Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary demographics and direction

"I couldn't help but wonder and guess which of them might be future district presidents, seminary professors, foreign missionaries, or faithful congregation pastors."


Rob, a lot of that depends on the Seminarian's last name! Nepotism has run rampant in the WELS, and the DPs have made a total mockery of the Holy Spirit and the doctrine of the Divine Call.

For the past 12 years I have taken a look at the list of Seniors eligible for call at WLS and picked out 5 or 6 men that I would guess, based solely on their last name, would receive a Tutor call. I'm averaging over 90% correct.

Last night I had the pleasure of listening to a live performance by the touring Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary choir -- 50 strong voices raised in moving praise of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The performance was fantastic, as usual.

As I studied the faces of those eager young men, each having dedicated so much of their lives already to train for work in God's church, and each face and hairline transitioning gradually and some prematurely to middle-age, looking more and more like their fathers each passing day, I couldn't help but wonder and guess which of them might be future district presidents, seminary professors, foreign missionaries, or faithful congregation pastors. Which would serve in farm communities and which would serve in large, multi-pastor city congregations? Which would serve 40+ years in ministry, and which would encounter turbulence in life and land elsewhere in God's Kingdom?

When our area children's choir stood and joined the Seminary choir at the chancel steps for one song, the contrast between the choirs was shocking. The area children's choir was a mozaic of colors. The Seminary choir was vanilla.

In which direction is WELS going? What is the demographic make-up of the student body at WLS?