LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 130

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130

RESOLUTIONS

Resolved, That the commission provide to delegates at
the 2004 convention a final version of the materials listed
above along with a summary report on the field testing; and
be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall not
in any way detract or distract from the primary mission of
God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (8)
(The resolution was adopted as presented by the floor committee [yes: 898; no: 236]. The final resolve is added as required
by Res. 1-02, adopted in an earlier session of the convention.)

To Maintain Stewardship Department
within Synod
RESOLUTION 2-07A
Overtures 2-02 (CW, pp. 133–34); L2-68 (TB, p. 31)
WHEREAS, Christian stewardship involves the entire life
of the Christian and is, therefore, an integral part of the
life of the church; and
WHEREAS, “Christian Stewardship is the free and joyous
activity of the child of God and God’s family, the church, in
managing all of life and life’s resources for God’s purposes”
(“Biblical Stewardship Principles,” 1998 CW, p. 293); and
WHEREAS, The teaching of stewardship involves the
proper distinction of the Law and the Gospel; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Department of Stewardship remain
under the Board for District and Congregational Services
in accord with the requirements of Bylaw 9.01; and be it
further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention instruct the
Board of Directors to provide funding for a Department of
Stewardship ministry under the Board for District and
Congregational Services; and be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall not
in any way detract or distract from the primary mission of
God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (8)
(The resolution was adopted without amendment [yes: 1,017;
no: 72]. The final resolve is added as required by Res. 1-02,
adopted by the convention in an earlier session.)

Ministry to Homosexuals
and Their Families
RESOLUTION 2-08A
Overtures 2-39−41 (CW, pp. 145–47)
WHEREAS, The position that homosexuality is an acceptable alternative lifestyle is being promoted by certain
groups in our society, including even some church bodies;
and
WHEREAS, The Law of God declares homosexual lust and
activity to be sin and contrary to the created order (Rom.
1:24–27); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in
convention in 1973 stated: “That the Synod recognize homophile behavior as intrinsically sinful” (Res. 2-04); and
200l Convention Proceedings

WHEREAS, This sin is also included with all other sin
when we confess in the Augsburg Confession that “all
human beings who are born in the natural way are conceived and born in sin. This means that from birth they are
full of evil lust and inclination and cannot by nature possess true fear of God and true faith in God. Moreover, this
same innate disease and original sin is truly sin and condemns to God’s eternal wrath all who are not in turn born
anew through baptism and the Holy Spirit” (Kolb and
Wengert, pp. 37ff); and
WHEREAS, The Gospel declares that Jesus Christ is the
atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2) and
that Christ, who knew no sin, was made to be our sin so
that in Him we might become the righteousness of God
(2 Cor. 5:21); and
WHEREAS, The church’s proper evangelical work is to
proclaim the reconciliation of the sinner to God in the death
of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18–19); and
WHEREAS, Holy Baptism leads us to daily contrition and
repentance for all our sins of thought, word, and deed, in
which the “old Adam” is drowned anew each day, so that a
new person, forgiven and restored by Christ’s death and
resurrection, daily rises and comes forth to live before God
in Christ’s righteousness and purity forever; and
WHEREAS, The 58th Regular Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (1992) mandated the development
of “a plan for ministry usable by congregations, campus ministries, institutions, and agencies of the Synod, for the purpose of providing biblical and Gospel-oriented ministry to
persons troubled by being homophile in their sexual orientations and to their families” (Res. 3-12A); and
WHEREAS, In 1999 a task force of the President published “A Plan for Ministry to Homosexuals and Their Families” (Workbook, pp. 432–441); therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage its
congregations to minister to homosexuals and their families in a spirit of compassion and humility, recognizing that
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are
justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that
came by Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23–24); and be it further
Resolved, That “A Plan for Ministry to Homosexuals and
Their Families” prepared by the President’s task force, be
commended to the Synod’s congregations as a resource for
study and a guide for pastoral care; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board for Congregational Services continue to recommend and make available to the congregations
of the Synod suitable resources and materials for ministry to
homosexuals and their families; and be it finally
Resolved, That all action taken in this resolution shall be
used to help carry out “The Great Commission” and shall not
in any way detract or distract from the primary mission of
God’s kingdom here on earth. We will remember 1-02!
Action: Adopted (9)
(A motion to amend the resolution by adding the following
paragraphs failed: WHEREAS, There are individuals who are homosexual only in orientation as distinguished from homosexuals
in practice; and WHEREAS, Failure to make this distinction can be
hurtful and destructive to those who are struggling with their gay
orientation; therefore be it Resolved, That we make every effort in
our church communications (sermons, publications) to make clear
that homosexual orientation is not sinful. The resolution was