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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 12

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SYNODICAL REPORTS

by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:1 2)

Therefore go and make disciples of
all nations. (Matt, 28:19)

Lord Jesus Christ has given us a command to make disciples of all nations. Behind it lies God’s urgent

Board for Mission Services

Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus Christ], for there is no other name under heaven given to men

The shaded area contains the world’s least
evangelized people—nearly 100 percent
of the world’s 1.1 billion Muslims, 800
--% million Hindus and 300 million Buddhists
oe

concern that all people hear the Gospel of Jesus and turn to Him in repentance and faith. It is imperative that

God's people complete this task as fully and quickly as possible. This is the goal of LCMS World Mission.

The Unfinished Task

* Of the 5.7 billion people on earth, 3.6 billion claim no member-
ship in any Christian denomination.

* Of 6,700 languages worldwide, the Bible or Bible portions have
been translated into about 3,000 languages.

Approximately 11,000 people groups in the world have no op-
portunity to hear the Gospel within their own culture. They can-
not be reached by “near neighbor” evangelism, but only by
called, trained, and sent workers who are willing to cross the bar-
riers of different languages and cultures.

35 countries are closed to Christian missionary activity. Another
15 are highly restricted.

¢ With the exception of Communist and formerly Communist
areas, few unreached peoples are atheists or agnostics; most fol-
low Islam, Buddhism, animism, or another religion. Belief in “al-
ternate pathways” to salvation presents an enormous barrier to
church planting.

* The ever-increasing flow of immigrants to the United States pre-
sents tremendous cross-cultural mission opportunities. More than
250 different languages now are spoken in the United States.

Our Lord’s call into mission is urgent. To meet these obstacles

and opportunities, LCMS World Mission uses the mission strategy
of church planting through leadership formation.

Church Planting ...

The apostle Paul speaks to all Christians when he writes, “Now
you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it”
(1 Cor. 12:27). LCMS World Mission is concerned with planting
churches, not simply with reaching out to individuals who remain

isolated from one another. A church is planted when the Holy Spirit
brings people to faith in Christ and joins them to His death and res-
urrection through the new birth of Baptism. This church in turn can
reach out to others with the Gospel of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit works through the community of believers in
Christ (the congregation) to reach out in mission to gather together
all who will be saved (see the Large Catechism II, 40-42, 51-53).

... through Leadership Formation

As the Holy Spirit works through God’s Word to bring people
to faith, He also raises up leaders among them so the church may
grow (1 Cor. 12:4-11). Today, LCMS World Mission is serving
together with
more than
10,000 na-
tional leaders
around the
world.

LCMS
missionaries
see their
primary
job as
that of
equipping
national leaders to do evangelism and
ministry. To this end, missionaries train leaders to become
preachers, deacons, evangelists, and pastors, who in turn minister
to their own people.

10,577 Total Workers from LCMS
Mission Fields and Partner Churches

Africa

Asia Latin

America

Russi
Kazakstan