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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 324

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

324

INTERNATIONAL WITNESS

2-14

To Complete Charge of 2013 Res. 1-08
Giving Specific Attention to Concerns
Related to CCM Decision 14-2724
Whereas, St. Paul encourages the church at Corinth that “all
things should be done decently and in good order”; and
Whereas, An objective of the Synod is to “strengthen congregations and their members in giving bold witness by word and deed to
the love and work of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and extend
the Gospel witness into all the world” (Constitution, Art. III 2); and
Whereas, Article VII 1 recognizes, “In its relation to its members,
the Synod is not an ecclesiastical government exercising legislative
or coercive powers, and with respect to the individual congregation’s
right of self-government it 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”; and
Whereas, Bylaw 3.8.3 charges the Board for International
Mission with the development of policies that may include “safeguarding the rights of partner churches”; and
Whereas, The same Bylaw states that the Board for International
Mission “shall serve as the only sending agency through which workers and funds are sent to the foreign mission areas of the Synod,
including the calling, appointing, assigning, withdrawing, and releasing of missionaries (ministers of religion—ordained and ministers of
religion—commissioned) and other workers for the ministries in foreign areas”; and
Whereas, 2013 Res. 1-08, “To Work Together in Mission,”
states: “Resolved, That the Synod, by the next convention, develop
and provide a mission best-practices policy document for districts
and congregations engaged in mission projects to assist them better to carry out their mission in their life together; and be it further
Resolved, That these best practices include encouragement to districts and congregations to communicate their international mission
activities to the Synod’s Director of Church Relations and Offices of
National and International Mission for the purposes of healthy coordination and good stewardship”; and
Whereas, The Synod publication Reporter (March 2015)
included the following summary of the January 30–31, 2015, Board
for International Mission meeting and admission by its chairman,
Rev. Bernhard Seter, of concerns regarding recent CCM decision
(14-2724):
As the LCMS looks to better coordinate missionary work with partner church bodies and their national governments toward more safe,
efficient and unified efforts, the board also looked at concerns stemming from the Commission on Constitutional Matters (CCM) opinion
circulated last year regarding the interpretation of the final paragraph
of Synod Bylaw 3.8.3 per Synod’s 2013 Handbook, page 114, and its
reference to the Board for International Mission as “the only sending
agency through which workers and funds are sent to the foreign areas
of the Synod.” … “The CCM bylaw opinion caused much discussion
and some areas of concern,” said Seter. “We had the chance to [clarify]
that we are looking for collaboration, communication, and deeper partnerships with mission societies and recognized service organizations
(RSOs). The mission field is large and varied, and we can support each
other and work together, if we keep the lines of communication open;

and

2016 Convention Workbook

Whereas, Concerns have arisen regarding CCM decision 14-2724
as to the relationship of the Office and Board of International Mission
with districts, congregations, auxiliaries, and recognized service
organizations (RSOs), and that this decision may restrict worldwide
mission efforts and financial support of such mission efforts; therefore be it
Resolved, That this convention of the Missouri District direct the
district president to encourage the Board for International Mission to
a. complete the assignment from 2013 Res. 1-08;
b. consult with Synod congregations, districts, auxiliaries, and RSOs
that work internationally in the process of developing the bestpractices policy document; and
c. give consideration to Articles III 2 and VII 1 of the Constitution in
developing its best-practices policy document;

and be it further
Resolved, That the Missouri District in convention memorialize
the Synod in convention to encourage the districts, congregations,
auxiliaries, and RSOs to coordinate, collaborate, and communicate
with the Office of International Mission for the sake of the coordination of efforts and good stewardship and out of concern for partner
churches; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Missouri District in convention memorialize the Synod in convention to encourage the Office of International
Mission to collaborate with districts, congregations, auxiliaries, and
RSOs “in giving bold witness by word and deed to the love and work
of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and extend that Gospel witness into all the world.”
Missouri District
2-15

To Change Funding Model of Our Missionaries
Whereas, The current model for funding LCMS missionaries
requires them to raise their own salary and funding by visiting congregations and asking for money; and
Whereas, They cannot be deployed into the mission field until
they reach a certain percentage of their overall funding; and
Whereas, When Christ sent out the 70 missionaries in Luke 10:1–
8, He instructed them not to worry about how they would be provided
for but to devote themselves to the work of the Gospel before them;
and
Whereas, There is no other ministry in the Church that requires its
ministers to beg for money in order to be supported; and
Whereas, This current system places an enormous burden on
our missionaries, delays their deployment, and forces them to worry
about money instead of focusing on the proclamation of the Gospel;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the President of Synod establish a task force to
examine different methods of funding our missionaries that would
remove the burden of raising their own funds from our missionaries; and be it further
Resolved, That this task force report its findings prior to the
2019 Synod convention and present at that convention a plan by
the President’s Office to lessen the burden of fund-raising from our
missionaries.
Eldora Circuit
Iowa District East