# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1973_S9 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) MISSIONS 9 TABLE 4 The 1973 Mission Subsidy Dollar ($10,162,690) Overseas Churches and Missions 54 6¢ Norte Americar District Subsidies & Specia: Minstnes 38 8c 6 6c Mission Personnel & Administration Total Mission Work Programs Planned ..................0:..::00065 $25,378,235 Anticipated Local Resources Generated by Overseas Churches and all North American Districts* ................... 15,215,545 LCMS Subsidy—BFM Budget 0.0.0.0... cccceeeceesneeeeneneerees 10,162,690 * Resources generated locally overseas include: congregational offerings, school tuition, hospital income from patients, government medical and educational subsidies, grants from outside sources, etc. TABLE 5 1973 Budget Breakdown World Areas Oc ar East Asia 1$5 $52 7651 ‘Japan Hong Kong Taran Korea Philippines: 37 Se Atrica ana Middle East 127¢ Nortn American Specia. Ministries Dollar 1$3 938 595: South Asia ‘India Sri Lanka New Guinea} 27 5¢ Latin America Argentina Braz Central America Mexico Venezuela: 17 3¢ Nortn American District Subsidies 76¢ —Camees te [Laine Medical 6¢ TABLE 6 1973 Overseas Budget Subsidy Dollar Analyzed by Program Total Overseas Subsidy 1$5 552 765) Expatriate Missionary Support 53 2¢ Deot Services 216 Bibie Corresnordence ! 7¢ Training Assistance 1¢ Lay Training 8¢ Socia: Welfare Se Mass Communications 29 Literature 3 1¢ Theo'ogical & 46¢ Erementary & Seconaary Schools 3 5¢ NoTE: Some of the specific program costs also include support costs of mission- aries involved in the programs. The pie does, however, give a general picture programmatically of how Synod's mission funds are being used in Christ’s mission overseas. Medica! & Heaits Mimstries 3 5¢ A. Board Report on Issues We Seek the Lord's Will in Missions When we pray, “Take my will and make it Thine,” we pray that God will take our wills captive to make proper decisions as we face greater mission challenges than ever before in the face of complex situations. Thus we consecrate ourselves with everything we are and have to the task of witnessing of Christ by Word and deed, which is still the great unfinished task until the Lord comes. Our mission receives its essential character and continuity from the apostolic Word. It is grounded in and related to, moti- vated and strengthened by, constantly reformed by, and gov- erned by the infallible Word of God. All relationships between church and mission or between churches themselves are to be viewed in the light of that Word, judged and controlled by it. “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, in fel- lowship ... .” (Acts 2:42) Board Resolution on Policy Because it believes it is desirable to define its policies in view of the current unsettled doctrinal situation in Christianity and Lutheranism, also in missions, the board for over a year has made studies of the primacy of the Word and the Gospel, con- cerns for social ministries, and ecumenical practices, in order to carry on the church's mission in a Scriptural and effective manner. The results of this study produced the following resolu- tion, which we share with the church: WHEREAS, The Board for Missions is charged with the re- sponsibility to formulate, recommend, review and supervise the mission policy of Synod, guide Synod’s mission outreach in keeping with such mission policy, and to do all else necessary to provide for an aggressive and united mission effort for the Synod: and WHEREAS, There is no greater imperative than to disciple the nations and no more urgent need than for Chiictians individ- ually and collectively to proclaim and share the suving Gospel of Jesus Christ and to demonstrate Christiaii love in every facet of their lives: and WHEREAS, There needs to be a clear understanding of our Synod’s theological principles in the board's policies and practices, implementing through the Holy Spirit the New Testa- ment process of repentance and renewal to hold the purity of the Word, and the unity and peace of the church: therefore be it Resolved. That in consonance with the Scriptures, the Lu- theran Confessions, the policies of Synod and the Board for Missions, we affirm at this time the following principles to serve as the major guidelines for our mission activities: 1. The indispensable heart and core of God’s mission is the ministry of the Word (Acts 6) in which the proclamation of the Gospel takes precedence. This proclamation may be chrono- logically preceded by or accompanied by efforts at education work, medical missions, social work. ete., but if these become ends in themselves and do not provide occasion for a verbal witness to Christ as the only Savior, the mission is not accom- plished. The Gospel is a message, and, as such, it is communi- cated by words. Actions, however Christ-like, do not in them- selves convey the Good News that God forgives those sinners who trust in Christ. The deeds of love that flow from the Gospel at work in the lives of God’s people are necessary in the life of the Christian but they cannot by the nature of Christian faith replace the indispensable heart and core of salvation which is offered only through special revelation in the Holy Scriptures. Our deeds of love do not take precedence in God's plan of salvation, but rather that position of primacy is occupied by God's acts of love in Christ, revealed in the Gospel, as the chief doctrine of Scripture and the heart of our theology. “All who would be saved must hear this preaching, for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word are the Holy Spirit’s instrument in, with, and through which He wills to act efficaciously, to convert men to God, and to work in them both to will and to achieve” (Solid Declaration, Article II, 531:52). Therefore, our mission in our culture and also across culture boundaries is structured so that everywhere in planning, policy-making, and programming, the church will carry out its task without neglecting, subordinating, or eliminating the verbal communication of the Gospel. 2. Our work of missions is to reflect strongly the means (Word and Sacraments) by which sinful man comes into right 1 elation-