# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S473
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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484 MISSIONS

As children of God, each one of us must recognize that we
are in.the world because God has work for us to do. The Lutheran
Church has properly emphasized the doctrine of the priesthood of
all believers. This doctrine is based on 1 Pet. 2:9, where God de.
clares of all Christians: “Ye are a chosen generation, a’ roya}
priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show
forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light.”

All believers constitute a spiritual priesthood, into whose
charge Christ has committed all the rights and powers of His
kingdom. There must be active participation of every Christian
in the tasks by which the priesthood is carried out. Some of these
tasks. are the following:

1, Bringing spiritual’ sacrifices to the Lord.
a. A deepening personal commitment to the Lord Jesus.

b, Living the stewardship life by devoting time, talents, and
treasure to the service of the Lord.

c. Financial support of the work of the church at home
and at large.

d. Concern for the poor and needy within the congregation,
the church at large, and the world.

2. Activities within the family.
a. Family worship.

b. Concern for the Christian growth and development of the
“ “individual member of the family.

c. Loving encouragement and admonition to one another
to walk in the ways of God.

' 3. Personal mission work.
a. Personal witness to non-Christians.

Dd. Inviting the unchurched to come to church and/or church
schools.

c. Acting as sponsors for adults enrolled in the membership

class, calling for them and attending class with them.
4. Mutual encouragement and admonition of Christians.

a. Working and living together as becometh saints.

b. Visiting, holding devotions, or serving shut-ins at home
‘or in the hospital.

c. Concern over delinquent members that leads to loving
admonition.

MISSIONS 485

5. Acts of teaching in the parish.
a. Sunday school.
b. Vacation Bible school.
c. Bible class.
6. Ministering at the sanctuary before the Lord.
a. Fervent participation in worship, prayer, and song.
b.- Singing in the choir.
c. Helping, according to our ability, to enhance the beauty
of the service.
d. Serving as deacons and lectors in the services.

Resolution

‘In view of the foregoing presentation of the needs of our
world today, of our resources for meeting these needs, and of the
evident will of our heavenly Father that we use our resources
in the fullest measure for the meeting of these needs, we respect-
fully submit the following resolution for favorable action by the
convention:

Wuereas, There are still vast multitudes throughout the world
today who are without Christ and therefore are eternally lost; and

Wuereas, The unchristian forces throughout the world are
misleading many within and without the Church; and

WuereEas, Our present efforts seem so meager when contrasted
with the tremendous opportunities for Kingdom work; and

Wuereas, We can never hope to reach all with the Gospel
through the professionally trained clergy alone; and

Wuereas, The Lord has blessed us with spiritual and material
resources to undertake greater things for Him; and

Wuereas, Scripture emphasizes that every Christian is a priest
with specific priesthood obligations; therefore be it

A. Resolved, That our congregations throughout Synod launch
out upon an intensive effort for the enlistment and training of the
laity for every phase of the Church’s work, and that our laity
as such be alerted and encouraged to discharge its priestly func-
tions; and be it further :

B. Resolved, That the congregations. of our Synod be encour-
aged to use their existing agencies for the further enlistment and
training of their membership; and be it further

C. Resolved, That Synod through its department of Parish
Education, Home Missions, and Stewardship aid our congregations -
in carrying out such a program by means of special training

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