Jack Cascione, the Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in St. Clair Shores,
Michigan, has written a little book of ONLY 112 pages, but with 198 footnotes
carefully documented. [Press release and ordering
information.]
This book should be NOT ONLY READ by every pastor and layman in the MO
SYNOD, but carefully studied. The title of the book is, HOW TO START OR KEEP
YOUR OWN MISSOURI SYNOD LUTHERAN CHURCH. Almighty God through His servant,
Hosea, declares, "My people are destroyed through lack of knowledge"
(Hosea 4:6), and the Prophet Jeremiah laments, "The prophets prophesy
falsely and the priests bear rule by their means, and My people love to have
it so, and what will ye do in the end thereof." (Jeremiah 5:31)
We are living today in an age in which technology is advancing and secular
knowledge is increasing exponentially on every side. But in the midst of this
knowledge explosion the doctrinal erudition of the average person in the local
Christian congregation is deteriorating at an alarming rate.
The average church member (even in the LCMS) is "dull of hearing, For
when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God." (Hebrews
5:11,12)
There was once a day when even the average uneducated farmer in the LCMS
was so well instructed in the Scriptures and Luther's Small Catechism that he
was able to explain and defend not only the doctrines of Baptism and The
Lord's Supper, but also the doctrine of Church and Ministry and even
Predestination. Every Sunday morning he went to church. In the afternoon he
came back for Christenlehre (study of the catechism). In the evening he was
back in church for worship. During the week there were daily devotions in his
home led by the father of the family. His children were enrolled in the
congregation's parochial school where they were further immersed in the Word
of God.
The result? Listen to this description of the result in the August 1890
issue of LEHRE AND WEHRE (Doctrine and Defense), "We Missourians then
hold a church body as such to be orthodox ONLY when the true doctrine sounds
forth from all of its pulpits and professors chairs and in all writings which
are published within the church body, and every false doctrine, on the
contrary, as soon as it makes its appearance, is eliminated in the way which
God directs." Clearly, there was not only UNION in the Missouri Synod but
there was also UNITY in doctrine. Sadly, that UNITY no longer exists!
Those of us who grew up in this God-pleasing environment lament the loss of
this treasure of pure doctrine (Reine Lehre). But Pastor Jack Cascione is not
wasting God's time in just lamenting. By his outspoken witness for the truth
in the pages of CHRISTIAN NEWS and wherever else he has the opportunity, he is
providing a faithful witness for the TRUTH. His new book is a good example of
his on-going witness for the truth.
At first glance, Cascione's book may look like a "HOW TO" manual
for lay rebellion within the MO Synod. However, close studies of the contents
of the book reveal something quite different.
Both Martin Luther and C.F.W. Walther had no desire to rebel against God's
Church or design new doctrines. On the contrary, both of these men desired to
be faithful! Not to the teaching of men, but to the teachings of God. It is
required in stewards that a man be found faithful." (I Corinthians 4:1-2)
Jack Cascione also desires to be faithful to God. In this book, he
demonstrates what God requires of His faithful people. Martin Luther was
placed under the ban of the empire because he stood solely on the Word of Go d
and refused to bow to commands of the pope or church councils. Walther was
called a represtination theologian because he taught and defended the same
doctrines Luther taught from the Bible, especially the doctrines of the
Priesthood of all Believers and Church and Ministry.
Jack Cascione is under attack today because he is reaffirming the same
doctrines Luther and Walter taught from the Bible - The Priesthood of all
Believers and the supreme authority of the congregation through the Voters
Assembly.
In chapter 29 of his book, Cascione quotes Walter to explain what he seeks
to accomplish in this book. Cascione wants every layperson to be a faithful
Christian and a genuine member of his or her local congregation.
The three essential requirements to be a genuine Lutheran are:
- A thorough understanding of pure Lutheran doctrine or at least a desire
to grow in knowledge.
- The ability to defend your faith and prove it correct from God's Word.
- The ability to distinguish pure doctrine from false doctrine.
When you have finished studying (not just reading) this book, you will be
equipped to confess your faith with a clear knowledge and understanding of
what the Bible and the true Lutheran Church believes and teaches. If you are a
man you will then regularly attend Voters Assembly. You will urge your
congregation and its leaders to study the doctrine of Church and Ministry, and
you will also urge the Synod in its July Convention to reaffirm the LCMS
Biblical position in Church and Ministry.
To further whet your appetite to purchase and study this book, note well
the following statements found therein. Each statement is footnoted and
documented:
- Christ gives supreme and final jurisdiction to the local congregation.
- The congregation is above the minister.
- The congregation is the final tribunal in church discipline.
- The sheep judge their shepherd in all doctrine.
- The congregation and not the Synod is "church." Hence, synods
are human organizations.
- God sends pastors through the instrumentality of men voting.
- Even the apostles did not choose a pastor without the congregations
vote.
- The Bible gives the congregation the right to vote to select their
pastor.
- Every Christian is a priest of God through Holy Baptism.
- There is no other priesthood than that which is possessed by the laity.
- There is only an external difference between the laity and the office of
the pastor. Before God there is no distinction.
- The congregation confers the office of the ministry on a man and this
makes him a pastor.
- The lay people have authority in respect to Word and Sacrament in the
congregation.
- The congregation and each member never surrenders their authority.
- There is no other priesthood than that which is possessed by the laity.
- God's Word is the final authority in the Church.
- Ordination has no promise from God nor does it make anyone a pastor in
God's eyes.
- Ordination is not necessary for the Office of the Ministry.
- It is the call of the congregation and not ordination that makes a man a
pastor.
- Ordination is no more than a human rite by which a man is called into
the ministry.
Add this book to your library and you will be on your way to becoming a
genuine Lutheran who is both able and willing to confess what you believe!