As we wait for author consent on the various Oktoberfest papers, I would like to ask the readers about what you feel are the most pressing issues facing the WELS today. I would hope that this could open up a synod-wide discussion. I also would hope that more of the laity would feel free to discuss these theological issues with WELS pastors.
Here is my short list:
1) Losing our Lutheran identity
a) Contemporary worship - worship gatherings
b) the belief that liturgy usage is behavior modification
c) the use of evangelical methods
2) The public ministry and its forms...?
3) Sacrament of Holy Communion
a) close(d) / open
b) frequency
c) confirmation age requirement
4) Seminary training
5) Promotion of Church and Change leaders throughout the synod
19 comments:
Church and Change as an answer means all of the above - and then some.
I agree.. the number 1 issue is
Church and Change.
Also, I'm anxious to read the Oktoberfest papers...
Thanks
Church and Change has the approval and support of the synodical administration and therefore should receive support from all WELS members. All you "conservatives" can do it gripe, gripe, gripe and sit on your hands. Get with the program.
Turner
Turner,
I was not aware that Church and Change has the approval and support of the synodical administration. Where may I find this information?
Thank-you.
"Church and Change has the approval and support of the synodical administration."
No. Church and Change HAD the support of the PREVIOUS synodical administration. But the times, they are a'changin'. Church and Change most definitely does not have the approval or support of the current administration.
I think since the basis of our synod is a grassroots organization which is composed of a confederation of congregations who use the synod for centralized administration, missions and education that the things that need to be worked on are at the congregational level.
The problems are not in the synod offices. They are sitting in the pews of your congregation and mine. They are you and me. They are the voters who don't come to congregational meetings. They are the members who don't stay for bible study. they are the 25% of the people on the roles who never show. Here is my list of the top issues in the WELS.
1.) Congregations need to restore their mission focus.
2.) Members need to get into bible study.
3.) Members need to minister and encourage their own members.
4.) members need to equip themselves for personal evangelism.
5.) Congregations need to go back into their communities and actively reach out to them.
6.) Members need to find their personal ministry. (as a corollary those who feel that ministry is restricted to the pastor role should switch to LCMS and that would help out the WELS a great deal)
7.)Members need to hear and take action about church stewardship. Very few can honestly say we give the firstfruits. I will be the first to admit that this is a problem area in my life.
8.) Members need to get rid of the stumbling blocks for the unchurched.
As to the synod...again I say that the members need to make this happen. Decisive congregational voting makes these things happen or not happen.
The synod has two focuses, Mission work and congregational support. They are a centralized organization that helps coordinate, educate, and provide economies of scale. What is only being discussed now in the latest decade is that the Synod is a business. Finally they are implementing real accounting controls, auditing, IS and Technology, and cost benefit analysis. Now the only thing standing in its way is its own members. Those who throw away fiscal economic policy to hold on to Lutheran relics. Here's my list for synod...but not for synod...for the members of the synod to direct the synod to do.
#1 Get out of the real estate business...
Ultimately it would be nice to see one WELS university with our WELS schools combined nd endowed and funded like most colleges. Sell the seminary and create a seminary "college" within the WELS univ. Have an education college with a WELS ministry track for staff ministry or those couple extra doctrine courses that make you WELS worthy for a LES/ALHS call. Take all the other WLC tracks and add them into the mix for the rest of us. All the people who cry about their long lost hitorical bricks...boo hoo for them. Maybe the WELS could sell the bricks to those who are so attached and have a relic sale. If people are going to worship them we might as well make money on them.(thats a joke for those of you without senses of humor) To be efficient the synod should be dying to slash this redundant overhead. A WELS university can be endowed, it can be run independently from a fiscal sense. The synod could stop being a real estate owner and just be in the business of endowing the ministerial programs and funding tuition assistance for ministry programs. etc etc... If they did it quick they could ditch that #%$^ MLC chapel and pitch in 7 million to the ministry endowment.
Same deal with the prep schools. MLS should go. Yes it generates more pastors per capita..an admirable statistic. However I trust that whatever fervor for ministry that MLS creates can be created at one large Prep school. Lets not underestimate the Holy Spirit. Its not the bricks that make it work...its the Word in action. I heard lots of comments about locality and convenience and such...pishaw its a small country 250 miles this way or that is no bother. What about investigating mentoring programs at the local congregations, and school pastors at ALHS's (like WISCO just started) to encourage young men for ministry. ...attachment to relics runs deep.
If only the religious fervor for the attachment to various buildings and campuses was present when a mission program was threatened.
#2 In the realm of congregational support more work can be done getting congregations together to share ideas, work, programs, joint ministry, etc.. As congregations empower themselves. it would be nice to have a centralized clearing house of information and referrals to other congregations. To often we look on high from synod for the answers when they might already be done in the congregation down the road or across the country.
More congregations should get together for joint ministry...sometimes the amount of overhead involved in various programs is astounding when compared if the cost and resources could be shared.
#3 MISSIONS MISSIONS MISSIONS After we've slashed our crazy overhead...this is where the money should go. Home missions are just as important if not moreso than world missions.
"Church and Change most definitely does not have the approval or support of the current administration."
Oh? Ask it.
Tim in '08. That's church and change we can believe in.
Hey that sounds pretty good. I like it :-D
Tim
I wonder, as a recent seminary grad, what the issue with seminary training is?
I have concerns about the Wauwatosa hermeneutic and the opposition to any allegorical interpretation of Christ in Scripture. Is that being taught at seminary these days?
Rob
Tim said "Lets not underestimate the Holy Spirit." I couldn't agree more.
The rest of his post sounds like a business plan that may or may not be sound. All eight points start with "members need or congregations need" before getting into the "fiscal economic policy." I'll concede it does have a very practical ring to it, unlike John's concerns which seem to suggest there may be some doctrinal issues he feels of greater weight (addressed before the plan can be implemented, I suppose).
Rob
Mr. Seminarian..(or graduate).
How is the Wauwatosa theology presented at sem?
How is the OHM up held?
a recent grad told me female pastors aren't too far down the road (anecdotal info I know but true)
There are already female staff ministers in WELS....
....and Women's LEADERSHIP conferences in WELS....
despite WELS' Doctrine on the Roles of Men and Women in the Church, the Home, and Society....
Tim you wrote,
"More congregations should get together for joint ministry...sometimes the amount of overhead involved in various programs is astounding when compared if the cost and resources could be shared."
It is an interesting comment since you belong to a relatively new WELS mission started within a 10 mile radius of at least 5 other WELS churches. Considering that you also said it is important to open home missions, your logic would also conclude your church to be a poor use of mission dollars.
possibly it could. It depends on how you define when and where a home mission should be opened. Proximity to other WELS churches is not necessarily the best measure. That may be a more important measure for synod to use in doling out money. Thankfully we receive very little money from synod. We were started as a daughter congregation of a congregation with 2300 members to tackle a need where there was no WELS church and where none of those 5 churches were reaching the unchurched. Our main funding comes from several congregations spending extra money on home missions for their neighborhoods. Its sad to say but just because a WELS church is in the area doesn't mean ministry is being done.
A lot of that is moot right now anyways because in a year and a half we are nearly 80 percent self funded.
Rather I think my church is a perfect example of how to spend home mission dollars.
Tim
"There are already female staff ministers in WELS....
....and Women's LEADERSHIP conferences in WELS....
despite WELS' Doctrine on the Roles of Men and Women in the Church, the Home, and Society...."
Wrong. In complete agreement with the WELS doctrine.
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