Some Questions and Answers
Thanks to all who offered their advice and counsel on my previous post. In the comments, some of you asked some questions of me. Here are some answers:
Are you a pastor or a layman?
I am a WELS pastor. The only thing I've ever wanted to do is to be a Lutheran pastor. I took my ordination vows seriously. But I've found that the WELS doesn't have much tolerance for Lutheran pastors who take their vows seriously.
Why do you publish anonymously?
Because I'm a coward. And because I have a family to feed. I can guarantee you that if I attached my name to this blog, I would be kicked out of the ministry within a month. If you're a contemporary worship guy or if you have the right last name, you can get drunk at work, sexually harass your co-workers, and sue your members and be just fine. If you're a Confessional Lutheran without any connections, you can be removed for any reason or no reason at all.
Why don't you voice your concerns to and through the proper channels?
Here's a true story. I once told my DP that there were some vocal members of my congregation agitating for contemporary worship. His response consisted of two sentences: "Yes, I know, they've already talked to me about you. Have you ever thought of pursuing other lines of work?"
I got the message.
Are you a pastor or a layman?
I am a WELS pastor. The only thing I've ever wanted to do is to be a Lutheran pastor. I took my ordination vows seriously. But I've found that the WELS doesn't have much tolerance for Lutheran pastors who take their vows seriously.
Why do you publish anonymously?
Because I'm a coward. And because I have a family to feed. I can guarantee you that if I attached my name to this blog, I would be kicked out of the ministry within a month. If you're a contemporary worship guy or if you have the right last name, you can get drunk at work, sexually harass your co-workers, and sue your members and be just fine. If you're a Confessional Lutheran without any connections, you can be removed for any reason or no reason at all.
Why don't you voice your concerns to and through the proper channels?
Here's a true story. I once told my DP that there were some vocal members of my congregation agitating for contemporary worship. His response consisted of two sentences: "Yes, I know, they've already talked to me about you. Have you ever thought of pursuing other lines of work?"
I got the message.
---
Vernon Knepprath said...Matthias,
If all you ever wanted to be was a Confessional Lutheran pastor, there is no reason for a synodical affiliation to get in the way. There are independent Confessional Lutheran pastors out there. Here is just one example:
http://notalone-saints.blogspot.com/
The way things are going, as you pointed out so well in your blog, there will be a growing need for more independent Confessional Lutheran pastors. Perhaps it is time to set up a network to serve this need, if there isn't one already. I suspect there are more like you out there.
Vernon
If all you ever wanted to be was a Confessional Lutheran pastor, there is no reason for a synodical affiliation to get in the way. There are independent Confessional Lutheran pastors out there. Here is just one example:
http://notalone-saints.blogspot.com/
The way things are going, as you pointed out so well in your blog, there will be a growing need for more independent Confessional Lutheran pastors. Perhaps it is time to set up a network to serve this need, if there isn't one already. I suspect there are more like you out there.
Vernon
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Anonymous said...The CLC (Church of the Lutheran Confession as opposed to Concordia Lutheran Conference) and Protest'ant Conference might be two church bodies to consider down the road if you have not already done so.
Matthias Flach said...Does anyone have any experience with the CLC? My impression is that they are very conservative, but not necessarily Confessional.
Matthias Flach said...(Yes, there's a difference.)
Anonymous said...I was a member of a CLC congregation for about ten years after I kicked myself out of my WELS congregation over Church Growth nonsense before I even knew there was a term for it. It brought back fond memories of all my best recollections of the WELS before the stuff hit the fan. Individual congregations may vary, but my impression is that the CLC takes confessionalism seriously. Check out Ascension Tacoma's site (lutherantacoma.com) and tell me which WELS pastor holds a Bible class to teach Greek to interested members, or who posts all the public domain tunes in TLH. Michael Eichstadt of Messiah, Hales Corners, is the SP. I would recommend contacting him.
Matthias Flach said...By the way, this article describes what I'm talking about when I say that there's a difference between conservatives and confessionals:
http://hopelutheranfremont.org/motley/v3n1_a4.htm
http://hopelutheranfremont.org/motley/v3n1_a4.htm
Daniel Baker said...From what I've investigated, CLC is basically conservative but not Confessional as has been stated (just like the WELS).
I actually agree with what someone said in an earlier comment about finding a local Confessional parish and sticking with it. I use LutheranLiturgy.org for that. A cursory search will demonstrate that the bulk of the parishes on there are LCMS. Also, after running a recent poll on Confessional Lutheran Memes, it was discovered that the vast majority of the followers of that page are LCMS. Most people in the Confessional Lutheran Fellowship group on Facebook are LCMS as well. Make of those facts what you will.
I actually agree with what someone said in an earlier comment about finding a local Confessional parish and sticking with it. I use LutheranLiturgy.org for that. A cursory search will demonstrate that the bulk of the parishes on there are LCMS. Also, after running a recent poll on Confessional Lutheran Memes, it was discovered that the vast majority of the followers of that page are LCMS. Most people in the Confessional Lutheran Fellowship group on Facebook are LCMS as well. Make of those facts what you will.
Anonymous said...I feel you brother. I'm an anonymous coward too. I'm just trying to make my flock as Lutheran as possible before the day comes when I pissed off the DP too much and lose my WELS pension. They can keep it.
I just want to feed this flock. If I get kicked out now many will just assume the WELS is right. I have gotten some out of the blindness of synodalotry and into the Scriptures and Confessions, but I want to stick around and save as many as I can. So I'm keeping my head down and tending to my flock.
May the risen Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd (and Samaritan) strengthen you and me with his Word and body and blood to be bold and unafraid to confess and suffer.
I just want to feed this flock. If I get kicked out now many will just assume the WELS is right. I have gotten some out of the blindness of synodalotry and into the Scriptures and Confessions, but I want to stick around and save as many as I can. So I'm keeping my head down and tending to my flock.
May the risen Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd (and Samaritan) strengthen you and me with his Word and body and blood to be bold and unafraid to confess and suffer.
OCP said...Matthias and 5:42 Anonymous,
My opinion is that there is more of us out there than you would think. You know how, in a congregation, there are always a handful of people who will complain about something very loudly, and when that happens, it's easy to overestimate their number. The ones who are supportive are often mature enough to refrain from gossip so they're pretty quiet, and it's easy to underestimate their number.
I think there is some of that in our Synod. There are the big name "celebrities," and many of them are the ones pushing Evangelicalism on our Synod. They have some very vocal supporters, so it's easy to overestimate their numbers. Because their supporters are so vocal, that can sometimes influence elections, and can influence those who get elected.
But like Nixon, I tend to think that there is a silent majority, who humbly and quietly serve their flock. They are not very vocal (and can too easily be "shouted down"), but they aren't really supportive of the creeping Evangelicalism. But because they are all so quiet, many of them (us?) feel like we're alone. They (we?) feel like we're standing against the tide, but there are more of us out there than we realize.
I think if there was some sort of a "leader" for our side of the aisle, we'd see how many our numbers are. But even that is difficult, because the silent majority doesn't feel right "campaigning" for a DP, or SP. So it's only the other side that does the talking.
This is my hope. Maybe it's optimistic to the point of being naive, but that's what I think. I believe that the Church Growth stuff, the Evangelicalism creeping into our Synod, I believe that these are fads, whose days are limited. As just one guy in a tiny corner of the Synod, I will so what I can to effect that. But more importantly, I will fulfill the duties of my call, and teach my congregation.
Anyway, that's what I do.
OCP
My opinion is that there is more of us out there than you would think. You know how, in a congregation, there are always a handful of people who will complain about something very loudly, and when that happens, it's easy to overestimate their number. The ones who are supportive are often mature enough to refrain from gossip so they're pretty quiet, and it's easy to underestimate their number.
I think there is some of that in our Synod. There are the big name "celebrities," and many of them are the ones pushing Evangelicalism on our Synod. They have some very vocal supporters, so it's easy to overestimate their numbers. Because their supporters are so vocal, that can sometimes influence elections, and can influence those who get elected.
But like Nixon, I tend to think that there is a silent majority, who humbly and quietly serve their flock. They are not very vocal (and can too easily be "shouted down"), but they aren't really supportive of the creeping Evangelicalism. But because they are all so quiet, many of them (us?) feel like we're alone. They (we?) feel like we're standing against the tide, but there are more of us out there than we realize.
I think if there was some sort of a "leader" for our side of the aisle, we'd see how many our numbers are. But even that is difficult, because the silent majority doesn't feel right "campaigning" for a DP, or SP. So it's only the other side that does the talking.
This is my hope. Maybe it's optimistic to the point of being naive, but that's what I think. I believe that the Church Growth stuff, the Evangelicalism creeping into our Synod, I believe that these are fads, whose days are limited. As just one guy in a tiny corner of the Synod, I will so what I can to effect that. But more importantly, I will fulfill the duties of my call, and teach my congregation.
Anyway, that's what I do.
OCP