LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 262

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262

WHEREAS, The financial crisis under which the colleges thus
work creates a “survival syndrome’ in which mere survival as
viable institutions overcomes their first purpose, which is to
develop church workers for the Lord’s work within and through
the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, Evidence abounds that whenever a business,
congregation, or educational institution exists merely to sur-
vive, they are likely on their way out as effective organizations,
thus confirming in experience the words of Jesus, ‘‘“Whosoever
will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for
My sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24); and

WHEREAS, We are forcing our college faculties to sacrifice by
not increasing their salaries in keeping with their experience,
expertise, and education, or even the cost of living, thus
causing hardships and failing to honor their work for Christ’s
sake, thus discouraging them and others from giving their
lives over to this kind of professional service for Christ’s
kingdom; and

WHEREAS, The giving of our people has largely kept up with
inflation, but less and less of it proportionately is going to the
Synod, being used instead for local and District concerns; and

WHEREAS, It is doubtful that putting the first priority on
local and District needs while synodical (foreign, cross-cultural
missions and higher education) needs suffer is pleasing either
to God or the LCMS membership; and

WHEREAS, Our membership is not informed of the financial
indebtedness of our various synodical colleges; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has neglected to make hard decisions
on emphasizing the first purpose of our colleges, namely, to
train church workers, and has not developed a master plan for
our colleges, closing some if necessary; and

WHEREAS, A low financial subsidy from the Synod in effect
makes all of our colleges ‘church related” instead of “church
owned” on the principle that “he who pays the piper calls the
tune,” and

_ WHEREAS, The Synod is not a federation of Districts, but
Districts exist to serve the congregations and the Synod
efficiently in local areas; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod immediately release and pub-
licize the indebtedness, salary scales, and the percentages and
actual figures of financing from all sources of every college and
seminary of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board for Higher Education and the
various Boards of Control establish a rigorous “ministry and
management by objectives” program, bringing their college
administrations in line with their chief purpose, which is to
train church workers, with all other objectives being secondary
to this prime mission; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod immediately take steps to retain
and restore actual synodical contro] and support of our
synodical institutions of higher education by taking the major
portion of their funding; and be it further

Resolved, That if this is seen impossible to do within the
immediate future, the BHE be instructed to reduce and con-
solidate the number of colleges to a point where such funding
would be possible, thus creating a limited number of strong,
mission and cost-effective colleges around the Synod; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Synod subsidize the travel of those
students who are forced to go great distances to a synodical
college; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod develop a method of financing the
Districts through the Synod rather than vice versa as present,
so that Districts submit their budgets to the Synod’s Board of
Directors for funding; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod reject in principle any funding for
any of its agencies from any governmental level which in any
way weakens, threatens or modifies the theological position,
stance, or practice of the agency.

Peace Lutheran Church
Garland, Tex.

Kenneth Scheen, Secretary
Curtis A. Peterson, Pastor

HIGHER EDUCATION

6-40A

To Maintain Present Percentage
of College and Seminary Support

WHEREAS, The Board for Higher Education postulates
adopted by the 1979 convention state that ‘the schools of
Synod are gifts from God and need to be nourished and
nurtured according to the Scriptural principles of stewardship,”
and

WHEREAS, The Synod in its 1979 convention also reiterated
its intention to provide ‘increased support for its colleges and
seminaries in order that the proclamation of the Gospel of
Christ may grow and flourish among us and in all the world”’
(Res. 6-01A); and

WHEREAS, The percentage of synodical financial support
supplied for the operating budget of our colleges and seminaries
decreased from 45 percent in 1965 to 25 percent at present and
continues to decrease; and

WHEREAS, History teaches that many colleges in the United
States formerly owned and operated by church denominations
have become increasingly secularized as church support and
control diminished; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod is historically committed to the
objective of providing its own programs of training for its
pastors, teachers, and other church workers; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention state that it will not
permit any further decreases in the financial support of its
programs of professional training and that the Synod by this
resolution commit itself to maintain no less than its present
percentage level of financial support of operational expenses at
its schools; and be it further

Resolved, That this resolution be honored and upheld even
if in some years it necessitates the borrowing of funds to fulfill
this commitment of basic support for our schools; and be it
finally

Resolved, That the Synod go on record as reaffirming the
worth of its system of higher education and that it thank God
for the many blessings He has showered upon the church
through its programs of preparation of professional leaders for
the church.

Board of Control
Concordia Seminary

St. Louis, Mo.

Walter C. Dissen, Secretary

Identical or similar:

6-40B to 6-40F

St. John’s College, Winfield, Kans. Erwin Knocke
Board of Control, Concordia College, Austin, Tex.
Ray F. Martens
Board for Higher Education Walter Rosin
Board of Control, Concordia College, Portland, Oreg.
E. Weber

St. Paul’s College, Concordia, Mo. William Keel

6-41A

To Increase Percentage
of Seminary Budget Support

Preamble

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has always been
zealous and enthusiastic in promoting and supporting the
colleges and seminaries that it established to provide training
for professional workers. The third objective of the Synod
reads: “Recruit and train pastors, teachers, and other profes-
sional church workers and provide opportunity for their con-
tinuing growth.” At the time of the founding of the Synod in
1847 there were a number of seminaries, including several
Lutheran seminaries, in the United States as well as colleges
and universities that had been established to train clergymen.
The founders of the Synod chose not to prepare pastors and
teachers for the congregations of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod by utilizing the facilities and resources of