Mission Creep(s)

Did you know that, ON THEIR OWN, overseas missionaries in the LCMS have to collect 85% of the cost to operate their missions? The Synod graciously picks up the other 15%.

Oh, there's one exception. NEW missionaries have to collect 100% of their operating expenses.

Here's a radical idea:

Fund the missionaries with 100% of their operating expenses and get Gerald Kieschnick and the other district presidents to fund 85% - 100% of their salaries, going from congregation to congregation, making PowerPoint presentations and asking for money.

In the Northern Illinois District we have FOUR mission "executives." They are supposed to be facilitating the planting churches and promoting missions in the district. Would it surprize you to learn that missions aren't growing too well -- but that salaries and budgets have grown just fine?

Also in the Northern Illinois District, the district's board for missions has been given constitutional authority to review and approve grants to missions congregations. In the past year or so, however, they have not been consulted in ANY of these grants. ZERO. Who has been doing the reviewing and bestowing? The district's Ablaze! Grant Teams -- groups which have absolutely NO constitutional authority to be doing such things.

Is there someone from whom I need permission to get angry? In situations like this within Christ's church, is there some place I need to go to get approval to use strong language, make a whip of cords, overturn tables and drive out money-changers? (I'm primed to have someone pose the question to me: "What would Jesus do?")

Would I feel any better if I read Robert Bork's book The Death of Outrage?

I guess I can try to placate myself by writing up some overtures for next year's district convention . . .