Ideas for the Second Edition - The Bible Book: The KJV Reborn For Those Who Love the Word of God

The Bible Book: The KJV Reborn for Those Who Love the Word of God

• Yes, a second, improved edition is already planned for The Bible Book. That will include: more information, 
• possible maps, 
• error correction, 
• maybe indexing too. 

Distilled from Various Books about Ultra-Rich Founders

John D. Rockefeller

Every so often I read a book about ultra-rich founders of vast fortunes. Rockefeller, Warren Buffet, and Sam Walton have something in common - they kept track of the smallest transactions and kept their eyes on the numbers.

Rockefeller quibbled over how many chicken legs they ate at a restaurant. He thought he was being overcharged. Buffet wondered at a child what could be done with all the traffic going by his house. He owns or owned GEICO insurance, which he bought when it was insolvent. Sam Walton called in an accountant and accused him of trying to "ruin this company." The computer printing sheets did not allow for fractions of a penny - not wide enough. "You find the solution!" A Walmart executive asked his secretary to buy more pencils. She asked what happened to the last box.

No, I do not admire any of the super-rich founders. They were pirates, but they paid attention to overhead. All the income in the world means nothing when the overhead is growing faster than a Fuller fad.

That overhead issue is the sinkhole being experienced in the denominations. Their wealth has become their chains. Have you noticed how much they love new buildings? LCMS-WELS-ELS. Large, luxurious office buildings are the most important. After that, deluxe seminaries ot impress the future students and their parents. College campus are always on the list for big projects that become white elephants. No one dare criticize buildings for "our future heritage."

Enrollments are down and many students need to take online classes so they can work enough to pare down the cost of synod education. This has turned college and seminary buildings into Stonehenges of education. "Pa, why do they have a huge library? We have all that on a hard drive and a Google search." Ft. Wayne squandered gazillions on a library face lift. Mequon built a chapel equal to Tiefel's massive ego. Ditto Martin Luther College - the chapel money they stole and had to pay back. The ELS has a Marvin Schwan campus, copper top chapel, and headquarters with a disappearing membership base. The WELS Love Shack is as luxurious as the LCMS Purple Palace, but Missouri has little Purple Palaces for each district. 

Martin Luther College, WELS, was far ahead of the rest of the Lutherans.
They foster a truly transforming educational experience.

The Pan Lutheran Association of Nonbelievers knows all about the bottom dropping out of membership and income. They have worked hard to drain off the equity of their members estates and fund their follies. Then it stops.

Amazon Delivered My Books - After Our Guests Departed

I actually had two Amazon boxes to bring in - The Bible Book and one with the right address and the wrong person's name, with stuff I did not order but he probably did.

The Northern Great Plains Choir Is Back Home

We have known Pastor Jim Shrader and his wife Chris for decades. We knew they were musically gifted back in Columbus, Ohio. We actually met Glen Kotten on our trip to Sioux Falls. We did not know he was a singer too (apart from the song he posted). That was great having them singing for the service, dealing with our distant computer pipe organ.

To test our patience, Sassy chose to walk in and settle down for attention. She was happy to be ushered out and join Mrs. Ichabod in the overflow section. She is getting a great deal of help through Medicare.

I finally saw The Bible Book, though Amazon continues to taunt me by telling me and showing me which copies are arriving everywhere.

 Those who bend the knee to CFW Walther take shelter in his election theses, confident that the contradictions will back up their Objective Justification. CFW's warmed over Calvinism cannot grasp what the Formula of Concord says. Martin Chemnitz wrote this part of the Formula himself, to guard against false teachers like Walther and Pieper. The Second Martin (as Chemnitz has been called) was trained by Luther and Melanchthon, so our century of apostasy has been shockingly silent about Chemnitz.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity, 2021.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity, 2021

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH Lyrics site is linked here.

The Hymn # 452                      The Son of God  
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 
The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #528:10-15  If GodHimself Be For Me

Believing and Confessing

The Communion Hymn # 308       Invited Lord  
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 # 651                    Be Still My Soul 

Prayers and Announcements

• Christina Jackson is doing well and getting plenty of help. Kermit Way and Maria Ellenberger Way have excellent doctors addressing their medical concerns.
• Pray for those hurting from the severe problems caused by the management of Covid.
• Pastor James Shrader and his wife Chris are here from Sioux Falls, SD, and Glen Kotten, our church's attorney, is here from Sleepy Eye, People's Republic of Minnesota. We have had wonderful, memorable times with them.
• The Bible Book is arriving everywhere except 1104 Letha Drive, but our company brought a copy. Write if you need more.

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.


Believing and Confessing

Background for the Sermon on the Augsburg Confession, June 25th Anniversary

Someone got me involved in looking at catechisms  - about whether a catechism is exclusively Roman Catholic. Some are familiar with the old Baltimore Catechism (Roman Catholic) and the newer one. A glimpse at the Internet will show that many different denominations have a catechism, because that was once the heart of a spiritual care in the home and at church.

Luther's Small Catechism and his universally ignored Large Catechism are both in the Book of Concord, a unique collection of confessions, also called symbols. They are what the Evangelicals of the time (now called Lutherans) agreed upon what we believe from the Bible and what we reject because the Word of God rejects it. That comes down to what do we believe and confess, not just one - but both.

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

I remember how quaint we thought this passage was in Greek class - so simple, such child-like expressions. The other Gospels were not so simple to read, not even Mark, but perhaps there was a reason John was fashioned by the Holy Spirit as the most readable and profound - both, not one or the other. Hebrews is profound but difficult to read.

Doubtless it was God's intention to have the Fourth Gospel be the uniting and explaining Gospel, filled with Jesus' teaching because we already knew the outline of His work from Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

John is the Gospel of Faith in Christ, which is why the apostates hate it with special venom. But this does not mean it is only about faith - but believing and confessing. The two go together. If someone believes the truth but is afraid to speak the truth, something is wrong. 

John the Baptist was the last prophet and the first apostle. He was sent from God, so as the first apostle (the word meaning sent) he bridged the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Everyone's skin should get goosebumps when they hear these words - 

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

John knew he was announcing the Messiah's work about to begin - and they knew it too - from quoting Isaiah. And that meant he was facing death when he confessed the truth about Jesus. They did not hate John for himself, but for his message. John exemplified the righteousness of faith, and they taught the righteousness of works.

John the Baptist was executed for his continuing preaching of the truth. That brings us to the Augsburg Confession - called the Augustana in Latin. 

We often hear of Luther at the Diet of Worms, 1517, confessing the truth taught by the Scriptures, how he was kidnapped to protect him from those who wanted to murder him for opposing the Church.

As someone said, there are only two kinds of church bodies. One considers itself the authority over all matters, regardless of the Scriptures. The considers the Bible the only authority, the Book that judges all books. 

The Imperial Diet at Augsburg meant that the Holy Roman Emperor was there to hear the side of the Evangelicals, which meant the declaration of Luther as a heretic, so he could be burned at the stake. 

Luther was kept away from the potential roast, but the Lutheran leaders and laity risked their own lives, property, and honor by confessing the truth of the Scriptures. They were very close to being crushed and exterminated - as the Waldensians and many others were - but the Moslem army was at the gates of Vienna. The Emperor needed their help to protect his empire. 

The professors thought they alone should sign the Augsburg Confession, but the laity insisted on writing down their names too and they participated in the discussions. 

We have a monster bigger than the Emperor bearing down on us. No matter what people say about the military might of other countries, the greatest threat is our apostasy, hedonism, and silliness. Everything has been dumbed down so that the capacity to learn is crippled by trivial distractions. As Martin Chemnitz wrote, "These are the last days of an insane, old world.

The witness of the Augsburg Confession

Most basic was declaring we are governed by the Scriptures rather than an institution. The entire Christian world, Roman and Eastern Orthodox, had an institutional heritage, history, books, and laws dating back a thousand years and more. The Roman Catholic Church was the remnant of the Roman Empire, with many of the same characteristics.

The pope was the new emperor. He controlled land himself and considered the Western world under his control. The papal army could attack and subdue those who opposed the pope or work with allies to get the job done.

Christian doctrine is not derived from institutions and man-made authority, but from the Scriptures themselves. Laying aside all the previous works, the Lutheran minority chose the teaching of the Bible to the claims of an "infallible" institution and pope. We can almost imagine the scope of this change. People can easily pile up documents, entire libraries, where they can say, "We are right, according to this ancient, blessed saint."

When we look at the first statement in the Augsburg Confession, we can see that rejection of the Holy Trinity is foundational all of our problems today. As Lenski has written, the Bible is a statement of fact from God. We do not have the luxury of quibbling over minor and major points, as if some famous person can give us truth that the Bible does not contain. The teaching of the Trinity is a litmus test for many. This is a mystery revealed by the Holy Spirit, understood by faith. 

This Biblical teaching is foundational, because we find it from Genesis 1 on, This doctrine is violated in two ways. One is by making the Virgin Mary part of the godhead. The other is by judging the Scriptures with our human reason, which reduces the Holy Trinity to Unitarianism and then atheism.

Rejecting Purgatory and all the nonsense associated with it, the tiny faction Lutherans chose to close down the fool's goldmine and replace it with the treasures of Justification by Faith. This struck at the treasury and financial power of the Vatican, which alone could free people of their sins - if only partially. The Vatican today remains an international business, where every convent and parish has to support itself and send money to the Pope.

The Lutherans said, "We choose the Biblical message over your approval, your support, and your lies." Nothing is more dangerous than to take money away from the most powerful man in the world, the pope. Persecution, burning at the stake, exile, and torture was their pay in the next century, but at the moment, the Moslem army was outside the City of Vienna. 

The German Lutherans were needed for the battles, so they were largely left alone. Had the Emperor been free of this menace, the Lutherans would have been wiped out by the Emperor. He even had the chance to dig up Lutheran (who died in 1546), but he said, "Our war is with the living (Lutherans) not with the dead."

If we see Justification by Faith as destroying the money power of the papacy, the Reformation makes a lot more sense.

 Could this be why the modernist Lutherans (ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC) ignore and abuse the work of Melanchthon and the Augsburg Confession?

One woman was asked about a beautiful Lutheran church building in Pennsylvania, where Muhlenberg did so much work. She said, "They are alright, but they worship every stone in the building." The quip was great, except she said it to a member of that church.

This is a daring witness, probably not known to most people. It is a complete reversal of what was expected at the time. Everyone was supposed to be in awe of the relics, the fables, the giant buildings, the priests and the Servant of the Servants of God - the Pope.

People cannot place all their trust in the physical and material and have much room for the Scriptures. My experience with the top students at Notre Dame was this - they knew all about every detail of worship back to 400 A.D. but were hopeless about the Scriptures. This has now been repeated in the "conservative" Lutherans - aping the ELCA. Even a tiny sect with a little pope (ELDONA) can do this, ordering each one what he must do and think.

John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Here we have the Father sending the Spirit upon the Son, and John the Baptist witnessing to Jesus. Luther called John the Baptist the bravest of all prophets, because he was supposed to tell everyone that this ordinary looking man was the Messiah promised to them from the expulsion from Eden.

The unified truth of the Scriptures are beyond dispute, except among those with hardened hearts. The Augsburg Confessions teaches us with powerful, plain and simple lessons about the Word of God.

 The "conservative" Lutherans are lost and bumping into each other, wondering why everything has gone wrong. Panic is their reward for not teaching the truth.

Anniversary of the Augsburg Confession. The LCMS-WELS-ELS Were Delighted To Discover They All Rejected the Augsburg Confession and Justification by Faith

The Holy Roman Emperor called for an Imperial Diet to deal with the Evangelicals, Led by Luther. This resulted in the Augsburg Confession of Faith, 1530

LCMS-WELS-ELS Delighted To Reject Justification by Faith and Embrace Objective Justification

In 2012 the leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (The Little Sect on the Prairie), The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) decided to hold an informal meeting, which was held in December 2012. The impetus behind the meeting was the election of Rev. Mark Schroeder as president of WELS in 2007 and the election of Rev. Matthew Harrison as president of the LCMS in 2010, providing a new opportunity for discussions.

Last but certainly not least, there was special joy to understand that we all hold to objective justification—that God declared the world righteous through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and that we all recognize it to be the urgent mission of the church to take this gospel to the entire world. 

LutherQuest - Guardians of doctrinal stupidity.

 Did Martin Stephan's teaching about Objective Justification expunge his conscience in his affairs with young women? Did OJ make it easy for Walther to steal millions from his mentor and take control of the sect?

Thoughts about Life - Offered to Rev. George Gerberding

"The sainted Rev. Dr. Passavant of Pittsburg once told the writer how he had been called in to see a dying stranger. He found an old man with a patriarchal beard on his dying bed. After a kindly greeting Dr. Passavant asked the man what his hopes were for the next world. The old man closed his eyes, folded his hands across his breast, and slowly repeated that next to inspired gem of Evangelical truth, Luther's Explanation of the second Article of the Apostles' Creed, as he had: learned it over three score years ago in the confirmation class. Here it is:

"I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord; who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, secured and delivered me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood and with His innocent sufferings and death; in order that I might be His own, live under Him in His Kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and_blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity. "This is most certainly true."

Dr. Passavant said that in his ministry of fifty years he had not seen a more beautiful deathbed nor heard a more blessed dying testimony."

Taken from: George Gerberding. Lutheran Fundamentals: A Simple System of Scripture Truth with Applications for the Common Man. 1925/2021.

 

Free Online Books at LutheranLibrary.org

George Henry Gerberding. The Priesthood of Believers by George H. Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. The Lutheran Church in the Country by George H. Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. What's Wrong With The World? by George H. Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. New Testament Conversions by George H. Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. The Life and Letters of William Passavant D.D. by George Henry Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. Revere Franklin Weidner: A Character Sketch, Appreciation, and Tribute by George Henry Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. Reminiscent Reflections of a Youthful Octogenarian by George Henry Gerberding.

George Henry Gerberding. The Way of Salvation In The Lutheran Church by George Gerberding.

Best Combination - Rain and a Long Sunny Day - From Tuesday

Joe Pye - none dare call them weeds.
They have budded and will soon bloom with a vanilla scent, 8 feet tall and ready to feed butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Plant it and they will hum.

Today the nuclear blast furnace (aka the sun) - like a junkyard magnet - lifted our vertical garden up. The sunlight gave energy to convert the elements of decay - and its sightless, solemn workers in the soil - into 8 foot Joe Pye Weeds, 6 foot Clethra shrubs ("sugar and spice"), Bee Balm and roses.

Christina got out of the car and said, "Look at that garden. What a blend of flowers and roses!" I said, "Randomly planted together."

Now is the best time to enjoy it, with hummingbirds working their favorite flowers, butterflies joining the crew, bunnies hopping along the trails, birds suggesting more food. The bravest are the squirrels. Their younglings sit at the kitchen window sill, munch on peanuts, and look inside. They would love the kitchen They are often the first to arrive at fresh food and the last to leave

 Yarrow is the Preus botanical family. Every time you look around, another one appears. Last year's solo plant has already already, blooming.

No Matter How Bad Things Are - You Are Not a Synod President with a Losing Calvinistic Plan

 WELS Friendship Sunday, Before and After

Imagine the pain of pretending to be independent - while being dependent on WELS? That would be the new sect president of the Little Sect on the Prairie (ELS). They are so superior to WELS, they keep saying, but they march stumble along to the same drumbeat.

 The WELS District Praesidium - or LCMS - or Bethany Seminary Faculty. This was in the drawer unlabeled, it could be all of them.

The only thing that matters is getting ahead and being in charge, so the results are the same. 

Yes - The Bible Book Is Arriving in the Mail!

One reader already received his copies of  The Bible Book: The KJV Reborn for Those Who Love the Word of God. Not I!

The Kindle edition of The Bible Book is available too, for $1.99. Everything is free or non-profit.

Another reader -who took advantage of the free PDF of The Bible Book available on the masthead - found mistakes!

The first printers had the same problems of all printers and writers. The first edition of any book will have goofy mistakes, no matter what. One early KJV was called The Wicked Bible because the Sixth Commandment was missing the necessary not. The printers were severely fined.

I have already considered a second, enlarged edition, so people can email me mistakes that I could fix in that new edition. Or, they can mark a printed copy as they go along, and mail it to me. I will gladly replace it. 

 The Bible Book is finally done!
But the Bible Book has mistakes!
So did the first KJV Bibles!

Here Is a Fun Post from 2009. Lots of Participation. The Fox Valley Alcoholic Circuit Killed the Comments Because of Their Nasty, Libelous Personal Attacks

Zak graduated from the Sausage Factory, 1982, with such WELS Shrinker luminaries as:

James Mattek, Peter Pan-denominational, Paul Jahnke,

Bruce Becker, Mark Freier, Mike Albrecht, and Jeff Gunn.

 

FdL minister accused of stealing from his church

BY RUSSELL PLUMMER • The Reporter • December 14, 2009

The longtime pastor of a Fond du Lac church is accused of stealing as much as $10,000 from church offerings collected during the holidays, a police official says.

The Rev. Stuart Zak, 55, resigned from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 855 Martin Ave., Nov. 30 after he confessed to stealing money over a period of 10 years, according to a press release issued by church pastor, the Rev. Brett Naumann.

“The Fond du Lac Police Department was alerted by staff at Good Shepherd after they discovered missing cash — a discrepancy — in offerings made during holiday seasons,” said Major Kevin Lemke.

An internal investigation revealed the church was missing between $5,000 and $10,000, said Lemke.

“The suspect has spoken with police and has admitted to stealing the money from the offerings,” Lemke said. “We believe the investigation will be wrapped up by the end of the week.”

Zak told The Reporter he would not comment on the alleged theft.

In the release, Naumann said Zak would no longer be allowed to serve as pastor in any Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod program. Good Shepherd is one of three WELS churches in Fond du Lac. It has a congregation of 450.

Naumann declined to comment when asked why Zak stole the money.

“Even as we grieve over this turn of events, we thank Mr. Zak for the many blessings that the Lord has brought to Good Shepherd through his work,” Naumann said. “The Lord has brought about amazing growth both spiritually and physically through the work that was accomplished through Mr. Zak during his years of service as a pastor.”

Zak became pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in 1993. He served on the Board for Wisconsin Lutheran Child and Family Service, the District Board for Parish Education as coordinator of early childhood education, a consultant for Parish Assistance and Northern Wisconsin District chairman of Evangelism, according to his past profile on the Good Shepherd Web site.

Lemke, a 28-year veteran of the Police Department, said he couldn’t recall a case of a “person of the cloth” stealing money from a church.

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Small town evangelism

Stuart A. Zak

May 1988

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For more information and registration go to www.wels.net/evangelism and click on Welcoming Worship Seminar, or contact the district evangelism coordinator the Rev. Stuart Zak (920-921-8500 or email).

That means Zak arranged for Ski to do evangelism presentations for the district, two years in a row.

***

GJ - One WELS pastor has suggested having all accounts audited wherever Zak was involved.

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "WELS Fond du Loot Pastor Donates 10 Grand to Himse...":

There is something subliminally creepy about stealing from a congregation's offering, no matter who does it. The recommendation for an audit in other areas outside of the congregation could be very telling. My guess is that skimming the pocket change from offerings could be small potatoes in comparison.
There is one missing detail in the story. I cannot determine how the pastor even had access to the offerings. This is especially true in this age of night depository boxes at banks. The counting and recording of the offerings is always done by laity such as a finance committee, trustees, financial secretary or a combination of them. This was true 40 years ago when my father was involved with it.

At my previous congregation, after the offerings were counted and recorded, they went into the bank bag with the deposit slip and dropped into the night depository on the way home.

There appears to be a defect in the manner in which this was done at Zak's former parish. The offerings sit in the plates on the altar until after the service. There is usually more than one member who counts it. The treasurer or bookkeeper will have some notice from the bank as to the exact amount of the deposit. All of this is designed to minimize the contact that a pastor would have with the offerings. There are several checks and balances. Please pardon the unintentional pun.

***

GJ - Some bad ideas are:
1. Having only one person count the offering.
2. Leaving the offering at the church, even in a safe.
3. Letting the treasurer count the offering.
4. Giving the same person permission to write checks and count the offering.
5. Assuming everything is fine and never having an annual audit. Federal Reserve - take note.

I was skeptical about the money spent on financial controls at the Love Shack when SP Schroeder took office. That was needed, as insiders know, and the results have been good.

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PJL has left a new comment on your post "WELS Fond du Loot Pastor Donates 10 Grand to Himse...":

For much of this year I've been a daily reader of "Ichabod." (By the way, I found it when I did a google search of "WELS.") Though many in our synod may not appreciate this blog, I must admit that it does provide more realistic news of what's happening in the WELS than we'd ever get through the official channels. And it's true, going through the official channels simply means that your question or concern is usually "forgotten." Either that, or you're passed from one ecclesiatical official to the other with no one really willing to step up and say what needs to be said.

Since this is true, I can imagine that Pastor Jackson easily became frustrated during his days in the WELS trying to get his DP and others to listen to him. That may explain his biting sarcasm on this blog. If he were simply expressing concerns in a nice way, no one would probably listen!

That said, I'd like to caution all of us from thinking everything that happens to someone in the WELS is because of CGM and Church and Change. Neither is everyone who sins a shrinker.

I'm a WELS pastor in the area around Lake Winnebago. Stu Zak has been part of our pastoral conference. I don't know him real well, but I don't believe we need to connect his personal sins to the shrinkers.

There are many who are hurt by Pastor Zak's actions. Most unfortunately, the gospel and the credibility of gospel ministry in and around FDL is taking a hit from his actions. Just take a look through the ignorant comments to the article at the FDL Reporter website to find that out.

So, while I, too, smell the stench of CGM and secrecy coming from parts of Appleton, I'm not so sure I can smell it in Fond du Lac.

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PJL has left a new comment on your post "WELS Fond du Loot Pastor Donates 10 Grand to Himse...":

Oh no, I've been found out! Actually, I knew that someone would find me if I gave even a hint of where I was from.

One of the things I admire about Pastor Jackson, Michael Shottey and others on this blog is that they're willing to step out and be counted. They sign their names.

If you want to know ...

1) We print out the service because many of our elderly members find it easier to hold a bulletin than a hymnal. So, I listen to the people I serve.

2) Yes, I make use of a screen and PowerPoint. I had stopped doing this for about nine months, but again, many of our members, even some seniors, told me how much it helped them. They said that they're visual learners. So, again, I listen to the people I serve.

3) I didn't know that the NIV was tacky. It's the version of Scripture I've been using since I was ten years old!

Make me to be what you want me to be. Since you found me, feel free to e-mail or call so I can know more about you.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "WELS Fond du Loot Pastor Donates 10 Grand to Himse...":

>>>But watch out!!
No use of the hymnal (merely printed for "ease of use", no doubt. More like ashamed of ancient text if you ask me)<<< Did you bother to notice that the church in question is using the Common Service from Christian Worship? It's not the Lutheran Hymnal, but this service is rooted in the Western Rite that dates back to at least the third century A.D. It does not help the cause to lambaste pastors who are actually upholding liturgical worship, especially in such a superficial manner. *** GJ - The pastor is not a Shrinker, based on several marks (notae). He has a statement of faith which emphasizes the Means of Grace. I find his wording a bit awkward overall, but it does seem to be his own rather than something borrowed from the Evangelical Covenant Church. Kelming another confession is something I noticed at Gunn's sect and some other quasi-WELS parishes. Also, this pastor gave away his identity, which is very un-Growthy. His response to criticism was light-hearted, very unlike the Shrinkers I know. They rage and fume, but always anonymously.

I saw no link to Time of Generic Grace, which is one good indication by itself. He did not say, "God has blessed this congregation with membership growth ever since I arrived," - typical of Shrinkers. See Dom Perignon Patterson and VP Huebner.

As Paul said in Galatians, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails, so we should not condemn based on the hymnal or Bible translation. This pastor is explicit about the Means of Grace on his website, something I hardly saw in WELS or Missouri over the years.

WELS pastors are starting to feel safe in being Lutheran. That is a good sign.

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Michael Schottey has left a new comment on your post "WELS Fond du Loot Pastor Donates 10 Grand to Himse...":

Pastor Lidtke...another in a long line of younger men from the Michigan District that I can't wait to be old enough to be "in charge."

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GJ - The Chicaneries know they are losing. That is why the attacks on the blog are mounting. Of course, Chicanery attacks are like being stoned to death by popcorn.

Did I say popcorn? I wasn't even thinking even Ski.

A Female Cardinal Stopped By Today - I Was Honored

 This was a fashion event, and Cardinal Dolan loaned his best fish-hat for the occasion.

Wrong cardinal! My graphics department is stretching the truth a bit.

 By Norma A. Boeckler

I hoped for a storm last night, though the midnight rain was given a small percentage. As predicted, the morning rain began to fall in earnest - if rain is ever earnest - and brightened my day. I stood on the front porch and - a cardinal flew by me,  a few feet away. 

That was not enough. The female cardinal came back and rested on the top of the hummingbird feeder. I had not put seed on the hot sunny days. Now the message was clear - "Leave some food on the porch!" 

Cardinals love to sing for their meals, and I enjoy seeing them as regulars. One day a juvenile male cardinal fed at the kitchen window sill, oblivious to my stares.

Rain came thundering down and gave us a total of two inches. Ranger Bob thought I was foolishly watering before the storm. The rain-barrels were full again.

The recently cleared Rose Garden was absent predatory weeds and supercharged for the tall plants - clethra, Joe Pye - and lower plants - roses, mints - and bejeweled green cover full of low growing wild strawberries, with tiny yellow flowers and glowing red fruit.

When we had newly arrived coffee on the porch this evening, bees were working over the bee balm. I have seen them use the bird bath for a sip of water, but the rain left plenty on everything.