Three overtures asked the 2026 LCMS Convention to reckon with the public murder of a Christian and to remember the faithful witnesses of our time. The proposed resolution avoided all of it.
Sad missed opportunity for the LCMS to take a definitive stance on the evil, anti Christian movements. I know personally individuals who started attending church or changed churches as a response to Charlie's death.
We first attended an LCMS church on in September 2025 after attending Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona. We were confirmed this past April. Charlie Kirk 100% brought us to the church.
I am extremely disappointed , though not altogether surprised . This just further makes me glad we left the LCMS ( not the Gottensdienst group , though ) . We have become ELS and couldn't be happier .
These attitudes are part of the reason that the LCMS is not particularly benefitting fton the quiet revival. Also the lack of prominent podcastors who are both very right wing and very LCMS.
Harrison noted that district conventions have been “very CALM,” although new Synod-political websites and organizations are appearing. (Feb. 21-22, 2025, LCMS BOD Minutes)
In response to a question regarding district conventions, Harrison noted those already attended have been “extremely CALM.” (May 21-22, 2022, LCMS BOD Minutes)
President Harrison reported that things are going “swimmingly for a convention year,” and that the church is “CALM for a convention year.” (Feb 15, 2019, LCMS BOD Minutes)
Harrison: "Synod is generally CALM. No dispute resolution panels are active, and the one suspension panel is concluding." (Feb 16-17, 2018, Board of Directors Minutes)
Harrison: "The Synod is enjoying a CALM non-convention year." (LCMS BOD Feb. 17-18,2017 Minutes)
Harrison: “We’ve come a long, long way. The 2016 [LCMS] convention was unbelievably CALM." (Reporter, February 28, 2017)
Harrison referred to the convention as “really pretty CALM … [and] remarkable” (Reporter, September 22, 2016)
“From what I can see, it’s been remarkably CALM” for a year leading up to a Synod convention, President Harrison said as he began his report to the Board. (Reporter, Dec. 18, 2015)
President Harrison touched on a number of subjects in his oral report, noting that from what he has seen, “the Synod is remarkably CALM for a convention year.” (LCMS BOD Nov. 19-20, 2015, Minutes)
“It’s very CALM in the church,” Harrison told the [LCMS National Mission] board (Reporter, 10/21/2015)
“The district conventions were extremely CALM and positive across the board,” Harrison told the BOD (Reporter, 8/27/2015)
He [Harrison] also provided a general report of the tone of the recent district conventions, calling them “extremely CALM” and his presence at twenty-one of the conventions “well received,” indicative of a “very positive mood across the church.” (LCMS BOD Aug. 20-21, 2015 Minutes)
He [Harrison] spoke of the “basically CALM” 2015 district conventions that had met so far (Reporter, Jun 25, 2015)
He [Harrison] commended the Board for its consideration of the balanced budget for 2016, characterized LCMS district conventions as “CALM,” welcomed Robson to the staff, and mentioned Synod units that are “hitting their stride.” (Reporter, 5/21/2015)
President Matthew Harrison began his report with positive comments regarding the Synod, stating that this is “a good moment for us, really blessed,” as evidenced by warm receptions and CALM collegiality at district conventions and the growth of international mission efforts. (LCMS BOD 5/15-16/2015 Minutes)
“The Synod remains pretty CALM as it goes about its work,” Harrison told the Board in his president’s report. (Reporter, 5/30/2015)
In his report to the COP, Harrison noted that “the Synod remains CALM and busy about its task of sharing Christ as it carries out its manifold ministries.” (Reporter, 5/7/2014)
President Rev. Dr. [sic] Matthew C. Harrison thanked [Rev. David W. Totsky] for reading the Bylaws in such a “sonorous, CALM” voice and joked, “I may ask CPH to publish them in audio version to help me go to sleep every night.” (Reporter, 7/23/2013)
While there are some doctrinal disagreements in the Synod, his [Harrison's] observation, based on attending the conventions, is that the Synod “is rather CALM and very much united in a number of areas, including the recent HHS mandate challenge to religious freedom.” (Reporter, 10/17/2012)
Harrison: "While the Synod does have some ongoing doctrinal disagreements, overall the conventions were quite CALM, celebrating unity in many areas of the Synod’s life together." (LCMS BOD 8/23-24/2012 Minutes)
Excellent collection of evidence demonstrating the sad truth. Can’t help but be disgusted with Harrison’s “calm” (no conflict) obsession when the destructive results of it have enabled liberal district presidents and pastors to freely finish the job of ruining so many of our once confessional LCMS congregations.
I would not consider this article's topic "Synod business."
I'd be more interested in what the Synod's position is on the Muslim invasion of our country and remind them of the German Crusade that drove Islam from Europe in 1197ad. We might remember if our forefathers had not fought evil with violence we would be kneeling seven times a day to mecca.
I'd also like to know what the Synods position is to resist Godless Communism in the USA in all its forms and oppose the candidates professing Communism/Socialism's ideals.
Great article. The LCMS imagines that it can refuse to make clear statements from the Word of God about the great moral and political questions that grip the people of our nation in the interest of preaching the pure Gospel. Few seem to realize that in doing this we risk giving the impression that the Word of God and the pure Gospel taught in it has nothing relevant to say to the great moral and political questions of our time, or the people gripped by them.
In response to Jenna, the sad missed opportunity can be rectified, I believe, by a motion from the floor to amend the proposed Resolution to specifically name Charlie Kirk as a martyr. From what I have seen, though errant in some areas, he faithfully, repeatedly, and principally witnessed to Christ during his events. His TPUSA was political, but above all religious in nature. He attempted to change our culture, basically bring us to repentance and renewed faith. Contact your circuit representatives, district office, as well as the authors of the Resolutions prior to the convention and encourage them to act. Peace in Christ!
Any convention delegates desiring to amend the proposed Resolution to include the name of Charlie Kirk need to be very knowledgeable about and have a plan for maneuvering through Robert's Rules of Order and the Convention Standing Rules (Today's Business, pp. 14-17). Within these sets of rules (as well as Bylaw 3.1.6.2(c)) are potholes and roadblocks to avoid in getting such an amendment accepted and considered by convention delegates. And there's always the "Call the question" ploy to avoid.
One question is whether to first discuss the amendment informally among the various delegates earlier at the convention to gain support (and thus also alerting opponents to what is planned), or to first bring up the motion to amend at the time the Resolution is presented. The first choice is preferrable because this will reinforce the basis and validity of the amendment, and leave opponents with fewer or less honorable ways to defeat the motion.
Yes, getting a substitute resolution, an amended resolution, or something pulled from an omnibus is like fighting a double-stacked deck. Not only are the formal convention rules apparatus built to mitigate against it (while still maintaining the plausible feasibility of such), but the political opposition to such also has a fairly easy time of using RRoO to prevent it.
Combine that with a convention schedule that is highly fragmented, with shuffling between floor committees and breaks of all types (recognitions, greetings, observations, devotions, etc...) that mitigate against the ostensible purpose of the convention (debating and doing substantive business), and it's not surprising that nothing actually does get done. Aside from feeling good, it's not really meant to.
That a Christian man is murdered for Christian faith at a 'political event' doesn't make his murder a 'political' one. If Kirk were murdered in an Applebee's restaurant it would not have been an anti-business assassination [maybe if it were at Chick-fil-A?]. Had he been murdered walking down a street made him more or less a martyr. Evil was manifested in the murder of Kirk for his Christian faith and conviction to share Christ which offends the world and the Devil; aligned with TPUSA's goals [https://tpusa.com/welcome/], Kirk specifically purposefully and spoke at TPUSA events as a μάρτυρός of Jesus and for the sake the The Gospel. TPUSA purposefully does not advertise its events as 'political', but as conservative movement rallies to win hearts and minds of young people.
He died a Christian martyr for the cause of Christ's kingdom. Though he's likely not going to have a Commemoration day in the next iteration of our Lutheran hymns like other non-Lutherans [e.g. Anselm of Canterbury, Valentine, or Monica [mother of Augustine], the LCMS doed have unique opportunity to appropriately go on record to honor the life of a Christian whose work continues to be used of God to draw tens of thousands of young people to believe the Gospel of Jesus.
This reminds me of a quote of the late theologian, Hermann Sasse: “The church isn’t dying from martyrdom, but from apostasy.”
Nice summary of total events. I wonder how many martyrdoms in the United States 🇺🇸 it will take for the LCMS, to formally recognize any of them.
The “Negative world“. 🌍 to borrow from Aaron Renns book 📕 by the same name, combined with two tier law enforcement in places like Portland Oregon.
This Almost guarantees other publicly vocal Christian speakers and leaders, will be targeted for assassination.
Sad missed opportunity for the LCMS to take a definitive stance on the evil, anti Christian movements. I know personally individuals who started attending church or changed churches as a response to Charlie's death.
We first attended an LCMS church on in September 2025 after attending Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona. We were confirmed this past April. Charlie Kirk 100% brought us to the church.
This quote has kept coming to my mind over the last few years regarding the LCMS.
“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Pastors, be a man with a chest. Be strong and courageous. Be like the Martyrs. Be like Charlie Kirk. Not the cowards from floor committee 4.
I am extremely disappointed , though not altogether surprised . This just further makes me glad we left the LCMS ( not the Gottensdienst group , though ) . We have become ELS and couldn't be happier .
These attitudes are part of the reason that the LCMS is not particularly benefitting fton the quiet revival. Also the lack of prominent podcastors who are both very right wing and very LCMS.
Why even have a resolution that says nothing useful at all?
There are priorities:
Harrison noted that district conventions have been “very CALM,” although new Synod-political websites and organizations are appearing. (Feb. 21-22, 2025, LCMS BOD Minutes)
In response to a question regarding district conventions, Harrison noted those already attended have been “extremely CALM.” (May 21-22, 2022, LCMS BOD Minutes)
President Harrison reported that things are going “swimmingly for a convention year,” and that the church is “CALM for a convention year.” (Feb 15, 2019, LCMS BOD Minutes)
Harrison: "Synod is generally CALM. No dispute resolution panels are active, and the one suspension panel is concluding." (Feb 16-17, 2018, Board of Directors Minutes)
Harrison: "The Synod is enjoying a CALM non-convention year." (LCMS BOD Feb. 17-18,2017 Minutes)
Harrison: “We’ve come a long, long way. The 2016 [LCMS] convention was unbelievably CALM." (Reporter, February 28, 2017)
Harrison referred to the convention as “really pretty CALM … [and] remarkable” (Reporter, September 22, 2016)
“From what I can see, it’s been remarkably CALM” for a year leading up to a Synod convention, President Harrison said as he began his report to the Board. (Reporter, Dec. 18, 2015)
President Harrison touched on a number of subjects in his oral report, noting that from what he has seen, “the Synod is remarkably CALM for a convention year.” (LCMS BOD Nov. 19-20, 2015, Minutes)
“It’s very CALM in the church,” Harrison told the [LCMS National Mission] board (Reporter, 10/21/2015)
“The district conventions were extremely CALM and positive across the board,” Harrison told the BOD (Reporter, 8/27/2015)
He [Harrison] also provided a general report of the tone of the recent district conventions, calling them “extremely CALM” and his presence at twenty-one of the conventions “well received,” indicative of a “very positive mood across the church.” (LCMS BOD Aug. 20-21, 2015 Minutes)
He [Harrison] spoke of the “basically CALM” 2015 district conventions that had met so far (Reporter, Jun 25, 2015)
He [Harrison] commended the Board for its consideration of the balanced budget for 2016, characterized LCMS district conventions as “CALM,” welcomed Robson to the staff, and mentioned Synod units that are “hitting their stride.” (Reporter, 5/21/2015)
President Matthew Harrison began his report with positive comments regarding the Synod, stating that this is “a good moment for us, really blessed,” as evidenced by warm receptions and CALM collegiality at district conventions and the growth of international mission efforts. (LCMS BOD 5/15-16/2015 Minutes)
“The Synod remains pretty CALM as it goes about its work,” Harrison told the Board in his president’s report. (Reporter, 5/30/2015)
In his report to the COP, Harrison noted that “the Synod remains CALM and busy about its task of sharing Christ as it carries out its manifold ministries.” (Reporter, 5/7/2014)
President Rev. Dr. [sic] Matthew C. Harrison thanked [Rev. David W. Totsky] for reading the Bylaws in such a “sonorous, CALM” voice and joked, “I may ask CPH to publish them in audio version to help me go to sleep every night.” (Reporter, 7/23/2013)
While there are some doctrinal disagreements in the Synod, his [Harrison's] observation, based on attending the conventions, is that the Synod “is rather CALM and very much united in a number of areas, including the recent HHS mandate challenge to religious freedom.” (Reporter, 10/17/2012)
Harrison: "While the Synod does have some ongoing doctrinal disagreements, overall the conventions were quite CALM, celebrating unity in many areas of the Synod’s life together." (LCMS BOD 8/23-24/2012 Minutes)
[EMPHASIS added]
Sad, but true. Do or say nothing that would trigger anyone.
Excellent collection of evidence demonstrating the sad truth. Can’t help but be disgusted with Harrison’s “calm” (no conflict) obsession when the destructive results of it have enabled liberal district presidents and pastors to freely finish the job of ruining so many of our once confessional LCMS congregations.
I would not consider this article's topic "Synod business."
I'd be more interested in what the Synod's position is on the Muslim invasion of our country and remind them of the German Crusade that drove Islam from Europe in 1197ad. We might remember if our forefathers had not fought evil with violence we would be kneeling seven times a day to mecca.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade_of_1197
I'd also like to know what the Synods position is to resist Godless Communism in the USA in all its forms and oppose the candidates professing Communism/Socialism's ideals.
Great article. The LCMS imagines that it can refuse to make clear statements from the Word of God about the great moral and political questions that grip the people of our nation in the interest of preaching the pure Gospel. Few seem to realize that in doing this we risk giving the impression that the Word of God and the pure Gospel taught in it has nothing relevant to say to the great moral and political questions of our time, or the people gripped by them.
In response to Jenna, the sad missed opportunity can be rectified, I believe, by a motion from the floor to amend the proposed Resolution to specifically name Charlie Kirk as a martyr. From what I have seen, though errant in some areas, he faithfully, repeatedly, and principally witnessed to Christ during his events. His TPUSA was political, but above all religious in nature. He attempted to change our culture, basically bring us to repentance and renewed faith. Contact your circuit representatives, district office, as well as the authors of the Resolutions prior to the convention and encourage them to act. Peace in Christ!
Any convention delegates desiring to amend the proposed Resolution to include the name of Charlie Kirk need to be very knowledgeable about and have a plan for maneuvering through Robert's Rules of Order and the Convention Standing Rules (Today's Business, pp. 14-17). Within these sets of rules (as well as Bylaw 3.1.6.2(c)) are potholes and roadblocks to avoid in getting such an amendment accepted and considered by convention delegates. And there's always the "Call the question" ploy to avoid.
One question is whether to first discuss the amendment informally among the various delegates earlier at the convention to gain support (and thus also alerting opponents to what is planned), or to first bring up the motion to amend at the time the Resolution is presented. The first choice is preferrable because this will reinforce the basis and validity of the amendment, and leave opponents with fewer or less honorable ways to defeat the motion.
Yes, getting a substitute resolution, an amended resolution, or something pulled from an omnibus is like fighting a double-stacked deck. Not only are the formal convention rules apparatus built to mitigate against it (while still maintaining the plausible feasibility of such), but the political opposition to such also has a fairly easy time of using RRoO to prevent it.
Combine that with a convention schedule that is highly fragmented, with shuffling between floor committees and breaks of all types (recognitions, greetings, observations, devotions, etc...) that mitigate against the ostensible purpose of the convention (debating and doing substantive business), and it's not surprising that nothing actually does get done. Aside from feeling good, it's not really meant to.
That a Christian man is murdered for Christian faith at a 'political event' doesn't make his murder a 'political' one. If Kirk were murdered in an Applebee's restaurant it would not have been an anti-business assassination [maybe if it were at Chick-fil-A?]. Had he been murdered walking down a street made him more or less a martyr. Evil was manifested in the murder of Kirk for his Christian faith and conviction to share Christ which offends the world and the Devil; aligned with TPUSA's goals [https://tpusa.com/welcome/], Kirk specifically purposefully and spoke at TPUSA events as a μάρτυρός of Jesus and for the sake the The Gospel. TPUSA purposefully does not advertise its events as 'political', but as conservative movement rallies to win hearts and minds of young people.
He died a Christian martyr for the cause of Christ's kingdom. Though he's likely not going to have a Commemoration day in the next iteration of our Lutheran hymns like other non-Lutherans [e.g. Anselm of Canterbury, Valentine, or Monica [mother of Augustine], the LCMS doed have unique opportunity to appropriately go on record to honor the life of a Christian whose work continues to be used of God to draw tens of thousands of young people to believe the Gospel of Jesus.
Floor Committees are where the requests of Synod congregations go to die.