LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 145

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CONGREGATIONAL SERVICES 145

2-37

To Make Use of Church Growth Report

WHEREAS, Faithfulness to the Gospel, by which alone the
church of Jesus Christ lives, must remain the central concern of
Christ’s church on earth; and

WHEREAS. The unity of The Lutheran Church—-Missouri Synod
is threatened by diversity of doctrine and practice originating from
influences that have their sources in evangelicalism and the Church
Growth Movement; and

WHEREAS, The synodical convention of 1995 requested that a
study committee be appointed to address the effects of American
evangelicalism and the Church Growth Movement on the public
confession and worship life of the LCMS that have emerged in re-
cent decades; and

WHEREAS, The Church Growth Study Committee has completed
its appointed task by publishing its findings “For the Sake of
Christ's Commission” in January 2001 to further the cause of
Christ-centered church growth and genuine evangelism: and

WHEREAS, The Committee has found that the problems with the
Church Growth Movement stem from the assumption that God’s
Word is not sufficient in and of itself; that it needs to be supple-
mented with contemporary social and behavioral sciences, which
in practice means changing the church—its worship, its self-un-
derstanding, and its confession so that it appeals to contemporary
culture so as to attract consumers and grow in numbers; and

WHEREAS, Church Growth principles have their roots in Amer-
ican revivalism which suggests that people have within them the
free will to “make a decision for Christ.” thereby implying that
faith is a human work, thus minimizing the means of grace, con-
fusing Law and Gospel, comingling the two kingdoms, and pro-
moting a theology of glory over the theology of the cross; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That District Presidents, members of synodical boards
and commissions, and those who oversee synodical programs, aux-
iliaries and Recognized Service Organizations keep this report’s is-
sues in mind as they prepare programs and documents for use
within the church; and be it further

Resolved, That pastors make use of the issues raised in the re-
port as they meet within their Circuits and Districts as well as serv-
ing their congregation or their particular ministry; and be it further

Resolved, That the President of the Synod commend this study
for doctrinal review, after which he can share this study with other
synodical entities; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod’s congregations recommit themselves
to the task of evangelism, trusting in the power of God’s Word
rather than in humanly devised systems.

Concordia
South Haven, MN

2-38

Overture on Church Growth Movement

WHEREAS, Martin Luther taught us that there is only one way
in which people are both brought to faith in Christ and caused to
grow in this faith, namely, “the Holy Spirit has called me by the
Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in
the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and
sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth” (SC IT 6). And, also
in AC V we confess: “In order to obtain such faith God instituted
the office of the ministry, that is, provided the Gospel and the
Sacraments. Through these, as through means, He gives the Holy
Spirit, who works faith, when and where He pleases, in those who
hear the Gospel”; and

WHEREAS, Some church growth materials and practices are a
denial of the efficacy of the means of grace, for example, reliance
upon principles, programs. processes, and contemporary social and
behavioral sciences to produce numerical growth in the church
(Evangelism and Church Growth, CTCR 1987, pp. 40-42); and

WHEREAS, Some church growth materials and practices suggest
that numerical growth in the church depends upon the proper dis-
covery, development, and employment of “spiritual gifts” (Evan-
gelism and Church Growth, CTCR 1987, pp. 43-44): and

Wuereas, In much of church growth materials, as well as in ac-
tual practice, there is a confusion of the priesthood of all believers
with the office of the holy ministry. for example, the pastor as man-
ager and organizer. a misunderstanding of the call, and a misun-
derstanding of Christian vocation (Evangelism and Church
Growth, CTCR 1987, pp. 42-43): and

WHEREAS, The Church Growth Movement often promotes wor-
ship forms and practices which focus the worshiper on feelings and
experiences as evidence of God’s grace rather than on the objec-
tive and gracious work of God delivering His forgiveness of sins
for Christ’s sake through Word and Sacrament. as found, for ex-
ample in the historic liturgy of the Lutheran church (Evangelism
and Church Growth, CTCR 1987, pp. 41-42); and

WHEREAS, The church growth materials and practices are not
only contrary to the teachings of the LCMS, but contrary to the
Holy Scriptures and the Lord’s instructions to His church; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod at the 2001 convention declare the
Church Growth Movement to be anathema; and be it further

Resolved, That after due notice all supporters of the Church
Growth Movement be removed from the Synod.

Faith

Corning, NY

2-39

To Uphold Position of Synod re Homosexual
Relationships

WHEREAS, The Word of God clearly condemns homosexual be-
havior in Lev. 18:22: “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a
woman; that is detestable”; Lev. 18:24: “Do not defile yourselves
in any of these ways. because this is how the nations that | am
going to drive out before you became defiled”; Rom. 1:26-27: “Be-
cause of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their
women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same
way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and
were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent
acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for
their perversion”; 1 Cor. 6:9-10: “Do you not know that the wicked
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither
the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prosti-
tutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor
drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of
God”, | Tim. 1:9-10: “We also know that law is made not for the
righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful.
the unholy and irreligious: for those who kill their fathers or moth-
ers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and
liars and perjurers and for whatever else is contrary to the sound
doctrine”: and

WHEREAS, Homosexuality is a sin against God and the natural
knowledge of God: Rom 1:19-20: “Since what may be known
about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His
eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being un-
derstood from what has been made, so that men are without ex-
cuse™; Rom. 2:15: “Since they show that the requirements of the
law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing wit-
ness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them”;
and

WHEREAS, Homosexuals are breaking the First Commandment
by having a different creator; and

WHEREAS, Many churches/denominations have changed their
biblical stance for a more worldly view of accepting the sin: and

WHEREAS, The silence of many of our LCMS churches at the
local level is practically the same as acceptance of the homosexual

2001 Convention Workbook