A LCMS seminarian told me back in circa 2002 or so: You leave the Synod you die. That’s definitely what you’re led to believe by the churchmen and bureaucrats, who equate to Sauron and Saruman in the Lord of the Rings, and the bureaucrats are Saruman because they control all, move all, seduce all with their voice. Though they be many they speak as one; sort of like in 1984: Continue reading
Nothing New Under the Sun
We think everything has changed with the advent of the Internet in the late 1997 and the Smartphone in 2007. No, the smartest man in the world said there was nothing new under the son, and this tidbit from over a 100 years ago will illustrate that. Continue reading
Posted in Families, General
Leave a comment
If Righteousness Could Be Gained Through the Law – Visit to a Church of Christ
While attending that bastion of learning, Southwest Texas State University in the late 70s, I took a course for credit taught at a Church of Christ by a Church of Christ elder. It was notable in that he “proved” Jesus made no wine, drank no wine, and would never have used wine instituting the Lord’s Supper. He also “proved” the Bible never says that Jesus will set His feet on earth again. Continue reading
Posted in Contemporary Worship, For Pastors Only
Leave a comment
Have a Good Game
I’m shutting the door to my study, on my way to conduct the Divine Service, preach the Word, and administer the Sacrament. One of my members, athletic himself with his kids in sports, says casually, “Have a good game.” He didn’t say this mockingly, sarcastically, or ironically, but sincerely the way you say it to one entering the arena, the lists, the field of battle. Continue reading
Posted in For Pastors Only
Leave a comment
Moving On
Nope this isn’t about the 1998 left-leaning organization formed to oppose the impeachment of Clinton. It’s about my sister. She goes to a large Midwest LCMS church in the Midwest. I first went to Lutheran school here at age 6. I fled to church in my second year of seminary when I confronted my pastor with his false doctrine from the pulpit. Continue reading
I Know What Got Sodom So Pi**ed at Lot – Visit to a Metropolitan Community Church
P***ed is a vulgarism now accepted by society. There are some expressions the Army uses that are still vulgar and unacceptable to society. Nevertheless, they express accurately certain situations. And it’s accurate to say the people of Sodom were pi**ed at Lot; now I know why. Continue reading
Adios LCMS
That’s the name for a file folder in my email for the last 2 ½ years. I wasn’t trying to be flippant, but it is. As of 12 September 2019 in the year of Our Lord, I am no longer a member of the church I was born into, baptized, confirmed, and ordained by (Here’s my letter: Continue reading
Posted in Missouri Megatrends
Leave a comment
Let’s Get Chemical
“Let’s get physical, physical…Let me hear your body talk,” sang Oliva Newton-John in 1981. Well, we’ve went a step beyond that. Now the national zeitgeist says “Let’s get chemical, chemical…Let me hear my body talk.” Continue reading
Posted in For Anyone who dares, For Pastors Only
Leave a comment
Selective Fellowship
If you grew up in the 40s to the early 70s, Selective Service, though I don’t think it was always called that, was the big bugaboo. Males 18 and up had to register to serve in the armed forces. It was a big deal. It is not likely that there would have been the prolonged protests against the Vietnam “conflict” if there had not been a draft in place. Selective Service was – and with the pending registering of women should be again – a bugaboo in the secular world. Selective Fellowship is among theologians. Continue reading
Visit to a Methodist Church – Is there Methodism in this Madness?
This sure didn’t seem like the mainline liberal, bang-the-social-gospel-gong church, I expected to find. I found the Gospel here, liturgy (low church but liturgy nonetheless), and no contemporary worship. Continue reading
Posted in Families
Leave a comment