Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Bored? Try One of These LCMS Events

Maybe you’re looking for a stiff challenge to fine tune your apologetics skills, or maybe you like the sound of the Latin phrase opinio legis, or maybe, let’s be really honest here, you’re tired of the same old Lutheran Word and Sacrament gig and want to do something that will take your faith to the next level. If so, have I got a deal for you. Here are three upcoming events that may be just what you’re looking for, courtesy of various groups in the LCMS:

If you’d like to be taught by a man whose world view is based on his belief that God is in everything (panentheism), check out the South Wisconsin District’s upcoming Professional Growth Workshop featuring Dr. Leonard Sweet. Personally, I believe that Dr. Sweet’s worldview will influence his ideas on education in a negative way. My two kids attended Lutheran schools for a total of twenty years. They turned out pretty good in spite of the fact that none of the three Lutheran schools we attended were enlightened by Leonard Sweet’s ideas. For a good review of Dr. Sweet’s futuristic ideas, check out Pastor Ken Silva’s blog post “Emergence Christianity: Quantum Shift to Panentheism,” and a portion of Warren B. Smith’s book A Wonderful Deception.

If you’d like to improve your life by embracing the false idea that the driving force in your own sanctification is you, and Christianity will make your life better and better, be sure to catch Beth Moore’s “Living Proof Live” Fall 2010 simulcast by giving Our Savior Lutheran Church in Tacoma, Washington a call. This event will be less burdensome if you’ve managed to expunge from your conscience God’s command to ordain only women. To hear more about Beth Moore, read what Susan Disston has to say in Modern Reformation Magazine, or listen to Ellie Corrow on this segment of Issues, Etc.

If you’d like to link up with others who believe that God works without means (enthusiasm), the Northwest District’s prayer retreat, put on by the Center for Prayer Renewal looks like a safe bet. They’re looking for people interested in “deepening their Spiritual Formation” through such practices as quieting exercises, mediation, lectio divina, and the Jesus Prayer. For a review of enthusiasm and the whole spiritual formation process check out all of last week’s posts here at Stand Firm.

What does this mean? Be a Berean. The Bereans verified that what the apostle Paul himself said agreed with Scripture. In the case of these three events, you can probably figure out that they won’t agree with Scripture before you ever get there. Save yourself the money you’d spend on gas and buy something that properly distinguishes Law and Gospel, possibly Concordia Publishing House’s latest offering of C.F.W. Walther’s classic Law & Gospel. It’ll be money well spent.

5 comments:

Frank Gillespie said...

Boy, that Lenard Sweet fellow has become quite popular with LCMS folk!

Do you know if the SED is providing the presenter for the prayer retreat?

Scott Diekmann said...

We're pretty independent up here in the the Pacific Northwest Frank. The presenter isn't from the SED. He, or they, are from around here. We reinvent everything here. We've got our own Ablaze! sort of thing going (Tracking the Spirit), our own laymen as pastors program (Leadership Advancement Process), and now our own set of spiritual disciplines. Maybe next we'll form our own Synod, which would be a blessing.

Frank Gillespie said...

I oppose this independence of yours! Your district should fall under the direct ecclesiastical supervision of my DP if for no other reason than to insure your new practices meet the high standards we have set and defend.

Scott Diekmann said...

Frank, I've got bad news. It sounds like we're going to have to settle our differences with some sort of Blue Ribbon Task Force. In a general sense though, I think our undiscerning practices can beat up your undiscering practices.

Anonymous said...

Pogo was right: "We have met the enemy and he is us!"


Johannes