LCMS World Mission Purpose Statement:

Praying to the Lord of the Harvest, 

LCMS World Mission

in 

collaboration with its North American and 

worldwide partners

will 

share the good news of Jesus

with 100 million 

unreached or uncommitted

people during the next 15 years (2017).

That strategy, which relies on few LCMS mis 

The Missouri Synod, through LCMS World

sionaries, may be especially useful today, as LCMS

Mission, operates the school and two others like it

World Mission struggles to take Christ's Gospel

in Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea.

message to more people, with fewer dollars. Late

The Shanghai school, with preschool through

last year the Synod's mission arm was forced to cut a

high school classes, has operated out of rented

third of its St. Louis based staff and one fourth of

quarters. Its new building, scheduled for occupancy

its career missionary force because of declining

this spring, will allow the school to boost its enroll 

donations.

ment to more than 500 students. And future build 

Nevertheless, LCMS World Mission remains

ings will allow it to accommodate 1,000 students.

dedicated to its goal of sharing the Good News of

 We are already bulging at the seams with stu 

Jesus with 100 million unreached and uncommitted

dent waiting lists,  said William Morse, director of

people by 2017 the 500th anniversary of the

development for CISS.  With the type of growth

Reformation.

we are experiencing, it is clear that we will need to

 I firmly believe that this challenge ... is a task

build another facility in the not too distant future. 

God wants done,  says missions Executive Director

Morse said,  People stop by the school weekly

Rev. Robert Roegner.  Even as we have made our

inquiring about our program and the opportunity

reductions, we have kept this goal ahead of us. Our

for their children. 

strategies will change, but we will go forward.

God can and will support us. 

LCMS World Mission today includes

some 80 career missionary individuals and cou 

ples (both husbands and wives are considered

missionaries), about 120 long term volunteers

and dozens of short term volunteers who serve

in about 40 countries. The mission board also

supports the work of its  mission partners  in

another 35 countries.

In addition to overseas missions, the day 

to day operations of LCMS World Mission

include ministries to a number of North

America based groups, such as blind and deaf

people, African immigrants and Hispanics, and

those serving in the Armed Forces. Following

are a few mission related success stories of The

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

In China, Concordia International School, Shanghai, anticipates

completion of a new building this spring.The facility will allow

Shanghai school has waiting lists

enrollment to grow to 500 students. Lutheran Church Extension

Fund has provided the loan for construction.

Concordia International School Shanghai

(CISS) in China, in only its fifth year of operation,

Last year, CISS received accreditation by the

has more than 300 students. Also, the school could

Western Association of Schools and Colleges for six

be  bulging at the seams  within a few years after it

years which, Morse said, is a  significant accom 

occupies a new 60,000 square foot building now in

plishment for a school to achieve in its initial four

the final stage of construction, school officials say.  

years  of operation.

Photo: Concordia International School, Shanghai

(45) FEBRUARY 2003

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