# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S20
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

EE

20 MISSIONS

cated his plans to retire. He served Pastorates in Springfield
and Jacksonville, Ill., for 16 years before Joining the Board for
World Missions staff in 1948 as Assistant Executive Secretary,
He served as Executive Secretary of that board from October
1958 to February 1966, when the Synod reorganized its mission
boards. He was then assigned the position of associate secretary
for world areas of the Board for Missions.

The personnel section of staff has continued under the
direction of Rev. Paul M. Heerboth with Mr. Edgar J. Fritz
as his assistant. Rey. Heerboth also has served as special
consultant to the President of the Synod during the past year.

of Dr. Walter H. Storm.
Dr. Storm, although in retirement, continued to serve in the
inistry to the blind to which he was called in 1949 as Executive
Secretary. Since his 70th birthday he has continued under a
specific contract agreement.
Rev. Fred Pankow, Secretary for Latin America, has been

Biven added assignment of Africa and the Middle East. Rev.

Board

Special Assistance

The board gratefully acknowledges the assistance of many
individuals and groups, old and young, in the Synod. It would
specially note the Lutheran Laymen’s League for its mighty
support of the radio ministry of Bringing Christ to the Nations
around the world: the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League for

Providing missionary scholarships and making possible a variety
of experimental ministries: the Lutheran Brotherhood for
covering dollar losses suffered in international exchange: the
Wheat Ridge Foundation for its far-reaching assistance in
medical and social welfare work: Lutheran World Relief for

of place. We are not the first group in history to make such
inquiries, nor will we be the last.

The early Christians had questions, doubts, and problems.
But as is recorded in the Book of Acts, whenever and wherever

testimonies bore fruit through the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Compared with the growing population even of their day,
these early followers of our Lord were so small—only 120 in
number. Yet empowered by the Spirit they grew — 3,000 —5,000
—More. It is the same today, wherever our missionaries will
preach God's saving Word, that Word will work mightily in the

houses, special ethnic 8roups, the mentally disturbed, the deaf,
the blind, ete,

We also find that the early church was a troubled church,
even as today our church is troubled. Yet God did not forsake

continued blessings are Just as much ours today as it was for
the early church some 1,900 years ago.

Assured of these facts, we too can move forward in mission
with every confidence God will bless our work and use our
efforts to the salvation of many souls,

What about the future? ‘So those who received His word
were baptized, and there were added that day about three
thousand souls... . So the Word of the Lord grew and prevailed
mightily” (Acts 2:41: 19:20). That is the future.

Waldo J. Werning, Chairman
A. L. Barry, Evecutive Secretary

‘Prof. Paul Harms has asked that his negative vote to this convention report
be herewith registered.:

M2-01A

Minority Report

ourselves so easily with so few words.

Taken by itself, the board report neither reports nor inter-
prets faithfully the activity of the Board for Missions during
the biennium. In Particular the report does not do Justice to

we feel it is our duty to provide the Synod with this minority
report.

The reason for the brevity of the board report is not hard
to find. In this biennium the board turned on itself in a kind of
“self-destruct spirit” and virtually decimated its exceptionally
gifted staff of lay women, laymen, and Pastors, a staff which
keyed the board's success.

The board did not renew the appointment of its Area Secre-
y for Asia in January 1974. That event was preceded bya

The staff had requested a meeting with the Visitation Team
prior to its visit, but the request was not granted. Perhaps
much of the difficulty that followed after the printing of the
report of the team could have been avoided if such a mutual
Consultation with the staff had taken place.