LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 169

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To Encourage and Support
the Global Seminary Initiative

Whereas, The LCMS has a global reputation for theological
education based on the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God and
the Lutheran Confessions as a true exposition of God’s Word; and

RESOLUTION 6-04

Whereas, In recent years, dedication to true doctrine and
biblical Christianity has weakened in many places, but growing
churches around the globe are seeking the treasure the LCMS possesses as a gift from God; and

The Global Seminary Initiative (GSI) was conceived in 2011 to
assist world Lutheranism with theological education by bringing
future Lutheran leaders and seminary instructors to the Synod’s
two excellent seminaries for advanced study, by sending professors from the Synod’s seminaries and other qualified instructors to
teach short term at seminaries of International Lutheran Council
(ILC) member churches and other requesting church bodies, and
by holding conferences and seminars to assist in continuing education in these church bodies. The GSI helps support approximately
25 international students at both The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod (LCMS) seminaries each year; helps support students from
the Global South to attend seminaries at ILC partners; supports
about 60 graduate level students in Ethiopia per year; provides for
training in Tanzania, Madagascar, and elsewhere; provides theological training to over 1,000 students and conference attendees
worldwide; and impacts many more thousands through their study.

Whereas, There are now over 60 Lutheran seminaries and Bible
institutes globally that are looking to the LCMS for leadership precisely because of the Synod’s dedication to God’s Word and the
Lutheran Confessions; and

Report R1 (CW, p. 3)
Preamble

Based on requests received by the Synod, our partners’ greatest need is assistance with theological education. Lutheran leaders
worldwide see faithful, confessional, theological education as a key
to maintaining Lutheran doctrinal integrity in their church bodies and to providing good and faithful leaders for the future of
their churches.
A significant reason for the requests for theological education
is the antiscriptural stance Western churches have taken on samesex marriage and the ordination of practicing homosexuals into
the ministry. The churches of the Global South have begun seeking a Lutheran church that teaches the truth of the Holy Scriptures
in accordance with the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church. As a result, these churches in the Global South greatly
desire the teaching found in the ILC and the Synod. Churches
around the world greatly desire the treasures of faithful and sound
teaching. As holders of this precious treasure, rather than bury it
in the field, the Synod is called and compelled to share it with the
world.
For example, three years ago, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church
Mekane Yesus (EECMY) asked for the Synod’s assistance to train
students at the graduate level at their Mekane Yesus Seminary
(MYS) to be instructors in their 10 regional seminaries and 40 Bible
schools. The objective is to train 10,000 pastors to meet EECMY’s
rapid growth. (EECMY’s current membership is approaching eight
million people.) Some dioceses in Tanzania also have requested
in-country training of pastors and evangelists. To date, 20 have
graduated from this program. We anticipate that the five-million
member Lutheran Church in Madagascar will begin requesting
additional training from the Synod over the next three years. This
past year, the one-million member Anglican Church of South
Sudan approached the LCMS seeking to become Lutheran. These
requests are stretching the capacity of the GSI to meet expectations.
“6. Seminaries”

Whereas, The LCMS has the ability and the experience to assist
these churches by providing sound theological education; and
Whereas, Because the support and expansion of theological
education is a mission priority of the Synod (2013 Res. 3-06A),
the LCMS is called to act boldly to share resources and teachers to
spread God’s Word and teach the Lutheran Confessions among all
who thirst for truth; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm that the GSI is
imparting great blessings to world Lutheranism at this crucial
moment; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod send qualified instructors to teach at
and support seminaries requesting assistance; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod support the formation of the next generation of international teachers and church leaders by enabling
them to study at LCMS and regional seminaries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod sponsor conferences and continuing
education seminars particularly in East Africa; and be it further
Resolved, That these aforementioned initiatives be undertaken
when sufficient resources are designated and secured for that purpose; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage individuals
and congregations to support the continuation of this good work
with their prayers and financial support: www.lcms.org/makeagift/gsi.
Action: Adopted (7)
(Res. 6-03, Res. 6-04, Res. 6-05, and Res. 6-06 were, without
objection from the assembly, bundled together and introduced by
the committee as a single proposed action. After debate, Res. 6-03,
Res. 6-04, Res. 6-05, and Res. 6-06 were adopted as presented [single action by hand vote].)

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions |

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