LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 126

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126 MISSIONS

congregations to accept membership in it and to support it with
prayers and contributions.

Trinity

St. Louis, MO

1-15

To Commend Lutheran Heritage Foundation
and Missions in Former Communist Nations

WHEREAS, Orthodox Christians have always been concerned
about those who are being persecuted because of their Christian
faith in modern times particularly about those Christian martyrs
suffering under Communism as Res. 8-05 “To Stand with Perse-
cuted Christians,” adopted by the 1975 convention of the LCMS,
said in part: ‘As Christians we are concerned about injustice and
oppression wherever these are to be found; but toward our fellow
Christians we have a special obligation, particularly where they are
experiencing oppression in severe form; since it is well-known that
Christians are being more severely persecuted in territories under
Communist rule; therefore be it Resolved, That we solemnly de-
clare our solidarity with the suffering, bleeding, yet confessing
church under oppression (1 Cor. 12:16) ... Resolved, That we call
on all Christians who enjoy the privilege of political freedom to be
well-informed about the fate of Christians under oppression, to
pray fervently for our persecuted fellow believers and for the con-
version of their tormentors, to support these suffering Christians by
every proper means, and to imitate humbly their great zeal and self-
sacrifice in the service of the crucified and risen Savior”; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation under the leader-
ship of Rev. Robert Rahn has translated the Book of Concord into
Russian and many orthodox books into various languages used in
former Communist nations; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation says that “Our
goal is to bring together confessional Lutherans from all bodies in
order to strengthen our voice, to encourage each other in faith, and
to work in special partnership on a national and international level”.
and

WHEREAS, Members of the faculty and staff of Concordia Sem-
inary, Fort Wayne and others associated with the LCMS have been
instrumental in establishing a new college in Novosibirsk, Russia;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the 1998 convention of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod commend the work of the Lutheran Heritage Foun-
dation and those responsible for establishing and assisting the new
college in Novosibirsk; and be it further

Resolved, That the 1998 convention of the LCMS reaffirm the
position the LCMS took in its resolution of 1975 “To Stand with
Persecuted Christians”; and be it finally

Resolved, That the 1998 convention of the LCMS direct the
LCMS’s Council of Presidents to again place Rev. Robert Rahn,
the Executive Director of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, on the
clergy roster of the LCMS.

Trinity, New Haven, MO; Washington Circuit, Missouri
District

1-16

To Commend Work of Lutheran Heritage Foundation
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation has worked tire-
lessly to bring the Lutheran Confessions and other pure doctrinal
materials into Russia and other lands; and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Heritage Foundation does all this with
funds from private individuals; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod recog-
nize the godly work of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention urge the Lutheran Her-
itage Foundation to apply for Recognized Service Organization sta-
tus and that the Synod fully support their efforts.

Our Saviour
Evansville, IN

1-17

To Refocus Mission Activity for Raising Up of Pastors

Wuereas, The Board for Mission Services is entrusted with the
development of mission strategy and practice throughout the world;
and

WHEREAS, The Synod has repeatedly affirmed the teaching of
Holy Scripture (Eph. 4: Rom. 10), and the Book of Concord (AC V
and XIV) that the public preaching of the Word and the adminis-
tration of the Sacraments are duties to be entrusted only to prop-
erly called and ordained men; therefore be it

Resolved, That the primary task of all mission work must be the
establishment of the means of grace administered by regularly
called and ordained men, which is more than the development of
“leaders” in the mission field; and be it further

Resolved, That all mission endeavors must flow from and back
to pulpits and altars established where there currently are none.
And thus the primary focus of mission activity must be the raising
up of pastors for bringing lost souls into Christ’s kingdom.

St. John
Topeka, KS

1-18

To Support Hong Kong Synod

WuerEAS, The Hong Kong Synod is facing an uncertain future,
entailing both grave risks and great opportunities as a consequence
of the return of the British Crown Colony to the Chinese People’s
Republic in July of 1997; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has a spe-
cial relationship with the Hong Kong Synod because it started as a
Missouri Synod mission; and

WHEREAS, The changes occurring in China and Hong Kong rep-
resent an unprecedented and probably never to be repeated oppor-
tunity for bringing the Gospel to the more than | billion people of
China; and

WHEREAS, The time for aiding these our fellow Lutheran Chris-
tians may be running out; therefore be it

Resolved, That we encourage our Synod to initiate direct liai-
son with the Hong Kong Synod to determine as thoroughly as pos-
sible what help it may need and what assistance we can offer, and
be it further

Resolved, That we encourage our Synod to employ every means
available to acquaint the people of our Synod with the challenges
and opportunities facing the Hong Kong Synod and its people; and
be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage our Synod to directly communi-
cate our oneness in Christ to the people of the Hong Kong Synod
and offer our fervent and unceasing prayers for their spiritual sus-
tenance and physical well-being.

Minnesota South District