Buchholz Uses ELCA Strategy - If He Cannot Conquer, Divide

Luther paraphrases Paul. Hey, hey - no UOJ.

I noticed in the WELS DP Buchholz report that he followed the example of his ELCA peers.

When ELCA cannot take over the property and kick out the pastor, when a congregation objects to the lavender activists, the bishop sets up an antagonist splinter group claiming to be the "real congregation."

That is precisely what Jon-Boy Buchholz did in Las Cruces - he followed ELCA's methods.

Buchholz:
"A subsequent decision by the majority of the Emmanuel, Las Cruces, congregation to retain Pastor Rydecki as its pastor resulted in the separation of that congregation from the WELS. After that vote, the members in the minority separated from PastorRydeckiandformedanewcongregationinLasCruces.Theychosethename“CrossofChrist”becausetheywishto
 proclaim that the forgiveness of sins was completed at the cross [GJ - justification without faith]. The congregation is served by Pastor Jim Connell and is applying for membership in the WELS and in the Arizona-California District at this convention." 

As I wrote before, the congregation voted to leave WELS.

Buchholz might have known he was losing this one, but he wanted to frighten the rest of clergy back into their rabbit warrens.