tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79277993169672370492011-04-21T11:37:01.523-07:00Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-32439313070255139082007-09-17T10:55:00.000-07:002007-09-18T11:02:10.812-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Are there "ring-knockers" in WELS?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-48450704766977565832007-09-17T10:41:00.000-07:002007-09-17T10:42:16.964-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.WELSians boast about their pedigree . . .

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-74502611333658634732007-09-14T14:20:00.000-07:002007-09-14T14:21:56.086-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Should called workers recuse themselves from votes which could affect them financially?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-28694947381923653302007-09-06T04:41:00.000-07:002007-09-06T04:43:17.821-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Should WELS develop curriculum standards (preK-12) for Religion?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-75589228480959636672007-08-30T16:03:00.000-07:002007-08-30T16:04:17.764-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Is enrollment at your WELS LES up or down this year?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-34127965295948322432007-08-30T16:00:00.000-07:002007-08-30T16:02:54.581-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.It makes good sense to extend divine teaching calls to wives of pastors ahead of other candidates. Agree or disagree?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-18643021291330559272007-08-23T09:08:00.000-07:002007-08-23T09:15:24.671-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Lutheran children are entitled to a free Lutheran education at congregation (or Synod) expense. Agree or disagree?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-85220972174721421372007-08-22T13:22:00.000-07:002007-08-23T09:11:15.031-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.At your WELS Lutheran Elementary School (LES), decisionmaking preference is usually based on . . . what?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-59779504308945064832007-08-22T10:46:00.000-07:002007-08-23T09:11:54.928-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Should MLC, LPS, and MLS require art training for WELS pastor & teacher candidates?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-65861634654546510182007-08-17T07:30:00.000-07:002007-08-17T07:33:26.113-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.The last time you (or a loved one) were in the hospital, did your WELS pastor visit you?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-61070961272865196572007-08-15T07:04:00.000-07:002007-08-15T07:19:34.734-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.Should WELS Synodical Council (SC) outsource "Ministry Support" to cut costs and balance the budget?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-50548745168538412392007-08-11T16:00:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:06:12.828-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.What action will your congregation take to help the Synod's financial situation?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-72242022576057945542007-08-11T13:44:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:02:51.296-07:00

This discussion thread ties to poll at right by same name.The Practical Theology and Pastoral Theology (PT) areas of instruction at WELS' Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) cover down-to-earth topics. Since every pastor participates in church council meetings and/or other business meetings (e.g., ALHS, Thrivent, LWMS, Circuit, Conference, District, & Synod), why not use a few PT classes to train

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-17649213630249326662007-08-10T20:49:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:38:13.665-07:00

WELS could learn something about recruiting future pastors by observing methods used since 9-11 to recruit U.S. Special Forces.After 9-11 the U.S. switched to offense in the Global War On Terror and needed to increase the number of U.S. Special Forces without dropping training standards. Training attrition being over 70% the military focused on research and strategies aimed at reducing this

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-62712514687494031652007-08-08T07:04:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:42:52.861-07:00

My observation in my own congregation, my previous congregations, and in neighboring congregations leads me to the conclusion that there are different attitudes and procedures for LESs in WELS. Each of the attitudes is represented in every congregation; however, local dynamics between the attitudes determines the procedure for each independent WELS LES. Further, these dynamics are not static,

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-73547736206172351412007-07-06T12:59:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:52:45.607-07:00

Missing from our discussion is a good HR review of Ministerial Education and pastors. It may be that BME has produced such a study and I haven't seen it. A good HR analysis would provide a framework for aligning Ministerial Education with the job that pastors actually perform on a day-to-day basis in a parish setting. A good HR analysis would prioritize skills (e.g., must have vs. nice to have)

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-45355777900198358862007-07-05T19:22:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:54:39.381-07:00

According to PSSC-2 data, MLS produced only 2 pastors in WLS Class of 2002 and only 2 pastors in WLS Class of 2003. What went wrong? Could this happen again?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-30700604686877239372007-07-05T19:10:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:55:48.184-07:00

WELS Synodical Council has offered to sell MLS to any group for $1 to operate MLS as a self-funded school. Is any group forming to do so? What would it cost to operate MLS?There are 34,000 communicant members in Michigan District. Let's say that translates to 10,000 Michigan families who are potential donors.If we assume that cost of operating MLS is same as Synod subsidy ($2,000,000), then cost

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-77848329921356284492007-07-03T09:52:00.000-07:002007-08-11T14:59:36.609-07:00

Our LES system is proud of test scores and publishes summaries of nation-wide Achievement Tests (Terra Nova Fall Testing). However, to my knowledge, our high school system (LPS, MLS, ALHS) is silent on test results (ACT, SAT). Why?Likewise, PSSC-2 did not compare test scores (ACT or SAT) of MLC accession programs (LPS, MLS, ALHS, public). Why not? Don't test scores assess caliber of incoming

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-20557168234251836462007-07-02T21:17:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:45:39.161-07:00

Pastoral ministry is about relationships, and that includes relationships with fellow pastors. At Martin Luther College, a person has the opportunity to build relationships that last a lifetime. Besides this, students at MLC have the opportunity not simply to learn subject matter, but to study with professors who are modelers and confessors of the faith they are teaching. Studying at a

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-6347879796717541212007-07-02T21:14:00.000-07:002007-07-02T21:15:47.491-07:00

Digital native or digital immigrant? Same terminology applies to teachers."At meeting of college librarians, experts tell them they need to start thinking the way video game producers think and provide library services that will make sense to those who play computer games. 'In an era when most students would have to go to a museum to see an old-fashioned card catalog, there's no doubt that

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-57225073822722432152007-07-02T21:05:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:46:33.067-07:00

Despite outwardly unremarkable appearance and seemingly good behavior, members of God's church may in fact work for Satan.Satan can enter men.Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.--------------------------The line between God and Satan can be crossed in a heartbeat, evidenced by two spectacular contrasting Scriptural phrases separated by only 5

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-24704207317278089932007-07-02T19:06:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:47:28.049-07:00

To encourage young people to consider teaching or pastoral ministry, LES principals could send motivated boys & girls (Grade 3-8) to lower grades as classroom assistants and send mature boys (Grade 5-8) on ride-alongs with pastor to hospitals (as allowed), nursing homes, and private homes. LES principals should attempt to include public school students as well as LES students in this intern

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-24136048422283243172007-07-02T07:56:00.001-07:002007-07-02T07:56:51.945-07:00

www.bruceeberle.com

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-44124969344369895172007-07-02T07:12:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:50:34.502-07:00

Honest WELSians admit that there are divisions, rivalries, and class hierarchies in the Synod. Depending on where you sit in the pecking order, your attitude might be to accept these differences as the natural order of WELS society and sanctification, or your attitude might be bitter as if you were the victim of subtle racism. Neither side sees the point of view of the other.Examples of division,

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-36464676049195515352007-06-27T17:35:00.000-07:002007-08-11T15:02:21.229-07:00

Before WELS' COP emasculated WLC's Charis, a Charis research study announced the discovery of a few large, growing WELS congregations. The study did not name those congregations publicly. Perhaps anonymity was supposed to preserve their virgin condition. Charis hoped for follow-on study of the pastors involved. The new, reconstituted Charis may loath opening old wounds, so we may never know their

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-5579591246589484612007-06-27T17:33:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:51:37.936-07:00

The majority of WELS teens attend public high school and might have some connection to their home congregation through Youth Group and Young Adult programs (if they exist). Conversely, the majority of WELS leaders left home at age 14 for 12 years of seclusion boarding until age 26 at prep school, MLC/NWC, and MLS, therefore they never participated on a regular basis as active members of a normal

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-3096346940181765522007-06-27T17:27:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:52:19.721-07:00

Using rough numbers, WELS prep schools graduate about 10 (MLS) and 20 (LPS) pastor candidates per year. Each prep school subsidy is about $2,000,000 per year (according to 2007 Convention materials). Therefore, prep school subsidies compute to about $200,000 per year (MLS) and $100,000 per year (LPS) for each prep school graduate who enters MLC pastor track.

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7927799316967237049.post-5475630468938308242007-06-27T17:14:00.000-07:002007-08-11T16:53:07.859-07:00

WELS Prep School Study Committee reported that MLC faculty “could not tell a difference in academics between prep students and area Lutheran high school students.” So why subsidize prep schools?

Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14515952155562519604noreply@blogger.com0