# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S394
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

394

INTERNATIONAL WITNESS

Resolved, That the resolution quoted above be submitted as an
overture to the 2019 Synod convention by the adoption of this
current resolution; and be it further
Resolved, That the President of Synod be directed to assure that
both the spirit and the provisions of Bylaw 3.9.2.2 (c) are followed
with respect to this resolution and any other resolution that becomes
an overture to the Synod asking for a CCM opinion to be overruled;
and be it finally
Resolved, That also in our agreements in how we will work
together in the LCMS, things “be done in a fitting and orderly way”
(1 Cor. 14:40).
Texas District
Ov. 2-04

To Overrule Commission on Constitutional
Matters Opinion 14-2724
WHEREAS, The Word of God (Acts 13) clearly reveals that in the
first century of the New Testament a local congregation of believers
in the Lord Jesus, assembled in Antioch, after much prayer and
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, freely consecrated and sent
missionaries, notably Barnabas and Saul, into mission fields; and
WHEREAS, Article III 2 of the Constitution of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) identifies as an objective of the
Synod to “[s]trengthen congregations and their members in giving
bold witness by word and deed to the love and work of God, the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and extend that Gospel witness into all
the world”; and
WHEREAS, Article VII 1 of the Constitution of the LCMS states,
“In its relation to its members, the Synod is not an ecclesiastical
government exercising legislative or coercive powers, and with
respect to the individual congregation’s right of self-government it
is but an advisory body”; and
WHEREAS, Article XIV of the Constitution states, “The Synod in
convention may adopt bylaws that are consistent with and do not
contradict the Constitution of the Synod, which controls and
supersedes such bylaws and all other rules and regulations of the
Synod”; and
WHEREAS, 2010 Resolution 8-32B encourages the Synod to
study Article VII of the Constitution, including study of
Congregations and Synod: Background Material on the Advisory
Nature of the LCMS (2004) along with opinions of the Commission
on Constitutional Matters (CCM) related to this topic (including
CCM Opinion 09-2573, listed in a whereas paragraph in Res. 832B); and
WHEREAS, 1983 Res. 5-10A in a resolved clause states “That The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod reaffirms that its synodical
polity is essentially and principally congregational in nature …”;
and
WHEREAS, CCM Opinion 09-2573 states in part that “there is a
common understanding that a congregation exercises its selfgovernment … in carrying out … its own ministry programs and
financial affairs”; and
WHEREAS, Synod Bylaw 3.8.3 deals only with who has authority
to send ministers of religion and other workers into Synod foreign
mission fields, and prior bylaws have been careful not to restrict
congregational activity specifically relating to whom congregations
could send funds overseas, and nothing in the current bylaws restrict
2019 Convention Workbook

or could restrict the right of member congregations to (a) fund
ministries in foreign countries, or (b) send/fund congregation
members for service with organizations seeking to share the Gospel;
and
WHEREAS, 1983 Res. 5-37, in amending the bylaws, only dealt
with who on behalf of Synod as a whole could send missionaries at
the expense of the Synod, and where the restriction applied, it being
a sending bylaw only, was clearly not applicable to congregations
in any event; and
WHEREAS, CCM Opinion 14-2724, referring to 2013 Res. 1-08,
“To Work Together in Mission,” called for a two-fold response:
First, “Resolved, That the Synod, by the next convention, develop
and provide a mission best-practices policy document for districts
and congregations engaged in mission projects to assist them to
better carry out their mission and their life together,” indicating that
districts and congregations have and are recognized to have mission
work and practices of their own, and because they have their own
mission work and practices, the Synod should assist and support
those efforts by developing a best-practices policy; and second,
“Resolved, That these best practices include encouragement to
districts and congregations to communicate their international
mission activities to the Synod’s Director of Church Relations and
Offices of National and International Mission for the purposes of
healthy coordination and stewardship” (emphasis added),
indicating that districts and congregations can have their own
mission activities and when they do they are encouraged to
communicate these activities to the Synod for coordination and
good stewardship; and
WHEREAS, CCM Opinion 14-2724 states in part, “Congregations
may not send funds to mission societies and non-Synod entities for
work in foreign areas without taking into consideration policies
developed and determined for this purpose by the Board of
International Mission as the only sending agency”; and
WHEREAS, CCM Opinion 14-2724 incorrectly restricts the
mission outreach of congregations and others to give bold witness
by word and deed to the love and work of God the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, and extend that Gospel witness into all the world; and
WHEREAS, The Atlantic District and a number of other LCMS
districts, circuits, and churches submitted overtures that were never
dealt with nor was the disposition of these overtures recorded in the
2016 Proceedings; therefore be it
Resolved, That the congregations of the Atlantic District and of
the LCMS be encouraged, with much prayer and under the guidance
of the Holy Spirit, to send missionaries to foreign areas; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Atlantic District affirms and encourages
congregations, auxiliaries, recognized service organizations,
districts, and individual members of the Synod, in their efforts to
give bold witness by word and deed, to the love and work of God
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and extend that Gospel witness to
all the world; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Atlantic District in convention memorialize
the Synod in convention to adopt this resolution and to overrule
CCM Opinion 14-2724, to be thereby declared null and void and of
no effect.
Atlantic District