# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S374 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 374 PARISH SERVICES throughout its long tradition placed a high priority on Christian education, Christian schools, teachers, and materials: and WHEREAS, Conditions in the world today give increasing evidence of the need for Christian education and nurture for persons of all ages: and ‘WHEREAS, The very proper emphasis on evangelism in this 50th regular convention provides an appropriate springboard to a subsequent emphasis on Christian nurture; therefore be it Resolved. That we encourage the President of the Synod and others responsible for the planning of the 1977 synodical con- vention to select and implement a theme and a convention program which emphasizes Christian education and nurture. Melvin Kieschnick, Executive Secretary 7-02 Report of Board of Youth Ministry Youth Ministry: Built on a Theology of Promise and Hope We all make promises. Some we keep: some we do not. God not only makes and keeps promises; He lives in them. Therefore His promises are the best kind on which to build. The church affirms this when it sings that century-old hymn, “Standing on the Promises of God, My Savior.”’ Those who build on God's promises become God’s people in mission, sharing the Father’s promise of joy and hope in an unsure world. The theology of youth ministry finds its roots in a trust in God's sure promise of forgiveness for all our sins through the death and resurrection of Christ our Savior. God’s promise to be a God-with-us found its fulfillment in a stable in Bethlehem. Christ lived and died in our world. He rose from the dead to live among us today as a sign of God’s promise to raise us all from the dead. Wherever Christians today gather in worship, they hear Christ say, ‘‘Lo, I am with you always. Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Where people care for one another, perform acts of mercy, and forgive sins in His name, there people experience God's pres- ence of forgiving grace. There people are promise to each other. This is what youth hear and believe. This is the foundation on which they build their world. And, building on God’s prom- ises, they become a promise of new hope in the church. They become the generation through which the life of the church goes on. When the church does not build on youth, it deprives itself of the insight which the youth have into their own generation. Not to build on the promise of youth robs the church of the vitality, the enthusiasm, and the hope which youth can bring to the church’s future. Our role as a Board of Youth Ministry includes helping youth to fashion their lives around God's promises and live as God’s sign of hope and promise in our church and in our world. Goals of Youth Ministry To proclaim the love and power of God: An important goal of the church and youth ministry is ‘“‘to proclaim among youth the presence, love, and power of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection has redeemed all people.” Our mission is to proclaim through word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that all people (youth and adults) may be brought to the saving faith and share God’s gifts through witness, worship, nurture, and service to others. Many young people are anxious to hear the Word and to give a testimony of their faith. Along with this testimony they also want to seek to do what God’s Word impels them to do. To equip youth: Youth who have been moved by Christ’s love for them are looking for meaningful ways to serve God and for skills to carry out their ministry. “‘To equip youth for faithful service to God and His world” becomes the task of the church. To assist adults: Equipping youth for God’s service is possible only insofar as we can “‘assist and train adults in building helpful Christian relationships with youth.” This is more likely to happen when Christian adults know, love, and trust youth. Equipping for God’s service can happen when youth and adults understand and encourage one another through honest relationships and through dialog based on God’s Word. To share unique gifts: One important aspect of mission and ministry is “to enable youth and adults to share their unique gifts in ministry to one another within the Christian community and in ministry to the world.” Youth are promise. They possess a variety of gifts. The Holy Spirit deals with each generation in a unique manner as He calls all to responsibility and wisdom in the Lord. Diverse styles of ministry are a sign of the varied grace of God’s Spirit at work through His Word. To provide settings: People in ministry need the support of others in the Christian community. Adults are needed ‘to provide settings for Chris- tian youth to demonstrate the mission of the church in word and life and for unclaimed youth to be exposed to the call of God in the Gospel.” (Handbook 7.61) Youth need adults. Adults need youth. These two axioms undergird ministry. Both must be involved in a way that affirms the integrity and gifts of youth. Together God has called them to minister to His world and to witness to His great love in Jesus Christ. Youth Leaders Are Promise (Leadership Development) The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod owes a great debt to thousands of volunteers (both lay people and _ professional workers) who have made unselfish contributions as leaders in ministry to our church’s youth. These people have too often served without training, without support, and without thanks. Yet their dedicated ministry has involved hundreds of thousands of young people in Christ’s mission. They continue to bring promise and hope to our church. The Board of Youth Ministry is committed to equipping youth leaders to use the gifts each has to serve in a ministry with young people. Three emphases are indicated for leadership development: Mutuality in Ministry Young people who are baptized and confirmed Christians should be treated as full partners in furthering the kingdom of God. Adults who are engaged in a ministry with youth need to be equipped to work with young people in a spirit of mutual trust and respect. Planning Together A variety of settings and styles is needed for a ministry with the 235,000 young people of our church. A basic skill of leader- ship is discovering the needs of the people locally and planning so that real needs are met. Growth Emphasis Leaders are models for those they lead. A good leader is a person who is growing as a witness to God’s glory and in com- mitment to our Lord Jesus Christ. To develop leaders we must emphasize their growth potential and enable them to assist others to grow. These emphases have provided the basis for the following leadership development activities conducted by the Board of Youth Ministry in this biennium: Eight weeklong workshops on leadership for youth ministry provided direct assistance to adults and young people who are parish youth leaders. These workshops were held in Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Kansas, California, and Minnesota and involved 198 participants in addition to staff. Eight workshops in youth ministry were conducted with students at five of the six terminal schools. One national conference was offered to church professionals in 1974, with registration exceeding the space available. In spring of 1975 two of a series of five projected regional events were held in Oklahoma City and Chicago, with the remainder of the regional events scheduled for fall.