# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2001_S94
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

94

CONVENTION ESSAYS AND REACTIONS

istry—not on a hillside with the multitudes but rather with
His inner circle of instructed disciples in a “closed” room.
Some people say, “Jesus First!” I’d maintain (that
Luther would say), “Jesus only!” Those of you who know
me, know that I am visually oriented. I hold a medallion
that commemorates the 150th anniversary of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod. It portrays the cross of Christ
surrounded by three portraits: Luther, Walther, and
Wyneken. If we are inclined to say “Jesus First,” then like
this medallion Christ Jesus is first and in the center, but
then Luther, second regarding our confessional integrity.
Third—Walther and Wyneken—these two church fathers
remind us of Dr. Barry’s words: “Get it right, Missouri!”—
Walther, and “Get it out, Missouri!”—Wyneken.
When I attend “ministerial association” meetings, it saddens me that their devotions or Bible studies contain no

200l Convention Proceedings

Gospel message. There are so many souls who are looking
for a church that is solidly based on God’s inerrant Word.
People hunger for the pure Gospel and Sacraments. They
want a church that knows what it believes and is consistent. The LCMS offered that a generation ago. Now we grimace over our back-door losses because of our inconsistency
of Communion practice, rush-em-thru pastor’s classes, and
infighting over just who we are. Those who support and
practice “open” Communion would be hard pressed to convince me that they somehow believe in the “real presence.”
Would they extend the hand of altar fellowship to Zwingli?
What would Luther say?

Scott R. Blazek
Immanuel Lutheran Church
Clovis, NM