# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S43 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) SYNOD REPORTS 43 Nationally, new missionaries were called to the United States, one to campus students as a campus mission catalyst and one to Atlanta to begin new missions among African Americans. A new part-time national director of mission affiliates joined the National Team to guide LCMS efforts in reaching new immigrants and peo- ple with special needs. Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology is a collaborative agreement with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and LCMS World Mission. More than 120 leaders from new ethnic groups in the United States have been involved in a process led by both seminaries to become ordained pastors. In 2006, the two worked together to place a new, full-time director to guide and lead the EIIT program. Additionally, he coordinates the African Immi- grant Ministry in the central region of the United States. Balanced Focus Plan—Board Focus: Develop vision and policies that stretch into the next generation and reflect a worldview that acknowledges the unique challenges of the twenty-first century and responds creatively. The Board for Mission Services is tasked under the Bylaws of the Synod with supervising the planning and implementation of programs that will best utilize the Synod’s resources of people and possessions. The board is constantly searching for information from a variety of sources to creatively address the challenges of mission work for the next decade. It is their desire to play an even stronger role as advocates for world mission. During the past triennium, the board initiated a request that led to the Mission Support Unit of the LCMS Foundation coming under LCMS World Mission as Development Services effective July 2007. Funding Trends for the 2004-2007 Triennium 2005 LCMS Giving to LCMS World Mission Through Traditional Channels (From the 2007 Lutheran Annual, p. 739.) For every dollar put into an LCMS collection plate, LCMS World Mission receives 0.3 cents for national and overseas mission work. TO TOLCMS OP vxon 2 worty MISSION $23,055,031 po. $4,749,985 L7¢ O3¢ Over the past three years, annual support for LCMS World Mis- sion has continued the shift toward individual, direct gifts. The tra- ditional stream of support for LCMS World Mission through a portion of congregational offerings is in a steep downward trend. Funding strategies have shifted to address the change. The LCMS World Mission Support team is increasingly working to solicit di- rect gifts from individuals through personal contact, direct mail, and telephone calling. Additional congregations are being recruited for the Together In Mission (TIM) program, which enables them to provide partial or full financial support of a missionary family. An expanded mission projects emphasis is inviting schools, Sun- day Schools and Vacation Bible Schools to provide specific field support. Donor giving clubs are heavily promoted. During the past triennium, donor response has grown an aver- age of 7 percent each year. The majority of donors to LCMS World Mission are age 70 and older. A continuing strategy addresses at- tracting new and younger donors. Donor communications such as electronic newsletters and new support opportunities such as on- line giving connected to each international and national project are proving attractive to more and more donors. Fan into Flame The worldwide goal of the Ablaze! movement is to reach 100 million unreached or uncommitted people with the Gospel by 2017. How much money does it cost to share faith with someone else? Truth be told, it doesn’t cost anything to tell others about Jesus and to explain the Gospel hope that we have as Christians. It may take some time. Occasionally, it may even take some courage. How- ever, it generally doesn’t take any money. New resources are required, however, in several areas that will strengthen the Synod’s ability to share the Good News, such as more missionaries in the field, new congregations throughout North America, and creative Ablaze! projects in both congregations and districts to encourage members to tell their friends and neighbors about eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. History The 2004 convention resolution that endorsed the $100 million Fan Into Flame campaign, in its final “whereas” notes, “The op- portunities that God has placed before us require additional re- sources at the congregational, district, national, and international levels.” What’s mote, the convention set additional goals—planting 2,000 new congregations in the United States, for example—that do cost money. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is making an all-out ef- fort to reach at least 100 million people with the Gospel by 2017. We are reminding individuals of the privilege that they have to “make disciples.” We are working through our districts and with our partners worldwide to reach more people for God’s kingdom. And we are raising $100 million over and above our annual mis- sion budget to make a “quantum leap” for Ablaze! Ablaze! and Fan Into Flame are not the same thing. Ablaze!, the witnessing part, is a movement to reach 100 million people with the Gospel. It is not neat, it is unprogrammed, it is Spirit-driven. Fan Into Flame is programmatic. While we pray it may also be Spirit-led and blessed, it is much more structured toward raising funds in support of Ablaze! Project Allocation Just before He ascended, Jesus told his disciples that “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Using this model, Fan into Flame is expected to make the following allocations: ¢ * “Jerusalem” (local)—Mission outreach through LCMS congre- gations, $13.5 million. * “Judea” (regional)——District mission outreach, $13.5 million. « “Samaria” (national)—Help districts and congregations launch new ministries, $5.5 million; missionary training in North Amer- ica, $3.75 million; and revitalize existing congregations into “mis- sion outposts,” $2.5 million. New Ministries: Jerusalem Congregations 15 Judea Districts 15 Samaria National 20 Ends of the Earth International 50 2007 Convention Workbook