LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 136

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136 CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES ’

WHEREAS, The task of helping God’s people “always be ready”
is a task that can be accomplished through intentional training in
the congregation; and

WHEREAS, Although there are many ways to pursue that train-
ing, the following are lifted up because they are critical at this time;
therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to plan at least one
evangelism Bible class, workshop, or presentation each year to en-
courage, equip, and train members to share their faith intentionally
in their daily lives; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to provide several
outreach events (such as Friendship Celebrations) during the year
to encourage and assist their members in sharing their faith and
inviting unchurched friends and family members to appropriate
ministries of the Word; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to train teams of
members to make a Gospel presentation in their community visits
as a part of their effort to reach out boldly with the Gospel; and be
it finally

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to conduct at least
one comprehensive adult instruction class per year so prospective
members can be taught the basic truths of the Christian faith ac-
cording to Luther’s Small Catechism.

Board for Congregational Services

2-33

To Encourage Congregations to Grow in
Awareness of Their Community

Wuereas, The LCMS has determined that North America is a
mission field and the percent of unchurched in most counties in
America is 45 percent or more; and

Wuereas, The unchurched culture in our communities requires
more intentional effort to contact and listen to the attitudes, per-
spectives, and needs of our unchurched neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Surveys show that a great majority of unchurched
people are never personally contacted by a congregation and that
community canvasses are effective ways for congregations to let
their neighbors know they care about them and also to learn the
concems, interests, and needs of their neighbors; and

WHEREAS, We are called to be “witnesses in Jerusalem” (Acts
1:8), that is, in our own communities; therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations of the Synod be encouraged to
conduct at least two community canvasses per year; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, That congregations be encouraged to avail themselves
of the community profile service available through the Lutheran
Church Extension Fund.

Board for Congregational Services

2-34

To Support Congregations in Multiethnic Work

Wuereas, The glory of Christ’s kingdom is described as “a
great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from
all tribes and peoples and languages” (Rev. 7:9); and

WHEREAS, Our nation has been richly blessed from its very be-
ginning by being a nation of immigrants and these immigrant cul-
tures have added immeasurably to the unique strength of our land;
and

Wuereas, The church sees those immigrant cultures as gifts
from God and important mission opportunities; and

Wuereas, Our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is being
blessed through the growth of missions and ministry among immi-
grant peoples from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and other
parts of the world; and

WHEREAS, Needs for new mission starts and needs to support
the young churches that have been started are growing and are an
important sign of God’s blessings; therefore be it

Resolved, That the congregations, District, and national staffs
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod commit themselves to
multiethnic mission work and support of multiethnic ministries;
and be it further

Resolved, That we commend congregations that are reaching
beyond cultural and ethnic differences with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to include more and more people in Christ’s church; and be
it further

Resolved, That the congregations, District, and national staffs
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod commit themselves to
assisting and supporting the development of resources appropriate
to the various cultures that make up the North American mission
field; and be it finally

Resolved, That leadership from the various ethnic and cultural
groups with which we work will be identified and lifted up to give
primary deadership to mission and ministry work in their commu-
nities.

Board for Congregational Services

2-35

To Stress Evangelism Emphasis

WHEREAS, Jesus charged His followers to proclaim His Gospel
to the whole world; and

Wuereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was founded
by people keenly focused on outreach and mission work; and

WHEREAS, Our communities, nation, and the countries of the
world need the saving message of the Gospel; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention rededicate itself in the next triennium to answer Jesus’ call
to evangelism; and be it further

Resolved, That we encourage sister congregations to increase
efforts to reach unbelievers in their communities; and be it further

Resolved, That District agencies, as a first priority, work to-
gether with local congregations to start new congregations; and be
it finally

Resolved, That the Synod, as a first priority, work together with
local congregations to increase the number of foreign missionaries
and to increase the number of foreign mission fields in which the
LCMS is working.

St. Paul
Trenton, MI

2-36

To Support Development of Institute for Apologetics

Wuereas, North American culture is becoming increasingly
pluralistic in terms of religious expression and relativistic in terms
of assessing the claims of moral and religious truth; and

WHEREAS, Our Lutheran schools exist to provide an education
in the context of and according to the witness of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ; and

WHEREAS, There has been a tendency in secular society to see
other disciplines, such as the arts, the sciences, literature, history,
mathematics, etc., as separate from and unrelated to faith; and

WHEREAS, Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord involves the develop-
ment of a coherent worldview that incorporates or relates to knowl-
edge from other disciplines; and

WHEREAS, The discipline of apologetics addresses the integrity
of the truth claims of the lordship of Christ in the face of opposing
arguments, according to the Word of God: “In your hearts set apart
Christ as Lord. Atways be prepared to give an answer (apologian)
to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have” (1 Peter 3:15), and “We demolish arguments and every pre-