# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S1107
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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MISSIONS 423
, [hat the preparatory school in Gross Oesingen be discon-
d the preparatory course be connected with the seminary,
the cost of maintenance and the salary of one teacher
sav ed.” .
war : This recommendation has been carried out, and the
Esitory department is now amalgamated with the seminary
s el. .
ES, That the congregations of the Free Churches, together with
pastors, be encouraged to unfold an aggressive missionary
ity among the many neglected people who have turned their
upon the Church and to grow in ‘volksmissionarische’

er to assume the financial responsibilities for their total
rs of work at the earliest possible date and to that end
jntroduce an extended stewardship program and with it a thor-
oughgoing accounting system of contributions and expenditures;
“eq, That pastors of the Free Churches be encouraged to stay
in closest possible contact with pastors and theological professors
of.the ‘Landeskirche’ with a view to strengthening orthodox Lu-
theranism in that Church; .

“8, That at such or similar conferences they also frankly discuss
the mission problem ‘volksmissionarische Taetigkeit’ with a view.
to reaching an understanding that people who may nominally still
belong to a Landeskirche but are not attending are rightfully to
be considered mission material also for the Free Churches.”

Comment: Recommendations No. 5, 6, 7, and 8 have not been
carried out to any extent, due mainly to the fact that the Board
has not had the personnel available to implement. these recom-
mendations. It would mean placing a man in Europe who would
by consultation at the grass-roots level be able to carry out the
work necessary in order to make the desired progress in aggressive
missionary activity, in financial responsibility, in theological con-
tact, and in a growth of mutual understanding in’ the field of mis-
sionary activity.

“D. East Zone Problems.

“The Free Churches operating in the East Zone find them-
selves behind the Iron Curtain and under the dominion of a
Communistic form of government. The members and pastors of
these churches suffer not only from physical want, but particularly
also from the restrictions and restraints placed upon the work of
the Church by the government. It is exceedingly difficult, if not
quite impossible, for them to rebuild churches which were de-
stroyed; to secure adequate meeting places; to provide properly
for the religious instruction of the young; to serve the members