LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2007, Page 284

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284 SYNOD STRUCTURE AND GOVERANCE

8-69

To Form Non-Geographic Districts for Sake of Peace

WHEREAS, The Synod allows for “the formation, division,
realignment, merger, or dissolution of a district or districts”
(4.1.1.3); and

WHEREAS, Member congregations joining and departing from
districts is a dynamic, healthy, and ongoing process where districts
grow and shrink over time; and

Wuereas, The Synod is a man-made institution for the purpose
of serving God’s people and promoting unity rather than distracting
from the Gospel mission and causing disunity; and

WHEREAS, In the history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America there have been times when church bodies merged and di-
vided for the sake of peace, unity, and the ability to faithfully carry
out the Great Commission without protracted distraction so that
there may be unity of doctrine and practice; and

WHEREAS, The LCMS finds itself embroiled in turmoil and
strife that is taking away much time from efforts to carry out the
Great Commission—making disciples by baptizing and teaching
(Matt. 28:19-20); and

WHEREAS, There is clear biblical precedent for dividing God’s
people for the sake of reaching the lost, such as Lot and Abraham
(Gen. 13:6~12), Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36-41), and Jesus and
the disciples in twos (Luke 10:1—2); and

WHEREAS, The Synod Handbook at one time (1983 Bylaws 4.63
and 4.65) contained language that recognized the need for God’s
people to peacefully divide “with due Christian regard for the spir-
itual welfare of all concerned,” thus establishing the practice of di-
vision as something normal and expected as opposed to a foreign,
new, innovative, or sinful practice; therefore be it

Resolved, That the LCMS in convention encourage during the
next triennium the formation of non-geographical districts in a
process overseen by the Synod Board of Directors 4.1.1.3 (a) and in
consultation with the Council of Presidents; and be it further

Resolved, That existing district boards of directors be encour-
aged to peacefully and with due diligence grant a transfer of mem-
ber congregations that desire to join in the formation of new
districts (4.1.1.4) to the district of the congregation’s choice; and
be it further

Resolved, That the CCM be encouraged to peacefully and with
due diligence review and approve “the form of incorporation or as-
sociation” (4.1.3) within 90 days of receipt; and be it further

Resolved, That the formation of new districts be constituted on
the basis of when 53 (the size of the smallest existing district) or
more member congregations agree to join together and submit a
proposal under Bylaw 4.1.1.3 (b); and be it further

Resolved, That this special process during the next triennium
bypass the requirement for submission to the Synod in convention
(4.1.1.3 [b][6]); and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod Board of Directors will grant the for-
mation of the new districts within 90 days of providing a reasonable
proposal under Bylaw 4.1.1.3 (b).

Grace
Lexington, MO

8-70

To Form a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Separation

WHEREAS, Holy Scripture says of the Church, “How good and
pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1),
and St. Paul exhorts a badly divided Corinthian congregation, “I
appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions
among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and
thought” (1 Cor. 1:10), and our Lord Jesus Christ says of His
Church in His high priestly prayer, “That all of them may be one,
Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in

Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me ... May
they be brought to complete unity” (John 17:21-23); and

WHEREAS, Our Lutheran Confessions give witness to the ab-
solute necessity of maintaining the unity of the Christian faith when
they say, “Therefore the church cannot be better ruled and pre-
served than if we all live under one head, Christ, and all the bish-
ops—equal according to the office ... Keep diligently together in
unity of teaching, faith, sacraments, prayers, and works of love, etc.
(Kolb-Wengert); and

WHEREAS, It has become sadly evident that this scriptural and
confessional unity has been badly fractured within The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod and that there has been and remains
much in-fighting over doctrinal and political issues within the
Synod to include but not be limited to: the doctrine and practice of
close(d) Communion, the doctrine and practice of church fellow-
ship (unionism and syncreticism), the doctrine and practice of the
ability of the sheep to judge their shepherd, the doctrine and prac-
tice of personal accountability for personal actions, the doctrine and
practice of who should publicly preach and administer the Sacra-
ments, the doctrine and practice of the proper role of women in the
Church in relation to the biblical order of creation, the doctrine and
practice of worship forms for the sake of unity in the church, and
the doctrine and practice of biblical evangelism within the church;
and

WHEREAS, Such infighting and diversity in doctrine and in our
doctrine’s practice is not pleasing to God and shows no sign of
abating among us; and

WHEREAS, The polarization of our Synod has become so griev-
ous that factions within our Synod have reached a long-standing
and insurmountable impasse; therefore be it

Resolved, That a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Separation be ap-
pointed jointly by the faculties of our two seminaries, providing
equitable and proportionate representation to the various factions
now present in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as to the
feasibility of embarking on a formal, legal separation of the Synod;
and be it further

Resolved, That all funding for the expenses of the Blue Ribbon
Task Force on Separation be provided as a top priority by the gen-
eral operating funds of the Synod; and be it further

Resolved, That this joint seminary faculty identify, recruit, and
enlist representatives of the various factions within the LCMS ina
proportional and equitable manner to serve as consultants (by
means of representatives from each faculty) to the Blue Ribbon
Task Force on Separation, providing theological guidance to the
Task Force for the duration of the task assigned to the Task Force;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Separation be
authorized and funded to acquire competent corporate legal advice
from a law firm skilled in corporate, nonprofit law, to utilize such
counsel to advise the Task Force as to the benefits and detriments
of separation, and to formulate an instrument that will legally and
ethically guide a process of separation should the Synod in con-
vention chose to separate; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Separation pre-
sent its finalized report and an instrument of separation to the 2010
Synod convention no later than six months prior to that convention
for their consideration.

St. James, Bothell/Mill Creek, WA; Grace, Lexington, MO

8-71

To Ask Certain Members to Leave Synod

WHEREAS, Attacks against the church in the form of false teach-
ings are incessant; and

WHEREAS, The theory of evolution is used for such attacks
against the pure and true Word of God; and

WHEREAS, It seems that some members of our Synod want the
theory of evolution to be taught as the truth; and