LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 359

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SEMINARIES
toward earning an MDiv degree to allow for the further development
of qualified ministers for God’s church in the LCMS.
Pacific Southwest District
6-09

To Develop Worship Practice Curriculum
at Seminaries
Whereas, God’s Holy Scripture proclaims very clearly that there
is orthodox worship, which means that there must also be unorthodox
worship, John 4:19–24: “The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that
You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you
Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you
will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for
salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when
the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for
the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those
who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’ ” (NKJV, emphasis added); and
Whereas, God’s Holy Scripture also proclaims very clearly His
entire plan of salvation (Gen. 1:31; 1:27; Lev. 19:1–2; Eph. 4:24; Gen.
2:16–17; 3:1–7; James 1:13–15; 1 John 3:8; Gen. 3:8, 9–12; Rom.
3:10–18, 22–23, 19–20; John 3:14–18; Rom. 5:8–11; Eph. 2:8–10;
Rom. 4:16; Gen. 3:15; John 1:12–13; 6:44; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:17;
11:6; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:4–5; Titus 3:4–7; Heb. 4:12; James 1:18;
1 Pet. 1:22–23) and through His doctrinal truth He not only reveals
His theology of the cross but clearly establishes boundaries between
orthodox worship (“in spirit and truth”) and heterodox worship (that
which is practiced either not “in spirit” nor “truth,” or both), for just as
He brings us to pray in the First Petition of the Lord’s Prayer that His
doctrinal truth should be taught in its truth and purity, He thus brings
us to desire orthodoxy for the hallowing of His name among us; and
Whereas, All worship should be evaluated so as to confirm that
it is orthodox, thus supporting God’s theology of the cross—namely,
utilizing (and fostering) God’s Law and Gospel in order to create and
sustain repentance and belief (also known as the dying and rising of
believers through Christ crucified and risen); and
Whereas, All worship should be evaluated so as to also confirm
that it isn’t heterodox, supporting the theology of glory—namely,
utilizing (and fostering) Arminian theology (or any other false theology) along with “revivalistic” tactics which aim excitement toward
the base, natural will of man (the old man), just as Charles Finney
(an Arminian) stated:
God has found it necessary to take advantage of the excitability there is
in mankind, to produce powerful excitements among them, before He
can lead them to obey.

and
Whereas, The practice of heterodox worship is a serious attack
on the truth and proper teaching of God’s Word and His plan of salvation (specifically His theology of the cross); and
Whereas, Heterodox worship undoubtedly conveys a theology
(namely, Arminian) which teaches believers (and potential believers)
to trust their excitement, experience, feelings, or emotions, generated by “revivalistic” tactics, thus replacing true repentant faith in
the Gospel; and
Whereas, Both orthodox and heterodox worship can be evaluated
according to the components that make up their practice—namely, to
see whether those components either aim to kill through God’s Law

359

and make alive through God’s Gospel (orthodoxy) or aim to “excite”
and bring the “experience,” “feelings,” or “emotions” to be the most
important focus, thus replacing repentant faith in the Gospel (heterodoxy); and
Whereas, Not doing anything about worship practice that conveys Arminian theology (or any other false theology) does not hallow
God’s name but profanes His name among us and allows the surrendering of our neighbor’s souls to a misunderstanding of God’s Holy
Scriptures; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 LCMS convention direct the professors that teach worship practice at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,
Missouri, and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana,
to discuss how worship practice is taught at each school—and come
to agreement on teaching the same understanding regarding worship
practice—officially entitling their teachings that are true to God’s
theology of the cross as the “Worship Practice Curriculum,” so that
the errant worship practices that promote the false teaching of God’s
Word (namely, Arminian theology or “revivalistic” Church Growth
tactics) be avoided; and be it further
Resolved, That the “Worship Practice Curriculum” that is eventually agreed upon by the professors that teach worship practice at
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, and Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, be reported to the 2019 LCMS convention, with the intent of being adopted; and be it finally
Resolved, That the 2019 LCMS convention, upon the adoption of the “Worship Practice Curriculum,” then direct Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, and Concordia Theological Seminary,
Fort Wayne, Indiana, to carry out the agreed “Worship Practice
Curriculum,” ensuring that God’s Word is properly reflected through
orthodox worship practice, and being assured of future congregations
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod not conducting errant worship practices that promote the false teaching of God’s Word (namely,
a theology of glory, or an Arminian theology or “revivalistic” Church
Growth tactics).
Grace
San Mateo, CA
6-10

To Encourage Men to Study
for Office of Holy Ministry
Whereas, In Luke 10:2, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but
the laborers are few. Pray therefore earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest”; and
Whereas, The number of men preparing for the Office of the
Holy Ministry in residential programs at the seminaries has significantly declined over the past 8 years; and
Whereas, The total number of candidates graduating from both
seminaries has been less than the number of calling congregations
seeking new graduates for the past several years; and
Whereas, Approximately one-third of LCMS pastors are at or
near retirement age; and
Whereas, There are multiple factors which could inhibit men
from entering or completing seminary preparation, including significant student debt (from an average of $50,000 and sometimes
reaching over $100,000), rising healthcare and benefit costs, concern
about placement, traditionally low starting salaries, etc.; therefore
be it
2016 Convention Workbook