# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S13 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) ——! —— ‘ i ! MISSIONS, EVANGELISM. AND SOCIAL MINISTRY 13 Dentist ................... 1 3. Nigeria Teacher Candidate For Literacy Nurses Sts r ete res ee eee ne 2) 4. Hong Kong Teacher DCE lhrector of Christian Ed Lay Workers ............. 14 Experienced Vicars 2.0.00. 3 Lay Missionaries Vol Youth ° unteer out lL. Nigena MD Director of Rural Health Program Ministry ............... 32 2. Hong Kong «Macao: MSW Social Ministry ‘5 153 missionary units 5. Papua New Guinea MD Immanuel Medical Director . “106 wives . Animportant aspect of recruiting and sending missionaries 193 children (on field) _15 dependents (U:S. schools) 467 persons The board assists missionaries with furlough arrange- ments. This includes personnel-related matters like travel. housing, family health examinations, debriefing interviews, and sometimes special study programs. The board also pro- vides for reentry into this country for those missionaries who have completed their short-term and or special assignments or Who. for one reason or another, find it necessary to return ome. During the period between the board meetings of June 198] and January 1983, the board granted releases to 49 mis- sionaries in all categories of regular and short-term service: 14 ordained, 11 teachers, 1 nurse, 11 lay workers and 12 volunteer youth ministry persons. During this same period, 60 persons accepted new appointments in all categories of regular and short-term service: 14 ordained, 9 teachers, 1 medical doctor. 15 lay workers, 22 volunteer youth ministry persons. At the time of this writing, decisions are awaited from recipients of appointments issued in January 1983: 1 teacher, 3 ordained pastors, | social worker, and 1 director of christian education. -— Committed to the Great Commission of our Lord and determined to proclaim Christ to the unreached, the board has resolved in these end times before our Lord's return to respond to the requests of our partner churches and mission fields for more missionaries. On the basis of these requests, the board has resolved to ask for 13 theological candidates. 12 ordained pastors, 5 vicars, 4 teachers DCE'’s, and 3 lay missionaries. Each category is numbered in order of priority. The total list of missonary personnel requirements for the calendar year of 1983 is for 37 positions as follows: PRIORITIZED >. MISSIONARY PERSONNEL i. REQUIREMENTS , 1/6/83 Theological Candidates Country Type Missionary Type Work 1. Papua New Guinea Evangelistic Regional Advisor 2. Ghana Evangelistic New Work 3. Guatemala Evangelistic Spanish Replacement 4. Liberia Evangelistic Kisi Expansion 5. Philippines Evangelistic Kalangan New 6. Venezuela Evangelistic New 7. Venezuela Evangelistic New &. Nigeria Evangelistic Ijaw Bible Translation 9. Korea Evangelistic Expansion 10. Panama Evangelistic New 1}. Gbana Evangelistic Konkomha New 12. Papua New Guinea Evangelistic Regional Advisor 13. Ghana Evangelistic Kumasi New Experienced Pastors 1. Sri Lanka Evangelistic New 2. Sierra Leone Evangelistic Advance Man 3. Guatemala Evangelistic New 4. Botswana Evangelistic Leadership Training 5. Hong Kong Evangelistic Seminary 6. Japan Evangelistic Campus Missionary 7. Nigena Evangelistic Seminary &. Philippines Evangelistic Oromoc Replacement 9. Philippines Evangelistic English Intl. Ministry 10. India Evangelistic Kodai House Parents 11. Ghana Evangelistic Tema Expansion 12. India Evangelistic Spiritua] Advisor Vicars 1. Guatemala Puerto Barrios 2. Guatemala Guatemala City 3. Panama Balboa «Wetzstein) 4+. Venezuela San Felix 5. Mexico Mexico City, Good Shepherd DCE and Teachers 1. Togo Experienced Teacher 2. Papua New Guinea Teacher DCE Moba Expansion Pausa Dtp. Headmaster is their preparation or training for service in a cross-cultural setting. The subject of missionary training is receiving in- tensive study in an effort to provide the very best in terms of professional skills, in-depth understanding, and knowledge of the areas and peoples to be served by the missionaries. At the present time the facilities and program of Link Care Center in Fresno, Calif. are being used. Professionally qualified Chris- tians, knowledgeable in anthropology. cross-cultural commu- nication, and interpersonal relationships, provide intensive orientation during a part of the summer. When necessary, new missionary people are also sent to specialized linguistic and language study programs for acquiring skills in language analysis, reducing a language to writing, developing literacy. and doing Scripture translation. All new missionary personnel also attend a retreat in St. Louis for specific information and orientation necessary for going out as missionary representa- tives of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. With an eye to the future, the board is also giving serious attention to the need for a professor of missions at the two seminaries of the Synod. This matter is still in the planning and discussion stage between the executive secretary and representatives from the two seminaries on the basis of a position description for’ Directors of Missions” at the St. Louis and Fort Wayne seminaries. It is envisioned the professors of missions would not only develop a greater awareness on the campus of mission urgency at home and abroad, but would also arrange to provide for special courses for students who in their early seminary days are committed to prepare for a missionary call at the time of graduation. The Fort Wayne seminary already has a full-time professor of missions. ™. At the 1981 convention of the Synod. it was resolved to launch a new program known as Personalized Missionary Support (PMS).From a small beginning in December 1981. PMS is gradually growing as more congregations desire to have a personal relationship with a missionary family and to be committed toward that missionary's support. Congrega- tions are reminded that their participation in this exciting program is to be over and above their annual commitment to the needs of their respective district and the church at large (the Synod). As of February 1983, 84 congregations scattered throughout 27 districts of the Synod are in the PMS program for commit- ments toward the support of 46 missionaries. Their pledges total $251,083 per year for three years. A system of quarterly billings reminds each congregations when a portion of their commitment is to be paid. In the course of a biennium, a board such as the Board for Mission Services has a wide range of concerns brought to its attention. What makes the board’s work so difficult is the task of evaluating and steering its various programs of activity toward achievement of its goals and objectives in the contextof limited resources at a time in history when challenges for mission outreach have never been greater. A graphic picture of the board’s wide span of activity and the funding needed becomes sharp and clear from the extra- lean budget projections for the 1983, 1984 fiscal year. At the time of this writing, there is the prospect of having to cut back Personalized Missionary Support 1 ood still more. That could cause a very serious cutback in mission _ outreach. The figures speak for themselves. « Allocation of Resources ~< The Board for Mission Services is very much aware of its responsibility to the Synod in establishing policy and imple menting existing policies of the Synod in fulfilling its func- tions. This is especially important in exercising a wise stewardship of limited resources in the face of overwhelming challenges and needs.