LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 123

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS

To Request Fort Wayne Seminary to Do
In-depth Study of Promise Keepers
RESOLUTION 3-24
Overtures 3-100–102 (CW, p. 183)
WHEREAS, A significant number of pastors and laymen
have attended Promise Keepers’ rallies and participated in
its ongoing activities; and
WHEREAS, Some of the practices of Promise Keepers are
not in agreement with either Scriptures or the Lutheran
Confessions (e.g., confusion of Law and Gospel, practicing a
“sacred” meal some regard as the Lord’s Supper); and
WHEREAS, There is a recognized need for a ministry to
men regarding their responsibilities to their marriage, family, and church; and
WHEREAS, Concordia Publishing House currently offers
new materials for men, such as the “Godly Man” series;
therefore be it
Resolved, That CPH continue to publish and expand the
“Godly Man” series and other materials directed to men in
the Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations of the Synod seek new and
additional ways to strengthen their men in faith and life,
including the use of CPH materials and Luther’s Small Catechism; and be it finally
Resolved, That Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort
Wayne, prepare an in-depth study of Promise Keepers, giving the results of the study to the synodical President for
distribution to the church.
Action: Adopted (11)
(Delegates declined to consider a substitute resolution that
would have replaced the second and third whereases and would
have directed the President of the Synod to write a letter to the
president of Promise Keepers outlining the concerns, if any, expressed in the study and made available for distribution to the
church. They also declined a resolution to strike the final resolve.)

To Affirm Position of Synod That Only
Men May Hold the Pastoral Office
RESOLUTION 3-25A
Overtures 3-62–67, 3-73–74 (CW, pp. 173–75)
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has
consistently stated and reaffirmed on the basis of Scripture
(1 Cor. 11:1–4; 14:33–35; 1 Tim. 2:11–14) that the pastoral
office is to be entrusted only to men (see 1969 Res. 2-17,
1971 Res. 2-04, 1977 Res. 3-15, 1986 Res. 3-10, 1989 Res. 314); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 1998 convention of the Synod reaffirm its previous resolution on this issue and declare clearly
and unequivocally once again that the Scripture teach that
only men may hold the pastoral office.
Action: Adopted (10)

To Address the Issue of Gambling
RESOLUTION 3-26
Overture 3-103 (CW, pp. 183–84)
WHEREAS, The Word of God teaches that possessions are
entrusted to us by the Creator Himself so that by our use of
them we may bring honor to Him and help others:

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Let him that stole, steal no more, but rather let him
labour, working with his hands the thing that is good,
that he may have to give to him that needeth (Eph. 4:28
KJV);
By this we know love, that He laid down His life for
us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But if any one has this world’s goods and sees his
brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how
does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not
love in word or speech, but in deed and truth” (1 John
3:16–18 RSV); and

WHEREAS, Gambling has not only been legalized but is
also actively promoted by government and is gaining wide
acceptance in mainstream culture; and
WHEREAS, Gambling often becomes addictive and may
lead us to love money more than God and thereby threaten
our relationship with God (Eph. 5:5; 5:24; 1 Cor. 6:9–11;
1 Tim. 6:10) and our exercise of good stewardship; and
WHEREAS, Gambling can be a symptom of greed or materialism, especially in a society which mistakenly assesses
the worth of an individual on the basis of possessions; and
WHEREAS, Many members within The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod may be unaware of gambling’s
many harmful consequences and the scriptural directive in
this regard; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
encourage its pastors and lay leaders to educate themselves
and the members of their congregations in proper stewardship of the resources entrusted to them by God; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage pastors and lay leaders to study the CTCR report on gambling
with special reference to its delineation of six moral concerns about gambling in order to advise the members of
their congregations on the potential dangers of even recreational gambling; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage our
pastors and lay leaders to educate themselves and their
members in the help available for those with gambling addictions; and be it finally
Resolved, That the members of the Synod offer their love
and support for those under the burden of such addictive
behavior and direct them to the use of the means of grace
as God’s power for healing and restoration.
Action: Adopted (11)
(By common consent the request to change direct to urge in
the final resolve was declined.)

To Warn Against Entertainment/Media
Promotion of Violence and Immoral
Lifestyles
RESOLUTION 3-27A
Overtures 3-118–22 (CW, pp. 187–89)
WHEREAS, Selected business organizations, notably in
the entertainment industry (television, movies, theme
parks), and/or in the media industry (books, tapes, CDs,
video games, and the like) present and endorse immoral
lifestyles including sex outside of marriage and all manner
of sexual promiscuity and sexual perversion; and