For the past several years, we have attended various LCMS Conferences,
including this year's 2001 Synodical Convention in St. Louis, where we've met
with pastors and laypersons with questions of mounting concerns regarding the
Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI) and the Church Growth Movement.
We have also received letters, phone calls and e-mails requesting our
research materials of documentation to help them identify the definite signs
of their pastors or congregations becoming involved in PLI and the Church
Growth Movement.
We encourage you to purchase a small pamphlet written by C. F. W. Walter,
titled "The Sheep Judge Their Shepherds," a
succinct and easily read pamphlet detailing the responsibilities of the
layperson. This pamphlet can be purchased for a very reasonable price from the
Rev. Alfred J. Tschopp - MSG T U.S.A. (Ret) - 410 N. Main St., West Point,
Nebraska 68788, Phone: 402-372-5468. We also encourage you to pass along
copies to members of your congregation, family and friends. We also recommend
that you purchase, "How to Start or Keep Your Own Missouri Synod Lutheran
Church" from CN by calling 573-237-3110 or emailing cnmail@fidnet.com. It
sells for $5.00 plus two dollars shipping and handling.
We have listed some questions that will hopefully help you identify whether
or not your congregation is becoming a PLI/Church Growth Movement Church.
These are the red flag and warning signs you should look for before your
congregation is taken in. As laypersons, it is your responsibility to be well
informed and well educated to the issues that can and will harm the LCMS.
"Reclaimnews" readers are encouraged to add their thoughts and
questions to those we have listed and to make them available to others.
1. Has there been an attitude change in the pastor and his wife about the
church being more "progressive?"
2. Is the congregation now the "servant" of the pastor, not the
pastor the "servant/pastor of the congregation?"
3. Does the pastor want to remove anything from buildings, letterheads,
church bulletins, advertising in yellow pages, etc., that indicates your
congregation is a member of the LCMS?
4. Are there attempts being made to change the church constitution, taking
the final authority away from the voters' assembly and putting it into the
hands of an Administrative Pastor or a Board of Directors? This has and is
happening in many churches throughout Synod. In some congregations, the voters
have been encouraged to vote away their authority, after being told this was
the best for the congregation. The "authority" is then give a very
few people who have the "power of attorney." It is our
understanding, in the event of a merger, dissolution, etc. of a congregation,
voters' assemblies without final authority, have no claim in American Courts
relative to the ownership and final administration of their church property,
if they have relinquished their authority in the form of the "power of
attorney" to an individual or a group of individuals.
5. Have members been told if they don't like the changes being made for
growth in the congregation, it would probably be better for them and the
congregation if they transferred their membership?
6. Are the various positions on congregational boards loaded with people
who are the "pastor's choice" and those he can control and lead
around like lemmings?
7. Has the voters' assembly ever been refused a ballot vote? It is a well
known business principle if you want your agenda to be passed, do not give the
"share holders," in this case the laypeople, a ballot vote. Most
people are intimidated if they are required to vote by voice, hand or
standing. The majority of them will not cast a nay or negative vote.
8. Even though the church constitution says meetings will be conducted
under "Robert's Rules of Order" have you ever had anyone stand up in
a meeting and say, "We don't need Robert's Rules of Order, all we need is
God's Rules of Order." We hope someone will tell us what God's Rules of
Order are in conducting a business meeting.
9. Does the Senior Pastor tell a congregational board or members of staff
how they have to vote?
10. Have members been "shunned" because of their opposition to
the pastor's vision of progress and growth?
11. Have members been called before the pastor/board of elders for some
trumped-up charge, and not allowed to bring a witness(es) or to tape the
meeting?
12. If a member is not in agreement with a certain position being presented
by the pastor/officers of the congregation, have they been told they have
severe emotional problems and should seek professional help?
13. Have members been told not to discuss church matters with others or
even with friends?
14. Have members been accused of having secret meetings?
15. When a layperson speaks out, have they been told by the pastor/elders
they are a troublemaker and/or divisive?
16. Does your constitution protect laypersons from excommunication by a
pastor/board of elders/board of directors? According to Matthew 18:15-20 only
the voters' assembly can remove a member from the congregation.
17. Is there a "need" to expand facilities and are fund raising
drives being pushed, following the theme "if we build, they will
come?"
18. Has the voters' assembly lost control of salaries?
19. Has the Lutheran School become a private instead of a parochial school?
20. Are voters' permitted to bring new business from the floor?
21. Does the congregation actually get a monthly Treasurer's Report, or do
they get one at all?
22. Is the pastor acting now as a CEO instead of a pastor?
23. Has the pastor told members HE WILL BE THE ONE to interpret the Bible
and they will be expected to accept his interpretation?
24. Have the members been told, their tithe first goes to their
congregation and not to any other organization?
25. In the adult confirmation classes: Was Luther's Catechism or a
"catechism" written by the pastor used? Were new members educated to
understand what an LCMS church believes and teaches? Do the new members know
who Martin Luther and C. F. W. Walther were and what they have meant to the
LCMS?
26. Are "contemporary" worship services replacing
"traditional" worship services? Does the pastor change the worship
service without a vote of the congregation?
27. Are the "Creeds" being removed from worship services or
changed?
28. Are Lutheran hymnbooks being removed from worship services?
29. Are "hymns" being projected on screens, impossible to read
and sing? Is the "music" so loud one almost has to leave? Has the
pastor become the master of ceremonies and the entertainment leader in place
of the liturgy? Has he become the focus of attention instead of the altar? Are
the services so casual that "worshippers" come and go at any time?
30. Are motivational stories and illustrations replacing Law and Gospel in
the sermons?
31. Does the pastor shake hands with his palms up?"
32. If you feel your pastor might be involved with PLI, we suggest you
check your yearly church's budget to see how the cost of PLI is being covered.
Is the pastor doing this out of his own funds or is the congregation covering
this cost? Is it a budgeted item or is it hidden in another account such as
"continuing education funds" or some other nebulous account?
33. Does the congregation understand PLI has not received Recognized
Organization Status from either the BHE (after numerous attempts) and or from
the Convention?
34. Do they understand PLI is not "an educational arm" of the
LCMS as PLI has so often stated in their literature and has also been stated
on congregational websites?
35. Does your congregation understand PLI still does not have any academic
accreditation with either of the Ft. Wayne or St. Louis Seminaries?
36. Does the congregation know that Dr. Johnson, Dr. Gerald Kieschnick
(newly elected president of the Synod), Dr. William Meyer of the BHE and Rev.
Norbert Oesch, now Executive Director of PLI were the four individuals who
help start PLI?
37. One might ask: Why is all this congregational money being spent on PLI
and retraining pastors to become CEO's? The answer is, control in the pretext
of growth.