LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 210

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12. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

To Encourage
Stewardship Consciousness

RESOLUTION 12-01
Report 12-02 (CW, pp. 352—357)

WHEREAS, “God so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16);
and

WHEREAS, The Lord commissioned His church for all
time, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19); and

WHEREAS, He has given His promise, “Lo, Iam with
you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20);
and

WHEREAS, We as members of the LCMS have been
embraced by God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who “died for all, that they which live should not
henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which
died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15); and

WHEREAS, Our purpose in life as the redeemed of God
in Christ is to carry out the Great Commission given us
by our Lord; therefore be it

Resolved, That we as members of the LCMS re-
commit ourselves to the principles of Christian steward-
ship as they are stated below:

1. Christians are to grow in the dedication of their
lives and resources to Jesus who died and rose again for
them;

2. Christians have the privilege and responsibility
to live their lives as stewards within a local congrega-
tion by sharing resources of time, talents, and treasures
so that they can do more together than as individuals;

3. Christians are stewards not only of those re-
sources specifically given to the Lord’s work but also of
all those gifts entrusted to them by the Lord; |

4. Christians are to grow in their understanding of
Christ’s mission and ministry carried on in their behalf
around the world;

5. Christians are to grow in the grace of giving from
their regular income and from their accumulated
resources;

6. Christians in a congregation are to grow in their
skills of effective management of corporate resources;
and be it further

Resolved, That under the grace of God and by His
indwelling Spirit, we adopt into our personal lives this
understanding, that “Christian stewardship is the free
and joyous activity of the child of God and God’s family,
the church, in managing all of life and life’s resources
for God’s purposes” (LCMS Board of Stewardship
definition); and be it finally

Resolved, That “the love of Christ constrain us”
(2 Cor. 5:14).

Action: Adopted (10).

To Thank God for Success
of Forward in Remembrance

RESOLUTION 12-02

Preamble
The objectives of Forward in Remembrance were:

1. “To educate and motivate the membership of the
church to Forward in Remembrance and its aims,
especially in the areas of mission and education and to
do so in a religious context with a spiritual thrust.”

2. “To ask and then receive from the church’s mem-
bership cash and pledges of not less than $40 million.”

3. “To assist members to grow in the grace of giving
through correct understanding, motivation, and good
habits of support developed by the campaign effort.”

4. “To organize a corps of church leaders at various
levels who will be trained in basic stewardship/fund-
raising techniques and be available for the church’s
future use.” (“Orientation and Information Material for
Action Group Directors’)

WHEREAS, These-objectives have through the grace
of God been fulfilled in many congregations of the
Synod; and ;

WHEREAS, The attainment of these objectives will
enable the church to move forward in the area of North
American missions, world missions, training of church
workers, and debt retirement (as set forth on a schedule
on page 14 of “Forward in Remembrance Statement of
Mission and Ministry”); therefore be it

Resolved, That we thank God for synodical, District,
and sub-District directors, and the action group leaders
in the Districts, Circuits, and the congregations for the
implementation of the resolve of the Synod and the
congregations during the Forward in Remembrance
campaign; and be it further

Resolved, That we thank God for the leadership of
the Synod, Districts, Circuits, and congregations, and
for their efforts to set the goals and objectives before the
people for their response; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention, and each
congregation in its house of worship, thank God for
moving His people in the Synod to respond through
Forward in Remembrance to the opportunities of the
church’s mission; and be it finally

Resolved, That we in convention show our gratitude
to God by asking the President of the Synod to lead us in
a special prayer of thanksgiving followed by the singing
of the Doxology by the entire convention.

Action: Adopted (10).