RESOLUTION 17-04
President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31)
WHEREAS, Our risen Lord willed that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed” in His name to all nations (Luke 24:47); and
WHEREAS, Holy Scripture teaches that it is required of all ministers of the Gospel that they be found faithful (1 Cor. 4:5), and that faithfulness to the preaching office includes “rightly dividing the word of truth,” (2 Tim. 2:15), and that St. Paul says “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Tim. 4:16); and
WHEREAS, The apostle Paul admonishes all pastors to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9) and to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1); and
WHEREAS, The Lutheran Confessions acknowledge the need for faithful preaching in the churches, according to the following statements:
“And if we must speak of the outward appearance, attendance upon church is better among us than among the adversaries. For the audiences are held by useful and clear sermons. But neither the people nor the teachers have ever understood the doctrine of the adversaries [There is nothing that so attaches people to the Church as good preaching…]” (Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV, paragraph 50) “On the Mass” Concordia Triglotta; translated from the German text, p. 401).
“If you want to keep the churches with you, then you must strive that they be rightly taught and preached to…” (Ap. VI:33 “On Confession” Concordia Triglotta; translated from the German text, p. 290).
“As in other matters pertaining to faith, love, and patience it is not enough simply to teach and instruct, but there must also be daily exhortation, so on this subject (i.e., the teaching concerning the Sacrament) we must be persistent in preaching, lest people become indifferent and bored” (LC, Lord’s Supper, §44, Tappert, p. 451).
“Since these important matters also concern ordinary people and laymen who for their eternal salvation must as Christians know the difference between true and false doctrine…” (Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration, §8a, Tappert, p. 505);
and
WHEREAS, C.F.W. Walther in Kirche und Amt (Church and Office, trans. Mueller) also recognizes, “Rightly distinguishing the Law and the Gospel is the most difficult and highest art of Christians in general and of theologians in particular” (Thesis III, p. 42) and that “The forma of a Christian,—that which makes a person a Christian—is that he knows how to seek his salvation in Christ and thus to escape the Law” (Thesis III, p. 49); and
WHEREAS, One of the chief duties of district presidents is supervision of doctrine, according to Bylaw 4.4.5: “Each district president, in accordance with the Constitution of the Synod, shall supervise the doctrine, the life, and the official administration on the part of the ordained or commissioned ministers who are members through his district or are subject to his ecclesiastical supervision, and shall inquire into the prevailing spiritual conditions of the congregations of his district” (2013 Handbook, 2013, p. 192); therefore be it
Resolved, That district presidents continue to carry out their role of doctrinal supervision as well as the scriptural and confessional admonitions for faithful preaching; and be it further
Resolved, That all district presidents and circuit visitors be urged to make sermon evaluation a regular part of their visitations, using the Synod structure and resources available from the Synod and sister districts.