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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 273

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

FLOOR COMMITTEES: REPORT AND OVERTURE ASSIGNMENTS

4. Life Together
REPORTS
R1, R1.2–R1.2.1, R1.2.5, R5.2, R6–R8, R10, R12,
R21–R57, R66.4, R66.9–R66.11
OVERTURES
Ov. 4-01

To Affirm and Continue Making Disciples for Life
as Mission and Ministry Emphasis
for 2023–26 Triennium
WHEREAS, The Great Commission, “Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that
I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19–20) is our Lord’s mandate
and is at the center of the Church’s mission and ministry; and
WHEREAS, Disciples of Jesus are baptized repentant sinners who
believe in Christ for salvation by faithfully receiving the Lord’s
preaching, catechesis, and sacraments in the fellowship of the
Christian congregation; trust in His Word for all aspects of human
life; confess faith in Christ before the world; and live in Christ and
His forgiveness in Christian vocation toward others; and
WHEREAS, The apostle Peter encourages the disciples of Christ
to always be prepared to make a defense of their faith with
gentleness and respect to anyone who asks of them about the hope
they have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15); and
WHEREAS, The Small Catechism’s Table of Duties describes
how being a disciple of Christ touches every station in which
Christians find themselves, such as civil authorities and citizens,
husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, children and youth,
employers and workers; and
WHEREAS, Making Disciples for Life was first adopted in 2019
(Resolution 4-03A) as the triennial mission and ministry emphasis
of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS); and
WHEREAS, The current triennial mission and ministry emphasis
Making Disciples for Life, established in 2019, has only just begun
to serve our Synod and give direction to districts and congregations
and to guide the policymaking work of mission and ministry
through the Board for National Mission (BNM) and Board for
International Mission (BIM); and
WHEREAS, The BNM and BIM under Bylaws 3.8.2.2 and 3.8.3.2
began conversations with the leadership of every district of the
Synod to gather information and input to help facilitate the
assessment and evaluation of the Synod’s triennial mission and
ministry emphasis with the plan to continue ongoing fraternal
communication with district presidents and staffs over the next
triennium toward enhancing Synod koinonia, unity, and
cooperation in the Synod’s mission and ministry; therefore be it
Resolved, That Synod in convention affirm Making Disciples for
Life as its mission and ministry emphasis for the 2023–26
triennium; and be it further
Resolved, That Synod in convention direct the Office of National
Mission (ONM) and Office of International Mission (OIM), in
response to fraternal discussions with the districts regarding their
unique contexts, challenges, and opportunities, and consistent with

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policies established by the BNM and BIM, to support
congregations, schools, circuits, and districts to:
• plant new congregations and schools;
• strengthen existing congregations and schools;
• evangelize the lost;
• retain the faithful;
• care for church workers;
• engage in international mission in partnership with the OIM;
and
• engage in domestic mission with the support of the ONM
through the district offices;
and be it further
Resolved, That the BNM and BIM increase opportunities for
conversation and collaboration with the districts of the Synod
toward greater “walking together” under the Synod’s triennial
mission and ministry emphasis; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod encourage all LCMS districts,
congregations, and schools to ground their local mission and
ministry upon the Synod’s emphasis of Making Disciples for Life to
the glory of God and for the extension of Christ’s kingdom.
Board for National Mission; Board for International Mission
Ov. 4-02

To Provide Triennial Synod Emphases
WHEREAS, Bylaw 4.2.1 (d) reads: “The district convention shall,
through delegate vote, forward to the national convention a list of
two or three triennial mission and ministry emphases for
consideration by the national convention”; and
WHEREAS, The Texas District established a goal to raise up 500
new servant-leaders to reach 500 new communities with the Good
News of Jesus by the 125th anniversary of the district in 2031; and
WHEREAS, Jesus has called us to pray for harvest workers: “And
he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest.’” (Luke 10:2); and
WHEREAS, The pandemic of 2020 has had a detrimental effect on
congregational life, outreach efforts, and in-person worship;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the district encourage its congregations, schools,
and members to earnestly pray for harvest workers according to our
Lord’s bidding and invite the Synod in convention to do the same
Synodwide; and be it further
Resolved, That the district forward “lay evangelist training” to
the national convention for consideration as a triennial mission and
ministry emphasis; and be it further
Resolved, That the district forward “congregation revitalization”
to the national convention for consideration as a triennial mission
and ministry emphasis; and be it finally
Resolved, That the district forward “outreach” to the national
convention for consideration as a triennial mission and ministry
emphasis.
Texas District

2023 Convention Workbook