# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S259
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

To Encourage Regular Sermon Evaluation
by District Presidents and Circuit Visitors
RESOLUTION 17-04
President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
Whereas, Our risen Lord willed that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed” in His name to all nations (Luke
24:47); and
Whereas, Holy Scripture teaches that it is required of all ministers of the Gospel that they be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:5), and that
faithfulness to the preaching office includes “rightly dividing the
word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), and that St. Paul says “Watch your life
and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will
save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16); and
Whereas, The apostle Paul admonishes all pastors to “hold
firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to
give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who
contradict it” (Titus 1:9) and to “teach what accords with sound
doctrine” (Titus 2:1); and
Whereas, The Lutheran Confessions acknowledge the need
for faithful preaching in the churches, according to the following statements:
And if we must speak of the outward appearance, attendance upon church is better among us than among the
adversaries. For the audiences are held by useful and clear
sermons. But neither the people nor the teachers have ever
understood the doctrine of the adversaries [There is nothing that so attaches people to the Church as good preaching …]. (Ap. XXIV:50 “On the Mass” Concordia Triglotta;
translated from the German text, p. 401)
If you want to keep the churches with you, then you must
strive that they be rightly taught and preached to … (Ap.
VI:33 “On Confession” Concordia Triglotta; translated
from the German text, p. 290)
As in other matters pertaining to faith, love, and patience it
is not enough simply to teach and instruct, but there must
also be daily exhortation, so on this subject (i.e., the teaching concerning the Sacrament) we must be persistent in
preaching, lest people become indifferent and bored. (LC,
Lord’s Supper, §44, Tappert, p. 451)
Since these important matters also concern ordinary people and laymen who for their eternal salvation must as
Christians know the difference between true and false doctrine … (Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, §8a, Tappert, p. 505)

a Christian—is that he knows how to seek his salvation in Christ
and thus to escape the Law” (Thesis III, p. 49); and
Whereas, One of the chief duties of district presidents is
supervision of doctrine, according to Bylaw 4.4.5: “Each district
president, in accordance with the Constitution of the Synod, shall
supervise the doctrine, the life, and the official administration
on the part of the ordained or commissioned ministers who are
members through his district or are subject to his ecclesiastical
supervision, and shall inquire into the prevailing spiritual conditions of the congregations of his district” (2013 Handbook, p. 153);
therefore be it
Resolved, That district presidents continue to carry out their role
of doctrinal supervision as well as the scriptural and confessional
admonitions for faithful preaching; and be it further
Resolved, That all district presidents and circuit visitors be urged
to make sermon evaluation a regular part of their visitations, using
the Synod structure and resources available from the Synod and
sister districts.
Action: Adopted (8)
(During discussion, a motion was introduced to amend the resolution by striking the final resolve. After a motion to close debate
succeeded, the amendment failed [Yes: 263; No: 669]. When attention returned to the resolution itself, no objection was raised to
voting on the resolution, which was then adopted without amendment [Yes: 705; No: 228].)

and
Whereas, C. F. W. Walther in Kirche und Amt (Church and
Office, trans. Mueller) also recognizes, “Rightly distinguishing the
Law and the Gospel is the most difficult and highest art of Christians in general and of theologians in particular” (Thesis III, p. 42)
and that “The forma of a Christian,—that which makes a person

“17. Preaching and Church Worker Continuing Education”

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

|

259