Congregations Matter© believes we need a change of leadership in the LCMS. Either the current leaders need to change the way they are doing things — or we need new leaders.
Four Reasons for a Change of Leadership
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- There is a lack of cooperation with and support of our district elected leaders — especially our District Presidents. Congregations don’t matter — neither do our District Presidents.
- The centralization of power in the office of Synodical President sought by our current administration is dangerous for our Synod now and in the days to come. This is an unprecedented power grab in the history of our church. At our last convention, President Harrison showed his lack of trust for the Boards of Regents, theological faculties of our Concordias, and our District Presidents (and the congregations that elected them) as he became the agent of approval of all theological faculty Synod-wide. In addition, at the 2016 Synod Convention, Harrison attempted to become the ecclesiastical supervisor of all congregations. His success or failure is yet to be seen from the results of Resolution 12-14 negotiations with the Council of Presidents. However, once again, congregations don’t matter — the President’s Office in St. Louis does.
- The financial support of the day-to-day operation of the LCMS has dwindled as a result of the current administration’s actions. The report of the Board of Directors in February was that there was only 5 days of operating cash at the International Center in St. Louis. Because Congregations don’t matter, congregations aren’t financially supporting the International Center.
- LCMS congregational mission work is not valued by our current administration. In a recent Reporter, the Synod office only listed congregations directly supporting their mission work as doing mission work in the U.S. and the nations of the world. Congregations in mission don’t matter — only International Center mission work does.
A Grassroots, Groundswell Movement Has Begun
It would be easy to diminish and demean the work of Congregations Matter© by suggesting that we are “of a party spirit”. Nothing could be further from the truth. Congregations Matter© is a grassroots, groundswell movement of LCMS laypeople, pastors and congregations the Synod.
Congregations Matter© is a movement within the LCMS that wants to restore the Synod to its historic role of providing congregations with advice, encouragement, and resources to carry out their evangelical role of teaching and baptizing in their communities, as they see best fit for their own circumstances.
Our Synod leadership has gotten away from its historic role, and is more focused on concentrating all authority, direction, and control in St. Louis. That is not healthy for our Church. The health of our Church is our local congregations.
Congregations Matter© believes we need a change of leadership in the LCMS.
Either the current leaders need to change the way they are doing things — or we need new leaders.