# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S682
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

TE

98 MISSIONS

Viewing the Present and the Future Mission Program
the Election of Mission Board. — That members to Mission Bo
ought to be chosen with the greatest care all will agree. Viev
the present mission program and its postwar possibilities, with
the tremendous changes wrought everywhere because of worle
conditions, we must pray God to man these boards with men
will be able to meet the challenge of the day. We need Go
fearing, consecrated men who have proved their worth as
sionaries, men of missionary experience, men of executive abili
This executive ability will include the ability to visualize the m:
sion program assigned to their Mission Board as a whole and
ability to evolve a systematic, progressive mission expa:
program. The executive ability will include the ability to propér
and systematically organize the work — to deputize the wor
qualified men and to supervise the work. We need men who ha
a real live interest in missions, a passion for souls, who
gradually acquaint themselves with the mission of their Mission
Board, men who have time and are willing to sacrifice this time’
the cause of the greatest work entrusted to our care. We ne
tactful men; men with a keen mind, who will conscientiously ¢
sider the task placed upon them as their responsibility (no rubber
stamps); men with business ability.

We need pastors and laymen on these Mission Boards.
election of lay moMbers to Distros ond synodical Mission Boe
is equally important. God has given His Church an array of co!
secrated, mission-minded, God-fearing, well-informed laym
from whom members to the various Mission Boards can be chose
Though we can hardly expect these laymen to have that perso
missionary experience which we look for in pastors, they
nevertheless have a deep interest in missions and mission wor!
And being interested, they, too, will eagerly acquaint themselv
with the specific mission entrusted to their Mission Board. As goo
business men, they will, as good stewards, be ever alert to pla s
our resources to the best advantage. Yes, we cherish the services:
of active, consecrated, mission-minded laymen in District an
synodical Mission Boards. We need their counsel and their as
sistance. . ‘

Looking at the present-day responsibilities of the various Dis
trict and synodical Mission Boards and the problems before them}!
and visualizing the immediate future and the challenge of th
postwar era with the mission possibilities under changed condi
tions, we need men of sound judgment, men of vision, men 6
courage, to do great things for the Lord.

Missions and Our Relation to the Political World and Others, —=