# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S7 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) MISSIONS 7 These associations have provided national churches with new opportunities for making a strong confessional wit- ness in strategic places, to the benefit of Christ’s mission. G. Edification: Exchange of Personnel Medical-relief teams have been recruited, staffed, and supported by the Missouri Synod and then seconded (accent on the second syllable —it means to place a per- son of a particular organization at the disposal of another organization) to the International Committee of the Red Cross for service in war-torn Nigeria. Perhaps for the first time in our history the Synod seconded one of its executive secretaries to an outside agency — W. F. Bulle, M.D., Secretary for Medical Missions, to the ICRC as its chief field coordinator in Nigeria. Rev. Paul Volz, former missionary in Nigeria, has been seconded for a number of years to the Lutheran World Federation’s powerful radio station RVOG, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In Hong Kong, Rev. William Dingler serves as a mass-media consultant under the LWF for its mass communications center in that area. Rev. Robert Stade and Rev. James Dretke are working for the Islam in Africa Project (IAP), an interchurch effort to aid Christian denominations in their witness to Muslims. Bruce Schein, an LCA seminary graduate, who had had previous mission experience in the Middle East, has been seconded to The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod. It was his desire to work again among the Arabic peoples after his graduation. Instead of the LCA begin- ning separate work in the Middle East, it was arranged to second Mr. Schein to our Middle East Lutheran Min- istry for 2 years. In order to facilitate mission, specialists may be made available to units, agencies, or churches where they can make a particular contribution. This type of mutual help is another way to strengthen one another in mission. In our recognition of the oneness of Christ's body throughout the world, we are willing not only to share our resources for the effective fulfillment of His mission in every place but also to receive from other parts of the body the resources which they have for the fulfillment of the mission in our place. In this mutual sharing of the gifts which the Holy Spirit gives to the church, we ex- press our partnership in His mission. We are convinced that there are contexts in which faithful witness and service demand cooperation with all who bear the name of Christ. But there are also situations where the necessity to make a confessional witness restricts our cooperation to those who have the same confessional position that we have. Whatever the situation, however, no posture should be assumed that denies the oneness of Christ’s body in that place or the oneness of His whole mission. IV. GETTING THE WORD OUT: “AND EACH HEARD THEM IN HIS OWN TONGUE” In the previous section we focused on the edifying Word: examples of the people of God building one an- other up, helping one another for the sake of Christ’s mission. This same living Word that edifies us, Jesus Christ, is also the Word that propels us into mission and calls us to follow Him. In this section we focus on the mis- sionary dimension of the Word. On Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave the disciples the ability to speak the good news of the Gospel so that “every man heard them speak in his own language.” The Spirit is still filling us modern-day disciples with that power and ability today. A. And Each Heard in His Own Tongue: “And the Lord Added to the Church” The overseas statistics (given below) tell part of the story of the Missouri Synod’s role in helping people in various countries hear the Good Word in their “own tongues” — but only part. Statistics - World Missions Bapt. Comm. Pastors Stations Members Members Argentina ___ (1964) 47 186 21,185 13,738 (1968) 45 222 21,759 13,649 (Chile, Paraguay & Uruguay) Brazil (1964) 126 654 124,137 74,561 (1968) 149 949 139,985 82,511 American Natl. Bapt. Comm. Miss. Workers Stations Members Members Cen. America & Panama __ (1964) 6 5 42 1,923 869 (1968) 8 25 30 2,498 1,112 Cuba _______ 11964) 1 3 6 483 208 (1968) 2 No Report Ghana (1964) 3 0 4 127 85 (1968) 7 0 6 291 166 Hong Kong — (1964) 13 202 33 8,906 3,261 (1968) 40 278 27 8,931 3,719 India ___ (1964) 33 671 477 36,933 13,561 (1968) 40 726 456 39,448 15,336 Japan _____ (1964) 39 206 67 2,104 1,692 (1968) 53 130 71 2,820 2,229 Korea (1964) 5 2 3 99 82 (1968) 7 2 4 314 233 Mexico ______ (1964) 2 8 14 1,050 494 (1968) 1 17 12 1,275 645 Middle East _ (1964) 1 6 0 0 0 11968) 4 8 0 0 0 New Guinea _ (1964) 88 732 402 23,899 13,143 (1968) 86 541* 419* 35,081* 20,275* Nigeria (1964) 48 - 220 31,567 14,204 (1968) No Report Philippines — (1964) 34 72 118 6,223 2,015 (1968) 32 91 89 7,458 2,205 Taiwan _____ (1964) 10 19 21 1,579 830 (1968) 13 24* 29* 1,695* 956* Venezuela __ (1964) 4 1 10 628 307 (1968) 7 12 10 739 417 * 1967 figures We see the slow growth in communicant membership in most of the areas in which we labor; but only by read- ing the section on a particular country will we know the particular problems (shortage of manpower and funds in Argentina, for example) that hinder fuller proclama- tion of the Good News. The New Guinea statistics might tempt every other country to pattern its outreach on what has obviously worked there; but a reading of the New Guinea report gives us some clue to the initial “success” there and points out the harder challenges arising since the first blush of enthusiasm for the Gospel has worn off. From the statistics alone, Missouri Synod work in the Middle East seems to be a complete failure.