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QUOTATIONS BY AND ABOUT
PASTOR PAUL KELM (WELS)
"TELL has served the church faithfully for 15
years. Three editors have served; Ronald Roth (1977-84), Paul Kelm (1985-88),
and the undersigned since 1989...The lead article in the first issue of TELL
was titled 'Church Growth - Worthwhile for WELS.'...The author of this article
in April 1988 issue of TELL concludes, 'It's obvious by now that I believe we
in WELS can profit greatly from the writings of the church-growth leaders.' ...
TELL as a separate publication ends with this issue. Nevertheless, the focus of
The Evangelism Life Line will continue for years to come as an integral part of
the new Board for Parish Services journal - PARISH LEADERSHIP.
Rev. Robert Hartman TELL
(WELS Evangelism) Summer, 1992.
"The Network of WELS Small Group Leaders. 1.
Information on active/interested small group leaders. 2. The Resource Sharing
Network led by Divine Savior in Indianapolis, Indiana [Pastor Dan Kelm]."
WELS Campus Pastors, Small Group Training Conference, Jan. 7-9, 1991, Madison.
p. 19. Finding the Receptive: People
in Transition, by James Witt - "The Bible illustrates the
people-in-transition receptivity principle very well. Converts such as Naaman,
a leper; Ruth, a widow; the woman at the well, a five-time divorcee; the thief
on the cross, a convict near death; were all people who in a period of
transition were receptive to hearing the Gospel. The Receptivity-Rating Scale
shown at left... Paul Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism
Appendix III,
"MOTIVATING AND ORGANIZING THE CONGREGATION
AROUND THE GREAT COMMISSION" [This is the Donald Abdon view of relating
all church structures to evangelism, as noted in Valleskey's PT notes.]
Paul Kelm, editor, The
Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism
"Don't let the world paint us into a corner of
antiquarianism on subjects like a six-day creation or verbal inspiration."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 13.
"Thesis Seven: Sound Apologetics Can Make Sound
Doctrine Sound Good...Logic never converted anyone; but Christianity is
logically defensible, once one makes reason ministerial to God and His
Word...Read C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and Josh McDowell for practical apologetic
tools. In fact, lend your copy to the prospect whose intelligence and education
have become his curse. Once you've read Josh McDowell's 'Lord, Liar, or
Lunatic' argument for the deity of Christ, you'll find yourself using it."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 14.
"PLANNING, long-range or short-range, should be
S-M-A-R-T...specific...measurable...accepted...realistic...timed...." Paul
Kelm, editor, The Evangelism Handbook, WELS Evangelism p. 3.
"A last word on sound doctrine is in place.
Sound doctrine must be distinguished from tradition, praxis and preference. The
liturgy, translation of the Bible, vestments and organizational policies of the
church are not equatable with sound doctrine." Rev. Paul Kelm, "How
to Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3. "Doctrines in controversy and
applications to those doctrines are a disciple's meat. They are swallowed only
after patient doses of discipling milk. The art of mission work is to preserve
that sequence despite a prospect's desire to chew what he can't swallow."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 3.
"Non-Christians usually become good prospects
for personal reasons or as I like to say: 'They come for sociological reasons
and stay for theological reasons.'" [Note: this is the felt needs approach
of Fuller, also endorsed by Pastor Forrest Bivens, now a professor at Wisconsin
Lutheran Seminary: "I went to Fuller Seminary and I happen to believe we
can use sociological methods to bring people to church so we can apply the
Means of Grace." Midland circuit get together, attended by Pastor - now DP
- John Seifert.]
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 4.
"Thesis One: Sound Doctrine Sounds Good When
Good People Sound it. Normally, people respond to other people before they
respond to doctrine."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," p. 7.
WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, 1992:
authors are - James Woodworth, Disciples of Christ; "Net Results,"
March, 1991; Roger K. Guy, Disciples of Christ; Arnell P. C. Arn, American
Baptist Church; Jane Easter Bahls, Presbyterian; C. Jeff Woods, freelance
writer and minister; Lyle Schaller, United Methodist; Pastor Paul Kelm; Pastor
Jim Mumm, WELS; Pastor Peter Panitzke, WELS; Pastor Randall Cutter and Mark
Freier, WELS; First Congretional Church, Winchester, MA."
Pastor Jim Radloff, editor,
WELS Mission Counselors' NEWSLETTER, April, '92, 2929 Mayfair Road Milwaukee,
WI 53222
"The mistaken announcement by a reporter from
another Lutheran body was clearly repudiated in the March 15, 1992 issues of
The Northwestern Lutheran. Yet you boldly state that the WELS continues to be a
part of this project, in which it never participated. Dr. Jackson, I ask you to
repent of your slanderous lie and retract it publicly. Galatians 6:1-2 leads me
to ask this of you, for the sake of your spiritual life. Titus 3:10 urges me to
ask this of you for the sake of the church. cc: District President Robert
Mueller, Vice President Paul Kuske, Vice President Gerald Schroer, Rev. David
Grundmeier, Rev. Gary Baumler."
Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS),
Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.
"Your September 21 article in Christian News
perpetuates a lie, slanders leaders of your church and risks spiritual offense
to weak brothers and sisters. You describe a conference on leadership in which
fellowship lines were clearly drawn and at which testimony to the truths which
separate Lutherans was publicly given as 'a joint ministry conference with a
liberal agenda.' Then you add, 'Months later, the three groups [ELCA, LCMS,
WELS] joyfully announced a joint religious radio show, Joy, also funded by
Lutheran insurance money. WELS participated in 'Joy' from the beginning and
continues to be a part of the project.'"
Pastor Paul Kelm (WELS),
Letter to Gregory L. Jackson, 9-23-92.
"Small churches need not be small thinkers, but
small-thinking churches will always remain small. Churches and people seldom
go/grow beyond their expectations."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning
and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p.
6.
"Small thinking churches typically budget to
remain small."
Rev. Paul Kelm, "How to
Make Sound Doctrine Sound Good to Mission Prospects," See Waldo Werning
and Robert Schuller for the same thought. Did the Apostles know this? p.
7.
"Evangelism upside-down is starting with the
subjective issues of perceived reality and working back to God's objective
truths of ultimate reality - sin and grace. It's offering the attendant
blessings of salvation as the 'hook' to gain an audience for God's plan of
salvation." [felt needs used to sell the Gospel]
Paul Kelm The Evangelism
Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 4.
"Upside-down evangelism may begin with
different diagnostic questions. What do you want out of life? lets the other
person pick the path for witness. How do you feel about where our society is
heading? uncovers fears and needs without becoming too personal. What makes
people happy (or unhappy) do you think? allows someone to express preceived
[sic] needs in the third person."
Paul Kelm The Evangelism
Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.
"Upside-down evangelism doesn't begin with
personal sin and guilt, but rather with the consequences of sin. Societal
consequences (for which each day's newspaper provides evidence) are the
'perceived need' door to understanding the alienation of life and people from
God."
Paul Kelm The Evangelism
Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.
"It's just easier for many people to work
backwards from the subjective to the objective in their thinking. In fact,
upside-down evangelism may start with gospel and work back to law, stating the
solution as a prelude to the problem and clarifying both at the cross."
[This is Moravian Pietism, as shown by Walther's Law and Gospel.] Paul Kelm The
Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.
"Upside-down evangelism follows the path of
least resistance to the God of gracious acceptance."
Paul Kelm The Evangelism
Life Line (WELS), Fall, 1985 p. 5.
"Lifestyle evangelism is the merger of visual
and verbal witness, by the people Jesus intended, in the way that He modeled.
It's the primary element in a church's strategy to win the lost." [Other
endorsements from Rev. Burton Bundy, Church of the Lutheran Brethren, and Dr.
Erwin Kolb, LCMS] Rev. Paul Kelm, Evangelism, WELS
Your Invitation! Kent
Hunter, (D.Min., Fuller; S.T.D., LSTC) Church Growth Center, Corunna, Indiana
46730 Phone 219-281-2452 Invitation for Heart to Heart Workshop,
"When planning the service, Rev. Kelm and the
worship committee decided immediately that there wouldn't be any organ music
and that the usual Lutheran liturgy wouldn't be used."
Carol Elrod, "Pastor
Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star,
May 12, 1990 printed in CN
"The role model for this carefully
choreographed and rehearsed service, referred to by Rev. Kelm as a 'seeker
service,' is Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Ill., near Chicago,
an independent congregation formed 14 years ago...Rev. Kelm said he viewed a
videotape of a service at the Chicago-area church before planning the first
seeker service for Divine Savior, which is affiliated with the Milwaukee-based
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod."
Carol Elrod, "Pastor
Hopes Seeks Will Find Way to Special Church Service," Indianapolis Star,
May 12, 1990 Reprinted in CN
"Our synod now has a fulltime executive
secretary for evangelism. He's the Rev. Paul Kelm; and we need him. We need him
to be our evangelism advocate."
Rev. Ron Roth, The
Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985 p. 2.
"Church growth theory suggests the need for
seven fellowship groups for every 100 members."
Pastor Paul E. Kelm, The
Evangelism Life Line (WELS), Winter, 1985, p. 4.