Concord Replies to United List for Wenthe
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 


United List
Top of the Slate

May 7, 2001

United List met today and has announced the following candidates as their preference:

  • President: Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe
  • Vice President: Rev. Daniel Preus
  • Secretary: Rev. Raymond Hartwig

(This Editor has said from the beginning that he would encourage support for a true consensus candidate. I have asked Balance, Inc. for evidence that Dr. Wenthe was the clear front runner rather than Rev. Dan Preus, so that we would know for sure who was the most viable candidate. I have yet to receive any response to my question. Until I am shown evidence that Dr. Wenthe is a genuine consensus candidate, I cannot encourage delegates to support him. I would be dishonest.)

What did Pastor Stefanski's poll show? My guess is that it would show a little stronger than Concord's in favor of Dr. Wenthe, but many Ft. Wayne supporters who voted in the Concord Poll went for Preus. The two polls taken by Texas (one was synodwide) were both top heavy for Rev. Preus for President and Weinrich for VP. Did Balance, Inc. go outside the cigar smoke-filled cloakroom to see who was the most viable? We just don't know. We know they have not consulted with any conservatives in Texas about who those in Dr. Kieschnick's District prefer.

Texas is not considered, I suppose, a conservative powerhouse District in synod anymore, but we do have quite a number of strong and outspoken conservatives who served synod in the recent past quite well. Simply because the last couple of TXD presidents have loaded up the District with liberals and Church Growthers should not discount these people's opinions and guidance.

We have been accused of "Balance Bashing" because we have expressed our disappointment at Balance's methods. Nothing could be farther from the intentions of this editor. I want to see the LCMS united in doctrine and practice as much as Balance's leaders do, but I want this to be done "above the table." It is a serious error when Balance deliberately ignores the conservatives of a District that:

  1. Sponsors two annual and long running Free Conferences that bring in speakers to inform the laypeople of Synodical issues,
  2. produces one of the finest Conservative Publications,
  3. sponsors one of the most current and open Web Pages for Confessionals,
  4. established and supported three new mission congregations without District funds,
  5. and have an enduring organization to promote true Lutheranism in District and Synod, in spite of opposition.

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.

May 10, 2001