A mass mailing of "Spiritual Glue" from "Faith
Inkubators" was sent to every LCMS congregation in the United States. Many LCMS
congregations in Detroit suburbs are now using this new confirmation program. The back of
the glue card lists 50 locations where pastors can attend meetings to learn about
"Faith Inkubators."
This writer examined the teacher’s manual titled "Presenter’s Notes
Catechism II" for the second year or second book in the "Faith Inkubators"
series. It contains 16 lessons. The notes for the 16 lessons are in about 120 pages, which
contain a wealth of information and ideas on how to teach and present the material with
direct and detailed instructions for every activity. The manual begins with a lesson for
each of the petitions of the Lords prayer, then lessons on baptism, the Lord’s
Supper, and ends with a review of ten commandments.
There is no question that important truths of the Bible, the catechism, and the
Lutheran Reformation are published in this material. There is also no question that
"Faith Inkubators" is the most insidious combination of truth and lies for
Lutheran Catechism training this writer has ever witnessed. Faith Inkubators artfully
integrates techniques from transcendental meditation, seances, regression tapes, astral
projection, new age philosophy, mind control-leadership training, dialectic processing,
social activism, gospel reductionism, Reformed theology, psycho-drama, sociometrics,
journaling, group dynamics, moral and religious relativism, out-come based education, and
values clarification. Faith Inkubators uses "Lutheran words" but redefines
Christianity into a virtually unrecognizable new world order globalist religion. Why are
so many LCMS District Presidents, Pastors, and LCMS staff works delighted with the
program? "Faith Inkubators" meets and surpasses all the goals of the Church
Growth/Leadership Training movement which now grips vast portions of the LCMS.
Without saying any more about the program please examine quotations from the
"Presenter’s Notes" under the following categories for yourself. There is
no intent to reproduce the whole manual, also please remember that these notes are not
exceptions but typical of the entire 120 pages.
Turning Religion into Personal Experience
Objective: "To create a learning event that helps students experience the means
of salvation by grace through faith and understanding themselves as heirs of a rich
Protestant heritage" Lesson 1 page 1
This material tries to rightly balance prayer, thoughts, feelings, and actions in a
relationship-based, back to the basics approach." Lesson 1, page 2
Holy Spirit Review:
The Holy Spirit is not a theory, proposition, theological doctrine, or teaching. The
Spirit is no less than God’s presence among us. A quick review of the Third Article
of the Apostles’ Creed might be in order here for your students, along with sharing
your own experiences and thoughts about seeking the Spirit’s presence into your
life." Lesson 4 page 3
Have your High School youth poised to bring out wine, and turn this prayer journey into
a communion service. Let students smell, touch, and drink the beauty of the wine with all
their senses. Kneel together or hold hands in a circle....." lesson 6 page 4
"There is a power that can see you through any weakness; a light that cannot be
extinguished by the deepest darkness. And that power is only a prayer away. So, what does
this mean? Lesson 8 page 3
"Conscience Chatter: What is a conscience? What is the relationship between the
still, small voice of God with your conscience? Put students in pairs or small groups to
write a paragraphs to share." Lesson 9 page 3
Now pray the Lord’s Prayer with the most creative endings, and vote one to use
next Sunday. Lesson 10 page 3
Bake a loaf of bread, and use the delicious smell and taste as part of your experience.
End the closing prayer with a quiet candlelight communion service using your fresh bread.
Lesson 12 page 1
To create a learning event that helps students review the Ten Commandments and
experience them as God’s good and gracious will for their lives. Lesson 13 page 1
Trinity: In God’s presence we can experience fullness, forgiveness, wisdom, and
power like we’ve never known. So, what does this mean? What shall we do? Lesson 14
page 4
Opening Prayer (Suggestions for Every Lesson)
Ask students to focus on the cross for a moment, then close their eyes. Tell them that
prayer is a two-way street; it is both talking to God and listening." Lesson 1 page 3
Ask students to take a moment and focus on one object or work from the visuals of the
week. Play the music of a favorite praise song softly in the background as you ask them to
relax and empty their minds of all distractions...." Lesson 3 page 2
Ask students to take a moment to relax and empty their minds of distractions. Remind
them that prayer is both a talking to God and listening, and ask them to get in touch with
their breath and heartbeat. Lesson 2 page 2
Prayers Cells
The Lutheran Reformation began in the lecture halls and prayer cells of the University
of Wittenberg; it was an remains a thoughtful confessional movement. Lesson 1 page 2
Some of the People quoted and referenced
Peter Drucker Lesson 1 page 3
Ophra style Lesson 1 page 3
Martin Luther versus Martin Luther King: Well in advance of the lesson, invite an African
American pastor to visit and talk about Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, and the legacy
of protest which each gave to the church Lesson 1 page 4
Martin Luther King: "Unless one has something worth dying for, one is not fit to
live." Lesson 1 page 6
Warren Quanbeck Lesson 5 page 3
Albert Einstein, Lesson 15 page 7
Sacraments
The sacraments are God expressing God’s true self to those who receive them.
Lesson 11 page 2
God desires to express who God truly is for each one of us. Lesson 11 page 2
By water and the power of God’s Word, you have been claimed by Christ. You belong
to God. So what does this mean? Lesson 11 page 4 We are taken up into the real presence of
God by the power of the Spirit. Lesson 12 page 2
Explain your practice with wine/juice, the frequency of communion at your church, and
other practical maters. Lessons 12 page 3
The bread and wine are more than mere symbols. They are living symbols to all who
believe, for the living Christ comes to commune with our hearts when we ask him in faith.
Lesson 12 page 6
Real Presence: The understanding that the Spirit of Christ is with us in a special
closeness when we take communion. Lesson 12 page 6
Sacrament: A gift of God’s grace which was commanded by Christ and comes to us
"in, with and under" a physical element attached. Lesson 12 page 6
Ten Commandments
So behind each of the commandment is a hidden discipline and a hidden promise. Without
the promise there is only the condemnation of our failure to practice the discipline of
the godly life. With the promises come the joy of the hidden discipline. Lesson 13 page 2
Group Definitions and baptismal font send off Blessing
In every lesson students are asked to write their one group definitions for faith,
grace, indulgence, and etc. Lesson 2 page 7
End every group time with a trip to the baptismal font for send-off blessing. Dip a
finger in the water, make a sign of the cross on their foreheads, and remind them that you
belong to Christ and to each other. Don’t let anyone leave until all are blessed!
Lesson 2 page 7
Closing Prayer Journey (Transcendental meditation and astral projection with back
ground meditations tapes at the end of every lesson)
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 1 page 4)
Tell students that instead of simply reciting a closing prayer, you’ll be walking
into their imaginations on spiritual journeys this year. To do this right, they need to be
relaxed. First we’ll relax their bodies. Lead them through a stretching exercise that
wiggles their fingers, reaches their wrists to the sky, stretches down their arms and
moves into their shoulders. Instruct them to sit back, close eyes, and loosen their neck
muscles by rolling their heads. Tell them that much of our stress settles in the neck and
jaw, so they should now loosen their jaws. Spread the stretch down the back and into the
hips. Continue the stretch down the legs, all the way to the ankles and finally, out the
toes. With eyes closed and bodies relaxed, ask students to be aware of the heart beating
within their chests. Suggest that each beat is a gift of God. "There’s another
gift. And another. And another." Next, ask them to be aware of their breath. Suggest
that each breath is a gift of God. (Anyone who has no pulse or breath is excused from the
rest of the exercise.) Now inhale slowly and think of the clean, fresh oxygen moving in to
replenish ever cell in the body. As you inhale, whisper, "Spirit fill me, Spirit fill
me." Exhale slowly, and think of the poison carbon dioxide being flushed out of every
cell in the body. As you exhale, whisper, "Spirit cleanse me, Spirit cleanse
me." Inhale slowly again and hold the breath in. "What if that was the last
breath you’d ever take?" It is not. God will give you another. And another. And
another. Each breath is a gift. Every moment, every second, each breath and heartbeat is a
gift form the Creator to you. You can use your breath to curse or to bless. You can use
your heartbeats to destroy or to build. It’s your gift from God.
Now thank God for a heritage of faith that dares to use life and breath to speak out and
live for truth. Thank God for all who have risked life and freedom for God’s truth.
Pray for the Spirit’s power. Ask God to use these young men and women to effect a
change, first in their hearts, then in their homes, then out into the community and the
world. End with your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such fine young people
and your anticipation of the great things they will do for the world in Jesus’ name.
Lesson 1 page 4
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 2 page 4)
Use the meditative prayer tape provided to take students on a prayer Journey. Play it in
stereo or turn one channel off and narrate it yourself...Have them close their eyes and
relax, using the breathing and movement exercises from the Closing Prayer Journey outline
in Lesson 1. With bodies relaxed, float them back in to one thousand, two thousand years
to a rocky, dusty hills side in Palestine. (The read the script)
"You are a little child, walking hand in hand with Jesus...."
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 3 page 4)
Ask students to think of the image of one of their great-grand parents or another family
member who has died. Maybe it is someone they know. Maybe it’s just an image form a
faded photograph. Have them close their eyes, then relax, using the breathing and movement
exercises form the Closing Prayer Journey in Lesson 1, keeping the image of their departed
loved one before them. Use the meditative prayer tape provided for background music, or
arrange for a percussionist with mallets and cymbals to help you set an ethereal mood.
With bodies relaxed, have students join hands and walk into a swirling cloud of
imagination. Play the tape in stereo, or turn the voice channel off and narrate a Prayer
Journey something like this:
You are floating ahead in time and space, behind and beyond time, being propelled faster,
faster toward a blinding light. Now, the person from your past stands, hand outstretched,
calling your name. They greet you, and you turn together toward the light. You hear a
shout. Then a trumpet and suddenly the voices of heaven saying, read Rev. 11:15 here. And
now, floating in over a sea of glass comes the song: read Rev. 15:2,4 here.
And now the light swirls about you, and a great crowd cries out: read Rev. 19:6-7 here.
And another voice: read Rev. 21:4 here. And from the throne comes a voice like thunder:
read Rev. 21:5-7 here. And you feel the grip of your ancestor loosening as you release the
hand next to you. And you watch the vision fading. But the words "Holy, holy
holy" remain on your lips and burned onto your mind. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
almighty. You were. You are. And you are to come. May I know you as holy treat you as
holy, live your name holy, until I stand again before your throne.
End this prayer journey with candlelight, wine, bread, and wind chimes in a silent
communion service. Instruct Guides to take their students’ hands, lead them to the
elements, then take them away to where they’ll be discussing questions for the week.
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 4 page 4)
Instruct students to close their eyes as you lead them through the relaxation exercises
from the Closing Prayer Journey in Lesson 1. Ask them if they’ve every prayed from
the depths of their souls for God’s Holy Spirit or for the kingdom presence to be
within them. Tell them that you’ll be taking a journey into the mind of God now to
taste and glimpse the kingdom coming to reign inside them. Use the meditative prayer tape
provided or invite a local musician to play music softly in the background as you pray. If
you use the tape, either play it in stereo or remove the spoken channel and lead the
students through a journey something like this:
They kingdom come. Thy kingdom come. What are we asking for when we pray for the kingdom?
We are asking for nothing less than the presence, power, and reign of God’s Spirit to
fill us and spill out into our world. Some hold seances to get in touch with the spirits.
Some practice witchcraft. But we are not seeking the presence of the dead. We are
practicing the presence of the living God. Some empty themselves in meditation so that
they are void of feeling and emotion. We empty ourselves to be filled with the presence of
the living God. Some look for the kingdom of God in churches, in political systems, in
bank accounts. We want, in the next minutes, to taste the kingdom peace, the kingdom
power, the kingdom presence in our hearts. The kingdom starts with our seeking God’s
Spirit’s presence.
Read Jer. 29:11 and Isa. 55:7 here.
Picture yourself in a dark, dingy, and cluttered room. The shades are drawn, for there are
things you don’t want exposed in this room, the room of your deepest thoughts. What
are those sins that must be washed away? What are the thoughts which need to be thrown
before Christ can enter. Think for a moment of a sin that has plagued you. As you slowly
exhale now, whisper or think "Spirit cleanse me. Spirit cleanse me." You are
emptying the room of the ugly, the hidden, the dark sins of a guilty soul. And now, the
Spirit whispers in your ear: "If you confess your sins, God will forgive and cleanse
you from all unrighteousness." You fling the windows open. The fresh air bursts
through with the Spirit’s whisper: "As far as the east is from the west, so have
I removed your sins, says the Lord." You are now pure in God’s sight. Completely
ready for the visit from the king. As you inhale slowly, whisper or pray the words:
"Spirit fill me. Spirit fill me." And slowly, from the other side of the door,
you hear the voice of King Jesus: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..."
Picture yourself in that spotless, clean room. There’s a knock at the door. You have
prepared the room for the King. Now you walk to the door and open it. Jesus is standing
with your-filled eyes and a broad smile. He is so proud, so happy that you have opened it.
Do you invite him in? Ask him in your own words. The spirit has helped prepare the room of
your heart. And now you pray "your kingdom come. Your kingdom come. Your kingdom come
to me." End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the privilege and
honor of sharing the kingdom message with such a fine group of young men and women, and
close the experience in Jesus’ name.
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 5 page 5)
Write the following words on a large piece of newsprint: Hunger, war, racism, oppression,
greed, political corruption. Ask students to focus on one of these words for a moment and
to ponder the will of god, considering the great and noble goal of working God’s will
into existence. Affirm the students for their idealism and tell them that this vision of
[a] better world is a gift and challenge straight from God. But any "kingdom
vision" is only a day dream until it is put into action. With this in mind, lead them
through the relaxation exercises from he Closing Prayer Journey, Lesson 1. Use the
meditative prayer tape provided or arrange for someone to pick a guitar quietly in the
back of the room. Play the tape in stereo or remove the spoken channel and lead students
on a journey similar to this"
You are running through a steaming jungle, holding a baby. Someone is chasing you and
shouting. Your heart is beating faster, faster. You can barely catch your breath, but you
know if you stop they will kill you. Gun shots are heard in the distance. Explosions and
balls of fire rise in the air. The shouts are getting closer, closer. You come upon a
clearing to where you house used to stand, and all that is left is a smoldering pile of
rubble. The shouts and shots are getting nearer, nearer. You lay the child down.
She’s barely breathing. You begin to weep and close your eyes. "God help
me," you cry, "God help me." Slowly the scene is changed. You’re
walking through a back alley in Washington, D.C.> on a dark, frosty night. Snow is
falling lightly as you look up and see the Washington Monument half a mile away. A mother
and child clutching blankets sit against a building in the show. She asks you for some
food, not with words but with her eyes. An old man digs through the garbage can nearby.
Two prostitutes argue on a street corner. You pass them and see through their heave makeup
that they are no older than you. How an elderly woman in rags pushes a shopping cart up
and asks you for money. You walk on, but she persists and starts to follow. You run from
the alley to the street, jumping over the homeless sleeping on the subway grates for
warmth, passing streams of hopeless eyes. She continues at your heals, demanding help and
food. You run and run and run, finally collapsing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
You close your eyes and clutch your jacket, whispering a prayer, "God help them. God
help them."
Slowly the scene is changed once more. You are waiting at a stop light near a group of
peaceful protesters. Their skin is of a different color, and their sighs are printed with
the blood-red word "Justice." A smaller group of angry faces is heckling the
crowd, swearing and calling them names. Suddenly a scuffle breaks out. Fists fly and
voices rise. Shots are fired and the crowd scatters. One of the protesters has been
wrestled to the ground. He’s being kicked again and again and again. The light
changes, and you drive on. Looking back, you see the angry mob close in around the man,
and you whisper a prayer, "God help him. God help him."
And now you’re back in a safe, warm church. You’ll go home to a good dinner and
a clean bed. And maybe you’ll pray the words "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be
done" tonight while all around the world, in streets and alleys, capitals and
closets, the good and gracious will of God will not be done. With eyes closed, you take
one more journey - this one only a few steps to the cross in this sanctuary. Christ is
looking at you and saying these words, "Whatever you do to the least of these, by
brethren, you have done unto me." And you respond "But Jesus, what can I do to
end war, to feed the homeless, to stop racism and oppression and a thousand other ills?
I’m only a youth." And Jesus picks up a Bible and answers with the words to the
young prophet Jeremiah " Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’, for to all to
whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid
of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord". And the scene fades. And
the clouds surround you. And we’re back. Safe. Secure.
End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the idealism of youth, for the
call God’s Spirit has issued to these young Christians to impact the world, and for
the ways they will bring God’s kingdom and will to their homes, families and schools
beginning today. Add a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such
fine young men and women, and close in Jesus’ name
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 10 page 4)
Ask students to close their eyes and clear their minds. Use the breathing and movement
exercises from the Closing Prayer Journey of Lesson 1 to get them in the mood for this
praise adventure. Use the Prayer Journey tape provided or play a favorite praise song or
hymn softly in the background. When students are sufficiently relaxed, float them into
Psalm 148 using words something like this:
Think of yourself as floating out into space - swirling, spinning, dancing through the
light of a billion stars out onto the edge of the Universe. You pass dazzling red novas
and skid through islands of cosmic dust. You whirl past black holes that not even light
can escape and skirt a million exploding galaxies. You’re surrounded by light, but
now, beyond any light your eyes have every beheld, you sense the force of a radiance that
exists beyond human sight. And you close you eyes tightly so as not to be blinded by this
other-worldly force, but the light bursts in behind your eyelids and encompasses your
inner sight. Your own soul feels drawn to the light and the warmth as an amazing
brilliance fills you and lifts you. And from within the light comes the sound of thunder
and crashing waters and joyous voices in song and praise. Continues with five more
paragraphs of the same. Close with a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be
associated with such fine young men and women.
Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 15 page 4)
Ask students if they believe there is intelligent life on other planets. Have them raise
their hand if they do. Now ask them if they think there is any intelligent life on earth.
With the smile on their lips, ask them to close their eyes and relax, using the breathing
and movement exercises from Lesson 1. Use the meditative prayer tape provided or soft
music and your own voice to float them into a prayer journey with something like this:
You are sitting outside on a beautiful night. The stars are shimmering, and a warm breeze
is blowing about you. You’ve just been watching "Star Trek," and you wonder
if there could possibly be other intelligent beings out there. Space is so vast. Could it
be possible? Or are we alone, spinning throughout he blackness of time? You think of the
world of the Psalmist: "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament
proclaims his handiwork" and "When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy
fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is humanity that thou
art mindful of them? And the son of man that thou dost care for him?" Suddenly, you
see a shooting star. It appears out of no where, and you count - one, two, three...
Continues on.
End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the profound gift of wisdom,
strength, and power which is ours in the Scriptures. If you education or library budget
can afford it, invite any students who do not won a Bible [to come] forward for a gift
Bible at this time. Add a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such
fine young men and women and close in Jesus’ name.
Skit of the Week
"Jesus wants us to think of God as a close, loving Father. Or mother, if you
wish. It means God is close." Lesson 2 page 5
Social Action
Call on a representative from MADD. Lesson 2 page 3
WAR: Stopping war is a huge goal, but it starts in the home. Praying and working for
peace in the world starts with living a peaceful life at home. Lesson 5 page 7
Invite in a victim of a serious crime to talk to the class. Lesson 7 page 3
Interview a person from another faith perspective about how praise is shown for God in
their church. Lesson 10 page 3
Philosophy
Wrestling with Absolutes: In a day of moral relativism, is there any such thing as
evil? If evil is defined as "immorality" and morality is a matter of personal
choice, in there evil? Is there any absolute right and wrong? Wrestle with the students on
this. Lesson 9 page 3
Processing (At the end of every Lesson)
Dismiss the large group into small groups to process the topic with their Guides and
worksheets. (There are also numerous references to processing during the lesson.)