LLL Suffers Collateral Damage as "Jesus First" Seeks to Re-elect Kieschnick
By Rev. Jack Cascione

 

The Lutheran Laymen's League (LLL) announced in its July 21, 2002 Convention News Release it was receiving protests from donors on both sides of the Benke Case.

The LLL Board of Governors has fired Wallace Schulz for, "polarizing the league" because he suspended Atlantic District President, David Benke for participating in an inter-faith worship service.

Schulz was acting in place of LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick and First Vice President Daniel Preus who were compelled to recuse themselves from the case.

The LLL claims Schulz should also have removed himself from judging the Benke Case. However, the LLL had not previously raised any questions about Lutheran hour speakers Dale Meyer or Wally Schulz serving as LCMS Vice Presidents and sitting in judgment of many difficult cases.

What was different about the Benke Case?

What was different was that President Gerald Kieschnick released information about pastors filing charges against himself and President Benke to the media on Nov. 11, 2001. According to the LCMS Constitution, all charges filed in a dispute are to be kept confidential. None of the pastors filing the charges sent their information to anyone but Kieschnick and Benke.

LCMSNews - No. 93 Dec. 3, 2001 issued by the "The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Board for Communication Services" explains how the information was released to the media.

Kieschnick issues statement:
An LCMSNews release of Nov. 11 reported that Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick has been charged by two clergy members of the Synod with allegedly violating synodical fellowship principles. . . The statement was originally released by David Strand, the Synod's director of public affairs. For more information about this matter, contact Strand via e-mail at david.strand@lcms.org, or phone him at (314) 996-1229.

It was not possible for Strand to have this information unless Kieschnick gave it to him. Strand could not have released it unless he was told to do so by Kieschnick.

When Wallace Schulz finally made his decision, his ruling was posted by President David Benke on the "Jesus First" website.[See Note] After Schulz's ruling was made public the LCMS media attacked Schulz's ruling but never published what Schulz had written.

There was media uproar over the 911 controversy in the LCMS after Nov. 11, 2001 and an even greater uproar after Schulz made his ruling.

If anyone is responsible for polarizing the LLL, damaging their ministry, and costing them millions in donations, it is LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick and President David Benke.

Losses to the LLL are considered regrettable, but necessary collateral damage in an effort to win the media war against Wallace Schulz.

Never before in the history of the LCMS has a Synodical President held up a Vice President for public ridicule and assault by the media.

Kieschnick even participated in a staged media event on July 11, 2002 where Congressman Gary Ackerman characterized Schulz as a Nazi because he doesn't pray with Jews.

What is at stake is Kieschnick's reelection and the tactics are necessarily ruthless.

This case that is now going to a three-judge appeal panel in Dispute Resolution has already been tried in the media.

Benke's media savvy team of lawyers successfully lobbied the major networks and newspapers including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and eleven congressmen (9 Democrats and 2 Republicans) to support Benke.

Clergy and laypeople in the LLL who also support "Jesus First" have seized the opportunity to fire Schulz. However, it was Kieschnick who used the LCMS media to attack Schulz before the panel of District Presidents has heard the appeal.

We must be impressed at how successfully Kieschnick has waged his media campaign. He has everything on his side except the Bible and honor.

What should have been decided privately has now disgraced the entire Synod, all in the name of job security.

[Note] Please see correction to this statment.


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.

July 23, 2002