# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1981_S127
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

To Personalize Support
of Missionaries
RESOLUTION 1-01

eport 1-01 (CW, pp. 15—18)
vz°WHEREAS, The Synod in convention in 1979 has

mmitted itself to accepting the mission challenge of
80s by reaching a goal of “600 new missionaries
m:The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod serving
artner churches, mission fields, and new outreach
eas” by 1990; and
“ WHEREAS, The support of such outreach to the world
‘equires a mission budget increase of 100% plus inflation
‘by 1990; and
- WHEREAS, Individuals, congregations, and Districts
‘are expressing a desire for meaningful involvement in
world mission outreach by a more personal relationship
‘with missionaries/mission projects; and

WHEREAS, Such personal involvement, as witnessed

_ in other Christian church bodies, enhances mission
education and commitment; therefore be it

Resolved, That we approve the program developed
by the Board for Missions permitting congregations to
establish a more personal relationship with our mis-
sionaries and their work through prayer, communica-
tion, and financial support; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be made aware that
such personalization of missionary support would be
over and above annual financial support for District
and the Synod.

Action: Adopted (4).

To Establish Synodical Goals
in Evangelism

RESOLUTION 1-02
Overtures 1-35—1-36 (CW, p. 39)

WHEREAS, Goals in evangelism can serve a useful
purpose in planning strategies, in helping to evaluate
the programs that are used, and in praying for the
concerns of the church; and

WHEREAS, Setting goals in evangelism can be done
under the conviction that only the Holy Spirit motivates
people and brings results; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod establish the following
evangelism goals:

1. That in the next biennium 50 percent of the
congregations of the Synod provide opportunities for
the professional workers of their congregations to attend
an evangelism training event.

129

RESOLUTIONS
1. MISSIONS

2. That in the next biennium 60 percent of the
congregations of the Synod have an ongoing training
program for evangelism callers, using programs such
as Dialog Evangelism, developed and recommended by
the Evangelism Department.

3. That in the next biennium 75 percent of the
congregations of the Synod provide training for their
members in personal witnessing, using witness work-
shops and Bible study courses, such as Willing Wit-
nesses (soon to be published), and other courses de-
veloped and recommended by the Evangelism Depart-
ment.

4. That in each of the next five years we reduce the
number of defections by 10 percent each year and ask
Districts and congregations to adopt the same annual
percentage as their goals.

5. Thatin each of the next five years we increase the
number of adults gained by Baptism or confirmation by
at least 10 percent each year, and that we ask Districts
and congregations to adopt the same annual percentage
as their goal.

6. That in the next biennium 50 percent of the
congregations include in their Lenten activities a special
outreach to the unchurched in their community, seeking
to bring them to their worship, fellowship, and Bible-
study activities. (See Overture 1-36, CW p. 39).

7. That in the next biennium 50 percent of our
congregations provide a training experience for the
youth of the congregation, using material provided by
the Evangelism and Youth Departments of the Synod,
District programs, and the Ongoing Ambassadors for
Christ.

8. That in the next biennium the congregations of
the Synod develop a strategy for the soul-accounting of
the children of the parish and for reaching the un-
churched children of the community through the
educational agencies of the church, fellowship activities,
and worship services; and be it further

Resolved, That Districts be encouraged to use these
patterns to set District goals for evangelism and to
suggest goals in evangelism for the congregations of
their District.

Action: Adopted (14).

(A motion to remove point 4 failed to carry.)

To Open New Missions
in Black Communities

RESOLUTION 1-03

Report: 1-05 (CW pp. 31—32); Overture 1-23 (CW
p. 36)