Trinity Te Deum The official newsletter for Trinity Lutheran Church Rev. Paul R. Harris – 512-453-3835 Church; 512-251-4204 Home Sunday School and Bible Study 9:15 AM – Divine Service 10:30 AM Austin, Texas Jan 31, 2016 Volume 18 Issue 1 February 2016 – March 2016

A Catechetical Life son is faith in Christ’s innocent 14) Jesus is present on life and holy death for them, earth right now only with His It’s not bragging, just fact, that faith is endangered by false divine nature. to say that I have read the Bible teaching of any kind. The cate 15) By rising from the dead much more than any of you. chism was meant to be a simple Jesus paid for our sins. And that’s how it should be. I way to teach the content of the 16) The Holy Spirit is the expect that my dentist reads one true faith. power or the energy of God. more dental journals than I do, 17) All people are not saved and my lawyer reads more law 1) God-breathed means the because some are more sinful than I do. But in day to day life same as inspired. than others. knowing lots of Bible stories or 2) All religions – Jewish, 18) The Holy Christian passages isn’t really that help- Buddhists, Islam, Mormon be- Church is all those who use ful. You have to be able to ap- lieve in the true God. Word and Sacraments. ply them to your life, to put 3) Sunday is the same thing 19) The reason I know I am them in the context of your life. as the Old Testament Sabbath going to heaven is because I be- This is where the catechetical Day. lieve in Jesus. life comes in. 4) The most serious misuse 20) To have saving faith of God’s name is teaching or means you understand all the You’ve heard me, following believing false teaching. teachings of the Bible. Luther before me, rail against 5) It’s always murder when 21) Baptism saves us. coal miner’s faith. That’s the a person takes the life of anoth- 22) In Baptism the Blood of faith that says I believe what the er person. Jesus was applied to me. church teaches without having 6) A person may get a di- 23) We must confess our se- any idea what that is. Is this vorce without sinning if their rious sins privately to our pas- you? Do you see how your con- spouse commits adultery. tor. fessing of the First Article of 7) The 7th Commandment 24) It is a sin for a woman the Apostles’ Creed influences shows that God is against So- to be a pastor. your view of evolution? Do you cialism. know how to use the Sixth 8) We should explain even These are simple, basic cat- Commandment to address the apparently evil things in a kind echetical questions. I know they issue of gay marriage? How way. are simple because I have about the Fifth to address abor- 9) If a man will not work he taught them to 6th graders, and tion? Lutherans, since 1529, shall not eat. even some 5th graders, for over have not been producing the 10) Evil things around us 25 years. If you don’t know the same catechism for nostalgic cause evil desires. answers, or aren’t sure, you reasons but for practical, real 11) Original Sin causes us could use more catechetical in- life reasons. to be weak in spiritual things. struction. And I have great news 12) We can know from na- for you: I will be giving more Below you will find a two ture that God loves people. catechetical instruction at dozen true or false statements 13) God created the uni- Lenten Vespers and I am al- that are answered by your cate- verse but now the laws of nature ways giving it in Sunday morn- chism. While what saves a per take care of it. ing Bible class.

1 consider more closely the last ined and absolved.”[1] Pastor Lenten factoids week of Christ’s life, actually the Pless explained that the church last two days, where He suffered had committed itself to the the most intensely for our sins. Lenten Factoids: The original pe- practice every Sunday commu- This time in Christ’s life is called riod of Lent was 3 days: Maundy nion. the Passion. Every year for Lent Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Two things initially struck me. we read the account of Jesus’s Pas- Saturday. By the 3rd century, it sion. Over the six Wednesdays of First, I thought that Pastor Pless was extended to 6 days and called Lent we read it from the Gospels was being a little extreme. This Holy Week which is the week be- of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. On was a very radical notion I fore Easter. Around 800 AD dur- Good Friday, we hear it from St. thought. And all the reasons ing the reign of the great Christian John. By following Christ on His why I would oppose such an emperor, Charlemagne it was in- way to the cross, we identify close- idea immediately rushed into creased to 40 days. The Sundays ly with His suffering. When East- in Lent are not included. The 40 my mind. Wouldn’t this require er comes we celebrate with great days correspond to the 40 days in much more work for the altar joy His Resurrection. which Jesus fasted in the wilder- guild, the secretary, the pastor ness in preparation for His battle and the communion assistants? with Satan...a battle He won by the When would the church do way. Communion Every Sunday, Matins or Morning Prayer? The earliest Lent can begin is Why? Wouldn’t people begin to take by Pr Klemet Preus February 5. That last happened in Holy Communion for granted? 1818. The latest that it can begin Epiphany, 2001 Pt. 1 People like to invite non- is March 10. That will not happen Lutheran family and friends to again until 2038. In the early 80s I was the Cam- church when there is no com- The day before Ash Wednes- day is called Shrove Tuesday. The pus Pastor at the University of munion. With communion ev- word “shrive” means to cut off, North Dakota in Grand Forks. ery Sunday how could you do and it means to forgive sins. It Each year we would get togeth- this? Isn’t this kind of Catholic? was the custom on Shrove Tuesday er with college students from John is high church and very to go to confession and have one’s the various Universities in the liturgical. So I initially figured sins forgiven in preparation for Upper mid-west and have a this was a high church fad. But I Lent. The day was also one of joint retreat. In 1983 we trav- wondered. “saying farewell to meat,” which is eled from Grand Forks down to Second, I was surprised and a the meaning of the Latin word Minneapolis to the University little miffed at myself that I had ‘carnival.” So the custom was to of Minnesota and were hosted not really read this in the use up all the fat in the house by by Pastor John Pless and Uni- Lutheran Confessions before. making jelly rolls or pancakes, and to feast on a roast of fat meat. versity Lutheran Church. Dur- Of course I had read the Con- “Mardi Gras” is the French name ing the Sunday service we cele- fessions. I had read them at for the day, and it means “Fat brated Holy Communion as was least four times, and many times Tuesday.” typical at these retreats. But this since. And I had pledged to Originally, no meat was eaten time I noticed something differ- teach according to these docu- during Lent, but this was gradually ent. ULC had written into its ments as every Lutheran Pastor reduced to only Fridays and constitution that Communion has. But I had not noticed this Wednesdays when fish was eaten would be given at each Sunday particular phrase before. Since I instead. service. The Augsburg Confes- have always prided myself in “Giving up something for sion was cited as support for being a true and faithful Luther- Lent” is not done to do something this practice. “Among us the an pastor and theologian I was for Jesus, the One who did it all for us, but to purposely focus on spiri- Mass is celebrated every Lord’s put off that I had to be educated tual things more than on physical day and on other festivals, when by someone else. I had taken things. the sacrament is made available one course on the liturgy in the The most important thing seminary. In it we learned how about Lent is that it is the time we to do the various liturgies. We to those who wish to partake of never really thought about how it, after they have been exam often to have the sacrament. We

2 were taught to give it “often” tells us how often to hear his Logistically, the Lord’s Supper whatever that meant. In the doc- word. He just figures that we is more difficult to give than a trine courses we learned that the will hear it as often as we can. kiss. First you have to gather true body and blood were given He does not place rules on how the church together. You have for the forgiveness of sins. But often we should be absolved of to provide a place as well as the we had simply accepted the our sins. He figures that we will elements of unleavened bread practices of our churches as take the forgiveness as often as and wine. You need to instruct proper. That practice was com- we can. He simply forgives us as to the proper meaning of the munion once a month or twice a through the gospel all the time. Sacrament. And you have to do month. Now I was being chal- He never tells us how soon to all this with a sense of respect lenged to think again about the baptize our babies. He just tells and decorum. So, how often frequency of communion. us how much they need it and should the Lord’s Supper be So, I spent the next year study- what a blessing we have in Bap- given? In the Scriptures, in the ing the issue. And I asked the tism. He figures we will baptize practice of the early church, at right questions. What does the as early as possible. the time of the Reformation, in Bible say? What does our doc- So also with Holy Communion. the Lutheran Confessions, and trine say? What do the Lutheran He never tells us to receive it until quite recently the answer Confessions say? What was the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly has always been, “We give the practice of the earliest Chris- or once in your life. He simply Lord’s Supper at every Sunday tians? What is the custom of the tells us how much we need it Service.” church throughout the cen- and how great it is and He fig- turies? What are the positive ures we will act accordingly. COMMUNION FREQUENCY IN and negative influences in histo- Then He tells us to do it often. THE BIBLE ry which shaped the church’s He figures we will receive the In the New Testament there is practice throughout the cen- Lord’s Supper as often as we no mention of Sunday services turies and particularly our prac- can. without a mention of the Lord’s tice? Is the whole issue worth The Lord’s Supper is like kiss- Supper. In Acts 2:42 Paul de- all the trouble? It took me about ing your wife or husband. The scribes the earliest Services, a year of thought, study and dis- minute you have to place rules “And they continued steadfastly cussion with other pastors and on how often, then the kiss los- in the Apostle’s teaching, in fel- Christians. I was not about to es its affectionate force. No one lowship, in the breaking of change my mind and worship who is in love would ever say, bread and in prayer.” So the patterns easily. This is what I “I think we have kissed “breaking of bread” or Commu- found. enough,” or “That kiss will have nion was a common part of the to do for the rest of the day.” normal Christian services. COMMUNION FREQUENCY No one says, “How often do we These services were held in the AND THE GOSPEL have to kiss?” Instead we ask, evening since most of the peo- The Bible never tells us exactly “How often do we get to kiss?” ple worked on Sundays. (It was- how often to have communion. We kiss and get kissed as often n’t until the year 321 AD that Of course the Bible never tells as we can. Sunday became a day of rest for us how often to have church The Lord’s Supper is more than Christians.) Another reference services either. And the Bible a kiss from God. Through Holy to Sunday services is found never tells us how often to re- Communion God gives us the in Acts 20:7 where Luke says, ceive absolution. The Bible forgiveness of sins, life and sal- “On the first day of the week never says at exactly what age vation through the body and we came together to break to baptize children. blood of Jesus. We need and bread.” Then it describes a ser- There is a reason for this. want these blessings all the vice with preaching followed by You can’t place laws and rules time. So the question should not the “breaking of bread.” You upon the gifts of the gospel. be, “How often do we have to get the impression from these God tells us that we are saved in take communion?” Rather we verses that Sunday evening our baptism, in the Gospel and should ask, “How often do we were reserved for two things: the Lord’s Supper. He never get to take communion?” 3 instruction in doctrine and Holy our hymnals and our bulletins. instructs, and exhorts to the imi- Communion. There is the service of the Word tation of these good thing. Then I Corinthians shows the same and the service of the Sacra- we all rise together and pray, thing. In chapter 11 the people ment. The recently published and, as we before said, when “come together as a church.” Lutheran Service Book, a hym- our prayer is ended, bread and Part of the coming together was nal of the Lutheran Church Mis- wine and water are brought, and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. souri Synod, divides the Sunday the president [the pastor or min- Here the people would precede services into three parts, “Con- ister who presided] in like man- their services with a meal called fession and Absolution,” “Ser- ner offers prayers and thanks- “the love feast.” These feasts vice of the Word” and “Service givings according to his ability, are also mention inJude 12. In of the Sacrament.”[3] These di- and the people assent, saying Corinth the people would ex- visions reflect what the church Amen; and there is a distribu- clude some of the poorer people of Paul and the earliest Chris- tion to each and a participation from the love feast by starting tians did in their services. The of that over which thanks have the dinner before the common early Christians may not in all been given, and to those who laborers got off work. “Wait for cases have had services every are absent a portion is sent by them,” Paul says. The people Sunday. Persecution, hardship, the deacons.[5] had gathered for the Lord’s travel difficulty, and large dis- Notice how the Lord’s Supper Supper but were abusing it. Paul tances may have made this im- was just as much part of the ser- criticizes them for their abuse possible. But every time these vices as was the instruction in and corrects it by explaining Christians gathered together the Word. The earliest surviving how their services should be they received from their Lord Christian liturgy, called the done. Listen to his words, I His Word and His Sacrament. Apostolic Traditions, was writ- hear that when you come to- The literature of the fist two ten about the year 215 by Hip- gether as a church there are di- centuries shows that Word and polytus. This work is something visions among you and to some Sacrament were the universally like our Lutheran Agenda, the extent I believe it. No doubt common Sunday practice book which the pastor uses in there have to be differences among Christians. One of the leading the services. In Apos- among you to show which of earliest Christian writings be- tolic Traditions the Bishop and you have God’s approval. When sides the Bible is called the Di- the people exchange greetings, you come together, it is not the dache. It was written about the “The Lord be with you, And Lord’s supper you eat…I re- year 100 AD and possibly earli- with your spirit, Lift up you ceived from the Lord what I er, even before the last apostles hearts, We lift them to the Lord, also give to you: that the Lord had died. In this writing the Let us give thanks to the Lord Jesus on the night he was be- people are directed to, “Assem- our God, It is right and proper trayed took bread, etc. [2] ble in common on the Lord’s to do so.” Then immediately own day to break bread and of- follows the Words of institu- So Paul corrected the bad and fer thanks; but first confess your tion. This was the every Sunday kept the good. To Paul, the ex- sins so that your sacrifice may expectation of the early church- clusion of people who were part be pure.”[4] The earliest ac- es.[6] of the church was bad. To Paul, count of a Sunday service was I could provide quotations from Communion at every service written by a man named Justin the liturgies or theology books was good. Martyr in about the year 150 from almost every century until AD. This is his account: recently. All would show that COMMUNION FREQUENCY IN On the day called Sunday, all the Sacrament of the Altar was THE EARLY CHURCH who live in cities or in the coun- celebrated every time the people The Earliest Christians gathered try gather together to one place, of God gathered. together on Sunday evenings. and the memoirs of the apostles The services had two parts: the or the writings of the prophets COMMUNION FREQUENCY BE- instruction and the Communion. are read, as long as time per- FORE THE REFORMATION Today these two parts of the mits; then, when the reader has Over the years the church cor- service are reflected in some of ceased, the president verbally rupted the sacrament. Sermons

4 were eliminated from the Di- house always featured the poraries wrote hymns so that vine Service. The Sacrament Sacrament of the Altar. the people could be taught the gradually was viewed as a sacri- truths of Christ simply and ficial act of worship by the COMMUNION FREQUENCY could participate in the procla- priest rather than the gift of AND THE LUTHERAN REFOR- mation in the service. Cate- God’s salvation. The language MATION chisms were written and pro- Martin Luther became em- used in the liturgy was Latin duced so that the people could broiled with the Papists over the and not the language of the be trained easily. The words of church’s understanding of common people. It was thought institution were no longer mum- grace. (Early Lutherans never that those in the pew didn’t real- bled in Latin by the Priests. viewed themselves as fighting ly need to understand the words They were spoken or chanted with the Catholic Church but since they were spoken to God loudly to the people in their with the Pope, so they referred and not to the people. The peo- own language. The main em- to their opponent as Papists.) ple communed less and less of- phasis of the Reformation was Luther believed that grace was ten while the priests communed that the people could understand the forgiveness of sins earned more and more. At the time of the grace of God. These for all by Christ and freely giv- Thomas Aquinas (1277) com- changes had salutary effects on en in the Absolution, the Word, munion was considered fre- the hearts and habits of God’s Baptism and the Lord’s supper. quent if a person went two to people. Communion attendance The Lord’s Supper, to Luther, is four times a year. Alarmed at increased dramatically. In fact not something that the priest did this paucity of participation the Lutherans were attending for God but something that edicts were periodically pro- the Sacrament so often that their Christ has given to us. You can nounced mandating the recep- Roman Catholic neighbors got a imagine the changes that were tion of the Sacrament. Everyone little jealous. Ironically, “the made. was to go to communion at least practice of frequent commu- Luther refused to change any- four times a year and especially nions in the Church of Rome to- thing that was not wrong. He re- on Easter. The press of the day owes much to Reformation tained as much of the liturgy as masses at Easter would require inspiration.”[8] the gospel would allow. So the so much time that the custom of But old habits die hard. Many collects, the prayers, the creeds, withholding the cup from the Lutherans were reluctant to take the readings, the order of ser- laity became widespread. This communion every week. Some vice and the basic structure of custom became church law in were afraid to receive the blood Word and Sacrament were re- the church in 1415 AD so that in the Sacrament. So the early tained. And these are faithfully by the time of Luther no lay- Lutherans slowly and painstak- employed today in all Confes- Christian had sipped upon the ingly taught and explained the sional Lutheran churches. blood of Christ for more than a need and blessings of the Lord’s century. Superstition lead peo- Supper. They did not force. But changes were required. The ple to pilfer pieces of the bread They simply taught. And they Lutherans’ greatest concern was and bring them home to wor- realized that people need time that the people get to know God ship. The people no longer sang to adjust to change, even neces- better. Preaching was reestab- the hymns or liturgical parts. sary change. lished in the churches, since it The monks did this. Christianity One change that Luther and the had fallen into disuse. Luther had truly become a spectator re- early Lutherans never consid- wrote the liturgy in German. ligion. The grace of God was ered was to drop the celebration Now the people were treated to simply not received and conse- of the Sacrament from the Sun- the Divine Service in their own quently not treasured by the day morning service. Luther language. They could under- common Christian.[7] Reed summarized the practice stand what was being said and Yet, through all the centuries of the Early Lutherans. done. The Bible was translated and despite the crass and Christ- “The appreciation and unbroken into German so that the read- less corruptions of the Eu- use of the Service by the ings could be understood. charist, the services in God’s Lutheran Church in all lands is Luther and many of his contem- noteworthy…. The church has 5 everywhere retained the Service and absolved.”[10] But the tionalists believed that their rea- for its normal Sunday service. preparation expected by the son and understanding was the Other Protestant churches Pietists was different. It was not measure of all things. Their promptly abandoned the historic learning the true faith at all. creed was that creeds were bad. liturgy and established a type of The Sacrament was surrounded The Rationalists spawned the preaching service separate from with an atmosphere of awe and Unitarian Church, the FreeMa- the Holy Communion…. The fear; excessive emphasis was sons, Secular Humanism and Lutheran Church restored the place upon personal and in- the general age of unbelief in “primitive synthesis” of the ear- tensely introspective prepara- which we live. Rationalists re- ly church by including in bal- tion; and there grew up in the jected the belief that people are anced proportion the preaching people’s minds a dread of possi- sinful. They denied the great of the Word and the administra- bly being unworthy and of “be- events of God in Christ. tion of the Sacrament in the ing guilty” of the body and Churches were turned into lec- principal service of the day.[9] blood of Christ. These morbid ture halls. Preaching Christ was and exaggerated emphases upon discarded in favor of flowery COMMUNION FREQUENCY IN preparation for the Sacrament, addresses intended to inspire. THE 19TH CENTURY rather than upon the Sacrament Sunday services became a time What happened? At the time of itself, are still occasionally in in which we could be impressed Luther the church celebrated evidence.[11] with each other and the Lord’s communion every Sunday. By I see this fear of the Sacrament Supper is not conducive for the middle of the twentieth cen- occasionally today. I’ve heard that. In Germany the frequency tury, when I was born, most people say that the reason they of Sacramental celebration Lutheran churches offered com- are uncomfortable with weekly plummeted dramatically in the munion only once a month. communion is that they require 1800s until the Liberal Lutheran What happened? It was my dis- time and spiritual effort to pre- practice approximated that the covery of the answer to this pare themselves for the Sacra- Roman Catholic Church prior to question that convinced me to ment. “If I take it too often I the Reformation. teach that we must return to the will not be able to be prepared.” The Lutheran Church that began historic practice of communion These sentiments, while sincere, migrating to America in the every Sunday. are not what Jesus wants. He 1840s was not healthy. Its wor- Old habits die hard. And praise- does not want us to focus on our ship was impoverished and it worthy liturgical habits must be sins and our repentance so practices lax. It had lost much guarded with great vigilance. much that we neglect the for- of its doctrinal heritage and true Three factors lead to the loss of giveness in the Sacrament. How doctrinally sound confessional the practice of weekly commu- does one prepare for the Sacra- pastors were rare. The pastors nion among the Lutherans. The ment? You learn the catechism. who did come to America, first is called Pietism. The Remember your baptism. Go to while dedicated, were often Pietists stressed the importance confession. Receive the absolu- young and inexperienced. The of personal preparation for com- tion. Believe. That is prepara- New World was not flowing munion. This, in itself, is good. tion. with milk and honey. Rather, it Luther said that fasting is good The second factor that caused was teeming with forces that outward preparation. And the the Lutherans to give up weekly were foreign to Lutherans and Lutheran Church has always in- Communion is far worse. It is to the gospel itself. Fred Precht sisted that communicant be pre- Rationalism. Pietists were has said, “The cumulative ef- pared by learning the basic Christians with a misplaced fects of the Thirty Years War, teachings of the catechism and faith. Rationalists were not Pietism and Rationalism span- by making a confession of sins. Christian at all. Leading ratio- ning almost two centuries, left These practices are reflected in nalists were men whose names the worship and the life of the the Book of Concord, “Among you vaguely remember from churches at a low ebb at the us…the sacrament is available Western Civilization class in opening of the 19th century…. for all who wish to partake of it high school: Descartes, It is to be noted that it was in after they have been examined Rousseau, Voltaire, Locke. Ra- this period of the church’s his-

6 tory that the large migrations of “half-mass” commonly found Posted on November 17, 2014 by Rev. Confessional Lutherans to among us today as the normal Paul R. Harris America took place.”[12] Sunday worship of our congre- The third factor, which led to a gations. For two hundred years, to win souls for Jesus? I don’t decrease in the frequency of the or nearly half the time from the know, but I’m willing to bet Sacrament especially in Ameri- Reformation to the present, the that whatever the Baptist, Pres- ca, is the influence of Reformed normal Sunday service in byterians, on Non-denomina- and baptistic theology and Lutheran lands was the purified tionals do, we will soon follow. preachers. Followers of John Mass, or Hauptgottesdienst, Calvin, early American revival- (High Divine Service) with its In an article for the Christian istic preachers, usually Baptistic twin peaks of Sermon and Research Journal managing ed- in theology, denied that the Sacrament. There were weekly itor for Christianity Today, Lord’s Supper is the true body celebrations and the people in Drew Dyck, outlines how the and blood of Jesus for the for- general received the Sacrament postmodernist is to be evange- giveness of sins. To them it was much more frequently than be- lized. It’s four simple steps: 1. fellowship meal of bread and fore. The ravages of war, the Tell Your Story. 2. Build Trust. grape juice, which was not example of Calvinism, the later 3. Invite Them to Serve. 4. Fol- needed more than a handful of subjective practices of Pietistic low the Leader. times annually. Many early groups in a domestic type of Lutherans came to America to worship, and the unbelief of ra- 1. You can’t talk doctrine but escape the unbelief in the tionalism, however, finally you can tell your story and be churches in Europe. These pio- broke the genuine Lutheran Tra- sure to leave in the hinky parts. neers often found themselves dition.[13] with neither church nor pastor. [1] Augsburg Confession, Apology, Arti- 2. You can’t preach the Law. They lived among the Mennon- cle XXIV paragraph 1 “Only once they trust you and ites, Moravians, and Methodists [2] I Corinthians 11:17-23 believe you love them uncondi- of America. The faithful [3] Lutheran Service Book Concordia Pub- tionally will they warm to your Lutheran pastors who did serve lishing House, 2006 message.” the Lutherans often had to at- [4] Ancient Christian Writers, Newman tend the needs of literally Press, 1948, p. 23 3. They don’t want anything to dozens of parishes. These “Cir- [5] In the Stead of Christ, Kent Heimbign- do with Christian doctrine, but cuit Riders” could visit their er, Repristination Press, 1997, p. 69-70 they want Christian service. parishes only periodically and [6] A Study of Liturgy, Ed. Cheslyn Jones, the people never could find a SPCK, 1978 p. 213 4. Jesus is the leader that you rhythm of regular Divine Ser- [7] This is My Body, Herman Sasse, Augs- follow. You do what He did vices. Further, the abundant burg Publishing house 1959, p. 52 (except for the suffering the Baptistic and Methodistic itiner- [8] The Lutheran Liturgy, Luther Reed, pangs of hell and dying on the ant preachers often enticed Muhlenberg Press, 1948, p. 244 cross part – prh) and it turns out faithful New World Lutherans [9] Reed, p. 243-244 He invented steps 1 through 3 from their doctrinal roots. These [10] Augsburg Confession, Apology, Arti- (“Reaching Postmodern revivalists did not believe in the cle XXIV paragraph 1 ‘Leavers’”, Vol. 36, 1, 8-9, 57). saving benefits of the Lord’s [11] Reed, p. 244 Supper. Revivalism continues to [12] Lutheran Worship: History and Prac- Go to any going, growing influence Lutherans to this very tice, Fred Precht, Concordia Publishing emerging, community, or other- day. House, 1993, p. 83 wise unwilling to be denomina- So Pietism, Rationalism and the [13] Reed, p. 244 tional “church” and a variation Reformed Churches all worked of the above program will be their influence on Lutherans un- what you find. It won’t matter til we lost something very pre- if that church is funded by Bap- cious. Reed Summarizes, What Will We Try tists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Luther and his associates never Next… Methodists, Pentecostals, or is would have approved of the really non-denominational in 7 the 21st Century this is what is Baptist had been using at re- I would like to point out some hot. vivals for a century or more be- logical fallacies and hypocriti- fore? cal irony from Ms. Virginia In 1965 this was hot. Under Wolf’s article “Go looking for a “Helpful Hints for Lay Visitors” No, it’s not amazing; it’s sad, church.” we find “GIVE THE INVITA- but it’s also not surprising. A TION. If they seem to be in decade later we traipsed after Her article can be summed up in agreement and the time is ripe, the Kennedy Evangelism Ex- her sentence, “But the biggest give the invitation in clear plosion method. In 1979, the reason (people don’t attend words: ‘Since it’s apparent that Fort Wayne seminary had us church) is the failure to find rel- you think so clearly in this mat- going to local churches to expe- evance or meaning in church — ter, and are in agreement with rience the Explosion. It wasn’t a lack of belief in what a church us, we would like you to get much of a bang. espouses.” your letter of transfer (or enroll in pastor’s class, or reaffirm What drove Kennedy to “ex- This is the popular post-modern your faith). Here’s a tract, plode” our churches, Donald absolute truth statement that ‘Christ Invites You.’ Please McGavran and C. Peter Wagner “there is no such thing as abso- glance through it and indicate to “grow” our churches, and lute truth, but truth is whatever how you will accept His invita- Rick Warren to repurpose them you believe it to be or find to be tion.’ Then go over each item is the same thing that drove the relevant.” I hope you caught the with him and urge him to take a Preaching Teaching Reaching irony. spiritual step forward. Ordinari- Mission program of 1965: We ly people appreciate this ap- don’t see the results we expect, Ms. Wolf then goes on to proach.” want, or need to feed the bud- say, “First and foremost, we get. support freedom of belief.” She In case there is any doubt in then lists other religions like your mind that this is really Let me be clear. I’m not saying Christianity and Islam and says, salesmanship 101, closing the these people have no love for “… all are welcome who search sale, and before that it was Bap- lost souls or don’t seriously de- for truth.” Here again, what is tist decision theology, go from sire the salvation of them. truth? She defines truth as, page 47 to 48 and read: That’s not their error. Their er- whatever you think is relevant “PRESSING FOR A COM- ror is thinking that each new is true. MITMENT. If there is hesita- ruffle in society requires a new tion in reaching a decision, keep wrinkle in the church to accom- She, for example, didn’t tol- speaking of the benefits of faith modate it. There are serious as- erate, welcome or celebrate her in Christ and of the uncertainty sumptions underlying every American Baptist upbringing, of daily life. Say, ‘This is some- evangelism program, move- but judged it to be untrue be- thing that ought to be taken care ment, tactic, and plan. Are cause she found it irrelevant. of now, don’t you agree?’ Tell those assumptions Biblical and With this logic, should a serial them this is a decision people Confessional? If not, the results killer who believes that murder never regret. Some people won’t be either. is the true way to go, look for a refuse to sign anything, so re- church community that wel- quest permission to sign their comes and tolerates that truth? names for them.” Go looking for the truth posted Oct. 15, 2015 5:16 p.m. | up- No, believing that serial You know what 1965 program dated Oct. 17, 2015 12:00 a.m. (CDT) killing is good, and even finding manual the above is from? The by / The Rev. Clint Stark others who agree with you and Preaching Teaching Reaching find it relevant, doesn’t make it Mission manual of the Evange- Editor’s note: The Rev. Vir- true. Even the religions she ginia Wolf’s MatterTrinity of LutheranFaith Church lism department of the LCMS. th Isn’t it amazing that we came column1207 ran onWest Sept. 45 19. Street Austin, TX 78756 up with the same program the 512.453.3835 www.trinityaustin.com Trinity Te Deum is published bi-monthly. Deadline for all articles is the 15th of the odd months. All articles must be approved by Rev. Paul R. Harris. Articles with no author are written by 8him. http://www.leadertelegram.com/Features/Reli- mentions are not so open-mind- A truly Christian church is al- gion/2015/10/17/Go-looking-for-the-truth.html ed that their brains fall out. ways relevant because it speaks the truth of what we However, Ms. Wolf’s church’s doctrine [She is the “pastor” of a Unitarian Univer- need to hear not what we want salist “church.” – prh]and the to hear or find relevant this doctrines of all the other reli- week. The absolute truth is that gions she mentions, save Chris- we are sinners, but for the sake tianity, do have one thing in of Jesus alone, God declares us common. They all only teach righteous. Do Christians love what a person must do. She their neighbor and do good says, “… we are sure that we works? Yes, but out of thanks- are called to help others …” giving to God for His love and Many churches simply tell you grace. what you need to do. A Chris- tian congregation is unique in Finally, Jesus also says, that it tells you what the one “Beware of wolves in sheep’s true God has done for you. clothing who try to lead you to hell with lies in the name of Jesus, God’s son, says, “I truth.” I doubt Ms. Wolf sees am the way, the truth and the the irony. Instead of looking for life. No one gets to the Father, a church that will tell you any- but by Me.” Yes, I know this is- thing you want to hear, why not n’t the popular dogma of “all go looking for the truth and at- roads lead to heaven.” Yet, the tend a church that teaches it. absolute truth is that we are all sinners, from serial killers to I invite Ms. Wolf to attend pastors, and there is nothing we my congregation. God wants all can do to save ourselves. Jesus to believe the truth. truly loved his neighbor as Himself, and He then died on Stark is the pastor of Zion the cross for all our sins. Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls.

9 February 2016

SUN MON TUE WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 5pm Confir- 7:15 Romans mation

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 5pm Confir- Ash Wed, mation Communion 7:30 pm

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 5pm Confir- Lent Vespers mation 7:30

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 5pm Confir- Lent Vespers mation 7:30

28 29 5pm Confir- mation

March 2016

SUN MON TUE WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 Voters Meet- Lent Vespers ing 7pm 7:30

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 5pm Confir- 6:30 Elders Lent Vespers mation Meeting 7:30

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Lent Vespers ------Camp Out ------ 7:30

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 5pm Confir- Maundy Good Friday mation Thursday 7:30 7:30 27 28 29 30 31

5pm Confir- Pastor ----on---- Vacation mation

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