LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2004, Page 207

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4. PROGRAM AND FINANCE

401

To Raise Awareness re Funding Mission

WHEREAS, The LCMS Board of Directors has proposed that all
Synod funds from congregations be sent directly to St. Louis and
then distributed to Districts and other ministries by the Synod; and

WHEREAS, New Testament principles of stewardship (outlined
in 2 Corinthians 8-9) are grounded in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ rather than the Law; and

WHuEREAS, The proposal ignores the history of the LCMS in
being wary of centralization and wanting to take a congregational
approach; and

WHEREAS, The proposal goes against all current funding meth-
ods that show people giving more readily to local causes than to a
central, distant entity; and

WHEREAS, The funding of mission work is something that must
be accomplished through many individuals and congregations; and

WHEREAS, The Southeastern District for many years has ac-
tively encouraged its congregations and their members to support
its own mission outreach efforts and those of the Synod; and

Wuereas, The Board of Directors of the Southeastern District
believes this strong link with its congregations and their members
will be crucial to continued growth in gifts for mission work; and

WHEREAS, Redirecting and centralizing the flow of funds from
individuals and congregations directly into the Synod would se-
verely and negatively impact mission starts on a local and District
level; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod funding continue to be from individ-
uals and congregations to Districts, and that the Districts continue
to determine their offerings to the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That an intense educational program be instituted to
raise the level of awareness of the members of the LCMS congre-
gations concerning the funding needs of the Synod; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That all Districts nationally be challenged to signifi-
cantly tithe (20 percent or greater) toward the Synod’s funding
needs.

Board of Directors
Southeastern District

4-02

To Adopt in Principle “Funding the Mission” Proposal

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a “part-
nership in the Gospel” (Phil. 1:5), that is, a Synod of congregations
walking together to accomplish its mission; and

WHEREAS, Our Lord’s apostle encourages us to “walk worthy
of the Gospel” and to “stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striv-
ing side by side for the faith of the Gospel” (Phil. 1:27); and

WHEREAS, The same apostle testifies of the Macedonians that
“they gave of their means, and beyond their means, of their own
free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the re-
lief of the saints” (2 Cor. 8:3-4); and

WHEREAS, Congregations are free to decide how they will spend
the mission offerings given by God’s people regardless of the
method by which Districts of the Synod remit funds to the Synod;
and

WHEREAS, St. Paul does not require the church in Corinth to
give, but appeals to their love for the brothers and sisters in
Jerusalem, a love worked by God, and urges them to “arrange in
advance for this gift you have promised, so that it may be ready
not as an exaction but as a willing gift” (2 Cor. 9:5); and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s method of receiving funds for its mis-
sion endeavors ought to be congruent with its nature as a confes-
sional fellowship of self-governing congregations (Art. VII); and

WHEREAS, The proposal known as “Funding the Mission” (dis-
cussed at length by the Board of Directors and others across the
Synod and supported by at least one District [Mid-South]) is one

207

example of a funding method that provides for the funding of the
Synod’s core functions and gives congregations and Districts free-
dom to choose which areas of mission they desire to support; there-
fore be it

Resolved, That the Synod in convention adopt in principle the
proposal known as “Funding the Mission,” or another method of
funding the core functions of the Synod congruent with the Synod’s
nature as a confessional fellowship of self-governing congrega-
tions; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention instruct the Board of
Directors of the Synod to work with the Council of Presidents and
the Districts to implement this plan this triennium.

Board of Directors
Southern Illinois District

4-03

To Establish New System to Fund Synod

WHEREAS, A major purpose for having a synodical union is to
fulfill our Lord’s desire for utilizing the diversity of our many
gifts for the common good and development of His kingdom
(1 Corinthians 12); and

‘WHEREAS, Many financial gifts are being received and given by
our congregational members in many diverse ways for the imple-
mentation, support, and maintenance of our various agreed upon
ministries and programs; and

WHEREAS, The receipt of more and more financial gifts from
both individuals and congregations to District and Synod activities
are being designated for specific ministries, and this designated-
giving pattern is likely to continue to increase; and

WHEREAS, The basic funding pattern for the mission and min-
istry of the Synod has continually evolved over our 155-year his-
tory; and

WHEREAS, The evolving trends and sources of funding have im-
pacted the ways of determining and administering the finances of
the Synod; and

WHEREAS, The historical unfolding of the past 30 years or so
has gradually changed the Synod’s funding pattern from a mostly
unified-budget model to a mostly designated-giving model; and

WHEREAS, These changes in funding trends and sources are
forcing the Synod at the national and District levels to rethink its
funding philosophy for supporting and/or sustaining ministry ac-
tivities that do not receive designated gifts or are fee-for-service
based (e.g., Lutheran Church Extension Fund, Concordia Publish-
ing House, Worker Benefit Plans, etc.); and

WHEREAS, These changes in funding sources have also con-
tributed to some unintended inequities, identifying the need for the
Synod to implement a different system that can work with these
new trends; and

Wuereas, An effective funding system needs to (1) value input
from congregations for priority areas of ministry; (2) encourage
and manage designated giving from individuals and congregations;
and (3) at the same time fund, in an adequate and equitable manner,
the common-good activities identified as the 10 constitutional ob-
jectives of the Synod; and

Whereas, The LCMS Board of Directors, the President’s of-
fice, and the Council of Presidents have already taken a leadership
role by actively participating in a joint-planning exercise that has
taken into account many of the funding ideas, concepts, and actions
of past conventions to make our funding method more inclusive
and simplified; and

WHEREAS, The unknown but inevitable return of our Lord de-
mands that we recognize the present as the only opportunity we
have for conducting our mission and ministry as His church in the
most faithful and effective manner possible; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod immediately initiate the process to
develop a new financial system that remains simple, accountable,
and equitable but also which incorporates all its entities (national
and District offices, corporations, auxiliaries, Recognized Service