In the January 15 issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the LCMS is accused of institutional mobbing against church workers who dare to speak up about problems and increasing divisions in our beloved Synod. President Harrison and his administration characterized the article as “misguided and melancholy musings,” “sadly bizarre” and “disconcerting.” Harrison dismissed it as another “manufactured scandal” prior to an election.
Read the Lutheran Forum article Mobbing: Organized Spiritual Abuse in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod by Pastor Ed Engelbrecht that generated the Post-Dispatch report and see if you agree.
For years Pastor Engelbrecht watched the mobbing abuse from the inside as an editor at CPH (look for his name as the General Editor of CPH’s Lutheran Study Bible). Engelbrecht’s January 16 statement in Lutheran Forum suggests that Synod’s “official,” dismissive response is far from the truth. In fact, it may just be further evidence that Pastor Engelbrecht’s observations are spot on.
President Matthew C. Harrison appears increasingly under siege near the end of his third term as President of what he frequently describes as our rapidly-shrinking Synod. Click here to read the Post-Dispatch article from their website.
Is Harrison Electioneering — with KFUO’s Help?
At a recent gathering at an LCMS church in Fort Wayne, reliable sources report current President Harrison asked those present to nominate him. A video of Synod’s President making the plea reportedly appeared on YouTube for an hour and then was hurriedly taken down.
On January 16, a program which broadcasts on Synod’s radio station, KFUO, also made no bones about encouraging Presidential nominations for Matthew Harrison in an email it sent to LCMS pastors.
Why is a radio program on our Synod’s KFUO radio station sending emails supporting the nomination of President Harrison and other United List candidates?
A Repeat of Harrison’s Sandy Hook “Debacle”?
The last time the LCMS was subject to the disdain of a national spotlight happened when President Harrison censured a pastor for praying after the Sandy Hook massacre in 2013. From the New York Times to the Huffington Post, the story of President Harrison so grabbed the headlines that, in the end, Harrison publicly apologized for his actions and poor leadership. Our beloved LCMS cannot stand for continued missteps by Synod leadership that causes this kind of controversy. St. Peter reminds us that because of our witness to the Lord Jesus we may be subject to public controversy and persecution (1 Peter 3:8-17). However, it shouldn’t be because we act — or lead — poorly.
The Harrison administration considered Hurricane Harvey contributions as improvements to its cash flow (Click here to read more). Harrison secretly put our Hong Kong headquarters building up for sale (Click here to read the story), ignoring our international partner church in Hong Kong, our future ministry to the Chinese mainland, and the faithful donors who purchased the property. President Harrison recently sold our Concordia College in Selma (Click here for the story) — a campus costing millions — for about $500,000. The new owner has plans for the future for Selma. Where were ours?
Meanwhile, the salary of Harrison has ballooned. His reported salary of $210,156 in October, 2015 jumped to $252,573 in November, 2016, an increase of $42,417. That’s a 20% increase!
$42,417 is as much as some LCMS pastors, teachers and other church workers earn in an entire year. Add to that Harrison’s benefits, housing allowance and expense account. His big new salary has continued (Click to read the 2018 Reporter article), and one has to ask, where will this end?
While Synod executives dispute the mobbing article cited in the Post-Dispatch, Congregations Matter has described moves made by President Harrison, such as centralized Ecclesiastical Supervision, which make it possible to destroy the career of any church worker who disagrees with Synod’s current President.
Please nominate Pastors David Maier and Tim Klinkenberg for President with other new leaders for our Synod — and mail your form now.
Leadership matters … it’s PAST time for a new Synod President!