We are please to report there was a marked increase in our registrations and the number
of quests for the Second National Free Conference on C.F.W. Walther. There were Lutherans
from Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Kansas, Missouri,
Texas and a few more states.
We talked about the Bible, the Lutheran Confessions, the Lutheran Church, and,
naturally, Walther. This year's conference was more diverse than the first conference
because there was a wider range of subjects.
This year the Conference will have a significant impact on the LCMS because most of the
speakers presented resolutions for the Congregations to submit to the 2001 LCMS
Convention.
The Conference has three major points in its favor:
First, it is the only free conference on Walther.
Second, it offers the only conference that gives lay people an opportunity to promote
congregations besides institutions and bureaucracies.
Third, it has an ideal location, just three miles away from St. Louis's Lambert
International Airport, hosted by an outstanding and supportive congregation.
We polled those in attendance by paper ballot as to their preference for LCMS President
and First Vice President and the overwhelming choices were President Barry and Rev. Daniel
Preus.
A presentation by Dr. Koch of Orange County, California, an expert on administrative
organization, was his analysis of the Synod's structure. Koch observed that 0.6%, that is
less than one percent of the Synod's budget, is allocated to the Seminaries. He concluded
that the Synod will suffer a significant decline in clergy and membership because the
Synodical bureaucracy, particularly the District offices are growing so fast and taking so
much out of the Synod, they are actually depleting the Synod's resources for the future.
Koch also pointed out that the first reason the Synod was originally formed was to
train and educate pastors, which is now less than one percent of its priority. He proposes
a resolution that the Seminaries be financed by directly charging the congregations for
their expenses. He states that he has President Barry's approval for this resolution.
He explained it to me in rather crass terms. Koch said, as an organization, "The
Synod's bureaucracy is no longer able to perpetuate itself."
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Conference was the free flow of ideas without
the control of those eager to establish church growth style corporations or Episcopal
hierarchies.
This was truly a conference for lay people. Four of the ten speakers were lay people.
For those who were not able to attend, we recommend that they purchase the videotapes
of the Conference. Congressman Dannemeyer gave a presentation that should be seen by every
layperson who wants to maintain the autonomy and original direction of their congregation.
Daniel Preus' presentation on the Doctrine of Justification and Rome should be shown in
seminary classrooms and adult Bible classes. District President Suelflow spoke on the
Mequon Worship Theses, which have the potential of redirecting the worship of the entire
LCMS.
William Bischoff's paper clearly showed that the Synod is not church and was never
intended to be church.
Please send your request for all of the papers that were recorded on three two-hour
videotapes and/or audiotapes to:
Walther Conference 2
Hope Lutheran Church
10701 St. Cosmas Lane
St. Ann, MO 63074