 |
| Mark Schroeder could not even take a stand on the New NIV, which he supposedly hates. No, the convention endorsed all translations. Is the KJV back? Don't bet on it. |
Is our Synod President Mark Schroeder in the same synod as our WELS churches? Obviously he is; but then how do you explain the widening gap for what he says and what our WELS churches are doing? Take a look at what he publicly states and what our congregations actually do.
"The Lutheran church has always been known for its emphasis on Christ-centered and gospel-proclaiming worship. From the time of the Reformation, the Lutheran church has also been a liturgical church. There is good reason for that. Martin Luther himself stressed the importance of holding on to the historic liturgies of the Christian church, since those liturgies provided the framework for regular proclamation—to members and visitors alike—of the timeless truths heard by Christians for centuries. Liturgical worship provides worshipers with a connection to generations of Christians who have gone before." -Synod President Mark Schroeder; A synod that values worship
...Excerpts from the 2009 President's Convention Report... Admittedly the theology of the cross is not attractive in our postmodern, self-gratifying world. Unlike the theology of glory, the theology of the cross makes no promises of instant relief for the ills of life in a sinful world. It does not beckon people with the lure of financial or personal or professional success. It does not seek validation of its success in terms of numbers. It does not offer a practical “how-to” manual to achieve temporal happiness or to mine the depths of human potential. The message of the cross cannot be packaged to be palatable and cannot be soft-pedaled to be acceptable. It is a message that this world does not understand and does not desire....
...The unbelieving people in our world look for things that make sense to their own way of thinking; they crave a message that reinforces their own self-centered view of life. They will not find that in the harsh preaching of God’s law. And unless God changes their hearts, they will not appreciate the sweet message of grace in the gospel. If we somehow make the message of the cross attractive and reasonable to those who are perishing, we will have changed the message—and will have failed in the mission God gave us. God help us always to say with Paul, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles...
... As confessional Lutherans, we emphasize and agree that it is the gospel in Word and sacrament that is the “power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). We proclaim Christ crucified. The message of the cross was not the message that itching ears wanted to hear in Paul’s day, and it is not a message that finds favor in the ears of today’s postmodern, self-gratifying, self-centered unbeliever. As confessional Lutherans we will look for every opportunity to proclaim God’s law in all its harshness, and we will be zealous to share the sweet message of the gospel to every sinner convicted by God’s law. But we will never adjust, hide, or downplay a single word of God’s truth to make it somehow more attractive. To do that is to empty the gospel of its power and to lose the gospel itself...
...But confessional Lutherans are also well aware that just because something may be done does not mean that it should be done. Immediately after asserting that all things are permissible, Paul went on to say, “But not everything is beneficial . . . not everything is constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23). In other words, when something is determined to be an adiaphoron, that’s not where the discussion ends; that is when discussion among Christians begins. It’s a discussion which asks important questions: “This may be permissible. But how does this particular practice affect my fellow Christians—both inside and outside of our fellowship? Does this practice reflect clearly what we believe, or does it send an unclear or blurred message? What impact does this have on the church today, and what long-term ramifications might this have? Is there the potential of offense or misunderstanding? Does a practice sacrifice a connection with the church of the ages for the sake of mere innovation? Will such a practice build up and express our unity or will it fracture and diffuse it?” It’s interesting to note that in almost all cases when the New Testament addresses the matter of Christian freedom, the focus is not on the Christian’s right to exercise that freedom. More often the New Testament talks about the importance of refraining from exercising myChristian freedom if doing so will potentially cause harm to others or to the mission of the church...
...The COP recognizes that doctrine shapes practice in worship, outreach methodology, and congregational organization. Likewise, the COP is aware from the lessons of church history that practice can influence doctrinal beliefs—often unintentionally. Doctrine and practice areintimately related to each other.Therefore, it’s essential that we be wary of methods and practices that have their roots in Evangelical and Reformed theology and that may inherently reflect that theology. For example, these “theological underpinnings” can show themselves in worship and outreach methods that emphasizes subjective feelings over the proclamation of God’s objective gospel truth; or that gives the impression that prayer is a means of grace; or that emphasizes the role of praise over against the centrality of the Word proclaimed and the sacraments administered...
...We will be careful not to hide our identity as a confessional Lutheran church in favor of a more appealing and less “intimidating” brand of Christianity. We will not model ourselves after outwardly popular and successful nondenominational or pan-denominational churches in which adherence to clear biblical doctrine gives way to a generic, feel-good, popular Christianity that seeks to remove barriers by setting aside the offense of the cross.We will value the time-tested heritage passed down to us through the generations, while recognizing that God has not established a New Testament ceremonial law. We will ask God for the zeal to apply law and gospel to the heart of hearers and to trust in the power of the Word and the working of the Holy Spirit to do what we could never do: to change a heart.
WELS Synod President Mark Schroeder issues scorching rebuke of Church Growth Movement
President's Report at Proceedings of the WELS 60th Biennial Convention
Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
2009
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
"The word Lutheran in our synod’s name, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is not merely a word. We call ourselves Lutheran because it clearly identifies what we believe and describes how we carry out the work that God has entrusted to his church on earth. We call ourselves Lutheran, in spite of the fact that others using that name have departed from many of the essential truths that God revealed in the Scriptures—the same truths Martin Luther believed and taught... Some have suggested that we not use the word Lutheran in our name because it has been misused by others and can be misunderstood. I believe the nameLutheran says much, as long as we are committed to explaining what it really means to be Lutheran."
What's in a Name - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
August 2009
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Church: Hope in Oconomowoc, WI (http://www.hopeinjesus.org/) - Find the wordLutheran anywhere on their website.
Pastors: Rev Daniel T Schmidt, Rev Jason W Ewart
Email: judy@hopeinjesus.org
District: Western Wisconsin
Church: St Paul's in Muskego, WI. The goal is to reach them by keeping potentially off-putting religious symbols and practices at a minimum to let the love that is the real message shine through. St. Paul's even has dropped the evangelical Lutheran parts of its full name for general purposes, Sally Wallner [St. Paul's community outreach coordinator] added, though it is still formally St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church and School. Muskego Now News Article
Pastors: Rev John D Backus, Rev Peter A Panitzke, Rev Jeffrey A Bonack, Rev David M Kuehl
Email: info@stpaulmuskego.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
"One activity far exceeds all others in involving people directly with the life and work of a congregation. That activity is worship. Public worship is so central to our church experience that we couldn’t possibly conceive of the church without it"......"Today people throughout our synod are discussing important issues involving the purpose of worship, the styles of worship, and how to conduct our worship in the best possible way. The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions make it clear that the form, style, and structure of our worship are matters of Christian freedom. But this Christian freedom does not imply that we are free to do anything we want.Acting in Christian freedom in an area as important as worship, in fact, implies very careful thought and decision making. Christian freedom in worship decisions involves sanctified and responsible Christian judgment. That means recognizing that the proclamation of the gospel message is vital—both in what is spoken and in what is sung. That means remembering that the purpose of worship is not to please various tastes and preferences, but rather to edify worshipers through the proclamation of law and gospel. That means a commitment to a careful evaluation of what elements of our worship need to be preserved and what can be changed in a way that gives glory to God and benefits those who worship."
A synod that values worship - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
Jun 2008
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Contemporvant Worship: Coming Soon to a WELS Church Service Near You
Should Christmas Pageants Replace a Worship Services?
Beyond "Contemporary" Worship to "Modern" Worship
Church Growth: By the Gospel or By Gimmicks?
From Nightclub to WELS Church
NEW Religious Experience at WELS Church
Watch "Karate Kid" during WELS Sermon
Comfy chairs important in WELS advertising
Real? Relational?? Relevant??? O THE HORROR OF IT ALL!!!
Read More:
From a Layman: Contemporary Worship Mocks the Solas
What is REAL Lutheran Worship anyway?
Worship Service VS Divine Service
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
When the focus of worship is on what God does for us, then our worship will be a blessing... If we think of worship as primarily something we do, we are missing the most important part of our worship. Worship is about what God does for us. Lutheran worship—biblical worship—is above all God speaking to us in his Word. It is God proclaiming through human messengers the crushing blows of his law. In worship, God lovingly speaks to sin-burdened sinners the sweet good news of sins forgiven and death defeated. In readings and sermons, God instructs, strengthens, equips, and motivates his people for lives of Christian service. Worship is where God comes to us in his sacraments, adopting sinners into his family through Holy Baptism and strengthening the faith of his people by giving them his true body and blood in the Lord's Supper. In worship, with every syllable of his Word that is proclaimed and spoken, God assures us of what he has done for us; in turn, he also reminds us of the mission that he has now entrusted to us. When the focus of worship is on what God does for us, then our worship will be a blessing. It will help us to understand ourselves and all of our weaknesses. It will direct us to the grace and love of God. It will transport us to the foot of the cross, where Jesus demonstrated a love both undeserved and inconceivable. It will fill us with joy that continues long after the time for worship ends. Sad to say, many lose sight of this primary focus and think of worship as primarily an activity that they do. When that happens, people tend to develop certain unhealthy expectations of worship.They begin to view worship as something that should be "fun" or entertaining. They adopt a consumer approach to worship, expecting that worship should be shaped by their own tastes and that it should cater to their own comfort level. They insist that worship should reflect what they want, what they like, and what they find pleasing. They run the risk of losing sight of what God wants to do for them in that precious time in his house. King David said, "I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'" (Psalm 122:1). David could say that because he knew and remembered the true focus of God-pleasing worship. God-pleasing worship always focuses on the proclamation of Christ and on all that God has done for sinners like us. And if that is what characterizes our worship, if that is where our focus is, then our worship will never be dull, never boring, and certainly never irrelevant. When God's Word is proclaimed, worship becomes the blessing that God wants it to be.
The proper focus of our worship - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
March 2010
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
May I suggest that the kind of preaching needed for the nineties and beyond is somewhat different: personal, intense, eye-to-eye, well-researched and yet down-to-earth, poured out from the heart, with the smell of spontaneity, clearly outlined, simple, logical, with real applications to real life, talking and thinking out loud with your friends rather than orating at an audience, using all the storyteller’s arts, even humor, radiating the joy of being a member of the royal family of Jesus Christ.
Worship in the WELS: Changing Practices
Pastor: Mark Jeske
Email: mark.jeske@stmarcus.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
Church: St Paul's in Muskego, WI. Humor, video, lighting effects and contemporary Christian music combined with the pastor’s message help us all grow closer to Christ. Every Sunday a team of volunteers transforms the Trinity Gym into a modern worship environment complete with stage, large screen projectors, stage lights, and curtains.
St Paul's Website
Pastors: Rev John D Backus, Rev Peter A Panitzke, Rev Jeffrey A Bonack, Rev David M Kuehl
Email: info@stpaulmuskego.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
Church: St Mark's in De Pere, WI. The contemporary worship services at St. Mark Lutheran brings together dynamic music, compelling dramas, moving real life stories, and stirring Bible-based teachings.
Contemporary Worship-Pro and Con
Presented by Jeff Londgren
Great Lakes Pastoral Conference
Pastors: Rev Eric S Hansen, Rev Christopher D Johnson, Rev John M Parlow
Email: church.office@stmarkdepere.com
District: Northern Wisconsin
What SP Mark Schroeder, the COP, and WELS Q&A has Publicly Stated:
Encouraging the holding of free conferences among confessional Lutherans. A free conference is a forum for discussion of theology and doctrine in a setting that does not involve fellowship.
COP News - WELS Website
Synod President Mark Schroeder and the Conference of Presidents
From the WELS Question & Answer section on their website:
Question: Why are we as WELS members not allowed to have true Christian people come to our churches and speak to us and tell us why or why not they do or don't believe in a subject....even if they are not a WELS Lutheran. Christian people of other denominations still believe in Christ and can give us perspective upon many subjects. Many times I feel as if I don't have the knowledge I should have because the speaker isn't a WELS Lutheran speaker.
Answer: Speakers can present information as long as we follow scriptural fellowship principles (Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11). Those principles rule out including speakers from outside our fellowship in our worship services or any activity in which worship and religious instruction are involved. There are definitely ways in which our pastors can bring up the ideas of others and examine those ideas in the light of Scripture. This is often done with sermon illustrations or in Bible classes. A good resource I could suggest for you is Church Fellowship: Working Together for the Truth. It explains biblical fellowship principles and makes application to various situations, including the one you mentioned. It is available from Northwestern Publishing House.
Question: I am a member of a local WELS church and attend meetings and work with other Christians and we have a prayer before and after the meeting. Even though they are not members of WELS, is it wrong to participate in the group prayers? Also, if I share a meal with my family, who are all Christians, but not all WELS, what about grace before the meal? Thank you for your thoughtful response.
Answer: When Christians are joined together in faith and doctrine, they are able to express their unity by joint prayer and worship, cooperative educational endeavors and shared outreach efforts (Acts 1:14; 2:42; Hebrews 10:24-25; Psalm 78:4-7; 3 John 5-8). When you and I interact with Christians whose faith differs from ours, we follow Scripture’s instructions and do not engage in those previously mentioned activities (Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10; 2 John 10-11). By not worshiping or praying together with other Christians, you and I are not intending to say that we do not consider such people to be outside the faith. God alone can see what is in the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We readily and happily acknowledge that the kingdom of God is bigger than our synod. Refraining from prayer and worship with people who are not united with us in faith and doctrine is, as our Catechism points out from Scripture, a matter of showing love for the truth of God’s word (2 Corinthians 13:8), love for our own souls (Galatians 5:9) and love for those who are mixing error with truth (James 5:19-20).
Both Questions Answered by James Pope, professor at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. Pope is a contributing editor to Forward in Christ magazine. He writes the monthly “Light for our path” question and answer column.
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Christian Leadership Experience Conference - Includes worship which is considered fellowship
Q26: Is the conference open only to CELC* members? *CELC = Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference of which the WELS and ELS are members
A: 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.
Q27: Why are there non-CELC presenters?
A: 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.
Q28: Are there any "fellowship" concerns since it is open to non-CELC members?
A: 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. [Does this contradict the two answers given above from the WELS Q & A and the COP guidelines or not?]
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Young professionals, business & ministry leaders and aspiring leaders
Health workers of all disciplines
All interested in participation in mission work
Congregation Presidents and leaders
Those interested in cutting edge evangelism techniques
Anyone working in a cross-cultural setting
Read More:
DP Buchholz Responds to Christian Leadership Experience
Christian Leadership Experience will feature the SON Band
2015 Christian Leadership Experience Website
Intrepid Lutherans - What is the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience?
Christian Leadership Experience FAQ
Truth in Love Ministries - 2015 Christian Leadership Experience: Grow. Lead. Impact.
Facebook Event Page
What makes a Lutheran synod confessional? It does the following:
- Believes that the truth of God’s Word, as revealed in Scripture and summarized in the confessions, does not change.
- Stands on the Bible’s foundational teaching that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith in Christ alone. It recognizes that the blessings of faith come only by the Holy Spirit’s working through the gospel proclaimed in God’s Word and in the sacraments.
- Understands and applies the clear distinction between law and gospel. A confessional Lutheran church proclaims God’s law in all its stark bluntness and God’s gospel in all its amazing beauty.
- Values the rich heritage of doctrine and worship that God has preserved to us through the wisdom, courage, and creativity of those who have gone before us.
- Celebrates the freedom that God has given us in the gospel. It is careful to avoid any hint of legalism that imposes rules where God has not. It avoids misusing the freedom in a way that does not show Christian love for the other members of the body of Christ. It recognizes that often the most faithful exercise of our Christian freedom is when we willingly choose not to exercise that freedom out of love and concern for others.
I’m thankful that we are a synod that values worship—a synod in which every member can say with the Psalmist, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1). - Mark G. Schroeder
***
 |
| Notice how a beautiful old church has been transformed by lighting into a rock venue. |
GJ - Ichabod asks the obvious question - How many alcoholic, abusive pastors have their careers rescued by a congregational visit from the Synod President?
And what style of worship does that pastor represent? Here is the short answer - Messages (not sermons) plagiarized from false teachers, delivered in clean-out-the-attic clothes.
Add these pastoral abuses - approved and promoted by the Synod President:
1. Showing gross pornography to a lady working at the church.
Mark Schroeder could not even take a stand on the New NIV,
which he supposedly hates.
No, the convention endorsed all translations.
Is the KJV back? Don't bet on it.
http://welsdocument.blogspot.com/2015/01/growing-divisions-are-we-all-still-in.html
Is our Synod President Mark Schroeder in the same synod as our WELS churches? Obviously he is; but then how do you explain the widening gap for what he says and what our WELS churches are doing? Take a look at what he publicly states and what our congregations actually do.
"The Lutheran church has always been known for its emphasis on Christ-centered and gospel-proclaiming worship. From the time of the Reformation, the Lutheran church has also been a liturgical church. There is good reason for that. Martin Luther himself stressed the importance of holding on to the historic liturgies of the Christian church, since those liturgies provided the framework for regular proclamation—to members and visitors alike—of the timeless truths heard by Christians for centuries. Liturgical worship provides worshipers with a connection to generations of Christians who have gone before." -Synod President Mark Schroeder; A synod that values worship
...Excerpts from the 2009 President's Convention Report... Admittedly the theology of the cross is not attractive in our postmodern, self-gratifying world. Unlike the theology of glory, the theology of the cross makes no promises of instant relief for the ills of life in a sinful world. It does not beckon people with the lure of financial or personal or professional success. It does not seek validation of its success in terms of numbers. It does not offer a practical “how-to” manual to achieve temporal happiness or to mine the depths of human potential. The message of the cross cannot be packaged to be palatable and cannot be soft-pedaled to be acceptable. It is a message that this world does not understand and does not desire....
...The unbelieving people in our world look for things that make sense to their own way of thinking; they crave a message that reinforces their own self-centered view of life. They will not find that in the harsh preaching of God’s law. And unless God changes their hearts, they will not appreciate the sweet message of grace in the gospel. If we somehow make the message of the cross attractive and reasonable to those who are perishing, we will have changed the message—and will have failed in the mission God gave us. God help us always to say with Paul, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles...
... As confessional Lutherans, we emphasize and agree that it is the gospel in Word and sacrament that is the “power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). We proclaim Christ crucified. The message of the cross was not the message that itching ears wanted to hear in Paul’s day, and it is not a message that finds favor in the ears of today’s postmodern, self-gratifying, self-centered unbeliever. As confessional Lutherans we will look for every opportunity to proclaim God’s law in all its harshness, and we will be zealous to share the sweet message of the gospel to every sinner convicted by God’s law. But we will never adjust, hide, or downplay a single word of God’s truth to make it somehow more attractive. To do that is to empty the gospel of its power and to lose the gospel itself...
...But confessional Lutherans are also well aware that just because something may be done does not mean that it should be done. Immediately after asserting that all things are permissible, Paul went on to say, “But not everything is beneficial . . . not everything is constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23). In other words, when something is determined to be an adiaphoron, that’s not where the discussion ends; that is when discussion among Christians begins. It’s a discussion which asks important questions: “This may be permissible. But how does this particular practice affect my fellow Christians—both inside and outside of our fellowship? Does this practice reflect clearly what we believe, or does it send an unclear or blurred message? What impact does this have on the church today, and what long-term ramifications might this have? Is there the potential of offense or misunderstanding? Does a practice sacrifice a connection with the church of the ages for the sake of mere innovation? Will such a practice build up and express our unity or will it fracture and diffuse it?” It’s interesting to note that in almost all cases when the New Testament addresses the matter of Christian freedom, the focus is not on the Christian’s right to exercise that freedom. More often the New Testament talks about the importance of refraining from exercising myChristian freedom if doing so will potentially cause harm to others or to the mission of the church...
...The COP recognizes that doctrine shapes practice in worship, outreach methodology, and congregational organization. Likewise, the COP is aware from the lessons of church history that practice can influence doctrinal beliefs—often unintentionally. Doctrine and practice areintimately related to each other.Therefore, it’s essential that we be wary of methods and practices that have their roots in Evangelical and Reformed theology and that may inherently reflect that theology. For example, these “theological underpinnings” can show themselves in worship and outreach methods that emphasizes subjective feelings over the proclamation of God’s objective gospel truth; or that gives the impression that prayer is a means of grace; or that emphasizes the role of praise over against the centrality of the Word proclaimed and the sacraments administered...
...We will be careful not to hide our identity as a confessional Lutheran church in favor of a more appealing and less “intimidating” brand of Christianity. We will not model ourselves after outwardly popular and successful nondenominational or pan-denominational churches in which adherence to clear biblical doctrine gives way to a generic, feel-good, popular Christianity that seeks to remove barriers by setting aside the offense of the cross.We will value the time-tested heritage passed down to us through the generations, while recognizing that God has not established a New Testament ceremonial law. We will ask God for the zeal to apply law and gospel to the heart of hearers and to trust in the power of the Word and the working of the Holy Spirit to do what we could never do: to change a heart.
WELS Synod President Mark Schroeder issues scorching rebuke of Church Growth Movement
President's Report at Proceedings of the WELS 60th Biennial Convention
Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
2009
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
"The word Lutheran in our synod’s name, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is not merely a word. We call ourselves Lutheran because it clearly identifies what we believe and describes how we carry out the work that God has entrusted to his church on earth. We call ourselves Lutheran, in spite of the fact that others using that name have departed from many of the essential truths that God revealed in the Scriptures—the same truths Martin Luther believed and taught... Some have suggested that we not use the word Lutheran in our name because it has been misused by others and can be misunderstood. I believe the nameLutheran says much, as long as we are committed to explaining what it really means to be Lutheran."
What's in a Name - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
August 2009
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Church: Hope in Oconomowoc, WI (http://www.hopeinjesus.org/) - Find the wordLutheran anywhere on their website.
Pastors: Rev Daniel T Schmidt, Rev Jason W Ewart
Email: judy@hopeinjesus.org
District: Western Wisconsin
Church: St Paul's in Muskego, WI. The goal is to reach them by keeping potentially off-putting religious symbols and practices at a minimum to let the love that is the real message shine through. St. Paul's even has dropped the evangelical Lutheran parts of its full name for general purposes, Sally Wallner [St. Paul's community outreach coordinator] added, though it is still formally St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church and School. Muskego Now News Article
Pastors: Rev John D Backus, Rev Peter A Panitzke, Rev Jeffrey A Bonack, Rev David M Kuehl
Email: info@stpaulmuskego.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
"One activity far exceeds all others in involving people directly with the life and work of a congregation. That activity is worship. Public worship is so central to our church experience that we couldn’t possibly conceive of the church without it"......"Today people throughout our synod are discussing important issues involving the purpose of worship, the styles of worship, and how to conduct our worship in the best possible way. The Bible and the Lutheran Confessions make it clear that the form, style, and structure of our worship are matters of Christian freedom. But this Christian freedom does not imply that we are free to do anything we want.Acting in Christian freedom in an area as important as worship, in fact, implies very careful thought and decision making. Christian freedom in worship decisions involves sanctified and responsible Christian judgment. That means recognizing that the proclamation of the gospel message is vital—both in what is spoken and in what is sung. That means remembering that the purpose of worship is not to please various tastes and preferences, but rather to edify worshipers through the proclamation of law and gospel. That means a commitment to a careful evaluation of what elements of our worship need to be preserved and what can be changed in a way that gives glory to God and benefits those who worship."
A synod that values worship - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
Jun 2008
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Contemporvant Worship: Coming Soon to a WELS Church Service Near You
Should Christmas Pageants Replace a Worship Services?
Beyond "Contemporary" Worship to "Modern" Worship
Church Growth: By the Gospel or By Gimmicks?
From Nightclub to WELS Church
NEW Religious Experience at WELS Church
Watch "Karate Kid" during WELS Sermon
Comfy chairs important in WELS advertising
Real? Relational?? Relevant??? O THE HORROR OF IT ALL!!!
Read More:
From a Layman: Contemporary Worship Mocks the Solas
What is REAL Lutheran Worship anyway?
Worship Service VS Divine Service
What Synod President Mark Schroeder has Publicly Stated:
When the focus of worship is on what God does for us, then our worship will be a blessing... If we think of worship as primarily something we do, we are missing the most important part of our worship. Worship is about what God does for us. Lutheran worship—biblical worship—is above all God speaking to us in his Word. It is God proclaiming through human messengers the crushing blows of his law. In worship, God lovingly speaks to sin-burdened sinners the sweet good news of sins forgiven and death defeated. In readings and sermons, God instructs, strengthens, equips, and motivates his people for lives of Christian service. Worship is where God comes to us in his sacraments, adopting sinners into his family through Holy Baptism and strengthening the faith of his people by giving them his true body and blood in the Lord's Supper. In worship, with every syllable of his Word that is proclaimed and spoken, God assures us of what he has done for us; in turn, he also reminds us of the mission that he has now entrusted to us. When the focus of worship is on what God does for us, then our worship will be a blessing. It will help us to understand ourselves and all of our weaknesses. It will direct us to the grace and love of God. It will transport us to the foot of the cross, where Jesus demonstrated a love both undeserved and inconceivable. It will fill us with joy that continues long after the time for worship ends. Sad to say, many lose sight of this primary focus and think of worship as primarily an activity that they do. When that happens, people tend to develop certain unhealthy expectations of worship.They begin to view worship as something that should be "fun" or entertaining. They adopt a consumer approach to worship, expecting that worship should be shaped by their own tastes and that it should cater to their own comfort level. They insist that worship should reflect what they want, what they like, and what they find pleasing. They run the risk of losing sight of what God wants to do for them in that precious time in his house. King David said, "I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'" (Psalm 122:1). David could say that because he knew and remembered the true focus of God-pleasing worship. God-pleasing worship always focuses on the proclamation of Christ and on all that God has done for sinners like us. And if that is what characterizes our worship, if that is where our focus is, then our worship will never be dull, never boring, and certainly never irrelevant. When God's Word is proclaimed, worship becomes the blessing that God wants it to be.
The proper focus of our worship - Forward in Christ
By Synod President Mark Schroeder
mark.schroeder@wels.net
March 2010
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
May I suggest that the kind of preaching needed for the nineties and beyond is somewhat different: personal, intense, eye-to-eye, well-researched and yet down-to-earth, poured out from the heart, with the smell of spontaneity, clearly outlined, simple, logical, with real applications to real life, talking and thinking out loud with your friends rather than orating at an audience, using all the storyteller’s arts, even humor, radiating the joy of being a member of the royal family of Jesus Christ.
Worship in the WELS: Changing Practices
Pastor: Mark Jeske
Email: mark.jeske@stmarcus.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
Church: St Paul's in Muskego, WI. Humor, video, lighting effects and contemporary Christian music combined with the pastor’s message help us all grow closer to Christ. Every Sunday a team of volunteers transforms the Trinity Gym into a modern worship environment complete with stage, large screen projectors, stage lights, and curtains.
St Paul's Website
Pastors: Rev John D Backus, Rev Peter A Panitzke, Rev Jeffrey A Bonack, Rev David M Kuehl
Email: info@stpaulmuskego.org
District: Southeastern Wisconsin
Church: St Mark's in De Pere, WI. The contemporary worship services at St. Mark Lutheran brings together dynamic music, compelling dramas, moving real life stories, and stirring Bible-based teachings.
Contemporary Worship-Pro and Con
Presented by Jeff Londgren
Great Lakes Pastoral Conference
Pastors: Rev Eric S Hansen, Rev Christopher D Johnson, Rev John M Parlow
Email: church.office@stmarkdepere.com
District: Northern Wisconsin
What SP Mark Schroeder, the COP, and WELS Q&A has Publicly Stated:
Encouraging the holding of free conferences among confessional Lutherans. A free conference is a forum for discussion of theology and doctrine in a setting that does not involve fellowship.
COP News - WELS Website
Synod President Mark Schroeder and the Conference of Presidents
From the WELS Question & Answer section on their website:
Question: Why are we as WELS members not allowed to have true Christian people come to our churches and speak to us and tell us why or why not they do or don't believe in a subject....even if they are not a WELS Lutheran. Christian people of other denominations still believe in Christ and can give us perspective upon many subjects. Many times I feel as if I don't have the knowledge I should have because the speaker isn't a WELS Lutheran speaker.
Answer: Speakers can present information as long as we follow scriptural fellowship principles (Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11). Those principles rule out including speakers from outside our fellowship in our worship services or any activity in which worship and religious instruction are involved. There are definitely ways in which our pastors can bring up the ideas of others and examine those ideas in the light of Scripture. This is often done with sermon illustrations or in Bible classes. A good resource I could suggest for you is Church Fellowship: Working Together for the Truth. It explains biblical fellowship principles and makes application to various situations, including the one you mentioned. It is available from Northwestern Publishing House.
Question: I am a member of a local WELS church and attend meetings and work with other Christians and we have a prayer before and after the meeting. Even though they are not members of WELS, is it wrong to participate in the group prayers? Also, if I share a meal with my family, who are all Christians, but not all WELS, what about grace before the meal? Thank you for your thoughtful response.
Answer: When Christians are joined together in faith and doctrine, they are able to express their unity by joint prayer and worship, cooperative educational endeavors and shared outreach efforts (Acts 1:14; 2:42; Hebrews 10:24-25; Psalm 78:4-7; 3 John 5-8). When you and I interact with Christians whose faith differs from ours, we follow Scripture’s instructions and do not engage in those previously mentioned activities (Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10; 2 John 10-11). By not worshiping or praying together with other Christians, you and I are not intending to say that we do not consider such people to be outside the faith. God alone can see what is in the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We readily and happily acknowledge that the kingdom of God is bigger than our synod. Refraining from prayer and worship with people who are not united with us in faith and doctrine is, as our Catechism points out from Scripture, a matter of showing love for the truth of God’s word (2 Corinthians 13:8), love for our own souls (Galatians 5:9) and love for those who are mixing error with truth (James 5:19-20).
Both Questions Answered by James Pope, professor at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. Pope is a contributing editor to Forward in Christ magazine. He writes the monthly “Light for our path” question and answer column.
What WELS Churches Actually Do:
Christian Leadership Experience Conference - Includes worship which is considered fellowship
Q26: Is the conference open only to CELC* members? *CELC = Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference of which the WELS and ELS are members
A: 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.
Q27: Why are there non-CELC presenters?
A: 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.
Q28: Are there any "fellowship" concerns since it is open to non-CELC members?
A: 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. [Does this contradict the two answers given above from the WELS Q & A and the COP guidelines or not?]
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Young professionals, business & ministry leaders and aspiring leaders
Health workers of all disciplines
All interested in participation in mission work
Congregation Presidents and leaders
Those interested in cutting edge evangelism techniques
Anyone working in a cross-cultural setting
Read More:
DP Buchholz Responds to Christian Leadership Experience
Christian Leadership Experience will feature the SON Band
2015 Christian Leadership Experience Website
Intrepid Lutherans - What is the 2015 Christian Leadership Experience?
Christian Leadership Experience FAQ
Truth in Love Ministries - 2015 Christian Leadership Experience: Grow. Lead. Impact.
Facebook Event Page
What makes a Lutheran synod confessional? It does the following:
- Believes that the truth of God’s Word, as revealed in Scripture and summarized in the confessions, does not change.
- Stands on the Bible’s foundational teaching that we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith in Christ alone. It recognizes that the blessings of faith come only by the Holy Spirit’s working through the gospel proclaimed in God’s Word and in the sacraments.
- Understands and applies the clear distinction between law and gospel. A confessional Lutheran church proclaims God’s law in all its stark bluntness and God’s gospel in all its amazing beauty.
- Values the rich heritage of doctrine and worship that God has preserved to us through the wisdom, courage, and creativity of those who have gone before us.
- Celebrates the freedom that God has given us in the gospel. It is careful to avoid any hint of legalism that imposes rules where God has not. It avoids misusing the freedom in a way that does not show Christian love for the other members of the body of Christ. It recognizes that often the most faithful exercise of our Christian freedom is when we willingly choose not to exercise that freedom out of love and concern for others.
I’m thankful that we are a synod that values worship—a synod in which every member can say with the Psalmist, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1). - Mark G. Schroeder
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| Notice how a beautiful old church has been transformed by lighting into a rock venue. |
GJ - Ichabod asks the obvious question - How many alcoholic, abusive pastors have their careers rescued by a congregational visit from the Synod President?
And what style of worship does that pastor represent? Here is the short answer - Messages (not sermons) plagiarized from false teachers, delivered in clean-out-the-attic clothes.
Add these pastoral abuses - approved and promoted by the Synod President:
1. Showing gross pornography to a lady working at the church.
2. Suing the worker's husband for telling the truth about the abuse.
3. Excommunicating an attorney for talking to the senior pastor, Glende, Ski's buddy, about their plagiarism and dishonesty - which Glende denied!
After Team Glende pulled off these crimes, Ski got a quickie CRM approval and an insta-call to DP Don Patterson's neighborhood. With SP Schroeder's approval, Deputy Doug Engelbrecht violated the district rules for CRM and thereby endorsed by worst behavior in WELS.
But, after all, didn't WELS buy a bar for Ski with synodical money?
kground-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">2. Suing the worker's husband for telling the truth about the abuse.
3. Excommunicating an attorney for talking to the senior pastor, Glende, Ski's buddy, about their plagiarism and dishonesty - which Glende denied!
After Team Glende pulled off these crimes, Ski got a quickie CRM approval and an insta-call to DP Don Patterson's neighborhood. With SP Schroeder's approval, Deputy Doug Engelbrecht violated the district rules for CRM and thereby endorsed by worst behavior in WELS.
But, after all, didn't WELS buy a bar for Ski with synodical money?