LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 270

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270 STRUCTURE, PLANNING, AND ADMINISTRATION

WHEREAS, The CTCR has in the past thoroughly studied the en-
tire charismatic movement and has found it fraught with false doc-
trine (1972; 1977; 1994); and

WHEREAS, The CTCR has, in its convention report, found Re-
newal In Missouri (RIM) to be at odds with the doctrinal position of
the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, Welcome Holy Spirit, edited by Larry Christenson
(Augsburg, 1987), was co-authored also by founding members of
Renewal in Missouri (RIM), and is promoted at times by Renewal
in Missouri (RIM), and

WHEREAS, Welcome, Holy Spirit seriously misleads the church
about the nature and sources of true renewal and unity, by identi-
fying such renewal and unity with the progress of the pente-
costal/charismatic movement and its distinctive features, while rel-
ativizing the orthodox church and confession; and

WHEREAS, True renewal in the church must be sought not in

manmade schemes, but in faithful evangelical preaching and in the
Holy Sacraments (AC V, VI, XII, XX); and

WHEREAS, The proper criteria by which all claims of unity and ~

reunification must be tested and judged are the marks of the church,
the purely preached Gospel, and the rightly administered sacra-
ments of Christ (AC VII, compare FC, SD X31); and

WHEREAS, More than two decades of patiently dealing with the
charismatic movement adherents has produced an insignificant im-
provement to the LCMS (some would say it has only grown
worse); and

WHEREAS, God warns His children to protect the body from
false doctrine (Rom. 16:17, | Cor. 5:6, 7; Gal. 5:9); therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod hold that neither the pentecostal/
charismatic movement in general, nor the attempted Lutheraniza-
tion of it by the Renewal in Missouri (RIM) in particular is com-
patible with biblical, evangelical teaching, and sobriety of The
Book of Concord; and be it further

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in its
1998 synodical convention instruct the synodical President to in-
form all ministers of religion, ordained, who have associated them-
selves with Renewal in Missouri (RIM) that they have until 12-30-
98 to disassociate themselves from any/all ties/connections to/with
Renewal in Missouri (RIM), and be it further

Resolved, That they must, in writing, recant of all pente-
costal/charismatic beliefs in general and all ties/association with
Renewal in Missouri (RIM) in particular, and that this letter of re-
cantation be sent by “certified mail’’ to the synodical President no
later than 12-31-98; and be it further

Resolved, That they be informed that failure to comply with this
synodical resolution will cause them to be removed from the
LCMS roster; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical President give a report at the next
synodical convention on the completion of this matter; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That congregations and synodical entities, as a matter
of confession in time of crisis (FC X), be requested to avoid pente-
costal/charismatic “‘styles’’ of worship, because these do not ex-
press the substance of the Lutheran Confession, but suggest, pro-
mote, and encourage an alien and unchurchly confession.

Salem
Taylorsville, NC

To Direct President to Exercise Ecclesiastical
Oversight re Charismatic Movement
WHEREAS, There is clear evidence of charismatic teachings cir-
culating in printed publications throughout the Missouri Synod,

most notably those put forth by the group Renewal in Missouri;
and

WHEREAS, It is contrary to the confessions of our church to hold
that the Holy Spirit comes to people without, apart from, or in ad-
dition to the Word of God; therefore be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in con-
vention require District Presidents to admonish and, if they persist,
restrict those pastors who have given evidence of persistent charis-
matic teachings such as are inimical to the confessions of our
church; and be it further

Resolved, That the synodical President be directed and empow-
ered to admonish and, if they persist, suspend District Presidents
who do not abide by this requirement.

Rock Island Circuit Forum
Central [linois District

7-100

To Consider Voting Status of Campus Pastors

WHEREAS, The Rocky Flats Circuit of the Rocky Mountain Dis-
trict has requested clarification about the voting status of those in
the title of this overture; and

WHEREAS, The delegate conventions of the Synod have not clar-
ified the matter of franchise for pastors of campus congregations, of
dual parishes, and for other settings in which the “call” is extended
by the District or by an agency of the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Structure and the Com-
mission on Constitutional Matters have not offered. to the extent
of our knowledge, a proposed resolution of the concern in this
overture; and

WHEREAS, Providing voting status to campus pastors, pastors of
dual parishes, and to certain other pastors, who are “called” by the
District or by an agency of the Synod will compromise the meaning
of the divine call and provide some pastors with a status that is out-
side the intent of representation at the synodical conventions; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the 1998 synodical delegate convention decline
any overture submitted by the Rocky Flats Circuit of the Rocky
Mountain District that calls for providing voting status to the pastor
of University Lutheran Church, Boulder, Colo., who is serving as a
campus pastor at the request of the Rocky Mountain District and
is on the Rocky Mountain District staff: and be it further

Resolved, That the 1998 synodical delegate convention decline
all similar overtures submitted by any other congregation in the
Synod that is requesting voting status for campus pastors, pastors
serving a second or more parishes, or pastors serving in any other
capacity that falls outside the scope of a divine call to one congre-
gation as it is generally understood in The Lutheran Church—Mis-
souri Synod.

Trinity
Denver, CO

7-101

To Clarify Voting Status of Campus Pastors and Other
Pastors and Chaplains Serving Congregations

WHEREAS, The spirit of the Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod and of the Rocky Mountain District indicates that
every congregation or parish should have two votes to be cast, that
by a pastor and that by a lay delegate; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Constitutional Matters
is unable to grant that voting status to the pastor of University
Lutheran Church, Boulder, CO, until the delegate convention of the
Synod clarifies the entire matter of franchise for pastors of campus
congregations, of dual parishes, and for other settings in which the
call is extended both by the congregation and by the District or by
an agency of the church; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS Commission on Structure has been un-

able to offer a proposal for the matter of voting status, as hoped, to
the delegate conventions of the LCMS in 1992 and 1995; and