Comments for Cross-Focused Leadership for Missouri

Comment on Black Bread and Leadership in the LCMS by Uwe Siemon-Netto by Dr. Mark Laverty

Dr. Mark Laverty — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:17:53 +0000

AMEN, and again I say, AMEN! Thank you, Dr. Siemon-Netto!
I love Schwarzbrot!

Comment on Profiles in LCMS Presidential Leadership by Rev Paul Schlueter

Rev Paul Schlueter — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:13:18 +0000

We live in trying times. Every one of us will readily acknowledge the challenges we face in our own generation -with wars and bad economies and an irreligious civil society. We tend to think of the years of our fathers as golden years, as simpler times than our own. Not so.

In his portion of the the Issues, Etc. Profiles in Leadership interview, Dr Wohlrabe characterizes the challenges faced by Freiderich Pfotenhauer during the years of his presidency and leadership in our synod. The world was at war. The church was recovering from the Predestinarian Controversy. Anti-German sentiments led to fire bombings of Lutheran Churches and Schools. Union movements were beginning to gain a foothold among Lutheran congregations. It was truly a difficult and challenging era.

Yet through these challenges President Pfotenhauer remained staunch and steadfast in leading the Missouri Synod according to the Word of God and her confessions. In 1936 Pfotenhauer addressed a gathering of pastors with the following words:

“If we desire to elevate spiritual life, then we must be completely confident in the way of salvation. God from eternity has established and laid down clearly and plainly in His Word this order of salvation. If we do not follow this, spiritual life will neither be begotten nor elevated. And since the way of salvation is so very foreign to human nature, unless we constantly take note of the Word, we will go astray in doctrine and practice.

\Spiritual life comes about, and will be maintained, through faith in Jesus Christ, through confidence in the declaration of justification, which God has created through the redemptive work of Christ and proclaimed in the Gospel. And this spiritual life is realized immediately through holiness and piety, and through living in the commandments of God.”

Comment on Seriously! by Ageena Hass

Ageena Hass — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:03:15 +0000

Great job ladies! I’m so hopeful that Pastor Harrison will soon be President Pastor Harrison, having been his parishioner in a time of great personal need and as is so evident in all his writings and such he is always a Pastor at heart and just exactly who we need to lead in this time.

Comment on Matt Harrison Can NOT Unify the Synod (But He Knows Who Can) by Reed

Reed — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:35:37 +0000

This is the answer I have emphasized in my local LCMS congregation and I have been thrown stones for such ideas. They care more about doing things for the community and increasing the memberships using ‘Church Growth’ ideas. I left that church sadly in 2003 and now attend a WELS congregation where we have bible studies, studies on the Book of Concord and Evangelism Commitees. It is unfortunate that I had to leave a church I had loved for years and had my kids all baptized at just to go to a church that holds more sacred the Word of God than the LCMS does. I pray it is God’s will for Rev. Harrison to be the next LCMS President becasue if Rev. Kieshnick has his way he will drive the LCMS further towards a ELCA model and less like the vision that C.F.W. Walther had for the LCMS in the beginning.

Comment on What can I do to help? by Kathleen Stahlhut

Kathleen Stahlhut — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:31:47 +0000

Thank you for this encouragement. The confessional core of the congregation I serve as Director of Music is under pressure to make “changes” due to declining numbers. Please pray for us.

Comment on What can I do to help? by Richard Eischen

Richard Eischen — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:42:20 +0000

This site is a breath of fresh air. I thank God for this site, and for all who contributed to it in every possible way.

Comment on What Others Are Saying .. Pr David Mueller on the BRTFSSG by Richard Eischen

Richard Eischen — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:26:11 +0000

“When it came to the Q and A, I was extremely disappointed. Our doctrine and theology had nothing to do with the work the BRTF did, except, perhaps, for starting out with “polity is adiaphora”, which seems to have become the excuse to do whatever we want to do with the structure of our synod.”

This is scary. It’s time for a change, and not just any change. The LCMS should not have to put up with this ‘anything goes’ attitude. Moving ‘forward’ is taking us backwards when we are moving in the wrong direction. May God bless us this year with humble, godly leadership who genuinely care about biblical doctrine (teaching) and it’s application in all parts of the life of our church.

Comment on Harrison the Pastor by Harry Juech

Harry Juech — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:20:25 +0000

I am firmly convinced that we need change. I have been a member of a LCMS Congregation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since my marriage. 58 years ago, prior to that I was a member of another LCMS Congregation where I was Conformed in 1942. I was educated in a Lutheran Grade School, with dedicated Christian teachers. I had Pastors who were totally dedicated to the Word and Sacraments. Names that are etched in the Annals of TIH, I married a woman I met in the Walther League, we both served our Congregation in many ways, In the OLD DAYS when we had Voter’s Meetings we discussed and determined the future of the Congregation. I was a Church Officer for 12 years, a Deacon for 7 years. We had a vibrant Congregation in spite of the changing Community. In the final years of his life I was a chauffeur to my Pastor. His eyesight was going, so he could not drive, so I took him to the doctor, the dentist, the bank and the barber. In each of these trips I would give him a tour of the city, especially the old campus of the college, he died in 1998 at age 86, but I will never forget his words about the change in focus of the SWD, I hope they know what they are doing, today I still help his widow, now 96, but as sharp as a tack. Still playing the Organ, once a month at our local Lutheran Home.
Yes, we need change.

Comment on Black Bread and Leadership in the LCMS by Uwe Siemon-Netto by Richard Eischen

Richard Eischen — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:47:16 +0000

Amen.

Comment on Education: The Real Reason for Church Growth and Decline by Mrs. Hume

Mrs. Hume — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:49:05 +0000

Can you say birth control?

How do you expect to grow if you don’t even have enough kids to replace yourselves?

Children are a reward. However many didn’t really get that message in Sunday School.

I am teaching it to my kids at home, but it is very disappointing that they don’t hear it at church.