To Increase Mission Efforts to Immigrants and Various Cultural Groups in North America

WHEREAS, The Lord has obliged His Church to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name to all nations (Luke 24:47); and

WHEREAS, Many immigrants who have come to the United States and Canada from all over the world are not Christians; and

WHEREAS, The Synod has a rich history of reaching and assimilating new immigrants; and

WHEREAS, The United States and Canada contain a variety of cultural groups not only as a result of recent immigration but also due to various non-Christian religious and spiritual influences (e.g., “Mormon culture” in several places within western states); and

WHEREAS, The Synod’s Office of National Mission (ONM) has resources to locate and call the Synod’s attention to the whereabouts of groups currently underserved with the Gospel of Christ; therefore be it

Resolved, That the Synod recognize and actively promote the fact that the United States and Canada form a mission field with many unreached immigrants, ethnic groups, and non- Christian religious groups; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod direct ONM to assemble an inventory of existing efforts to bring the Gospel to various immigrant, ethnic, and non-Christian religious groups, whether these efforts have been undertaken, e.g., by the Synod and its agencies, auxiliaries, or recognized service organizations, or perhaps by parachurch groups that work at least in coordination with the Synod and its congregations;

and be it further

Resolved, That ONM make this inventory available and communicate its availability; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod direct the Set Apart to Serve initiative to give attention to recruiting professional church workers among present Lutherans who grew up in these immigrant, ethnic, and non-Christian religious groups, as these people can serve as a vital resource in reaching such populations; and be it further

Resolved, That the Synod in convention encourage its seminaries to ensure that students enrolled in ethnic immigrant or multicultural programs leading to ordination, for example the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology or Center for Hispanic Studies, or any other similar program, receive financial aid that covers a percentage of tuition equal to that received by M.Div. students. This should be accomplished as soon as reasonably possible without depriving the M.Div. or other pastoral formation programs of current financial aid resources; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM work to make available grants to provide short- and longer-term internships and other training for those preparing to do mission work amid these populations; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM conduct demographic research to specify the locations of larger immigrant, ethnic, and non- Christian religious groups who are currently underserved with the Gospel; and be it further

Resolved, That ONM work especially with districts, providing information to help these districts pinpoint where they can begin new ministries among people of various ethnicities and cultures in the United States and Canada during the next triennium; and be it finally

Resolved, That ONM work to make church planting grants and guidance available to those beginning new ethnic/cultural ministries