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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 6

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OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

Church Relations

Seminaries and Pastoral Education

••

As the Lutheran World Federation leadership continues to advocate unbiblical sexual ethics around the
world, an ever larger number of Lutheran churches
are looking to the LCMS for theological leadership.

••

Expansion/renewal of Post-Seminary Applied Learning and Support (PALS) for new pastors and their
wives (www.lcms.org/how-we-serve/education/pastoral/
post-seminary-applied-learning-and-support).

••

We experience continued interaction with the Ethiopian Church (Mekane Yesus; 9 million members) and
increased contact with Tanzanian Lutheran Church
(6 million members). We have entered church fellowship talks with the Malagasy Lutheran Church (4
million members). We currently enjoy some form of
relationship with 79 Lutheran church bodies worldwide, representing 40 million Christians.

••

Global Seminary Initiative (GSI; see above) also
sends funds to the seminaries in the form of tuition
assistance for international students and support of
seminary professors teaching abroad (www.lcms.org/
makeagift/gsi).

••

Joint Seminary Fund raises nearly $2 million a year,
which is divided between the two seminaries (www
.lcms.org/seminary-education/seminary-topics/lcmsjoint-seminary-fund).

••

The 2016 convention amended Bylaw 3.10.4 to create
a “Pastoral Formation Committee” to provide for
greater coordination and collaboration between our
two seminaries.

••

Developed the Preach the Word Initiative to assist
pastors in improving their preaching skills (www.lcms
.org/about/leadership/president/preach-the-word).

••

The LCMS, via the International Lutheran Council (ILC), is involved in an informal dialogue with
the Roman Catholic Church through the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU).
ILC is now seen by the Vatican as a confessional Lutheran alternative to its formerly exclusive dialogues
with the liberal LWF.
The LCMS has engaged in dialogue with Anglican
Church of North America (ACNA) to find areas
where the churches can cooperate in externals, particularly in the area of religious freedom.

••

LCMS has engaged in dialogue with North American
Lutheran Church (NALC) to find areas where the
churches can cooperate in externals, particularly in
the area of religious freedom.

••

LCMS has engaged in an informal conversation with
the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). Our
three church bodies are the closest they have been
since the suspension of fellowship more than 60 years
ago. We enjoy mutual respect and frank conversation.

••

Fifteen church bodies have requested fellowship with
the LCMS. Some of these requests will come to the
2019 convention.

••

The LCMS supports the ILC, which at its Antwerp
meeting in 2018, accepted 17 new members as full
participants or official observers.

••

The LCMS has 35 partners in altar and pulpit fellowship.

••

Our oldest partner church, The India Evangelical
Lutheran Church, has for decades been in turmoil
over the millions of dollars of property left to that
church by the LCMS. Over the last several years, we
have taken a very hard line against corruption and
made very significant progress. We won a decisive
legal battle against very corrupt forces in the church.
The level of corruption of the bad elements was put
on display during the trial. A court-appointed administrator has removed the bad actors from positions
of control. The LCMS should be aware that these
bad actors regularly solicit the LCMS and try to use
any approval from any LCMS leaders or pastors to
further their ends. Contact us if you have questions.

2019 Convention Workbook

Concordia University System
••

Dr. Dean Wenthe continues to lead the CUS, and
the various university presidents have begun working
toward a more unified system to maximize mutual
strength in the face of very challenging market conditions and cultural challenges to our schools.

••

The 2016 convention approved a Lutheran Identity
Statement for its CUS schools, which has also been
adopted by its presidents (blogs.lcms.org/2016/conven
tion-delegates-approve-lutheran-identity-statement-for
-concordia-university-system).

••

As of this report, candidates for president of Concordia University, St. Paul, are undergoing final
interviews. Concordia University, Irvine, and Concordia University Chicago are in the process of selecting
a new president. Concordia University—Portland is
also in process, and we are continuing to work with
leaders there to move the university into an acceptable position regarding culture and sexuality issues.

••

Unfortunately, the regents of Concordia College Alabama had to close this institution. Every attempt was
made to save the school. Despite millions from the
LCMS, heroic efforts by the leadership of the school,
and real and attempted assistance from the other
universities, mounting debt, low enrollment, and
inability to find a buyer for the schools finally forced
the regents to vote to close. We are deeply saddened
by this, and realize this is a profound disappointment,
especially for many of our African American pastors
and people.

Finances
••

Since October 2010, we have seen a reduction of total
Synod indebtedness by nearly 40 percent. Internal in-