It is time to pause and reflect on the blessings our Lord has graciously given to us. I am especially thankful that our Lord has provided a remnant of confessional Lutherans both pastors and laypeople for such a time as this. It is my prayer that the confessional voices have the courage to speak and those promoting Reformed practices would have the courage to listen. I pray that our church would be "different" than the culture surrounding us: a place of refuge and peace. I hope that those promoting Ed Stetzer might see that to be relevant to this culture we need to be different. We need to be a light shining in darkness rather than blending in with the non-denominational melting pot that Ed Stetzer represents. There needs to be a place for those who desire a confessional, orthodox, and liturgical church.
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
8 comments:
I am thankful for my Savior, family, health, and that the Church and Changers have been exposed for who they really are.
I am praying that WELS will see the light that it once had.
Speaking in reference to Anonymous 8:46 and others like him/her that I have encountered here over the last couple months of observation, it really is not fair that one would say "Church and Changers have been exposed for who they really are" as if they are the anti-Christ. I actually was feeling a comaraderie for this particular Thanskgiving posting, until I read these comments. I feel so much misplaced hatred coming from the opinions placed here on this blog, maybe not from the owner, but from posters and, to my knowledge, only those in opposition of what you term "church and changers". I cannot believe our God of love would teach or want spread such animosity as this.
I am a soul searching for the truth. I believe this world cannot go on as it is and that Christ's return is imminent. I want TRUE answers as to what God wants from ME and where He wants me to be involved in to share in His great commision, whether a denomination or on the street. I must say I AM a WELS member, but have not been involved for over a year now, because of divisions just as this, possibly petty yet not ignorable controversies. Upon reading your blogs, as one who, too, wants more than fluff and show, who thinks all the tv evangelists are fake, who knows many churches are watering down or muddying the truth for the numbers, I am finding I also want more than man made rules and rites but the real TRUTH that can only come from God's word. And, I also know, Christ comes and reaches people where they are, not where we think they should be.
I really do believe that God is love, that sin seperated me from Him but that Jesus Christ died for my sins in my place. Period. I may not be eloquent in my words, I may NOT have the wisdom of King Solomon, but I know the truth and I want to be fed more of the truth. Why would you have a site that would tear at my beliefs, that would make me feel like less of a Christian because the dirges I hear in some churches put me to sleep but music put to a more contemporary tempo inspires me to lift my heart and soul to the one and only who deserves my praise? Maybe I am from a different generation? God it not changing, but maybe His music does?
We are all being exposed here. Please don't point out where I am being stupid or naive, I am just speaking because I felt led to speak about this discord in the Holy Christian church. I feel my faith is being attacked everytime I read these posts. Maybe you do, too?
I will go away now and try not to come back....
"I want TRUE answers as to what God wants from ME and where He wants me to be involved in to share in His great commision"
This is the sad result of Church and Change sanctification-centered worship. Look at where the focus of this person is--on "ME" and "what God wants".
See, ultimately this entire debate isn't about organ vs. guitar or anything so petty as that. It's about Christ-centered churches vs. ME-centered churches. It's about gospel-centered churches vs. law-centered churches.
The person above said they hadn't been active in a church for a year. Well, if the church you were going to focused on what you were supposed to do for God, I'm not surprised that you didn't want to go to that church.
I would suggest that you find a real WELS church, one that proclaims what Christ has done for us, one that focuses on the Gospel, rather than a phony WELS church that proclaims what we have to do for God and focuses on the law.
I truely and humbly apologize. I did not choose my words wisely. Like I said, I am no King Solomon.
Also, I am not part of "C&C" nor have I ever attended one, I just see the argument for more upbeat, contemporary music.
I hope everyone who reads my post will look beyond that line and read the rest. My heart is to share the gospel as the Lord has commanded in the Gospel, but my salvation is not depended on it. Nor is any thing dependent on me.
To Christ alone be all glory.
I sure hope you are not a pastor when a person who is struggling is someone you slap with your man-made opinions. Go back to Augsburg, me buckos, and read Article XXVIII: Of Ecclesiastical Power and see what God says of mini-papists binding others to their viewpoints regarding traditions and questioning their salvation on that basis. You may think it "fun" to play these games with people, but beware your careless words thrown happenstance into the air can cause a weak brother/sister to fall. God is surely not enjoying the "fun" along with you and no angels are rejoicing. One nice thing though, I have been enjoying my Triglotta as a filter for your ideas. I'm not a church and changer, have no plans to be, but I am not one of your rank, ranks, either. Color me gone!
"I sure hope you are not a pastor when a person who is struggling is someone you slap with your man-made opinions..."
Wait, so you're saying that being a gospel-centered church is a man-made opinion?
Yikes.
"Blending in with the non-denominational melting pot" is a clear sign that WELS has not only lost its way, but also eager to follow Satan in hopes of saving its earthly institution.
How sad that they repudiate the Word of God and doing His Work for Rock n' Roll and other nonsense.
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