] his church is spirit and right, even though it is above and contrary to Scripture and the spoken Word."
Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #3-4, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312. Heiser, p. 147.

J-702

"All this is the old devil and old serpent, who also converted Adam and Eve into enthusiasts, and led them from the outward Word of God to spiritualizing and self-conceit, and nevertheless he accomplished this through other outward words. Just as also our enthusiasts [at the present day] condemn the outward Word, and nevertheless they themselves are not silent, but they fill the world with their pratings and writings, as though, indeed, the Spirit could not come through the writings and spoken word of the apostles, but [first] through their writings and words he must come. Why [then] do not they also omit their own sermons and writings, until the Spirit Himself come to men, without their writings and before them, as they boast that He has come into them without the preaching of the Scriptures?"
Smalcald Articles, VIII., Confession, #5-6. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 495. Tappert, p. 312f. Heiser, p. 147.

J-703

"In a word, enthusiasm inheres in Adam and his children from the beginning [from the first fall] to the end of the world, [its poison] having been implanted and infused into them by the old dragon, and is the origin, power [life], and strength of all heresy, especially of that of the Papacy and Mahomet. Therefore we ought and must constantly maintain this point, that God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. It is the devil himself whatsoever is extolled as Spirit without the Word and Sacraments. For God wished to appear even to Moses through the burning bush and spoken Word; and no prophet, neither Elijah nor Elisha, received the Spirit without the Ten Commandments [or spoken Word]. Neither was John the Baptist conceived without the preceding word of Gabriel, nor did he leap in his mother's womb without the voice of Mary."
Smalcald Articles, VIII. Confession, #9-10 Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 497. Tappert, p. 313. Heiser, p. 147.

J-704

"Also, we reject and condemn the error of the Enthusiasts, who imagine that God without means, without the hearing of God's Word, also without the use of the holy Sacraments, draws men to Himself, and enlightens, justifies, and saves them."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article II, Free Will, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 789. Tappert, p. 471. Heiser, p. 219.

J-706

"He wants to teach you, not how the Spirit is to come to you but how you are to come to the Spirit, so that you learn how to float on the clouds and ride on the wind."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 916.

J-707

"Moreover, the declaration, John 6:44, that 'no one can come to Christ except the Father draw him,' is right and true. However, the Father will not do this without means, but has ordained for this purpose His Word and Sacraments as ordinary means and instruments; and it is the will neither of the Father nor of the Son that a man should not hear or should despise the preaching of His Word, and wait for the drawing of the Father without the Word and Sacraments."
Solid Declaration, Article XI, Election, #76, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1087. Tappert, p. 628f. Heiser, p. 292f.

John Calvin:

J-723

“Wherefore, with regard to the increase and confirmation of faith, I would remind the reader (though I think I have already expressed it in unambiguous terms), that in assigning this office to the sacraments, it is not as if I thought that there is a kind of secret efficacy perpetually inherent in them, by which they can of themselves promote or strengthen faith, but because our Lord has instituted them for the express purpose of helping to establish and increase our faith. The sacraments duly perform their office only when accompanied by the Spirit, the internal Master, whose energy alone penetrates the heart, stirs up the affections, and procures access for the sacraments into our souls. If He is wanting, the sacraments can avail us no more than the sun shining on the eyeballs of the blind, or sounds uttered in the ears of the deaf. Wherefore, in distributing between the Spirit and the sacraments, I ascribe the whole energy to Him, and leave only a ministry to them; this ministry, without the agency of the Spirit, is empty and frivolous, but when He acts within, and exerts His power, it is replete with energy. ..then, it follows, both that the sacraments do not avail one iota without the energy of the Holy Spirit; and that yet in hearts previously taught by that preceptor, there is nothing to prevent the sacraments from strengthening and increasing faith.”
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 volumes, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970, I, p. 497. Also cited in Benjamin Charles Milner, Jr., Calvin's Doctrine of the Church, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970, p. 119. Institutes. IV.xiv.9.

J-724

“We must not suppose that there is some latent virtue inherent in the sacraments by which they, in themselves, confer the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon us, in the same way in which wine is drunk out of a cup, since the only office divinely assigned them is to attest and ratify the benevolence of the Lord towards us; and they avail no farther than accompanied by the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts, and make us capable of receiving this testimony, in which various distinguished graces are clearly manifested…They [the sacraments] do not of themselves bestow any grace, but they announce and manifest it, and, like earnests and badges, give a ratification of the gifts which the divine liberality has bestowed upon us.”
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 volumes, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970, I, p. 503. Institutes, IV, XIV, 17.

Crypto-Calvinists:

J-738

"To all practical purposes the University of Wittenberg was already Calvinized. Calvinistic books appeared and were popular. Even the work of a Jesuit against the book of Jacob Andreae on the Majesty of the Person of Christ was published at Wittenberg. The same was done with a treatise of Beza, although, in order to deceive the public, the title-page gave Geneva as the place of publication. Hans Lufft, the Wittenberg printer, later declared that during this time he did not know how to dispose of the books of Luther which he still had in stock, but that, if he had printed twenty or thirty times as many Calvinistic books, he would have sold all of them very rapidly."
F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 189.

J-739

"By mistake the letter was delivered to the wife of the court-preacher Lysthenius....After opening the letter and finding it to be written in Latin, she gave it to her husband, who, in turn, delivered it to the Elector. In it Peucer requested Schuetze dexterously to slip into the hands of Anna, the wife of the Elector, a Calvinistic prayer-book which he had sent with the letter. Peucer added: 'If first we have Mother Anna on our side, there will be no difficulty in winning His Lordship [her husband] too.' Additional implicating material was discovered when Augustus now confiscated the correspondence of Peucer, Schuetze, Stoessel, and Cracow. The letters found revealed the consummate perfidy, dishonesty, cunning, and treachery of the men who had been the trusted advisers of the Elector, who had enjoyed his implicit confidence, and who by their falsehoods had caused him to persecuted hundreds of innocent and faithful Lutheran ministers. The fact was clearly established that these Philippists had been systematically plotting to Calvinize Saxony. The very arguments with which Luther's doctrine of the Lord's Supper and the Person of Christ might best be refuted were enumerated in these letters. However, when asked by the Elector whether they were Calvinists, these self-convicted deceivers are said to have answered that 'they would not see the face of God in eternity if in any point they were addicted to the doctrines of the Sacramentarians or deviated in the least from Dr. Luther's teaching.' (Walther, 56.)"
F. Bente, Concordia Triglotta, Historical Introductions to the Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 190

GJ - The sly letter enclosed with the book from Melanchthon's son-in-law, suggested that Elector August be converted through his wife Anna. August ordered an investigation, which revealed even more intrigue. The Crypto-Calvinists were thrown into prison. August took on a leadership role in restoring genuine Lutheran doctrine. Martin Chemnitz, Jacob Andreae, and Nicholas Selnecker were made trusted advisors to August.[26]

Crypto-Calvinists Overturned:

J-740

"What really gave Andreae a break and promoted his unity endeavors was the exposure of the Crypto-Calvinists in Wittenberg in 1574. Thus all three groups of true Lutherans were for the first time in many years to sit down at the table and devote their efforts to their internal problems. Just about this time Andreae providentially published his Six Christian Sermons. At this point and on these sermons Chemnitz was willing to talk."
J. A. O. Preus, The Second Martin, The Life and Theology of Martin Chemnitz, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1994, p. 183.

J-741

"The Exegesis perspicua [1573] marked the end of the hidden and underhanded efforts of those within Saxony who had espoused Calvinism. Everything was out in the open. These men repudiated the sacramental union, the oral eating of the body of Christ, and the eating of the body by the wicked. They held that Christ's body is enclosed in heaven and Christ is present in the Supper only in His power. There is no union of the body of Christ with the bread. The ubiquity doctrine of Brenz is repudiated as Eutychianism, and ancient heresy that asserted that after the union of the divine and human natures in Christ only one nature remained. Believers who participated in the Supper, the Wittenbergers asserted, become members of Christ who is present and efficacious through the symbols of bread and wine. They lavished praise on the Reformed and urged immediate union with them in opposition to the papacy."
J. A. O. Preus, The Second Martin, The Life and Theology of Martin Chemnitz, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1994, p. 175f.

J-750

"This downplaying of the importance of the means of grace on the part of many in the Church Growth Movement would seem to stem from several factors."[28]
David J. Valleskey, "The Church Growth Movement: An Evaluation," Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Spring, 1991 88, p. 105. Holidaysburg, 10-15-90.[29] [emphasis added]

[28] Theses very close to Valleskey's Quarterly article (Spring, 1991, p. 117). Questionnaire mentions CG "underemphasizing the Means of Grace as the power of the Holy Spirit." David J. Valleskey, P.T. 418, The Church Growth Movement—An Evaluation, Summer Quarter, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, June 23-July 11, 1986.

GJ - At Hollidaysburg, Valleskey pretended to be studying Church Growth for the first time! His maidenly modesty about CG was clearly revealed as a sham when he quoted Fuller fave Larry Crab about "spoiling the Egyptians" in copying the vast treasures of the Church Shrinkage Movement. When I asked him, Valleskey denied studying at Fuller Seminary. However, he admitted going to Fuller when CLC pastor David Koenig asked the same question.

In the paper and article, Valleskey mentioned me by name and seemd to endorse my caution about false doctrine. Behind my back, he called me a legalist. Does that mean he endorsed legalism or that he was using flattery to deceive?

WELS loved Valleskey's spoilage and made him The Sausage Factory president soon after.

Clouds Without Rain Complain

I have had many interesting exchanges with Lutherans in the last month. In the 1980s, I heard from older women who had no trouble seeing the errors, but wondered where the men were - especially the clergy.

Now I hear from younger men, mostly laity but also clergy. The Shrinkers have done everyone a favor by proving how bad their theology is. The Shrinkers tried to silence all the clergy, but some survived and now want the boil lanced for good. The laity are angry about the money wasted on these sinecures, but furious about the doctrinal apostasy and plagiarism of the Church and Chicanery lazybones.

WELS created an odd situation - with a reform Synod President elected to fix the problems generated by 30 years of Love Shack incompetence, with the ruffians still drawing a salary and seething for revenge. The previous convention had a body of men who wanted to replace everyone at once, whether their terms were up or not. That is a measure of the disgust felt about the Gurgle administration.

After the convention, the Shrinkers at WELS headquarters worked hard to highlight their insubordination, surliness, and Calvinism. FIC continued to feature Shrinkers as authors and subjects. Lavish praise fell upon Latte Lutheran Church, the outpost with a cross in a cup of coffee. WELS responded by giving the church a vicar, a sure sign of District Pussycat endorsement.

Thanks to a ream of information supplied by Internet research, the odious Patterson Church and Chicanery network was exposed. The response? Patterson hired Gurgle, the ex-SP in charge of the WELS meltdown. VP Patterson also applied for two free staff members and got one - a free vicar. WELS members can thank DP Glaeske for giving his VP buddy a free vicar. One way or another, WELS members are propping up Patterson financially while prep school teachers are being fired for lack of money.

A Lutheran strategist would have suggested that the Church and Chicaneries tone down their agenda since they were clearly losing. But no, several incidents proved the utter cluelessness of the bunch.

1. Item: Kudu Don Patterson organized a group of WELS workers to attend the 2008 Exponential pan-denominational CG conference in Orlando. Some of them immediately began yelping that they were not there. Babtist Stetzer spoke at the conference and found himself signed up to speak at the 2009 Church and Chicanery shindig. He bragged about it on his Twitter account and his blog, where he listed the conference while making fun of Lutheran doctrine. Chicaneries went into loud yelping about this not being so, never admitted their apostasy. Finally the Doctrinal Pussycats showed some claw and ordered the Chicaneries to un-invite Stetzer, the same Babtist who had never been invited, we are expected to believe. I also understand that several Chicanery leaders had a Come-To-Jesus meeting with the SP, leading to loud howling and clucking on the Shrinkers' network.
   
   
2. Item: In the fullness of time, God revealed to Church and Chicanery the need for a downtown mission in A-town, one block from a well established WELS congregation with an active downtown ministry. In fact, one can hardly find a region in the US where WELS members are denser than in Fox Valley. The Enthusiasts took Ski and Katie, who were working together at Jeske's St. Marcus, and moved them to the Popcorn Cathedral of Rock in Appleton, an Imax Movie Theater. Ski and Katie were not yet Schwaermer enough from working at St. Marcus, so one or both of them trained at Drive 08 and 09 (Babtist Stanley), Catalyst (Stanley and Groeschel), Granger Community Church (Beeson), and Mars Hill (Driscoll). Once again, the smokescreen of deceit has been raised around the work of Church and Chicanery. St. Peter in Freedom issued the call and installed Ski, even listing him on their clergy staff, but St. Peter does not want to claim their own baby - The CORE. Ski bragged that he worshiped with the Babtists at Drive 08, and 7 other WELS clergy joined him for Drive 09, but now the mountain has come to Mohammed. Ski gives Groeschel sermons (in the same order) each week, as revealed by his own websty. The Doctrinal Pussycat approves, Ski says.
   
   
3. Item: VP Patterson got behind Rock N Roll Lutheran Church in Round Rock, Texas, which began by consciously aping false teachers with the website Church From Scratch. That address now directs traffic to the main URL, but the substance of Old Scratch remains. Three years of rock music, huge grants, and plagiarized sermons have seen attendance soar to 30. It's a good thing they had a second staffer (like CORE and Latte) and their own blogmeister Joe Krohn, or attendance might have been much smaller. Once again, the Doctrinal Pussycats met--at Patterson's church no less--raising their consecrated and consecrating hands to bless Doebler's methods. Rock N Roll got another grant, albeit smaller than the $200k they wanted, and more time to drain the resources of WELS.
   
   
4. Item: For a long time the Chicaneries bragged on their non-WELS mission, CrossWalk in Phoenix. WELS pastor Jeff Gunn was the bomb, they said. Now the free money is gone and Gunn wants to reload at Wisconsin Lutheran College, the love nest where Church and Chicanery was born.

Anonymous Clown Tries Hand at Ichabod

Baby Bee is not happy with the real Ichabod.

Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

Someone has anonymousely started a fake Ichabod blog, with a slightly different name.

Click here for a few laughs.

Bad formatting.

Copying my copyrighted Photoshops. Did I give permission in writing? I don't think so.

Very touchy about the rollicking good humor on this blog.

Yes, of course - calling me a terrible sinner for publishing satire. He has his facts wrong, but thinks he can publish deliberate slander while invoking the Eighth Commandment.

Big, bad defense of Universal Objective Justification. This girly-man fraidy cat is already forgiven, according to his Enthusiastic opinion, so anything he does anonymousely is absolved in advance. His adulterous Church Shrinker friends have comforted themselves with the same spiritual advice.

Maybe after the Saginaw convention this soldier of the cross will be so angry he will actually sign his name.

Can the Shrinkers ever get away from their need to copy, to ape, to be what they can never be? They make terrible Babtists, so they are necessarily going to be even worse Lutherans.

The Church and Chicaneries are worried sick. That is clear. They know everyone is reading the real Ichabod, so they think a little sissy sniping will serve their needs. This is just a foretaste of the upcoming convention, folks.

Mark Jeske's Pietistic Program

Do not offend the great and terrible Oz.

J-762

Here are the top ten areas of our ministries in which I would like to see changed.

1. Myself. I trust God too little....

2. We don't prize our synod and our ministry relationships enough....Our called workers at 2929 will tell you that they take a lot more abuse than encouragement.

3. We need to loosen up....Our public worship/praise/prayer style seems stiff, overly formal, unemotional, smotheringly doctrinal. I personally do not think that our synod in general has a good balance of head & heart in our worship life. There. I said it.

4. Our schools are not being fully utilized to draw unchurched people into the fellowship.

5. We need to love cities more.

6. We need to welcome diversity, prize new racial groups and the cultural and ministry treasures that they bring. New people groups coming in to the WELS will not pollute our "pure" (quotation marks in the original) Lutheran practices. but enrich them.

7. We need a little more sanity and calm in our discussions of church fellowship. Things I can't stand:

· Assigning a seminary professor a paper and then letting all applications and conclusions become canon law instead of each of us getting into Word [sic] personally.

· passing off crude oversimplification as WELS canon law, such as, "You can't pray with anybody who is not WELS," or "if anyone rejects a clear word of God, he is in rebellion against the most High God and you can't be sure that he/she is really saved.

· We have a very highly developed sense of what we can't do with other Christians, to the point that it is safer to have nothing to do with other Christians. We lack the positive side of dealing with other Christians in practical ways.

8. I think we need a little more sanity in dealing with men/women role issues in the church....sometimes the WELS position is described as asserting male headship in all relationships: in family, church and society. Scripture speaks only of the first two areas, and so should we.

9. We need to declare a moratorium on negative comments about public schools. It is possible to be proud of our WELS system without running down Milwaukee Public Schools. There are many wonderful educational programs and innovations happening in MPS that we would do well to study and learn from.

10. There is a price that we have paid for our unity of practice in the WELS, and that is we have only each other as ministry models. We have many weak areas of ministry, such as in cities, and need to get around more to learn from other successful ministries even if they're not WELS. It is not helpful if our attempts to learn from other Christians is ridiculed as "sitting at the feet of the Reformed" or "capitulating to the papacy.”

Remarks delivered at a conference on March 3, 2000 by Rev. Mark Jeske, vice-president of WELS' Southeastern Wisconsin District.

***

GJ - Mark is one of the main leaders in Church and Chicanery. Three of his staff have been bored (of Lutheran doctrine) members of the secretive sect.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity

The Holy Spirit never works apart from the Word and Sacraments.
Art by Norma Boeckler.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

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

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 8 AM Phoenix Time


The Hymn #260 O Lord Look Down 1.4
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 Romans 8:18-23
The Gospel Luke 6:36-42
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #225 Come Holy Spirit 1.39

The Bridge to God’s Gracious Love

The Hymn #261 Lord Keep Us 1.93
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 #452 The Son of God 1.10

KJV Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
KJV Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Fourth Sunday After Trinity
Lord God, heavenly Father, who art merciful, and through Christ didst promise us, that Thou wilt neither judge nor condemn us, but graciously forgive us all our sins, and abundantly provide for all our wants of body and soul: We pray Thee, that by Thy Holy Spirit Thou wilt establish in our hearts a confident faith in Thy mercy, and teach us also to be merciful to our neighbor, that we may not judge or condemn others, but willingly forgive all men, and, Judging only ourselves, lead blessed lives in Thy fear, through Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Bridge to God’s Gracious Love

Every Scripture lesson is a opportunity to dwell on some aspect of God’s gracious love for us.

The opening of today’s Gospel is a good example. We normally associate commands with the Law.

One person asked a boy, “What does it mean when your parents say – Share?”

The boy said, “That means – give it to your brother – right now.”
Today’s lesson begins another way – Be merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful.

KJV Luke 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

This spiritual advice is based upon the Gospel of forgiveness, which permeates all of Scripture. There are six items in all:

1. Be merciful, as your Father is.
2. Judge not, and you will not be judged.
3. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned.
4. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
5. Give and it will be given to you in overflowing amounts.
6. The measure you use is the measure used for you.

Luther has many good comments on this passage in the low-cost sermon set. This lesson concerns faith and works, so Luther said we ascend to God with Christ alone, through faith.

So many people begin with justification by works – and that is especially true of the clergy. “I did this” and “I did that.” Even worse – “My family did this or that.” One person went even further by excusing bad leadership this way – “Her family has done so much for the synod.”

Christianity is the only religion where God serves man instead of the reverse. The sheep do not seek a shepherd. The Shepherd seeks them. Isaiah says:

KJV Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

Justification by our works only leads to all the sins of the flesh, often begun with covetousness, evil thoughts and malice. Since we cannot do anything for God, who does everything for us, works are directed toward our neighbor.

Mercy is not godly mercy when we do good things for our friends and those who can return our favors. Mercy is defined by patience during difficulties, by forbearance toward the shortcomings for others, since we deserve nothing but condemnation from God, who shows us mercy through Christ. If mothers gave out equal justice, for example, children would not be fed, clothed, and delivered to their appointments because children are never as thankful as they might be for all the benefits they take for granted.

So are we in our relationship to God. We are never as thankful to Him as we might be, and that is often the root of our problems. We ascribe all benefits to our virtue and hard work, all difficulties as the fault of God for being lax in His duties. Luther called the cross (hardship from faithfulness to the Word) – the precious, holy cross. That is difficult to comprehend; yet it is true. Bearing the cross is God’s plan to purify our faith, so we see the cross of Christ more clearly.

In struggling to explain the problems with Pietism, I keep coming back to the brief definition from Hoenecke: “They confuse sanctification (good works) with justification and make sanctification the cause of justification.” That is so concise and accurate that it requires explanation.

Pietism came from a Reformed concept which Spener (a Lutheran) copied – having groups where piety was encouraged through prayer and Bible study. The diagnosis was accurate – Lutherans had plenty of problems at that time, including a lack of Scriptural understanding. If accounts are accurate, the clergy barely studied the Scriptures at seminary. Instead they focused on philosophy and scholarly disputes. One man lectured on Isaiah and quit after the first chapter (Schmid) because no one was interested.

They lost track of the bridge – the Means of Grace – as the way in which Christ comes to us. Instead they taught others to rely on the experience of God’s grace, without the bridge. So they looked to themselves and their emotions as the test. Oh yes, now I feel forgiven and I am secure in the faith. In contrast, the Word is our foundation and its truth remains, no matter how we feel at the emotions. If we are saved by our emotional experience of joy then we are also condemned by our emotional experience of dread, condemnation, and guilt.

Losing the Biblical Means will always multiple the false bridges – such as the cell group, the amount of prayer, the agony of prayer, the “breakthrough of grace” and the good works. Pietism caused people to leave the church because the local congregation was “full of hypocrites.” One man told me that, so I asked him, “What is a hypocrite?” He said, “Someone who says one thing and does another.” I said, “That makes me a hypocrite.” He said, lowering his head, “I guess I am too.” He came to church from that time on, with his wife.

The separatism of Pietism was—and is--really spiritual pride, as if belonging to the conventicle made people free from sin (sanctification causing justification). My theology professor belonged to one such group and to a Lutheran church. The group was called, in German, Separated Christianity. He would say things like, “Most churches have trouble raising money. We just raised $40,000 without any effort.” The superior attitude just oozed.

This may sound like condemning the faults we all have, but I am trying to show how taking away the bridge to Christ magnifies those problems. If someone is superior from being in a cell group, then that superior attitude is going to come through in malicious gossip and arrogance toward neighbors.

This is what Jesus is aiming at in His spiritual advice. Since we cannot give good works to God, our good works are the fruits of faith in Christ and directed toward our neighbor.

We have all had experiences of never doing anything right, having someone ready to pounce, even if their condemnation is a figment of their imagination. That is what happens when people rest on their own good works and righteousness and do not rely on the mercy of God in Christ.

The opposite is patience, forbearance, and understanding. When people are motivated by the Gospel, these fruits are abundant.

KJV John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The purpose of the Bible is to produce faith in what God has already done. That takes people from a state of condemnation to one in which God declares they are justified by faith.

The importance of faith has been misunderstood by those who do not grasp the order of salvation. The Biblical meaning of faith is trust in the Promises of God, specifically in the crucifixion of Christ as the atoning sacrifice, the reconciliation.

The question is not whether this is true, but whether someone continues to trust in it. Therefore, God provided a variety of ways to build that trust, the visible and invisible Word. He also lays the cross on each believer, to purify faith, remove the dross, and remind us of how much the Old Adam still reigns in us.

Blind Guides
At first the second part of this lesson seems to be taking off in another direction, but it is connected with the first part. When people trust in their own merit instead of Christ, they glory in their works and become blind guides. Several ministers tried to verify their worth this way:

1. “My congregation quadrupled in size while I was there.” (The Church Doctor)
2. “My congregation doubled its income in a few years.”
My question in each case was – “Then why aren’t you still there?” The missing statement was – God has worked through the faithful application of the Word. Paul did not count members or income. He said the only requirement was that a steward be found faithful.

KJV 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

If a church sees its worth in material terms, it will not value spiritual treasure. Any metro area will reveal glorious church structures built during the glory days of that neighborhood. Doubtless the dedication day was full of grand feelings of permanent glory, never dreaming that the structure would become an albatross for 60 members years later. Other dangers lurk in worshiping material success, such as having millions in endowment funds.

One of the rich congregations, Glide Memorial, became famous for its outrages, some of which cannot be listed. An innovative minister there removed the cross from the sanctuary – certainly symbolic of where that church was headed.

http://www.glide.org/Timeline.aspx

Blind guides include those outwardly successful ministers who say they are blessed because of large movie screens, expensive sound systems, and short-term memberships among the hordes of people who flock for the entertainment. These members are called “scaffolding” because they help the superstar minister reach a higher level.

Blind guides point toward themselves rather than Christ. They may talk about Jesus, but they take away the bridge to Him, leaving everyone confused. They offer a Christian life but one built around idols.

The treasures of the Gospel are constantly available through the Word and Sacraments.

Quotations

"Whoever comes to faith can only say that the Holy Spirit comes when and where and to whom He pleases at the time He pleases. He comes when and where He pleases, and also gives a person as many gifts as He pleases." What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, II, p. 665.

"That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith, where and when it pleases God, in them that hear the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ's sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ's sake. They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparation and works." Augsburg Confession, V. #1-2. The Ministry. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 45. Tappert, p. 31. Heiser, p. 13.

"He [Paul] thus extols co-laborers that they [the Corinthians] may not despise the external Word as if they were not in need of it or knew it well enough. For although God might accomplish all things inwardly by the Spirit, without the external Word, He has no intention of doing so. He wants to employ preachers as assistants and co-laborers and to accomplish His purposes through their word when and where it pleases Him. Since, then, preachers have the office, name, and honor of being God's assistants, no man is so learned or holy that he may neglect or despise the poorest preaching; for he does not know when the hour will come in which God will perform His work in him through the preachers." What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3 vols., ed. Ewald M. Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1959 III, p. 1118. W 17, II, 179; SL 12, 436; sermon #3572; 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Our Declaration

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Schmid's History of Pietism

I found a Hoenecke graphic being used by NPH for displaying this book online, so I offered to post the right picture when they fixed it. NPH said, "Fourth of July weekend. Feel free to scan the cover on your own." I did.

The History of Pietism, by Heinrich Schmid, translated by James L. Langebartels. Northwestern Publishing House. Click here to order. $40.50. 400 pages with index.

From the same translator - The Complete Timotheus Verinus, by Loescher - also about Pietism.

Potential audience: Any pastor or informed layman will gain from studying this book. If Pietism is a new topic, additional background reading may help, such as:

1. The Means of Grace in Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant.
   
2. Zwingli, Calvin, Pietism in Thy Strong Word.

Schmid compiled the great Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a book commonly used by ALC clergy. Click here. That particular book gave orthodox Lutheran quotations from a whole range of European authors, on each area of systematic theology. No UOJ can be found in the book.

Introduction
The introduction of Pietism describes how the princes took over control of the Lutheran Church after the Reformation. Although this caesaropapism was a problem, I have difficulty seeing this as a prime cause for Pietism's growth.

Another cause, also mentioned, was the tendency toward scholasticism, disputing minor philosophical points without mining the Scriptures. This problem prevails today, with Lutheran clergy arguing over non-essentials while ignoring the apostasy around them.

The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) disrupted Europe and added to the problems of the Lutheran Church. The Peace of Westphalia established the principle of the ruler's faith determining the Christian confession of all his subjects: Cuius regio, eius religio.

Spener
Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) created the movement called Pietism, which grew from two things done by its founder. One was the establishment of Colleges of Piety (collegia pietatis), cell groups or conventicles, to promote the Christian faith. The second was his piggy-back introduction to Arndt's True Christianity, Pia Desideria.

As Otto Heick wrote, Spener was the first union theologian. Schmid gives plenty of evidence of Spener's deliberate leadership in creating conventicles, which were almost identical to that urged by the Reformed leader Labadie. What Labadie suggested became Spener's program. "Thus the only means Spener taught for curing the conditions in the church had its root in the Reformed church!" (Schmid, p. 304)

August Hermann Francke
Francke (1663-1727) began the second generation of Pietism, greatly encouraged by Spener. The saddest pages of Schmid record how little the Scriptures were studied. Future ministers were not trained in exegesis at this time, so Francke's circle filled a void. They were also quite earnest in serving the needs of the poor, so Pietism at this stage still had a positive influence, although conflicts were growing.

Francke was appointed to teach at Halle University, which quickly became the center of Pietism in Europe. In the next generation, Halle became Unitarian. Many of the key Lutheran leaders in America came from Halle: Muhlenberg, Hoenecke, etc.

Valentin Ernst Löscher
Löscher (1673-1749) changed the doctrinal discussions by defending Lutheran orthodoxy against the errors of Pietism. His Timotheus Verinus is worth studying to see how Pietism degenerated.

Why Read This Book?
Pietism is not light reading. The book is more of an encyclopedia of the various early movements of Pietism and their leaders.
Those who pay attention to hymn authors will say "Ah!" when they see certain names. Since all the Lutheran groups in America were profoundly influenced by Pietism, all pastors should study this work and keep it as a reference.

Pastor Langebartels has done a fine job translating this book. He and NPH are to be commended for this effort in providing it in English.

I will write more for future adult study classes in Pietism. Use the Pietism label to find what has already been posted on Ichabod.

---

Freddy Finkelstein has left a new comment on your post "Schmid's History of Pietism":

For what it is worth, I heartily recommend all three of the books mentioned by Dr. Jackson in this blog entry. NPH's first printing of Timotheus Verinus was 1998, but by the time this title came to my attention in 2003, it was unavailable. I understand that some folks petitioned NPH to reprint it, which they did in 2006, followed shortly thereafter by publication of Langebartel's translation of Schmid's work on Pietism.

I've read Timotheus Verinus, and scanned Schmid's Pietism -- though I haven't given Pietism a close read. Schmid's Doctrinal Theology, however, is what made me a Lutheran. Browsing a used bookstore many years ago -- still a pop-church Evangelical, though by then a bit disenfranchised -- I saw the title, Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. I was intrigued, because I didn't realize there was a such a thing as Lutherans who were "Evangelical," but more importantly, that such were Evangelicals with a fully-worked-out system of theology (something that pop-church Evangelicals are still waiting for). I didn't realize the significance when I bought it, but that copy was the Second English edition -- the final English edition to be printed before Schmid's death. Beginning with the Third edition, the editors (Hay and Jacobs) began redacting content -- though, as the editors pointed out, most Lutherans probably wouldn't miss the redacted material. I think the Augsburg Publishing House reprint from back in the 1960's was from the Third or Fourth edition.

Anyway, Dr. Jackson, I look forward to your future posts regarding Schmid's Pietism. Will you be doing a video commentary, such as your overview series on the Book of Concord?

Freddy Finkelstein

***

GJ - That is a good idea, to do more on video with Pietism. Perhaps with Verinus, too.

The Fourth of July

The Fourth of July was enlivened by the resignation of Sarah Palin, who will now be free to travel and speak throughout the US, no longer held captive by the paradoxically large land mass and small population State of Alaska.

Palin's team lost to a man whose executive experience was nil, whose citizenship was debatable, and whose ideology was extreme Left. He even referred to "my Muslim faith" in an interview. Palin has inspired virulent hatred against every member of her family and constant attacks on her ability to govern, often by journalists who should have been glad she went back to Alaska.

Yesterday we finally got some relief from the Michael Jackson hagiographies. Palin owned all the news coverage by resigning when the senior journalists were partying at Martha's Vinyard and other luxury venues.

Our situation in America reminds me of Imperial Russia, when people overthrew the government of the Tsar because they suspected he was a agent of the Germans. This happened during WWI.

Queen Victoria is to blame. She married her first cousin and had a bunch of children who married into the royal families of Europe and afflicted some of them with hemophilia, a failure of the blood to clot properly. Her granddaughter married the future Tsar of Russia, and the heir presumptive, the only male child, had hemophilia.

There are two theories about the influence of Rasputin, the mad monk. One is that he stopped the Tsar's family from giving the British miracle drug, Aspirin, to their son. Aspirin would have made the disease far worse, so the boy got better. The other theory attributes special powers to Rasputin, who was famous for bewitching women.

Rasputin drank heavily and spouted a lot of information in taverns. Apparently German agents used his rants to inform their leaders. Increasingly, Russia suspected the Tsar. They also thought the Tsar's wife was having an affair with Rasputin.

Meanwhile, a paid German agent, Lenin, was shipped by the Germans into Russia with a pile of gold. The goal was to replace the Tsar with their agent and take Russia out of WWI. That plan worked too well, and Lenin became the new Tsar. His men murdered the Tsar's entire family, who were defenseless.

How many millions of Russians died from Lenin and Stalin? The truth is being acknowledged now. Mao murdered even more of his own people, but we seldom hear of the deliberate Chinese slaughter. Some estimate that 40 to 100 million Chinese were killed by Mao, to maintain his power.

The US government now controls the financial system and General Motors, itching to dominate medical care (14% of the GNP). The House of Representatives passed a bill, with GOP help, which will multiply all energy costs and reduce America to the economic status of Bosnia. I wonder when Americans will remember why we have an Independence Day. We turned away from the bad leadership of Bush-McCain to be held in bondage by the Anointed (by Oprah) One.



Anonymous has left another ignorant comment on your post "The Fourth of July":

Spoken like a true right-wing fanatic.

Proof please, of Lenin being an agent of the Kaiser?

***

GJ - Many history buffs have read To the Finland Station, about Lenin being smuggled into Russian by the Germans. Here is a summary from World Net Daily. Imperial Germany wanted to close down their second front. Lenin signed the treaty soon after taking power.

This well known episode should remind readers that complicated enterprises are state-sponsored, requiring large sums of money and special expertise.

---

Kenneth J. Schmidt has left a new comment on your post "The Fourth of July":

The fact that the Germans put Lenin on a sealed train back to Russia to help destabilize the Kerensky Regime is something that every high schooler should know. No historians deny it as a fact of history.

What Is Wrong With Cell Groups?

Cell groups are to CG Pietism what yoga is to Hinduism.

DK has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

Dear Professor Jackson:

I've read a few things on Ichabod about 'cell groups'. You've state that they are a breeding ground for Enthusiasm. I've looked into it a little, via internet and by asking questions of a friend of mine, who belongs to a WELS cell group.

My friend states that cell groups are a way for a church to foster a community that knows and is accountable to each other. He points out that church members tend to see each other only on Sundays--which isn't in itself bad, but if you can build friendships with those you worship with (meeting for Bible study during the week, etc) the fellowship of believers is strengthened. Beyond that he would divulge little info about what a cell group actually does or is. His only attempt to clear up that vagueness was to invite me to attend a cell group session.

Having recently moved back to Milwaukee (an unfortunate vocational necessity) I'm coming in contact with all these new fads in the church and so I'm asking legitimate questions: If what my friend says is true, why are cell groups necessarily breeding grounds for Enthusiasm? Couldn't a Lutheran potluck be equal in that potential? Am I missing something of the root or essence of a cell group?

As for myself, I would never attend anything called a cell group, simply because I think it carries strange and/or Agnostic connotations... Communist agitators, Anarchistic bomb-throwers, Manichaeans, and Star Trek convention-goers make up cell groups--not Christians.

Anyhow,

I'd like to hear your two-guns-drawn approach to cell groups.

Thanks

DK

***

GJ - I will answer briefly, in my normal irenic style. At the Bethany services I will be teaching about Pietism for the next few weeks. I will have saved videos and also written materials on this blog, starting with a review of The History of Pietism, published by NPH.

Pietism is built upon Reformed doctrine and the lay-led cell group, which may be called Koinonia, Care, Share, Bible study or Affinity group. I went to a Koinonia conference in the LCA in the 1980s. The ALC promoted lay-led Bible study groups.

The Pietistic cell group is anti-church. They may attend the Sunday service, but the real worship is the cell meeting. They often foster a holier-than-thou attitude which leads to withdrawal from the congregation. Many Babtist churches have people who have never gone to church but never miss their Bible study, and the Bible study leaders are the worst of the lot.

The Pietistic cell group is anti-Means of Grace. Because their start was unionistic and Reformed, they place all their trust in prayer as THE Means of Grace. This emphasis makes it easy for Pentecostals to show them what real prayer is - praying in tongues. Lalalala. Church is for recruiting people for cell groups.

I told some adults about this at a Missouri congregation. One woman was angry with me because she attended a Lutheran cell group. When she asked about infant baptism and having me speak about it, the female leader said, "I am the leader and we will NOT discuss it." The angry woman realized I was correct, without even knowing the group.

The Pietistic cell group promotes false doctrine because the opinions of an attractive leader become normative for the group. Feelings trump Biblical doctrine.

The Pietistic cell group abuses people by binding them to the power structure. Like the Indian guru, the cell group leader can and does order the disciples around. Disciples are love-bombed into the group and horribly shunned if they depart from the cell. This combination is dangerous to the emotionally fragile, who are attracted to the false intimacy and fake love of the group. I described one such group to a former Lutheran who was a member. He said, "It's like you were there." I said, "They are pretty much all alike."

The Pietistic cell group promotes women teaching men and usurping authority, leading to women's ordination. Not the liberal apostates, but the Pentecostal apostates were first to ordain women. Cell groups assume women will lead men and teach men. St. Paul in German Village started one on Sunday with a married couple leading it, about 20 years ago. The husband stopped coming and his wife led a group of men and women. When one man questioned what was happening, the woman declared, "I AM the leader of this group!" I asked about this at a WELS conference and was roundly condemned for bringing it up. Nitz asked, disingenuously, "Is this still going on?" I said, "It's your church. You should know."

The "making disciples" fever comes from Pietism. That is why the Church Growth gurus must turn the efficacy-of-the-Word Great Commission into a command to form cell groups. Why? Because cell groups make disciples who make disciples who make disciples - according to ex-seminary professor Joel Gerlach, who studied at Fuller Seminary. Kent Hunter explains, in dumbest fashion, that sheep not shepherds have sheep. Ovine intimacy aside, Luke 15 has the shepherd (not the flock) looking everywhere for the lost sheep. From John 10 and Psalm 23 we know Jesus is the Ultimate Shepherd who finds us, carries us home on His shoulders, and rejoices with the angels.

Pietism has always been unionistic. If a Lutheran pastor wants to start cell groups, he will turn to the false teachers and their materials to promote them. He will be trained at Fuller, Willow Creek, and Trinity Deerfield. Do I hear an Amen! Larry?

Pietism leads to Unitarianism. That happened first at Halle University, organized for Pietism. It happened again in the LCA-ALC-ELCA. As Krauth explained, the more Reformed a denomination is, the faster it becomes Unitarian. There are two routes. One is an emphasis on rationalism, typical of pure Calvinism. The other is an emphasis on emotions, which we find in Pietism, Pentecostalism, and revivalism.

High Anxiety? Do Not Click the Link

The Ledge on the Chicago Sears Tower.

Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants

Consultant: "You need a contemporary service and
some how-to sermons that speak to the felt needs of the prospects.
And you owe me $6,000. Make that $9,000."

Click here for Pastor Brian Wolfmueller on church consultants.

***

GJ - The Chicaneries are strangely silent since the take-down of their guru, Jim Aderman. Lie down with frogs, get up with warts.

"When was the last time you kissed a frog?...'Lifestyle Evangelism and Follow-up,' a Navigator video seminar for the church, makes a solid case for Christian frog kissing as a way of life."
James A. Aderman, The Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Summer, 1986 p. 2.

"A Look at Several WELS Small Group Ministries. 1. Fairview in Milwaukee (Pastor Jim Aderman) 2. Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison (Mr. Rolf Wegenke) 3. Emanuel in New London (Pastor Steve Witte)"
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison. p. 19.

***

GJ - Notice the dates. Church and Chicaneries were introducing Pietistic gimmicks 32 years ago, and the synod leadership supported it. TELL began in 1977, with Ron Roth as the editor, with the stated intention of promoting the Church Growth Movement. Paul Calvin Kelm was the next editor and Robert Hartmann followed.

If you have nothing else to do, count how many times Aderman published in FIC (nee The Northwestern Lutheran). Click here for the search link.

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

When my former congregation hired a consultant, they solidified my decision to leave. I did not even try to fight it. By then, I had realized that anything that I said would have little bearing on the direction that they were headed. This meant that the law based stewardship beatings would continue for a minimum of three years, which is the term of the contract. When you figure out what has happened, you realize that the leadership no longer believes in the efficacy of the Word.

---

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Noah Needed Church Growth Consultants":

The church consultant program is by far the biggest farce in WELS. I, too, left a church which wanted to hire Calvin Kelm. A month after I took a call, they signed the $30,000 contract thus dividing the church, addressed the "perceived needs" of the people while avoiding any real issues, and now the church and school are both half their former size. Oh yes, they got the new sign and cleared some shrubs.

The same thing happened in the church where my wife's family attends. The $30,000 contract, a divided congregation, an oversized staff, shrinking attendance and school enrollment, and worship innovations which the majority of the people do not want. But they do have an upgraded sign and some new shrubs.

I have a hunch the real growth acommplished (sic - yup, Mequon grad) through the church consultant program is the bottom line at the local sign companies and nurseries across America. They must be making good money off WELS churches.

In fact, is it possibly "church growth" in WELS refers to growing the landscaping of the church? We may have misunderstood all along!

***

GJ - How ironic that Kelm (DMin, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis) is reprising his role as a consultant. SP Schroeder asked that no one new be hired. Bruce Becker and the Perish Services people would not listen. SP Schroeder also asked them not to hire someone who was polarizing, if they insisted on hiring someone. Lastly, the Synod President did not know about the call to Kelm until it was issued for public knowledge. These three facts were heatedly denied by the Shrinkers, so they were once again calling me a liar for telling the truth. My multiple sources stood by the story I posted - and I do make corrections.

Kelm is 65 in December. He has a well known reputation for publishing false doctrine of the most blatant kind. His required-for-graduation course at Wisconsin Lutheran College was a dedicated effort to promote Reformed doctrine and the Church Shrinkers one and all.

Why did Kelm get propped up and promoted so many times? Why is he still the keynote speaker at Mary Lou College (WELS) in New Ulm? He was also the Mission Festival speaker at the Sausage Factory each year (how often - I do not know). And he published his toxic waste in FIC/NWL. Obviously a group has been managing his career as a crypto-Calvinist.

Concordia Publishing House Book Sale

There are some good books on sale at CPH. Click here.

I noticed the essays honoring Robert Preus and one on the Book of Concord.

Discover the Efficacy of the Word

"Lord Jesus Christ, With Us Abide"
by Nikolaus Selnecker, 1532-1592
Translated by composite

1. Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide,
For round us falls the eventide;
Nor let Thy Word, that heavenly light,
For us be ever veiled in night.

2. In these last days of sore distress
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness
That pure we keep, till life is spent,
Thy holy Word and Sacrament.

3. Lord Jesus, help, Thy Church uphold,
For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold.
Oh, prosper well Thy Word of grace
And spread its truth in every place!

4. Oh, keep us in Thy Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Thy mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

5. O God, how sin's dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood's spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

6. The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o'er Thy Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Thy doctrine true.

7. And since the cause and glory, Lord,
Are Thine, not ours, to us afford
Thy help and strength and constancy.
With all our heart we trust in Thee.

8. A trusty weapon is Thy Word,
Thy Church's buckler, shield and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

9. Oh, grant that in Thy holy Word
We here may live and die, dear Lord;
And when our journey endeth here,
Receive us into glory there.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #292
Text: Luke 24:29
Author: Nikolaus Selnecker et al., 1611
Translated by: composite
Titled: "Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ"
Tune: "Ach bleib bei uns"
1st Published in: Geistliche Lieder
Town: Leipzig,1589

I really enjoy putting together the sermon and the service each Sunday. Lacking the requisite grants and a full-time staffer, I use BibleWorks, the Book of Concord, and Megatron (my database of quotations). My organist is Mr. Bose, who will play all the verses of any hymn I choose - no grumbling. The hymns I choose are often new to me, because I want to highlight the great Lutheran hymns of the past. Sad to say, most Lutherans favor Methodist hymns and pastors tend to tilt that way. My congregation is self-selecting. They like to sing the great hymns of the past, so they appreciate the doctrinal hymns as much as I do.

The sermon above was the favorite of a friend's mother. It was one of many I first heard upon joining WELS and using The Lutheran Hymnal. The LCA hymnals were Methodist to a fault and discriminated against Luther and Gerhardt.

Selnecker is an important person to know. He was wobbly during the Reformation, but Chemnitz strengthened the man's doctrinal understanding to the point where Selnecker became an editor of the Formula and Book of Concord, 1580.

If people believe in the efficacy of the Word, they will place study and teaching of the Word above all other activities. They will naturally shun those highly promoted methods which generate all kinds of activity and cost lots of money, but only succeed in scattering more weed seeds.

A little study of Luther - The Large Catechism, for example - and anyone will conclude that the last three decades in Lutherdom have been massive frauds. The explanation of the first three commandments are a condemnation of Church Growthism and a beautiful exposition of the efficacy of the Word.

Second Commandment:



54] But, the greatest abuse occurs in spiritual matters, which pertain to the conscience, when false preachers rise up and offer their lying vanities as God's Word.

55] Behold, all this is decking one's self out with God's name, or making a pretty show, or claiming to be right, whether it occur in gross, worldly business or in sublime, subtile matters of faith and doctrine. And among liars belong also blasphemers, not alone the very gross, well known to every one, who disgrace God's name without fear (these are not for us, but for the hangman to discipline); but also those who publicly traduce the truth and God's Word and consign it to the devil. Of this there is no need now to speak further.

56] Here, then, let us learn and take to heart the great importance of this commandment, that with all diligence we may guard against and dread every misuse of the holy name, as the greatest sin that can be outwardly committed. For to lie and deceive is in itself a great sin, but is greatly aggravated when we attempt to justify it, and seek to confirm it by invoking the name of God and using it as a cloak for shame, so that from a single lie a double lie, nay, manifold lies, result.

57] For this reason, too, God has added a solemn threat to this commandment, to wit: For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. That is: It shall not be condoned to any one nor pass unpunished. For as little as He will leave it unavenged if any one turn his heart from Him, as little will He suffer His name to be employed for dressing up a lie. 58] Now, alas! it is a common calamity in all the world that there are as few who are not using the name of God for purposes of lying and all wickedness as there are those who with their heart trust alone in God.

59] For by nature we all have within us this beautiful virtue, to wit, that whoever has committed a wrong would like to cover up and adorn his disgrace, so that no one may see it or know it; and no one is so bold as to boast to all the world of the wickedness he has perpetrated; all wish to act by stealth and without any one being aware of what they do. Then, if any one be arraigned, the name of God is dragged into the affair and must make the villainy look like godliness, and the shame like honor. This is the common course of the world, which, like a great deluge, has flooded all lands. 60] Hence we have also as our reward what we seek and deserve: pestilences, wars, famines, conflagrations, floods, wayward wives, children, servants, and all sorts of defilement. Whence else should so much misery come? It is still a great mercy that the earth bears and supports us.

61] Therefore, above all things, our young people should have this commandment earnestly enforced upon them, and they should be trained to hold this and the First Commandment in high regard; and whenever they transgress, we must at once be after them with the rod, and hold the commandment before them, and constantly inculcate it, so as to bring them up not only with punishment, but also in the reverence and fear of God.

62] Thus you now understand what it is to take God's name in vain, that is (to recapitulate briefly), either simply for purposes of falsehood, and to allege God's name for something that is not so, or to curse, swear, conjure, and, in short, to practise whatever wickedness one may.

Third Commandment:
91] For the Word of God is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries, yea, the only one which we Christians know and have. For though we had the bones of all the saints or all holy and consecrated garments upon a heap, still that would help us nothing; for all that is a dead thing which can sanctify nobody. But God's Word is the treasure which sanctifies everything, and by which even all the saints themselves were sanctified. At whatever hour, then, God's Word is taught, preached, heard, read or meditated upon, there the person, day, and work are sanctified thereby, not because of the external work, but because of the Word, which makes saints of us all. 92] Therefore I constantly say that all our life and work must be ordered according to God's Word, if it is to be God-pleasing or holy. Where this is done, this commandment is in force and being fulfilled.

93] On the contrary, any observance or work that is practised without God's Word is unholy before God, no matter how brilliantly it may shine, even though it be covered with relics, such as the fictitious spiritual orders, which know nothing of God's Word and seek holiness in their own works.

94] Note, therefore, that the force and power of this commandment lies not in the resting, but in the sanctifying, so that to this day belongs a special holy exercise. For other works and occupations are not properly called holy exercises, unless the man himself be first holy. But here a work is to be done by which man is himself made holy, which is done (as we have heard) alone through God's Word. For this, then, fixed places, times, persons, and the entire external order of worship have been created and appointed, so that it may be publicly in operation.

95] Since, therefore, so much depends upon God's Word that without it no holy day can be sanctified, we must know that God insists upon a strict observance of this commandment, and will punish all who despise His Word and are not willing to hear and learn it, especially at the time appointed for the purpose.

96] Therefore not only those sin against this commandment who grossly misuse and desecrate the holy day, as those who on account of their greed or frivolity neglect to hear God's Word or lie in taverns and are dead drunk like swine; but also that other crowd, who listen to God's Word as to any other trifle, and only from custom come to preaching, and go away again, and at the end of the year know as little of it as at the beginning. 97] For hitherto the opinion prevailed that you had properly hallowed Sunday when you had heard a mass or the Gospel read; but no one cared for God's Word, as also no one taught it. Now, while we have God's Word, we nevertheless do not correct the abuse; we suffer ourselves to be preached to and admonished, but we listen without seriousness and care.

98] Know, therefore, that you must be concerned not only about hearing, but also about learning and retaining it in memory, and do not think that it is optional with you or of no great importance, but that it is God's commandment, who will require of you how you have heard, learned, and honored His Word.

99] Likewise those fastidious spirits are to be reproved who, when they have heard a sermon or two, find it tedious and dull, thinking that they know all that well enough, and need no more instruction. For just that is the sin which has been hitherto reckoned among mortal sins, and is called ajkhdia, i.e., torpor or satiety, a malignant, dangerous plague with which the devil bewitches and deceives the hearts of many, that he may surprise us and secretly withdraw God's Word from us.

100] For let me tell you this, even though you know it perfectly and be already master in all things, still you are daily in the dominion of the devil, who ceases neither day nor night to steal unawares upon you, to kindle in your heart unbelief and wicked thoughts against the foregoing and all the commandments. Therefore you must always have God's Word in your heart, upon your lips, and in your ears. But where the heart is idle, and the Word does not sound, he breaks in and has done the damage before we are aware. 101] On the other hand, such is the efficacy of the Word, whenever it is seriously contemplated, heard, and used, that it is bound never to be without fruit, but always awakens new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness, and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts. For these words are not inoperative or dead, but creative, living words. 102] And even though no other interest or necessity impel us, yet this ought to urge every one thereunto, because thereby the devil is put to Right and driven away, and, besides, this commandment is fulfilled, and [this exercise in the Word] is more pleasing to God than any work of hypocrisy, however brilliant.

Synod and Congregation - Based on the Word of God

One Lutheran said recently, referring to the Wauwatosa myth, "They claim orthodoxy can be taught from the Word of God alone."

I said, "It can, but it isn't. They start with all the traditional Holy Mother WELS assumptions and work back to their proofs."

Nevertheless, the Word of God is sufficient, clear, and effective in all Gospel work. God has appointed the Means of Grace so we know exactly where forgiveness is to be found. As Lenski said, fads and programs come and go - only the Word builds the Church.

Here are some positive suggestions about relying on the Word of God. At the very least, as someone wrote, at least the pastor will end up a believer:

1. The KJV is used consistently, because the NIV and similar monstrosities obliterate the Sacraments. The KVJ is ideal for public reading, to preserve the gold standard. If people want to read a modernized version, there are many KJV updates. The traditional KJV is directly linked to Luther, which is probably why the Shrinkers hate it so much.
   
2. The pastor has only three jobs: a) conduct the liturgy and preach an original sermon based on his study of the Word; b) teach the Word, especially to catechumens; c) visit the membership, especially the sick, shut-in, and spiritually inert.
   
3. All desired social activities in the congregation are run by those who want them, not organized and managed by the pastor: youth activities, ladies' groups, WWII discussion groups.
   
4. Cell groups are shut down because they are breeding grounds for Enthusiasm, fostering Pietistic superiority complexes and Pentecostal outbreaks. Do I hear an Amen?
   
5. Stewardship manipulation is dropped in favor of relying on the Gospel. A new building or renovation is not a Means of Grace, so commission-earning salesmen are not hired.
   
6. The Book of Concord becomes a regular focus of pastoral study and adult education. I favor starting with the Formula of Concord. The Large Catechism is also an excellent choice.
   
7. Schwaermer books are tossed from the church library and the pastoral study: Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, Driscoll, Groeschel, Beeson, Sweet, Valleskey.
   
8. Luther's sermons and his Small Catechism are regularly promoted and distributed throughout the congregation and among prospects. An entire set can be bought for about $40, less than the cost of one toxic CG seminar.
   
9. The Word is broadcast faithfully in as many ways as possible. For example, a web camera can send the service via the Internet for free through Ustream or other services. A blog allows sermons to be published easily and quickly for the entire world to read. (See the map on the Bethany blog. The dots appear all over the world.) No one needs a web design certificate to blog.
   
10. Pastors and laity start addressing false doctrine directly and boldly, facing down the false teachers, who keep demanding that they be addressed personally.
    
11. Congregations and pastors trust the Word alone to bring about God's will.
    

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Synod and Congregation - Based on the Word of God":

Sounds good, short of mandating the KJV. There are other translations out there, including the ESV. Older historic manuscripts were not available to the KJV translators back in a.D. 1611. Why not "An American Translation", or the NET that preceded "GOD'S WORD?" As for the N.T., Koine Greek was street Greek, not the beautiful, refined Greek of the bygone Classic era. In most parts of the U.S.A., KJV is not the street language, and in many parts it is a foreign language. While the Word itself is efficacious, must we throw in a barrier such as archaic language? Bible Translaters in foreign lands translate the Hebrew & Greek into the current language of the people, not some archaic form of it. While we should not feel a need to dummy-down the language of the KJV and TLH, is there anything wrong with supplementing it with a more understandable translation where available? Unless you want to form a subculture where words like "vouchsafe" jump off the lips of children with ease (and comprehension), is there anything wrong with modern language with the KJV?
-rde-

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GJ - Lutherans might have updated the KJV, as the Baptists did, without squashing the Sacraments. I like the New KJV among all the popular new ones, but here are the problems, with the NIV displayed too:

KJV Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

NIV Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [GJ - Why teach all nations when we can be manufacturing disciples? Horrible translation.]

NKJ Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [Ditto]

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KJV 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

NIV 1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Baptism is just an ordinance for the Reformed, who deny baptismal regeneration and the efficacy of the Word]

NKJ 1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, [GJ - Babtists like this rendering. As one Lutheran said, "The NKJV people know their audience."]

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KJV 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? [GJ - Communion is a bad word for the Reformed]

NKJ 1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

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KJV Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

NIV Acts 3:21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. [GJ - Stuck in heaven, obviating the Real Presence]

NKJ Acts 3:21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

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GJ - Missouri and WELS got behind the NIV and mandated its use. WELS excommunicated pastors for favoring the KJV over the NIV. Try to find a WELS/LCMS publication without the NIV.

Missouri and WELS have cooperated about many different things, all of them wrong: following the Roman Catholic calendar, using the NIV, aping the Church Growth Movement.

A new Lutheran KJV would be good, but the Lutherans would rather plagiarize Fuller, Willow Creek, Driscoll, Sweet, Beeson, and Stanley.

The two foundations of the English language are Shakespeare and the KJV. But now everything has to be dumbed down for the kids, making them even dumberer.

Latin names are dropped from the liturgy - boy that brought in the kiddies.

Despising the Word of God - That Is the Energy Behind Church and Change

God uses false teachers to discipline the Church. When people tolerate despising the Word of God, punishment must necessarily follow.

What unites ELCA, WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie is false doctrine. All four groups have had considerable training in Church Growth from Fuller, Willow Creek, Trinity Deerfield, and other alma-mater-sows of Enthusiasm.

For example, when I attended the Ad Fontes LCA conference many years ago, the late Father Neuhaus spoke (just before joining Rome). He gave a witty critique of the Church Growth Movement because it was so strong in the LCA already, more than 20 years ago. Clergy got up to defend such things as "user-friendly liturgies."

I knew Mac Minnick, an LCA missions executive, who was just as deep into Church Growth as Norm Berg. They knew each other, too! Norm brought up Mac Minnick to me at a WELS conference.

Missouri, WELS, and the ELS have spent the last few decades praising themselves for being such staunch Lutherans while genuflecting to Rome. I was leaving the Purple Palace after visiting with Paul McCain just as Kent Hunter (DMin, Fuller; ThD, Lutheran School of Theology, LCA) was entering. We spoke a few moments. He hastened to tell me he was addressing the Conference of Missiouri Pussycats gathered inside. Where was the protest from Barry, McCain, or the District Pussycats? There was none - 15 years ago.

A clergy member of the ELS Board of Doctrine went to Fuller. He sent a letter to the entire Little Sect on the Prairie, praising Fuller and Church Growth. I believe Orvick eventually extended him the Left Foot of Fellowship, but the ELS continued to kneel before WELS CG teachers. He-who-slept-on-the-Trigotta is their Church and Change pastor now.

The WELS/LCMS Church Shrinkers are so obvious that I collected their quotations and matched them with the eructations of Fuller and Willow Creek. Then I contrasted them with Lutheran orthodoxy. The results were impressive. I was condemned and shunned while they sold two of my books. What would someone with a real doctorate and scholarly publications know - compared to a graduate of The Sausage Factory?

Most telling - the clergy known as conservative or confessional joined in the shunning, which spoke volumes about their doctrinal standards.

When WELS forced all the clergy to pay $100 to hear Larry Olson, James Huebner, and Paul Calvin Kelm speak, at special seminars all over WELS - where was the protest? They all showed up. I allowed that I would go - if someone held a machine gun to my head. They went and bellyached, but they went. Now they are alarmed? Ha.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Despising the Word of God - That Is the Energy Beh...":

It's good I look up words I meet on Ichabod. For instance, I figured that "eructations of Fuller and Willow Creek" was a synonym for "erudition," but I see it means "belching."

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GJ - If thou but suffer Ichabod to build up thy vocabulary, the rewards will be great. I thought eructation was fairly polite. Normally I would say flatulence. Or Dreck.