LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1973, Page 12

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12 MISSIONS

Education,” previously named, and ‘‘Memorandum to: Evan-
gelical Lutheran Church of Ghana”) which suggest ecumenical
procedures of cooperation with other Protestants. It suggests
that we no longer support a denominational training program,
questioning the importance of a Lutheran presence and witness
made by the Lutheran Church as an organization, and making
our witness through a pan-Christian arrangement. Other pro-
posals and developments toward united churches and coopera-
tive theological training with other Christian groups not in fel-
lowship with us have been seriously considered. It has even
been suggested that other Protestants and Catholics may attach
themselves to our Lutheran ministry without severing their own
church relationship and that they may be included in the Lu-
theran Sacraments and fellowship where the full worship life
is involved.

Personnel

In December 1971 the board considered an appointment
to extend Dr. Martin L. Kretzmann’s service for one year,
according to Synod's policy for annual extension of service
between the ages of 65 and 70. The vote for extension then lost
by a tie, at which time it was resolved to reconsider the ques-
tion. The motion then carried that Dr. Kretzmann's appointment
be extended for one year so that discussion of theological con-
cerns might be undertaken in the board's sessions for the next
year. This discussion took place as often as possible at board
meetings. In addition several board members had also either
visited with or written him about their concerns. The request
for another extension was made on Sept. 22, 1972. and it was
denied by a majority vote. The majority of the board disagreed
with the views of Dr. Kretzmann as to policies and principles
required by the Synod to carry out the work of the board, while
staff and some board members agreed with him.

Concluding Thoughts

The board generally finds itself in a situation where it is very
difficult to undertake all of its work effectively because of the
great volume of work and the large number of problems. There
is a great amount of material to study that sets forth a number of
issues in home missions, campus ministry. deaf and blind mis-
sions, and world missions (about 30 fields). It is difficult even to
comprehend and understand all of these matters, let alone deal
with them effectively. Various unresolved problems have been
faced by the board, and some are still unresolved, and require
more time to handle them.

We seek to be willing instruments of Christ's great mission to
the world and deal faithfully with our responsibilities according
to the historic understanding of The Lutheran Church — Missouri
Synod in doctrine and practice. We believe that this will provide
the door to greater outreach in the future and many more may
be brought to a knowledge of Christ and become His disciples.
We fervently pray for the planting and growth of the church as
the body of Christ in the world, striving to fill the churches with
mature believers, trained pastors, and other leaders who are
loyal to the apostolic Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

B. Minority Report on Issues
“Take Our Wills and Hearts...”

Perhaps the prayer most often required in the Board for
Missions during the past 2 years was a prayer for deliverance
from a situation in which we as a board were not always pre-
pared to let the Lord take our wills and our hearts and to make
them totally captive to the dynamic forward thrust of the Gospel.

Some great things are happening in Christ’s mission. The
earlier sections of this report and the District and overseas
summaries in the appendix highlight some of the things being
accomplished in the face of great difficulties by the people of
God in their respective areas of influence.

The Board for Missions itself, however, did not accomplish
very much in the last biennium. Instead of dealing with some of
the large new forces developing in the world in order to find
ways to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively,
and make plans to enter new fields or to initiate new ministries,
we were often polarized on matters which have very little to do
with the strengthening and lengthening of the kingdom of our
Lord. Instead of leading, affirming, encouraging, inspiring, we
as a board delayed, hindered, thwarted, and discouraged.

In 10 meetings, each of about 2 days duration, several of us
board members and advisory members (along with staff) have
been forced to spend almost half of our meeting time defending
missionaries working in synodical Districts as well as overseas,
and synodical staff members against charges of unionism,
deviation from accepted procedures, and unfaithfulness to the
Gospel. While these charges are demonstrably unfounded and
do not deserve this fantastic expenditure of time, our trust in the
integrity of missionaries at home and abroad and our conviction
that synodical District Mission Boards, overseas churches and
the staff of the Board for Missions seek the Lord's will in their
context as earnestly as we do, precluded leaving such charges
stand or allowing official action to be based upon them.

We, a minority of the Board for Missions, would be lacking
in our Christian response if we did not sincerely repent of our
individual and collective contributions to such a situation. But
we would be equally remiss in our Christian duty if we did not,
for the sake of the worldwide mission of our Synod, express
clearly what has been happening.

Our Commitment

Six of the 13 members of the Board for Missions, all of the
advisory members, and the entire staff of the Board for Mis-
sions, usually expressed the same views on the crucial issues
before the board. They did so because of their commitment to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His great commission. Common
elements of this commitment are:

1, Our Commitment to Our Lord

We are members of the vast family of God. We are com-
mitted to serve the Lord of the mission. We are His instruments.
“You are my witnesses and my servants whom I have chosen.”
We have a part in fulfilling a tremendous responsibility —‘*The
Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole
world and then shall the end come.” A glorious prize awaits —
‘“Multitudes of every tongue and nation will stand before the
throne and the Lamb.” He is relentlessly nudging us to get away
from the idea of a fixed and immutable church. He is calling us
to use our distinctive heritage and gifts to carry the message
boldly into a dangerous and troubled world: Only in Him are
offered healing for brokenness, and life in the place of death.

2. Trust in the Promise of God's Spirit:
To Work in and Through His People

We believe that each missionary, overseas churchman, pas-
tor, teacher, and layman has the promise of our Lord that He
will give them His Holy Spirit. In their daily work they must live
in their baptism and under the forgivness of sins. As children of
a gracious heavenly Father and led by the Holy Spirit, they
strive to carry out His commands faithfully. We believe that
unless the Board for Missions assumes faithfulness, it simply
cannot operate effectively together with so large a number of
people and agencies in 38 synodical Districts and in 29 countries
beyond the borders of the United States, all in extremely diverse
cultural settings. The board must be willing to trust God's
Spirit, who is at work in and through fellow disciples caught
up in Christ’s mission. In that posture it counsels with brothers
and sisters in mission, not with children. It speaks openly to its
partners in mission in words of affirmation and admonition.

We believe, as the Mission Affirmations (1965) express, that
the whole church is Christ's mission: that is, the Holy Spirit
leads and informs the deliberations of Christians at a given
place — speaking through the unique personalities, experiences,
and insights of each individual and group as they gather around
Word and Sacraments.

3. Commitment to the Mission Affirmations

The task of discipling the nations is quite a different task
today from what it used to be. Major changes in the world
directly affect the logistics and methodology of mission (though
not its purpose or message) and force God’s people at that
place where they are to find new directions and new ways of
solving old problems. Our Board for Missions cannot assume that
only its experiences and insights are valid, and therefore impose
its own conscience on others working in totally unrelated
contexts. The policy changes desired by the present majority
of the board (as outlined in Part A of this section of the report)
would grossly limit mission efforts at home and abroad, in our