Up Next: 2012 Symposium on Brotherly Admonition

The annual fall symposium at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary will be held on the seminary campus on September 17-18, 2012. This year’s symposium will be

A Symposium on Brotherly Admonition

What is our response when a fellow Christian falls into the trap of sin? Although the principles are clearly enunciated in Scripture, the Church often struggles to apply them, sometimes confronting sin too rigorously and sometimes applying discipline too casually. In both cases, people suffer, either because they are made to carry unwarranted guilt or because they are enabled to remain in their sin.

And what if the fellow Christian is a brother in the ministry? How does the Church deal with servants of the gospel who fall into the trap of false teaching or unfaithfulness? How do believers determine these errors, and who among the believers deals with discipline? The issue is critical, since the sins and sinful weaknesses of a public minister can confuse and harm the entire body of believers.

The Symposium on Brotherly Admonition intends to address this challenging but vital aspect of the ministry of the gospel, especially as it applies to those serving in the pastoral office. The three essays will review the biblical principles of Christian discipline, evaluate the procedures for discipline that are presently in place in our churches and synod, and encourage a consistent and evangelical practice, so important in our age of electronic communication. The symposium will focus not only on efforts to identify and deal with error, but also on ways and means to overcome weaknesses and grow in commitment and knowledge.

Three essays will be presented:

Brotherly Admonition in the Congregation
Pastor John M. Koelpin (WLS 93)
Calvary Lutheran Church
Dallas, TX

Brotherly Admonition in the Ministerium
Pastor Earle D Treptow (WLS 93)
Zion Lutheran Church
Denver, CO
President of the Nebraska District

Brotherly Admonition that Encourages Accountability
Pastor James R. Huebner (WLS 80)
Grace Lutheran Church
Milwaukee, WI
First vice-president of WELS

More information will appear on this website in the coming months.

The three essays from Symposium 2011 on our Lutheran schools are still available: