LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 135

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’ CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 135

the sacrament to those who have not previously been examined and
absolved” (AC XXY); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther highly esteemed the practice of
private confession and absolution saying, “I will let no one take
away private confession and would not exchange it for all the
wealth of the world for I know what strength and comfort it has
given me” (Weimar Ausgabe 8:178, 28-30); and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions consider and teach con-
fession and absolution as the sacrament of penitence.

Hearing the Gospel and hearing absolution strengthens and
consoles the conscience. Because God truly quickens through
the Word, the keys truly forgive sin before Him, according to
the statement (Luke 10:16), “He who hears you, hears Me.”
Therefore we must believe a voice coming from heaven. Abso-
lution may properly be called a sacrament of penitence, as even
more learned of the scholastics say. Meanwhile this faith is
nourished in many ways, amid temptations, through the procla-
mation of the Gospel and the use of the sacraments. These are
signs of the New Testament, that is, signs of the forgiveness of
sins. Therefore they offer the forgiveness of sins, as thé words in
the Lord’s Supper clearly state, “This is my body which is given
for you. This cup is the New Testament” (Luke 22:19, 20). So
faith is conceived and confirmed through absolution, through
the hearing of the Gospel, so that it may not succumb in its
struggles against the terrors of sin and death. This understanding
of penitence is plain and clear, it adds to the honor of the power
of the keys and the sacraments, it illumines the blessing of
Christ, and teaches us to make use of Christ as our mediator and
propitiator.

If we call sacraments rites which have the command of God,
and to which the promise of grace has been added, it is easy to
decide what are properly sacraments. Therefore Baptism, the
Lord’s Supper, and Absolution, which is the Sacrament of Re-
pentance, are truly Sacraments. For these rites have God’s com-
mand and the promise of grace, which is peculiar to the New
Testament (Ap XIII).

The genuine sacraments, therefore, are Baptism, The Lord’s
Supper, and absolution (which is the sacrament of penitence),
for these rites have the commandment of God and the promise
of grace, which is the heart of the New Testament. When we are
baptized, when we eat the Lord’s body, when we are absolved,
our hearts should firmly believe that God really forgives us for
Christ’s sake (Ap XIID);

and

WHEREAS, The benefits of private confession and absolution are
to be most highly valued for troubled consciences for the absolu-
tion is the Gospel itself; and

Wuereas, An agenda for private confession and absolution is
included in Lutheran Worship and Luther’s Small Catechism;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Central Illinois District of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod encourage its pastors to seek out a fel-
low pastor to serve as a “pastoral confessor,” to preach on the
blessed benefits of private confession and absolution, and its mem-
ber congregations be encouraged to offer published times for pri-
vate confession and absolution to the members; and be it further

_ Resolved, That the Central Illinois District of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod memorialize the Synod to encourage pri-
vate confession and absolution throughout the Synod.

Central I}inois District

2-30

To Proclaim Changeless Gospel in Changing Culture

WHEREAS, The one mission of the church is to proclaim the
Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to and in the world of sin
(Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8; Eph. 2:8); and

WHEREAS, The Gospel must be communicated in languages and
cultural forms which people can receive and understand (Acts
2:5-12; 1 Cor. 14:6-25; AC XXIV); and

WHEREAS, Society and cultures change with time, and ditferent
people in different places will respond to different styles and forms
and structures (1 Cor. 9:19-23; Rom. 14:1-8); and

WHEREAS, Such change requires that the church continually re-
examine its own forms and strategies for mission (Mark 2:13-28;
Acts 10-11; Acts 15:1-35; AC XXVI); and

WHEREAS, Such reexamination and adaptation by the church is a
delicate task in which the church dare not conform the substance of
faith to the styles of the world but must, in faithfulness to Scrip-
ture and Christ’s call, maintain the continuity of its biblical and
confessional commitment (John 17:14-19; Rom. 12:1—2; Rev.
2:12-29); and

WHEREAS, The temptation of the church in any generation is to
continue traditions and practices even after they have outlived their
usefulness to its mission, thus confusing its own traditions with the
Word of God (Jer. 7:1-8; Luke 5:36-39; Gal. 2:1-5; AC XXVIII);
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod hereby encourage its congregations,
Circuits, and other agencies of mission to use diverse forms and
styles in communicating the unchanging Gospel of Christ, as long
as these forms do not conflict with Scripture and the Lutheran Con-
fessions.

St. Luke
Ann Arbor, MI

2-31

To Support Outreach Discovery Events
and Harvesters for Christ

WHEREAS, Congregations have expressed a need for on-site
training and guidance in evangelism ministry; and

WHEREAS, Many effective congregations are willing to serve as
teaching congregations in evangelism; and :

WHEREAS, Many dedicated laypeople and church workers have
been richly gifted by God and are willing to use those gifts “for the
common good” (1 Cor. 12:7) and to work with congregations seek-
ing assistance in evangelism; and

WHEREAS, Ministries such as Harvesters for Christ and Out-
reach Discovery Events, sponsored by the Department of Evange-
lism Ministry of Congregational Services, have proven effective in
training and encouraging evangelism ministries in congregations,
therefore be it ,

Resolved, That LCMS congregations be encouraged to investi-
gate the use of a Harvesters for Christ evangelism team to serve in
their congregation for four to eight weeks to help begin or refocus
the congregation’s evangelism ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations that have shown themselves ef-
fective in evangelism ministry be encouraged to serve as teaching
congregations through Outreach Discovery Events; and be it finally

Resolved, That congregations send their leaders to Outreach
Discovery Events that will help them grow in reaching the
unchurched in their community.

Board for Congregational Services

2-32 .

To Affirm Priesthood of All Believers
and Training for Evangelism

_ Wuereas, The priesthood of all the baptized affirms the role of
all Christians to proclaim the mighty acts of God and is a rich and
important part of our Lutheran theological heritage (1 Peter 2:5, 9):
and

WHEREAS, The Holy Scriptures encourage believers to “Always
be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you
an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness
and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15-16); and