# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S262 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 262 WHEREAS, The financial crisis under which the colleges thus work creates a “survival syndrome’ in which mere survival as viable institutions overcomes their first purpose, which is to develop church workers for the Lord’s work within and through the LCMS; and WHEREAS, Evidence abounds that whenever a business, congregation, or educational institution exists merely to sur- vive, they are likely on their way out as effective organizations, thus confirming in experience the words of Jesus, ‘‘“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24); and WHEREAS, We are forcing our college faculties to sacrifice by not increasing their salaries in keeping with their experience, expertise, and education, or even the cost of living, thus causing hardships and failing to honor their work for Christ’s sake, thus discouraging them and others from giving their lives over to this kind of professional service for Christ’s kingdom; and WHEREAS, The giving of our people has largely kept up with inflation, but less and less of it proportionately is going to the Synod, being used instead for local and District concerns; and WHEREAS, It is doubtful that putting the first priority on local and District needs while synodical (foreign, cross-cultural missions and higher education) needs suffer is pleasing either to God or the LCMS membership; and WHEREAS, Our membership is not informed of the financial indebtedness of our various synodical colleges; and WHEREAS, The Synod has neglected to make hard decisions on emphasizing the first purpose of our colleges, namely, to train church workers, and has not developed a master plan for our colleges, closing some if necessary; and WHEREAS, A low financial subsidy from the Synod in effect makes all of our colleges ‘church related” instead of “church owned” on the principle that “he who pays the piper calls the tune,” and _ WHEREAS, The Synod is not a federation of Districts, but Districts exist to serve the congregations and the Synod efficiently in local areas; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod immediately release and pub- licize the indebtedness, salary scales, and the percentages and actual figures of financing from all sources of every college and seminary of the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Board for Higher Education and the various Boards of Control establish a rigorous “ministry and management by objectives” program, bringing their college administrations in line with their chief purpose, which is to train church workers, with all other objectives being secondary to this prime mission; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod immediately take steps to retain and restore actual synodical contro] and support of our synodical institutions of higher education by taking the major portion of their funding; and be it further Resolved, That if this is seen impossible to do within the immediate future, the BHE be instructed to reduce and con- solidate the number of colleges to a point where such funding would be possible, thus creating a limited number of strong, mission and cost-effective colleges around the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod subsidize the travel of those students who are forced to go great distances to a synodical college; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod develop a method of financing the Districts through the Synod rather than vice versa as present, so that Districts submit their budgets to the Synod’s Board of Directors for funding; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod reject in principle any funding for any of its agencies from any governmental level which in any way weakens, threatens or modifies the theological position, stance, or practice of the agency. Peace Lutheran Church Garland, Tex. Kenneth Scheen, Secretary Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor HIGHER EDUCATION 6-40A To Maintain Present Percentage of College and Seminary Support WHEREAS, The Board for Higher Education postulates adopted by the 1979 convention state that ‘the schools of Synod are gifts from God and need to be nourished and nurtured according to the Scriptural principles of stewardship,” and WHEREAS, The Synod in its 1979 convention also reiterated its intention to provide ‘increased support for its colleges and seminaries in order that the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ may grow and flourish among us and in all the world”’ (Res. 6-01A); and WHEREAS, The percentage of synodical financial support supplied for the operating budget of our colleges and seminaries decreased from 45 percent in 1965 to 25 percent at present and continues to decrease; and WHEREAS, History teaches that many colleges in the United States formerly owned and operated by church denominations have become increasingly secularized as church support and control diminished; and WHEREAS, Our Synod is historically committed to the objective of providing its own programs of training for its pastors, teachers, and other church workers; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention state that it will not permit any further decreases in the financial support of its programs of professional training and that the Synod by this resolution commit itself to maintain no less than its present percentage level of financial support of operational expenses at its schools; and be it further Resolved, That this resolution be honored and upheld even if in some years it necessitates the borrowing of funds to fulfill this commitment of basic support for our schools; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod go on record as reaffirming the worth of its system of higher education and that it thank God for the many blessings He has showered upon the church through its programs of preparation of professional leaders for the church. Board of Control Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Mo. Walter C. Dissen, Secretary Identical or similar: 6-40B to 6-40F St. John’s College, Winfield, Kans. Erwin Knocke Board of Control, Concordia College, Austin, Tex. Ray F. Martens Board for Higher Education Walter Rosin Board of Control, Concordia College, Portland, Oreg. E. Weber St. Paul’s College, Concordia, Mo. William Keel 6-41A To Increase Percentage of Seminary Budget Support Preamble The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has always been zealous and enthusiastic in promoting and supporting the colleges and seminaries that it established to provide training for professional workers. The third objective of the Synod reads: “Recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other profes- sional church workers and provide opportunity for their con- tinuing growth.” At the time of the founding of the Synod in 1847 there were a number of seminaries, including several Lutheran seminaries, in the United States as well as colleges and universities that had been established to train clergymen. The founders of the Synod chose not to prepare pastors and teachers for the congregations of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod by utilizing the facilities and resources of