LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 15

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2. MISSIONS

2-01
Report of Board for Missions

The mission of the church began when God out of love chose
and destined sinners to become His own through the redemp-
tive act of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did this for a purpose: that
His people ‘‘may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who
called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

To make this possible, God sent His only-begotten Son into
the world to take on our humanity in every respect except that
He was without sin. Through Christ’s innocent suffering and
death on the cross in full payment for the sins of all mankind
He brought about peace and reconciliation between the sinner
and God (2 Cor. 5:18-19). This is verified by His resurrection
triumph over death.

Through the Gospel Christ has come to dwell within us.
Through His Word and sacraments we also have the gift of the
Holy Spirit, who creates faith and generates within us new life
in Christ. Though we are still plagued by sin, we can, but only
by His power, rise with Christ to newness of life with strength
to serve and willingness to work in His kingdom.

Our Lord urges us to share the Good News of salvation to
the ends of the earth. ‘‘Go therefore, and make disciples. . aa
(Matt, 28:19-20). “Be My witnesses. . ” (Acts 1:8). He further
promises to equip us with the gifts and strengths necessary to
do this task.

This privilege to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the
world at home and abroad is one of the objects of our church
body, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod: “the joint ex-
tension of the Kingdom of God” (Handbook. Constitution, Art.
III 2). Mindful of this fact the Board for Missions has as its
overarching objectives:

1, A growing number of people all over the world who
worship and serve the true God, by word and deed witnessing
to the saving work of God in Jesus Christ, and, while awaiting
His final coming, proclaim His lordship over all of life. (Believers
in Christ worshiping, witnessing to, and serving God in His
mission.)

2, Christian people, individually and corporately under the
blessing of the Holy Spirit —

a) living in faithfulness to the Word as given us in the Holy
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the only
standard of faith and life and to the Symbolical Books of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and un-
adulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God:

b) growing in faith and service, equipping and freeing each
other to minister to people in all sorts of conditions:

c

expressing an interdependence in giving and receiving
the various gifts God has given each:

d

responding to the challenge and opportunity to bring the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to unevangelized people every-
where through creative ministries of witness and service:

e) sharing with other churches and individuals the treasures
God in His grace has entrusted to His people.

During the biennium the Board for Missions has sought to
carry out these objectives in various ways. A mission response
to the Hispanic peoples in North America has been undertaken
in cosponsorship with the Board for Parish Education, Concor-
dia Theological Seminary, Springfield, Ill. and other related
synodical agencies. The board has established a policy study
and development project to determine objectives, goals, and
priorities in the mission outreach of the Synod. The board is
carrying forward a study into the possibilities of beginning
mission work in Angola and Mozambique in Africa. The board
held forums for reconciliation and also conducted discussions
on the Mission Affirmations and other topics, often in the light
of recent CTCR documents, The board issued a call for an evan-
gelism resource man for the mission fields as encouraged by
New Orleans convention Res. 1-09. The call was not a¢cepted,
but the board is continuing its interest in evangelism programs
and training overseas. The board after a number of years of
research by its staff and in consultation with other Lutheran
mission boards adopted anew missionary support structure that
makes provisions for special living conditions overseas. It also

developed a policy for emergency health and welfare needs for
overseas missionaries.

For these and other such accomplishments, we are very
much grateful to God. However, it is not easy to look at God's
plan for His mission and our part in it without also realizing
how we in many ways have failed in the performance of His
task. Reviewing the past biennium, in the light of New Orleans
Resolution 1-06, we acknowledge that despite our best inten-
tions:

1. We have not always demonstrated the kind of achieve-
ment with respect to the stated objectives and goals of the Board
for Missions which The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
under God expects of its duly elected board and called staff.

2. We could have devoted more of our time, talents, and
energies to our Lord's mission in the world. We have grieved

our Lord by not always exercising the best judgment in board-
staff-field relationships, also in our dealings with sister churches.

3. There have been differing views within the board, within
the staff, as well as between the board and the staff, as to what
the Word of God says about mission: about cooperation with
other Christians: about freedom, trust, responsibility, and
control under the Gospel.

These differences have led to poor communication, a lack of
frankness, and confusion in the exercise of authority and the
proper role for board and staff members. Board and staff
members were hurt deeply, and finally a majority of the staff
resigned. Charges and countercharges, truths and partial
truths were made public in the media, bewildering and em-
barrassing the church.

What can we do? Direct our eyes to the future and get on
with the mission. We cannot continue to count every sin or weigh
and hold each charge in perpetual debate. In the quiet chambers
of our hearts and in the hearing of the church we can before
God and each other say: “Lord, I am sorry for my part in all
this. Please lead me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.
Help me to be a better ambassador and servant in Your mission.
Amen.”

A Church in Mission

As we review the past 2 years, we can with renewed spirit
see many blessings the Lord has continued to shower upon the
preaching and ministry of His Word. So it is with hearts filled
with thanksgiving and praise that we of the Board for Missions
report also the good things around the world that redound to
His glory. During the biennium the members of the Synod have
continued to support the mission efforts of our church through
both prayers and financial gift. This has become increasingly
important in view of the growing world population as well as
current trends of worldwide inflation.

The tabulation on the next page will indicate in broad out-
line the status of overseas missions and sister churches at the
close of 1974 as compared with 1966, when the Board for Mis-
sions came into being.

In addition to the expatriate missionaries and national
workers listed above, our church also has a goodly number of
other people working in the field. Eighteen Volunteer Youth
Ministers are working in Japan. Ten added expatriate mis-
sionares are under contract to the Wabag Lutheran Church,
Papua, New Guinea. Each of the following areas has one mis-
sionary on loan: Evangelical Church of Eritrea (Africa), the
Lutheran World Federation Broadcasting Service, Hong Kong,
Kenya (Africa), and the Lutheran Church of Australia. Three
missionaries serve on the faculty of Augsburg Seminary, Mexico
City. Twenty-one teachers serve the Hong Kong International
School.

Miscellangous workers include educational, evangelistic,
and other workers. Where they have not been separately identi-
fied, medical workers may also be included.

Figures for the Philippines represent 1973 statistics.

Changes in Overseas Mission Personnel — 1970 —74

Clergy 123 to 109 11.38% loss
Others 163 to 102 37.42% loss
Total 286 to 211 26.22% loss