Have Your Brain Washed by Elton Stroh, Full of Straw and Strawmen. Lead Pastor in Latte Church Failure. Bad Metrics or Bad Coffee?
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Presenting the Stealth Awards to Ichabod, the Glory Has Departed
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| "I did not read Ichabod, Holy Mother. My paws are clean." |
I keep noticing the same thing on various blogs. People discover something days after I have published it. But there is no link to this blog, no indication that anyone has learned anything from 12,000+ posts, all the Luther sermons and Lutheran resources.
I have to concede that the Intrepid Lutherans blog posted and linked from time to time.
Meanwhile, the other blogs keep giving each other awards, kudus, amens, and glowing references.
Did anyone mention I published reams of research about Tim Glende's and Paul McCain's blatant plagiarism? I gave the examples, verbatim quotations from each websty, and the URLs. The LCMS and WELS support plagiarism, so there is reason not to thank me.
If I post a comment on another blog, with my name on it. everyone ignores it, unless someone takes the time for gratuitous and unwarranted accusations.
But some are saying, "You publish the leaks we send so stealthily," and they are right. Several have said, "I could let 20 people know or thousands know, so I choose to let it be posted on Ichabod."
That is another part of the Stealth Awards. I would like to thank them by name, but I know they want to remain unknown and unknowable. No hints. No nicknames.
Have you ever noticed how many regulars from the past no longer send a comment, which they can easily do by email? They have gone silent.
This is my Byzantine way of saying that the silence is the greatest acknowledgement of all. For a long time I have followed a forgotten expert who said:
1. If everyone agrees with you, there was no reason to write it in the first place.
2. If it makes people angry, you are getting close to the truth.
3. If the reaction is utter silence, you have really struck the nerve.
So - thanks. I appreciate it. I get friendly phone calls and emails, and best of all - ranting, raving, bitter emails packed with accusations and ending with - "You are so negative. I am praying for you."
Stealth Award Nominations
- Ichabod - Most defenestrations.
- Ichabod - Most invocations of the Eighth Commandment.
- Ichabod - Most examples of gratuitous shunning by friends.
- Ichabod - Most prayers offered to repent from writing about sound doctrine.
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Long, Slow Rain in the Gardens
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| Borage produces plenty of seed, food for the bees, medicine for the discerning. |
My weed in the rose garden has bloomed, and it is the borage that I planted earlier. I will make sure our helper looks over this weed, so he is not tempted to remove it in the future. The plant started out ugly, and insects chewed on it, but it failed normal weed identification tests - not grassy (witch, duck, saw), not broad-leafed (dandelion), not coarse and dedicated to seeding (plantain, crab), not a ground cover (jill-over-ground and various low growing weeds).
"By their fruits ye shall know them." Various blogs have been dedicated to posting frowns about the fruit of false doctrine without addressing the false teachers themselves. No, this timidity is not due to the delicate feelings of the bloggers, who take unwarranted swipes at me. They fear retribution from those false teachers, the ones who cause their anguish. Their fears make me think they never heard of - "What man meant for evil, God intended for the good."
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
Luther wrote too, that the Holy Spirit is so powerful that He can use the greatest evil for the greatest good, as He did at Calvary.
I continue to marvel at the people who lock themselves in the synodical jail by accepting the abuse handed out to them. They sit in their CRM status and whine about CRM status, which means they will never get a call from the popes who administer the CRM status. They could associate with one another, form new worshiping opportunities (no established synod) and experience life outside the synodical prison system.
They also grieve over the fruits without addressing the noxious weeds. "But Pastor Weed and I were in the same seminary class. VP Crabgrass was two years ahead of me, and my wife is related to his wife, Poison Ivy."
I will invoke the horticultural subjunctive - "Lettuce begin anew. The Word is far more powerful than the decaying institutions of man."
The Rain
The long, slow rainfall gave us about 1/2 inch, which has greened up the grass, the crabgrass, and the gardens. As you remember from previous post, rain brings fixed (usable) nitrogen to plants and lightning adds to that.
I took out the Epsom Salt bag and sprinkled the inexpensive soil amendment on all the gardens and on the crepe myrtle bush.
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| Large crabgrass can produce 150,000 seeds per plant in one season. The family is called digitaria, for the finger-like joints. |
I keep crabgrass cut low and spray whatever begins in the cracks of the sidewalk and driveway. My neighbor on the corner let his crabgrass get away from him in his raised rosebeds, so now he has ugly, green plants - instead of mulch - around the roses. All my neighbors are good about mowing, but many leave crabgrass growing and seeding in their sidewalks and in the cracks in our paved roads.
That should not surprise the theologues, who have left the weeds undisturbed in their gardens while eyeballing ones 200 miles away, screaming invectives at the non-threats. Besides, from that distance they often identify weeds as flowers and flowers as weeds.
The virtue of weeds is their ability to fend for themselves in good and bad weather, spreading quickly to provide for the next generation. False teachers do that too, so they grow if they are not stopped early and often.
The best remedy for lawn weeds is regular cutting and letting the grass push out the weeds, allowing weeds no room to grow, fighting the fecundity of weeds with the fecundity of grass. The roots of lawngrass are closely entwined and eager to send out new shoots via stolons. I mulch the grass as it is cut, so the grass fertilizes itself and the red wigglers do the digging, tunneling, digesting, chewing, and casting (manuring).
Yesterday, most of my gardening work consisted of watching the rain and planning more jobs. My Fiskar manual pruning saw came, so we will add new prunes to the pile of branches that fell during our windstorm (70 mph). The backyard has changed from dungeon doom to large areas of sunlight, due to the removal of overhanging, dead, wind-tossed, and crossing branches.
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| "I am, you are. We are Australians." Hugh Jackman, Australian, added to his fan base when he spoke at Walmart and sang Gloria in Excelsis Deo. |
We had a number of brief medical stops, so Sassy went along. She was alarmed by one drugstore, which was a new stop for her. She does not like to see her Mom leave the car, so she was restless the whole time. However, at the Neighborhood Walmart, she was calm, since we stop there so often and I run into the store.
This time I stayed in the car with Sassy to teach her Waltzing Matilda. The key verse has the itinerant (swagman) killing a sheep and putting it in his tuckerbag ( knapsack) for food. The owner (squatter) arrives on his fancy horse (thoroughbred - showoff) and has three policemen arrest the swagman.
"OK Sassy. Up rode the squatter, riding on his thoroughbred.
Down came the troopers, one, two three, Bark three times - bark, bark, bark."
We practiced a little and she came in on the three barks. That verse is ironic because why put three officers on one itinerant for grabbing a sheep?
Where's that jolly jumbach you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.
The jumbach is a sheep, and the Matilda is an all-purpose blanket.
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| Dr. Lito Cruz and his wife Lynn - Australians. http://extranos.blogspot.com/ |
I told Mrs. I, "Sassy has to learn her culture, since she is half Australian."
The Seekers are the ultimate Australian group, the first to become famous and easily the best pop group ever.
The Seekers are the ultimate Australian group, the first to become famous and easily the best pop group ever.
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Busta Rhyme Has the Answer for All Synods - Just One Answer. Please Pay Your $10,000 Fee
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Thrivent Has Money for Racing, So Why Ask the ELCA Lapsitters for Pro-Life Funds?
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| My racing career ended early. |
Thrivent Financial jumps into Nascar sponsorship, strikes five-race sponsorship deal with Leavine Family Racing
http://www.startribune.com/business/269311541.html?page=all&prepage=2&c=y#continue
As it looks to turbocharge its outreach to the broader Christian community, Thrivent Financial is dabbling for the first time in national sponsorships, starting with a NASCAR race team and some Christian music festivals.
The Minneapolis-based Fortune 500 company announced Wednesday that it will sponsor Leavine Family Racing and its driver Michael McDowell for five races on the circuit this year, including the much-anticipated Bristol Motor Speedway event next month.
The move comes as the financial services company looks to expand its awareness within the larger Christian community since it opened its membership ranks last year to all Christians — not just Lutherans.
“We are definitely on a growth trajectory,” said Craig Stacey, Thrivent’s director of content marketing. “The common bond vote in opening up our membership to the broader Christian community was the first step. Now we’re doing things to tell our story more broadly.”
NASCAR seemed like a good fit because about 76 percent of its fans — or 57 million people — identify as Christians, he said. And half of them have a financial investment and half of them have incomes of more than $50,000, he added, citing figures from NASCAR.
It helped, too, that McDowell, the 29-year-old driver, often speaks about his Christian faith, sometimes tweeting verses from the Bible to his more than 60,000 Twitter followers.
Thrivent’s new heart logo, which was unveiled earlier this year and is prominently emblazoned on its downtown Minneapolis headquarters, will be plastered on McDowell’s car at the Bristol race in eastern Tennessee. In addition, McDowell and the pit crew will be decked out in Thrivent-logo’d gear. The company is also an associate sponsor for four races where its logo will not get as much prime real estate on the car.
As part of the agreement, Thrivent will also get some mentions on K-Love, a Christian radio network, which also sponsors Leavine Family Racing. The racing team, which fields the No. 95 Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series, has its race shop in Concord, N.C.
Jeremy Lange, a vice president for Leavine Family Racing, said he reached out to Thrivent as the team was looking for sponsors. He didn’t know at the time that Thrivent was also interested in broadcasting its message.
“It was a perfect storm,” he said. “We were reaching out to companies that we feel fit our mold. We felt we could provide them a lot of exposure.”
Thrivent’s NASCAR sponsorship drew a mixed response on its Facebook page. Some thought it was a great idea, but others wondered whether Thrivent’s money could be better spent in other ways.
“This is distressing,” wrote Mary Shaima. “We were told earlier this summer that Thrivent does not have as much money to distribute to congregations for mission — specifically, “God’s Work Our Hands” — because more congregations are asking for support.”
But Stacey said no other programs were cut to pay for this sponsorship. He added that Thrivent’s employees were “overwhelmingly positive” when the news was announced to them earlier this week.
Thrivent did not disclose how much it was spending on the NASCAR partnership.
A tax-exempt fraternal benefits society, Thrivent sells insurance, annuities and other financial services to its nearly 2.4 million members. The firm wrestled for years about whether to open its membership to those beyond just the Lutheran faith as the number of practicing Lutherans has shrunk amid declining loyalty to church denominations. But a majority of members who voted last year finally agreed to open up its ranks.
So earlier this year, the company introduced a new logo that dropped the “for Lutherans” reference from its name.
Stacey said that since the firm began welcoming all Christians last year, about half of its new members have come from the broader Christian community.
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| Thrivent has been funding Jeske's projects with ELCA for years, so what is the beef? Write a letter. Hahahahaha. |
Board of Directors
Under the Articles of Incorporation (PDF, 545K), the board of directors is Thrivent Financial's supreme governing body.
The board directs the management of the fraternal benefit society's affairs and has oversight responsibility in all matters involving Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
Board Members
 Brad HewittPresident and Chief Executive Officer | |
 N. Cornell BoggsBoard Member |  Frank H. MoellerChair of the Board |
 Kenneth A. CarowBoard Member |  Bonnie E. RaquetBoard Member |
 Kirk FarneyBoard Member |  Alice M. RichterBoard Member |
 Mark A. JeskeBoard Member |  James H. ScottBoard Member |
 Frederick G. KraegelBoard Member |  Allan R. SpiesBoard Member |
 F. Mark KuhlmannBoard Member |  Adrian M. TocklinBoard Member |
Contact our Board of Directors
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Preparing for Roses in the Spring. A Guide for Creation Gardeners
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| Queen Elizabeth is tall, regal, and perfect for cutting. |
This week two people asked me about getting ready to plant roses in the spring.
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| The Fragrant Cloud rose is a hybrid tea with exquisite blooms and perfume. |
Although roses have many sub-categories, the two main ones for planting are the hybrid tea roses and the easy care roses, including the popular Knock-Outs. The hybrid tea roses are best for long-lasting blooms, long stems, and arrangements.
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| Knock-Out shrub roses are magenta, pink, and white. They provide an area of constant, vibrant color. |
The best roses for constant, abundant color are the Knock-Outs, a shrub rose. These roses have shorter stems and looser blooms, so they do not display a long time in a vase. Their blooms are rather short-lived in the garden, but they make up for it by constantly providing a riot of color. Although they are called "self-pruning," Knock-Outs are more colorful when the fading blooms are cut off regularly. They come back quickly after pruning.
A hybrid tea rose will slowly form a bud and very slowly open that bud. Some cut the bud too soon and stop the blooming. Once the five sepals are open, the bud will open completely in a vase.
Cost
All good roses cost about $30 each, unless they are on sale at the end of the buying season (late in spring). The remaining roses will sell for $8-10 each. Buying leftover roses is great fun. They introduce the fussy grower to different types they would overlook in the early season buying frenzy.
Do you want a tree rose or two but blanch at the $50 price? Buy some Jackson and Perkins roses early and they will send messages about leftover tree roses for $10. Wow.
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| Peace has been a favorite rose since WWII ended. |
Earlybirds buy their favorite bare root roses from now until late winter. Some favorites like Peace and Double Delight sell out fast, whether bare root or potted at the local gardening store. Many places are officially out of stock because ordering does not really start for a few months. Ordering during the winter is a good practical idea and a real dream-starter.
http://www.jacksonandperkins.com/ - A few of the most popular roses can be found here.
http://www.waysidegardens.com/ - More variety and explanations can be found at Wayside.
Roses Need Prunes
John 15:1-10 describes caring for a grapevine, but those principles also apply to the rose. The deadwood must be pruned and thrown away. The spent blooms must be pruned so the branches will grow even more. Newcomers are loathe to prune deadwood. They resist cutting off the blooms that are fading into seed. When the seeds are formed (rosehips), the plant completes its work and begins to slow down.
Roses Need Water
I use soaker hoses for roses. They need at least one good soaking per week.
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| Gruss an Aachen blooms in partial shade, but it is not a moss. Do not plant it in deep shade. |
Roses Need Sun - But Not a Sunburn
I like an eastern exposure for roses. They get the morning sun without being roasted by a southern or western exposure. The hottest parts of the yard should be reserved for corn, pumpkins, and tomatoes - not roses.
Roses can do well in partial shade, if they have enough sun. Gruss an Aachen roses are known for tolerating more shade but blooming gloriously in the sun.
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| These little guys will do more for your garden and lawn than all the expensive chemicals put together.http://unclejimswormfarm.com/ |
Roses Need Active, Organic, Wormy Soil
Now is a good time to start preparing an area for roses. Every poistive action done from now until planting in the spring will benefit the roses.
Forget osterizing with a rototiller to make the lawn into a new garden. Newspapers covered by mulch will turn turf into compost, ideal for roses. Because a high percentage of organic matter will feed the soil creatures that fertilize plants by recycling organic waste. The earthworm is the hardest working soil creature and the best known, but there are many others.
Forget bags of rose food. Roses like manure rather than those inorganic salts which ultimately harm the soil.
Roses Need Their Own Area to Grow
Assuming the future rose garden is currently part of the lawn:
1. Cover the area with newspapers. Earthworms dig newsprint. The soggy newspapers hold in moisture and block sunlight from the photophobic worms. The cellulose that makes up newsprint is easily digested by earthworms.
2. Cover the newspapers with wood mulch (Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart) to keep the newspapers from blowing into the neighbors' yards. Autumn leaves can be used to weigh down newsprint, but something will be needed to keep the leaves in place - such as tree branches.
3. Grass clippings will keep newspapers down too.
4. Mushroom compost can also be placed on top of the soil. I did this around the maple tree base, then covered the area with mulch. The next day, birds had pecked into the new area for soil creatures to eat. That is a good sign, when they detect life in the soil.
5. Thus - soil teeming with soil life, from bacterial to earthworms, will feed the roses. Every pound of organic material added will become a pound of rich soil (earthworm castings) in time. That is why every gardener should put red wiggler earthworms into his gardening areas in the spring.
Buy them here - http://unclejimswormfarm.com/
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| Garlic chives will creep through the rose garden via their roots, and pop up, looking like fat grass until they bloom. |
Roses Enjoy Companions - Garlic or Garlic Chives
Roses belong by themselves, not crowded into another space or stuck along the side of the house. They are roses, not wall flowers. Many gardeners buy their favorites in groups of three or five, for a bigger splash of color, but roses never clash.
The best companion plants for roses are garlic bulbs and garlic chives (one or t'other, not both). Garlic fumes drive away insects and make the roses stronger and more disease resistant. I prefer garlic chives because they spread through the rose garden and are easily harvested for salad, soup, and cooking.
Dramatic Conclusion
Roses are the best possible expenditure in time and money. Our 16 bushes paint the front yard in color and fill the doorway with perfume every morning. Everyone loves getting cut roses, so all my newsprint donors get some hybrid tea roses for collecting newsprint for me. I said to my neighbor, "Here are some of your newspapers back." His wife loves roses. He said, "It is our 53rd wedding anniversary."
Our helper takes home roses every week, alarmed that I am cutting so many. I explain that cutting makes them bloom even more - as John 15:1-10 shows. After a major pruning, where 100% of the blooms were removed, 60 blooms appeared at once. Our roses are new. They will be stronger and more productive once they are established.
Additional Creation Gardening links.
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| Double Delight - order early for a perfumed, bi-color, productive rose. |
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Polluted WELS - Now He Smells the Potroast - But One Fact Is Missing
Polluted WELS - A Travesty Examined, Part One
This article is the first in a series examining the travesty that is the "2015 Christian Leadership Experience".
First, we'll take a look at the keynote speakers, starting with Sharon Buck. Sharon Buck is a Mary Kay saleswoman. Her keynote address is called "Leading a Volunteer Army". Here's a description of what she will talk about:
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Anonymous said... The WELS stance regarding fellowship principles and male headship look good on paper. If Synod leadership won't respect these doctrines, then it is time to stop pretending they matter and to abolish them formally.
First, we'll take a look at the keynote speakers, starting with Sharon Buck. Sharon Buck is a Mary Kay saleswoman. Her keynote address is called "Leading a Volunteer Army". Here's a description of what she will talk about:
Sharon will discuss the perks and pitfalls of leading others when you have NO authority in their business/career. She will also discuss the importance of GODLY leadership and how it affects relationships for now... and in eternity. Truly, leading a volunteer army is challenging, sometimes frustrating but always rewarding. The lessons discussed will be helpful for ALL leaders!
So, we have a few problems here:
So, we have a few problems here:
- The gospel is not a product to be sold like over-priced make-up.
- Her address is obviously not just informational in nature, it's religious (GODLY...).
- Assuming she's not WELS, this religious teaching is a violation of fellowship principles.
- Since she's a woman, this religious teaching is a violation of male headship.
It appears that Sharon Buck is a WELS member from Grace Lutheran Charlotte, NC.
http://www.grace-charlotte.org/home/180007176/180007176/docs/September.October%20Newsletter.pdf
She relocated from New Ulm and may have been involved with Jars of Clay Ministries.
http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/april-2006/unleash-laypeople
http://www.grace-charlotte.org/home/180007176/180007176/docs/September.October%20Newsletter.pdf
She relocated from New Ulm and may have been involved with Jars of Clay Ministries.
http://www.wels.net/news-events/forward-in-christ/april-2006/unleash-laypeople
Anonymous said...Since the conference seems to be OK with women in leadership roles in the church, here is a timely article:
http://acelc.net/
http://acelc.net/
Anonymous said...People can be so quick to fling mud without knowing all the details. Thank you for putting the best construction on things!
Sharon Buck is not leading a worship service. She is not conducting a Bible study. She is sharing life experiences and how the Lord has guided her in her business life. What's wrong with learning, sharing, and rejoicing with fellow Christians who have a common sinful nature and Savior who clothes us in robes of righteousness? Would it be ok to chat with Sharon one on one and have her share her experiences? Besides being on a much larger scale, how is this different? I don't know that you can say that Sharon is taking on a leadership role either.
-WELS Pastor (since we're keeping the anonymity thing going) [GJ - So brave, defending her anonymously. We know it is A-OK for a WELS lady to teach men about the spirit demons in her life, hovering in her study, telling her that life has no meaning, so live it up now.]
Sharon Buck is not leading a worship service. She is not conducting a Bible study. She is sharing life experiences and how the Lord has guided her in her business life. What's wrong with learning, sharing, and rejoicing with fellow Christians who have a common sinful nature and Savior who clothes us in robes of righteousness? Would it be ok to chat with Sharon one on one and have her share her experiences? Besides being on a much larger scale, how is this different? I don't know that you can say that Sharon is taking on a leadership role either.
-WELS Pastor (since we're keeping the anonymity thing going) [GJ - So brave, defending her anonymously. We know it is A-OK for a WELS lady to teach men about the spirit demons in her life, hovering in her study, telling her that life has no meaning, so live it up now.]
Matthias Flach said...Sharon Buck will not simply be "sharing life experiences". She will be teaching men about "GODLY leadership". This is a direct violation of the roles of man and woman.
Matthias Flach said...My apologies for assuming that Sharon Buck isn't a WELS member. It's an easy assumption to make, though, since the conference website tells us that some speakers are WELS and some aren't, but doesn't tell us which ones are and which ones aren't.
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GJ - Polluted, you missed this -
One reader informed me that Sharon Buck may be a WELS member. That would make sense, because Mark Jeske is in love with money, realizing he could grow rich on taxpayer money, Thrivent, Antioch, and synod grants.
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Polluted WELS Answers Typical Synod Minder
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| Let No False Doctrine Me Beguile |
FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014
A Travesty Interrupted
We'll get back to our "Travesty" series in just a bit. First, though, we need to deal with a deliciously WELSian comment we just received. Here it is (with my comments interspersed) in honorary Lillo-pink:
This thread is a perfect example of why no one takes any of you seriously.
No one takes any of who seriously? (Or is it any of whom?) Confessional Lutherans? You don't take Confessional Lutherans seriously? Maybe that's because you don't take the Confessions seriously.
None of you have even bothered to contact any of the leaders or discuss the matter with anyone at all who knows more about the conference or the presenter.
Yes! Only the second sentence and we've already gotten the patented WELS "Matthew 18 Maneuver". Just a few problems:
You all just sit on computers and blog about what you assume to be true, and you have an inflated view of the importance of that process.
You shouldn't sit on your computer. Very easy to break it that way. I'm simply blogging about what the conference website says (and doesn't say). An inflated view of the importance of what process? Blogging? Well, when you're not allowed to voice disagreement through official means, you have to use whatever's left.
This blog has quickly become a tabloid, not the valuable forum for discussion that it could have been.
Now I'm just confused. You just said that blogging isn't important. Now you say that this blog could have been valuable. Which is it? Is a blog only important and valuable as long as it doesn't actually criticize the WELS?
This thread is a perfect example of why no one takes any of you seriously.
No one takes any of who seriously? (Or is it any of whom?) Confessional Lutherans? You don't take Confessional Lutherans seriously? Maybe that's because you don't take the Confessions seriously.
None of you have even bothered to contact any of the leaders or discuss the matter with anyone at all who knows more about the conference or the presenter.
Yes! Only the second sentence and we've already gotten the patented WELS "Matthew 18 Maneuver". Just a few problems:
- Matthew 18 is about private sin, not public sin. In the case of public sin (and this conference is very public) a public rebuke is not only allowed, but required.
- The conference website doesn't tell us who the "leaders" are. There are contacts for registration, marketing, and (of course) sponsors, but no mention of who's on the organizing committee.
- You didn't contact me personally to discuss the matter with me. You just went right ahead and posted a public criticism of me. Hypocrisy--look it up.
You all just sit on computers and blog about what you assume to be true, and you have an inflated view of the importance of that process.
You shouldn't sit on your computer. Very easy to break it that way. I'm simply blogging about what the conference website says (and doesn't say). An inflated view of the importance of what process? Blogging? Well, when you're not allowed to voice disagreement through official means, you have to use whatever's left.
This blog has quickly become a tabloid, not the valuable forum for discussion that it could have been.
Now I'm just confused. You just said that blogging isn't important. Now you say that this blog could have been valuable. Which is it? Is a blog only important and valuable as long as it doesn't actually criticize the WELS?
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| Wauwatosa started this creative and ever-changing theology fad in WELS, but all they do is copy false teachers from the past and marvel at their creativity and flexibility. |
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Polluted WELS Looks at the Jeske Conference
A Travesty Examined, Part Three
The third keynote speaker needs no introduction.
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That's right, folks, it's Je$ke.
Here's a description of his topic:
It is Pastor Jeske’s conviction after 35 years in the ministry that true leaders are change agents. But how do you bring about change in a change-resistant church culture? How can pastors be change agents? How can “just a lay person” make a difference? Pastor Jeske will bring stories from the amazing things God has been doing at St. Marcus in Milwaukee and Time of Grace Ministry.
Yes, that's right. Who cares about what Scripture or the Confessions say? Je$ke has a conviction--let's listen to that instead.
True leaders are change agents? What happened to Luther's conservative reformation? The Lutheran church is about retaining and conserving apostolic doctrine and practice, not about changing the church.
A change-resistant church culture? Those darn Confessionals who aren't willing to change one iota of Scripture for the sake of growth and glory. How dare we resist the great Je$ke?
What can laypeople do? Well, Luther would say that laypeople can enjoy the gifts of God given through his called ministers, but I'm guessing the correct answer is that laypeople can "make a difference" by giving more money to Je$ke.
A Travesty Examined, Part Two
The next keynote speaker at the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience is Dr. Ravi I. Jayakaran.
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Here's what we're told about him: Dr. Jayakaran has developed the “Holistic Worldview Analysis”, and other new participatory tools to ‘measure what matters’ in community transformation and empowerment and to facilitate Holistic Integrated Development for Integral Mission.
I'm not sure if I can criticize that because I have no earthly idea what it means. I've studied English, Spanish, Latin, German, Greek, and Hebrew, but I'm not sure what language the paragraph above is written in. They seem to be English words, but when you put them all together they don't seem to actually mean anything.
In any case, they definitely don't have anything to do with the mission of Christ's Church.
I'm not sure if I can criticize that because I have no earthly idea what it means. I've studied English, Spanish, Latin, German, Greek, and Hebrew, but I'm not sure what language the paragraph above is written in. They seem to be English words, but when you put them all together they don't seem to actually mean anything.
In any case, they definitely don't have anything to do with the mission of Christ's Church.
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Exclusive to Ichabod - Benjamin Wink Asks Some Questions
Benjamin Wink asked that this be published with his name on it:
I must raise a question with the worship conferences that are being held by the WELS. The last conference was held at Gustavus Adolphus, an ELCA affiliated college, in St. Peter, MN which is literally spitting distance from Martin Luther College in New Ulm. Despite millions being spent on the new Chapel of the Christ, it turns out that the chapel is just too small for major events, according to the official byline. That’s right, too small. Also I was told that as there is no air conditioning in the MLC dorms, the conference couldn’t be based there out of concern for the attendees. However, last time I checked, New Ulm and Mankato have plenty of hotels that I’m sure would’ve loved the off season business, but never mind that.
I also heard the excuse that food service wouldn’t be available at MLC during the conference time. This is understandable if you don’t plan ahead to inform the food service that they will be paid and will be needed during those dates. You could even set it up in their contract, which is novel, I know. (As a former student, I could bring up that there wasn’t food service even when school was in session, but I digress.)
So the 2014 Worship Conference was upon us and where did the WELS decide to hold the event? Why at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, which is yet another ELCA affiliated college! Oh but even better per this website http://www.wels.net/worship/2014-national-worship-conference which states that this is the 4th time the conference has been held there. The fourth time?
I just have to ask this: why is a conference on worship held on a campus affiliated with ELCA, a synod that the WELS says they are not in fellowship with? Are not worship services held during the conference? After all this is a worship conference. Given the boast that this is “the largest Lutheran worship conference in North America”, how in blazes does one get around the fellowship conflict? And this is the 4th time? So if I include Gustavus that is at least 5 of these conferences that have been held on an ELCA campus. Well, that’s just great and lovely.
Now let’s say that I condoned the excuse that the synod didn’t have a worship facility large enough for conferences of this sort in the past. Fine, I can grudgingly grant that. But now, there’s this multimillion dollar extravaganza in New Ulm that sat vacant this summer. Why is the synod not using this location as their premier worship conference location? After all, they own it, do they not? Why not use it? Why continually brag about this amazing edifice if you’re just going to let it get dusty during the summer months? Why avoid using this centerpiece attraction when given this opportunity?
The bottom line is that the synod doesn’t have to pay another church body in order to rent out facilities. Yet the synod would rather support the ministry of ELCA by paying to use their facilities? How can one rectify this nonsense? “Oh but the Chapel of the Christ is far too small!” I would suggest scheduling your “sessions” accordingly. And given the attendance last time, you would have fit all of the attendees in that building for worship services in New Ulm without issue. Obviously MLC also has plenty of classrooms and the like in order to conduct overflow sessions as well. This is why they give the directors of these events years to plan ahead.
Imagine if “the largest Lutheran worship conference in North America” made New Ulm its home every single time? MLC would get a terrific showcase and have a fraction of justification as to why they built that chapel in the first place. Also, imagine how grateful the city and surrounding communities would be because of the influx of summer revenue. What great bragging rights the synod could have indeed. Instead, the synod is just nomadic and willing to shell out money to a church group that they say they want nothing to do with because of fellowship issues. Well, except for when they choose to overlook that during worship conference time. I can see why there would be a food service problem. It is hard enough trying to feed one face, let alone those with two of them.
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GJ - When I wrote about the first WELS pan-denominational conference at Carthage College, the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic) went bonkers calling me a liar, etc. I had the poster on my desk when I wrote. Of course, the barrage came from Paul Tiefel in the CLC, first cousin of James Tiefel in WELS, the host and bartender for the conference.
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Intrepid Lutherans Object - Tele-Tubbies of WELS Still at It
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| Jeske recently discovered that everything must change? He, Lawrenz, Witte, and others formed a secret society dedicating to changing everything - while denying it. Church and Change - funded by WELS, promoted by WELS, linked from the WELS website for a long time. |
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2014/08/what-is-2015-christian-leadership.html
FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014
What is the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience?
What is the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience?
by Mr. Vernon Kneprath
- Read, Weep
- Money Changers at the Religious Conference
- Build a Customer-Centric Church Business To Make More Money... Even Better - Listen to Pagan Gods Teaching You How To Be Rich!
If the information at the website for the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience (www.christlead.com) is to be considered representative of the event, I would conclude that Experience:
- is ecumenical, interfaith, and interdenominational, even though it specifically targets WELS and those in fellowship with WELS.
- is theology of glory; with its primary focus on man’s works, not the Gospel or the Means of Grace.
- is endorsed by some high-level WELS and ELS leaders and pastors, as evidenced by their participation and roles in the event.
- bears no standards of or identity to Confessional Lutheranism.
- The 2015 Christian Leadership Experience and its organizing partners are specifically inviting the people who make up our constituency, which is primarily WELS/ELS or CELC. However, the event is open to whomever is interested in building their leadership skills.
As the objectives of the Leadership Experience were identified, we committed to identifying and presenting the best possible speakers on each leadership topic. A few of the speakers who are well-regarded as experts in their field are from outside the CELC (WELS/ELS) fellowship. We pray these speakers will bring value to attendees which has not been previously available to leaders and aspiring leaders in our fellowship.
Conference attendance is not an act of fellowship. The one "fellowship" activity is the worship at devotions and the closing service. Just as we welcome our friends and visitors to our congregations' worship services so also we welcome them to the conference's devotions and closing service.
- specifically targets WELS and those in fellowship with the WELS for the purpose of teaching skills pertaining to ministry.
- involves worship and prayer.
- involves speakers both inside and outside of WELS fellowship.
- includes the prayer that those outside WELS fellowship bring value to those to whom Experience is targeted.
Returning to my conclusions regarding Experience, I will refer the reader to hyperlinks of various locations on the website www.christlead.com, and to other websites. In some cases, I will provide some of the content found at the hyperlinks I provide, to save the reader the time and trouble of having to search those hyperlinked webpages. These hyperlinks will provide what I consider to be supporting evidence for my conclusions.
- Experience is ecumenical, interfaith, and interdenominational, even though it specifically targets WELS and those in fellowship with WELS.
There is much evidence for this. I will provide two examples.
Example 1 -- Refer to http://www.christlead.com/speakers.php and find “Speaker - Dr. Ravi I. Jayakaran.”
Now refer to http://www.christlead.com/jayakaran.php for more information regarding Dr. Ravi. Here you will find the following:
Dr. Ravi I. Jayakaran has more than 37 years of experience in poverty reduction and strategic development programs. Currently he is Vice President of Global Programs for MAP International (medical assistance programs), providing supervisory oversight and strategic support for all of MAP’s global programs. Dr. Jayakaran is also currently the Senior Associate for Integral (Holistic) Mission for the Lausanne Global Movement.
The Lausanne Global Movement, as evidenced by the “Lausanne Covenant”, is an effort to “enter into a solemn covenant with God and with each other, to pray, to plan and to work together for the evangelization of the whole world”.
Example 2 -- The speaker web page,http://www.christlead.com/jayakaran.php, has the following footer:
©2014 Global Leadership Summit: All Rights Reserved.
The Global Leadership Summit is associated with the Willow Creek Association. Read about the Willow Creek Association at http://www.willowcreek.org/aboutwillow/willow-creek-association
Founded in 1991, the Willow Creek Association (WCA) is a not-for-profit organization that exists to help local churches thrive. The WCA stirs up and calls out the core leadership of churches around the world, encouraging them to follow their "holy discontent" as they build life-changing communities of faith. The WCA serves pioneering pastors and leaders around the world by curating inspirational leadership, intentional skill development, and experiences. Each year, the WCA serves more than 18,000 churches in 90 countries with vision, training, and resources.
Experience is laced with references and linkage to ecumenical evangelical organizations and people. - Experience is theology of glory; with its primary focus on man’s works, not the Gospel or the Means of Grace.
Again, there is much evidence. I will provide two examples. Both examples relate to designated speakers ofExperience. Refer to http://www.christlead.com/speakers.php.
Example 1 -- Keynote Speaker - Ann Rhoades
Ann is a Corporate Executive with over 25 years experience in a variety of service-based industries, is President of People Ink, her consulting company that helps organizations create unique workplace cultures based on values and performance and author of “Built on Values”. She held the position of Vice President of the People Department for Southwest Airlines, and EVP for Promus Hotel Corporation and most recently, JetBlue Airways where she currently remains as a Board Member.
Ann has a respected reputation in the industry for her creative approach to creating customer-centric cultures and is a popular speaker on the subject of customer service and how to build a strong high-performing culture.
Example 2 -- Speaker - Sharon Buck
Sharon will discuss the perks and pitfalls of leading others when you have NO authority in their business/career. She will also discuss the importance of GODLY leadership and how it affects relationships for now... and in eternity. Truly, leading a volunteer army is challenging, sometimes frustrating but always rewarding. The lessons discussed will be helpful for ALL leaders!
Notice the focus of these speakers:- “customer centric” cultures, as if the Church can be treated as a business with the chief concern of satisfying customers.
- discussing “Godly” leadership, with no confession defining the basis of that Godly leadership.
Experience is not about using God’s Word or the Means of Grace. This becomes very apparent when you view the event schedule. The presentation topics do not focus on what God has done for us, the true Gospel message, and the theology of the cross. “Experience” focuses on business techniques as if the Holy Spirit, through the Means of Grace, can no longer be effective in today’s culture. - Experience is endorsed by some high-level WELS and ELS leaders and pastors, as evidenced by their participation and roles in the event.
Again, there are many examples. I will provide three. Refer to http://www.christlead.com/speakers.php (worship leaders)
Example 1 -- Rev. Jon Buchholz is District President of the CA-AZ district of the WELS.
Example 2 -- Rev. Charles Degner is District President of the MN district of the WELS.
Example 3 -- Pastor Don Moldstad is Chaplain, Director of Campus Spiritual Life at Bethany Lutheran College (ELS).
As evidenced by representation from the high levels of leadership in WELS and ELS, this event implies the full backing of these synods’ leadership. - Experience, based on the information provided on the website, bears no standards of or identity to Confessional Lutheranism.
Why do these event organizers and participants, WELS and ELS leaders and pastors, choose to use things other than God’s Word to train leaders of the church? The evidence of the conclusion that this event is non-confessional is found in the absence of the Word and the Means of Grace. Evidence abounds of Church Growth and fund raising objectives, but there is no evidence of God’s Word.
Perhaps this can be explained by the “bait and switch” technique commonly used by Church Growth advocates. That is, focus on what culture values, and sometime later, once the subject has been “hooked”, the Gospel will be revealed and the Holy Spirit can then be allowed to do His work.
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| And the devil looks just like Paul Calvin Kelm. Conservative Episcopalians and those leaving ELCA have used my graphics, but the Lutherans dissenters do not. |
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Pigweed Slandered - Apology Issued. Another Miracle Plant
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| Pigweed - Go Hogs, Go. Sooie. |
Working on my plant/weed identification skills, I learned that the plant belongs to the amaranth family. Long ago, when I was buying every Rodale book in print, I read about the prophet's dedication to amaranth. He advocated grain amaranth as a solution for world hunger and bad nutrition. Amaranth is a big family, including Gregg's Amaranth - amaranthus greggii.
The seeds of pigweed can be harvested and roasted. The leaves are substitutes for spinach during the hot summer, when spinach bolts and becomes bitter.
I have a beautiful specimen near my back fence. The plant seems to have grown to four feet in height almost overnight. I walk to the back and clear out unwanted plants from time to time, so I know this happened quickly.
As you can see from the photo above, the leaves are somewhat like goosefoot, but they lack the tinge of white near the stem and have red in the stem and roots. Recent research on the Net shows that pigweed can grow on poor soil but grows riotously on good soil. This plant is a few feet from the compost, headquarters of my red wigglers, where they meet, date, and circulate into the our backyards.
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| Goosefoot is much more goosefooty than redroot pigweed. This plant is also called lamb's quarters. According to Joan Richardson’s Wild Edible Plants of New England, lambsquarters “even outclasses spinach as a storehouse of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, and great amounts of vitamin A, not to mention all the minerals pulled out of the earth by its strong taproot.” |
Heat and Cold
Some are wondering, "Why pick on spinach? Everyone wants to substitute for spinach."
Gardeners do not always consider the growing characteristics of their favorite plants. Many are stunned than green plants can survive, thrive, and even improve in the cold.
Spinach and peas love the cold. The cabbage family loves the cold and improves after a frost (Brussels sprouts). Green kale can be dug out of the snow and eaten - not fresh frozen and rotting, but cold and loving it.
I heard gardeners say they will plant peas on Good Friday, because that is the traditional day. I tell them, "No plant them as soon as you can. It may even snow on them."
"Snow on peas? Isn't that bad?"
"Not on snow peas." I try to explain how some plants have their own anti-freeze, enjoying the looks of astonishment. I spent an entire Minnesota winter telling one nurse (on various visits) that my spinach starts, buried in snow and ice, would emerge in the spring and be the best in the area. "No, not this winter. No they are dead. Wait until spring." And in the spring, the spinach emerged from snow and ice to thrive in the damp cold rain and produce before the insects thought of attacking it.
Spinach is best when packed with moisture and crunchy, so that is the way to have the salad at its best and ruin the idea of grocery store spinach forever.
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| Spinach rows - thin by eating. |
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Polluted WELS Examines the Ambiguous, Twisted Smile of Mark Jeske, Guru of ELCA, WELS, LCMS, ELS, et. al.Michigander Answers with Luther
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| Photoanalysts consider the half-smile a sign of ambiguity, the down-turned part representing suppressed sadness. |
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| Mark the Guru is smiling here, isn't he? Nope - the left side is down-turned again. |
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| In this group photo of the Markan disciples, Jeske has a pronounced half-smile. |
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| This is the entire group from which I cut out and enlarged Mark's half-smile. He is the only one NOT smiling. |
SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014
A Travesty Examined, Part Five
Now that we've covered the keynote speakers, let's talk about some of the other presentations that will take place at the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience.
(By the way, what exactly is an "experience"? It sounds like a rock concert or something. Well, actually, I'm sure the worship services will be rock concerts.)
Here's a presentation that sounds good:
“Facing Facts and Changing the Course of your Ministry”
Acknowledging that your ministry is not working effectively is a difficult action to take. Effective leaders must use self reflection, data, and analysis to determine potential obstacles and opportunities to enhance ministry effectiveness. In this interactive session, a crucial conversation will he held on how leaders must define reality and develop plans that change your situation from “where it is” to “where one would like it to be.”
Here's a translation of what this presentation is about:
Pastors, it's all your fault. If your congregation isn't growing numerically, your ministry is a failure and you're a failure. You can't base your ministry on the power of the Spirit working through Word and Sacrament. That just doesn't work. The only way you can determine whether your ministry is a success is by looking at the numbers. Your faithfulness to the Word is an obstacle. Using church growth methods and contemporary worship is the opportunity you need to get the right numbers. You need to change your situation by abandoning the Confessions and running to Joel Osteen.
(By the way, what exactly is an "experience"? It sounds like a rock concert or something. Well, actually, I'm sure the worship services will be rock concerts.)
Here's a presentation that sounds good:
“Facing Facts and Changing the Course of your Ministry”
Acknowledging that your ministry is not working effectively is a difficult action to take. Effective leaders must use self reflection, data, and analysis to determine potential obstacles and opportunities to enhance ministry effectiveness. In this interactive session, a crucial conversation will he held on how leaders must define reality and develop plans that change your situation from “where it is” to “where one would like it to be.”
Here's a translation of what this presentation is about:
Pastors, it's all your fault. If your congregation isn't growing numerically, your ministry is a failure and you're a failure. You can't base your ministry on the power of the Spirit working through Word and Sacrament. That just doesn't work. The only way you can determine whether your ministry is a success is by looking at the numbers. Your faithfulness to the Word is an obstacle. Using church growth methods and contemporary worship is the opportunity you need to get the right numbers. You need to change your situation by abandoning the Confessions and running to Joel Osteen.
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| "I'm a big shot handling tons of money at Thrivent, funding my ELCA pals. Why am I only pretending to smile?" |
Martin Luther commenting on:
1 Cor. 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
"[Paul] calls his office "service or ministry of Christ," and himself "minister of Christ," because he was ordained of God to the office of preaching. Thus all apostles and bishops are ministers of Christ; that is preachers, messengers, officers of Christ, sent to the people with His message. the meaning of the verse, then, is: Let every individual take heed not to institute another leader, to set up another Lord, to constitute another Christ. Rather be unanimously loyal to the one and only Christ. We apostles are not your lords or your masters; we do not preach our own interests, nor teach our own doctrines. We do not seek to have you obey us, or give us allegiance and accept our doctrine. We are messengers of Him Who is your Master, your Lord and Leader. We preach His Word, enlist men to follow His commandments and led only to His obedience.
"He who so receives us, receives not us, but Christ, Whom we alone preach. But he who does not regard us, does us injustice, discards Christ, the one true Leader, sets up another in His stead and makes gods of us. Where more authority is assumed than GOd's command grants, idolatry results and the leader assumes a new character. The Church has no other doctrine than that of Christ, no other obedience than to obey Him."
--from Rev. John Sander's 'Devotional Readings from Luther's Works', Augustana Book Concern, 1915, p. 272
Respectfully,
The Michi-Gander
1 Cor. 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
"[Paul] calls his office "service or ministry of Christ," and himself "minister of Christ," because he was ordained of God to the office of preaching. Thus all apostles and bishops are ministers of Christ; that is preachers, messengers, officers of Christ, sent to the people with His message. the meaning of the verse, then, is: Let every individual take heed not to institute another leader, to set up another Lord, to constitute another Christ. Rather be unanimously loyal to the one and only Christ. We apostles are not your lords or your masters; we do not preach our own interests, nor teach our own doctrines. We do not seek to have you obey us, or give us allegiance and accept our doctrine. We are messengers of Him Who is your Master, your Lord and Leader. We preach His Word, enlist men to follow His commandments and led only to His obedience.
"He who so receives us, receives not us, but Christ, Whom we alone preach. But he who does not regard us, does us injustice, discards Christ, the one true Leader, sets up another in His stead and makes gods of us. Where more authority is assumed than GOd's command grants, idolatry results and the leader assumes a new character. The Church has no other doctrine than that of Christ, no other obedience than to obey Him."
--from Rev. John Sander's 'Devotional Readings from Luther's Works', Augustana Book Concern, 1915, p. 272
Respectfully,
The Michi-Gander
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| When Lutherans prostitute themselves to a business, bad things will happen. No one acknowledges that ELCA-WELS-LCMS-ELS leaders promote sales seminars for mediocre Thrivent products, many of which are inappropriate for that particular household. |
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Gourds - Warts and All
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| Warty gourd flowers invite bees, who transfer the pollen. |
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| Soon the female flowers are heavy with child. |
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| Lacking supervision, warty gourds will take over the yard - until the first hard frost. |
Watering for the Birds
I have 200 feet of soaker hose rigged to the backyard faucet, which has a splitter. One subnet goes to the fence garden, the other to the vegetable garden. I turn on the water and go back inside to write about gardening.
I always have birds bathing near the faucet (two baths to catch the spray), under the soaker hose suspended on the fence, and on the soaker hose. Six or more shallow pans catch the dripping water for baths.
Birds are attracted to the sound of dripping water, and they want shallow baths to use, not deep pools. They are my primary defense against destructive insects, so I seldom worry about insect damage.
Warty Gourds and Pumpkins Are Fun
Several green gourds are hanging from the fence now. I promised our grandson a real display on his next visit to the yard.
Mrs. I was startled by the growth on the fence. Our helper asked how that happened - "Did you plant all those?" Watering and pruning tree branches created an ideal place for supporting plants and exposing them to more sunshine.
Once the pole beans got established, like the gourds, they began climbing and twisting around for more supports. Some went the wrong direction, so I snagged their little leaves on the wire. That reminded me of the poem, Or help help a fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain." Some tunes are earworms, but that poem is in my head forever. Poor little, lost pole bean.
I have not grown birdhouse gourds - so far - but I may next year.
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WELS - Muskego - The Cancer Spreads with the Blessing the Synod Leaders:Jeske and His Assisant, Mark Schroeder
Published on Aug 2, 2014
Join us for the last summer session of Awake and Alive 2014 Sunday evening 6pm - 10pm August 10th - on the grounds of St. Paul's Lutheran in Muskego - www.awakeandalive2014.com for more information!
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Martin Luther College Plumbs the Depth of Banality
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| Tingting Zhang married Dan Schwartz at Martin Luther College's frozen food cathedral. WELS high church - where pastors take photos of the kiss - from the altar. |
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Metrics for Elton Stroh and WELS
Pastor Jackson,
You are welcome to publish these comments about metrics and Elton Stroh.
In the broad sense of the term, metrics has to do with making measurements. Metrology is the practice of measuring. The etymology is from the French word metrique. In industry, if inventory control is king, then metrics would be queen. Metrics are used by most businesses to measure performance and as a tool to prevent waste from getting out of hand. Likewise, astute managers will keep a close eye on key metrics. Metrics also provide some accountability to investors and higher level managers.
The use of metrics can also become too much of a crutch for some managers who do not understand the complexity of day to day operations. They can look at numbers too much without engaging themselves in problem solving. Another pitfall of metrics is setting up ratios between two different numbers that may only be loosely related. Using charts and graphs to visually express a metric is only useful if there is correlation between the data. As one wise old math teacher once quipped, "anything can be charted or graphed, but not everything should be".
The use of metrics within a church body means that there is an ulterior motive behind it. One economist stated that governments that want to centrally control a nation's economy are obsessed with numbers and figures. Synods would really love the use of metrics for individual congregations. It gives them all kinds of reasons to meddle internally at the congregational level. If a congregation is underperforming, a pastor could suddenly find his name on a call list. If the annual amount per giving unit ( a ratio), is below synod average, some synod boy could come in and give a pep talk. Here is another arbitrary ratio: congregational mission offerings per member. I employ some use of hyperbole to illustrate how easily all of this could get out of hand.
The corporate world lives and dies with metrics. It is one of many tools used in a free market economy. Yet there are many other aspects of business that may not be so tangible or easily measured. The real flunkies here are those who believe that a church can benefit from the use and misuse of metrics.
In Christ,
Randall Schultz
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The Seventh Sunday after Trinity, 2014. Mark 8:1-19.The Feeding of the Four Thousand
The Seventh Sunday after Trinity, 2014
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time
The Hymn #9 O Day of Rest 1:89
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 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
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #427 How Firm a Foundation 1:7
Warning and Faith
The Communion Hymn #308 1.63
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 # 533 Nearer My God to Thee 1:34
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 # 533 Nearer My God to Thee 1:34
KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in the wilderness didst by Thy Son abundantly feed four thousand men besides women and children with seven loaves and a few small fishes: We beseech Thee, graciously abide among us with Thy blessing, and keep us from covetousness and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness, and in all things needful for body and soul, experience Thine ever-present help; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
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Warning and Faith
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
The multitude being very great -
Some details just seem to walk past us, and then we stop and think about the implications. These implications are the foundation for this miracle.
The multitude followed Jesus because His Word and His gracious personality attracted them. He taught them the Gospel - faith in Him - and He performed miracles to confirm His divine mission.
This faith meant they followed Jesus as He traveled, without thought for their practical needs. Heaven and earth would take care of them, because they trusted in Him. They had nothing to eat.
When we have no food, we are restless and anxious. Parents know - when a child is going crazy, good food will effect a transformation. When we drove high school students from Ohio to Michigan and back, we started with a big meal. They promptly fell asleep.
Warnings are growing everywhere. California is so drought-stricken that they have talked of sending people out of the state. Toledo has shut down its water because the city water is toxic. No bottled water can be found for miles around, because people need so much and depend on the tap.
Only a little bit of disruption is needed to send us from comfort to despair. These warnings show us the power of God and the blessings of God. When people ignore this power and these blessings, they lose them.
The Roman Empire was already falling apart during the public ministry of Christ. Julius Caesar became the first real dictator, and he was killed. Augustus followed him, and then Tiberius. The Republic of Rome made it a law that a male citizen must marry, but the Roman emperors were all deviants. Fifty years ago, parents and teachers warned we could go the way of Rome. Now the media stars revel in following the Roman model of intoxication, wasteful wealth, and deviant behavior.
The people following Jesus were enslaved by the Roman system of taxation. They had to pay for the soldiers to occupy their country. They had a King David and Maccabeans kings, but now Israel was dried up stump. Satan had pursued it, looking for Messiah, ever since the Promise in Genesis 3:15 - as Luther observed.
The scepter had passed from the House of David and Herod sat on the throne, the symbol of Israel's decline but also the promise of a Savior. He would not appear until a descendant of David was no longer on the throne.
Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
In faith, the people followed Jesus for three days; now they were completely out of food and starving. This detail shows show completely they trusted in Him, and also how miraculous this way. The rationalists have people sharing their hidden food after the little boy offered up his food to share.
The funny thing about human reason is that it shuts off so quickly. If this is an explanation for how so much food appeared at once, then how much were they hauling for three days as they followed their Savior? They had enough to eat and then to eat again (once they were ashamed of not sharing) with an enormous amount of leftovers. My imagination staggers at what this multitude looked liked as they dragged all this food along - an complete fiction to prove to the rationalists that it was not a miracle from God, but a miracle of shaming people into sharing on their own - good works based on guilt.
Gulf between faith and doubt.
To understand this miracle, one must have a child-like faith. Luther argues that if we cannot understand God taking care of our material needs, then we certainly cannot have any faith in the spiritual matters, which are far more significant.
5. But “to feed on milk” means, to taste the favor and the kind grace of God. “To taste the goodness of God” means, to experience it in one’s life.
The multitude followed Jesus in faith and took in His Word. Then he fed them and they experienced the earthly blessings of faith in God. That is what helps people when they live close to the earth and raise some of their food. They see how God's creation works according to His plan and offers us great abundance.
Those who have no faith in His guidance will rely on man-made cures for everything. I was amused that a woman said her roses were spent and looking bad on manufactured fertilizer, while her friends were doing well on organic soil amendments.
As Luther wrote, faith means trusting that heaven and earth will be moved to help one believer. That happens all the time, yet lack of thankfulness makes us blind to those everyday miracles.
Jesus had compassion on the multitude and decided to feed them all. That was impossible - except for His Word.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
Human reason cannot grasp how God works. That is why we call the important lessons of the Bible - "mysteries." They are revealed to us through the Holy Spirit at work in the Word. We grasp the meaning, trust the truth, and know God has revealed this to us.
This is a dry place, a desert. There is no possible way to obtain enough bread to feed the multitude. They really needed Army trucks full to satisfy the crowd.
The disciples had many demonstrations of the divine power of Jesus, but they still had moments of doubt. He built upon their faith, step by step. In the same way Christians learn more about the faith as they study the Word, worship, and experience life through the eyes of faith.
10. But when one inquires of reason for counsel it soon says: It is not possible. Yes, you must wait a long time until roasted ducks fly into your mouth, for reason sees nothing, grasps nothing, and nothing is present. Just so the apostles do also here who thought: Yes, who will provide food for so many, no one is able to do that; but had they seen a great pile of money and in addition tables laden with bread and meat, they would soon have discovered good counsel and been able to give good consolation; that would. have gone according to their thinking very reasonably. However, since they saw nothing they could find no counsel, but held it to be impossible that one should thus feed so many people, and especially since no provisions were at hand.
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
No wonder the rationalists have their own version of this - they do not understand Creation either. Yes, this is impossible by our standards. So are many other things I see and experience daily.
When I had a maple tree covered with cottony maple scale insects, I had no idea what to do. Spraying oil all over the tree was one solution. No thanks.
Unbidden by me - a vast armada of ladybugs arrived. They almost covered the tree. I looked up their diet. They love maple scale insects. How did they know I had them? Do they have a nice perfume or send signals? And why did an entire air wing of beetles arrive together? Who organized them and sent them?
If you have not had an experience like this in gardening, then you are probably still buying little boxes of fertilizer and little cans of bug spray.
But if you have experienced this, then you can see how interwoven are the individual parts of Creation, from the minerals in the soil to the clouds in the air, from the birds preying on insects to the moon affecting weather.
The panic about the climate has more to do with doubt than with the facts. People trust that man causes everything, so man is the cure. Believers conclude that the climate is in God's hand. We can be wise in our use of His Creation, but He can change things in a moment according to His purpose.
8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
This conclusion helps us realize that God gives us such an abundance that we can share with our neighbors. That becomes a blessing many times over. In our neighborhood we help each other out in various ways, and that leads to many good experiences and greater friendship. Each little event is not big in itself, but the overall atmosphere is changed by a number of people being thoughtful about the needs of others.
We should take note of this. Although there was an abundance, it was not treated as waste, but gathered into baskets. So we should be careful with the abundance given to us and not take it for granted.
Now, since he rejects our offering, what will he then have? The Psalmist in the verses immediately following says: “Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High; and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” That means, I wish to have thy heart, rest thou in me and believe me to be a kind and gracious God, that I am thy God: then you will have enough.
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Proof That I Am Not the Author of the Polluted WELS Blog
Blog has been removed
Sorry, the blog at pollutedwels.blogspot.com has been removed. This address is not available for new blogs.
Did you expect to see your blog here? See: 'I can't find my blog on the Web, where is it?'
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GJ - I thought it was just getting good today, so that meant retaliation was just around the corner. The WELS KGB minders were on full alert about the author, who gave away too many details to remain anonymous.
I never knew who the author was, and I never had any contact with him.
The good news - members of that abusive sect are starting to discuss doctrine and worship.
More good news - I copied the relevant posts, because they were bound to be erased in time.
Click here on Polluted WELS Blog to find my copies and commentary.
No, no. My pleasure. You are welcome, PW.
You had to know when you said, "You are not my brother," that they would strike back. The truth is not welcome in WELS - ever.
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You had to know when you said, "You are not my brother," that they would strike back. The truth is not welcome in WELS - ever.
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President Obama, Glende, and Ski - Fans of No Talent Former Gospel Singer
Katy Perry at the White House
CHARLES DHARAPAK/AP
Katy Perry's fans are definitely vocal about their love for the singer, and President Barack Obama might just be a card-carrying member of the KatyKats!
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