Is the LCMS Being "Transitioned" into a Seeker-Sensitive Denomination?

Below are the links I referred to in my email. The first five links are to articles posted on Saddleback's Pastors.com website and they are the 'how to' playbook for 'transitioning' a church to becoming 'purpose-driven / seeker-sensitive.

How to transition an established church – Part 1

How to transition an established church – Part 2

How to transition an established church – Part 3

How to transition an established church – Part 4

How to transition an established church – Part 5

After reading these article please listen to Dr. Kieschnick's interview on KFUO's Morning Show which aired THE SAME day that Issues Etc. was cancelled. It was NOT a coincidence that Issues was cancelled the exact same day that Kieschnick re-cast his Vision for the church and called for the LCMS to "change its methods without compromising it's message. (that is Rick Warren speak).

For further reading, Dr. Kieschnick's vision statement for the LCMS can be found by clicking here.

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Below is a copy of the original email that I sent out to the LCMS' best and finest men. I am posting the email here so that anyone who is new to the discussion is brought up to speed regarding the theory that we are working on.

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Gentlemen,

My name is Chris Rosebrough and I am the author of the ExtremeTheology.com blog and I teach at Pastor Ron Hodel's church. I was a regular guest on Issues Etc and my specialty was the seeker-sensitive / purpose-driven movement.

At the risk of sounding like an alarmist conspiracy theorist, I am sending you this email and asking you to weigh my opinion regarding the cancellation of Issues Etc.

For the past few days, I have been applying my MBA education as well as my years of research regarding the Purpose-Driven / Seeker-Sensitive movement to examining the reasoning behind canceling Issues Etc. and have concluded that the Synod’s canceling of the program is more than likely part of a MUCH larger plan and strategy, the goal of which is to re-define the LCMS “brand” as a Seeker Sensitive / Purpose-Driven denomination.

To help you see and understand the point that I am making I am supplying the link to a page that will direct you to 5 articles that Saddleback church has posted that were written to instruct pastors how to ‘transition’ existing church bodies into Purpose-Driven / Seeker Sensitive congregations.

The link to the page is

http://crosebrough.typepad.com/lcms_purpose_driven_take_/2008/03/is-the-lcms-bei.html

The articles I linked to are the ‘how to’ playbook that Purpose-Driven pastors follow to takeover congregations. After reading up on Dr. Kieschnick and his ‘Vision’ for the LCMS through the Ablaze Movement I am absolutely convinced that he is in the process of ‘transitioning the LCMS’. I know this is a serious charge that is why I am inviting you to read the 'playbook' for yourselves and supply your input.

Gentlemen, I have experienced a 'church transition' first hand and over the years I have received hundreds of emails from people who have had their churches hijacked and ‘transitioned’. This move has all the classic signs and symptoms of a 'transition'.

I am convinced that canceling Issues Etc. is just one step in a very well thought out transition plan for the LCMS. This was not a random act of stupidity by synodical bureaucrats. This was a premeditated action designed to silence a competing voice that would have created opposition to the synod's transition strategy as it moved forward and became more visible.

Below are some “Highlights” from the steps outlined in the Saddleback articles. Even though these articles were written to teach pastors the steps to transition a church, the same principles apply for transitioning an entire denomination. Here are the highlights....

• Start a gradual worship style transition.
• Focus on preaching for change to set the stage for determining your church purpose.
• Emphasize the church's responsibility to reach the unchurched.
• Encourage your members to embrace the church purpose as their personal purpose.
• Adopt new church by-laws so that the organizational concept and structure of the church comply with the biblical structure for a church.
• Transition the education ministry to make it life-empowering.

Work Your Plan
(Philippians 3:13-16; Psalm 90:12)

You must stay committed to your plan of transition in spite of the challenges that arise, the people who leave your church, and those who will try to take your vision hostage by imposing their preconceived or traditional ideas on the church.

Communicate Your Vision Regularly
(Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 19:21)

The entire process is too much to communicate at once, so communicate the validity of each stage of the process as you work your way through it. We utilize our New Member's Class to share the process with those coming into our church. We tell them that the New Member's Class does not exist for us to determine if we want them as a member, but to help them know the type of church we are, so they can determine if they want to join us.

Refuse To Abandon Your Process
(Psalm 37:7-8)

The pastor must stay focused on the vision of the transition, evaluating everything that happens in the church in light of the impact it will have on the transition. The distractions will be numerous; problems will arise, but stay with the process.

Possibly, you will face challenges from staff, particularly those who were present when you arrived. You must deal with those swiftly and decisively, preferably putting those issues to rest before you start the transition process. It will mean dismissing staff if they do not "buy in" to the transition.

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After reading these articles please listen to the radio interview that Dr. Kieschnick gave on KFUO’s morning show on the exact same day that Issues Etc. was cancelled. (The timing of this interview was NOT a coincidence). I supplied the link to that interview as well.

If I am right, then we've got a very nasty battle ahead and getting Issues Etc. back in production is actually the lesser of our problems.

In Christ,

Chris Rosebrough
ExtremeTheology.com

Comments

[Pr Bryan Wolfmueller]

This bit here:

__
Graciously Release Those Members Who Choose To Leave (Luke 9:5; 1 John 2:19) You must remember that the transition will not please everyone - that would be impossible. Do not abandon your vision to appease a person or even a group of persons who choose to leave. God will send other leaders to take their place.
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Reminds me of something I read before. How about this (from the Blue Ribbon Taske Force report about funding the mission):

____
The generation long divisions among us have frustrated us all. Allowing for proper dissent through by-law allowed procedures, we also recommend that those members of this Synod that cannot embrace the convention mandated mission of our church should feel free to leave this fellowship with truth-filled integrity and find another association with whom they can partner. (http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/Office%20of%20the%20President/Blue_Ribbon_Task_Force_for_Funding_the_Mission_Report_2006.pdf page 14)
____

The pieces, for me, are starting to fall in place.

[wcwirla]

I think you may have belled the feral cat, my friend.

[Pr Bryan Wolfmueller]

Chris,

What's the difference between the classic Church Growthers and the Purpose Driven stuff?
Thanks,
PrBW

[Chris Rosebrough]

Bryan,

The Purpose-Driven Church model is classic church growth concepts that have been married to the super charged business methods of Peter Drucker.

I feel like I should do a webinar on this so that I can give everyone a flight over the battlefield.

[Susan]

I like the way you think, and I appreciate your discernment.
Now. What can we individuals do, or we individual congregations do? Simply not support Synod financially? What can be done to remain a Lutheran, in the historic Missouri Synod manner of Lutheranism, besides throw all the Ablaze mailings into the trash and not sing the dozen or so awful hymns that made their way into LSB?
It's Sunday night, and there ought to be Issues, Etc. coming along soon.

[Steven Goodrich]

This is exactly what happened at the first LCMS congregation that I was a member. I left that congregation when I realized what was happening. The Bible college I attended taught CGM, and one of the things that was emphasized in that class was to allow disenters to leave if they wouldn't get on board. I now realize that this is a synod wide problem. BTW, this congregation has gotten all kind of praise from the Mid-South District.

[paula]

who woulda thunk?

Chris there is a sixth part of the series by Chuck McAlister also:

Moving your Education Ministry to Life-Empowerment: how to transition an established church – Part 6
by Chuck McAlister
http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/article.asp?ArtID=4667

[paula]

Can someone point me to a good critique of Ablaze? I remember seeing that back in 05-06 and thinking it looked fishy. But as is typical of these false doctrines, you couldn't get a real feel for anything but HYPE from the information on the website. You don't get into the devilish details until you invite them in the door and then they count on you being too 'nice' to stand up and say "this isn't right! We wasted our money on lies!"

ya know... minnesota nice, and all...

[paula]

Chris you said:
>I feel like I should do a webinar on this so that I can give everyone a flight over the battlefield.

I'll second that. It's about time for a new "fighting for the faith" don't you think?? :-)

[paula]

Oh, my. YES Chris, the interview with Kieschnick is very VERY obviously a purpose driven type vision casting for transition. You are absolutely right. Many many catchphrases. I'm just getting to the first caller and I haven't the slightest doubt that this quacking LCMS president is defintely a duck.

[GGB]

Chris, you are the man. But kill that apostrophe in "hundred's", dude. ;-p

Seriously, tho, I think you have the LCMS-meisters' numbers. You've got them figured out.

[paula]

Is anyone else having trouble getting into the IE archives? They said they put them back up but I'm wondering... I can't get any of them to download. I'm looking in particular at a show from 2-26-07 called "The Battle for the Bible in the LCMS" -- hmm hopefully it's just server overload from everyone who wants to save these excellent programs for posterity. Too bad the leadership can't appreciate when they have a good thing going. Our purpose driven ex pastor also tried to nix one of the most popular adult Sunday School classes saying it was 'not necessary' and 'superfluous information.' It was Ken Ham's Creation series.

[Frank Gillespie]

Paula, check your email.

[Rebecca Welton]

Chris,

If you do a webinar on the battlefield, would you be sending out emails as notices? I've been concerned also about the direction of LCMS, not just because of the cancellation of Issues, but other things I've personally experienced.
Thanks. I'll check back as time permits.

[GZ]

Chris, I have found that the methods advocated in these websites seem similar to methods advocated in the latest issue of "Issues in Christian Education", a publication of CUNE, which has on its cover: "From Maintenance to Mission: Changing the Paradigm."

[Rebecca]

"Possibly, you will face challenges from staff, particularly those who were present when you arrived. You must deal with those swiftly and decisively, preferably putting those issues to rest before you start the transition process. It will mean dismissing staff if they do not "buy in" to the transition."

Putting those Issues (Etc.) to rest?? Dismissing staff?? The irony is just way too creepy here.

[Please Note]

Chris-

Great post & very informative.

Perhaps someone should send Dr. Kieschnick & the rest of "LCMS' best & finest" a copy of the report by Pastor Bill Hybels & Willow Creek Church where they admit that the last 10 years of "seeker-sensitive" church ministry and marketing has been a complete failure!

[Moggie Cat]

Yes - as evinced by thsi LCMS web page, we are moving toward a seeker sensitive model.

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3156

Take a look at this advice:

(From the LCMS IGNITING CONGREGATIONS web page)
IGNITING CONGREGATIONS: BETA TEST

VALUES & METHODS OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT EVANGELISM

Help people share “Who is Jesus to me?”
Small groups for spiritual transformation
Locally relevant music, message, media
Strategic planning
Testimony opportunities in worship, etc.
Multi-media: print, audio, one-on-one, digital, verbal
Develop small groups around affinity/task, etc.
Nurturing small groups – everything focuses on relationships – not just small groups
Intentional practice in sharing our faith story
Intentional prayer for the lost ip. By name
Create healthy/healing relationships
Equip for ministry: catechesis, meaningful worship, leadership training
God’s will (purpose) for each life (significance)
“FRAN” Method of Witnessing
Friend
Relative
Associate

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This is just awful. I volunteered, as a Lutheran, in prison ministry. Those ministries consist chiefly of "testimonies". At one meeting I was so sick to death of hearing all the "sales pitches" that when I got up to read the Bible I told the inmates I did not have a testimony. In fact, I told them, the only testimony that counted was the testimony of the Bible; a tesimony about Jesus Christ. The problem is that "testimonies" do not deliver the Gospel.

Herein lies the chief problem of this seeker sensitive thrust. Your salvation depends on the *external* word and sacrements and not on some touchy feely experience. Nor is Jesus Christ your heavenly "sugar daddy". A theme that always is the unarticulated part of testimonies.

I will simply add some books that have been of help during my sojurn at the theologically anemic LCMS congregations:

A Summary of the Christian Faith
by David Chytraeus, translated by Rev. Dr. Richard Dinda

A Comprehensive Explanation of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper (1610)
by Johann Gerhard, translated by Rev. Dr. Elmer Hohle

The Lords Prayer
By Martin Chemnitz ; Translated by I.E. Edited by Georg Williams

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions-A Readers Edition of the Book of Concord - 2nd ed Bonded Leather
by McCain, Paul T, General Editor

[Mark P Grunst]

The entire format from Rick Warre's Toolbox, How to trasition an established church is the basic format for PLI, JF and Ablaze. At the last syndocial convention the Jesus First booth distributed the list of people that supported the leader's vision, if a person did not, the name was not on the list. A member of ours husband, whose name was not on the listed but nominated for a position, confronted this at the JF booth and was ushered aside by a wife of a JF organizer. All these "activities" under the guise of God's mission is but a sham for the wrong and false vision that has been forced upon the LCMS.