Title: ELCA Assembly Adopts New Evangelism Strategy
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 12, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY ADOPTS NEW EVANGELISM STRATEGY
01-CWA51-MM*

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) Churchwide Assembly adopted a new evangelism
strategy, "Toward a Vision for Evangelism in the ELCA." The new
strategy was adopted with 99.1 percent of the voting members' approval,
965-9. The previous evangelism strategy, "A Telling Witness to God's
Good News," was adopted by the 1991 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center. There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     The resolution provides guidance to Lutherans to "clarify their
sense of purpose and mission, seek new ways to be open to innovation and
change, and share new or existing evangelism plans with the whole church
prior to the 2003 Churchwide Assembly."
     Several amendments were presented during discussion on the
resolution. An amendment by the Rev. Martin J. Russell, ELCA Nebraska
Synod, passed 857-35. Russell's amendment proposed that the final
paragraph in the resolution, calling for the ELCA presiding bishop to
"provide for developing a comprehensive evangelism strategy for the 2003
Churchwide Assembly," be changed to call for the ELCA presiding bishop,
the Division for Congregational Ministries, the other churchwide
divisions and units, and the Conference of Bishops, "to establish a
'Blue Ribbon' task force by January 3, 2002, that will develop a
comprehensive evangelism strategy for presentation and possible action
at the 2003 churchwide assembly." The amendment also called for "at
least 50 percent of the participants on the task force be currently
active parish pastors and lay leaders in growing congregations,
representing a range of worship styles, membership size, and of urban,
suburban, and rural settings."
     Russell said his amendment would "draw on the gifts of pastors and
laypersons."
     An amendment to include "ethnic diversity" within the list of
categories for the task force's "50 percent of pastor and lay leader
participants," presented by the Rev. Raymond LeBlanc, ELCA Southern
California (West) Synod, was adopted 923-35.
      "This [resolution] is a great step toward refocusing our
attention on the 'Great Commission,'" LeBlanc said in debate.
     "I'm for this resolution," said Allan Thomas, ELCA Southeastern
Pennsylvania Synod. "It [the resolution] offers an opportunity to
continue to spread the Word by allowing churches to come together to
strategize and plan."
-- -- --
     Information about assembly actions is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site. Recorded
updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477

     *Michelle T. Mills is a senior at Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.
This summer she is an intern with ELCA News & Information.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html