Official Workbook PDF page source text

LCMS 2026 Convention Workbook: Reports and Overtures, PDF page 39

2026 Convention Workbook
4 
OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
at least while there’s a chance of repentance and correction. Luther 
said, “Doctrine is heaven. Life is earth.” We ought to suffer no false 
doctrine, but in this life, because sin abounds even among us Chris-
tians, there has to be some mercy. Thankfully, doctrine is clear. It’s 
the teaching of Holy Scripture. And biblical moral expectations are 
also clear. But we remain sinners. When some scandalous issue aris-
es—as they always have—it’s asserted that such a matter defines the 
whole Synod. That would be the case if there were no engagement 
with the matter and no repentance. About 90 percent of the issues of 
ecclesiastical supervision that I discuss with district presidents are 
addressed calmly and corrected before they ever reach the public. 
District Visitations: Since becoming president, we began a pro-
gram of regular, intensified visitation to all 35 districts. These have 
mostly been in person with district presidents, boards of directors, 
staff, and/or circuit visitors. We’ve gotten through most of the dis-
tricts again this triennium. These are very positive opportunities to 
raise any and all issues and to have a conversation. We are account-
able to each other for what we believe, teach, and confess, and for 
the sacred mission of the church that we steward. I’d estimate we’ve 
completed roughly 100 such visitations. I’m also responsible for 
new district president orientation, and we’ve greatly emphasized 
the benefits and importance of regular visitation by district presi-
dents (and their representatives in very large districts). The Consti-
tution of the LCMS depends heavily upon this visitation, so we as 
a church body remain united in doctrine and also united in love. It’s 
a never-ending task. 
The Lutheran Witness: Founded in 1882 as the official mag-
azine of the English Synod and becoming the English-language 
popular publication of the LCMS when the English Synod joined 
in 1911, The Lutheran Witness remains our chief publication for 
teaching the faithful. We conducted a thorough survey of readers 
last year, and the magazine scored tremendously, with the vast ma-
jority responding that the content was just about right, neither too 
fluffy nor too erudite. 
Recognized Service Organizations (RSOs): We’ve received 
some public criticism for association with Lutheran organizations 
that are promoting homosexuality or adoption by same-sex couples 
or this or that. Often, the organization in question is not associated 
with—or is no longer associated with—the LCMS. Our RSO staff 
is small but diligent. In just the past two years, 28 new applications 
and 53 renewals have been processed, 64 certificates of approval 
were sent, and 44 terminations/withdrawals/dissolutions/denials 
were recorded. Organizations granted RSO status agree to respect 
and not act contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Synod. When 
I became head of LCMS World Relief and Human Care in 2001, we 
were working jointly with staff of the Evangelical Lutheran Church 
in America (ELCA) to grant status and monitor RSOs. At that time, 
there continued to be a tremendous push by LCMS and ELCA staff 
to get as many organizations recognized by the LCMS and affiliated 
with the ELCA as possible. Over the past three years, some 50 agen-
cies have ceased to be LCMS RSOs. Many of those were organiza-
tions whose practice aligned with the ELCA’s position on sexuality. 
It’s a tedious process sometimes, especially if an LCMS district is 
a co-owner or otherwise listed in the organization’s bylaws. It takes 
time … but we’re getting there. 
500th Anniversaries: The great third-generation Wittenberg 
theologian Friedrich Balduin, in his commentary on Haggai, Zech-
ariah and Malachi (1610), wrote that “there is always need of refor-
mation in the Church” (semper in Ecclesia opus esse Reformatione).
As we approach two tremendous anniversaries, this phrase 
comes to mind. In 2029, Luther’s Small Catechism will be 500 
years old, and in 2030, our wonderful Augsburg Confession will be 
500 years old. Renewal in faith, renewal in confession, and renewal 
in mission always happen in surprising ways in the Church. It’s 
always a result of the cry “Back! Return!” In 8:20, Isaiah called the 
people back “to the teaching and to the testimony!” Jesus stood in 
the synagogue and called the people back to the words of Isaiah: 
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Luke 4:18). Then He said, 
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 
4:21). Luther called the Church back to Christ and His apostolic, 
biblical truth. Our own Dr. Walther called the Church of his time 
back to the faithful teachings of the true Lutheran Church: Bible, 
catechism, Augsburg Confession! 
It’s a rough world. Our world and nation are deeply divided 
and afflicted by sin. It affects every aspect of our lives, our fami -
lies, and our church. Confusing messages and situations surround 
us, envelop us and threaten to drown our loved ones and us. “Lord, 
to whom shall we go?” Christ is risen! Alleluia! Listen to the risen 
Shepherd’s voice! 
Death is overcome in Christ’s resurrection. Luther spoke on 
St. Paul’s wonderful words that Christ is “the firstfruits of those 
who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). He wrote: “The resurrection 
is to be viewed and understood as having already begun in Christ, 
indeed, as being more than half finished, and that this remnant of 
death is to be regarded as no more than a deep sleep, and that the 
future resurrection of our body will not differ from suddenly awak-
ing from such sleep. For the main and best part of this has already 
come to pass, namely, that Christ, our Head, has risen. But now that 
the Head is seated on high and lives, there is no longer any reason 
for concern. We who cling to Him must also follow after Him as 
His body and His members. For where the head goes and abides, 
there the body with all the members must necessarily follow and 
abide. As in the birth of a man and of all animals, the head naturally 
appears first, and after this is born, the whole body follows easily” 
(Luther’ s Works, American Edition [LW], 28:110). 
“Fear not,” Luther reminds us. Christ’s resurrection is so 
powerful that it’s as though we, too, are half out of the grave al-
ready! “A Christian has already been thrust into death by the very 
fact that he became a Christian. Wherever he may be, he occupies 
himself with this hourly. He expects death any moment so long as 
he sojourns here, because devil, world, and his own flesh give him 
no rest. However, he enjoys the advantage of already being out of 
the grave with his right leg. Moreover, he has a mighty helper who 
holds out His hand to him, namely, his Lord Christ; He has left the 
grave entirely a long time ago, and now He takes the Christian by 
the hand and pulls him more than halfway out of the grave; only the 
left foot remains in it. For his sin is already remitted and expunged, 
God’s wrath and hell are extinguished, and he already lives fully in 
and with Christ with regard to his best part, which is the soul, as he 
partakes of eternal life” (LW 28:133, emphasis added).
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, 
in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the 
glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For 
if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall 
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We 
know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the 
body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no 
longer be enslaved to sin. (Rom. 6:4–6)