Devilish Distractions

Last week's epistle from the Council of Presidents stated that the devil takes delight in distracting divisions within our synod of churches. But is this necessarily true? Are divisions necessarily bad?

Here's what the apostle Paul said to a divided congregation:
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. (1 Cor. 11:17-19)

Now bear in mind that this is a congregation, not a church body, to whom Paul is writing. A synod of churches is not the same as a congregation. A congregation is a gathering around Word and Sacrament; a synod is a fellowship of churches who are on the same page in terms of confession and practice. However, arguing from greater to lesser, if it's goes for the congregation, it should also go for the synod.

At first glance, Paul seems to indicate that the divisions in the Corinthian congregation are bad. He does not commend them for it, and he says that their assemblies are for the worse on account of it. The problem was brought to his attention by some folks from Chloe's household who reported to Paul that the congregation was divided. Some said, "I belong to Paul," some said, "I belong to Cephas," some said, "I belong to Apollos," still others said, "I belong to Christ." There were those who fancied themselves to be "spirituals" who looked down on others who were considered "carnals." Bad news all the way around.

The Lord's Supper is, at least in part, a sacrament of unity, that is, it manfests and reveals our unity in Christ. "You are all one Body for you all partake of the one Bread." Divisions within a congregation contradict this unity. This is why intra-congregational squabbles need to be settled before communion, and inter-congregational issues need to be ironed out before there can be fellowship.

Dissensions and divisions have their root in our old Adamic flesh (Gal 5:20; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:9). The old Adam loves to stir up trouble wherever he can find it. Dissensions and divisions in the church arise from false teachings and false teachers who subvert the Gospel (Rom 16:17; Jude 19). Paul's desire for the Corinthian congregation is that it be united, of the same mind and judgment (1 Cor. 1:10). Yet Paul goes on to make this remarkable statement: "It is necessary that there be divisions (Gk: heresies) among you so that those who are proven might be manifest among you" (1 Cor 11:19). In other words, the soundness of a teacher is tested in the face of controversy, and divisions serve the purpose of showing who is proven.

Now that would cast a slightly different light on things. Division and dissension are bad; no doubt about it. They are of the flesh and arise out of Spirit-less unbelief. Yet God uses these things, as He uses all things - the good, the bad, and the ugly - to work His ultimate saving purposes. In other words, God takes the crap of our controversies and turns it into a rich compost from which grow sound teaching and teachers. There's a metaphor for your next sermon!

Consider the nation Israel. After David, the nation was divided between northern Israel and southern Judah, with Judah being the chosen successor to the messianic throne. Even within Judah, the kingdom was divided between the faithful remnant and the faithless majority, a point that Paul makes abundantly clear in Romans 9-10. If you apply Paul's remnant theology in Romans 9-11 to the church today, you will conclude that God always reserves a select remnant to show the righteousness of faith while the rest pursue a righteousness of works. In other words, "Israel" - whether the OT or the NT model - always appears in this world as weak and divided.

Church history bears this out as well. This history of the church is not a picture of great, peaceful unanimity with everyone holding hands and singing Kum-ba-yah, but of sharp conflict. The first such conflict was the emergence of Christianity from Pharisaic Judaism, which was no small feat. The NT is the historic record of that tension between a Torah of works and a Torah of faith. Were it not for this tension, the book of Romans might never have been written.

The great creeds of Christendom were similarly forged in controversy. The Nicene Creed was written specifically to condemn and exclude Arius and his followers who denied the full divinity of the Son. The third article of the Nicene Creed, added at Constantinople in AD 381, was written to ward off those who made the Holy Spirit less than a full Person of the undivided Holy Trinity. The great doctrines of the two natures of Christ and the triunity of God were all hammered out in, with, and under controversy. The central article of justification by grace through faith was brought to marvelous light by the conflicts of the Reformation. Doctrine is forged in the crucible of controversy.

This is the reality of the Church's life under the cross. There will be conflicts because there will always be denials of the Gospel. The theology of glory would view all conflict as bad and something to be avoided at all costs. But viewed through the theology of the cross, conflict is the fever of the Church's immune system at work, isolating and killing off internal threats to the Gospel. Just as state and religious persecution are the twin engines of church growth in the book of Acts, conflict is the wet stone on which the church's doctrinal sword is sharpened.

To say that the devil delights in our conflicts implies that those who cry "foul" are in league with the old evil foe. In the Reformation, that would put Luther on the side of the devil, a charge that the papacy was quick to hurl against him. Certainly no one wants to be the cause of division, nor should we be silent and complacent in the face of divisive words and actions. Lukewarm complacency is surely a delight to the devil.

Conflicts will inevitably happen whenever sinner-saints get together, even as the Church. We shouldn't be afraid when they occur. They just might be necessary.

The 8th Commandment - A Brief Catechesis

What is the 8th commandment?
Answer: You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

What does this mean?
Answer: We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way (1943 version: "put the best construction on everything").

In its letter of April 22, the LCMS Council of Presidents (COP) refers to the 8th commandment in dealing with disagreements. The synodical president, in his letter of April 21, alludes to the same, urging everyone to put the "best construction on actions and decisions" connected with the cancellation of Issues, Etc. It appears that the 8th has become the new article upon which the church stands or falls.

As with the other commandments, Luther greatly expands the scope of the 8th commandment, embracing everything that has to do with the gift of a good reputation. In its original context in the Decalogue, the 8th commandment deals with perjury. Luther expands the commandment to include sins of the tongue in general. At stake is the gift of a good name, your neighbor's reputation.

Luther applies this commandment in several ways in the Large Catechism. First, that everyone should help his neighbor maintain his rights in court, be he judge, jury, or witness. Second, that spiritual justice be maintained by godly preachers and Christians who defend the Gospel. Third, that all sins of the tongue against a neighbor are forbidden by God, including gossip and slander. "Nobody has the right to judge or reprove his neighbor publicly, even when he has seen a sin committed, unless he has been authorized to judge and reprove" (LC I,266). We are forbidden to speak evil about another, even if we know he is guilty, the exception being, of course, if we are willing to testify in court. Likewise, we are forbidden to engage in gossip and hearsay.

Luther states the the procedure of Matthew 18 (the new sedes doctrinae of the LCMS) deals with private sins. It also deals with private sins that are "against you." Public sins are to be dealt with publicly:

All this refers to secret sins. But where the sin is so public that the judge and the whole world are aware of it, you can without sin shun and avoid the person as one who has brought disgrace upon himself, and you may testify publicly concerning him. for when an affair is manifest to everybody there can be no question of slander or injustice or false witness. For example, we now censure the pope and his teaching, which is publicly set forth in books and shouted throughout the world. Where the sin is public, the punishment ought to be public so that everyone may know how to guard against it (LC I, 284).

Moving beyond sin to public accountability, the 8th commandment is not a protective blanket of immunity from criticism for those in public office. Public accountability means being open to public scrutiny and criticism. Anyone who runs for public office knows this and ought to expect it. The very nature of checks and balances requires that those who hold public office, whether in the state or the church, be subject to the scrutiny of those they are elected to serve. The 8th commandment was given by God to protect one's personal reputation, not as a set of skirts to hide behind when the hounds of criticism are on to your scent. (What Dave Petersen cleverly terms the "Fourth Use of the Law.")

The 8th commandment forbids us from attacking a person's name, reputation or character; it does not forbid criticism of a person's conduct, performance, or actions, otherwise job evaluations, oversight, and public justice would be impossible. The 8th commandment does not forbid dissent and disagreement. In fact, it calls for dissent when the truth of God's Word or the protection of our neighbor's rights is at stake. To do or say nothing in the face of tyranny, oppression, and false teaching is not putting the best construction on everything. To invoke the 8th commandment against criticism and dissent, as the synodical president and the COP appear to be doing, is to subvert the commandment's very intent that justice and truth prevail.

What exactly does it mean to put the best construction on everything? Does it mean "say nice things and don't call people names" as Mommy and our kindergarten teacher always said? Does it mean that we say Jeffrey Dahmer had "an interesting diet," or that Charles Manson was "socially challenged?" Is the 8th commandment a divine mandate for politically-correct sissified speech in the interest of playing nice?

A quick scan of the Scriptures suggests otherwise. John the Baptizer was highly critical of the religions leaders and called them a "brood of vipers." Jesus called the Pharisees "white-washed tombs," and He called Herod a "fox." The prophet Amos called the spoiled women of Samaria "cows of Bashan," while Jeremiah referred to the apostate nation Israel as a "she-ass in heat." Apparently, putting the best construction on things can involve some rather colorful metaphors.

Luther, who coined the phrase "putting the best construction on everything" had a similarly colorful way of putting things, especially in print. He called the pope names are not printable in today's "polite society." He mockingly called Karlstadt and his fellow radical reformers “heavenly prophets.” He called the charismatics of his day “Schwärmer,” buzzing bees. He mercilessly punned on his opponents’ names, like Hans Wurst. He called Thomas Münzer something even James Kittelson, who always delivered the unvarnished, uncensored Luther, couldn’t translate in his book Luther the Reformer.

A true theologian of the cross calls a thing for what it is. When Peter pulled a fast one at Antioch and withdrew from Gentile associations to be "sensitive" to the James gang, Paul called him a "hypocrite" to his face in public. Yes, we are called to deal patiently and gently with one other, but when the playground bully sucker punches someone, he can’t hide behind the sign that says “No Fighting on the Playground” and claim immunity. There’s a time for war and a time for peace. There is a time to speak up and a time to shut up. And there are times when the best one can do is what Luther advised timid Philip - “sin boldly, and trust Christ even more boldly.”

That’s how free men and women in Christ deal with things.

The 4th Commandment - A Brief Catechesis

What is the fourth commandment?
Answer: You shall honor your father and mother.

What does this mean?
Answer: We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.

In its letter of April 22, the Council of Presidents (COP) indicates that the 4th commandment is the rationale for its unwllingness to critique or question an action of the Board for Communications Services and its Executive Director. Is this a proper application of the 4th commandment?

In his small and large catechisms, Luther greatly expands the scope of the 4th commandment as he does all the other commandments of the Decalogue. The original context of the 4th commandment in the Torah deals with father and mother. Operating out of the understanding that "out of the authority of parents all other authority is derived and developed" (LC I,141), Luther expands the concept of parent to include "other authorities." He speaks of "fathers by blood, fathers of a household, and father of the nation" (I, 158), and then adds a fourth, "spiritual fathers," that is, those who "govern and guide us by the Word of God" (I,159). These are the authorities instituted by God.

The COP seems to have created a fifth category of father, namely, "fathers by by-law." This is a very dangerous way of thinking. If elected and appointed boards and officers of the synod are viewed as "father and mothers" under the 4th commandment, this would place them over us in the way of parental authority and make their decisions and edicts have the same force as the Word of God. I sincerely hope that the COP does not mean to say that the churches and pastors who comprise the synod are children of the synod and their elected officials who serve as stewards of our common resources are their parents. These offices and boards are man-made offices and board, they are not divinely instituted authorities such as parents, government, and pastors.

The COP has evaded its own pastoral responsibility by cloaking the matter in the 4th commandment, in effect saying, "it's none of our business to interfere or criticize David Strand's parental decisions."

Obedience to men is always a conditional obedience, for "we ought to obey God rather than men." While the Reformers were willing to be obedient to the bishops for the sake of peace and unity, they did not permit the 4th commandment to interfere with their strong criticism of the false theology and injustices of the papacy and the Roman episcopacy. Blind, deaf, and mute acquiescence to leadership, whether divinely or humanly instituted, is hardly the way of the 4th commandment. Were that the case, the Reformation would have been sinful, which some in the papacy maintained and still do today.

The small and large catechisms do not speak of "trust" under the 4th commandment. We are nowhere commanded to trust parents and other authorities. The Psalmist says, "Put not put your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help" (Ps 146:3). The framers of our nation's government rightly established a system of checks and balances, recognizing that men in authority are not to be trusted. Jesus did not trust those who followed Him, nor did He trust the religious leaders of His day, "for He knew all men." Anyone in authority who says "trust me" cannot be trusted.

Of course, we are to deal with one another clothed with compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing and forgiving each other as we are forgiven (Col 3:12). As baptized believers, we dare do no less. We are also called in the same passage to let the Word of Christ dwell among us richly, teaching and admonishing one another. This may involve disagreement, dissent, and even conflict at times. The ancient synods bear witness to this fact. We dare not let a misuse of the 4th commandment stifle our speaking the truth in love, especially when it comes to the actions of those whom we have elected to serve us.

The 9 Spiritual Laws of White Wine Pietists

Searching through the print archives of Issues, Etc., I came across this piece of solid gold. The article is a classic by apologist attorney Craig Parton. Parton describes a new breed of pietist that has invaded the church. Though he doesn't use the term "seeker-sensitive," Parton's description fits perfectly the emergent seeker-sensitive pietism that is creeping into our churches. Perhaps today we should call it "double latte pietism" or "Starbucks revivalism" given the penchant for the coffee house as the new revival tent.

Parton correctly identifies this pietism as a theology of glory that avoids the whole bloody mess of a theology of the cross:

Pietism is thus no longer championed by nerdy, pocket-pen-laden, Catholic-bashing, Louisiana Bayou Baptists who condemn dancing, drinking, smoking, and doing the Hoochy Coochy. The new white-wine pietists have few social hang-ups with alcohol, tobacco, or music. Pietism is cross-dressing in American Christian culture today in a way that would have been unthinkable to the pietists of twenty-five years ago. The new white-wine pietists are cotton-clad, jeep-owning preppies, football coaches of major powerhouses, Yuppies who know the difference between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay, and political insiders who walk through the halls of Congress comfortably with the New York Times under their arms.

Thus the cultural and social package in which pietism dresses in the 1990's is often dramatically different from that which initially arose in reaction to the Reformation of the sixteenth century. But while the package is much different today, the theology of pietism remains, incredibly, unaltered. That manmade theology (what Luther called a theology of glory) was created by the first Adam while in rebellion in the garden and continues to this very day with its proclamation of the redeeming power of the law. Theologia gloria remains an enemy of the theologia crucis (theology of the cross). It must be vigilantly identified, scoped, and slain in every generation if our Lord is to find faith when he returns.

Thus the greatest threat to the church today is not from the ACLU, Martin Scorsese, The New Age Movement, Gangsta Rap, Planned Parenthood, Time-Warner, Madonna, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, or Hugh Hefner. The greatest threat is a crossless pietism that has been given luxury-box seating within the walls of the church militant. It is a crossless pietism with confidence in the old Adam and in the life-giving power of the law. It is, though, the old, dank, putrid theology of glory now in the guise of dominion politics, or the seven promises of a promise keeper, or yielded or victorious living, or traditional family values, or any other appeal to life and salvation not centered in the daily inglorious and lowly forgiveness of sins found only in Christ's atoning death. The new white-wine pietists are lethal because they don't look, smell, dress, or socialize like the pietists of old. They are, however, enemies of the theologia crucis.

For the complete article, see The New White-Wine Pietists

More Seeker-Sensitivity

I am searching out some good critiques of the seeker-sensitivity that has so captivated portions of the LCMS including its leadership. Chris Rosebrough at Extreme Theology posted a great article back in February that deserves a careful reading, or a second reading if you've already read it. Chris writes:

"The method of evangelism that these church planters are employing is to market to people in their community offering them advice for becoming a better parent, having a more fulfilling romantic life, financial advice or career guidance. The assumption is that if unbelievers show up then they can apply these Biblical principles as a means of 'trying' Christianity before they 'buy it'. Once they experience positive change in their lives then that will motivate them to make a commitment to Jesus Christ. But the problem is that what they are buying is not the gospel message of Christ crucified for our sins. Instead they are buying a performance based religion that promises to help them overcome and solve the everyday issues of life. Based upon what is being preached the people in these churches are being led to believe the Bible is merely a guidebook for living and that the primary message of Christianity is about life change. Therefore, the object of this religion isn't Jesus Christ it is ME and the progress that I need to be making so that I can experience life change or the methods I need to employ to form better habits. This is nothing more than a merry-go-round of self-improvement and I don't need a savior for this. In reality, all I need is a good life coach and some good advice."

Chris uses the dogmatic distinction of formal and material principle to get to the heart of what is wrong with the "seeker-sensitive"mentality. The material principle (the hermeneutical center) of this seeker-sensitive theology is the "Changed Life" - happy, healthy, wealthy, good sex (married, of course!). The formal principle (the source) is the Bible, that is, the Bible as guidebook for living and the owner's manual for the purpose-filled life.

What is at the center is the target of your faith. And faith that is not interchangeable with Jesus Christ crucified and risen for your justification, is not saving faith.

For the full article: The Center of Your Theology Determines the Object of Your Faith

The Deformed Theology of Seeker-Sensitivity

In a Google search on Don Matzat, the first host of Issues, Etc., I found an excellent paper of his entitled "The Deformed Theology of Seeker-Sensitivity" originally published in Modern Reformation [Nov/Dec. (1997) vol 6:6]. It is as relevant today as it was 11 years ago. The following is an extended excerpt from a section headed "Sin Has Never Been Popular."

"It is a gross fallacy to suggest that this culture, in its quest for self-esteem, is unique. The Christian Church has always been confronted with unbelievers who want to feel good about themselves and who work very hard at avoiding any personal guilt or blame. This is certainly not new to this culture. Being victimized and playing the "blame game" is as old as Adam getting out from under his guilt by blaming the woman, and, of course, Eve blaming the snake. Being born "in Adam," such a defense mechanism is natural to fallen humanity. Swiss therapist Paul Tournier writes: "In a healthy person...this defense mechanism has the precision and universality of a law of nature.... We defend ourselves against criticism with the same energy we employ in defending ourselves against hunger, cold, or wild beasts, for it is a mortal threat."

For this reason, the thinking of those who are willing to jettison the truth of human sin and depravity in favor of seeker sensitivity is inane. They act as if they have discovered some new technique for reaching people. It is obvious that people do not want to be confronted with their sin and failure. If you can create a "religious" environment in which they can be made to feel good about themselves, you will gain a crowd. To stand in awe of the crowds who frequent casinos or buy lottery tickets. Having more money is also a felt need.

Appealing to the felt needs of a fallen culture is not appealing to their real needs. French philosopher Blaise Pascal explained:

As soon as we venture out along the pathway of self-knowledge, what we discover is that man is desperately trying to avoid self-knowledge. The need to escape oneself explains why many people are miserable when they are not preoccupied with work, or amusement, or vices. They are afraid to be alone lest they get a glimpse of their own emptiness.... For if we could face ourselves, with all our faults, we would then be so shaken out of complacency, triviality, indifference, and pretense that a deep longing for strength and truth would be aroused within us. Not until man is aware of his deepest need is he ready to discern and grasp what can meet his deepest need.

This diabolical combination of self-esteem and seeker sensitivity produces a "religion" that is no longer Christianity. Since proclaiming the message of sin and grace, or Law and Gospel, is the very essence of the faith, eliminating or subordinating that proclamation causes a departure from historic Christianity. But more than that, the forgiveness and eternal salvation of the people who are seduced by the appealing seeker sensitive message are put in jeopardy. The success of a Christian congregation is not determined by how many dill the pews on a Sunday morning but rather how many will eventually gather around the table to celebrate eternally the marriage feast of the Lamb who was slain for the forgiveness of sins."

Here is the entire article: http://www.the-highway.com/seekersensitive.html

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

Hmmm. An earthquake epicentered outside of St. Louis one month to the day when Issues, Etc. was sacked. If I were Pat Robertson, I might wonder if this was a sign of God's judgment against the LCMS.

But being from California, I recognize it is more likely just a slight adjustment of the old tectonic plates and a gentle reminder to fear the Lord.

May the glory of the Lord endure for ever,
may the Lord rejoice in His works,
Who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke! (Psalm 104)

Panic Attack!

I'm trying to get to sleep after a long day, looking forward to some long-awaited scuba diving tomorrow, reflecting on the events of this week. Suddenly, out of the clear blue, comes this panic attack.

What if confessional Lutheran orthodoxy in the LCMS comprises only one-third of 1%?

"Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (1Kings 19:18)

One Month Later

Well, it's been a month now since the LCMS tripped over the power cord and unplugged Issues, Etc. A spot check reveals that the KFUO-AM archives are up and running, at least at the speed of a Tandy TRS-80. My little poll seems to have settled in as to the opinion of the handful who read this blog. Here are my two cents:

1. Personal Reasons (2%) - Impossible to prove unless you are among the favored foursome on the golf course or overhear a men's room conversation in the Purple Politburo. Phrases like "abrasive," "hate radio," and "hyperorthodox" come to mind.

2. Theological Reasons (31%) - Certainly part of the mix but try to prove that to people who admit they aren't theologians. Besides, do you think the administration is so thick-headed as to state publicly, "Yeah, it was for theological reasons." Now that would get really interesting!

3. Financial Reasons (3%) - The winner of the "best construction on everything" award, but the dollar dog doesn't seem to hunt. Economics still don't explain the suddenness of the cancellation a month ago. The Board of Directors meets in May to discuss the budget and the fiscal year ends in June. The KFUO Sharathon is now. So what was the hurry? Why not strike up the band and have a nice going away party?

4. Political Reasons (62%) - Can't fool the astute readers of this blog, no siree. Of course it's political. Everything is political. Anyone who doesn't think there are politics in the church needs to get his head out of his prayerbook and smell the incense.

At the outset, I posited that the administration's play book is change management. Here again are the 8 steps according to Kotter (1999):

1. Establish a sense of Urgency
2. Create a guiding Coalition
3. Have a vision
4. Over-communicate the vision
5. Remove obstacles to the vision
6. Create short term wins
7. Be patient
8. Anchor the changes in the corporation’s culture

The synodical administration has executed the plan perfectly. They've removed a vocal obstacle to the vision. They've minimized the opposition ("less than one-third of 1%" - never forget that!). They've stonewalled every inquiry and stymied all dissent. They've even created the perfect checkmate over at KFUO. If this weekend's Sharathon is successful, it will confirm their decision to cancel Issues, Etc and replace it with Tissues, Etc. If it fails, it will confirm the dire economics of KFUO and hasten its sale. Perfect!

One has to admire good work when one sees it.

Peace and blessings to Todd and Jeff.
We miss you guys and hope to hear you troublers of Israel soon.

A Hymn from Your Grandfather's Hymnal

This gem from Luther never made it beyond The Lutheran Hymnal (1941).

O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold
Martin Luther, 1523 to the tune Ach Gott vom Himmel ("Enchiridion," Erfurt, 1524)

O Lord, look down from heav'n, behold
And let Thy pity waken;
How few are we within Thy fold,
Thy saints by men forsaken!
True faith seems quenched on ev'ry hand,
Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;
Dark times have us o'ertaken.

With fraud which they themselves invent
Thy truth they have confounded;
Their hearts are not with one consent
On Thy pure doctrine grounded.
While they parade with outward show,
They lead the people to and fro,
In error's maze astounded.

May God root out all heresy
And of false teachers rid us
Who proudly say: "Now, where is he
That shall our speech forbid us?
By right or might we shall prevail;
What we determine cannot fail;
We own no lord and master."

Therefore saith God, "I must arise,
The poor My help are needing;
To Me ascend My people's cries,
And I have heard their pleading.
For them My saving Word shall fight
And fearlessly and sharply smite,
The poor with might defending."

As silver tried by fire is pure
From all adulteration,
So thro' God's Word shall men endure
Each trial and temptation.
Its light beams brighter thro' the cross,
And, purified from human dross,
It shines through every nation.

Defend Thy truth, O God, and stay
This evil generation;
And from the error of its way
Keep Thine own congregation.
The wicked everywhere abound
And would Thy little flock confound;
But Thou art our Salvation.

The Medium and the Message

A recent post over at Save the LCMS! got me thinking about the greater scope of things going on in our synod these days. Here’s the quote that caught my eye:

1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake. Where the Gospel is at stake, the souls of men and women for whom Christ died are at stake, as is the article upon which the Church stands or falls. This is really the second round of a war that began in the 1970’s. Then, the formal principle of our theology was at stake - the Holy Scriptures. Today, the material principle of our theology is at stake - the message of justification by faith alone through grace alone for Christ’s sake alone. This conflict is really nothing more than a continuation of unresolved conflicts of the “Seminex” era.

I agree and I disagree. I agree that the battlefield for the “Battle for the Bible,” was the “formal principle,” the source of the message, the Scriptures. In the current battle, the scene has shifted to the “material principle,” or the message itself. This is a helpful observation in framing the issue theologically.

I disagree that there is some hard connection between the two. The seminex bunch were also Gospel reductionists - all Gospel, all the time. One of the great ironies of that era is that there were many fine preachers and liturgists. The current battle does not attack the Gospel directly. In fact, most proponents of the new emergent, seeker-sensitive, purpose-driven Lutheranism would vehemently deny that any such thing was taking place. “We preach solid Law/Gospel sermons,” they vigorously declare. And many indeed do, as well they must, given what else is being said and sung.

The seminex era controversy was an academic and intellectual battle that trickled down to the masses as a “battle for the Bible.” The current controversy is a radical reformation from below that is only now beginning to appear on the theological radar screen. It’s an issue of identity and the old “style and substance” distinction promoted by David Luecke in his highly influential book Evangelical Style and Lutheran Substance: Facing America's Mission Challenge (CPH, 1988). Luecke’s basic premise is that Lutheran doctrine can wear any style of dress and still retain its core identity.

Early experiments with cautiously “blended” services that dropped a guitar-accompanied praise song or two into the historic liturgy have given way to full-blown contemporary tent revivals that rigorously exclude any “traditional elements” such as the Creed or the Our Father. In fact, a service today is not considered canonically “contemporary” if it contains any traditional element at all. While contemporary pastors insist they are preaching “solid Law/Gospel sermons,” the video record on the internet is starting to tell quite a different story. The recent push toward seeker-sensitive, emergent forms of worship have buried Lutheranism’s historic, catholic roots and its Christocentric, sacramental distinctives like so much loose change in the cushions of the coffeehouse couch. Marshall McLuhan was right: The medium is the message.

Dr. Arthur Just, in his lectures on liturgical worship, speaks of “primary theology.” One’s primary theology is what one holds nearest and dearest, what one encounters first and foremost, repetitively, week after week. Historically, a Lutheran’s primary theology was shaped by the creeds, the catechism, and the hymnal of liturgy and hymns. Today’s contemporary theology is shaped by 40 days of purpose, felt needs, and Evangelical praise songs rolled up in an urgent call to reach the lost by any means possible. Ultimately, this is going to have a profound effect on how we interpret the Scriptures and the message we proclaim.

The problems are becoming more and more obvious, even to the casual observer. The Scriptures are now a gold mine of divinely inspired nuggets to justify man-made programs and principles rather than the proclamation of Christ for the justification of the ungodly. “Life applications,” “biblical principles,” and “relevance to today’s world” are the evidence of the erosion of the “Word of Christ,” the material principle, the “stuff” of the Christian faith.

A great lesson from church history is the continual tendency for the church, even in its early days, to revert back into a kind of “Christianized Pharisaic Judaism” when Christ is not the hermeneutical center. The apostle Paul wrote vigorously on this, especially in Galatians and Romans, encapsulated in this one verse: “Christ is the end (goal) of the Torah for justification to all who believe” (Romans 10:4). Luther identified this as the very key to interpreting the OT, indeed the entire Scriptures. Where Christ and justification are not central, the apostolic message will be distorted.

I don’t mean to suggest that the proponents of the new emergent, seeker-sensitive, purpose-driven Lutheranism are intentionally undermining or denying the Gospel. They have a zeal for God, but it is without knowledge. Their medium is introducing a huge static into the message, and the distinctive voice of Reformation Lutheranism is beginning to sound like a weak AM radio station broadcasting in the middle of nowhere.

Standing in Solidarity

While I cannot physically stand with you today, I stand with you in spirit. May the voice of Issues, Etc. continue to be heard! Thanks to Jeff Schwarz, Don Matzat, and Todd Wilken for their courage, wisdom, and insight.

Big Night and the LCMS

I love food movies. One of my favorite food movies in the Italian category is a great inde film called Big Night (1996). If you haven’t seen it, rent it, and bring a big appetite and a nice bottle of wine.

Big Night is about two brothers, Primo and Secondo, who run a failing little Italian restaurant. The food is first class, but the crowds just aren’t coming. Primo, the chef, is a culinary genius whose philosophy is “to eat good food is to be close to God.” Secundo is the restaurant's business manager and front man who must deal with unhappy bankers and whiny customers, whom Primo deems “Philistines."

Across the street from Primo’s restaurant is Pascal’s, a stereotype of your worst nightmare chianti-in-wicker-basket-bottles Italian restaurant, whose owner, Pascal, has the philosophy, “Give them what they want, and maybe in time, you’ll be able to give them what you want.” Pascal’s is packed every night with patrons happily loading up on spaghetti and meatballs to the tune of bad Italian music playing in the background. Primo, on the other hand, refuses to combine spaghetti and meatballs on the same plate, even though both appear on his menu. “Sometimes, the spaghetti she likes to be alone,” he says, sounding like a lover speaking tenderly of his beloved.

Pascal is the consummate pragmatist, a chameleon-like businessman who can be anything he wants whenever he needs. Primo is the dogmatic idealist who clings to the principle that people "should come for the food." Secundo is the realist, a man caught in the middle between good food and good business. He admires his brother Primo’s genius, yet he envies Pascal’s success.

The LCMS is Secundo, a conflicted second son. Part of it believes that good theology brings one closer to God, and that people should come for the theology. The other part believes that you need to give the customers what they want, even to the point of heterodoxy, so that in time you can give them what you want.

The twin realities in the film are that Primo will never succeed like Pascal, and Pascal has nothing of his own to give. The beauty of the movie is that it offers no via media, no easy compromise between Primo's orthodoxy and Pascal's heterodoxy. Business style and culinary substance are inextricably tied together. The question posed to Secundo by Pascal at the end of the movie is this: Who are you?

That is the question posed to the LCMS today: Who are you?

Is the LCMS a synod of churches united around a common confession and practice in the Reformation tradition, or is it a loose federation united in a common purpose to reach as many people as possible by whatever means necessary? Can Reformation doctrine and practice be blended with Evangelical/church growth/seeker-sensitive pragmatism? Can Pascal's style be combined with Primo's substance? Can the church's who call themselves Lutheran uphold the genius of their older brother while coveting the success of their competitors?

Of course, people will play with the analogy, and argue that yes, Pascal could offer better food if he wanted, and Primo could be a bit more seeker-sensitive to the Philistines. And what's wrong with spaghetti and meatballs anyway? But that would miss the point. The movie leaves it all in tension, as it is among us in the LCMS.

I haven’t spoiled the plot, so go see the movie. It’s very funny and the food scene is one of the best ever. As I said, bring an appetite. This analogy is not original with me, since I don't tend to view movies at this level. It came from my former pastor in northern California who shall remain nameless here unless he wishes to disclose his identity and take credit for a clever observation.

*A well-read commentator has pointed out that a similar analysis of Big Night is offered by Klemet I. Preus in The Fire and the Staff (CPH, 2004) pp. 442-443, demonstrating once again that great minds, like refined palettes, often run in similar channels.

Issues, Etc. Life Library

When Issues, Etc. was abruptly canceled, a significant Lutheran theological voice of the pro-life movement was silenced. An archive of the Issues, Etc. pro-life programs has been cataloged and assembled by LCMS World Relief-Human Care in the interest of making these highly educational programs available for a new audience of listeners. These are in addition to the Rev. Matthew Harrison files already available through World Relief - Human Care at lcms.org.

I have tested these files and they download very quickly and cleanly.

The Rev. Matthew Harrison files
The Issues, Etc. Life Library

Where There Is No Vision, The People Perish

The word “vision” made its reentry into the church from its sojourn in the business world via the Church Growth Movement in the 1980’s. Until then, “vision” was a poetic parallel for “prophetic utterance” or “oracle,” a direct revelation from God to a prophet. The Church Growth Movement, which took business and marketing methods and baptized them with Bible passages, found this gem in their gilt-edged leatherette King James Bible: Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he (Proverbs 29:18). You can’t beat the book of Proverbs for catchy proof texts. Church leaders have been having visions ever since.

At first hearing, the idea seems to have legs, if not stand on them. People without a vision, presumably in the form of a "vision statement" crafted by "visionary leadership," will be without purpose and fail to achieve their goals. But that’s not what this proverb means or ever meant. Hebrew poetry rhymes with meaning in addition to sound. The parallel thought in this proverb is “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” “Vision” is in parallel with “law” or better “Torah,” the teaching of God. This, of course, is never quoted, but hey, when you're proof texting, who cares about context?

The proverbial thought is this: A people with no prophetic vision do not keep Torah and so perish miserably. This has nothing to do with vision statements or visionary leaders; it has to do with repentance, faith, and the Word of God. The passage can only be co-opted from the King James. The other translations all agree that “vision” means “prophetic vision,” i.e. a Word of God given to by inspiration to a prophet to speak to the people, calling them to keep Torah.

Where there is no prophecy the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (RSV)

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (ESV)

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law. (NIV)

And for those of you who didn’t fall asleep in Hebrew class, here it is straight up:

Any pastor or church leader with a “vision” had better be speaking the Word of God and calling people to repentance and faith, or else he is a false prophet and should be ignored. We’ll leave the stoning to death part to the old covenant.

Wandering Words

Words are living things, at least until the language dies. Their meanings are never static but are determined by use and abuse. It’s fun to watch what happens with a word as it wanders back and forth across the border between the left-hand kingdom of temporal power and the right-hand kingdom of eternal grace.

“Evangel” and “sacrament” are a couple of borrowed words that wandered into the church from civil service. “Liturgy” is another one. Today, these words are almost exclusively “sacred words,” associated with the church.

Words also wander the other way. There are a plethora of books that purport to be the “bible” of their field. The Herb Gardner’s Bible. The Windows Bible. No disrespect is intended. “Bible” is an ordinary word that means “book.” “Holy Bible” refers to the sacred Scriptures, of course. In popular usage, “bible” means a comprehensive, all-encompassing book on a particular subject. Back in the 1980’s, Apple Computer hired “evangelists” to proclaim the gospel according to Steve Jobs and the good news of computing for the masses in the form of the Mac operating system. Some PC users still argue that the world of Mac is a religion if not a cult.

Two words seems to have come back to church from a trip into the business world - “mission” and “vision.” They brought some baggage along with them. In its ordinary usage, “mission” means a goal or a purpose. Originally, it had the connotations of being sent for a purpose, as a missionary is sent to preach the Gospel. Closely related is the word “apostle” which means one sent as an authorized representative of another.

In business parlance, “vision” refers to the overarching values and philosophy that undergird the mission. But in church usage, “vision” refers to a revelation from God directly to a prophet. Herein lies the problem. When church leaders have “visions,” the language is freighted with inspired, revelatory meaning. It’s one thing for the CEO of Starbucks to have a “vision” for the distribution of frappacinos over the face of the planet; it’s quite another thing for church leaders, whether pastor or president, to have a “vision” concerning the church. Visions in church come from God through the prophets, and the last time I checked, we do not believe that edicts and opinions from the synodical heights are divinely inspired.

Whenever Gospel words travel into the kingdom of the left, they tend to take up law connotations. A mission in the business world has attainable goals and measurable quotas. No one asked the apostle Paul how many evangelism calls he made, though Jerusalem headquarters was a bit concerned about his success among the Gentiles. A vision in the business world is one of those non-negotiables for corporate "team players."  You either buy into the coach's vision or you're off the team. It's a bit more nuanced in the church, where visions are intended to evoke repentance and faith.

I would propose that we trim our tongues when using “mission” and “vision” in the church and dispense with the left-hand language of the business world. Mission means being sent to proclaim the good news of Jesus’ all-atoning death and His resurrection to the ends of the earth. Vision means a revelatory, prophetic message from God. We’re still trying to figure out the vision of the Revelation; the last thing we need is more “visions” by “visionary leaders.”

And let’s agree that the term “paradigm shift” has no happy home in the right-hand kingdom of Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Kudos to the Southern Illinois Pastoral Conference

The Pastoral Conference of the Southern Illiinois District, Todd and Jeff's home district, passed a resolution concerning the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and the terminations of Todd and Jeff. The final "resolved" (where the action usually is) reads:

RESOLVED, that Pastoral Conference of the Southern Illinois District officially petition the Board of Communications Services to revisit the decision by its Executive Director, David Strand, to cancel Issues, Etc. and also petition the Board to reinstate both Pastor Wilken and Mr. Schwarz to their positions, restore the ministry of Issues, Etc., and make a public apology for the offense this cancellation has caused.

This action is commendable. The internet is a good place for the free flow of information and endless blog commentary and speculation, but the heavy institutional lifting goes on through these sorts of channels. The pastors of the Southern Illinois District (The Rev. Herbert C. Mueller, Jr. is the district president) have issued a strong statement and provided a good template to voice official disapproval over this action and to call for a full explanation.

Here is the full text of the resolution passed by the Pastoral Conference of the Southern Illinois District.

Politics or Religion?

Polls are supposed to be snapshots of public opinion. My little poll up at the right hand corner of this blog is more of a running commentary. I really just want to check out a neat new feature on the Blogger software. The poll is slated to end on April 14, the day of the vigil.

Watching the numbers change has been kind of interesting. The financial dog was never in the hunt, Mr. Strand's two letters notwithstanding. People tend not to trust the "trust us" argument when it comes to money in high places. Everyone seems to be putting the best construction on everything, rejecting the notion that this was a personal vendetta.

It seems to boil down to those twin topical taboos - Politics and Religion. No surprises there. Most of the important things in life revolve around Politics and Religion, which is why we would rather talk about sports and weather. Religion and Politics were running an even neck and neck for a while, but Politics seems to be making a strong surge at the moment.

I'm sure this has been greatly fueled by Mollie "M.Z." Hemingway's disclosure of a "Radio Committee" meeting today in St. Louis. Yup. Just the sort of thing to stoke the political fires. Apparently, this ad hoc "Radio Committee" is in receipt of some "anonymous" letters critical of Issues, Etc, which call it "abrasive" (I'd say it was 60-80 grit most of the time) and "hyper-orthodox" (can you ever really get too orthodox?). I'd be willing to bet that the phrase "hate radio" gets thrown in the mix for good measure.

The thing about anonymous letters of criticism is they leave you in doubt about who and how many are complaining. I could crank out a dozen anonymous letters from my laptop in 60 seconds. It's like when someone says, "Lots of people are complaining about your hymn selections" when he actually means "My wife and I don't like your hymns." The Radio Committee might want to consider the 6700 names and comments on the Issues, Etc. petition. At least those folks want to be counted and accountable.

Now I'm not saying that Religion (aka Theology) doesn't enter into this. Politics must always have an underlying Ideology, which in church circles will involve theology. But the leading edge, at least for the moment, appears to be political. This makes some degree of sense when you scan over the Issues, Etc. guest list over the years and realize that Pres. Kieschnick has never appeared on the show, at least as far as Google can tell. If Issues, Etc. was perceived as a bully pulpit for the political opposition, it's no wonder it was targeted for a political hit with funny finances providing the perfect cover.

Paradigm Shift

For programmatic and business/stewardship reasons, the decision was made to discontinue the "Issues, Etc." program on KFUO-AM. (KFUO website)

I pretty much have a bead on the business/stewardship reasons. The tip of the iceberg is that Issues, Etc. was allegedly losing money and the synod was refusing to subsidize it as a mission. The deeper business reasons appear to be station mismanagement, weird bookkeeping, excessive fund raising fees (40%), and outlandish administrative costs. I'm no visionary, but my hunch is to watch for a fire sale of KFUO to the highest bidder on eBay.

Now we get a glimpse at the "programmatic" reasons with the advent of The Afternoon Show. It's certainly what the change management gurus refer to as a "paradigm shift." From tough-minded to tender-hearted, from masculine to feminine*, from a glass of Scotch straight up to a Shirley Temple with a cherry.

Is anyone in the LCMS sensitive to the needs of the tough-minded religious seeker any more?

*Author's Addendum - An astute reader has pointed out that my bricolage of paradigm shifts leaves me vulnerable to the charge of equating "feminine" with "tender-hearted" and "Shirley Temples with a cherry." May it never be uttered among us, dear readers! As one who has worked with M.Z. Hemingway, I can personally attest that she is quite feminine, exceedingly tough-minded, and very likely prefers a good single-malt Scotch straight up to anything with a cherry. On the other hand, I know of tender-hearted men who would be more comfortable with white wine, if not a Shirley Temple.

I apologize to all the hard-drinking, tough-minded women I may have inadvertently offended, my dear wife included.

A Message from Todd

Everyone,

Thank you again for everything you are doing for us and our families.

Jeff and Beth are back from Mayo and awaiting the results from three days of back-to-back tests. The Great Physician already knows her condition, and He will heal her according to His good will and timing.

All is well at the Wilken house, except all the dog hair. But that problem predates the recent unpleasantness, and will remain long after.

Jeff and I cannot begin to thank all those who are praying and supporting us these days. Please continue.

Go to church this weekend. Let Jesus serve you with His saving gifts. Thank your pastor for remaining faithful. Tell him to keep it up.

Keep your ears open.

Wir sind alle Better,

TW

Issues, Etc. Wear

Express yourself with the latest in Issues, Etc. wear by Lutheran Gear. Understated, stylish, yet makes a bold statement.

Disclaimer: This is not a Blogosphere Underground product nor do we profit from its sale.

Issues, Etc. Archives

It's now Friday morning, April 4, 2008. Do you know where your Issues, Etc. archives are? We were told by station management that they would be up this week.

**Update** For those of you who need an Issues, Etc. fix, you can find some of the Rev. Matthew Harrison's interviews on Issues, Etc. at LCMS.org. I thank the synod for this token gesture of good will to Issues, Etc. fans. A little love goes a long way.

In Summary

The response in the blogosphere to the Issues, Etc. scandal has been quite revealing in both a deconstructive and constructive sense. Among the most constructive are the petition and the fund drives. The laity have stepped up wonderfully, as have many of the brothers in holy office. We must stand and work together to contend for our Lutheran heritage. These are the sites you'll want to bookmark and visit:

Save the LCMS!
Bring Back Issues, Etc.
Augsburg 1530
The Wittenberg Trail
Laymen with Issues, Etc.

There appear to be two essential threads to the Issues, Etc. scandal: Theology and Money.

THEOLOGY
This scandal is deeply rooted in theology. It is a struggle between opposing theological visions. Issues, Etc. vigorously promoted Law/Gospel preaching, liturgical worship in the Lutheran (western catholic) tradition, and Reformation theology and practice. In other words, your grandfather’s church. As such, it was a voice that stood in stark contrast and opposition to a vision that tends to blur and hide, if not deny, our Lutheran identity and distinctives.

MONEY
The synod is in a cash crunch. It has borrowed somewhere between $15-20 million dollars against its general fund, which includes world relief money, to cover its own general expenses. These loans come from LCEF so that the synod is, in effect, borrowing against itself. The sale of KFUO would potentially bring $20-30 million to the synod's depleted coffers.

KFUO under its current management, which received a “no confidence” vote from the Board for Communication Services, has run the station at a reported loss for at least 7 years. Fund raising efforts have been hamstrung by excessive administrative costs. A comprehensive, independent, outside audit of the synod and KFUO would be in order, as would a full, detailed disclosure to the members of the synod as to the true financial state of the synod and the condition of its programs.

I have no doubt there were strong political and personal forces at work in the Issues, Etc. scandal, but these are much tougher to prove and usually shed more heat than light. I don't expect much more, if anything, in the way of explanations from a synodical leadership that has broken trust and failed to give a thorough account for its actions. I expect only patient stonewalling, waiting for the protest to tire out, as it continues to pursue its vision for ideological change in the synod.

Let us pray that the light of truth would soon shine into darkness;
that Todd and Jeff would return to the air in due season;
that the archive of Issues, Etc. would be restored to the public;
that of His fatherly goodness and mercy, the Lord would take care of Todd, Jeff, and their families, especially Beth;
that justice would be done;
that God would grant us faithful shepherds and godly stewards in synodical offices;
that our fathers in the faith would be honored in what we profess and practice;
that God would grant repentance for ours sins against Him and against one another;
that He would make good out of all this through the all-reconciling death of His Son;
that He would overturn every obstacle and denial of the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
that He work among us the true unity of the Spirit in bond of peace;
and that He would have mercy on us all for Jesus’ sake.

Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

A Primer in Change Management

In case you are a little puzzled by the events of the last two weeks, you might want to read up on "Leadership and Change."

Here is the basic transformational game plan according to Kotter (1999):

1. Establish a sense of Urgency
2. Create a guiding Coalition
3. Have a vision
4. Over-communicate the vision
5. Remove obstacles to the vision
6. Create short term wins
7. Be patient
8. Anchor the changes in the corporation’s culture

Let the reader understand.

I Can't Take It Anymore

I received this auto-generated letter from Mr. David Strand about five minutes ago. We are dealing either with institutional madness or a diabolical attempt to drive us all to the brink of insanity. Just remember this when someone piously points an accusing finger at the blogosphere. We have no voice whatsoever, and with the cancellation of Issues, Etc., we have no vocal chord.

Uh, Oh!

M.Z. (Mollie) Hemingway, the author of the Wall Street Journal article and a former member of the Board for Communications Services at the synod, is sounding off big-time over at Augsburg 1530. Her insider perspective is sure to provide both light and heat.

A Plea for the Truth

A lawyer friend of mine (no lawyer jokes, please!), sent me an email the other day reflecting on Pres. Kieschnick's reply to the WSJ article. With his usual lawyerly precision and flair, he wrote:

"Gee, we drive past 10 plus LCMS churches to find a confessional lutheran church one hour away....Shoot, if only I knew how unified and wonderful and confessional all those were (and are) I would have stopped off and attended any one of them...Stupid me and shame on you for not letting me in on this wonderful state of affairs in the Missouri Synod earlier....

I guess I also don't understand why you terminate two guys and give them no reason for the termination, go radio silent for two weeks while people come unglued, tell the guys that they can have a severance package if they "don't talk to anyone about the circumstances of the termination", and then announce that the reason was--drum roll please, plain, old vanilla economics?? Don't you tell people (and begin telling them months before) the simple, uncontroversial truth that it is due to the economics that "we just have to let you go, but as we all know, the finances just are killing us"? What silence do you want to buy about that?? Happens thousands of times a day in this country....That is unless the reason really, and fundamentally, is not at all about economics...."

The nagging question in all of this is why the clumsy ambush of Issues, Etc. on the morning of Holy Tuesday? Why no warning? Why order the web archive taken down (still not operational!)? Why the attempt to gag Todd and Jeff? Why risk upsetting a fragile cease-fire among the factions in the synod?

Some are suggesting there was fuzzy bookkeeping, a plan to auction off KFUO to pay down debt, the fact that those near and dear to the administration considered Issues, Etc. "hate radio," even a clever act of "priestmanship" to distract the hounds from deeper issues, etc. Certainly Todd and Jeff stood as obstacles to the revisioning of the synod. But their hasty termination only serves to incite these speculations and inflame its supporters who see it as a severing of the confessional vocal chord of the synod.

Who really knows? And we will never know anything for certain until someone in this administration who knows the truth steps up and speaks it in a plain, transparent, genuine way and is willing to answer some hard questions. Not evasive half-truths couched in bureaucratic weasel words. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The truth will set us free. It will bring a long-needed cleansing and renewal to our troubled and divided synod.

We long to hear it. We need to hear it.

Focus on the Finances

I'm an exegete not an accountant. I couldn't even tell you how much I make in a year. You'd have to ask my wife with the finance degree. The guy over at Bring Back Issues Etc got me thinking. Since when is a mission supposed to be profitable? "Mission" is what people give money to do; they don't expect to see a monetary profit.

Flash back to Mr. Strand's letter of March 27:

In fiscal year 2007-08, KFUO-AM’s operating deficit was $620,698. Since 2001, the accumulated deficits at the station have been in excess of $3.5 million. The LCMS budget, entrusted to our care by members of our Synod’s congregations, has absorbed these shortfalls for years. After long and prayerful consideration, it became clear that measures had to be taken to stop the ongoing, staggering losses.

Although some are under the impression that “Issues, Etc.” was profitable and self-supporting, the fact is the program lost approximately $250,000 in the last fiscal year. While airing for only 18 percent of KFUO-AM’s programming week, “Issues” accounted for more than 40 percent of the station’s total deficit. These figures are based on the audited financial statements of the LCMS.

Some things strike this exegete as strange. KFUO-AM has been losing money, in excess of $3.5 M since the year 2001, the year Pres. Kieschnick took office. We don't know a thing about KFUO-FM. As I always understood it, KFUO-FM is supposed to make money to support the mission of KFUO-AM. Missions don't make money, they spend money in service of getting the message out. Since when is a mission supposed to be profitable? Why isn't the focus on KFUO-FM?

Why was Issues, Etc, a mission of the LCMS, strapped with the burden of supporting itself while being hamstrung to the tune of 40% by the LCMS Foundation in its fund raising efforts? The letter states that Issues, Etc. lost $250,000 last fiscal year, and that's over and against significant donor support! KFUO was budgeted as a "mission and ministry" for $3.69 million last fiscal year (BoD Minutes - May, 2007, p 281).

How much were Todd and Jeff making over there? What was Jeff snacking on at the control desk? Beluga caviar? (Come to think of it, Todd never did send that bottle of Cabernet he once promised me on the air.) How much exactly does it cost to put on a show like Issues, Etc. or run a podunk station like KFUO? I have a friend who volunteers at an NPR FM classical music station; those things run on auto-pilot. How much does KFUO-FM cost to run?

We are assured that these figures are based on the audited financial statements of the LCMS.

Please Don't Torch Ablaze!

I have no idea who, if anyone, reads this, but I need to say this somewhere.

Please do not torch Ablaze! The issue is not about the Ablaze! initiative but about Issues, Etc. and how it fit or didn't fit into the synodical vision. This is NOT about the Ablaze! mission initiative. (Sorry for shouting, but I had to get your attention.)

Ablaze! is a mission initiative from LCMS Missions with a very laudable goal: to reach lots of unbaptized, unbelieving people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to start lots of congregations where there currently are none. Who can be against that? Never mind the counter and the billboards and the sermon series on sex. Weird things may be going on in some Ablaze! congregations but that is not what Ablaze! is about.

Listen carefully. I get Ablaze! money through my district's mission board. We are a hymnal liturgical (LSB), weekly communion, confessional, historical, catechetical, traditional Lutheran congregation. The Ablaze! money has helped us start a liturgical, confessional Chinese Lutheran mission in our communitym which is nearly 40% immigrant Chinese. Ablaze! money helps to support our gifted Chinese pastor who is translating solid Lutheran liturgical, theological, and catechetical materials into Chinese. Ablaze! money pays for part of this work.

Painting with a broad brush does not make for good art, nor does it make for good argument. Lutherans are known for making proper distinctions. Please help make them here as we engage Issues, Etc. The issue is Issues, Etc. and how it fit or didn't fit into the synodical vision. This is not about the Ablaze! mission initiative.

There, I feel better. And no, this is not an April fool's joke.

You Know Tahd Wiwkin?

My initial post gave the wrong source for this quote. This comes from a wonderful book entitled "Christ Have Mercy" by the Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, Executive Director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, recently published by CPH. Harrison comments on the impact of Issues, Etc. in the foreign mission field. For all the negative news that is being thrown around lately, I thought a little something positive might put things into a missional perspective.

"Along with the concern confessional Lutherans share over the future of the LCMS, it must be asserted that there has never in history been a better or more opportune moment to be a confessional Lutheran. While passing through Singapore on the way to Medan, Indonesia, I attended Sunday services in a beautiful Singapore Lutheran congregation. After the service, this congregation that exhibited a definite international flare was abuzz with interest in its LCMS visitors, a group that included several faculty members from both seminaries who were visiting tsunami sights in India and Indonesia.

One local man approached me and asked with a pronounced Southeast Asian accent, "You live in St. Louis?" I was smiling a bit smugly, thinking, 'He's seen my picture."

Just as I was ready to talk about myself, he asked a second question, "You know Tahd Wiwkin?"

"Who? You mean Todd Wilken?" I responded, and the man nodded eagerly.

Todd Wilken hosts "Issues Etc.:' a radio program that originates in St. Louis at KFUO, the radio station of the LCMS. Todd's program is a thoughtful, no-holds barred talk show that is intensely doctrinal, intensely Lutheran, even as it explores contemporary issues. It turned out this man, half a world away, was a regular listener via the Internet. And he is hardly alone.

It really is a whole new day. We are witnessing the greatest free flow of faithfully Lutheran information in the history of the Lutheran Church. Concordia Publishing House produces fantastic and faithful materials for a world hungry for solid Lutheran teaching about Christ and the faith—and it is thriving financially. Lutheran Heritage Foundation has now produced Luther's Small Catechism in fifty languages. Good News Magazine is in many languages and finding its way all over the world. Lutheran Hour Ministries is broadcasting in country after country, "bringing Christ to the nations and the nations to the church." What a fabulous mission! I see the harvest of this work wherever I travel. It is the worldwide moment for confessional Lutheranism. It is Missouri's moment."

The Lutheran Witness Testifies

Here's another addition to the growing catalog of testimonies to the value of KFUO-AM and Issues, Etc as a mission from The Lutheran Witness:

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Remembering what KFUO stands for—Keeping Forward, Upward, Onward—has helped the programming grow over the decades in ways that let the Gospel message penetrate through cultural changes and shifting attitudes. Most of the programs are original shows produced in St. Louis.

For example, there is Clayton’s magazine program, “Morning Show.” Rathert hosts “The Bible Study,” an hour-long examination of Scripture with guest pastors. Rev. Todd Wilken hosts the three hour live talk program “Issues, Etc.,” focusing on current events facing Christianity. The Sunday night “Issues, Etc.” is syndicated across the country.

“The responses we receive from listeners are the testimony that we’re getting it done,” says Rathert. “Some people we unnerve, and some we distress, because they’re hearing a perspective they’re not used to or don’t agree with. Some are encouraged by what they hear because they can’t find it anywhere else.”

One listener who hears KFUO over the Internet in St. Paul, Minn., wrote late last year that he had “never heard more sound, unflinching explanations of the Christian faith anywhere in Christian broadcasting. The unapologetic apology of the Lutheran faith is sound, Christcentered, and true. Thank you for your efforts.”

A life-long Lutheran from St. Louis wrote that she was a casual, Sunday-only Christian. But then she started listening to KFUO. “I have been spreading the word about KFUO to my friends who are not Lutheran, because I find that the programming speaks from the Word to everyone. It’s not just a Lutheran station speaking Lutheran doctrine,” she wrote.

And last year KFUO received this surprising message from an Internet listener in Hamilton, New Zealand. He testified, “I am a [former] Muslim who has been born again by grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone. I [no longer] believe there is any other way to come to God. [From] John 14:6: May the God of Glory through Christ Jesus bless you.”

The Lutheran Witness (September 2005, pp 15-16)