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LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2013, Page 232

Scan: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

232

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Whereas, The financial support provided by the Synod at the
national level to LCMS seminaries and Concordia universities has
continued to decline; and
Whereas, LCMS congregations deserve the very best trained
and educated professional church workers for building God’s kingdom; and
Whereas, Art. III 3 of the Synod’s Constitution states that one
of the main objectives for forming Synod was “(3) Recruit and train
pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers and provide
opportunity for their continuing growth”; and
Whereas, The seminaries and universities are important in conserving and promoting the unity of the true faith (Eph. 4:3–6); and
Whereas, The Southeastern District has increased financial support to the Synod at the national level for ministry purposes, including
seminaries and universities; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Southeastern District affirms the role of LCMS
seminaries and the Concordia University System in recruiting and
training pastors, teachers, and other professional church workers;
and be it further
Resolved, That the Southeastern District acting in convention
memorialize the Synod at its 2013 convention to direct the Synod’s
Board of Directors to increase its financial support to the seminaries
and to the Concordia universities.
Southeastern District
6-06

To Address Educational Costs Shouldered
by Seminarians
Whereas, The Church relies on the Office of the Holy Ministry
and those men who are called to it; and
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was originally formed with a goal to establish and maintain a seminary; and
Whereas, The current costs of education are high and the typical pastoral salaries are modest; therefore be it
Resolved, That congregations throughout the Synod be encouraged to consider adopting a seminary student; and be it further
Resolved, That districts, as part of their pre-enrollment interview
procedures, provide debt awareness and counseling services to help
seminarians understand what to expect financially; and be it further
Resolved, That districts be encouraged to offer debt reduction for
candidates placed to them and to coordinate efforts for their respective
congregations to help relieve student indebtedness; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod incrementally increase its financial support of the seminaries.
Board of Directors
New Jersey District
6-07

To Fund Missionaries Fully
Whereas, It is our collective responsibility as a Synod to spread
the Gospel through missionary efforts; and
Whereas, That responsibility should include paying the cost for
men to occupy those mission posts; and
Whereas, Currently when men are called to be missionaries, they
are responsible for raising a significant portion of their own costs
through personal fund-raising efforts; and

2013 Convention Workbook

Whereas, These men are trained to be pastors and shepherds of
souls, not fund-raisers; and
Whereas, Insisting they find their own funding before they are
deployed places an undue burden on them and does not befit a Synod
that pledges to be responsible in sending out missionaries; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod reevaluate how missionaries are funded;
and be it further
Resolved, That the responsibility for raising funds for mission
work be removed from our missionaries and that our Synod President
be given the charge to find a way for the Synod to shoulder this burden from within its budget within the next triennium.
St. John, Hubbard, IA; Iowa District East Board of Directors
6-08

To Review Synod Support for Ordained
Missionaries
Whereas, Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of
God (Rom. 10:17); and
Whereas, People cannot hear without someone to preach the
Word (Rom. 10:14); and
Whereas, The cost of mission work has become the sole responsibility and burden of the missionary; and
Whereas, God’s Holy Word states that those who preach the
Gospel should receive sustenance from the Gospel (Matt. 10:9); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2013 LCMS convention acknowledge the current shortcomings in monetary support of ordained missionaries; and
be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention appoint a task force to
evaluate the situation and provide necessary funding for ordained
missionaries.
Dubuque Circuit Forum
Iowa East District
6-09

To Reconsider LCMS Missionary Self-Funding
Whereas, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has a rich
history and practice of overseas, ethnic, career, and short-term missionaries; and
Whereas, This missionary work was historically funded to a large
degree by congregational and individual financial gifts routed through
“mission offerings” to the district and the Synod; and
Whereas, In recent years, more and more of the financial burden
of missionary support has been shifted to funding strategies outside
of district and Synod “mission offerings”; and
Whereas, All LCMS missionaries (career, short-term, and GEO)
are now required to self-fund their expenses through programs such
as “Together in Mission” and direct congregational and individual
support; and
Whereas, This places an exhausting burden upon the missionaries
themselves to spend most of their furlough time (vacation) traveling
from one location to the next to bolster existing donors and recruit
new donors; and
Whereas, Congregations and individuals are encouraged to
support said missionaries in addition to keeping current district and
Synod “mission offerings” funded at a continuing level; therefore be it