Collection › LCMS Convention Workbook (St. Louis, Missouri) › 2019 · 67th Convention, Tampa › Page 388
LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2019, Page 388

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

388

NATIONAL WITNESS

WHEREAS, Marriage, life, and family are inextricably linked, as
Dr. Martin Luther emphasized and taught on the household estate,
and the family vocations of husband and wife, father, mother, and
child were a key insight of the Reformation; and
WHEREAS, The Synod in the 2016 convention resolved (Res. 1602, Proceedings, pp. 253–4) to add a seventh Synod mission
priority, “Strengthen and support the Lutheran family in living out
God’s design,” effectively launching the Office of National
Mission’s (ONM) Lutheran Family Initiative; and
WHEREAS, The Synod has commended the essay entitled,
“Marriage, Life and Family: Reflecting The Holy Trinity,” and the
booklet, “A Small Catechism on Human Life,” as well as other
excellent resources further demonstrating these three—marriage,
life and family—should be treated and defended together; and
WHEREAS, Sin, the world and Satan are clearly extending a twopronged attack against the family both by seeking to sever the bond
between parents and child, and by seeking to sever the bond of
husband and wife; and
WHEREAS, Murder is clearly condemned by the Fifth
Commandment (including murder through abortion, infanticide,
physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia); and
WHEREAS, There are moral and ethical implications surrounding
contraception, assistive reproductive technologies, and related
research; and
WHEREAS, We are seeing before us increased cultural acceptance
of gender confusion leading to denial of one’s own God-given
sexuality and ever-new anti-Scriptural categories for “gender
identity” leading to further erosion of God’s design for marriage;
and
WHEREAS, These assaults against marriage and life are directly
corroding the family, causing increased isolation and neglect of
family members who are very young, weak, poor, or with special
needs, alienating school children from the family by near total
immersion in a worldview antithetical to Christianity, and leading
to extreme loneliness among the elderly, and those nearing death;
and
WHEREAS, Such isolation and neglect further contribute to
cultural values that discount, ignore, and consider irrelevant
Christian family values and life-long commitment; and
WHEREAS, These cultural assaults lead to tragedies within the
family that include the pain of divorce, the pain of barrenness, the
pain of parents with rebellious children, domestic violence, elder
abuse, the neglect of people with disabilities or who are frail, child
abuse, and alienation from the Church; and
WHEREAS, As a result, there is increased formation of new social
and cultural groups, constructs, and relationships replacing the
traditional role of the family; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod rejoice in the truth that the LORD of the
Church, Jesus Christ, has promised to be with us until the end of the
age, not simply to sustain us, but to bless us as we call on His name
to help holy marriage, life, and the family (John 14:14) while we
hold true to His Word and Sacraments; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod continue in increasing unanimity of
purpose and sacred stewardship, that the work of the ONM, our
recognized service organizations, the service of the Lutheran Center
for Religious Liberty, our partners at Lutherans For Life, and other
appropriate entities may coordinate to uphold and defend marriage,
life, and family as inextricably linked; and be it further
2019 Convention Workbook

Resolved, That the ONM implement the seventh mission priority
by boldly promoting the biblical and crucial relationship between
marriage, life, and family by generating resources and strategies
which clearly counter the cultural assaults against these while also
encouraging, uplifting and equipping the Body of Christ in all three
areas; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage and offer resources to all 35
districts for the development and equipping of marriage, life, and
family coordinators representing all 35 districts; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod direct the ONM, Concordia Publishing
House, her seminaries and universities, and the Commission on
Theology and Church Relations to provide resources that not only
help the families of our Synod, but also enable the church to confess
the truth boldly and deal compassionately with those who are
adverse towards the biblical teaching on marriage, life, and family.
Board for National Mission
Ov. 1-07

To Promote Awareness of and Provide Educational
Resources for Specialized Pastoral Ministry
WHEREAS, There are many ways for the individual members of
Synod (ministers of religion–ordained and ministers of religion–
commissioned) to serve the church in full and part-time mission and
ministry roles, including Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM) (e.g.,
institutional chaplains and pastoral counselors); and
WHEREAS, Not every ordained minister of Synod possesses all
the qualifications needed to serve effectively in SPM; and
WHEREAS, “Making Disciples for Life” is the triennial theme for
the Synod; and those who serve in specialized pastoral ministries
daily provide spiritual care to many of the church’s disciples who
are struggling in times of crisis; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Concordia University System (CUS) and the
seminaries be implored to promote awareness and provide
educational resources to serve in non-parish ministry vocations and
that the Office of National Mission (ONM) and SPM work with
CUS and the seminaries to determine what is needed to equip
ministers for bi-vocational ministry in institutional chaplaincy and
pastoral/spiritual counseling; and be it further
Resolved, That the ONM seek additional funding to provide
scholarships for specialized training in specialized pastoral
ministries; and be it further
Resolved, That the ONM explore what is needed to help already
ordained and commissioned ministers to prepare them for service in
SPM related fields of ministry; and be it finally
Resolved, That network-supported ministries—for example in
nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, etc.—be considered by districts
and circuits as opportunities for SPM service.
Board for National Mission
Ov. 1-08

To Request that the LCMS
Provide Assistance to Workers
Crossing the Canada/United States Border to Serve
WHEREAS, There have been a number of seminary graduates
from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) who are