NA Missions Today

1. NA Missions Today A Presentation to the Florida Georgia District DOC April 2002 Dr. Bob Scudieri, Director: LCMS WM North America

2. LCMS North America Missions With our partners, we make it possible for every person in NA to meet the living Christ. 10 Mission Facilitators: African Immigrant, Hispanic, Deaf, Blind, Campus, American Indian, Muslim, Jewish, White English Speaking. Newest MF, Yohannes Mengsteab. Each has a task force, and a budget, to help districts.

3. Doug asked me to share an update for mission work at the beginning of the 21st century. Best place to begin: with the end in sight� What will LCMS missions look like at the end of the 21st century? Four major characteristics I want to share with you, and Suggest where there are �seeds� sprouting now � places where you can begin now to participate in this new mission paradigm. But first, let�s consider where we are today�.

4. Addressing the First Iowa District Convention CFW Walther Said: "The church is the mother of us all (Galatians 4:26). Just as surely as we are now members of the church, so surely we should also be fruitful mothers, and if we are not fruitful mothers, i.e., if we do not produce spiritual children or fail to do those things whereby such children can be produced, then we are not obeying our calling, and then God will not say to us, 'You pious and faithful servant' but He will say to us 'you unfaithful servant.' God grant we never hear those words."

5. Walther was of course referring to Jesus� words in Matthew 25� A land owner leaves his property in the keeping of three students� One receives five talents, one two talents and one one talent. What do they do? When he returns, what does the owner say? Well, are we first, second or third stewards?

6. Over the years the LCMS has been blessed - We have the largest Protestant parochial school system in NA. Our university system of 10 colleges is renowned. Our two seminaries are exemplary. In the early part of the 20th century we pioneered spreading the gospel via the radio. In mid twentieth century we were a leader in religious television broadcasting. The first meeting of a society to plant new missions and ministries on the Internet is forming today. The LLL has so many inquirerers coming to its web site asking for spiritual help it cannot possibly meet the demand.

7. But President Kieshnick in his installation address said: In 1970 the LCMS had 2.8 million members, but today it has 2.6 million. In the same period, annual attendance at worship has dropped, from 1.14 million to 960,000. Adult Sunday School attendance plummeted from 850,000 to 500,000. Annually, 35% of LCMS churches do not baptize or confirm even one adult. Is this the work of the first, second or third steward?

8. And at the August LCMS WM Retreat Brad Hewitt shared with us the results of a recent survey taken for the LCMS

9. Findings Only 25% of LCMS Congregations intentionally focus their ministry beyond the current membership More adults claim to be �former Lutherans� than are currently members of Lutheran congregations In 1999 every Sunday there were 43,439 fewer people in worship than in 1989

10. In 2000 AD we had the single largest loss in our history for one year, 28,000 baptized members. Only eight of the 35 districts had more confirmed members at the end of the year: #1 Atlantic Others: Iowa West, New Jersey, SELC, Nebraska, Central Illinois, Kansas,Northwest, Ohio

11. National Imaging And Positioning Research