Version History
Current published version
Today's Business, Issue 2B. pp. 272-273. Revised published proposal.
Official Resolution Source Text
Resolution: 1-07A
Canonical number: 1-07
Committee: National Witness
Source: Today's Business, Issue 2B
Printed pages: pp. 272-273
PDF pages: 20-21
Version: revised, current-published-proposal
Source reference: Issue 2B, pp. 272-273
Line numbers follow Today's Business, Issue 2B, with numbering reset on each printed page, so delegates can compare this page with the official PDF.
Page 272
- To Increase Church Planting at the Parish Level
- RESOLUTION 1-07A
- Overture 1-06 (CW, 280)
- WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ wants all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) and has commanded His Church to make
- disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching (Matt. 28:19); and
- WHEREAS, Acts 2:42 shows that the Church of baptized believers gathered around the ministry of the Word and the
- Sacraments, which are foundational to the life and mission of the Church both in function and in goal; and
- WHEREAS, The early Christians, having been gathered around Word and Sacrament, were sent into the world and
- established new churches as they went; and
- WHEREAS, This historic pattern of Word and Sacrament expansion allows the local congregation (uniquely suited
- as the front-line mission outpost) to be the driving force in church planting; and
- WHEREAS, Through the generous support of private foundations (such as the Bolick Foundation) the Office of
- National Mission (ONM) is able to support church planting across the Synod through training, networking, and church
- planting grants of up to $100,000; and
- WHEREAS, The ONM is currently working with 33 active church plants from all regions of the Synod, and has
- distributed $590,000 in grants and anticipates distributing an additional $2,080,000 as those church plants work through
- the LCMS Church Planting process (Rev. Dr. Quintin Cundiff, verbal update to floor committee, May 29, 2026) ; and
- WHEREAS, The ONM, in partnership with districts , has identified 64 additional church planting sites for which
- additional grant funding will be necessary (Rev. Dr. Quintin Cundiff, verbal update to floor committee, May 29, 2026);
- and
- WHEREAS, The LCMS Church Planting p rocess includes six phases: concept, f easibility, p lanning, start -up,
- formation, and expansion (“What does LCMS Church Planting have to offer?,” lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/church-
- planting, accessed May 31, 2026), and is intended to support the difficult, yet God- pleasing work of church planting
- with guidance and ongoing support; and
- WHEREAS, Planting new congregations is an important strategy for intentionally reaching the unchurched and
- dechurched, especially in regions without a local confessional Lutheran presence, including many urban contexts; and
- WHEREAS, The planting of new, sustainable Word and Sacrament ministries is a priority of the Synod for both the
- Office of International Mission and the ONM; therefore be it
- Resolved, That the Synod encourage districts, circuits, and congregations to plant churches through preaching
- stations supported by existing congregations and their pastors; and be it further
- Resolved, That the Synod direct the ONM to continue to partner with districts to identify locations at the parish
- level and support the planting of Synod congregations; and be it further
- Resolved, That the ONM continue to work with districts to establish a numerical goal for planting new congregations
- over the coming triennium; and be it further
- Resolved, That the Synod encourage districts to continue to fund the planting of new congregations in a way that
- multiplies the impact of the grant from the ONM; and be it further
- Resolved, That special attention be given to planting congregations in regions where people do not have access to
- the pure teaching of the Gospel and right administration of the Sacraments (AC VII); and be it finally
Page 273
- Resolved, That the Synod commend the LCMS Church Planting process as a faithful approach to fulfilling
- Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations, while respecting the role of districts to use models that are
- beneficial to their local contexts.
