LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1986, Sheet 119

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RESOLUTIONS

1. WITNESS AND OUTREACH

To Be Alive in Christ in Witness
and Outreach

RESOLUTION 1-01A
Reports 1-01-02, 1-04, 4-01 (CW, pp. 1, 11, 26, 137)

WHEREAS, We live in a world of 5 billion people, rep-
resented by roughly 17,500 nations living in 223 countries
speaking 5,445 languages, of whom only 32.4% (1.6 billion)
claim membership in the Christian church; and

Wuereas, By the year 2,000 A.D. if the Lord has not
returned before then, the people on this earth will number
6.3 billion (an increase of 1.5 billion, or 24%), with over
one-half living in the urban areas of the world, while at
the same time the membership in the Christian church—
if all efforts continue at present level—will have increased
only by 400 million, or 20%; and

Wuereas, We who are ALIVE IN CHRIST are, there-
fore, faced with an urgency never before experienced to
fulfill our role as His chosen sent ones to make disciples
everywhere, at home and abroad, so that in response to
His gracious will “this Gospel of the Kingdom will be
preached in the whole world”; and

Wuereas, The Lord in love and mercy, in whose al-
mighty hands are the times and events of world history,
is employing His two strategies for reaching the un-
reached, that is, by bringing people to the Word and by
continuing to send believers with the Word; and

Wuereas, By His strategy He has brought and contin-
ues to bring wave on wave of Asians, Hispanics, and others
(1.2 million per year) to this country, which, when added
to the already unchurched population, has turned this
country into one of the largest mission fields in the world;
and

Wuereas, The Lord continues to unfold new methods
and technologies in communications that make the con-
gregation’s proclamation of His message at home and
abroad more efficient, effective, and often more economical;
and

Wuereas, Through Bible study, prayer, and worship
services, congregational members are being motivated to
share the Gospel and through evangelism clinics and con-
vocations are learning how better to communicate the
Gospel, beginning where they live; and

Wuereas, The Lord not only blesses our church with
abundant resources but also continues to open doors at
home and abroad even beyond our 1979 established goals;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the congregations of the Synod raise
their voices in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for
placing before our church “open doors” and for enabling
us, His unworthy servants, to walk through those doors
with His message of love and peace in Christ for all; and
be it further

Chairman Roy Holm of Committee 1

Resolved, That each congregation of the Synod work on
increasing its mission spirit and intensity its outreach in
person and through mass media to the unchurched in its
neighborhood, including people of all cultures and lan-
guages, with the Synod in the next three years concen-
trating on the 50 largest cities of our country; and be it
further

Resolved, That each congregation and every circuit of
the Synod develop an awareness of the unchurched in their
community and join together under the Lord’s blessing in
establishing 300 new congregations per year for the next
three years, including 40 in Black, 40 in Hispanic, 15 in
Asian communities, and 3 American Indian; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That the Synod continue to develop methods
and tools that will enable congregations to integrate all
members into active participation in the body of Christ;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod thank God for the thousands
of professional church workers of all kinds both at home
and abroad, and fervently pray that the Lord of the harvest
continue to “send forth laborers into His harvest field”; and
be it further

Resolved, That the Synod thank God for the rich res-
ervoir of talented lay people, and in response to the chal-
lenges and open doors encourage the training and use of
this rich reservoir both at home and abroad by providing
10 regional training centers; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod encourage the continued ex-
ploration and use of new communication technologies
(mass and individual media) for effective communication
of the Gospel for witness to the unchurched and for nur-