LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 12

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12 MISSIONS

Venezuela. The work has been limited in part by great distance,
too many tasks, and too few workers. Even so, the Lord has
blessed the work in Venezuela, especially through its mass
media ministry in radio and television and attractive Christian
literature. Concordia School in Caracas offers instruction to
nearly 500 students from pre-school through high school.

Today the Lutheran work in Venezuela is made up of 12
congregations and 14 preaching stations, two national pastors,
and nine expatriate missionaries. The churches in Venezuela
have a baptized membership of 853. This figure indicates a 33%
growth during this past biennium.

The Lutheran mission in Venezuela has been developing a
plan to move forward in mission outreach. By 1988 under God’s
grace they hope to have accomplished the following:

1. Evangelistic work in seven geographical areas with
parishes formed in four of the areas and congregations forming
in the remaining three;

2. Train five Venezuelan pastors and 20 deacons for work
in the parishes, congregations, and satellite groups of the
Lutheran mission in Venezuela;

3. To have 1,000 confirmed members of the Lutheran
congregations;

4. To see increased giving for the work of the church
through an effective program of stewardship.

To help this mission in its desire to move forward, the LCMS
Board for Missions has been asked in 1981 to recruit and send
five ordained missionaries, two of whom should have teacher
certification, as directors of Christian education. Once again
the point is driven home. The harvest is plentiful. The workers
are few. In remembrance of God’s commands and promises let
us pray that we can be of help to the Lutheran mission in
Venezuela.

Into All the World—Forward
(Board—Staff—Personnel—Finances)

The foregoing overview of the mission endeavor of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at home and abroad,
though running into many paragraphs, is at best only a
sketchy summary of what might have been described in
greater detail. Of course not all challenges for the 80s, adopted
by the 1979 convention of the Synod, have as yet been met at
this early part of the decade. For example, the following two
challenges will receive close attention these next years:

1. Five mission Bible studies prepared for use by congrega-
tions of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (1979
Convention Proceedings, p. 96, Res. 1-24A);

2. 1,500 congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod with functioning mission committee/boards [150
per year] (1979 Convention Proceedings, p. 97, Res.
1-25A).

Forward movement in mission as well as goals yet to be
achieved call for careful planning and direction. Such a
worldwide program does not happen by itself.

Board for Missions

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in its organiza-
tional structure has Bylaw provisions for electing a Board for
Missions. This board of 13 members has the responsibility on
behalf of the Synod to be informed, to plan, to set policy and
through an appointed staff to administer the mission work of
the Synod, prayerfully making wise use of limited, precious
resources, of money and missionary people, called and sent by
the Board. The magnitude of the task and the greatness of
responsibility weigh all the more heavily on the Board for
Missions when it considers God’s call to REMEMBRANCE (‘I
will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; yea, I will remember thy
wonders of old” Ps. 77:11) and His challenge to move
Forward (“Go ye into all the world ...”’).

According to provisions in the Synodical Handbook (8.13a
and 13c) the Board has organized itself into an Executive
Committee and into four standing committees (Asia, Latin
America, Africa-Middle East-Europe, North America, includ-
ing administration and personnel budget concerns). The fifth
committee is called the General Committee, made up of chair-
men of the Standing Committees and the Board Chairman, for

the purpose of considering special items referred to it from time
to time. In addition, the Board, according to Handbook provi-
sions, has also set up a number of ad hoc committees and
advisory councils for giving special attention to several impor-
tant areas of its work. These committees provide opportunity
for the Board to benefit from outside resource persons. Usually
astaff and/or board memberis also assigned to the committee.
These include:

. Braille Transcription Committee;

. Regional Advisory Council for Deaf Ministry;
. Campus Advisory Council;

. American Indian Advisory Council,

. Advisory Council for Hispanic Ministries;

. Mission School Committee;

. Muslim Ad Hoc Committee.

The current members of the Board for Missions are: Rev.
Wilbert J. Sohns, D.D., Chairman; Mr. Walter Kayser, Vice-
Chairman; Mrs. Wilbert (Dorothy) Rosin, Litt.D., Secretary;
Mr. Ernest Balke, Rev. Eugene R. Bertermann, Ph.D., LL.D.,
Litt.D.; Prof. Benjamin Dennis, Ph.D.; Mr. Walter D. Haas,
M.Ed.; Rev. Peter Hunt, D.D.; Rev. Bernhard Lutz; Mr. Ralph
Marten; Rev. Gustav C. Schramm; D.D.; Rev. Roy A. Suelflow,
Ph.D., Th.D. (deceased 2/2/81); Mr. Albert B. Wingfield, M.Ed.;
Rev. Edwin C. Weber, D.D., Vice-President of the LCMS, serves
as advisory member.

NOU WNMr

Staff

On the staff of the Board for Missions are the following:
Rev. Edward A. Westcott Jr., D.D., Executive Secretary; Mr.
Edward C. Barrioz, Associate Secretary for Finance; Rev.
Allan R. Buckman, D. Miss., Associate Secretary for Africa’
Europe’ Middle East; Rev. John Fajen, Associate Secretary for
Personnel, Mr. Edgar C. Fritz, Secretary for Personnel Serv-
ices; Rev. Paul M. Heerboth, D.D., Associate Secretary for
Administration; Rev. Otto C. Hintze, Th.D., Associate Secre-
tary for Latin America; Rev. Roger Leenerts, Associate Secre-
tary for North American Ministries; Rev. Louis Y. Nau, Ph.D.,
Associate Secretary for Asia; Rev. Carlos H . Puig, Secretary
for Hispanic Ministry; Rev. Edward A. Schmidt, Secretary for
Campus and Special Ministries; Rev. Donald Zuhn, Secretary
for Blind and Deaf Ministries.

We are grateful to the Lord for the special talents, rich
backgrounds of experience, and dedication to mission on the
part of each member of the Board for Missions and its staff.
Having experienced the frustration and difficulties of being
understaffed, we are especially grateful to the Lord for having
led Rev. John Fajen to accept the appointment to the position
of Associate Secretary for Personnel, November 1980, and Rev.
Dr. Louis Y. Nau to the position of Associate Secretary for Asia,
February 1981. We note with sorrow the sudden loss of a
faithful board member, the late Dr. Roy A. Suelflow, whom the
Lord in His wisdom and mercy called home to Himself on Feb.
2, 1981.

Mission Interpretation

‘

Throughout the biennium the Board for Missions continued
to be concerned about the question of the best method of
interpreting the mission program of the LCMS to its congrega-
tions. As a part of its discussion on this subject the board
listened to a presentation by Dr. Herbert Mueller concerning
Task Force II’s proposed Board for Communication. The board
also met several times with Committee One of the Board of
Directors on this matter. The Board for Missions concurs with
Task_ Force II’s_ proposal and ‘with the Board of Directors’
Resolution which is in answer to 1979 Convention Resolution
7-01. ;

Comity Arrangements

The Board for Missions in compliance with 1979 Convention
Resolution 1-32A has studied the matter of comity arrange-
ments and is reporting its findings in an overture to the Synod
titled “To State Clearly the Synod’s Position on Comity
Arrangements.”

Personnel

The world of today differs radically—technologically, socio-
logically, and in many other ways—from the world of St. Paul,