About
undefinedWhat it is:
Lutheran Student Fellowship (LSF) is most importantly, as the name implies, a fellowship of college students across the nation. LSF is ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. It is Christ-centered a student organization, organized on national, regional and local levels. It is governed by its constitution.
Its Goal
LSF's goal is to promote and provide opportunities for worship, fellowship, and service among college students for the glory of God. LSF seeks to help students to grow in their faith, equip them to share their faith with their friends, develop lasting relationships, and build strong leaders for the future.
INTRODUCTION
At the national convention of The Lutheran Church---Missouri Synod held at Indianapolis in July, 1986, a resolution was adopted calling for the formation of a new organization for college and university students in the Synod. The Board For Mission Services believes that such an organization represents a positive option for individuals, small groups, and congregations who support college students in the mission of the Church.
One of the purposes of the new origination will be to develop a network of LCMS student groups to enable interaction between students and campuses. Such student interaction, occurring within the framework of the Church and its confessional position, will provide a stimulus for the sharing and promoting of new ideas, successful programs, and effective resources, as well as a forum for addressing mutual concerns.
In particular, the new student organization will have a significant impact on those town-gown and contact ministries where a student organization is needed to provide a structure, a purpose, and a program, as well as leadership for the congregation’s campus ministry efforts. Student leaders will also provide continuity for the congregation’s campus program.
Many contact and town-gown congregations are unable to benefit from special privileges often granted by the university to recognized and approved student groups because they have not organized such as student group. The Synod’s new student organization can become that local organization which applies for and receives “recognition” by the university. Ordinarily, recognized student groups benefit from free use of university facilities, campus mail, printing, publicity, and in some instances, even “funding” for special events.
It's History
In 1928 an LCMS student organization was formed as a “ Student District of the Walter League.” The purpose of the organization was to serve college and university students as an extension of the Walther League.
In 1968, anticipating the “union” of Lutheran Church Bodies in America and the uniting of Lutheran campus ministries, the national officers of Gamma Delta voted to disband their organization in favor of a new pan-Lutheran organization which would serve all Lutheran students. Gamma Delta, and the student organization of the ALC and LCA (“Lutheran Student Association of America”), were both disbanded and a new organization was formed in 1969 called, “The Lutheran Student Movement.”
This action, however was not supported by everyone in LCMS campus ministries, and since the 1970’s efforts have been made to establish once again a distinctly “LCMS” student organization. During the 1985 more than 30 LCMS campus ministries and four District Conventions called for the Synod to establish a new student organization. The Synod Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana (198), responded by adopting the following resolution
RESOLUTION 1-09
Overtures 1-26A--27B (CW,pp32-33)
WHEREAS, An organization for college and university students has not existed in the Synod since Gamma Delta was disbanded in 1968, and
WHEREAS, Four district conventions have officially expressed the need for students on various campuses to associate with fellow Lutheran students on the local level and be involved in the church’s ministry; and
WHEREAS, Such an organization of students would assist in fostering an appreciation for the Mission and theology of the Synod through a network of local, regional and national student gatherings, providing additional opportunities for worship, fellows Bible Study, leadership training, and the development of more effective ways to be involoved in the church’s ministry; and
WHEREAS, A Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod student organization would also provide a vehilce For promotion campus ministry particularly in the more than 600 town-gown and contact campus congregations where a “full-time” campus pastor is not presently available; therefore be it
RESOVED, That the Synod direct the Board for Mission Services, through its Office of Campus Ministry, to work toward the establishment of a national Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod organization for college and university which reflects the evangelical, Biblical and confessional position of the Synod.
NAME
The name of the organization for college and university students of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod shall be Lutheran Student Fellowship--Missouri Synod. Lutheran Student Fellowship, an organization of college and university students in the Lutheran Church --Missouri Synod, seeks to support, strengthen and enhance the mission of campus ministry as declared in the Statement of Purpose of the 1985 Position and Directional Statement for Campus Ministry in the Synod.
Sponsored by the LCMS through LCMS World Mission and the Lutheran Campus Mission Association (LCMA) Board, formally the Board of Mission Services Office of Campus Ministry which was disbanded in 2002, Lutheran Student Fellowship endeavors to provide for all those participating the LCMS campus ministries additional opportunities for spiritual growth, service, leadership development and networking. Lutheran Student Fellowship strives to enable students to grow and mature in their faith in Jesus Christ during their college years, to grow in their understanding of the doctrine and practice of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod as taught in Holy Scripture and stated in the Lutheran Confessions, and to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a strengthened sense of mission and ministry in the areas of worship, nurture, outreach, fellowship, and service.
In whatever setting campus ministry takes place, whether in all-student assemblies, or in town-gown and contact congregations, or perhaps in supporting individuals isolated from any Lutheran presence, Lutheran Student Fellowship seeks to become a trusted servant and partner in proclaiming Jesus Christ in the academic community. The mission statement of the LSF National Council shall be reviewed annually by the National Council to keep the LSF focused on goals and objectives in keeping with this statement of purpose.
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