# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1989_S113
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

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THEOLOGY AND CHURCH RELATIONS 113

one year and shall clearly state in writing the conditions
under which the license may be renewed. Subsequent li-
censes may be issued for up to two years but must likewise
identify the specific conditions required for renewal of the
license.

iii. All sermonic preparation and composition by such
lay ministers shall be guided and directed by the super-
vising pastor. All sermons delivered by the lay minister,
whether prepared by the lay minister or by another, should
receive the approval of the supervising pastor prior to de-
livery in a public worship service. It is understood that
where consultation is not possible, the supervising pastor
will have made appropriate arrangements for exercising
his accountability for the proclamation of the Word in the
congregation.

2. Leading the Public Worship Services

The lay worship leader will follow only such liturgical
forms as are approved and provided by the supervising
pastor and which are acceptable to the congregation.

3. The Public Administration of the Sacraments

The third distinctive function, namely, “public admin-
istration of the sacraments,” will be dealt with as follows:

a. Holy Baptism

Holy Baptism will be administered by the supervising
pastor or another rostered pastor. If not possible, the li-
censed layman will administer it.

b. Holy Communion

The supervising pastor will normally administer Holy
Communion. However, “in exceptional circumstances,
when no ordained clergy is available and the congregation
would otherwise be deprived of the Sacrament for a pro-
longed period of time, the licensed layman will preside,
when specifically authorized to do so by the congregation
and with the approval of a supervising pastor and the Dis-
trict President.

4. The Public Administration of the Office of the Keys

The administration of the Office of the Keys by means
of the personal pronouncement of the absolution as it per-
tains to church discipline, and possible excommunication,
ought not be carried out by those who do not hold the office
of public ministry, since this can always be provided for
on behalf of the congregation by those who hold the office
of public ministry.

D. Bylaw Stipulations—Review of Handbook Chap-

ter VII (“Certified Professional Church Workers,
Lay”), Part C (“Position Assistance and Listing”)

In order to provide support for Certified Church Work-
ers, Lay, and to assist congregations in securing these ser-
vices, the committee recommends that

1. the Synod provide for the placing, supervising, listing,
and referral of Certified Church Workers, Lay;

2. the Council of Presidents be made responsible for
arranging for an appropriate way of providing for these

services and that this be made a matter of first priority;
and

3. appropriate Bylaws incorporating these two recom-
mendations be developed and be presented to the 1992
convention of the Synod.

Action: Adopted as amended (13).

(Following presentation of the original resolution, a motion to
refer it to the Commission on Theology and Church Relations was
declined by a vote of 517-557 after delegates had agreed to cease
debate on the proposal. Rather than extending time for discussion
in session 10, delegates adopted a motion delaying the contin-
uation of debate until the following morning. An amendment was
offered to strike the word ordinarily from the first paragraph of
section c, second sentence which had followed the word should.
In addition, delete the words whenever possible, which had been
the first words of the sentence of the section on Holy Baptism.
Further, to strike the words or in emergencies, from the section
on Holy Communion, to insert the words for a prolonged period
of time after the word sacrament in the same section and to add
the words and the District President at the end of it. An amend-
ment to have the section on Holy Communion read, “The cele-
bration of Holy Communion ought not be carried out by those who
do not hold the office of the public ministry, since this can always
be provided for on behalf of the congregation by those who hold
the office of public ministry,” was defeated. An additional amend-
ment adding requirements for persons who do not hold the office
of the public ministry but compose and deliver sermons was de-
clined. The requirements would have been, “(3) been duly chosen
by the congregation for the specific ministries, and (4) begun the
synodically approved colloquy programs.”

After the resolution was adopted as amended, a motion was
made that the resolution be studied by the two seminary faculties
and a report made to the next convention. Another resolution was
proposed stating, “WHEREAS, Concerns regarding 3-05B are evi-
dent; be it Resolved, That the issues be studied by the faculties
of the seminaries, the CTCR, and the Council of Presidents and
report to the next convention.” Both proposals were referred to
the floor committee which later stated, “Floor Committee 3 be-
lieves that studies will continue on doctrinal issues raised by the
passage of 3-05B, without the formation of a rather large and
expensive special study committee, and that adequate evangelical
procedures are already available to officially address concerns
that individuals still may have concerning the passage of 3-05B.”

During the course of discussion of the resolution, Dr. Samuel
Nafzger provided the following statement which was printed in
Today’s Business and is reprinted below.)

Address by Dr. Samuel H. Nafzger

Thank you, Mr. Chairman:

The doctrine of the ministry is a very difficult and com-
plex issue about which Lutherans have probably disagreed
more in the history of Lutheranism than any other single
issue.

It characterized the very birth of the Missouri Synod in
Perry County, with C. F. W. Walther, who studying the
Scriptures and the Confessions was able to articulate a
view which holds together the high respect for the divinely
instituted office of the public ministry, while at the same
time encouraging and recognizing the ministry of all of
God’s people in the priesthood of all believers. It was pre-
cisely Walther’s position which characterized the reports
of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations in
the ’70s and again most recently in 1981, where for eight
years the commission struggled with questions pertaining
to the doctrine of the ministry. And it was precisely on
these reports of the CTCR that the Lay Worker Study Com-
mittee took its start and formed as its foundation as the
11 members who voted on this committee deliberated and