It's that time again! On June 17th, pastors and lay delegates and guests will arrive at our Bethany Lutheran College for the annual convention of our Evangelical Lutheran Synod. This year's convention theme highlights the subject of Evangelism: "Declare His Praises!" based on 1 Peter 2:9. We are planning a slightly different format for the essay portion of this year's convention. After a short essay on the biblical injunctions for evangelism, sectionals are scheduled where challenges and opportunities concerning evangelism will be discussed.

Why do we gather as a synod? An important purpose of our church body is reviewing and examining the work of the past year with an eye to the future. How are we doing as a synod in carrying out the three-fold intention for its existence? A large plaque now rests on a wall in our synod's boardroom adjacent to my office. It succinctly sets forth these three points as the chartered purpose for our ELS: "The synod exists to carry out the command of Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), to contend for the faith (Jude 3), and to promote the development of Christian life (Galatians 5:22-25) within its membership." 

Each of these purposes are reflected in this year's convention evangelism theme, "Declare His Praises!" Only through the preaching and teaching of Law and Gospel and only through the forgiveness of sins in Christ as conveyed in Word and Sacrament can hearts of sinners be turned from destruction to a path of new life by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the new life that gives praise to God for His grace alone in bringing about our redemption. Contending for the pure doctrine of God's Word brings great praise to our God, for it gives due prominence to God's truth in a world so prone to question whether truth exists or even can exist. Pursuing the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control—Galatians 5) in our day-by-day Christian vocations also sends a powerful witness to the salvation we have by faith in Christ alone.

There are so many souls in our world who do not know the saving news of Christ's atoning sacrifice for sins. A sizable responsibility and an awesome privilege lie before us. Can we and will we be able to set our sights on gleaning the "fields that are ripe unto harvest"? Pray that God uses our 2007 convention to focus our thoughts on declaring the praises of the One who called us "out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).