For those who wish to learn more:
http://61902.netministry.com/images/CrankItUp2008.pdf

Jefferson Hills is taking another bold new risk. Well, actually we are going back to a ministry approach commonly used in the Early Christian Church. We are consecrating Elders to lead monthly Communion Nights for additional opportunity for believers to receive Holy Communion.

Communion Nights will be an additional opportunity for Holy Communion. Communion will continue to be celebrated on Sundays when it can be properly explained within the message series. The Bible teaches that it is very important that everyone participating in Communion has a full understanding of the spiritual significance of this sacred meal with Jesus. Some message series at JH lend themselves to a clear explanation of Holy Communion before participation; others do not.

The role of the Elder is identical to the role of the Pastor—to minister to and watch over the people of God. While the Elder is not a Pastor, he is responding to the call of God on his life to assist the Pastor, who also has a calling of God on his life, in the spiritual care and leadership of the church.

Application of Biblical Elder Requirements @JH
• Must be 21+ years old
• A clear model of spiritual maturity and living out of our mission together
• Committed to the mission and vision of JH
• Regularly attends Sunday worship (LOVE GOD)
• Participates in a weekly Connect Group (CONNECT PEOPLE)
• Serves regularly on an Impact Team (IMPACT THE WORLD)
• Tithes 10% of Income
• Participates in Elder training

Rationale for Communion Nights
• Provides a regular context for Holy Communion among believers who desire more frequent participation in the Sacrament
• Provides a context for Holy Communion where “seekers” aren’t made to feel uncomfortable for not participating
• Provides a regular place of spiritual instruction to believers on the depth of Scripture’s
teaching about Communion
• Establishes men as the spiritual leaders of our homes and church community.
• Assists the Pastors in providing personal spiritual care for our people.
• Reinforces our core value of Connect Groups as the best place for spiritual self‐feeding and spiritual growth.

My best construction was that the pastor was consecrating the elements and the elders distributing, but this is not the case:

How can Jesus be truly present with forgiveness in bread and wine? Well, it’s certainly not bread and wine in the hands of a pastor or an elder that make Jesus present. It’s Jesus’ himself. His own words, spoken again by the Pastor or Elder, “consecrate” or set the bread and wine apart as instruments for God’s purpose of forgiveness.

I’m not one to mock typos, but the irony is somewhat telling:

It was not a position they were elected for or nominated for. This was a calling that each man had to prayerfully *except* or reject.

…the EXCEPTion that proves the rule…or something like that….

Why is anybody surprised? I know little about JH except it has adopted the Americanized version of Lutheranism (aka Samuel Simon Schmucker) who believed in a sort of Lutheran church that was free of the superstitious trappings of the “old country – including, I’m assuming, an unqualified agreement with the Book of Concord. Certainly, JH is not in full blown “Americanized Lutheranism” mode, but it pretty far down the road.

JH now fails to recognize that its elders (laymen) ARE NOT pastors in the Biblical sense of the word, but laymen who are called Elders, which in the JH way of thinking MAKES them ( as much as)pastors in the Biblical sense. that is, men who can administer the sacraments and (it’s coming) preach and teach as rightly called pastors are to do.

I’m sure the men who are usurping the office of pastor with the permission of the pastor(s) of JH are sincere men as are those who “laid their hands on them” and yet they are sincerely wrong.

Sad, sad, sad. And faithful Lutherans are supporting this disaster as it morphs into God knows what all in the name of being “Ablaze.”

One last comment: JH says one of the reasons for this is: Provides a context for Holy Communion where “seekers” aren’t made to feel uncomfortable for not participating.

My comment: TLH 346

4. Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend
On whom my hopes of heaven depend?
No; when I blush, be this my shame,
That I no more revere His name.

and these good folks are “Lutheran”?

These are schismatic ordinations.

They are described as “God ordained elders,” who are in a “calling” of ministry that is in an “identical role” with the pastor, and who is placed in that role by laying on of hands. These men will then be celebrating the eucharist. They are “called and ordained ministers of word and sacrament” – without training, without theological certification, without being ordained by other pastors, and without vows to fidelity to the Bible and confessions.

This needs to stop right away.

I would hope that our seminaries weigh in on this – but they have surrendered a good bit of their moral capital by allowing “lay ministers” to “consecrate” and by knowingly sending vicars to pastors and congregations that force them – against their consciences and all that they have learned from the confessions – to perform the exact same “lay consecration.” What were they thinking? I suspect the seminaries will have to lay low on this – and isn’t that a shame.

I think it is up to the laity and the parish pastors to rise up and put overwhelming pressure on the DP to stop this – knowing full well that this will require a huge show of outrage, as JH is a flagship of the Kieschnick-Ablaze program. They basically have carte blanche, and they are not afraid to use it.

On a side note: must “elders” at JH (i.e. schismatically ordained pastors) be male?

If a layman should perform all the outward functions of a priest, celebrating Mass, confirming, absolving, administering the sacraments, dedicating altars, churches, vestments, vessels, etc., it is certain that these actions in all respects would be similar to those of a true priest, in fact, they might be performed more reverently and properly than the real ones. But because he has not been consecrated and ordained and sanctified, he performs nothing at all, but is only playing church and deceiving himself and his followers.

Martin Luther, Lectures on Romans, vol. 25, Luther’s Works, ed. by Hilton C. Oswald (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1972), 234.

Only the transcriber–Matt Mills

“The district presidents shall, moreover, especially exercise supervision over the doctrine, life, and administration of office of the ordained and commissioned ministers of their district and acquaint themselves with the religious conditions of the congregations of their district. To this end they shall visit and, according as they deem it necessary, hold investigations in the congregations.” (LCMS Constitution XII, 7)

“The responsibility, primarily of the President of the Synod and district presidents, to supervise on behalf of the Synod the doctrine, life, and administration of its members, officers, and agencies. Such supervision, subject to the provisions of the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions, includes visitation, evangelical encouragement and support, care, protection, counsel, advice, admonition, and, when necessary, appropriate disciplinary measures to assure that the Constitution, Bylaws, and resolutions of the Synod are followed and implemented. Thus, ecclesiastical supervision is also the presenting, interpreting, and applying of the collective will of the Synod’s congregations. Ecclesiastical supervision does not include the responsibility to observe, monitor, control, or direct the day-to-day activities of individual members of the Synod, whether in the conduct of their work or in their private lives.” (LCMS Bylaws, 1.2.1, g)

Justin,
I’ve seen Holy Cross Los Gatos try this tactic.
The problem is one of prostitution.
When a layperson is doing a pastor’s job while the pastor is doing the layperson’s job, neither is doing the vocation that God has given them. Both are usurping the vocations of the other. And neither accomplishes the other’s job properly. If we honor the vocations that are to be done by others, we should not destroy them by usurping them.
Prostitution and communion with sin & death become the gospel, not the Gospel of Christ’s work of salvation.
To put it back in PLI terms, JH does not “connect people to Jesus.” Actually this is not PLI’s words. PLI stole it from Bill Hybels. Correctly, “Connection to Jesus” occurs where Word and Sacrament are proclaimed and administered properly. Anybody at JH, or anywhere else like this, that wants to be connected to Jesus should leave that whorehouse on doctrinal grounds and be present where Christ is in His Word and in His Sacraments. It is clear that the leaders and supporters of JH are both ignorant and indifferent to the theological problems before them. Flee and let the dead bury the dead.

1. Q: What kind of church is Jefferson Hills Church?

J-E-F-F-E-R-S-O-N-H-I-L-L-S

(We are Christians who seek to be authentic followers of Jesus. We believe the Bible is God’s Word and the single source of all we teach & believe. We are members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod by denomination)

J — Jesus is the only Savior from sin and the only way to heaven.

E — Eternal Life in a new heavens and earth awaits those who believe in Jesus and seek to live for Him.

F — Faith alone saves us. Faith is believing in what Jesus did for me; not how good of a person I think I am.

F — Faith is based on God’s words to us in the Bible; not on our own ideas about God.

E — Every person is born with a sinful nature and needs saving for life in relationship with a Holy God.

R — Repentance of sin means that we agree with God about what He calls “sinful” and return to what He calls “rightful” living before Him.

S — Sacraments (Christian Baptism and Holy Communion) are the place where Jesus stated that real forgiveness comes to us by virtue of his death for our sins.

O — One Christian Church exists in God’s sight of which Jesus is Lord.

N — Now is the time to believe! Jesus is coming soon!

* For a further explanation of our Christian beliefs with a Lutheran understanding see Luther’s Small Catechism, Concordia Publishing House, 1986.

Hmmmm…they sound Lutheran!

They may sound Lutheran, but they are not sound Lutherans.

You know how that works. You call yourself Martin Luther, but you really are not.

John Hooss

From Jefferson Hills Church:

Application of Biblical Elder Requirements @JH
• Must be 21+ years old
• A clear model of spiritual maturity and living out of our
mission together
• Committed to the mission and vision of JH
• Regularly attends Sunday worship (LOVE GOD)
• Participates in a weekly Connect Group (CONNECT PEOPLE)
• Serves regularly on an Impact Team (IMPACT THE WORLD)
• Tithes 10% of Income
• Participates in Elder training

I want to know what happens when one of their elders as a sinner, like us all, fails to be a “clear model of spiritual maturity etc….”
Will their pastors *then,* finally do the job they were called to and actual shepherd their sheep?

I read this on their website earlier today about their elder consecration and also about their communion at home by laity. My Roman Catholic brother provides communion for his family at home regularly. What’s their scriptural backing for this lay-led communion anyway? I almost want to take their Communion class – seems like it’s short I could get it done on vacation maybe – just to see what they’re teaching about communion and how they justify the lay leaders stuff. Our pastor before we moved liked to point out that it isn’t the issue of men vs. women involved in the divine service. It’s laity vs. called and ordained pastors. If you’re going to let laity in let them all in! How long before there are female elders?
I don’t see any gender references in their requirements. How long before they’ve got a “called” woman elder? Not long – doesn’t take much before we go all the way down this slope – how long did it take that mega church in Chicago (brain freeze, can’t remember what it is called, just remember “C’s”) to decide to accept female pastors.

In Christ
Jenn Wolf

“Martin Luther” wrote:

“Hmmmm…they sound Lutheran!”

Is it Lutheran to rebaptize, or to have the laity administer the sacrament?

TW

It sounds like the pentecostal church I used to go to. There, people (men or women) are called and annointed by God for different positions not men. Everyone agrees that they are called by God and then they lay hands on them. The calling and annointing mean everything in those circles.

I am a customer service manager for a computer manufacturer and we have many will call pick up customers. Over the past 3 1/2 years, I have been blessed to get to know these customers (mostly gentlemen) quite well. I know about their wives, children, job frustrations, and challenges. I guess they talk to me because I listen. They all know I’m a Christian. They all know I’m Lutheran. Some of them are Christian, some not. I haven’t run into a Lutheran yet. However, JUST TODAY, one of these customers who often talks to me about his church (large, growing, West County, non-denom) came in today. One of the things we discussed was just the thing that JH is embarking on: home communion. He wondered what I thought. And so I shared our Lutheran catechesis with him on the Sacraments and on Holy Communion in specific. We discussed the Office of the Holy Ministry, its institution and purpose. I referred him to google for Luther’s Small Catechism to read more.

Why do I share this? Because today this gentleman was my neighbor that God placed before me to serve. Because the members of JH and so many others are going to be placed before you in your work place or across your fence in your neighborhood. God’s law was pricking his conscience about this matter as it will so beautifully do when His people are being led astray by those disguised wolves. Our Christian confessions as penned in Luther’s catechsim is a handy staff that gently guides the wayward back toward the Shepherd.

God promises those in need will always be with us, those phsyically and spiritually starving. The hungry are starting to cry out and God’s Word will not be returned to Him void.

Humbly submitted,
Barbara Szofran

Be ready, in season and out of season.

How about Augsburg Confession, XIV:

Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that no one should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called.

What does this mean? Well:

…[I]t is the response of the Lutheran theologians to the charge that John Eck made in his 404 Propositions that the Lutherans denied the existence of the sacrament of orders, called it a figment of human invention, and asserted that any layman at all can consecrate churches, confirm children, and so on (Wilhelm Gussmann, D. Johann Ecks Vierhundertvier Artikel zum Reichstag von Augsburg 1530 [Kassel:Edmund Pillardy, 1930], nos.267 to 268, pp.134 and 177-78). The Lutheran response is that laymen are not admitted to the really crucial tasks of publicly and responsibly proclaiming the Gospel and of administering the sacraments.

[Arthur Carl Piepkorn. “The Sacred Ministry and Holy Ordination in the Symbolical Books of the Lutheran Church.” in Michael P. Plekon and William S. Wiecher. The Church: Selected Writings of Arthur Carl Piepkorn. (Delhi, NY: American Lutheran Publicity Bureau Books, 1993); p.62]

Also:
…the word rite in rite vocatus ["regularly called] implies in the normal terminology of the 16th century a formal
ordination as something over and above a mere calling. Both vocatio (“calling”) and ordinatio (“ordination”) are extensively used in this period to describe the whole process of election and ordination. [...] [T]he Confutatio pontifica accepted Article 14 in principle. It would not have done so if it had understood the article as suggesting that ordination was not necessary. The particular point
on which the Confutatio insisted was that a bishop perform the ordination. This is clear from the Apology on Article 14. [...] The Apology makes it clear that it has no quarrel with ordination or even with episcopacy, but that Episcopal ordination is not available to the proponents of the Augsburg Confession. The implication is that they may have no alternative but to avail themselves of ordination by clergymen in presbyter’s orders.
[Piepkorn, (Plekon/Wiecher); pp.62,63]

Also Walther says:
The great majority of our theologians, Luther in the forefront, believe that the holy Supper should never be administered privately by one who is not in the public preaching office, by a layman. That is partly because no such necessity can occur with the holy Supper, as with Baptism and Absolution, that would justify a departure from God’s ordinance ( I Cor 4:1; Romans 10:15; Heb 5:4); partly
because the holy Supper “is a public confession and so should have a public minister”; partly because schisms can easily be brought about by such private Communion…
[C.F.W. Walther. Pastoral Theology. Trans. John M. Drickamer. (New Haven: Lutheran News Inc, 1995); p.134]

Besides this sectarian cell group, meta church or whatever it is now called, is nothing but a revival of Pietistic conventicles (collegia Pietatis) and borders on becoming der Winkelmesse.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konventikel&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=4&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dconventicle%2Bcollegia%2BPietatis%2BWiki%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DONp%26sa%3DG

How about this from AC XXIV:

Article XXIV: Of the Mass.

1] Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among 2] us, and celebrated with the highest reverence. Nearly all the usual ceremonies are also preserved, save that the parts sung in Latin are interspersed here and there with German hymns, which have been added 3] to teach the people. For ceremonies are needed to this end alone that the unlearned 4] be taught [what they need to know of Christ]. And not only has Paul commanded to use in the church a language understood by the people 1 Cor. 14, 2. 9, but it has also been so ordained by man’s law. 5] The people are accustomed to partake of the Sacrament together, if any be fit for it, and this also increases the reverence and devotion of public 6] worship. For none are admitted 7] except they be first examined. The people are also advised concerning the dignity and use of the Sacrament, how great consolation it brings anxious consciences, that they may learn to believe God, and to expect and ask of Him all that is good. 8] [In this connection they are also instructed regarding other and false teachings on the Sacrament.] This worship pleases God; such use of the Sacrament nourishes true devotion 9] toward God. It does not, therefore, appear that the Mass is more devoutly celebrated among our adversaries than among us.

10] But it is evident that for a long time this also has been the public and most grievous complaint of all good men that Masses have been basely profaned and applied to purposes of lucre. 11] For it is not unknown how far this abuse obtains in all the churches by what manner of men Masses are said only for fees or stipends, and how many celebrate them contrary to the Canons. 12] But Paul severely threatens those who deal unworthily with the Eucharist when he says, 1 Cor. 11, 27: Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 13] When, therefore our priests were admonished concerning this sin, Private Masses were discontinued among us, as scarcely any Private Masses were celebrated except for lucre’s sake.

14] Neither were the bishops ignorant of these abuses, and if they had corrected them in time, there would now be less dissension. Heretofore, 15] by their own connivance, they suffered many corruptions to creep into the Church. Now, when it is too late, they begin to complain 16] of the troubles of the Church, while this disturbance has been occasioned simply by those abuses which were so manifest that they could be borne no longer. There have been great 17] dissensions concerning the Mass, concerning the Sacrament. 18] Perhaps the world is being punished for such long-continued profanations of the Mass as have been tolerated in the churches for so many centuries by the very men who 19] were both able and in duty bound to correct them. For in the Ten Commandments it is written, Ex. 20, 7: The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. But since 20] the world began, nothing that God ever ordained seems to have been so abused for filthy lucre as the Mass.

21] There was also added the opinion which infinitely increased Private Masses, namely that Christ, by His passion, had made satisfaction for original sin, and instituted the Mass wherein an offering should be made for daily sins, 22] venial and mortal. From this has arisen the common opinion that the Mass 23] takes away the sins of the living and the dead by the outward act. Then they began to dispute whether one Mass said for many were worth as much as special Masses for individuals, and this brought forth that infinite multitude of Masses. [With this work men wished to obtain from God all that they needed, and in the mean time faith in Christ and the true worship were forgotten.]

[...]

34] Now, forasmuch as the Mass is such a giving of the Sacrament, we hold one communion every holy-day, and, if any desire the Sacrament, also on other days, when it is given to such as ask for it. 35] And this custom is not new in the Church; for the Fathers before Gregory make no mention of any private Mass, but of the common Mass [the Communion] they speak very much. Chrysostom says 36] that the priest stands daily at the altar, inviting some 37] to the Communion and keeping back others. And it appears from the ancient Canons that some one celebrated the Mass from whom all the other presbyters and deacons received the body of he Lord; for thus 38] the words of the Nicene Canon say: Let the deacons, according to their order, receive the Holy Communion after the presbyters, from the bishop or from a presbyter. 39] And Paul, 1 Cor. 11, 33, commands concerning the Communion: Tarry one for another, so that there may be a common participation.

40] Forasmuch, therefore, as the Mass with us has the example of the Church, taken from the Scripture and the Fathers, we are confident that it cannot be disapproved, especially since public ceremonies, for the most part like those hither to in use, are retained; only the number of Masses differs, which, because of very great and manifest abuses doubtless might be profitably reduced. 41] For in olden times, even in churches most frequented, the Mass was not celebrated every day, as the Tripartite History (Book 9, chap. 33) testifies: Again in Alexandria, every Wednesday and Friday the Scriptures are read, and the doctors expound them, and all things are done, except the solemn rite of Communion.

From Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV:

6] The fact that we hold only Public or Common Mass [at which the people also commune, not Private Mass] is no offense against the Church catholic. For in the Greek churches even today private Masses are not held, but there is only a public Mass, and that on the Lord’s Day and festivals. In the monasteries daily Mass is held, but this is only public. These are the traces of former customs. For nowhere do the ancient writers before Gregory make mention 7] of private Masses. We now omit noticing the nature of their origin. It is evident that after the mendicant monks began to prevail, from most false opinions and on account of gain they were so increased that all good men for a long time desired some limit to this thing. Although St. Francis wished to provide aright for this matter, as he decided that each fraternity should be content with a single common Mass daily, afterwards this was changed, either by superstition or for the sake of gain. Thus, 8] where it is of advantage, they themselves change the institutions of the Fathers; and afterwards they cite against us the authority of the Fathers. Epiphanius writes that in Asia the Communion was celebrated three times a week, and that there were no daily Masses. And indeed he says that this custom was handed down from the apostles. For he speaks thus: Assemblies for Communion were appointed by the apostles to be held on the fourth day, on Sabbath eve, and the Lord’s Day

I can jump in on that if our faux-Martin is too busy Pr. Wilken. No, and no:

“I acknowledge ONE Baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.”
– Art 3, Nicene Creed

“Of Ecclesiastical Order they teach that NO ONE should publicly teach in the Church or administer the Sacraments unless he be regularly called (“ohne ordentlichen Beruf,” or “nisi rite vocatus,” take your pick).”

– Article XIV, Augsburg Confession of 1530.

Again, just the transcriber– Matt Mills

This is another mutation of what was a mutant from the very beginning – the small group. At first we were told that small groups were established to increase intimacy among members.

In the last year or so I have noticed in the literature (within the LCMS) they have mutated into places to get unchurched neighbors into a safe place where they can be evangelized. (The literature on this second iteration is filled with encouragement to water down the faith to keep from turning off the unchurched.)

Now this – they mutate clearly into what we knew they were all along – a blatant denial of the office of the ministry that God has established in the church for good order and for the delivering of the forgiveness of sins.

Pastor Rossow

To Comment #11

I can imagine a time and place to use an acronym in church publications. I have used a few of them myself over the years but it seems out of place to put the confession of the basic teachings of the faith into an acronym.

I am having a hard time imagining St. Paul, Augustine, or Luther doing this. Can you imagine the Lutheran Confessors doing such with the Formula of Concord. What sort of catchy word or phrase would they use? Maybe it would go something like this:

T – Trinity
H – Heaven
E – Election

P – Person of Christ
O – Original Sin
P – (etc.)
E –

I –
S –

T –
H –
E –

A –
N –
T –
I –
C –
H –
R –
I –
S –
T –

Pastor Rossow

Two lines from the JH material and related questions:

1) “The role of the Elder is identical to the role of the Pastor…”

Will pres. Mirly be supervising these elders in their administration of the sacrament as he would supervise pastors in his district?

2) “Rationale for Communion Nights… Provides a context for Holy Communion where ‘seekers’ aren’t made to feel uncomfortable for not participating”

Is the regular offering of the Lord’s Supper being relocated from congregational assembly on the Lord’s Day, to small groups at some other time, so that seekers won’t feel uncomfortable on Sunday? What else might make seekers feel uncomfortable on Sunday? The offering? The reading of Scripture? Prayer? Baptism? Confession of sin and Absolution?

TW

Should we be surprised? This was pushed by Synod when the V.P. visited the last round of district conventions prior to the 2007 Synodical Convention. I recall seeing it as part of the Ablaze movement on a series of DVD presented at the CNH District convention.

The more I learn about what is going on openly in the LCMS the more I am amazed. Are the appointed leaders in the LCMS devoid of any leadership, or are they just working behind the scenes where we can’t see them? When it comes to our church’s doctors and presidents will they correct error and defend the true word of God or have they lost the truth and the love for the souls of their fellow believers so that they will no longer protect them from the lies and deceptions of the evil one?

Aren’t we seeing here the fruits of the labors of those in Synod who have been bringing in Emergents like Leonard Sweet and Dan Kimball to promote their strategies for reaching the “unchurched”; and the explanation is that we can “sanitize” their practices and use them? Aren’t these the fruits of thinking Lutherans can “clean up” Seeker-sensitive and CGM?

I have been monitoring the JH Church operations and reviewing their “messages” since the “Satan Hates” signs showed up in my area. I have been appalled with the unfolding events and actions there. Over this time I have tried to communicate with those involved mainly focusing on the fact that they call themselves “Lutheran” but don’t conform to Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. (see: http://www.jhchurch.org/pages.asp?pageid=13502, “We are members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod by denomination)” FAQ #1)

Unlike Mollie Hemingway I have received two responses from the Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly, LCMS Missouri District President, (don’t want to be accused of missing the title) and in those responses he told me that he would not share the Ecclesiastical oversight which he was exercising over the congregations in the Missouri District – fair enough. I think it is painstakingly obvious that his oversight of JH Church is encouragement and assent.

He also hoped that I was not one of those who want him to simply with the stroke of a pen remove congregations and pastors with whom I disagree. I explained that I do not wish those whom I disagree removed but that those whose worship practice and teaching are not Lutheran but claim to be should be corrected.

Lastly he encouraged me to take my JH Church concerns to Pastor Steven Benke and Pastor Ben Gonzales – which I did. Communication with them was more difficult than I thought however. Emails to Info@JHChurch.org went unanswered and my blog posts were immediately deleted. Finally Pastor Benke responded with quotes from his “Let Us not Hate” message which was second in a series of four presented at JH Church during the OnePrayer program in which JH Church participated. See http://www.oneprayer.com/ for the program and other participants. The other three messages presented at JH Church were media events from non-Lutheran, church-growth organizations.

I responded to Pastor Benke and raised my concerns about their claim to be LCMS yet their practice and teaching do not square with Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. After some additional emails he responded with, “No, I don’t feel the need to discuss anything further with you. You’ve had the opportunity to share your opinion. That’s all I feel obligated to.’ I explained in response that I was not giving my opinion but that of Scripture and the Confessions and added that I would take my concerns for the ministry of JH Church to others.

I have continued to send comments to Pastor Benke and recently received this response from him,

“You have failed to keep your word to not contact me any further. Because your comments continue to be so judgmental and completely off based I am blocking your email address. I will not see anything else you send me.

It’s my prayer that you will put your passion for Christ to reaching those who do not know Him.”

Response to Pastor Benke – I did not promise to not contact you but that I would take my issues elsewhere. I guess it is easy to remove dissenting opinions by simply blocking them. – Paul.

My question is where does the correction occur? Pastor Benke continues as he has and does not entertain discussion, the Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly does not discuss the issues, and the Rev. Dr. LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick cannot be corrected except in convention – I guess the answer is obvious – Get Out The Vote.

Paul in O’Fallon

#22 (Pastor Rossow): “In the last year or so I have noticed in the literature (within the LCMS) they have mutated into places to get unchurched neighbors into a safe place where they can be evangelized. (The literature on this second iteration is filled with encouragement to water down the faith to keep from turning off the unchurched.)”

So, “milk before meat”?? How very Mormon of them!!

There are some other ways in which the Missouri Synod of Kieschnick & company has adopted an interestingly Mormon attitude.

One similarity is that Synod, Inc., now sends out volunteer missionaries who must raise their own money for the mission and turn that money over to folks at Synod, Inc.

Another is quite new to me, from #28 (Paul), regarding Pastor Benke’s fingers-in-the-ears response to Paul: “Because your comments continue to be so judgmental and completely off based I am blocking your email address. I will not see anything else you send me.”

The Mormons say it this way: “When the leaders speak, the thinking has been done.” A little different wording, but the same overall intent and effect as Pastor Benke’s refusal to have further conversation with someone who isn’t in agreement.

BTW, to anyone who still labors under the illusion that the Mormon church is growing fast (and thereby may have some methods for a synod to follow), there is no transparency in LDS, Inc., and their claims of growth must be looked at with extreme skepticism, in light of the number of wards that are closing. http://www.exmormons.org has inform and links that are enlightening in re: these issues.

Paul wrote, “My question is where does the correction occur?”

Indeed, where?

TW

Good for you Paul B. You are a model for us all on how to deal with church conflict.

The Bishop owes you and the entire Missouri District a description of his oversight in this case. This is not some personal sin but has been openly acted out on the internet, on the 10 o’clock news, and on billboards for heaven’s sake.

Keep up the steadfast work.

Pastor Rossow

I read all the comments up to this point about JH church and I must admit a bit of shock.

I seem to remember from 1 Corinthians that all the believers came together to share the Lord’s Supper. It was Paul that said, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.”

When we make the Lord’s Supper something that we celebrate with a few gathered at a home for convenience, intimacy, or whatever, we are making it our meal. It is almost to the point of gathering and communing with those who we most have affinity with instead of coming together as the body of Christ, called, gathered, and enlightened by the word. When I go to the Lord’s Supper I realize that at the altar with me are some people that I have struggles with, some I find hard to love, some I do not like, but I confess my sin and pray that we would be united by this “salutary gift”.

I just find this decision to be odd. The question needs to be asked, “What does this mean?” I think that it means the Lord’s Supper is not associated with church, worship, or possibly even confession. What purpose does this serve for the greater body of Christ? NONE!

They further explain this from their website and quoted above, “Communion will continue to be celebrated on Sundays when it can be properly explained within the message series.” So communion is something that must fit in with whatever it is that we choose to talk about on a given Sunday. Does our message make communion more meaningful? Does a sermon make Jesus more fully present? Once again a very odd wording and very odd decision.

I have no problem with a church deciding to do this or to behave in the manner that JH is behaving. If they want to be non-denominational then go and be non-denominational. In the LCMS we have made a commitment and promise to uphold the confessions, to preach the word and administer the sacraments rightly.

I forgot to mention one of the requirements of being an elder at JH.
Tithing %10 of their income?!!!!!!
How stupid. My home church did this at one time and we ended up with a board of elders controlled by the wealthiest group of individuals in the entire church. Simply because a person gives a significant portion of their income to the church does not make them qualified to lead, teach, guide, or serve as an elder.

I believe that Issues Etc. did a program once on this whole issue of tithing. It was enlightening. If we believe that we should match the OT call to give 10% then we could be upwards of %30 of our income. The New Testament call to “give in proportion to what we have received” is the way of the Gospel and not the Law. Should people give more? Sure, but it does not fall under a requirement to serve in the church.

There was a church near where we lived for a while that had special parking spaces for those who gave the most for a given month. There were labeled, “SPOT RESERVED FOR THE SUPER CONQUERORS”. I think the point was very clear to anyone who visited that church that their goal was money.

I don’t want to be a person who is trying to take apart this church simply because I don’t agree with what they are doing. People may attend that church receive faith in Christ, be encouraged to share that love, and work to spread the Gospel. I hope that is the case with JH. They certainly do not fit with the way most LC-MS churches run. Yet it is not how they are operating that concerns me but the teaching behind some of their practices.

Q: Is it Lutheran to re-baptize, or to have the laity administer the sacrament?

A: Judging by how often one hears about it–maybe so. Most churches I ever ran across in Central and Northern Illinois and Indiana have elders assisting (but that may not be construed as administering). Does a pastor have to take part in order to administer? Just wondering…

Of course–whether or not it is confessional/right/biblical is another question.

“Martin Luther”,

You answer with word games? Really?

I think you know what “Is it Lutheran to…?” means.

I didn’t ask about elders assisting in the distribution of the sacrament; I asked about elders administering the sacrament.

So, please answer the questions I asked –including the re-baptizing question.

TW

“Martin Luther” — I put your last comment into moderation pending, well, you behaving. Answer the questions. They are certainly reasonable questions. And don’t be mean.

I know you like to play your games on other threads but don’t do it on mine, please.

Thank you!

this came to mind in the prattle of martin luther of matt:13v24 the parable of the weeds,the confessions of the stedfast lutherans pastors an other learned people are amazing to me and i thank my pastor for directing me here.
I am probly wrong and but , does’nt matt13 24 talk to the ones who lead astray and
how they will do Gods work even if they are weeds among the good crop ?
ron

Did anyone besides my kids and I find the picture of a glass of spilled wine illustrating the Jefferson Hills post about “Communion Nights” shocking?

Jane,
I was somewhat.
But then I was looking at it with my Fathers Church eyes Where spilling of the wine would be of a concern.
But then look at it as “His blood spilled for you” is where I think they were going with that. I get it.
That’s my best construction on this.

John Hooss

IndianaJane:

Some churches run on shock-value and being clever.

The problem is, you have to be ever-more-shocking and ever-more-clever.

You end up fleeing the immanent boredom of your audience.

Novelty, rather than truth, determines what you do next.

You’d think that such churches would eventually run out of new ideas, but they don’t. Instead, their new ideas just get worse and worse.

The sad little secret is, they end up cookie-cutter copies of every other “emergent,” edgy, avant-garde church out there. It’s the teenager who expresses his individuality by getting pierced and tattooed –like every other teenager.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways…”

TW

“Martin Luther”,

Please answer: Is it Lutheran to rebaptize, or to have the laity administer the sacrament?

TW

TW…no…it is not lutheran/confessional to do so…but that does not negate the fact that one might be surprised at how many do.

“”Martin”": Thanks for answering without making snide comments.

The fact that many churches do things that are not confessional is a big part of why this organization exists — to try to train the laity what it means to be Lutheran, and to ask for and get true Lutheran worship.

The fact that many churches do this is NOT an argument that we should promote others straying from true Lutheran theology and practice.

“Martin Luther”,

Thanks for answering the questions.

You wrote: “no…it is not lutheran/confessional to do so…but that does not negate the fact that one might be surprised at how many do.”

For too long the LCMS has allowed its practice be guided by the “everybody’s doing it” principle. That is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

TW

All I know is that from what was presented to me as Missouri Synod Lutheran, which I embraced whole-heartedly, is now looking like a bait and switch evangelical seeker affair. I am SO confused.

Are we consuming the body and blood of our Lord in communion with the saints or not? I believe we are.
Are we saved at baptism by the water and the word? I believe we are.

How many true LCMS pastors are left? I am at the point of giving up finding a church with backbone (standing on the Word of God). How can a pastor teach in adult instruction class or newcomers class
as it is sometimes called now that we Lutherans have a true understanding of God’s word and then demonstrate by kowtowing to Pres. Kieschnick’s out of date ideas that we may be wrong?

Any explanations out there?

‘

Gayle,

Don’t give up yet.

But also, don’t think that being confessionally Lutheran in the LCMS will EVER be easy (or popular).

TW

This quote in Comment #1 from their document http://61902.netministry.com/images/CrankItUp2008.pdf says a lot: “Some message series at JH lend themselves to a clear explanation of Holy Communion before participation; others do not.” I don’t think I know any pastor who could take the Gospel and not find a way to relate it to the Sacraments. Obviously JH is more interested in preaching something else.

In response to Jenn (Comment 14), there are LCMS churches with female elders:
http://www.hopelc.ca/staff.html

Thanks, TW. I am holding on by my fingernails and not holding out too much hope, but if anyone comes up with a better way of being a confessional Lutheran other than having to attend a pretend church, please let me know and count me in.

So are all these newly ordained elders covered in the Concordia Plan? Just curious.

I ask again, are these elders the object of Pres. Mirly’s ecclesiastical supervision? If so, how so? If not, how is it that we have laymen administering the sacrament without supervision?

TW

Todd – let’s review:

1 – JH Church is a model Ablaze! (! – this you know about) outreach congregation.
2 – Their hermeneutic is outreach – not Christ cruicified for sinners.
3 – They partner with church growth movement churches – lifechurch.tv, Elevation Church, etc.
4 – They regularly demean organized, denominational religion in their messages.
5 – They have been in place for over 5 years doing this same stuff.
6 – The Rev. Dr. Mirly, LCMS Missouri District President, has apparently done nothing to deter, correct, redirect, rebuke, or remove those operating/leading JH Church.

So – whether or not these “ordained” elders come under the Rev Dr. Mirly’s supervision or not doesn’t really matter. The problem is with Dr. Mirly, Dr. Kieschnick, the Ablaze! movement, and the whole direction things are moving within the LCMS.

My Pastor had the best comment for me when I ws getting pretty disappointed in the whole thing – which I still am but… He reminded me that our Synod is not Church. Church is where the Word of God is correctly preached and the Sacraments are rightly administered and these gifts are received through faith. Christ’s Church will stand no matter what sinful men and our Synod choose to do.

I’m still concerned and disappointed but remaining steadfast in Christ!

Paul

Paul,

Nice summary.

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6

It’s laissez-faire Lutheranism. Fine.

So… someone explain to me, why are we paying these district presidents?

TW

Well – my congregation significantly reduced the $$$ going to Synod and District due to all this stuff going on and I know others have done the same. We’re designating what would have gone to them to go to specific organizations we know are utilizing the resources in a Christ-centered manner. If they want to operate like a business then affecting their financial resources is the most significant “vote” we can exercise.

Paul

So… someone explain to me, why are we paying these district presidents?

TW

Well – my congregation significantly reduced the $$$ going to Synod and District due to all this stuff going on and I know others have done the same. We’re designating what would have gone to them to go to specific organizations we know are utilizing the resources in a Christ-centered manner.

Paul

If I might interject a suggestion for offerings at this point: I know of a pastor whose salary will disappear as of 10/1/08. (Indeed, I know of another, but he found a job that will take care of his family’s needs, while this pastor has not yet been able to do so.) I know of others in similar situations. I know of one and only one organization who is trying to do anything to help such men: The Augustana Ministerium.

If any of you—or your congregations—are looking for a way to help pastors and to help congregations keep their faithful pastors if they aren’t able to pay them in full, I urge you to visit the Ministerium’s website at http://AugustanaMinisterium.org, where you can find information about this group and what it does to keep pastors and their families alive and, if possible, serving parishes. Check out the ‘Confraternity’ tab on their menu, too, and download their bimonthly newsletter for an accounting of what was accomplished through this group in the past four years (including their teaming up with Lutheran Church Charities of Addison, Illinois in LCC’s fantastic work after Hurricane Katrina).

If The Augustana Ministerium received even a tenth of what is being wasted by LCMS, Inc., the assistance provided would be too amazing to recount (i.e., the need is that huge, beyond most folks’ reckoning).

Well, that’s three ‘if’s in a row…will the reality be that this pastor of more than a decade will lose all he owns while he tries to find a low-paying job just to keep food on the table, and that he goes on CRM status, never to be in a parish again, or will he receive whatever aid he needs, perhaps to start a new mission somewhere (maybe across the street from Jefferson Hills…) and to continue in service to the Church as God has prepared him to render?

EJG (please note that I, as a non-LCMS pastor, am asking you to assist a rostered LCMS clergyman by this request…though I would like to be up front in saying that we wish to help any Confessional Lutheran pastor; now is the time for those disgusted with Synod, Inc. [whether Missouri, WELS, or whatever] to ‘step up’, in my opinion)

Rev Stefanski – thank you for alerting me and many others to another wonderful opportunity to support confessional Lutheran pastors.

Rev Stefanski – thank you for alerting me and many others to another wonderful opportunity to support confessional Lutheran pastors.

My pleasure. I’d like to mention another one, if I might: the education of pastors in The Lutheran Church in Lanka. This is a deep need that we are seeking to meet (in conjunction with the Confessional Lutheran Education Foundation) for this tiny but courageous church body. For information, please consider my ‘travelogue’ (and the links therein) found at our congregation’s website http://HolyTrinityLC.com, where you can click on he “Sri Lanka” menu item at the top of the page.

It is time to complete one of the candidate’s education so he can be ordained, but it’s looking like the trip to accomplish this will have to be postponed due to a shortage of funds (we not only pay for our own travel, food, and lodging, but for that of the pastors and theological students, some of who spend as much or more time on the bus trying to get across the country as we would in flying around the world to get there). Encouraged by the ‘beer reviews’ on another part of this website, I am offering to share some good Sri Lankan stout (Lion Stout) with those who contribute $300 and either visit me or let me come and speak about the education of Sri Lankan pastors and some (they like it, but most of you probably won’t) arrack with those who give $1,000 (individually or congregationally…I hate to set the number that high, but I don’t know what Customs is going to charge me for bringing multiple bottles of arrack into the country, and I haven’t found anywhere in the U.S. to buy it).

At any rate, if you’d like to see the pastors and students of The Lutheran Church in Lanka studying Luther’s “Theology of the Cross” in the near future (as I would), I encourage you to support us. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m very tight with other people’s money…that’s why I can host dozens of domains (everything from Confess and Teach for Unity/CAT 41 to VoxVisuals to the Augustana Ministerium, bunches of congregations, and, at one time or another, Pax-Domini, Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood, and all of the email lists for Consensus, Higher Things, the Faithful Alliance, and so forth, at no charge, having a few faithful pastors who trust my management of things donating to my shoestring budget. The folks at CLEF and I promise you nothing less with any funds you contribute to this effort.

BTW…a quick glance at The Augustana Ministerium’s figures for this year tell me that they have disbursed $21,600.00 from 1/1/08 through 8/31/08, roughly half of which went to pastors in financial crisis and half went to ongoing sustenance of pastors who are only able to serve their parishes because of this aid. Something I know to be true: TAM disbursed $21,600 in such aid because TAM took in 18,015.39 towards such aid; if TAM had taken in $40,000, it would have all been disbursed. In contrast, less than $2,000 has been spent ‘administratively’–that is, for putting together a theological conference and for printing and mailing costs for a newsletter (all of which money came from members’ dues, not at all from the gifts that come in for aid to pastors).

IOW: the needs at home and abroad are great, and the money your Lord has entrusted to you shouldn’t be abused by going to self-serving bureaucracies and bureaucrats with anti-confessional theology and goals. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of these suggestions.

EJG

In contrast, less than $2,000 has been spent ‘administratively’–that is, for putting together a theological conference and for printing and mailing costs for a newsletter (all of which money came from members’ dues, not at all from the gifts that come in for aid to pastors).

It was pointed out to me that this might not be clear to everyone: what The Augustana Ministerium means by ‘administrative costs’ includes a national theological conference…and that conference cost in $1,556.24 this year, all of which was covered by the dues payments of our members. The rest of the administrative costs were printing and mailing—a total of $102.50 so far…which I reckon will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $450-500 in the next year, simply for the printing and mailing of the newsletter, brochures, and the like—once again, all covered by the dues of our members without anything coming out of the gifts that we receive from our members, from congregations, etc.

The point is, our administrative costs (outside of the conference expense) should end up being about 1% of our budget, and no one gets a salary or any other benefits for being an officer, etc., of The Augustana Ministerium.

I hope that the above will make my previous posts clearer.

EJG

Originally posted by Paul, communicated to Steve Benke:

“I guess it is easy to remove dissenting opinions by simply blocking them.”

I also briefly communicated with Ben Gonzales, Teaching Pastor at JHC, and that was the same attitude I sensed from him–”encourage us, share new ideas, but don’t disagree, that’s just not right”

JHC is simply following the model that PLI and Pres. Kieschnick wants the synod to head (see Leadership Notes/Sept. Reporter)

If I am reading this correctly, certain men (is it only men) put themselves forward as elders at Jefferson Hills. They certify that they are keeping all the requirements of an elder, including tithing their income, then they are ordained by a laying on of hands by the people of the church, and then they are able to preach and hold communion services?

I don’t know why, but it sounds to me a lot like what the northern kingdom of Israel was doing in 2 Chronicle 13, especially verse 9.

The role of the Elder is identical to the role of the Pastor—to minister to and watch over the people of God. While the Elder is not a Pastor, he is responding to the call of God on his life to assist the Pastor, who also has a calling of God on his life, in the spiritual care and leadership of the church.

Really, this is so smart that it is stupid, so close that it is far away.

What it points up is the grave danger of using a Biblical term for a non-biblical (i.e., man-made) office.

‘Elder’ in, say, acts 20, is “identical to the role of the Pastor,” because, in Acts 20, it’s just another title/description of those who were to shepherd and oversee (i.e., to be pastors/bishops). As Dr. Collver’s article in Logia a couple of years ago showed, Lutheran churches did not have ‘lay elders’ as they do today…and as the Rt. Rev. Heiser’s little booklet (available from Repristination Press, I think) shows, in the age of Lutheran Orthodoxy the office of Deacon was considered a role for ordained clergy (fully trained, not SMP’d or District disabled). Really, if you consider the wars over this manmade office in Missouri today (e.g., whether or not women can serve in this role), the division tends to play out along these lines:

1) The CTCR, recognizing that what exists has Biblical names but is not a Biblical office, says that it is open to women, etc.

2) The Church-growthers/PLIers, etc., see the manmade office as if it were the God-ordained Office and do as Jefferson Hills is doing. (Some, agreeing with the CTCR’s conclusion without understanding their reasoning, go the extra step of saying that women can also serve in this role.)

3) The stick-in-the-muds/speedbumps say that both 1 & 2 are wrong…yet in their constitutions, etc., they will have Biblical language/stipulations applied to this non-Biblical office, as well, showing that, really, the adopting of this manmade office in the first place (and investing it with the God-given terms for another Office) is a large part of the cause of the abuse. I.e., you can’t have it both ways: either this is the Biblical Office and it ought to have both the Biblical qualifications and the Biblical duties, or it is not and should have neither.

Interesting (to me) side note wrt #3: If you look back at John H.C. Fritz’s Pastoral Theology (CPH 1932), you will find that he says absolutely nothing about any ‘office of lay elder’, but only about a ‘Church Council’. Isn’t amazing that barely 75 years later probably none of us remember a time in Missouri where we didn’t have (mis-named) ‘elders’ or (equally mis-named) ‘deacons’? It is like unto the fact that so many women have told me that there has always been women’s suffrage in the LCMS…when we know that it will only be forty years old next year. (Oh, the parties that will ensue! Perhaps CPH can use that as a theme for VBS materials! Everyone can have special offering envelopes and celebrate ‘Different Voices, Shared Vision Sunday’! Of course, considering the topic, perhaps the parties should have been held this year, and then every year hearafter it can be ‘the anniversary of the thirty-ninth anniversary’… )

EJG

FROM JEFFERSON HILLS TEACHING PASTOR (Hmmm…wonder who has been sending him those cranky emails???)

I know I am going to offend someone and I have a sneaky suspicion it will be Christians. And the interesting thing is I won’t lose sleep on how Christians respond to this. But I just don’t get it.

I don’t get why people send an email and at the end of the email they attach the infamous BIBLE PASSAGE.

What is the purpose of the “end of the email BIBLE PASSAGE?”
-Do you think you are going to convert someone?
-Is it your confirmation verse?
-Do you think it makes you more spiritual?
-Are you more special because you have a personal BIBLE PASSAGE?
-Do you think it validates your ungodly email simply because it has a BIBLE PASSAGE attached?

I can’t tell you how many people send our church hate mail and they think it is ok because they attached their favorite bible verse. By the way if you send hate mail with a bible verse at least know the context of the bible passage you send. Don’t use a bible verse simply because you have been brainwashed by a church, pastor, or denomination. Never mind don’t even send it, we won’t read it.

The point…we don’t need another christian bumper sticker. We don’t need another fish decal. We don’t need another T-shirt. The church needs people who will live out the scripture and not just use them as a punch line or to use them out of context to prove our traditions.

I could be totally wrong but I just want to know why we include the infamous BIBLE PASSAGE to an email.

I can’t tell you how many people send our church hate mail and they think it is ok because they attached their favorite bible verse. By the way if you send hate mail with a bible verse at least know the context of the bible passage you send. Don’t use a bible verse simply because you have been brainwashed by a church, pastor, or denomination. Never mind don’t even send it, we won’t read it.

The point…we don’t need another christian bumper sticker. We don’t need another fish decal. We don’t need another T-shirt. The church needs people who will live out the scripture and not just use them as a punch line or to use them out of context to prove our traditions.

Looks like the pot is calling the crystal “black,” once again. Of course, this is what one ought to expect from those who are theologians of glory. (Cf. the 21st of Luther’s theses for the Heidelberg Disputation.) Such arrogant vitriol…I shudder to think what the cartoon version of such a letter would look like!

EJG

I’m surprised that someone who is supposed to be a teaching pastor would not know the reason for, or even get upset at the quotation of scripture. It seems the practice that is being referred to is the practice many people have, like our past President Barry or our current President Kieschnick, of appending a reference or quotation under their name. Many e-mail programs allow a “signature” that will be appended to an e-mail automatically. While I don’t do this, and I know many who don’t, I know many who do and it never bothers me. I think that people who do it just see that as fulfilling what God told Moses to tell his people to do in Deut 6:4-9, to keep God’s Word front and center in their lives. It is how they “live out the scripture,” so to speak, kind of like what people do when they put scripture passages up in their homes.

I dunno that the pastor himself is rightly ordained… sigh.. if he’s pulling all this worldly “relevant” stuff.