This is one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. Below is a two part video of Rev. Jack Cascione interviewing four simple church ladies in Oakland, California about a lawsuit that which calls for the taking of the church property away from these ladies and the eleven other members of the congregation.
As you will see from the video, the details of the lawsuit are rather complex. One would need a lot more detail to determine who is in the right.
That is not the point. Say what you will about Rev. Cascione – I myself have criticized his position that the voters assembly is the voice of God in the local congregation, but I also think that a group that he belongs to (ULMA) and that we invite to post on this site, has something to offer and say in the whole scheme of confessional Lutheranism – but he has done all LCMS members a service by bringing to light this litigious action of our synod leadership. Rev. Cascione is a former member of the LCMS. He and his congregation left the synod a few years ago on account of many of the same things that we complain about on this website: contemporary worship, false ecumenism, the unscriptural role of women, etc.
Those of us who witnessed the aggressive nature in which the synod leadership conducted the firing of Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz are not surprised to see the aggressive nature of this action with the four simple church ladies in California.
This is more proof that it is time for a change in the leadership in the LCMS. This aggressive and litigious activity of the current leadership appears to be very un-churchly behavior.
Does anyone reading this understand who at the International Center is responsible for such lawsuits? Is it the board of directors? Is it the synodical president? Is it the council of district presidents? Any and all comments for clarification would be appreciated.