RESOLUTION 9-03
Overtures 9-05–06 (CW, pp. 380–381); President’s Report, Part 2 (TB, pp. 21–31); Res. 12-09 (1981 Proceedings, p. 237); Res. 6-02 (2013 Proceedings, p. 158); (see also Network Supported Missionary funding model “NSM White Paper,” forthcoming)
WHEREAS, Charitable contributions to financially support mission and ministry work are always given voluntarily offered up in response to the Gospel and informed by truthful and transparent information about the need for and use of such contributions; and
WHEREAS, The amount in undesignated regular worship offerings that flowed from congregations to corporate Synod decreased from $25.7 million in fiscal year 1981 to $14.8 million in 2015; and
WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2017, the expected cost to call, send, and sustain LCMS missionaries in the field, not counting logistical and material support, alone amounts to $17 million, which is larger than the total $14.8 million in undesignated regular worship offerings that flowed from congregations to corporate Synod in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Corporate Synod and its Office of International Mission and Office of National Mission including missionaries rely entirely on what is received from individuals, households, congregations and other groups and entities who give voluntarily to support missionaries, their programs and projects, and its mission infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Many individuals, households, congregations, and other groups and entities who voluntarily support missionaries designate (restrict) their contributions to that purpose, in part for the reassurance that such contributions can only be used to fund missionaries; and
WHEREAS, The funding of LCMS missionaries through specially designated gifts was first authorized by the Synod in 1981 Res. 12-09 and most recently affirmed in 2013 Res. 6-02 [see Addenda to this resolution]; and
WHEREAS, Voluntary support received by corporate Synod, in the form of donor-designated (restricted) contributions to financially support LCMS national and international missionaries, increased from $7.6 million in fiscal year 2013 to just over $10 million in 2015, owing in large part to the Network Supported Missionary funding model; and
WHEREAS, As of just prior to the 2016 Synod convention, 1,373 LCMS congregations (including 639 who have voluntarily identified themselves as Together in Mission partners) are directly sponsoring LCMS missionaries, compared to 916 congregations (including 514 Together in Mission partners ) just prior to the 2013 Synod convention showing the positive response to the 2013 Res. 6-02; and
WHEREAS, Over the past triennium the increase in voluntary support for missionaries, particularly in the form of donor-designated (restricted) contributions, has made it possible for the Office of International Mission and Office of National Mission substantially to increase the number of LCMS missionaries serving in the Lord’s harvest fields toward the Synod’s goal of doubling that number; and
WHEREAS, Corporate Synod, through its Mission Advancement Unit (including Mission Central in Mapleton, Iowa) provides information, instructions, encouragement, and counsel to individuals, households, congregations and other groups and entities who wish to financially support the sending of missionaries, with or without the direct involvement of individual missionaries; and
WHEREAS, Mission Central in Mapleton, Iowa, alone facilitates $5 million in annual 1 voluntary donor and congregation contributions for LCMS missionaries and mission projects, and this from a limited geographic area of the LCMS; and
WHEREAS, In response to the goal of doubling the number of LCMS missionaries serving in the Lord’s harvest fields and as a sign of corporate Synod’s commitment to sending missionaries, the Mission Advancement Unit increased by one the number of staff members on its Missionary Network Care and Support Team (from four to five) and is attempting to increase the number of mission development counselors from one (Gary Thies in Mapleton, Iowa) to two (location to be determined), in order to proactively engage individuals, households, congregations and other groups and entities in the noble task of financially sponsoring missionaries; and
WHEREAS, Corporate Synod through Mission Advancement/Mission Central offers multiple paths, means, and opportunities to support financially the sending and retention of missionaries and their projects; and
WHEREAS, Over 94 percent of LCMS households and 75 percent of LCMS congregations have not yet chosen to sponsor one or more specific LCMS missionaries as an intentional aspect of their voluntary support for mission and ministry outside their local community, this over and above their general support of districts and Synod through undesignated regular worship offerings; and
WHEREAS, The primary factor limiting financial support of LCMS missionaries, their projects, and their support system infrastructure is a choice as to whether or not to voluntarily contribute resources from God’s bounty at the individual, household, congregation, or other group or entity level; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention rejoice and give thanks to God for congregations that have already made the decision to provide voluntary contributions to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod for the purpose of funding LCMS missionaries; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod in convention commend the Offices of International Mission and the Office of National Mission and their missionaries, LCMS Communications, LCMS Mission Advancement and Mission Central for being vigorous in connecting God’s people to mission opportunities through the voluntary financial support of the Synod and its missionaries and for the wise and diligent use of donated funds; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage all potential donors to avail themselves of at least one of the paths, means, or opportunities provided by the Synod’s Mission Advancement Unit through which they can support the Church’s mission to share the Gospel, by providing voluntary charitable contributions to corporate Synod, whether designated or undesignated.
See resolution for supporting chart
1981 RESOLUTION 12–09
WHEREAS, Our gracious God has saved us so that we might serve Him and willingly use our talents and abilities to pursue the Great Commission, “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19); and
WHEREAS, This is the mandate which members of the LCMS accept as their mission command; and
WHEREAS, Seventy-one percent (71%) of the world is non-Christian (U.S. Center for World Missions, Pasadena, Calif.); and
WHEREAS, The LCMS has pledged itself with the mission challenge for the 1980s to open 600 new ministries and to increase mission money by 100% plus inflation (Resolutions 1-20 and 1-27A, 1979 Proceedings); therefore be it
Resolved, That those congregations of the LCMS or groups of congregations or Circuits which unite to give financial support for missionaries be given the opportunity to pledge themselves to maintain a missionary and his family under the policy of support of the Board of Missions; and be it further
Resolved, That this personalized support for a missionary be understood to be over and above the normal annual support for the District and the Synod; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board for Missions of the LCMS be charged with the planning, direction, implementation, and administration of this mission outreach at home and abroad; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Department of Stewardship and Financial Support in cooperation with the Board for Missions develop the financial structure and mechanics for this program.
2013 RESOLUTION 6-02
To (Joy)fully Fund Career and GEO Missionaries
Overtures 6-07, 6-10 (2013 CW, pp. 232–233)
WHEREAS, Article III 2 (Objectives) of the Constitution of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has established extending Gospel witness into all the world; and
WHEREAS, The LCMS has been engaged in extending the Gospel into the world since 1895; and
WHEREAS, There is a need among congregations, pastors, and households for a clearer understanding of the mission impact that the LCMS is having today; and
WHEREAS, The reality is that the number of career and Globally Engaged in Outreach (GEO) missionaries has increased each year since 2008; and
WHEREAS, The best practices mission model is based on intentional personal missionary communication; and
WHEREAS, This model is vital to creating the congregational and personal understanding necessary for prayer and personal and financial support of missionaries; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Synod in convention give thanks to God for the 69 career and 100 GEO missionaries and their families serving throughout the world who embrace the current model; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod commend the former Board for Mission Services for developing an effective model of sustainability for calling and deploying and supporting missionaries in the field 1 until the natural conclusion of their service; and be it further
Resolved, That the Synod thank the 500 congregations and nearly 2,000 household partners in the LCMS who are actively and joyfully providing prayer, encouragement, and direct financial support in excess of $7.6 million per year for the benefit of specific missionaries; and be it further
Resolved, That all congregations and LCMS households be encouraged to utilize counsel and resources available through the Mission Advancement Unit of the LCMS as they plan their support of missionaries; and be it finally
Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage and support the Office of International Mission to continue expanding the number of missionaries and provide the logistical support necessary to sustain them in their mission activities.