LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 138

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138 ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

internal controls and audit protocols. The director also con-
sulted with staff of the Board for Mission Services regarding
financial and operational conditions in other world areas.

E. Other Activities. The Internal Audit Department
conducted the initial review of the Forward in Remembrance
fundraising campaign expenses and internal contro] pro-
cedures. The department continues to review all activities of
the Forward in Remembrance follow-up procedures on a
quarterly basis and reports the results of these reviews to the
Audit Committee and the Coordinating Committee of FIR.

The department also assisted the Audit Committee in
coordinating its review of independent audit firms prior to
their annual appointment and assists the committee, when
requested, in its review of reports submitted by listed service
organizations and other committees and commissions.

The department provides staff assistance to the indepen-
dent auditors in their conduct of the audits for the Synod,
synodical trust funds, the LCMS Foundation, Concordia Plans,
and the Lutheran Church Extension Fund.

Robert Bauman, Director

Appendix 4-05E

Department of Stewardship and Financial Support

Stewardship was the major theme at the 1981 synodical
convention in St. Louis. As major essavs were delivered,
enthusiastic progress reports were made regarding the success
of the synodwide Forward in Remembrance major appeal, and
considerable discussion was heard both in floor committees
and on the convention floor regarding how the church body
could best structure its stewardship activities. In addition to
the felt need for increasing stewardship consciousness and
providing nurture and education to enable members of congre-
gations to live a Christ-centered life, delegates were also
concerned about the significant shortages of financial re-
sources for Districts, the Synod, colleges, and seminaries.
Concerns were also expressed about the multiplicity of fund-
raising activities and the need for some type of coordination of
development activities.

The delegates responded by reorganizing previous steward-
ship and development activities, including special offerings,
deferred giving and special giving into one department called
Stewardship and Financial Support. Thus all activities re-
garding stewardship were placed into one department and it
was charged with designing, implementing and supervising
the new programs.

Richard L. Engdahl from Northfield, Minn., was issued a
solemn appointment to be director of the new department.He
accepted and began his service to the Synod in the fall of 198].

In 1981 Res. 12-08A, establishing the new department, the
convention also endorsed the need to conduct a special] Con-
tinuity and Planning study to determine the department's
detailed structure and its programs. The purpose of the study
was to evaluate past programs. discuss with leadership at all
levels—congregation, District, college, and seminary—their
concerns and observations regarding the new department,
and, most important, to outline proposals for organization and
future work. More than 350 people were individually inter-
viewed during the course of the six-month study. Among them
were:

38 District Presidents

37 District executives

46 District development or Forward in Remembrance
directors

22 Floor Committee 12 representatives

38 College or seminary presidents or staff

56 Parish pastors

63 Laity

22 Synodical officials

The study gave these leaders the opportunity to state at
great length their views on the future direction of the new
department. A 20-page questionnaire with approximately 100
questions was utilized as a guide in the interviews. Five vital
points emerged from the 96-page Study Report:

|. The study emphasized that all work of the new de-

partment must reflect asound Scriptural basis, seek first
to teach God's people the Biblical concepts of steward-
ship, and stress faithful use of all that God has given
them—the total life of the individual in the service of
Christ’s work.

2. The study emphasized that the department must support
the congregations, Districts, colleges, and seminaries as
each performs its mission and ministry. It must do much
more than produce materials and mail them—it should
be “out there” with Districts, congregations, and the
people, directly assisting as they labor on behalf of the
Kingdom.

3. Upon request, it should assist congregations, Districts,
colleges, and seminaries to meet their unique needs with
cooperatively designed programs implemented by well-
trained staff working directly with those entities.

4. Further, the study saw the need to maintain and reinforce
the “‘good feeling” about the church body through clear,
frequent communication and mutual support—to com-
municate the benefits and importance of “walking to-
gether.”

. Finally, the study emphasized that leaders must lead. If
the church body is to avoid cynicism, doubt, and frus-
tration about church actions and policies at all levels,
church leaders must do their best to fairly and clearly
communicate them. Even more, they must act ener-
getically and evangelically to implement them.

ui

According to the study, Districts feel a responsibility to
promote stewardship programs but lack ownership in the
Synod's program. It reported that District and congregation
leaders believe they have been left to their own devices in how
to bring the stewardship message to pastors and members of
congregations and have in turn developed their own programs
or turned to sources outside of the Synod. There was a reported
apathy toward previous efforts, and most District stewardship
executives reported that they would like assistance from anda
close working relationship with the new department. They
believed that stewardship must bea team effort of District and

ynod.

The study further reported that for some there was a ‘wait
and see” attitude. They expressed concerns that the new
department might operate in a secular manner and that it
might ignore proper stewardship theology. It also reported that
the average LCMS member “equates stewardship with money”
and that they hear the word “stewardship” primarily when the
congregation is setting its budget.

In summary the study emphasized:

1. A Biblically based total concept of stewardship nurture
and education

2. Working side-by-side with Districts and congregations

3. Cooperatively designing and implementing programs

4. Constant two-way communication between the Synod
and all its entities

5. Realistic and responsible action by leaders

At a joint meeting in February 1982, attended by the
Council of Presidents, Board of Directors, college and seminary
presidents, Council of Administrators, and other leaders, the
study was shared and considerable input received. Based on
this and other reactions, at its May ‘82 meeting the Board of
Directors approved the organization and the procedure re-
garding calls for staff nominations. Solemn appointments for
some of the positions were issued at the August '82 meeting,
and additional appointments continue to be issued.

Thus the study findings and subsequent input to the report
were comprehensive and included recommendations for many
areas of the Synod, the Districts, and congregational activities
and programs in stewardship and financial support. In sum-
mary, there exists a general support of the new department—as
long as allits programs and materials emanate from the Word.

The department has established five areas in which it will
function:

. Stewardship

. Planned Giving

. Special Gifts

. College Development Activities
Seminary Development Activities

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