Treasurer Kuchta Endorses Structure Changes but Admits it is a Centralization of Power, by Pr. Rossow

Synod Treasurer Tom Kuchta endorsed the structure changes this afternoon but in doing so made two striking statements.

First, he admitted that the structure proposals were indeed a centralization of power. The Blue Ribbon Task Force and the Floor Committee that has succeeded them have claimed all along that this is not a consolidation of power. Treasurers typically think in terms of saving money. Consolidating power indeed helps to save money but on the other hand, it puts control of the money in fewer hands. We understand that treasurers like the money in tighter control but we do not make decisions in the church based on money adn the control of money.

We make decisions in the church based on Scripture and doctrine. The LCMS has a fine tradition of putting authority in as many hands as possible with a deliberate process that allows as many as possible to search scripture and make sure that we are being Biblically sound. These proposals take that away and centralize the power as Tom Kuchta has said.

The second significant thing he said is that the proposals will only save the synod 1.4 million dollars. The synod has a an 84 million dollar budget. We are not even sure if this is restricted or unrestricted dolars. This is a drop in the bucket and certainly not worth the loss of authority for congregations and the centralization of power that we would relinquish with the passage of these proposals.

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