The June 2002 LCMS "Reporter" announced a drastic cut of 9
million dollars in the LCMS budget. The Synod now has an unrestricted budget
of 25.6 million. The cut is taking place when giving to congregations by their
members now exceeds a record 1.25 billion and giving to the districts now
exceeds a record 127 million dollars.
Facts show that giving more money will not solve the problem. What is
really needed is what the lay people don't want to give: namely, their
attention to the problems now facing the Synod. Years of neglect have resulted
in years of abuse.
Since 1969, LCMS district budgets have increased nearly six times to 54
million dollars. At the same time, the districts' support to the Synod has
been virtually flat for more than 30 years.
According to the LCMS "1969 Statistical Year Book" the Synodical
budget was $24,059,781 (Page 273).
In 1969 the LCMS districts in the 50 states took in $49,402,590 and gave
$23,555,365 to the Synod (page 287). The districts spent $9,565,745 on their
own budgets (page 304) and $13,901,911 on local missions (page 303).
In 2000 the LCMS districts took in $127,554,235 and they sent $25,312,219
to the Synod. During that time, the district budgets increased to $53,486,974
in 2000, nearly 600% over 1969. (2002 Lutheran Annual page 462)
The districts also spent more than another $50,000,000 on what could be
called "at home missions," but this information is no longer listed
in the Lutheran Annual. All together, in 2000, the districts spent more than a
$103,000,000. They sent less than one dollar out every five dollars they
collected to the Synod.
In another 30 years, at the current rate of decline, the Synod will no
longer exist and each district will each be its own synod.
The first fulltime district president was Dr. Harry Krieger of the Michigan
District circa 1960. Since that time, the number of fulltime District
Presidents, executives, secretaries, etc., has skyrocketed into the hundreds,
a bureaucracy far exceeding the number of workers for the Synod in St. Louis.
The assessed evaluation and maintenance of district office buildings and
facilities also exceeds the Synodical headquarters.
What has a 600% increase in district spending gotten the lay people in the
last 30 years?
While district office expenses have increased from 9 to 54 million dollars
between 1969 and 2000, baptized membership has declined by more than 320,000
to 2,553,971 souls. While total giving to the Districts over the past 30 years
has exceeded inflation, the lay people are giving a lot more but are getting a
lot less for their money.
Somehow, the Synod managed to grow to nearly 2.9 million baptized members
in 1969 with virtually no district office bureaucracy to manage or take credit
for the growth with a program here or a "leader" there.
At the same time, the much-maligned Wisconsin Synod that broke away from
the LCMS in 1962 has no full-time district presidents and has not shrunk like
the LCMS.
District politics have grown with the increased district cash flow. All too
often district presidents are more concerned about which pastors are going to
vote for him. Many pastors in turn seek the favor of district presidents who
will put them on the right call lists. A word to the wise LCMS pastor: Take
care of the district office and it will take care of you.
"Leadership" and not "doctrine" is now the Synodical
buzzword. The lay people have bought themselves a well-paid, self-serving
clergy clique.
Just as in the government, the courts, the public school system, or
Americana corporations lay people will have to learn that simply trusting
their money to the church without demanding accountability is more temptation
than the clergy can resist.
Luther understood that the clergy are incapable of policing themselves. Why
should it be any different today or do LCMS Lutherans only believe that
Catholic Bishops commit sin?