What’s up with Texas?

That’s what a number of folks in the LCMS are wondering.  This year’s Texas District Youth Gathering is having a non-Lutheran WOMAN PASTOR leading worship!  Not only that the church she’s a pastor at is at odds with the beliefs of the LCMS.  Father Hollywood points out the following on the whole situation:

Kari is an associate pastor at the non-denominational Gateway Church, a congregation that denies baptismal regeneration and the Real Presence in Holy Communion – which of course is completely at odds with Lutheran doctrine as well as the centrality of altar, font, and pulpit to Lutheran worship. How she can be the “lead worshiper” of a gathering of Lutherans without falling into unionism is quite a mystery.

Furthermore, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, at least as of this writing, affirms the masculinity of the pastoral office and upholds the scriptural and traditional proscription against women clergy. According to Gateway’s website of ministry staff, Kari is an “associate pastor.”

…

Neither the praesidium, nor the seminaries, nor any district presidents will denounce women pastors leading worship at youth gatherings. There will be no disciplinary actions taken against anyone.

This kind of thing will expand, and will continue to send a message to our young people that women’s ordination is okay, as are unionistic worship, and worship that not only sets aside our Lutheran confession of sacraments as well as the traditional western liturgy. What will be deemed as an acceptable replacement is emotional, exciting, entertainment based religion of a general non-denominational sort.

Then we wonder why people leave – why those who actually strive for the sacramental and liturgical Presence of our Lord Jesus (as confessed in the Lutheran confessions) seek that Presence outside of Lutheranism. On the other hand, we also see the exodus of young people who have been taught there is no difference between Lutheranism and non-denominationalism, and so they likewise leave Lutheran churches in seek of even bigger and better entertainment.

It is no wonder why so many of our young people are confused and leaving the LCMS. It is also no wonder why so many of our seminarians, vicars, and pastors are appalled at the dissonance between what we confess on paper and how we worship in the real world, and leave the LCMS for Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or Roman Catholicism. In many cases, the doctrine and practice of those churches is closer to the Lutheran confessions than our own churches!

Scott over at Stand-Firm urges prayer for the LCMS since -

Unionism is alive and well in the LCMS. A lack of discernment reigns. It’s the difference between being interested in teaching your kids the whole counsel of God versus teaching them it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re properly entertained while reaching for that mountaintop “experience.”

Meanwhile it appears that the “worship leader, make that “song leader” isn’t the only issue when looking at the list of speakers.

The speaker list also included Fred Lynch, a hip-hop Pentecostal preacher associated with the Assemblies of God, and Denver Moore, a part-time Baptist minister. All of this is happening under the official eye of the Texas District of the LCMS.

This is very disappointing seeing that non-LCMS speakers who are in total disagreement with your “theology” are being used.  As Todd points out there is no shortage of them. 

One thought: There is absolutely no shortage of talented confessional speakers and musicians within the LCMS itself. This talent is neither hidden nor unavailable.

Speaking of Todd he has numerous good questions.  I myself am somewhat torn when it comes to the LCMS Youth Gatherings.  Having been a lay youth director who attended 3 National gatherings and a District gathering I’ve seen the excitement and there’s no doubt a message there. The question is is it the “right” message.  Personally in this specific case I don’t see how you can give the true LCMS message when you have speakers that are blatantly in disagreeement with what you teach. 

So in this case I tend to agree with Josh who points out the heart of the issue likely is a failure to catechize. 

So if Lutherans are acting like Pentecostals, Evangelicals (take note the capital E), or other Christian traditions at odds with Lutheran theology, what we have here is a failure to catechize. Somebody needs to sit down with Cool Hand Luke and help him through the Book of Concord.

Belonging to a Lutheran Church does not make one a Lutheran. Neither does having a signature on file. What makes someone a Lutheran (as opposed to other forms of Christianity) is what he believes, teaches, and confesses.

The question is does anyone in charge care what’s being taught?