We are please to report there was a marked increase in our registrations and the number of quests for the Second National Free Conference on C.F.W. Walther. There were Lutherans from Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, California, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and a few more states.

We talked about the Bible, the Lutheran Confessions, the Lutheran Church, and, naturally, Walther. This year's conference was more diverse than the first conference because there was a wider range of subjects.

This year the Conference will have a significant impact on the LCMS because most of the speakers presented resolutions for the Congregations to submit to the 2001 LCMS Convention.

The Conference has three major points in its favor:
First, it is the only free conference on Walther.
Second, it offers the only conference that gives lay people an opportunity to promote congregations besides institutions and bureaucracies.
Third, it has an ideal location, just three miles away from St. Louis's Lambert International Airport, hosted by an outstanding and supportive congregation.

We polled those in attendance by paper ballot as to their preference for LCMS President and First Vice President and the overwhelming choices were President Barry and Rev. Daniel Preus.

A presentation by Dr. Koch of Orange County, California, an expert on administrative organization, was his analysis of the Synod's structure. Koch observed that 0.6%, that is less than one percent of the Synod's budget, is allocated to the Seminaries. He concluded that the Synod will suffer a significant decline in clergy and membership because the Synodical bureaucracy, particularly the District offices are growing so fast and taking so much out of the Synod, they are actually depleting the Synod's resources for the future.

Koch also pointed out that the first reason the Synod was originally formed was to train and educate pastors, which is now less than one percent of its priority. He proposes a resolution that the Seminaries be financed by directly charging the congregations for their expenses. He states that he has President Barry's approval for this resolution.

He explained it to me in rather crass terms. Koch said, as an organization, "The Synod's bureaucracy is no longer able to perpetuate itself."

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Conference was the free flow of ideas without the control of those eager to establish church growth style corporations or Episcopal hierarchies.

This was truly a conference for lay people. Four of the ten speakers were lay people.

For those who were not able to attend, we recommend that they purchase the videotapes of the Conference. Congressman Dannemeyer gave a presentation that should be seen by every layperson who wants to maintain the autonomy and original direction of their congregation.

Daniel Preus' presentation on the Doctrine of Justification and Rome should be shown in seminary classrooms and adult Bible classes. District President Suelflow spoke on the Mequon Worship Theses, which have the potential of redirecting the worship of the entire LCMS.

William Bischoff's paper clearly showed that the Synod is not church and was never intended to be church.

Please send your request for all of the papers that were recorded on three two-hour videotapes and/or audiotapes to:

Walther Conference 2
Hope Lutheran Church
10701 St. Cosmas Lane
St. Ann, MO 63074