LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 162

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6. PASTORAL MINISTRY AND SEMINARIES
WHEREAS, The vision of its founders continues to shape
CTSFW’s mission as a vibrant, Christ-centered theological
community that engages and resources the church and
world, domestically and internationally, with distinctively
Lutheran teaching, practice, and worship; and
WHEREAS, CTSFW has grown both in size and in the
strength of its academic program. It has been privileged to
provide the church with nearly 10,000 pastors and
missionaries who have served the Lord of the Church
throughout the United States and world; and
WHEREAS, With thanks to God’s gracious and generous
provision through the gifts of His people, the pastoral and
diaconal students on campus have their tuition expenses
covered 100 percent. The ongoing support from the people
and congregations of the LCMS is essential so our future
pastors and deaconesses can enter the service to which God
has called them unencumbered by overwhelming material
concerns; and
WHEREAS, CTSFW will begin its 175th academic year in
September 2020; therefore be it
Resolved, That the people of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) be encouraged to give thanks to
God for His grace to us through CTSFW these 175 years; and
be it further
Resolved, That the people of the church be commended
for their support and encouraged to continue partnering
with CTSFW in its mission to form servants in Jesus Christ
who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all; and
be it finally
Resolved, That following the adoption of this resolution
the delegates and guests of this The 67th Regular
Convention of the LCMS rise and sing the common
doxology.
Action: Adopted (6)
Without discussion, the resolution was adopted by the delegates’
raising their right fists and saying, “Yea, yea, it shall be so.” The
common doxology was sung and Concordia Theological
Seminary (CTS) President Lawrence Rast offered a thankful
response from the CTS community, which is grateful for the
Synod’s love and support of its seminaries and looking forward
to a bright future, in which God will continue to strengthen and
preserve, “for the Gospel promise is clear: Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever; and He has promised to be with us
always to the very end of the age.”

To Support and Utilize Preach the Word
RESOLUTION 6-07
Overture 6-20 (CW, 457–58)

WHEREAS, The pastor is chiefly called “to administer the
Word of God in its full truth and purity as contained in the
sacred scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and as set
162 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2019 (67TH) LCMS CONVENTION

forth in the confessional writings of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church as found in the Book of Concord”
(Supplement to the Diploma of Vocation for Pastor); and
WHEREAS, St. Paul was inspired to write, “…And how are
they to hear without someone preaching? … So faith comes
from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”
(Rom. 10:14, 17) and “I charge you in the presence of God
and of Christ Jesus … preach the word; be ready in season
and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with
complete patience and teaching.” (2 Tim. 4:1–2); and
WHEREAS, Luther writes, “To preach Christ means to feed
the soul, make it righteous, set it free, and save it” (“The
Freedom of a Christian,” in Luther’s Works, 31:346), and
“Here we also see the power of this preaching of the Gospel.
Beyond all the might and power of the world and of all
creatures, Christ proves His ability to draw the hearts of
men to Himself through the Word alone and to bring them
to His obedience without any compulsion or external force
at all. Apart from Christ, all men are everlastingly subjects
and captives in the power of the devil, of sin, and of death;
but He rescues them for an eternal, divine freedom,
righteousness, and life. This great and marvelous thing is
accomplished entirely through the office of preaching the
gospel. Viewed superficially, this looks like a trifling thing,
without any power, like any ordinary man’s speech and
word. But when such preaching is heard, his invisible,
divine power is at work in the hearts of men through the
Holy Spirit.” (Commentary on Psalm 110:3, in Luther’s
Works, 13:291); and
WHEREAS, The President’s office initiated Preach the Word
as an ongoing project in The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod (LCMS) in honor of the 500th anniversary of the
Reformation (1517–2017) to help pastors work together to
improve their preaching through video modules and by
interacting with seminary professors and fellow preachers;
and
WHEREAS, Both seminaries and the Council of Presidents
energetically support preaching excellence, the Preach the
Word project, and the Synod’s increasing emphasis on
continuing education for all pastors; and
WHEREAS, The 2016 Synod convention endorsed and
encouraged the use of Preach the Word, with 94 percent in
favor; and
WHEREAS, Six modules have been completed to date: (1)
The Use of Story in Preaching, by Dr. David Schmitt; (2) The
Use of Biblical Text in Sermon Preparation, by Dr. Dean
Nadasdy; (3) Delivering the Gospel Live and In Person, by Dr.
Carl Fickenscher; (4) Applying God’s Word into People’s Lives,
by Dr. Glenn Nielsen; (5) The Use of Technology in Preaching,
by Rev. Matt Peeples; and (6) Sacramental Preaching, by Dr.
David Petersen; and
WHEREAS, Additional modules in production for future
release include: (1) Preaching the Baptismal Life, by Dr. Reed
Lessing; (2) Preaching and Mission, by Dr. Douglas Rutt; (3)
Resolutions