LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1977, Page 66

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66 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

precisely how the outreach of the Missouri Synod is
taking place.

The fact remains, however, that there is a great deal
of lack of information, and it seems axiomatic that the
more information people have about the work of the
church the more likely they are to take a deeper interest
in it and support it. Therefore one aim of the convention,
and something that ought to be a matter of continuous
concern and commitment, must be that we do a better job
of informing our people about all of the programs which
the Synod is performing on their behalf. The Synod
needs to be responsive to the desires of its people, and it
is only through continuing two-way communication
that the needs of our members can be met.

2. The research pertaining to the laity demonstrates
the fact that the laity is interested in programs that deal
with their immediate needs. For example, the lay people
are interested in social ministry to a surprisingly high
degree, and yet this should not really be a surprise
because we ought to be interested in our old people, in the
poor, and the sick. This is really more a compliment to
our people than anything else, but it does demonstrate
the fact that perhaps we also need to be alerting our
people more to other aspects of the church’s work. The
great interest in youth programs bears out the assertion
that people tend to be most concerned with what lies
closest to them. This is good. But they also need to be
encouraged to lift their eyes also to more distant
horizons.

3. The survey certainly indicates that The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod is a strong and stable group.
Our people are far less mobile than the average
population. Our people are family and congregation
centered. The divorce rate is far lower than among the
rank and file of American people. There is a great
willingness on their part to help the church and a firm
belief that the church is important and relevant. The
statements made by lay people when asked to express
their own opinions indicated that in all cases they are
actively interested in the church, and the critical
statements are constructive rather than just negative.

Now to the Workbook itself. First of all, some
comments on the reports of all the boards, commissions,
and committees of the Synod. Undoubtedly you have
already studied these carefully, but I hope that you will
give them even more careful study as you prepare proper
recommendations for the convention. These recommen-
dations will guide the direction of the Synod in many
areas in the biennium and in the years ahead. Note that
many of the boards present recommendations, and
certainly these should be given very careful and serious
consideration as you deliberate.

It is not my desire to tell the floor committees how to
react to these reports or to the overtures which have been
submitted by various congregations and other groups.
In discussing these matters I merely want to highlighta
few points and call to your attention some areas where I
might possibly be of some help to you. Obviously the
decisions are in the hands of the Synod itself, and the
work of both the officers of the Synod, as well as the floor
committees, is merely to try to give guidance and help in
working through the enormous mass of materials which

faces the convention.

I will not speak on the work of every committee but
will simply try to highlight some of the challenges and
problems facing us.

Under Committee 2, Missions and Evangelism, I
want to stress the fact that the work of the Christian
church is to carry out the Great Commission which our
Lord Jesus Christ gave to us. Itis our joy and privilege to
bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ in our families, our
congregations, our communities, our Districts, our
Synod, and throughout the world.

One of the most disturbing features of the Charron
Report is that among our lay people only 38 percent
indicated that they felt the worldwide outreach of the
church should receive maximum financial support.
There are four billion people in the world today, and itis
anticipated that by the end of the century that number
will be eight billion. Christ died for every one of them,
and we, who constitute today one billion, or one fourth of
the world’s population, have the joyous privilege of
bearing witness to our Lord Jesus to all of them. With the
technical advances of radio, television, swift transporta-
tion, and enormous wealth, we are in a position to do
some great things if we will but heed the admonition and
commission of our Lord.

Therefore I hope that the floor committee on Missions
and Evangelism will note that many of these overtures
are supportive and positive and attempt in every way to
give direction and guidance to the Synod, its Board of
Missions, and its Board for Evangelism in a way which
will make us truly a mission church, a church which is
vitally concerned about sharing the Gospel with all
people.

In the area of Theology and Church Relations we
enter into areas which have many thorny and difficult
problems. As a church we have been known and are still
known as people who are vitally concerned that the
Word of God be preached in its truth and purity, that the
entire program be based upon God’s holy, inspired,
inerrant, and powerful Word. The Word brings the
church into being, and the Word is truly our rule and
norm for faith and life in all of the activities that we
carry on. We cannot yield one jot or tittle of God’s holy
Word. And the Word is the means for carrying out our
mission. It is all we have. It is all we need.

We have emerged from a serious doctrinal controver-
sy, in which we are probably the only Christian church
in America and probably the only Lutheran Church in
the world which seriously and earnestly confronted the
issues raised by modern historical-critical methods of
Biblical interpretation and honestly and forthrightly
dealt with them.

I believe I am safe in saying that this controversy at
the synodical level, in our colleges and seminaries, and
in general throughout the Synod is behind us. We need to
be vigilant, but we do not need to become heresy hunters
or carping critics. We need to learn not only how to
preserve the doctrine but also how to present it in a
winsome way and to utilize it for the edification of
Christ’s holy people.

The strength of our beloved Synod has always beena
unique blend of concern for a pure doctrine which has