LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 48

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48

SYNOD REPORTS

cultural church. Currently, the work of ministry is heavily focused on
supporting the Ablaze! initiative.
The Ablaze! initiative has emerged as an important moment for the
Board for Black Ministry Services and black Lutherans. Black ministry set a goal to reach “one million souls with the Gospel by the year
2017” (Res. 1:01, 2008 Convocation). Many strategies were developed for Lifting the Vision of reaching souls with the Good News.
Some of these included
• Church planting,
• Recruitment,
• Repositioning of urban schools,
• Revitalization of urban churches, and
• Maximizing of resources in black ministry.
In supporting the vision of reaching one million souls by 2017,
black ministry has established phases for this to take place:
Phase I–Each Lutheran in black ministry would commit to contributing $5.00 annually for three years, ending in 2008.
Phase II–LCMS congregations in black ministry would commit to
contributing $1,000 annually for two years, with 2010 set to be the deadline (likely to be extended).

The Ablaze! initiative will be further developed through the
2010 Black Ministry Family Convocation with the theme “Ablaze,
Empowered and Determined!” At this convocation, delegates from
across the nation will gather around remembering “whom God has
created us to be, how God empowers us to be His servants, and how
through the Holy Spirit we are determined to strengthen the multi-cultural nature of our church body,” with the goal of living as a people,
worshiping as a people, and serving as a people, “as it is in heaven.”
2010 Black Ministry Family Convocation
JW Marriott
Houston, TX
July 8–11
As a special feature of the 2010 convocation, participants will
have an opportunity to engage in a segment called “Taking the
Convocation to the Streets!” Convocation delegates who sign up for
this venue will be paired with participants from four black congregations in the Houston area. At the appointed time on the convocation
agenda, these teams of local congregants and convocation delegates
will be assigned to canvass in the communities surrounding those four
congregations and have some faith-sharing moments. We envision
this being a very practical way to nurture comfort levels for talking
about Jesus and what He has done for every person and fan into flame
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Reports and follow-ups will follow. It is
our prayer that it will be said of the 2010 Family Convocation, “The
people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6) and “the Word of God was
spread” throughout the Houston area.
The work of black ministry continues through the Office of
Mission Networking and Education Networking. The Word of God,
through the writings of St. Paul, reminds us that the body of Christ is
comprised of many parts, with Christ as its head. Mission networking
has been defined as “facilitating measurable change among member
congregations and schools, by faith-sharing, leadership accountability, and multiplying missions for Jesus Christ.”
Board for Black Ministry Services Values for Mission
n Every member is a viable witness.
n Every congregation is mission-focused, mission-driven, and

multiplying.

n Leaders

are walking together to form healthy, productive
partnerships.
n Black ministry reports its national faith-sharing and mission activity to Synod.
Purpose statement for education networking: “The Board for
Black Ministry Services partners and encourages Lutheran schools to
ensure outreach to the community in which they are located, so that
every child has the opportunity to experience Christ’s love through a
quality Lutheran Christian education.”
Board for Black Ministry Services
Education Networking Goals
n

n

n

Provide a connecting network of resources for Lutheran educators
and schools so that both are encouraged and highly motivated.
Recruit professional workers for Gospel mission and ministry in
areas with the highest multi-cultural environment.
Affect outreach through urban schools, where leaders are properly
trained and equipped to make connections with black children,
their families, and people of all nationalities.

Additional Service to the Church

Encouraged faith-sharing moments among members
Recorded faith-sharing moments
n Strengthened relationship/partnership with N.A.M.E. and LCMS
World Mission
n Added an ethnic ministry position to the board
n Recognized significant historical moments in the lives of pastors
and congregations
n Identified congregations that are engaging in rebuilding strategies
n Targeted congregations/areas that are ripe for new mission starts
A tremendous opportunity continues to exist for growth and effectiveness in sharing the pure Gospel to a world and communities that
are ill-affected by the many confusing messages of the world. The
Lutheran Church need not be a dying church. Nor does the presence
of a specific black ministry program in an overwhelmingly white
church body need to be seen as a divisive effort. Rather, the LCMS
is a people, “One People,” redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ
and committed through the power of the Holy Spirit to share a lifechanging and a life-sustaining message. Pray with and for the Board
for Black Ministry Services and the Synod that the church continues
to be the Church of God for the world.
Dr. Frazier N. Odom, Executive Director
n
n

R2-05

Concordia Historical Institute
Introduction
Concordia Historical Institute (CHI) is the Department of Archives
and History of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Incorporated
as a separate entity in 1927, it provides a function that the Synod has
recognized as essential from its founding in 1847. Located on the
campus of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, CHI serves the member
congregations of the Synod, its rostered workers, individual members
of local congregations, and the general public with a modern archival facility, a reference library on Lutheran history, a state-of-the-art
museum, conferences, publications, and reference and research services. It also owns and administers historic sites in Perry County,
Missouri, that interpret the Synod’s history and heritage—the Saxon

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