Foundation and LCEF Losses Don't Stop Support For PLI to Change LCMS
By Rev. Jack Cascione

Foundation Losses Cut Back LCMS Mission Efforts

In the Summer 2000 issue of the "In His Hands" newsletter from LCMS Blind Mission, on Page 3, Pastor David Andrus states:

The Board for Mission Services has been asked to cut $1 Million from their budget for the 2001 fiscal year. Having done that, they now have been asked to cut another $1 million, and to submit plans for a third million, if necessary.

This is the result of three factors:

• A $40 million loss in income to the Lutheran Foundation.
• An end to the Synod's line of credit. For years we had been borrowing, but now the $80 million debt must be repaid.
• District support has consistently declined in recent years.

Oesch's Congregational President Replaces Norm Sell on LCMS Foundation

The Synod's Foundation has also been supporting Doctor Norbert Oesch's "Pastoral Leadership Institute," (PLI). The President of Dr. Oesch's former congregation in Orange California, Mark Stuenkel, has replaced Norm Sell on the Foundation as President as of May 1, 2000.

Attorney Robert Doggett is planning to file suit against the Foundation to recover some of the 40 million dollar losses, which are now reported to be more than 80 million dollars.

There have been recent reports that the Synod's CCM has declared support for PLI from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund to be improper. However, a careful reading of the CCM ruling shows that the LCEF is free to continue supporting PLI. Victor Bryant of LCEF has announced that support for PLI will continue till at least 2002.

PLI is training LCMS Pastors to Change LCMS Congregations to Operate like Corporations and Pastors to Function as CEO's

Reclaim News now offers the unit titles for LCMS Pastors enrolled in PLI's:

CONFERENCE EVENT #2 -
NURTURING TRANSFORMATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

Coordinator: Dr Norbert Oesch, Executive Leader, Pastoral Leadership Institute
Credit: Credit to be established by Concordia Seminary, St. Louis Conference
Dates: May 17-21, 2000

Conference Description

Participants will first learn how change is part of the Biblical picture of God's world. After study of and reflection upon current theories of organizational transformation, they will learn how to nurture the change process in the congregation. They will learn about current cultural changes and how these impact the church and ministry, and they will design an action plan to facilitate a change process in the local congregation.

Conference Outline

Introduction:
Orientation to the conference and its purposes

Unit One: "A Biblical View of Nurturing Change"
An examination of how change is both natural and Biblical

Unit Two: "Making the Vision Come Alive at Our Congregation"
Two case studies on change strategies in the local congregation

Unit Three: "Nurturing Transformation"
An ongoing process activity: Learning and preparing to use the eight-stage process of creating major change

Unit Four: "Change: How to Do It and Live to Tell About It"
Recognizing, welcoming, and handling the challenges of change

Unit Five: "Church on the Brink: Cultural and Theological Transformation in the 21st Century"
The impact of cultural change on the church

Unit Six: "Developing the Action Plan"
Local lay involvement, 12-month goal setting, developing a system of accountability, planning mentor events

Summary:
Synthesis and evaluation

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Reclaim News wants to point out that PLI is all about changing congregations. The reader will note that five of the six units above in PLI's curriculum are about changing and transforming congregations. LCEF, the LCMS Foundation, and others are funding the changes while traditional LCMS missions are being cut back. Walther's Voter Supremacy and congregational autonomy are being shelved for corporate objectives and strategies. The Synod financial institutions are funding the changes with the layman's money.