tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post3495207327453532445..comments2024-01-02T16:09:57.364-07:00Comments on Intrepid Lutherans: Biggest on the Block - NotIntrepid Lutheranshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05867580862562801804noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-7219132339011220162012-02-11T11:21:56.321-07:002012-02-11T11:21:56.321-07:00Having experienced Lutheran Church in Living Rooms...Having experienced Lutheran Church in Living Rooms in different contexts spanning more decades than official statistics seem to realize, I can say that Pastor Spencer's saying it may happen in the future, is not prophetic, but has been happening for longer than the virtual services available on the web. Sometimes there is contact and awareness between and among already existing living room Lutherans around the country, but more often not. But exist, they already do, sometimes consisting of individual families, sometimes including more than one family or individuals.<br />I call such assembling together, Lutheran Refugees who have been so disillusioned by synods and congregations affiliated with synods, that they carry on as best they can in their specific circumstances. They have either been officially excluded from synod affilitated congregations or have simply given up trying to <br />maintain some semblance of the church their fathers and grandfathers knew.<br />Living Room Lutherans are not a phenomenon to be expected in the future, but they already exist, scattered around the nation quietly worshipping unknown to synods and existing affiliated congregations.<br /><br />Mary ThompsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-86602942651362466172012-01-31T07:54:38.135-07:002012-01-31T07:54:38.135-07:00Thank you all for your comments.
Again, let me b...Thank you all for your comments. <br /><br />Again, let me be clear - I totally understand wanting to "grow" the church, in the sense of wanting to see more people in Christ's kingdom and thus on their way to heaven. I also am completely opposed to lazy, shoddy, and poor ministry. <br /><br />It's not that our opponents are wrong - they are just wrong-headed. Their motives may be fine, but their methods are more often than not unBiblical, and worse, their thinking does not seem to take into account the oft-repeated warnings of our Lord Jesus Christ that not only does the world hate us, but will kill us and think they're doing God a favor! <br /><br />And finally, in giving a false goal - large size - and false hopes - that if we just do this or that, or not do this or that, we will grow - they are actually just doing more to depress and frustrate God's faithful people. <br /><br />What I keep telling our leaders, from the synod president on down, is true for all who want to work in Christ's vineyard - Just do the right thing, and let God take care of the results. We are, after all, in the FAITH business. We simple need to trust God's ways more and trust in ourselves less. <br /><br />Again, thank you all for your thoughts and support. <br /><br />Pastor SpencerPastor Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321516963313421661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-64878768764874390702012-01-28T09:17:49.110-07:002012-01-28T09:17:49.110-07:00It took a big slap up the side of my noggin about ...It took a big slap up the side of my noggin about three years ago for what you have said here, Pastor Spencer, to sink in. When our 'lead pastor' at Christ the Rock said to our praise band that there were people inclined not to come back because of the 'quality' of the band; that this was getting in the way of growing the church, I took notice. But not the way he was intending. Sadly, this attitude is becoming more prevalent in even what was considered the most conservative in orthodoxy.<br /><br />Your statement concerning the coming church meeting in the living room is prophetic in my opinion. Pastor Jackson has taken a lot of heat about Bethany Lutheran. He may be well ahead of his time...and high tech multi-site to boot.<br /><br />JoeJoe Krohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08675123326627773329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-28975512858993413082012-01-27T22:02:48.643-07:002012-01-27T22:02:48.643-07:00Twenty years ago my wife and I had the privilege o...Twenty years ago my wife and I had the privilege of helping to start a new WELS congregation. Everyone in our group was excited to spread the Gospel, and to move out of our rented space at the local community college. There is nothing wrong with that. However, I reminded them that if we never attracted one member, and the Mission Board took away our Pastor, we would have been successful. Why? We preached the Gospel. We must always remember, that's all we are called to do. The increase, if it comes, is from the Lord only. If we always call to mind that fact, it will never matter whether the WELS church is the largest or smallest on the block.<br /><br />Scott E. JungenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-77493326683738086942012-01-27T20:58:47.839-07:002012-01-27T20:58:47.839-07:00Luther - "The Gospel is thinly sown." Je...Luther - "The Gospel is thinly sown." Jesus, "Many are called but few are chosen."<br /><br />The speaker might have been Kelm. I heard him end an evangelism (CGM) conference that way.Ichabod the Glory Has Departedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03119183283328283096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6881617320676906596.post-61616269856514527882012-01-27T18:59:13.638-07:002012-01-27T18:59:13.638-07:00Pastor Spencer,
First, I always enjoy reading you...Pastor Spencer,<br /><br />First, I always enjoy reading your editorials. It is like you are reading my mind, but much better able to express it that I am.<br /><br />Your story does not surprise me. It is almost as if we have not considered the ministries of the prophets or Christ himself, or read the first chapter of First Corinthians. By nature the gospel of Christ crucified repels the unconverted. Therefore, having the pure gospel means a church will be less likely to grow than churches that mute or dillute the gospel. Saying that the pure gospel will make us worldly-big is biblically ignorant -- and it reflects the theology of glory, not the cross. <br /><br />If God chooses to bless faithful proclamation with bigness, we can certainly be happy. He does that sometimes, like at Pentecost. He certainly has done that for some very faithful congregations in our synod. But the Scriptures sure seem to indicate that, for the most part, worldly-big won't be the result of faithful gospel preaching. <br /><br />So what happens when a church sets its eyes on size? In order to achieve it, faithfulness to the gospel often suffers. <br /><br />Our synod should stop worrying about the size of things and worry more about the faithfulness or our called workers and laypeople, being the clearest and most faithful preachers, teachers, and everyday witnesses we can be. <br /><br />Our pastors should stop saying and implying to their people that having the gospel will make us grow numerically. There is no such Scriptural promise for bigness -- only a forecast to the contrary, as you point out.<br /><br />Thanks again for your work,<br />Paul JenkinsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com