# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S1 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SYNOD REPORTS R1-8 LCMS Convention 2007 Report of the President Part I Introduction and Welcome to Delegates to the 63rd Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, Savior of the world and Lord of the universe, through whom alone we receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation! Welcome, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, to the 63rd Regu- lar Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. It is my privilege to share with you this first portion of the report of the President of the Synod to this very important Synod gathering. The report of the President will be presented in four parts: ¢ Part I is the written report you are now reading, printed in the 2007 Convention Workbook. Also included as a supplement to Part I is a Special Lawsuit Report. ¢ Part II will be presented orally at the initial meeting of the con- vention floor committees, to be held in St. Louis, May 18-21, 2007. It will also be posted on the LCMS convention Web site following its actual presentation on May 18. ¢ Part III will be presented orally at the convention on Sunday, July 15, 2007. * Part IV will consist of a question-and-answer session at the con- vention, also on Sunday, July 15, 2007. It is my hope and prayer that your service as a delegate to this triennial convention will be a blessing to you, to the congregations, and to the individual members of the Synod. The Vision for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod It is also my hope and prayer that your involvement in this con- vention will be instrumental in the accomplishment of a vision for our Synod that the delegates to the 2004 convention resolved to “endorse and respond enthusiastically to ... encouraging our broth- ers and sisters throughout The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod to do the same.” That vision is articulated as One Mission, One Message, One People. Holy Scripture is replete with biblical references regarding the Vision of ONE, especially our oneness in Christ: ¢ And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure ... to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under ONE head, even Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-10) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6) “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-6) ¢ “Now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:10) Jesus prayed, “... also for those who will believe in Me through their [the disciples’ ] message... That they may all be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You.... That they may be one just as We are one... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20—23) One Mission—To Seek the Lost for Christ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10) The Lord says: “It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) One Message—Jesus Christ Is the Savior of the World There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5) There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who recon- ciled the world to Himself through Christ, not counting mankind’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) One People—United by God’s Love in Christ Jesus Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ... stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striv- ing side by side for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6) Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there Shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Succinctly stated, this vision anticipates the congregations, pas- tors, and commissioned ministers, of our Synod working together to achieve the One Mission given by God, that of seeking people who without faith in Christ will be lost eternally, by proclaiming the One Message given by God, that Jesus Christ alone is the Sav- ior of the world, as the One People God has called us to be, united by God’s Love in Christ Jesus. What does this vision of ONE look like in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod? In a spirit of humility, repentance, and prayer, I respectfully submit this description of my hopes and prayers for the LCMS in the years ahead: A Repentant People The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS by the Holy Spirit’s power, in the light of God’s Word, first looking into our own hearts in repentance, seeing our own personal need for for- giveness and renewal through the grace of God in Jesus Christ. A Redeemed People The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS as redeemed and Spirit-filled, confident of God’s forgiveness for Christ’s sake, living our lives to the glory of God and exercising faithful stew- ardship of His many gifts to us. A Renewed People The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS as renewed “lights in the darkness” and “salt of the earth” who love, respect, and honor one another, vigorously making known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and 2007 Convention Workbook