Don't Be Discouraged!
Both in private conversations and on social media, I’m running into younger people - both pastors and laity - who are discouraged by things in the LCMS.
Some of them are converts (like me). Some of them have come from non-denominational churches with no connection to historic, creedal, liturgical Christianity. Somehow, they ran across a Lutheran pastor, a Lutheran podcast, a Lutheran church, or the Lutheran Confessions - and became excited about what they have learned about our confession and faith.
But at some point, they encounter an LCMS congregation, whether live or online - and they can’t believe what they are seeing. They’re scandalized, and are wondering if they made a mistake joining the LCMS. Often, it is the lack of liturgical worship that they observe, and/or TED-talk preaching: smirking, casual pastors with the polished Big Eva stage presence, and weird sacramental practices - along with throwing away the treasury of our hymns. Or it may be encountering certain podcasters and influencers who are pushing a kind of Lutheranism other than “Book of Concord” Lutheranism.
Sometimes the reaction is anger. Sometimes it is hurt. Sometimes is is distress. And nobody who is sowing these seeds of division seems to care at all that people are scandalized by this obvious deviation from what we can all read with our eyes in Augustana and Apology 24. And it often seems that it is the big churches, the rich churches, the churches with the loudest voices and biggest megaphones, that are pushing the kind of Lutheranism that often hides even the name “Lutheran” under a bushel. Some converts have come from former Pentecostal and NAR churches, escaping that kind of weirdness only to find that there are LCMS churches that have gotten rid of the altar, font, and pulpit - exchanging them for a stage and a bandstand, playing those very same vapid “praise songs” that they heard in their former churches, with people waving their arms about.
There are other distressing things in LCMS churches besides the liturgical monkeyshines, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.
I, too, am frustrated and scandalized by all of this. It is heartbreaking and distressing. I am especially saddened for laypeople who live in areas surrounded by LCMS congregations, but are in the midst of liturgical deserts. I recently ran across a Facebook friend’s post from a few years back in which he describes that he commutes 75 minutes each way every Sunday, driving past several LCMS congregations, just to find a liturgical congregation. My reply to him - especially knowing his pastor - was that it is so worth it.
As gloomy as things so often seem, we have reason to be encouraged.
On this very day 250 years ago, John Adams wrote to his wife a letter about his optimism for America, even with its struggles in striving for independence. He wrote:
"Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means.”
Yes, even with all of the nonsense and discouragement in the church, I am optimistic. Don’t be discouraged!
I’m approaching my 22nd anniversary of ordination later this month. And when I was a layman, a seminarian, and then when I graduated and took my first call (and a year later, a call to my current parish) things were much worse than they are now.
As a layman, I found out that my pastor was a member of the now-defunct Renewal in Missouri (RIM) - a full-blown group of “tongues”-speaking charismatics.
My district was in an open state of rebellion regarding closed communion.
Liturgical churches and pastors were mocked. We were called “black-shirts” and our congregations were marginalized. Let’s just say there was a lot of ugly politics, and I’ll leave it at that.
There were obnoxious and bitter liberal pastors who had openly sided with the Walkout still hanging around
Vicars were compelled to “consecrate.”
“Shine, Jesus, Shine” was all the rage.
There were pastors openly proposing women’s “ordination” - even publishing convention memorials to that effect
Several DPs banned the use of the word “confessional.” A group of confessional pastors had an annual conference that had the word “confessional” in it. They had to change their name (even on their bank account). In a humorous response, they rechristened their conference “Sine Nomine” (no name).
The Book of Concord was held in contempt. Certainly not by all (there were faithful older pastors indeed!). But it was not uncommon to hear established pastors making disparaging remarks, and even open mockery, leveled at the Lutheran Confessions. Pastors joked about using it as a door stop, about never opening it after seminary. They wore this as a badge of honor.
The synod president at the time had created a stifling atmosphere for the confessionally-and liturgically-minded. In fact, to this day, he continues to make bizarre statements that indict chanting, genuflecting, and crucifixes as “Romanizing.” And, of course, a lot of his loyalist district presidents under his administration aped that kind of nonsense.
In those days, even wearing a chasuble was seen as radical. Incense was unheard of. Copes were exceedingly rare. Many congregations were still fighting over every Sunday communion.
There was a very ugly fight that saw a faithful liturgical and confessional seminary president fired, a replacement whose mission it was to shut down the seminary, a lawsuit, and a restoration of the fired president to the faculty.
One of our seminaries had praise-band worship.
One year, a slew of confessional graduates from one of our seminaries was systematically denied calls.
The synod convention authorized laymen to consecrate the elements of Holy Communion in what Prof. Marquart referred to as the repeal of Article 14.
I’m sure there is much more to be said.
But now, things are exponentially better, and we have momentum. Looking at the mess that is the ELCA, more and more of our LCMS pastors and laity are assertive in not wanting the world to invade church. Pastors in collars and wearing vestments and serving at altars are now ordinary visuals in our synod’s publications. Both of our seminaries are now on a solid liturgical and confessional footing, and under faithful leadership. Even at Divine Services at conventions and conferences, there has been a shift toward liturgy and reverence. The Council of Presidents and the Praesidium have had enormous turnover, with a lot of faithful men serving in those positions.
I have noticed subtle changes within the “CoWo” (contemporary worship) camp that I think are important developments. It used to be that they didn’t care about the Book of Concord, and didn’t even bother paying lip service to it. But now, it is common to hear even the most radical podcasters try to use the Confessions to argue for non-liturgical and entertainment-based worship. They do cherry-pick and sidestep a lot, as the Book of Concord has much to say about authentic Lutheran worship - but they recognize that they can no longer simply ignore it. The McCain Edition has been a boon to educating our laity, making them increasingly bamboozle-proof. There has also been another telling shift. There was a time when they attacked the liturgy, liturgical pastors, and liturgical congregations, alleging that liturgy drives people away. Today, they sing a different tune. Today, you’ll hear them paying lip-service to the liturgy. Today their argument is: “I love the liturgy,” “All that high-church stuff is beautiful,” “If that works in your context, go for it,” etc. Their current talking point is that in spite of their abiding love for liturgy and ceremony, darn it, it just won’t work in their context. Some of them, in addition to the full-blown contemporary service (or “modern worship” as they prefer to call it today), actually have a sort-of mixed semi-liturgical service that they describe as “traditional.” Of course, you can watch these services on YouTube. They frequently monkey with the ordo. For example, they’ll change up the words. They’ll sometimes omit the Creed. They’ll skip the Preface. They’ll shift the order around. They’ll still use “praise songs.” But they’ll wear an alb when they do it. As one of them actually said in a podcast: “I wear robes!” Sigh. As cringe as all of this is, it shows that the ground has shifted. This is indicative of the great progress that has been made through the hard and patient work of catechesis.
Younger people are moving in a more traditional direction. People are leaving Big Eva in search of something more authentic. Younger pastors are likewise more confessionally-minded and liturgical. Again, both of our seminaries are on solid ground. The CoWo faction is not the only one with podcasts. People are coming to confessional Lutheranism because of online content that articulates a joyfully traditional, authentic, confessional, and liturgical Lutheranism, in harmony with our Book of Concord and our Evangelical Catholic heritage. There is once again an emphasis on beauty - as well as truth and goodness (the transcendentals) - especially among our booming Classical Education movement. Along with this renaissance is a real revival of traditional music, especially among the young: chant, chorales, and hymnody; organ, choirs, and other traditional instrumentation and musical arrangement.
I’m finding a seriousness and zeal among our young (and our older) men headed off to seminary. They sense that this is a unique time in our history, and now is not the time for turning our worship into a show. They sense that people are hungry and thirsty for the Gospel, for reverence, for authenticity, and for that which is enduring.
And let’s put things into proper historical perspective. Think about how daunting the task was for the Eleven being told to convert the world. Think about those early days of martyrdom. Think about when it seemed that the Arians would win the day, when faithful bishops were being exiled. Think about the fall of Rome and the advance of the Barbarians. Think about the many eruptions of scandal and controversy in the church of the middle ages. Think about the perils that faced the reformers. Think about those nine brave pastors at Magdeburg, who refused to surrender the faith even in the face of starvation, and how against all odds, their siege ended, and the reformation was saved. Think about the pastors and laity who served and lived during the plague, and during the Thirty Year’s War - and the uplifting hymns they left us even from the crucible of suffering and death - let us learn and sing those hymns. All of this is our heritage. It is our ongoing story.
Indeed, it is easy look around and fall into despair. But think about how many times the Lord has come to our aid even in times of grave desperation. We are called to stay the course and to remain faithful. We are called to be happy warriors of the Church Militant, knowing how the war ends! So let us ride joyfully to battle, following the cross, chanting our liturgies and singing our hymns with zeal, with love for our neighbor and for our Lord!
So once again, don’t be discouraged! If you have to drive two hours to go to church, yes, it’s expensive and it is a burden on families - but think about how worth it it is to find a faithful congregation! Show your family what a priority it is. Put it into eternal perspective. Give thanks to the Holy Spirit that He has enlightened you with His gifts, and has drawn you into a faithful parish. Pray fervently for not only more pastors, but more faithful pastors and more faithful parishes, so that we never go back to the dark ages where jokes were made about our Confessions.
And when the men who are just starting their ministries now look back after two decades of service, I am confident that they too will rejoice optimistically in how the Lord has blessed the church, our synod, and their own ministries. And no matter what unforeseen challenges the church will be facing then, they too will write posts at Gottesblog assuring the young people of that future time that our merciful Lord, has blessed, and will continue to bless, His bride, the church - even unto eternity!