LCMS convention passes four National Witness resolutions by wide margins

The Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan (left), chairman of Floor Committee 1 on National Witness, and the Rev. Christopher S. Esget, vice-chairman, join delegates in viewing a video on Making Disciples For Life, a new initiative of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The video was part of the committee’s July 21 presentation to the 67th Regular Convention of the LCMS in Tampa, Fla. (LCMS/Frank Kohn)

By Cheryl Magness

TAMPA, Fla. — On Sunday, July 21, the opening day of business at the 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), convention delegates quickly considered and passed four resolutions presented by Floor Committee 1 on National Witness.

After an introductory video about the challenges faced by churches in a “post-Christian” society (watch video below), Floor Committee 1 Chairman Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan, president of the LCMS Missouri District, introduced Res. 1-02, “To Encourage the Planting of Churches.”

The resolution, which calls, in part, for the LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM) “to issue a report telling the stories of new mission plants prior to the 2022 Synod convention,” passed with 99.3 percent of the vote.

Hagan then presented Res. 1-03, “To Study Shared Ministry among Small Congregations.” The resolution directs the ONM, in collaboration with the LCMS Council of Presidents (COP), “to study the critical issues that threaten the sustainability of small congregations” and to “prepare a report to the 2022 convention that includes recommendations to assist small congregations in developing strategies related to shared ministry.” The resolution passed with 92.9 percent of the vote.

Hagan said that the goal of Res. 1-03 is to study how small congregations “can collaborate for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel, care for God’s people and the mission to reach the lost.”

Res. 1-04, “To Support the Continuing Legacy of Dr. Rosa J. Young and Commend All Those Who Are Working to Preserve It,” and Res. 1-08, “To Give Thanks to God for 100 Years of LCMS Campus Ministry,” passed with margins of 92.9 percent and 94.6 percent, respectively.

Hagan noted that all four resolutions “share a missionary zeal to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We give thanks to God for the past examples of missionary zeal in our Synod and the continued commitment to the development of witness and outreach resources for our members today.”

Floor Committee 1 will come before the convention again on Monday morning, July 22.

Watch video:

Posted on July 21, 2019

The 67th Regular Convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod met July 20–25 in Tampa, Fla., at the Tampa Convention Center under the theme “Joy:fully Lutheran.” For more convention news:

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