LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1967, Page 43

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PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS 43

We expect great results from the $10 million we invest
annually in support of missionary efforts here and
abroad. But we ignore the fact that our congregations
each year invest 20 times that much for local enterprises.
Our investments here in North America showed a 1%
return last year, one additional baptized member for
every 100 working and witnessing baptized members.
And many of the agencies we have created to help us
reach out especially to those who need special ministries
are now turning in desperation elsewhere for help be-
cause we are permitting them to become forgotten or-
phans.

God has not given us a set of standards by which
we can measure the success of Kingdom work on earth.
By almost every human standard on earth the church,
for instance, would have been rated a dismal failure
at the time when persecuted disciples gathered in cata-
combs to survive. But history has demonstrated that
the church was then both very much alive and very
relevant. Nevertheless, I confess serious misgivings
about our stewardship simply because I wonder how
extensively and how confidently we are using the grace
of God to set wrong things right. The ministry of our
Lord was eloquent testimony that God wants to be
out where people are in need because things are wrong.
He was there where people would know His compassion
and also His abiding help. Do men know you and your
congregation in this way?

The church is not a typical business institution. But
this can never be an excuse for congregations not to
spell out their objectives, not to establish priorities, not
to change old habits and discard bad methods. Another
way of saying justification by grace is to pray: “Thy
kingdom come.” To pray this is to ask that God make
His grace do things to us. Because you are the objects

of God’s grace, you are also the product of God’s grace.
You have been justified by grace. You have been
justified for grace.

In view of God’s grace which appeared and is re-
sponsible for our salvation, let us repent of our sins
of neglect (1) in our missionary outreach; (2) in con-
cern for the underprivileged, the oppressed and ha-
rassed; (3) in our failure to use our wealth for God’s
commission; (4) in our failure to express a thank-you
to God, who has helped us hitherto; (5) in our lagging
in our Ebenezer; and (6) in our failure to pray for our
church and our government. Then let us rejoice in
the knowledge of forgiveness and sing praises to Him
who was delivered for our offenses and raised again
for our justification.

The Lord hath helped me hitherto
By His surpassing favor;

His mercies every morn were new,
His kindness did not waver.

God hitherto hath been my Guide,
Hath pleasures hitherto supplied,
And hitherto hath helped me.

With great confidence in God’s mercy I remind you
once more that “the kindness and love of God our
Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteous-
ness which we have done but according to His mercy
He saved us by the washing of regeneration and re-
newing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abun-
dantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that being
justified by His grace, we should be made heirs accord-
ing to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying,
and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that
they which have believed in God might be careful to
maintain good works. These things are good and profit-
able unto men.” Amen.

O.tver R. Harms, President