Staff/members discussion thread (report free)

[Edial]

Hello there!

At one time this used to be a great little place where Lutherans had an absolutely great time talking and chatting and debating.

We even had a reunion thread of 2008 where a number of us actually MET in St.Louis for a long, long weekend. A lot of planning, but the reunions was well worth it.
http://www.christianforums.com/t7442833/

I kind of look around and this place is not that active as before.

What do you think should we do to increase traffic?

Maybe close both sub-forums for now?

Thanks,
In Christ,
Ed

 

[Kingdom Cross]

Hi Edial.

Sometimes it's just the ebb-and-flow of life in the Christian Church. God works His own ways, even in the hearts of men. Sometimes there is a greater number of people interested in conversation online, sometimes fewer.

I signed up just yesterday. Until a week ago, I wasn't even considering becoming a Lutheran. Now I intend to post on this Forum! No Lutherans influenced me in making my decision. I came here because I had already heard of Christian Forums. That's just my one little story, though.

Perhaps the best idea would be to invite Lutherans we know in real life to join the board for good discussion between believers. In the end, if people don't know this is here, they won't use it.

No offense, but closing sub-forums seems like a way of consolidation that gives into a sense of decay. I'd say "leave them open", but I don't know how sites work.

 

[Edial]

Hi Edial.

Sometimes it's just the ebb-and-flow of life in the Christian Church. God works His own ways, even in the hearts of men. Sometimes there is a greater number of people interested in conversation online, sometimes fewer.

I signed up just yesterday. Until a week ago, I wasn't even considering becoming a Lutheran. Now I intend to post on this Forum! No Lutherans influenced me in making my decision. I came here because I had already heard of Christian Forums. That's just my one little story, though.

Perhaps the best idea would be to invite Lutherans we know in real life to join the board for good discussion between believers. In the end, if people don't know this is here, they won't use it.

No offense, but closing sub-forums seems like a way of consolidation that gives into a sense of decay. I'd say "leave them open", but I don't know how sites work.

This forum is in process of turning around after few years of decline in membership. There were many reasons for it.

That is why we have such an disproportionate amount of room to fewer amount of posters.

It is usually better when a smaller group is gathered together by closing off unused rooms.

But lets' see how this goes.

We do have a lot of plans though for the future.

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

Hello there!

At one time this used to be a great little place where Lutherans had an absolutely great time talking and chatting and debating.

We even had a reunion thread of 2008 where a number of us actually MET in St.Louis for a long, long weekend. A lot of planning, but the reunions was well worth it.
http://www.christianforums.com/t7442833/

I kind of look around and this place is not that active as before.

What do you think should we do to increase traffic?

Maybe close both sub-forums for now?

Thanks,
In Christ,
Ed

Ed,

When I first came to this forum, some 10 years ago now, I was young, REALLY struggling spiritually, and looking for help. I was not yet Lutheran but this was ONE of the communities and theologies that appealed to me. The reaction I got was - conflicted. Some were extremely condemning, saying some really hurtful, awful, personal things to me - sometimes privately (PM's) and sometimes in threads here. Some were ELCA people (one of those is STILL being that way to me..... ten YEARS later), some were LCMS/WELS people (I think all them are now gone). But there were a FEW who genuinely sought to minister and help. THEY were a part of the reason I eventually became Lutheran.

In those days, it was bitter here. I remember Jim47 working so very HARD to try to bring some respect to this forum, to try to discuss issues and not attack posters. I recall when i was briefly on staff, this was known as one of the most disruptive, unpeaceful forums at CF. I couldn't even post here for months... my mere presence here caused a few to flame and rebuke me in very personal ways. I ONLY came here because a few were truly caring and HELPFUL..... they listened to my struggles and questions.... they cared, loved...... they tried to be helpful - and they were, often beyond what they saw. All that was a long time ago, of course.

Eventually, calm came but only because the disruptive posters ether left CF or stopped posting here (we began to have a lot of Lutheran posters who rarely if ever came to the Lutheran forum). This became a forum primarily of LCMS and WELS people and eventually came to be focused on issues rather than personalities. But since those LCMS/WELS people aren't strongly in disagreement in terms of theology, well...... it also became pretty quiet. We don't "fight" because those few left don't have much to fight about... thus the "quiet" you mention, Ed.


Since I'm considering returning as an active poster here, I'd LIKE to make that posting almost exclusively HERE, in this forum, among Lutherans (I'm SURE that's NOT want you wanted to hear, Ed!) but you're right - it's fairly inactive. has been for years. Most of the forums at CF now are.

If people want this to become more active, perhaps the best approach is to start threads - and do so with care to set the desired tone.


The two subforums were begun to hopefully gain some peace, some refuge from the personal ATTACKS - oh so personal and awful - from happening. I suspect the "old timers" treasure those subforums. For years, I never posted in the mail forum but only in the LCMS/WELS subforum since that was the only way to avoid the attacks and to actually discuss issues. MY suggestion would be keep them open - at least until it is clearly illustrated they are no longer needed. I disagree with closing the subforums.


Thank you.


Pax


- Josiah





.

 

[Edial]

Ed,

When I first came to this forum, some 10 years ago now, I was young, REALLY struggling spiritually, and looking for help. I was not yet Lutheran but this was ONE of the communities and theologies that appealed to me. The reaction I got was - conflicted. Some were extremely condemning, saying some really hurtful, awful, personal things to me - sometimes privately (PM's) and sometimes in threads here. Some were ELCA people (one of those is STILL being that way to me..... ten YEARS later), some were LCMS/WELS people (I think all them are now gone). But there were a FEW who genuinely sought to minister and help. THEY were a part of the reason I eventually became Lutheran.

In those days, it was bitter here. I remember Jim47 working so very HARD to try to bring some respect to this forum, to try to discuss issues and not attack posters. I recall when i was briefly on staff, this was known as one of the most disruptive, unpeaceful forums at CF. I couldn't even post here for months... my mere presence here caused a few to flame and rebuke me in very personal ways. I ONLY came here because a few were truly caring and HELPFUL..... they listened to my struggles and questions.... they cared, loved...... they tried to be helpful - and they were, often beyond what they saw. All that was a long time ago, of course.

Eventually, calm came but only because the disruptive posters ether left CF or stopped posting here (we began to have a lot of Lutheran posters who rarely if ever came to the Lutheran forum). This became a forum primarily of LCMS and WELS people and eventually came to be focused on issues rather than personalities. But since those LCMS/WELS people aren't strongly in disagreement in terms of theology, well...... it also became pretty quiet. We don't "fight" because those few left don't have much to fight about... thus the "quiet" you mention, Ed.


Since I'm considering returning as an active poster here, I'd LIKE to make that posting almost exclusively HERE, in this forum, among Lutherans (I'm SURE that's NOT want you wanted to hear, Ed!) but you're right - it's fairly inactive. has been for years. Most of the forums at CF now are.

If people want this to become more active, perhaps the best approach is to start threads - and do so with care to set the desired tone.


The two subforums were begun to hopefully gain some peace, some refuge from the personal ATTACKS - oh so personal and awful - from happening. I suspect the "old timers" treasure those subforums. For years, I never posted in the mail forum but only in the LCMS/WELS subforum since that was the only way to avoid the attacks and to actually discuss issues. MY suggestion would be keep them open - at least until it is clearly illustrated they are no longer needed. I disagree with closing the subforums.


Thank you.


Pax


- Josiah

.

You are MOST welcome posting here. Now why would you want to think otherwise.

This forum was the most educational forum ever at least for me. I learned about real life Lutheran synods and differences one cannot learn from books.
The debates we had were very productive, at least for me.

What I am thinking is maybe encouraging each Lutheran subscribing to this forum.
This way when there is a new thread it shows on their UserCP.

I am subscribing right now ...

 

[LilLamb219]

Once upon a time we had a forum that was really popular. We had a lot of fighting going on as was mentioned but we also had a lot of people who truly cared about each other. A lot of us have just gone to Facebook to stay in touch though.

I don't mind if the 2 sub-forums get closed up and packed away. There isn't much posting going on in them anyway to make a huge difference.

We do see this place light up in spurts though. It's not dead yet What could make it better again? Not sure really.

I know that I personally have had issues in the past with people coming in and pretending to ask questions just so their responses could end up "teaching" us what they believe. Because of that past experience, I tend to have a difficult time trusting newcomers who ask questions and want to learn. That's my problem though and I'll try to work on that and be more helpful in the future.

 

[filosofer]

Howdy, Ed and LilLamb219. I had the great privilege of meeting both of you in person. I was very active from 2002 to 2011 (although less so the last two years). I just noticed I passed the 13 year mark of being on the board.

Since then I have not only been seminary president, plus teaching 1-2 classes every quarter, traveling 6-7 times a year... oh, yeah, I also serve as pastor of a congregation. So my posting is rare, and I really don’t have time for extended discussions, although I would really like to do so.

I know, many words, not much said. Story of my life.

From Rich, in the far west of TAALC to you, Ed, in the far east of TAALC.

 

[filosofer]

I should also add that when the boards became very contentious, I backed away. That is not helpful to anyone, not my style.

 

[Edial]

Once upon a time we had a forum that was really popular. We had a lot of fighting going on as was mentioned but we also had a lot of people who truly cared about each other. A lot of us have just gone to Facebook to stay in touch though.

I don't mind if the 2 sub-forums get closed up and packed away. There isn't much posting going on in them anyway to make a huge difference.

We do see this place light up in spurts though. It's not dead yet What could make it better again? Not sure really.

I know that I personally have had issues in the past with people coming in and pretending to ask questions just so their responses could end up "teaching" us what they believe. Because of that past experience, I tend to have a difficult time trusting newcomers who ask questions and want to learn. That's my problem though and I'll try to work on that and be more helpful in the future.

We really had a lot of people who cared for each other.
But who can forget Radman and DaRev?

You were a tremendous asset to TCL.
Too bad so many people went for Facebook though.

 

[Edial]

Howdy, Ed and LilLamb219. I had the great privilege of meeting both of you in person. I was very active from 2002 to 2011 (although less so the last two years). I just noticed I passed the 13 year mark of being on the board.

Since then I have not only been seminary president, plus teaching 1-2 classes every quarter, traveling 6-7 times a year... oh, yeah, I also serve as pastor of a congregation. So my posting is rare, and I really don’t have time for extended discussions, although I would really like to do so.

I know, many words, not much said. Story of my life.

From Rich, in the far west of TAALC to you, Ed, in the far east of TAALC.

filo!

 

[PreachersWife2004]

We really had a lot of people who cared for each other.
But who can forget Radman and DaRev?

You were a tremendous asset to TCL.
Too bad so many people went for Facebook though.

I was going to say that a number of the rabble rousers (AKA conversational people) have kinda moved on past here.

The Facebook Lutheran pages are even worse. I'm a member of a few of them and I don't recommend them for the weak Lutheran or the faint of heart.

I love my little TCL family here, even the ones who no longer post!!

 

[Edial]

I was going to say that a number of the rabble rousers (AKA conversational people) have kinda moved on past here.

The Facebook Lutheran pages are even worse. I'm a member of a few of them and I don't recommend them for the weak Lutheran or the faint of heart.

I love my little TCL family here, even the ones who no longer post!!

We need to establish a nucleus of posters who would be subscribed to TCL forum.
Let's see how this goes.
It is a matter of prayer.

 

[QuiltAngel]

I also posted on here a while back. I also left when there got to be a lot of name calling and animosity. I appreciate what those who were posting, but sometimes animosity between a couple of members can and do get in the way.

Also, like Lil'Lamb, I got very leery of those who came in here to "correct" us as well as those who would come in here and quote a Luther quote with a basically, "can you believe he said that?" tone. Usually the quote was so far out of context and you could not help them to understand that was the case and what the context of the writing was saying.

I am going to look around and see what has been discussed on here lately.

 

[Edial]

I also posted on here a while back. I also left when there got to be a lot of name calling and animosity. I appreciate what those who were posting, but sometimes animosity between a couple of members can and do get in the way.

Also, like Lil'Lamb, I got very leery of those who came in here to "correct" us as well as those who would come in here and quote a Luther quote with a basically, "can you believe he said that?" tone. Usually the quote was so far out of context and you could not help them to understand that was the case and what the context of the writing was saying.

I am going to look around and see what has been discussed on here lately.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Hi Edial.

Sometimes it's just the ebb-and-flow of life in the Christian Church. God works His own ways, even in the hearts of men. Sometimes there is a greater number of people interested in conversation online, sometimes fewer.

I signed up just yesterday. Until a week ago, I wasn't even considering becoming a Lutheran. Now I intend to post on this Forum! No Lutherans influenced me in making my decision. I came here because I had already heard of Christian Forums. That's just my one little story, though.

Perhaps the best idea would be to invite Lutherans we know in real life to join the board for good discussion between believers. In the end, if people don't know this is here, they won't use it.

No offense, but closing sub-forums seems like a way of consolidation that gives into a sense of decay. I'd say "leave them open", but I don't know how sites work.

Hi and welcome Kingdom Cross; apart from you, everyone here are part of that original group that everyone is talking about.

Regarding new posters, we need to hear them out and be patient and open with them while not being door mats.

Likewise, we all grow and some do move on, and some who have still are quite active here at CF, maybe just not this forum.

More active members would be nice; a more vital forum may increase the appeal. How can we make it more vital?

 

[Arcangl86]

Do you think we have enough members to do what some of the other forums do and have for lack of a better term functional subforums. The only subforums we have separate the liberal synods from the conservative ones, which I don't really think is necessary. I'm not sure what type of subforums would be useful, but I think it might be worth thinking about.

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

I ask Staff to please NOT delete the conservative/confessional subforum. It has been and remains reasonably active and serves a very positive and helpful function.




.

 

[Edial]

I ask Staff to please NOT delete the conservative/confessional subforum. It has been and remains reasonably active and serves a very positive and helpful function.




.

No problem.
As long as people post there it stays.

 

[Edial]

Do you think we have enough members to do what some of the other forums do and have for lack of a better term functional subforums. The only subforums we have separate the liberal synods from the conservative ones, which I don't really think is necessary. I'm not sure what type of subforums would be useful, but I think it might be worth thinking about.

I anticipate an influx of new people maybe within next month or two.
Some changes are being considered that could be beneficial to CF and TCL.

We would be squeezing CF by hiding unused forums and then expanding again as needed.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I am not all that familiar with the history of the Lutheran forums on CF, so I am only speaking in general terms, but if the traffic isn't as high as desired in the three different forums, it seems on a surface level to make sense to merge them all together. Even if it prompts some debates or arguments, as long as they are civil and don't get into attacks on individual people or debasement of people's faiths, those spirited discussions could be one aspect of what might help revitalize the Lutheran area of the forum.

Another more radical possibility would be to merge the Lutheran area with the Anglican area. In the United States, the Episcopal Church (Anglican) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (Largest US Lutheran denomination) have an ecumenical agreement that allows them to exchange priests and pastors and all sorts of other things. Though not explicitly done because of declining membership numbers, that does seem like it was part of the thinking- about how areas with, say, a struggling Episcopalian parish and a struggling Lutheran congregation might be able to survive by sharing clergy, church buildings, or even merging. Maybe the same thing applies to a forum that's not getting much traffic.

Anglicans and Lutherans do share a lot in common- liturgically precise services, liturgical seasons (i.e. Lent, etc.), infant baptism, confirmation (Though it means somewhat different things to each group), weekly communion, real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, etc.. You even have some Anglicans and Lutherans who embrace female clergy and homosexual clergy, and others who vigorously oppose those things.

Just a thought. Maybe it's not a viable one. I'm just putting it out there.