District Presidents React to Benke's Suspension
(Editorial Note From Rev. A. L. Loeschman * * * The message below was sent out this morning by Trish Ollry on behalf of the PSW district president at 0836 PDT today. Note that President Stoterau clearly shows his bias by mischaracterizing what Benke did. Indeed we should pray for Dr. Benke and that he will be granted repentance for what he did.)
June 28, 2002
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Three days after being elected the Lutheran Hour Speaker, the Rev. Wallace Schultz, second vice-president of the LCMS, has suspended Dr. David Benke as President of the Atlantic District and chairman of the Board of Regents for Concordia University, Bronxville. Dr. Schultz has determined that it was a sin against the Lord and the LCMS for praying in the name of Jesus in the midst of unchristian people. I request prayers in the churches of the PSW this weekend for Dr. Benke and the members of the Atlantic District. We also pray for those who will hear the appeal of Dr. Benke and for our church. Above all else we pray that we will always be bold in our witness of the love of God in Jesus Christ where ever we may have the opportuntity.
Larry Stoterau, President
Pacific Southwest District, LCMS
(Editorial Note From Rev. Al. Loeschman * * * Why couldn't the Holy Spirit lead Benke to repent? District Presidents don't often think of that. And what kind of cheap shot artist is this Stoterau anyway? What does Schultz's new position have to do with anything? Will Stoterau be one of the chosen to hear Benke's appeal? We wonder how objective he would be?
Texas District Pres. James Linderman, reacted also. Linderman is synod president G. Kieschnick's successor, who has publicly announced that he is running again for the district job.)
June 28, 2002
A Note from President James R. Linderman, Texas District President:
After a number of telephone calls and email queries concerning the status of Dr. David H. Benke, we are sending you the official notice from the First Vice President of the Atlantic District as well as the official notice from the President of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, both concerning the official suspension of Dr. David Benke.
I want to encourage everyone to keep our Church in prayer, especially its leadership and those who are particularly affected by this decision.
Jim Linderman
(Editorial Note: Notice that Linderman asks everyone to pray for the "leadership." Yes, "the leadership" is an important focus of the COP instead of asking everyone to pray for the laity who pay for the generous salaries, executives, secretaries, office buildings, and expense accounts of "the leadership." The "leadership" is busy defending the rights of District President Benke to pray in public with Moslems and Jews. The leadership should be back in a 1000 empty LCMS pulpits preaching to lay people as it used to do when the Synod was growing in the 1960's before there were any full time District Presidents and "the leadership." The Synod used to be a lot bigger with no full-time distrist leadership. Yes, the leadership has become the focus of the leadership.)
July 1, 2002