LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 60

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60

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

• Provide a Gospel witness to 50 million unreached or
uncommitted people in the USA.
• Provide a Gospel witness to 50 million unreached or
uncommitted people in the rest of the world.
• Plant 2,000 new LCMS missions in the United States.
In addition, we pray God’s blessing upon the achievement
of the following specific strategies articulated by LCMS World
Mission in support of the Ablaze! goals noted above.
• Provide support and assistance for 2,000 LCMS congregations who recognize the need for renewed health and
vitality.
• Increase by 50 percent the number of LCMS career
missionaries in the field.
• Provide increased support for the 29 partner churches
of the LCMS throughout the world.
Fan Into Flame! Goals
By 2010, we pray that our Synod will have gathered $100
million to support the mission objectives of Ablaze! that require financial expenditure. These objectives include:
• the planting of 2,000 new missions in the United States;
• the revitalization of 2,000 existing LCMS congregations;
• the increase in numbers of career missionaries involved
in a ministry of Word and Sacrament; and
• the provision of increased support for the mission and
outreach efforts of our 29 partner churches throughout
the world.
At the time of writing of this report, $15 million in gifts
and pledges have been received, mostly from major gift
donors ($50,000 and up) and from the two pilot districts
(Texas and South Wisconsin) who initiated the congregational
phase of Fan Into Flame. During 2007, seven additional districts will participate in the congregational phase, with approximately that same number scheduled to participate in
2008, 2009, and 2010, the year in which Fan Into Flame is to
be concluded.
For the Sake of the Church
For the Sake of the Church is an effort to double the number of LCMS students and to gather $400 million in endowments at our Concordia University System’s ten colleges and
universities. The latest report indicates an increase of LCMS
students at our Concordias of approximately 50% and a total
endowment at our ten institutions of approximately $150 million. This is a most important endeavor worthy of our continued prayers and support!
Synod Solidarity in the Midst of Synod Conflict
In my report to the 2004 convention of the Synod, I shared
observations and concerns regarding Synod solidarity in the
midst of Synod conflict. That section of my 2004 report is included in the appendix of this Workbook, titled “Synod Solidarity in the Midst of Synod Conflict—Excerpt from the President’s Report Part 1 of the 2004 Convention of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod.” Specifically, the following topics
were addressed.
• Close Communion
• Church and Ministry
• Traditional and Contemporary Worship
2007 Convention Proceedings

• Participation in Events or Services with Other Christians
or Non-Christians
While these issues are still matters of concern among us in
our Synod today, numerous steps have been taken to address
them. Noteworthy among these are the two “Model Theological Conferences” held in Phoenix in 2002 and 2005, both of
them in August! All 35 districts of the Synod sent as many as
five representatives, who then assisted with the planning and
conducting of similar conferences in their respective districts
to consider such topics as participation in civic events and the
role of the office of the pastoral ministry in relation to the
priesthood of all believers.
In addition, the Praesidium (the President and five vicepresidents of the Synod) is providing Bible studies for use by
circuit counselors at circuit pastoral conferences for further
study and discussion related to these and other issues. Also,
the Council of Presidents is working diligently to provide
counsel to the Synod regarding these subjects. When the COP
completes its work aimed at achieving concord and unity on
many of these matters of concern among us, that work will
be shared with the Synod.
Lawsuit against the President and First Vice-President
of the Synod and the Synod Itself
In the past three years, another point of contention has
arisen among us, namely, how Christians in general, but
specifically LCMS Christians, resolve conflict that arises in
our midst. A most notable event this past triennium that
caused particular attention to such concerns was a lawsuit
filed August 15, 2005, against the President and First VicePresident of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and
against the Synod itself. It is difficult to estimate how many
people in the LCMS are aware of the lawsuit. Suffice it to say
that many in our Synod have heard about this matter, the
facts of which I will attempt to relate as objectively as possible
in a Special Report from the President to the 2007 Convention of the Synod.
That Special Report, included in this Workbook, provides
details regarding the issues and resolution of the lawsuit. I
invite you to read that report to discern with certainty and in
greater detail the facts of the lawsuit and to understand the
agreements reached in its culmination. Some of the major
matters of concern from the lawsuit are addressed in the report of the 2004 Resolution 7-02A Committee, which delegates will receive prior to the convention. The convention will
have ample opportunity to consider the 7-02A Committee report and to take any action the delegates deem appropriate.
In this section of my report, the following news release
from the November 1, 2006, issue of LCMS e-News offers a
summary of the matter.
The lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Mo.,
in August 2005 (known as the “Anderson Lawsuit”) has now
been fully dismissed, with all clerical details and waiting periods satisfied. The lawsuit was filed initially by approximately
80 LCMS members against President Gerald Kieschnick,
First Vice-President William Diekelman, and The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod (as a necessary nominal defendant).
The plaintiffs initiated the lawsuit based upon their belief that
exceptions requested by district boards of directors and granted
by the President of the Synod that allowed circuits not meet-