# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_2016_S447
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ROUTES TO MINISTRY
(a) In doing so, he should keep in mind the glory and responsibility
of the universal priesthood of all believers as it applies to the congregations. He shall remind them that they are ‘a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people to show for the
praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light’ (1 Pet. 2:9)” (emphasis added).The doctrine of the universal
priesthood is frequently paid lip service and the scriptural emphasis
that every Christian is a priest with specific priesthood obligations is
not executed, thus requiring the overwhelming need and utilization
of trained laymen and women to carry out the divine commission of
our Lord; and
Whereas, Kirche und Amt, in stating the doctrinal position of the
LCMS, indicates that “the ministry of preaching is conferred by God
through the congregation, as holder of all church power, or of the keys,
and by its call, as prescribed by God. The ordination of those called,
with the laying on of hands, is not by divine institution but is an apostolic church ordinance and merely a public, solemn confirmation of
the call” (Thesis VI of the Theses on the Ministry); and
Whereas, The formal doctrinal position adopted in 1851 in the
Theses on Church and Ministry also include other helpful doctrinal
theses; and
Whereas, The Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the
Missouri Synod in Theses 31 and 33 clearly teaches that Office of
Public Ministry is a “divine ordinance” and that “the Christians of a
certain locality must apply the means of grace” and clearly teaches
that “ordination ... is not a divine ordinance”; and
Whereas, A September 1981 CTCR report (The Ministry Offices,
Procedures, and Nomenclature, p. 22) states:
Ordination has its historical roots in the New Testament and in the
church through the ages. It is a solemn ecclesiastical rite by which a
duly qualified member of the body of Christ who has accepted a valid
call from the church is presented to the church as a gift of the Holy Spirit
and publicly declared to be a holder of the office of the public ministry.
It is a public ratification of the call and an invocation of the blessings of
God upon the new minister. While the rite of ordination including the
laying on of hands is not a necessity, it is to be revered as an ancient
apostolic custom. In keeping with this custom, the laying on of hands of
other pastors and the presence of teachers and members of the church
from places other than the site of the ordainee’s immediate call is meaningful. When a man is ordained in one congregation, for example, he is
recognized as a member of the public ministry of the whole confessional
fellowship. Ordination as an act does not impart an additional authority
that the call does not give, nor is it a sacrament;

and
Whereas, While the Office of the Public Ministry is a divine
ordinance, ordination is de jure humano (by human right, order, or
arrangement only), an excellent and commendable practice, and not
de jure divino (by divine right, law, or requirement). To be clear, ordination is not a sacrament and is not a divine ordinance; and
Whereas, The 2013 convention adopted Res. 4-06A, “To Resolve
Questions about the Service of Licensed Lay Deacons” (the matter
of the 1989 Res. 3-05B); and
Whereas, The 4-06A Task Force on July 9, 2015, submitted its
report and recommendations, which in effect nullifies and replaces
1989 Res. 3-05B; and
Whereas, While attempts were made in 2001 to rescind 1989
Res. 3-05B, the 2001 convention adopted Res. 3-08B: “Resolved,
That the Synod authorize its districts to continue training lay deacons as directed by the spirit of the 1989 Wichita Res. 3-05B in which
trained lay ministers serve under the supervision of an ordained pastor; … and … Resolved, That this convention rescind 1995 St. Louis
convention Res. 3-07A (requiring such licensed laymen to complete

447

a seminary program for ordination); and be it further Resolved, That
we pray the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth laborers into
His harvest (Matt. 9:37–38)”; and
Whereas, The 4-06A Task Force Report and Recommendations
are theologically in error, controversial, and divisive in at least the
following particulars:
1. The royal priesthood of believers is limited to “their daily lives and
vocations” and “one’s daily vocation in the world” as if they are not
directly involved in the worship, mission, and ministry of a Christian congregation (the royal priesthood), including exercising their
priesthood as the holder of all church power by the very calling of
pastors or “entrust[ing] to particular persons for special administration” or for that matter, being the particular one (royal priest) entrusted with a specific ministry under a called pastor;
2. Ordination, which is de jure humano, is being considered necessary
and required for ministry;
3. While declaring not to set in opposition the priesthood of believers
and the Office of the [Public] Ministry, the report and recommendations in fact clearly do so;
4. Declaring lay licensed deacons “the de facto pastors of LCMS congregations” when in fact, while serving under a pastor and carrying
out some of the functions of a pastor, a lay licensed deacon is considered in the church not a de facto or a de jure divino pastor;
5. Implying that a lay licensed deacon cannot proclaim the pure Gospel;
6. The “threefold perspective”—examination, congregational call,
ordination—is all considered required although the “ordination”
is only de jure humano (though salutary for good order); the “examination” is de jure humano (full-time seminary-prepared pastor,
“examined by faculty,” etc.) unless it is only understood to be the
scriptural qualifications for the office of a pastor or deacon. Only
the “congregational call” is de jure divino—that is, divinely ordered
and arranged. It is only the call (by the congregation or parish) that
makes a pastor. This is of the essence. It certainly is not transmitted from pastor to pastor nor is it by some episcopal or hierarchical
authority;
7. The misidentification and misunderstanding of the “unresolved controversy” and “division;” and

Whereas, The report and recommendations demonstrate that the
task force seems unaware of or does not recognize the exponential
increase of the “financial, geographical or demographic” issues, the
cultural conditions, challenges and ongoing change in the LCMS and
the USA with the increased mission opportunities to proclaim the
Gospel and bringing Christ to the lost; and
Whereas, 1989 Res. 3-05A had the foresight to establish this special ministry and help for the Office of the Public Ministry in these
challenging days, reflecting an understanding of the theological position of “whatever other offices the church may entrust to particular
persons for special administration” (Kirche und Amt); therefore be it
Resolved, That the 2016 Synod convention decline any resolution
to adopt the proposals of the Res. 4-06A Task Force; and be it further
Resolved, That the 2016 convention affirm 1989 Res. 3-05B,
thereby continuing the licensed lay deacon ministry as useful and
necessary and as a viable solution to the mission challenges and issues
facing the church in these last days; and be it finally
Resolved, That all the ordained and commissioned servants and
all the royal priests be moved to participate in God’s mission (Missio
Dei) with greater joy, fervor, and enthusiasm.
Board of Directors,Texas District; King of Kings, Round
Rock, TX
2016 Convention Workbook