LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1977, Page 73

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT 73

to me that the floor committees have done their work
well and that their proposals will find acceptance with
you, the delegates. To be sure, there may be spirited
debate on many matters, but I am confident that our
gracious Lord will guide us all in the issues which we
prayerfully consider.

The Past Biennium

I would therefore prefer to use this time to give a
report on certain other aspects in the life of the Synod
and the direction which we should be taking. We are so
accustomed to hearing bad news and coming to
conventions prepared for battle that perhaps it would be
good for us to consider some of the wonderful things
which have occurred during the past biennium.

During both years of this past biennium the Synod
has continued to showa record increase in the number of
communicant members. At the end of the 1976
statistical year, we stood at the highest communicant
membership in our history. We also showed the highest
per-communicant giving in our history ($375,000,000 for
all purposes), and we continue to rank very high among
the churches of over one million in membership in per-
communicant giving. The Spirit indeed continues to be
at work.

During the past biennium nearly 1,100 full-time
church workers have been received into the various
ministries of the church. The removal of the probation
imposed by the Commission on Accrediting of the
Association of Theological Schools on Concordia
Seminary at St. Louis was a cause for great rejoicing.
Even a greater cause for rejoicing was the almost
miraculous comeback which this institution has ex-
perienced since its difficulties in 1974. During the past
year over 360 students were enrolled as full-time
undergraduates and graduate students preparing
themselves or improving their competence for the parish
ministry in the Synod. Over 400 are expected this fall,
together with over 400 at Fort Wayne and 70 in the
colloquy program. God is supplying workers.

The record of continued growth in virtually all of the
partner churches overseas gives marvelous testimony to
the work which is going on, supported by the prayers,
the workers, and the gifts of our people throughout the
world.

In the area of evangelism we note with great pleasure
the almost miraculous decline in backdoor losses
indicated during the past years. While most mainline
denominations continue to show great losses, today we
can report that this terrible problem has apparently
subsided and that our congregations and pastors are
doing a better job of referral, of internal evangelism, and
of holding our people for the church.

Some fine things have been going on in our Synod,
such as the evangelism retreats held all over the country
to strengthen our people and pastors and their outreach
with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have had the
program of Growth in Ministry, attempting to work with
our pastors and helping them to deal with their problems
and their goals and objectives as they do their work in
the many and varied ministries in which some 7,700
clergymen are engaged. All over the Synod, self-studies

are being conducted by congregations as an attempt to
upgrade their ministry to their community and to their
people.

We also note with great joy another miracle of God,
namely, that the adult accessions by baptism or
confirmation, after reaching a twenty-year low in 1972,
have increased each year since then, so that by 1976 we
were at the figure of 27,207.

While I could detail at great length the number of
meetings that I have personally attended, District
conventions, visitations to colleges and seminaries, and
over 100 preaching engagements in various con-
gregations of the Synod, I would like to comment
particularly on my meetings with leaders and represen-
tatives of our overseas partner churches.

In the fall of 1975 I had the privilege of attending the
International Lutheran Theological Conference held at
Porto Alegre, Brazil. Here were gathered the presidents
of the partner churches of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod. An excellent program dealt with the
matter of our relationships with one another. This was
followed by a trip, the first by any synodical President,
into Nigeria, which was celebrating its 40th anniver-
sary under our auspices. There was also a visit to Ghana.
The enthusiasm and evangelistic zeal of our partner
churches is a marvel to behold. As the delegates consider
our mission outreach, I should like to call their special
attention to other areas of Africa which also challenge
us, such as West Africa and Togo. The Convention
Workbook relates this report, and our floor committee on
missions and evangelism has given it top priority
among the resolutions which are before you.

In January of 1977 I had the privilege of attending
our first full-scale jointly planned Mission Consultation,
held in Hong Kong, where again both the presidents of
the partner churches, as well as the directors of missions
and evangelism for these churches, were gathered
together. We sat down asa world conference, exchang-
ing our varied experiences in many nations. We made
plans for expansion, for sharing in our mission
outreach, and for strengthening the work which we are
doing together in partnership under the power of the
Holy Spirit and with the blessings of almighty God. We
noted that our partner churches themselves are sending
out missionaries. It was a marvelouos meeting, and I
wish that every member of the Synod would have the
opportunity to witness such a gathering.

Our World

Now let us take a brief look at the kind of world in
which we are living and working. We have come
together here largely to plan for the future, and it is
important that as we look into the future we understand,
as best we can, the condition of the world in which we
live. This is a world which is very much troubled by war
and distrust among nations. The tragedies which are
taking place in Africa and in the Middle East and in
other parts of the world are too horrible even to
contemplate. I recently had opportunity to speak with a
man who had toured widely in Africa. I also had as my
guest a prominent leader of the Lutheran Churches in
Africa. They estimated that there may be as many as ten