LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1995, Page 91

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CONVENTION ESSAYS 91

~ nurtures and stimulates faith life by which God gives His
~ people the capacity to love, to care for those in need, and to
devise and implement the necessary strategies for doing so.
This is a lifelong process. With St. Paul we confess,
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have al-
“ready been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of
that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I
do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But
one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal to win
the prize for which God has called me heavernward in
Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

With St. Paul let each of us press on, and let the Synod
say, “Press on!” Press on for example toward the full imple-
mentation of the Congregational Services arm of the Synod.

The Synod as congregations, working together through
their respective Districts, has under the blessing of God ac-
complished many fine things in terms of mission outreach
at home and abroad. But never before have so many com-
munities, towns, and cities been invaded (in the good sense)
by peoples of other languages and cultures. Consequently
foreign mission work is no longer only giving money to
make possible the sending and support of missionaries to
far away places. We are living in a time when new peoples
are in our neighborhoods and not far from the front doors of
our congregations.

In a sense a variation of history is repeating itself. Just
as Loehe once sent missioners with varying degrees of
training to this country, so now congregation members
need to be trained to reach out to the unreached within the
parish area of the local congregation. The unification of a
strong Congregational Services department will help make
this ‘possible just as the merger of the various LCMS mis-
sion boards in 1965-67 helped to make a more effective
worldwide mission outreach possible.

Press on with more short-term and long-term volunteer
workers—not only in foreign lands but also here in the US.
Volunteers often return home filled with mission zeal and
do much to inspire home congregations with a renewed vi-
sion for mission—and this includes the youth of our church.

_ Press on with a continued team spirit between congre-
gation, District, and departments of the Synod, and with
our church’s colleges, seminaries, and special training pro-
grams for preparing workers.

Press on to maturity in understanding that the whole
church (all of its boards, departments, agencies, commit-
tees, commissions, etc.) is not in competition with itself, but
is united in Christ, Sent forth by God’s blessing ... to tell the
Good News.

Press on with St. Paul’s good advice in Ephesians 4. May
we each be determined to “make every effort to keep the
unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians
4:3).

In our desire to grow personally as outreach people let’s
look back one more time. Recall in our early leaders:

“1. their deep commitment to Christ;
2. their faithfulness to the Scriptures and the Lutheran
Confessions;

3. their devotion to prayer;
4. their passion for the lost which led to their vigorous
pursuit of mission opportunities.

These same qualities are seen throughout our beloved
church today, but to press onward as did St. Paul, we all
need to grow.

Recall today’s emphasis: Sent forth by God’s blessing ...
to tell the Good News. Now take a few minutes to share
with the person on either side of you.

1. Tell through whose outreach you were brought to Christ.

2. How can you personally reach out to others with the Good
News of Jesus Christ—individually. and with the congre-
gation to which you belong?

Concluding Remarks

In this 50th anniversary year of the conclusion of World
War II, I recall a memorable experience at a war-bond rally
in Soldier Field, Chicago, summer of 1944. Part of the pro-
gram included a demonstration blackout. In the.total dark-
ness of that night, at a given signal, one man on the stage
lit a single match. Its glow was plainly visible to everyone
in that hushed audience.

That reminded me of a word from St. Paul, “For God,
who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light
shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

The lit match in the darkness of night also reminded me
of a popular song from that period: “I don’t want to set the
world on fire. I just want to start a flame in your heart.”

What Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12) has done
for each of us He would have us do more and more: “Let
your light shine before men, that they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

We pray:

Lord God, You have called Your servants to ven-
tures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as
yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith
to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go

but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love
supporting us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

—Morning Prayer, LW, page 243

To God be all glory!
Notes
1. C.F. W. Walther, Brosamen, St. Louis, M. C. Barthel, 1876,
pp. 283-84. :

2. Pulse, April 7, 1995, page 6.

3. Time, January 30, 1995, “The State of the Union,” quoted by
Richard N. Ostling, pp. 73-74.

. Ibid., pp. 73-74. ;

. Richard R. Caemmerer, The Church in the World, St. Louis,
CPH, 1949, p. 8.

. Matthew 28:19; see also Mark 16:15-16.

. Matthew 28:20.

. Matthew 28:18.

_ Cf. 1992 Handbook, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Paul M. Heerboth, Assistant Executive Director
Board for Mission Services

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