The Grassroots of the LCMS Came To the Walther Conference

By: Rev. Herman Otten

"All Christians Will Come" was one of the subheadings to the CN editor's speech "The LCMS and Walther Today," presented at the "Banquet" of the 2002 Walther National Free Conference.  It was a take of on the movie "The Field of Dreams" to which the editor referred in his conclusion.  A near bankrupt Iowa farmer, who hears a voice telling him to build a ballpark, also hears the voice telling him "the people will come, the people will come."

The CN editor noted: "When you watch the movie 'Field of Dreams' and see Shoeless Joe Jackson, Mel Ott and others deceased famous ball players coming back to life out from a cornfield to play again, you know its fiction.

"Yet the person who has the confidence in the saving merits of Jesus Christ which Walther had and which he so clearly and eloquently proclaimed, he will live with Jesus Christ in that Eternal Church which is no passing fictional field of dreams.  One day he will be able to proclaim as he leaves this world and enters eternity, 'My Lord and My Savior Jesus Christ, Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Walther, Luther, St. Paul, Isaiah, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Adam"

"God grant that all of us here this evening as we consider all the many crisis our beloved LCMS in facing, always keep our eyes focused on God's Eternal Church.  Such a perspective will give you true joy until the Lord Jesus calls you home where all the people will come who trust only in the merits of Jesus Christ and not in their own works for eternal salvation."

Who came to the Walther Conference? The grassroots, farmers and medical doctors, blue collar and white collar workers, young mothers with children and elderly widows, students and retired pastors, pastors with clerical collars and pastors with ties.  Many are somewhat familiar with what has been going on in the LCMS.  A large number are subscribers to CN.

Where did they come from?
The came from all over the U.S. - from California, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin altogether from at least 18 states.

Why did they come?
Many came because of the current crisis in the LCMS.  The defense of Benke by Kieschnick.  The removal of Schulz from the Lutheran Hour.  Surveys showing that the majority of Lutherans do not believe in the central doctrine of the Christian faith, justification by faith alone and believe that Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and other non-Christians all believe in the same God Christian worship.  The refusal of the St. Louis Seminary to take a stand on the Benke-Schulz matter.

How were the speeches received?
Enthusiastically.  Speakers who called for curbing a growing bureaucracy in the LCMS, end full-time district presidents, end the control appointments by district and synodical presidents were greeted with a round of applause.


Who did not come?
1. Professors from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, all of whom had been invited.  Members of the Walther Conference wanted to know why they did not issue a statement on Benke's praying with non-Christians as the Ft. Wayne seminary had done.  Some wanted to know why professors did not answer a questionnaire asking them if they opposed the action of the LLL removing Schulz as speaker.  When Concordia Seminary announces lectures, the seminary expects at least some laymen to be present.  When a group which champions the rights of laymen and has many laymen at a conference, professors who expect laymen to finance their seminary, do not come.  What could they, "the great scholars," possibly learn from the speakers at the Walther conference, including someone who served in the U.S. Congress for 14 years?

2. Students from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.  All of whom were invited without having to pay any registration fee.  Two students came.

3. LCMS President Jerry Kieschnick.  Kieschnick had been invited several times to come to the conference to explain why he defended Benke's praying with non-Christians and to answer questions.  Some wanted to ask him why he did not defend Schulz when Kieschnick was a speaker in Benke's church in New York  where in his presence a congressman implied that Schulz was a Nazi. Others want to know how Kieschnick can accept the support of those who promote the ordination of women, are open to evolution and deny the inerrancy of the Bible, while he claims to oppose the ordination of women, opposes evolution and affirms the inerrancy of the Bible.  Several wanted him to explain why he planned to take 71 trips from now until August, 2003 and wanted $71,000 from the LCMS for these trips.

4. Roger Hebermehl, the LLL executive who removed Schulz from the Lutheran Hour.  Hebermehl and other LLL officials had been invited to give their reasons for removing Schulz.

5. Paul McCain, Interim President of CPH, or any officials or members of the Board of Directors of Concordia Publishing House and members of the LCMS's Worship Commission.  No members of the CPH Board of Directors promoting the English Standard Version of the Bible was present to respond to what the editor of CN has said about the ESV.  McCain was invited to refute what the editor has said about the ESV.  The 1999 Walther Conference resolved that the Conference ask the office of the president to withdraw a statement in pamphlet written by Paul McCain saying that the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted by the National Council of Churches, is a reliable translation.  The resolution is on p.7 of the November 4, 2002 CN.

6. No member of the LCMS's Council of Presidents, other than Dr. George Wollenburg, a conference speaker.  Some are willing to speak on a program which includes a liberal who denies the inerrancy of the Bible but not at any event which includes the uncertified editor of CN.  Associating with the editor of CN and participating in a worship service with an editor who has not been certified by the "conservative" St. Louis Seminary might hurt their reputation and re-election.

7. Leaders of Jesus First who had been invited to attend and answer questions about their position.

8. Hyper-euros who believe that ordination is a sacrament and who opposed the resolution of the LCMS's 2001 convention reaffirming the position of Walther on Church and Ministry.  They were invited to explain why they oppose Walther's position and why they believe ordination is a sacrament like Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

9. Leaders of Conservative Groups which include those who oppose Walther's position on Church and Ministry and who want conservatives to rally behind Dr. Dean Wenthe, president of Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, for president.

10. The editors of Affirm, and Dr. Tom Baker of the Concordia Mission Society, whose address is still the address from where Affirm is mailed.

11. Any representative from the Schwan Foundation, the major supporter of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis a seminary which has refused to declare where it stands on the Benke-Schulz matter and the major supporter of the LLL which removed Schulz.

12. Any leader of the Concordia Historical Institute which is supposed to champion the position of C.F.W. Walther on Church and Ministry.  The Walther Conference did not attract the "ELITE" and "great scholars" of the LCMS but it did attract the grassroots.

November 16, 2002