KFUO Wants To Hire A Program Host? Really?

From the there’s no way in Hades that even I could make this up files, this gem was brought to my attention by a friend on Facebook this morning:

KFUO Radio AM Program Host

KFUO Radio Station seeks applicants for a program host for KFUO Radio AM. The program host is responsible for on-air announcing, which may include interviewing, reporting of news, sports, weather, religious and other features as may be required within the broadcast-music or talk formats of KFUO. At the discretion of the director of programming operations, the program host may assist with the programming of KFUO. Responsibilities may include traffic, public service, public affairs, news, features, religious programming, etc. The program host also may assist the development director by personally visiting major donors and prospects. The program host will publicly represent KFUO for the purposes of promotion and development. The program host may assist in the evaluation of KFUO efforts and in the development of long-range plans for the station.

The qualified applicant must be an active member of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, with demonstrated evidence of support for the church; have a minimum of 5 years of experience in ministries related to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; a minimum of five years of credible experience in mass-media-related ministries; and must have a bachelor's degree. The qualified applicant must be able to work as part of a team and be willing to travel.

Now why in the world would KFUO needs themselves a program host?

Now, maybe somebody can help me remember something here; wasn’t it just over two years ago that David Strand, Executive Director for the Board for Communication Services, terminated the employment of the host of KFUO’s most popular host for business or programmatic reasons (if I recall properly the reasoning was always being “updated” and modified) and then replacing the show with another that was “different from “Issues, Etc.,”… in that it doesn’t dwell largely on Lutheran apologetics at a sophisticated level. It still takes its Gospel proclamation seriously, but it finds new ways to capture attention.”? I do recall something like this happening in, oh, around March 2008 or sometime close to that…

So, does anybody know of a qualified radio host that could help out KFUO with some Christ centered, cross focused programming… hmm… I do just happen to know a couple of guys that have some experience with Christian talk radio. I wonder if they ever thought about working for a small radio station owned by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod? Hmm, I wonder

The Serpent In The Rationalist’s Garden of Eden

Today’s Issues. Etc. soundbite of the day comes from Dr. Alister McGrath of Oxford University commenting on religion being the serpent in the rationalist’s Garden of Eden back on October 1, 2010.

I normally wait a week before posting a soundbite but Dr. McGrath’s observation is brilliant and his characterization of the unbeliever’s frustration with religion seducing away what seem to be otherwise intelligent people mirrored my own thinking perfectly when I was an atheist for close to fifteen years.

The entire interview with Dr. McGrath can be listened to here.

Issues, Etc. Gets Nation Exposure On Late Night Show

I’m one of a couple thousand people that actually watch Saturday Night Live every week. I’m not exactly proud of that with the writing being what it is but I do still watch the show. As an aside, I understand from talking with friends that the Thursday prime time shows leading up to the election has been pretty good so I’m guessing that’s where the high-quality writers are concentrating their efforts.

I almost never watch SNL when it airs at 11:30pm Saturday night. Instead I rely on my DVR to save it for what usually winds up being Monday night by the time I get ‘round to watching it. The reason for this is that I have to get up pretty early to go to church so as to make sure I can get one of the good seats in the first service. After an early church service it’s off to teach a room of high school age youth. So for me; it’s early to bed on Saturdays.

Well last night I did get around to watching the show from last weekend as is my routine. I was not exactly paying attention when the musical group started their act but that quickly changed when I heard the first eight or nine notes.

For what it’s worth I usually don’t like the musical acts that a variety show will book these days. I remember the good old days of radio before there were music videos that relied too much on the visual instead of well written music and lyrics. These days looking for real talent and depth in modern pop (and country) music is kinda like looking for something Scriptural in a Joel Osteen sermon; you can look for a long time with precious little in the way of results.

Anyhoo, back to my point (sorry folks, I am easily distracted)…

So there I was sitting on the couch reading some seriously in depth stuff by Ed Brubaker regarding a man without fear and devils and stuff when I had to look up at the TV screen because the song being played was somehow familiar. Believe it or not (hint, hint, believe it!) the scheduled band had started playing the opening music for my favorite Christ centered, cross focused radio talk show; Issues, Etc.! Wow I thought, these guys have hit it big time!

As it turns out; some British kids formed a band called Coldplay. And here’s where it gets interesting; they inserted their own lyrics, instead of using sound bites from folks like that moonbat McCain, into the now familiar opening music of Issues, Etc.. Gone also were good comments by Pastors Cwirla and Peterson (along with a host of other guests) and in their place were these British chaps own words. And heavens to Betsy, these new words eerily fit the music, almost like it was always meant to be. Very, very cool.

I’m not sure how these kids found the music or why they elected to remove the Issues, Etc. sound bites but only good things can come of this. Just think, if the other couple of thousand viewers of SNL google this song and find out the music’s true origins and if they take time to listen, Issues, Etc. will have twice as many listeners as LCMS, Inc. claimed the show had when it was terminated. A win win situation for everybody!

I think I like the cut of these Coldplay kid’s jib I do. I’m not sure if they are fans of the show or just thought that the tune was catchy, but they used it and I’m overjoyed. I may just have to break down and buy their record… maybe.

I tried with no success to find the clip from SNL so instead here’s Coldplay's video:

Thank You Issues, Etc.

A big thank you from Putting Out The Fire goes out to Issues, Etc. for picking this post as an inaugural Blog post of the week.

Thank you for such high accolades of my somewhat snarky post. I certainly don’t write what I write for any recognition. My thinking has always been if people like my stuff; that was fine, if they didn’t like my stuff; that was ok as well. Knowing that people that I look up to and respect actually read my drivel and sort of appreciate it…well, that just hurts my brain.

The good news for Issues, Etc. and those who listen to this great Christ centered, cross focused radio program is that by picking a post by a slack jawed yokel like me, the blog post of the week can only get better from here on out.

Thank you again for such a high honor.

Oh, one more thing… Pastor Wilken, the name is Gillespie, Frank Gillespie.

Increasing The KFUO Budget To Save Money

Mollie Z. Hemingway over at Steadfast Lutherans has a post that brings to light the fact that KFUO’s new budget is $3,761,960, a whole $71,168 increase over prior year. Mollie reminds us that the whole reason for the cancellation of Issues, Etc. was to save money as the program was 40% of the AM station’s deficit.

Now that they have cut Issues, Etc. shouldn’t their operating budget be, oh I don’t know, lower than last year. I guess LCMS, Inc. believes they will need to spend money to save money.

Another interesting point brought up in the comments by Mark Dowell is LCMS’s budgetary changes as a percentage in various categories without the inclusion of Ablaze! funding:

Budget Categories % Change

Missions 94%
KFUO 110%
Ecclesiastical Services & Commissions 128%
Synodical Officers & Administration 125%
General & Administrative 145%
Higher Education (Pastoral & University) 87%
District & Congregational Services 102%
Communications 125%
Human Care 84%

Note the decreases in missions, human care, and higher education of church workers all the while the corporation that is LCMS, Inc. grows.

The Issues, Etc. Quote Of The Day

The Issues, Etc. quote of the day comes from Chris Rosebrough in response to Mollie Z. Hemingway’s post concerning the large amount of listeners wreaking havoc to the on-demand server over at Brothers of John the Steadfast.

1. Since the synod claims that Issues, Etc. was cut for “financial reasons”. I think it is time for the next round of cost cutting measures for KFUO AM.

KFUO AM needs to cancel the Afernoon Show and fire Diane Summers and the Rev. Steve Siegel (hosts of the Afternoon Show) and put Issues, Etc. back on the air in its normal time slot.

This would save KFUO AM at least $150,000 per year in employee overhead. Lutheran Public Radio may even be willing to pay a ‘nominal fee’ for the air time at KFUO AM. That being the case, KFUO AM could be making a profit during that time slot rather than losing money.

As I see it, canceling The Afternoon Show is the ONLY financially responsible thing for them to do.

Oh yeah.

Update: Mollie's now got the comment up as a post as well here.

Issues, Etc. Returns Today!

In only six hours, everybody’s favorite Christ centered, cross focused talk radio program returns. Oh happy day!

Issues, Etc.™ broadcasts live weekdays from 3:05 to 5:00 PM Central. You can listen via webstreaming. Webstreaming provided through Pirate Christian RadioIssues, Etc.™ can also be heard in St. Louis from 4:05 to 5 PM Central on 1320 AM Bott Radio Network.

Podcasts will also be available. Oh yeah!

In Case You Haven't Heard...

From the inbox; a message from Todd Wilken:

Everyone:

In case you haven't heard...

Issues, Etc. will re-debut this Monday, June 30, 3:05pm CST.

The show will be LIVE and on demand from 3:05-5:00 at www.issuesetc.org.

The second hour will also be LIVE on AM 1320 in St. Louis.

You'll be able to subscribe to the Issues, Etc. podcast via iTunes. There will
be a direct subscription link at our website. You can also listen on-demand at
the website.

Issues, Etc.’s LIVE call-in number is (877)623-MYIE (877-623-6943).

The 24-hour Issues, Etc. Listener Comment Line is (618)223-8384.

The Office line is (618)223-8385.

You can support Issues, Etc. at our website, or by check: Lutheran Public Radio,
PO box 1046, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693.

By the way, you can shorten "San Juan Capistrano" to "SJC"

Thanks!

TW

Two more days until everyone's favorite Christ centered, cross focused talk radio program is back on the air. Boy howdy!

Issues, Etc. Picks Up Right Where Issues, Etc. Left Off

The first guests on the new and long awaited Issues, Etc., as reported by the Issues, Etc. website, are John Green of The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, speaking on religious voters and the 2008 election, and Dr. Carl Fickenscher, of Concordia Theological Seminary, speaking on the Gospel. The first show is only three days away. Monday, June 30th will be a happy, happy day.

When Todd Wilken announced that the new Issues, Etc. would be picking up right where the old left off, he was not kidding! Christ-centered and cross-focused all the way!

From the website:

Issues, Etc.™ broadcasts live weekdays from 3:05 to 5:00 PM Central. You can listen via webstreaming, provided through Pirate Christian Radio.

Issues, Etc.™ can also be heard in St. Louis from 4:05 to 5 PM Central on 1320 AM Bott Radio Network.

Studio Line - (877) 623-MYIE (6943)

Comment Line - (618) 223-8384

Email - talkback@issuesetc.org

Only 3 Days Until Issues, Etc. Returns!

The new Issues, Etc. will debut on June 30th on St. Louis radio station KSIV, 1320 AM. The program runs on the radio from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, as well as live internet streaming on Pirate Christian Radio from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Podcasting and downloading will also be available. Issues, Etc.'s new website is promising that downloads from iTunes will be coming soon. Oh yeah!

Issues, Etc.’s new home on the web is http://www.issuesetc.org/ . Be sure to stop by, say howdy, and please donate whatever you can to support this Christ centered, cross focused program. Let's all keep Issues, Etc. on the air for good!

Pirate Christian Radio

Gee, I go away for one day and look what I miss; Pastor Todd Wilken and and Jeff Schwarz of Issues, Etc. fame announcing their return to an all new and independent Christ centered, Gospel driven talk radio program.

"Jeff and I have been working hard on a new radio show. What will it be like? Well, we’re going to pick up right where Issues, Etc. left off. And at the same time, we’re going to be truly independent, free to speak, no holds barred. As always, Christ-centered, cross-focused. Everything you loved about Issues, Etc., and more." Folks, it’s coming back."

Oh yeah!

At the link above there is information provided to support the new program by making a secure online donation to Lutheran Public Radio. And unlike your grandfather’s synod, there is an additional link for the purpose of Full Financial Transparency. Just try and find out where your congregation's money goes after you send it off to the district or synod and you’ll see the importance of that previously mentioned transparency thingy.

Now is the time to see if people will support a radio program that isn’t sanctioned by our beloved synod. The first thing that comes to mind when I wonder that myself, is the amount of support that Higher Things gets. Clearly there is precedence for such support. I for one, want such a clear witness to the Gospel in a radio and podcast format and will put my money where my mouth is today. To do otherwise would be rather hypocritical of me as the whole reason I started this little blog was to poke fun at Ablaze! by pointing out the lack of the Gospel message and the promotion of Madison Avenue style marketing for growing the church.

My check gets written today and I hope yours does as well.

We Have Disagreements Now?

In his May 2008 letter to pastors President Kieschnick writes:

Finally, there also have been disagreements related to administrative decisions, official opinions, and adjudicatory judgments of panels, boards, committees, commissions, employees, and officers of the Synod.

About such disagreements, I ask: Do they deal with doctrinal matters, or with matters of implementation of doctrinal principles? Are the divisions or disagreements among us primarily matters of faith and practice, or are they for the most part differences of opinion in matters of adiaphora? Is the LCMS deeply divided, or are our disagreements primarily related to the fact that for a variety of reasons, some members of the Synod have grown to dislike or to distrust one another?

Two thoughts here. First, in his letter to the Wall Street Journal concerning the cancellation of Issues, Etc President Kieschnick stated:

In truth, last summer the LCMS had its most positive and unified convention in years. Our church remains faithful to the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions, an integral part of our identity as a church body. As stated in a resolution adopted last summer by the national Synod convention: “From the founding of our Synod 160 years ago, we have been blessed by unity in our common confession and the articles of our shared faith, such as the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, original sin, baptismal regeneration, the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Sacrament, the inerrancy of Scripture and many others.”

He then went on to talk about the evidence of being unified measured by the passing of the synod’s marketing campaign in convention. He put forward to the outside world the notion that we are all one big happy family within the LCMS.

I think President Kieschnick needs to send another letter to the WSJ and say not only do we disagree about policies of admission to Holy Communion; the respective roles, responsibility, authority, and accountability of pastors and lay people; the service of women in the church; and various expressions of worship, inter-Christian relationships; what constitutes unionism and syncretism; and issues related to participation in civic events as he stated in his report during last summer's convention but also that we now agree on the fact that there are disagreements on administrative decisions, official opinions, and adjudicatory judgments of panels, boards, committees, commissions, employees, and officers of the Synod.

Yep, there are definitely a lot of “disagreements” in the LCMS.

My second thought concerns the last paragraph of the email posted here. If the synodical leadership was as transparent as it should be and acting like a church instead of a corporation, we all would know if disagreements among us primarily matters of faith and practice, or are they for the most part differences of opinion in matters of adiaphora. We are uncertain whether this is adiaphora or not because we are told that all matters on how the synod conducts it’s business is a matter for closed door meetings and human resource managers conducted in accord with bylaws and resolutions. When decisions are made not by boards tasked with the required oversight, but by individuals who consistently change their reasoning and stories and are seemingly accountable to no one , how are any of us to know if what we disagree upon is adiaphora or not?

That’s the whole problem with the Issues, Etc. debacle, nobody knows what really happened and nobody in the synodical leadership is willing to give answers. All the leaders of synod seem to be doing is saying that we need to put the best construction on the matter and that we need to trust what was done was done for the best reasons.

Yeah, right.

More Issues, Etc. Sausage

Her awesomeness Mollie Zeigler Hemingway continues to do a great job reporting on the whole Issues, Etc. debacle over at Augsburg 1530 with the following posts:

BCS Meeting

Council of Presidents Meeting

Statement from LCMS Council of Presidents—April 22, 2008:

Statement from LCMS President—April 21, 2008:

Mollie also has some good commentary on the situation with:

Using the 8th Commandment to attack

Five other options

Are we having fun yet?

.

Pastor Asburry has a good look at President Kieschnick’s statement here at RAsurry's Res.

.

Save the LCMS! has a great post on the same letter titled Kieschnick Letter - A Failed Presidency

.

The always interesting Chris Rosebrough over at Extreme Theology gives us Changing the LCMS.

BCS Meeting

Her awesomeness, Mollie Ziegler Hemingway keeps us updated over at Augsburg 1530 on the Board of Communication Services. Two of the more interesting points;

Anyway, the latest version of Strand’s story is that he was acting under pressure from the Board of Directors and LCMS Treasurer Tom Kuchta when he abruptly fired Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz and canceled Issues, Etc.

It doesn’t take even a third grade education to understand that from the beginning the stories on why Issues, Etc. was cancelled and why Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz were fired would constantly change and evolve. The long silence and refusal to answer questions, the lack of accountability, the passing of the buck on who did what, and the attacks on those who speak out, is proof that that we are dealing with a corporate mentality as opposed to a church minded synod.

The other really interesting tidbit is this;

The other huge story from the meeting is that Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz told the BCS that they reject the hush money clause of the Synod’s proposed severance package are prepared to walk away from it — benefits and all — if the LCMS doesn’t rescind the gag order! The BCS decided against removing the gag order themselves — a move that would have done much to quell the storm — and instead put the whole issue into the hands of the law firm where, get this, David Strand’s wife serves as the chief counsel for the LCMS. So, the BCS decided to lawyer up.

Do church minded people propose gag orders? No they don’t, and no they are aren’t.

Read the whole post here.

The Kieschnick and Strand Disagreement

In his letter to the Wall Street Journal President Kieschnick wrote the following;

In accordance with our unity in what we believe, teach, and confess, the Synod adopted the mission and vision of Ablaze!—a focused and concentrated effort to “share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who do not yet know him.” One goal of Ablaze! calls for the Synod to start 2,000 new congregations by the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in the year 2017. This outreach emphasis is not “marketing” as suggested by last Friday’s column; rather, it is one of many ministry endeavors developed to foster the mission of our Synod “… vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and the world.”

Now, read what David Strand said on record to Tim Townsend in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

“The Afternoon Show, is different from “Issues, Etc.,”… in that it doesn’t dwell largely on Lutheran apologetics at a sophisticated level. It still takes its Gospel proclamation seriously, but it finds new ways to capture attention.”

Did you catch that? President Kieschnick touts as a defense that our beloved synod wishes to engage in evangelism that the whole purpose of Ablaze!, our evangelism program, uh, I mean movement is to vigorously make known the love of Christ. We’ve heard all that before haven’t we?

David Strand says that to reach the masses we need get away from serious apologetics and try reach people with shows that need twenty minutes to even mention Jesus. Not so much with the vigorous from my point of view.

I wonder if President Kieschnick will write another letter, this time to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, denouncing Strand’s not so vigorous programming decisions as not indicative of what was asked for by our non erring conventions with their adopting of resolutions supporting outreach?

I’m not holding my breath.

More Ink On Our “United” Synod

From religion reporter Tim Townsend’s weekly column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writing on the whole Issues, Etc. debacle;

Lutheran radio program’s demise is a symptom of larger ills

When about 75 people gathered outside the international headquarters of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod this week, it was a rare display of public dissension among the members of a relatively quiet Christian denomination.

Catholics, Episcopalians and evangelicals have grabbed the headlines lately. Lutherans, even those of the more conservative Missouri-Synod stripe, have largely dealt with their differences internally. (The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, a separate Lutheran body, is considered more liberal.)

But that changed last month when church officials silenced one of its own public voices. When the church pulled the plug on its KFUO-AM program, “Issues, Etc.,” and fired its host and producer, the show’s fans turned up the volume.

“Issues, Etc.” aired from 3 to 6 p.m. daily locally and was available by podcast around the world. The show also aired Sunday evenings and was syndicated to 11 markets outside St. Louis. Tina Finch, 44, an audiologist from Ida Grove, Iowa, drove eight hours to be at Monday’s protest. She said 19 members of her family — spread out from Wyoming to South Carolina — had become Lutherans over the last decade primarily because of “Issues, Etc.”

The show had a conservative, traditionalist theological bent that stressed a strict adherence to the Book of Concord, the 16th-century work that defined the central doctrines of Lutheranism. Christians whose spiritual lives are guided strictly by that work are often called confessional Lutherans.

Reaction to the show’s cancellation has escalated in the last four weeks.

Bloggers have been particularly aggressive in pressing church officials to explain the surprise move.

An op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal condemned the decision to pull the show and said the church was divided over how to attract new members. The denomination’s president, the Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, responded with a letter to the editor denying there is division.

But Kieschnick’s words, and a church statement explaining that the decision to cancel the show was largely an economic one, had anything but a calming effect on the unhappy, confused — and by this time angry — “Issues, Etc.” fans.

Earlier this week, 200 supporters from around the country met at a St. Louis church for fellowship, prayer and bratwurst, and the next day many staged the protest at the denomination’s headquarters in Kirkwood. Outside the church’s gleaming glass building, some of the show’s fans wore “I’ve got Issues, Etc. with the LCMS” T-shirts, sported “God made me a Christian. ‘Issues Etc.’ made me a Lutheran” buttons, and carried signs asking, simply, “Why?”

The church stuck to its earlier explanation that the show was canceled for “programmatic and business” reasons. In an interview earlier this week, David Strand, the executive director of the church’s communications board, said the station had lost $3.5 million in the last seven years.

Strand also said the program’s audience was too narrow. —”‘Issues’ was a strong show, but where we stand now in terms of listenership, it seems wise to try some news things to broaden our reach,” he said.

Critics say the church’s audience numbers don’t include the large number of people who listened to the show online via podcasts. Strand said that “Issues, Etc.” was downloaded more than any other KFUO-AM program, but that in order to succeed, the station needs “live listeners” and that “it’s not accurate to say every download translates to a listener.”

The church currently produces seven religious shows, one of which is a replacement for “Issues, Etc.” The new program, called “The Afternoon Show,” is different from “Issues, Etc.,” said Strand, in that “it doesn’t dwell largely on Lutheran apologetics at a sophisticated level. It still takes its Gospel proclamation seriously, but it finds new ways to capture attention.”

Despite Kieschnick’s message to the contrary, there is a disagreement among Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod factions that have differing visions for the church’s future.

“There is, and has been for some time, notable division in Synod on a number of issues,” said Korey Maas, a theology professor at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif., which is affiliated with the church. “Though I don’t know if anyone can say definitively if these differences were the cause of the termination of ‘Issues, Etc.’”

Many of the protesters said the current administration is too focused on recent evangelical megachurch growth models instead of on traditional Lutheran doctrine. That, they say, is watering down 500 years of Lutheran history.

“This is a symptom of a much larger problem,” said the Rev. Charles Henrickson, pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bonne Terre, Mo. “This is about whether we retain our Lutheran identity or just blend in with American evangelicalism.”

Strand said politics had nothing to do with the decision to pull “Issues, Etc.” “This was a financial decision. All 2.5 million of our members would call themselves confessional Lutherans, so I’m not sure where this idea of division comes from,” he said. “Like most denominations, we have differences of opinion on things … but Dr. Kieschnick wants a deeper sense of peace throughout the church.”

That sense of peace would be much easier to attain, some say, if the denomination were on stronger financial footing.

“It’s no secret synod is not in great financial health,” said Maas.

Strand would not say whether the church is considering a sale of its stations (it also owns classical station KFUO-FM), but he did say they were in financial trouble and that —”‘Issues’ was the largest and most obvious cut at our disposal.”

That explanation is unlikely to satisfy the most vocal “Issues, Etc.” supporters who see something more than money in the reasons for its cancellation.

“The Missouri Synod is a highly volatile church body right now,” said the Rev. Frederic W. Baue, pastor of Bethany Evangelical Church in Fairview Heights.

“There is a definite split between those who favor the megachurch marketing approach to outreach ministry,” said Baue, “and those who trust the word of God and the sacraments to do the job of bringing people to the faith.”

So, David Strand thinks that to be an effective outreach ministry it’s a good thing that the Afternoon Show is different from Issues, Etc. in that “it doesn’t dwell largely on Lutheran apologetics at a sophisticated level”?

How is this an effective outreach to reach those who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus? Why are we trying to copy so many radio and television programs trying to reach the masses with fluffy material that more closely resembles the Dr. Phil show or the local glee club?

I’ve had the chance to listen to The Afternoon Show. It took the hosts almost twenty minutes to even mention Jesus! This is the way we are trying to reach people? This is what passes for outreach from a church? Apparently so.

As a side note, I certainly don't blame the hosts of The Afternoon Show for their program. They are in the impossible position of putting on a show that by design (decree) isn't meant to feed anyone but rather appeals to the masses of Scripturally starved Americanized Christianity. It's just a shame that at a time when we should be feeding those who would listen real meat and vegetables, we instead serve up deserts that offer up nothing of any nutritional value and call it outreach. What we should call it is spiritual waterboarding instead of any kind of missional outreach.

How Difficult Is It To Answer the Question Why?

Her awesomeness, Mollie Ziegler Hemingway asks a few more simple questions over at Augsburg 1530 like:

Why did David Strand feel the need to inform President Kieschnick of his decision to terminate Issues, Etc. and fire Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz at all?

If this was just a routine budgetary decision, why inform Kieschnick, but not his own board?

Is clearing decisions with the President’s office, but not his own board, a regular practice of David Strand?

Does Kieschnick’s “awareness” substitute for the board’s consent? If so, how?

What other decisions has Strand made without his board’s knowledge or consent?

Were any other of Strand’s non-board decisions cleared through Kieschnick’s office too? If so, what were they?

If informing Kieschnick, but not his board was a “once in a lifetime” incident, why this particular incident?

If our beloved synod is more unified than ever, (according to President Kieschnick) why does it take so long to get answers to some very basic questions? Wouldn’t just giving clear answers be the easiest way to put everyone’s mind at ease? Why does it take, what is it now, a month already, to answer a few simple questions?

Why indeed.

David Strand, Then And Now…

From her awesomeness, Mollie Ziegler Hemingway blogging over at Augsburg 1530

The Board for Communication Services meets today and tomorrow in St. Louis. Members of the BCS have waited four long weeks to receive David Strand’s explanation for why he fired Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz and canceled Issues, Etc. They have waited to hear why, contrary to all previous practice and protocol, the decision was carried out with President Kieschnick’s knowledge but not theirs.

Less than one year ago, David Strand told the LCMS in convention that Issues, Etc. was KFUO’s “premier national radio program.” Less than one year ago, David Strand told the LCMS in convention that he had assembled a “select, four-member team of radio experts” to find “ways to generate and place other KFUO-AM-produced programming in other markets across America, à la the widely syndicated ‘Issues, Etc.’”

That was David Strand just a few months ago. What will he tell the Board for Communications Services today?

What's informative here is the constantly changing stories as well as the refusal to answer the simple question; why was Issues, Etc canceled? David Strand has had a month now to present all the information that he and he alone (by his own admission) used to determine that Issues, Etc. was no longer of any real value to the synod as a ministry or outreach tool. One would think that a month is enough to present an answer that isn’t using two or three year old data, explain the financial ins and outs of KFUO, and explain the growing list of whys.

Maybe he just needs more time…

An Issue From The Inbox

From my inbox this morning:

Frank:

Saw David Strand came out of his palace yesterday and talked to a St. Louis Post-Disgrace reporter (the big local paper) about all the demonstrators outside the IC and the 7,000 who signed the petition and Strand's quote "That's just 1/3 of one percent of our Synod".

Noting that it's the same number as did not bend their knee to Baal or kiss his butt should not go without a post. I'm thinking a new button simply reading "1/3 of 1%" would be nice for us to have.

Peace,

P

What is P blabbering on about? Read 1 Kings 19:11-18:

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

As everyone knows, I’m not one for counting heads, but David Strand might just want to pay attention to that little 1/3 of one percent. Those who are angry over the cancellation of Issues, Etc. are upset that we as a synod say we wish to reach those who would hear their Shepherd, but then cancel a program that reaches not only those who sit in our pews but those who look to us from the outside as a clear voice for the Gospel preached purely.

If David Strand thinks that one third of one percent really don’t need to be paid any serious attention, he might do well to remember that his boss was only reelected by a percentage of only three hundredths of one percent which is only eleven percent of the people that cared enough to sign the petition..

Resolution Adopted by South Dakota District Pastor’s Conference

Passed April 9, 2008 – South Dakota District Pastor’s Conference, Dakota Dunes, SD

Whereas, the “issues, etc.” radio program on KFUO-AM, St. Louis, has been a great blessing to many of the pastors and laity of the South Dakota District; and

Whereas, pastor and people are at a loss to understand the decision to cancel a show that winsomely engaged the culture and offered a distinctly Lutheran perspective on the issues of the day; and

Whereas, official explanations for the show’s cancellation have not satisfied ore answered the concerns of many, and

Whereas, there is extensive public support for the continuation for Issues, Etc. and

Whereas, we wish to demonstrate pastoral concern for Rev. Todd Wilken, the show’s host and Mr. Jeffry Schwarz, the shows producer;

Therefore be it:

Resolved, that the Pastoral Conference of the South Dakota District gathered in solemn assembly at Dakota Dunes, SD this 9th day of April, in the year of our Lord 2008, give thanks and praise to God for the ministry of Issues, Etc. and the hard work of Pastor Wilken and Mr. Schwarz and be it finally

Resolved, that the Pastoral Conference of the South Dakota District officially petition the Board of Communication Services to revisit the decision by its Executive Director, David Strand, to cancel Issues, Etc. and also petition the Board to reinstate both Pastor Wilken and Mr. Schwarz to their positions, restore the ministry of Issues, Etc.

More unified synod goodness...

HT: Weedon's Blog