# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S188 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) Adopt Personalized Missionary Support Program To (Joy)fully Fund Career and GEO Missionaries 1981 RESOLUTION 12-09 2013 RESOLUTION 6-02 Whereas, Our gracious God has saved us so that we might serve Him and willingly use our talents and abilities to pursue the Great Commission, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19); and Whereas, This is the mandate which members of the LCMS accept as their mission command; and Whereas, Seventy-one percent (71%) of the world is non-Christian (U.S. Center for World Missions, Pasadena, California); and Whereas, The LCMS has pledged itself with the mission challenge for the 1980s to open 600 new ministries and to increase mission money by 100% plus inflation (Resolutions 1-20 and 1-27A, 1979 Proceedings); therefore be it Resolved, That those congregations of the LCMS or groups of congregations or circuits which unite to give financial support for missionaries be given the opportunity to pledge themselves to maintain a missionary and his family under the policy of support of the Board of Missions; and be it further Resolved, That this personalized support for a missionary be understood to be over and above the normal annual support for the District and the Synod; and be it further Resolved, That the Board for Missions of the LCMS be charged with the planning, direction, implementation, and administration of this mission outreach at home and abroad; and be it finally Resolved, That the Department of Stewardship and Financial Support in cooperation with the Board for Missions develop the financial structure and mechanics for this program. Overtures 6-07, 6-10 (2013 CW, pp. 232–233) Whereas, Article III 2 (Objectives) of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has established extending Gospel witness into all the world; and Whereas, The LCMS has been engaged in extending the Gospel into the world since 1895; and Whereas, There is a need among congregations, pastors, and households for a clearer understanding of the mission impact that the LCMS is having today; and Whereas, The reality is that the number of career and Globally Engaged in Outreach (GEO) missionaries has increased each year since 2008; and Whereas, The best practices mission model is based on intentional personal missionary communication; and Whereas, This model is vital to creating the congregational and personal understanding necessary for prayer and personal and financial support of missionaries; therefore be it Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for the 69 career and 100 GEO missionaries and their families serving throughout the world who embrace the current model; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod commend the former Board for Mission Services for developing an effective model of sustainability for calling and deploying and supporting missionaries in the field until the natural conclusion of their service; and be it further Resolved, That the Synod thank the 500 congregations and nearly 2,000 household partners in the LCMS who are actively and joyfully providing prayer, encouragement, and direct financial support in excess of $7.6 million per year for the benefit of specific missionaries; and be it further Resolved, That all congregations and LCMS households be encouraged to utilize counsel and resources available through the Mission Advancement Unit of the LCMS as they plan their support of missionaries; and be it finally Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage and support the Office of International Mission to continue expanding the number of missionaries and provide the logistical support necessary to sustain them in their mission activities. Action: Adopted (7) (Without objection raised to voting immediately on the resolution, Res. 9-03A was adopted as presented [Yes: 936; No: 35].) 188 | U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions “9. Finance”