LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 135

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MISSIONS 135

Resolved, That the goal of such an affirmation by the seminary
and university faculties of the “priesthood of all believers” is to af-
firm that “all Christians are truly spiritual and there is no differ-
ence among them except that of office” (Luther, To the Christian
Nobility of the German Nation), and be it further

Resolved, That therefore, all Christians be affirmed by said fac-
ulties as having a divine calling to serve their neighbors in the
church and in the world chiefly by “declaring the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter
2:19); and be it further

Resolved, That all Christians also be affirmed by said faculties
as having a divine calling to serve God by serving their neighbors
“in all their roles and places of responsibility” (Marc Kolden, The
Christian’s Calling in the World, p. 8); and be it further

Resolved, That all Christians be affirmed by said faculties as
serving God when they serve their neighbors “in what seems to be
very ordinary ways: raising children, caring for elderly parents,
farming, participating in government, paying taxes, going to school
... and that [words added] every Christian, from the least to the
greatest, from the youngest to the oldest, . . . be seen to have a di-
vine calling” (Marc Kolden, The Christian’s Calling in the World,
pp. 8-9); and be it finally

Resolved, That a joint committee of the seminary faculties re-
port their activities to implement this resolution to the 2010 LCMS
convention.

Board of Directors
Northwest District

1-08

To Reaffirm Priesthood of All Believers

WueEREAS, The biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believ-
ers, as found in | Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may
declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His
wonderful light,” is a fundamental doctrine of the LCMS; and

WHEREAS, Martin Luther taught that the office of preaching be-
longs to all who are Christians both by right and command; and
every Christian has the right and duty to teach, instruct, admonish,
comfort, and rebuke his neighbor at every opportunity; and

WHEREAS, Founder C. F. W. Walther taught that “the holy min-
istry is the authority conferred by God through the congregation,
as a holder of the priesthood and of all church power, to administer
in public office the common rights of the spiritual priesthood in be-
half of all”; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention reaffirm its historic
emphasis on the authority and responsibilities of the priesthood of
all believers including the right of self-governance in the relation-
ship between the congregation and its called pastor; and be it fur-
ther

Resolved, To reject or revise any teachings, procedures, rulings,
practices, resolutions, or proposals that would deny or hinder the
right and responsibility of all church members, the royal priests, to
participate in the calling of pastors, to participate in teaching and
witnessing, in the right to judge doctrine, and in the decision mak-
ing and administration of all church affairs; and be it finally

Resolved, That we all implore the mercies of God to help us
find a consensus on disputed matters that is pleasing to Him,
grounded in Scripture, faithful to the Gospel so that the mission
and ministry of the LCMS might be strengthened and advanced.

Trinity, Roselle, IL; Lord of Life, Leawood, KS

1-09

To Encourage Use of Priesthood
of All Believers for Ministry

WHEREAS, Christians are consecrated priests through Baptism;
and :

WHEREAS, “The Priesthood of All Believers did not make
everyone into a church worker; rather it turned every kind of
work...into a sacred calling...every kind of work is...an occasion
for priesthood, for exercising a holy service to God and to one’s
neighbor” (Gene Edward Veith Jr., God at Work, p. 19); therefore
be it

Resolved, That all Northwest District congregations, agencies,
organizations, and ministries be encouraged (Col. 3:11) to inten-
tionally structure their organizational life to mobilize all baptized
Christians to minister through witness, prayer, and sacrificial ser-
vice in all areas of life; and be it further

Resolved, That all Northwest District congregations, agencies,
organizations, and ministries enable and empower all their mem-
bers, regardless of age and/or gender, to carry out their Christian
vocation in all areas of life by declaring the wonderful deeds God
has performed; and be it further

Resolved, That the Northwest District affirm the efforts of the
Department of Expanding Ministries to deepen the public, congre-
gational, and personal ministries of all baptized Christians; and be
it further

. Resolved, That all Northwest District congregations, agencies,
organizations, and ministries be committed to a more comprehen-
sive use of all members of congregations for ministry; and be it fi-
nally

Resolved, That the Northwest District convention memorialize
the 2007 LCMS convention to encourage the faculties of both sem-
inaries and all Concordia universities to continue to affirm the use
of the priesthood of all believers.

Northwest District

1-10

To Receive Interim Report and Give Thanks
for Fan Into Flame

WHEREAS, The 2004 LCMS convention adopted Resolution 1-
04, “To Commit to $100 Million Ablaze! Fund-raising Effort,” re-
solving to “commit itself to support the major fund-raising effort
approved by the Board of Directors of the Synod and administered
by the Mission Support Unit, with a goal of raising $100 million
above the regular LCMS World Mission budget in time to cele-
brate God’s blessing by the 2010 synodical convention”; and

WuereAS, During the past triennium the fund-raising effort was
initiated under the name Fan Into Flame; and

WHEREAS, Fan Into Flame is intended to support mission work
and evangelistic outreach at all levels: 50 percent for LCMS World
Mission International, 20 percent for LCMS World Mission
National, 15 percent to be returned to congregations who partici-
pate for their own mission projects, and 15 percent to be returned to
districts to support their Ablaze! projects; and

Wuereas, Fan Into Flame has blessed the work of the Synod,
its districts, and its congregations with more than $14 million
already contributed or pledged to Fan Into Flame; and

WHEREAS, During the past triennium the congregational phase
of Fan Into Flame has been conducted in two pilot districts of The
Lutheran Church—-Missouri Synod, Texas and South Wisconsin,
with great blessing to both districts; and

WHEREAS, Participation in Fan Into Flame by the remaining dis-
tricts will take place in three groups, one in 2007, one in 2008 and
one in 2009, so that all districts will have taken part by 2010 as
mandated by 2004 Res. 1-04; and

WHEREAS, Pastors, members, and district officials have reported
with joy the wonderful difference that the Fan Into Flame effort
has made in the life of their congregations and districts; therefore
be it

Resolved, That The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod meet-
ing in convention in 2007 receive with thanks the interim progress
report on Fan Into Flame; and be it further