The Nihil Rule

Berthold von Schenk “We have preached a Cross without a dare, a Cross without a sacrifice, an empty Cross, for it is the least disturbing. And what happened because of this sickly sentimental verbiage which has gone under the name of Lenten preaching? This is what has happened: to satisfy the masses, to satisfy those whose highest expression of Christian service is to run a card party, we have lost men and women who were groping for faith. Something more has happened. We have lost our young men and our young women, because we have taken the dare out of religion, the romance, the adventure, the attack, the sacrifice. We have taken the one thing which makes for Christian manhood: Sacrifice and struggle, and have substituted rites and popular preaching which, at best, can satisfy only the typical church worker of middle age. Our young people will not have that kind of religion at any price, because they know it is not true. It is less than life, for life is intense, thrilling, challenging

Continuing our examination of the WELS 2023 statistical report, Rev. Jon Hein enumerates four categories of students using secular categories.  I have kindly fixed his list and placed them into Biblical categories of heathen, heterodox and demon-worshippers. It's not very winsome, but it is biblical... So why do we admit heterodox, heathen and demon-worshippers? ...it's all about the Bemjamins, what?... WELS enrollments continue to decline, and as of 2023 we have more heterodox, heathen and demon-worshippers in our WELS schools than we have WELS/ELS students. 2023 was a tipping point: WELS/ELS students are now a minority at their own educational institutions.  Hein pays brief lip-service to the Wauwatosa theologians in a footnote "Prof. John Schaller, in a paper titled The Need of Christian Education by Means of Parochial Schools, shared his belief that Lutheran parochial schools were simply a tool to aid parents in discipling their children. “We are at once confronted b

[  Leaders' Guide  |  Video 1  |  Video 2  |  Video 3  |  Video 4  |  Video 5  ] for the love of God, make it stop! Seriously, you guys, I thought I was done with this thing. But apparently feedback has made its way to synod because there is now revised verbiage on the landing page and an edited leader's guide. In addition, there is a brief summary of the COP statement on sexuality.  The videos are unedited as of this writing; so, any massaging of the landing page and leaders' guide is just to try and assuage the reader. The substance of this Bible study has not changed . Every criticism levied at the five videos remains in play. Revised Landing Page Let's take a closer look at the five "Approach" bullets. An Honest Conversation is a glimpse into a conversation that is not happening, but should be happening with our youth. It’s not meant to be the final word, nor the only word, but to prompt further dialogue on this matter. These conversations are happening, t

    [ Leaders' Guide | Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Video 4 | Video 5 ] We complete the series with Video Five , which kicks off with a discussion on choosing "choosing a lifestyle over Jesus... because they felt like they had to choose." Yes, if you want to live a lifestyle that is condemned by the Bible then yes, you have to choose. Am I going to deny myself and reject a LGBTQ+ lifestyle, or am I going to deny my Savior? This is a 1 Corinthians 10 thing - you can't commune with the Lord and with demons, you have to choose. Now certainly (as I've reiterated several times) one can struggle with an LGBTQ+ desire, but in struggling with that desire you are denying yourself and following Christ.  There is a common thread about singleness laced throughout the video. First, we have the same young lady quoted above reminding us that "relationships aren't a thing in heaven" so apparently, they shouldn't be a big deal here on earth - except, of co

     [  Leaders' Guide  |  Video 1  |  Video 2  |  Video 3  |  Video 4  |  Video 5  ] And on to Video Four , where we are going to focus on one of the panelists. For the first three videos I tried to avoid this for a few reasons: first, I remember being in my late teens and having some pretty bad takes, secondly, we should really be holding Ben and Bill responsible for the content since they are moderating and producing this thing. In video 5 you can hear Bill off-camera guiding a discussion point - which changed my mind since this isn't just eavesdropping on some teens having a discussion, they are being actively guided to hit certain points, and in video 2 there were definite overtones of the youth 'getting it' in contrast with the older generations. So let us examine the wisdom of the youth. We're going to focus on the woman in yellow, who I would guess based on her comments is studying to be an education major. Her comments are somewhat chilling, but I imagine

  [  Leaders' Guide  |  Video 1  |  Video 2  |  Video 3  |  Video 4  |  Video 5  ] And on to Video Three , which comes hot out of the gate with the assertion "They need to know Jesus first then you can get to the hard stuff" - an inversion of law and gospel. It's the law that convicts us, and after it has done its work on our heart of stone, we are opened up to the sweet proclamation of the Gospel. Why do you need a Savior if you don't recognize your sin? We move on to the question "What are some mistakes Christians have made in their attempt to share God's Word?" Bill's answer: "Be cautious about forcing a point of view" ... "it's about first having a listening ear" ... "we need to be careful that our whole goal isn't to moralize, change behavior, stand on politics, associating that completely with our faith, but instead, you know, winning the trust of someone" Is it possible to have a faith divorced of mora

Codex Washingtonianus - Wikipedia You are probably aware that there is a longer ending to Mark. Many Bibles will either bracket Mark 16:9-20 or have a footnote. For instance my NKJV does not bracket, but has the following footnote: "Verses 9-20 are bracketed in the NU [critical text, aka Nestle-Aland] as not in the original text. They are lacking in the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus, although nearly all other manuscripts of Mark contain them." (I'm of the opinion that Lutherans should affirm the longer ending since our Lutheran Confessions cite them, and we hold our Lutheran confessions to be without error.) But did you know there is a longest ending of Mark? I didn't either until I heard this sermon by the Rev. Travis Berg . The longest Mark has an insertion after verse 14, highlighted in Bold below and inserted into the NKJV text: Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons

[  Leaders' Guide  |  Video 1  |  Video 2  |  Video 3  |  Video 4  |  Video 5  ] Videos Two  has been posted for "An Honest Conversation about Sexuality."   After a brief introduction from Ben and Bill, we return to our panelists, who make the assertion "[LGBTQ] is just another sin, right?" And, out of the mouths of babes... the second panelist makes the assertion that the church follows culture, and so when culture changes the church is left holding the bag. My sweet summer child ... I certainly understand the confusion as our synod is chasing the culture. This should not be, and that's why we're talking about it. We get to our first pause for questions at the six minute mark. I'll list the questions and the answers that Bill and Ben give later in the episode. Question One: What are some of the challenges that get in the way of having a conversation? After the break, Bill suggests our use of language is a barrier, as we were told in the leader's

Both the WELS and the LCMS held worship conferences in the past few weeks. The difference? Psalms vs. Copyright. The LCMS sang through all 150 psalms . The WELS featured contemporary hymns , many written and composed by heathens and even heretics. Can't find the heretic? maybe we can ask REM for help: Thanks, REM! (Leonard Bernstein, while married, engaged in homosexual trysts and did not know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior) Of course Leonard Bernstein is not the only heathen who contributed to WELS conferences and hymnals, as we've previously discussed Harry Fosdick , the liberal theologian who denied the Trinity, and thus the true Christian faith, and Sylvia Dunstan , the lesbian larping as a pastrix.

  [  Leaders' Guide  |  Video 1  |  Video 2  |  Video 3  |  Video 4  |  Video 5  ] An Honest Conversation About Sexuality – Video 1 Well, what do you know. Pastor Bill Monday - affiliated with 922 ministries (aka The Core, Mike Novotny , etc.). I've gotten a few anonymous tips about his ministry to homosexuals, but I hadn't followed up on those to date - mea culpa - I'll do that in the near future.  His co-presenter, Ben Dose, is "not a congregation member" but a "lifelong Lutheran" who struggles with same-sex attraction and is a self-proclaimed "representative of the LGBTQ community" who is here to "put a human face on it" and "bring a level of empathy". First - one can struggle with same-sex attraction much as a young straight man might struggle with chastity or porn - but the Christian will deny himself and repent of his weakness and look to God for strength. They won't identify with their sin as Ben does in ident