News About LCMS Elections, Finances, and Trends

By: Rev. Jack Cascione

MARQUART POSSIBLE NOMINEE FOR LCMS PRESIDENT

This writer has received information from a reliable source that Doctor Kurt Marquart would consider a nomination for LCMS President at the 2004 LCMS Convention.  There were reports from individuals at the LCA meeting that the Rev. Daniel Preus is the first choice for LCMS President among conservatives by a margin of 2 to 1.  Every congregation has the opportunity to nominate two candidates for the LCMS Presidency.

RIVER FOREST ELIMINATES DEACONESS PROGRAM

President Kieschnick has portrayed himself as the most “pro-woman” LCMS president in the history of the Synod, while at the same time the LCMS is eliminating its only historic course of study and service for women. Concordia University , River Forest Illinois , is no longer accepting students for the LCMS Deaconess Program.  The LCMS Board of Directors has urged River Forest to maintain the program.  The CCM has been asked if River Forest can eliminate a program that the LCMS Convention required River Forest to initiate and maintain.  The CCM has not responded.

SYNOD’S BUDGET DEFICIT WORSENS

In 2003, Mr. Ernie Garbie, a member of the LCMS Board of Directors, reported to the LCA that the 35 LCMS Districts will be reducing the amount of funds they send the Synod to 19 million dollars.  In 1969, the Synod received $24 million dollars.  The 19 million amounts to less than 4 million dollars today, factoring for inflation since 1969.  According to page 728 of the 2003 Lutheran Annual, Districts are only forwarding 20 cents on the dollar to the Synod.  This means that Synod, after expenses, will only have 9 million to distribute for all purposes, including missions.  The Synod is approximately 4 million in the red for the current fiscal year.

HINNEFELD PREDICTS SYNODICAL BANKRUPTCY

Ed Hinnefeld reported to the LCA that at the current rate of loss over the next five years, the Synod will soon be bankrupt and will need to sell assets against which it is currently borrowing funds.  As Districts receive fewer funds, many are simply funding their own programs and sending fewer dollars to the Synod.  If this trend continues, Hinnefeld predicts the Synod may break-up into a number of independent districts.

At this time, there are no plans to cut the 497 District staff workers, which outnumber the Synodical workers by nearly 5 to 1.  In 1961, there were no full-time District Presidents in the LCMS.  At this time Hinnefeld believes that the Synod is not able to tap the LCMS Pension Fund to cover its growing deficit.

PENSION FUND COULD SAVE SYNOD

It is possible that LCMS pastors, teachers, and staff works may be asked by the 2007 LCMS Convention to take a smaller amount in their pension fund to help fund the Synodical deficit crisis.

LCA VOTES NOT TO ENDORSE CANDIDATE FOR LCMS PRESIDENT

The Lutheran Concerns Association voted not to endorse any presidential candidate for the 2004 LCMS Convention.  The LCA decided that it was premature to make such a recommendation.  The plan is to wait and see which candidates the LCMS congregations choose to nominate for this office.

Recent rulings of the Synod’s Commission on Constitutional Matters have made the election of the President at the 2004 LCMS Convention a virtual winner-take-all event.  New CCM rulings have given the LCMS office of the President unprecedented authority including immunity from all charges while in office and the authority to grant immunity to all Synodical officials who conduct activities that have the President’s prior approval.

SYNOD IN WORST FINANCIAL POSITION IN ITS HISTORY

Current giving to the Synod, accounting for inflation, is well below giving in the 60’s and 70’s.  The LCMS President’s public involvement in the Benke Case and the President’s public revelations that led to the firing of LCMS Vice President Wallace Schulz from the Lutheran Hour have had a negative impact on lay support for the Synod.  The Synod recalled 28 missionaries in 2002 and may have to recall additional missionaries.

PREUS SPEAKS TO LCA

First Vice President Daniel Preus addressed the 2003 meeting of the LCA and spoke about the outlook for the Synod.  He noted that the Synod’s unity has been damaged in recent years.  He was uncertain about the Synod’s future and could not tell if the Synod would improve or decline.

Preus said that he personally found renewed strengths in the Psalms and quoted at least seven of them.  He quoted Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” and observed that the current lack of agreement in the Synod over worship and communion practice were a cause for disunity and depression in the Synod.  He appealed to agreement in God’s word.

Preus quoted Psalm 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” and observed that the Synod must be built on the word of God.

He quoted Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” and he concluded that there is only deliverance in Christ.

Preus urged that lay people read their Bibles and become acquainted with the Lutheran Confessions.

When asked if he were President, how he would address the critical shortage of clergy in the Synod, Preus responded that he would do everything in his power to return pastors who currently work for the Synod in staff positions back to the parish.

WENTHE SPEAKS TO LCA

Doctor Dean Wenthe, president of the Fort Wayne Seminary, believes that there is a positive future for confessional Lutheranism.  He noted that there are many young people who are searching for truth in a era when everything is considered a matter of relevancy.  He said we must uphold the great “solas” of the Reformation.  He reported that many young adults are adopting Christian orthodoxy and there is greater interest in Christian doctrine and tradition.  At this time, Fort Wayne is scheduled to take in 110 men for their first year of preparation at the Seminary, the highest number enrolled since the 1980’s.

SYNODICAL COLLEGES OWE 220 MILLION