Faith Inkubators: What Do They Teach?
By Pastor Jack Cascione

 

A mass mailing of "Spiritual Glue" from "Faith Inkubators" was sent to every LCMS congregation in the United States. Many LCMS congregations in Detroit suburbs are now using this new confirmation program. The back of the glue card lists 50 locations where pastors can attend meetings to learn about "Faith Inkubators."

This writer examined the teacher’s manual titled "Presenter’s Notes Catechism II" for the second year or second book in the "Faith Inkubators" series. It contains 16 lessons. The notes for the 16 lessons are in about 120 pages, which contain a wealth of information and ideas on how to teach and present the material with direct and detailed instructions for every activity. The manual begins with a lesson for each of the petitions of the Lords prayer, then lessons on baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and ends with a review of ten commandments.

There is no question that important truths of the Bible, the catechism, and the Lutheran Reformation are published in this material. There is also no question that "Faith Inkubators" is the most insidious combination of truth and lies for Lutheran Catechism training this writer has ever witnessed. Faith Inkubators artfully integrates techniques from transcendental meditation, seances, regression tapes, astral projection, new age philosophy, mind control-leadership training, dialectic processing, social activism, gospel reductionism, Reformed theology, psycho-drama, sociometrics, journaling, group dynamics, moral and religious relativism, out-come based education, and values clarification. Faith Inkubators uses "Lutheran words" but redefines Christianity into a virtually unrecognizable new world order globalist religion. Why are so many LCMS District Presidents, Pastors, and LCMS staff works delighted with the program? "Faith Inkubators" meets and surpasses all the goals of the Church Growth/Leadership Training movement which now grips vast portions of the LCMS.

Without saying any more about the program please examine quotations from the "Presenter’s Notes" under the following categories for yourself. There is no intent to reproduce the whole manual, also please remember that these notes are not exceptions but typical of the entire 120 pages.

 

Turning Religion into Personal Experience
Objective: "To create a learning event that helps students experience the means of salvation by grace through faith and understanding themselves as heirs of a rich Protestant heritage" Lesson 1 page 1

This material tries to rightly balance prayer, thoughts, feelings, and actions in a relationship-based, back to the basics approach." Lesson 1, page 2

 

Holy Spirit Review:
The Holy Spirit is not a theory, proposition, theological doctrine, or teaching. The Spirit is no less than God’s presence among us. A quick review of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed might be in order here for your students, along with sharing your own experiences and thoughts about seeking the Spirit’s presence into your life." Lesson 4 page 3

Have your High School youth poised to bring out wine, and turn this prayer journey into a communion service. Let students smell, touch, and drink the beauty of the wine with all their senses. Kneel together or hold hands in a circle....." lesson 6 page 4

"There is a power that can see you through any weakness; a light that cannot be extinguished by the deepest darkness. And that power is only a prayer away. So, what does this mean? Lesson 8 page 3

"Conscience Chatter: What is a conscience? What is the relationship between the still, small voice of God with your conscience? Put students in pairs or small groups to write a paragraphs to share." Lesson 9 page 3

Now pray the Lord’s Prayer with the most creative endings, and vote one to use next Sunday. Lesson 10 page 3

Bake a loaf of bread, and use the delicious smell and taste as part of your experience. End the closing prayer with a quiet candlelight communion service using your fresh bread. Lesson 12 page 1

To create a learning event that helps students review the Ten Commandments and experience them as God’s good and gracious will for their lives. Lesson 13 page 1

Trinity: In God’s presence we can experience fullness, forgiveness, wisdom, and power like we’ve never known. So, what does this mean? What shall we do? Lesson 14 page 4

 

Opening Prayer (Suggestions for Every Lesson)
Ask students to focus on the cross for a moment, then close their eyes. Tell them that prayer is a two-way street; it is both talking to God and listening." Lesson 1 page 3

Ask students to take a moment and focus on one object or work from the visuals of the week. Play the music of a favorite praise song softly in the background as you ask them to relax and empty their minds of all distractions...." Lesson 3 page 2

Ask students to take a moment to relax and empty their minds of distractions. Remind them that prayer is both a talking to God and listening, and ask them to get in touch with their breath and heartbeat. Lesson 2 page 2

 

Prayers Cells
The Lutheran Reformation began in the lecture halls and prayer cells of the University of Wittenberg; it was an remains a thoughtful confessional movement. Lesson 1 page 2

 

Some of the People quoted and referenced
Peter Drucker Lesson 1 page 3
Ophra style Lesson 1 page 3
Martin Luther versus Martin Luther King: Well in advance of the lesson, invite an African American pastor to visit and talk about Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, and the legacy of protest which each gave to the church Lesson 1 page 4
Martin Luther King: "Unless one has something worth dying for, one is not fit to live." Lesson 1 page 6
Warren Quanbeck Lesson 5 page 3
Albert Einstein, Lesson 15 page 7

 

Sacraments
The sacraments are God expressing God’s true self to those who receive them. Lesson 11 page 2

God desires to express who God truly is for each one of us. Lesson 11 page 2

By water and the power of God’s Word, you have been claimed by Christ. You belong to God. So what does this mean? Lesson 11 page 4 We are taken up into the real presence of God by the power of the Spirit. Lesson 12 page 2

Explain your practice with wine/juice, the frequency of communion at your church, and other practical maters. Lessons 12 page 3

The bread and wine are more than mere symbols. They are living symbols to all who believe, for the living Christ comes to commune with our hearts when we ask him in faith. Lesson 12 page 6

Real Presence: The understanding that the Spirit of Christ is with us in a special closeness when we take communion. Lesson 12 page 6

Sacrament: A gift of God’s grace which was commanded by Christ and comes to us "in, with and under" a physical element attached. Lesson 12 page 6

 

Ten Commandments
So behind each of the commandment is a hidden discipline and a hidden promise. Without the promise there is only the condemnation of our failure to practice the discipline of the godly life. With the promises come the joy of the hidden discipline. Lesson 13 page 2

 

Group Definitions and baptismal font send off Blessing
In every lesson students are asked to write their one group definitions for faith, grace, indulgence, and etc. Lesson 2 page 7

End every group time with a trip to the baptismal font for send-off blessing. Dip a finger in the water, make a sign of the cross on their foreheads, and remind them that you belong to Christ and to each other. Don’t let anyone leave until all are blessed! Lesson 2 page 7

Closing Prayer Journey (Transcendental meditation and astral projection with back ground meditations tapes at the end of every lesson)

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 1 page 4)
Tell students that instead of simply reciting a closing prayer, you’ll be walking into their imaginations on spiritual journeys this year. To do this right, they need to be relaxed. First we’ll relax their bodies. Lead them through a stretching exercise that wiggles their fingers, reaches their wrists to the sky, stretches down their arms and moves into their shoulders. Instruct them to sit back, close eyes, and loosen their neck muscles by rolling their heads. Tell them that much of our stress settles in the neck and jaw, so they should now loosen their jaws. Spread the stretch down the back and into the hips. Continue the stretch down the legs, all the way to the ankles and finally, out the toes. With eyes closed and bodies relaxed, ask students to be aware of the heart beating within their chests. Suggest that each beat is a gift of God. "There’s another gift. And another. And another." Next, ask them to be aware of their breath. Suggest that each breath is a gift of God. (Anyone who has no pulse or breath is excused from the rest of the exercise.) Now inhale slowly and think of the clean, fresh oxygen moving in to replenish ever cell in the body. As you inhale, whisper, "Spirit fill me, Spirit fill me." Exhale slowly, and think of the poison carbon dioxide being flushed out of every cell in the body. As you exhale, whisper, "Spirit cleanse me, Spirit cleanse me." Inhale slowly again and hold the breath in. "What if that was the last breath you’d ever take?" It is not. God will give you another. And another. And another. Each breath is a gift. Every moment, every second, each breath and heartbeat is a gift form the Creator to you. You can use your breath to curse or to bless. You can use your heartbeats to destroy or to build. It’s your gift from God.
Now thank God for a heritage of faith that dares to use life and breath to speak out and live for truth. Thank God for all who have risked life and freedom for God’s truth. Pray for the Spirit’s power. Ask God to use these young men and women to effect a change, first in their hearts, then in their homes, then out into the community and the world. End with your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such fine young people and your anticipation of the great things they will do for the world in Jesus’ name. Lesson 1 page 4

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 2 page 4)
Use the meditative prayer tape provided to take students on a prayer Journey. Play it in stereo or turn one channel off and narrate it yourself...Have them close their eyes and relax, using the breathing and movement exercises from the Closing Prayer Journey outline in Lesson 1. With bodies relaxed, float them back in to one thousand, two thousand years to a rocky, dusty hills side in Palestine. (The read the script)

"You are a little child, walking hand in hand with Jesus...."

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 3 page 4)
Ask students to think of the image of one of their great-grand parents or another family member who has died. Maybe it is someone they know. Maybe it’s just an image form a faded photograph. Have them close their eyes, then relax, using the breathing and movement exercises form the Closing Prayer Journey in Lesson 1, keeping the image of their departed loved one before them. Use the meditative prayer tape provided for background music, or arrange for a percussionist with mallets and cymbals to help you set an ethereal mood. With bodies relaxed, have students join hands and walk into a swirling cloud of imagination. Play the tape in stereo, or turn the voice channel off and narrate a Prayer Journey something like this:
You are floating ahead in time and space, behind and beyond time, being propelled faster, faster toward a blinding light. Now, the person from your past stands, hand outstretched, calling your name. They greet you, and you turn together toward the light. You hear a shout. Then a trumpet and suddenly the voices of heaven saying, read Rev. 11:15 here. And now, floating in over a sea of glass comes the song: read Rev. 15:2,4 here.
And now the light swirls about you, and a great crowd cries out: read Rev. 19:6-7 here. And another voice: read Rev. 21:4 here. And from the throne comes a voice like thunder: read Rev. 21:5-7 here. And you feel the grip of your ancestor loosening as you release the hand next to you. And you watch the vision fading. But the words "Holy, holy holy" remain on your lips and burned onto your mind. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty. You were. You are. And you are to come. May I know you as holy treat you as holy, live your name holy, until I stand again before your throne.
End this prayer journey with candlelight, wine, bread, and wind chimes in a silent communion service. Instruct Guides to take their students’ hands, lead them to the elements, then take them away to where they’ll be discussing questions for the week.

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 4 page 4)
Instruct students to close their eyes as you lead them through the relaxation exercises from the Closing Prayer Journey in Lesson 1. Ask them if they’ve every prayed from the depths of their souls for God’s Holy Spirit or for the kingdom presence to be within them. Tell them that you’ll be taking a journey into the mind of God now to taste and glimpse the kingdom coming to reign inside them. Use the meditative prayer tape provided or invite a local musician to play music softly in the background as you pray. If you use the tape, either play it in stereo or remove the spoken channel and lead the students through a journey something like this:
They kingdom come. Thy kingdom come. What are we asking for when we pray for the kingdom? We are asking for nothing less than the presence, power, and reign of God’s Spirit to fill us and spill out into our world. Some hold seances to get in touch with the spirits. Some practice witchcraft. But we are not seeking the presence of the dead. We are practicing the presence of the living God. Some empty themselves in meditation so that they are void of feeling and emotion. We empty ourselves to be filled with the presence of the living God. Some look for the kingdom of God in churches, in political systems, in bank accounts. We want, in the next minutes, to taste the kingdom peace, the kingdom power, the kingdom presence in our hearts. The kingdom starts with our seeking God’s Spirit’s presence.
Read Jer. 29:11 and Isa. 55:7 here.
Picture yourself in a dark, dingy, and cluttered room. The shades are drawn, for there are things you don’t want exposed in this room, the room of your deepest thoughts. What are those sins that must be washed away? What are the thoughts which need to be thrown before Christ can enter. Think for a moment of a sin that has plagued you. As you slowly exhale now, whisper or think "Spirit cleanse me. Spirit cleanse me." You are emptying the room of the ugly, the hidden, the dark sins of a guilty soul. And now, the Spirit whispers in your ear: "If you confess your sins, God will forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness." You fling the windows open. The fresh air bursts through with the Spirit’s whisper: "As far as the east is from the west, so have I removed your sins, says the Lord." You are now pure in God’s sight. Completely ready for the visit from the king. As you inhale slowly, whisper or pray the words: "Spirit fill me. Spirit fill me." And slowly, from the other side of the door, you hear the voice of King Jesus: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..."
Picture yourself in that spotless, clean room. There’s a knock at the door. You have prepared the room for the King. Now you walk to the door and open it. Jesus is standing with your-filled eyes and a broad smile. He is so proud, so happy that you have opened it. Do you invite him in? Ask him in your own words. The spirit has helped prepare the room of your heart. And now you pray "your kingdom come. Your kingdom come. Your kingdom come to me." End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the privilege and honor of sharing the kingdom message with such a fine group of young men and women, and close the experience in Jesus’ name.

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 5 page 5)
Write the following words on a large piece of newsprint: Hunger, war, racism, oppression, greed, political corruption. Ask students to focus on one of these words for a moment and to ponder the will of god, considering the great and noble goal of working God’s will into existence. Affirm the students for their idealism and tell them that this vision of [a] better world is a gift and challenge straight from God. But any "kingdom vision" is only a day dream until it is put into action. With this in mind, lead them through the relaxation exercises from he Closing Prayer Journey, Lesson 1. Use the meditative prayer tape provided or arrange for someone to pick a guitar quietly in the back of the room. Play the tape in stereo or remove the spoken channel and lead students on a journey similar to this"
You are running through a steaming jungle, holding a baby. Someone is chasing you and shouting. Your heart is beating faster, faster. You can barely catch your breath, but you know if you stop they will kill you. Gun shots are heard in the distance. Explosions and balls of fire rise in the air. The shouts are getting closer, closer. You come upon a clearing to where you house used to stand, and all that is left is a smoldering pile of rubble. The shouts and shots are getting nearer, nearer. You lay the child down. She’s barely breathing. You begin to weep and close your eyes. "God help me," you cry, "God help me." Slowly the scene is changed. You’re walking through a back alley in Washington, D.C.> on a dark, frosty night. Snow is falling lightly as you look up and see the Washington Monument half a mile away. A mother and child clutching blankets sit against a building in the show. She asks you for some food, not with words but with her eyes. An old man digs through the garbage can nearby. Two prostitutes argue on a street corner. You pass them and see through their heave makeup that they are no older than you. How an elderly woman in rags pushes a shopping cart up and asks you for money. You walk on, but she persists and starts to follow. You run from the alley to the street, jumping over the homeless sleeping on the subway grates for warmth, passing streams of hopeless eyes. She continues at your heals, demanding help and food. You run and run and run, finally collapsing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. You close your eyes and clutch your jacket, whispering a prayer, "God help them. God help them."
Slowly the scene is changed once more. You are waiting at a stop light near a group of peaceful protesters. Their skin is of a different color, and their sighs are printed with the blood-red word "Justice." A smaller group of angry faces is heckling the crowd, swearing and calling them names. Suddenly a scuffle breaks out. Fists fly and voices rise. Shots are fired and the crowd scatters. One of the protesters has been wrestled to the ground. He’s being kicked again and again and again. The light changes, and you drive on. Looking back, you see the angry mob close in around the man, and you whisper a prayer, "God help him. God help him."
And now you’re back in a safe, warm church. You’ll go home to a good dinner and a clean bed. And maybe you’ll pray the words "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done" tonight while all around the world, in streets and alleys, capitals and closets, the good and gracious will of God will not be done. With eyes closed, you take one more journey - this one only a few steps to the cross in this sanctuary. Christ is looking at you and saying these words, "Whatever you do to the least of these, by brethren, you have done unto me." And you respond "But Jesus, what can I do to end war, to feed the homeless, to stop racism and oppression and a thousand other ills? I’m only a youth." And Jesus picks up a Bible and answers with the words to the young prophet Jeremiah " Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’, for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord". And the scene fades. And the clouds surround you. And we’re back. Safe. Secure.
End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the idealism of youth, for the call God’s Spirit has issued to these young Christians to impact the world, and for the ways they will bring God’s kingdom and will to their homes, families and schools beginning today. Add a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such fine young men and women, and close in Jesus’ name

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 10 page 4)
Ask students to close their eyes and clear their minds. Use the breathing and movement exercises from the Closing Prayer Journey of Lesson 1 to get them in the mood for this praise adventure. Use the Prayer Journey tape provided or play a favorite praise song or hymn softly in the background. When students are sufficiently relaxed, float them into Psalm 148 using words something like this:
Think of yourself as floating out into space - swirling, spinning, dancing through the light of a billion stars out onto the edge of the Universe. You pass dazzling red novas and skid through islands of cosmic dust. You whirl past black holes that not even light can escape and skirt a million exploding galaxies. You’re surrounded by light, but now, beyond any light your eyes have every beheld, you sense the force of a radiance that exists beyond human sight. And you close you eyes tightly so as not to be blinded by this other-worldly force, but the light bursts in behind your eyelids and encompasses your inner sight. Your own soul feels drawn to the light and the warmth as an amazing brilliance fills you and lifts you. And from within the light comes the sound of thunder and crashing waters and joyous voices in song and praise. Continues with five more paragraphs of the same. Close with a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such fine young men and women.

 

Closing Prayer Journey (Lesson 15 page 4)
Ask students if they believe there is intelligent life on other planets. Have them raise their hand if they do. Now ask them if they think there is any intelligent life on earth. With the smile on their lips, ask them to close their eyes and relax, using the breathing and movement exercises from Lesson 1. Use the meditative prayer tape provided or soft music and your own voice to float them into a prayer journey with something like this:
You are sitting outside on a beautiful night. The stars are shimmering, and a warm breeze is blowing about you. You’ve just been watching "Star Trek," and you wonder if there could possibly be other intelligent beings out there. Space is so vast. Could it be possible? Or are we alone, spinning throughout he blackness of time? You think of the world of the Psalmist: "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork" and "When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is humanity that thou art mindful of them? And the son of man that thou dost care for him?" Suddenly, you see a shooting star. It appears out of no where, and you count - one, two, three...
Continues on.
End this prayer journey with a short word of thanks for the profound gift of wisdom, strength, and power which is ours in the Scriptures. If you education or library budget can afford it, invite any students who do not won a Bible [to come] forward for a gift Bible at this time. Add a word of your own joy and thankfulness to be associated with such fine young men and women and close in Jesus’ name.

 

Skit of the Week
"Jesus wants us to think of God as a close, loving Father. Or mother, if you wish. It means God is close." Lesson 2 page 5

 

Social Action
Call on a representative from MADD. Lesson 2 page 3

WAR: Stopping war is a huge goal, but it starts in the home. Praying and working for peace in the world starts with living a peaceful life at home. Lesson 5 page 7

Invite in a victim of a serious crime to talk to the class. Lesson 7 page 3

Interview a person from another faith perspective about how praise is shown for God in their church. Lesson 10 page 3

 

Philosophy
Wrestling with Absolutes: In a day of moral relativism, is there any such thing as evil? If evil is defined as "immorality" and morality is a matter of personal choice, in there evil? Is there any absolute right and wrong? Wrestle with the students on this. Lesson 9 page 3

 

Processing (At the end of every Lesson)
Dismiss the large group into small groups to process the topic with their Guides and worksheets. (There are also numerous references to processing during the lesson.)


Rev. Jack Cascione is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church (LCMS - MI) in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. He has written numerous articles for Christian News and is the author of Reclaiming the Gospel in the LCMS: How to Keep Your Congregation Lutheran. He has also written a study on the Book of Revelation called In Search of the Biblical Order.
He can be reached by email at pastorcascione@juno.com.

March 1, 1999