LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Sheet 78

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79

RESOLUTIONS

1. EVANGELISM

To Participate in Convention
Evangelism Activities
RESOLUTION 1-01

Report 1-01, IV, 3 (CW, p. 5)

Wuereas, Resolution 8-01 of the 1973 synodical con-
vention encouraged “the President of the Synod and
others responsible for the planning of the 1975 synodical
convention to select and implement an evangelism theme
for that convention”; and

Wuereas, The Board for Evangelism appointed an ad
hoc committee which met April 4-5, 1974, in Los Angeles

in order to plan and recommend ways to implement this

resolution; therefore be it

Resolved, That we thank and praise God for leading
and inspiring us to recognize the high priority of the
Great Commission: “Go ye into all the world, and preach
the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) and for His
promise, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto
Me” (Acts 1:8); and be it further

Resolved, That we commend the people responsible for
the convention evangelism format, namely, the Board for
Evangelism and the ad hoc committee which imple-
mented the program; and be it finally

Resolved, That we invite all delegates to participate

-fully in the Bible study groups and evangelistic activi-

ties, and to utilize the promised strength of the Holy

Spirit to go forth to witness.

Action: Adopted (2).

To Affirm a Lutheran Understanding of
Evangelism
RESOLUTION 1-02A
(Replacing Res. 1-02)

Report 1-01; Overtures 1-05, 1-08—1-12 (CW, pp. 1-
13); N.O. Res. 8-05, 8-06 (CW, p. 447)

Wuereas, Moralistic and sectarian evangelistic enter-
prises are proliferating in American society and culture,
some of which have a net effect of creating a civil and
cultural religion in the name of Christ, with the result
that Christ and culture tend to be equated; and

Wuenreas, The Lutheran principle is that Christ and
culture are to be kept distinct (Christians are “in” but
not “of” the world) in order that God the Holy Spirit, who
alone creates faith through His Word, may speak His
word of judgment and grace both upon the church and
upon the culture, particularly when the culture endorses
moralism and sectarianism parading in the name of
Christ; and

Whereas, There seems to be a hesitancy on the part
of many Lutherans to engage in evangelistic activity;
and

A Saturday afternoon evangelism call

Wuereas, There appears to be confusion in the minds
of many Lutherans about evangelism; some associating
evangelism with high-pressure salesmanship, or ulterior
methods bordering on manipulation, or presenting a
shallow moralism in the place of Christ, or endeavoring
to quiet one’s own unbelief and anxieties by getting
others to join one’s own ideology; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod here in convention affirm a
Lutheran understanding of evangelism, to wit, that

1. Evangelism, in its general sense, is sharing the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Such sharing occurs in whatever
form and with whatever form and with whatever means
or methods may be most relevant for the particular
situation of serving the total need of mankind, whom
Christ has redeemed. In a more particular sense, evan-
gelism has special reference to sharing the Gospel with
those who do not yet confess “Jesus Christ is Lord,” to
the end that they, too, may enjoy with us all the benefits
of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Evangelism, in the particular sense, is always a
natural extension of evangelism in the general sense.
Thus, evangelism, in both senses, is as much the due and
responsible service to Christ of each baptized Christian
as it is the due and responsible service of those who
minister in Word and Sacrament or of the organized
agencies of District and the Synod.

3. Evangelism on the part of each baptized Christian
will take place naturally and appropriately in whatever
opportune time and with whatever gifts the Lord of the
church has bestowed upon the baptized individual. How-
ever, inasmuch as the Spirnt-endowed gifts for evangel-
ism can grow, be nurtured, developed, and enhanced
through training, each pastor will want to equip God’s
people for evangelism, and each congregation will pro-
vide suitable and adequate opportunities and methods for
training in evangelism. In addition, each pastor will,
want to alert his members to reject any evangelistic
method or technique which has the effect of binding
people under a yoke of law, or solidifying people in fear
and guilt, mixing Law and Gospel, or taking no account
of the particular human situation of the individual who
is to be “evangelized.”