# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2004_S45 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SYNODICAL REPORTS 45 most appropriate ways and to continue to work with them to build capacity for the mission endeavor, so that all the peoples of the earth might believe on the name of Jesus and be saved. Proclamation Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matt. 13:8) Sharing the Good News of Jesus is at the heart of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20a). These were among the last words Jesus spoke before He ascended to heaven. As Lutherans, God has given us a great doctrine and understanding of His Word as related to the means of grace. We believe that conversion takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit, using God’s Word and the Sacraments. God has called each of us to mission involvement through our own conversion as His redeemed, forgiven people. We now have the privilege of sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. LCMS World Mission places strong emphasis on witnessing to “unreached” or “uncommitted” people—those who are not already believers in Jesus Christ. ¢ “Unreached” people are those who have never heard a clear message in the name of Jesus. The Middle East, Asia, Africa, India, China, and the former Soviet nations are still home to many unreached people who have never had access to the Good News of Jesus. ¢ “Uncommitted” is a term used for people who have been ex- posed to the Word, who have had an opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus, but who no longer have faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “Uncommitted” people live mainly in such areas as Europe, Australia, North America, and South America. The figure of 100 million was chosen intentionally after much research, prayer, and deliberation with our missionaries and mis- sion partners. In our Lutheran understanding of conversion, God does the work of converting the unbelieving heart through His Holy Spirit. By setting this goal we are not limiting the Holy Spirit. Ul- timately, the Holy Spirit will determine how many people will be touched by the Gospel through our efforts, but we will be faithful sowers of the seed and will hold ourselves accountable to sowing the seed of the Gospel in the hearts of 100 million people in North America and around the world. Reformation Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2a) If the purpose of the Reformation was to clearly identify the Word and Sacraments as the means of grace, then what other rea- son is needed than to boldly share this with others! If we truly be- lieve, teach, and confess what we are as Lutherans, then there is no © greater reason for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with 100 million unreached or uncommitted people. In the past, Lutherans have frequently celebrated significant church anniversaries by publishing a new book on the Reformation or the Confessions. As a church body that grew out of the Refor- mation, what better way is there to mark a historic anniversary in our Lutheran heritage than to bring together Lutheran churches around the world to celebrate God’s blessings through sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with people who do not yet know Him? Ablaze! “They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they Jound the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and say- ing, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’” (Luke 24:32-34) The vision of igniting a worldwide Lutheran mission movement to share the Gospel with 100 million people is expressed by the word Ablaze! Our goal is to ignite a movement that will change the culture of our Lutheran church bodies to be one in which every member is fully engaged in personal mission involvement through the Seven Mission Responses: Go, Pray, Learn, Give, Tell, Send, and Celebrate. While this is the expressed vision of LCMS World Mission, it is our intention to give this vision away, because it is God’s desire that all people be saved and He has called all His chil- dren to participate in the task! This is a “Quantum Leap” forward in how we approach doing the work of the Lord’s mission. Ablaze! is not a program or a campaign. It began as a mission vision with the hope of starting a mission movement. Each partici- pating congregation, group, mission society, partner church, indi- vidual, etc. is challenged to pray about its own particular situation and the part of the mission endeavor it can impact and to design its own strategy to contribute to reaching 100 million people. LCMS World Mission is asking the church to develop mission models that work and can be shared with others. Ablaze! is not an answer...it’s an invitation! Lyniting the World{ with Christ's Lovr New Strategy—“Balanced Focus Plan” LCMS World Mission uses the term “Balanced Focus Plan” to express its mission strategy, which is built on its purpose statement. (See “New Purpose Statement” above). The goals of the Ablaze! initiative will be achieved by the grace and blessing of God, through focusing energy, activities, and resources in the six areas specified in the Balanced Focus Plan: mission focus, partner focus, mission-responders focus, people focus, leadership focus, and board focus. Balanced Focus Plan—Mission Focus Ignite a global Lutheran mission movement. We pray that a mission movement will quickly take root not only in the LCMS, but that also will spread among Lutherans © throughout the world. It is our desire to work in collaboration with our national and international Lutheran partners to build the capac- ity of one another so that the Good News will be shared with 100 million unreached or uncommitted people worldwide by 2017. During 2003 and 2004, LCMS World Mission staff met with several focus groups representing various circles of LCMS laity and leadership to dialogue about how the Ablaze! vision could be- come a mission movement. As of Feb. 2004, 18 LCMS Districts had committed to participate in Ablaze! In August 2003, LCMS World Mission executive leadership met with partner church Presidents at an International Lutheran Council meeting in Brazil where they discussed what is now being called “Ablaze! International.” Our international partners have ea- gerly embraced Ablaze! Just one example is the India Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has pledged to share the Gospel with 25 million people by 2017. An Ablaze! International Steering Com- mittee made up of four partner church Presidents met in Jan. 2004 to plan the Ablaze! International Conference set for July 7-9 in conjunction with the 2004 convention of the LCMS. 2004 Convention Workbook