To Celebrate Chinese, Black, Hispanic, Hmong Mission Anniversaries in the United States and Encourage New Mission and Ministry

WHEREAS, Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His Great Commission: “Make disciples of all nations,” (Matt. 28:19) and He gave the Holy Spirit so that His disciples would be “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8); and

WHEREAS, The Church Triumphant in Revelation 7 is shown to be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, redeemed and gathered in praise before God on His throne, and these passages have inspired Synod mission efforts in the United States (U.S.) and around the world; and

WHEREAS, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) history includes stories of faithfulness as well as times of failure that point us to Christ in thankful and repentant prayer; and

WHEREAS, God’s Word calls us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:23–25); and

WHEREAS, In this triennium, milestone anniversaries of mission in the U.S. include 90 years of Chinese ministry and 100 years of Hispanic ministry in 2026; 150 years of Black ministry in 2027; and 50 years of Hmong ministry in 2028; and these milestones serve as reminders of Christ’s faithfulness and opportunities to stir up one another toward love and good works; and

WHEREAS, More than half (52.7 percent, according to the 2020 Census) of all children in the U.S. under the age of 18 today are of a non-European heritage, and will be part of the ongoing and new ministry of the whole Synod, including of the 500+ ministries in existence today as a result of these mission efforts; and

WHEREAS, The mission efforts have also resulted in the formation of an All Nations Council, made up of representatives of many of these Synod ministries in the U.S., including Black Ministries of the Southeastern District, Black Ministries of the Southern District, Chinese Lutherans in Mission Building, the Eritrean Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society in North America, the Evangelical Mekane Yesus Lutheran Fellowship in North America, the Hispanic Missionary League & National Hispanic Convention, the Hmong Mission Society, LCMS Office of National Mission (ONM), Messiah for Muslims, the Multi Asian Gathering, LCMS Native American ministries of the Northern Cheyenne and Navajo Nation, the Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society, and the Sudanese Lutheran Mission Society, that has convened five times in locations throughout the U.S., meeting with and learning from local ministers and districts, building capacity for collaboration, praying together and discerning opportunities for engagement together in mission,with and to people of all ethnicities and languages in the U.S.; therefore be it

Resolved, That congregations commemorate these milestone anniversaries by holding events, creating displays, sponsoring mission projects, and communicating in newsletters and other media the encouraging news that the Synod is a church of every nation, of all peoples, tribes, and languages (Rev. 7:9), and make known the history of outreach and mission as well as current mission efforts of congregations and districts in the U.S.; and be it further

Resolved, That congregations provide information to members about the Synod’s resources that make known the Law-Gospel faithfulness of Christ for all peoples, that make known the Synod’s condemnation of racism, and that provide guidance for outreach and witness to people who are not yet part of the church;and be it further

Resolved, That the LCMS Communications department regularly spotlight in Synod publications, on the web, in social media, and in e-newsletters practical ways that congregations and districts are witnessing across ethnic and language boundaries, especially in their own communities; and be it further

Resolved, That the ONM work with Concordia Publishing House (CPH) to prepare materials to facilitate congregational and family ministry among people of many languages and cultures in the U.S., which would include all CPH worship material of its Spanish, Chinese, French, and other language hymnals being made available in Lutheran Service Builder; and be it further

Resolved, That the ONM work with CPH to add theologically sound materials in English that originated in Black/African American, Chinese, Hispanic, and Hmong traditions to the materials available in Lutheran Service Builder; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Synod in convention lift our hearts in gratitude and praise to God, standing to sing the Doxology in celebration of His mission in the U.S. among people of all ethnicities and languages, giving thanks for the many individuals who have served in these ministries.