LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 187

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Whereas, Corporate Synod and its Office of International Mission and Office of National Mission, including missionaries, rely
entirely on what is received from individuals, households, congregations, and other groups and entities who give voluntarily to
support missionaries, their programs and projects, and its mission
infrastructure; and
Whereas, Many individuals, households, congregations, and
other groups and entities who voluntarily support missionaries
designate (restrict) their contributions to that purpose, in part for
the reassurance that such contributions can only be used to fund
missionaries; and
Whereas, The funding of LCMS missionaries through specially designated gifts was first authorized by the Synod in 1981 Res.
12-09 and most recently affirmed in 2013 Res. 6-02 (see Addenda
to this resolution); and
Whereas, Voluntary support received by corporate Synod, in
the form of donor-designated (restricted) contributions to financially support LCMS national and international missionaries,
increased from $7.6 million in fiscal year 2013 to just over $10 million in 2015, owing in large part to the Network Support Missionary
funding model; and
Whereas, As of just prior to the 2016 Synod convention, 1,373
LCMS congregations (including 639 who have voluntarily identified
themselves as Together in Mission partners) are directly sponsoring LCMS missionaries, compared to 916 congregations (including
514 Together in Mission partners) just prior to the 2013 Synod convention showing the positive response to the 2013 Res. 6-02; and
Whereas, Over the past triennium the increase in voluntary
support for missionaries, particularly in the form of donor-designated (restricted) contributions, has made it possible for the Office
of International Mission and Office of National Mission substantially to increase the number of LCMS missionaries serving in the
Lord’s harvest fields toward the Synod’s goal of doubling that number; and
Whereas, Corporate Synod, through its Mission Advancement
Unit (including Mission Central in Mapleton, Iowa) provides information, instructions, encouragement, and counsel to individuals,
households, congregations, and other groups and entities who wish
to financially support the sending of missionaries, with or without
the direct involvement of individual missionaries; and
Whereas, Mission Central in Mapleton, Iowa, alone facilitates
$5 million in annual voluntary donor and congregation contributions for LCMS missionaries and mission projects, and this from
a limited geographic area of the LCMS; and
Whereas, In response to the goal of doubling the number of
LCMS missionaries serving in the Lord’s harvest fields and as a
sign of corporate Synod’s commitment to sending missionaries, the
Mission Advancement Unit increased by one the number of staff
members on its Missionary Network Care and Support Team (from
four to five) and is attempting to increase the number of mission
development counselors from one (Gary Thies in Mapleton, Iowa)
to two (location to be determined), in order to proactively engage
individuals, households, congregations, and other groups and entities in the noble task of financially sponsoring missionaries; and
“9. Finance”

Whereas, Corporate Synod through Mission Advancement/
Mission Central offers multiple paths, means, and opportunities
to support financially the sending and retention of missionaries
and their projects; and
Whereas, Over 94 percent of LCMS households and 75 percent of LCMS congregations have not yet chosen to sponsor one or
more specific LCMS missionaries as an intentional aspect of their
voluntary support for mission and ministry outside their local community, this over and above their general support of districts and
Synod through undesignated regular worship offerings; and
Whereas, The primary factor limiting financial support of
LCMS missionaries, their projects, and their support system infrastructure is a choice as to whether or not to voluntarily contribute
resources from God’s bounty at the individual, household, congregation, or other group or entity level; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention rejoice and give thanks
to God for congregations that have already made the decision to
provide voluntary contributions to the LCMS for the purpose of
funding LCMS missionaries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention commend the Office of
International Mission and the Office of National Mission and their
missionaries, LCMS Communications, LCMS Mission Advancement, and Mission Central for being vigorous in connecting God’s
people to mission opportunities through the voluntary financial
support of the Synod and its missionaries and for the wise and diligent use of donated funds; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage all potential
donors to avail themselves of at least one of the paths, means, or
opportunities provided by the Synod’s Mission Advancement Unit
through which they can support the church’s mission to share the
Gospel, by providing voluntary charitable contributions to corporate Synod, whether designated or undesignated.
Donor Data for LCMS Missionary Support
2012–13

2015–16

514
402
916

639
734
1,373

Congregational Groups
322
Total: Congregations plus Cong. Groups 1,238

258
1,631

Districts
Circuits
LLL Districts/LWML Zones
Total: All LCMS Cong, Groups & Orgs

13
5
21
1,277

18
6
28
1,683

Households/Families
Total Donor Count – Missionaries

4,596
5,875

4,620
6,303

TIM Congregations
Non-TIM Congregations
Total: LCMS Congregations

Amount (excluding bequests)

$6,526,359 $10,464,400

Addenda

U P O N T H I S R O C K • Resolutions

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