# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S334
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

334

LIFE TOGETHER

place in order to (by the grace of God) aid the church in equipping
the saints, staving off error, and sustaining God’s truth; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention determine to devise
an “Official Evaluation of Worship Practice” that identifies where
there are heretical components within the different worship services
used by LCMS pastors and/or congregations, aiming to keep worship
practices of LCMS pastors and/or congregations true to God’s Word
(that is, orthodox), further guarding those believers (and the potential believers that may come about within them); and be it further
Resolved, That the 2016 convention, in order to avoid the ongoing
spread of false theology through heterodox worship practice, have the
development of the “Official Evaluation of Worship Practice” be constructed by a committee of LCMS pastors who in no way currently
utilize (or even endorse) heterodox worship practices that promote
the false teaching of God’s Word, utilizing (and fostering) Arminian
theology (or any other false theology) along with “revivalistic” tactics which aim excitement toward the base, natural will of man (the
old man); and be it further
Resolved, That the “Official Evaluation of Worship Practice” that
is eventually created be reported to the 2019 LCMS convention; and
be it further
Resolved, That the 2019 LCMS convention, upon adoption of the
“Official Evaluation of Worship Practice,” then direct each of her
district presidents to put the official evaluation into use through the
district president’s visitation of every LCMS pastor and/or congregation within his district (with the obvious assistance of his circuit
visitors); and be it further
Resolved, That the district presidents (through their circuit visitors), according to 2 Timothy 4:2, correct and encourage (and if need
be admonish) all pastors and/or congregations that are in error concerning heterodox worship practice that falsely conveys God’s Word,
utilizing (and fostering) Arminian theology (or any other false theology) along with “revivalistic” tactics which aim excitement toward
the base, natural will of man (the old man); and be it finally
Resolved, That (having been encouraged and admonished) those
pastors and/or congregations who, sadly, refuse to correct their heterodox worship practice and, after futile admonition, remain impenitent,
be expelled from the Synod, as God’s Word exhorts in 1 Timothy
6:3–5.
Grace
San Mateo, CA
4-16

To Recognize and Commemorate 75th Anniversary
of The Lutheran Hymnal
Whereas, The year 2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Lutheran Hymnal; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Hymnal has faithfully served and continues to serve many confessional Lutheran congregations and ministries
since its publication three-quarters of a century ago; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in convention, by adopting this overture/resolution, formally recognize and
commemorate the 75th anniversary of The Lutheran Hymnal.
Evangelical Trinity
Clinton, MA
2016 Convention Workbook

4-17

To Again Publish in Luther’s Small Catechism
the Fourth Commandment’s Divine Promise
Whereas, The Fourth Commandment recorded in Exodus 20:12
and Deuteronomy 5:16 includes the divine promise “that your days
may be long”; and
Whereas, The promise is not able to stand alone and is not discerning without the command; and
Whereas, Paul’s quotation of the Fourth Commandment includes
the promise as given by Moses, clearly stating, “This is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2); and
Whereas, While the Book of Concord of 1580 does not contain
the promise, some later official publications of the Book of Concord
do, namely the 1921 Triglotta (promise in square brackets) and the
2005 Reader’s Edition (promise in pointed brackets); and
Whereas, Up until 1986, all copyrighted versions of Luther’s
Small Catechism published by Concordia Publishing House contained
the divine promise within the Fourth Commandment; and
Whereas, In 1986, the promise associated with the Fourth
Commandment was removed from Luther’s Small Catechism; therefore be it
Resolved, That Luther’s Small Catechism published by the LCMS
once again contain the biblical divine promise associated with this
commandment.
Oklahoma District
4-18

To Direct CPH to Place 1986 Catechism
into Public Domain
Whereas, The text of Luther’s Small Catechism is the primary
teaching tool of the Lutheran Church; and
Whereas, The text is intended to be used in the home and church
and to be spread abroad as freely as possible; and
Whereas, the Scriptures themselves encourage us to write the text
of the catechism on our doors and walls (Deut. 6:6ff.; see Luther’s
Preface to the Large Catechism); and
Whereas, Wherever the catechism is read, studied, printed, sung,
written, posted, repeated, and learned, the Holy Spirit produces the
fruit of faith and love; and
Whereas, The congregations of the LCMS, out of love for one
another and the unity of the Spirit, have a common translation of the
Small Catechism (1986); and
Whereas, CPH claims copyright on the 1986 translation of
Luther’s Small Catechism and on that basis limits its distribution (e.g.,
on the Internet, church websites, catechism study books and worksheets, audio recordings, posters and artwork, etc.); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention direct the Board of
Directors of Concordia Publishing House to place the 1986 translation of Luther’s Small Catechism into the public domain.
High Plains Circuit
Wyoming District