Convention adopts ‘Modern Day Martyrdom’ resolution

Delegate Chris Heins speaks on the delegate-proposed resolution “To Address Modern Day Martyrdom” during the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in Phoenix on Thursday, July 23, 2026. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

By Mary Henrichs

PHOENIX — In one of its final actions of the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), the Synod in convention considered the delegate-proposed resolution “To Address Modern Day Martyrdom.” The text of the resolution can be found in the sixth issue of Today’s Business.

Ethan Thompson, lay voting delegate from the LCMS Michigan District, said from the floor that he brought the resolution because “based off my reading of multiple overtures, I saw there was quite a bit of concern [throughout the Synod] about the topic of martyrdom.”

The overture references “high profile killings of Christians for their faith in America and across the world including the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota; the bombing of St. Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus; and the ongoing attacks on Christians in Nigeria.”

The resolution calls for giving thanks and praise to God for the steadfast faith and encouragement of persecuted and martyred brothers and sisters in the faith, and it also resolves:

“That the Synod encourage congregations to regularly recognize and celebrate the feast days for martyrs”; and

“That the Synod encourage parish pastors to prepare their respective congregations to stay faithful, even facing the threat of death, by preaching and teaching on martyrdom.”

An amendment was proposed to remove the fifth “Whereas” of the resolution, which references Charlie Kirk, out of concerns that it may make the resolution unnecessarily political.

The Rev. Dr. Christopher Esget, newly elected fourth vice-president of the LCMS and chairman of Floor Committee 4 (Life Together), spoke against the amendment from the floor: “There’s obviously disagreement about whether or not we can refer to [Charlie Kirk] as a martyr. It’s also true that there is very strong support for acknowledging his death and acknowledging his work. He did not share our full confession of faith, but it’s clear that he did regularly and consistently give martyria — witness — to the Christian confession of faith. …

“[This resolution] doesn’t refer to him specifically as a martyr, but it does acknowledge his death. It acknowledges his work. It acknowledges the questions that are around [his death], and so it ought to be [a resolution] that everybody can get behind.”

The proposed amendment removing references to Kirk did not pass, receiving 41.42% of the vote. The resolution itself did pass, receiving 79.04% of the vote.

The motion to extend the orders of the day so that another delegate-brought resolution could be considered, “To Support Religious Works Serving The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in the United States,” was declined. Extending the orders of the day required a two-thirds majority, and the motion received 58.64%.

The final hymn of the convention, “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” (Lutheran Service Book 497) was sung at the close of the Itinerarium, the convention’s closing service:

Come, holy Fire, comfort true,

Grant us the will Your work to do

And in Your service to abide;

Let trials turn us not aside.

Lord, by Your pow’r prepare each heart,

And to our weakness strength impart

That bravely here we may contend,

Through life and death to You, our Lord, ascend.

Alleluia, alleluia! (LSB 497:3)

With the final bang of the gavel, the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod came to a close.

2026 LCMS Convention

Under the theme “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” the 69th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 18–23, 2026, at the Phoenix Convention Center in downtown Phoenix.

There are several ways to get convention news, including:

Web

• lcms.org/convention/national

Video

• lcms.org/convention/national/livestream

Audio

• kfuo.org

Social media

• facebook.com/lcmsconvention

Email

• lcms.org/reporter-signup

Posted July 27, 2026