Preamble
The holy Christian church is to be found where “the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel” (Augsburg Confession VII 1). The Gospel and the sacraments are called the “marks of the church.” Local, visible gatherings around the means of grace are called churches because there are believers gathered around Word and sacrament. The Scriptures teach, among other things, that we should maintain and extend God’s church by telling others about Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9; 3:15), by personal service (John 13:35), and by prayer (Luke 10:2) and financial support (Gal. 6:6; Romans 15:25-27; 1 Cor. 9:11).
ULMA Mission Intent
With God’s help the United Lutheran Mission Association will endeavor to:
Identify mission fields in order to establish confessional Lutheran congregations whose members and pastor share the Association’s theological position as expressed in our Constitution. These may be in unusual places and circumstances as God the Holy Spirit leads. Isaiah 55:8, Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, John 3:8, Acts 8:5, Acts 8:26, Acts 11:19, 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Identify opportunities to support and assist Lutherans who hope to form confessional Lutheran congregations whose members and pastor share the Association’s theological position as expressed in our Constitution. Romans 15:5-6, Philippians 2:1-2, Galatians 2:9 Acts 16:9-12, Matthew 18:20
Identify and support confessional Lutheran pastors who are qualified and willing to lead an ULMA mission congregation and who support the Association’s theological position as expressed in our Constitution. 1 Timothy 3: 1-7, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 6:7
Identify and unite with other existing Lutheran congregations desiring to participate in the building of God’s Kingdom through the pooling of mission funds and the formation and support of confessional Lutheran mission congregations. Acts 2:42, 2 Corinthians 8:3-5, Acts 8:14
Serve as a resource to existing Lutheran pastors, congregations or members within an existing congregation who are troubled by the theological direction of a synod or ecclesiastical body to which they belong. Acts 2:42, Acts 13:50, Acts 17:10-11, Acts 18:19
Accomplish our work primarily through lay leadership, volunteers and an organizational structure that eliminates bureaucratic waste and inefficiency. Acts 1:21-22, Acts 6:1-5, Acts 18:24-25
Publicize its existence. Matthew 5:14-16, Luke 12:3, John 18:20
Adopted: July 16, 2005
Revised: July 29, 2007
Revised: February, 2015