LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2001, Page 443

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ADDITIONAL THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS—OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 443

culture. Marketing techniques turn sinners in need of salvation into
consumers. The church adapts its practices to attract consumers and
seeks thereby to grow in numbers. Institutes and mega-church
workshops and church-growth materials are potential sources of in-
troducing alien doctrines into the life and mission of the Synod.
Tragically, the Gospel itself is sometimes compromised, redefined,
or treated as secondary.

The goal of many Church Growth proponents, to win souls for
Christ through the Gospel, is a worthy one. Ironically, many of the
Church Growth techniques work instead to undermine the Gospel.
Church Growth principles have roots in American revivalism, which
suggests that people have within them the free will to “make a deci-
sion for Jesus.” This implies that gaining new Christians is a human
work—a matter of rhetorical and emotional manipulation, applying
the correct techniques, and following the right principles—rather
than the work of God. Typical Church Growth techniques minimize
the Means of Grace, which are God's way of conveying the salva-
tion of Christ, and instead confuse Law and Gospel, mingle the Two
Kingdoms, and promote a theology of glory over the theology of
the cross. Such things, however sincerely done, undermine the very
Gospel they are intended 6 proclaim.

Part One
The Theological Issues

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS SPELL OUT BIB-
LICAL principles for genuine evangelism, in
which God Himself grows His church by
bringing sinners to faith. Therefore, they are
a a means of assessing the theology and the

yn Y various practices advocated by the Church
Growth Movement.
I
The saving presence of God the Holy Trinity
through the means of grace (Word and Sacrament) is the
heart and center of the church’s life, worship and growth.

* The Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God for
salvation. (John 6:63; Romans 1:16)

¢ Holy Absolution, as an application of that Gospel, actually be-
stows forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name. (John 20:21—22) (Apol-
ogy XII)

* The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is the washing of regeneration
and renewal in the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5, Matthew 28:19-20)

* The Sacrament of the Altar is the actual body and blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and the wine, given to us
Christians to eat and to drink for forgiveness of sins, life and sal-
vation. (1 Corinthians 10:16, Luke 22:14-20)

* The Gospel and the Sacraments are the distinguishing marks of
Chnist’s church on earth and the means by which God the Holy
Trinity grants His forgiving and life-giving presence among His
people. (Small Catechism, Augsburg Confession V & VII; Apol-
ogy VII & VITI[7]; XIV [4]; SA II, part VIII, 10)

* Our churches confess a clear theology of worship embracing ser-
mon, Sacrament, and prayer. This is not a matter of adiaphora.
(Augsburg Confession XXIV, Apology XXIV, XV[42,43])

* All rites and ceremonies that serve the Gospel purely preached
and the Sacraments rightly administered are observed for the sake
of faithfulness to the Gospel, and for unity and continuity in the
faith. (Augsburg Confession XXIV, XXVI [40-41]; Apology XV
[20]; Formula of Concord -SD X {5])

¢ All liturgies, hymns, and agendas used in the churches of our con-
fession are to be doctrinally pure and in accord with the faith of
the one, holy, Christian and apostolic church. (Formula of Con-
cord SD RN (summary formulation) [10])

It follows that spiritual growth does not happen entirely
or in part through man-made devices and methodologies.

Therefore, it is spiritually harmful:
¢ When absolution and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy
Communion are minimized in favor of personal religious efforts,
relational concerns or church activities.

¢ When people-oriented social sciences and methodologies subtly
dominate the God-centered Means of Grace.

¢ When small-group (meta-church) organization and interaction are
considered essential or compete with the public ministry of God’s
Word and Sacrament.

¢ When “spiritual gifts” are substituted for the Means of Grace as
the organizing principle of the church.

¢ When every-busy church activitism is substituted for God-pleas-
ing service in daily Christian vocation.

* When programs of “leadership training” result in (1) substitution
of lay leaders for public ministers of the Gospel or (2) inadequate
training for the proper theological preparation of preachers.

ll
The mission of the church is God’s mission.

¢ In the Divine Service, the corporate worship of the church, the
risen Christ publicly nurtures and feeds His people by means of
the Word and the Sacraments. All Christian witness in home,
church and society flows from and leads to this corporate wor-
ship. (1 Corinthians 10:17, 11:26; Hebrews 10:23-25; Acts 2:42)

* The gifts of the Gospel, forgiveness and life given in Word and
Sacrament—are God’s own means for evangelizing the lost. (See
section III.) This is how Christ builds His church. (Matthew
16:18; Ephesians 2:20-22; Colossians 2:19)

* God created all people—regardless of sex, race, generation, or
culture—but all have sinned and are equally in need of salvation.
God desires all to receive in faith the redemption already won for
all through His Son, Jesus Christ, and delivered in His Word and
Holy Sacraments.

* The Holy Spirit through the Holy Scriptures has given us one
Gospel for all people in whatever culture they live. (Acts 4:12;
Galatians 1:6-9)

* God has given the church a unique and different message, which
the sinful world cannot understand or appreciate. (1 Corinthians 1
& 2, esp. 2:14) This message must be treasured and proclaimed so
that the Holy Spirit can change the hearts of people.

* God has called the community of faith in every place to welcome
visitors and inquirers warmly and openly. He calls His church
lovingly to adapt her outreach to the culture of the hearers without
giving up any of the doctrinal and sacramental fullness of the
Gospel. (Leviticus 19:34; Matthew 25:35; 1 Corinthians 9:22; He-
brews 13:2)

It follows that the church’s mission is to be
viewed theologically rather than sociologically.

Therefore, it is spiritually harmful:
¢ When an artificial tension is postulated between the church's wor-
ship and the church’s mission.

* When mission is shaped mainly by its attractiveness and friendli-
ness to unbelievers, thus pandering to the old Adam.

* When secular culture in one way or another controls the shape of
the church’s mission.

¢ When multi-cultural emphases override the one transcultural mis-
sion of the church to all people, thus promoting a different Gospel
for each subculture.

¢ When the decisive criteria for the church’s mission become tech-
niques of commercial marketing, rhetorical persuasion, statistical
success, or external appearances of happiness or harmony.

* When recently popularized small groups (meta groups) are
viewed as foundational in mission. [Foundational gatherings, or
the “house churches” referenced in Acts 2:42-46 were apostle-
led gatherings of Word and Sacrament ministry. |

2001 Convention Workbook