freed from the shopkeeper's prison (curtis).pdf

8/14/2019 Freed From the Shopkeeper's Prison (Curtis).pdf

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Freed From the Shopkeeper's Prison1

Rev. H. R. Curtis

Trinity Lutheran Church Worden, ILZion Lutheran Church Carpenter, IL

Presented General Pastors Con!erence o! the "orth Re#ion o! the I" $istrict, LC%&, %ay ', ()11.

I. Introduction

*+erican pastors are aandonin# their posts, le!t and ri#ht, and at an alar+in# rate. They are not

leavin# their churches and #ettin# other -os. Con#re#ations still pay their salaries. Their na+es re+ain on the

church stationery and they continue to appear in pulpits on &undays. ut they are aandonin# their posts, their

calling. They have #one /horin# a!ter other #ods. What they do /ith their ti+e under the #uise o! pastoral

+inistry hasnt the re+otest connection /ith /hat the churchs pastors have done !or +ost o! t/enty centuries.

* !e/ o! us are an#ry aout it. We are an#ry ecause /e have een deserted. %ost o! +y collea#ues

/ho de!ined +inistry !or +e, e0a+ined, ordained, and then installed +e as a pastor in a con#re#ation, a short

/hile later /aled o!! and le!t +e, havin#, they said, +ore ur#ent thin#s to do. The people I thou#ht I /ould

e /orin# /ith disappeared /hne the /or started. ein# a pastor is di!!icult /or2 /e /ant the

co+panionship and counsel o! allies. It is itterly disappointin# to enter a roo+ !ull o! people /ho+ you haveevery reason to e0pect share the 3uest and co++it+ents o! pastoral /or and !ind /ithin ten +inutes that they

+ost de!initely do not. They tal o! i+a#es and statistics. They drop na+es. They discuss in!luence and status.

%atters o! God and the soul and &cripture are not #rist !or their +ills.

The pastors o! *+erica have +eta+orphosed into a co+pany o! shopeepers, and the shops they

eep are churches. They are preoccupied /ith shopeepers concerns ho/ to eep the custo+ers happy, ho/

to lure custo+ers a/ay !ro+ co+petitors do/n the street, ho/ to paca#e the #oods so that the custo+ers /ill

lay out +ore +oney.

&o+e o! the+ are very #ood shopeepers. They attract a lot o! custo+ers, pull in #reat su+s o!

+oney, develop splendid reputations. 4et it is still shopeepin#5 reli#ious shopeepin#, to e sure, ut

shopeepin# all the sa+e. The +aretin# strate#ies o! the !ast6!ood !ranchise occupy the /ain# +inds o!

these entrepeneurs2 /hile asleep they drea+ o! he ind o! success that /ill #et the attention o! -ournalists. . .

The ilical !act is that there are no success!ul churches. There are, instead, co++unities o! sinners,#athered e!ore God /ee a!ter /ee in to/ns and villa#es all over the /orld. . . . The pastors responsiility

is to eep the co++unity attentive to God. It is this responsiility that is ein# aandoned in spades.

6 7u#ene Peterson, Working the Angles,pp. 16(.

Peterson #oes on to e0plain these shopeepers concerns, and the prison they create !or pastors,

in #reater detail and o!!er his o/n antidotes. They are #ood antidotes and I reco++end the oo, ut

so+ethin# is +issin# in his dia#nosis, there is a ey Peterson does not 3uite rin# !ully to ear. That

ey is the Gospel. Peterson has ri#htly, po/er!ully, and poetically identi!ied the prole+ and he has

provided the ri#ht antidotes !ro+ the real+ o! the La/5 a pastor should not e a shopeeper, instead he

should do this5 study the &criptures, pray, and #ive spiritual direction to his !loc. Ri#ht5 ut /hy8 Why

do these #ood /ors8 We Lutherans no/ that /e +ust !ind an ans/er in the Gospel that it is the

1 I a+ indeted to +y !riend and collea#ue, Rev. 9evin %artin, !or introducin# +e to several o! the ey concepts

e0pressed in this paper.


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#lorious !ree Gospel o! Christ that ani+ates and drives us. :nless and until /e #et the Gospel ri#ht, it

/ill not +atter at all ho/ poetically so+eone tells us the ri#ht thin#s to do. We /ill not e ale to do

the+ unless !reed y Christ Christ +ust co+e /ith his Gospel and ust us out o! the shopeeper6

pastors prison.

This is the tas I have set +ysel! !or our ti+e to#ether. I /ant to rin# the Gospel to ear on the

shopeeper6pastors prison. I /ant to rea the ars asunder /ith the only /eapon I have5 the Gospel.

"o/, the Gospel is a +any !aceted -e/el. There is the Christ6alone6ness o! the Gospel and the outside6

us6ness o! the Gospel and the #race6aloneness o! the Gospel and the !aith6aloneness o! the Gospel and

so on. 7ach o! these !acets o! the Gospel is vital and each has a role to play in puttin# us in the ri#ht

place over a#ainst God. The !acet that that shall !ree us !ro+ the &hopeeper Pastors Prison is, I thin,

the !ro+6eternity6ness o! the Gospel.

Here is ho/ /e #et put in the &hopeepers Prison. Ho/ o!ten have you heard the !ollo/in#

speech, ;We are the livin# a+on# the dyin#. We are those /ho no/ the cure to the /orlds ail+ent o!

sin. &o it is up to us spread the +essa#e o! our Lord


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ans/er to 3uestion nu+er 1 on your &7T !or+ and you +ay -ust !ind a +iniature version o! that

speech. "o dout youve heard that speech and !elt a t/in#e o! #uilt5 a+ I doin# enou#h !or the lost8

Ho/ +any +ore could e in heaven i! I tried a little harder, did a little +ore, ent over a it +ore

ac/ard8

Clan#. 4ou are stuc in the shopeepers prison o! nu+ers and de+o#raphics and appealin# to

the desires and /hi+s o! unelievers since they are your custo+ers. Lets see i! /e cant pic the loc

and let you out.

II. Functional Arminianism Explained

ac to that speech on +issions youve heard so +any ti+es. The +ost recent rendition o! this

speech that ca+e to +y ears /as in the conte0t o! natural disasters. :nder discussion a+on#st a !e/

pastors /ere natural disasters as a call to repentance as


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pro#ressive -usti!ication /hich entailed pur#atory. *r+inius /anted Grace6*lone6ness o! the Gospel

and he /anted responsiility !or da+nation not to reside in God and he /anted no unco+!ortale

unans/ered 3uestions. The syste+ he developed /ill e !a+iliar to anyone /ho has ever heard an

*+erican 7van#elical preach. 4our #ood /ors cant save you, your sins have da+ned you ut

Christ has paid the ill. His lood covers all so cast your lot /ith hi+D %ae your decision !or Christ

today and e saved y his all6availin# sacri!ice.

The Lutheran ?and Calvinist@ criti3ue o! this syste+ is that the popes syste+ is let in throu#h

the side door. Its only that in place o! +any and #reat #ood /ors, hu+an salvation no/ han#s on a

s+all and si+ple #ood /or5 decidin# !or Christ. *r+inians are no Pela#ians they /ould /hole

heartedly a#ree that the /or o! the Holy &pirit is a necessity !or a decision !or Christ. ut they /ould

also assert that +ans truly !ree /ill truly plays a vital role in the +atter. %uch hoop -u+pin# ensues

that they +i#ht convince the+selves that this decision is not a ;/or= 6 and lie +ost -u+pin# o!

hoops, it !rays the nerves a!ter a short /hile.

Lutherans #et that. "o Lutheran is advocatin# !ull6throated *r+inianis+. It /as Luther, a!ter

all, /ho /rote The Bondage of the Will;;I cannot y +y o/n reason or stren#th elieve in


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+en to e saved. 4et so+e are not and its their !ault, not Gods. 4et i! any are saved its all Gods

doin# !ro+ e#innin# to end. That is a parado0, a +ystery, an unco+!ortale spot.

That Lutheran ans/er is oviously antithetical to *r+inianis+ and neither does it co+port /ith

Calvinis+. *r+inius prole+ /ith Calvinis+ /as that it appeared to +ae God the author o! evil and

da+nation. In order to resolve this prole+, yet eep #race alone, *r+inius sneaed in -ust one teensy

/eensy /or throu#h the door o! hu+an choice. Lutheranis+ presents a di!!erent di!!iculty, si+ilar to

ut distinct !ro+ Calvinis+. It is +ost unsatis!yin# to have old loc letters readin# I $A"T 9"AW

at the center o! your theolo#y o! salvation. Why are so+e saved and not others8 Its a +ystery that has

not een e0plained to us " don't kno#.

ut /hat i! there /ere a side door also into Lutheranis+8 What could /e do to retain #race

alone yet also resolve this unco+!ortale, illo#ical +ystery8 ;I elieve that I cannot y +y o/n reason

or stren#th elieve in


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a#ent.

ut throu#h that door o! the +eans o! #race other characters can e rou#ht on to the sta#e5

those +en throu#h /ho+ the +eans o! #race co+e. Ho/ shall they hear /ithout so+eone preachin#

and ho/ shall they preach unless they are sent ri#ht8 "o/ /e can spea not only o! the individual

and God and ar#ue /hether the one the other or oth are the e!!icient causal a#ents o! salvation no/

/e can also spea o! an al+ost li+itless nu+er o! individuals /ho +i#ht e e!!icient causal a#ents o!

salvation or at least cause da+nation. I! Grand+a &chicel#rer sends in her +ission dollars and

therey a +issionary #oes to darest *!rica and preaches the Gospel then the Holy &pirit can /or

and perhaps save


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co+es to +issions ecause once you allo/ in any hu+an e!!icient cause in salvation you have

allo/ed the+ all. I! its up to a hu+an ein#s choice, then it can e up to other hu+ans to convince

the+ to choose. The Ro+an Catholic call !or +ission donations is identical to the *r+inian call /hich

is identical to the Bunctional *r+inian6Lutheran version al+ost. The savvy Lutheran practitioner o!

this call !or +issions /ill not dare to say that /e are tryin# to convince people to +ae their decision

!or


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&hopeeper *r+inian nei#hors and have the sa+e &hopeeper conerns. While the theory is sli#htly

di!!erent, the practical i+plications overlap. The entrance o! hu+an a#ency into salvation si+ply

co+es at a di!!erent point !or the *r+inian, in the /ill o! the one to e saved, !or the Bunctionally

*r+inian Lutheran in the /ill o! those /ho can prevent the Holy &pirit !ro+ doin# his /or y

re!usin# to #ive +oney !or +issions or tell their nei#hor aout


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This is /here our criti3ue o! this theolo#y +ust e#in5 /ith /hat it #ets ri#ht. God does /or

throu#h +eans. The Holy &pirit converts +en throu#h the +eans o! #race the preachin# o! his Word

and the ad+inistration o! his &acra+ents. This is oth ho/ God #ives irth to ne/ elievers and ho/

he stren#thens those /ho are already his children. This truth is a #reat co+!ort to us5 !or /e can loo at

o-ective acts to no/ that /e are saved. $o you dout /hether God loves you8 4ou dont have to

/onder, lie a Calvinist, i! you are really one o! his elect5 you are aptied, Gods pro+ises are !or you.

4ou dont have to /orry, lie an *r+inian, that your choosin# o!


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The Holy &pirit /as po/erless to do anythin# ecause he had ?it see+s !oolishly@ pro+ised only to

/or throu#h the +eans o! #race /hich /e prevented !ro+ #oin# to Haiti. God /anted to save those

poor people, ut /e stopped hi+ !ro+ doin# so.

There is the te+ptation in this theolo#y the sa+e te+ptation that has al/ays een !ront and

center since the #arden pride and po/er. While +y salvation is not up to +e I do have the po/er to

prevent or allo/ others into heaven. What a head tripD Truly, on the day that /e eat o! this !ruit /e

shall e as #odsD Is it any /onder that this theolo#y is so popular8 What a sense o! purpose and

acco+plish+ent co+es /ith it and /hat a po/er!ul incentive #uilt can e as /ell. Bor not only +ay I

save, ut +y inaction +ay da+n those /ho other/ise +i#ht have een saved. &uch #uilt can e

/ielded y sill!ul practitioners o! the preachin# arts to #uarantee a steady inco+e !or li!e5 every ti+e a

coin in the co!!er rin#s, a +issionary to darest *!rica sprin#s.

ut thin a little +ore deeply on the su-ect. I! so+eone elses salvation is dependent on your

/ors isnt your salvation dependent on so+eone elses /or8 I! your inaction can da+n another

cant so+eone elses inaction da+n you8 Well then, it is not really true that neither li!e nor death nor

an#els nor po/ers can separate you !ro+ the love o! God in Christ


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"o one can snatch you out o! Gods hands.

*nd, conversely, you cannot snatch any o! the elect out o! Gods hands. I! you re!use to preach

the Gospel !ro+ this day out Gods purpose in election /ill stand. I! you attac and persecute the

Church, none o! the elect shall e lost. I! you horde your +oney and re!use to pray !or +issionaries on

their dan#erous /ay, Christs little la+s /ill still e in his !old. He has lost none and he /ill lose none

o! those his Bather has #iven hi+. $o nothin# and the nu+er o! souls in Gods in#do+ on the last

day /ill e -ust the sa+e as i! you had #iven all you had to +issions and dedicated your every /ain#

+o+ent to preachin#. &tart a praise and and stroll the aisle /hile preachin# in your polo shirt and

shorts and the nu+er o! souls in Gods in#do+ on the last day /ill e -ust the sa+e as i! you

chanted TLH p. 1E /ee in and /ee out rather poorly in an ill6!ittin# cassoc al and +is+atched

socs.

IV. But...

ut i! this is the case, then /hy preach at all8 I! this is the case, then /hy #ive at all8 I! this is

the case, then /hy pray at all8 I! this is the case, then /hy #ive any thou#ht to ho/ /orship is

conducted or the church ad+inistered8 I can sit around and do nothin# and everythin# /ill e !ine, so

/hy other8

*haD Can you no/ see that /e are talin#, at last, aout the Gospel8 *rent these the 3uestions

that the Gospel al/ays elicits8 In Ro+ans F, a!ter three chapters o! poundin# a/ay at salvation y

/ors, &t. Paul +ust say, ;Well then, i! its not our /ors shall /e #o on sinnin# that #race +ay

aound8= In those chapters the *postle /as !i#htin# !or the #race6alone6ness !acet o! the Gospel ut

the sa+e 3uestions arise /ith every !acet i! it is Christ alone /ho saves, then /hy should I other8 I!

salvation is rou#ht !ro+ outside o! +e, i! +y inner rene/al is not the asis o! +y -usti!ication, then

/hy should I try to e rene/ed8 I! !aith alone saves, then /hy should I other tryin# to eco+e lovin#8

I! those /ho /or only one hour receive the sa+e pay as those /ho have orne the heat o! the day

/hy other8 I! God has his elect, then /hy ever send a +issionary8 "o/ /e are talin#D Those are the


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ri#ht 3uestions i! I have !orced you as the+, then I have !orced you to loo the Gospel s3uare in the

!ace and see it !or it is5 truly Grace alone, Gods /or alone /ith +an ound in sin and God alone !ree

to act.

*nd ironically enou#h, this is /hy only the Gospel, the real Gospel o! #race alone and

unconditional election ?/hich are the sa+e thin#@, can +otivate #ood /ors. It is the only thin# that

can cut throu#h the +ercenary instinct in the !allen hu+an +ind. Is savin# our sins the only possile

+otivation !or #ood /ors8 What a narro/ and odd doctrine. God had to ill it /ith the #race6alone6

ness o! the Gospel.

&o lie/ise /ith +issions. Is the desire to lord it over another and e a little #od /ho can save

so+e and da+n others y action or inaction the only possile +otivation !or preachin# the Gospel and

#ivin# to the Church8 What a iarre notion. God had to ill it /ith the doctrine o! 7lection. %y

+otivation in +ission /or is neither the !ear o! punish+ent ?+y o/n or anothers@ nor the hope o!

re/ard ?+y o/n or anothers@5 it is rather the -oy I have in the Gospel and the a+ain# +ercy o! Christ

/ho has chosen to use us vessels o! clay, /hat is, /e cha+erpots.

Bor consider /hat happens to Christian !reedo+ and that hearty Lutheran -oy in Gods creation

under the Bunctional *r+inian sche+e. What is +ore i+portant5 your childs colle#e education or the

savin# o! souls8 Ho/ can you spend all that +oney that could have #one to +issions8 Ho/ dare you

have a hoy that taes ti+e that could have een spent in door to door evan#elis+D Bor surely, a soul

saved is +ore i+portant that a !ishin# trip. Ho/ can you in #ood conscience plun do/n hundreds o!

dollars !or a !a+ily vacation /hen that +oney could have have een used to save a soul8 Those /ho

tae this doctrine seriously are already ra!!lin# o!! cars at 7aster &unday services. I salute the+ !or

havin# the coura#e o! their convictions. I! /e can save +ore people /ith our actions than /ould have

een saved other/ise, i! /e +ust do /hatever /e can to #et people into the church to hear the Word

ecause God /ors throu#h +eans then /oe to us i! /e dont #ive a car a/ay every /ee to #et !ols

to sho/ up, or !lat out pay unelievers to sho/ up to hear the Word /oe to us i! /e spend even one


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di+e on a cruise to Cau+el rather than on a +issionarys ticet to so+e God!orsaen land.

The truth de+ands consistency and coura#e. I! you really elieve that your #ivin# or action is

the decidin# !actor in the savin# or da+nin# o! so+e, then truth de+ands that you tae a vo/ o!

poverty.

&o less those papists +onsD They have the clear6si#hted vision to act on their elie!s. "othin#

is +ore i+portant that helpin# sprin# people out o! pur#atory and save souls here on earth. *ll earthly

pursuits +ust tae a acseat. The est thin# you can do is dedicate your /hole li!e, loc, stoc, and

arrel to the savin# o! souls. 7verythin# else is second est, sel!ish, and carnal.

ut Luther overthre/ all those notions /ith the Gospel o! #race alone and to have #race

alone, you +ust have election. He !a+ously said in his pre!ace to his collected /ors that he could

/ish all his /ors /ould e lost save only the catechis+ !or children and The Bondage of the Will. It is

those /ors that !ocus +ost clearly on salvation y #race, and #race alone. It is those /ors that allo/

!or Christian !reedo+ and the en-oy+ent o! Gods creation. We are not ureaucrats in heavnes

$epart+ent o! &alvation. We are not cuicle d/ellers /ho +ust trud#e throu#h one sharin# o! the

Gospel a!ter another and never #ivin# thou#ht to any other +atter. We are not &hopeepers tallyin#

ho/ +any souls #et into the saved colu+n. We are the sons o! the !ree /o+an. We are the !ree

children o! God. We can sit in Wittener# and drin eer /hile the &pirit does his /or throu#h the

Word. We can #o !ishin# and play racet all and tae a /al /ith our /ives and /orry aout ho/ the

Husers /ill do this !all in the i# Ten ?Go i# Red@. It is !or !reedo+ that Christ has set us !ree.

*nd #lory o! #lories in all this the Lord has chosen to use us !or his purposes. *nd his

purposes are +any. That he +i#ht have +ore children to love, he sets us in !a+ilies and lesses us to e

!ruit!ul and +ultiply. That +en +i#ht serve one another as Christ serves us, he #ives us each a vocation

and a place o! service to others as utchers and aers and candlestic +aers. *nd that his /ord +i#ht

#o !orth, he calls so+e to e preachers in his church and provides !or the+ throu#h the #enerosity o!

the people. In all these thin#s, God deli#hts to less us y doin# his #ood /ors throu#h us. ut dont


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id yoursel! i! you re-ect this, tae your all, #o ho+e and pout5 not one o! the elect /ill e lost. 4ou

cannot stop Gods plans, you cannot snatch a la+ !ro+ hi+ no +atter ho/ +uch you +i#ht try.

Why preach8 Why #ive8 Ho/ can /e not8 We /ho died to sin, ho/ can /e live in it any

lon#er8 We /ho are saved y #race, ho/ can /e resist #ivin# a reason !or this hope /e have /ithin to

all /ho as8 We do not do #ood /ors to earn salvation, our o/n or anothers, ut ecause /e are the

Bathers children and /e love to please the Bather. We do not spread the Gospel to collect !eathers in

our cap, or out o! !ear that God +i#ht lose one o! his elect i! /e dont, ut ecause /e live and reathe

and have our ein# in this Gospel. * !ather loves his son -ust ecause. * preacher preaches -ust

ecause. * Christian prays -ust ecause. I! any +ercenary thou#ht, any e0tortion, any ;or else= enters

into such thin#s they cease to e /hat they are and /e are held a#ain under the La/, coercion, and sin.

God /ill save his elect, /ith or /ithout you. I! you do not a da+n thin# none o! His elect /ill

e da+ned. I! you do everythin#, their nu+er /ill not increase. This is the doctrine o! #race alone.

This is the doctrine o! election. 4ou are nothin#. God is everythin#. It depends not on +ans /ill or

e0ertion, ut on God, /ho has +ercy.

V. The Lutheran Practice of Worship and issions

ut does this +atter8 Is election the one doctrine that has no i+pact in the real /orld o!

Christian ehavior8 Can you elieve lie a Lutheran, ut act lie an *r+inian8 Can your sustance e

the oo o! Concord, ut your style Willo/ Cree8 &hould you no/ and elieve in your heart that

this doctrine o! unconditional election is true, ut act lie it isnt8

I have heard this parado0 put in a positive li#ht ti+e and a#ain. 4es, /e no/ that God has his

elect yes, /e no/ that salvation is not y hu+an choice ut still God co++ands that /e preach to

rin# people to !aith. &o, it see+s that at the heart o! the +atter, yes, God alone saves. ut in the

/oraday /orld o! #uidin# a parish and sendin# out +issionaries our /ors do indeed +atter. &o

you can e a Lutheran /ho no/s the deep truths o! election and #race ut youll still /ant to /or


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salvation y #race alone are doctrines /orth havin#.

&o /hat does +issions and /orship ased on a Lutheran con!ession o! election and #race loo

lie8 I! God has his elect, then +y preachin# o! Gods Word /ill e received y the+. I need not dout

it and I need not eat +ysel! up i! +y preachin# o! Gods Word is not received. Consider Paul in

Pisidian *ntioch. He preaches a riproarin# ser+on at the syna#o#ue and then Lue cal+ly notes, ;*nd

/hen the Gentiles heard this, they e#an re-oicin# and #lori!yin# the /ord o! the Lord, and as +any as

/ere appointed to eternal li!e elieved.= ?*cts 1>@

*s +any as /ere appointed to eternal li!e elieved. That is +y +issions +otto. That is ho/ it

/ors. The Word #oes out ecause preachers have -ust #ot to preach, and Christians have -ust #ot to

#ive an ans/er !or the hope they have /ithin and then as +any as are appointed to eternal li!e

elieve. I! that is the case then /hy on earth /ould I tailor the /orship o! Gods house to those /ho

do not elieve his Word lie a &hopeeper tryin# to sell ice crea+8 Will that +ae a di!!erence in ;as

+any as /ere appointed to eternal li!e elieved8= Will +y +achinations increase the nu+er o! the

elect8

The *r+inians, on the other hand, sail y the pole star o! their theolo#y5 hu+ans are !ree to

re-ect God or not. %en need convincin#.%&erone is a potential con&ert. There!ore, /e need churches

and /orship that appeal to everyone. * praise and church !or the oo+ers, an ancient6!uture, or#anic

/hole6/heat host co!!ee house church !or the -aded +illenials, a rocailly church !or the hillillies,

red chasules /ith #iant /hite "s on the+ in "erasa, etc. We need that, ecause everyone is a

potential convert, a person /averin# on +iddle #round et/een God and &atan and to #et people to

convert, to choose God, you need the+ to e co+!ortale. *nd since everyone is a potential convert

you +ust +ae everyone /ho is not yet converted co+!ortale. &o your church starts to loo lie

places /here everyone /ho is not yet converted ?that is, unelievers@ are co+!ortale5 /hether co!!ee

house, hony ton dive, or university lecture hall. Thus the clientle o! *r+inian churches is, y

desi#n, heathenish. Thats /hy you #et advertise+ents lie these that do not have a spec o! the Gospel


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in the+ they are all aout heathenish concerns5 cool +usic, co+!ortale seats, tips !or raisin# your

!a+ily.

Bor a Lutheran, everyone is not a potential convert in the *r+inian sense. We do not elieve

that every +an is on a sort o! neutral #round /hence he +ay chose to #o /ith God or not. Rather, /e

elieve that everyone /e +eet -ust +i#ht e one o! those appointed to eternal li!e /ho /ill elieve

/hen they hear the Word not tips !or healthy livin#, ut the Gospel. 7ach +an I see +i#ht -ust e one

o! Gods elect. There!ore, our churches do not cater to those /ho are not yet converted ecause /e

/ant to #et the+ to +ae their decision. We dont have to have this sort o! church and that sort o!

church to appeal to this sort o! uneliever and that sort o! uneliever /e do not have several di!!erent

constituencies that +ust e appeased. Rather, /e serve the one people o! God, his elect !ro+ every

nation. *nd /hat the elect /ant, /hat the Church /ants, is the Word o! God, and /orship that !lo/s

ceaselessly !ro+ the Word o! God and is i++ersed in the i+a#ery o! the Word o! God and is

connected to the people o! God o! all ti+es and places.

&o, the &hopeepers are ri#ht this !ar5 no/ your tar#et audience. Is yours the potential convert

or the elect o! God8 It /ill +ae all the di!!erence.

Potential converts /ill e co+!ortale /ith a sta#e they /ill reco#nie !ro+ corporate events

and plays. The elect o! every nation /ill /ant an altar, set hi#h and !ront and center, so that the La+

o! God once sacri!iced +i#ht al/ays e e!ore their eyes.

Potential converts /ill need +usic they can connect /ith and that +atches their individual

tastes so theyll need several di!!erent venues /ith several di!!erent #enres represented. The elect o!

every nation /ill /ant the +usic o! the Church, +usic that /ill connect the+ to Christians o! all a#es

not +usic that /ill pi#eon hole the+ not only in their o/n ti+e, in their o/n de+o#raphic, thus cuttin#

the+ o!! !ro+ !ello/ship /ith all the elievers in their #eo#raphical area..

Potential converts /ill /ant to see a preacher they can relate to a +an in suit and tie, or hais

and polos a uddy, a !riend /ho +i#ht convince the+ to -oin up /ith hi+. The elect o! every nation


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/ill /ant a servant o! Christ, a +an /ho stands in the stead o! Christ and so is thus covered in roes

thic /ith +etaphorical +eanin# and eauty.

Potential converts /ill /ant preachin# that is practical that hits the+ /here they live that

tells the+ ho/ to #et the thin#s potential converts ?that is, unelievers@ /ant5 a happy !a+ily, a etter

se0 li!e, a secure !inancial !ootin#. Potential converts do not understand /ords lie rede+ption,

-usti!ication, propitiation, and so !orth and certainly dont /ant to hear the+. The elect o! every nation

/ill /ant preachin# that is drippin# /ith the lood o! Christ !or they no/ and !eel their sin!ul

condition, their /eaness, and their need. They /ant to learn the Word o! God as he #ave it and #ro/

to no/ the lan#ua#e o! the &criptures inside and out.

Potential converts /ill /ant a+ple parin#, theatre seats, shiny ne/ uildin#s in the latest style,

and a !ood court5 thin#s they reco#nie and are co+!ortale /ith. The elect o! every nation /ill

appreciate the solidity o! a parish that has e0isted !or a lon# ti+e and i! they need a ne/ uildin# /ill

/ant it to loo lie it /ill e there standin# !aith!ul /atch until Christ returns. They /ill not /ant to e

isolated !ro+ the ody o! Christ y the +ore than +etaphorical /alls o! the theatre seats ar+s. *nd

they also /ill lie a+ple parin#.

Potential converts /ill en-oy an hour a/ay !ro+ the annoyance o! carin# !or children and /ill

thus de+and a childrens service or other planned activity to eep pre6puescent children out o! si#ht

and out o! +ind. The elect o! every nation are the ody o! Christ, youn# and old, and yearn to e

to#ether to hear the preachin# o! his Word and to receive his &acra+ent.

Potential converts are a little put out at ein# e0cluded etter not to have the &acra+ent /ith

the+ present, or i! you +ust have it, not e too strin#ent aout lettin# any and all participate. The elect

o! every nation cannot i+a#ine a &unday /ithout the ody and lood o! Christ and they do not /ish

any to receive it /hose li!e or doctrine /ould #ive the lie to the unity it e0presses.

Potential converts do not lie to sin#. It is an e+arrassin# pulic act est le!t to pro!essionals.

&o the +usic should e the solo driven !are o! the radio that you can sin# alon# /ith i! you so desire,


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ut that so+eone else is actually sin#in#. The elect o! every nation reco#nie that there is too +uch -oy

!or plain /ords only5 (uis cantat, )is orat, he /ho sin#s, prays t/ice.

Potential converts lie thin#s ne/ and !resh and /ant to e out o! a rut. * screen /ill e handy

in displayin# ne/ thin#s !or the+ to say and read. The elect o! every nation /ant to pray to#ether as

the ody o! Christ in this ti+e and /ith all ti+es thus they /ill /ant to no/ the /ords y heart and

/ill /ant those /ords to e /hat Christians have al/ays prayed.

Potential converts /ill /ant a diversion !ro+ any sense o! holiness a -oe !illed e0position o!

the little iddies in a childrens ser+on ou#ht to do the tric. The elect o! every nation /ant their

children to vie/ Gods house ?and especially the chancel@ as a holy place !or prayer, /orship, and

silence not -oes and play ti+e.

Potential converts /ant to e entertained and /ill appreciate a sta#e dra+a put on every no/

and a#ain. The elect o! every nation /ant to e in the dra+a o! salvation !ro+ con!essin# their sins to

hearin# the Word to +eetin# heaven on earth in the &acra+ent.

In other /ords have a heart !or the elect o! God, not a ;heart !or the lost.= Which is such an

oddly unthinin# phrase. I! the *r+inians and the Bunctionally *r+inian actually +eant /hat


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/ill #ive you the clear si#ht and the coura#e to no/ /hat to do /hen the la+s entrusted to your care

co+e e##in# !or entertain+ent /orship. Thats not really /hat they /ant it is the /orld livin# in

the+ tryin# to tae over. The Church has never done such thin#s toss out the litur#y and introduce the

theatre into the chancel8 e the +an o! God in that place and lead the+ etter than that.

*nd rest assured God /ill rin# his elect to his Church /here a !aith!ul shepherd /ill care !or

the+5 as +any as are appointed !or eternal li!e /ill elieve. Perhaps in your !ield o! service that /ill e

a s+all nu+er, or perhaps it /ill e #reat. Perhaps you /ill have to under#o +uch adversity and

&atanic attac and su!!er +uch !or the in#do+ o! Christ. Ar perhaps it is the Lords pleasure to less

you /ith a peace!ul +inistry and your cross /ill co+e in other /ays.

ut no +atter e the +an God ordained you to e5 a servant o! the Church, not a servant o!

potential converts or a /ould6e creator o! the Church.

*nd lie/ise /ith +issions that is nothin# else than a church livin# in a place /here the

church is s+all. The Brench traded /ith the 9oreans and lo and ehold, the Word #ets out ?!or ho/

can Christians not #ive a reason !or hope they have /ithin#8@ and so+e 9oreans elieve. What can the

Church do then ut send the+ their o/n pastor8 The sa+e happened /hen the "or/e#ians u+ped

into %ade#ascar so+eone ass, and another #ives a reason !or the hope he has /ithin, and a eliever

is orn, and he needs a pastor, and o!! he #oes to have a church and +inister to the elect o! every

nation. The parish is the +ission and there is no +ission outside o! the parish !or ho/ can there e a

Christian isolated and alone8

Its not co+plicated its hard, its heavy /ith crosses, and runs thic /ith the lood o! +artyrs

ut its not co+plicated. The Church #oes on ein# the Church and so+eho/ the Word #oes !orth,

!or /hat can a Christian do ut e a Christian and con!ess his !aith e!ore the /orld8 There are no

techni3ues re3uired that is !or sales+an and shopeepers. We do not sell


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/ill e #athered, nothin# can stop Gods plan and purpose and nothin# can direct or control it. It is

Christs to /eep over unelievin#


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paper as /ell as speain# o! the proper reason !or doin# the #odly /or o! evan#elis+ in a ilical

!ashion. ut the second reason is perhaps even +ore pulin#. It see+s that the *r+inian assu+ptions

are no/ so in#rained a+on# us that /e assu+e that Calvinists dont do +ission /or or evan#elis+D

Ho/ could you elieve in predestination and do +ission /or8 ut, o! course, Calvinists do +ission

/or. *nd so should Lutherans ut they should not do it lie *r+inians or !or *r+inian reasons.

&o -ust as the GospelNs #race6aloneness does not #et the antino+ian Christian o!! the hoo let

us sin that #race +ay aound no /ayD &o also the !ro+6eternityness o! the Gospel does not #et the

lay pastor o!! the hoo. ItNs -ust that the lay pastorNs sin is not that he is decreasin# the +e+ership

o! heaven and increasin# the +e+ership o! hell itNs -ust that heNs lay. He is not eepin# is

ordination vo/. %ore on that in a !uture presentation on /hat the pastors -o is and ho/ to -ud#e ones

o/n e!!ectiveness and !aith!ulness.

Lie/ise, I did not say that you could not possily har+ another hu+an ein# in soul and ody.

4ou can. Its a possiility. I! you do so, you need to repent and co+e to Christ !or !or#iveness and

strive to do etter. What I said /as that even thou#h +en +ay har+ one another, no +an /ill e ale to

snatch the elect out o! Christs hand.

The Gospel, you see, al/ays +aes its ene+ies a!raid.But if " preach that #orks don't sa&e, no

one #ill do good #orks.*nd indeed, Luther /as accused y 7c o! actually !oriddin# #ood /ors -ust

as I have een accused o! !oriddin# evan#elis+."f " preach the election of grace no one #ill do

mission #ork, e&angeli+e, or tell the good ne#s a)out esus. $o you see ho/ they are oth the sa+e

accusation8 ut, ironically enou#h, it is only the Gospel /hether the #race6aloneness or the !ro+6

eternityness that sets one !ree.. Anly so+eone /ho elieves in #race alone is set !ree !or #ood /ors.

Anly so+eone /ho elieves in election is set !ree !or true evan#elis+.

Part o! the prole+ is that *r+inian in!luenced Lutherans is they thin thin that the only

reason /e could possily have to spea the Gospel is to try to /in over so+e potential convert. ut

there is another reason to preach the Gospel to discover Gods electD To #ather the !a+ily to#etherD


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To turn on the eacon so that the lost sheep o! Israel no/ /here ho+e is /hen the &pirit rin#s the+

to repentance. Aver our ne0t !e/ +eetin#s I /ill see to uild the insi#hts in this paper into a cohesive

pastoral theolo#y and practice o! evan#elis+.


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Freed From the Shopkeeper's Prison

Bible and Confessional Study on Election and Evangelism

Rev. H. R. Curtis



The post* 1'thcentury Protestant vie+ o! issions is to see- out people +ho have never heardthe Word o! God and preach to the to #o to pa#an places to !ind pa#ans to convert. In the past !orty

years, this idea has een e/panded in the 0erican van#elical scene. "ot only are +e see-in# to !ind

people +ho have not heard the Word, ut +e are actively see-in# to cater to their desires and

assuptions. We +ish to a-e the church a place that unelievers are co!ortale in.

0s I have already narrated, I elieve that this pastoral practice is ased on an 0rinian

understandin# o! !ree +ill and an 0rinian re2ection o! election. very huan ein# is a potentialconvert +ho +ill convert i! I a persuasive enou#h, or a-e the co!ortale enou#h, or incluturate

ysel! enou#h, or conte/tuali3e y essa#e enou#h. The cornerstone o! theolo#y can e easily

sued up4 re2ection o! the Gospel can e inii3ed and acceptance o! the Gospel a/ii3ed y thecare!ul study and s-ill o! the presenter o! the Gospel.

&o !ar, I have laid do+n one asic ar#uent a#ainst this idea4 the election o! #race. "oteveryone is a potential convert. %y persuasiveness, achinations, plans, and so !orth can neither snatch

soeone !ro the hand o! Christ nor a-e God say on the last day, 5What6 7oe &cho is here in

heaven6 8ut +ait, he +asnt on y list ho+ did he #et converted6 Well9 "ice +or- Curtis9 I never

sa+ that coin#9:

I #oin# to turn no+ to try to ac- up y assertions +ith a it ore analysis !ro the

&criptures and Con!essions and I +ill approach it !ro this direction. The prole aon# usLutherans is that +e -no+ a lot o! thin#s ut pretend li-e +e dont, or dont thin- they really atter. We

have separated +hat +e elieve !ro +hat +e do. We are all o! us s+orn to the Lutheran Con!essions

so I -no+ that +e all elieve in the doctrine o! election. 8ut, I a contendin#, +e also act li-e it doesntatter. &o since +e all elieve in this doctrine I only #oin# to spend a sall aount o! tie loo-in#

at the classic proo! te/ts !ro the &criptures and do the rie!est possile revie+ o! the eleventh article

o! the ;orula o! Concord.

What I +ant to spend ore tie on, ho+ever, is the practice o! 7esus and the 0postles. They

also elieved this doctrine, and they acted, I thin-, di!!erently than +e have een tau#ht to act. In other

+ords, the doctrine o! election is a necessary and clear li#ht +hen it coes to understandin#evan#elis indeed, I thin- that +e +ill see that this is the li#ht y +hich 7esus and the 0postles and

the ;orulators acted.


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Part I: Overview of Classic Biblical and Confessional Texts on Election

A. Classic Proof Texts for Election

phesians 1< Roans '

B. Formula of Concord S !I Election of "race #numbers refer to $ara%ra$&s'

(. 5Cannot e re#arded as unpro!itale or unnecessary, uch less as o!!ensive or har!ul.:=. There!ore, no one should i#nore or re2ect this teachin# o! the divine Word 2ust ecause soe have

isused and isunderstood it.

>. There ust e a distinction et+een Gods ;ore-no+led#e praescientia vel praevisio and eternal

election. That God -no+s everythin#, #ood or ad, that is to happen. ?. 5The !ore-no+led#e o! God

sees and -no+s even the evil e!ore it happens, ut not in such a +ay as i! it +ere Gods #racious +ill

that it ta-e place.: @. 5Gods !ore-no+led#e is not, ho+ever, the ori#in or cause o! evil. Instead, theevil, perverted +ill o! the devil and huan ein#s is its ori#in and cause.:

A.Praedestinatio - 5does not apply to oth the #odly and the evil, ut instead only to the children o!God, +ho are chosen and predestined to eternal li!e, e!ore the !oundation o! the +orld +as laid.: B.

Gods eternal election not only !oresees and !ore-no+s the salvation o! the elect ut is also a cause

causa esteine !rsacheD o! salvation and +hatever pertains to it, on the asis o! the #racious +ill and#ood pleasure o! God in Christ 7esus. 0s this cause, it creates, e!!ects, aids, and prootes our salvation.

Eur salvation is !ounded upon it, so that the #ates o! hell ay not have any po+er a#ainst this

salvation. . . 0nd a#ain, 0s any as had een destined !or eternal li!e ecae elievers.

" problem is then identified not a problem #ith this doctrine$ but a problem of fallen humanity

psychology4 ' 5"o one should consider this eternal election or Gods preordination to eternal li!e

erely as the secret, inscrutale +ill or counsel o! God, as i! it had nothin# ore to it and nothin# oreto consider than that God perceived e!orehand +ho and ho+ any +ould e saved and +ho and ho+

any +ould e daned.. . . 1) &uch ideas could cause and stren#then either !alse security and

ipenitence, or !aintheartedness and despair: . . . soe i#ht say 5&ince God has !oreseen his elect tosalvation. . . i! then I a !oreseen to salvation, it cannot har e i! I practice all -inds o! sin.:

%otice$ this is the same set of &uestions set against Paul's doctrine of grace in omans ()

To this false delusion and [dangerous] thought we should oppose the followingclear argument, which is sure and cannot fail, namely: Since all Scripture, given

by inspiration of God, is to serve, not for [cherishing] security and impenitence,but for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim. :!"# also,since everything in God$s %ord has been prescribed to us, not that we should

thereby be driven to despair, but that we, through patience and comfort of theScriptures, might have hope, &om. !':(, therefore it is without any doubt in no

way the sound sense or right use of the doctrine concerning the eternal

fore)nowledge of God that either impenitence or despair should be occasioned orstrengthened thereby.
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!]Therefore, if we wish to thin) or spea) correctly and profitably concerning

eternal election, or the predestination and ordination of the children of God to

eternal life, we should accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the bare,secret, concealed, inscrutable fore)nowledge

So speculation is tossed aside) *he solid reality of election is not tossed aside$ though$ but ratherstrengthened in the follo#ing list)

5God has preordained the !ollo+in#. . .:

!. That the human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through *hrist,who, by +is faultless [innocency] obedience, suffering, and death, has merited for

us the righteousness which avails before God, and eternal life.

!"]2. That such merit and benefits of *hrist shall be presented, offered, and

distributed to us through +is %ord and Sacraments.!]. That by +is +oly Ghost, through the %ord, when it is preached, heard, and

pondered, +e will be efficacious and active in us, convert hearts to truerepentance, and preserve them in the true faith.

!-](. That +e will ustify all those who in true repentance receive *hrist by a

true faith, and will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and theinheritance of eternal life.

!/]'. That +e will also sanctify in love those who are thus ustified, as St. 0aul

says, 1ph. !:(.

2]". That +e also will protect them in their great wea)ness against the devil,the world, and the flesh, and rule and lead them in +is ways, raise them again

[place +is hand beneath them], when they stumble, comfort them under thecross and in temptation, and preserve them [for life eternal].

2!]. That +e will also strengthen, increase, and support to the end the good

wor) which +e has begun in them, if they adhere to God$s %ord, pray diligently,abide in God$s goodness [grace], and faithfully use the gifts received.

22]-. That finally +e will eternally save and glorify in life eternal those whom +e

has elected, called, and ustified.

%o# further points are cleared up generally thoughts that seek to defang the radical nature ofelection+

3nd [indeed] in this +is counsel, purpose, and ordination God has prepared

salvation not only in general, but has in grace considered and chosen to salvationeach and every person of the elect who are to be saved through *hrist, also

ordained that in the way ust mentioned +e will, by +is grace, gifts, and efficacy,
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bring them thereto [ma)e them participants of eternal salvation], aid, promote,

strengthen, and preserve them.

"gain$ this goes back to para) ,)

.) by #hat signs are the elect recogni/ed0

1ere various points of Calvinism are re2ected+

2-]Therefore, if we wish to consider our eternal election to salvation with profit,

we must in every way hold sturdily and firmly to this, that, as the preaching of

repentance, so also the promise of the Gospel is universalis 4universal5, that is, itpertains to all men, 6u)e 2(:(. 7or this reason *hrist has commanded that

repentance and remission of sins should be preached in +is name among allnations. 7or God loved the world and gave +is Son, 8ohn :!". *hrist bore the

sins of the world, 8ohn !:2/, gave +is flesh for the life of the world, 8ohn ":'!#

+is blood is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, ! 8ohn !:# 2:2.*hrist says: *ome unto 9e, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and will give

you rest, 9att. !!:2-. God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that +e mighthave mercy upon all, &om. !!:2. The 6ord is not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance, 2 0et. :/. The same 6ord over all is richunto all that call upon +im, &om. !:!2. The righteousness of God, which is by

faith of 8esus *hrist, unto all and upon all them that believe, &om. :22. This is

the will of +im that sent 9e, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on+im may have everlasting life, 8ohn ":(. 6i)ewise it is *hrist$s command that to

all in common to whom repentance is preached this promise of the Gospel alsoshould be offered 6u)e 2(:(# 9ar) !":!'.

*hus re2ected are+ 3imited atonement$ and a call devoid of intent on 4od's part)

*he difference is that it is only the elect #ho #ill hear the 5ord) ) ) *hus #e do not look for an inner

secret kno#ledge of #ho is elect) ather$ there are out#ard signs+

7or this reason also *hrist causes the promise of the Gospel not only to be offeredin general, but +e seals it through the Sacraments which +e attaches as seals of

the promise, and thereby confirms it [the certainty of the promise of the Gospel]to every believer in particular.

/]There would also be overthrown and ta)en from us the foundation that the

+oly Ghost wishes certainly to be present with the %ord preached, heard,considered, and to be efficacious and operate through it. Therefore the meaning
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is not at all the one referred to above, namely, that the elect are to be such

[among the elect are to be numbered such] as even despise the %ord of God,

thrust it from them, blaspheme and persecute it, 9att. 22:"# 3cts !:("# or,when they hear it, harden their hearts, +eb. (:2. # resist the +oly Ghost, 3cts

:'!# without repentance persevere in sins,6u)e !(:!-# do not truly believe in*hrist, 9ar) !":!"# only ma)e [godliness] an outward show, 9att. :22# 22:!2#

or see) other ways to righteousness and salvation outside of *hrist, &om.

/:!. (]

Summary of %ot 4od's Fault+

(!. 7or few receive the %ord and follow it# the greatest number despise the

%ord, and will not come to the wedding,9att. 22:ffThe cause for this contemptfor the %ord is not God$s fore)nowledge [or predestination], but the perverse will

of man, which reects or perverts the means and instrument of the +oly Ghost,

which God offers him through the call, and resists the +oly Ghost, who wishes tobe efficacious, and wor)s through the %ord, as *hrist says: +ow often would

have gathered you together, and ye would not;

Establishes the Gospel of Grace alone, everything that pertains to our conversion, etc.:

43. Thus far is the mystery of predestination revealed to us in God's

Word, and if we abide thereby and cleave thereto, it is a very useful,

salutary, consolatory doctrine; for it establishes very effectually thearticle that we are justified and saved without all wors and merits of

ours, purely out of !race alone, for "hrist's sae. #or before the time ofthe world, before we e$isted, yea, before the foundation of the world was

laid, when, of course, we could do nothin! !ood, we were accordin! to

God's purpose chosen by !race in "hrist to salvation, %om. &((; ) Tim.(&. 44*+oreover, all opiniones opinions- and erroneous doctrines

concernin! the powers of our natural will are thereby overthrown,because God in is counsel, before the time of the world, decided and

ordained that e imself, by the power of is oly Ghost, would produce

and wor in us, throu!h the Word, everythin! that pertains to ourconversion.4/*Thus this doctrine affords also the e$cellent, !lorious

consolation that God was so !reatly concerned about the conversion,ri!hteousness, and salvation of every "hristian, and so faithfully

purposed it 0provided therefor* that before the foundation of the worldwas laid, e deliberated concernin! it, and in is 0secret* purpose

ordained how e would brin! me thereto 0call and lead me to salvation*,

and preserve me therein. 1lso, that e wished to secure my salvation sowell and certainly that, since throu!h the weaness and wicedness of

our flesh it could easily be lost from our hands, or throu!h craft andmi!ht of the devil and the world be snatched and taen from us, e
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ordained it in is eternal purpose, which cannot fail or be overthrown,

and placed it for preservation in the almi!hty hand of our 2avior esus

"hrist, from which no one can pluc us, ohn ()5. 46*ence 7aul alsosays, %om. 5)5. 3& 8ecause we have been called accordin! to the

purpose of God, who will separate us from the love of God in "hrist9

Time and hour:

/6*Thus without any doubt God also nows and has determined for

every one the time and hour of his call and conversion 0and when e willraise a!ain one who has lapsed*. 8ut since this has not been revealed to

us, we have the command always to clin! to the Word, and to commend

the time and hour to God

KEY PO!T:"ere is the #ey passage for understanding the difference bet$een the outloo# of the %onfessors and

the outloo# $e have absorbed from the &rminian &merican %hurch. 'hen $e loo# at a land $ithout

the 'ord of God $e thin#, (Those poor people) They have not heard)* t is this notion that leads

people to as# in +ible class, "o$ can God damn somebody $ho has never heard- The assumptions

of the &rminian here are that / people have not heard the 'ord and that this is not their fault0 1/

That Original 2in does not damn 3ustly0 4/ that people have free $ill to decide. & very different vie$

of nations $ithout the 'ord of God is revealed here in the 5ormula: it is a punishment from God on

men $ho have re3ected the 'ord and on their posterity:

/: iewise, when we see that God !ives is Word at one place 0to one

in!dom or realm*, but not at another 0to another nation*; removes itfrom one place 0people*, and allows it to remain at another; also, that

one is hardened, blinded, !iven over to a reprobate mind, while another,who is indeed in the same !uilt, is converted a!ain, etc.,e God'sjud!ment 0for e commands us to consider in those who perish the just

jud!ment of God and the penalties of sins*. #or they are well


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()* %hen we proceed thus far in this article, we remain on the right [safe and

royal] way, as it is written +os. !:/: srael, that you have gone to ruin is yourown fault# that you have been helped rests alone on my grace.

*hen #hy are some damned0

". +owever, as regards these things in this disputation which would soar toohigh and beyond these limits, we should, with 0aul, place the finger upon our lips,

and remember and say, &om. /:2: < man, who art thou that repliest againstGod=

5e should not despair and go after other means+

. Therefore, whoever would be saved should not trouble or harass himself with

thoughts concerning the secret counsel of God, as to whether he also is electedand ordained to eternal life, with which miserable Satan usually attac)s and

annoys godly hearts. >ut they should hear *hrist [and loo) upon +im as the >oo)of 6ife in which is written the eternal election], who is the >oo) of 6ife and of

God$s eternal election of all of God$s children to eternal life: +e testifies to all men

without distinction that it is God$s will that all men should come to +im who laborand are heavy laden with sin, in order that +e may give them rest and save

them, 9att. !!:2-.

!]3ccording to this doctrine of +is they should abstain from their sins, repent,believe +is promise, and entirely trust in +im# and since we cannot do this by

ourselves, of our own powers, the +oly Ghost desires to wor) these things,namely, repentance and faith, in us through the %ord and Sacraments

5hose fault is it #hen folks re2ect the 5ord0

9oreover, the declaration, 8ohn ":((, that no one can come to *hrist e?cept the

7ather draw him, is right and true. +owever, the 7ather will not do this without

means, but has ordained for this purpose +is %ord and Sacraments as ordinarymeans and instruments# and it is the will neither of the 7ather nor of the Son that

a man should not hear or should despise the preaching of +is %ord, and wait forthe drawing of the 7ather without the %ord and Sacraments. 7or the 7ather draws

indeed by the power of +is +oly Ghost, however, according to +is usual order [theorder decreed and instituted by +imself], by the hearing of +is holy, divine %ord,as with a net, by which the elect are pluc)ed from the aws of the devil. ]1very

poor sinner should therefore repair thereto [to holy preaching], hear itattentively, and not doubt the drawing of the 7ather. 7or the +oly Ghost will be

with +is %ord in +is power, and wor) by it# and that is the drawing of the 7ather.

-]>ut the reason why not all who hear it believe, and some are thereforecondemned the more deeply [eternally to severer punishments], is not because
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so as to lead astray, if &ossible, even the elect.Mat 24:2' (ee, ) have told you beforehand.Mat 24:2* (o, if they say to you, !"ook, he is in the wilderness,! do not go out. )f they say,!"ook, he is in the inner rooms,! do not believe it.Mat 24:2+ %or as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the

coming of the (on of Man.Mat 24:2 -herever the cor&se is, there the vultures will gather.Mat 24:2 /)mmediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and themoon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the &owers of the heavens

will be shaken.Mat 24:30 hen will a&&ear in heaven the sign of the (on of Man, and then all the tribes of theearth will mourn, and they will see the (on of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with &owerand great glory.Mat 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trum&et call, and they will gather hiselect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Parable of the Unjust Judge

And he told them a &arable to the effect that they ought always to &ray and not lose heart."uk 1:2 e said, /)n a certain city there was a udge who neither feared od nor res&ectedman."uk 1:3 And there was a widow in that city who ke&t coming to him and saying, !ive me

ustice against my adversary.!"uk 1:4 %or a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, !hough ) neither fear odnor res&ect man,"uk 1:' yet because this widow kee&s bothering me, ) will give her ustice, so that she will not

beat me down by her continual coming.!/"uk 1:* And the "ord said, /ear what the unrighteous udge says."uk 1:+ And will not od give ustice to his elect, who cry to him day and night5 -ill he delaylong over them5

"uk 1: ) tell you, he will give ustice to them s&eedily. 6evertheless, when the (on of Mancomes, will he find faith on earth5/

1&o Comes to /esus2 1&o +eaves /esus27ohn *:438* 7esus answered them, /9o not grumble among yourselves. 44 6o one cancome to me unless the %ather who sent me draws him. And ) will raise him u& on the lastday. 4' )t is written in the ro&hets, !And they will all be taught by od.! ;veryone whohas heard and learned from the %ather comes to me88 4* not that anyone has seen the%ather eour fathers ate themanna in the wilderness, and they died. '0 his is the bread that comes down fromheaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. '1 ) am the living bread that came down

from heaven. )f anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that ) will givefor the life of the world is my flesh./ '2 he 7ews then dis&uted among themselves,saying, /ow can this man give us his flesh to eat5/ '3 (o 7esus said to them, /ruly,truly, ) say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the (on of Man and drink his blood, you haveno life in you. '4 -hoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and )

will raise him u& on the last day. '' %or my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.'* -hoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and ) in him. '+ As theliving %ather sent me, and ) live because of the %ather, so whoever feeds on me, he also willlive because of me. ' his is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread


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the fathers ate and died. -hoever feeds on this bread will live forever./ ' 7esus saidthese things in the synagogue, as he taught at #a&ernaum. *0 -hen many of his disci&lesheard it, they said, /his is a hard saying= who can listen to it5/ *1 But 7esus, knowing inhimself that his disci&les were grumbling about this, said to them, /9o you take offense atthis5 *2 hen what if you were to see the (on of Man ascending to where he was before5

*3 )t is the (&irit who gives life= the flesh is no hel& at all. he words that ) have s&oken toyou are s&irit and life. *4 But there are some of you who do not believe./ ?%or 7esus knewfrom the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betrayhim.@ *' And he said, /his is why ) told you that no one can come to me unless it isgranted him by the %ather./ ** After this many of his disci&les turned back and no longer

walked with him. *+ (o 7esus said to the welve, /9o you want to go away as well5/ *(imon eter answered him, /"ord, to whom shall we go5 >ou have the words of eternal life,* and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the oly ne of od./

T&e iscourse and Praer on t&e 3i%&t 1&en 0e was Betraed

7ohn 1':1* >ou did not choose me, but ) chose you and a&&ointed you that you should go andbear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the %ather in my name, hemay give it to you.7ohn 1+:182* -hen 7esus had s&oken these words, he lifted u& his eyes to heaven, andsaid, /%ather, the hour has come= glorify your (on that the (on may glorify you, 2 since

you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have givenhim. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true od, and 7esus #hrist

whom you have sent. 4 ) glorified you on earth, having accom&lished the work that yougave me to do. ' And now, %ather, glorify me in your own &resence with the glory that )had with you before the world e


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converted again, etc.,@in these and similar Cuestions 0aul [&om. !!:22ff] '-]fi?es acertain limit to us how far we should go, namely, that in the one part we shouldrecogniDe God$s udgment [for +e commands us to consider in those who perish the

ust udgment of God and the penalties of sins]. 7or they are well@deserved penalties

of sins when God so punishes a land or nation for despising +is %ord that thepunishment e?tends also to their posterity, as is to be seen in the 8ews. 3nd thereby

[by the punishments] God in some lands and persons e?hibits +is severity to thosethat are +is [in order to indicate] what we all would have well deserved, and wouldbe worthy and worth, since we act wic)edly in opposition to God$s %ord [areungrateful for the revealed %ord, and live unworthily of the Gospel] and often grievethe +oly Ghost sorely, in order that we may live in the fear of God, and ac)nowledgeand praise God$s goodness, to the e?clusion of, and contrary to, our merit in and with

us, to whom +e gives +is %ord, and with whom +e leaves it, and whom +e does notharden and reect.

And there is more of this in the (cri&tures:Eomans 1*:2*:6ow to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gos&el and the&reaching of 7esus #hrist, according to the revelation of the mystery that was ke&t secret for longages )6but has now been disclosed and through the &ro&hetic writings has been made known toall nations, according to the command of the eternal od, to bring about the obedience of faithF ): to the only wise od be glory forevermore through 7esus #hrist$ Amen.#ol 1:23 Cif indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the ho&e of thegos&el that you heard, which has been &roclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which ),aul, became a minister.D

he idea of an unreached &eo&le is actually very &roblematic from a Biblical stand&oint. )ndeed,didn!t 7esus say that the os&el must be &reached to all nations before the end and that the end

will come when you don!t know it5 And didn!t (t. aul e


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and nation so that they i#ht hear the Word o! God in the teple. Then they +ent hoe. Then, +henthe disciples #o out to preach, in 7erusale, in 7udea, in &aaria, and to the ends o! the earth they

never #o into #odless places. They #o to syna#o#ues to announce to elievers in the Eld Covenant that

the "e+ Covenant is here. 8ut they never intentionally !ocus their inistry on pa#an unelievers. They

do not cater or conte/tuali3e F+hich is Latin !or 5coproise: their essa#e to an un8ilical people.

8ut I can see that you do not elieve e. &o lets ta-e a loo- at the oo-s o! 0cts.

0cts 1*@. 0ll the action is in 7erusale and !ocused in and around the Teple.

0cts B. Philip #oes to &aaria +here 7esus had estalished elievers in 7ohn >. 7ohn and Peter then#o to the to pray !or the Holy &pirit. Then God drops o!! Philip to spea- to the thiopian a it o!

Pentecost delayed, as it +ere.

0cts '. Paul is called to #o e!ore Gentiles and in#s. He e#ins to !ul!ill his inistry y #oin# toproclai 7esus in &yna#o#ues.

0cts 1) a Gentile proselyte receives the Gospel.

0cts 11 the 7e+ish party +as tal-in# only to 7e+s, ut the Hellenists also spea- to Gentile proselytes

note +ell noody has tal-ed to pa#ans yet, let alone sou#ht the out or conte/tuali3ed the Gospel!or the.

0cts 1( Peter rescued, Herod dead.

0cts 1= Paul and 8arnaas sent out they preach in &yna#o#ues. In &alais, a!ter they preach in the

syna#o#ue, Paulus the pa#an suons the as-s the !or an account. This is the !irst pa#an in 0cts *

and he as-s to hear the essa#e. Paul and 8arnaas did not see- hi out, it +as the other +ay round.Then in Per#a, they preach in the syna#o#ue. The ne/t &aath, the +hole city #athered at syna#o#ue

to hear it +as the tal- o! the to+n. The 7e+s +ho dont receive the Gospel toss the out, ut the

Gentile proselytes +ho had coe receive it +ell, 5as any as +ere appointed to eternal li!e elieved:v. >B.

0cts 1> they enter the syna#o#ue at Iconiu. 0t Lystra, Paul heals a an +ho +as listenin# to hispea-. Where +as he spea-in#6 &o !ar, +e !ind hi only spea-in# at syna#o#ue or to individual rulers

+ho deand testiony o! hi. In Lystra it is not entioned +here Paul +as preachin#, +here6 In 0cts

1? +e #et a clue4 i! there +ere not enou#h 7e+s in a city they did not uild a syna#o#ue, ut et in

soe place !or prayer. &ince Paul +as preachin# to the 7e+s at their place o! prayer, soe pa#ans #et+ind o! the iracle, or even see it. "ote +ell the te/t4 they 5sa+ +hat Paul had done: they did not hear

hi preachin# ecause he +asnt preachin# to the. %ore proo! that Paul +asnt preachin# to pa#ans4

they call Paul and 8arnaas #ods. . . Paul and 8arnaas then have to e/plain the very asics o! the !aithto the pa#ans4 that there is only one God +ho created heaven and earth. It is there!ore clear that Paul

+as not preachin# to these cro+ds o! pa#ans e!ore he +or-ed the iracle on this an. ;or i! he had

een spea-in# to the, ho+ could he have started +ith any other topic esides4 there is only one God6In $ere li-e+ise, +e only #et a suary o! his preachin# and no narration o! ho+ he +ent aout it.

0cts 1A 7erusale Council.


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0cts 1? In $ere and Lystra is +here Paul et Tiothy a hal! 7e+. This #ives us a clear that there

+as indeed a syna#o#ue in those places as +e suspected aove. The drea o! the %acedonian an

as-in# !or help +hen they #et there +hat do they do6 They reain any days doin# nothin# until

on the 5&aath +e +ent outside the #ate to the riverside +here +e supposed there +as a place o!prayer, and +e sat do+n and spo-e to the +oen +ho had coe to#ether.: 0ha9 "o &yna#o#ue

+ithout 1) en. &o they eet to#ether outside. Proaly +hat happened in Lystra and ho+ the pa#ans

sa+ +hat happened and isunderstood.

In the 7ail Paul and &ilas pray and sin# hyns and the prisoners listen4 ut they do not preach to

the9 The pa#an prisoners only overhear. Paul stops the an !ro -illin# hisel!. Then the an as-s,5What ust I do to e saved6: 0nd thenPaul spea-s to hi. 58e ready to #ive a reason !or the hope

you have +ithin to those +ho as-9: This is the second pa#an conversion and li-e the !irst FPaulus

Paul did not see- hi out, ut only spo-e to hi +hen uestioned.

0cts 1@ Thessalonica they #o to the syna#o#ue. To 8erea they #o to the syna#o#ue. In 0thens

Paul is #rieved y all the idolsso he goes to the synagogue to talk #ith the :7e#s and devout persons;$

and to the ar-etplaces +ith +hoever is there. Who are these !ol-s +ho are there6 The 7e+s anddevout persons. 0nd ho+ do +e -no+6 8ecause o! the JK at the start o! v. 1B indicatin# a chan#e in

su2ect, 58ut, soe o! the picurean and &toic philosophers also conversed +ith hi.: Paul did not

see- the out, they overheard and conversed Fuestioned hi as he sat in the ar-etplace +or-in# histrade and tal-in# +ith 7e+s and God*!earin# Gree-s +ho cae up to hi. 0nd then they ta-e hi to

the 0reopa#us9 He did not see- out a pa#an audience, they overheard, as-ed, and then ta-e hi there. 0

!e+ o! these pa#ans elieve at the end o! chapter 1@. Paul does not !rea- out that any ore do notelieve, he does not chan#e his preachin# to accoodate or conte/tuali3e it to the, he doesnt lose

sleep that ore dont elieve, etc. 0lso note God has arran#ed tie and places. This #oes ac- to

Roans 1, (, and 1)4 they have heard y Gods arran#eent. "o e/cuse. ;C &$ I.A@*AB4 Lac- o! the

Word o! God in a nation is a punishent !ro God, not a ista-e.D

0cts 1B He reasoned in Corinth in the syna#o#ue tryin# to persuade 7e+s and Fdevout Gree-s.

0t phesus he #oes to the syna#o#ue to reason +ith the 7e+s.

0cts 1' soe disciples !ound +ho only -no+ 7ohns aptis. He continues preachin# in the

syna#o#ue, and +hen he is tossed out, they start a church and that is +here Paul preaches.The &ons o! &ceva use the nae o! 7esus in e/orcis and the deons testi!y and people hear o! 7esus

and elieve a#ain, not throu#h Pauls see-in# the out. 0nd no+, even thou#h Paul has not sou#ht

out to preach to pa#ans at all in phesus or any+here in 0sia, the Word has done its tric-, and any o!

the elect have een called !ro Pa#anis and its hurtin# the 0rteis trade4 the riot.

0cts () Paul visits soe o! the churches and preaches on &unday to the.

0cts (1 In 7erusale

0cts (( &peech to the riotin# 7e+s. $oes not preach to the Roan triune +ho does not as- hi.

0cts (= Paul rea-s up the &anhedrin. scapes.


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0cts (> ;eli/ and $rusilla as- !or catechesis and receive it.

0cts (A M (? Paul called upon to testi!y e!ore 0#rippa.

0cts (@ En the ship. Paul is treated -indly y the Roan o!!icers and in turn #ives the advice. 8uthe never preaches to the. When he does spea- to the, it is only to tell the that God has told the

they +ont die ut crash the ship on an island. "o preachin# o! the Gospel.

0cts (B En %alta the sna-e ites hi, they natives +atch, he doesnt die, they thin- hes a #od. 0nd

Paul never preaches to the. Paul does soe healin# the people honor the, ut no preachin# is

narrated. 5He lived there t+o +hole years. . .and +elcoed all +ho cae to hi, proclaiin# the-in#do o! God and teachin# aout the Lord 7esus Christ.:

C. So w&at about All T&in%s to All -en t&at I -i%&t Save Some2

I hope y no+ +e can see soe ore conte/t to this o!ten uoted, ut isunderstood passa#e !roPaul. 7ust as Roans 1) Fho+ +ill they hear is o!ten isunderstood y stoppin# the uotation too soon

Fthey have heard9, so also here

$epends on +hich sylL0le you put the ePH0sis. That I i#ht savesome. Parallel +ith ( Ti (41)4

y inistry is !or the sa-e of the elect)With all those uses o! the versavein the &criptures here, and

I +as saved y your prayers, and even 8aptis no+ saves you the ver is used in an instruentalsense. Christ saves us. ThatNs the asolute. 8aptis only saves y connectin# to Christ. Prayers saves

ecause o! Hi +ho hears Fand reeer4 he hears and -no+s +hat you need even e!ore you as-.

8aptis is the eans y +hich Christ coes and Paul is the eans y +hich the eans y +hichChrist coes coes.

&o read that a#ain. HeNs not sayin# that y his e!!orts at least a !e+ !ol-s +ill e saved. HeNs sayin# that

at least9i#ht e the one to rin# these #i!ts tosome. This passa#e is speci!ically aout the Gentileeliever, 7e+ish eliever divide. 0s +eve 2ust seen, Paul never sou#ht out opportunities to see- pa#ans.

He did not start co!!ee ars, or tabernaeas the Roans called the, to dra+ in the pa#ans so that they

i#ht hear a essa#e tailored to pa#an ears. This is not +hat he eant y ecoin# all thin#s to allen. He 2ust eant that he lived accordin# to 7e+ish cultural la+ aon# 7e+s and accordin# to Gree-

cultural nors aon# Gree-s. In other +ords4 I! you live in ", prepare to root !or the Hus-ers.

&. 'hen People (eave, or dont believe the 'ord

his theology G that od has his elect, and that od works through his -ord when and where

he &leases, causes a very different outlook in regard to Cfailure.D -hat if you &reach and nobodylistens5 -hat if everybody leaves5 )n our day and age, you will &robably be told to get better at&reaching, get snaier music, or follow some other fad. But how do 7esus and aul react to CfailureD5

7ohn * again.) 7n 2:181, C#hildren, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so nowmany antichrists have come. herefore we know that it is the last hour. hey went out from us, butthey were not of us= for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out,that it might become &lain that they all are not of us.D

And again Acts 13:4.


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Aside: Elect An%els1i ':21 )n the &resence of od and of #hrist 7esus and of the elect angels ) charge you to kee& theserules without &reudging, doing nothing from &artiality.

S8--A9 A3 T9A3SITIO3 TO 3E!T 0O89

&o your inistry is to the elect. Where are they6 In the pe+s, in the hospital eds, on the list o!

the apti3ed. The Word itsel! +ill #et out and dra+ in the rest o! the elect. Really. Christians +ill e

Christians, people +ill +onder and as-, they +ill #ive the reason !or the hope they have +ithin, and theelect +ill elieve it and coe to the Church. God has #ot thin#s under control. &o the uestion is not

+hat dra+s in 0ericans or people in y nei#horhood or see-ers or unelievers the uestion is ho+

to care !or and ho+ to dra+ the elect. Oour tar#et audience is not a unch o! pa#ans or 0ericans, utrather the elect. 0nd God dra+s the in, not you and your s-ills and +its. 0nd he dra+s the in y his

Word, not proises o! cars ein# ra!!led o!! or y tips !or success!ul livin#.

Ene last scene +ill su up the di!!erence et+een the "Ts picture o! outreach and ours. &aint

Polycarp +as old enou#h to have -no+n the apostles. 0nd oy does he have their style. Ia#ine the

scene. Oou are arrested !or preachin# Christ. Oou are dra+n e!ore a +hole cro+d o! pa#ans in the

apetheatre. What an opportunity !or +itness9 What a chance to #ive a seron, to reach out to the lost9Lets listen in on +hat happens +hen Polycarp is rou#ht into the arena.

The Martyrdom of Polycarp, chapter 9

>ut as 0olycarp entered into the stadium, a voice came to him from heaven# $>e strong, 0olycarp,and play the man.$ 3nd no one saw the spea)er, but those of our people who were present heard

the voice. 3nd at length, when he was brought up, there was a great tumult, for they heard that

0olycarp had been apprehended. %hen then he was brought before him, the proconsul enCuiredwhether he were the man. 3nd on his confessing that he was, he tried to persuade him to a denialsaying, $+ave respect to thine age,$ and other things in accordance therewith, as it is their wont to

say# $Swear by the genius of *aesar# repent and say, 3way with the atheists.$ Then 0olycarp withsolemn countenance loo)ed upon the whole multitude of lawless heathen that were in the

stadium, and waved his hand to them# and groaning and loo)ing up to heaven he said, $3way withthe atheists.$ >ut when the magistrate pressed him hard and said, $Swear the oath, and will

release thee# revile the *hrist,$ 0olycarp said, $7ourscore and si? years have been +is servant,

and +e hath done me no wrong. +ow then can blaspheme my Eing who saved me=$ [*hapter!] >ut on his persisting again and saying, $Swear by the genius of *aesar,$ he answered, $f thou

supposest vainly that will swear by the genius of *aesar, as thou sayest, and feignest that thou

art ignorant who am, hear thou plainly, am a *hristian. >ut if thou wouldest learn the doctrine

of *hristianity, assign a day and give me a hearing.$ The proconsul said# $0revail upon the people.$>ut 0olycarp said# $3s for thyself, should have held thee worthy of discourse# for we have beentaught to render, as is meet, to princes and authorities appointed by God such honor as does us

no harm# but as for these, do not hold them worthy, that should defend myself before them.$


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Freed From the Shopkeeper's Prison

Building a Pastoral Theology -or- What Should I be Doing with My Time

Rev. H. R. Curtis



&o*e !a*ous +riter, *aye it +as He*in#+ay, said that the scariest thin# in the +orld is a

lan- sheet o! paper. That is certainly the !eelin# I had +hen I arrived at +or- the %onday a!ter *y

ordination. What eactly does a pastor do/ I !ound *ysel! stran#ely unprepared to ans+er that 0uestion

a!ter !our years o! prese*inary study, three years o! %div study, and a vicara#e. Perhaps you had

etter luc-, or +ere 2ust a naturally +iser person, or had etter *entors than I ut I +as #enuinely lost

and had to !eel thin#s out as I +ent.

There are no shorta#e o! ans+ers to the 0uestion, 3What should the pastor e doin#/4 I e#an

*y presentation y 0uotin# 5u#ene Petersons la*ent aout the ans+er o! the &hop-eeper Pastor set6

plannin#, ad*inistratin#, vision 0uestin#, honoin#, -eepin# trac- o! trends, studyin# de*o#raphics

!or the net location, contetuali7in#, etc. 8ou have #raciously #iven *e t+o hours o! your ti*e in

+hich I have tried to ar#ue that the &hop-eeper Pastors outloo- is ased on a !aulty anthropolo#y and

soteriolo#y6 that *en have !ree +ill to *a-e decisions !or Christ and that there is no election to li!e

everlastin#, ut only a unch o! potential converts to e persuaded into the !aith. "o+ I +ant to *ove

on to puttin# *y theory into practice. What does a pastor do +ho elieves that God is in control, that

His elect are His elect/

Lets start, thou#h, +ith +hat you do. 5very 9eruary I hold a +or-shop !or se*inarians !ro*

C&L +ho +ish to attend its called the Litur#ical Parish Li!e Con!erence and +e have a spea-er co*e

in and tal- aout real li!e in the parish and then +al- throu#h the traditional cere*onies o! the Lutheran

$ivine &ervice. I also #ive the* all a copy o! a resource C$ it includes stu!! li-e cathechesis


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*anuals, pre*arital counselin# pro#ra*s, helps !or eplainin# stu!! to your oard o! elders, etc. etc.

:asically everythin# I have !ound use!ul in *y *inistry so that these #uys are not startin# !ro* s0uare

7ero.

:ut as +orthy as I thin- all o! those resources are, perhaps the est thin# on that C$ is a unch

o! diaries I as-ed a lot o! pastors to *a-e. "ot diaries really, *ore li-e a la+yers illale hours sheet.

I! you are lessed never to have had to hire a la+yer, let *e eplain. La+yers *a-e aout seven illion

dollars per hour. They need to ill, there!ore, do+n to !ractions o! an hour. In !act, I #ot this idea !ro* a

!riend !ro* colle#e +ho +ent on to e a la+yer at a i# !ir* in ;*aha. &he +as co*plainin# to us ho+

she had to stop +hat she +as doin# every 1< *inutes and +rite do+n +hat she had een doin# in the

last 0uarter hour.

&o I as-ed a #ood *any pastors I -no+ to -eep this -ind o! detailed 3illale hours diary4 !or a

+ee-. I as-ed senior pastors !or* i# parishes, associate pastors, pastors a dual parishes, s*all

parishes, etc. etc. =s a !irst step to+ard your re!resh*ent in the *inistry, I encoura#e you do the sa*e.

When I did I discovered several ine!!iciencies and de!iciencies that needed corrected. I chan#ed *y

schedule to etter !it *y theolo#y and once I had that ne+ schedule I -ept the diary a#ain and shared

it +ith *y oard o! elders. I *ean to repeat the process no+ at least once a year.

9or no+, thin- !or a *o*ent aout your typical +ee-. ;! course, typical +ee-s are !e+ and !ar

et+een ut thin-, +hat is your &unday li-e/ "o+ %onday is that your day o!! or a +or- day/

What ti*e do you #et up/ What do you typically do on %ondays/ ;n Tuesdays/ What *eetin#s are

scheduled/ What classes do you have to teach/ ;n Wednesday no+ and Thursday and 9riday and

&aturday. I! I +ere a cruel and vindictive presenter +ho actually listened in education classes at

Concordia &e+ard I +ould not as- you to rea- up into s*all #roups and +rite all this do+n. :ut

ehold, I a* #entle and #racious and slo+ to elieve such nonsense so 2ust thin- aout it !or a *inute

and really do it !or a +ee- +hen you #et ac- to the parish.


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"o+, ho+ does your +ee- stac- up to your theolo#y/ =re you doin# +hat a pastor should e

doin#/ To !ind out, to e#in uildin# our pastoral theolo#y, let us e#in at the e#innin# +ith your

ordination vo+s. What did you pro*ise to do/ What does the Church thin- it is i*portant enou#h to

re0uire o! you e!ore you e#in/

9irst, you +ere as-ed i! you elieved that the canonical oo-s o! the ;ld and "e+ Testa*ents

+ere the Word o! God. 8ou said that you did. I hope you still do. I! you do, they *i#ht e i*portant to

read, yes/

&econd, you said that you elieved that the three 5cu*enical Creeds +ere !aith!ul testi*onies

to the &criptures and that you re2ected the errors they conde*ned. &o I rec-on you ou#ht to -no+ +hat

those are.

Third, you con!essed that the =u#sur# Con!ession and the rest o! the :oo- o! Concord +ere in

a#ree*ent +ith the one &criptural !aith. This presupposes a thorou#h -no+led#e o! the*.

9ourth, +e turn !ro* +hat you elieve to +hat you +ill do. 8ou pro*ised to per!or* the duties

o! your o!!ice in accordance +i

freed from the shopkeeper's prison (curtis).pdf

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