LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2010, Page 211

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7. ECCLESIAL MATTERS
7-01

To Add Wording to Bylaws re Expectations
of Synod Membership
Rationale
As members of the Synod, “congregations together establish the
requirements of membership in the Synod (Constitution, Art. VI)”
and, in joining the Synod, “obligate themselves to fulfill such requirements, and diligently and earnestly promote the purposes of the Synod
by word and deed” (Bylaw 1.3.4). Such obligations include upholding the confessional position of the Synod and committing to act in
accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Synod (Bylaw
1.3.4), participating in the Synod’s dispute resolution process (Bylaw
1.10.2), submitting congregational constitutions and bylaws for
review (Bylaw 2.2.1), calling only rostered church workers (Bylaw
section 2.5), and accepting the ecclesiastical supervision provided by
the Synod (Bylaw 4.4.4).
Member congregations also agree “to assist in carrying out the
objectives of the Synod” as delineated in Article III of its Constitution”
(Bylaw 1.3.4) which, according to the bylaw, are “the objectives of
the members themselves.” Carrying out the Synod’s objectives is
facilitated by certain expectations of membership, including providing financial support and accurate statistical information on a regular
basis.
Resolved, That Bylaw 1.3.4 be amended to read:
PRESENT/PROPOSED WORDING
1.3.4 Congregations together establish the requirements of membership in the Synod (Constitution, Art. VI). In joining the Synod,
congregations and other members obligate themselves to fulfill such requirements and to diligently and earnestly promote the purposes of the
Synod by word and deed, including financial support of the work of the
Synod and the provision of annual statistical information to enable the
Synod to plan current and future ministry efforts based upon an accurate
picture of the results of current ministries “within our churches, communities, and world” (Mission Statement of the Synod).
1.3.4.1 Members agree to uphold the confessional position of the
Synod (Art. II) and to assist in carrying out the objectives of the Synod
(Art. III), which are the objectives of the members themselves. Thus,
while congregations of the Synod are self-governing (Art. VII), they,
and also individual members, commit themselves as members of the
Synod to act in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the
Synod under which they have agreed to live and work together and
which the congregations alone have the authority to adopt or amend
through conventions.

Commission on Structure
7-02

To Affirm the Equal Dignity of All Congregations
Whereas, The church is “the congregation of saints in which the
Gospel is purely taught and the sacraments are correctly administered” (Augsburg Confession, Article VII); and
Whereas, The Lord gathers His people as church around His
means of grace in specific places, even if they are only of a small
number (Matthew 18:17–20); and
Whereas, Each congregation, therefore, has all the dignity, gifts,
and authority of the church of Christ; and
Whereas, No congregation has more of Christ and His Gospel
gifts than another; and
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Whereas, It is fitting that the equal dignity of congregations before
the Lord be shown in the ways they walk with one another in the
Synod; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2010 Synod convention encourage all Synod
congregations to continue confessing and practicing these biblical
and evangelical truths; and be it finally
Resolved, That The LCMS continue to uphold the equal dignity,
gifts, and authority of its member congregations in its theology,
reflecting these truths as its theology is applied in polity and dayto-day relations.
Trinity
Norborne, MO
7-03

To Rightly Understand “Doctrinal Position
of the Synod”
Whereas, The existing LCMS Constitution does not require members of the Synod to “bind themselves to the doctrinal position of the
Synod”; and
Whereas, Properly, we do not speak of the “doctrinal position of
the Synod” (or of any other organization which may aspire to vote on
doctrine) but, rather, of the doctrine of our Lord; and
Whereas, Our “doctrinal position” which we are given to preach,
teach, and administer the Sacraments is not, properly understood,
according to the “doctrinal position of the Synod,” but is rather the
doctrine of our Lord Jesus, as our Lord has given to His Church in
Holy Scripture (the Word of God) and is rightly expounded in the
Confessions of the Church, the “Symbolical Books of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church” (LCMS Constitution, Art. II); and
Whereas, While we are bound by the Word of God (the Holy
Scriptures) and we willingly and publicly subscribe the Confessions,
we are not bound by the words of men, the rules or resolutions of an
organization, or the coercion of any movement; and
Whereas, The Synod does not exist to create, invent, or originate doctrine, but rather to conserve and promote the unity of faith;
to strengthen congregations and their members; to recruit and train
pastors and teachers, etc.; to aid congregations in education (including colleges and seminaries) and in defending their confessional unity
in the true faith; to encourage congregations to strive for uniformity
in church practice; to provide evangelical supervision, counsel, and
care for pastors, teachers, and other church workers; to provide protection for congregations and servants of the church in their official
duties and in the protection of their rights; and to aid in providing
for the welfare of the servants of the church (LCMS Constitution,
Art. III); and
Whereas, For the benefit of the Church and for the blessing of
the Lord’s people, we should strive to speak clearly and plainly of
the doctrine of our Lord Jesus as it is bestowed upon the Church in
Holy Scripture and is expounded in the Confessions; therefore be it
Resolved, That we retain the time-tested words in our Constitution:
“the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government exercising legislative
or coercive powers,…[but] is but an advisory body. Accordingly, no
resolution of the Synod imposing anything upon the individual congregation is of binding force if it is not in accordance with the Word
of God or if it appears to be inexpedient as far as the condition of a
congregation is concerned” (LCMS Constitution, Art. VII); and be
it further
Resolved, That the members of the Synod, with regard to doctrine,
are to be understood as bound by the Word of God, as subscribing
2010 Convention Workbook

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