LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 246

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246 PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

personnel. At the present time the seminary is exploring the
possibilities of education by computer and by audiovisual
means in extension situations.

Accreditation

Concordia Theological Seminary is accredited by the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by The
Association of Theological Schools, which accredits only theo-
logical seminaries and divinity schools in the United States
and Canada.

In January of 1983 an excellent team representing the
Board for Professional Education Services visited the
seminary.

Finances

Although ending the 1981—82 fiscal year slightly in the
black, the seminary continues to be concerned about its
financial future. More and more of the financial burden seems
to be shifted toward student tuition, institutionally generated
development dollars, and the marketing of seminary services
and facilities. We continue to believe that at least 60% of
educational and general expenses should be subsidized by the
Synod through its Board of Directors and the Board for
Professional Education Services or a newly established Board
for Pastoral Ministry.

Development Achievements, Goals, and Assessments

The Lord has blessed our Development Department and its
activities during the past two years, even though we have been
faced with an almost insurmountable task of raising one
million dollars each year to help meet our budgetary needs of
over four million dollars each of these two years. In 1982 the
Lord blessed us with $897,524.47 toward our goal of the million
dollars needed. As of this writing our development receipts are
running ahead of last vear’s by nearly $100,000, although the
seminary itself is running in the red.

If we are to continue to meet the needs of our seminaries and
to serve our students with new and unique teaching methods
and programs, more individual instruction and professors,
greatly expanded programs of continuing education and
missions, and larger library and media facilities, more real
help from the Synod must be forthcoming: and the Synod must
have help from our “grass roots’ —our people. Even should the
Synod subsidize our seminary at 40‘ of our needs, this would
not meet our current needs. Somehow our seminaries should be
subsidized by 60" to continue their current level of operation
and develop the new programs so necessary for adequate
theological education in our day.

Missions

The students and faculty of Concordia Theological Semi-
nary are in the midst of a joint adventure in missions. Missions
is the most important thing that Jesus has SENT every
Christian to do (John 20:21). It is at the heart and center of
what ministry and ministerial training is all about. It is
Christ's final command to every Christian to go and make
disciples of all people everywhere—baptizing them and teach-
ing them to obey everything that He (Jesus) commanded us
(Matt. 28:19-20).

The theological implications of the basic nature of missions
means several things at the seminary in Fort Wayne. First, it
means that the development of missions, that is, outreach,
attitudes. and skills. should be pervasive and foundational in
all of our seminary courses. Second. it means that more needs
to be done to develop academic and experience programs which
will focus or highlight the missionary nature of ministry no
matter where (parish, special ministry, cross-cultural. cross-
national) one is called to serve.

Through a team commitment on the part of Concordia
Theological Seminary administration and faculty some new
directions have been developing. In addition to the normal
courses in deaf ministry, handicapped ministry, evangelism,
media. theology and history of missions, and Islam, the

“Introduction to Missions Course’ has been expanded to
include an exposure to various “models of ministry.” In
addition, a new course on “Cross-cultural Ministry” has been
introduced. This course includes a clear presentation of the
cultural and communication models within the context of the
Great Commission. It also includes a practical opportunity for
cross-cultural exposure, involvement, and witness as well as a
seminar component which integrates the theory and practice
on a weekly basis.

With the presence of a full-time mission director in the
person of Dr. Eugene Bunkowske on the Concordia Theological
Seminary faculty, it has been possible to develop a program for
the early identification (first year if possible) of potential
missionaries (foreign, domestic, and special ministries). This
identification is done in terms of interest, ability, and latent
potential. Once identified. cultivation of student interest and
development of the latent potential is critical.

Already during the 1982—83 academic year it has been
possible to identify more than 50 budding pastors with these
special interests and abilities. Such early identification leads
quite naturally to the seminarian’s desire to concentrate
elective choices in the major field of interest and ability during
his program of completing the M.Div.

In order to formalize this more focused approach to develop-
ing mission interest and skills in all seminarians and in
particular to give the student with special interest and abilities
in cross-cultural evangelism a place to hang his hat at the
seminary, the Board of Regents has memorialized Synod to
establish mission schools at both seminaries. As envisioned at
Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, this move
would go a long way to undergirding what is already in
existence and would provide a useful framework for appro-
priate and natural development as Concordia Theological
Seminary serves the church in the decade of the ’80s, in which
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as we all know, has
resolved to feature missions by sending out 600 cross-national
missionaries and opening 1,800 new missions in the USA.

Conclusion

The Board of Regents, the faculty. staff, and students of
Concordia Theological Seminary are deeply indebted to the
leaders and boards of our Synod for the encouragement and
help which has been given us during the last biennium, and
especially to those many thousands of church members who
have aided us greatly by their gifts and prayers and other
support. We request the continued prayers of our friends
throughout our Synod as we continue to endeavor to prepare
pastors who are faithful to the Word of God and the Lutheran
Confessions and seek only to serve God’s people and to
evangelize the world.

Board of Regents
Robert Preus, Executive Officer

6-03
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.

Concordia Seminary. St. Louis, completing its 144th yearin
service to the church through programs of theological edu-
cation, particularly the education and training of men for office
of the holy ministry, is pleased to present this report of events
during the 1981—83 biennium. The report again illustrates the
blessings of a gracious God and highlights the challenges and
opportunities that He places before our church in the area of
theological education.

Personnel

Board of Regents. The officers and members of the Board of
Regents are Dr. Ewald J. Otto. chairman; Dr. Paul Ph. Spitz.
vice-chairman: Mr. Walter C. Dissen. secretary: Rev. Neil R.
Schmidt. treasurer; Mr. Henry Bergman; Dr. Guido A. Mer-
kens: Mr. Alvin W. Narjes: Mr. Donald E. Prevallet: Rev. Edgar
F. Rehwaldt. Meetings of the board are held bimonthly.