I heard Matt Harrison at the Congress on the Lutheran Confessions meeting I attended, and now here at the call service in Ft. Wayne I heard President Kieschnick. Rev. Harrison is running against President Kieschnick for synodical president, and surprised everyone by scoring a huge number of nominations, far more than the incumbent. He seems to have the support of confessionalists, conservatives, those interested in social ministry (based on his work both as an inner city pastor and as head of LCMS World Relief & Human Care), and those interested in world missions (based on his work in global Christianity). President Kieschnick has the support of the church growth movement, megachurches, contemporary worship advocates, and those who believe the Lutheran church should become more like other contemporary American churches. He is conservative on social issues, though, and his signature causes are personal evangelism (the Ablaze program) and restructuring the synod (the “blue ribbon task force”).
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