# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S142
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

142 SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES

our national life is expected to feel the impact of this upswing.
Also church activity is expected to reach higher levels of partici-
pation.

This is the confident blueprint of the next decade that is shap-
ing the thinking of our nation’s leadership,

Pastor Need Based on Mission Expansion

In order to keep abreast with the population rise, Synod is
constrained to step up its home-mission activity beyond that indi-
cated by its past experience. In place of 995 new stations, the
Board for Missions in North and South America Proposes to estab-
lish 1,215, with a corresponding increase in pastor need.

Because other nations are also experiencing progress, Synod’s
overseas missions are constrained to enlarge their work. In fact,
all mission programs of Synod face opportunities that should not
go begging. A pastor need of 45 in these special field categories
will keep better pace with the promise of the next decade.

Pastor Need Based on Contingencies

The next decade is expected to increase to ten million the
number of retired persons who will receive Social Security benefits,
Synod is therefore advised to anticipate higher replacement needs
for its pastors than those indicated by its experience. In place of
1,068, Synod is likely to require 1,168 replacement needs in the
next ten years,

The rapid growth of many of our large congregations and the
missionary opportunities that confront them can be expected to
develop a Stronger demand for assistant pastors than Synod’s
experience would normally warrant. Synod is likely to require 100
assistant pastors in place of 50.

The Sum of Synod’s Pastor Need
A decade of great promise indicates a pastor need in the fol-
lowing numbers:

For home missions a 1,215
For assistant pastors Fe «100
For pastors in special fields _— 130
For replacement needs ___ ae 1,168
For existing shortage ee 342

Total tne nnn 2955

The Pastor Supply
Synod obtains its pastor supply from 1) its seminaries, and
2) from “other sources.”

ANS eRe

SmaI ee ccHpeK A

a ee ee

BONN it 9 Gu ec:

Table
from Syno
St. Louis £
colleges th
lege. How
school lev:
greatly.

In 195%
to the Seni
where they
enter the S
of supply v

Table 7-

Jr. Co
Year Sophoi
Cla:

1950 20
1951 24!
1952 a7:
1953 24
1954 258
1955 28¢
1956 31z
1957 326
1958 347

The esti
totals 1,964.
trend in gra:
to 1954, in o
tion prograr
a more optir

The rat
a strong ra
ment or of f
it indicates <
inary level a
in student
seminary en:

A total
obtained on -
students in :