# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2023_S265
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

FLOOR COMMITTEES: REPORT AND OVERTURE ASSIGNMENTS

2. International Witness
REPORTS
R1–R1.2, R1.2.2, R1.2.4, R5.2,
R7–R8, R12, R56–R57, R66.7
OVERTURES
Ov. 2-01

To Strengthen and Support
Key International Mission Initiatives
WHEREAS, The Office of International Mission (OIM), under the
objectives of Synod (Constitution Article III), this past
quadrennium’s mission emphasis (Making Disciples for Life), and
seven mission priorities adopted and affirmed by the Synod in
convention (2019 Resolution 4-03A, “To Commend to Synod
Priorities for Mission and Ministry Emphasis for the 2019–2022
Triennium”), the supervision of the Synod President and Chief
Mission Officer, and the oversight and policies of the Board for
International Mission (BIM), has continued to carry out its work
under the trifold framework of spreading the Gospel, planting
Lutheran churches, and showing mercy; and
WHEREAS, Since the 2019 convention, the Synod has been
blessed with pleasing progress and outcomes realized by the OIM
in close collaboration with the Synod’s international church
partners, congregations and congregation members, contributors,
districts, universities and seminaries, auxiliaries, recognized service
organizations (RSO), and synodwide corporate entities, all working
to advance key international mission initiatives both ongoing and
new; and
WHEREAS, Such pleasing progress and outcomes with respect to
these key international mission initiatives have been frequently
recorded and joyously reported through various Synod publications
(including Reporter, The Lutheran Witness, and Lutherans Engage
the World) and media produced and disseminated through The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Communications department,
Synod board and committee meetings and minutes, and the Office
of the President; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod give thanks to God, commend, and
direct the BIM and OIM over the coming triennium to continue to
establish and refine policies, strategic and operational plans, and
budgets and further develop, expand, and strengthen
implementation of the Synod’s international mission work inclusive
of, but not limited to, the following categories:
• international pastoral and diaconal formation and continuing
education for partner church workers, including international
seminaries, other theological education and pastor and
church worker conferences;
• church planting, including collaboration with international
church partners;
• the Alliance Missionary Project, deploying rostered church
workers called and sent by international church partners,
with administrative and financial support and supervisory
coordination provided by the OIM;

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network supported missionary funding and other direct
support for missionaries called by the BIM and deployed and
supervised by the OIM;
• collaboration in partnership and engagement in international
mission efforts with direct involvement of the Synod
congregations, congregation members and church workers
(i.e., using the successful FORO model used within the
OIM’s Latin America-Caribbean Region);
• short-term volunteer mission teams;
• Ministry to the Armed Forces;
• mercy initiatives, including international disaster response,
in close proximity to Word and Sacrament ministry; and
• missionary recruitment;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod direct district officers, leadership, and
staff to give intentional priority and advocacy for district support
(i.e., in the distribution of literature or other media, provision of
opportunities for presentations to individuals or groups, gifts,
volunteer or compensated labor) for international mission work
under the aforementioned categories; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod encourage congregations and
congregation members, contributors, universities, and seminaries,
auxiliaries, RSOs and synodwide corporate entities to give
intentional priority and advocacy for their support (i.e., in the
distribution of literature or other media, provision of opportunities
for presentations to individuals or groups, gifts, volunteer or
compensated labor) for international mission work under the
aforementioned categories.
•

Board for International Mission
Ov. 2-02

To Commend, Strengthen, and Give Thanks
for Alliance Missionary Project
WHEREAS, The Alliance Missionary Project of the Office of
International Mission (OIM) is an initiative crossing decades of the
Synod’s recent history, under which church workers on rosters of
the Synod’s international Lutheran church partners are called and
sent by their own church bodies into foreign mission areas of the
Synod, with administrative and financial support and supervisory
coordination provided by the OIM; and
WHEREAS, Over the past quadrennium, the Alliance Missionary
Project notably has been expanding with respect to the number of
church workers called, sent, and supported as they spread the
Gospel, plant Lutheran churches, and show mercy in the foreign
mission areas of the Synod; and
WHEREAS, The Alliance Missionary Project currently embraces
20 active alliance missionaries called and sent from eight calling
and sending Lutheran church partners (located in Australia, Bolivia,
Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, Paraguay, Taiwan, and Venezuela),
working in 15 mission fields (Belize, Dominican Republic,
Ethiopia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Macau, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Republic of Congo, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Uganda, and
Uruguay) and proclaiming the Gospel in four languages (English,
French, Mandarin, and Spanish); and
WHEREAS, Two of these currently-serving alliance missionaries
began their work in 2003 and 2008, respectively; and

2023 Convention Workbook