Welcome to the Issues, Etc. One Year CAnniversaryTM

Where were you, and what were you doing on 9/11, the day the Twin Towers collapsed in a heap of twisted metal? You remember don’t you? Similarly, many of us remember where we were and what we were doing on the day that Issues, Etc. was silenced. Those moments are seared into our collective consciousness. Unlike 9/11 however, on Black Tuesday we couldn’t turn on the TV and see the story unfold. We were never reassured by a confident and caring President standing at ground zero, putting his arm around us and saying “Thank you for your hard work.” We could only wonder and fret, pray and console one another as our Holy Week meditation was interrupted by such unwelcome news. Of course, as time passed, all sorts of things were said and postulated as to why the show was canceled. Explanations were proffered, charts plotted, blogs born, radio shows spawned, and mutual tears shed. There were Purple Palace protests, petitions, and a posturing Council of Presidents utterance. There was even a new theological term introduced – the 4th Use of the Law. There were articles in national publications that rightfully splattered egg all over the face of the LCMS, and official LCMS responses. Yet happier times have prevailed.

This week on Stand Firm, we’ll relive some of those feelings, not to rant and rave about the cancellation of the show, but to celebrate its return and new found freedom. In some ways, its been a hard won freedom, but our real freedom wasn’t won by carrying signs or signing petitions, by soldering wires or sending emails. Our real freedom was won by Jesus Christ on a cross. So we celebrate twin freedoms really, our freedom of speech and our freedom in Christ to receive His gifts and serve our neighbor, and to proclaim His truths. We celebrate the freedom of the Issues, Etc. crew to forevermore proclaim the Gospel boldly, without encumbrance, as they should.

I emailed one of my friends a graphic. It was a photo of the Hogan’s Heros cast – Hogan with his smirky smile, Colonel Klink with his monocle, and Sergeant Schultz with his beer belly. Accompanying them was a simple caption which read “Where’s My Issues, Etc?” His response on seeing the graphic was “Wow. That pic brought back some memories.” That’s what I’d like to do this week, bring back some memories. March 18th is the one year anniversary of the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and the firing of Host Pastor Todd Wilken and Producer Jeff Schwarz – what I’m calling the CAnniversary^TM, since they both got canned. As the week unfolds we’ll share sights and sounds that will indeed “bring back some memories.” And better yet, I’m going to drift into the shadows and let my guest bloggers have a shot at it.



Joining us this week will be guest bloggers Pastor Bill Cwirla, Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, Chris Rosebrough, Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, & Pastor Todd Wilken, and maybe even a mystery blogger. I can’t think of a group of writers I’d rather hang out with.

I hope you’ll enjoy yourselves, as we join our hands and raise our arms in celebration of “our” Issues, Etc.


The legal stuff:

Just about everything posted this week that wasn’t created by me is used with permission.

The videos were created by Pastor David Gallas.

No ecclesiastical supervisors were harmed in the production of the CAnniversary^TM.