CLC Churches Sites http://clclutheran.org Just another clclutheran.org site Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:05:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 At the Foot of the Cross http://clclutheran.org/at-the-foot-of-the-cross http://clclutheran.org/at-the-foot-of-the-cross#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:04:04 +0000 admin http://clclutheran.org/?p=1117 Fellow Servants of Christ:

Pastoral Letter February 2010

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast Save in the death of Christ, my God;

All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.

TLH 175:2

Next Wednesday, we begin another Lenten journey that ends at the foot of the cross. The cross is where the saving glory of the Lord is revealed to sinful men. The foolishness of the cross is indeed the power of God. Our lives and our ministries are lived under the cross. The cross is the proclamation of the Gospel of God’s saving love. Second Corinthians reveals the paradox of the Gospel and the Gospel ministry of reconciliation which has been entrusted to us. The preaching of the cross is foolishness and weakness to the world. The glory of the Gospel and the glory of our ministry is hidden to the world because it is the opposite of what the world considers important and world-changing.

So at first, it is strange to hear the Apostle Paul boast of his ministry in chapters 10 and 11 of Second Corinthians. He begs your indulgence as he is forced to defend his Gospel ministry. “Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly; and indeed you do bear with me” (2 Cor 11:1). Paul boasts not in what he has done but in what God has done through his clay pot ministry. “We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us; a sphere which especially includes you” (2 Cor 10:13). God had used Paul to bring the Gospel to this area of the earth, and it was Paul’s prayer that this base of operations would enable him to preach the Gospel in lands beyond Corinth and Acacia. The principle of grace is clear, “But he who glories, let him glory in the LORD” (2 Cor 10:17). This reflects the theme already set forth in Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD’” (1 Cor 1:30-31). This anniversary year we need to be careful that our boasting and celebration is centered in the Lord and the cross and not in ourselves.

Secondly, it is strange to hear what the Apostle Paul boasts about in his ministry. He does not boast in apparent triumphs as the world numbers them but in what he suffered for the sake of the Gospel. Sometimes we complain and become discouraged by things which, when compared to Paul’s problems, are petty and insignificant. In chapter eleven, Paul foolishly dares to boast of his background. And then like a madman, he boasts of his imprisonments, his beatings, and his encounters with death for the Gospel’s sake. We have experienced none of these things in our Gospel ministry. But we have shared Paul’s concern and empathy for the people we serve as pastors. “Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation” (2 Cor 11:28-29)? Like Paul, we need to glorify in (boast of) our weaknesses which highlight the glory of the cross.

This anniversary year the weakness of our collective ministry is made evident by the fact that we can not do the things we would like to do. Like many church organizations, our congregations our church body faces financial challenges which humanly seem to limit our ministry. The CLC adopted a budget of $1,634,264 knowing this was $40,000 more than the congregation’s CBP estimates. We did this with the knowledge that we had a Reserve Fund of about $100,000, hoping that we would not have to make drastic cuts in our operating Mission and ILC budgets. At this point (after seven months) it appears that we will be $30,000 additionally short in CBP offerings. It is also likely that there will be a large deficit at ILC because of increased commodity (food) and utility costs ($20,000+). It is possible that this year’s deficit will consume the entire Reserve Fund. This would mean that we will have to make real cuts in the Mission budget and ILC for next year. The Lord is teaching us to boast only in Him and in the cross of Christ. We realize through this that we are fully dependent upon God for our daily bread and the resources to do His work in these last days. If we are going to boast about anything, it is only in what the Lord has done for us.

I would also remind you of Pastor’s Karp’s surgery for bladder cancer. He does not have medical insurance and will need help with ongoing expenditures. I have authorized the appeal for funds for Pastor Karp through you. Gifts may be sent to Pastor Karp or to his congregation.

With awe and humility we once again enter into the holy season of Lent. Preach nothing but Christ crucified.

John Schierenbeck

Please be sure your congregation’s CBP figures are in the hands of Pastor Mike Roehl by Ash Wednesday.

]]> http://clclutheran.org/at-the-foot-of-the-cross/feed 0 testing_connections http://clclutheran.org/testing_connections http://clclutheran.org/testing_connections#comments Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:34:49 +0000 admin http://clclutheran.org/?p=1110
wpdb Object ( [show_errors] => 1 [suppress_errors] => [last_error] => [num_queries] => 40 [last_query] => (SELECT *, `organization` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `last_name` = '' AND `group_name` = '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) UNION (SELECT *, `group_name` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `group_name` != '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) UNION (SELECT *, `last_name` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `last_name` != '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) ORDER BY `sort_column`, `last_name`, `first_name` [col_info] => Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [name] => id [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 2 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 1 [blob] => 0 [type] => int [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [1] => stdClass Object ( [name] => ts [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 19 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 1 [blob] => 0 [type] => timestamp [unsigned] => 1 [zerofill] => 1 ) [2] => stdClass Object ( [name] => first_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 7 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [3] => stdClass Object ( [name] => last_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 9 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [4] => stdClass Object ( [name] => title [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 6 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [5] => stdClass Object ( [name] => organization [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [6] => stdClass Object ( [name] => department [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [7] => stdClass Object ( [name] => group_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [8] => stdClass Object ( [name] => birthday [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [9] => stdClass Object ( [name] => anniversary [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [10] => stdClass Object ( [name] => bio [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [11] => stdClass Object ( [name] => notes [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [12] => stdClass Object ( [name] => addresses [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 380 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [13] => stdClass Object ( [name] => phone_numbers [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 481 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [14] => stdClass Object ( [name] => email [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 259 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [15] => stdClass Object ( [name] => im [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 442 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [16] => stdClass Object ( [name] => websites [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 117 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [17] => stdClass Object ( [name] => options [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 79 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [18] => stdClass Object ( [name] => visibility [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 6 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [19] => stdClass Object ( [name] => date_added [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [20] => stdClass Object ( [name] => entry_type [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 10 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [21] => stdClass Object ( [name] => honorable_prefix [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [22] => stdClass Object ( [name] => middle_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [23] => stdClass Object ( [name] => honorable_suffix [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [24] => stdClass Object ( [name] => contact_first_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [25] => stdClass Object ( [name] => contact_last_name [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [26] => stdClass Object ( [name] => social [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 4 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [27] => stdClass Object ( [name] => added_by [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 1 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 1 [blob] => 0 [type] => int [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [28] => stdClass Object ( [name] => edited_by [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 1 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 1 [blob] => 0 [type] => int [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [29] => stdClass Object ( [name] => owner [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 1 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 1 [blob] => 0 [type] => int [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [30] => stdClass Object ( [name] => status [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 8 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 0 [type] => string [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [31] => stdClass Object ( [name] => service_times [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 0 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) [32] => stdClass Object ( [name] => sort_column [table] => [def] => [max_length] => 9 [not_null] => 1 [primary_key] => 0 [multiple_key] => 0 [unique_key] => 0 [numeric] => 0 [blob] => 1 [type] => blob [unsigned] => 0 [zerofill] => 0 ) ) [queries] => [prefix] => wp_1_ [ready] => 1 [blogid] => 1 [siteid] => 1 [blogs] => wp_blogs [signups] => wp_signups [site] => wp_site [sitemeta] => wp_sitemeta [sitecategories] => wp_sitecategories [global_tables] => Array ( [0] => blogs [1] => signups [2] => site [3] => sitemeta [4] => users [5] => usermeta [6] => sitecategories [7] => registration_log [8] => blog_versions ) [posts] => wp_1_posts [users] => wp_users [categories] => wp_1_categories [post2cat] => wp_1_post2cat [comments] => wp_1_comments [links] => wp_1_links [options] => wp_1_options [postmeta] => wp_1_postmeta [usermeta] => wp_usermeta [terms] => wp_1_terms [term_taxonomy] => wp_1_term_taxonomy [term_relationships] => wp_1_term_relationships [tables] => Array ( [0] => posts [1] => categories [2] => post2cat [3] => comments [4] => links [5] => link2cat [6] => options [7] => postmeta [8] => terms [9] => term_taxonomy [10] => term_relationships ) [field_types] => Array ( [post_author] => %d [post_parent] => %d [menu_order] => %d [term_id] => %d [term_group] => %d [term_taxonomy_id] => %d [parent] => %d [count] => %d [object_id] => %d [term_order] => %d [ID] => %d [commment_ID] => %d [comment_post_ID] => %d [comment_parent] => %d [user_id] => %d [link_id] => %d [link_owner] => %d [link_rating] => %d [option_id] => %d [blog_id] => %d [meta_id] => %d [post_id] => %d [user_status] => %d [umeta_id] => %d [comment_karma] => %d [comment_count] => %d ) [charset] => utf8 [collate] => [real_escape] => 1 [dbh] => Resource id #10 [base_prefix] => wp_ [registration_log] => wp_registration_log [blog_versions] => wp_blog_versions [dmtable] => wp_domain_mapping [func_call] => $db->query("(SELECT *, `organization` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `last_name` = '' AND `group_name` = '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) UNION (SELECT *, `group_name` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `group_name` != '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) UNION (SELECT *, `last_name` AS `sort_column` FROM wp_1_connections WHERE `last_name` != '' AND `id` IN ('98') ) ORDER BY `sort_column`, `last_name`, `first_name`") [last_result] => Array ( [0] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 98 [ts] => 2010-01-21 00:51:14 [first_name] => Michael [last_name] => Eichstadt [title] => Pastor [organization] => [department] => [group_name] => [birthday] => [anniversary] => [bio] => [notes] => [addresses] => a:2:{i:0;a:7:{s:4:"type";s:4:"mail";s:13:"address_line1";s:22:"12145 W. Edgerton Ave.";s:13:"address_line2";s:0:"";s:4:"city";s:13:"Hales Corners";s:5:"state";s:2:"WI";s:7:"zipcode";s:5:"53130";s:7:"country";s:0:"";}i:1;a:7:{s:4:"type";s:0:"";s:13:"address_line1";s:0:"";s:13:"address_line2";s:0:"";s:4:"city";s:0:"";s:5:"state";s:0:"";s:7:"zipcode";s:0:"";s:7:"country";s:0:"";}} [phone_numbers] => a:5:{i:0;a:3:{s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";s:6:"number";s:12:"414-427-9303";s:4:"type";s:9:"homephone";}i:1;a:3:{s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";s:6:"number";s:0:"";s:4:"type";s:7:"homefax";}i:2;a:3:{s:6:"number";s:12:"414-688-4517";s:4:"type";s:9:"cellphone";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:3;a:3:{s:6:"number";s:12:"414-427-9337";s:4:"type";s:9:"workphone";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:4;a:3:{s:6:"number";s:0:"";s:4:"type";s:7:"workfax";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}} [email] => a:2:{i:0;a:4:{s:7:"address";s:18:"meichsta@gmail.com";s:4:"name";s:14:"Personal Email";s:4:"type";s:8:"personal";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:1;a:4:{s:7:"address";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:10:"Work Email";s:4:"type";s:4:"work";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}} [im] => a:4:{i:0;a:4:{s:2:"id";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:3:"AIM";s:4:"type";s:3:"aim";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:1;a:4:{s:2:"id";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:8:"Yahoo IM";s:4:"type";s:5:"yahoo";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:2;a:4:{s:2:"id";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:20:"Jabber / Google Talk";s:4:"type";s:6:"jabber";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}i:3;a:4:{s:2:"id";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:9:"Messenger";s:4:"type";s:9:"messenger";s:10:"visibility";s:6:"public";}} [websites] => a:1:{i:0;a:4:{s:4:"type";s:0:"";s:4:"name";s:0:"";s:7:"address";s:18:"www.pastoreich.com";s:10:"visibility";s:0:"";}} [options] => a:2:{s:5:"entry";a:1:{s:4:"type";s:10:"individual";}s:16:"connection_group";N;} [visibility] => public [date_added] => [entry_type] => individual [honorable_prefix] => [middle_name] => [honorable_suffix] => [contact_first_name] => [contact_last_name] => [social] => b:0; [added_by] => 0 [edited_by] => 1 [owner] => 0 [status] => approved [service_times] => [sort_column] => Eichstadt ) ) [last_db_used] => other/read [result] => Resource id #865 [num_rows] => 1 [link2cat] => wp_1_link2cat [nggpictures] => wp_1_ngg_pictures [nggallery] => wp_1_ngg_gallery [nggalbum] => wp_1_ngg_album [rows_affected] => 1 [insert_id] => 0 ) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Array ( ) Array
 ]]> http://clclutheran.org/testing_connections/feed 0 His Inexpressible Gift http://clclutheran.org/pastoral-letter-january-2010 http://clclutheran.org/pastoral-letter-january-2010#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:06:25 +0000 admin http://clclutheran.org/?p=1097 Pastoral Letter
January 2010
2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.”
As we celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the formation of the Church of the Lutheran Confession,
we give thanks to God for His “inexpressible gift” to us. We give thanks not for the CLC, but for
the Gospel ministry God has entrusted to us. We gift thanks for the “inexpressible gift” of God’s
Son, Jesus and the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to us by the grace of God. Grace is the
undeserved gift of forgiveness and life to lost and condemned sinners.
In this section of 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul speaks of the “grace” of thankful giving.
These believers were enabled by God to bring their offerings out of faith and to show their
thanksgiving to God in a concrete way. Chapters eight and nine of Second Corinthians remind
us of the value of grace-giving:
! We look upon giving as a privilege not a choice.
(2 Corinthians 9:7) “for God loves a cheerful giver.”
! We give cheerfully, not reluctantly or under compulsion or pressure.
(2 Corinthians 9:7) “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or
of necessity;”
! We give proportionally from what God has given to us.
(2 Corinthians 8:12) “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what
one has, and not according to what he does not have.”
! We trust that God will supply what we need.
(2 Corinthians 9:8) “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you,
always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
Chapter nine reminds us that our giving causes others to thank God. As you witness the grace
of God through the generosity of others, you cannot help but give thanks to God. There is a
double benefit when you cheerfully and generously meet the needs of others, (2 Corinthians
9:12) “For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is
abounding through many thanksgivings to God,”
True thanksgiving by its very nature is directed toward God. The essence of our worship, the
essence of our life is gratitude toward God. Much of man’s superficial thanksgiving especially
in connection with anniversary celebrations is a glorification of what he has done. Thanksgiving
becomes a listing of what we have accomplished, what we have accumulated.
In order to give thanks we have to appreciate the gift that we have received. Thanks be to God
for His “inexpressible gift.” Words cannot capture or convey the sense of this gift that God has
given to us. This gift is more than the earthly blessings God has so richly given us. It is more
than the comfortable life we enjoy, it is more than our heath, it is even more than our families.
God’s gift is the gift of His grace as revealed in Jesus Christ. This is clear from verse 14, (2
Corinthians 9:14) “while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the
surpassing grace of God in you.” The Corinthians’ thankful giving to meet the needs of the
saints in Jerusalem was evidence of the surpassing grace of God in them. Their liberal giving
was proof of their “confession to the Gospel of Christ.” “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible
Gift.”
God’s gift to you is His Son Jesus Christ, (2 Corinthians 8:9) “For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you
through His poverty might become rich.” “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible Gift.”
God’s grace also caused you to believe in this Jesus as your Savior, contrary to human reason
or human expectations. (Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; {9} not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast.” The Holy Spirit who brought you to faith as an act of God’s grace, keeps you in this true
faith. “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible Gift.”
God invites you this anniversary year to consider what He has given to you by grace. God
gives you channels or opportunities to say “thank you” by meeting the needs of others.
Thanks-giving is a way of saying, “I believe that God who has given me this inexpressible gift of
grace will provide me with everything I need to give to others. (2 Corinthians 9:10-11) “Now He
who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing
and increase the harvest of your righteousness; {11} you will be enriched in everything for all
liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” “Thanks be to God for His
inexpressible Gift.”
I thank God for your faithful Gospel ministry.
John Schierenbeck
NOTE:
Please send in your CBP estimates to Pastor Mike Roehl immediately.

]]> http://clclutheran.org/pastoral-letter-january-2010/feed 0 In Christ God Was Reconciling the World To Himself http://clclutheran.org/in-christ-god-was-reconciling-the-world-to-himself http://clclutheran.org/in-christ-god-was-reconciling-the-world-to-himself#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:06:55 +0000 admin http://clclutheran.org/?p=1070 Pastoral Letter

October 2009

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

We continue our study of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In this letter the Apostle Paul presents the glory of the Gospel and the Gospel ministry in contrast to the weakness of those called to proclaim the Gospel. This Reformation month, Paul reminds us of the essence of the Gospel Ministry entrusted to us. God through Martin Luther restored the Gospel truth of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The sedes doctrina of the universal Gospel of reconciliation is revealed in this section of Paul’s second letter to the saints in Corinth.

In This Year of Jubilee We Are Reminded that the Ministry of Reconciliation Is That

“In Christ God Was Reconciling the World To Himself”

The message of the Gospel is what God has done for the entire world. This reconciliation is not something we did or agreed to. God in one act of grace unilaterally reconciled the entire world to Himself. This reconciliation took place solely through Jesus Christ. For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.

God did not simply ignore our sins or like a benevolent grandfather say that our sins are all right because we are His grandchildren. The Lord God is a holy and just God. Every sin under the law has to be punished. God did something greater because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. We are controlled and changed by the love of Christ. We are convinced by the Gospel that one died for all. Jesus, God’s holy Son, became man so that He could take the place of every person who lived and died under the law. Jesus perfectly kept the law of God in the place of every person. Jesus then died to bear the punishment of hell deserved by every person. These are the facts: Jesus died for all and was raised again in triumph.

This changes God’s perspective or view of us. He no longer regards us as sinners deserving of His just punishment. God views us as new creations in Christ. Old things have passed, beyond all things are new. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. And so we look at ourselves and at each other in a different way. The Gospel ministry regards no one from an earthly perspective or a worldly point of view.

And how did God do this? God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing or counting men’s sins against them. This is the heart of the Gospel. God, in Christ, does not charge to your account the sins you have committed. You have been declared righteous in God’ sight. The cost of this reconciliation is beyond belief. God charged the sins of the world to His sinless Son, Jesus. Consider the Gospel message of the last verse of our text. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The message of the Gospel is that God was in Christ reconciling world unto themselves not imputing their trespasses unto them. However, this is not the end of the story. It does not follow that the entire world having been reconciled to God will be saved. This message has to be proclaimed so that people will believe the Gospel of Christ and be saved. The sad fact is that through unbelief people reject God’s act of reconciliation and forgiveness which was accomplished though Jesus Christ.

For that purpose God has committed unto us the preaching or message of reconciliation as God pleads through us, “Be reconciled to God.” We have been made God’s ambassadors as though God Himself were directly making His appeal through us. The preaching of the Gospel, this message of God’s reconciliation through Jesus’ life and death for us brings people to faith in the Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel creates faith in the hearts of those who hear the preaching of the Gospel and keeps them in that faith until their end. The Gospel ministry is the link between the universal act of reconciliation and the individual appropriation of that reconciliation through faith in Jesus. The Gospel is all about Jesus and the power of God.

Think back to that familiar Gospel passage of John 3:16, “God so loved the world (universal reconciliation) that He gave His only Son that whoever believe in Him (individual reconciliation) should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is the glory of the Gospel ministry of reconciliation which has been entrusted to us as we plead to people everywhere “Be reconciled unto God who has reconciled the world unto Himself through Christ Jesus.”

This message of reconciliation changed Martin Luther and set in motion a true reformation of the organized church. The Reformation began with one man and his need to find oneness with God. When Luther could not find peace through his works in the Catholic Church, the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures revealed the simple fact of salvation by grace. It is an unbelievable message that God made His holy Son totally sinful so that He could declare sinners like us totally righteous.

If there is to be a reformation today, we as pastors in the CLC need to continue proclaiming this message of reconciliation which has been entrusted to us through those who began the CLC fifty years ago. In Luther’s day the Law predominated. People were inculcated with the preaching of an angry God who had to be appeased. The problem was that method of reconciliation (works of the law) only produced a self-righteous Pharisee or a guilt driven sinner. Today the culture of the world and the organized church does not recognize the existence of a Creator-God Who will call all people to answer for their behavior. The law has been watered down to a pablum of “do-your-own-thing” relativism. There is no consciousness of sin or its consequences. So we need to preach the Law in all its condemnatory force. However, we need to realize that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. We need to proclaim the life-giving message of reconciliation that in Christ God was reconciling the world unto Himself.

May God bless your Reformation/Reconciliation celebrations,

John Schierenbeck

]]> http://clclutheran.org/in-christ-god-was-reconciling-the-world-to-himself/feed 0 Hewn Rock http://clclutheran.org/hewn-rock http://clclutheran.org/hewn-rock#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:44:00 +0000 admin http://clclutheran.org/?p=1059 Interview with LW Schierenbeck

[flashvideo file="http://clclutheran.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/HewnRock.flv" /]

]]> http://clclutheran.org/hewn-rock/feed 0 CLC Journal of Theology Archive Page http://clclutheran.org/clc-journal-of-theology-archive-page http://clclutheran.org/clc-journal-of-theology-archive-page#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:35:28 +0000 clclutheran http://clclutheran.org/clc-journal-of-theology-archive-page/

CLC Journal of Theology Archive Page

Past Issues of the CLC Journal of Theology, in PDF format. Use Adobe’s Acrobat(TM) reader to read.

]]> http://clclutheran.org/clc-journal-of-theology-archive-page/feed 0 Our Jubliee in Christ http://clclutheran.org/our-jubliee-in-christ http://clclutheran.org/our-jubliee-in-christ#comments Sun, 11 Oct 2009 03:02:31 +0000 nate http://clclutheran.org/?p=42 Pastoral Letter August 2009

The main purpose of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is to defend the Gospel ministry. Super-apostles had been undermining Paul’s ministry in Corinth because they felt that Paul had a poor speaking ability and was not a very exciting pastor. With their worldly wisdom and influence, they also were confusing the new Christians in Corinth about their life-style as God’s people as well as basic doctrines of the Christian faith such as the bodily resurrection from the dead. They were undermining Paul’s ministry by promoting themselves.

Paul in second Corinthians does not personally defend himself against these attacks. Instead he sets forth the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of a true Gospel ministry. The Gospel ministry does not need gimmicks or worldly advertising techniques to accomplish God’s purposes. After all, God uses the foolishness and weakness of the Gospel to confound the pride of power of men. (1 Cor 1:25) “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

In This Year of Jubilee We Do Not Preach Ourselves But Jesus Christ As Lord Many of the preachers of Paul’s day were full of themselves. They felt that it was the power of their oratory, the charismatic nature of their personality that made the church grow. They were like the preacher who counted the conversions he had brought about in the same way the Indians kept the scalps of those they had killed on their belts. Today more than ever, large churches are built on the sand of the personality of their particular preacher. These ministries often are a tooting of the preachers’ own horns. Paul had a different view of the Gospel ministry. The Gospel ministry is about the treasure of the Gospel proclamation of the forgiveness of sins. The Gospel is all about what God has done for us. This is carried out in a true Gospel ministry. In chapter four, Paul uses the picture of a treasure in a clay pot. The clay pot is simply a vessel in which the treasure is placed. Every pastor is a clay pot. The clay pot is nothing. The emphasis is on the treasure. So we have the treasure of the Gospel in these clay pots – human beings with all their weaknesses and imperfections. Our 50th anniversary highlights the clay pot that is the Church of the Lutheran Confession.

Paul simply states, “For we do not preach ourselves.” The Gospel ministry is not about us and our preaching or our intellect or our power. The spotlight is always to be on Jesus Christ as Lord. We preach nothing else except Christ crucified. This means that we do not promote ourselves and what we do, but Christ and what Christ did for us. Paul now explains why the Gospel ministry is all about Jesus and not ourselves. God planned and carried out salvation through the miracle of the cross. Paul did not create this wondrous salvation. Furthermore, it is God who brings people to faith through the power of the Holy Spirt. The Holy Spirit opens our dead and darkened hearts so that we see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Paul knew this personally because on the way to Damascus, he was blinded by the bright light of Jesus’ presence. The Holy Spirit brought him to faith in Jesus Christ. It was God who preached Jesus in and through Paul.

To emphasize the power of the Gospel, God gave us this treasure of the Gospel in jars of clay. God chose the weak and the insignificant and nobodies of this world for a reason. Our human flesh loves to take credit for anything good that happens. This human pride is the very opposite of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which gives all glory to God. So God uses the apparent weakness and lowliness of churches and pastors and people to underscore the power of the Gospel. (2 Cor 3:4-6) “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” So God uses fragile, ugly clay pots like us to proclaim Jesus Christ and the glory of the Gospel.

The church and God’s people are always under attack. From the world’s perspective, it always looks like Christians are losers. Paul describes our lot in life. (2 Cor 4:8-9) “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; {9} persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

This gives us new hope in an age which is increasingly hostile to Jesus and the preaching of the Gospel. This year the CLC is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. From a worldly perspective, we have not accomplished much. By human standards, we are not very important in the world’s scheme of things. And yet our weakness, highlights the grace of God. God has preserved His Gospel and its preaching among us. The Holy Spirit continues to keep people in the faith and bring people to faith in Jesus. God gives us life in the midst of a dying world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is effective in our lives today. Our weakness and sinfulness leads us to say this year of jubilee, “To God alone be the glory forever.”

From a fellow clay pot,

]]> http://clclutheran.org/our-jubliee-in-christ/feed 0 Lutheran Spokesman Archive Page http://clclutheran.org/lutheran-spokesman-archive-page http://clclutheran.org/lutheran-spokesman-archive-page#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:02:37 +0000 clclutheran http://clclutheran.org/lutheran-spokesman-archive-page/

Lutheran Spokesman Archive Page

Past Issues of the Spokesman:

]]> http://clclutheran.org/lutheran-spokesman-archive-page/feed 0 CLC Statement of Faith and Purpose http://clclutheran.org/clc-statement-of-faith-and-purpose http://clclutheran.org/clc-statement-of-faith-and-purpose#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:02:36 +0000 clclutheran http://clclutheran.org/clc-statement-of-faith-and-purpose/

CLC Statement of Faith and Purpose

“HERE I STAND”

Statement of FAITH AND PURPOSE of the CHURCH OF THE LUTHERAN CONFESSION FOREWORD The 1968 Convention of the Church of the Lutheran Confession asked that a statement be prepared and published that would supply a simple but definitive expression of our faith in the basic doctrines of Holy Scripture. The “Statement of Faith and Purpose” was prepared and then published in 1969. It has served well as a public confession of the Church of the Lutheran Confession and experience has shown that it has spoken to the hearts of readers in an inspirational rather than dogmatic fashion. In 1990 the Church of the Lutheran Confession celebrated the 30th anniversary of its organization. By the grace of God its confessional position remained unchanged and therefore this 3rd edition of its “Statement of Faith and Purpose” was published. Any inquiries regarding the Church of Lutheran Confession or this pamphlet may be directed to: The Church of the Lutheran Confession Fiscal Office c/o Immanuel Lutheran College 501 Grover Road Eau Claire, WI 54701

I. OUR PURPOSE

It is our single purpose to be a Christian church which strives to proclaim the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, by which alone man can know the true God and the way to eternal life. This our purpose and commitment rests upon t he following statements of the Bible: Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. {19} Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: {20} Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. We disavow the position that the church as a body is to promote social and political causes and opinions of men. The individual Christian will indeed show the fruits of faith by his concern for social and political causes wherever they present themselves. Our right of existence as a church, however, is limited by our readiness to say with St. Paul that we are “… determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Matthew 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

II. OUR SOURCE OF TRUTH

In our teaching and preaching we rely wholly upon the Bible, the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We regard this Book of Books as the Word of God, verbally inspired and wholly without error as written by holy men of God. We consider our mission to be that of communicating the words and message of this Book to those who will hear them; and we know of no other divine source of true doctrine and instruction in the way of salvation and in God-pleasing living. We therefore reject as sacrilegious and destructive every effort by which the intellect or science of man would modify or set aside a single inspired word. We deplore the wide-spread apostasy, now common even in former “conservative” church bodies, which reduces the Bible to the status of a human document containing errors and myths. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. John 10:35 … and the Scripture cannot be broken; Jeremiah 23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

III. MAN: HIS CREATION AND FALL

Our purpose is fixed also by the knowledge and conviction that man is what the Bible says he is: Not a product of an evolutionary process which has brought him from brutish beginnings to more advanced stages of development, but a being distinct from the beasts. Created originally in the image of God, he is now without spiritual goodness, utterly depraved by reason of sin into which Adam fell. He is spiritually blind, dead, an enemy of God and doomed to eternal damnation, being incapable of redeeming himself by any means whatsoever. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image… Genesis, Chapter 3. Genesis 8:21 …for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; Psalms 14:2-3 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Ephesians 2:3 …we all … were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Indeed, the God of grace Himself is unknown and hidden to this human race, and can be found by man only in and through the revelation graciously provided in the Bible. Without exception the gods of the nations are idols that cannot hear, see or save. In the darkness of their wicked hearts men, left to themselves, have “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:22-25). This describes not only the gods of the pagans, but those professed by all unchristian organizations and in many churches as well, some of which have abandoned the tenets of their historic faith.

IV. THE TRIUNE GOD, SELF-REVEALED IN HIS WORD

We confess and worship the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, revealed in his Word and in the Person of the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In this Triune God we find and declare the source and promise of salvation: A. In the Father who as Creator and Preserver loved the world perishing in its sins, and from eternity planned salvation for mankind through and with His Son. B. In the Son, true God and true Man, who by His coming into our flesh, His life of perfect obedience and His suffering upon the cross in our place and stead atoned for the sins of the world, removed all guilt, reconciled men to God and was raised again from the dead for their justification. We believe that by virtue of His sacrifice and His perfect obedience all men have been declared righteous by God; and this righteousness we proclaim and offer to men by the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. C. And in the Holy Ghost , “the Lord and Giver of Life,” whose gracious work it is to enlighten the dark, ignorant hearts of men by means of the revealed Gospel of salvation, creating saving faith and conferring the comfort of the forgiveness of sin. A Christian is the result of this creative act which Scripture calls regeneration, a new birth. By the faith thus wrought the sinner receives and accepts the blessing of his justification, thus enjoying the salvation prepared for him in Christ. In his own nature, by his own strength of mind or will, man can do nothing except resist and reject the life-giving Gospel. He cannot by his own power “decide for Christ.” As believers are told by St. Paul in reviewing their state before regeneration: ” And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), so we recognize in no man a previous ” good disposition toward the Gospel,” or an “inclination toward Christ,” which is not wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel. In regenerated hearts the Holy Spirit dwells, sanctifying them day by day, moving them to live before God as His children according to His revealed Will, teaching them to crucify the fleshly urges of sin which still cling to them in this life. Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). 1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

V. THE HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

We teach that the Holy Ghost gathers the Holy Christian Church, which in its ultimate fullness consists of all who by God’s mercy, and according to His own purpose and grace, were from eternity ordained unto eternal life. The Church’s unifying factor is “the one true faith;” but human eyes cannot discern faith, which is in the heart, and for us the very existence of the Church is thus an article of faith. The Church, therefore, cannot be identified with any specific organization or church body, nor can we recognize or identify its individual members by their faith. For this reason we have historically spoken of the Church as ” invisible.” Nevertheless the presence of the Church can be determined by its marks. For since the Holy Spirit gathers its members by the Gospel, we must and may assume that true believers are present wherever the Gospel in Word and Sacrament is in use. Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

VI. CHURCH FELLOWSHIP: ITS BASIS AND LIMITATIONS

We are confident that there are many who, though they do not now openly share with us the profession of the true faith, being yet partly uninformed or weak in understanding, are nevertheless at heart members of the flock of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. (John 10:14-16.) We are also fully aware that in our own visible fellowship there may be such who, despite their outward profession, are not of Christ, but are hypocrites and unbelievers. Jesus said to His disciples: ” Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70.) It will not be otherwise in our day. Yet in our exercise of external, visible fellowship of worship and joint church work we are guided by clear and sure directives of God’s holy Word. We cannot recognize our brethren on earth by the faith of their hearts; for these are not open to our view. Instead, by the mercy and grace of God we are permitted to fellowship with those, but those only, who in their confession and life bow to the rule of the divine Word. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he (God) is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Romans 15:5-6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 . . . what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with dark ness?. . . Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate . . . Ephesians 5:6-7 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 2 John 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (the doctrine of Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Romans 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye . . . Acts 19:1-7 In our practice, therefore: 1. We hold that the name “Christian” is applied improperly to such persons who, by word of mouth or in their writings, expressly or by implication reject the blood-bought salvation of Jesus Christ and the Means of Grace, or impenitently persist in ungodly living. 2. We limit all forms of the exercise of fellowship relations, by which we acknowledge and treat one another as confessional brethren, to those professing Christians who meet the scriptural requirement of complete agreement in doctrine and life and do not by word or act reject any part of the pure doctrine of God’s Word. 3. While we avoid all who preach, teach or advocate error, we gladly receive those who, though weak in understanding and as yet in part uninformed, profess faith in their Savior and gladly hear, learn and receive the Truth, continuing therein and renouncing all error. 4. We are indeed edified and heartened by every testimony, written or spoken, which truly confesses, teaches, preaches and glorifies the Gospel of Christ. But we reject and condemn the false ecumenism which would require us to make common cause in worship and church work with those who, while claiming the Christian name, or even the Luther an name, publicly adhere to that which contradicts God’s clear Word in whole or in part. We equally condemn separatism — that is, a schismatic withdrawal from others for a reason or purpose not in accord with God’s revealed Will. 5. We do not deny, but joyfully acknowledge that the Lord knows His elect, even though some are unwitting captives in false-teaching churches where, by their membership, they are partaking of a confession of error and are subjected to grave spiritual danger. We pray that all who now truly believe may persevere in that faith to the end and thus obtain everlasting life.

VII. THE MINISTRY OF THE GOSPEL

That men might attain to His salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the glorious ministry of the Gospel by which the Holy Ghost is pleased to call, gather, enlighten and keep the whole Christian Church on earth. To this ministry He has called everyone who truly believes in Christ, and for its purposes enables Christians to establish congregations as well as other groups, sometimes called synods, on the basis of a Scriptural confession. Within such groups, large or small, believers are privileged to set up the public proclamation and teaching of the saving Word by human instruments which God himself supplies. These instruments are those Christians chosen and prepared by Him to act in His behalf as well as in behalf of their brethren as administrators of the Grace of God. Their function we call the Public Ministry. It is staffed by those whom Christ gives to His Church and who are properly called by the Church for the work. Pastors and teachers of the Word are thus occupying a divinely instituted office and their specific area of work is determined and defined by their respective Calls in which the assignment given to each by the calling as- sembly is spelled out. In this service there is no distinction of rank and power. But there is a diversity of gifts and responsibilities. Eligibility for a Call to the Public Ministry is determined by the directives of God’s Word (1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Timothy 2:11-12). We further believe that, when such called ministers of Christ, in accordance with their respective Call, deal with us by Christ’s command, He speaks through them, and in them we obey Him. Ephesians 4:8-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ . . . Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

VIII. THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND OF THE ALTAR

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism which is administered among us as a part of the Gospel ministry we regard as a washing of regeneration, having power by means of the Word connected therewith to work faith and thus to confer all the blessings of Christ upon young or old. We regard infant baptism as clearly implied, both in the Savior’s command to baptize all nations and in the promise of Peter that baptism has power to save all who are lost by reason of inherited and actual sin (” . . . baptism doth also now save us . . .” 1 Peter 3:21). While the mode of baptism is nowhere prescribed, we regard baptism as valid only when performed in accordance with Christ’s institution. The Sacrament of the Altar, or Holy Communion, is administered in our churches as it was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, with the body and blood of Christ being really present in the eating and drinking. We believe that this Sacrament, like Baptism, is a Means of Grace, imparting , as Scripture teaches, the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. We seek to administer this Sacrament to those only for whom it was intended, namely, to penitent sinners who desire to confess and live according to God’s Word. We therefore practice what is known as close communion, with attendance at the Lord’s Table restricted to such who have properly signified their intention to commune and are able to examine themselves. In observing these procedures we indicate our respect for the Holy Supper as a precious gift for our souls, worthy of frequent and sanctified use by all communicants. In this we are governed by the inspired counsel of the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24.

IX. THE FINAL JUDGMENT

We know, believe and teach that the world as it now exists will not endure. The ills of man and his civilization are rooted in unbelief and sin, because of which things “cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6). There is no hope of cure save in a turning to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Way. The world as such has consistently rejected this course, and always will. Therefore, while as individual Christians and citizens we must be actively concerned with serving as a salt and a light in the affairs of men, and while as a church we shall lift up holy hands in prayer for the good of all men, we have no illusions as to the final outcome of events and preach no false, millennialistic hopes. Rather, we direct men to the future city of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and bid them wait for, and look to, the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in His second Coming to judge the quick and the dead. 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

X. CONCLUSION

These things, together with all other truths of Holy Scripture as set forth also in the Lutheran symbols of the Book of Concord of 1580 A.D., we believe and desire to confess by word and deed before the Triune God and all men. We earnestly desire to share our rich blessings, and thus extend a welcome to ALL who are in distress of mind and heart because of their guilt and condemnation in the sight of Almighty God and seek the pardon and comfort which only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can confer; ALL who are bewildered by the confusion of many voices offering the theories of human wisdom in the name of religion, and who desire to hear the Voice of the Good Shepherd whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses; ALL who, though members of Christian churches, have come to fear or to know that their churches have departed from the truth of Holy Scripture, who therefore long for the old paths and the good way (Jeremiah 6:16); ALL who have strayed from the blessed pledge of their Baptism and desire to be restored to the Bishop of their souls. NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING, AND TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH EXCEED ING JOY, TO THE ONLY WISE GOD OUR SAVIOR, BE GLORY AND MAJESTY, DOMINION AND POWER, BOTH NOW AND FOR EVER. AMEN. (Jude 24-25). (Click here to view/download this document in text format.

]]> http://clclutheran.org/clc-statement-of-faith-and-purpose/feed 0 CLC History and Differences http://clclutheran.org/clc-history-and-differences http://clclutheran.org/clc-history-and-differences#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:02:31 +0000 clclutheran http://clclutheran.org/clc-history-and-differences/

A History of the CLC and Differences Between CLC and Other Synods

The Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC) considers itself to be the true spiritual descendant of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference, which was formed in 1872 and lasted until the early 1960s. As that association of formerly conservative Lutheran church bodies in North America was drawing its last breath, the CLC was just becoming a church body. The CLC emerged from three of the former member churches of the Synodical Conference: primarily from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), but also from the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod (LCMS), and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). The Synodical Conference had originally been formed on the basis of full agreement in doctrine and practice on the part of the member churches; it broke apart when that basis and the biblical doctrine of church fellowship on which it rested was no longer fully practiced by the member churches. Members of the CLC are eager to testify to the truths that had been held by the Synodical Conference in the days when it had been faithful to the doctrines of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, as found in the Book of Concord of 1580; thus the name that was chosen: Church of the Lutheran Confession. This desire is also attested by the CLC’s adopting the Brief Statement of 1932 as one of the confessional writings cited in its constitution. Thus the CLC confesses: “In our teaching and preaching we rely wholly upon the Bible, the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We regard this Book of Books as the Word of God, verbally inspired and wholly without error as written by holy men of God. We consider our mission to be that of communicating the words and message of this Book to those who will hear them; and we know of no other divine source of true doctrine and instruction in the way of salvation and in God-pleasing living.” Further: “We therefore reject as sacrilegious and destructive every effort by which the intellect or science of man would modify or set aside a single inspired word. We deplore the wide- spread apostasy…which reduces the Bible to the status of a human document containing errors and myths.” In the above-mentioned doctrine of the Scriptures the CLC differs widely from the most liberal branches of general Lutheranism, namely those Lutheran churches found in European nations and, in the United States, that Lutheran church body identifying itself, since 1988, as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is admittedly not agreed in doctrine among the church bodies which formed it through merger. Even its most conservative wing would not accept the high view of the Scriptures as verbally inspired and wholly without error, which is unashamedly taught in the CLC. As the ELCA is the most liberal of the Lutheran church bodies in the United States, so the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) may be regarded as the moderate, more middle-of-the-road, wing of American Lutheranism. It does not as yet go so far, for example, as the ELCA in permitting women to serve as parish pastors (although a poll of LCMS pastors reported that more than 1,000 of them had no objection to women clergy), yet it has changed its former position (as held by earlier leaders C.F.W. Walther and F. Pieper) and now permits women to vote and hold office in the church. This is one illustration of the present-day attitude of the LCMS toward the inviolability of Scripture. The LCMS espouses the notion that the words of St. Paul regarding women in the church were culturally-affected and are no longer applicable in today’s society. The CLC, on the other hand, holds that St. Paul, writing words which were verbally inspired and inerrant, was expressing the eternal will of God. Another illustration of this difference can be seen in the doctrine of the Church, particularly in reference to church fellowship. Because we of the CLC deplore any attempt to modify or set aside a single inspired word of Scripture, we also wish to be obedient to those words of God which instruct regarding the Church and the practice of fellowship. We firmly believe that the Church consists of all who, by God’s mercy and according to His own purpose and grace, were from eternity ordained unto eternal life, and that the factor uniting the Church is “the one true faith.” Faith cannot be seen by human eyes, and therefore the very existence of the Church is an article of faith. Since the word of God promises it, we believe that where the gospel in word and sacrament is in use there true believers are present. In the exercise of fellowship in worship (praying together) and joint church work, we cannot recognize our brethren by the faith in their hearts, which is not visible to us. Instead, by the grace of God and in accordance with His instruction, we are permitted to exercise fellowship only with those who in their confession and life bow to the rule of the divine word of God. Because Christ Himself urged: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you“; and because the Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul to write: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” – we know in faith that it is the divine will that Christians are to be perfectly united in doctrine and practice, and that they are not to be indifferent in this matter (perhaps “agreeing to disagree agreeably”) but are to seek agreement on the basis of God’s word. Where there is such unity in doctrine and practice there is to be the practice of fellowship in all its phases; where there is not such unity, God’s word in Romans 16:17 sets forth the God-pleasing refusal of the practice of fellowship: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark (keep on taking note of) them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” The CLC, accordingly, upholds the following in the Brief Statement of 1932: “Since God ordained that His Word only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian Church (1 Pet. 4:11; John 8:31,32; 1 Tim. 6:3,4) all Christians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them (Rom. 16:17). We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church (Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9,10), and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely (2 Tim. 2:17-21). … The orthodox character of a church is established not by its mere name nor by its outward acceptance and subscription to, an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually taught in its pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and in its publications.” In place of the above, which was once held by the LCMS, that church body now practices what they term “levels of fellowship,” according to which fellowship may be practiced among Christians of varying confessions under certain curcumstances: such as open communion, ecumenical services and the like. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) are in fellowship with each other, though not completely agreed on the involvement of admonition in the process of terminating fellowship on their part with a church body which has “become infected with error.” Both bodies, however, do maintain that it is necessary to make the judgment (”come to the conviction”) that “admonition is of no further avail” before termination of fellowship can take place. The CLC, on the other hand, holds that such a subjective judgment regarding the further results of admonition is not only impossible, because only God can read human hearts, but also unnecessary; for Rom. 16:17 says only that when it has been ascertained that an individual or a church body is causing divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine of Holy Scripture, the directive to avoid is as binding as any word addressed to us by our Savior God in Holy Scripture. The apostle’s premptory “avoid!” is the voice of the Good Shepherd Himself, as He lovingly protects His sheep and lambs from the deception of error and as He graciously gives warning to the false teacher. … We reject any interpretation of Rom. 16:17-18 which, in the name of Christian love, would make the avoiding of causers of divisions and offenses contingent upon the subjective judgment that admonition is of no further avail and that an impasse has been reached. It might be felt that the CLC exists merely to testify against the errors of others. The truth is that the CLC is, in fact, for something very precious, namely the full and complete revelation of God’s word to the world of sinners, among whom we include ourselves. Surely, then, the CLC is an evangelical church, in the full sense of the term; our most important mission is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that God has redeemed the whole world and has declared it righteous through the death and bodily resurrection of the God-Man, Jesus Christ; and that believers in Him will inherit everlasting life in heaven. As part of its mission, the CLC is deeply interested and involved in Christian education. Christian day schools, taught by professionally trained teachers, are operated by more than one-fourth of its con- gregations. The CLC also educates young people for leadership as dedicated lay members, Christian day-school teachers, or pastors, at its Immanuel Lutheran College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The college has three departments: high school, liberal arts college, and theological seminary. There are four-year programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in elementary education or pre-theological studies, and a two-year general studies program granting an associate degree. Member congregations of the CLC are located in 23 states and Canada, and the church body presently supports missions in 18 U.S. cities. While not in fellowship with any other U.S. Lutheran body, the CLC has fellowship with three overseas church bodies it is helping to support in India and Nigeria. The CLC has three official publications: Ministry by Mail, Lutheran Spokesman, and Journal of Theology. Prof. John Lau 07/09/95

]]> http://clclutheran.org/clc-history-and-differences/feed 0