LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 101

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RESOLUTIONS
1. Missions
To Adopt a Mission Statement for Synod
RESOLUTION 1-01A
Overture 1-06 (CW, p. 124)
WHEREAS, The Lord of the church calls His people to
faith, sending them forth to witness to His grace and loving-kindness (Matt. 28:18–20; Luke 24:47–48; Acts 1:8;
John 20:21); and
WHEREAS, A mission statement gives a church body the
opportunity to express its purpose succinctly in a way reflective of its theology; and
WHEREAS, Such a mission statement can provide guidance, direction, and encouragement for a church body as it
communicates internally and externally in the pursuit of
its God-given mission and ministry; and
WHEREAS, The Synod's Council on Mission and Ministry
and numerous others have worked through the past triennium to develop such a statement; therefore be it
Resolved, That the 1998 convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod adopt the following as its mission
statement:
In grateful response to God’s grace and empowered
by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the
mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is to
vigorously make known the love of Christ by Word and
deed within our churches, communities, and the world.

Committee 1 Chairman Richard Kapfer

and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage individuals, congregations, and other communities within the church body,
our colleges, universities, seminaries, and District and national boards and commissions to reflect this mission in
their own mission or purpose statements.

sion-field opportunities are increasing, the number of new
missionary educators is not; and
WHEREAS, There is an urgent need for additional career
missionaries, especially pastors and educators; and
WHEREAS, Delegates are urged to study carefully the report of the Board for Mission Services and share it with
their congregation members as a way to inform and challenge them to greater world mission effort and, especially,
toward the recruitment of the career missionaries; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
make identification, recruitment, and training of career
missionaries a major emphasis of our church, our educational institutions, and the Board for Mission Services; and
be it finally
Resolved, That the President of the Synod, through his
report to the pastors, inform the church of progress in this
effort.

Action: Adopted as amended (3)
(An amendment to add the word homes after churches in the
statement was declined, as was an amendment to use the term
families rather than homes. An amendment to have the final
words read ... make known the love of Christ by Word, faith, and
deeds inspired by faith within our churches, communities, and the
world was also defeated, as was one reading ... make known the
Good News about Jesus by Word and deed to the ends of the earth.
By common consent the word vigorously was added before make
known, the word Sacrament was made plural, and our colleges
was added after church body in the final resolve.)

To Recruit Career Missionaries
RESOLUTION 1-02

Action: Adopted (1)

Report 1-01 (CW, pp. 12—17)

To Encourage All Congregations and
Districts to Support Multicultural
Mission Efforts

WHEREAS, A review of the report of the Board for Mission Services reveals an exciting picture of the mission
work carried on by the people of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod. A growing number of churches around the
world have approached The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod World Mission, requesting LCMS missionary educators to partner with them by teaching confessional theology and its application to faith and life. While these mis-

RESOLUTION 1-03A
Overtures 1-08, L1-19 (CW, pp. 124–25, TB pp. 9–10)
WHEREAS, The Lord of the harvest has called us to make
disciples of all nations of the world and has graciously

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