# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S34 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 34 MISSIONS, EVANGELISM, AND SOCIAL MINISTRY in joint Open House Missions and to conduct individual Open House Missions; and be it further Resolved. That the Board for Evangelism Services assist Districts in conducting LOH events by providing guidance, training, and materials as necessary; and be it finally Resolved, That funding be provided in the 1983—84 budget to undergird these efforts. Board for Evangelism Services Oswald A. Waech. Chairman Erwin J. Kolb, Executive Secretary 1-24 To Encourage the Assimilation of New Members WHEREAS, Our evangelism efforts to “make disciples” are often nullified by our failure to assimilate new members into the life and work of the congregation; and WHEREAS, We have been plagued by backdoor losses which frequently exceed gains; and WHEREAS, Conservation is a vital aspect of any Biblical evangelism worthy of the name; therefore be it Resolved, That we commit ourselves to the principle that assimilation begins the momenta person begins attending our services and that especially when a person enrolls in the adult membership class the following be included: 1. Each member of the class should be visited at home by the pastor and/or elder prior to reception into membership. 2. Asponsor “friend” should be designated for each member in the class. 3. Representatives of the Bible class department should appear before the class and urge participation in Bible class. 4. Members of the class should be given a spiritual gifts analysis to determine where they might serve with joy and distinction. Board for Evangelism Services Oswald A. Waech, Chairman Erwin J. Kolb, Executive Secretary 1-25 To Encourage Use of New Books on Evangelism WHEREAS, There is a lack of books which provide adequate Lutheran theology of evangelism and church growth: and WHEREAS, Students, pastors, and lay people are reading books on evangelism and church growth written by authors from other denominations; and WHEREAS, Manv of the programs of evangelism in use in our Svnod have presuppositions which are rooted in non-Lutheran theology: and WHEREAS, The Board for Evangelism Services and Con- cordia Publishing House have studied the need for evangelism books and have developed a series of new books on evangelism, namely A Theology for Evangelism, A History of Evangelism, and practical books on backdoor losses, mission motivation, church growth, and surveying the methods of evangelism: therefore be it Resolved. That this convention commend the Board for Evangelism Services and Concordia Publishing House for cooperatively developing this series for the church: and be it further Resolved. That the publications of the Synod give these volumes as they are available a high degree of visibility through reviews and promotion: and be it further Resolved. That the seminaries and the colleges of the Synod be encouraged to use these books in their classes: and be it finally Resolved, That the Districts and congregations of the Synod be encouraged to use these books in their programs. Board for Evangelism Services Oswald A. Waech, Chairman Erwin J. Kolb, Executive Secretary 1-26 To Oppose All Forms of Anti-Semitism with the Gospel WHEREAS, When Jesus came in fulfillment of the prophecies God gave to the Jewish people, He came to be the Messiah for Gentiles as well as Jews; and WHEREAS, While the early Jewish believers had difficulty accepting the fact that Jesus should be proclaimed to the Gentiles, the opposite is true today in that some Gentile Christians have difficulty accepting the fact that Jesus should be proclaimed to the Jewish people; and WHEREAS, There is an openness to hearing the Gospel among some Jewish people today: and WuerEas, Helps in bringing the Gospel to Jewish people provided by the Synod’s Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People have been well received by individuals, congregations. and Districts who have contact with Jewish people: and WHEREAS, All forms of anti-Semitism hinder bringing the Gospel to Jewish people. either in discouraging Christians from sharing it or Jewish people from believing it; and WHEREAS, The strong anti-Semitic statements of Martin Luther in his book On the Jews and Their Lies(Luther’s Works. American Edition. Vol. 47, pp. 123—306) are often cited by Jewish people to hinder evangelization of their people: there- fore be it Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod affirm its belief that the Messiah, Jesus, is the only way for all people to be reconciled with God, and affirm its desire that Jewish people be included in the proclamation of this truth: and be it further Resolved, That we encourage the Board for Evangelism Services and its Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People to continue to provide help to Districts and congregations for proclaiming the Gospel to Jewish people and for dealing with anti-Semitism: and be it further Resolved. That we commend the Commission on Theology and Church Relations for studying the issue: and be it further Resolved, That we encourage the Board for Parish Services to cooperate with the Task Force on Witnessing to Jewish People in providing study material on the Jewish people today, the problem of anti-Semitism, and Jewish evangelism; and be it finally Resolved, That we encourage the Board for Social Ministry to include anti-Semitism and prejudice against the Jewish people in its materials and programs which deal with all forms of prejudice. Board for Evangelism Services Oswald A. Waech, Chairman Erwin J. Kolb, Executive Secretary 1-27 To Support Second Great Commission Convocation WHEREAS, The blessings of the first Great Commission Convocation continue to be evident in the church; and WHEREAS, Thirty-two of the Districts (as well as some Circuits and congregations) have conducted District convo- cations or similar adult gatherings emphasizing ‘‘discipling in the '80s” since the first Great Commission Convocation; and WHEREAS, All the evaluations of both synodical and District convocations ask for another synodical convocation; and