Indiana Exec Replies to Article on Advent Lutheran Church
The Reply
Dear Jack:
I respond by using your first name, because using Pastor or Rev. gives you the status of someone that cares for the people of God and shows compassion for God's people.
Your article, regarding Advent in Zionsville, in the recent Christian News was recently handed to me. I refuse to to waste my time with this publication since it normally provides infomation that is not truthful or outright lies. I will normally ignore this kind of "trash". Maybe this publication should be renamed as "UNCHRISTIAN NEWS".
First of all this congregation was not formed by one layman who decided to rent a hall and hired a retired pastor. This congregation was the daughter of Carmel Lutheran Church in Carmel, Indiana. The congregation grew as a direct result of the growth of the Carmel community and the need for an new congregation to serve the area north of Indianapolis. By the way, Carmel has now started two additional congregations because of their vision for mission and ministry beyond their doors.
You are absolutely correct in the statement "Advent is nearing completion of its second edition" (I would spell this addition). This addition would not have been possible unless Lutheran Church Extension Fund, a ministry of the Indiana District and The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, had not provided a loan amounting to $1,600,000 to assist this congregation. This loan along with other loans totaling in excess of $1,000,000 for the building of the original building gave the assistance to the congregation, so that the congregation could build this beautiful building and acquire the land at very favorable interest rates offered to mission congregations.
When you state that there was "little support for Advent from the Indiana District Office". You might as well hang up your collar. That is a total lie. The Indiana District has supported this "mission" from its beginning. Not only with LCEF loan dollars, but with grants totaling nearly $100,000. These grants are provided from the mission funds of all of our congregations.
I am asking that you send a written apology not only to the Indiana District Mission office regarding your lies, but also to every congregation that has sacrificed a portion of their gifts in order that we within the District can provide assistance to those missions being planted like Advent in Zionsville.
I find it fascinating that you think the growth of the church was the result of LCMS hymnbooks and catechisms. I thought the Holy Spirit had something to do with church growth.
I can only pray that the Lord of our church will continually bless our work so that we have the opportunity to encourage and assist congregations of the Indiana District LCMS in the proclamation of the Gospel.
In His Service,
Larry Jung
Executive for Finance and Vice President LCEF Indiana District
Why Isn't There More Support For Lutheranism?
Dear Larry Jung:
Thank you for your response and for correcting the typographical error in our news release on Advent Lutheran Church in Zionsville, Indiana, titled "Traditional LCMS Mission Congregation Keeps Growing." I only counted three typos in your reply.
Larry, I'm quite sure of my facts when I said, "One layman decided to rent a hall. He took out an ad, paid a retired pastor $75.00 to preach the sermon, and they were off and running with 25 in attendance." That layman is my brother, the congregation's first president.
He didn't care for the contemporary Church Growth direction of the Lutheran Church at Carmel and the distance he had to drive.
He is a dentist and the only hall he knew that was available was a dental lab auditorium. I told him to go to his congregation and the Circuit for help. I never said the District didn't give financial support. In fact I told him to nod his head and get all the money he could get.
I also told him the District would give him a call list of pastors who didn't use hymnbooks because the Indiana District office is convinced that contemporary worship and Church Growth/leadership training is the way to grow churches.
At the right time, I told him I'll get you the name of a pastor who will follow traditional Lutheran worship for the call list. I also told him to call the 16 voters the night before the call meeting and tell them that Fiene would use a Lutheran hymnbook and traditional Lutheran worship. That way the District could eat their contemporary Church Growth pastors call list and my nieces and parents would not be worshiping at Willow Creek Lutheran Church. Thank God!
The District Executive was not happy and tried to interfere with that one name on the list. The call was accepted and the rest is history. Yes, the District has given financial support, but there is little support for "Lutheranism." That is what I meant by "little support."
Advent has a great "Lutheran" pastor. They have the blessings of God's Word and the church is growing. It would still be a great church if they weren't growing as long as the Word and Sacraments are there. But the false premise put out by LCMS District Offices is that mission congregations have to be contemporary in order to grow. That is the lie.
Your comment says it all. "I find it fascinating that you think the growth of the church was the result of LCMS hymn books and catechisms. I thought the Holy Spirit had something to do with church growth."
Anyone can draw a crowd but that doesn't' mean the crowd is Lutheran or Christian. The Holy Spirit works through doctrine.
We read in 1 Timothy 4:16 "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."
We read also read in 2 John 1:9 "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."
It is probably a new thought for you, but the Holy Spirit does work through the Catechism because it contains the six chief parts of Christian doctrine, particularly Law and Gospel and the Sacraments.
If the lay people want an "LCMS Congregation" that follows article VI.4 of the Handbook, complete with Lutheran hymnbooks, catechism and agenda, and not the contemporary Church Growth disease that has infected many LCMS District Offices, they have to realize that the District Office staff is their adversary and not their friend.
Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.
June 22, 2000
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