wfn.org | LCMS - Kieschnick calls for 'rededication of mission'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
Board for Communication Services

LCMSNews -- No. 66
October 15, 2002

Kieschnick calls for 'rededication of mission'

"If The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod is going to continue to be a vital 
part of the Body of Christ, it is necessary that we rededicate ourselves to 
the mission of the church," Synod President Gerald Kieschnick told the 
Council of Presidents (COP) last month.

The COP is comprised of the 35 LCMS district presidents, the Synod's 
president and its five vice presidents.

Kieschnick made his remarks in a "State of the Synod" report to the COP 
during its Sept. 21-25 meeting in St. Louis.  The report marked the first 
anniversary of Kieschnick's presidency.

"Statistically," the president said, "the LCMS is a graying and declining 
church body."  But, he added, "many congregations of our part of the Body 
of Christ are beehives of mission and ministry, taking advantage of the 
virtually unlimited opportunities for outreach that exist."

He emphasized that the church's mission is "critical."

"The mission of Christ's church is critical because we believe, teach and 
confess that eternal salvation comes exclusively by God's grace through 
faith in Jesus Christ," Kieschnick said.  He added, "Many people are dying 
every day not having heard and not having believed this message."

And without this mission, he said, "Christians are more like the stagnant 
waters of the Dead Sea, in which everything dies, than the living waters of 
the Sea of Galilee or the Jordan River, from and through which living 
waters flow.  The early followers of Jesus put it simply: 'We cannot help 
speaking about what we have seen and heard' (Acts 4:20)."

Kieschnick acknowledged that the Synod is "fractured by disagreements" and 
said that those disagreements are "exacerbated by a party spirit and 
well-organized political groups."  But, he continued, "there are also many 
reasons for great hope for the future."  He said it is his observation that:

-- Theological convocations being planned throughout the Synod "and other 
opportunities for fraternal study and dialog provide for the resolution of 
doctrinal and practical disagreements on the basis of clear passages of 
Holy Scripture."

-- There is "a significant recommitment of pastors and laity across the 
LCMS to the evangelical and missional nature of the Synod."

-- There is "a steadfast refusal among the pastors, educators and people of 
the LCMS to yield the heart and soul of the Synod to vocal dissenters from 
the theological position of our Synod."

Addressing the Synod's future, Kieschnick said, "It is my fervent belief, 
hope, prayer and commitment that the mainstream of The Lutheran 
Church--Missouri Synod is and will continue to be solidly Biblical, 
Confessional, evangelical and missional, yielding not to those who are 
perceived as holding positions on either the far right or the far left with 
regard to theological issues in our midst, but focused on staying on the 
road together."

"Our future together as a Synod is based on our continued acceptance of 
Holy Scripture as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of 
faith and of practice and the symbolical books of the Lutheran Church as a 
true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God," he said.

Kieschnick expressed his "visionary hopes and dreams" with three 
emphases.  He said, "We are called to be a Synod with one mission, the 
Great Commission ... proclaiming one message, the message of Jesus Christ 
and Him crucified ... to live and act as one people."

After hearing the report, the COP voted without dissent to "receive with 
gratitude the report of our president ... and encourage him to share it 
with the Synod."  The full report is available on the Web at 
http://www.lcms.org/president.

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