Saturday, April 12, 2008

Issues, Etc. as the LCMS's "Premier National-Radio Program"

There are tell-tail trails -- if you continue to look in the right places.

Remember the 2007 synodical convention? Each synodical board has to present a written report to the convention. In the case of the Board for Communications Services, guess who wrote the report?

David Strand.

It was shared with the BCS and approved. In that report which I as a board member reviewed, one can find comments like the following:,

(A) "KFUO-AM’s premier national-radio program, 'Issues, Etc.,' travels about the United States, broadcasting from churches and other institutions.

(B) "To that end, a select, four-member team of radio experts was assembled by the BCS to make recommendations on (1) balancing the KFUO budget by Dec. 31, 2007, and (2) finding ways to generate and place other KFUO-AM-produced programming in other markets across America, à la the widely syndicated 'Issues, Etc.'

So, Mr. Strand, what changed your mind in 9 short months? Issues, Etc. was KFUO-AM's premier national-radio program and, being "widely syndicated," it was exemplary among KFUO-AM-produced programs to be mentioned by name.

I hope the public outcry isn't dying down. The discontinuation of Issues, Etc. was an egregious offense -- and it is symptomatic of what the Kieschnick administration is doing. Many of the other outrageous administrative/consultant expenditures and centralization of presidential power are not visible to most people. Would it matter if people knew?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I fear the outcry is dying down. If you look at recent posts on WT, there isn't much discussion lately on Issues, Etc!

WM Cwirla said...

Oh, it has to die down at some point. Anger can only get you so far. Hopefully the scandal has awakened the sleeping giant (or is it a feisty midget?) of confessional orthodoxy in the LCMS.

There will be much work to do, some of it theological, some of it political, some of it pastoral. This is another of a growing list of scandals to bring us to repent of our complacency.

Things may quiet down, but we will not forget this.

WM Cwirla said...

Do you have an exact reference (page #) for the convention report you cite?

Anonymous said...

As a member of that "select, four member team", thank you for posting this. This post and so many others shows how clearly the decision to cancel was political and clearly not Strand's alone.

+ Robert Wurst said...

Of course it will die down, Joel.

We couldn't even stay zealous for something as egregious as Yankee Staidum. That was serious stuff (and still is) and most people (confessional pastors included) were unmoved.

The LCMS is an American church body. We don't stay riled for long. We are complacent. I think it is in the by-laws somewhere. :)

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Rob Olson said...

Who is coming to the demonstration in support of Issues, Etc. between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, April 14 at the LCMS International Center, 1333 S. Kirkwood Road in St. Louis?

Ross Wardenburg said...

I have been one of the complacent ones for my whole life. However, now even I have been moved to action, and if I can be moved to action anyone can be moved to action.

Anonymous said...

There is still some important discussion going on that Issues' addressed. The Christ-less sermon is one. I have not been contributing much, but reading new posts when I can.I am not as informed as the others posting here concerning synod matters. I do know that Issues demise follows secular, corporate models of business very closely. In my experience(and I have had some), executives that are unsure of themselves and their own judgements, rely on consultants to help them.

As a lay person involved in a budget battle one year, I was told I couldn't look at wages and benefit packages like a business when it came to the church. The synod seems to disagree, so I guess if I am ever invited back, like a supreme court justice, I will have a precedent on my side?

Rebecca Welton