LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1986, Sheet 108

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GREETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCHES 107

gelical Lutheran Church in America. The coming into
being of that church should not be taken as reason to lessen
relationships or decrease the evidence of partnership. The
opposite should be true. The ELCA will be a Lutheran
church solidly based on the Lutheran Confessions. Within
that church, as within its antecedent bodies and The Lu-
theran Church—Missouri Synod, will be divergent convic-
tions as the manifestations of those dearly held and highly
treasured Confessions are interpreted and affirmed.
Nevertheless, we are all Lutherans and, as such, we need
and must make joint witness of our commitment to Jesus
Christ, Lord of the church, in those arenas of church mis-
sion and ministry wherever we can do so without compro-
mising the integrity of our respective church bodies as
humanly self-governing entities though equally and sim-
ilarly expressions of the body of Christ.

As a leader of a synod of the Lutheran Church in Amer-
ica, | enjoyed the privilege of a number of common ventures
with the leaders and members of the districts that served
the geographical area I served. As president of the Lu-
theran Council, I have appreciated the opportunity to pe-
riodically meet with your President and other leaders to
review, plan, and implement a number of joint undertak-
ings. Each of our church bodies has contributed to the other
by such undertakings and these must continue—and I
would hope be increased—for the sake of Christendom.

Last month, my wife and I had opportunity to visit Ja-
pan and while there to meet with a number of church lead-
ers, both Japanese and missionary. That experience was
most informative to us and among other things made us
take greater note than we had in the past of news reports
and articles concerning the country of Japan and its people.

Thus, it was with much interest that I read a recent
article in the Wall Street Journal on the perceived minimal
results of missionary work in Japan.

In the context of “return on investment,” the results are
very meager in contrast to the experience of USA-based
church missionaries in other parts of the world and par-
ticularly the third world. For church body after church

body in Japan, there are, more often than not, years of
witness and service before there is a measurable response
to the Gospel message. I note this experience of the mis-
sionary enterprise in the Far East to remind you and me
alike that the “return on investment” of the Christian
church is not what it could or should be in our country.
Unhesitatingly we affirm we have a treasure to be
shared—our faith in Jesus Christ.

Each of our church bodies has that mandate. Each has
the responsibility to successfully fulfill it. Because we have
the same Christocentric foundation and a common Lu-
theran Confessional heritage, I ask you, should it not be
that we strengthen one another in our mission fulfillment
by common counsel, planning and activity whenever pos-
sible?

I call for increasing respect by each of our bodies for the
other as we acknowledge the integrity of each other’s com-
mitment to serve Jesus Christ as a part of His body. I yearn
for growing acceptance and understanding by each of our
church bodies for the other as from time to time we affirm
varying positions, even sometimes diametrically opposite
on issues that confront society. I plead for a growing re-
lationship among the members and leaders of each of our
church bodies for those of the other as we acknowledge
that we are one in the household of Christ’s faith and thus
kin of each other because of our common Confessional her-
itage and commitment. As I will note in my report on behalf
of the Lutheran Council in the USA, we have taken risks
together in days past without compromising the integrity
of our individual church bodies. Let us continue to do that
in the future. I believe that would be pleasing to God.

I pray God’s blessings and guidance to you as you de-
liberate in this convention and wish you successful faith-
fulness in your service to Him and for His people. Your
task is great. Our God is greater. Thank you, sisters and
brothers, for your witness and faithful responsiveness to
the commission given all His people by the Lord Jesus
Christ, our Savior.

Reuben T. Swanson, D.D.

4. Greetings of the Executive Secretary of the
Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches

Dr. Bohimann and delegates, this is perhaps the most dif-
ficult assignment that Bishop Herzfeld has ever assigned
to me. In a peculiar way this convention is an emotional
tie to me and my church, and you know what I mean. It
was not too many years ago we were part of it. And looking
at it from that perspective, when I was asked to take this
assignment and spoke with our Board of Directors, Bishop,
and others, we said “How do we say something to the LCMS
for the last time that we as a church will have that op-
portunity because God has blessed us and we are going to
be joining with ALC and LCA in the formation of a new
church?” Hopefully, by your next convention, it will be that
church bringing greetings. So what can we say? I decided
to use the approach that Dr. Bohlmann has used both times

that he has been willing to speak to our convention; that
approach, being blunt honesty, I think, to talk a little bit
about the pain, and then to ask for mutual forgiveness,
that we as churchgoers can move out together.

It is not easy for me to be here. We did not appreciate
the harsh judgment, again, by one of your institutions that
is training pastors for the future, against our church and
the other two churches that we are joining. We were very
pleased and gratified when Dr. Bohlmann assured us that
their judgment against us is not the judgment of this
church. We have been pained again by judgments of this
church about women in the church, which makes it im-
possible for this church to recognize those woman who are
pastors in our church. But we believe that under God’s