Curing Souls

Most of us don’t consider our pastor to be a psychotherapist, and some pastors shy away from the realm of psychotherapy. Yet theology and psychotherapy do overlap. Pastor Randy Asburry, author of the blog Rasburry’s Res, reports on his trip to DOXOLOGY in two of his recent blog posts, posts that I hope you’ll take a look at if you’re a Lutheran pastor.

The purpose of DOXOLOGY, according to their website, is “to provide ongoing spiritual care opportunities for Lutheran pastors. Participants will be refreshed and equipped as a result of their participation in a program of soul care grounded in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. The Center provides an excellent setting for clergy to reflect on their own spiritual health and offers a program carefully crafted to help them review and enhance their professional competencies and skills.”

The event Pastor Asburry attended was taught by Dr. Harold Senkbeil and Dr. Beverly Yahnke, and judging from Pastor Asburry’s reaction, is well worth the time spent for those pastors interested in their own renewal, and the improvement of their spiritual care and counsel. You can read his blog posts here and here.

Coming Soon: The Lutheran Study Bible

My e-Sword program has for several years now included a copy of the English Standard Version translation (ESV) of the Bible, to which I make frequent reference. If you haven’t noticed, the ESV has rapidly become the unofficial “official” translation of the LCMS. It’s used in The Lutheran Service Book and The Treasury of Daily Prayer. It’s probably used in your church bulletin, and the Small Catechism is now available in an ESV version. The ESV is more faithful to the text of the original languages, and doesn’t carry the hint of Reformed theology that a translation like the NIV contains.

So why don’t I have a bound version of the ESV you ask? Because I’m waiting for the release of the Concordia Publishing House version of the ESV, called The Lutheran Study Bible, which is due to be released in October of 2009.

The Lutheran Study Bible is not just an ESV version of the old Concordia Self-Study Bible, it’s new from the ground up. And it’s a pan-Lutheran project, with Lutheran theologians and pastors from over twenty Lutheran church bodies working on the project.

Lutherans have always viewed reading the Bible as a devotional act, and I like how that belief is reflected in the structure of The Lutheran Study Bible, which includes notes which explain Law and Gospel in the particular passage, and “provide a petition or praise to guide the reader into prayer.” There are also quotes from the Lutheran Confessions, Luther, and the Small Catechism, as well as quotes from early church fathers, and other Medieval and Reformation era Christian writers to add depth.

Starting in February, you can pre-order The Lutheran Study Bible, which I’d recommend, since it will save you dollars, and bring out the richness of the Scriptures in a way that only Lutheran theology can do. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103 ESV


For further info:

The official TLSB site at CPH

The Lutheran Study Bible group on Facebook, which currently has 1,469 members. Join the party!

Pastor Paul McCain’s sneak preview of TLSB, complete with screenshots

Finally, Pastor McCain’s review of that “other” ESV Bible that was recently released, the ESV Study Bible. This study Bible contains notes of a Reformed Calvinist-Zwinglian variety. I mention it for two reasons: 1) So you don’t get confused and buy this one by mistake, and 2) To recommend that you read Pastor McCain’s excellent review of it. Once you’ve read the review, you’ll have a fuller appreciation of how important the notes in a study Bible can be, and why you’ll want to run out and grab a copy of TLSB post-haste.

Aiming Low

Quoting former LCMS President J.A.O. Preus, from the preface to Essays for the Church:

Perhaps in our day of sleazy advertising and ecclesiastical gimmickry we greatly underestimate the capacity of pastors, teachers, and lay people to understand and appreciate good, sound and practical theology.

C.F.W. Walther, Essays for the Church, Vol. 1 (St. Louis: Concordia, 1992) 8.

A Tale of Two Surveys

This Synodical restructuring thing is serious business. We’re not just deciding how to route the interoffice mail here. As several fellow LCMS members whom I trust have pointed out, what we decide at the 2010 Synodical Convention may change the structure of our Synod from one which is based on a doctrinal orientation to one which is based on a hierarchical command structure. If that happens, doctrine will take a seat somewhere towards the rear of the airplane, right at a time when one engine has already flamed out, there’s a load of ice on the wings, and we’re headed right for the mountains. Unfortunately, the majority of the passengers are unaware of what’s going on, because it’s dark outside.

In what seems like a different lifetime, I once took an online survey being taken by the “leadership” of the congregation I was a member of at the time. There were several things I’ve never forgotten about that poll. First off, the survey was obviously written by somebody who was not a Lutheran based on the questions that were asked (it was administered by a well known organization in Evangelicalism). Second, it was ridiculously skewed towards finding out just how great the congregational leadership was doing. They asked questions like “What aspects or parts of our church do you particularly like or appreciate and find helpful to you?” I had to leave some of the questions blank, because there was no selection offered which reflected how I felt, and there was nowhere on the form to type in your comments. It was pretty upsetting that they spent church funds on that. I later found out that the results of the survey weren’t quite what they were looking for (the results were never released to the congregation). This particular expensive survey likely found its way to the mouth of the paper shredder. Fast forward to present time.

At the recent North Dakota District Convention the delegates were presented a very brief summary of the twenty proposed Synodical changes recommended by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG) and were then asked to take a survey. (You can view the entire NDD survey form here.) The third “slide” of the Task Force presentation made the following statement: “The Synod faces significant challenges in accomplishing mission and ministry today in the unchurched culture. Now is the time to find ways to improve support for....” Those of you who are familiar with the steps used by experts to facilitate a paradigm shift may have noted that the presentation’s wording presents two of the classic steps used to facilitate change. First, it creates a sense of “discontent” with the current situation – “The Synod faces significant challenges in accomplishing mission and ministry today...,” implying something is wrong with the way we have previously done our mission and ministry. Then, it creates a sense of urgency, that we must act now to avert our doom, “Now is the time....” Their statement is strategically placed to soften you up for the suggested changes to follow in their presentation.

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God Works Through Means

We all need a reminder once in a while. Quoting from the Solid Declaration, II, 54.

God works through means (i.e., the preaching and hearing of His Word). He breaks our hearts [Jeremiah 4:3-4] and draws us to Him [John 6:44]. Through the preaching of the Law, a person comes to know his sins and God's wrath. He experiences in his heart true terrors, contrition, and sorrow. Through the preaching of, and reflection on, the Holy Gospel about the gracious forgiveness of sins in Christ, a spark of faith is kindled in him. This faith accepts the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake and comforts itself with the Gospel promise. So the Holy Spirit (who does all this) is sent into the heart [Galatians 4:6].

Stacking the Deck in Favor of the Blue Ribbon Proposals: Forewarned is Forearmed

Buckle your seatbelts. It’s going to be a rough ride. The Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG for “short”) is in the months-long-process of giving a presentation to each of the Synod’s District Conventions on their proposed restructuring of the Synod. Earlier in the week I was told by one of my friends that officials in their district were discouraged by someone higher up in the Synod from spending much time at the District level discussing the restructuring issues. Since this was essentially hearsay, I didn’t mention it. Now, however, this “rumor” seems as though it may be valid.

The North Dakota District Convention was held this week. In attendance was Pastor Arie Bertsch, the pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota. Here is what Pastor Bertsch had to say, which I reprint with his permission and encouragement:

To all,

The North Dakota District Convention closed yesterday. Be aware that the Blue Ribbon Task Force does a survey the first hour of their presentation. As they present the 20 points of restructuring you are asked to respond with "Strongly Agree" "Agree" "Unsure" "Disagree" and "Strongly Disagree". That gives you about 3 minutes to think through and make a decision. After the first hour presentation we had a break. When I returned to change some of my responses the survey had been collected. The second hour of presentation was the chance to question any of the 20 points. There was not enough time to get through them all. There were 4 overtures that the floor committee were holding until after the Task Force presentation and the floor committee decided that they were irrelevant after the presentation, and they were not going to bring them to the floor. I tried to bring them back to the floor but the question was called before there was opportune time to discuss if they should be brought to the floor. The vocal vote was close but was decided in favor of keeping the overtures from going to the assembly. The overtures were in the Convention work book. My concern for the rest of the District Conventions is that you do not allow them to ask for a survey without proper discussion first. Also, watch your floor committees on overtures that they do not keep the overtures offered from reaching the floor.

Rev. Arie Bertsch
Now, 2nd Vice President North Dakota District

After receiving Pastor Bertsch’s note, I corroborated his statements with several other pastors who were in attendance. One pastor said “I can verify that what Arie said about how things went down is 100% accurate and his opinions are well founded and well thought out.” A second said “I believe that Pastor Bertsch’s comments are accurate.” A third said “Yes, I can confirm that what Arie says is accurate.” Pastor Michael Swofford stated “The comments made by our 2nd Vice President, Arie Bertch, are most defiantly true and I agree with him and stand behind him 100%.”

Pastor Scott Hojnacki had this to say:

The presentation to the North Dakota District Convention was made collaboratively by President Kieschnick, Vice-President Diekelman, and Task Force Chairman Greene. Two hours were allotted for the presentation on Tuesday afternoon, January 20.

At the beginning of the first hour, delegates were provided with a survey and invited to respond to each of the twenty points of the proposal (some of which were divided into subpoints), using a numerical ranking system: Strongly Agree (5), Agree (4), Not Sure (3), Disagree (2), Strongly Disagree (1). No space or opportunity was provided on the survey for written comments.

During the first hour, the presentation was given as it appears on the Synod website. The presenters primarily read verbatim from the slides, occasionally adding an explanatory comment. At the conclusion of each of the twenty points, delegates were instructed to respond on the survey to that particular point, and were given approximately 15-20 seconds to do so. Questions or comments from the floor were strongly discouraged, with the assurance that the second hour of the presentation would be available for delegate questions. With twenty points to cover in one hour, the presentation needed to proceed efficiently and without interruption. At the end of the first hour, the surveys were collected by the Task Force and the convention took a short break.

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Dr. Noland on Issues, Etc.

Dr. Martin Noland, former director of the Concordia Historical Institute, was recently interviewed on Issues, Etc. concerning Lutheran denominations in America. Here are a couple of quotes of Dr. Noland being interviewed by Host Todd Wilken:

Pastor Wilken:

One of the most conservative theologians in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Dr. James Nestingen, was once asked on this program, “Why don’t you just join the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod if your concerns are so great about your own?” And his answer was “The Church Growth movement.” What do you think Dr. Nestigen meant?...

Dr. Noland:

His concern is that we’re heading down the path of ruin as far as the Lutheran Church is concerned, because when you replace doctrine with growth or numbers, growth is gonna win and doctrine’s gonna lose. And I think Nestigen, he’s using what time he has in retirement to shore up what’s left of Lutheranism in the ELCA, and I commend him for that. But no, he’s right. The point, this has been a big problem and will continue to be until our leadership takes a firm stand on these issues of church growth.

A little later in the show:

Pastor Wilken:

In the vein of kind of the future of denominations, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, its current President Gerald Kieschnick, has through various actions been asking big questions about whether or not the structure of this Lutheran Church body should remain the way it is. It appears to me that what’s being pushed here is the switch from a doctrinal model of organization, that is, for ecclesiastical supervision, congregations are the basic unit, and we have a sound theological understanding of ourselves as a synod, as a church body. A switch from a doctrinal model to a kind of a corporate business model. How does that bode for the future of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod?

Dr. Noland:

Well it bodes very badly if this is the direction the Synod goes, and I’m saying “if.” I’m not making an assumption that the Synod is going to accept that at the next convention or maybe the one thereafter. But there are actually two things. First off, you’re right, that the doctrine would take second, third, maybe last place in order of priorities under that type of organization. But the other issue that I see is collegiality. I’ve been around, my family, my ancestors have been around the Missouri Synod for a long time, and one thing I can tell the difference under the current generation of leaders in the Missouri Synod compared to previous generations, and I’m talking about pastors that retired in the 1960's, is the pastors in the 1960's were collegial. They viewed each other as equals even when they were in a higher office, or in a professorship position. And I’m not sure that I can say about this group that’s here today, and with the type of proposals that they’re suggesting for structure it will be the end of collegiality. What they really want is various classes of pastors and laymen and church workers, and not to treat each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, because that used to be one of the strengths of the Missouri Synod. Not just a democratic organization, but a sense of equality. And I’m afraid that we’re losing that. I don’t want to lose it, because I think it’s a great gift that was given to our church by its original founders.

Throw Us a Bone!

Sir Winston Churchill gave a speech to the House of Commons in 1940 entitled “Never Was So Much Owed By So Many To So Few.” Reflecting on the Synod’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance, you could flip Sir Winston’s words around, and instead say “Never before was so much owed to so many by so few.” Since the release of the BRTFSSG document there have been many comments and speculations on what it all means, but no follow up with us peons out here in the trenches - the ones whom all of this directly affects. Aren’t the “so many” owed some sort of explanation? A few questions answered? Come on, throw us a bone here! According to the Synod’s timeline, “Presentations and feedback on task force recommendations are being planned for all 35 LCMS district conventions next year [that’s now!], beginning in North Dakota (Jan. 18-21) and ending in Central Illinois (July 5-7).” Apparently we’re all to go into our district conventions cold, with no prior information or ability to think these important issues through. If there’s a reason they can’t provide us with further details, they could at least provide us with the reason why they can’t provide details, especially since their original document, “Walking Together - The LCMS Future,” was released a full five months ago.

The most recent response I’ve seen to the Task Force proposals comes from Dr. George Adams, member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jackson, WY. Here are a couple of the highlights of Dr. Adams’ comments. The non-italicized wording is part of the original “Walking Together” document; the italicized wording is that of Dr. Adams’. You can find Dr. Adams’ comments here.

Doctrinal Resolutions and Statements: The current Bylaws provide excellent summary statements of the Synod’s confession of faith, doctrinal resolutions and statements, and a dissent process.
How many erring district presidents and pastors are reproved for violating the summary statements? When are we to start confessing the Bylaws instead of The Word, The Creed, the Lutheran Confessions?

• Features of a focused convention:
• Focus on theology, contemporary issues, common confession and mission, nurture, inspiration, and celebration

The underlined words appear to be buzz words – what is the definition of each? Do we not already have a common confession and mission? What appears to be hidden here is an agenda for watering down of theology and worship practices. Before we buy into any of these, there needs to be a detailed, Scripturally and doctrinally based definition of the purpose of each.
The entire list looks like agenda matters for various conferences, whether national, regional, or district, rather than “convention” issues. This proposal begins to look like the normal nature of “professional society” conventions – a little business, a lot of “conventioneering”. What an opportunity for good works to abound!

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An Inherent Problem With Our Polity

Quoting Pastor Todd Peperkorn, from his paper "How Two Missouri Synod Leaders Handled False Doctrine and Dissent in the Twentieth Century: Francis Pieper and John Behnken," available at Consensus:

...I would also suggest to you that perhaps there is an inherent problem with our polity that makes it difficult, perhaps even impossible, to have real, substantive theological debate and supervision in our church. As long as every theological issue will be decided by voting, in either elections or resolutions, it will be nigh well impossible for us to approach them as a church.

The Result of Theological Quackery

Quoting Professor John T. Pless from his book Handling the Word of Truth:

Only where the Law has crushed sinners does the Gospel do its gracious work of healing the broken-hearted. The Law must kill the old Adam if the Gospel is to resurrect a new man to walk before God in righteousness and holiness. The Law cannot be reasoned away be theological sleight of hand. That is why Gerhard Forde calls antinomianism a “fake theology.” It is a fake theology, “for if you want to remove the law, it is necessary to remove sin and death,” says Luther. Only Christ can to [sic] that! When antinomians ancient or modern try to make the Law go away by theological quackery, they only succeed in relocating the Law. They end up inserting it into the Gospel. That makes for a legalized Gospel, which is no comfort to sinners. It only encourages them to live in the fantasy that sin is not so lethal after all.

John T. Pless, Handling the Word of Truth: Law and Gospel in the Church Today, (St. Louis: CPH, 2004) 44-45.