LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 374

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374 PARISH SERVICES

throughout its long tradition placed a high priority on Christian
education, Christian schools, teachers, and materials: and

WHEREAS, Conditions in the world today give increasing
evidence of the need for Christian education and nurture for
persons of all ages: and

‘WHEREAS, The very proper emphasis on evangelism in this
50th regular convention provides an appropriate springboard
to a subsequent emphasis on Christian nurture; therefore be it

Resolved. That we encourage the President of the Synod and
others responsible for the planning of the 1977 synodical con-
vention to select and implement a theme and a convention
program which emphasizes Christian education and nurture.

Melvin Kieschnick, Executive Secretary

7-02

Report of Board of Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry: Built on a Theology of Promise and Hope

We all make promises. Some we keep: some we do not. God
not only makes and keeps promises; He lives in them. Therefore
His promises are the best kind on which to build. The church
affirms this when it sings that century-old hymn, “Standing on
the Promises of God, My Savior.”’ Those who build on God's
promises become God’s people in mission, sharing the Father’s
promise of joy and hope in an unsure world.

The theology of youth ministry finds its roots in a trust in
God's sure promise of forgiveness for all our sins through the
death and resurrection of Christ our Savior.

God’s promise to be a God-with-us found its fulfillment in a
stable in Bethlehem. Christ lived and died in our world. He
rose from the dead to live among us today as a sign of God’s
promise to raise us all from the dead. Wherever Christians
today gather in worship, they hear Christ say, ‘‘Lo, I am with
you always. Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”
Where people care for one another, perform acts of mercy, and
forgive sins in His name, there people experience God's pres-
ence of forgiving grace. There people are promise to each other.

This is what youth hear and believe. This is the foundation
on which they build their world. And, building on God’s prom-
ises, they become a promise of new hope in the church. They
become the generation through which the life of the church goes
on. When the church does not build on youth, it deprives itself
of the insight which the youth have into their own generation.
Not to build on the promise of youth robs the church of the
vitality, the enthusiasm, and the hope which youth can bring
to the church’s future.

Our role as a Board of Youth Ministry includes helping youth
to fashion their lives around God's promises and live as God’s
sign of hope and promise in our church and in our world.

Goals of Youth Ministry

To proclaim the love and power of God:

An important goal of the church and youth ministry is ‘“‘to
proclaim among youth the presence, love, and power of God
through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and
resurrection has redeemed all people.”

Our mission is to proclaim through word and deed the Gospel
of Jesus Christ so that all people (youth and adults) may be
brought to the saving faith and share God’s gifts through witness,
worship, nurture, and service to others.

Many young people are anxious to hear the Word and to
give a testimony of their faith. Along with this testimony they
also want to seek to do what God’s Word impels them to do.

To equip youth:

Youth who have been moved by Christ’s love for them are
looking for meaningful ways to serve God and for skills to carry
out their ministry. “‘To equip youth for faithful service to God
and His world” becomes the task of the church.

To assist adults:

Equipping youth for God’s service is possible only insofar
as we can “‘assist and train adults in building helpful Christian
relationships with youth.”

This is more likely to happen when Christian adults know,
love, and trust youth.

Equipping for God’s service can happen when youth and
adults understand and encourage one another through honest
relationships and through dialog based on God’s Word.

To share unique gifts:

One important aspect of mission and ministry is “to enable
youth and adults to share their unique gifts in ministry to one
another within the Christian community and in ministry to the
world.”

Youth are promise. They possess a variety of gifts. The
Holy Spirit deals with each generation in a unique manner
as He calls all to responsibility and wisdom in the Lord. Diverse
styles of ministry are a sign of the varied grace of God’s Spirit
at work through His Word.

To provide settings:

People in ministry need the support of others in the Christian
community. Adults are needed ‘to provide settings for Chris-
tian youth to demonstrate the mission of the church in word
and life and for unclaimed youth to be exposed to the call of
God in the Gospel.” (Handbook 7.61)

Youth need adults. Adults need youth. These two axioms
undergird ministry. Both must be involved in a way that affirms
the integrity and gifts of youth. Together God has called them
to minister to His world and to witness to His great love in Jesus
Christ.

Youth Leaders Are Promise (Leadership Development)

The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod owes a great debt to
thousands of volunteers (both lay people and _ professional
workers) who have made unselfish contributions as leaders in
ministry to our church’s youth. These people have too often
served without training, without support, and without thanks.
Yet their dedicated ministry has involved hundreds of thousands
of young people in Christ’s mission. They continue to bring
promise and hope to our church.

The Board of Youth Ministry is committed to equipping youth
leaders to use the gifts each has to serve in a ministry with
young people. Three emphases are indicated for leadership
development:

Mutuality in Ministry

Young people who are baptized and confirmed Christians
should be treated as full partners in furthering the kingdom of
God. Adults who are engaged in a ministry with youth need to
be equipped to work with young people in a spirit of mutual
trust and respect.

Planning Together

A variety of settings and styles is needed for a ministry with
the 235,000 young people of our church. A basic skill of leader-
ship is discovering the needs of the people locally and planning
so that real needs are met.

Growth Emphasis

Leaders are models for those they lead. A good leader is a
person who is growing as a witness to God’s glory and in com-
mitment to our Lord Jesus Christ. To develop leaders we must
emphasize their growth potential and enable them to assist
others to grow.

These emphases have provided the basis for the following
leadership development activities conducted by the Board of
Youth Ministry in this biennium:

Eight weeklong workshops on leadership for youth ministry
provided direct assistance to adults and young people who are
parish youth leaders. These workshops were held in Nebraska,
Illinois, Michigan, New York, Kansas, California, and Minnesota
and involved 198 participants in addition to staff.

Eight workshops in youth ministry were conducted with
students at five of the six terminal schools.

One national conference was offered to church professionals
in 1974, with registration exceeding the space available. In
spring of 1975 two of a series of five projected regional events
were held in Oklahoma City and Chicago, with the remainder of
the regional events scheduled for fall.