I thought this was worth sharing, from an acquaintance:
Looking again at President Kieschnick’s statement, something is striking.
Twice in his statement, Kieschnick mentions the firing of Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz. Neither man is mentioned by name, and both times he refers to the firings as “the reduction in force of radio personnel.”
If this doesn’t sound much like the language of the Church, it isn’t.
This is CorporateSpeak –-the language of the Corporation. Kieschnick writes:
Human Resources policies, compliance with applicable employment regulations, the process of implementation of reduction in force, accompanying severance and outplacement considerations, etc., do not allow the sharing of details about this matter.
CorporateSpeak is the result of CorporateThink.
In CorporateThink, employees are cogs in the mechanism. People are parts that one may replace with no more thought than changing a light bulb, or the toner cartridge in the copier. The employee is evaluated purely in terms of profits and losses as they contribute to overall good of the corporation.
In Kieschnick’s statement, his own brand of synodical CorporateThink comes through loud and clear. While Kieschnick does recognize that Todd and Jeff were fired (or as he puts it “the process of implementation of reduction in force”), there is no explanation for the way they were fired – without warning, without explanation and without consideration. Kieschnick seems completely blind to these facts.
But this is perfectly consistent with CorporateThink. Todd and Jeff were fired without warning, without explanation and without consideration because Synod never considered it necessary to give them warning, explanation or consideration.
After all, does one warn the light bulb that it is going to be changed? Does one explain to the toner cartridge why it is being replace? Does one give human consideration to a cog, a part, an inanimate gear in the machine of Synodcorp?
Kieschnick’s corporate mindset is reinforced and commended by the Council of Presidents’ statement:
In response to the concern that the manner in which this decision was implemented lacked Christian compassion, it is important to note our belief that such was not the case. These matters are also addressed in the statement on this topic by the President of our Synod, attached hereto, which we commend to you.
The COP does not believe that Todd and Jeff were mistreated. In fact, while Kieschnick at least recognizes that there was a “reduction in force of radio personnel,” the COP statement doesn’t admit even this much. It is as though for the COP, Issues, Etc. had been cancelled, but Todd and Jeff had kept their jobs.
Of course, the members of the COP know full well that Todd and Jeff were fired –which makes it all the more curious that they fail to mention the fact. They also know full well how Todd and Jeff were fired. But CorporateThink does not permit them to think about such things, and CorporateSpeak insures that they never need speak of them either.
Each time I read those statements, I am more fascinated by them. They both read as if robots wrote them and neither says anything worthwhile and a lot that is downright flabbergasting. Grievous wrongs went down and nobody in the LCMS leadership gives a hoot. Except to say that we are Satanic for caring about losing the voice of confessional Lutheranism and wanting a few straightforward answers.
Filed under: Updates
Pragmatism, however, will guarantee the church remains strong into the future. If robotic behavior achieves the desired end, then robotic behavior it must be!
Charles Finney
http://www.chuckfinney.wordpress.com
Well, what do you know? One of those RARE statements from Dr. Kieschnick which does not have a confidentiality clause tacked on to the end of it.
As I recall, Mr Strand said they weren’t used to having to explain their decisions in the past, so why be surprised when they don’t start explaining things now?
Strangely enough, most corporations have more sense than to treat their employees as the LCMS has treated Jeff & Todd. They work hard for good relations with their employees and customers.
It seems to me that K’s corporation-speak says we only care about following the letter of the law of the land. And nothing else.
Therefore: nya, Nya, NYA, NYA – You can’t touch us!
Obviously true since the laws of the land do not enforce the laws of God.
Yet… our God is not deaf nor dumb nor blind. He will deal justly with the LCMS. So we fear God and not man.
From all the guarded speech we are seeing I suspect that Pres K. and company are being very careful to not give Todd and Jeff any legal ammo in any future lawsuits. They may speak like corporate drones but they are doing so because they now realize that they have broken the law and are subject to civil penalties. And civil authorities don’t care much if you are common pastor or the president of synod. After the synods election fiasco in 2004 (bending the rules about the role of the BOD) I doubt that synod wants the state of Missouri looking too close at their actions.
My suggestion is that we start a ‘legal defense fund’ for Todd and Jeff so that they can have the option to sue the pants off of KFUO and synod for illegal firings. Assuming that they don’t already have lawyers lining up to do it pro-bono for such an obvious slam dunk case.
If such a lawsuit should be imminent you can bet that Mr. K and company will settle before it goes to open court. No matter how it works out the court of public opinion would definitely not work in their favor unless they can prove some sort of huge illegal action by Todd and Jeff (the Clinton approach, blackmail people into silence or going away). Since they haven’t played that card yet it doesn’t exist and they may not be able to ‘invent’ one strong enough to work.
We are definitely living in ‘interesting times’.
Hmm. Well, settling out of court for enough money to feed, clothe, shelter, educate, and doctor the Wilkenses and the Schwartzes for the next, say, 5-10 years…plus some money for their retirement funds…that would be ONE way to provide for them.
But then you have to look at what Scripture says about going to civil courts…
Todd and Jeff don’t need to sue the synod.
How does the saying go??
“Success is the best revenge”
I predict that they will return to the airwaves and that their return will cause gastro-intestinal problems for Kieschnick and his Corporate cronies. I will be a wonder to behold!
I think we are seeing evidence of the danger of long term association with ecclesiastical institutional bureaucracy. This can be debilitating to a man’s soul.
One of the biggest mistakes we made in our polity was to allow pastors to serve as institutional bureaucrats without call and without altar and pulpit. True bishops have a cathedra, a seat the sanctuary of God. Ours have an office in a building.
There is something that anchors a man concretely when he has a pulpit from which to preach and an altar from which to feed God’s flock. I worry that these men have spent far too many years huddled in meetings and not nearly enough time in the liturgy and on their knees in confession and prayer. When I read letters such as these, I simply grieve for men who have lost touch with their own humanity and perhaps even their own soul. As critical as we are of them, we must also intercede fervently on their behalf. They are in grave spiritual danger.
I am convinced that any man in the Holy Office who aspires to become a district or synodical president has essentially and effectively ceased being a pastor to the souls entrusted to his care. Once he becomes DP or SP, he has no souls to care for, just serfs in their fiefdoms.
The ones who do NOT want to be elected are much more worthy of consideration because they still care about reaching their members through Word and Sacraments.
“Dilbert” has nothing on The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Inc.
You are thinking like I am, Miss Mollie.
I’m so glad you are the head troublemaker!!
Keep up the great work!
The “curtain of confidentiality” originally implemented to protect, has become a “shroud of secrecy” preventing accountability.
Another sad effect of TW and JS sueing (and winning) would be further draining of the synod coffers.
Too bad the decision makers aren’t the ones who would have to write personal checks every month to TW and JS for the next 30 years or so.
“Another sad effect of TW and JS sueing (and winning) would be further draining of the synod coffers.”
Why is this sad? If the Synodical organization did something which required monetary compensation or restitution for a period of time, then that’s justice and justice should be served.
People need to remember that justice is an integral part of the Christian life.
Rev. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz would not sue because they are churchmen in the true sense. It is below the dignity of their work to get caught up in the corporate American mindset of the executive branch. Their focus is on higher things, like getting a Christ-centered, cross-focused message back on the air, especially in light of the “Afternoon Show”.
If we want to correct to flow of the LCMS, we must do it from the bottom up. Look at the Synod’s move to restructure districts. If this were not to an advantage of an agenda, no one would bother. It is time to be proactive and not reactive. We need to get into the game, not just yell at the refs for bad calls.
And i second Rev. Cwirla’s comments about prayer for the current leadership. When your whole world looks like a corporation, why be surprised when it becomes one?
Lawsuits, even when justified, are a very poor tool to use with church institutions. They invariably bring shame upon the churches and the people involved. The fear of lawsuit and the involvement of lawyers in the synod is part of the cause of this kind of synodocracy.
Do you think the letter was written by the Rev. Dr. Kieschnick or Mrs. Strand.? I’ll bet he at least let her look it over before he signed it.
I think we should pray that God would bankrupt this church corporation so that the church can be taken back over by Christ. Then the bureaucrats will be forced back to the churches where they belong, the lawyers can go back to their civil law practices where they belong, and the consultants can go back to the business world where they belong.
The LCMS
The LCMS is already looking bankrupt.
Keischnick and the COP’s motto should be:
“Questions are a burden to others
Answers are a burden to yourself.”
^ No, its more on the lines of “go along and get along, get out of the way or we’ll knock you down.”
One of the strange things about te 8th Commandment is that it teaches that if you want to be understood properly, you have to speak properly as well.
Corporate codes of silence may protect Synod, Inc. from being sued, but they themselves are an horrible breaking of the beloved 8th Commandment.
Synod Inc’s 8th Commandment card effectively says to the Synod, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
It seems to me that this what Paul is talking about when he instructs fathers not to exaperate their children. (Eph. 6:4)
If the bureaucrats at the IC cannot model Christian love in their own keeping of the 8th Commandment, then it’s time for them to go. Simply put. If the Church votes them out, it is standing up for the 8th Commandment and expecting its leaders to do the same.
Are we better off than we were seven years ago? Keep that in mind in 2010.
“Brian” declares: “they now realize that they have broken the law and are subject to civil penalties”
Really? Will Brian, or anyone, state what law these men have broken and to what civil penalties are they to be subjected?
Hint…….firing people who have no contract and are employees at will is not illegal.
“Curiosity” has posted a number of comments in defense of Strand and the IC folks.
While I would agree that there is nothing illegal about firing people who are at-will employees, there are other liability areas where Synodical leaders have made themselves vulnerable.
So, for instance, defaming the professional work of Rev. Todd Wilken and Jeff Schwarz could hinder their ability to be rehired by other radio stations. When David Strand said the audience of Issues, Etc. was too narrow and negatively characterized their approach as complicated Lutheran apologetics, he mischaracterized their professional work and could be held liable for defaming them.
Thank you pastor Cwirla for your thoughtful comments here on the Christian intercession we should be undertaking on behalf of these poor men’s souls.
And I agree with you that Church leaders without pulpits and altars and real-life congregations will always lose touch with reality. This has been the saddest development in the institutional heirarchy of our once-faithful Lutheran Church.
When I read Walther’s sermon’s his heart for God’s people is always revealed. When I read Kieschnick’s letters to pastors I always want to grow my goatee out longer :)
This all has the same smell — corporate matters, but individual souls don’t. It even carries through in the mission. I just watched ‘Luther’ the movie again: in Luther’s initial exchange with Aleander and Cajetan (Chapt. 9 on the DVD), you see Luther’s struggle as he does not yet quite comprehend that the corporate church is simply not as concerned for souls as he is!
Having worked previously at LCMS in Kirkwood, I can tell you that each year in the spring the same thing happens. Individuals arrive at work expecting a typical work day. Sometime during the course of the day, people are called into various private meetings with a manager and an HR representative. In the meeting, it is explained that the LCMS is being forced to make unfortunate cuts and that the employee is being let go. This happened to myself and it happened to a number of my former colleagues. Job cuts are unfortunate, but sometimes necessary. However, I take issue with the way that LCMS management handles the cuts. In my own case, I had just received an excellent annual evaluation and a raise two weeks prior to my being terminated. I had no advanced notice, I was told that I should leave the building immediately, and I was told that I would be permitted to return to pick up my personal items sometime the following week.
My incident was the first round of layoffs and it has happened almost annually since then.