The WELS Challenge

WELS pastors take up the challenge of growing the church. Several heavy hitting WELS pastors took to the road to find out the latest trends going on under the protestant tent. At least one of the pastors in attendance sits on the presidium of a synodical district.


I hope that in a future issue of Forward in Christ (one of those in attendance is a contributing author to FIC) or maybe in the presidential newsletter we will hear a recap of this event and how we can follow in the footsteps of such great leaders as Rick Warren.

http://www.exponentialconference.org/

Session #5b: with Rick Warren: The Challenge - You've heard the scriptures and been through the workshops. You've learned about the biblical principles of reproducing churches, vision, disciple making, community, missional movements. You've networked with people who share your passion for reaching people and showing them the way back to Jesus Christ. Now what? Rick Warren will help answer that question as he closes Exponential 2008 with a time of challenge and commitment.

WELS Pastors attend Exponential Conference in Orlando

Several WELS pastors from across the country gathered together last week at an ecumenical conference (but they didn't pray with 'em).

http://www.exponentialconference.org/


These WELS pastors sat at the feet of nationally known Church Growth gurus including Rick Warren and Ed Stetzer.


People like to shout out that we won't let Leonard Sweet preach to us at WLC. Since the growth leaders can't come to WELS colleges the cutting edge pastors visit these national seminars.

If you want further details about the wonderful ideas presented at this conference contact a pastor at the local WELS congregation in Maitland, FL, or your own local church planting WELS pastor.

WELS Church Growth Seminar

WELS pastors gathered recently in Orlando, FL to discuss methods needed to grow churches. The model church examples used at this Church planting seminar used examples like Gunn's rock and roll church in Arizona, Parlow's non-Lutheran worship styles in Green Bay, and the WELS tele-evangelist Mark Jeske.

Angry Lutherans

Check out this WE?S/?CMS blog:

http://angrylutherans.blogspot.com/

Discussion Board

An encouragement to continue to engage about issues of concern in the WELS at:


http://www.bailingwater.com/index.htm

Lutherans for Life

I am wondering if the WELS supports http://www.lutheransforlife.org/

Elderly woman witnesses to man trying to rob her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDmp967UMds&feature=related

Original Innocence

Original Innocence
By John Parcher
Christian News, May 14, 2000

Now our children are supposed to be the latest oppressed minority in dire need of liberation.

Since the ‘60s, children along with women are considered to be victims of patriarchy and an “ideology of control.”

Popular authors like John Holt, and famous like Hillary Clinton, say the government should free children from the “captivity” of parents and schools.

Today’s child development experts and family life counselors agree: Parents are to be bystanders in the lives of their children.

It’s the old philosophy of Jean Rousseau, widely hailed as a pioneer in the areas of human rights and child development.

Rousseau said the children are inherently good, and society is evil.

This explains why only 7 percent of education professors think teachers should impact knowledge, while 92 percent believe “students should learn on their own.”

This is also a whole lot easier than teaching English grammar, square roots and the location of Montana on a map.

And you see traces of this theory in the phony curriculum offerings, such as, “discovery learning” and “thinking strategies.”

Moses would probably be cited today for a “hate crime because he said “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”

And charges of child abuse filed against the one who said: “He that spareth the rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him.”

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”?!?
Such an attempt to mold the character of a child, or transmit values, is considered a misuse of power by the strong against the weak.

Most sane people know the difference between a spanking and a beating; between discipline and child abuse.

Rousseau, by the way, drew income from one woman and his connections from another.

That, while living unmarried with “a dull and unattractive servant girl” who bore him five children.

Then he crept through the streets of Paris by night to abandon his offspring, one by one, on the doorsteps of a foundling hospital.

If that qualifies a man as a “pioneer” in child development, well, you can have it.

Give me any day the humbling, and yet ennobling and inspiring teachings of the Bible.

Moving beyond Contemporary worship

The upcoming worship conference is being touted as a way to provide outreach opportunities and move beyond contemporary worship.

http://together.wels.net/

http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?worshipConf

As you browse the varies topics you will see a variety of topics. Yet what is highlighted and touted is blended worship. You might recall that infamous Forward in Christ pushing blended worship with a picture of a blender full of fruit on the cover. I guess what they were trying to show is that when you blend worship all you get is mush.

CEO Ministries

I am trying to figure out what synod is sponsoring this "new" and "innovative" approach to ministry.

http://www.ceo-ministries.com/

Its synodical affiliation is hidden very nicely.

Maybe they got their ideas here: http://www.ceoministries.org/

Maybe this website provides a clue: http://www.churchandchange.org/

Does anybody know who is the CEO of this CEO ministry?

The Janke sequel..

Anonymous said...

Those in the Wisconsin Synod know that district presidents rarely, if ever, fail to run for reelection and rarely, if ever, receive a call. Janke was just called out of the district almost at the same time he decided not to run for reelection (Johnson's Creek, WI). Two highly improbable events. Hmm?

March 9, 2008 9:59 PM

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Janke has done enough damage in the AZ/CA district. Now he can move back to the holy land.

I wonder if the fallen angels that Janke drove out can be reinstated?

Progress

I have just learned that Paul Janke, DP of the AZ/CA district, is stepping down. This is a huge step forward for the confessionals in the WELS. Janke spent most of his time using his position to oust men that didn't fit his WELS model. He would either get them to resign (change the reason to cause - so they can't get back in) or suspend them.

Hopefully, the Lord will rise up a person who can gain control of Apostle's and Crosswalk and the district.

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I have decided not to stand for re-election at this summer's Arizona-California District convention. It has been a privilege to serve as district president and to work with you in this role. After months of thought, prayer, and consulting with others, I am convinced that after ten years as district president, I need to turn my full attention to the place where my heart is: parish ministry. I told Pres. Schroeder of my decision at the Synodical Council meeting today and have also informed my brothers on the COP. I ask you to share this information with the men in your circuits. May God be with you as you care for the people of your congregations and your circuits!

In Christ,

Paul

Pastor Paul Janke
St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church
3461 Merle Avenue
Modesto, CA 95355
(209) 551-0563