Proposed Constitutional Changes Clarify That Mission Is Fundamental

By David S. Luecke

The very first phrase of Synod’s present Constitution begs for clarification.  The first reason for forming a Synodical Union is “The example of the apostolic church (Acts 15:1-31).”  Acts 15 is a great chapter on the first apostolic convention that addressed a number of problems.  Which one should we consider?  The phrase seems like a last minute add-on by someone on the original drafting committee.  It needs clarification.

Synod’s Task Force on Structure and Governance is all about clarification in the Constitution, specifically clarifying that The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is all about mission.

Last December they presented in regional meetings their recommendations to the 2010 Synodical Convention for changes to both the Constitution and the By-laws.  The focus here is just the preamble and the first three articles of the constitution.  These have no substantive changes.

Reasons for Existence of Synod

For instance, that phrase in the Preamble about the apostolic church turns into these two phrases as reasons for the existence of a Synod:  To participate together in God’s mission of saving all people through Jesus Christ, and To work together in proclaiming the Gospel message, in encouraging and urging the Gospel mission and in preserving doctrinal unity under the Gospel in the spirit of the apostolic church.

It is hard to imagine what could be controversial about these two purposes.  The Task Force began its work with a study of basic theological principles underlying LMCS Structure and Governance.  With the title “Congregation-Synod-Church,” this study document has been widely distributed through the Synod, most especially at District conventions in 2009.

The first basic principle in this study is properly The Lordship of Jesus Christ.  The second reasonably is The mission of the church.  Jesus himself gave the mission when he declared that God desires all people to be saved, when he gave the disciples the Great Commission, and when he sent the disciples out, just as he had been sent by the Father.  The church not only has a mission but is in itself God’s mission to the world.

Confession

Article II of the Constitution addresses Confession.  What is there does remain.  The Task Force corrects a glaring omission of the necessary confession of faith that Jesus is Savior before addressing the confessional basis for defining the faith.  And so a new section A states the Synod, and every member of the Synod, believes, teaches and confesses without reservation that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Triune God, alone is the Savior of the world, and that only through faith in him is there forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.

That is hardly controversial in this church body, where universalism has not appeared in any form.

Then come the existing statements about Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions as the basis for defining the faith we confess.  For the sake of greater precision, the change substitutes for “norm and rule of faith” the Confessional phrasing (Formula of Concord) that Scripture is “judge, rule, and guiding principle” of faith.

Objectives, Mission and Purpose

Article III of the present constitution addresses Objectives.  The proposal substitutes the more current phrasing of Mission and Purpose in place of Objectives.

By now it should be apparent that proposed changes are in the direction of greater clarification.  Phrasing is taken from the LCMS Mission Statement adopted by Convention in 1998.

Nothing in the present Article III is omitted.  But the ten statements turn into fifteen, divided between A. Mission and Purpose and B. Carrying Out the Mission and Purpose.

All of the five most basic purposes in section A are taken from the ten objectives currently listed.  The objective of giving bold witness is expanded to include the anticipated result, “so that all people come into a saving faith relationships with Jesus Christ, grow in an ever deeper relationship with Christ and one another, serve him and another in the community of the church and the world, and to communicate the Gospel of Christ into all the world to save the lost.”

Hardly controversial.  This is a fine model statement congregations can use in their own constitutions, phrased in a way that meets current leadership expectations that not just purposes but also outcomes be identified.  It is appropriate to ask each congregation whether, in C. F. W. Walther’s phrase, it is going forwards or backwards.  Forward is in the direction of more people coming to a saving faith, more people growing in a deeper relationship with Christ and more service to one another and the community.

Carrying Out the Mission and Purpose

The new section B lists ten means by which the Synod will carry out the mission and purposes of the Lutheran-Church-Missouri Synod.  Again, there is greater clarification.  The first paragraph is all new and declares The Synod motivated by God’s love for the world, committed to its common confession of faith and the mission of God centered in Jesus Christ, and persuaded and directed by the power of God’s Word, accomplishes and fulfills its mission and purpose together by:

Could anybody object to this theological explanation for carrying out the business of the Synod?

The first of the ten means is changed to use the current official vocabulary of “ministers of religion—ordained” and “ministers of religion—commissioned.”

The next three means are new statements.  Two of those state what has been happening since the beginning of Synod.  We are to accomplish the mission by supporting the colleges, universities and seminaries of the synod, and by equipping and sending missionaries to various cultures and people, and establishing new congregations, missions, and ministries.

New in content is paragraph 2. Preparing and equipping the laity to carry out their Christian vocation and providing opportunity for their continuing growth.  The role of laity in the church is controversial in the Synod at this time.  Some, including myself, would like to see a stronger statement.  But everybody can agree that at a minimum our church body needs to equip the laity to carry out their Christian vocation.  Who can object to providing opportunity for their continuing growth?

I hope the floor committee proposes that we vote on Constitutional changes one article at a time.  I can’t imagine anybody voting against these changes to the first three articles.

Article V proposes changes in the vocabulary of Membership; specifically advisory members will become associate members.  Future articles will address this and other proposed changes.