LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 159

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LIFE TOGETHER
effective if he meets preset worldly standards, even though both Jesus
and Paul did not always find such worldly success in their ministries
(John 6:60ff.; 2 Tim. 4:9–16; Acts 17:1–9); and
Whereas, TCN also asks congregation leaders to determine if
“The leaders of this church hope to initiate a style of worship service
that appeals to unreached people” (“Leader’s Survey,” TCN, question
3e [http://portal.tcnbackup.com/Portals/0/6%20Leaders%20Survey.
pdf]), thus suggesting that a congregation’s worship style should be
based on sociology instead of the Word of God as it has been taught
in the Lutheran Confessions, or that a congregation’s worship style
should be changed even if it exclusively uses the approved hymnals
of the Synod; and
Whereas, The Holy Spirit alone is responsible for converting
people to saving faith by His Word and Sacraments, when and where
He pleases; and
Whereas, Jesus in Matt. 23:15 teaches that a strong missionary
zeal without the proper biblical and Christ-centered doctrinal teaching is spiritually dangerous; and
Whereas, We as Christians are called to be in this world but not
of it; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the CTCR,
Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and Concordia Theological
Seminary in Fort Wayne to give a theological evaluation of the premise, methods, and materials of Transforming Churches Network; and
be it finally
Resolved, That this theological evaluation be completed and published in The Lutheran Witness within a year of the completion of
this convention.
Zion
Chippewa Falls, WI
3-35

To Promote Only Doctrinally Pure Mission
Resources
Whereas, The LCMS Constitution requires the “exclusive use of
doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and
school” as a condition for acquiring and holding membership in the
Synod (Art. VI 4); and
Whereas, The LCMS Constitution also requires the “renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description,” which includes
“participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities” (Art. VI
2c); and
Whereas, The LCMS Constitution is also “the constitution of
each district of the Synod” (Art. XII 2); and
Whereas, Several districts of the LCMS currently promote a program on the district Web sites called “Natural Church Development”
(NCD), often indicating how many of their congregations are in the
NCD survey process and working on their minimum factor growth;
and
Whereas, The Web site of Natural Church Development
International is a non-Lutheran mission program; and
Whereas, The Web site of this NCD program says about itself that
it “is not a value-neutral methodology, but there are clear theological
assumptions and decisions behind it” (http://www.ncd-international.
org/public/FAQ-NCDTheology.html, accessed July 25, 2011); and
Whereas, The Web site of this NCD program says about
itself that “[c]learly, the theology behind NCD is neither specifically Baptist nor Methodist nor Pentecostal nor Lutheran, but it is

159

a theological paradigm” (http://www.ncd-international.org/public/
FAQ-NCDTheology.html, accessed July 25, 2011); and
Whereas, The resources promoted by Natural Church
Development International have a theological stance that is contrary
to the pure Lutheran teaching (such as NCD’s misunderstanding of
saving faith as “an experience of God” according to Schwarz’s book,
The Threefold Art of Experiencing God [http://www.ncdinternational.
org/public/BooksThreefold.html, accessed July 25, 2011]); and
Whereas, The theology of the Lutheran Church according to
her confessional writings is the correct biblical teaching, without
error; and
Whereas, The use of materials from non-Lutheran mission programs undermines the Lutheran and biblical confession of the faith
and leads those who are weak in faith to assume that our Lutheran
church agrees with such non-Lutheran programs; and
Whereas, Romans 16:17 urges Christians to note and avoid those
who teach “contrary to the doctrine which you learned,” and also 1
Tim. 4:16 admonishes us to “[t]ake heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself
and those who hear you”; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct all districts of the
LCMS to cease promotion of Natural Church Development and its
doctrinally impure materials; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention remind all districts that
in accord with our Constitution, only doctrinally pure, Lutheran mission resources should be promoted in our districts and the Synod;
and be it finally
Resolved, That those LCMS congregations who have participated
in Natural Church Development be informed by representatives from
their district office or their circuit counselor that this program is contrary to the pure Lutheran teaching.
Holy Cross
Albany, OR
3-36

To Encourage Use of LSB Orders of Service
for Official Synod Gatherings
Whereas, God calls us to the divine service that He might distribute to us His gifts; and
Whereas, The Augsburg Confession states: “For the sake of
love and tranquility, to avoid giving offense to another, so that all
things be done in the churches in order, and without confusion” (AC
XXVIII 55, Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, p. 87), it is proper
to employ church ordinances that serve this end; and
Whereas, LCMS Constitution Art. III 7 states that the Synod
shall “encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church
practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with our common
profession of faith”; and
Whereas, St. Paul enjoins Christians to recognize that Christian
liberty is governed by Christian love (1 Cor. 8:7–13; Rom. 12:10;
Gal. 5:13); and
Whereas, Dr. Martin Luther advised the Christians of Livonia:
“We should consider the edification of the lay folk more important
than our own ideas and opinions. Therefore, I pray all of you, my
dear sirs, let each one surrender his own opinions and get together in
a friendly way and come to a common decision about these external
matters, so that there be one uniform practice throughout your district
instead of disorder. … For even though from the viewpoint of faith,
2013 Convention Workbook