Proper Discernment

While I was contemplating leaving the LC-MS, I was told I shouldn't judge other's intentions. I agree with that statement. But all too often admonitions not to judge the heart are shortened to include admonitions to not judge at all. We are supposed to, and encouraged to, judge actions. You know who someone is by what they do, since we cannot see the heart. Actions by LC-MS hierarchy have not been wise, and their actions to not match their words. For this alone they should repent and turn back to using Scripture alone.

Decisions on missions and church starts should be done by need for the Gospel, not on budget. I don't suggest anyone ignore the reality of the pocketbook, but I don't believe that is the sole basis of stewardship. Stewardship means trusting God's promises to provide for our needs. Just because the pocketbook is narrow doesn't mean you stop preaching the Word where it is needed. Faith requires you to lean on God through plentiful and through scarce. This is the tack I am taking- I am trusting God to provide for our mission, regardless of the wisdom or sense of man or demographics.

Moving On...

I have moved on from the LC-MS. I don't think anyone would argue that the public LC-MS doctrine has not been diluted, Synod-wide practices unified, or even that the Synod has presented a good face recently. I hope that the Synod returns to its roots and confesses the confessional doctrine it has officially on paper without embarrassment. Given the refusal by the Synod to tend to the needs of the flock in denying a confessional church and for varying from Scripture and the Book of Concord, the choice was made for me. This is a difficult path that I have been walking for the past 4 or 5 months, and I have finally made the decision to leave.

If you are curious, the group we are affiliating our congregation, Agnus Dei, with is the United Lutheran Mission Association (ULMA). They seem to be the most confessional group out there and are headed by a church in Decatur, Ill. They willingly provided (after prayerful consideration of course) a missionary-at-large for our pastor and we had our first service today with him presiding. Our congregation is focused on proper worship of God and hopes to be a beacon to the area of confessional, proper Christian doctrine. We especially want to help those in the LC-MS who want to focus on God, not numbers or bureaucracy, return to the historical position of the Christian Church since the beginning. Sola Dei Gloria (to God be the Glory)!

Truely Sweet?

Buried in the March issue of the LC-MS Reporter is the following two paragraphs:

An Aug. 18-20 theological convocation on Congregation — Synod — Church is set for the Marriott St. Louis — Airport, where some 250 Synod leaders — including representatives from each district — will take an in-depth look at the 22 theological principles.

Sponsored by the COP and the CTCR, the convocation will feature a presentation on the theological principles by the presidents of the Synod's two seminaries. Also on the schedule as a presenter is Dr. Leonard Sweet, a theologian, author, and church futurist who was voted "one of the 50 most influential Christian leaders in America" for 2006 and 2007.

This sounds all well and good. However, a quick check on Dr. Leonard Sweet can lead you to the following site. The site has exceptionally un-christian, heretical statements that liken faith and Christianity as one path to a type of enlightenment, unionism, and the list goes on. This man will be talking to the LC-MS?! What has the LC-MS done?! This is to provide clarity?! No clarity can be had outside the Word. I am incensed that this is even possible. Even the Pope doesn't consider Christianity a path in the same line as Hindus, Muslims, or any other theology or cult!

This should be an outrage, but since this is a buried comment, I sincerely doubt anyone even knows who this joker is. Be wary, Brothers...

The "Issue" with Synod

For anyone who has somehow missed the latest unchristian approach by Synod, the conservative, and quite popular, radio show "Issues, Etc." was unceremoniously canceled the Tuesday before Easter. The two pastors in charge were fired, and one of their wives is gravely ill. I won't attempt to redo the work of many fine bloggers. See all of Pastor Esget's blogs, Whey Lay's comment, the well reasoned comments on CyberStones, and the insight at Kyrie Eleison. This whole issue stinks. There is no other way to put it. While we are supposed to put the best face forward, let us not do it to cover actions that are in opposition to the right thing to do, the proper thing, the Christian thing. Firing Pastors without cause, without proper discussion, and with only consideration for programming and budget is WRONG. There is no sugar coating possible.

At the very least, Strand should be fired for ineptitude (not having recent numbers for all listeners, firing without consultation of the board, etc) as he would in the commercial world. Others involved should be fired, and very serious questions asked about the theological considerations for stewardship. Wasting money is very bad for stewardship. However, the church is supposed to rely on God for its sustenance. If a program is doctrinally sound, what good money reason is there for canceling it? I ask the question in light of the $5 million for Ablaze, but not $650k for Issues, Etc. Why is the LC-MS spending money on a program that is questionable with dubious theological underpinnings and canceling conservative, orthodox programs?

I have been told by the South East District that they won't allow any new "more orthodox" churches than the closest congregation. They revised this to "confessional" from orthodox, but the point was clear to me. Ol' Mo is in serious trouble.

New Words

I know it has been a while, but here goes another post. In some reading lately, I came across an Ablaze document titled "Covenant Churches." I figured this would be interesting to peruse. I found a new word in there that is troubling. It is "incarnational." No, not "incarnate" as in "incarnate God." Here is a quick quote:

The cross of Christ heralds the incarnational, expansionary
movement of the reign and rule of Jesus Christ in the hearts
and lives of people also today.

The usage of "incarnational" becomes problematic when you consider other english words with the "-al" ending. Those words usually mean "act of" or "being" such as confessional (act of being in confession), functional (having function) , and internal (being inside). What does "being incarnate" mean? Let me pull another variation of incarnate used.

This “Gospel imperative” spoken to the disciples as the
representative leaders of the church summarized the
will of God that the reign and rule of Jesus Christ in the
hearts and lives of people on earth (the kingdom of God)
be incarnated, expanded, and lived out in communities of
the faith, confession, and mission.

Catch the use? Since incarnate means "embodied in flesh" and "personified," and include that with the Christian verbiage about Christ as the Incarnate God, you are opening up a place of confusion. Are we "little incarnate christs"? Or are they trying to mean "living in the way of Christ"? I think the intention is probably the latter, but the lack of clarity leaves this too dangerously close to the edge. Creating new words in english is a dangerous proposition, as it is in any language.

I won't even start on the legalistic tone of the document. There are Baptist/Pentecostal type calls for service and the insinuation of a requirement to do something. This is not going to help churches expand the ministry. What helps is the Word of God spoken clearly and taught properly. Anything else is a weakened place to start missions from.

Proper Teaching

We have been reading the Catechism at night to my children. My eldest at least recognizes the Ten Commandments in order and can recite most of the Apostle's Creed. This has shown me the necessity of proper teaching of our children. It isn't the Pastor's responsibility. It isn't something that will just pop into their head. Parents must teach it consistently. This is a failing point of many Christians, not limited to just LC-MS, Roman Catholics or some "other denomination." If you aren't teaching your children, the best you can hope for is a mediocre appreciation and very little to fall back on in times of temptation and testing. For anyone who ends up reading this (if there is anyone at all), please teach your children the basics of Christian faith. It is imperative that they understand and learn these things early. It is the basis that allows a deeper understanding of what the Bible is really about.

Happy New Year

It is 2008 and I just read an essay called "Strangers in our father's house" by Dr. Laurence White. It goes over the history of the LC-MS and contains quotes by Walther and Pieper (among others) that promote and require that the Synod must reject false doctrine, poor teaching in all places if the Synod is to remain strong. Alas, looking around at the LC-MS, orthodoxy is a minority and error is allowed to "preserve the peace." I hear from a lot of orthodox, good Christian people that they are working to "change from the inside." After getting some more in depth understanding of where the Southeast district, and thus a portion of the Synod, sits, I think my response will be "So when was the last time you/your church rebuked error in the Synod?" True Christians cannot tolerate theological error any more than mathematicians can tolerate lax arithmetic and symbology. A church body should seek to remove error whenever it is found, even if it is within itself. Perfect churches don't exist, but pursuit of a true understanding of God's Word does. This should be the aim of the Synod and every sanctuary within it. This doesn't seem to be the case, but I will expound more on that at a later date, when more information is available.

May God bless your New Year.