Delegates vote to appoint Hispanic ministry strategist

HOUSTON–Delegates to the 64th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod here July 17 adopted Resolution 1-11, affirming the need “for faithful and effective outreach to Hispanic people [and] for an individual for strategic development of Hispanic ministries to guide the church in this important task” and urging “the prompt appointment of this individual.”

After the 759 to 53 vote, Convention Chairman and Synod President Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick encouraged the church body “to make every effort to secure funding for this position,” which he called “very important.”

Delegates also adopted the last two resolutions pertaining to Floor Committee 1 (Missions), which completed the committee’s work:

Resolution 1-02, “to provide guidance for [the] future direction of Ablaze!,” gives thanks to God for the initiative’s “bold witness of the Good News of Jesus Christ” and “for the gifts of new congregations” related to the effort.  It also commends the Synod’s Board for Mission Services “for its loving efforts to lead the church in God’s mission and the Ablaze! mission movement,” and asks that the board “be guided by the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions” as it evaluates Ablaze! and plans its future.  It further encourages “every baptized child of God to be a bold witness and a faithful confessor of the faith in these challenging times.”

Resolution 1-12 asks the LCMS board responsible for international mission to ensure that Synod missionaries “have a solid Lutheran theological foundation for the proclamation of the Gospel wherever we are doing mission work.”

The convention met July 10-17 under the theme “ONE People–Forgiven.”  Among the approximately 3,000 participants were some 1,200 clergy and lay voting delegates.

Posted July 17, 2010