# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2013_S28 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 28 SYNOD REPORTS Seminary Development Pastoral formation has historically taken place in residential seminaries. This model was replicated on the foreign mission field on seminary campuses built and sustained by mission funding from America. OIM will continue to support foreign seminaries with special attention given to regional seminaries that serve both the local church and international students from other Lutheran churches. For example, The Lutheran Seminary in Togo (CLET) serves Frenchspeaking students from Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Cote D’Ivoire; the Lutheran Seminary in Matongo, Kenya (NEEMA) draws students from Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, etc.; Seminario Concordia in Argentina serves Spanish-speaking students from 12 Latin American countries. Pastoral formation also encompasses a variety of distance and alternative educational programs. Continuing Education In many mission fields, “necessity” has led to pastors with inadequate theological education being prematurely ordained. As a result, there is a crucial need for continuing education. There is a great desire among most indigenous pastors for ongoing education, best organized through the local seminary. Seminary Libraries Building a good theological library is essential to creating a good seminary. Over the years many libraries have been built. This has required a great investment of time and money. Where English is the language of instruction, the task is easier. Where instruction is only in the indigenous language, the challenges are magnified, particularly where the local language lacks a sophisticated scientific or theological capacity. Over the past 12 months, the Director of Theological Education has worked closely with the Director of Library Services at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, to assess the conditions and needs of Lutheran libraries. The result is the creation of the Chemnitz Library Initiative (CLI), a partnership of CTS, the Office of the President, and the International Lutheran Council. The purpose of the CLI is to strengthen confessional Lutheran seminaries by providing materials, expertise, and training in theological librarianship. Textbook and electronic/online resources are being developed to support the curriculum, students, professors, and church at large. Fiscal Challenges Maintaining quality residential seminaries is a costly endeavor. Building the campus is the easiest part of establishing a residential seminary. It is more difficult to provide ongoing support for maintenance, utilities, salaries for professors and staff, and tuition and living expenses for students—many of whom are married students with families. It often takes generations for new churches in developing countries to take full financial ownership. International Studies in LCMS Seminaries Faculty development at Lutheran seminaries around the world requires bringing the brightest and best for graduate studies at the Synod’s seminaries, costing approximately $30–35,000 per year for each student. To support this crucial enterprise, President Matthew Harrison has established the Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) to raise funds that will enable our seminaries to provide scholarships to international students. A portion of the GSI budget is also used to send LCMS professors for short-term teaching assignments at Lutheran seminaries around the world. LCMS Disaster Response LCMS Disaster Response is focused on sharing moments of mercy that change lives for an eternity through mercy ministry done in close proximity to Word and Sacrament. Congregation-based disaster 2013 Convention Workbook response and relief involves working in a collaborative, cooperative, and coordinated manner with LCMS districts, congregations, worldwide partner churches and other faith-based groups, as well as governmental and nongovernmental agencies—all to meet the relief and recovery needs of local communities affected by disasters and tragedy. Over the past triennium, LCMS Disaster Response was actively engaged nationally in response to the massive flooding and/or tornados in South Dakota, North Dakota, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, and Missouri, as well as an extensive ongoing response to the widespread destruction caused by Superstorm Sandy along the entire Eastern seaboard of the U.S. LCMS Disaster Response staff was also on scene offering assistance and pastoral care following the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut. Internationally, LCMS Disaster Response has engaged in numerous disaster relief and recovery efforts worldwide, with five major emphases providing aid and assistance in the Philippines, Japan, Haiti, Chile, and New Zealand. Other regions around the world also received financial or technical assistance (Thailand, Cambodia, Kenya, DR Congo, Liberia, India, Guatemala, Cuba, Panama, and Mexico). In support of these efforts, LCMS Disaster Response provides appropriate training in disaster preparedness and volunteering to congregations, districts, regional areas, and partner churches. Backed by donors from the LCMS, over $20 million in aid and assistance were provided to those in need during this triennium. Message from Executive Director Randall Golter Office of International Missions The Church exists to receive and distribute the Lord’s gifts to the world. Right now, Missouri is engaged in 33 countries (this does count short-term mission teams). May it be each and every country! Thirty-three is too low! The Lord has given to the LCMS the pure doctrine. He has given His doctrine not only to the LCMS but to many confessional Lutheran churches around the world. We should not be arrogant but with all boldness “speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:26). It’s really not about us; we’re big sinners, really big sinners. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has many weaknesses. But, the Lord has given us His Word. Dare we hide or keep it under a basket? May it never be! Churches around the world are looking to Missouri for confessional strength and training. This is a privilege and a great responsibility! We must speak, train, and send missionaries. It’s not about us but about the Lord and His tender mercies to us and to all. Closing thought: Only one thing is needed in the Church, and that is the very life-giving evangelical truth alone! Therefore, the Church must not let bureaucracy or aberrant teaching or sluggishness or anything get in the way of His Word proclaimed, applied, washed, and distributed to hungry souls, bodies, and mouths. Come with us to preach Christ to your region and to the world! Frankly, the healthiest Church is one which is continually looking out to the salvation and welfare of the lost! “What can we do to preserve the Gospel? This treasure grows while it is spent. It becomes our most cherished possession if we give it away” (Herman Sasse, “Church Government and Theology,” Lutheran Theological Journal, August 1972, 37–44). Pastoral Education The area of Pastoral Education plans, promotes, and coordinates pastoral education in order to provide healthy, well-trained clergy for the LCMS.