LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 1

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SYNOD REPORTS

R1-8

LCMS Convention 2007
Report of the President

Part I

Introduction and Welcome to Delegates
to the 63rd Regular Convention
of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, Savior of the world and
Lord of the universe, through whom alone we receive forgiveness
of sins, life, and salvation!
Welcome, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, to the 63rd Regu-
lar Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. It is my
privilege to share with you this first portion of the report of the
President of the Synod to this very important Synod gathering.
The report of the President will be presented in four parts:
¢ Part I is the written report you are now reading, printed in the
2007 Convention Workbook. Also included as a supplement to
Part I is a Special Lawsuit Report.

¢ Part II will be presented orally at the initial meeting of the con-
vention floor committees, to be held in St. Louis, May 18-21,
2007. It will also be posted on the LCMS convention Web site
following its actual presentation on May 18.

¢ Part III will be presented orally at the convention on Sunday, July
15, 2007.

* Part IV will consist of a question-and-answer session at the con-
vention, also on Sunday, July 15, 2007.

It is my hope and prayer that your service as a delegate to this
triennial convention will be a blessing to you, to the congregations,
and to the individual members of the Synod.

The Vision for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

It is also my hope and prayer that your involvement in this con-
vention will be instrumental in the accomplishment of a vision for
our Synod that the delegates to the 2004 convention resolved to
“endorse and respond enthusiastically to ... encouraging our broth-
ers and sisters throughout The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
to do the same.” That vision is articulated as One Mission, One
Message, One People.

Holy Scripture is replete with biblical references regarding the
Vision of ONE, especially our oneness in Christ:
¢ And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to

His good pleasure ... to bring all things in heaven and on earth
together under ONE head, even Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-10)

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond
of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were
called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith,
one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6)

“Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all
lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one
another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

¢ “Now, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no
schisms among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Jesus prayed, “... also for those who will believe in Me through
their [the disciples’ ] message... That they may all be one, as You
Father, are in Me, and I in You.... That they may be one just as
We are one... May they be brought to complete unity to let the
world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You
have loved Me.” (John 17:20—23)

One Mission—To Seek the Lost for Christ

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
(Luke 19:10)

The Lord says: “It is too small a thing for you to be My servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I
have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you
may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

One Message—Jesus Christ Is the Savior of the World

There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.
(Acts 4:12)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who recon-
ciled the world to Himself through Christ, not counting
mankind’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the
message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19)

One People—United by God’s Love in Christ Jesus
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ... stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striv-
ing side by side for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27)
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond
of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were
called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith,
one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:3-6)

Jesus said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I
must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there
Shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

Succinctly stated, this vision anticipates the congregations, pas-
tors, and commissioned ministers, of our Synod working together
to achieve the One Mission given by God, that of seeking people
who without faith in Christ will be lost eternally, by proclaiming
the One Message given by God, that Jesus Christ alone is the Sav-
ior of the world, as the One People God has called us to be, united
by God’s Love in Christ Jesus.

What does this vision of ONE look like in The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod? In a spirit of humility, repentance, and
prayer, I respectfully submit this description of my hopes and
prayers for the LCMS in the years ahead:

A Repentant People

The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS by the Holy
Spirit’s power, in the light of God’s Word, first looking into our
own hearts in repentance, seeing our own personal need for for-
giveness and renewal through the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

A Redeemed People

The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS as redeemed
and Spirit-filled, confident of God’s forgiveness for Christ’s sake,
living our lives to the glory of God and exercising faithful stew-
ardship of His many gifts to us.

A Renewed People

The vision of ONE sees the people of the LCMS as renewed
“lights in the darkness” and “salt of the earth” who love, respect,
and honor one another, vigorously making known the love of
Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and

2007 Convention Workbook