LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 164

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164 RESOLUTIONS

by both; and be it finally ae

Resolved, That the following Bylaw be adopted to
implement this resolution:

PROPOSED WORDING

2.721 Planning Council

The members of the Board of Directors and of the
Council of Presidents shall serve as the Planning
Council of the Synod under the chairmanship of the
synodical President. The staff members of the Council
of Administrators shall function in an advisory
capacity.

, The Planning Council shall ;

a. recommend planning, programming, and
budgeting systems encompassing short-, mid-, and
long-range plans to serve as a basis for program and
budget formulation, allocation of resources, and
financial planning, review, and reporting for the
Synod and its Districts, such systems to provide for
the sharing of the work and needs of the Synod and
its Districts;

b. convene at least trienially a planning con-
ference of the members of the Planning Council
together with District staff, senior staff of the
national office, and college and seminary presidents
to plan programs for carrying out North American
and world missions, supplying adequate support for
synodical colleges and seminaries, and supporting
other approved programs;

c. recommend operating budgets, short-range
plans and long-range plans at the national church
body program level based on proposals and analysis
made by the Council of Administrators through the
office of the President; and report the budgets, plans,
and performance to the convention. Such budgets
and plans shall be prepared in accordance with
Chapter VII of the Bylaws.

Action: Adopted as amended (6).

(The discussion began in Session 4. The committee stated
that point 5 of the sixth resolve should be changed from “and
reports and recommends to the Synod” to “and reports to the
Synod ....” It also eliminated the word “combined” from the
last line of point 5 and also substituted the word “should” for
“are to” in the same paragraph. Point 6 was inserted by
amendment. Discussion was continued in Session 6. Proposed
Bylaw 2.721 a was amended to read “recommend” instead of
“establish” and “such systems shall provide” was changed to
read “such systems to provide....” At the automatic call of the
question, it was decided to close debate and the resolution was
then adopted as amended. A division of the house which was
called for sustained the ruling of the Chair that the resolution
had been adopted.)

To Proceed with a Total Biblical
Stewardship Plan and to Address
Financial Planning

RESOLUTION 4-02A
Reports 4-04, 4-05, Appendix 4-05E (CW, pp.

127—145); Overtures 4-32, 4-39A—4-41B, 4-68
(CW, pp. 175, 177—179, 184)

Preamble

The Lord in His grace is providing us with over-
whelming opportunities to proclaim Him. In response,
the Synod’s leadership has established goals as
exemplified in the report of the Executive Coordinating

Committee. In order to carry out these goals President
Bohimann has stated that the utilization of our God-
given resources is of primary importance.

The question before us is how to meet this challenge
under the guidance of God’s Word. We have this promise,
“God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that
you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may
abound to every good work” (2: Cor. 9:8). We move
forward under Christ’s love: “The love of Christ controls
us ... that those who live might live no longer for
themselves but for Him .. .” (2 Cor. 5:14-15).

We affirm, “God has made me and all creatures,”
Christ has “redeemed me, a lost and condemned crea-
ture, purchased and won me from all sins, from death,
and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver
but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent
suffering and death, that I may be His own, and live
under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in ever-
lasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even
as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all
eternity,” and that “the Holy Ghost has called me by the
Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and
kept me in the true faith.”

Based on these Biblical and confessional principles,
it is our intention to meet this challenge with a synod-
wide ongoing stewardship life that reflects a sound
Scriptural basis, that seeks first to teach God’s people
the Biblical concepts of stewardship, and that stresses a
total life of individual and corporate service to Christ.

What is needed is a total strategy and concept of
stewardship nurture and education—not stopgap or
Band-Aid measures. And this also calls for the church to
provide opportunities for special giving based on good
stewardship principles.

WHEREAS, The 1981 synodical convention theme was
on stewardship, and delegates called for Biblically
based stewardship education and nurture of all of our
God-given resources; and

WHEREAS, Through the blessings of God and thé
guidance of the Holy Spirit, The Lutheran Church
Missouri Synod is making strides in strengthening! ‘ts
stewardship programs; and

WHEREAS, There is a desire throughout the syn
continue and strengthen a Biblically based stewards ip
program which would assist individuals, congregations,
Districts, and the Synod better to respond as Chr
stewards in service to the Lord; and ”

WHEREAS, The recently completed synodwid
bility study reported: 1) intensive total stewardsht
one of the highest priority needs facing the'S¥
today, 2) widespread support for a synodwidé®
appeal to continue the mission expansion momelit
Forward in Remembrance and 3) widespread’ Bu
for periodic appeals for capital needs and expaii
mission and ministry within the ongoing ste
program of the Synod; therefore be it

1. Total Biblical Stewardship Training?

Resolved, That the Synod, under the lead
the Department of Stewardship and Financial