To Prioritize Abiding in the Word as Mission and Ministry Focus

Official Workbook overture source text

4-05 
To Prioritize Abiding in the Word  
as Mission and Ministry Focus 
WHEREAS, Christian believers in The Lutheran Church—
Missouri Synod (LCMS) believe, teach, and confess that the Bible 
is the inspired and inerrant Word of God (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16–
17); and 
WHEREAS, “We believe, teach, and confess that the Gospel of the 
gracious justification of the sinner through faith in Jesus Christ is 
not only the chief doctrine of Holy Scripture and a basic 
presupposition for the interpretation of Scripture, but is the heart 
and center of our Chris tian faith and theology (material principle). 
We also believe, teach, and confess that only ‘the Word of God shall 
establish articles of faith’ (SA II II 15), and that ‘the prophetic and 
apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule 
and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must 
be appraised and judged ’ (FC Ep, Summary Content,  1) (formal 
principle). The Gospel, which is the center of our theology, is the 
Gospel to which the Scriptures bear witness, while the Scriptures 
from which we derive our theology direct us steadfastly to the 
Gospel of Jesus Christ” ( LCMS, A Statement of Scriptural and 
Confessional Principles  [adopted 1973], Ar ticle IV, p. 3,  
lcms.org/scriptural-and-confessional-principles); and 
WHEREAS, “We believe, teach , and confess that because the 
Scriptures have God as their author, they possess both the divine 
power to make men wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ 
(causative authority), as well as the divine authority to serve as the 
church’s sole standard of doctrine and life (normative authority). 
We recognize that the authority of Scripture can be accepted only 
through faith and not merely by rational demonstration. As men of 
faith, we affirm not only that Holy Scripture is powerful  and 
efficacious, but also that it is ‘the only judge, rule, and norm 
according to which, as the only touchstone, all doctrines should and 
must be understood, and judged as good or evil, right or wrong’ (FC 
Ep, Summary Content, 7)” (A Statement, IV, p. 3–4); and 
W
HEREAS, Jesus says in John 15:1– 8, “I am the true vine, and 
my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear 
fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, 
that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the 
word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the 
branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither 
can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. 
Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, 
for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in 
me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches 
are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, 
and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be 
done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much 
fruit and so prove to be my disciples”; and 
WHEREAS, Jesus says in John 8:31–32, “If you abide in my word, 
you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth 
will set you free”; and 
W
HEREAS, Martin Luther earnestly encouraged diligence in 
learning Scripture and the catechism: 
You are daily under the dominion of the devil, and he does not 
rest day or night in seeking to take you unawares and to kindle 
in your heart unbelief and wicked thoughts against  … the … 
commandments. Therefore you must constantly keep God’s 
Word in your heart, on your lips, and in your ears. For where the 
heart stands idle and the Word is not heard, the devil breaks in 
and does his damage before we realize it. On the other hand, 
when we s eriously ponder the Word, hear it, and put it to use, 
such is its powe r that it never departs without fruit. It always 
awakens new understanding, pleasure, and devotion, and it 
constantly creates clean hearts and minds. For this Word is not 
idle or dead, but effective and living. ( LC I 100– 101, 
Kolb/Wengert) 
and 
WHEREAS, In B aptism, Christian believers are connected to 
Christ as branches to the vine, which gives us our identity. Living 
as the baptized (1 Peter 2:9–10) is who we are connected to Christ. 
In this relationship that He has established with us through His 
Spirit, we will bear fruit in our lives: good fruit. The fruit of faith , 
which consists in all the good works that Christians do, are the 
works done according to the Ten Commandments for the glory of 
God and the good of our neighbor; and 
WHEREAS, Christ supplies all we need to bear abundant fruit 
through receiving the Word and Sacrament in church: the preaching 
one hears, the teaching one receives in Bible class, and the receiving 
of Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of sins and the 
strengthening of faith; and 
WHEREAS, The Word of God also comes to His people at home 
through personal and family Bible study, Bible reading, and 
devotion; and 
WHEREAS, Timothy Mech observes that what is needed for 
addressing root problems of the Church today has been available to 
us all along: “The answer to the challenge for the Church in this 
self-absorbed culture is found where it has always been found, in 
the Word of God. Interesting, isn’t it? That almost all of the 
problems we face in the church and everyday life have to do with 
our being disconnected from the Word of God in one way or 
another? We need more of the Word of God in our lives, not less” 
(Ted Kober, Built on the Rock: The Healthy Congregation  
[Concordia Publishing House, 2017], 28); and 
WHEREAS, Dr. Ted Kober also notes in his book, Built on the 
Rock: The Healthy Congregation: 
“Healthy churches possess two main characteristics that 
distinguish them from the unhealthy: 
1. Their members, especially the leadership, are regularly 
engaged in God’s Word, and as demonstrated by their 
familiarity with it and their desire to apply it to conflict. 
2. Their members, beginning with the leaders, model 
reconciliation, through confession and forgiveness” 
(ibid., 56); and, “The more spiritually mature the 
members of a church are, especially the leaders, the 
healthier the church” (ibid., 57); and, “[Kober’s] 
observation, based on reconciliation experience, has led