# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2019_S442
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

442

THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Confessions also affirm the
congregation’s right to adapt its practices “as at any time may seem
to be most profitable, beneficial, and salutary for good order,
Christian discipline, evangelical decorum, and the edification of the
church” (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration X 9); and
WHEREAS, Our church body has debated numerous resolutions
in convention that have sought to reconcile the tension between
maintaining purity of doctrine and Christian freedom of practice;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm the value of living
in a healthy relationship between maintaining purity of doctrine and
Christian freedom of practice; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm the importance of
maintaining unity among us by being diligent to hold steadfast to
Scriptures and the Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm the need and right for each
congregation and school to adapt outreach techniques and teaching
styles to most effectively communicate the unchanging Gospel
message within its cultural context without compromising purity of
doctrine; and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm the 2016 Resolution 4-04A, which
states the following:
Resolved, That the LCMS in convention appeal to the
congregations of the Synod for love’s sake (Philemon 9), when
celebrating the Lord’s Supper, to regularly use these basic
components of the Order of Service (Ordo): to gather in the
triune name, confess our sins and receive Absolution, praise the
blessed Trinity, attend to the reading and the proclamation of
God’s Holy Word, confess our faith using the historic creeds,
offer prayers for all people according to their needs including
praying the Lord’s Prayer, celebrate the Lord’s Supper with
Christ’s own words, and then depart with God’s blessing to send
us forth as His forgiven children and witnesses to His grace
(Proceedings, 147);
and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm the freedom that is ours in Christ for
each congregation to adapt the music and liturgy in worship without
compromising purity of doctrine to fit the culture of the saints who
gather for worship; and be it finally
Resolved, That we celebrate the unity that is ours by the Holy
Spirit through a common confession and encourage, support, and
celebrate the freedom in practice that is ours in Christ Jesus.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to
all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a
Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as
one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I
might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became
as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but
under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have
become all things to all people, that by all means I might save
some. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share with
them in its blessings.
and
WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Confessions affirmed true unity in
theology is not dependent upon unity in practice:
It is sufficient for the true unity of the Christian church that the
Gospel be preached in conformity with a pure understanding of
it and that the sacraments be administered in accordance with the
divine Word.” It is not necessary for the true unity of the
Christian church that ceremonies, instituted by men, should be
observed uniformly in all places. (Augsburg Confession VII);
and
WHEREAS, The Solid Declaration in Article X affirmed the
congregation’s right to adapt its practices “as at any time may seem
to be most profitable, beneficial, and salutary for good order,
Christian discipline, evangelical decorum, and the edification of the
church” (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration X 9); therefore be
it
Resolved, That the 2019 Synod convention in Tampa affirm the
importance of maintaining unity among us by being diligent to hold
steadfast to Scriptures and the Confessions; and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm the need and right for each
congregation and school to adapt outreach techniques and teaching
styles, to most effectively communicate the unchanging Gospel
message within its cultural context; and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm the freedom that is ours in Christ for
each congregation to adapt the music and liturgy in worship to fit
the culture of the saints who gather for worship; and be it finally
Resolved, That we celebrate the unity that is ours by the Holy
Spirit through a common confession and encourage, support, and
celebrate the freedom in practice that is ours in Christ Jesus.
Trinity
Roselle, IL

Michigan District
Ov. 5-33
Ov. 5-32

To Affirm the Tension Between Unity in Theology
and Mission and Diversity in Practice
WHEREAS, St. Paul affirms the need for the Gospel to remain
unaltered and uncompromised in 1 Corinthians 15 and Gal. 1:9; and
WHEREAS, Our church body was organized around the common
confession of faith from Scripture as it has been articulated in the
unaltered Book of Concord of 1580; and
WHEREAS, St. Paul reminds us that faith comes from hearing the
Word of the Lord (Rom. 10:17); and
WHEREAS, St. Paul teaches us by his example to proclaim the
Word of the Lord in a manner consistent with the cultural context
of the lost, saying in 1 Cor. 9:19–23:
2019 Convention Workbook

To Affirm the Validity of the Word and
Sacraments
WHEREAS, For 30 years concerns have been voiced over the
service of Licensed Lay Deacons (LLD), whether the Sacrament of
the Altar or the public administration of the Sacrament of Baptism
administered by a LLD (non-ordained) was “valid”; and
WHEREAS, 2016 Resolution 6-02 defined a “regular call,”
Augsburg Confession XIV, as examination, call, and ordination;
and
WHEREAS, 2016 Res. 13-02A authorized LLDs to consecrate and
to distribute the Lord’s Supper under the authority of the royal
priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) in the local congregation; and