LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 13

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SYNOD REPORTS
with significant experience managing the SMP program from a district president’s perspective and a keen interest in mission); and Rev.
Timothy Mech (who brought invaluable experience as an SMP mentor). Rev. Dr. Glen Thomas, executive director of the Synod’s Office
of Pastoral Education, provided a great deal of staff assistance.
On the first page of the report you will find the questions I originally posed to this working group. The report is thorough and
well-documented. The conclusion of the report is that we need
the flexibility that the SMP program provides but must take some
care to keep it focused on “specific ministry” contexts. The report
provides honest critique and praise for the program by all parties
involved. There are surprises along the way and many suggestions
for improvement.
My main concern in forming the task force was that the SMP
numbers had risen so dramatically in a brief period that I wondered
about the future ability to sustain residential seminary education. (The
report notes that in 2011 the ratio of residential to SMP students was
4 to 1 at Fort Wayne and 3.1 to 1 at St. Louis.) I was also concerned
with the potentially very high percentage of the pastorate that would
eventually not have had the benefit of a full residential education and
its many blessings. These concerns remain. However, it is clear that
there are contexts well served by the program and its dedicated students and graduates.
This will continue to be a challenging issue. Please give your careful attention to the report. I hope we can find a middle road that we can
all affirm so that we can have the flexibility to place men in situations
where the Gospel might not otherwise be delivered, or the church nurtured and grown, and still remain overwhelmingly committed to the
fine manner of seminary education which has marked our entire history with such blessings for the sake of the Gospel all over the world.
Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison
President
R1-7-CMO

Chief Mission Officer
Preface

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has the privilege of serving Christ at a time of historic opportunity and unique challenges. The
Synod is well equipped to minister in this time of opportunity and
challenge, and restructuring has helped prepare our church for mission and ministry in this changing environment. The Synod is also
assisted by past convention deliberations, including the adoption of
the LCMS Mission Statement:
In grateful response to God’s grace and empowered by the Holy
Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The Lutheran
Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the love of
Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and world.
[Adopted by the 1995 convention]

And the program areas of Synod, under the supervision of the
Chief Mission Officer, establish their mission within the context of
the LCMS mission, as follows:
The program areas of the Synod’s national office will synchronize
strategic internal ministry capabilities and coordinate with the agencies,
auxiliaries, and recognized service organizations of the Synod in order
to enhance efforts and activities that make known the love of Christ
throughout the world.

Furthermore, St. Paul encourages us to work as one in mission that
we may grow together in the bond of Christian love:
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way
into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body,
joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when
each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds
itself up in love. (Eph. 4:15–16)

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Finally, the Lutheran Confessions affirm this work of grace,
saying:
That we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the
Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Ghost is given,
who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear the
Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ’s sake,
justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s
sake. (AC V)
Scope

The scope of this report includes activities in the Office of
National Mission (ONM), the Office of International Mission (OIM),
the area of Pastoral Education (PE), Mission Advancement (MA),
and Communications (COMM) during the last triennium. These program areas were organized and restructured under the supervision of
the Office of the President in accord with the 2010 convention resolutions in order to enhance mission effectiveness, efficiency, and
collaboration.
Executive Summary
The program areas began working under the new structure on July
1, 2011, per the resolutions of the 2010 convention. Minor internal
programmatic organizational adjustments will continue as functions evolve and collaboration among the program operational areas
matures.
Other than restructuring, Unit Executive Directors (UEs) developed three common activities: mission synchronization, multiyear
planning cycles, and budget development and execution. Coordinating
these three activities among the executives enhanced overall operational efficiency and provided a means to measure mission and
mission support effectiveness.
The Synod adopted the following mission statement during the
1995 convention: “In grateful response to God’s grace and empowered
by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the
love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities,
and world.” Developing values, priorities, goals, and vision continues
in congruence with the Synod’s mission and objectives.
In order to accomplish this Synod-wide mission, corporate
Synod began to synchronize and coordinate the various programs
and program support activities by identifying five operational lines
of ministry: mission, mercy, information, advancement, and education. These five lines of operation were synchronized within the scope
of the Synod’s mission statement, objectives, values, and priorities.
The Synod’s mission statement above provides unity of purpose
and work for our church in order that we may more effectively nurture
the faithful and reach the lost for Christ. Furthermore, the objectives
in Art. III of the Constitution articulate the essentials of the mission.
Values and priorities shape cultural identity and provide a focus for
ministry and resources.
Values

The Scriptures and the Confessions have served the Lutheran
Church well throughout the centuries. They encourage unity among
the faithful, identify ecumenical foci, norm catechetical instruction,
and shape practice. Upon them the church has stood against heresy,
secular attack, and internal strife; and from them enduring values
were identified.
Values articulate core cultural identity, and first among them
is fidelity. Be faithful to the Scriptures and the Confessions of the
church. The LCMS remains Lutheran in teaching and practice.
The same principles that brought new freedom to the church of the
Reformation continue to bring spiritual liberty and freedom today.
2013 Convention Workbook