# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1965_S155 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) PARISH EDUCATION AND SERVICES 155 faith in the Word of God as the source through which its members individually and collectively are equipped and empowered for their mission; and be it finally Resolved, That this convention urgently call all adults and youth of our church to participate in Bible study and work groups so that through ongoing spir- itual growth they may be better equipped for their Christian calling. Action: This resolution was adopted. “Handbook” Changes in Art. VII of Bylaws “Parish Education” RESOLUTION 7-07 Report 7-01, Recommendation 7 (CW, pp. 293—298) WuereEas, The expanding activities of the Board of Parish Education make the present paragraphs in the Handbook of the Synod dealing with the activities of said board inadequate; therefore be it Resolved, That the proposed wording of Art. VII of the Bylaws, “Parish Education,” be accepted with the following changes: 7.03 Instruction for Confirmation In harmony with the best traditions of the Lutheran church, every pastor of the Synod shall regard the care- ful and conscientious instruction of catechumens pre- paratory for confirmation as one of the primary duties of his ministry. This duty must be regarded as par- ticularly urgent when the catechumen has had no religious training or Christian background. 745 Educational Director, change to Director of Edu- cation 7.53 Encouragement to Form Congregations in the same area should be encouraged to form associations to establish and maintain secondary schools and to seek the advice of Boards of Parish Edu- cation of the Synod and the Districts and of the Board for Higher Education for professional guidance in setting up the programs. The general supervision of this pro- gram, however, shall be provided by the District Board of Parish Education. Action: This resolution was referred to the Synod’s President. Nore: Following is the proposed wording of the per- tinent sections of Art. VII of the Bylaws, including the changes added in the above resolution, as well as the sections and paragraphs retained unchanged from the 1963 edition of the Handbook. VI. PARISH EDUCATION A. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AS A FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH 7.01 Christian Education in the Program of the Church One of the basic tasks of the church is to edify the body of Christ. This work of Christian education is a ministry of Christ’s members to Christ’s members in Christ’s name. Only through the use of God’s Word can the growth processes described in Ephesians 4:12,13 be achieved, namely, the equipping of the saints, the “building up of the body of Christ,” growth in the “unity of the faith,” growth in “knowl- edge of the Son of God,” growth toward “mature manhood,” ‘and growth “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” The Spirit of God works through the Word of God to nurture Christian growth in faith, in knowledge, in atti- tude, in conduct, and in the skills of discipleship. The Synod urges that every congregation recognize that the process of making disciples for Christ is a lifelong process: a. It begins in the concern of the church for the newly baptized infant. b. It continues through childhood, youth, and adulthood. c. It depends on the role of the Christian home as a Chris- tian school for its members. d. It involves all informal as well as formal educational programs of the church for all age levels particularly in the local parish. 7.02 Christian Education a Shared Responsibility Christian education is a responsibility of both the home and the church. To parents the words of Ephesians 6:4 and Deuteronomy 6:6,7 point up the necessity of bringing up the children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord and of teaching God’s Word diligently. To the church the words of Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:16; and 2 Timothy 3:17 become the direc- tive to make disciples for Christ, help the individual grow unto the stature of Christ, and to help equip the individual for every good work. Since both home and church must do their full duty, each in its own sphere and both in cooperation with each other, the Synod urges — a. that every congregation in the Synod provide a pro- gram of Christian family life education. b. that every congregation in the Synod be mindful of its great responsibility to provide an effective program of Christian education for all age levels. God has clearly set forth His will regarding Christian education, but He has not identified the specific agencies we are to use. Full-time Christian schools are the ideal at all grade levels, for they aim at developing a Christian world view and provide for the continuous nurture of Christian faith and life. Where full-time schools are not possible, the congregation must bend every effort to achieve the maximum development of the part-time agencies. 7.03 Instruction for Confirmation In harmony with the best traditions of the Lutheran Church, every pastor of the Synod shall regard the careful and conscientious instruction of catechumens preparatory for confirmation as one of the primary duties of his ministry. This duty must be regarded as particularly urgent when the catechumen has had no religious training or Christian back- ground. 7.05 Lutheran Elementary and Secondary Schools The most effective educational agencies available to the church for equipping God’s people for ministry are the full- time Lutheran elementary and secondary schools. The Synod therefore urges — a. that congregations of the Synod establish elementary and secondary schools wherever possible, either singly or in conjunction with other congregations; b. that elementary and secondary schools be stressed in the mission of the church, both in self-sustaining and in sub- sidized congregations; and that the Synod through the Dis- tricts advance the cause of the elementary and secondary schools by granting subsidies to schools where such action is necessary; c. that congregations seek to engage as teachers in their schools such men and women as have been trained in the Synod’s teachers colleges or have the equivalent qualifica- tions as to both character and professional training; d. that congregations extend permanent calls to teachers eligible for calls, that they pay equitable salaries to their teachers and give them any financial aid needed to make further study and professional growth possible; e. that congregations provide the physical plant and equipment needed for a modern and efficient instructional program: well-planned buildings, adequate grounds, suitable equipment, and effective materials of instruction; that they