Confessing Evangelical

A moving account by Dr Ronald Feuerhahn (who was an ELCE pastor before returning to St Louis) on The "Master Plan" of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, 1954-1985 (327K PDF file).

This was the programme under which the ELCE moved from consisting of two congregations in 1950 to 16 congregations by 1985. The aim was also for the ELCE to become an independent and self-supporting synod, rather than being (as it was in 1950) merely part of the Atlantic Synod of the LCMS. The Master Plan was conceived and driven by Dr E. George Pearce, who sounds to have been a remarkable man. Dr Feuerhahn describes him as:

...one of the most faithful missionaries of his day: a man of vision, a charismatic leader, an avid historian and a confessional theologian.

One innovative area of mission work was holding Christian Film Festivals on Sunday and Thursday evenings. Sunday is an obvious choice, but why Thursday? Because, Dr Pearce reasoned, it was the day before payday, and so many people could not afford to go to the pub that evening. A wonderful example of culturally-sensitive lateral thinking. Perhaps the equivalent today - with more people on monthly salaries rather than weekly wages - would be to organise evangelistic events in the fourth week of each month.

In addition to these novel initiatives, the evangelistic benefits of the Lutheran liturgy were also recognised:

When a new mission was opened in East Kilbride [near Glasgow] ... leaders of the ELCE asked a very critical question. Given the discomfort of many Scottish people with anything that hints of Roman practices, should we have a crucifix and candles on the altar? Should the pastor wear vestments? Should he use our common liturgy? Really, there was very little hesitation once the matter was considered seriously. Not only would such changes be dishonest, for once the new member attended any of our other churches and saw these things, he might wonder why the difference. But more important was the reason given that these things had been a part of Christianity in this country and most others for centuries; they had been there because they are such good aids for the means of grace.

Furthermore, the liturgy was viewed as a mission instrument in the ELCE. It not only was an excellent instructor, it was also an instrument of confession. For when the new Lutherans saw that other Lutheran churches had the same service, they learned of a uniformity not only of form, but also of substance. It was not a rare occurrence when a young family from Cardiff returned from a holiday in Devon to announce with some surprise and great delight that when they had gone to worship at St Peters in Plymouth, they could follow the service because "it was just like ours!"

Looked at from the point of view of meeting targets and what Dr Feuerhahn refers to as "bottom-line theology", the Master Plan was less successful than had been hoped. By 1985, the ELCE had 16 congregations rather than the 23 projected, and some felt that the ELCE had lost momentum by the end of the 30-year period of the Plan. And from what little I know of developments since 1985, the ELCE has certainly had its ups and downs over the past twenty years. However, Dr Feuerhahn is surely right in describing what happened to the ELCE in that period as:

...the two barren mothers (Is.54), two lonely congregations in north London who, under God's promise, gave issue to children. It was one of the most remarkable stories in a society that had long ago entered the "post-Christian" era. Americans are only now beginning to understand the plight that Europeans have faced for decades.

Dr Feuerhahn concludes by saying that:

...those who know the ELCE are reminded of the church at Philadelphia as described by the Son of Man:

I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Please pray for us, that this may long continue to be true of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England and her congregations in England, Scotland and Wales.