tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post1618685264602116381..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: The Living Lutheran. . . born of the dead The Lutheran magazine. . .Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-8466264935187276322016-04-24T21:53:20.467-05:002016-04-24T21:53:20.467-05:00In a section, "Demythologizing the Mission: T...In a section, "Demythologizing the Mission: The Brutal Facts of the LCMS Forty-Year Decline," in his President's Report (<a href="http://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=4086" rel="nofollow"><i>2016 LCMS Convention Workbook</i></a>, pp. 2-3), President Harrison stated: <br /><br /><i>"Folks, the LCMS has been declining for some forty years. No LCMS district has shown any increase in the number of the baptized in nearly twenty years. A couple of years back, I requested our internal Rosters and Statistics people do a thorough study on the performance of each district over the past forty years, with a focus especially upon the last decade. While districts vary in the percentage of decline, the trend line for all of them is the same. It’s even the case in the two largest districts (Texas and Michigan), which have planted the most congregations over the past forty years. We noted that the decline of the two Iowa districts was identical from 2002 to 2012. This was intriguing because Iowa East tends to be quite conservative and Iowa West less so. This and other factors has led me to believe that our decline could hardly be pegged to closed Communion or worship practices, much less our doctrine or our biblical positions on social issues."</i><br /><br />After discussing the results of two more studies, the President’s Report continues:<br /><br /><i>"After the third study was done, I asked for just a little more information. I asked for a county-by-county report on the birth rates for each district area of the LCMS. Guess what? The district/state with the highest birth rate in the past ten years (South Dakota), happened to be the best performing district of the LCMS (only a 4 percent decline from 2002–2012). New Jersey had the lowest birth rate over the past decade, and the district accordingly showed the greatest losses over ten years (33 percent). What’s more, the <b>performance of each district lines up almost exactly with the birth rate of each area</b>.….</i><br /><br /><i>"The brutal fact is, we could elevate our evangelism performance to that of the Mormons, and we would still be looking at numerical decline in 33 of our 35 districts. Sober facts. These are not excuses. These are facts."</i><br /><br />[Emphasis in original]Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-51454358563070022582016-04-24T21:50:37.944-05:002016-04-24T21:50:37.944-05:00In his April 20, 2016, Logia article, Why the Luth...In his April 20, 2016, <i>Logia</i> article, <a href="http://www.logia.org/logia-online/why-the-lutheran-churchmissouri-synod-and-its-kin-have-declined-in-membership-and-what-to-do-about-it2016" rel="nofollow">Why the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod And Its Kin Have Declined In Membership And What To Do About It</a>," Rev. Martin R. Noland claims four factors why confessional Lutherans have not seen growth. Those four factors deal with confessional Lutherans refusing to: <br /><br />1. Participate in unionistic worship services, revivals, and other unionistic religious work,<br />2. Accept the theology and practices of the charismatic movement,<br />3. "Sheep-steal," and<br />4. Identify with American Evangelical politics and political organizations.Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-73350791293158743712016-04-24T20:39:59.829-05:002016-04-24T20:39:59.829-05:00Five reasons why I think Confessional Lutherans de...Five reasons why I think Confessional Lutherans decline...<br /><br />- Much lower visibility compared to Evangelicals<br />- Poor catechesis of its people<br />- Problems with reaching out to non-WASP folks<br />- Most important - Too bookish and doctrinal for this anti-intellectual and feelings-oriented times<br />- Also most important - No more social pressure to stay in same church, it's all individualism nowAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-23098372499321405572016-04-24T07:56:46.886-05:002016-04-24T07:56:46.886-05:00"The Living Lutheran is the new flagship publ...<i>"The </i>Living Lutheran<i> is the new flagship publication of the ELCA."</i> <br /><br />Like its XXXA predecessor, the <i>Living Lufauxran</i> cannot compete against the softness of <i>Charmin</i>.Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-15683326618520336582016-04-24T07:34:06.043-05:002016-04-24T07:34:06.043-05:00There was a time in the 80's where The Luthera...There was a time in the 80's where The Lutheran Witness missed the mark on conveying doctrine, but since then the staff at LW has done a very good job at Lutheran theology. This is especially true in the last couple of years in confronting questions the Millenials are asking. I would put up the LW against any other denominational periodical.Ted Badjehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03220879004715648795noreply@blogger.com