LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 133

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CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 133

WHEREAS, Such services play to people’s emotional feelings
with an emphasis on entertainment, rather than to their foremost
spiritual need; and °

Wuereas, In such services many times “close Communion” is
not presented as the Synod’s policy for Communion attendance;
and

WHEREAS, The reason given for such services is primarily nu-
merical, in order to fill churches at any and all costs and compro-
mises; and

WHEREAS, There is a deception in these services as to what our
LCMS really stands for; and

WHEREAS, In the past the worship service was and in fact still is
a primary place to disciple and nurture people in the true faith; and

WHEREAS, These services are very shallow in such nurturing
and discipling, sometimes even misleading people about the truth,
which weakens our church body; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage all congre-
gations to use doctrinally sound materials in their worship services;
and be it further

Resolved, That we nurture our people through the worship ser-
vice without deceiving them about such things as our stand on close
Communion and the use of creeds, Scripture lessons, and doctri-
nally sound hymns and songs; and be it finally

Resolved, That we encourage congregations to walk together in
worship practices, as the worship of the church says a lot about her
confession.

Concordia
South Haven, MN

2-22

To Affirm and Exercise Freedom in Worship Forms

Wuereas, God’s Word is clear that we are not to be bound by
man-made rules about worship (Col. 2:16); and
WHEREAS, Some in our Synod seek to prescribe certain forms
of worship as mandatory for worship in our Lutheran congrega-
tions; and
WHEREAS, It is good Lutheran practice to resist those who seek
to bind consciences where Christ has not; therefore be it
Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention affirm that Christians and their congregations through the
Gospel have freedom in worship forms; and be it further
Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to use that free-
dom in ways that are edifying to members and accessible to wor-
ship visitors; and be it finally
Resolved, That congregations maintain unity with sister con-
gregations while recognizing the diversity in practice that the
Gospel allows.
St. Luke
Ann Arbor, MI

2-23

To Support Freedom of the Gospel and Worship

WHEREAS, God’s Word is clear that we are not to be bound by
manmade rules about worship (Col. 2:16); and

WHEREAS, Some in our Synod seek to prescribe certain forms
of worship as mandatory for worship in our Lutheran congrega-
tions; and

WHEREAS, It is good Lutheran practice to resist those who seek
to bind consciences where Christ has not, therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention affirm that Christians and their congregations through the
Gospel have freedom in worship forms; and be it further

Resolved, That the convention publicly rebuke any in our Synod
who maintain and teach that there is a biblically and confession-

ally prescribed worship form that must be followed; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to use that free-
dom in ways that are edifying to members and accessible to wor-
ship visitors; and be it finally

Resolved, That congregations seek unity where possible with
other sister congregations and with historical worship patterns
without surrendering their freedom in the Gospel.

St. Paul
Trenton, MI

2-24

To Encourage Christ-Centered and Scriptural
Worship Forms and Practices

Wuereas, God has made us His children through Holy Baptism
(Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Titus 3:5—8; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:13;
etc.); and

WHEREAS, God continues to strengthen our faith through His
Word and the very body and blood of our dear Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ (Is. 55:10-11; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Matt. 26:26—28; 1 Cor.
11:23-26; etc.); and

WHEREAS, God has called us to be faithful stewards of His
Word and Sacraments (Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 4:1; etc.); and

WHEREAS, Divine worship is first of all God coming to us in His
gifts of Word and Sacrament and only then our response to those
gracious gifts (Eph. 2:8-10; etc.); therefore be it

Resolved, That we give thanks to God for making us His chil-
dren through Holy Baptism, for continuing to strengthen our faith
through His Word and the very Body and Blood of our dear Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and for calling us to be faithful stewards
of His Word and Sacraments; and be it further

Resolved, That our primary focus in worship always be on re-
ceiving God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament; and be it finally
Resolved, That as we worship, both receiving God’s gifts and
giving Him thanks and praise in return, we prayerfully strive to en-
sure that all our worship (liturgies, sermons, hymns, prayers, etc.)
1. be Christ-centered and not man-centered;
2. properly distinguish Law and Gospel; and
3. be totally faithful to the Word of God and our Lutheran Con-
fessions.
Good Shepherd
Hurley, NY

2-25

To Uphold and Promote Historic Liturgy

WHEREAS, The Apology to the Augsburg Confession declares,
“Faith is that worship which receives God’s offered blessings; the
righteousness of the law is that worship which offers God our own
merits. It is by faith that God wants to be worshiped, namely, that
we receive from Him what He promises and offers” (IV 49); and

WHEREAS, “The chief service and worship under the Gospel is
to receive good things from God. We cannot offer anything to God
unless we have first been reconciled and reborn. The greatest pos-
sible comfort comes from this doctrine that the highest worship in
the Gospel is to receive forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteous-
ness”; and

WHEREAS, The emphasis is upon receiving gifts from God and
not in giving gifts to Him; and

WHEREAS, Our Synod’s Constitution lists as a condition for ac-
quiring and holding membership in the Synod “exclusive use of
doctrinally pure agenda and hymnbooks” (Art. VI 4); and

WHEREAS, This refers to more than just the hymns we sing, but
the liturgy as well; and