John Redal ~ a member of Central Lutheran Church

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1 NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE CONSERVATIVE LUTHERAN ASSOCIATION SPRING 2013 CONSERVATIVE LUTHERAN ASSOCIATION THE LIGHT OF THE REFORMATION STILL BURNS Article ~ What s in a Name? Page 4 Important Information for Active/Rostered Clergy Page 5 Message from the President Page 2 John Redal ~ a member of Central Lutheran Church in Tacoma Washington, has successfully completed the requirements for his M.Div degree and his vicarage. John will be ordained into the office of Holy Ministry on July 21st at Central Lutheran Church in Tacoma. The rite of ordina on will be conducted at Central Lutheran by James Elmore, the President of the CLA. John Redal is the son of Rev. Reuben Redal, the former pastor of Central Lutheran and a powerful voice during difficult mes for holding the church accountable to both inerrancy and the Lutheran confessions. Congratula ons John on your hard work and may God deeply bless your future ministry and service to His name. Trinity Lutheran Anaheim a CLA church and school in California, is excited to announce Karen Jonas as the new Principal of their Elementary and Jr. High School. Karen comes to Trinity Lutheran with many years of experience in LCMS schools. The recent years have brought a whole new level of compe on and many changes to earlier paradigms of Chris an educa on. Karen s unshakeable devo on to confessional faith and her ability to mo vate and lead students, teachers and staff with humility and genuine concern, has already resulted in new growth for the school. New Books New Books New Books New Books In light of the May June hos ng Mother s and Father s day, there is an interes ng new work on the subject of families and worship. The book is en tled Intergenera onal Chris an Forma on: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community and Worship is published by Intervarsity Press in 2012 and is co authored by Holly Allen and Chris ne Ross. Dr. Ross is a Missouri Synod Lutheran and directs the DCE church worker program at Concordia University Irvine. Overall the book is an interes ng read. It makes a well researched argument for bringing all ages back together during church services and programs. The emphasis is as much psycho social as Biblical and some good points are made about the unintended consequences of the church s move toward separa ng everyone based on age as well as the poten al for deeper faith at a younger age should the trend reverse. If the authors choose to further their study, more explora on of prac cal methodologies toward such a transi on would be interes ng. Reaching youth is challenging, especially in a culture where Sunday ac vi es like sports seem to trump church a endance regardless of what we do to provide the best environment for each age group.

2 CLA NIGHT OF LIGHT THE CONSERVATIVE LUTHERAN ASSOCIATION hosted a dinner auc on gala high above the city lights at the Orange County Mining Company in Orange, California. Items up for auc on included a page from an original 16th century Mar n Luther Bible page, a trip to Disneyland with a family photographer, a mint Ronald Raegan campaign poster from the 1980 s and a 17th century, Italian oil pain ng of the na vity. Significant funds were raised and everyone had a great me. Healing Heroes Ministries CLA establishes ministry front line military, police and first responders. Healing Heroes Ministries exists to serve first responders and military service members in the area of spiritual and mental fitness. They provide professional confiden al counseling, spiritual support, mental fitness support, and family support to our na on s first responders and military personnel. Chaplain Yates currently serves in the Na onal Guard and as an Associate Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Anaheim. for MOTHER S DAY 2013 But the greatest good in married life, that which makes all suffering and labor worth while, is that God grants offspring and commands that they be brought up to worship and serve Him. In all the world this is the noblest and most precious work, because to God there can be nothing dearer than the salva on of souls.... Most certainly father and mother are apostles, bishops, and priests to their children, for it is they who make them acquainted with the gospel. In short, there is no greater or nobler authority on earth than that of parents over their children, for this authority is both spiritual and temporal. Mar n Luther "What do ships, railways, mines, cars, and government exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes?...[the Homemaker's] job is one for which all others exist." C.S. Lewis

3 MESSAGE FROM THE CLA PRESIDENT Opening the door without compromising the house. This summer will be the twenty third year I have been blessed with the opportunity of taking high school students on a summer mission trip, most of which have been in inner ci es across the U.S. There have been many life changing experiences for both myself and the students in so many places and many people have been served along the way. I am passionate about taking people into different se ngs and environments and challenging them to allow what they have experienced through Christ s work for and in them to be shared with others. As Christ changes our vision we are able to see people through His eyes. We stop seeing how someone is dressed or where they live and begin to see people who need love and a Savior. Though I love travelling with the students, I have come to see that an equally important mission is right here in my own community and in yours reforma on. At some point, when we weren t paying a en on, the designa on Chris an and Church became catch all terms for all sorts of beliefs and prac ces that do not Biblically qualify as being either. Over the past several years, the CLA has become more and more vested in this overarching mission field that may even Include your own church or synod. The CLA stands on two simple truths, Biblical inerrancy and the Bible as rightly understood through the historical Lutheran confessions. It is our posi on that all of the errors and corrup on of the modern church can be traced to the failure to stand firm on these two core truths. On the other hand, we believe that there are many, many thousands of people who are seeking this truth but don t know where to find it. They are finding the more human centered forms of faith to be shallow and short lived. In the coming years, the CLA is going to seek and develop ever more effec ve strategies and programs by which to break through any exis ng barriers and open new doors to both Lutherans who are ques oning unbiblical paths of more theologically liberal synods and associa ons as well as those generic believers who have no concept of what Lutherans are. Ul mately we hope to bring these searching souls through any exis ng barriers to become truly confessional, conserva ve and Lutheran bodies of faith. I invite you to join the mission trip. Jim Elmore Jim Elmore is currently serving as the President of the CLA and the Sr. Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church and School In Anaheim Hills.

4 Ar cle What s in a Name? By Rev. Robb C. Ring DE-LUTHERANIZING FOR GROWTH In recent years it has become fashionable to change the names of churches in order to remove any denomina onal iden ty. The seemingly logical reasoning behind such decisions is the thought that if we remove a label that narrowly defines or categorizes us, we will then be far more appealing to a far wider crowd of interested churchgoers. Some of this thinking comes from our fascina on with the very well a ended, somewhat generic church that a racts our youth and is found on some corner in almost every city. These churches make a point of having nondescript names that a empt to be as inclusive and non offensive as humanly possible. So is this their big secret? Is this why the people flock to their services? We ll revisit that a bit later, but even if that were true, is that sufficient grounds to de Lutheranize the name of our congrega ons? C.F.W Walther, a theologian of years past, wrote an interes ng piece on the subject reminding us that this is not a new phenomenon nor have the key concerns lessened during the ensuing 169 years. Here s an excerpt of his work. How should we name ourselves in order to do what is right? It is certain that the name of a Church cannot merely be some meaningless tle but that it should accurately express what she truly is, namely, what she believes, teaches and confesses. If we do not want to be hypocri cal, the name under which we proceed would give a plain clear answer to the ques on: "Of what and of whose faith are you?" Certainly some will now say: Why don't you just call yourselves Chris ans? We answer: we do use that name. And we hold this name so near and dear that we are willing to offer blood and life for this name. We became Chris ans already in bap sm and that and nothing else is our highest comfort and peace. Whoever is not a Chris an and yet is a Lutheran and wishes to lose the first name in favor of the second does not know the meaning of either name Indeed there was a me when it was enough to say: "I am a Chris an." This was sufficient to confess the true faith in one s heart especially in the first three hundred years of the Chris an era. Such confessor indeed o en awaited the death of a martyr. So what are the special circumstances now with this name? Since Chris anity is split into a thousand sects - who would know what we believe if we merely wanted to confess: We are Chris ans! Are there not many who want to be known as Chris ans who even deny Christ and struggle against him denying his eternal deity and completely sufficient redemp on? Are there not many who put themselves forward as preachers of the gospel only on account of greed who indeed no longer believe in Christ and his holy word but who want to keep the old tradi on of going to church? Indeed a man would need no other name than the name "Chris an" in order to confess his faith if everyone was as honorable, or rather as audacious and impudent, as a certain Mr. Ludwig in New York and a certain Mr. Kick in St. Louis. For these have publicly acknowledged an irreplaceable contempt toward the Crucified and ceremoniously erased themselves for the list of those who want to have a part of the redemp on of the Son of God. No other name would be needed, I say, if everyone in our days who wanted to depart from the word of Christ so clearly acknowledged the ma er and would renounce the Chris an name. But now since the enemies of Christ adorn themselves with this name in order to eat his bread, everyone can see that a me has come in which the friend of Christ must clearly declare himself if he does not want to deny his beloved Savior before the world. If we would get rid of the name Lutheran the highest suspicion would be aroused that either we are ashamed of the old Lutheran doctrine, or that we no longer consider it to be the only true doctrine agreeing with God s clear Word and that a new false doctrine is in our hearts. As dear, therefore, as the truth is to us, as dear as God's honor and the salva on of our souls is to us, so li le can we, especially in this me of wide spread error, give up the name Lutheran. By this name we separate ourselves from all the unorthodox of all mes and publicly confess the right faith of all me. C.F.W. Walther, Concerning the Name Lutheran 1844 BUT LUTHERAN SCARES PEOPLE AWAY Folks like this grumpy old Walther are totally out of touch right? I can hear the argument now. Our culture has mispercep ons about the name Lutheran. They think that we re just Catholic Light or followers of some 16th century monk who liked good beer and nuns and that s why they don t come to our church! That s why they don t come to your church? Really? Are we sure it s not because the church down the street offers a fabulous emo onal experience and a good dose of self esteem with a label of Chris anity slapped on its door? Do we really think we can compete with their stagecra, personality and people management techniques? An even more troubling ques on is Would the local mega-church be much smaller if they had the name Lutheran on their sign? Con nued on page 5

5 Con nued from page 4 Do we really believe that if we hide who we are in order to imitate that popular church down the street, new members will come flooding through our doors? And if they would, what would they be coming to that they don t already have? IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CLA ROSTERED CLERGY Even worse, does anyone really believe we will long remain who we are if we are too ashamed to admit it publically? CHANGE PERCEPTION NOT THE NAME Let s top taking the easy road to nowhere, whether it s ditching the name Lutheran or becoming consigned to decay. If the people you seek to reach misunderstand you, work harder and smarter to create be er understanding. Stop following and start leading. If they understand and s ll dislike you, stand firm, but not as self righteous, bi er martyrs, but as humble, dedicated servants of the Word. Be bold (gently) in your community. Be Lutheran and be (strategically) LOUD about it. Know your faith so well that you can crea vely, lovingly and competently communicate to everyone who will listen who you are and why it ma ers. If you re a frustrated member of one of these lonely churches that stands true, do your part to stoke the fires of reforma on. Too busy with your own voca on to add more ministry work? Give your money and me to keep that li le conserva ve, confessional church alive. Also, hold your leaders accountable. Make sure you have a pastor who is concerned more with what the church stands upon than whether or not it can pay him a salary. Finally, go outside and take a look at that old worn out church sign that boldly proclaims you are a Lutheran congrega on, that you are descendants of they who stood against emperors and popes at risk of their lives. It boasts that you are heirs of those brave, lonely voices who declared the church corrupt and then marked out clean paths of Scripture so that she could be clean and move forward. Go out to that old church sign and clean it, polish it, take a deep breath and say I am the reforma on as you go out and invite someone to your orthodox, confessional, Lutheran church. The me for anything but a burning cognizance of mission is over. When all is said and done, if you cannot accept the church as the narrow way, as the diligent few, as the suffering body of Christ that the Bible describes her to be, don t insult her by trying to remake her in the image of your own needs or someone else s, just divorce her and be done with it. Robb Ring serves as the execu ve director of the CLA and the Sr. Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church Anaheim, a church he helped transi on into a confessional Lutheran congrega on. He also serves as part me faculty for Christ College of Concordia University Irvine If you are currently cer fied as ac ve, rostered clergy, endorsed chaplain or a Chris an educator by the CLA, please make sure your annual status report is submi ed no later than September 15th. If you did not receive the 2013 form, please contact the CLA office as soon as possible By e mail conserva velutheranassocia on@yahoo.com Postal Service The Conserva ve Lutheran Associa on Cer fica ons and Endorsements 4101 E. Nohl Ranch Rd. Anaheim Hills CA By phone SEMINARY APPLICANTS CLA,. / M.D. T CLA. T. T CLA CLA,. P.

6 Do you need help with the tech of ministry? Technology that is used to support the ministry of the church can be inexpensive or free, incredibly effective and time saving, but it can also become very frustrating. It is estimated that during this dynamic time of technological change, the systems used for online ministry support leap ahead by an entire generational advancement every 6 months. In other words, the program that was effective today is twice less effective and twice more expensive than something else in 6 months. Reaching new people and increasing attendance through mass communication systems such as Facebook or Mail Chimp Actually using the church projector to increase the impact of worship & sermons rather than an electronic bulletin through new cloud based presentation systems like Proclaim Effectively incorporating you tube flv media or professional video media to communicate sermon concepts visually Surviving without secretarial staff and building the congregation through use of newer cloud based management systems like Planning Center or Church Community Builder. The technical folks at the CLA will be happy to provide answers to questions by e mail on these issues at no cost. We can also do the work of set up and programming to help you get going at the nominal cost of the wage we would be paying per hour to our staff member. Proclaim and present the truth, but proclaim and present it effectively, strategically and with some oomph! conservativelutheranassociation@yahoo.com Supporting the Conservative Lutheran Church & Mission If you would like to financially support the CLA and it s efforts to build, grow and serve conserva ve, confessional Lutheran churches and pastors, please contact us for ways your support can be used with the greatest impact. The CLA is a tax deduc ble 5013 religious corpora on. conserva velutheranassocia on@yahoo.com E. Nohl Ranch Rd. Anaheim Hills CA 92807

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