This is what the BoD of the MNS District has sold . . .

Contemporary Worship Came from Others

What is almost always missing in our ongoing worship debates is an honest assessment of the genesis of what has become known as contemporary worship among Lutherans.  It seems that many are wont to conveniently ignore the fact that this genre of worship was developed by non-Lutherans who adhere not only to a different theology of worship, but a completely different theological system (different exegetical, different systematic, different historical, different practical theologies).  This did not originate with Lutherans, but came from those whose theology is purposefully not centered upon Christ and the blessed means of grace through which faith in Him is created and sustained, but rather is centered upon man and the experience and enthusiasm created to elicit a decision/response from those in attendance to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.  In other words, for all attempts to prove otherwise, this genre of worship is not Christ-centered, but man-centered - and PURPOSEFULLY so. 

This is because those who led the charge to turn worship into an experiential, enthusiastic, emotional-manipulating, feel-good, fun-fest do not believe Jesus is Present in their "worship experiences."  That's the whole point, the whole basis for this genre of worship.  Jesus is "up there," not here.  We need to reach Him.  We need to let Him know how much we love Him.  We experience His love in return as we feel Him touch our hearts.  And, if the worship is powerful enough, then that experienced love we feel in our hearts will lead us to commit ourselves to Jesus, make Him our personal Lord and Savior, and leave with the intent to live for Him in this world.  It's all about you.  Your feelings.  Your emotions.  Your decision.  Your choice.  Your commitment.  Your life.  Jesus is nothing more or less than the object of your affection and the arbiter of your feelings.  It is little wonder that the vast majority of contemporary Christian praise songs focus on feelings and employ heart-language, since, well, they are simply the subjective experience and shared feelings of their authors put before others in the hope that they, too, will share that experience and those feelings. 

You can slice and dice this all you want in the attempt to Lutheranize it, but that dog just won't hunt.  You cannot adopt the practices of those who adhere to a completely different theology and avoid having your confession of the faith marred in the process.  The attempt by so many Lutherans to do this today is not only an exercise in futility, but a sad commentary on how our theology is so grossly misunderstood and unappreciated.  That so many Lutherans are willing to sell their birthright for a cup of "worship experience" is something I shall never fully comprehend. 

So it is that the oft-attempted argument in our worship debates that this is not about theology is disingenuous, at best, and malicious, at worst.  I mean, no one can possibly argue against the fact that the contemporary worship adopted by Lutherans came from those who adhere to a different system of theology.  In fact, those who initiated the flirtation with contemporary worship knew this full well.  It was kinda the point at the time.  Those other Christians who worship differently than we do seem to be onto something.  Their numbers are growing and people seem to be really responsive to their way of worship, so let's check that out and see if it's for us.  Besides, we're really getting sick of the whole page 5 and page 15 thing; something new and fresh would be most welcome! 

Thus did the first generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans begin their flirtation with the Church Growth Movement (CGM) and its principles, which find their zenith in man-centered, man-pleasing, experiential, enthusiastic, and entertaining, feel-good, contemporary worship.  This first generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans knew exactly what they were doing.  Many of them even went and got themselves degrees in "church growth" from places such as Fuller Theological Seminary.  They read all of the classic CGM texts, attended contemporary worship seminars, and set about the business of establishing a new genre of worship among Lutherans.  And this is precisely because they bought into the false theology of those who tickled their fancies and provoked their envy.  They wanted to be like those others, theology be damned.  That's a fact, and it is easily proven, given that we're not talking about some historical era in some distant past, but events which have taken place just in the past 20-30 years.  The advent of contemporary worship among Lutherans in our synod can be traced back to the 1980s.  Yes, there was already some flirtation being done in the 60s and 70s (and there has always been a bit of this ever since there have been Lutherans), but this movement did not begin to gain traction within our synod until the 80s.  So, it is still brand new among us, and it is easy to trace just how it happened to infiltrate our synod, especially since many of those among that first generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans are still among us, and still making the same arguments they made back when they began flirting with this stuff.

The amazing thing to witness in all this is how the second generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans among us engage in our ongoing worship debates.  Unlike their predecessors, they are convinced that the genre of worship to which they adhere is Lutheran through and through.  This is a testimony of the first generation's effectiveness in embedding this genre of worship into our life together as a synod.  Call them pioneers or innovators or what have you, no one could possibly deny the success they've had in convincing Lutherans to accept and embrace this genre of worship.  When they began their flirtation, one could hardly find an LCMS congregation that had a contemporary worship service available, but now it has become increasingly difficult to find LCMS congregations that do not have one.  That's not bad for a movement that is only a few decades old.  Those who dreamed of the days when you wouldn't have to attend a methobapticostal worship service to "feel the presence of the Spirit at work" have had their dream fulfilled, and then some, for not only can you find this sort of worship service all around the synod today, but those who have taken up their mantle today are convinced that this is decidedly Lutheran. 

But, it is not Lutheran.  That's my point.  That's the point that gets glossed over in our worship debates time and time again, as a plethora of red herrings and straw men are invoked to keep us from getting at the heart of the matter.  Try as they might (and they do try!), the second generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans will never be able to deny the fact that what they now embrace and falsely believe to be perfectly Lutheran is the warmed-up porridge their predecessors sold their birthright to obtain.  At the end of the day, this is about theology, no matter how vehemently are those who argue to the contrary.

What would be refreshing would be to hear the second generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans argue their case with the honesty in which their predecessors argued theirs.  They wanted something different.  They believed that we Lutherans needed something different.  They didn't shy away from making that known.  They said things like, "The hymnal does not appeal to unbelievers"; "The liturgy is outdated and turns people off"; "Worship needs to primarily be about reaching the lost, not feeding the found"; "Worship should be fun and entertaining, so that people will long to come"; "We need to change our ways, lest the Church fade away and die"; "Everyone should be a minister," and so forth.  And, they said these things knowing full well that they were saying that we needed to learn from those whose theology differs from ours.  Our theology needed to change.  That was the point.  But, today's generation says all of these things and more, maintaining that, in doing so, they are expressing our theology, refusing to admit that all of these things are based on a theology foreign to ours.

And, for this reason, dialogue is stifled.  How in the world can you have fruitful dialogue with those who refuse to be honest?  When the basis for dialogue is, "We're exactly the same theologically, but just have vast differences in how we express that theology," as if doctrine and practice are as different from one another as night is from day, there is little chance of the conversation going anywhere.  And, that's what we see, time and time again.  The second generation of contemporary worshiping Lutherans have systematized what their predecessors introduced, and the key systematic principle is that doctrine and practice can be neatly kept separated.  Indeed, it is this systematic principle that provides the convenient cover up to the reality which lies underneath, enabling today's generation to live with the fact that their predecessors partook of a theology foreign to ours.  The separation of doctrine from practice is akin to the "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" ploy used by the wizard of Oz.  As long as that curtain remains in place, there is no dialogue to be had.  And, as long as that curtain remains in place - as long as doctrine and practice are viewed as two separate things - this:

will amazingly be seen as flowing from, and expressing, the same theology as this:

 

'Nuff said.  

Pancakes for ULC Pics

Pics taken this past Sunday as the elders and I cooked and served pancakes and sausages to raise money to send to our brothers and sisters in Christ at University Lutheran Chapel.  We had a pretty decent turnout for our small parish (although I didn't take any pictures of the crowd, since I was busy serving and lack the ability to multitask) and were able to raise $306.00 just at the breakfast, with another donation or two coming in the next day or so, and we'll be sending whatever the total ends up being to ULC on Friday. 

Lutheran Satire - Kenny, the Sacramentarian Kindergartener

Pancakes for ULC

Tomorrow morning, the elders and I will be making pancakes and sausage for breakfast at the church, joining many other congregations around our synod in an effort to raise funds to support our brothers and sisters in Christ at University Lutheran Chapel.  For any who may not understand the need for this fundraising effort, you can visit the Pancakes for ULC site, which also has links to other sites you can visit to bring you up to date.  Also, below is the letter that was written by President Harrison and sent to all LCMS pastors back on October 13 urging us to support ULC. 

Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m.  Pancakes, sausage, coffee, and orange juice are on the menu.  All the food has been graciously donated, and all donations received will be sent to ULC.  Hope many will join us! 

Pastoral Letter Regarding Campus Ministry

The Seventeenth Week after Pentecost
October 13, 2011

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Dear Brothers in Christ,

The church is losing her young people. This is a concern we all share. While some fall away during high school, by far the greatest losses occur during the college years. Our young adults are bombarded by a secular worldview that is antagonistic to their Christian faith. College campuses have become a place where the truth of God’s Word is mocked, the divinity of Christ is questioned, and the church is scorned.

While the Synod has a tremendous system of Concordia colleges and universities, the vast majority of our young people attend secular institutions of higher education. Showing great foresight, past generations gave of their resources to establish campus ministries at major universities throughout the nation. However, over the years, as both local and national support has decreased, a number of campus ministries have been dissolved or closed. The recent events surrounding the sale of University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis, Minn., a vibrant and thriving campus ministry, are but another tragic chapter.

After too many years of being distant from campus ministry, the Synod is prepared to take leadership once again. The Synod cannot do campus ministry, but we can give voice to the importance of campus ministry, encouraging, supporting, and coordinating it wherever it is taking place.

As I write, the Office of National Mission is assembling a campus ministry task force, and plans are underway to host a future national campus ministry conference. We look forward to collaborating with many wonderful people who are already laboring tirelessly in this essential ministry and fertile mission field.

Now is the time to renew our efforts. While many have faithfully labored in campus ministry, they have not always received our support. The Synod simply cannot afford to sit on the sideline while faithful campus congregations are being closed. College students need Word and Sacrament ministry. They need faithful pastors and workers who will care, teach and prepare them for life in, but not of, the world. In short, they need Jesus.

The Office of National Mission will ensure that a larger voice is given to campus ministry so that it is valued and supported throughout the Synod once again. Investing in campus ministry invests in the future of the Church; it shepherds our young people when they need us most and builds up future leaders in the church.

As you are able, I encourage you to invest in the future of University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis so campus ministry can continue to flourish at the University of Minnesota. While the building they have utilized for campus ministry for over 60 years will be sold, the Word of the Lord will never be silenced. The Minnesota South District has encouraged them to continue ministry in that place. Please consider making a contribution to help see that this happens. You can donate directly through their website, or by sending checks through the mail to:

University Lutheran Chapel
1101 University Ave. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-331-2747
www.ulcmn.org

This is not the time for us to abandon campus ministry, but the time to more fully embrace and expand it. Please continue to support all the campus ministries throughout the Synod, and encourage the development of new campus outreach where none is taking place. Let us together be about keeping the souls of our precious children and bearing witness in an increasingly godless culture. What an exciting and dynamic place to be engaged in witness, mercy, and life together!

Finally, please join me in praying for the youth of our church:

Gracious Father, Your Son grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and all people. Bless, guide, and govern the children and young people of Your Church by Your Holy Spirit, that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Your Word. Grant that they may serve You well and usefully, developing their talents not for their own sakes but to Your glory and for the welfare of their neighbor. Protect and defend them from all danger and harm, giving Your holy angels charge over them, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (For Young Persons, LSB 315)

May God bless and guide our increased efforts to care for Christ’s sheep throughout their college years so they may be preserved in the one true faith. If you would like to share ideas or thoughts as we move forward, please contact Rev. Bart Day, Executive Director of the Office of National Mission (bart.day@lcms.org).

Sub cruce,

Pastor Matthew Harrison
Let’s go! Mark 1:38

Difference That Don't Make a Difference

The second part of this WE episode reminds me of a paper I wrote at seminary for Dr. Cameron Mackenzie, titled, "Zwingli and Calvin On the Lord's Supper: The Same, but Different." While Zwingli and Calvin approached the Lord's Supper in radically different ways, they do end up arriving at the same conclusions. And, Pr. Fisk is right - their conclusions do not agree with Lutherans in any way, shape, or form.

Godspeed to Pr. Fisk as he makes the move to the Chicago area next week to begin serving the saints in Naperville!

President Harrison at the Open Forum for the ACNA-LCMS Dialogue

Finally got around to watching Pres. Harrison's speech at the recent Open Forum for the the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America)-LCMS Dialogue, which took place at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne last week. Great stuff from our president! We are truly blessed to have him at the helm in our synod right now. He speaks directly to the challenges and issues we face today, and does so from a decidedly, and unapologetic, Lutheran perspective, which is extremely refreshing, since this sort of approach has been, and remains in many places, absent among synodical leaders.

I give a hearty "Amen" to everything Pres. Harrison says here. The only thing I wish he would have addressed is the challenge/problem of clergy debt, which seems to be something that continues to be neatly swept under the synodical carpet. I'm not saying that our beloved president is unaware or unconcerned about this, but I do wish he would address it, as I think he is in the unique position to actually be heard by those who either don't see it as the HUGE problem it is or simply choose to ignore it. I'm all for opening up our seminaries to international students, which would enable our awesome seminaries to share, as Pres. Harrison aptly says, "the best Lutheran theology in the world." Amen to that! Let's do it! But, at the same time, let us not overlook the need to figure out how to increase our funding to our seminaries for the benefit of our own future clergy, so that they do not have to endure the trials and tribulations that come with exiting our seminaries saddled with immense debt. In fact, I think this needs to be addressed before we open up our seminaries to more international students - or, at least, in unison with that admirable goal. I mean, if we can raise an additional million dollars through matching funds to support an influx of more international students, it would be a real shame if we did so while neglecting our own clergy.

I've heard from/about several brother pastors just in the last few months who have had to take on an additional job to support their family, since the congregations they serve are unable to support them to the extent that they need to be supported. And, in most cases, this is due to the fact that these brothers came out of seminary with 80-100 thousand dollars of debt. In other words, they would be able to serve these congregations full time on the salaries these congregations can afford to pay, but given their debt, they simply cannot.

This is one of the biggest challenges/problems we face in our synod today and, sadly, besides the odd blog post here or there, we don't hear much about it at all. As I said, I'm all for inviting international students to our seminaries where they can learn our theology and take it abroad, but let's work on taking care of our own, too. After all, as I know Pres. Harrison and others know full well, seminary education is one of the three main pillars upon which our beloved synod was built, and that pillar has all but been destroyed. It's time to work at putting that pillar firmly back in place, lest we eventually become no different than the Baptists, the majority of whose pastors work full-time jobs and preach on Sundays. Having a clergy roster of full-time parish pastors is a blessing we should do everything we can to keep in place, and it would serve us well to vigorously (to use a synodical catchword) be about the business of doing so. I, for one, am sick of the excuses I hear about the economy and the decrease in congregational giving and such, when the reality is that less than 1% (or something like that) of our synodical budget goes to funding our seminaries. Yes, the economy is bad and, yes, congregational giving is down, but these are not the reasons why many brother pastors have to find other jobs. Had they emerged from seminary without debt (or, at least, manageable debt), they could afford to support their families and serve their congregations based on the salaries their congregations could afford to pay them. Wait, did I already say that? Oh well. I said it again. Because, it's true. And, it's a truth that no one is talking about in our synod - at least, not out loud, so that we're aware the conversation is taking place. Thus, as much as I support everything our beloved president says in the excellent speech embedded in three parts below for any of you who have not been blessed to heart it yet, I am concerned that he did not address this significant issue. I hope he, or other synodical leaders, soon will.

That's NOT What the Lutheran Reformation Was About

It is true that of all the church bodies which have left the papacy, it is precisely the Lutheran Church which is accused of retaining many papal abuses and of having been the least successful in cleansing itself.  It is pointed out, for example, that in our church priestly clothing, church ornamentation, pictures, altar, crucifixes, candles, confession, the sign of the cross, and the like are still apparent.  But, my friends, whoever regards these innocent things as vestiges of the papacy knows neither what the papacy is, nor what the Bible teaches.  The very fact that the Lutheran Reformation was not aimed at indifferent adiaphora, but retained those things which were in harmony with God's Word, shows that it was not a disorderly revolution, but a Biblical reformation.

- C.F.W. Walther

What is also true is that, of all the church bodies, the Lutheran Church, despite appearances, is the only one which thoroughly rejects the works-righteous system of salvation to which the papacy adheres.  This is indeed ironic, considering that the Protestants who criticize Lutherans for being "too (Roman) Catholic" actually differ little from Rome in understanding how sinners are saved, also adhering to a works-righteous system of salvation, which requires man's cooperation.  For both Rome and Protestants, Jesus has done His part, but it's up to man to do his part if he is going to be saved.  Lutherans alone completely reject man's role in his salvation, giving all credit to Jesus Christ, who lived the perfect life in our stead and paid the full price for our sins with His atoning Blood on the Cross.  Protestants think that, by ridding themselves of the liturgy and vestments and ceremonies and lectionaries, etc., they have completed what Lutherans have only done in part, i.e. finished the Reformation and cleansed itself completely from the abuses of the papacy.  But, they are wrong, and the only reason they believe this is because, as Walther states, they know neither what the papacy is nor what the Bible teaches.

But, sadder than this is the fact that even many who call themselves Lutheran today fall under the same delusion that has kept the Protestants from understanding what the Reformation was really all about.  Like the Protestants, these Lutherans falsely believe that the way to cleanse ourselves of the abuses of the papacy is to rid ourselves of the historic liturgy, priestly clothing, church ornamentation, altars, crucifixes, private confession and absolution, making the sign of the cross, and so forth.  They, too, are wrong and know neither what the papacy is nor what the Bible teaches.

Thus, does the saying ecclesia semper reformanda est ever remain relevant among us.  The Church must always be reforming.  Lutherans of every generation need to continuously revisit and be catechized to understand what it means when we confess that we are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, the chief doctrine which was rediscovered by Dr. Luther and stood at the heart of the Lutheran Reformation.  It is precisely for the sake of that chief article of the faith that our Lutheran forefathers did not abolish the Mass or the usual ceremonies and customs that long found a home within the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, but simply corrected some of the abuses that had crept in under the papacy.  To think that they wished to rid themselves of any and all things Roman Catholic is to completely misunderstand their theology and intent, as Karlstadt and other radicals learned from Dr. Luther himself.

Would that more Lutherans had the desire to study, learn, and understand their own heritage.  Not only would this benefit them greatly, but it would be a great blessing to Lutheran pastors today, who have studied and do understand our heritage, and eagerly desire to share it and pass it on to those they serve.  As it is, many Lutherans are content with maintaining their limited understanding, which is often filled with false assumptions and presumptions, especially if some well-loved pastor of yesteryear had misinformed them, whether knowingly or not.  But, this is not a new problem we face today.  Walther faced it in his day.  So did Luther.  And, so will Lutherans 100 years from now, should our Lord tarry.  Thus, does the Church do well always to pray:  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.  Amen.             

Lutheran Satire - Jim, the Anabaptist Fireman

"Everybody knows that babies are flame retardant until they reach the age of accountability" - Exactly! :)

"Little Giants" is Bested

For the second year in a row, my Spartans have dazzled the college football world with what will surely go down as the best finish of the year. Last year, it was the "Little Giants" fake field goal for a game-winning TD in OT against Notre Dame. I didn't think that unbelievable play could be bested, but I was proven wrong. The "Rocket" Hail Mary the Spartans used to defeat Wisconsin this past Saturday is a tad better than last year's "Little Giants," given the improbability of pulling it off and the drama of having to go to instant replay to overturn the call on the field that Nichols came up short. But, perhaps even more impressive than pulling off the last second miracle to pull out the victory is the fact that Sparty overcame an early 14-0 deficit to take command of the game, using a safety, a blocked field goal, a fourth down conversion for a TD, and a blocked punt for a TD to do so. After defeating Ohio State and the other team from our state in the Big Ten in consecutive weeks, it looked early on like this was going to be a let-down game for Sparty. But, they hung in there and exploded to not only get back into the game, but to find themselves in a dominant position, leading Wisconsin by 14 with less than ten minutes to go. The offense sputtered a bit down the stretch, which allowed Wisconsin the chance they needed to come back, but just the fact that Wisconsin had to come back after Sparty spotted them a quick 14 points was mega impressive for this fan. Oh, and for all the talk about Sparty's lack of discipline and dirty play in the week leading up to this big game, maybe the most impressive thing about their stunning victory over Wisconsin was that they did not commit a single penalty. Not one. Zero. That's huge!

So, now it's on to Nebraska to face a tough Huskers team, which will round off the toughest October schedule not only in the Big Ten, but in all of college football. I just hope Sparty has a little more gas in the tank and is able to play well in this huge road test. If they do, they could very well come back from corn husker land with a perfect October record and in solid control of the Legends division. They have the ability on the defensive side of the ball to stop Nebraska and give them fits, but will they? I think so. My prediction: MSU 27 NEB 17. But, we'll see. :)

Anyway, here's the play that bested last year's "Little Giants." Enjoy:

Multi-Level Marketing Christianity

Many moons ago, my wife, Lisa, and I ran a successful home-based business.  It was a direct selling, multi-level marketing business.  We did pretty well at it for several years and, for a good year or two, we had a Top 25 team within the company.  We received many accolades and awards, prizes (several free cruises), and hefty monthly commission checks.  Sometimes, I really miss those checks. :)

One of the mottoes we learned, taught to others, and lived by while running our business was:  "Some Will, Some Won't!  Who Cares, Who's Next?"  In a multi-level marketing scheme, the focus is always on building your downline.  Recruit, recruit, recruit!  The more you bring in, the bigger the residual income.  And, the more brought in by those you bring in, the bigger the residual income.  Not everyone you bring in will catch the vision.  Some will.  You focus on them, at least a little.  Some won't.  You can't waste your time focusing on them at all.  But, really, your focus is on those potential recruits - who cares, who's next?  You're always after more.  The more you get, the more successful you are.

This is not to say that Lisa and I didn't care about those on our team.  We did.  We invested in them.  We worked with them.  We helped them.  We rewarded them.  I think we ran some of the most successful team meetings within the company during our heyday.  We were generous with our blessings and eager to help others, genuinely desiring for them to experience the success we had been blessed to experience.  But, the very nature of this type of business is that the way you provide help to those within your team is to motivate them to get out there and sell and recruit, to live by the motto:  "Some Will, Some Won't!  Who Cares, Who's Next?"

While living by this motto has its place when running a multi-level marketing business, it has no business at all within our Lord's Church.  And yet, this is exactly the motto by which those congregations who have bought into the principles of the Church Growth Movement live.  They may not come right out and say, "Some Will, Some Won't!  Who Cares, Who's Next?" but everything they do reveals that this is, indeed, the motto by which they're living.

I know.  I've lived this, too.  My home congregation went the way of the Church Growth Movement years ago and everything we said, thought, and did became about recruiting more members (which was dressed up in the pious language of "reaching the lost for Jesus").  Outreach, outreach, outreach!   That's all we ever heard.  That's why we existed.  It got to the point that the pastor and other leaders of the congregation would just come right out and tell people that, once they're in, their job calling was to go out and get more people to join reach the lost for Jesus.  When once we had Divine Services and Bible Studies focused on feeding Christ's flock, now we had Worship Experiences and Outreach Seminars focused on "growing" the church.  It was quite a transformation to witness, and it wasn't long before both Lisa and I began saying to each other, "What's the difference between what's going on at our congregation and what we're doing in our business?"  We couldn't think of many differences at all.  Just replace a few words here and there and the same mottoes and visions were shared between our business and our congregation.

All of this was brought to mind today as I was browsing the Michigan District website and saw this article, which will be the feature article in the October/November edition of the District's magazine, "Michigan In Touch."  If you click on that last link, you will notice that the cover of this edition will have a picture of the praise band of Messiah Lutheran in Clio leading what they're calling "nXt" worship (which is described in the article found at the first link).

What we see highlighted here is what I call "Multi-Level Marketing Christianity."  The main focus is on getting more "recruits" (which, again, is dressed up in the pious language "reaching the lost for Jesus").  Don't believe me?  Listen to how Pastor Erik Cloeter answers the question, "What is nXt?":

“I meet many people who come to church, join, and say, ‘OK, I’m a Christian ... so what’s next?’ At Messiah, the answer has always been to reach out to those who still don’t know Jesus and to help them connect with God in a real way.” 

Do you see it?  Now that you're a Christian, what's next for you is to reach out to those who still don't know Jesus and help them connect with God in a real way.  That's your job, your calling, your mission.  And, we have created just the "captivating worship experience that breaks down typical church stereotypes" that will appeal to unbelievers, who really don't want anything to do with Jesus and His Church.  Go and invite them to come to this "captivating worship experience," which is "truly unique" and "doesn't look, sound, or feel like a traditional or contemporary worship service," for they will find this "worship experience" to be "something unlike what they may have experienced in the past." 

Yeah, it's what we used to tell potential recruits about our home-based business.  "This direct selling company is unique.  It's not your typical pyramid scheme, but a new and improved, dynamic multi-level marketing plan, which offers you the unique opportunity to succeed, like no other company out there today."  The point was to remove the stigma so many feel regarding these types of businesses and get them to believe that this is totally different.  Same thing with the "nXt" worship marketing:  "This isn't your typical Christian worship stuff here.  Oh no!  We have something new and exciting to offer.  We have chairs, instead of pews, a stage, instead of a pulpit, LED smart lights, media screens, instead of stained glass, and best of all, a live band that will rock your socks off!"  The point is to remove the stigma so many feel about Jesus and His Church.  This is a different kind of Jesus and a different kind of Church.  You'll LIKE this Jesus and Church.  You'll be entertained, moved, and leave on an emotional high, much like what happens when you go to see your favorite band perform a concert.  And - wait for it - you'll really want to go and invite your friends to come and experience this Jesus and Church, which is what's next for you now that you're a Christian and have experienced God in a real way through this "captivating worship experience."   

And, as if all of this marketing is not enough to entice unbelievers to give this Jesus and this Church a shot, the added marketing ploy of getting people to buy into the idea that this kind of "worship experience" is only for serious Christians, who have strong faith, is employed - "nXt is for the people who have strong faith and want to express that faith."  Again, same thing we said when enticing people to join our business:  "This kind of business is for those who are serious about wanting to succeed; those whose commitment and dedication and work ethic is strong," and so forth.  

The article goes on to say, "While the allure of the service is its willingness to boldly challenge the status quo, the heart of the message is what keeps people coming back."  This is typical Church Growth Movement nonsense, for it posits the absurd idea that we can lure unbelievers in by giving them what they want and like in the Church, while keeping the heart of the message - Jesus and the salvation He won for us and comes to deliver to us - in tact.  Um, no.  Doesn't work that way.  Even a seven-year-old knows this.  The allure of the service IS the heart of the message.  People aren't coming because of Jesus, but for the show.  Duh!  That's the whole reason you have "boldly challenged the status quo" in the first place - to give them something unique, captivating, exciting, and different.  It worked.  Good job!  They've come and will keep coming, so long as you keep captivating and exciting them.  Take away the show and see whose left.  Remove the smart lights, stage, band, etc., and just give them Jesus, and see how many remain. 

Not only that, but the dirty little secret no one ever likes to talk about when it comes to all this "creating a church for people who don't like church" stuff is that the turnover rate is enormous.  The "get down with Jesus" approach just doesn't last.  You might get 100 new recruits members in a year, but 30-50 get sick of it and leave.  But, who cares, who's next, right?  You gained 50-70, so, in the words of Charlie Sheen, "Winning!"

But, even if this, or other congregations like it, can boast that their turnover rate is low and their retention rate is high, there is another aspect here which proves that the whole "the allure of the service draws them in, but the heart of the message keeps them coming back" idea is a myth.  Have these "strong in faith" Christians move away from your area, and they will seek out a congregation that "rocks out with Jesus" the best in their new area.  The flirtation with the Church Growth Movement among Lutherans has been going on long enough for us to look at the hard data and draw this conclusion.  I have seen it personally a number of times.  People who have spent years in a "get down with Jesus" LCMS congregation will not seek Jesus where He has promised to be found - in water, Word, Bread, and Wine - but where they have always experienced Him - in their feelings and emotions, manipulated as they've been by smart lights, motivational messages, dramas, skits, testimonials, and, of course, the super-duper, rock-your-socks-off, praise band.  This is because, contrary to belief otherwise, the allure of the service (the gimmicks and fads and multi-media entertainment, supported by the killer praise band) IS the heart of the message.

 
The article concludes with a quote by Pr. Cloeter, in which he describes the church being like a hospital for sinners, a place for those in need of a Healer and Savior, so that they can ask for and receive forgiveness from Jesus the Christ, the Healer and Savior they need.  All well and good, to be sure.  The Church is a Hospital, Jesus is the Healer and Savior we need, and the forgiveness, life, and salvation He bestows upon us via His Holy Word and Sacraments is the eternal medicine we sick sinners need.  But, then, Pr. Cloeter takes all of this away with his concluding remarks:  "Everyone is welcome.  Come as you are, but leave transformed to reach out to others like you - others who need Jesus.  They're nXt!"

So, for all the pious talk about the Church being a Hospital and Jesus being the Healer and Savior you need, that's not really where the focus is.  The focus is on you leaving transformed to reach out to others who need Jesus.  Recruit, recruit, recruit!  Tell others about how cool this "captivating worship experience" is.  The more you get to come, the more successful a "Jesus Follower" you will be.  In this Multi-Level Marketing Christianity, the essence of being a Christian is bound up in being a good recruiter faith-sharer.  The problem is that your faith is in the lights and the stage and the praise band.

If you go to the website of Messiah, Clio, the homepage has the following welcome message:

We are a Bible-believing congregation, representing a dynamic community of faith, hope and love that exists to "Make More and Better Disciples For Jesus" through Word and Sacrament.  We desire to glorify God by introducing Jesus Christ to as many people as possible and to grow them up in Christ using the most effective means to impact our culture, making a positive difference in this generation.  We invite everyone to share God's joy and peace and partner in touching people in our community and world through biblical teaching, service and life changing ministries.

Does this Bible-believing congregation consist of, or merely represent, a dynamic community, etc.?  Just weird language there.  But, the Multi-Level Marketing Christianity comes through in that the reason this dynamic community exists is to "make more and better disciples for Jesus."  The use of the preposition "for," instead of the preposition "of," is not to be overlooked.  To make disciples FOR Jesus is a different thing than to make disciples OF Jesus.  When you exist to make disciples FOR Jesus, what you're really saying is that discipleship consists of assisting Jesus in reaching out to the lost (Recruit, recruit, recruit!; Outreach, outreach, outreach!), as if Jesus needs disciples to accomplish His salvific work.  He doesn't.  Really.  He's got things under control.  

Now, I'm sure some would criticize me here for picking nits, especially since the statement claims that the way more and better disciples are made for Jesus is through Word and Sacrament.  See, these are Lutherans.  They mention Word and Sacrament.  Why be so critical?  Well, because what follows the reference to Word and Sacrament in the statement shows that they do not believe that the Holy Word and Sacraments are enough.  Other means are necessary, namely "the most effective means to impact our culture, etc."  

This is how it is with Multi-Level Marketing Christianity.  Jesus simply isn't getting the job done His way.  We need to help Him out.  We need to come up with more effective means to make dynamic disciples for Jesus, the kind of dynamic disciples who will buy into our vision that being a dynamic disciple is all about bringing in more and more (oh, and better - don't forget the better!) disciples, who will catch the same vision (which comes through the unique and captivating worship experience) and become dynamic disciples and go out themselves to get more, etc.  It's all about growing the downline by infecting recruits with the desire to be recruiters - it's what congregations like this become all about; the same thing the home-based business Lisa and I used to run was all about.  

 

And, sadly, this is what the District I belong to believes should be advertised among us, complete with a picture of Multi-Level Marketing Christianity on its magazine's cover and a lead article praising it.  No thanks.  I'll stick with Jesus and His way of making disciples, via His Holy Word and Sacraments alone.  Not with additional allurements and trappings.  Not with the help of gimmicks and fads.  Not by giving unbelievers what they desire and like, but by preaching the Gospel in its purity and administering the Sacraments according to Christ's institution.  I'll let Him do the rest.  He's pretty good at what He does.  He can handle it.  And, as a pastor, I've been called not to follow the motto, "Some Will, Some Won't!  Who Cares, Who's Next?," but to feed, care for, and protect the sheep He sends me to serve, not with food of my own innovation and imagination, but with Him, who is the Bread of Life.  After all, I got out of the multi-level marketing business years ago.  

Peace Book Club

Last night, our newly established Peace Book Club met for the first time, and, I have to say, it was positively delightful.  We discussed the book, "Warrior Monk:  A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel," by Ray Keating, which everyone in the group thoroughly enjoyed reading, and which is a book that lends itself well to much pertinent discussion, especially among Lutherans.  We talked about ecumenism, relativism, secularism, radical Islam, politics, environmentalism, terrorism, torture, parish life and the pastor-parishioner relationship, temptation, the "inside baseball" of the LCMS, which is explored in the book, denominationalism, RC-Lutheran relations/differences, C.S. Lewis, and more.  And, of course, we shared with one another our favorite parts of the book, the characters we loved and hated, and all the other stuff that comes with discussing books as a group.  As I said, it was positively delightful. 

We decided that we were going to give each book we read a rating of 1-5, 1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest.  We gave "Warrior Monk" a solid 4, and very much look forward to the next installment in the adventures of Pr. Stephen Grant.  

We also decided upon our next book.  Since I have often mentioned C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" in Bible Studies and other settings over the years, Sharyn suggested that we make this our next venture, and everyone agreed, since no one has yet taken me up on my invitation to read that classic.  So, "The Screwtape Letters" it is.  And, since some in the group may get through that book fairly quickly (although there is certainly much depth there, to be sure), the additional option of giving Lewis' "Mere Christianity" a read before next we meet was suggested as well, although we will focus our attention on "The Screwtape Letters" for our next discussion.  So, it is C.S. Lewis month for the Peace Book Club, which will next meet on Tuesday, November 22. 

Already looking forward to it! 

Let the Little Children Come to Me . . .

This is simply awesome! I had the privilege of meeting this boy's dad, who is a brother pastor, last week in Kewanee. Enjoy.

Pastor Appreciation Dinner

Yesterday, the congregation I serve held a Pastor Appreciation Dinner, which was hosted by our wonderful Ladies' Guild.  It is such a blessing to be serving Christ's flock at Peace in Alma.  I am always awestruck by the love and generosity I see time and time again among the people I am blessed to serve.  We are a small, struggling parish, but mighty in faith, hope, and love, and I am extremely thankful and appreciative to our Lord for placing me to serve here.  I pray that this beloved flock knows that I love and appreciate them every bit as much as they love and appreciate me, and that they know how thankful Lisa and I are for the cards, gifts, and touching words shared with us yesterday.  I can only echo the words of St. Paul and say, "I thank my God always for you!" 

Some blurry iphone pics:

Four in a Row!

In case you missed it, my Spartans extended their winning streak over that other team in the Big 10 from our state, whose name we do not utter 'round these parts, to four.  Yeah, that's right - four in a row.  That means that the Spartan seniors have never lost to that other team, while that other team's seniors have never beaten us.  Gotta love it! :)  Sparty handled the other team with relative ease on Saturday.  The game really wasn't as close as the final score, which turned out to be 28-14.  Sparty had several dropped passes, two fumbles on big runs, and several bonehead penalties, which allowed that other team to stay in the game.  I hope Coach D works on fixing these mistakes this week, as we have Wisconsin coming in for a huge Saturday night game this week, and we won't be able to afford such things against them.

Our defense is stronger than it's been in a long time, our offense can be really good, but needs more consistency, and we've been holding our own on special teams.  We'll see where we're at after Saturday's huge test, but we're all alone at the top of the Legends division and control our own destiny at this point (and, having defeated conference foes Ohio State and that other team from our state, we own tie-breakers against them, so we're in a great position to win our division and get into the first-ever Big 10 championship game - we could be seeing a preview of that game this Saturday night).  Exciting times to be a Spartan fan, for sure.

GO GREEN!  GO WHITE!

(Not sure how I feel about the new "Nike Pro Combat" uniforms they debuted Saturday - being the traditionalist I am, I don't like them that much; but, they did defeat that other team while wearing them for the first time, so I like them a lot - so torn :)