LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1992, Page 66

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66 : . REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

for our convention, but for our entire synodical and con-
gregational life and work, please let me observe that the
achievement of peace among us has three major compo-
nents.

First, all of us need to commit ourselves to the New
Testament injunction of St. Paul in Eph. 4:3 tomake “every
effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.” This Word of God is not simply a theological ab-
straction to be accepted intellectually, but it is to be a way
of life in and for the church of Jesus Christ. Like all other
dimensions of our Christian faith and life, the bond of peace
is not something we achieve on our own, but we are em-
powered through the gift of the Spirit in Word and Sac-
raments, together with His gifts of forgiveness, life, and

- hope. We need to be in the Word and Sacraments, seeking
and maintaining the peace as brothers—evangelically, fra-
ternally, under the Word and in the Spirit. And that meana

that we discard methods and modes of behavior that place .

personal victory or vindication above the peace of the
church. ;

Second, ail of us in the church need to have a strong
commitment to doing all things “decently and in order” (1
Cor. 14:40). A commitment to good order in our fellowship
is not simply a wise organizational option, but God’s will
for life in the church. In synodical matters, that means
that we must all. put personal preferences and interests
under the synodical constitution and bylaws, as well as
officially-binding interpretations of the same rendered by
our Commission on Constitutional Matters (see Bylaw
3.533, d), for we have covenanted together to carry out our
synodical life and work in this way. Please understand,
however, that this principle applies not only to plaintiffs
and defendants in cases under adjudication, but to the very
commissions who judge such cases, and indeed to all of us,
each in our own calling.

Third, we need to help one another, throughout the
Synod and within each of its congregations, to achieve a
better atmosphere of trust and mutual regard. As we learn
from the New Testament, that cannot be achieved simply
by fiat or by convention resolution, but it will happen as
we speak the truth in love, prefer one another to our own
self-interest, submit ourselves one to the other, accept the
role and authority given to others, and above all, forgive
one another even as we are forgiven through Jesus Christ,
our Lord.

As the convention labors to help the Synod in all of these
priority areas—and many others—the golden thread that
binds it all together is what Dr. Martin Luther, in his 62nd
Thesis, called “The Gospel of the glory and grace of God.”
For it is that Gospel that gave us new life in our Baptism,
that nourishes us on the Body and Blood of our Lord, and
is the content of the strong Word that speaks us righteous
again and again because of the life and death of Jesus
Christ for us and for all the world. That Gospel provides
us with the forgiveness of our good and gracious God, daily

and richly, which covers the sin and weakness that plagues .

our life together. But it is that Gospel, too, that gives us
the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all the many
challenges that God has set before us. Even timid souls,
like many of us, become bold witnesses like Peter and John

in Acts 4, when captivated by the Gospel and the world’s
tremendous need for it through the ministry of Christ’s
church. It’s the power of that Gospel that will enable us
in committee sessions, and afterward in convention ac:
tions, to address the roadblocks and impediments that
keep us from being as effective as we might. It’s that Gospel
that gives us cause to celebrate and live joyous, freed lives
in our Savior’s service. And so, I urge you, dear partners
and co-workers of our church body, to let that glorious
Gospel of the grace of God captivate your work and effort
in your floor committees, in your private reflections on
decisions, and in your personal and congregational efforta
to serve our Lord with faithfulness and vigor.

Does it all sound like an idle dream? Is it too much to
hope that our Synod, having studied and discussed our
needs for several years, and having taken forward steps
in many key areas, can really take specific actions in this
convention to move us forward faithfully, aggressively, and
boldly, in carrying out our mission? To be sure, there are
some voices of fear and concern, and sometimes even some
suspicion among some of us, and we need to care for those
brothers and sisters who feel that way, but most of our
people are ready to move forward in the name of the Lord,
and to move now!

In many respécts, the world of today is not like the world
of yesterday. Ceaseless change is an unchanging factor in
the life of our world, not only in science and technology,
but in the very fabric of our life and society with all of its
precious values. Much has changed in the institutional
church, too, including our own church body. We, like many
other Christian groups, know something about declining
denominational loyalties, membership plateaus, fewer
children, more elderly people, continuing movement from
rural to urban communities, increased, almost baffling op-
portunities among ethnic and minority populations, apa-
thy and indifference, and the increased expectation of

accountability from those who serve. Let us, therefore,em- -

phasize that we seek no change in our faith and doctrine,
and that in fact we must work harder than ever to preserve
our precious theological heritage. But organizationally, we
cannot simply stand still or, even worse, attempt to re-
Create a past that no longer exists.

But who is equal to such a task? That's the question St.
Paul asked in 2 Cor. 2:15 as he recalled the task the Lord
had given him, namely, the task of bringing the Gospel of
the victorious Christ to the world. He immediately an-
swered his own question by reminding his readers—in-
cluding ue—that our competence to do what God asks us
to do does not come from ourselves but from God! And He
has made us competent ministers of the New Testament.
In Him, and guided by His Spirit,I pray that this conven-

tion will help us move forward biblically, evangelically, _

pastorally, decisively, and boldly as the Gospel-based, mis-
sion-driven, congregation-centered, and people-oriented
community of Christians that God has made us and called
us to be. To that end, God help each of us and each of our
committees, as well as our coming convention and every
congregation of this magnificent church body, to Tell Ev-
eryone What HE Has Done and to do so with Great Bold-
ness! Amen!