To Cease District Promotion and Involvement in Natural Church Development
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS requires “the exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school” as a condition for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod (Art. VI.4); and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS also requires the renunciation of unionism and syncretism of every description,・ which includes participating in heterodox tract and missionary activities・ (Art. VI.2.c); and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the LCMS is also the constitution of each district of the Synod・ (Art. XII.2); and
WHEREAS, the _____________ district of the LCMS currently promotes a program on the district website called “Natural Church Development” (NCD) [note – different districts may promote NCD in different ways, so the language of “on the district website” may have to be adapted according to your district]; and
WHEREAS, the language on the district website [note – you may have to adapt language that fits for your district's promotion of NCS] is in many places identical to the language from the website of Natural Church Development International, a non-Lutheran mission program (www.ncd-international.org), so that it is clear that the district is promoting this specific agency and its methods; and
WHEREAS, the website of this NCD program says about itself that it “is not a value-neutral methodology, but there are clear theological assumptions and decisions behind it” (http://www.ncd-international.org/public/FAQ-NCDTheology.html, accessed July 25, 2011); and
WHEREAS, the website of this NCD program says about itself that “Clearly, the theology behind NCD is neither specifically Baptist nor Methodist nor Pentecostal nor Lutheran, but it is a theological paradigm” (http://www.ncd-international.org/public/FAQ-NCDTheology.html, accessed July 25, 2011); and
WHEREAS, the resources promoted by Natural Church Development, International, have a theological stance that is contrary to the pure Lutheran teaching (such as NCD’s misunderstanding of saving faith as “an experience of God,” according to Schwarz’ book, The Threefold Art of Experiencing God, http://www.ncd-international.org/public/BooksThreefold.html, accessed July 25, 2011); and
WHEREAS, the theology of the Lutheran church according to her Confessional writings is the correct Biblical teaching, without error; and
WHEREAS, the use of materials from non-Lutheran mission programs undermines the Lutheran and Biblical confession of the faith, and leads those who are weak in faith to assume that our Lutheran church agrees with such non-Lutheran programs; and
WHEREAS, Romans 16:17 urges Christians to note and avoid those who teach “contrary to the doctrine which you learned”; and also, 1 Tim. 4:16 admonishes us to “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you;” so let it be
RESOLVED, that the ___________ district  of the LCMS stop promoting Natural Church Development and its doctrinally impure materials; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the LCMS congregations of the __________ district insist that only doctrinally pure, Lutheran mission resources be promoted in our district and synod; and be it further
RESOLVED, that those LCMS congregations of the __________ district who have participated in Natural Church Development be informed by representatives from the district office or circuit counselors that this program is contrary to the pure Lutheran teaching; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Synod in convention in 2013 be asked to address that Natural Church Development is not Lutheran in theology, and thus, according to our constitution, should not be participated in by LCMS pastors or congregations.