LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 85

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REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

Inter-Christian Relationships
The twenty-first century LCMS is faced with being an orthodox, confessional, evangelical Lutheran Church in a country where most of its citizens are no longer Christian. People
around the world and in our country are being exposed to
many non-Christian beliefs and groups, including Muslims, Mormons, and atheists. One may even ask, to borrow
the words of President Behnken, “How are we to carry on
the Lord’s work during such abnormal days?” I believe
strongly that we carry on this work by communicating
clearly and courageously the truth that Christ alone is the
only Savior of the world. We do this in witness to nonChristians and Christians alike.
We in the LCMS are part of the visible Christian Church
on earth, a recognition that creates a very real tension among
us. Why is this so? Because the Christian Church on earth
includes churches we consider heterodox, having wrong
teaching. Some in our Synod would have us avoid at all costs
any contact with such Christian churches. Others want our
Synod to be at least minimally involved in certain circumstances and situations with other Lutherans and also with
non-Lutheran Christians in order to honor our belief in the
Holy Christian Church and in order to confess our orthodox
faith to those we consider heterodox. The presence of these
varying viewpoints has resulted in a divisive atmosphere that
has hindered our fellowship and our collective work in mission as a Synod.
To keep this dilemma from hindering our effectiveness in
outreach to the world and to provide a faithful confession to
other Christian churches, such disagreements among us must
be resolved. As was so poignantly noted in the Report of the
Task Force on Funding the Mission, no plan “is capable of
fully succeeding in an organization that is seriously divided
and engaged in issues that divert their energies away from
the mission.” The matters of inter-Christian and interchurch
relations, unionism, separatism, participating in events or
services involving non-LCMS Christian participants, etc.,
that are creating division among us need biblically based
resolution.
A resource titled Witness & Worship in Pluralistic America
(Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 2004) provides both proper
caution and evangelical encouragement in our endeavor to
reach consensus in such matters and to reach people around
the world with the Gospel of Christ. The following statement
is an example. “The Great Commission obligates the church
to be in the world without becoming of the world in order to
witness to the world.”

Speaking With One Voice,
in Christian Love
Witnessing to the pure Gospel, “One Message—Christ!”,
in a pluralistic America brings challenges and difficulties. In
order to face and overcome them, it is imperative that we
speak with one voice, in Christian love.
Regarding this necessity, Dr. Walther said at the first convention of the Iowa District in an essay titled “Duties of An
Evangelical Lutheran Synod”:
My dear brothers, let us be on our guard! Satan is sly.
Right now we are brothers, living together in peace and love.

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But Satan will lay for us snares by which he hopes to destroy
the sweet, brotherly love we now have in our hearts. We dare
never think that it is enough if we just remain united in our
faith and our doctrine . . . It is frightening what harm can result when members of a church organization do not vigilantly
guard their fraternal love. (Essays for the Church by C.F.W.
Walther, Vol. II, p. 56, CPH, 1992)

Again, regarding the vital importance of purity of doctrine
communicated in peace and unity, Dr. Walther states: “A fifth
major duty is that it [the Synod] strive for peace and unity in
the truth in its midst.” He quotes Luther: “Where there is no
love… doctrine cannot remain pure!”
Then Walther says,
We dare never think it is enough if we just remain united
in our faith and doctrine. (Essays for the Church Vol. II, CPH,
1992)

We love because Christ first loved us. In response to God’s
love in Christ, we are motivated to do good works, to perform
good deeds, to accomplish objectives of Christian love, mission, education, and mercy. In congregations, districts, and
organizations across our land, LCMS people, individually and
collectively, are involved in doing just that.
While I could tell you stories about LCMS congregations
and members, allow me to share with you these brief video
clips depicting such works, deeds, and accomplished objectives that embody the mission of the LCMS in various settings across our Synod. [Video clip]
These are only a few of the thousands of similar yet unique
ways in which people in the LCMS are sharing the love of
Christ every day. The “One Message—Christ!” is in their
hearts and on their lips. Christ’s love makes a difference in
people’s lives today and will continue to make a difference in
people’s lives in the future.

The Future of the LCMS
So what does the future look like for the LCMS? What are
your and my hopes and dreams for our Synod in the years
ahead? President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is
never more than one generation away from extinction. We
didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be
fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same,
or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children
and our children’s children what it was once like in the
United States where men were free.”
Like freedom, any organization is never more than one
generation away from extinction. The same may also be said
of any part of the visible Church on earth. We cannot assume
just because an organization has existed for centuries in the
past that it will continue to exist for centuries more in the future. “It must be fought for, protected, and handed on.”
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a voluntary
human organization, without which the Holy Christian
Church might very well be able to exist. Yet I believe God
has called the LCMS into existence for a purpose that has
not yet been fully accomplished. The glorious Gospel of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, proclaimed in the LCMS in
its truth and purity, “must be fought for, protected, and
handed on.” We have the promise of Christ that even the
gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. But those
2007 Convention Proceedings