To Encourage Production, Promotion, and Use of Online Resources

WHEREAS, The Lutheran church has a rich history of using emerging media for the sake of spreading the Gospel and training lay persons and professional church workers, as evidenced by such things as Luther’s Small Catechism and the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) radio ministry; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and Concordia Publishing House (CPH) are to be commended for their use of print media throughout the history of Synod for the training and support of many; and

WHEREAS, CPH and LHM are to be commended for their production of video materials in recent years; and

WHEREAS, The emergence of the COVID-19 lockdown has pushed many ministries to gain the ability to produce video and emerging media resources in their local congregations; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing that, due to the time and effort put into these endeavors, organizations such as CPH and LHM may not be able to keep up with the demand of congregations; and

WHEREAS, “The Board for National Mission is charged with developing and determining policies for the coordination of and in support of district ministries which support congregations and schools” (Bylaw 3.8.2); and

WHEREAS, “Policies determined by the board (implemented by staff) may include but not be limited to:

• strong national mission leadership

• Lutheran school ministries and accreditation

• human care and domestic mercy efforts

• stewardship

• evangelism

• church planting and revitalization

• youth ministry” (Bylaw 3.8.2)

therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board for National Mission (BNM) be charged with an additional responsibility of the development and determination of policies that will aid districts in the task of creation and cu ration of Gospel proclamation using new and emerging media; and be it further

Resolved, That the BNM oversee the creation of a synodwide online database of online training and Gospel proclamation tools made by local congregations and districts for use by Synod congregations; and be it further

Resolved, That the BNM seek to provide these resources under Creative Commons licensing or other licensing that allows for congregational use without copyright infringements; and be it finally

Resolved, That local congregations and districts of the Synod be equipped and encouraged to engage in the task of content creation in new and emerging media that may be shared with all the congregations of the Synod.