# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S9
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
a thriving parochial school. He pastors many people who are
humble Lutherans yet very significant servants of our government in Washington, DC. Pastor Esget is wise beyond his years
and brings deep insight into the Gospel, with a kind, pastoral
heart.
Thanks be to God!

5.

Elimination of debt. Though the debt has been
reduced significantly, we are poised to significantly
reduce the current debt. The historic Concordia
University System debt alone costs about $1.5 million
a year to service!

6.

Finances. Continued realistic budgeting. We have
shared more financial detail than ever. See the Reporter for a new source for the latest financials; also
see the annual report in The Lutheran Witness. We
are striving toward more simplified and understandable financial reporting.

7.

International mission continues to focus on the request of our partner churches and emerging partners.
The overwhelming majority of requests for missionaries are for the training of pastors and evangelists.
Trained workers bring stability and effectiveness to
mission work and church bodies. Partnering with
districts and congregations to maximize capacity is
beneficial and essential.

8.

Completion of the licensed lay deacon transition to
specific ministry pastors.

9.

Continued strengthening of our universities via capable
theological and administrative leadership. All our
schools will continue to work toward cooperation,
which strengthens our Christian Lutheran witness in
the face of an anti-Christian culture, bears witness to
Jesus to tens of thousands of students, and strengthens our sustainability in a tough market for small,
tuition-driven schools.

Future Priorities
1.

2.

Steady, straight-ahead leadership. The Bible is clear.
Our confession is clear. Our Synod has well-defined
freedom and limits to doctrine and practice. Let’s be
who we are (https://blogs.lcms.org/2019/lets-be
-who-we-are/). The first step in being better than you
are is to be who you are. Our demographic studies
and study of millennials demonstrate that there is
no reason to change our doctrine. In fact, our strong
biblical teaching is our bedrock strength. We must
and will continue to confess the Bible’s teachings on life
and sexuality and all issues, with winsome joy, come
what may. Above all, we shall continue to emphasize
that Christ is for all sinners, “of whom I am chief ”
(1 Tim. 1:15).
The launch of “Making Disciples for Life.” In addition to Every One His Witness (our new evangelism
instruction effort which has been very popular),
the Office of National Mission will be rolling out a
plethora of resources and tools to strengthen our
churches, schools, laypeople, pastors, and church
workers, all for the sake of the mission. Resources are
focused on
••

outreach;

••

evangelism;

••

retention (a very significant area with lots of
potential benefit);

••

church planting, especially where there should be
LCMS congregations but are not;

••

connections to ethnic and immigrant communities

••

assistance for church workers and congregations
facing demographic change and challenge; and

••

many other pressing and contemporary topics.

3.

Clear, continued worldwide Lutheran leadership.
Seventeen Lutheran churches joined the International
Lutheran Council at its last meeting (2018). A record.
And there is much more to come.

4.

Church worker recruitment. Through our Pastoral
Education Office, and with the cooperation of the
seminaries and leaders of the Concordia University
System, we are launching a major recruitment effort
to encourage men to enter the seminaries, and for
women and men to enter our universities for teacher
and other church work vocations. (See the Pastoral
Education report.) We have a major need for more
Synod-trained workers now, and a strong impending
need for more pastors, as half of our pastorate will
reach retirement age over the next 15 years.

9

Dear friends, I wish I could sit and talk with each of you
for an hour or two. A report can’t convey the richness of blessings we enjoy in the LCMS. Yes, we are challenged. I’ve done
my best to help identify the challenges. And we are all doing our
best at facing these challenges with fortitude and faith in Christ.
I thank you for your kind prayers. I would be lost without them.
Until we meet, I am
Rejoicing always … for you.
Praying without ceasing … for you.
In everything giving thanks … for you.
In Jesus,
Pastor Matthew Harrison

2019 Convention Workbook