LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 136

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4. LIFE TOGETHER
receiving the Lord’s preaching, catechesis, and Sacraments in
the fellowship of the Christian congregation; trust in His
Word for all aspects of human life; confess faith in Christ
before the world; and live in Christ and His forgiveness in
Christian vocation toward others; and
WHEREAS, The apostle Peter encourages the disciples of
Christ to always be prepared to make a defense of their faith
with gentleness and respect to anyone who asks of them about
the hope they have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15); and
WHEREAS, The Small Catechism’s Table of Duties
describes how being a disciple of Christ touches every station
in which Christians find themselves, such as civil authorities
and citizens, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers,
children and youth, employers and workers; and
WHEREAS, Making Disciples for Life was first adopted in
2019 (Resolution 4-03A) as the triennial mission and ministry
emphasis of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS);
and
WHEREAS, The current triennial mission and ministry
emphasis Making Disciples for Life, established in 2019, has
only just begun to serve our Synod and give direction to
districts and congregations and to guide the policymaking
work of mission and ministry through the Board for National
Mission (BNM) and Board for International Mission (BIM);
and
WHEREAS, The BNM and BIM under Bylaws 3.8.2.2 and
3.8.3.2 began conversations with the leadership of every
district of the Synod to gather information and input to help
facilitate the assessment and evaluation of the Synod’s
triennial mission and ministry emphasis with the plan to
continue ongoing fraternal communication with district
presidents and staffs over the next triennium toward
enhancing Synod koinonia, unity, and cooperation in the
Synod’s mission and ministry; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention affirm Making
Disciples for Life as its mission and ministry emphasis for the
2023–26 triennium; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention direct the Office of
National Mission (ONM) and Office of International Mission
(OIM), in response to fraternal discussions with the districts
regarding their unique contexts, challenges, and
opportunities, and consistent with policies established by the
BNM and BIM, to support congregations, schools, circuits, and
districts to:
• plant new congregations and schools;
• strengthen existing congregations and schools;
• evangelize the lost;
• retain the faithful;
• care for church workers;
• engage in international mission in partnership with the
OIM; and

136 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION

• engage in domestic mission with the support of the
ONM through the district offices;
and be it further
Resolved, That the BNM and BIM increase opportunities
for conversation and collaboration with the districts of the
Synod toward greater “walking together” under the Synod’s
triennial mission and ministry emphasis; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod encourage all LCMS districts,
congregations, and schools to ground their local mission and
ministry upon the Synod’s emphasis of Making Disciples for
Life to the glory of God and for the extension of Christ’s
kingdom; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention directs the
Synod’s mission boards, under Bylaws 3.8.2.2 and 3.8.3.2, to
continue to assess, clarify, and further refine the process
whereby a recommendation for the triennial mission and
ministry emphasis is brought before the Synod in convention
for consideration and adoption; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod’s mission boards, after fraternal
discussions with districts and members of the Synod over the
next triennium, recommend a new mission and ministry
emphasis for consideration at the 2026 Synod convention
(Bylaws 3.8.2.2 and 3.8.3.2).
Action: Adopted (9)

Upon immediate closure of debate, as suggested by the chair, the
resolution was adopted by unanimous voice vote.

To Affirm and Continue Mission Priorities
for 2023–26 Triennium
RESOLUTION 4-03
Overture 4-05 (CW, 274–75)
Preamble
The Board for National Mission (BNM) and the Board for
International Mission (BIM) give thanks to God, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit for the blessing of mutual
conversation, encouragement, and insight shared between
representatives of the BNM, the BIM, and the Synod’s 35
district presidents along with members of their respective
staffs over this past quadrennium. This expression of walking
together was a powerful reminder that the Synod must always
continue to foster and strengthen its unity through face-toface meetings, flowing out of a salutary commitment to
“conserve and promote the unity of the true faith”
(Constitution Article III 1). One of the main goals of these
meetings was to discuss and evaluate the current mission and
ministry priorities of the Synod. From these and other
considerations, the BNM and BIM recommend affirming and
continuing the Synod’s current seven mission priorities for
continued development and implementation into the Synod’s
coming triennium (2023–26).

Resolutions